Eyo Festival: Behind The White Regalia

If you are on the streets of Lagos Island this morning, then you are probably getting a full dose of cultural fun. Though Lagos is known to be a melting pot of cultures, the Eyo play has a special appeal as it is the most popular indigenous cultural festival.

Judging by the number of people who are set to turn out today, May 20, 2017 to celebrate Lagos at the EyoFestival, it is going to be a huge one. Eyo is one cultural rallying point of every Lagosian whose heart truly loves Lagos and recognizes it as his own city.

The Eyo festival is a colourful festival that expresses and exhibits the culture and traditions of the city of Lagos. It is an unrivaled festival that is beyond compare to any other masquerade festival in Yoruba land and Nigeria as a whole. The festival is a lifestyle that is widely anticipated and attended by Lagos indigenes and denizens both from across Nigeria and internationally. In actual fact, for the past couple of days, Nigerians and cultural enthusiasts have been gathering in the city of Lagos to commemorate with Lagos on her 50th celebration as a state, but many mostly to view the Eyo Festival.

The 2017 festival promises to be outstanding amongst all other past celebrations as not only has it been highly anticipated, it is put together as a part of the Lagos @ 50 celebrations. The 2017 Eyo festival boasts of a splendid and expansive theatrical display and pageantry that highlights and showcases the indigenous history of Lagos. Through the picturesque array of regalia and costumes, Eyo forms parades on the island of Lagos.

While some historians ascribe the masquerade to the Ijebus, Eyo belongs to Lagos. It is creation of Lagos and is the spirit of Lagos deified. The Eyo Festival is largely regarded as a day of joyous splendour and gaiety. It has evolved overtime from simply being held to celebrate or commemorate personalities or the ascension to the throne of an Oba (King) of Lagos to something more unique and expressive; it has indeed become a spectacle.

Traditionally, there are five Eyos, the masquerade, that wears the flowing gown (Agbada) with an over flowing cloth, carrying the Opambata stick. Eyo Agere, Eyo Ologede, Eyo Oniko, Eyo Alakete Pupa andEyo Adamu Orisha.

The only Eyo that is not part of a group is the most senior Eyo-Adimu Orisa. This Eyo’s nose is forever running, hence, the name Adimu. Only a very old and spiritually advanced male can robe as the Adimu. It is a taboo for Eyo Adimu to come out without due notification that Eyo Oniko and Eyo Ologede have paraded the streets.

The festival encompasses a week-long series of activities, and culminates in a striking procession of thousands of men clothed in white and wearing a variety of coloured hats, called Agaa. The procession which dances and celebrates on the streets of Lagos moves through various crucial locations and landmarks in the city, including the Oba’s Palace.

The Eyo are considered to be related to the spirits of the dead who have returned to cleanse Lagos of evil and to pray for its continued prosperity and peaceful existence. In the manner of a spirit being visiting the earth on a purpose, the Eyo masquerade speaks in a ventriloquial voice, suggestive of its otherworldliness; and when greeted, it replies: “Mo yo fun e, moyo fun’ra mi” (“I rejoice for you, and I rejoice for myself). This response connotes the masquerades as rejoicing with the person greeting it for the witnessing of the day, and its own joy at taking the hallowed responsibility of cleansing.

The Eyo, when it encounters people, greets them with the phrase, “E sunrunkunrun, we ma jagbon die!” meaning, “Don’t fear anything, have a taste of the palm tree,” and taps the individual on the shoulders with the ‘opambata.’ When he is given money, he will pray for the person and recite the praise song of his Iga. It is however, a taboo to either wear the Eyo costume overnight.

The procession

Eyo Festival is usually held on a Saturdays and each Eyo comes out of an ‘Iga’ (mini palace) of a ruling family in the morning and heads for the shrine (Agodo). It is robed from head to toe in white flowing cloth. The white flowing costume consists of an ‘agbada’ (the top robe), and the ‘aropale’ (the bottom wrap around). No part of the person carrying the Eyo is expected to be seen. The Eyo also wears an ‘Akete’, a hat that bears the colours and shield of the Iga (palace or family) from which he comes. An Eyo may tie ribbons in his Iga’s colours to the Opambata (long palm branch) that he carries. An Iga’s Eyo may have up to 50 to 100 or more members, though each person carrying a robe as Eyo must pay a fee for the privilege. This prescribed fee is paid to the Iga – ruling house, whose colours and Akete the Eyo wears. The Eyo garb is not for mean men or infidels, it is an emblem of class and honour.

An Eyo researcher whom we cornered at the Lagos market in the early hours of Thursday, but refused to give his name but charged us to call him artist expressed that due to the increasing number of Eyoenthusiasts, the costumes and regalia have been produced in earnest. He shared that a complete Eyo regaliacan go for as low as 20,000 naira without the Akete which is given after payment to the wearer’s Iga. However, most regalia and accessories go for as high as N100,000  depending on the class and prestige of the Eyo. The Akete is a separate part of the regalia and it is given by individual houses to their members.

Only adult males may robe as Eyo; but sometimes, there may be a child Eyo in a group. The sons and daughters and wives, as well as friends and neighbours of the Iga follow the Eyo on a parade from one end of Lagos Island to the other. The route of each Eyo goes from the Iga, where the Iga’s Eyo leave en masse, and then on to the Agodo – the shrine of the Orisa Eyo. After this, the Eyo may go anywhere on Lagos Island their feet can carry them, all the way from Ebute Ero to Obalende, via Oke Popo, Campus, Lafiaji and all neighbourhoods the Eyo’s whims may carry him. In fact, an Eyo may easily cover 20 to 30 kilometres on festival day, so it is also a task for strong men. The crowd of supporters following the Eyohowever does not wear white robes.

Imagine the spectacle of thousands of white robed figures in colourful hats, flowing ribbons, men women and children milling about the streets singing and dancing. The Lagos Eyo gives good meaning to the words,festival and spectacle.

No doubt, with a festival so unique, denizens of Lagos will flock to the venue and this has raised some security concerns.

Perception

Not everyone is excited about the festival. A Lagosian in a chat says “What is my business with the festival? People always get injured at things like that. I like the festival, but how will I get there and ensure that I am safe. I advise everyone to just stay in their house and watch it on television. For me, I have no intention of stepping out of my house on the day.”

Considering the crowd Eyo Festival attracts and the security complications that may arise at a gathering of that magnitude, the issue of security is one that has a lot of people worried. Speaking on what the Lagos State government is doing to avoid stampede and protect lives and property there, a Lagos State official who chose to remain anonymous stated that the festival is slated to be held at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos Island. He explained that the square is big enough to accommodate the crowd coming for the festivalwhich holds at the same place every year.

“There is going to be little or no chance for a stampede as the venue is big enough to contain fun seekers and tourists expected to grace the festival. Besides, there would be adequate logistics and security measures which Lagos events have become synonymous with,” he said.

Speaking with a Lagosian, Babatunde Wright, he expressed his reason for coming to see the festival. “I am a Lagosian by birth and heritage, how wont I come and see Eyo? I am not a bastard. Even when I was living in Lagos before I moved to Ibadan with my family, I never saw the festival. Now this is an opportunity for me. I even brought my wife and children.

They must witness it too, Eyo is Lagos and we are Lagosians. It is our birthright. I took my leave at work since Wednesday so that I can travel. This is a vacation for my family, and we will witness the festival. After all, people leave everything when they are going for any religious programme or camp, me too, this is my own camp.”

Those living in the Lagos Mainland and outskirts , at one point today may begin to wonder where everybody else has gone to, why there are so few commercial transport vehicles on the road and why the ones available charge such high fares.

Dos and Don’ts By the Oba

His Highness, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos, has issued a warning note to Lagosians and visitors against putting on shoes and head ties by women during the presentation of the Eyo festival on Saturday.

The monarch urges everyone not to wear any shoes within the vicinity of the masquerades, adding that female must not wear any form of head ties to the event.

He said the Eyo Festival was being held to honour illustrious sons of Lagos, including His Royal Highness, the Late Elegushi of Ikate, Oba Yekinni Elegushi (Kusenla II) and the deceased Co-Chairman, Lagos@50 Committee, Mr. Rasheed Gbadamosi.

The Oba assured residents and visitors that adequate security had been arranged for a successful festival and informed the public that the procession would take off at the Iga Iduganran to culminate at the Tafawa Balewa Square where the various Eyo groups would be on parade.

The Oba of Lagos said that the Eyo Festival would boost tourism as people were expected from all over the world to witness the festival which holds only on important occasions.

Interview with an Eyo

Adekunle Sobukola Femi of Iga Adimu Orisa is a Lagosian true and through. He has many time partaken in the festival, not as a guest but as a masquerade. He speaks of his experience.

How does one get the regalia?

In years past, it was the custom to own one’s regalia personally, but in recent times, sponsors give the complete regalia freely to members of an Iga.

It is a beautiful thing to behold. The money paid to the Iga is not a fixed amount; it is based on one’s means and capability. Of course it comes with a lot of fanfare and celebration because joining Eyo is like becoming a part of a society and it is a thing of joy and celebration.

How expensive can a regalia be?

Some people who want to be part of Eyo rent the regalia for the festival which costs about N10,000.

Sewing the regalia by oneself is not advisable because it won’t be like the original thing, neither will it be uniform. Some people sew it and buy the accessories separately while they collect the Agaa (hat) from their Iga.

Buying the regalia can sometimes cost N20,000, some cost well over N100,000 depending on what the individual can afford. But these days, Eyos are given the regalia as a gift yearly.

After wearing the regalia for a few hours does it get tiring?

We don’t get tired while carrying the Eyo because it is a part of us. It is a thing of the mind. Once you make up your mind to do it, you simply do and for the entire day you zero your mind to perform well. The praise chants, singing and dancing keeps you energised throughout the festival, you can then rest afterwards.

I am a dancer by profession and a Lagos born, so I did not have to learn the dance because I am originally a part of Eyo. Most Eyo are Lagos born and already know the dos and donts and are aware of how things are done.