EYO FESTIVAL: SANWO-OLU RECEIVES OPAMBATA AS PROCESSION KICKS OFF AHEAD OF MAIN EVENT
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday received the Opambata of the Eyo as the ceremonial rites kicks off towards the festivity proper billed for Saturday, December 27th.
Speaking at the Ijade Opa Eyo procession at Lagos House, Marina, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the Eyo festival provides a platform to showcase Lagos not only as Nigeria’s economic and commercial hub but also as a beacon of culture and tourism, worthy of local and international attention.
The Olori Eyo, White Cap chiefs,
traditional leaders and participants paid homage to Governor Sanwo-Olu and
representatives of important personalities to be honoured with this year's Eyo
festival.
Those to be honoured with this year's Eyo festival are
the late Iyaloja-General, Chief Abibat Mogaji, mother of President Bola Tinubu;
the first military Governor of Lagos, Mobolaji Johnson; the first civilian
Governor, Alhaja Lateef Jakande; and the Third Republic Governor, Sir Michael
Otedola.
Ahead of the Eyo festival, Lagos Island came alive on
Sunday with the traditional Ijade Opa Eyo procession, which moved through key
historic locations, reaffirming the city’s commitment to preserving its
cultural heritage.
The ritual procession, marked by the ceremonial bearing
of the Opambata, symbolised guidance, protection and the transmission of
tradition from one generation to another, as Lagos reflected on its foundations
and advanced with dignity.
Speaking during the event, tagged "Ijade Opa
Eyo", which featured the Adimu Orisa festival's songs, performances, and
prayers with ceremonial processions led by Olori Eyo and Akinsiku of Lagos,
Chief Adebola Dosumu, and adherents with their Opa Mbata, Governor Sanwo-Olu
said the gathering marked the commencement of the Eyo festival.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who described the Eyo festival as a
powerful expression of identity and continuity, said the ceremony underscores
Lagos’ rich cultural depth, noting that a people without culture risk losing
relevance.
The Governor commended participants for their turnout and
highlighted the symbolic black-and-white attire as a strong representation of
unity and progress.
He said: "The Eyo Festival holding on Saturday will
be a day of joy and pride for Lagos. It will be a ceremony that will be
colourful and joyous and show the deepness of our rich cultural heritage. And
it will be a ceremony that both our local and international friends will
attend.
"We know that indeed there is a strong and rich
tradition and culture in Lagos. People without a culture are going to
extinction. If you don't have a culture, you are not relevant. What are you
living for? What are you passing on? What are you transferring? So it would be
a cultural event that we will use to demonstrate to all of our visitors and
friends that Lagos is not only the Centre of Excellence and the commercial and
economic nerve centre of our country, but it is also the melting point of
culture and tourism."
Governor Sanwo-Olu also thanked the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan
Akiolu, for championing the 2025 Eyo Festival after eight years of its celebration
in the state. He also commended those at the event, which featured traditional
religious adherents clad in white and black, which signified unity and peace as
well as the uniqueness of the deep cultural heritage.
"I want to formally acknowledge and thank all of you
for coming out in large numbers this afternoon to demonstrate your support and
the elegance of the richness of our culture. The white and the black that have
been demonstrated here today are very strong and unique colours of unity and progress,"
he said.
Also speaking at the event attended by Deputy Governor Dr
Obafemi Hamzat, First Lady, Dr (Mrs) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu and cabinet members,
among others, the Olori Eyo, Chief Adebola Dosunmu, explained that the Ijade
Opa Eyo is part of a wider preparatory procession ahead of the main Eyo
festival scheduled for Saturday, noting that the outing formally signals the
certainty of the forthcoming festival.
He said the outing involves visits to family houses,
traditional palaces, the Oba’s Palace, the Governor’s residence and other
significant locations, including paying homage at President Bola Tinubu’s
house.
Dosunmu outlined key cultural rules guiding the festival,
including restrictions on footwear, caps and scarves, and a prohibition on
photographing the sacred Orishas, while allowing pictures of the Eyo
masquerades.
He emphasised that tradition and religion are distinct,
stressing that culture predates modern religions and remains an inherited
identity passed down through generations.
The Ijade Opa Eyo procession once again highlighted
Lagos’ resolve to protect its ancestral customs, reinforcing culture as a
unifying force and a vital pillar of the state’s history, identity and tourism
appeal.
More Photos👇👇👇
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l-r: Governor of Lagos
State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; President Bola Tinubu; the First Lady, Senator
Oluremi Tinubu and the Akinsiku of
Lagos, Chief Adebola Dosunmu during the Ijade Eyo
Procession, at the President’s Home in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Sunday.
.jpeg)
l-r: The Olori Eyo and Akinsiku of Lagos, Chief Adebola Dosunmu with President Bola Tinubu and the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu during the Ijade Eyo Procession, at the President’s Home in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Sunday.
Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu flanked by the Akinsiku of Lagos, Chief Adebola Dosunmu
(left) and Opeluwa of Lagos, Chief Lateef Ajose Aderibigbe (right) during the Ijade
Eyo Procession, at Lagos House, Marina, on Sunday.
.jpeg)
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