The Nation Newspaper

Category: Travels on Saturday

Tale of Ekiti community’s mystery stones

SOME call it a mystery town, while others refer to the town as a place blessed with huge mineral resources. But the king’s palace which is worth visiting has been the cynosure of all eyes despite the high level of education of the townsmen, for they still use stones to count the number of their past monarchs.

Not only this , the town , Ijero, is the only town in Yoruba land that has the masquerade called Aje ( witch/wizard) which comes out annually .

On how Aje came to be , the monarch said: “In the days of old when children were falling sick and some were dying, our forefathers brought Aje out to come and rescue the town, and since it cured people and released them from their bondage, it was turned into a god being worshipped. Whoever is ill is healed, while progress comes to the town and it wades off calamity from the land.That is why we have been celebrating and worshipping Aje. we also called it Ako Egungun (husband of all the Egungun).

Eegun Aje

The arrival and mere seeing Aje charges everywhere as there are cries of happiness immediately he is sighted on its arrival from ‘heaven,’ while many run to it to be whipped with its cane. Many beg it to cane them. A young man , Yemi Olutayo, said he offered himself to be caned to receive its blessing.

“I am glad for having the opportunity to be caned. It is a physical and spiritual blessing .I know it has answered my prayers and my life cannot be the same again as things will improve for me next year”.

Joshua Oyewande Olukolade ,an educationist, boasted that the palace would soon be a tourist centre where people would come from different places to visit in the nearest future.

He argued that despite their high level of education, their system or method of keeping of dates and numbers cannot be erased as one could see how they keep number of the monarchs that had passed on.

With the palace’s fantastic architectural design, it can boast of having a museum as the monarch and some eminent persons in the town are pleading to the state and federal government to come and see what their forefathers had done.

OSIRIGBONGBO

At the centre of the town is a giant statue of one of the founding fathers of the town, holding a small gourd and a sword in his pouch which is strapped on his side .

The statue of OSIRIGBONGBO who was a warrior is highly respected and honoured , though it is at the centre of the town where some people offer sacrifices. Some use it as a meeting point and, of course, where town criers make necessary announcements.

One thing is still certain. The statue is revered and in terms of problems, the man is offered sacrifice. It is at this place that social activities take place. An educationist and one of the community leaders, Joshua Oyewande Olukolade, described how Osirigbongbo looked like.

He said: “The man , Osirigbongbo, according to our forefathers, was a giant with intimidating stature. Being a warrior , Osirigbongbo was always ready to rescue the town from being plundered and taken into captivity”.

Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti

The town’s monarch, the Ajero of Ijero, Oba Joseph Adebayo Adewole, said: ” The story of this man is mysterious , as legend has it that he was the giant warlord that no one had the effrontery to look at his face. No man ever has the measurement of his height as he was the tallest man in the community, as no one could reach his shoulder. He was said to be so powerful that his men used pestle to wake him up”, the monarch stated with authority.

The monarch continued: “On his war exploits, Osirigbongbo would go to war without war tools .When he gets to the hottest war zone, he would go for the leader of his enemies and use his bare hands to tear him apart and would use his victim’s torn legs to be fighting in the war”.

On the mysterious man’s feeding , the monarch said: ” We were informed by our forefathers that the Osirigbongbo used to eat a morsel with the head of a cow. He was said to have a giant muzzle. He never prepared any weapons like arrow, cutlass, knife whatsoever, but depended on his magical power .Legend says when he goes to any war he would go straight to the leader (enemy) , seize his ammunition and would tear the man’s body which he would use as his tool to fight .He ate a morsel of pounded yam with the head of a cow. They use pestle to wake him up .Many strange stories were said about him.

Stones

Mysterious Stones

Outside Alajero’s palace is a sacred place where tourists go to and it is kept sacred , while it is kept neat always .According to the monarch, each stone represents a king that had passed away , he said ,counting the number of stones there.

“If you start counting the stones one, two, three, you would miss it and will never be able to finish counting them as you would get confused. And if you go back and start counting again, you will get confused no matter how smart or brilliant you are.

“No man knows the number of the stones deposited here. But it is only the olori ( wives of the king) and the monarch that know the number.The place is a sacred place and one must not go there, or throw things or rubbish into the place, and whoever does that would see its repercussion. No one ever tries it”, he said .

Still on the stones , the king said: “The sacred place where we keep stones started long time ago when our forefathers were not educated. Whenever a king dies, the community would place a stone there .So if you want to know how many kings that had passed away, you will have to count the number of stones. Despite our civilization , education and modern world, we refused to jettison the idea .When I pass away too, a stone would be placed there.”.

Tree

A big tree has been there for more than 800 years. It is called ISAGUN. According to the monarch, “it is a special place where princes and princess go to for initiation when they are being welcomed into the royal family .They must go round the tree seven times, wearing white apparels and this is an initiation into the royal house .Its like a church where they observe baptism and confirmation .Anybody that does not do that is not considered to be from a royal house and cannot publicly claim this”.

Eyekun-Aafin

A statue at the shrine shows the sculptor of a woman with beads on her neck and holding a cloth. According to Yewande , Ijero will never forget the woman in a hurry because of her contribution to the town . According to the monarch, she was the woman who started using stones to list the number of monarchs that passed on. She was a great woman warrior. ”

yeye

17th shrine

The monarch claimed that the town has 16 shrines, but when he came to the throne in 1991 he added another one to make it the 17th one. He said: “ We have about 16 shrines here, but it has become 17 and that is the church I go”.

According to him, the town has shrines for the Ogun, Masquerade, Esu and so on, while we all belong to the supreme deity .But when I was enthroned, I built another shrine , and that is a church where I worship God who is the Supreme Being ”

Asked how he manages to practise the three religions , he said since he is the head of the community ,he then belongs to all the three major religions , and when it is time to offer sacrifices, he would supply all the needs and give them to the chief priest of the town .

“I supply their needs for sacrifice .Since I am the community head. I am a Christian, but I observe all the religions, including the African tradition religion. It is part of our culture and we cannot stop it”.

Joshua Oyewande Olukolade said if the federal and state governments could invest in tourism in the town, many would be employed.

He said: ” China , Kenya and some countries make a lot money from tourism. We should emulate these countries. Nigeria is blessed with all these. I believe we would still get there. It is only a matter of time”.

October 10, 2015
Starwood increases presence in Africa, Indian Ocean

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide has announced expansion in Africa and Indian Ocean , increasing its market penetration across the region. The company has a strong footprint with 34 operating hotels and has another 20 hotels under development.

With the expansion of its luxury, upper upscale and mid-market brands, Starwood will grow its portfolio by over 50 per cent in the next five years, with more than 50 hotels operating and nine out of its 10 compelling lifestyle brands flying their flag in the region.

“The momentum of growth we are seeing in Africa today is unprecedented. It is a reiteration of the trust our owners have in us, the power of our distinct lifestyle brands and the strength of our global distribution and award-winning loyalty programme,” said Michael Wale, President for Starwood, Europe, Africa and Middle East. “Africa is a market with huge potential. With economic growth, a rising middle class and rapid urbanization, the demand for travel and quality lodging will continue to grow and provide us with a significant opportunity to grow our brands and play our part in supporting many emerging markets across the continent.”

Reaffirming its commitment to growth in the region, the company announced seven new deals, including W Sharm El Sheikh and The Residences at W Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt),Sheraton Bamako (Mali), The Westin Abuja and Residences (Nigeria),Four Points by Sheraton Abuja and Residences (Nigeria),Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport (Kenya), Aloft Dakar (Senegal), and Element Oyster Bay Dar es Salaam (Tanzania). With the new signings, Starwood will further build its position in Nigeria and Egypt, increase its presence in Senegal and enter new markets which include Mali, Kenya and Tanzania.

October 10, 2015
Award for Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines, the largest, fastest growing and most profitable airline in Africa has been voted and won the Passenger Choice Awards for “Best Airline in Africa” for the third time in a row at the APEX 2015 EXPO held at Oregon Convention Center in Portland.

The Airline Passenger Experience Association is a network of the world’s leading airlines, suppliers and related companies committed to elevating the level of the airline passenger experience.

APEX encompasses the largest and most comprehensive survey of passengers in 13 languages. It is the most important award in the airline industry since it is the customers themselves, who rate airlines based on their overall experience.

Chief Executive Officer, Ethiopian Airlines Group, Tewolde Gebre Mariam, said “As an indigenous Pan-African Global Airline, we are honoured to be recognized as “Best in Africa” for the third time in a row which once again reaffirms the high quality of the service and the products we offer. Ethiopian is above all a customer-focused airline with global standard service with superior delivery through its hallmark African flavoured Ethiopian hospitality.

Passenger Choice Award is the most important award in our industry since it is our customers, who rate us by benchmarking our service with others in the industry.

“The award will encourage all of us at Ethiopian to double up our efforts in the never ending pursuit of our continuous improvements in customer services both on the ground and in the air. With 91 international and 20 domestic destinations around five continents, operated with one of the youngest fleet in the industry, which is below 5 years average age; we will continue our leadership in the African Aviation industry and connecting mother Africa with its major global trading centres. I wish to thank our customers for their strong vote of confidence and for all Ethiopian employees who are working hard day-in and day-out all over the world to make Ethiopian airlines lead the African Renaissance in the 21st Century with its motto ‘The New Spirit of Africa,’ Mariam said.

October 10, 2015
D ’Czars celebrates on Independence Day

Upscale boutique hotel which had played host to several high calibre guests, including Governor Ibikunle Amosu, had a thanksgiving on October 1, treating its numerous guests to choice drinks and sumptuous delicacies.

The double celebration which took place on the hotel’s premises featured hip- hop artistes, comedy and fuji music. There were side attractions of dancers and upcoming artistes from different genres of music.

For Salman Justice Kazim, CEO of D’ Czars, “it has been a challenging one year of operation, but by and large, we give thanks to God for keeping us alive and well”

The CEO, whose style is abundantly expressed in the lavish hotel decor, also celebrated with Nigeria on its 55th independence anniversary, believing that the country will be better this time around.

October 10, 2015
Negash: The Hijrah town

THE terrain of the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia, a few kilometres from Eritrea, is rough, austere and unforgiving. It is one of the highest points on earth made up of jutting rock formations that stretch further than the eyes could see.

It is best appreciated from the airplane as it sprawls out over the huge land mass that is Ethiopia. The views from high up the mountains are picturesque. From the air, one could appreciate the natural canvass of brownish green hue spread out on the undulating mountains. The vegetation is mostly made up of shrubs with sparse trees scattered here and there. Farming would definitely not be an easy task. The terrain is an admixture of rocks and soil.

Ethiopia is a country abundantly rich in history. Most of these historical sites are located in both the central and northern Ethiopia. One of these sites is the town of Negash. On a recent visit to Ethiopia, having toured some of the top historical sites in northern Ethiopia, including Axum, the next place to visit was Negash, an ancient town sandwiched between Adinajat and the city of Mekelle, the capital city of the Tigray region. It is 60 kilometres from Mekelle.

Travelling from Axum to Mekelle, via Negash, is one journey that is best made once in a life time. The road is one the most difficult this reporter has ever encountered. With a rocky terrain, more 2,000 feet above the sea level and the Coaster bus having to negotiate through one of the most treacherous routes on earth, it was a journey that the faint hearted and the hypertensive are advised not to ever embark upon.

For those familiar with the Nigerian road network, the closest roads to the Adinajat-Mekelle route are the Gashaka-Gumti to Gembu Road atop the Mambella Plateau or travelling from the foot of the Obudu Mountain to the resort by road. Those routes are not for the faint hearted. But difficult as these roads are to pass through, they are child’s play compared the terrain of Axum-Negash Road.

Travelling on a Coaster bus on a twisting road of more than 2,000 feet high and occasionally looking down the slope by the side and seeing humans down the slope as ants can send the jitters down one’s system.

Finally, after climbing for hours, the bus descended down into the town of Negash. For a town that is more than 600 years, the population is rather small.

Negash is a small road side town probably with a population of less than 10,000. There is just one major tarred road that cuts through the town leading to Mekelle, about 60 kilometres away. The town is rugged from all indications. There seems to be little farming around. However, the vegetation is made up of cactus trees and a specie of what looked like pine trees. The road is dusty. The houses are just simple rural houses like the type seen in suburbs in the Northern Nigeria. The common domestic animals around were sheep and donkeys.

We veered off the major road into an untarred road. Just about 50 metres from the main road is the gate into a mosque, a part of the El Negashi Holy Site.

As the bus parked in front of the mosque, some children looking dusty with old clothes ran after our bus. In front of the complex are national flags of Ethiopia and Turkey. The job sign read: rehabilitation, restoration and landscaping of the holy site of El Nejashi by the Republic of Turkey Prime Ministry.

The mosque is part of the history of Negash. At the beginning of Islam, when Prophet Mohammed was facing persecution from the Quraysh in Mecca, he told a small group of his followers to make Hijrah (migration) to the place in Ethiopia, then Abyssinia. Abyssinia was ruled by a certain Christian king whose title was Negus.

The first group comprising 12 men and five women, including Ruqayyah, the daughter of Prophet Mohammed and her husband, Uthman. Later on, a bigger group of 83 men and 18 women migrated to Abyssinia, led by Jafar Bin Abu Talib, the cousin of Prophet Mohammed. This is called the second migration.

The Quraysh people pursued the fugitives to Abyssinia, requesting the king to extradite them, alleging that they were fugitives from the law.

However, after listening to them and what the migrants had to say, the king refused to hand the fugitives over to the Quraysh. He urged the fugitives to go and live in peace and practise their religion in his territory and told them if anybody maltreated them in his territory, the person would pay heavily for that.

At Negash, Islam flourished and later spread to some other parts of Ethiopia. The Moslems stayed in Negash until the 7th century when they returned back and stayed in Madina, not Mecca. However, the descendants of these first migrants are still very much in Negash. Some of the graves of the individuals that made the Hijrah to the Tigray region of Ethiopia are still there.

Negash has become a top tourist destination for religious tourists. The Masjid Mosque was built by these early migrants for worship. The mosque complex is just about 50 metres from the main road. As at the time we got there, the renovation work was very much in progress. The main mosque has been stripped and about to be replastered. Further inside the complex, this is a kind of mausoleum where some of these early faith refugees were buried. Work was also on in this place. There was a trampoline used to cover the graves.

There was also another burial ground close to the mausoleum also used for these early Muslims. The burial ground is demarcated by cacti trees.

The Imam of the mosque (middle) with tourists

The Imam of the Masjid Mosque, who is said to be a descendant of these early Moslems, took us round the complex.

Initially, he was reluctant to do so, but changed his mind when he asked whether there were some Moslems in the group and the answer was in the affirmative. However, he spoke mostly in Arabic, so the team had to rely on an interpreter to understand what he was saying.

He was the one that gave the history of the Negash and how the migrants from Mecca came to settle there. These indigenes of Negash have, over a period of close to 600 years, been able to keep their identity and very much conscious of their history and where they came from.

For those interested in the early history of Islam’s Hijrah, visiting Negash is a worthwhile experience.

However, for those interested in visiting Negash, the route is through Mekelle, the capital city of the Tigray region. It is just 60 kilometres from Negash. It is not advisable for those afraid of height.

The visit to Negash gave a good perspective about the religious harmony in a multi-religious society.

Ethiopian orthodox Christianity is the most dominant religion in Ethiopia. Of course, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, according to history, goes back to the Queen of Sheba, said to be one of the wives of King Solomon of Israel. Her son, Menelik 1, was said to be the son of King Solomon by the Queen of Sheba that established the Ethiopian monarchy.

Despite the country being overwhelmingly of the orthodox Christian faith, Ethiopian citizens have learnt to tolerate one another.

There was no sign of religious disharmony either in Negash or the adjoining city of Mekelle . For the indigenes of Mekelle, there were no flashy houses, no sign of affluence, but there seems a kind of contentment in whatever life has offered them. They are very proud of their history.

October 3, 2015
Dubai , IATA partner Akwaaba 2015

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), in line with their objective to improving connectivity in Africa, will be partnering Akwaaba to organize the Aviation Day. The Aviation Day will hold on November 22 from 10am.

In addition, the leading wedding destination for Nigerians, Dubai, has chosen to further re-enforce its dominance by partnering the Wedding Expo at Akwaaba. The wedding and spa day, which is on November 22, will open the third day exhibition.

Over the last 10 years, visitor attendance rate has grown at an average rate of 15.25% with visitors and exhibitors from over 20 countries of the world excluding 2014 (due to the Ebola effect).

To increase the number of quality audience for exhibitors and increase visitors experience, AFTM will be launching the maiden edition of the Wedding and Spa Show which will have about 50 wedding planners in attendance with a live band, fashion show and lots of giveaways to be won, including all-expense paid vacations to exotic destinations and hotel stays. The event comes up on November 22.

Adefunke Adeyemi, IATA Regional Head for Member (Airline) and External Relations for Africa and the Middle East will be sharing a recent study and 12 nations report which shows how full air connectivity across those 12 countries would generate an additional $1.3bn in GDP, over 155,000 new jobs and numerous other socio-economic benefits at the Aviation Day.

The event will also feature other guest presentations, attendance is by registration. The event is open to all travel trade professionals.

The Gambia, the smiling coast of Africa, will be showcasing its tourism bounties on the 23rd at The Gambia Day as well as market roots festival and wedding destinations at Akwaaba.

African tourism is set to renew its passion for West-Africa @ Akwaaba. South Africa is the leading African destination for West-Africans and the African powerhouse is not slacking its drive to be the premium destination in the world.

Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’ leading Airline with the largest fleet of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, will be showcasing their new destinations at Akwaaba. Routes include Japan, Korea, Philippines, Ireland, Los Angeles (USA), Cape Town (South-Africa), Gaborone (Botswana), Goma (Congo) and Yaoundé (Cameroun) ET now flies to 53 African destinations.

October 3, 2015
La Campagne Tropicana Resort to open at Koton Karfe

La Campagne Beach Resort will opening its second property in Nigeria at Koton Karfe, Kogi State. To achieve this, the community recently hosted a team of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort management led by the president and founder of La Campagne, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye.

It was a mix of culture and glamour at the palace of the Ohimege Igu, Koton Karfe, Alhaji Gambo Abdulrazak Isa Koto . The occasion was to formalise the birth of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort in the community and the presentation of the Certificate of Occupancy (CoF O) site and survey plan for the 90 hectares of land ,approximately 270 acres of land that the community has donated for the building of the resort.

Addressing the emir and his people, Akinboboye, disclosed that the development was not only gratifying, but a historic event given that 30 years after La Campagne berthed at Ikegun Village, near Lekki, Lagos, as a solely African themed resort, the people of Koton Karfe is the second community to realise the importance of having La Campagne resort in their midst and had graciously gone ahead to donate an expanse of communal land for the project.

He spoke glowingly of the uniqueness of the African themed resort, which he said is focused on promoting African cultural values and tradition, insisting that when people come to Africa and Nigeria by extension, they have come to experience the culture of the people hence he said that:

”We must take our culture and polish it and then take it into our hotels and resorts but we have so far failed in doing this and the people (tourists) are disappointed when they come because we only treat them to the cheap imitation of their own culture,” adding that ”it is only when you get other people to buy into your culture and experience it that you prosper and your culture endures.”

Akinboboye spoke of the enormous economic benefits of hinging tourism development on the country’s culture, saying that ”when you build around your culture, you will empower your people.” Therefore, he said that the emir should be commended for his foresight and dedication to the welfare and development of his people and community.

”It is the empowerment of the people that the emir is promoting through the La Campagne project. The prosperity that will come to Koton Karfe will come from the visitors from the various parts of the world because we are going to build the resort around the culture of the Koton karfe community,” he said, adding that ”the advantage will be for the people of Koton Karfe because they are the owners of the culture.

”It is when you take advantage of your advantage, which is your culture that you have advantage over others. Nobody can promote your culture more than yourself and that is what we want to do with Koton Karfe culture,” he stressed ,even as he disclosed that the community would be the one to drive the project as it will create employment for them in every spheres.

Citing the instance of the Ikegun Village where the resort in the last 30 years has brought tremendous physical and economic developments to the people with over 80 per cent of the personnel drawn from within the community.

”Eighty per cent of our staff are from Ikegun Village and they have been enriched and empowered through the services of the resort to the extent of having their own personal houses and many other economic benefits,”he said.

October 3, 2015
Eko Hotel, Intercontinental, Wheat Baker ranked among best in Lagos

Winners for the Top 100 Hotels in Lagos organised by Travellers Magazine, West African’s foremost travel journal have emerged after a 2 month long survey of Travellers and Travel trade practitioners in Nigeria.

Eko Hotel, emerged as the best ranked hotel in Lagos, while Intercontinental and Wheat Baker emerged second and third best ranked hotels respectively.

The survey for the top 100 hotels was done over two months through personal questionaire survey of Hotel managers and secret vote by Travel Journalists in Lagos and online voting.The online voting was done via the largest travel news website in Africa www.atqnews.com. Questionnaires were delivered as newsletters to over 25000 people globally and the votes were collated using the Survey Monkey software. Each voter was asked to rank the top 15 Hotels out of all the leading hotels in Lagos giving reasons for the ranking.

At the end of the survey, the hotels were now arranged according to the number of high ranks they had garnered. Eko hotel had the highest number of number one votes in all the collated votes while other hotels on the top 25 list did well as number 2 and number 3 ranked hotels. Other hotels that did very well in the ranking includes Oriental Hotel, 4 points by Sheraton, Southern Sun hotel, Sheraton Ikeja hotel, Federal Palace hotel, Radisson Blu, Bogobori Hotel Westwood, The Protea hotels and Golden Tulip Festac.

The ranking for these hospitality providers were based on the perceived service rendered, Location, facilities, and capacity of the hotels. The not so popular new players on the Top 25 list include The George in Ikoyi, Genesis Sojourner in Ikeja , Fahrenheit Maison in Victoria Island, Ibis Hotel Toyin street, The Best Western hotels, Welcome centre and Admiralty Hotel Lekki.

The Full results for the Top 100 hotel in Lagos will be published in Travellers magazine, and will be carried on www.atqnews.com, It will also be shared on different social media platforms.

Travellers Magazine will be presenting certificates to the Top 100 Hotels at the Hospitality Day on the 24thNovember 2015 at the 11th AKWAABA Travel Market at Eko Hotel.

September 26, 2015
Ikeji Aro 2015 to climax tomorrow

Activities marking this year’s Ikeji Aro have since commenced in Arochukwu. The celebration will climax on Eke traditional market day, which is tomorrow in the ancient town of Arochukwu, Abia State, with cultural displays. Arochukwu is the cradle of Igbo civilisation. The theme of this year’s festival is “Ikeji Arochukwu: Nigeria’s Home of Tourism”.

In the ancient days, Arochukwu was the abode of the supreme God – Chukwu. Because people always needed answers from Chukwu, Arochukwu became a pilgrimage centre, bringing spiritual succor to the patrons. With that kind of responsibility, every Aro man came to be regarded as a priest of the Chukwu, and they travelled far and wide bringing pilgrims to the City of God, for indeed that is what the word ‘Arochukwu’ means.

Indeed Ikeji Aro festival has been celebrated in more than 350 Aro Diaspora communities in Nigeria, where Aro people lived and still live to date.

They include Aro Ndizuogu, Aro Okporoenyi, Aro Ikwere, Aro Ngwa, Aro Izombe, Aro Cameroun, Aro Ajalli, Aro Oru, Aro Ndike , Aro Ndiokpalaeke, Aro Ndiowu, Aro Orji and Aro Ohaozara amongst others. Interestingly, all the Aro Diaspora communities still maintain ancestral bondings with their kindred and villages in the Aro homeland.

Each key day of the 17 days of the Ikeji brings together different segments of the community in reenactment of events depicting Arochukwu history. The different peoples of Aro descent choose the period of Ikeji to return and pay homage to their ancestral homeland.

The ‘Afor Okpo na Aza Awada’, which was held on September 4, is the ceremony which signifies the beginning of Ikeji, and this is performed at Ugwuakuma village. During the period of the festival, each of the nine Otusi that make up Aro Kingdom (Akuma Nnubi, Eze Alu Akuma, Ivijioku, Amata Eze Obim, Okennachi, Bianko Nnaezema, Amaja, Ezeagwu and Okwara Agwu Eke) visit Awada Aro Okeigbo to rekindle the ancient bonds that hold them together as a people.

The major days of the festival calendar are Eke Odu, Afor Osu and Nkwo Ekpe Ibom Isii. Nkwo Ekpe ceremony is held at Ibom Village Square. Several cultural displays, including dances and masquerade contests are showcased, especially those of the Ibom Isii villages. The highlight of the occasion is the wrestling contest; the contestants never fail to respond to the rhythm of the talking drums as the combination of dance steps and wrestling skill is entertaining. At the end, Odu Mgbede Ibom entertains and leads Eze Aro and his entourage back to Aro Palace at Oror Village.

On Eke Ekpe day, which is the grand finale of the festival, each of the 19 villages that make up the polity of Arochukwu performs a masquerade or a peculiar dance at the communal square, Amaikpe. The activities of these events are very fascinating and interesting to watch. Knowledgeable judges in Aro culture are appointed to select the best performing village. At the conclusion of events on Eke Ekpe day, a winner is announced to the admiration and jubilation of the people.

Meanwhile Ikeji Aro annual lecture has already been held on September 4, as a prelude to the Ikeji (new yam) festival. This event is a forum for the Aro nation to discuss the tradition, Christianity and idolatory worship as it affects Arochukwu culture.

September 26, 2015
Canada’s summer of African festivity

Toronto’s vibrant art scene is partly fuelled by African and Caribbean culture, writes OLUBANWO FAGBEMI after a recent visit to Canada

Under the banner of AFROFEST 2015, a group of African and Caribbean artistes promoted the concept of cultural integration in Toronto, Canada, using music, art and culture as instrument. Sponsored by the government and its media and corporate partners, the 25th festival of African music and culture appealed to the celebratory mood of the estimated 400, 000 Black individuals in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and their friends.

To an assortment of music, races mingled on the wide expanse of natural green named Woodbine Park on the weekend of July 4 and 5, days before the July 10 opening of the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games. At the same time, stalls vending artefacts recorded impressive customer traffic.

For long-time patrons, however, “behind Saikou’s stall” was the place to be. In re-enactment of an unspoken annual tradition of spontaneous drumming and dancing behind art buff Saikou Saho’s tent, dexterous drummers, some fresh off the main stage, entertained onlookers for free. Their sonorous output invariably pulled agile dancers before a ring of spectators that stretched and shrank with the start and stop of drumming.

Northwards, art enthusiasts gathered for a similar fiesta at the Toronto Harbourfront Centre. Crowd response to African dance troupes’ sound check during the July 4 leg of summer events organised by the Kick Up Your Heels charity concern underlined the city’s summertime passion, with the African beat and movement particularly sought-after.

Dispersing after the first group’s rehearsal with obvious reluctance, a mostly white and Asiatic audience regrouped at the West Jet Stage once the multi-racial cast emerged for a 60-minute medley of traditional and contemporary steps titled Ayo Ni Ijo. The ovation moved Mohammed Allen, one of the performers, to declare the response the best he had yet experienced in his solo career as a traditional dancer.

The African-Canadian thought his brand of choreography which fused western-style break-dance and pop with traditional African steps and costume a unique contribution to Toronto’s multi-ethnic mix.

He said: “My kind of dance mostly promotes African culture with the infusion of other cultures. Canadians ask a lot of questions and many of them want to know why we dance this way or that way. My aim is to inform and educate them while promoting African culture.”

The Pan Am Games next handled the baton of entertainment, with morning and afternoon athletics events succeeded by free concerts beginning July 11 at three venues across the city.

Tagged Panamania, the shows presented through collaboration of the city and its official partners drew thousands for a five-week period punctuated by a break between the Pan Am and Parapan American Games.

But Tuesday, July 21 remains memorable. Near-satisfied with a succession of entertainers including Grammy Award-winning long-timers, Blind Boys of Alabama, the reporter retired to the periphery of Nathan Phillips Square, setting of a third of the scintillating series of shows, to contemplate the long walk to his Dovercourt Road residence. Then, a James Brown-like scream pierced the night air.

It sent the reporter and many others scrambling to the base of the stage. “Yeah, that’s more like it,” he said to himself as the lead singer of Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires launched a soulful delivery that seemed appropriate for closing billing.

Exiting the stage at some point to change into a shiny, caped costume that all but transformed him into ‘Dr Love’, Charles Bradley wound his audience into a romantic state embraced by couples and welcomed by singles. Registering his determination to fly out to Toronto from his United States of America base against doctor’s orders, the performer professed his love for Torontonians. “I just love Toronto. You guys don’t know what I had to go through to be here.”

Reducing his hip-thrusting act to a more delicate prostrate pose on stage towards the end, Bradley condensed the pervading mood into a poser as he crooned into the microphone with dreamy eyes. “What are you looking for? Are you here for love or are you here for lust?”

The roared response suggested something in between. Unruffled, Bradley extended his late-night prescription until couples merged into singles and singles split in twos. If the reporter seemed to see double, by the way, he pleads Bradley’s extraordinary influence as excuse.

Next came the Caribana, lately known as the Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival after a trademark law dispute between the originators of the festival and the current organisers. Preceded by much hype, the Toronto street carnival featured events that celebrate the music, food and arts of the Caribbean region.

Rated as the largest cultural festival of its kind in North America, it showcased the Grand Parade down Lakeshore Boulevard, the Annual Gala and the tent villages to the amazement of spectators. By estimates, the festival yearly generates over $400 million for the economy of Toronto and the province of Ontario.

Said Saho in eyebrow-raising response to earlier enquiries about the festival’s antecedents: “Listen, Caribana’s gonna be big, big!”

It turned out to be big in more ways than one: big costumes, big crowd, big business and big loudspeakers mounted on big SUVs. That was not all. Typical of carnivals with female participants in skimpy outfits, there were big behinds on show, and a multitude of big male eyes in tow.

Some eyes apparently went too far as ‘stormers’, an unwanted group of people who crash the masquerade parade (typically without a costume and sometimes with a camera for taking disparaging photographs of female participants), courted usual controversy.

The position of African and Africa-derived art and culture in Canada remains free of controversy, however. As Allen pointed out, overseas promoters need only ensure backward integration to sustain progress. For starters, he and Canada-based African artistes have slated worldwide international dance and drum festivals beginning with Nigeria

September 26, 2015