The Alake Palace in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, was agog with lots of cultural activities. This year’s celebration of Lisabi Festival drew crowds from home and abroad, TAIWO ABIODUN reports.
The guns boomed intermittently, shaking the whole environment and announcing that the Hunters had come to celebrate. Men and women gorgeously dressed danced and sang in excitement.
Banners hung on the walls. Stickers of various sizes graced the seats bearing diverse names of groups and titles of those who had come to mark the celebration. Some read: “the Baales, Ogbonis”, “Market Women”, “Chiefs”, “Baloguns” and more.
It was the day the Egba people all trooped out to celebrate their most honoured festival- Lisabi and all roads led to the Alake’s Palace in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
For the Egba people, this year’s Lisabi festival, which was in its 29th edition, is one of the major festivals that unites them, irrespective of their party affiliations, religious convictions and political differences. They all gathered to celebrate their legend, Lisabi Agbongbo Akala.
The festival is a yearly event to honour their progenitor, Lisabi, a warrior, who fought and rescued them from oppression in the 18th Century. During the festival, Egba indigenes at home and in the Diaspora, usually remember and celebrate his legacies.
And to celebrate him, hunters, in excitement, shot sporadically into the air. Their shooting added spice to the celebration. The occasion was interesting as it gave the opportunity to showcase various types of Yoruba woven clothes, styles, and caps as most of them were in white flowing agbada.
Juju maestro, Evangelist Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi, thrilled the crowd. As he sang the praise of ‘Lisabi Agbongbo Akala’, they danced, ate and drank assorted wines.
The weeklong festival started with the booming of guns at the legendary Olumo Rock to be followed by the cleaning of the palace by the youths. Football competition also formed part of the festival at the late MKO Abiola Stadium. Gifts and scholarships were distributed.
The festival was attended by the governor of the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who doubled as the chief host, royal fathers such as the Osinle of Oke Ona, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso; Olowu of Owu Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu; Olubara of Ibara and herbalists, among others.
Long list of obeisance
At the grand finale were over 20, 000 indigenes and spectators thronged the place from far and near to watch the great event. Gifts were offered, while market women brought all kinds of fruits, and raw foodstuff to honour the king.
Here the Baales came to pay homage irrespective to their age- they all prostrated
Groups wer called upon to greet the monarch. As they all went up to the podium to prostrate for the king, one could see different Yoruba styles of caps, the Ogbonis with their paraphernalia, the Baales, Baloguns, among others.
Again, the hunters had a field day. The whole place vibrated to its foundation and the sky went in smoke as they shot into the air.
Speaking at the occasion, the Globacom Chairman, Dr. Mike Adenuga said: “Today, Lisabi Festival is a vivid reminder of these heroic exploits, which over the years, have shaped Egba ethos and values. These values, which include hard work, honesty, love, patriotism, selflessness, integrity and commitment are legacies being kept alive for posterity by the Egba. I heartily celebrate with all Egba sons and daughters on the occasion of this year’s Lisabi Festival, which is the 29th edition and the fourth to be sponsored by Globacom. Lisabi Festival has been used as a rallying point to articulate issues germane to the development of Egbaland and it’s good people.”
The Alake, who was highly elated, praised the people, urging them to love one another. Praying for the hero of the year’s family members, Ogunbona, and for the community members, the Alake said: “The Egbas are always first in everything in Nigeria with very healthy rivalries. We should honour our people, who contributed to our community. We honour those alive too, it is not until one dies or after the demise of a hero before he is honoured. “
The arrival of Senator Amosu added colour to the day’s festival as he was hailed to high heavens while prayers were rained on him and the place almost turned into a political campaign rally as his supporters went into frenzy.
The Agbaakin of Egbaland, who was the Chairman of Lisabi Committee said: “Twenty-nine years ago when the founding fathers of Lisabi festival were planning the first edition, the idea of collective responsibility featured prominently. Every Egba forebears sung and unsung, held religiously to their collective responsibility to liberate Egbas from the shackles of the Oloyos and moved through thick and thin during which many lives were lost, up to the new settlement to Abeokuta we are proud of now. That period witnessed high level demonstration of sincere affection for the peaceful co- existence of the Egbas by those people who had to take decisions that left no room for any mistake , at the risk of their own lives”
High Chief Kunle Shoyoye, the Aro of Ilawo of Egbaland, was highly elated and praised not only the indigenes but also the Alake of Egbaland, “who has been consistently marking the festival and remembering our heroes”. “This festival is interesting and we love it for it showcase our culture, not only this giving out awards and honoring people by the Egbas should be emulated and not only this one could see that unity is gradually coming to Yorubaland generally and this is best for the Alake of Egbaland,” he said.
Pa Adebayo Sofolahan said he was so much interested in the festival more than anybody. ” We always celebrate Hero of the year which shows how important a family is, how important an individual is in the town. It also shows that people are watching you and your contributions from youth. It showed what you have done so far and when they look at everything together then they pick you as a hero,” he said.
The making of a hero
While celebrating the annual festival, each year a hero of the year is selected from a family in Egba as the “hero of the town for the year”. This year’s anniversary fell on the Agboketoyinbo’s family in Ikija, Abeokuta. Balogun Ogunbona Mosunleka Agboketoyinbo was honoured because of his predecessor’s contribution to Egbaland.
The Alake of Egbaland was there to honour the family. He praised the family for the roles their forefather played as a brave man, who confronted the whites in Egbaland. A giant picture of the monarch was presented to him by the family in appreciation of the Alake.
According to history, he was a prince-turned warlord with uncommon patriotism for his fatherland. He was said to have died in active service of the Egba nation at Olokemeji on the 18th of June, 1861 during the Ibadan/Ijaiye War. He had 26 wives all blessed with children.
Agboketoyinbo mini museum
On a visit to the family’s compound, there is a mini museum. Kept in the museum are his costumes and instruments of war. Among them are his ‘ Special Hat’, his Dane guns and fire arms. He reputed as the first to use such fire arms between 1821 and 1825. Also, placed in the museum are his bag (a gift from the whites), containing charms, his cap which he was fond of wearing. It was said the leather bag soon became his most precious property. He was accused of not appreciating the traditional Yoruba cap and other paraphernalia of office because his cap was also not locally made. A play was performed by some artistes in remembrance of the historical Agboketoyinbo.
The visit to Olumo Rock
The third day, the Oba Alake visited the Olumo Rock with some Obas and chiefs and selected people. They went to the top of the rock to offer prayers and rent the Egba anthem.
The grand finale saw the Alake going to the bush, which according to observers, only meant for very few and initiated people. According to an indigene, they went up there to pray to the gods, and this is compulsory.
