- 10 Dollar Otedola said the Otedola family will join Kayokayo 2026, promising a bigger festival.
- 2025 Etufu lighting held at Kosoko Embankment, Marina Waterfront, Bado Isale.
- Prof. Onibon shared the Etufu history from King Kosoko’s 1981 return to Epe.
Anticipation for the 2026 Kayokayo Festival in Epe soared on Saturday evening as popular music and entertainment figure, Ten Dollar Otedola, announced that the Otedola family will feature prominently in next year’s celebrations.
Ekohotblog reports that the announcement came during the symbolic Etufu lighting ceremony, held at the historic King Kosoko Embankment Ground, Marina Waterfront, as Bado-Isale performed the first lighting of the year.
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“Next year’s Kayokayo will be bigger than this. The Otedola family will feature, and I, Ten Dollar Otedola, will personally be there,” he declared, sparking loud applause and renewed enthusiasm among the crowd gathered for the ritual.
The Etufu lighting, a traditional fire-lighting ceremony officially marks the start of the annual Kayokayo Festival, one of Epe’s most revered cultural and Islamic events.
The ceremony symbolizes light, renewal, and remembrance, echoing the legacy of King Kosoko, a powerful 19th-century monarch whose arrival in Epe in 1851 marked a turning point in the town’s history.
Speaking at the event, Professor Nosirudeen Onibon, former Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), gave a vivid account of the significance of the Etufu and its connection to Epe’s rich past.
“This lighting represents not just fire, but the light of history, the embankment of King Kosoko in 1851. It is a story of resilience, return, and a reign that shaped Epe’s destiny,” Prof. Onibon said.
Following his forced exile from Lagos during the British bombardment in 1851, King Kosoko and his loyal followers arrived in Epe by canoe.
They were received at the same Marina Waterfront where the Etufu now burns each year in his honor.
Kosoko’s decade-long stay in Epe transformed the town into a thriving political and economic center, with deep Islamic and commercial influence.
The Kayokayo Festival, named from the Yoruba phrase meaning “eating with joy,” was originally established to celebrate Kosoko’s survival and integration into the Epe community.
Today, the event blends historical reverence with Islamic devotion, cultural performances, public lecture, feasting, and street processions, drawing large crowds from within and outside Lagos State
Prince Morgan Odedeogboro, another notable figure at the event, highlighted the festival’s role in strengthening communal ties.
“This festival brings everyone together, young and old, rich and poor, as one big family. It’s not just a tradition, it’s our identity,” he said.
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Bado Isale Etufu lighting was performed by traditional leaders,dignitaries, youths, and every descendants of Bado-Isale.
As this year’s celebration continues, Otedola’s promise of a grander 2026 edition, with active family involvement, has already raised expectations.
Watch the video of the week
