Eebi Festival 2021: Oloja of Epe, Oba Kamorudeen Ishola Animashaun Holds Iyanfanran Traditional Ritual

By Babatunde Kaka.

• “The King, in company of masquerades ( Okooro Aleke and Ebode ), while trekking, would lead Chiefs, Baales, Olorituns and other sons and daughters of the community to appease the God (Alaro) of the river.”
• Some of the ancestral shrines housing deities were visited at night for rituals.

Yesterday 11th March 2021, the entire Epe town was held spell-bound by a resplendent cultural event tagged “Iyanfanran”, a display of it’s rich cultural heritage dating back to the ancestral beginnings of Epe.

Prior to the celebration, the 2021 Eebi Festival is said to have begun on the 9th March, 2021. As gathered by Eko Hot Blog, some of the ancestral shrines housing deities were visited at night for rituals. The visitation of the Kabiyesi to the Oju-Alaro oke shrine was therefore not an exception as customary during the celebrations.

High Chief Olatunde Oluwo, the Odofin of Epe Land and Secretary, Oloja-in-Council told Eko Hot Blog that the ritual is led by the “Okooro” masquerade, a powerful masquerade whose absence is capable of hampering the “Iyanfanran” ritual procession.

“Ably led by our amiable Traditional leader, HRM Oba Kamorudeen, the burning firewood is taken and thrown to the river ( Oju-Alaro Ebute ) after Kabiesi and the Chief Priests must have offered prayers. It is highly symbolic, it is a vital tool in conquering evil and calamities in the community. The potency of water in quenching fire also signals that all catastrophes, (COVID inclusive), enemies of the community, would be quelled.

The King, in company of masquerades ( Okooro Aleke and Ebode ), while trekking, would lead Chiefs, Baales, Olorituns and other sons and daughters of the community to appease the God (Alaro) of the river,” he stated.

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High Chief Muritala Gbadebo, Kakanfo of Epe Land, in a seperate interview disclosed the essence of executing the “Iyanfanran” which comes a day after Okoshi.

He also narrated the origin of the “Okooro” masquerade which birthed the tradition.

“Today is the day we take the burning firewood from Oju-Alaro Oke to Oju-Alaro Ebute, with the song ” oso yi o, aje yi o, eni bani koni nkan mase, yi o” It is used to ward off evil from our town because fire quenches when in contact with fire. All evil in the town dies with the burning fire wood immediately it is thrown into the river.

The earliest origin of the “Okooro” masquerade came into existence when calamities and other forms of tribulations befell Epe community. To solve the problems, Ifa divination directed that the Okooro be brought to town. Ifa had it that if the masquerade was found and taken to the river with the burning firewood alongside the King and Chiefs, all evil and calamities would be conquered; growth and development would be fostered after plucking “woro” leaves from the river back to “Oju-Alaro Oke”, he stated.

The revelation above was what exactly played out yesterday. Led by the “Okooro” masquerades, the gracious Elepe of Epe, HRM Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun displayed unrivaled valor and gallantry all through the ritual procession. He was flanked by his glamorous Oloris, cute children, Traditional chiefs, age grade groups and other members of the community.

Traditional age group drama also took place across nooks and crannies of the neighbourhood after the Kabiyesi had offered prayers round the tree at Oju Alaro Oke Shrine, Ita-Opo. The women were also not left out of the age grade tussle as their male counterparts provided cover against opposing groups.