Iwo’s Egungun Festival Celebrated As A a Peaceful Triumph For Yoruba Culture
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has hailed this year’s Egungun Festival as a major victory for Yoruba culture and traditions, praising organisers and masqueraders for staging a peaceful and vibrant celebration.
In a statement following the annual event held yesterday, the monarch commended the civil conduct of participants, noting that the masquerades competed with dances rather than violence. “There was no rancour, no canes, cutlasses or axes brandished. The town was clean without broken bottles,” he said.
Oba Akanbi, a vocal advocate for preserving and refining Yoruba heritage, said the festival’s peaceful outcome reflected his ongoing efforts to “clean the mess” in cultural practices without imposing religious beliefs.
He described the improved costumes, orderly processions, and lack of disturbances as the kind of celebration he had long hoped for.
“This was a pure festival devoid of violence. I thank God for the success,” the Oluwo declared, adding that the event’s civility was a model for future cultural celebrations in Iwo and beyond.
Folow the Savinews Africa channel on WhatsApp: [https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VawgaEL5vKA9Y5XTFg0n]