Iwo holds ‘Egungun’ festival amid fanfare

The ancient town of Iwo was agog at the weekend as the community held its annual egungun (masquerade) festival which attracted tourists from different parts of the world. It was a colourful spectacle at the palace of the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba AbdulRasheed Adewale Akanbi where scores of masquerades were on displayed, danced and prayed […]

The ancient town of Iwo was agog at the weekend as the community held its annual egungun (masquerade) festival which attracted tourists from different parts of the world.

It was a colourful spectacle at the palace of the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba AbdulRasheed Adewale Akanbi where scores of masquerades were on displayed, danced and prayed for the monarch, the Iwo town, Osun state and  Nigeria in general.

Traditional rulers from other towns in the state that attended the event includes the Olowu of Kuta, Oba Ibrahim Adekunle Oyelude; Eburu of Iba, Oba (Professor) Adekunle Okunoye and a host of other monarchs, joined the Oluwo for the festival.

Prominent indigenes of Iwo including the former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state who is also the Asiwaju of Iwoland, Chief Gbagesin Adedeji and the former Commissioner for Information in the state, Alhaji Bola Asafa also attended the festival.

The Special Adviser to Osun State Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola on Information and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon said the state government is poised to ensure development of various festivals that are indigenous to the state to international acceptable standard as part of the strategies towards raising alternative sources of revenues for the state.

The Government said the festivals have the capacities to draw and ignite international audience participation that could translate to huge revenues for development purposes in the state.

Okanlawon, while stating the position of government on the need to raise alternative sources of revenues, said already, experiences have shown that Nigeria is in the throes of economic hardship adding that

the Rauf Aregbesola’s administration has been futuristic enough to know that oil revenues can no longer be the basis of the state’s future development plans.

“We are lucky in Osun to have a government that is proactive enough to know that oil is drying up and that explains development of ingenious strategies by the Aregbesola’s administration to satisfy workers’ needs and ensure development continues within the limit of the state’s meagre resources.

“This government is serious about its development of tourism which is a huge revenue earner. And this is why this government is committing itself to the development of these local and indigenous festivals such as the Egungun Festival in Iwo to one that is capable of attracting international audience participation,” Okanlawon stated. 

The Special Adviser also urged indigenes to also look inward for possible business opportunities that various festivals offer as this could also enhance personal fortunes.

He said the Aregbesola’s administration massive infrastructure projects are also part of the avenues to make the state attractive to tourists.

“We are aware some people query this government’s unwavering commitment to completing the projects even in the face of paucity of funds.