ARAHFEST 2018: Taking culture, tradition a notch higher

For five days, the otherwise serene community of Aramoko Ekiti was at a standstill.  Residents and indigenes of the town  were on hand to welcome  visitors, especially  culture and  tourism enthusiasts,  who had come  from both within and outside the country to witness the best of  the community’s culture, foods and games on display at  the second edition of  Aramoko Cultural Heritage Festival (ARAHFEST) held recently in the community.

The annual cultural festival has been a display of the contemporary and traditional carnival of the people, mixed with music fiesta and other side attractions like beauty pageantry and traditional wrestling.

Before the commencement of the festival, the organisers had assured residents, and visitors alike, that the second edition would be a vast improvement on the previous one held in the community in 2017.

For instance, the five-day programme started with a lecture delivered by a foremost professor of History, Ishola Olomola, who spoke on ‘The Place of Aramoko in the History of Yoruba Race’. The university teacher corroborated the declaration of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, that Aramoko’s place in Yoruba history would  never be overlooked.

Early last year, Oba Ogunwusi, oversaw a colourful reunion ceremony that brought together Ajero of Ijero, Orangun of Ila and Alara of Aramoko. At the event, which was held at the palace of Alara of Aramoko, Oba Adegoke Olu-Adeyemi, the Ooni reiterated the fact that Alara, Ajero and Orangun of Ila were brothers from Ooni’s palace, who left  the ancient town, many centuries ago, to settle where they are today.

“Alara, Ajero and Orangun are brothers, who shared same parents. As I speak, they still have their rooms in Ife palace. Immediately I was installed and I saw the record in the palace, I resolved in my mind to visit them and charge them not to allow modern civilization keep  them away from their traditional commitments in Ooni’s palace.

“Many youths of today, who hear Ifa priests and those who play traditional roles in Yoruba home videos, evoke power in the name of Alara, Ajero and Orangun, but don’t know where it all started because of little or no effort to consolidate the relationship,” the ooni had said.

At the ARAHFEST lecture, Prof. Olomola not only confirmed this, but told Alara to keep the tempo as a foremost Yoruba traditional ruler. He described Aramoko Ekiti as a unique town in Yoruba land that needed to be more popular than it presently is.

To this end, the scholar commended Aramoko Development Association for instituting the carnival, adding that it would further boost the relationship among the Yoruba and help Aramoko to maintain its status in  the comity of towns and cities that make up the Yoruba nation.  While calling on Aramoko indigenes home and abroad to key into the event, Olomola pointed out that a community not in tune with its  culture had lost its identity.

In the afternoon of the first day of the one-week carnival, representatives of various quarters in Aramoko took part in traditional games of Ayo Olopon, Aarin and Okoto. The four quarters that participated were: Oke Oja, Isasa, Anaye and Isao.

At the end, Isasa came first in Arin game, followed by Isao, Oke Oja and Anaye. The table however turned in favour of Isao during the Ayo Olopon game as it came first, while Oke Oja, Anaye and Isasa took second, third and fourth positions respectively. The event was held at Aramoko Civic Centre.

Traditional foods and drinks exhibition and  traditional wrestling were held at Saint Stephen’s Primary School, Ijero Road, Aramoko Ekiti, on the second day.  It was an opportunity again  for the four quarters to show their culinary skills, as they prepared varieties of local and traditional foods and displayed them inside the stand of each of the quarters.

For tourists and natives, it was a moment of excitement as the array of foods paraded sent strong signals to all that Nigerians were fast moving away from their origin. The jurors, who were saddled with the responsibility of inspecting the food and award marks during the cooking competition admitted that the community had what Nigeria could market to the international community.

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Olabode Ayodele, from Isasa quarters and Olabisi Ajayi from Isao, who participated in the wrestling and cooking competitions respectively, spoke glowingly on their take-away from the two competitions.

“When the idea was first mooted, it sounded unusual to me because we were used to watching modern wrestling on television.  Therefore, I thought the local version was dead but as the competition gathered momentum, my mind went to my days in primary and secondary schools and my skill in wrestling resurfaced. I told our quarter’s trainer of my intention to participate. Today, as I did Isasa Quarters proud, I can only thank ADA for coming up with this and appeal to Aramoko people, home and abroad to join hands with the development association,” Ayodele stated.

For Olabisi Ajayi, her involvement in the cooking competition had further opened her eyes to some ancient foods, noting that  the cooking aspect was a good training platform for Aramoko ladies and visitors.

“Though born and bred in Aramoko, there are many of the foods cooked here today that I have not seen in my life. I’m sure if any woman goes home to prepare any of the ancient food for her hubby, their marriage will be more solidified. What we see here has defeated the argument that the Yoruba have no varieties like our Igbo brothers and sisters,” Ajayi said.

Though Saturday turned out to be the climax of  the festival,  traditional and modern carnivals of Thursday and Friday were beautiful jamborees that opened up the entire town. It was a celebration of colours, costumes and dances.

A leading light of Yoruba theatre industry, 80 year-old Ayo Ogunshina, popularly known as ‘Papalolo’ of the old Jesters International, who spoke to journalists after the carnival, described it as a re-awakening event for lovers of Yoruba culture.

“I have not seen it this good in any town in Yoruba nation. Successfully, Aramoko people have set the pace by taking modern and traditional carnival a notch higher. Here, culture and tradition have simply mixed with glamour,” Papalolo said.

Another juror, Pa Peter Fatomilola, also a household name in Nollywood, while appreciating the organisers, called on government and corporate bodies to support Aramoko so that the carnival can be sustained.

“Aramoko is lucky to have someone like Prof. Rasaki Ojo-Bakare, the former Artistic Director of Abuja carnival as ARAHFEST Technical Director. In the last three days, I have witnessed what I have not seen anywhere in Nigeria. As a stakeholder in the Arts and Culture industry, I know it is capital intensive and that is why I’m calling on Federal and State Ministry of Information to partner the community and use ARAHFEST to showcase Nigeria. It is also my belief that the carnival can serve as a good platform for top players in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods sector of the economy to reposition their products,” he said.

Aside the carnivals, which involved all the quarters, various communities like the Igedes, the Igbos and the Hausas,  resident in Aramoko also displayed their cultures as they paid homage to Oba Adeyemi during the ground finale.

As it happened last year, when an ‘A’ class musical jamboree was used to usher in the new Miss Aramoko, top Nigerian Artists also entertained guests at this year’s edition.

Another interesting part of the carnival was the process that led to the emergence of 24 year-old Oluwatobiloba Adeniran as the new Miss Aramoko. Beautiful Tobiloba, an undergraduate participated in 2017 but didn’t clinch the crown.

“After my last year’s participation, I took SWOT analysis of all that happened during the competition, from camping to the day of the show and took note of my weak points. With determination, coupled with experience, I entered for this year’s edition and Lo and behold! I emerged winner. It was a moment of joy and I appreciated the orgnisers and congratulate my other eight contestants.’

As Miss Aramoko, Tobiloba won the first prize of a landed property and N20, 000 monthly allowances that would be paid for 12 months, while the first and second runners up in the exercise also went home with a deep freezer and fridge respectively.

Speaking at the grand finale, Oba Adeyemi, the ADA President, Dr. Aladeloye, and the Carnival Director, Prof. Ojo Bakare, all echoed the fact that the community wanted to use the event to celebrate the rich culture of the Yoruba people, thereby setting the pace in the South West.

As happened last year when Gombe State Governor, a former Accountant General of the federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Damkwabo was honoured with the chieftaincy title of Atunluse of Aramoko Kingdom, this year, two prominent individuals, Otunba Olalekan Akinyele and Asiwaju Oyedeji Olajubu were honoured with the chieftaincy titles of the Atayese and the Akorewolu of Aramoko Kingdom respectively.