Egungun festival is an annual event common to some places in Yoruba land. In Ibadan land, it often takes place in June, lasting for some days. The usual practice during the festival is for masquerades in their traditional robes to pay homage to the Olubadan and his chiefs. Some even do theirs after the festivals, going to some high chiefs for the same purpose. There is a fact that traditional drummers follow them, enroute the Olubadan palace, while onlookers line the streets through which they would pass, waving and cheering the masquerades enthusiastically.
The highly talented ones often entertain the cheering crowd with acrobatic stunts, showing the richness of African culture.
On Saturday afternoon, July 15 this year, certain unexpected things happened which I have decided to bring to the personal attention of the various authorities connected with the festival for necessary actions. The first issue was that that the ever peaceful Agbeni Street, one of the commercial centers of the city, was turned into a rowdy scene during the festival.
There were other unpalatable things that happened. Some handlers of the masquerades with horse whip in hand, threatened passersby. This they did because they felt it was forbidden to be disobeyed. This action by the handlers of the masquerades goes against the spirit and letter of our constitution.  The organisers of the festival should have arranged for some civic centers like the open place of Mapo hall, Obisesan hall, Lekan Salami Stadium, etc. This would have been more spacious to accommodate the crowd with token money as gate fee. They would have had access to the festival and the organizers would have made money from the celebration. I would advise that the organisers make necessary correction to make the festival more interesting when next it would be held.
Ola-Olaniyi Bamgbola
Ibadan.
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