The annual traditional ‘Oro’ festival, typically held in Ikorodu, Lagos State, has been scheduled to hold today, May 16, 2024, both during the daytime and nighttime.
This information was conveyed in a letter issued by the Ayangburen Palace and signed by the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi. A copy of which was sighted by PUNCH.
The letter, dated April 16, 2024, was addressed to the Medical Director of the Ikorodu General Hospital.
The letter, titled ‘Notification of Magbo (Oro) Festival 2024,’ read, “This is to notify you of the above festival, which is slated for Thursday, May 16, 2024.
“According to tradition, all females are advised to remain in their respective homes and avoid moving around the town during the Oro festival.
“Please note that your organisation is affected by falling within the Oro traditional jurisdictions. You are hereby advised to adhere to the traditions of the town.”
The Oro Festival is a traditional event celebrated by the Yoruba people, particularly in Lagos and other towns of Yoruba origin.
It is an annual patriarchal festival, meaning it is exclusively participated in by male descendants who are paternal natives to the specific locations where the event is held.
During the Oro Festival, women and non-natives are traditionally required to stay indoors, as it is believed that the Oro, a deity associated with justice and the bullroarer, must not be seen by them
The Oro is represented by a masquerade that parades through the streets, usually at night and is accompanied by a high-pitched, whirring sound believed to be made by the Oro’s ‘wife’, Majowu. This sound fills both public and private spaces, and it is considered a blessing to all who hear it.
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