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The annual traditional ‘Oro’ festival, a significant event in Ikorodu, Lagos State, has been scheduled for May 16, 2024, with both daytime and nighttime activities planned. The Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi, announced the festival dates in a letter addressed to the Medical Director of the Ikorodu General Hospital, dated April 16, 2024.
According to the letter, titled ‘Notification of Magbo (Oro) Festival 2024,’ the festival will take place on Thursday, May 16, 2024. As part of the traditional guidelines, all females are advised to remain indoors and avoid moving around the town during the Oro festival. The letter emphasized that the hospital, falling within the Oro traditional jurisdictions, is affected by this directive.
The Oro festival is a prominent celebration in Yoruba tradition, characterized by a daytime procession and high-pitched sounds across the community. It is believed that females must not be present during the ritual rites of the festival. The festival is typically celebrated by male descendants and holds significant cultural and traditional value.
Efforts to reach the Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotosho, and the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, for their reaction to the festival announcement were unsuccessful, as they did not respond to calls and text messages. Similarly, attempts to clarify the matter with the Ikorodu Palace were unsuccessful, as calls made were unanswered.
The Oro festival is an important cultural event in Ikorodu, and its traditional guidelines are expected to be respected by all. The festival’s significance and cultural value are deeply rooted in Yoruba tradition, and its celebration is eagerly anticipated by the community.