Foremost Ondo State Regent, HRH Princess Barr. Oluyemi Bajowa calls for mutual cooperation as Iwo Ayeka is celebrated.
– Steve Ovirih.
A notable Ondo State Regent, Her Royal Highess, Princess Barr. Oluyemi Bajowa, the Regent of Ayeka Kingdom has charged the people of her domain to work together to ensure the greatest goal of advancing the course of developing Ayeka kingdom is sustained.
The first female Regent in Ikaleland said cooperation among all members of the community from the High Chiefs to the commoners is a sinequanon not only for development but for the mutual peace of Ayeka Kingdom. The Regent of Ayeka gave this Indication at the palace of Lumure on Tuesday, 10th July while speaking in an exclusive chat with thepolity.net on the fringe of the celebration of Iwo festival.
Thepolity.net had earlier reported that Iwo Ayeka had started on Sunday, the 9th July , 2023 with a vigil of 201 chant songs at the palace where all the quarters making up Ayeka were reeled out for celebration with rich Ayeka traditional panegyrics.
As is the norm and custom of Ayeka people on the morning of Iwo festival, women are requested to stay indoor, while non natives do not go out as the spirit of the ancestors do come visiting, roving round all the nooks and crannies of the town with the sole purpose of purification and cleansing the town of pestilence and misfortune. Iwo in Ayeka, nay, Ikaleland brings back the girl child and all females of the kingdom who have been married off to return to reunite with their kit and kin. Thus the celebration always starts with the mystic presence of the gods of the land as only the initiates and gallant men of Ayeka, the Iwo High priests and youths ” omo ojas” alone are seen on Iwo day traversing the length and breadth of the town while the high priests lead , invoking good will traditional supplications as they move round the town with other men on their heels.
On Tuesday, around 5 PM after the traditional walk round the town and the chants with metaphysical supplications, the Iwo adherents returned to the ‘ Ogwa’ for prayers after which they moved in one accord to the palace of the Lumure of Ayeka, where the Regent and others waited to welcome them and specially fete them to local delicacies.
Acrobatic and rhythmic dance steps accompanied with Ayeka local songs of traditional appreciation featured as the Iwo roving party arrived the palace.
The Regent who joined them from the entry of the palace saluted their steadfastness and commitment to ensuring that the Iwo legacy is observed to a successful conclusion.
The palace chiefs and community stakeholders poured libations and observed the traditional breaking of colanuts after which more celebration followed as guest at the palace were treated to various delicacies.
The Regent of Ayeka saluted the youths for maintaining the peace while the festival lasted , congratulating Ayeka Lumure in council, the stakeholders, women folk and all men and women of the town for their cooperation.
” I appreciate my people, all the good people of Ayeka Kingdom for coming together from far and near to celebrate Iwo festival 2023. I pray Almighty God to keep us all alive to witness this celebration in goodhealth come next year.
” As we all know Iwo is for purification; it’s a festival of unification and a traditional festival which allows a fusion between the beings and spirits of the ancestry and humans in a way to clear all manners of Illnesses and pestilence and lack of productivity in Ayeka land.
” The gods of our forefathers will allow the town to experience further developments and will keep us all alive in good health,” The Regent of Ayeka prayed.
She added that the people of Ayeka must continue in their resolve to work together in their bid to enhance cooperation and rid the town of any likelihood of criminalities and hooligamism.
