Iwo Ayeka holds as community leaders pray for peace in Ikaleland.

– Steve Ovirih .

The traditional festival of Iwo in Ayeka kingdom , a 2- day festival, has held in the town , starting with a vigil on the 9th of July , 2023 at the hall within the precinct of the palace of the Lumure of Ayeka Kingdom in Okitipupa Local government.

In attendance at the vigil of 201 chant songs to herald the Iwo festivity were the Regent of Ayeka Kingdom, Her Royal Highess, Princess Barr. Oluyemi Bajowa, His Highess Babatunde Ayeyowa, The Lisa of Ayeka Kingdom and Oloja of UgbeAyeka, High Chief Ayelomi, Chief Adeolu Adegboyega, the Petu of Ayeka Kingdom, High Chief Adeule, the Kanye of Ayeka, Chief ( Barr) Obolo, Ayeka high chiefs and community stakeholders, Iwo high priests and a host of others.

As early as 9 PM , the auditorium located at the palace had been filled up while the chant songs , a major feature of the night session had commenced in earnest.

The anchor men of the all night session dressed in white robe and cap with special feathered design occupied the first row of the seats in the hall and from them bristled Ayeka folklores and songs that allude to panegyrics of the heroic deeds of past Ayeka legends and heroes.

Each of the quarters and families in the Kingdom took turn to engage in the dance round the hall as the chant songs called out their family and drape them with eulogies that refresh the heroism that stand the patriarchs of their respective quarters out.

The royal Ayelomi family praise songs were sung bringing the Regent and her kit and kin to the dance floor as the Regent displayed exciting cultural dance steps that sizzled the rich traditional atmosphere.

The delectable Regent of Ayeke kingdom offered the prayer of the stool of Lumure, invoking the ancestors to continue to sustain the peace already enjoyed in her domain.

Her Royal Highness, Princess Barr. Oluyemi Bajowa however noted that for students writing one certificate exam or the other, there will be right of passage to their various schools on Monday, the D-day of Iwo festivity.

The Lisa of Ayeka, His Highness Babatunde Ayeyowa in an exclusive chat with thepolity.net congratulated all Lumure’s subjects for witnessing Iwo , while charging the youths to celebrate according to the all the laid down guidelines, warning that the Regent and Lumure -in-council will not tolerate any act of violence or hooliganism.

In his reaction, the Petu of Ayeka, Chief Adeolu Adegboyega said Iwo is a celebration that has been observed from time immemorial in the kingdom, stressing that for generational equity, it is proper to continue to maintain the legacy, which was handed over by the forefathers of Ayeka Kingdom. ” Iwo is a festival of purification to wash pestilence away from the land and the eve is what we have all gathered here for. Tonight, we will chant songs and family praises as this invokes the spirit of our ancestors and gods of the land. The vigil has spiritual significance as it prepares us all for the activities to hold tomorrow.

” Iwo has unification essence as all the women of Ayeka who have been married off to farther and nearby places all return home to celebrate, so we are happy and grateful to God to be alive to celebrate the festivity this year,” Petu of Ayeka enthused.

High Chief Adeule, Kanye of Ayeka and Barr Obolo in their consensus opinion noted that Iwo is for peace and not violence as they added that the spirits will rove the land freely tomorrow ( Monday, 10th July) and as they go round, they will be praying for good farm harvest, peace and development of Ayeka kingdom.