COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai commissioning the newly built Olowu Palace. He is supported by Osun State Governor, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola, 2nd Right; Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Oyelude, Tegbosun the Third, Left and Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, Laminisa the First, Right
By Banji Ayoola
Kuta and Ikoyi in Ayedire Local Government of Osun State were turned into huge festival grounds on September 13 and 14, 2020 for the historic commissioning of the age long bridge over Osun River.
Joy, unprecedented, radiated throughout the land, and even walked tall from house to house. There were dancing, feasting and merrymaking by the people, dressed in various aso ebi specially prepared for the occasion.
From Atounmope, through African Church Primary School, Oke Owu and around the town down to Oja Mosun which hosts the magnificent modern palace of the Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Oyelude, Tegbosun the Third, who is popularly called Makama, the terminus and central gathering point for the festivities, there were drumming, dancing and merrymaking.
For hundreds of years, the community had been boxed into a cul de sac, indeed a dead end with the attendant frustration and debilitating consequences on the socioeconomic development of the area. And for this long, the people had suffered the pains of these undesirable circumstances on all aspects of their endeavours, until now when they could freely move over the expansive and deep Osun river to interact more warmly and meaningfully with their Ede neighbours and the world at large.
On the night of Sunday, September 13 the eve of the commissioning, there were merriment, dancing, eating and drinking inside the Olowu Palace by numerous joyful brothers and sisters, friends and guests who had traveled home from far and near to celebrate the bridge’s commissioning particularly. It was a festival!
This gala nite in the palace was preceded by a candlelight procession from African Primary School round the town and terminating at the Palace. The procession, which kicked off from African Church Primary School and was led by a former Chairman of Ayedire Local Government, Mr Gbenga Odedeyi, and including Mr Adisa Iwinlade, Mr Folawe Alalade, Prince Afiz Alimi, Mr Boye Ojediran and drawing along numerous others, went round major spots in Kuta and streamed into the central gathering point of the festival, the Olowu Palace.
Drinks and pepper soup were freely supplied in the palace. Many joyful celebrants retired to the palace for this night of special excitement. There were Dr Lekan Ayantunji, Otunba Mukaila Adeboye Oladejo, Ojediran, Supol Lateef Ajani, Hon Yunusa Akintola Amobi, Mr Femi Babatola, Mr Mukaila Aminu, Mr Rufai Aminu Omo Aje, Mrs Seri Ayoola and numerous others.
In the palace, music was supplied by the traditional talking drummers who, with Amobi calling the shots, and calling the houses of those present turn by turn to the dance floor to dance when the particular compound’s oriki was rendered through the talking drum. Turn by turn, the oriki of each of the houses of those present at the gala nite was rendered. Ile Ikolaba, Ile Alakoko, Ile Alapata, Ile Alagbede, Ile Oya, Ile Oloode, Ile Araba and so on.
As the talking drum rendered each house’s oriki, children of each of the called houses hit the floor to dance. And they were ‘sprayed’ as they danced. Bra Lekan danced heartily taking the deft dance steps of the famous Oloba masquerade of Ile Ikolaba. Ile Alapata children danced the Atipako, da ‘gboro yooyo dance. Ile Alagbede children danced to the Ogun songs, Ijo ologun welewele ni e to… Ile Oya children danced the Ori aja la’i je’ko, labalaba i toki o o o. And so, children of called houses danced joyfully to their houses’ oriki as streamed through the talking drum. The night was really fun!
On our way, driving in the middle of the night around 1 am to go and sleep, when we (KUF President, Deacon Adegboyega Adeniran, his Deputy, Prince Mukaila Aminu, Prince Rufai Aminu Omo Aje and the reporter) got to the drinking joint opposite the Dispensary and Ile Kobo near the new Town Hall being built, Amobi “double-crossed” us and joyfully “ordered” that we should not go yet, that we should get down, querying why we were in a hurry to leave when the merrymaking and enjoyment were not yet over. And so we were “arrested” and commandeered to get down and resume the merriment and enjoyment at the joint. And joyfully we complied, got down and resumed.
We were joyfully joined by the Iyalode of Kuta, Chief (Mrs) Lyinda Tolulola Atilola, accompanied by and leading some other joyful women, and many others. In minutes, the place turned to another merrymaking arena for Kuta children. It was as if the scenes in the palace were relocated to the open frontage of the drinking joint.
In the merriment which lasted till about 2.30am, I forgot my notebook on the table! I came back when the day broke for the note, only to be told by the woman running the joint that she saw it but did not take it. Ha! I became exasperated. Luckily when I got to the palace and Akingbile Olusegun saw me, he brought me the good news that he had seen and kept the notebook for me, having seen it with me the previous day. Wonderful!
The festival continued the following day, the day of the commissioning, the real day of the festival! It was as if the whole sons and daughters of Kuta at home and abroad with the numerous guests were present for the commissioning.
Army generals who accompanied the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai were countless. Also, Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola came with a large entourage. The story is the same with the royal fathers from far and near, led by the representative of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja the Second, who had come to celebrate with one of their own, the illustrious Olowu of Kuta. The crowd was simply so heavy. It was mammoth! Such that the reception hall in the palace was bursting over while the open space in the sprawling premises were overflowing with people.
In fact entrance into the reception hall was monitored and restricted by military officers who manned the two gates. The large tent in front of the Olowu’s offices spilled over with guests. It was the same story with the inner open hall and tent opposite where the royal fathers and other invited guests sat; and the inner offices and rooms.
Three fuji musicians were on the bandstands. The popular Obesere entertained inside the palace, while the two other musicians did same in front and behind the palace respectively. It was dancing and merrymaking all along.
The Olowu was literally mobbed by a crowd of joyful children and women, who ran after him as he moved joyfully around in his palace greeting his merrymaking subjects and guests during the general reception after the commissioning. Foods and drinks were freely served.
It was indeed the most remarkable festival ever celebrated in Kuta and Ikoyi!
