BY LAW IBITOYE
The Apeju of Ilupeju Ekiti, HRM DAVID SUNDAY AWE AKINGBADE, on Monday prayed for all sons and daughters of Ilupeju Ekiti, home and in the diaspora during the celebration of ‘Igba festival ‘
Apeju said ‘igba festival’ is celebrated on 24th February every year which affords him the opportunity to offer prayers to God for the progress of his subjects and town.
The monarch stressed that the festival is celebrated by the ruling house in igesun, ewo quarters, where the year’s occurrence would be revealed via IFa and where atonement is suggested to ward off evil happenings, adding that the festival unites Ilupeju sons and daughters.
The carnival-like celebration affords the monarch opportunity to dance at the open space of ‘Ewo palace’ alongside wives of the palace called ‘Iyawo Omowa and Omowa, that is, their husbands in a uniform attire to showcase their dancing skills
The Iyawo Omowas had early in the morning tidy-up the palace where they eulogized Oba David Sunday AKINGBADE.
Reiterating the importance of the Igba festival, Pa Michael Ogundana said the festival is kabiyesi’s festival where divinations would be done to foretell happenings in the town for the new year. He however said where unpleasant occurrences are predicted in the town, sacrifices would be suggested by IFa to ward it off.
During the festival the new wives of the Iyawo owa are always in white attire which distinguishes them from the older wives. One of the new wives is saddled to carry ‘igba’ calabash from Ewo palace to Utagba.