Fire egungun, Danafojura, storms street today (See photos and videos)
Khalid ABRAHAM
Egungun Danafojura will hit the street today Wednesday July 19 as part of celebration of the 2023 Egungun festival in Ogbomoso Oyo state.
Danafojura also known as Alakasu domiciled in the area known by that name in Ogbomoso South local government is a legendary egungun said to have emanated from the warfront centuries ago.
Alakasu evolves from akasu ogun (balls of supernatural power).
It is not like the usual egungun that is celebrated or takes to the road every year rather it comes out every other year.
“The last time we came out was 2021 so we are performing again this year 2023,” the man that bears the apparel Chief Sunday Babatunde told ogbomosoinsightonline.comTuesday.
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Asked of the preparation towards the bi-annual outing Chief Babatunde said among others “the egungun apparel is soaked in agbo (traditional concoction) since its last outing. That’s why it can’t perform unless it’s its time.
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“Seven days to the outing l abstain from women and drying of grasses in a special place has to be ensured. Then, women must desert the house the apparel is kept on the day it comes out.”
The much feared egungun is unique because of its mystical powers to resist fire. Dried out grasses are heaped on it to ensure constant flame in order to keep it warm against cold that intermittently engulfs it (though unlike in the past the shout of “cold,” “cold” by the egungun is no more a common feature, perhaps years of dormancy of the egungun when no one ventured to go under the mask sequel to the death of the last custodian robbed it of some of its mystical powers, nonetheless it is still a delight to watch).
Also, at its approach fryers/sellers of akara (bean cake) hurriedly pack their wares for the egungun will, considering it an insolence seeing another fire aside its own, dip its hand in the hot oil being used to fry which instantly turns black.
Confident of its powers its drummers intermittently gives off the beat “Ko sewu loko a fi giri aparo” (no danger in the farm other than the screech by the partridge) and so on.
It usually performs in the afternoon for the Soun at the palace but since the throne is vacant following the demise of Oba Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade III in December 2021, it is still unclear if the palace would be opened for the egungun to perform and offer prayers for the community today.
“We have contacted the royal family if they would receive us at the palace but we are yet to receive answer,” Chef Babatunde retorted.
