We’ll explore tourism potential of Egungun – Soun, receives Danafojura (photos, video from archive)
Abdulrasaq BELLO
Soun of Ogbomosoland Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III has stated that the tourism potential of Egungun festival in Ogbomoso would be explored for economic development.
Oba Olaoye made this disclosure Monday while receiving the representatives of the Alakasu family who are custodian of the dreaded Egungun Danafojura of Ogbomoso.
The monarch said every avenue would be explored to achieve economic development in Ogbomoso identifying the rich Egungun culture in the community as a veritable means.
He stressed the festival would be reorganized to the standard that would attract tourists and boost the economy while noting all elements of violence often associated with the festival would be extricated.
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“Egungun festival is as old as Yoruba history but we have to improve its outlook with a view to exploring its tourism potential,” the Oba said.
“We will try to package it in such a way that diplomats, foreigners, from Europe, Americas everywhere would be attracted. Danafojura is a special Egungun with a lot of mysteries. On the day it comes out if well packaged tourists would find it interesting and worthwhile.
“Such tourists will lodge in hotels, buy food, buy water and so boost money in circulation. But we have to repackage the festival. I will be involved. We are not taking it from you but we will give it a facelift. We will rework it to remove elements of violence and hooliganism often associated with the festival,” he added.
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Earlier, Danafojura’s principal custodian, Chief Sunday Babatunde Olalere narrated the historical significance of the Egungun disclosing it’s object was retrieved from the warfront and became a terrific Egungun with ability to resist burning fire.
Chief Olalere informed that the Egungun however dispenses supernatural assistance to various categories of people that come to it, offers prayer for the Oba and the community at large, adding, “we also during our outing every other year visits the palace to entertain the kabiyesi.”
He consequently seeks the support of the Oba in developing Egungun festival and expanding its scope to meet international standard.
EGUNGUN DANAFOJURA
Egungun Danafojura otherwiqqse known as Alakasu is an Egungun brought back by the ancestors of the family from a war expedition.
It is however an object of mystery because of its unique nature of fire resistance. Put or start a fire on it after the bearer has put on the lappet and it will not burn. Its lappet inflicts cold to the bearer making him to constantly shout of excruciating cold – “otutu, otutu,” – which warrants constant heaping of dry grasses on it from the bumper supply in their possession to ignite more flame.
In the past, fryers of akara (bean cake) and other snacks dread its approach because it is its nature not to sight any other fire though it revels in fire. So, at its approach such people frying snacks quickly put out their fire to avoid the Egungun dipping its hand in the hot oil and turning it black.
“Seeing another fire is a taboo to Danafojura and it reacts by dipping its hand in whatever is on that fire to make it turn blackish,” Chief Olalere told The Insight (print version of ogbomosoinsightonline.com) in 2019.
“So, at Danafojura’s approach, those cooking in the open quickly put out their fire,”
Egungun Alakasu comes out every three years (the next outing is 2025), and so, Chief Olalere informed the lappet of the Egungun for the period is soaked in herbal concoction (agbo). “It is only removed seven days to its outing.”
It’s the reason the mysterious Egungun cannot be seen in the street unless it’s its time of celebration.
It’s not an Egungun that you say you have a special occasion and so you request it makes an appearance. It’s not Danafojura. “We cannot break its trajectory. It is a powerful Egungun.”
Alakasu is derived from ‘akasu oogun,’ (nugget/morsel of charm) to underscore the immense supernatural powers in the custody of the family.
