Ajomogbodo, Ogbomoso's mysterious Egungun that sits in space whose documentary making waves abroad (WATCH VIDEO)

Ajomogbodo, Ogbomoso’s mysterious Egungun that sits in space whose documentary making waves abroad (WATCH VIDEO)

This piece by Ayankola AYANWUYI embellished with the link to the documentary showcases the space-sitting prowess of a powerful Egungun in Ogbomoso, Oyo state, Nigeria.

When I produced my short documentary titled Space-Sitting Prowess of Egungun Ajomogbodo in 2022, I made it to educate people on the subject of Egungun in Yoruba culture, never imagining it would be featured at multiple international film festivals.

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Until 2023, I had moved on to other projects, but Space-Sitting Prowess of Egungun Ajomogbodo kept traveling. It has now been screened across different continents, including at Stanford University.

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Egúngún Ajómọ́gbódó is probably the most travelled Egúngún from my hometown, Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́. It’s known for its space-sitting prowess.

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The name Ajókó-mọ́-gbé-odó (literally the one who sits without needing a stool) was given in ancient times during an open performance for the king, Ṣọ̀ún of Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́. While other Egúngún sat on stools, this one chose to sit without any. Since then, people began calling it Ajókó-mọ́-gbé-odó, which was later shortened to Ajómọ́gbódó.

The film was first featured at the International Folklore Film Festival in India (IFFF), then at the Latino and American Film Festival (LANAFF) at Southern Connecticut State University, and later at the Afro-Chinese Arts and Folklore Festival in Cairo, Egypt.

Taking Yoruba cultural project to international platforms remains one of my proudest moments as a cultural documentary filmmaker. As a follow-up, I’ll be sharing more of my cultural documentary milestones with you in the coming days. Ire ni o.