- / L. L '* I L I Nigerla- magazine - # -\ I* .. L I r~.ifr F No. 136 .,- e, .0981 W1.50r .I :4 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY F~fiva23ia Mige'tia: ABe ky • By G.D. EKPENYONG (MRS) HIS BIBLIOGRAPHY IS COMING OUT AT A TIME TRADITIONAL RULERS ENCOURAGED THEIR PEOPLE TO AC- T WHEN THERE IS GENERAL OR NATIONAL AWARENESS CEPT ISLAM AND AS A CONSEQUENCE ACCEPT IT AND FOR THE REVIVAL OF OUR CULTURAL HERITage. It IS HOPED CELEBRATED FESTIVALS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS religion. THAT NIGERIANS AND ALIENS RESIDENT IN NigeRIa, FESTIVALS ARE PERIODIC RECURRING DAYS OR SEA- RESEARCHERS IN AFRICAN StudiES, WOULD FIND THIS SONS OF GAIETY OR MERRy-maKING SET ASIDE BY A PUBLICATION A GUIDE TO A BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF THE COMMUNITY, TRIBE OR CLAN, FOR THE OBSERVANCE OF CULTURAL HERITAGE AND DIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLES OF SACRED CELEBRATIOns, RELIGIOUS SOLEMNITIES OR MUs- NIGERIA. ICAL AND TRADITIONAL PERFORMANCE OF SPECIAL SIG- IT IS NECESSARY TO EMPHASISe, HOWEVER, THAT NIFICANCE. It IS AN OCCASION OF PUBLIC MANIFesta- ALTHOUGH THIS IS A PIONEERING EFFORT TO RECORD ALL TION OF JOY OR THE CELEBRATION OF A HISTORICAL OC- THE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN TRADITIONAL FESTIVALS CURRENCE LIKE THE CONQUEST OF A NEIGHBOURING HELD ANNUALLY OR IN SOME CASES, AFTER A LONG VILLAGE IN WAR. IT CAN TAKE THE FORM OF A RELIGIOUS INTERVAL OF TIMe, THIS BIBLIOGRAPHY IS BY NO MEANS CELEBRATION DURING WHICH SACRIFICES ARE OFFERED TO EXHAUSTIVE. THE DIFFERENT GODS HAVING POWER OVER RAIN, Sun- SHINE, MARRIAGE AND GOOD HARVEST. Introduction He IS THE MOST ANCIENT OF ALL YORUBA TOWNS AND NigerIa, ONE OF THE LARGEST COUNTRIES IN AFRIca, IS REGARDED BY ALL YORUBAS AS THE FIRST CITY FROM IS RICH IN CULTURE AND TRADITIOn. It HAS A POPULA- WHERE ALL OTHER YoRUBAS MIGRATED TO THEIR PRESENT TION OF ABOUT 56 MILLION PEOPLE BELONGING TO ABODE. In YorubA CULTURe, HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPs. ThE LARGER GROUPS ARE THE THE CENTRAL POINT FROM WHERE THE REST OF YorUBAS HAusas, FulANIS, KANURIS, Tivs AND NupES IN THE ORIGINATED AND FROM WHERE CULTURE AND CIVILISA- NorTH AND YORUBas, IGBOS, Ibibios AND EdOS IN TION RADIATED. HE ALONE IS KNOWN TO HAVE ABOUT THE SOUTH. EACH ETHNIC GROUP HAS ITS OWN LAN- 400 FESTIVALS WHICH TO THIS DAY ARE CELEBRATED GUage, CUSTOMs, TRADITION AND RELIGION. IT IS Esti- ANNUALLy. MATED THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 250 DIFFERENT LANGUAGE In MOST NIGERIAN FESTIVALs, RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES GROUPS IN NigeRIA AND THIS IMPLIES A LARGE DIVersi- OR WORSHIP PLAYA VERY PROMINENT ROLE. TyPICAL OF TY IN CULTURE AND TRADITION, LANGUAGE BEING THE THIS CAN BE FOUND AMONG THE YORUbas, Ibibios, MAIN MEDIUM FOR THE SPREAD AND PRESERVATION OF NupE AND BidA PEOPLE WHO INTERPRET LIFE IN SYm- CULTURe. BY CULTURE HERE, WE MEAN ALL THE DISTINC- BOLS. BEIER NOTES THIS IN HIS DESCRIPTION OF "Ori- TIVE AND SHARED ACTIVITIES OF A PEOPLe. OkE FESTIVAL AT Iragbiji". HE POINTED OUT THAT ThERE ARE GEOGRAPHICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN "THE MYSTERIOUS DARK ROCKS THAT RISE SUDDENLY THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH AND THESE DIFFERENCES FROM THE FLAT SURROUNDING COUNTRYSIDe, ARE SYM- HAVE HAD AN INFLUUNIVERSITYENCE OR AT LEAST HAVE AIDED OFBOLS IBADANOF ETERNITY." ThE LIBRARYREAL OBJECT OF WORSHIP CERTAIN TENDENCIES IN THE TRADITIONS AND CULTURE OF SEEMS IN EVERY CASE TO BE THE ORISHA - AN AN- THE PEOPLE OF THE TWO GEOGRAPHICAL ZONES. It IS THROPOMORPHIC DEITY VERY MUCH LIKE SANgo, GENERALLY BELIEVED THAT GEOGRAPHICAL FACTORS AND Ogun, ObatALA OR ANY OF THE FAMOUS YORUBA THE POWERS OF THE TRADITIONAL RULERS OF THE YorubA GODS. ThE ROCK IS NOT ITSELF THE DIVINE BEINg. JuST PEOPLE HAVE AIDED THE ADVANCE OF IslAM FROM AS THE THUNDER SYMBOLISES THE STRENGTH AND POWER NoRTHERN NIGERIA INTO WESTERN NigERIa. AL- OF Sango, AND THE OCEAN SHOWS THE INEXHAUSTIBLE THOUGH THE FIRST PART OF THIS BELIEF MAY BE OPEN TO WEALTH OF Olokun, SO THE ROCKS STAND FOR THE QUESTION, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE YorubA STRENGTH AND POWER OF Orisha WITH WHOM IT IS 31 Ebugu war dancers. It is a victory dance performed after war or a big hunt. associated. Objects such as mountains, serve as a It is believed to have been introduced to Agbowa symbol of worship and this is found in the songs by a woman from Iwopin (Ijebu waterside) be- of the worshippers. The Ori-Oke festival is an tween 1904-1907. Agbo is a goddess represented example of worship not only by the cult members by a female masquerade. but also the entire town people during which time Igogo festival was imported to Owo from He. It incantations and prayers are offered in July. It is lasts for 17 days. The climax of the festival is on recorded that this festival takes place during the the last day when all the chiefs dance around the rains but UNIVERSITYit is expected that the rain-makers OF IBADANtown to the Igogo LIBRARYmusic which is played on metal prevent rain from falling during the celebration. gongs on their way to the Oba's palace. The Ejigbo festival is another example of a religi- Osezi festival in Agbor is supposed to be an ous festival in which the celebrations follow a annual festival but has not been so for a long ritual and the establishment of two "enemy" time. It was revived in 1962 and so was the first in camps in which both camps, armed with poles, eight years. This is a festival in which the Obi engage in a miniature war composed of attacks remembers his deceased ancestors and in which interspersed with moments of quiet. there is a demonstration of loyalty on the part of Agbo festival is celebrated annually at Iwopin. the Agbor people towards their Obi. 32 New Yam festival is celebrated in almost all the thus they are very significant in this dry area. It is ethnic groups of Nigeria. It takes place usually, in these rivers that the majority of the fish popu- about the end of June, and it is celebrated annu- lation survive when the other rivers and pools ally. In most areas, to eat new yam before this have dried up. The local people are mainly fisher- festival is taboo. A day is usually set aside for this men. This festival takes place during the harmat- festival by the chief priest of the god of harvest. tan season and not only marks the opening of the The day is designated a public holiday by the fishing season but also part of an ancient fertility community. Very early on this day, the high ritual which from the point of view of the Keb- priest kills a goat in the fetish place and pours the bawa people, is the most important aspect of the blood on the symbol that represents the god of occasion. On the evening before this festival, the harvest. After this the carcass is cooked and Horna-traditional chief of the fishermen and the vegetable soup is made of it. Yam is boiled and priests of this ancient ritual, go down to the pounded to make foofoo. Everybody gathers Sokoto river with the Sarkin-Ruwa - the chief of around the market place and the chief priest after the river and Jirgi - the chief of the ferry-men. incantations and prayers about the past season, They choose one of the pools which is not dry for prays for a better harvest in the coming season. the ceremony. At the time of the festival, how- After this the high priest declares the feast open ever, the pool must be about 12 feet deep, one by eating the pounded yam and the soup first hundred and 20 feet wide and about 900 feet before any other person. After this there is a lot of long. By this pool, the Horna makes sacrifice of a dancing, drinking and merry-making as the hew mixture of honey and balls of rice flour, a red yam is being eaten. After this festival, the new nanny-goat, a couple of black and red hens, yam can then be eaten by any member of the onions, pawpaw, water melon, kolanuts and community. milk. As he throws these into the river, he prays to the gods and to the ancestral spirits of their Festival of Pategi Regatta forefathers to send peace, health, progress and Regatta is a biennial festival in which the Nupe good fortune during the coming year. Very early people come together on the Pategi side of the the following morning, people start trooping to river for a friendly sports festival. The Nupe this pool. The males carry two calabashes and a people are renowned swimmers and boatmen. pair of "butterfly" fishing nets. The Horna and Although inaugurated in 1953 as a single event, his men distribute cotton wool and corn to this festival had been a favourite sport on the everyone they meet on their way to the river. On Niger since 1935. Competitors include boys, arriving at the river, the chief priest buries a girls, men and women from Pategi and Bida. protective charm in the river's edge. By 9 a.m., They come in colourful and well-decorated boats the site is full of spectators, dancers, singers etc. bedecked with flags. In each boat are drummers, On the arrival of the Emir, the chief priest per- dancers, musicians, singers and in some cases, forms some more rituals after which he declares the boats carry mascots. On the sporting day, the the festival open. While the chief priest gets into competitors assemble in the creeks just off the his beautifully decorated canoe with his drum- main river with their boats.