World Sango festival and uniqueness of Oyo traditions (1)
By Bode Durojaiye, Director of Media and Publicity to His Imperial.Majesty, the Alaafin of Oyo
The Yoruba religion is based on oral traditions, as beliefs and practices are preserved by passing history, customs, and traditions from one generation to the next.
Authority for interpreting events and establishing proper conduct of ethics and morals rests with a bureaucratic structure of rulers who function in both religious and political realms.
According to traditional Yoruba belief, all power in the universe emanates from a supreme being, Olodumare.
Olodumare, known as the owner of everlasting abundance, among many other praise names, holds all power and is the giver of all life.
Olodumare is the mystical remote source of all things and is not identified by gender. All that exists,including supernatural divine realities and natural earth realities, are part of Olodumare.
As the supreme almighty source, Olodumare is directly involved in the affairs of the earth through a complex core of sub-divinities called orisa.
The divinities like Sango are authoritative divine emissaries and serve as intermediaries between the people of earth and Olodumare.
Consequently, today, Friday, 16th of August 2024, there was the performance of traditional rites for Aje at the new ultra- modern Akesan Market between 10am and 12pm.
While in the evening same day, similar traditional.rites were performed for Esu in the same market.
These rites are meant to appease the Olodumare for economic prosperity, progress, and development, as well.as to.ward off evil machinations from the market.
This year’s World Sango Festival which is attracting foreign nationals from several countries, and eminent personalities across the country, is a particular and the most distinctive expression of the larger
intangible heritage of Oyo town uniting all the forms of knowledge.
It is also one of the most ancient, traditional and major festivals of the Yoruba race.
As such, it encompasses all the range of techniques, skills, and crafts through which cultural values, customs, and traditions of Oyo people are manifested.
The aboriginal place of this traditional and cultural event is in the city of Oyo located in Oyo State in the southwest region of Nigeria.
To be continued ……