Epe comes alive with Kayokayo Festival
.. As Pasuma set to add glamour to event
Epe bubbles with life as activities lined up for the much anticipated 2016 Kayokayo Festival gathers momentum.
The town in already in celebratory mood as the Oganla exponent, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma is set to perform at the grand finale of the Festival on Saturday, October 22.
The event which promises to be unique from the past Kayokayo Festivals is set to feature royal procession to the Marina front for Al-Kaosara bath, display of Noah boat/King Kosoko boat, annual royal Kayokayo prayer at waterfront with giant Etufu by Olu Epe of Epe among other activities lined up for the Festival.
Already, the town is wearing a new look with the massive infrastructural development embarked upon by the Lagos state governor, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode.
Speaking during a press conference in his palace in Epe, HRM Oba Sefiu Olatunji Adewale, Bamgbopa Esinlokun 1, the Olu Epe of Epe Kingdom explained that there are two perspective for Kayokayo Festival, with one being that of the renowned prophet Noah and the other one being that of king Kososko.
According to the Olu of Epe, the coming of King Kososko from Lagos to Epe is part of the Kayokayo Festival celebration.
“The coming of King Kososko from Lagos to Epe is part of the Kayokayo Festival we are celebrating now, he came with 1500 people when there was confusion and sort of battle with his uncle Akintoye, because they came in the night when there was no electricity, they used the Etufu to see, that is bundle of sticks tied together and lighted up.
That is the Kayokayo we are celebrating on one part and the other part, we remember prophet Noah when God wanted to destroy the world at that time, God commanded him to build an Ark and put the believers in it, even his son who was not a believer was not in that boat, that was the second aspect of Kayokayo. We have been doing this for years now and it has been very successful,” he explained.
On the expansion of the scope of the celebration, the Olu Epe of Epe Kingdom stated that the Festival used to be just one day before, adding that it has now been made a week celebration.
“We have put in some other aspects to show the progress and present way of things in the country, for instance, we now have health day where people with different ailments, the aged will come and be given medications. Also, the way King Kosoko who led the foundation of Eko- Epe came from Lagos to Epe in a boat with 1500 people have been embedded that into the programme, because in Epe, we have two communities, Ijebu Epe and Eko Epe.
“Like tomorrow, we are going to display how King Kosoko came from Lagos to Epe, we are going to be on a boat, trying to mimic the way King Kosoko came to Epe in a boat. Apart from that, on the final day, we have invited a lot of personalities to be with us and for this year, we have a reputable band, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma who is going to play and other programmes we have put in place to show the progress and development of Epe. In the past, it used to be one day when different families will cook rice for people to eat and that is the main Kayokayo, “the Olu of Epe narrated.
He commended the Governor of Lagos, Akinwumi Ambode for his development strides particularly in Epe and the state as a whole.
The Olu Epe stated that the clearing of the Marina in preparation for development implies that a very important project that would boost the tourism potential of the town is in the pipeline, stressing that only the state government can say what the project is all about.
“I am privy to the development of the Marina and you will see that every structure has been cleared for development .I don’t want to say more than that. It is the government that will tell the world what it wants to do”, the Olu of Epe said.
He disclosed that the meaning of the Kayokayo Festival is “eat and be filled”, adding that one of the essence of the Festival is to remember the late King Kosoko, who came into Epe in 1851 with 1,500 people.
In his remarks earlier, the chairman planning committee, Kayokayo Festival, chief Alade Saliu Okula, the Baameto of Epe Kingdom stated that the Festival used to be a local event which has now been expanded to accommodate other events.
The Baameto of Epe Kingdom noted to celebrate the event In the past, Epe people visits families, eat and be satisfied.
He disclosed further that close to 98 per cent of Epe people are Muslims.
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