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| Photo credit: Google |
By: Shittu Yewande IBilewa
Agemo is a traditional festival held in Ogun state by the Ijebu people. The festival is an annual festival that comes in July.
The celebration stands to protect the land and the entire children of Ijebu and that is why the Ijebu people are with a lineage 'OMO ALAGEMO MERINDINLOGUN'.
There are about sixteen different kinds of AGEMO who pays their visit to Ijebu land in July such as Petu Ado of Ijebu Isiwo, Ogegbo of Ibowon part of Lagos, Nopa of Ijebu Imushin, Tami of Odogbolu, Serefusi of Igbile, Posa of Imosan, Alofe of Ijebu Ijesha and more but the leader of all is seen as TAMI ONIRE.
It was said that when the Alagemo are coming to Ijebuland for the first time for yearly rituals and activities, women are not expected to see them only men.
It's taboo for the female gender young or old to see them and once she sights them she got blind or die instantly.
During their procession to Imosan, they stop to receive gifts and offer prayers to residents. At the Imosan palace, they receive gifts sent by Awujale of Ijebuland through GBEDE the servant of the king which the yoruba see As 'ONISE OBA'.
The sixteen Alagemo spent 3days at the Agemo shrine performing some rituals, appeasing the Agemo deity, and praying for the land of IJEBULAND.
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| Photo credit: Google |
On the last day at Imosan, a traditional ritual dance is performed and both men and women are entitled to witness how dance steps and charm are used on each other. After the celebration at Imosan, all the Alagemo will move down to Ijebu Ode to perform their Final right at a place called AGBALA opposite Adeola Elementary School in Ijebu Ode and the dance starts with 'TAMI ONIRE' the leader of all the Alagemo followed by Awujale representative and other Agemos.
At the closing hour of the dance which happens to be the last day that every Alagemo will be going back to their destination, the Alagemo rain curses on each other to test how powerful they are and once people see this, they pick up their bags, and shoe and then leave the AGBALA.
Editor: Gbolade Akeem Adefolarinwa.
Published by: Mondiu Sherifat Oluwaseun