The Eyo Festival

The Eyo Festival

The complete regalia of the Eyo includes a white flowing gown that covers the hands and feet (AGA), a headgear, and a staff called "OPANBATA."

The OPANBATA, considered the staff of office for the EYOs, is made from palm fronds and a stick decorated with artistic inscriptions for uniqueness and beauty.

The Eyo masquerade carries this stick to greet each other and the elders, as well as to beat offenders of the law and to harass friends.

The nature, color, and costumes of the AGA vary from one masquerade to another, reflecting the different groups they belong to: ADIMU, ONIKO, OKOLABA, OLOGEDE, and AGARA. Royal Eyos include groups like OLOREGUN, AROMIRE, OLOTO, BAJULAYE, AKINTOYE, ELETU-ODIBO ETI, and OSHODI, among others.

Masquerades from different Eyo groups are identified by their AGA (Gowns).

Before the main festival, there is a week-long OPANBATA show featuring cultural displays by Eyo groups and a ritual performance by the chief priest, ELETU-ODIBO, to mark the beginning of the Eyo festival.

The primary music for the Eyo festival is the KOROGUN, played using the IYA-LU drum, two OMELE drums, IHONKOLO, and a gong.

Drummers and other instrumentalists accompany the Eyo masqueraders as they move through the streets of Lagos during the festival.

The Eyo festival is a time of merrymaking, feasting, and dancing, enjoyed by the people of Lagos State.

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