AGEMO: GOING INTO EXTINCTION OR WHAT?
Agemo festival is not been celebrated as it used to be. What causes this? What is happening to Agemo festival?. This is the question rocking in the minds of young and old people of Ijebu.
Will you be surprised to know that Agemo is part of Yoruba months?. Well, reading the months of the year in Yoruba , we have the months of agemo.
Any Eulogy(Oriki) of Ijebu without “Omo agemo merindinlogun” is incomplete.
Agemo is part of Ijebu
Agemo is Ijebu
Ijebu is Agemo
Agemo is our heritage
Agemo is Ijebu pride
It was handed over by our forefathers.
Over the years, the celebration of Agemo festival is celebrated well and accordingly.
Agemo is an Ijebu diety which is forbidden to be seen by women.
They are sixteen in numbers with loads (Eru agemo)which emanated from different Ijebu towns. Aside the sixteen, we have others who are without loads (Eru agemo) but they are allowed to come for celebration.
In the year 2020, Covid 19 was all over the world which leads to total lockdown. Agemo festival was not held.
In the year 2021, agemo festival was not done. (Reason best known to the Supreme).
Same happened in the year 2022, AGEMO festival was stopped but the Agemo’s people disagree and only went to Imosan groove to dance and perform necessary rites. It was not done the way it used to.
This year again, AGEMO was stoped (Reason best known to the Supreme) and all AGEMO were only allowed to celebrate in their respective domain.
THE YEAR 2024, WHAT NEXT?
Olalekan Sijuade
CEO, Ijebu Rewa
