Ijero Ekiti where we beg masquerade to flog you

Town where people beg Aje  Masquerade to flog them
In Ijero -Ekiti last Sunday ended their seven days of their Ogun/Egungun festival where Aje Masquerade flogged barren women,the poor and the needy in order to free them from their woes.Taiwo Abiodun witnessed the interesting festival
About five young girls who painted their faces with white native chalks with beads on their necks and ankles holding  horsetails danced round the big tree seven times as the  Ipesi drums were being beaten by skilled drummers. Later they  were hailed to high heavens as people rejoiced .According to the town's monarch HRM  Oba Joseph Adebayo the Alajero of Ijero Ekiti "  these young girls and boys were now initiated into the royal house and have now received their royal blessing and could now  boast anywhere that they come from royal house".He continued ''no matter what if you are born into the royal house without performing this rites you are not recognized that you are from royal blood .These children are my children and are now confirmed with this celebration that they have been initiated  into royal house of Owa Ajero.
"Later  a tuber of yam would be  cut by the Odofin into two equal sizes,and the Alajero  now have the right to eat new yam.That starts the festival ",the monarch explained.
The over 500 Masquerades all trooped in their number comprising the young ones and middle aged ones who were in their palm-fronds and covered their faces with well carved wood .They  were all everywhere in the town as they danced round the town with their canes .They would run around, pursue people   while the the metals on their ankles would be making sound .At a time they all gathered and said aloud prayer in their native language .This has become an annual ritual as individuals pray for the town.
For Ijero Ekiti, the Ogun/ Egungun festival that lasted for seven days ended last sunday as the whole  town irrespective of their religious  belief went into frenzy. Visitors, natives from far and near were present to witness the historic festival which   had been in practice for over 1,000years.
According to Joshua Oyewande  Olukolade , one of the community leaders said " the festival lasts for seven days and it has been on for over 1,000 years.It brings the sons and daughters of the town together , people do come from United Kingdom ,  United States of America and from far and near to watch and especially for prayer which is efficacious .Now I came with some of my friends from Enugu to witness this historic festival".
Mysterious drum
Asked of the drum they beat  at the heralding  the festival, Oyewande   said the drum is called IPESI ," it is beaten once in a year and this is during the beginning of this festival and when the monarch passes away.Not only this the sound has a very powerful work to do as it attracts like magnet all sons and daughters to Ijero .No matter where an Ijero indigene is if he hears the sound of the drum he would be yearning to come back home "
Obafemi could not confirm or deny the story that the IPESI  drum was made of human flesh , he only said " ha! , I don't know about that , may be during the time of our forefathers. But I heard the genuine story that it's sound attracts sons and daughters back home. The drum they beat for the masquerade they use in dancing is IPESI , wherever the Ijeros are when the drum is beaten they will come home it is a call to home, it is the one ( IPESI drum ) inviting them.
Egungun are visitors from heaven
Narrating how it starts the town's monarch and head of the community Oba Joseph Adebayo Adewole the Alajero of Ijero stated "This festival is called Ogun/ Egungun festival, we spent two weeks in preparation for it for the farmers would be at home to observe Ogun for it is parts of Ogun's implements like cutlass, hoes, and iron materials being used by the .That is why the Ijero sons and and daughters would come home and one way or the other that is a means of reunion of families.And our new calendar year starts when we end the Ogun festival.Some communities only worshipped masquerades whereas we do both Ogun and Masquerades together and it is only Ijero that observes that in Yoruba land!", the monarch boasted .
On the Egungun festival the monarch said "For the Egungun festival we believed our forefathers came from heaven to stay with us for seven days and after the seven days they go back to heaven where they came from.And when sending them off all sons and daughters, visitors and friends would raise their voices to high heavens praying for themselves and for the town.The significance is to celebrate our ancestors and access ourselves, improve on ourselves and move forward."
Egungun Aje or Ako Egungun
Among over 500  masquerades is the most powerful one called ' Egungun Aje , or Ako Egungun  which is known to be very powerful and highly efficacious in prayer .According to the custodian of the Egungun Aje ,High Chief Samuel Obafemi the Aasan of Ijero  of Ijero Ekiti, " I am the custodian of Ako Egungun  also known as Egungun  Aje , and in Yorubaland we the Ijeros that  have only this type of masquerade which is in Ijero Ekiti here .it has been existing for over 1,000 years and ordinary person cannot wear it , whoever wears it has to be from the family of Egungun Aje orAko Egungun and must be initiated into it .The Aje Masquerade( Egungun)has and  holds a long spiritual cane he uses to cane people to receive  blessing". According to Obafemi  , it is a blessing if one is caned by the Egungun for  is is believed the cane  has  both physical and spiritual healing thus many begged him to be flogged by Ako Egungun".
Corroborating   Oyewande said " Yes ,it is true  , we call the cane Esisan and is being used , and the people holding them are families of Asosanyin .It is the biggest  masquerade and his cane is believed to be effective for any blessing so people even begged him to cane them.There is no bitterness in flogging people with it rather they offered themselves to be caned .it is believed that when one is caned by Egungun Aje this year  he would be praying to be caned next year .If it is a woman looking for the fruits  of the womb and she is being whipped by the masquerade that means her prayers has been answered for she would bring her baby next year , many can testify to this, to and do the research  " , he boasted .
On how Egungun Aje came to be , the monarch explained 'in the days of old when children were falling sick and some were dying our forefathers brought Egungun Aje out to come and rescue the town and since it cured people and released  them from bondage it has since being worshipped , so whoever fell sick was healed while progress came to the town  and it waded off calamity from the land.That is why we have been celebrating and worshipping Egungun Aje , we also called it Ako Egungun( husband of all the Egunguns ).
Last Sunday evening the arrival of Egungun Aje charged everywhere as there was huge cries of happiness of his arrival while many ran to him to be whipped with his cane.Many begged him to cane him. A young man , Yemi Olutayo said he offered himself to be caned to receive his ( Aje Egungun) blessing ." I am glad for having the opportunity to cane me , it is a physical and spiritual blessing .I know he has answered my prayers  and my life cannot be the same again as things will improve for me next year".
Princess Iya Seyi ( aka Iya Sewooo) said ' I struggled to get to where Egungun Aje is but  the crowd was too much , but I have prayed with his name to let me grow old and let my business flourish "
As if they were congregation in the church the over 20,000 people who thronged the place raised up their voice and started praying in the name of Egungun Aje , to the surprise of this reporter .
Dr.Femi  Ayo Ajai , who came from Aramoko Ekiti said " it is a belief and I must confess to you all their prayers had been answered .That is why people come all the way from America, London and all places to receive blessings from Eegun Aje .I have never for once missed this festival ,It is interesting and adventurous".
At 7 o'clock ( Sunday ) over 20,000  spectators including the monarchs from the neighboring towns and  chiefs  waited to receive prayers from Egungun  Aje  as everywhere went wild .Prayers were offered and immediately the  Egungun Aje removed the wooden mask  from his face to be seen , it was all over .And while many dispersed others were glued to where they were standing praying!