An annual festival that features a masquerade called Jigbo ended in a fracas in Araromi area of Ibeju, Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area, Lagos State penultimate Wednesday as the masquerade and a monarch in the area engaged in physical combat

The clash resulted in pandemonium as policemen invited from the Elemoro Area Command and Akodo Division stormed the community, firing teargas and gunshots to contain the situation.

In footage of the incident circulating on the social media, some masquerades were seen shouting Jigbo, Jigbo when the monarch in question, Oba Lukman Arowolo (Gbadewolu 1), who emerged from a building in a t-shirt on a pair of black trousers halted the procession and accosted one of the masquerades.

The monarch had queried the masquaraders’ decision to embark on a procession in his Araromi domain, following which the masqueraders and replied that “Araromi is inside Ibeju”.

An altercation ensued and later resulted in a brawl as the two parties engaged in an affray.

In one of the videos, armed policemen were seen breaking into some houses in a bid to arrest the supporters of the masqueraders as residents deserted the streets and ran for dear lives.

Two young men were seen dragged out of the building and arrested by the policemen assisted by some youths. A policeman was seen hitting one of the people arrested before they were later handcuffed.

In another video, Oba Arowolo is seen holding a cane, beating and running after some of the masquerades and their supporters before he was held back by bystanders, while another footage showed two camps of youths in the community armed with machetes and sticks locked in a fight on a street.

To get Oba Arowolo’s side of the incident, our reporter sent him an inquiry via Whatsapp on Thursday, but the monarch replied asking the reporter to visit his palace for his response. “Come to my palace,” he said.

In his reaction, however, the Onibeju of Ibejuland and paramount ruler of Ibeju-Lekki, Oba Olasunkanmi Waliu Rasaki, said the masquerade festival is held annually, noting that Oba Arowolo’s action amounted to a desecration of Ibeju’s culture and tradition.

He said: “Oba Lukman Arowolo had participated in the Jigbo masquerade festival in the past, especially when he was Baale and after his elevation to a coronet monarch.

“Suddenly, he started saying that he would not allow the celebration of the festival in Araromi, which is part and parcel of Ibeju-Agbeland. “Jigbo masquerades are not violent as they usually embark on peaceful processions to cleanse the entire communities in Ibejuland, and they would not enter any house as they are restricted to the road and streets alone.

“It was while the masqueraders went on their procession that he attacked them and asked them to go back home. He unmasked the face of the deity while his secretary also attacked the masqueraders as seen in a video.

“I was having a meeting in the palace with some monarchs and I asked Oba Ogunfayo to invite him and other monarchs to a forthcoming special meeting only for him to start raising the alarm on the phone that he was being attacked by my boys.

“Policemen later came to contain the incident, although the policemen overreached themselves by shooting indiscriminately into my palace instead of going to Araromi to contain the situation.

“We saw how the Jigbo masqueraders were going about their procession peacefully far off from Araromi until Oba Arowolo tried to interdict them.

“We were invited to the Police Area Command at Elemoro, for a truce but Oba Arowolo refused to attend.

“Nevertheless, I still took my time to address the people of Ibeju to let go of the matter and forgive the indiscretions of Oba Arowolo because he is an indigene of Ibejuland.

“I was joined by other monarchs like Oba Kayetoro, Oba Ogunfayo, Oba Elepia, Oba Onisolu and Prince Bayo Balogun at the place where I addressed Ibeju residents.

“It was while we were there that we heard that there were sporadic gunshots in Araromi and some youths were shot.”

He added: “Jigbo festival is held annually in the entire Ibejuland. The masquerade is our deity and is never to be seen by a woman. But Oba Arowolo desecrated our land and culture by allowing his secretary to see and unmask the deity.

“A monarch has to protect and uphold culture and tradition in a society, so one wonders why the spiritual festival of a people would be disrupted by the very person that is supposed to be the chief custodian of the cultural values.

“For now, the tension has not abated at all following the attack on the festival procession.”

Contacted, the Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Benjamin Hundeyin, promised to revert to our reporter.

He had, however, not done so at press time. (The Nation)

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