Lagos State proudly participated in the 2025 World Egungun Festival, held from May 14 to May 16 at Liberty Stadium, Oke Ado, Ibadan, reaffirming its deep-rooted commitment to promoting Yoruba cultural heritage and fostering regional unity.
EpeInsights reports that the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MTAC), Mr. Olanrewaju Bajulaiye, who represented the Honourable Commissioner Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, led Lagos delegation to join other states and international guests in a vibrant celebration themed “Connecting Through Tradition and Culture.”
The festival, organised by the Oyo State Ministry of Culture and Tourism in collaboration with the Adayeba Cultural Tourism Foundation, celebrated the revered Egungun masquerade—an emblem of ancestral reverence and Yoruba spirituality.
Mr. Bajulaiye praised the event’s role in uniting communities and bridging generational divides through cultural performances, exhibitions, and traditional rites.
He commended the Lagos contingent for their dynamic display of heritage through traditional drumming, chants, choreographed dances, and striking masquerade costumes.
The delegation was drawn from the five divisions of Lagos (IBILE), showcasing notable Egungun such as Wowo Ado, Iyaniwura, Agaja, Abobade, and Sungo, among many others each reflecting the state’s cultural depth and diversity.
Speaking at the festival, Dr. Wasiu Ajani Olatunbosun, Oyo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, emphasized the significance of the event in unifying Yoruba communities from across Southwest Nigeria and the Benin Republic.
He noted that the gathering of diverse Egungun troupes symbolised shared heritage and a collective responsibility to preserve it.
Beyond the masquerade performances, attendees experienced Fuji music concerts, indigenous art exhibitions, and the popular Amala Fiesta, which celebrated Yoruba cuisine and culinary traditions.
The festival also offered a platform for artisans, fashion designers, and food vendors to promote their crafts boosting cultural enterprise and economic empowerment.
The presence of key traditional and political figures lent further prestige to the event. Among them were His Royal Majesty Oba Rashidi Ladoja, Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland and former Governor of Oyo State, who presided over the festival; the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barrister Bayo Lawal; Her Royal Majesty Olori Enitan Ogunwusi, the Mother of the Day; and renowned Ifa priest Chief Ifayemi Osundagbonu Elebuibon.
Other Lagos State officials in attendance included Mr. Taoreed Dosunmu (Director of Administration and Human Resources, MTAC), Mr. Idowu Johnson (Director of Arts and Culture/CEO, Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture), Mr. Akeem Owolabi (Head of Creative Industry and Heritage, LSCAC), and members of the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture.
