By Oyeniyi Esan
Agbalumo festival of peace, harmony and abundance has taken a new shape in the town of Ileegbo Ijesha as tourists, cultural enthusiasts and media professionals across the globe are curious about the mysterious events, which revived a long-lost historical and traditional ceremony of African society from the Ijesha ethnical lens of Yoruba origin.
Prior to the emergence of His Royal Majesty, Oba Abdulrazak Abiola Olanbiwonninu Esan as the first king of the town, which is traditionally titled the Oniileegbo-Ijesha, the town has ignored the core value of the cultural and traditional essence of the town but a single tree has changed the narrative with love, caution and feast.
According to Oba Esan, “This Agbalumo festival remains one of the cardinal pillars that preach the essence of peace and unity in the community, and the unique fact about the festival is the ability of this particular tree to be able to supply fruits without regard to the number of persons, gender or race.
“I got to know about the tree when some persons in the community insisted to sell off the tree- unknowingly to them that there are mysteries surrounding the tree.
“The mysterious sides of the tree begin to evolve as all attempts to bring the down failed, and in the attempt to understand the nature of the tree, several consultations were made. Then, we decided to have a pragmatic and intellectual approach having our foundation in the consultation of the Ifa Oracle in conjunction with the Osun, Sango and Esu perceptions.
“All fingers point to the need to appreciate the mysterious aspects inherent in our cultural values.
He also noted, “This is the era we are determined to revive the dying nature of our core cultural values in the face of modernization and globalization of the twenty-first century. As custodian of the traditional and cultural orientations of the community.
“I am determined to take my community beyond the agro-tourism proposes because the cultural and traditional ingredients inherent in the town is worthy of tourism attractions beyond the scope of agricultural proposes.
The priestess of the Osun deity, Senge Osunlewa, reveals, “The existence of Agbalumo festival is as old as the Yoruba society because there are many societies within the traditional setting of any given society.
The unique aspect of the Agbalumo festival of the Ileegbo-Ijesha is how we were forced to reckon with the powers and authorities of Yoruba gods and goddesses, which are inherent in this tree. This Agbalumo tree was actually sold to two different persons, and they equally failed to bring it down.
“As the Iyalode Osun of Illegbo-Ijesha, I was consulted and we visited the site just to find some deities around and within the tree. Ever since the tree has become a source of happiness for many as prayers are answered and serve as a point of attraction for many cultural-oriented persons and tourists around the globe.
She also noted that “This is the time we are to rebrand the face of our cultural and traditional artefacts, concepts and ingredients for global consumption, I am indeed very happy about the tourism traffic witnessed in the celebration of our heritage, and the support of the members of the town”.
The entertainment of the festival contended between the Egungun masquerade and the Sango priest.
The Bata drum seems to be of help when the Sango priest cut off his tongue – splitting his blood – all to open his mouth with his full tongue unharmed.
The Egungun seems to keep dialoguing with his drummers not leaving behind his heavenly voice and calculable movements as a bid to notify the public that beneath the Agbalumo tree is a different world of reality.
The long train of beautiful ladies regarded as the Osun princesses gives any willing bachelor a sense of hope that the gods would surely answer their secret prayers.
