Sango Festival‘ll witness mixture of traditions, cultures Saturday- Iya Sango in Oyo
Dr Paula Gomes, Cultural Ambassador to Alaafin of Oyo, says the grand finale of 2021 World Sango Festival on Saturday will witness mixture of traditions and cultures from all states in Yorubaland.
Gomes, also known as “Iya Sango”, made this known on Friday in an interview with newsmen in Oyo, ahead of Saturday ceremony.
“All states in Yorubaland are expected to come with their cultural troupes to perform and display their cultural shows at the occasion to add glamour to the ceremony.
“The grand finale in the palace will be a mixture of tradition and culture, the states will bring cultural troupes, which is culture and Sango devotees, which is tradition to pay homage to Alaafin.’’
She said that with the 10 days celebration of Sango festival, “Alaafin is preserving it exactly the way it was so that people can understand the Yoruba heritage, how it was and how it is’’.
According to her, we have two Sangos- Sango Koso -Alaafin’s fore-father- and Sango Oyo.
“This festival is very ancient. It comes from Oyo Empire. It is related to the crown of Alaafin, because no one can become the Alaafin without being crowned in Koso with the Sango crown.
“The tradition in Oyo is that before Sango festival could start, Ogun festival must come first, because the Ogun goes in the front to lead and opens the ways for Sango.
“Saturday celebration will start with the Eleguns (Masquaraders) from Sango Koso, who will come out in Koso, where he is the king of the town, while Alaafin is the son.
“So, he will perform in Koso; he will go round the town to pray for people; because when he comes out, he pray and tell people what to do, especially for those that are sick, the barren, and those with other problems.
“A big crowd usually follow him, begging him for support, and those he had blessed in the past will come back to thank him for what he had done the previous years. That is what will happen in the town on Saturday.’’
According to him, so, when the Eleguns of Sango Koso start arriving the palace, the Alaafin will have to excuse the visitors and leave the arena because he can no longer see his father.
“No Alaafin, in his life time, can go back to Koso. It is the wives of Alaafin that will receive the Elegun Sango Koso at the palace.
“In the palace, Kabiyesi (Alaafin) will come to the arena to welcome all the visitors and the Sango priests from other towns, because when Oyo was an Empire, Sango religion, beside being a tradition and culture, it is the religion.
“Sango is the national religion of the Yorubas, even, if your family is Obatala or Osun or whatever may be your lineage, you will have Sango with you as the national religion, as a mark of respect for the Alaafin.
“So, you find Sango everywhere in Yorubaland. If you go to Ede, you have Sango, if you go Ife you have Sango, if you go to Ekiti, you will find Sango, if you go Kisi you will find Sango, if you go Ibadan, if you to Lagos you have Sango.
“Sango is spread all over the Yorubaland. On this grand finale, the devotees of Sango will come to Oyo to pay homage to Alaafin, and all of them will perform for the traditional.
