2022 EPE KAYOKAYO FESTIVAL HOLDS ON SATURDAY
…with most hotels fully booked.
Activities marking the weeklong iconic Epe Kayokayo festival, continues on Thursday, 25th August, 2022 with visitations to historical and royal houses by the Olu-Epe of Epe kingdom, HRM Oba (Dr.) Shefiu Olatunji Adewale (Bamgbopa Eshinlokun I), with lighting of the Etufu, at the Marina waterfront, later in the day.
On Friday, 26th August, special Jumat service with royal fathers and invited guest, holds at the first Epe Central Mosque, Oke-Balogun, Epe, by one o’clock. Reception follows immediately at the Olu-Epe’s palace. As, lighting of Etufu, holds at night.
The grand finale comes up on Saturday, 27th August, at the Marina waterfront from 12noon with royal procession/fanty carnival; the annual festival prayer; scholarship presentation; lighting of the Etufu; presentation of awards and reception.
On the band stand is Fuji artiste, King Sulaimon Alao Adekunle Malaika, other Hip-Hop and Islamic artistes.
While heralding the festival, at a press conference weekend, the Chairman, publicity committee of the 2022 Kayokayo, Mrs. Olushola Alade-Raji, while fielding questions from reporters, appealed to the Lagos State government in particular and Nigerians in general to see culture and tradition as something very important.
According to her, we have lost our tradition and culture to the western tradition and it is not paying us. You can see now that we have more Muslims and Christians than the traditional worshippers.
Her words: “If Nigeria is spoiled now, it is the Christians and Muslims; the traditionalists are not part of us. It is we Muslims that would say Christians and Christians would say Muslims are to be blamed and yet the religions is not taking us anywhere”.
Continuing, she said: “I think we should learn to live with ourselves harmoniously. As, Christians do marry Muslims and vices versa. So, why the deceit there; why are we deceiving ourselves?”, Alade-Raji, asked rhetorically.
“What I would tell the whole world, is to let peace reign. If peace reigns everything will be okay and we must all be sincere with ourselves because if we are operating on sincerity, definitely everything will be in order”, she said.
On the benefits of the Kayokayo festival to Epe kingdom, Alade-Raji, a Chief Personal Secretary, with Lagos State University (LASU), said that in the past and now, the economy usually improves as drinks and food vendors usually have a bumper sales.
The hospitality industry in particular usually smile to the banks, as most of our hotels if not all in Epe and environ are already fully booked ahead of the grand finale of the Kayokayo festival.
“Again, the Kayokayo festival brings joy; happiness and will release tension this week, as we will all wine and dine together, as it is not all about the economy implications”.
“It also promotes peace and harmony amongst us, as a community and it reminds us of our religion; of our background, how do we, get here? What is happening, are we still in touch with our roots”, she asserted.
Asked the unique features of this years edition of the festival, from previous ones, the Publicity Committee Chairman, noted that job empowerment was in the pipeline earlier, but due to some hitches, it was suspended.
However, we have upcoming artistes that would come around to showcase their talents by performing on stage and we shall reward them with token gifts in assisting them by making them have that sense of belonging.
Maximum security, she stated is guaranteed for revealers as security is not going to prevent anybody from coming to participates in the festival.
A stakeholder, Otunba Tajudeen Abass, who is also the Aremo of Epe kingdom, in a chat with newsmen further added 50 indigent indigenes of Epe, would benefit from scholarship grants from Kayokayo dedicated funds.
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