The Olu-Epe of Epe Kingdom in Lagos State, Oba Shefiu Adewale, has said that the annual Kayokayo Festival unites rural dwellers and boosts government’s revenue.
Adewale said this at the grand finale of the week-long celebration of the festival on Saturday in Epe.
The traditional ruler said that the festival also helped in showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the community to the world.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the annual festival kicked off on July 19, 2024 and ended on July 27, 2024.
“The entire businesses in Epe community make huge revenue from the annual festival.
“These include commercial drives, food vendors, arts & crafts, hotels & hospitality industries, fish sellers, amongst others, ” he said.
Adewale said that the yearly traditional festival was observed in commemoration of the arrival of King Kosoko and his warlords to Eko-Epe in 1851.
He said that it was also an event that ushered in the new Islamic Calendar Year.
The traditional ruler said the festival was significant in that it brought people of the community together, irrespective of their societal status.
Olu-Epe debunked the notion that Epe had no culture and expressed joy that Kayokayo festival had been long celebrated by the people of Epe.
“Although, many who started this celebration with us are no longer here, we thank Almighty Allah for preserving our lives to see this year’s festival.
“It is our desire to keep celebrating and soon, Kayokayo will become an international celebration, ” he said.
According to him, the festival has kept evolving over the years with new ideas, activities and innovations.
He said this had transformed the festival into a more pleasant and interesting occasion for the communities and participants from far and wide.
He congratulated the entire community on the occasion and called for more support and peaceful co-existence among the residents of the community.
The traditional ruler urged residents to embrace peace and unity while working hard for the progress and development of Epe land.
Olu-Epe commended the organising committee for its tremendous effort in ensuring that the festival was pleasant and enjoyable.
Also, Oba Abiola Kosoko, the Oloja of Lagos State, called on the people to work together to preserve Epe’s cultural heritage for the benefit and pride of the present and future generations.
Kosoko commended the leadership and custodians of the community’s history, culture and traditions.
He applauded the custodians for their role in preserving the historic structures in Epe, such as the Iduganran palace and the Olu’s palace.
“These structures hold great significance in the town’s history and serve as a reminder of its past.
“Epe is a town with a rich history and it is heartening to see that the current leadership is committed to preserving it, ” he said.
According to him, these historic structures are testament to our past and must be protected for future generations.
Earlier, the Chief Coordinator of the festival, Mr Tajudeen Abass, described the festival as significant for the people of the community.
He said that the Epe Kingdom was blessed with a rich cultural heritage, which must be harnessed for the benefit and development of the society.
“One of the significance of this festival is that it serves as an avenue for people to wine and dine and also to pray for peace and unity of the community and beyond.
“We thank our sponsors at home and abroad for their generous contributions in making this year’s festival a success,” Abass said.
NAN reports that the celebration featured the Islamic Lecture/Quranic Recitation competition, special Kayokayo prayer at First Epe Central Mosque, medical mission and job fair.
The celebration also included the lighting of the symbolic ‘Etufu’, novelty match, scholarship grants presentation/job awards, fanti carnival and fashion show. (NAN
