Egungun Season Starts in Lagos, Nigeria

BY BOLAJI FAKEYE | LAGOS, NIGERIA 

It is spring. The Yoruba celebrates the egungun festival this period around May/June. On the Lekki-Aja peninsula in Lagos, Nigeria, different families adorned their ancestral masquerades in expensive garbs ranging from velvets to silk and lace. There were acrobats and entertaining drummers who made the gathering lively for the people gathered at the Igbale (egungun shrine), eating and drinking. Some of the masquerades, in different colorful costumes, were; Ayegbajeje (take life easy), Lukuluku in its yellow lace, Owolanke (money is worthwhile) and an elder egungun called Oyi.

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