20th May, 2017
Several shop owners and other vendors around the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) and on Lagos Island on Saturday expressed delight following bumper sales they recorded during the celebration of “Adamu Orisa’’ popularly called “Eyo’’ Festival.
The 2017 edition of Eyo festival is part of activities to celebrate the ongoing Lagos @ 50.
The vendors expressed happiness with the organizers of the Golden jubilee of the creation of Lagos State from the old Western Region on May 27, 1967 by the then military administration of General Yakubu Gowon.
They said in separate interviews that the annual festival always attracted an influx of tourists from across the world to Lagos Island in particular and Lagos State in general hereby boosting the state’s socio-economic activities.
The Eyo Festival which had been in existence for decades was invented by the founding fathers of Lagos as part of efforts to ward-off undesirable elements from the city as well as afford Lagosians the opportunity to relax among themselves.
During Eyo festival, youths from various families from Lagos State usually addressed as “Eyo’ masqueraders would cover themselves from head to toe with immaculate white clothes, a flat local cap to match and a decorated palm frond called “Opabata’’ in their hands.
These are the costumes or regalia that each masquerader must adorn and their activities are restricted to Lagos Island between 8a.m. and 7p.m. on days.
They would dance round Lagos Island singing and praying for the Oba of Lagos, the white cap chiefs, the residents and visitors that had come to grace the occasion.
“Eyo’’ festival is celebrated on special occasions like this, or as a mark of respect for an illustrious son or daughter of Lagos state following the approval of the oba of Lagos.
When Eyo festival is being celebrated, men were forbidden from putting on caps, women must not wear head ties while both must not wear shoes of any kind on Lagos Island as marks of respect to the celebration.
Mrs Funmilayo Rasheed, who operates a kiosk on Lagos Island said that she always looked forward to the Eyo Festival because of the large sales she usually recorded then.
”I usually use such proceeds to augment daily sales from other days,” she said.
“The festival is always a welcomed idea for us in Lagos. I usually sell double of what I sell on a daily basis during the festival,” she said.
Also, Mrs Aminu Balogun, a food vendor, said that the Eyo Festival had always remained a significant cultural heritage of the people of Lagos.
Balogun said that the festival was a sign of good tidings and blessings to come in the later parts of the year.
Mr Femi Adewale, a bar operator, said that sellers always increase the prices of their commodities by a fraction of in other to make quick profits.
“There is usually numerous people in attendance during the festival which forces an increase in the prices of commodities.
“When there is a lot of demand for goods, the prices of goods automatically increase in other to preserve existing stock or make more profit, ” he said.
Adewale said that he had to increase a small bottle of alcoholic drinks that was selling for N150 on ordinary day was sold for N200 and while a bottle of table water was sold for N70 instead of the normal N50.
It was also observed that vendors of souvenirs such as face caps, t-shirts, handkerchiefs with the inscription“ Lagos @50’’ on them; made brisk sales during the festival despite the heavy rain during the early hours of the day.