No violence, no alcohol – What Tinubu told leaders of Eyo festival

By Ayox Ojo

President Bola Tinubu on Sunday urged leaders of Eyo group to ensure that the festival is marked in peace when it hold next Saturday.

He urged participants in the Eyo festival to keep off alcohol and violence to ensure that the festival is peaceful.

The President said this at his Ikoyi residence when he received the leaders of Eyo alongside his Wife, Oluremi Tinubu, at his Ikoyi residence.

The President added that the Eyo Festival is a significant cultural celebration and a “great cultural remembrance and rekindling” of Lagos heritage.

He also noted that Lagos has continued to make progress, just as Nigeria was recording steady advancement, adding that the current atmosphere of celebration reflectedthe nation’s progress.

According to him: “Eko is making progress, Nigeria is making progress. It is a result of this progress we are all rejoicing for this period.

“God will bless you, will bless Lagos, will bless Federal Republic of Nigeria and I assure you we will defeat terrorism and banditry.”

Tinubu offered prayers for Lagos and Nigeria, while reaffirming his government’s resolve to defeat terrorism and banditry.

He also appealed to Nigerians to celebrate the festive period responsibly.

“Well, I am happy for this great cultural remembrance and rekindle of our culture. It is a great honour to come back home to meet our people ready, happy and healthy for the celebration of Eyo Carnival.

“In peace, harmony, love, brotherhood and sisterhood we continue to pray to God Almighty, the coming Christmas should be a joyous one for everyone of us.

“The coming holidays will not be a disaster for Nigeria, you stay in peace, rejoice in peace. Dance in peace, no danger to anybody’s life, everybody is a member of this great family.”

Also speaking, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the Eyo Festival is a unique opportunity to showcase Lagos State’s rich and enduring cultural heritage.

According to him, the celebration reinforced unity, identity, and shared history among Lagosians.

Sanwo-Olu said the festival provides a platform to demonstrate the depth of Lagos culture, noting that societies without strong cultural identity risked extinction.

“It’s an opportunity to show the very deep cultural heritage of Lagos, they say the people without a culture are becoming an extinct generation of people so we can use this to explain and for people to see the very deep cultural heritage of Lagos and like the President has said it will be a celebration some sort for all of us.

“Where all of the various Eyo family will come out in Regalia, in unity, in peace, in celebration of the moment and season that we all find ourselves.

“So what we have done here is to usher in the Adimu which is the most prominent in order of ranking, they have come to pay homage to myself and now to the President so this formally commences the full week of Eyo Festival that will now crown it on Saturday, December 27.

“Officially now the celebration has started from today in and all of them will begin to pull their people together in brotherhood and in sisterhood and in unity,” Sanwoolu stressed.

Sanwo-Olu noted that preparations have now been concluded for this year’s edition of Eyo festival with the last edition held over eight years ago.

His words: “It’s been long eight years that we had Eyo Festival and we are happy that we set in motion to have this year own. And it’s in memory of four prominent Nigerians and Lagosians.

“First Military administrator of the state, late Mobolaji Johnson; First Civilian Governor of the State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande; late former Civilian Governor of the State, Sir Micheal Otedola and finally our mother who passed on less than a decade ago, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji who incidentally is the mother of our current President.”

“It’s historical for us. For me, personally, I’ve been governor for six and a half years, this will be the first that I will be witnessing. For us, his coming home is an icing on the cake for us,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu also stated that the appearance of the Adimu Eyo, the highest-ranking among the Eyo groups, marked the commencement of a full week of activities leading to the grand finale of the festival scheduled for Saturday, December 27.

Sanwo-Olu said all Eyo families would participate in unity and brotherhood throughout the week, adding that the president had advised that the festival be considered for inclusion in a formal calendar to strengthen Lagos’ tourism appeal.