ByIkhideo Igeegbe

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Festivals are common to all human races and societies. They are the only means apart from worship whereby man sought from time immemorial to express his awareness of a transcendental being outside himself. Festivals combine both economic and religious activities.

Cultural diversity is a historical and contemporary social reality, irrespective of where one is located in the world. Today’s cultural environment is a flexible articulation of traits and features, a multi-national puzzle where new significance is assigned to concepts such as territory, heritage, identity, and culture.

There are other festivals in Owo such as lgogo, ogun, new yam, etc. The ero festival is one of the festivals in Owo with a unique beauty. It is highly appreciated by the people because of its uniqueness.

The ero festival his retirement from active service or active labour. Ero festival is as old festival in Owo kingdom. Ero has its origin from Chief Ojumu, a chief in Owo. It was one of his numerous slaves that brought the festival to Owo. After he had served and laboured for his master for a great number of years, he called upon his master asking for his permission to celebrate a ceremony done in his hometown. His master enquired what it was all about. He explained that it was celebrated after one had worked and laboured and retired from hard work which is likened to civil servant retirement.

His master painstakingly deliberated upon the issue and the slave was thereafter allowed to celebrate the ceremony. Any slave that attained that age was free and exempted from hard labour. As a result of its uniqueness and beauty, it became visible and unquestionable that the king and his chiefs adopted the ceremony and partook in it. This eventually gave birth to the Ero festival in Owo.

The preparation for the Ero festival is in stages. Stage one involves the forming of a group. The membership age of this group falls within 35 to 40 years. This age group is called ” Kaya” which means “carrier” The members of this group graduate into the second stage after nine years. Their duties include taking or carrying tributes to wherever it becomes necessary. In the olden days, when Owo used to give animal tributes to the oba of Benin, it behooves this age group to deliver the message. They also run errands for the king about issues that have to do with the affairs of the kingdom.

Stage two has to do with the age group called Ekeji Ugbama that graduates from the “Kaya” age group. The members of this age group also spend 9 years and after the years graduate to the last stage. This age group also takes part in communal labour and sometimes supervises the members of the ” Kaya” age group. They also lead the “Kaya” age group to the oba of Benin whenever any gift was to be given to the oba. The ages of this group range from 45 to 50 years.

The last stage is called Ighare. This is the age group that is ripe to perform the ceremony called Olori Ugbama. The shares are exempted from active and communal labour. Whenever the need arises to send a gift to the Oba of Benin, the Kaya will carry the load or loads, the Ekeji Ugbama leads while the shares await them at home. When the communal labour is much, the shares supervise Kaya and Ekeji Ugbama to do the work. Each group has a leader called “Olotu” which means captain or president.

The celebration of the festival starts with the celebrant visiting the Olotu to collect “Iwon” (measurement) from him. It is this measurement that is used in making the cloth to be worn. “Ogrijo”, a handmade fan is also procured. It behooves the first daughter of the celebrant to produce the “ogrijo”. She usually contracts it out to a weaver. This process is called “Taaso” meaning weaving of cloth. The weaver must observe certain conditions strictly. She must not start the weaving of the cloth without taking her bath, that is “Ara – kinase”.  A male child must not touch the cloth. Items such as fried meat, kola nuts, walnuts, etc are provided to entertain the persons who came to greet her while weaving the cloth. The weaver is expected to complete the weaving within seven days.

On the ninth day, the celebrant collects it from the weaver and takes the “ogrijo” along with other clothes presented to him to the church, mosque, or shrine depending on the religion for benediction. After that, he takes it to an elder in his family that have performed the festival. The elder will perform what is called “San Aso  Ero”, that is he ties the cloth around the waist to the elbow of the celebrant

The ” Ogrijo” is not expected to be used until after “lje Ero”.

During this period, the celebrant is advised not to meet with a woman. The cloth must not be loose, it may only be removed through the neck. The hand-made fan must first be placed on the chair he will sit on throughout the festival.

The festival reaches its crescendo by the celebrant visiting the king in the palace. He presents gifts to the king and in return, the king reciprocates by presenting gifts to the celebrant that pay homage to him.

The celebrant must have enough food to feed his people, guests, and well-wishers during the period the ceremony lasts.

The celebrant will host people for eleven days.

The festival is crowned by what is called ” Metro Y’oko” which means taking  Ero to the farm. The celebrant with his family, friends, guests, and well-wishers goes to the farm where the celebrant will have to make heaps, plant, and as well harvest the farm product. This symbolizes the has worked or labour and also reaped. This process is done after the Olotu had performed his. At the end of the ceremony, the *Ogrijo” is given to the first or eldest daughter of the celebrant, who in return replaces it with another cloth for the celebrant.

 Items used for the festival are fried meat, kola nuts, walnuts, drinks, won, farm tools or implements, hand fans, etc

Ero festival plays a significant role in the lives of the people of Owo. It is relevant because it recognizes the reason for one to give the mortal body a rest after rigorous work or hard labour to live the rest of one’s life in peace. It fosters unity and peace among the people of  Owo kingdom. It serves as a means whereby the elderly share and transfer certain knowledge to the next generation. It accorded respect to the celebrant in the sense that the celebrant is exempted from communal labour. It also gives honour to the celebrant for serving the community meritoriously. It serves a sense of religious, social, and geographical belonging.

Taboos associated with the festival are as follows; the weaver of lwon must not start weaving without taking her bath, and the male child of the celebrant must not touch the lwon.

The weaver must abstain from sexual intercourse during the period of the weaving. The weaver must not eat leftover food. The weaving of the cloth must be done or completed within seven days.

Culture is a worldwide belief that is generally accepted and practiced by all human race. It fosters unity, oneness, and a sense of direction in the community or society.

Ero festival is one of the rich cultural heritage in Owo which should be sustained and preserved for future generations.