Market women urge Ikorodu monarchs to reform Oro festival
ON JANUARY 28, 20173:32 Culled from VANGUARD
Some market women in Ikorodu and its environs have urged the monarchs in the communities to modernise the Oro festival to give it a universal appeal. The women stated this on Saturday in Ikorodu, Lagos, that Oro festivities in the communities usually did not enhance economic activities. Oro festival is a common norm of communities in Ikorodu which entails celebration of the passing away of a notable personality. It is a taboo for a woman or girl to have a glimpse of the Oro masquerade, hence the curtailment of movement during the celebration of the festival. Markets are usually under lock during the parade of the Oro masquerade to avoid women from viewing the masquerade. Some Oro celebrations last for a whole day while most of them end by mid-day. The women said celebration of Oro negated freedom of movement, economic pursuits and created panic for the people, especially women. The Secretary of the Sabo market branch of Yam Sellers Association of Lagos, Mrs Ayomide Ogunjobi, disclosed that traders in Ikorodu usually made poor sales on days of Oro celebration. She said that market-women in the communities in Ikorodu were particularly apprehensive on the days that the Oro festivals were held. “We women in all the markets here are fearful of our lives on Oro days. “Women generally in Ikorodu still have the belief that they are the major losers on the day of the festivities. Ogunjobi also urged the traditional rulers in the communities in Ikorodu to curtail the number of Oro festivals being held. According to Alhaja Sherifat Ibrahim, Marshall, Shop Owners at Ikorodu, the Oro festival ought not to curtail freedom of movement or economic activities. She said traditional festivities that were contrary to improving the economy of the people needed to either be revised or eradicated. Ibrahim said traditional festivals that eroded human rights and caused psychological traumas should be stopped. According to a pepper and tomatoes sellers at a market in Ijede area of Ikorodu, Mrs Nike Fagbenro, Nigeria should not be left behind in the march toward modernity and civility. “Any traditional festival that is anti-modern and does not uphold human rights should be reformed,’’ she said. Fagbenro said Oro festivities in the communities usually did not enhance economic activities. She said the Oro festival negated freedom of movement, economic development and caused panic to the people, especially women.
Some market women in Ikorodu and its environs have urged the monarchs in the communities to modernise the Oro festival to give it a universal appeal. The women stated this on Saturday in Ikorodu, Lagos, that Oro festivities in the communities usually did not enhance economic activities. Oro festival is a common norm of communities in Ikorodu which entails celebration of the passing away of a notable personality. It is a taboo for a woman or girl to have a glimpse of the Oro masquerade, hence the curtailment of movement during the celebration of the festival. Markets are usually under lock during the parade of the Oro masquerade to avoid women from viewing the masquerade. Some Oro celebrations last for a whole day while most of them end by mid-day. The women said celebration of Oro negated freedom of movement, economic pursuits and created panic for the people, especially women. The Secretary of the Sabo market branch of Yam Sellers Association of Lagos, Mrs Ayomide Ogunjobi, disclosed that traders in Ikorodu usually made poor sales on days of Oro celebration. She said that market-women in the communities in Ikorodu were particularly apprehensive on the days that the Oro festivals were held. “We women in all the markets here are fearful of our lives on Oro days. “Women generally in Ikorodu still have the belief that they are the major losers on the day of the festivities. Ogunjobi also urged the traditional rulers in the communities in Ikorodu to curtail the number of Oro festivals being held. According to Alhaja Sherifat Ibrahim, Marshall, Shop Owners at Ikorodu, the Oro festival ought not to curtail freedom of movement or economic activities. She said traditional festivities that were contrary to improving the economy of the people needed to either be revised or eradicated. Ibrahim said traditional festivals that eroded human rights and caused psychological traumas should be stopped. According to a pepper and tomatoes sellers at a market in Ijede area of Ikorodu, Mrs Nike Fagbenro, Nigeria should not be left behind in the march toward modernity and civility. “Any traditional festival that is anti-modern and does not uphold human rights should be reformed,’’ she said. Fagbenro said Oro festivities in the communities usually did not enhance economic activities. She said the Oro festival negated freedom of movement, economic development and caused panic to the people, especially women.
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