Olubadan backs suspension of masquerade over violence in Oyo

Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Sen. Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II has backed the Jalaruru family of Opo-Yeosa in Ibadan North-West Local Government area of the state for suspending the family masquerade.

Oba Balogun said this during the visit of the family’s Mogaji, Muftau Gbadegesin, Mogaji Jalaruru to him in his Alarere residence as contained in a press statement made available to journalists in Ibadan by his Personal Assistant (Media), Oladele Ogunsola.

The Jalaruru masquerade, a very popular and big masquerade was notorious for all forms of vices and a thorn in the flesh of the members of public when it was coming out on annual basis, following which the Jalaruru family placed an embargo on its outing to save the family from the annual embarrassment.

Mogaji Gbadegesin had explained that the suspension of the masquerade several years ago was occasioned by the identified crises always trailing its outing and which had become a negative signpost for the family, adding, “we became uncomfortable with the ugly development and we had no choice than to wield the big stick for public interest.

“Unfortunately, that was not the history behind the popular masquerade. Originally, the masquerade would come out annually and entered into our 32 houses in the compound, prayed for everybody and retired to the coven until the following year.

“But, suddenly, the process was hijacked, all in the name of modernization and it became a tool of terror with miscreants hiding under its canopy to perpetrate all forms of atrocities and giving our family a bad name. It was in order to halt the public damage being done to our family that we decided to suspend its annual outing, but didn’t abandon the usual propitiation of the gods to avert the consequences of its not coming out”, Mogaji added.

Olubadan hailed the decision, which he described as a function of genuine interest for public good, saying, “I appreciate you and the entire Jalaruru family for the wonderful decision which, though preceded my reign and not known to the general public, but was in tandem with my philosophy of peaceful coexistence of all.

“As I often say, there’s nothing comparable to peace and nothing is too much to be done to ensure its existence. Painful though, that a masquerade of Jalaruru stature has been missing in our annual masquerade celebration, but, we have to choose peace over ‘war’ which its outing represented. I thank you once again for considering the larger Ibadan interest”, Oba Balogun stated further.