In Ikorodu, Eluku is a deity that has no equal among the town’s gods and goddesses. It is not only worshipped and revered, but also feared. It does not treat the wicked, perpetrators of iniquities and those who could be described as social pests kindly.
It’s panoramic services that make life comfortable for the people are dipped in fuelling fire of progress for all and sundry. Regarded god of justice, Eluku is a powerful tool in the hands of its priests that is used in driving out of the town evil doers and any person or group that champions retrogression in the town.
Justice in any society means peace for the people and it is not a hyperbol to assert that peace is the beginning and foundation of progress and development. Fairness, equality and equity could also be said to be residents in such a community that boasts of an unpolluted justice. That is why Eluku stands tall in Ikorodu and every indigene of the town is proud to be linked or associated with the deity.
On social scene, indigenes of Ikorodu revel to happiness if a musician links are wont to their praise-singing with Eluku. In one of the King Sunny Ade’s chart bursting songs in the past, he eulogised Benson, an indigene of Ikorodu thus: Eluku Mede, Benson, Omo Eluku Mede, Mede Benson. The lyrics didn’t thrill only Benson, the subject of the praise-singing, but most of Ikorodus sons and daughters who were King Sunny Ade’s fans.
Sunny Ade is not the only popular musician who sing-praised Eluku. The Fuji music King, the late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, also eulogised Eluku in one of his albums. He said, porigi porigidi ese, osa Ikorodu o pe meji, afi Eluku Mede Mede. Ajoji kan o gbodo wo, ajojilo ba wo, oju re nla ti fo, porigi porigi ese…
That above lyrics are evidence and proof that Eluku is held in awe by Ikorodu people.
Yes, Eluku is a deity that a stranger, visitor or guest in Ikorodu must not watch in celebration. Women and girls who are indigenes of Ikorodu are forbidden to watch Eluku either.
It is a male festival. No woman is allowed to participate or watch the celebration.
Eluku or what some people in Ikorodu called Eyibi Festival has been from the inception of Ikorodu, rallying point for all indigenes of the town. Despite that Eluku is celebrated by only men who are indigenes of Ikorodu, its celebration that is marked in August-September of every year is a period of blessing to all sons, daughters and even guests and strangers in the communities during the festivity.
How could any person claim that a festival that doesn’t allow participation of non-indigenes and women could be a blessing to those excluded from its celebration? Eluku is the worship of god of oro or orisa that is called oro. Though called oro in other parts of Yorubaland, it is called Eyibi or Eluku in Ikorodu. Initiates called it whinning god, because of its high-pitched shrilling ear-jarring loud noise. The noise is not only loud, ear-drum bursting, but also frightening and intimidating.
In its fury, it employs the loud shrilling noise to frighten out of the community, wicked, social pests such as thieves, burglars and those who have constituted themselves into obstacles, slowing down the progress and development of town. In the past, the festival could run into two or more days as strangers and women would be under instruction that they must keep indoor for those days.
This, City People, was told is for safety of women and those who are guests in the town, while the festival lasts.
The rituals and celebration now hold mid-night to early hours of dawn. The celebration’s first blessing to all and sundry especially those excluded from participation in the festival, strangers and women is that loud ear-drum-bursting noise. It could be heard from anywhere in the house, game hall, stores and cellers.
The priests asserted that the high-pitched sound of Eluku is a blessing to all who are fortunate to hear it. A journalist, who is an indigene of Ikorodu, but does not want his name in print said that Eluku was a god of justice and retribution. It’s a god or orisa that upholds reciprosity and law of karma. The wicked, on the temple of Eluku’s justice, shall never receive any good or blessing.
Every person shall be rewarded, according to his/her handiwork.
It is not only in festival sessions that Eluku is celebrated or worshipped. The priests also use Eluku as an instrument of atonement to appease the gods and gooddesses of the land. This is a way of attracting blessings to the community. Services of Eluku is equally employed by the elders in mourning and burial ceremonies of a king and high chiefs in the town.
At this point, it must be mentioned that development on economic, industrial and commercial planes have greatly eroded the strict enforcement of rules and insistence of priests for compliance. Two or more days restriction to homes has been reduced to fewer than 12 hours from mid-night to 5:30 in the morning. The celebration has also restricted those involved in celebration to particular areas in the community.
This step is taken to let socio-commercial activities in other areas and communities be unaffected by the celebration of the festival.
– Tajudeen Adigun 08039180360
