Glamour As Ikorodu Celebrates Asa Festival
Indigenes and residents of Ikorodu division of Lagos State, in their thousands, trooped out last Thursday, all gaily attired in various colours, to celebrate this year’s edition of the annual Asa festival promoted by the Ikorodu Rebirth Foundation (IREP) under the guidance of Sanai Agunbiade, the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly. Various Asa groups displayed their indigenous dances to the delight of visitors and dignitaries, including royal fathers from Lagos, Ogun and other states of the southwest. The Asa masquerades were seen on their stilt sticks, in various regalia, entertaining the guests with delicate moves and dances.
Indigenes and residents of Ikorodu division of Lagos State, in their thousands, trooped out last Thursday, all gaily attired in various colours, to celebrate this year’s edition of the annual Asa festival promoted by the Ikorodu Rebirth Foundation (IREP) under the guidance of Sanai Agunbiade, the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly. Various Asa groups displayed their indigenous dances to the delight of visitors and dignitaries, including royal fathers from Lagos, Ogun and other states of the southwest. The Asa masquerades were seen on their stilt sticks, in various regalia, entertaining the guests with delicate moves and dances.
Speaking with newsmen on the sidelines of this year’s festival, Agunbiade explained that he is unrelenting in his quest to promote Ikorodu, its people and its culture at all times. He urged the state government to develop the festival into an annual tourism event. “This festival was almost going into extinction because of lack of patronage and encouragement before we revived recently. “This is one event that would promote tourism, culture and unity among the communities in Ikorodu division. The Asa festival is an indigenous festival of our forefathers participated by all the people in Ikorodu division. Major towns like Ijede, Agura, Okeletu, Ipakodo, Odonla and others participated in the event which is also meant to unify people in Ikorodu division,” the lawmaker said.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, while speaking at the event, appreciated Agunbiade for reviving Asa festival and recalled that the state government recently put together a documentary to showcase all the tourist attraction sites in all the divisions, including Ikorodu. “We have also discussed with our traditional rulers to encourage anything that will be of tourist concerns,’’ she said. Speaking at the event, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Adewale Shotobi, called on the state government to promote the festival into an annual tourism event for the benefit of the Ikorodu division and its people
