The Olubadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has warned masqueraders and their followers against engaging in violence during and after the commencement of the annual Egungun Festival (spirit of the dead).

The festival, a sacred Yoruba celebration in the South-West that honours and connects with ancestral spirits, begins on Monday.

Participants wear elaborate, colourful masks and engage in drumming and dancing.

Mr Ladoja, in a statement by his media aide, Adeola Oloko, on Sunday, warned that any violent conduct would be met with appropriate punishment under the law.

The Olubadan added that the festival is neither an avenue to settle old scores, engage in supremacy contests, nor carry out retaliatory attacks between masquerades and their opponents.

“The Egungun festival is an annual ritual which the people have been celebrating from time immemorial, dedicated to celebrating Ibadan customs and tradition.

“It is also a moment to showcase the evolution of our society, social cohesion, family unity and solidarity through the offering of sacrifice.

“It is a time to reflect on our history as a people, so as to assess where we are coming from and where we are right now. It is worthy of celebration with drum beats, dance and merriment,” he said.

Mr Ladoja assured that all necessary arrangements to ensure a hitch-free 2026 Ibadan Egungun festival had been made by the palace.

He urged residents to cooperate with law enforcement agents to ensure a peaceful atmosphere for the celebration.

The traditional ruler warned that masquerades and their followers should not go beyond the point and time marked for them by the law-enforcement agents.

(NAN)