Excitement filled the air in Epe as an enthralling encounter between the living and the departed unfolded during a momentous Royal visit organized in honor of the Kayokayo festival.
The occasion took place at the tomb of Chief Ogungbemi, one of King Kosoko’s revered Chief Body Guards, located in the historic Oke-Oba area of Epe. Witnessing this intriguing traditional practice, the people of Epe were left in awe as they witnessed a profound connection between the present and the past.
Kakalistiq.com gathered that the Olu-Epe Chiefs paid their respects and offered prayers to the departed Chief Body Guard. The significance of the moment grew even more remarkable when members of the King Kosoko Royal family, spearheaded by the Oloja-Elect, HRH Abiola Olojo Kosoko embarked on a touching tribute to honor the man of valor who had served their ancestor with unwavering loyalty.
In a ceremony both mysterious and captivating, a family priest placed a silver-quoted symbolic sword on the tomb, and astonishingly, it appeared as if communication transcended the realms. The priest engaged in conversation with the late Chief Body Guard, and the initiates were overjoyed when the deceased made his demands, asking for kola nut and bitter kola.
Kakalistiq.com in an interview with HRH Abiola Kosokoexplained the significance of the event. He revealed that the burial site was no ordinary tomb but the resting place of the revered Chief Body Guard who held immense power during King Kosoko’s reign. As the gatekeeper to the king, he had the authority to grant or deny access to visitors seeking an audience with the monarch. The ceremony aimed to showcase the esteemed role the Chief Body Guard played and to honor his memory.
“The man in there happens to be the Chief bodyguard of King Kosoko, so he holds the sword. He decides who sees him and he also decides who doesn’t see him. And that is why he stays here and he will continue to stay here. So, this is predominantly the point where King Kosoko stays before he returned to Lagos Island”
“So, what we did is to let people see and know the significance of what he used to carry and we put that by his side and we made special prayer. We asked him, does he want the kola. He said yes, we gave it to him. We asked again if he wants the bitter kola, he said yes and we gave it to him. So, he’s not ready to share anything with us which means we still need to come back,” he said.
The King Kosoko family also paid tribute to other Royal houses, particularly the successor of their progenitor, Chief Akinpelu Iposu, who once ruled Epe between 1853 to 1875. At the grand Iposu palace, nestled along Oke-Iposu, the Kosoko family received a warm welcome from the Family Head, High Chief Wale Mogaji.
