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My Memories of Ileya Festival in Oyo - Nigeria
The 'Ileya' festivities were always celebrated with great joy in my hometown, Oyo. It was a time when extended family members and relatives would come together to celebrate. During the 80s, Oyo was a peaceful and quiet town, with old mud houses outnumbering the newer block houses. The cold water from the clay pot was satisfying and quech thirst faster than what we the refrigerator we use these days. The tranquility of Oyo could be felt if one took the time to listen. The serenity was something truly unique and delightful. One of the many reasons we all loved celebrating 'Ileya' in Oyo was the delicious aroma of the popular 'gbegiri' and 'ewedu' soups, which we would enjoy with hot 'amala'. I love my hometown and pray God preserve our tradition for the generation yet unborn.
As soon as the mid-term break was declared, my father - Engr. Adeniyi Awoyemi would pick me up from school to join my siblings and mother. Without returning home, we would set off on our journey to our ancestral land, Oyo Ile. By that time, our 'Ileya' clothes, as well as those for my younger siblings, would have been made. My mother made sure that all the necessary provisions for the festivities were well packed.
The journey from Sagamu to Oyo was not a tiring one, as we traveled in my father's Peugeot 504 GR - OY 897YY. Those under the age of 40 may not be familiar with this number plate format, but that is a story for another day. We would arrive in Oyo before sunset on the eve of 'Ileya'. We had lived in Sagamu for over five years. My father worked with the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company, a subsidiary of the old NNPC as a Pipeline expert. And my mother was a trader dealing with food stuffs. We lived a comfortable life full of contentment.
The announcement of our arrival at the family house in Ile Aro, in Apaara Oyo, remains fresh in my memory. My grandmother, Princess Oyeronke Awoyemi, would lift and carry each one of us while reciting our ancestral oral praise poetry - 'Omolo Alade; Omo Oloofuja; Omo Atitiolu…' This would continue for some time as other families from the neighborhood came to greet us. It was always a long night, as we would not go to bed until our grandma or an uncle narrated an ethical history or told us a story about the tortoise and the rabbit.
During the celebration of Ileya, it was customary for us to dress in our best attire as we prepared to go to the Eid praying ground. There, we would participate in the two 'rakat' prayer and eagerly await the Imam's sermon. After the sermon, the Imam would proceed to slaughter a ram. At this point, my father would join my uncles to purchase our own ram for the upcoming festivities. Sometimes, I would accompany them on this errand.
Once the ram was purchased, the Sallah celebration would commence. Different households would begin cooking their respective dishes for the occasion. These dishes would then be brought to our family house, as it was a time of sharing and togetherness. The consumption of meat was not limited to just that day, as we would carefully package portions for our friends and teachers at school to enjoy as well.
In the olden days, Ileya served as a meaningful period for reconnecting with family members and relatives, strengthening our bonds while fulfilling our obligations as faithful Muslims. As the tradition of Ileya continues from generation to generation, may Allah SWT ease our affairs and grant us blessings.
© All Rights Reserved
As soon as the mid-term break was declared, my father - Engr. Adeniyi Awoyemi would pick me up from school to join my siblings and mother. Without returning home, we would set off on our journey to our ancestral land, Oyo Ile. By that time, our 'Ileya' clothes, as well as those for my younger siblings, would have been made. My mother made sure that all the necessary provisions for the festivities were well packed.
The journey from Sagamu to Oyo was not a tiring one, as we traveled in my father's Peugeot 504 GR - OY 897YY. Those under the age of 40 may not be familiar with this number plate format, but that is a story for another day. We would arrive in Oyo before sunset on the eve of 'Ileya'. We had lived in Sagamu for over five years. My father worked with the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company, a subsidiary of the old NNPC as a Pipeline expert. And my mother was a trader dealing with food stuffs. We lived a comfortable life full of contentment.
The announcement of our arrival at the family house in Ile Aro, in Apaara Oyo, remains fresh in my memory. My grandmother, Princess Oyeronke Awoyemi, would lift and carry each one of us while reciting our ancestral oral praise poetry - 'Omolo Alade; Omo Oloofuja; Omo Atitiolu…' This would continue for some time as other families from the neighborhood came to greet us. It was always a long night, as we would not go to bed until our grandma or an uncle narrated an ethical history or told us a story about the tortoise and the rabbit.
During the celebration of Ileya, it was customary for us to dress in our best attire as we prepared to go to the Eid praying ground. There, we would participate in the two 'rakat' prayer and eagerly await the Imam's sermon. After the sermon, the Imam would proceed to slaughter a ram. At this point, my father would join my uncles to purchase our own ram for the upcoming festivities. Sometimes, I would accompany them on this errand.
Once the ram was purchased, the Sallah celebration would commence. Different households would begin cooking their respective dishes for the occasion. These dishes would then be brought to our family house, as it was a time of sharing and togetherness. The consumption of meat was not limited to just that day, as we would carefully package portions for our friends and teachers at school to enjoy as well.
In the olden days, Ileya served as a meaningful period for reconnecting with family members and relatives, strengthening our bonds while fulfilling our obligations as faithful Muslims. As the tradition of Ileya continues from generation to generation, may Allah SWT ease our affairs and grant us blessings.
© All Rights Reserved
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