Kayo-Kayo Festival
Kayo-Kayo Festival is an annual religious and cultural festival initially celebrated by the descendants of Oba Kosoko for his historical arrival to Epe town in 1851. According to oral history, Oba Kosoko arrived with 1500 people to lay the foundation of Eko-Epe. This brought about the yearly observation of the Kayo-Kayo festival to celebrate his arrival and impacts on the community.
Kayo-Kayo which translates to “eating to satisfaction” is popularly celebrated amongst the indigenes of the Epe community of Lagos State, Nigeria. The Kayo-Kayo festival, which was initially celebrated to mimic the arrival of Oba Kosoko has since grown to become an amazing religious event set aside to advance, develop and promote the local economy through raising discussions on the socio-economic challenges of the community and most significantly, propagating the rich cultural heritage of the Epe people. The festival is usually observed during the first month of the Islamic calendar in celebration of “Yaom-al Ashura”, the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar, about a month after the Eid-El-Kabir Muslim festival.
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Dimensions of the Kayo-Kayo Festival
The Kayo-Kayo festival is a week-long festival celebrated in three various dimensions. The first is the religious dimension which aims at heralding the New Islamic Year with the 1st Hijra calendar Muharram. The second, the cultural dimension which celebrates King Kosoko’s arrival in Epe, and the third; the social dimension which celebrates the long-preserved communal bond of the Epe people through the sharing of food in abundance to all.
The festival welcomes lots of exciting activities including a fashion parade show, health awareness and screening, cultural display, food display and youth demonstration. The first day of the festival begins with Juma’at prayers, followed by a press conference. The second day usually welcomes a host of Royal visits to the Olu-Epe of the Epe Kingdom both in the morning and evening. This is followed by a special Jummat service on the third day at the first Epe Central Mosque. The fourth and final day, which is usually on a Saturday comprises three activities: The annual Kayo-Kayo prayer at the palace of Olu-Epe of Epe Kingdom, Epe Kayo-Kayo festival drama display and performance at the Epe theatre and finally, the lightening of Etufu by the Olu-Epe of Epe.
Some other interesting activities on the side include the Kayo-Kayo empowerment raffle draw which awards a car and other consolatory prizes to winners, football competition, quranic competition, youth rally, children’s party, royal visit of the Oba to the districts of Epe founding fathers, a royal procession on the lagoon and the Kayo-Kayo musical night.
The Kayo-Kayo festival has been celebrated in its modern form in the years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.
The 2021 edition of the festival is set to hold on Wednesday, September 8 until September 11, in the ancient Epe town. This year’s celebration will be observed under strict adherence to the COVID-19 preventive protocols. Activities lined up for the 2021 edition will include a Royal visit to Olu-Epe, the Tahjud night, Jummat service and drama performance at the Epe theatre amongst many others. The event will welcome first-class dignitaries across Lagos State while also enhancing the socio-economic, religious and cultural landscape of the Epe community.
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