00:00Lagos on Saturday came alive as thousands of residents and tourists gathered for the return of the Ayo Festival,
00:06one of Africa's most iconic cultural events held for the first time in eight years.
00:11Also known as the Aga Mauritius Play, the festival features white-clad masquerade known as Eos,
00:18and draws on a century-old Yoruba tradition deeply rooted in the history of Lagos.
00:23The Ayo Festival is traditionally staged to mark significant occasions including the coronation of a new Yoruba of Lagos or the passing of prominent indigents.
00:33The Masquerade Festival is one festival that does not come every day.
00:42It's usually designed to honor prominent Lagosians that are passed on.
00:51And that's why you'll find those that are being celebrated or honored today belonging to that realm of high-powered Lagosians that are passed on.
01:05The last Ayo Festival was held in 2017 with subsequent additions suspended due to public health and security concerns.
01:13Its return has reignited debate among Lagosians with some critics questioning the relevance of what they see as an Asian tradition in modern society.
01:23I happen to be a Christian, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't celebrate the Ayo Festival.
01:29We all have a family background where we came from, and they are all tradition.
01:34It is the white people that came and brought religion, which every one of us is following today.
01:41But that doesn't mean we should abandon our old traditional structure.
01:44And I want to tell everyone, Ayo Festival is a friendly festival.
01:51It's a festival that brings everyone together from the whole part of the world.
01:56So it shouldn't be what people should be intimidated about.
01:58As Lagos continues to position itself as a global cultural and tourism hub,
02:07the revival of the Ayo Festival underscores the city's effort to preserve tradition while embracing its modern identity.
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