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Banks, schools, markets shut as Ikorodu observes Oro festival

By Sunday Aikulola
09 May 2018   |   4:11 am
Despite a belated attempt by the police to allay the fears of females to move freely, commercial activities were yesterday paralysed around Ikorodu metropolis of Lagos State as the 2018 Oro festival, which forbids the movement of women, was observed.

Despite a belated attempt by the police to allay the fears of females to move freely, commercial activities were yesterday paralysed around Ikorodu metropolis of Lagos State as the 2018 Oro festival, which forbids the movement of women, was observed.

When The Guardian visited the area, no single woman was seen on the streets, while around Ayanbguren Road and its environs, banks, schools and markets were completely shut.

For new visitors to the usually lively Ikorodu community, one would think a major plague struck the area as popular places usually filled with people were completely deserted due to the ongoing Oro festival celebrated by traditional chiefs in Ikorodu.

It would be recalled that the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabir Shotobi, had in a joint statement with the Lagos State police command, insisted that female residents should be allowed to move freely, but in a direct response, traditionalists in Ikorodu insisted on going ahead with the scheduled festival defying the orders of the monarch and the police boss.

The development, however, drove fear into the female residents, who stayed back in their homes to observe the imposed curfew. The Oro festival was observed with traditional chiefs gathering at the popular Ajina market, Ikorodu, after returning from a procession across parts of the community.

As a result of the festival and the curfew imposed on female residents, major markets in Ikorodu including Ladega, Obun-Ale and Obun-Oke markets were currently shut.

Similarly, other leading shopping malls and complexes scattered around Ikorodu were under lock and key. In addition, schools including government and privately owned ones didn’t open yesterday while only a few schools in the outskirts of Ikorodu were opened.

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