It was an exciting moment for the winners of the traditional Ayo Olopon competition, one of the high points of the ongoing 36th Lisabi Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State as Eagle Aromatic Schnapps, a key festival partner, showered the winners with various sums of cash prizes and gifts yesterday.
Eagle Aromatic Schnapps, Nigeria’s authentic prayer drink and cultural heritage brand from the stable of Intercontinental Distillers Limited (IDL), is the sponsor of the Ayo Olopon game in addition to being a key festival partner.
Lisabi Festival is the historic festival and cultural heritage event celebrated yearly by the Egba people of Ogun State in honour of the legendary Lisabi, a hero of the Egba liberation struggle from the dominance of the old Oyo Kingdom.
As the sponsor of the traditional Ayo game, Eagle Schnapps doled out cash and numerous gifts to the first, second and third prize male and female winners respectively for excelling in the competition.
In the male category, the first prize went to Johnson Adeoye; the second prize, was to Rasheed Akanbi, while Seun Aiyedun won the third position. For the female category, Aderonke Lawal won the first prize; the second prize was won by Fatimot Adeniyi, while the third prize winner was Salimat Adeokun.
In addition to the cash prizes, the winners also got various gifts including branded items.
Presenting the cash rewards and gifts to the winners, the Category Manager, Intercontinental Distillers Limited, Mr. ‘Tofunmi Opaleye, commended them for displaying great skill and dexterity during the brain-engaging local game, while noting that some of the important benefits of Ayo Olopon include the ability to think fast on the spot, take the right decision and make the right move when it matters most, and can-do spirit.
“I congratulate all the winners on your achievements. This feat will certainly serve as a booster to propel you to achieve greater things in life. Ayo Olopon is a mind and brain-engaging game, so it is a game that promotes a positive mindset. It inspires the ability to think fast on the spot, take the right decision and make the right move when it matters most. It promotes the can-do spirit and boosts the resilience of the players to see things to the end,’’ he stated.
Opaleye, who was assisted by the Regional Sales Manager, IDL, Mr Oladele Adeyemi, also encouraged those that did not make the winners’ list to see their participation in the competition as an opportunity to improve on their skills, while assuring that the next year’s edition of the game would be bigger.
In his remarks at the event, the Chairman of the Education Committee, Lisabi Festival, Mr Abiodun Soetan, stressed that Ayo Olopon commonly referred to as the game of intellectuals, was a good recreational sport with numerous benefits including the promotion of mental health.
He called on the youth to cultivate interest in the game by learning how it is played while charging that we must not allow modernity to erode our rich cultural heritage.
Another competition that prizes were competed for was the local traditional wrestling popularly known as Ijakadi. Winners also received various sums of cash and gifts from other sponsors and organisers of the Lisabi Festival.
Dignitaries present at the prize presentation ceremony included the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo; the Agura of Gbagura, Oba Saburi Babajide Bakre; the Asipa of Egbaland, Chief AbdulRasheed Raji, and the Baaroyin of Egbaland, Chief Lai Labode.
Lisabi Festival provides a memorable spectacle for many Egba sons and daughters from home and across the continent, as well as well-wishers from far and near to relish the rich cultural heritage of Egba people. The key activities for this year’s event include the traditional libation at the Lisabi ancestral shrine, which was performed with the authentic prayer drink; Eagle Aromatic Schnapps. booming of gun at the historic Olumo Rock, Ayo Olopon competition, local wrestling (Ijakadi) contest, unity seminar, and music performance by various guest artistes among others.
The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, Okukenu IV, was the chief host of the Lisabi Festival, ably supported by his retinue of senior chiefs, other chiefs, and sons and daughters of the ancient kingdom. The festival drew a large crowd of fun-seekers including residents, local and international tourists and culture enthusiasts.
