THE POPULAR LAWARIKO MASQUERADE BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN.

LAWARIKO is a masquerade from Owu in Abeokuta Ogun state. And it specifically comes out in the night while everybody will be sleeping. This masquerade comes out once in three years. Before the actual day of the festival for the masquerade, a lot of money would have been set aside for the entertainment of the guests that will come from far and near to grace the occasion. The AGAN DAY of LAWRIKO is always full of pegeantry and fanfare. Women are forbidden from seeing this masquerade while the few men close it are very powerful. The significance of this masquerade is that whenever it comes out, it cleanses the land. Even without a lot of people having access to it because it comes out in the night, its impact is still felt in the land. LAWARIKO MASQUERADE is one of the gifts that our tradition and culture have given to us. And it is the lineage of our forefathers.