DISCOURSE ON EFE AND GẸLẸDẸ SPECTACLES IN CONTEMPORARY YORÙBÁ COMMUNITIES IN NIGERIA
DISCOURSE ON EFE AND GẸLẸDẸ SPECTACLES IN CONTEMPORARY YORÙBÁ COMMUNITIES IN NIGERIA

Summary/Abstract: CONSTANT CELEBRATION OF EFE AND GELẸDẸ FESTIVAL REMINDS AND TEACHES THE YORÙBÁ PEOPLE OF THEIR RICH PAST AND DEEP CONNECTION. THE ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS PACKAGED INTO THE FESTIVAL EXPLAIN THE MAGICO-RELIGIOUS CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE PEOPLE THAT PRACTICE IT AS A FESTIVAL. THE FESTIVAL IS A DEMONSTRATION THAT THE YORÙBÁ PEOPLE DO ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPORTANCE OF FEMALE GENDER. THE BASIS OF THIS FESTIVAL IS PRIMARILY TO PLACATE AND VENERATE WOMANHOOD FOR THE WELL BEING OF THE SOCIETY. IT EQUALLY SHOWED THE PARAMOUNT POSITION THE FEMALE GENDER IS PLACED WITHIN THE SOCIETY. ASIDE THIS, IT SERVES MANY OTHER PURPOSES SUCH AS SOCIAL CONTROL AND MASS MEDIA MECHANISMS AMONG OTHERS. IT IS WORTHY OF NOTE THAT THIS CELEBRATION OF MOTHERHOOD STILL SURVIVES TILL TODAY IN THE FACE OF THE PREVAILING ALL-CONQUERING EUROCENTRIC SOCIAL VALUES. THE CONTINUOUS HOSTING OF THIS FESTIVAL BEYOND AREAS WHERE IT IS TRADITIONALLY KNOWN SPEAKS VOLUME ABOUT ITS RELEVANCE. THE NEED FOR A FULL APPRECIATION OF ITS SOCIAL RELEVANCE AS WELL AS THE FACTORS THAT SUSTAIN EFE AND GẸLẸDẸ FESTIVAL IN CONTEMPORARY YORÙBÁ COMMUNITIES INFORM CONSTANT CELEBRATION OF EFE AND GELẸDẸ FESTIVAL REMINDS AND THE PRESENT EFFORT. THE STUDY THEREFORE ADOPTED A COMBINATION OF ARCHIVAL AND SURVEY METHODS TO SOURCE FOR DATA TO BUTTRESS ITS FINDINGS. THE SURVEY METHOD RELIED ON QUALITATIVE METHOD WHERE 24 PARTICIPANTS WERE ENGAGED IN INTERACTIVE/INTERVIEW SESSIONS. THE FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY REVEALED THAT EFE AND GELEDE FESTIVAL PROVIDES ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE ACTUALIZATION OF PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS BY SERVING AS AGENT OF SOCIAL CONTROL AND SOCIAL COHESION, EXUDE TOURISTIC VALUES AS WELL AS SOURCE OF HEALING.

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