ABSTRACT

The Yoruba traditions stand out in Nigeria as the most respected culture. Much work has been carried out on tradition at festivals. Still, sufficient attention has not been given to the Egungun Festival in the Amusigbo area in Ile-Ijesha of Osun State. This study explores the cultural value and significance of the Egungun festival as a major event in Ilo-Ijesha, which has sustained the community's cultural heritage and helped foster a strong bond among the people. This Study relies on fieldwork to authenticate the relevance of the festival to the sustainability of cultural values, through oral interviews with some of the worshippers. It is also based on a sociological approach, which deals with the culture of the Ilo-Ijesha community. Findings reveal that this festival not only strengthens the bond among the people, but it also indicates that Ilo-Ijesha people did not allow modernization and foreign religion to eradicate the cultural values and identities of the land, because it is being observed every year and their children at home and those in diaspora come home to celebrate the festival. The observation method was adopted as the primary source, while existing and relevant literature books were used as a secondary source. This study concludes that the Egungun festival in Ilo-Ijesha stands out as a key or major festival in Ilo-Ijesha and its environment, with the theatrical elements it has helped to sustain the cultural heritage and honour of the land. This study recommends that adequate and proper attention should be given to the festival by the government in order to give it wider publicity so that even tourists from other countries can make the place a viable tourist centre and the event something to look forward to