Egungun festival is an aged long tradition that has gained prominence among Yoruba people and other ethnic tribes. Dancing, eating, entertaining and moving around were among features that characterized the annual celebrations of Egungun festival.
Abass Owonikoko, one of the lovers of the annual Egungun festival has narrated how he ran into problem and spent 28 years from one prison to another before he regained freedom.
The 57-year old man narrated his ordeal when he featured on Lagelu FM programme tagged: “Ibi Aye Nlo” anchored by Mr Adesoye Omotosho.
Mr. Owonikoko recalled that he was 27 years old when the sad incident occured in the year 1993. While narrating further on the programme, he said a friend called upon him on the fateful afternoon and they both followed Ooyi masquerade, he said that Ooyi masquerade and Actor masquerade met at Aremo where fight broke out on who was superior between both of them.
“During the battle of supremacy between the two deadly masquerades, a lot of people were seriously injured, few were killed, security agencies were alerted and nine of us were arrested when we ran for safety. We were taking to taking to Police Station in Mokola. While awaiting trial, eight people died in custody while I was charged to court on 14th April, 1994 before Justice Isaiha Olakanmi at Magistrate in Ring Road, Ibadan”.
He speaks further on the 1998 court injunction that led him to Abeokuta prison called Condemned Cell where prisoner will put on black shirt and short knicker.
He recalled how late Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala in 2008 facilitated removal of death cloth from his neck to life imprisonment. He said he took his time to learn Qur’an from 1998 to 2008 after which he became Imam in Abeokuta prison.
Mr Owonikoko flashed back how visitation of former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olufunke Amosun in 2017 when she came for birthday celebration where he led a prayer session gave him hope that luck would shine on him to regain freedom.
“Later in the prison facility, few people regained freedom, I became worried when my own will come. Over 100 bags of rice and food condiments were given to us by the wife of former governor of Ogun State. I was reluctant to lead prayer session when former governor of Ogun State, Mr. Ibikunle Amosun came for visitation during elections build-up in 2019. Our Welfare Officer, Mr. Bisiriyu urged me to attend as Imam that I don’t know where I will receive favour of God. I took up the advise, led the prayer session. The then governor was marvelled with my Islamic knowledge, he asked how acquired the knowledge, I told him everything happened in the prison, he requested for evidence and I tendered certificate issued to me by Daw’ah Organization. He asked what I needed, I hold his leg and cried for freedom. He assured me he would do everything within the ambit of law to ensure I regain freedom. He reminded me that only President or Governor can approve my release from prison. I thank God it materialized in 2021, I regained freedom”.
Mr. Abass Owonikoko who busted into tears while sharing his experience, what happened to his parents, family said he lost both parents during the travail while two out of his three children died in auto accident when their mother was coming from Lagos to check on him.
