Issues and Themes in Traditional Festivals as Agents of Social Mobilization: A Look at Egungun and Oro Festivals

Abstract

This paper examines the role of traditional festivals as agents of social mobilization with 
a focus on Egungun and Oro traditional festivals in South West Nigeria. The paper 
adopts Social Mobilization theory as theoretical framework to illustrate the importance 
of value change, which can lead to the development of the community. The paper 
identified the challenges facing traditional festivals in realizing its roles of social 
mobilization. Egungun festival in South West Nigeria is prone to hijack by the political 
elites who use them to cause havoc in the society. Some masquerades have turned 
themselves into political thugs carrying dangerous weapons to victimize members of the 
society. The paper concludes that, traditional festival if properly harnessed would remain 
an important agent of social mobilization. In spite of the challenges, the Egungun festival 
and Oro traditional festivals are important social mobilization platforms in South West 
Nigeria. The study therefore recommends total overhauling of the festivals to meet the 
desired goal it intends to achieve where miscreants and hoodlums will not play prominent 
roles during the festival. Involvement of corporate organizations in financing traditional 
festivals could bring some sanity and attraction into it, thereby turning it into cultural 
and tourist attraction.