THE MASQUERADE CULT (Awó Egúngún)

O venerated Egúngún, Hallowed spirits bridging earth and sky, You guard the sacred veil of ancestors’ names. My head bows low, seeking your timeless blessing.

Your gatherings dissolve all rifts of tongue, Unite creed and hue in rhythmic kinship— A dance of triumph over discord’s sting, Weaving harmony through communal song.

Your rituals blend with sport’s vibrant pulse, Crafting an olympiad of spirit and grace. Each step knits the social fabric tight, Fostering bonds of blood and shared embrace.

When Olódùmarè sent you to shape devotion, You carved sacred order, birthed identity. Your stinging whips guide the wayward soul, Molding the naughty into ọmọlúàbí’s fold.

Your towering forms, rustling in splendour, Enchant young hearts, bridging youth to lore. With awe, children mimic your jerky chants, Absorbing ancestors’ gaze, art’s sacred core.

Ìyámokùn, Ìyá Àgan, and women wise, Chant oríkì, weaving psalms to the divine. They purify spaces, invoke sacred rites, Fostering equity, balancing human lines.

You, the conduit of ancestral might, Part the veil where earth and heaven meet. Through you, spirits bless the fertile land, Heal disputes, and justice’s echo complete.

As an initiate, I offer kola and cowries, Nourishing spirits to dawn prosperity’s light. I’ll teach my heirs your timeless truth— Death is but passage, not an endless night.