Stop The Proliferation And Commercialisation Of Asologun &
Igbabonelimhin Dance In Esanland Today! By WPPraise
First,
I would love to appreciate all members of Asologun/Igbabonelimhin Troupes. For keeping our rich
cultural heritage alive. To everyone, I say kudos. Una Well done!
That
been said, the most honourable sons and daughters of Esanland our investigation
has revealed some Asologun’s & Igbabonelimhin’s cultural troupe’s, are proliferating our rich
cultural heritage. They charge exorbitant fees for ceremonies, eat and drink,
when it’s time for the artistic acrobatic presentation of Asologun &
Igbabonelimhin Dance, they perform for about an hour, then they disappear through
the back door.
These
are insults to Esan folks everywhere. You will not pour sand on our garri, and
you expect us to be quiet.
Esan folks, must we fold our hands and watch a few groups of individuals ruin our rich heritage in the name of moneymaking? How can you sell what you do not create-invent? A cultural inheritance that all Esan folks have an equal Right?
Asologun & Igbabonelimhin Dance is not FOR SALE!
Lest
we forget, Asologun & Igbabonelimhin it’s
the core value of Esan Folks cultural heritage, transfer down from one
generation to another. It’s a cultural inheritance that we cannot place a
permanent price on. How can we have merriment without melody for the soul?
Asologun
& Igbabonelimhin is one such cultural heritage that’s so important to Esan
Folks. Using it as a mean to an end is not only abomination but the degradation
of our precious cultural values. The spiritual importance of this magnificent
works of art is indispensable to our lives as Esan Folks. It’s a ceremonial
part of our rich culture. If you defy this part of our culture, you
collectively defy Esanland and what it stands for.
In Esan
folks’ special gathering, Asologun & Igbabonelimhin is part
of what makes up the ceremony. You can’t have a body without a spirit. No, it’s
not possible. These cultural arts are the spirit of Esanland, just as music is
the food of the soul.
We
must address this contamination of our moral value - “the proliferation of ‘Asologun &
Igbabonelimhin” by some specific dance troupes NOW! In a
short time, the poor cannot bury their dead, and our rich history will be sand
in the mud, Osanobua forbids.
· Lest we
forget these dance troupes were invented for the celebration of life.
· The promotion
of unity amongst Esan folks,
· It’s for
entertainment and upliftment of our collective souls.
My
late father, Pap Patrick Iyoriobhe Iwaegbe (AKA I dey come no be just now),
1906-2019, back in his days was Asologun Dancer in Ogbe Quarter of Equare
Ewohimi. In their hail days, Ogbe Quarter has the best Asologun Dance troupe in
Ewohimi. They never charge a fee for their services. For them, it was a moral
obligation to be “Keeper of the
Dream."
What
is emanating among Esan Cultural troupes today, as I write this piece, is the
selling and proliferation of our cultural dance troupe? Why will our Esan
cultural dance groups desecrate our revere cultural heritage, transfer down
from generation to generation? They are not the creator neither the inventor,
how could they pour pepper in the eyes of the good people of Esanland.
Asologun
& Igbabonelimhin Troupes borrow their craft from Esanland, so they own us a
responsibility to be "Keeper
of the Dream." Can you pay royalty for the
Asologun & Igbabonelimhin that you borrow from Esan Folks?
It is
a shame Asologun & Igbabonelimhin dance groups representative have gone
this low. Collects money to perform at an event play 1 hour, when the people
are just about getting into the mood, then they disappear. This attitude is
unacceptable, and it is an insult to Esan Folks everywhere and abuse of our
culture by those who said they are dancing just for money. Money is not
everything, but a wonderful legacy is more significant than banknotes.
The core value of Asologun & Igbabonelimhin Dance is ceremonial. Esan folks are not saying they won’t pay for service render, but let Esan Cultural troupes be the Keeper of the dream! Do it and preserve the legacy of our forefathers.
Lest
we forget, our ancestor, the inventor of Asologun & Igbabonelimhin dance,
never intended for it to be commercialized. Corrupted and proliferate as some
Esan cultural dance troupes are doing today.
The
good folks of Esanland home and in the Diaspora, this is the problem we are
facing now. As Editor-In-Chief of esanland.org I would love to inform you, that I’ve not received a kobo or
cent from anyone to propagate the digitalization drive of Esanland online.
Although I’m in position to do so by compromising the ethnic of the trade, the
latter is not my goal, but I’m driving by the motto:
1. Education
2. Research
3. Entertainment
4. Development
5) Preservation of Esanland Heritage
Make
it easy for Esan folks everywhere to access Esanland online, preserved and
build on the excellent legacy left behind by the good people of Esanland
historians, teachers, fathers, mothers and humanitarians.
So, I
appeal to all Asologun & Igbabonelimhin Troupes to please uphold the ethics
of our core cultural values and be Keeper
of the Dream, not Destroyer of the Dream.
Please
patronise and encourage them to keep and protect the ethics of our forefather artistic
genius and desist from proliferation, over-commercialisation of our revered
Asologun & Igbabonelimhin cultural heritage.
If
they charge a fee-for-service render, let them dance to the satisfaction of the
people, preserve our rich cultural heritage and maintain the ethic of the
profession.
Osanobua
bless Esanland, Benin Kingdom, Nigeria & Africa.
Africa
is the future; the future begins NOW! Are you working to be part of this glorious
future?
Yes, I am! What about you?
