Traditions always remind us who we are, where we come from, and what we must never forget. Mind you traditions aren't just cultural check boxes, they always carry memories. That is why Lisabi Tradition in Egba land, Abeokuta is exactly that.
Lisabi day is not just a festival, it's a story pass through generations. This is a celebrated rooted in the legacy of *Lisabi Agbongbo Akala, the legendary Egba worrior, a warrior with courage, revolt against the tryanny of the Oloye chiefs. It was an interesting memories, though I was not there when the whole thing happened because it's really has been years since this happened. Lisabi didn't just fight, he makes sure he United the Egba people, fight for them on freedom, and he became a symbol of strength and resistance that still echoes till today.
Lisabi has been a tradition festival that Egba people celebrate every year. Anytime this event happens, there's always a shift in the air. Everybody feel it in the rhythm of the bata drums, in the careful tying of gele and agbada, also in the prayers of the elders. This always makes the entire city pause to remember it's roots. I remember one time that a friend of mine who happened to be a native of Abeokuta went home because of this festival and even invited me to followed her home for the celebration. I remember me asking her what so special about the festival, and she told that's how they do celebrate it every year, that is people come back home because of this tradition, just to be present, the sense of pride you could see in every detail.
Things like the masquerade, the chants, the ritual in the sacred Lisabi force. Even if you didn't understand everything you felt , the energy, the reverence , the unity. Lisabi has been a culture that stand tall and out from other traditions. It always teaches us that there's power in coming together. It tells us that no matter how far we go, we must never forget where we started.
This is the reason why I choose to share this tradition memory. Whether it's through conversations, social posts or just storytelling. I always talk about Lisabi, because I believe cultural tradition like Lisabi shouldn't only live in textbooks or museums, they should live in us. They should be experienced, felt and pass on to the generations to come.
Maybe you don't know this, we lose something important when we stop honoring where we come from. But with tradition like Lisabi, we are reminded that we have heritage and not just history. So to you reading this and knowing about this Lisabi Tradition for the first time, if you ever find yourself in Abeokuta during Lisabi week, make sure you go and attend the festival, feel the pulse of the city, listen to the drums and don't forget to watch how past and present meet in one beautiful sacred rhythm.
And sometimes ask yourself, what tradition keeps you grounded. Thanks for stopping by in reading this blog.
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