The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, recently issued a statement warning residents and visitors to Ibadan, particularly women, to avoid the most popular masquerade in the city, known as Oloolu.

The monarch, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Chief Ayoade Olugbemiga, the annual Egungun Oloolu festival will commence on Monday, 27th and end on Thursday, 30th July 2026, with the masquerade coming out every day for that period.

Tribune Online gathered that the Oloolu masquerade will be out every day by 4pm till dawn from Monday till Thursday.

However, the palace in the statement signed by Chief Press Secretary to Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Ayoade Solomon Olugbemiga, and made available to Tribune Online, warned that it’s a taboo for women to see or cross paths with Oloolu.

“It is a taboo for women to see Oloolu Masquerade; consequently, women are thoroughly advised to avoid the Masquerade at all costs and not cross his paths in their own interest,” the palace warned.

Ahead of this popular Egungun festival in the ancient city of Ibadan, Tribune Online takes a look at the places the popular masquerade will visit during the period of the festival.

Oloolu will on Monday offer prayers for Olubadan, his council members, indigenes, residents and Ibadanland as a whole, and later visit the Otun Olubadan Oba (Sir)) Eddy Oyewole’s residence at Foko Area of Ibadan the same day.

On Tuesday, Oloolu will visit His Excellency the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde at Government House, Agodi, Ibadan; he will later visit Aliiwo, Yemetu, Oje Market, Isale -Afa, Oke Aremo, Popo – Yemoja, Bode Market, Molete, Isale-Ijebu, Elekuro, Kobomoje and then to Oranmiyan.

On Wednesday 29th July, Oloolu will visit Ojagbo, Alafara Olubadan, Ita-Bale, Ogboriefon, Labo, Kobomoje.

On Thursday 30th July, which is the last day of the Oloolu Masquerade festival celebration for this year, the masquerade will visit Ile – Aperin, Agugu, Iyana Idi-Iroko, Awotunde Jegede, Itamerin-Gangansi, Babanla.

The monarch cautioned Oloolu and its worshippers against violence, while also calling on the law enforcement agents to be alive to their responsibility of safety of life, property and reduction of crimes that used to characterize Oloolu Masquerade Festival.

The statement further described the Oloolu Masquerade Festival as an Ibadan annual event to entertain and appease the gods and goddesses of Ibadanland to bless, guarantee peace, promote unity, and progress of Ibadanland. (Nigerian Tribune)

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