A female TikTok user narrowly escaped death after allegedly recording a procession linked to the annual Oloolu Masquerade Festival in Ibadan, Oyo State, and said to be undergoing traditional cleansing as at the time of filing this report.
Penpushing reports that the lady shortly after uploading the footage, reportedly developed unusual health challenges, which include blood shortage in her body, a development prompting her family to seek help from the traditional custodians.
The spokesperson of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, Chief Adeola Oloko said the traditional custodians confirmed that the lady captured the procession while it was moving through the Ibadan axis.
Penpushing further reports that the incident, which has gone viral on social media, sparked widespread debate after videos showed the lady undergoing traditional cleansing rites at the Oloolu compound.
The spokesperson of the Olubadan added that the tiktoker did not record the sacred Oloolu masquerade itself but filmed Alawo Oloolu, a figure associated with the Oloolu tradition.
“After posting it, she realised the blood in her body began to dry. So her family reached out to the Oloolu people immediately, and they attended to her in accordance with the tradition of the land’, he added
“She did not capture Oloolu; she mistook it for Alawo. We contacted the Mogaji of the Oloolu compound, and he confirmed that a woman who mistook Alawo of Oloolu for the real Oloolu masquerade captured it on the street. We have told people to obey simple instructions; women are not supposed to see Oloolu, but out of curiosity, she disobeyed’, Oloko said said.
Penpushing also reports that he, however, said he could not verify claims circulating on social media that the woman disguised herself as a man to secretly record the procession, saying that those are accounts on social media, affirming that she took the footage or photo on the street.
The circulating videos online showed what appeared to be a public traditional cleansing ceremony, with the content creator surrounded by traditional worshippers, and was seen with her head shaved, dressed in red garments and participating in rituals, while giant African snails and a ram were reportedly presented as part of the prescribed rites.
Penpushing reports that some social media users claimed the mother of the lady was publicly appealing to the traditional custodians for mercy on behalf of her daughter, while another video showed that a goat was slaughtered and its blood used during the cleansing ritual.
The annual Oloolu Festival is celebrated by descendants of the Oloolu lineage and attracts traditional rulers, worshippers, cultural enthusiasts and visitors from across Yorubaland, and the festival features prayers, rituals, sacrifices, drumming, dancing and processions aimed at honouring ancestors while seeking peace, protection, prosperity and communal well-being.
Penpushing further reports that an Ibadan-based content creator, Ayo Adams on X on Monday, claimed he visited the Oloolu compound adding that officials confirmed that the lady was alive and recovering.
“This morning, we were at Oloolu’s compound, and they informed us that the lady is alive. Last Thursday, Wasilat discreetly recorded Oloolu’s crowd in Oremeji area of Ibadan. On Friday, she reported to security operatives about the state of her health, linking it to her previous action of recording Oloolu’s crowd’, Adams said.
“The police took her and her family to Oloolu’s compound in order to perform the necessary rites to restore her health to normalcy. As part of the rites, she was seen circling around the Ogun shrine located within Oloolu’s compound. The secretary of the compound confirmed that the lady has reunited with her family and is currently recovering’, he added.
Penpushing also reports that Oloolu tradition unlike many public masquerade festivals is regarded by its custodians as one surrounded by strict taboos, including restrictions on photographing or recording certain aspects of the procession.
The Olubadan palace it would be recalled had earlier released the movement schedule for the 2026 Oloolu Masquerade Festival, detailing the communities the masquerade visited between July 28 and July 30.
Penpushing reports that the Oyo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Ayanlade Olayinka, when contacted said he has no information about the incident as it was not reported to a nearby station.
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