African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has condemned the alleged traditional cleansing of a female TikTok content creator following a controversy surrounding the Oloolu Masquerade Festival in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Sowore described the incident as a violation of human dignity, insisting that no cultural or religious practice should subject individuals to oppression or discrimination.
According to him, while culture remains an important part of society, traditions that undermine human rights or target people based on gender should be abandoned.
Sowore said the treatment allegedly meted out to the content creator, identified as Wasilat, amounted to abuse, stressing that such actions are unacceptable regardless of whether they are carried out in the name of religion or tradition.
His comments followed widespread reactions to videos showing the woman undergoing what appeared to be traditional cleansing rites after she allegedly recorded a procession associated with the annual Oloolu Festival.
However, Wasilat denied recording the sacred Oloolu masquerade, insisting she only filmed a crowd and an Amotekun patrol vehicle along the Oremeji area of Ibadan.
Speaking during an interview on Lagelu FM, she dismissed rumours that she had died and maintained that she never intentionally captured the revered masquerade.
According to her, social media users urged her to delete the video before traditional custodians later approached her over the recording.
The spokesperson to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Adeola Oloko, also clarified that the woman did not film the Oloolu masquerade itself but mistakenly recorded Alawo Oloolu, a figure associated with the traditional festival.
Oloko said the woman’s family later sought help from the Oloolu custodians after she reportedly developed unusual health challenges, leading to the performance of traditional rites in line with local customs.
He added that while women are traditionally forbidden from seeing the Oloolu masquerade, he could not verify claims circulating online that the content creator disguised herself as a man to record the procession.
Videos shared on social media showed the woman with a shaved head, dressed in red garments and participating in what appeared to be a public cleansing ceremony involving traditional worshippers. Reports also claimed ritual items, including giant African snails, a ram and a goat, were used during the rites.
Meanwhile, Ibadan-based content creator Ayo Adams, who visited the Oloolu compound, said officials confirmed that Wasilat was alive and recovering after undergoing the prescribed traditional rites.
The Oyo State Police Command, however, said it had no official record of the incident, noting that no report was filed at any police station.
The annual Oloolu Festival is one of Ibadan’s major traditional celebrations, attracting worshippers, traditional rulers and visitors from across Yorubaland. The festival features rituals, prayers, sacrifices, drumming, dancing and cultural processions aimed at promoting peace, protection and communal prosperity.
