Project – Performance, Ritual and Indigenous Aesthetics in Yoruba Masquerade Festivals: A Study of the Egungun Festival in Ibadan, Oyo State

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Culture constitutes one of the fundamental ways through which a society communicates its worldview, preserves its collective memory and establishes a sense of continuity between generations. It includes the beliefs, values, customs, language, artistic expressions, religious practices, social institutions and patterns of behaviour through which a people understand and organise their existence. In many African societies, culture is not preserved exclusively through written documentation. Rather, it is transmitted through oral traditions, rituals, festivals, music, dance, visual arts, storytelling, proverbs, poetry, costumes and other forms of embodied performance. Performance therefore occupies an important position in the preservation and communication of cultural knowledge.

Among the Yoruba of southwestern Nigeria, performance is deeply embedded in religious, social and political life. Yoruba artistic traditions have historically demonstrated an integration of visual arts, music, dance, poetry, ritual and drama. Rather than viewing these artistic forms as completely separate categories, Yoruba cultural practices frequently combine them within particular social and ritual occasions. Drewal (1992) explains that Yoruba ritual performance is characterised by active participation, movement, transformation, visual symbolism and interaction between performers and audiences. Such characteristics make Yoruba ritual practices important sites for understanding indigenous performance and aesthetics.

The concept of performance extends beyond the conventional idea of theatre as an activity performed on a formal stage by professional actors. Schechner (2013) argues that performance includes theatre, ritual, ceremonies, festivals, social practices and other activities through which individuals embody and communicate meanings. Turner (1982) similarly demonstrates that ritual and theatre are closely related because both involve structured actions, symbolic behaviour, participants, spectators, transformation and the creation of special social spaces. From this perspective, traditional festivals and masquerade events can be understood as forms of cultural performance in which communities enact their beliefs and identities.

Yoruba masquerade traditions provide a particularly significant example of this relationship between performance, ritual and culture. The Yoruba concept of Egungun is associated with ancestral presence and the relationship between the living and the departed. Akande (2019), in his study of Ọ̀yọ́-Yoruba Egúngún, explains that the tradition is grounded in the belief that deceased ancestors maintain a relationship with the living and can manifest through Egungun performances. The masquerade consequently represents more than a costumed entertainment figure; it is embedded within a worldview concerning ancestry, social order, spiritual relationships and communal wellbeing.

The term Egungun is also used in different ways within Yoruba cultural contexts. While it may broadly refer to masked or costumed figures, its more specific usage can refer to masquerades associated with ancestral reverence. Olajubu and Ojo’s discussion of Ọ̀yọ́ Yoruba masquerades demonstrates that the Yoruba have different categories of masquerade traditions with varying functions and local histories. Their study also points to the historical diffusion of Ọ̀yọ́ Yoruba masquerade forms into other Yoruba communities through migration, political expansion and cultural contact.

The historical significance of Egungun performance is therefore connected to the development of Yoruba communities and their systems of social organisation. Masquerade groups have historically served religious, social, political and entertainment functions. Through masquerade performance, communities can honour ancestors, communicate moral expectations, reinforce social relationships and symbolically address issues affecting the community. Willis (2014) observes that Egungun has historically been a significant arena in which social and political influence could be asserted. He further argues that the practice should not be reduced to a simple representation of male dominance because its gender relations and social meanings are considerably more complex.

The relationship between Egungun and community identity is particularly important because masquerade performances provide a visible representation of collective cultural heritage. The masquerader is concealed beneath elaborate costume, but the concealment does not simply mean hiding the identity of the performer. Rather, the costume facilitates a transformation from ordinary human identity into a culturally recognised ancestral or supernatural persona. The transformation is reinforced through movement, voice, music, costume, gesture, choreography and the reactions of the audience. The performance consequently creates an encounter between ordinary social reality and the sacred world represented by the masquerade.

The aesthetic dimension of Egungun performance is equally significant. Indigenous aesthetics concerns the culturally specific ways through which beauty, creativity, symbolism, order, movement, colour, sound, material and artistic excellence are understood and experienced within a particular society. Yoruba aesthetics cannot be completely separated from social and religious meanings. An artistic object may be aesthetically attractive while simultaneously communicating spiritual, historical or social meanings. Abiodun (2014) emphasises the importance of Yoruba concepts of creativity, character, beauty, artistic expression and spiritual significance in understanding Yoruba art and culture.

Egungun costumes represent one of the most visible manifestations of Yoruba indigenous aesthetics. The costume may consist of multiple layers of textiles, appliqué, embroidery, patchwork, beads, mirrors, metallic objects and other decorative materials. These materials are arranged in ways that create movement and visual spectacle when the masquerader dances. Kalilu (1991) demonstrates that sculptural and visual elements associated with Yoruba Egungun masquerades have important representational functions. The aesthetic quality of the costume is therefore connected to its cultural and symbolic significance rather than being merely decorative.

The movement of the costume is itself part of the performance. When the masquerader spins, jumps, bends or moves rapidly, the layers of cloth expand and contract, producing constantly changing visual forms. The performer and costume consequently operate together as a moving artistic composition. The sound produced by bells, rattles, drums and other instruments may further intensify the sensory experience. The audience does not merely hear or see the performance; it experiences an integrated combination of colour, movement, sound, rhythm, spatial arrangement and symbolic action.

Music is another important component of Egungun performance. Yoruba performance traditions are closely connected with drumming, songs, praise poetry and verbal expression. Musical performances can communicate the identity of a masquerade, invoke particular ancestral associations, regulate movement and encourage audience participation. The drummer is not simply providing background entertainment but may participate actively in the construction of the performance. Rhythmic changes can influence the movements of the masquerader, while songs and praise expressions may communicate information about the history and identity of a particular Egungun group.

Dance also contributes significantly to the theatrical quality of Egungun. The movement of the masquerader is often carefully controlled and can range from slow, dignified movements to rapid and energetic displays. These movements create suspense and excitement among spectators. The physical limitations created by the costume may require specialised techniques of movement, while the performer must maintain the impression that the figure represented by the costume is more than an ordinary human being.

Theatre and ritual are consequently closely connected in Egungun performance. Ritual provides the religious and cultural framework within which the masquerade operates, while theatrical elements provide the means through which the cultural and spiritual meanings become publicly visible. This relationship makes Egungun an important subject for theatre and performance studies. Instead of treating masquerade as a peripheral cultural practice, it can be examined as an indigenous performance system containing elements of acting, costume design, choreography, music, spectacle, characterisation, audience interaction and spatial organisation.

The city of Ibadan provides an especially significant context for examining these issues. Ibadan has historically been one of the major Yoruba urban centres and developed into an important political, economic and cultural centre. Its history of migration and interaction among different Yoruba groups has contributed to a rich cultural environment in which traditional institutions and practices continue to interact with urban modernity. Egungun traditions in Ibadan therefore provide an opportunity to investigate how an indigenous performance tradition operates within a modern African city.

The historical and cultural significance of Egungun in Ibadan has been documented by earlier researchers. Oladimeji (1992), for example, produced a study specifically examining the origin and forms of major Egungun masquerades in Ibadan. The existence of such a focused study indicates the historical depth and variety of masquerade traditions within the city.

One particularly important Ibadan masquerade is Oloolu. Recent research by Imaledo and Afatakpa (2022) examines the Oloolu masquerade within Ibadan’s contemporary cultural, economic and conflict landscape. Their ethnographic study draws attention to the public possession of the Oloolu masquerade and the conflicts that may arise from restrictions associated with its performance. The study demonstrates that contemporary Egungun performance in Ibadan is not simply an unchanging survival from the past but a cultural institution interacting with modern social, economic and political realities.

The case of Oloolu is particularly useful for understanding the complexity of masquerade performance. Restrictions surrounding the movement and public appearance of certain masquerades can affect how residents, visitors and performers experience the festival. Such restrictions may be understood within the religious and cultural logic of the tradition, but they can also produce tensions within a modern urban environment where people have different beliefs and expectations. This creates an important area for research into the relationship between traditional ritual authority and contemporary urban life.

The performance of Egungun also involves questions of space. Traditional masquerade performances may transform streets, compounds, market areas, open spaces and other communal locations into temporary performance environments. The movement of the masquerade through these spaces creates a relationship between performance and place. The audience may follow the masquerade, gather around it or respond to its actions. The boundaries between performer, spectator and community consequently become fluid.

Willis (2014) argues that masquerade performances in Nigeria are also spaces in which gender, power and place are negotiated. This observation is important because masquerade traditions are embedded within social structures. Participation in Egungun may involve particular expectations regarding gender, age, status, lineage and ritual authority. At the same time, the actual performance may provide opportunities for different individuals and groups to influence the meanings and identities associated with the masquerade.

Egungun performance is also significant as a form of cultural memory. Every masquerade group possesses histories, songs, costumes, names, praise expressions and ritual practices that connect contemporary performers with previous generations. Through repeated performances, these elements are reproduced and modified. Younger participants learn performance techniques, songs, dances, rules and cultural meanings from older members. The festival therefore functions as an informal educational institution through which cultural knowledge is transferred.

Cultural identity is closely connected to this process. Hall (1996) conceptualises cultural identity as something that is continually produced through representation, history and cultural practice rather than as a completely fixed inheritance. From this perspective, participation in Egungun performance contributes to the continuous production of Yoruba identity. Individuals and communities affirm who they are through the symbols, performances and narratives they preserve and reproduce.

Egungun performance also provides an opportunity for communities to distinguish themselves while remaining within the broader Yoruba cultural framework. Different masquerade groups may possess distinctive costumes, names, performance styles, histories and ritual practices. Such differences demonstrate that Yoruba identity contains internal diversity. The study of Egungun in Ibadan is therefore important not only for understanding Yoruba identity generally but also for examining how particular communities and masquerade groups construct specific forms of identity.

Modernisation, urbanisation and globalisation have nevertheless created challenges for traditional performance practices. Contemporary audiences increasingly encounter cultural performances through social media, television, photography and other digital platforms. A masquerade performance that once existed primarily within a particular community can now be photographed, recorded and distributed to audiences far beyond its original context. This development can increase awareness of Yoruba culture but may also remove performances from their cultural and ritual contexts.

Tourism and cultural commodification create another dimension of this challenge. Cultural performances can generate economic benefits by attracting visitors, creating opportunities for artisans and performers, and encouraging investment in heritage. However, commercial interests may also encourage the presentation of sacred cultural practices primarily as entertainment. The tension between cultural meaning and commercial spectacle is therefore important when examining contemporary masquerade performance.

There is also the issue of religious change. The expansion of Christianity and Islam and the influence of modern secular values have altered the religious landscape of Yoruba communities. Some individuals may no longer accept the spiritual claims associated with Egungun, while others continue to participate in or respect the tradition. The coexistence of different religious perspectives can affect how masquerade festivals are perceived and practised.

Nevertheless, the persistence of Egungun traditions demonstrates the resilience and adaptability of Yoruba cultural practices. Rather than disappearing completely in the face of modernisation, masquerade performance continues to appear in various forms. The survival of Egungun, however, should not be interpreted as evidence that nothing has changed. Performance traditions can survive precisely because communities modify, reinterpret and negotiate them in response to changing circumstances.

This makes indigenous aesthetics particularly important. The aesthetic forms of Egungun—costume, colour, texture, movement, sound, choreography and visual symbolism—provide mechanisms through which traditional meanings can remain visible. Even when audiences have different interpretations of the religious significance of masquerades, the visual and performative elements can continue to communicate aspects of Yoruba heritage.

The study of performance, ritual and indigenous aesthetics in Egungun festivals is consequently important for understanding the broader relationship between theatre and African cultural identity. It demonstrates that indigenous performance traditions possess sophisticated systems of representation and aesthetic organisation. The masquerade costume functions as a visual text; music and dance create a sonic and kinetic structure; ritual provides a spiritual framework; and audience participation completes the performance event.

The present study therefore focuses on Performance, Ritual and Indigenous Aesthetics in Yoruba Masquerade Festivals: A Study of the Egungun Festival in Ibadan, Oyo State. The study seeks to investigate the theatrical and aesthetic features of Egungun performance, examine its ritual significance, analyse its contribution to Yoruba cultural identity, and assess the challenges confronting its continuity in contemporary Ibadan.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Yoruba masquerade traditions constitute important forms of indigenous performance and cultural expression. Through Egungun festivals, communities enact relationships between the living and the ancestors, reproduce cultural memories, display artistic creativity and reaffirm communal identity. However, despite the cultural and artistic significance of Egungun, important aspects of its performance and aesthetic dimensions remain insufficiently explored, particularly within the changing urban environment of Ibadan.

One major problem is the tendency to interpret masquerade primarily as a religious or traditional practice without giving adequate attention to its theatrical dimensions. Egungun performance contains several elements that are central to theatre, including costume, characterisation, movement, music, dance, spectacle, spatial organisation, audience participation and dramatic transformation. Yet, these elements are sometimes treated separately rather than as components of an integrated indigenous performance system.

The problem is particularly significant because Egungun performance does not operate according to the conventional Western distinction between theatre and ritual. The masquerade is simultaneously a ritual presence, cultural symbol and performance figure. Its costume creates visual transformation; its movements communicate character and power; music and drumming establish rhythm; and audience reactions contribute to the development of the event. Consequently, approaching Egungun solely as a religious ceremony may fail to capture the full complexity of its performance structure.

A second problem concerns the preservation of indigenous aesthetics. Yoruba masquerade costumes represent highly developed systems of visual expression involving colour, textile, embroidery, appliqué, beads, ornaments, texture and movement. Kalilu (1991) demonstrates that visual and sculptural components of Egungun have significant cultural functions. However, changing materials, changing artistic preferences and modern commercial influences may gradually transform traditional aesthetic forms.

The challenge is not necessarily that cultural change is inherently negative. Cultural traditions have always changed through interaction with different communities and historical circumstances. The problem is that insufficient documentation and understanding of the meanings attached to particular aesthetic features may result in the loss of important cultural knowledge. When younger generations learn the visual appearance of masquerade without learning the cultural meanings associated with it, the aesthetic tradition may survive superficially while its deeper symbolic significance becomes weakened.

A third problem concerns the relationship between ritual and entertainment. Egungun has religious and ancestral dimensions, yet masquerade festivals also attract large audiences who may be interested in music, dance, costumes and spectacle. This creates the possibility of tension between sacred ritual and public entertainment. In a modern urban environment, some spectators may understand the event as entertainment while practitioners may regard it as a serious spiritual and cultural institution.

The problem becomes more complicated when performances are recorded and circulated through social media. Digital platforms can provide valuable opportunities for documenting and promoting Yoruba cultural heritage. However, images and videos can also remove performances from the ritual contexts in which their meanings are understood. Sacred actions may consequently be interpreted simply as colourful entertainment or exotic spectacle.

A fourth problem concerns the changing social environment of Ibadan. Ibadan is a large and highly urbanised city in which traditional cultural institutions coexist with modern education, religion, commerce, technology and global cultural influences. The conditions under which Egungun festivals are performed in such an environment are therefore different from those of smaller traditional settlements. Streets and public spaces used for masquerade performances are simultaneously occupied by modern commercial and residential activities.

Research on the Oloolu masquerade demonstrates some of the conflicts that can arise within this modern urban context. Imaledo and Afatakpa (2022) found that restrictions associated with the public possession of Oloolu could contribute to conflict during Egungun festivals in Ibadan. This indicates that the performance of traditional authority and ritual restrictions can sometimes come into tension with the expectations of people living within a contemporary urban environment.

A fifth problem concerns changing perceptions of Egungun among younger generations. As young people are exposed to global forms of entertainment, popular culture and digital media, their relationship with indigenous performance traditions may change. Some may regard masquerade festivals as outdated, frightening or irrelevant, while others may appreciate them mainly as sources of cultural entertainment. Without sustained cultural education, the historical and ritual meanings of Egungun may become less understood.

The problem is further complicated by religious transformation. Christianity and Islam have become highly influential in Yoruba communities, and some adherents of these religions reject or reinterpret traditional religious practices. This does not necessarily mean that traditional festivals have disappeared. Rather, individuals may occupy complex positions in which they identify culturally with Yoruba traditions while holding different religious beliefs. The resulting tension deserves systematic examination.

A sixth problem concerns the representation of power and social identity through masquerade. Egungun is not merely an aesthetic performance; it can also function as a mechanism through which authority, status, gender and community identity are negotiated. Willis (2014) demonstrates that masquerade performances in Nigeria can serve as spaces for negotiating gender, power and place. He further cautions against simplistic interpretations of Egungun as exclusively masculine spaces because women can also play important roles in shaping masquerade identities and performance contexts.

This dimension is important in Ibadan because masquerade performance can intersect with contemporary debates about public space, authority, gender relations and social order. A proper understanding of Egungun therefore requires attention not only to the costume and ritual but also to the social relationships produced through performance.

A seventh problem concerns the inadequate documentation of specific masquerade traditions in Ibadan. Although earlier scholarship has examined Egungun generally and specific studies have addressed Ibadan masquerades, there remains a need for contemporary research that brings together performance, ritual and indigenous aesthetics within one analytical framework. Oladimeji’s (1992) study of major Ibadan masquerades provides an important historical foundation, while more recent work on Oloolu demonstrates the continued relevance of Ibadan masquerade traditions to contemporary social life.

Another problem relates to the distinction between authenticity and adaptation. Traditional performance cannot remain completely isolated from social change. New fabrics, technologies, musical instruments, media platforms and audiences can become incorporated into cultural performances. The challenge is determining whether such changes represent legitimate cultural adaptation or whether they gradually undermine the meanings that distinguish the tradition.

There is therefore a need to examine how contemporary Egungun performers negotiate tradition and change. What aspects of the performance are preserved? Which aspects have changed? What meanings are attached to costumes and movements today? How do performers understand the ritual dimension of the masquerade? How do audiences interpret its aesthetic and theatrical features? These questions are insufficiently answered without a focused study of the festival within its specific cultural and urban context.

The problem also has implications for cultural heritage preservation. If the ritual knowledge, songs, costume-making skills, performance techniques and aesthetic principles associated with Egungun are not adequately documented and transmitted, future generations may inherit only fragments of the tradition. Preservation must therefore involve not only physical costumes and photographs but also the knowledge, meanings, practices and performance skills through which the tradition remains alive.

The central problem of this study is consequently the insufficient understanding of the ways performance, ritual and indigenous aesthetics interact within the Egungun Festival in Ibadan and contribute to the preservation and negotiation of Yoruba cultural identity in a contemporary urban environment. The study therefore investigates the performance structure, ritual significance and aesthetic characteristics of Egungun while examining the ways in which these elements contribute to cultural continuity and the challenges affecting their preservation.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to examine performance, ritual and indigenous aesthetics in Yoruba masquerade festivals, with particular reference to the Egungun Festival in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Specifically, the study seeks to:

1. examine the major performance features of the Egungun Festival in Ibadan;
2. investigate the ritual significance of Egungun masquerade performance among the Yoruba;
3. examine the indigenous aesthetic elements embodied in Egungun costumes, colours, symbols, music, dance and movement;
4. investigate how performance and ritual contribute to the preservation of Yoruba cultural identity

1.4 Research Questions

The study will be guided by the following research questions:

1. What are the major performance features of the Egungun Festival in Ibadan?
2. What is the ritual significance of Egungun masquerade performance among the Yoruba?
3. What indigenous aesthetic elements are embodied in Egungun costumes, colours, symbols, music, dance and movement?
4. How do performance and ritual contribute to the preservation of Yoruba cultural identity?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested:

H₀: There is no significant relationship between participation in Egungun festival performances and the preservation of Yoruba cultural identity among residents and participants in Ibadan, Oyo State.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study will be significant to scholars and students of Theatre Arts, Performing Arts, African Studies, Cultural Studies, Religious Studies, History, Anthropology and Sociology. It will contribute to the understanding of indigenous African performance as a legitimate and complex field of theatrical and cultural inquiry.

The study will be particularly useful to Theatre Arts scholars because it demonstrates that theatre and performance are not restricted to scripted drama performed in conventional theatre buildings. Egungun performance incorporates costume, movement, music, dance, characterisation, spectacle, audience participation and ritual action, thereby providing an important indigenous model of performance.

The study will also contribute to scholarship on Yoruba cultural identity. By examining how cultural identity is embodied through masquerade performance, the study will demonstrate the ways in which communities reproduce historical memory and cultural values through performance.

The findings will be useful to traditional rulers, community leaders and cultural custodians in Ibadan. The study may provide information that can assist them in identifying aspects of the tradition that require documentation, preservation and intergenerational transmission.

The study will also be beneficial to younger members of Yoruba communities. Greater understanding of the meanings attached to Egungun performance may encourage young people to view the tradition as a significant component of cultural heritage rather than merely as entertainment.

Cultural organisations and heritage institutions may also benefit from the study. The findings may assist in the development of programmes designed to document indigenous performance, train younger cultural practitioners and preserve traditional costume-making and performance skills.

The study will further be relevant to government agencies responsible for culture and tourism. A better understanding of the cultural significance of Egungun can support policies that promote cultural tourism without reducing sacred traditions to commercial entertainment.

Researchers interested in gender, power and public space may also find the study useful. Existing scholarship indicates that Nigerian masquerade performances can become sites for negotiating gender, authority and place. The present study extends this area of inquiry by examining these relationships within the specific context of Ibadan.

Finally, the study will provide a useful reference for future researchers investigating Yoruba masquerades, indigenous aesthetics, ritual theatre, cultural identity, traditional festivals and African performance traditions.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on Performance, Ritual and Indigenous Aesthetics in Yoruba Masquerade Festivals, using the Egungun Festival in Ibadan, Oyo State, as the specific case study.

Geographically, the study is restricted to Ibadan in Oyo State, Nigeria. Attention will be given to selected communities and locations within Ibadan where Egungun activities are practised or observed.

Thematically, the study focuses on three principal dimensions: performance, ritual and indigenous aesthetics. Performance covers masquerade movement, dance, music, drumming, costume, characterisation, procession, audience participation and performance space. Ritual covers beliefs concerning ancestors, ritual preparation, invocation, sacred practices, restrictions and the relationship between the living and the ancestral world. Indigenous aesthetics covers costume design, colour, textile arrangement, ornamentation, visual symbolism, movement, sound and other culturally meaningful artistic features.

The study also considers cultural identity, particularly how Egungun performance contributes to the preservation, representation and negotiation of Yoruba cultural values.

The study does not attempt to provide an exhaustive study of every Yoruba masquerade tradition. Other Yoruba masquerades may be referred to where necessary for comparison, but the principal focus remains Egungun in Ibadan.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Aesthetics: The culturally determined principles through which beauty, artistic quality, harmony, symbolism, creativity and sensory experience are understood and expressed.

Cultural Identity: The shared sense of belonging and collective understanding expressed through a people’s history, beliefs, values, symbols, customs, language and cultural practices.

Egungun: A Yoruba ancestral masquerade tradition associated with the manifestation and veneration of ancestors through masked or elaborately costumed performance.

Egungun Festival: A periodic communal celebration involving Egungun masquerades, ritual activities, music, dance, procession and other cultural performances associated with ancestral traditions.

Indigenous Aesthetics: The culturally specific principles, symbols, materials, forms, colours, movements, sounds and artistic practices through which a particular indigenous community expresses ideas of beauty and meaning.

Masquerade: A costumed and often masked performance figure whose appearance, movement and activities are structured by particular cultural, ritual or theatrical conventions.

Performance: The organised enactment of actions, movements, sounds, rituals or artistic expressions before or in interaction with an audience.

Ritual: A culturally established sequence of symbolic actions performed according to religious or traditional conventions.

Yoruba: A major cultural and linguistic group predominantly associated with southwestern Nigeria and parts of neighbouring West Africa and the global diaspora.

Ibadan: A major Yoruba city and the capital of Oyo State in southwestern Nigeria, serving as the geographical setting of this study.

Costume: The specially designed clothing, textiles, ornaments and materials used to create the visual identity and transformation of an Egungun performer.

Masquerader: The person who performs beneath or within the Egungun costume during a masquerade event.

Cultural Heritage: Tangible and intangible traditions, practices, knowledge, artistic expressions, symbols and institutions inherited from previous generations and regarded as significant to a community.

Audience: Individuals or groups who observe, participate in or respond to the Egungun performance.

Cultural Preservation: The deliberate transmission, documentation and protection of cultural knowledge, practices, artistic forms and traditions from one generation to another.

1.9 Organisation of the Study

The study will be organised into five chapters.

Chapter One presents the introduction, background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, hypothesis, significance, scope and operational definitions.

Chapter Two reviews relevant literature and theoretical perspectives relating to performance, ritual, indigenous aesthetics, Yoruba masquerade traditions, Egungun festivals and cultural identity.

Chapter Three discusses the research methodology, including research design, study area, population, sample and sampling procedure, research instruments, validity and reliability, data collection procedures and methods of data analysis.

Chapter Four presents, analyses and interprets the data collected for the study.

Chapter Five provides the summary of findings, conclusion, recommendations and suggestions for further studies.

Project – Performance, Ritual and Indigenous Aesthetics in Yoruba Masquerade Festivals: A Study of the Egungun Festival in Ibadan, Oyo State