AJEKO IYALE AS MY VALENTINE GIFT.

 Read: AJEKO IYALE AS MY VALENTINE GIFT.

Iyale is a community that's deep rooted in tradition before the advent of Islam and Christianity. Even with the gross decline in the cultural and traditional activities, our rich cultural history should not go into extinction.

Iyale is an enclave bounded by hills and mountains, worthy of note among the hills are

Okekwu hill

Ódejó adokputa nédó

Adalla hill

Ódanwa hill etc

In the past, it was easy for evils to penetrate into people, to derail Man's ambition and set him on the crossroads of life. Afflictions of different magnitude befall people from unknown sources. The forefathers were weary of those enemies and thus sort allegiance to hills and rivers as capable objects of protection against evil machinations and wickedness of the land. Feet of the hills mentioned above were deified as deities of miraculous protection and as source of peace.

Ajeko is a river in Iyale which was seen by the ancestors as a potent protection against evil and which can also intercede to curb intrigues and adversaries of evil plotters

Consequently, Ajeko became a sanctuary where the inhabitants of Iyale seek to triumph over earthly evil forces. Aside its permanent abode as a river which flow in the bush, Ajeko also has its model which is kept at home, preserved by the priest as a secret deity that's usually summoned to cast evil away and curse its perpetrators.

At the time of turbulence, theft, insecurity and lawlessness against the tradition, Ajeko is usually summoned to blast to make peace and maintain law and order among the dwellers of Iyale.

At such times, the chief priest would accompany the Ajeko with other group of priest chanting the esoteric incantation of the deities " Okaheeeje!  in a sonorous tune; so scary and uncaringly dangerous. Women and children run to safety each time the chant of Ajeko is heard. Its an abomination for women to sight Ajeko. The priests move the Ajeko to all the nooks and crannies of Iyale cursing the perpetrators of the atrocities, warning them of the impending danger if the evil persist or if the stolen property is not recovered. Kudos to Ajeko on this🙈🙈

Believers of traditional religion have designated Ajeko river as focal point where spirits of young children ( ikpakachi😂🙄🏃🏃) are purified and cleansed. The practice which we the adherents and preachers of religion see as a rebellion against the omnipotent God who is the only decider of the affairs of man. The practice according to them, when a new child is born, a special spirit ( ikpakachi) is usually invoked to give a private and intimate protection to the child. So, at adult stage, such bond with the spirit is usually broken through a purification sacrifice. Failure of such bond breaking from the spirit can render the child impotent or give the child badluck. The devil is indeed a lier.

That's the Valentine of our forefathers, they shown love to one and sort for protection against harm and perplexities for their kindred, they sacrifice for their generations to live even though it was done in a wrong way. It was essentially the only way available for them.

Valentine is to pay school fees for orphans and cater for the widows, Valentine is to find job for people around you. Valentine is to be happy for the growth of your brother, Valentine is in sharing good news and happiness. 

Valentine is not licking ice cream and sex later, Valentine is not for lust, Valentine is not for exploitation, its about giving without expecting anything in return.

I'm not sure if those practice of appeasing the ikpakachi still exist🙈🙄😂🏃

Happy val, watch my red val polo, e no too red sha but dedicated to all of you. You're all my VAL