A female TikTok user, who is yet to be named, narrowly avoided death after allegedly filming a procession related to the annual Oloolu Masquerade Festival in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The incident has gone viral on social media. Videos showed the woman undergoing traditional cleansing rites at the Oloolu compound.
On Monday, Chief Adeola Oloko, the spokesperson for the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, shared details. He said the woman did not record the sacred Oloolu masquerade itself but filmed Alawo Oloolu, a figure linked to the Oloolu tradition.
He mentioned that traditional custodians confirmed the woman filmed the procession while it moved through Ibadan.
“She did not capture Oloolu; she mistook it for Alawo. We contacted the Mogaji of the Oloolu compound, and he confirmed that a woman mistook Alawo of Oloolu for the real Oloolu masquerade captured on the street,” Oloko said.
Shortly after posting the footage, the woman developed strange health issues. Her family quickly sought help from the traditional custodians.
“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.
“We have told people to obey simple instructions; women are not supposed to see Oloolu, but out of curiosity, she disobeyed,” he explained.
Oloko added that he could not confirm claims circulating on social media that the woman disguised herself as a man to record the procession.
“I cannot confirm she disguised herself as a man. Those are accounts on social media. But she took the footage or photo on the street,” he said.
Videos online show what seems to be a public traditional cleansing ceremony. The content creator was surrounded by traditional worshippers.
She was seen with her head shaved and dressed in red garments, taking part in rituals. Reports say that giant African snails and a ram were presented as part of the rites.
Some social media users claimed her mother appealed publicly to the traditional custodians for mercy on behalf of her daughter.
Another video showed a goat being slaughtered, and its blood used during the cleansing ritual.
Ayo Adams, an Ibadan-based content creator, shared on X on Monday. He said he visited the Oloolu compound and that officials confirmed the woman 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 told security operatives about her health issues, linking it to her earlier action of recording Oloolu’s crowd.
“The police took her and her family to Oloolu’s compound to perform the necessary rites to restore her health to normal.
“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,” Adams wrote on X.
When contacted by PUNCH Online, Ayanlade Olayinka, the spokesperson for the Oyo State Police Command, said he had no information about the incident. He noted it was not reported to a nearby station.
The annual Oloolu Festival is celebrated by descendants of the Oloolu lineage. It attracts traditional rulers, worshippers, cultural enthusiasts, and visitors from across Yorubaland.
The festival features prayers, rituals, sacrifices, drumming, dancing, and processions. These activities aim to honour ancestors while seeking peace, protection, prosperity, and communal well-being.
Unlike many public masquerade festivals, the Oloolu tradition is surrounded by strict taboos. This includes restrictions on photographing or recording certain aspects of the procession.
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