ILO DANCE BY BEN KASIM IKHANE
Ilo dance is one of the most common forms of dance in Ogbona. It can be traced back to time immemorial and no one is certain as to how and when it came to be. The masquerade is accompanied by a small boy who carries a wooden box and sits on it throughout the performance. No one knows exactly the content of the box, but it is often said that the spirit and prowess of the masquerade reside in the box.
The masquerade’s attire is made of white cotton material with stripes either of red purple or pink. It carries a white fluffy turf on its head and around its waist is tied a colourful drape of strips made from raffia palm.
The Ilo dance is a very energetic type of dance. The dancers are flit-footed and acrobatic. It involves complex and intricate dance steps backflips and overhead somersaults, qualities that differentiate one expert from the other.
Each of the then-known four quarters of Ogbona; Ivhiorevho, Ivhido, Ivhiochie, and Okotor boasted of one of theirs. While some are known for their flat-footedness others are marked by their aesthetic calisthenics displays. It is in the latter case that the Ivhiorevho Ilo ranked heads and shoulders above all others. His acrobatic artistry was of a hyperbolic and panoramic reputation.
INSTRUMENTS
1. Drums;
(a) Two small drums
(b) Agbadi (The biggest and lead drum that sets the tune).
The drums form the centerpiece of the music. They are bass-based with thunderous reverberations.
2. Two gongs (Uloh)
PROMINENT PERFORMERS
1. Atsada Egbhatse
2. Egbu Ateghie
3. Abuke Amalu
4. Inusa Okhipo
5. Osiregbemhe Eleta (Ozigono)
6. Isimhape
DRUMMERS
Some of the prominent drummers are Uworati Anabor, Azenobo Anakhu, Gimoh Eleta, Igichie Obiaza, Alasa Obiazia, Enilama Okhumholor, Okpapi, Osiregbemhe Ivhador etc.
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
Some of the dancers have performed in Badagry (Lagos State) for competitions. On one occasion they came out tops.
