The death has occurred of Chief Sunday Abioye Olalere Babatunde, the custodian of the famous Danafojura Masquerade, known for its annual fiery performances, in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
According to InsideOgbomoso, Chief Babatunde passed away on Monday morning at the Bowen University Teaching Hospital (BUTH), Ogbomoso, at the age of 46.
Danafojura ranks among the top, powerful Egunguns (Masquerades) in Ogbomoso and environs. Its adherents claim the masquerade is unrivalled in terms of accumulation and dispensation of charms that is the hallmark of masquerades.
LEADERSHIP recalls that before his death, the Danafojura masquerader, Chief Babatunde, in a chat with TheInsight on July 25, 2019, before he went under the masquerade regalia for a performance, noted that Danafojura was not an aggressive masquerade but that no other masquerade can come face-to-face with it because of the dire consequences awaiting whichever masquerade dares to do so.
Danafojura is no doubt one of the egunguns that draw a large ecstatic crowd surging behind it to behold its displays, especially the burning regalia during its performance.
Danafojura, whose other name is Eegun Alakasu, belongs to the Alakasu Abonde family in Alakasu Area of Ogbomoso and comes out for performance annually.
