A combined photo of Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu and Eyo Masquerades
By Our Reporter
The colourful Eyo Festival held in Lagos has continued to make tongues wag within the Lagos political and social circles following the noticeable absence of Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu, Deputy Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, at the historic Eyo Masquerade festival organised in honour of his late maternal grandmother, Alhaja (Dr) Abibatu Mogaji, the revered Iyaloja-General of Nigeria and mother of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The symbolic Eyo festival was held on Saturday, 27 December 2025, at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos, drawing a mammoth crowd of dignitaries, traditional rulers, political leaders, captains of industry and cultural enthusiasts from within and outside Nigeria. The event was staged to celebrate the enduring legacy of Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, widely acknowledged as a matriarch of commerce, culture and political mobilisation in Lagos and Nigeria at large.
Hon. Kasunmu’s absence was particularly striking given his deep personal and historical ties to the Mogaji-Tinubu family. His late mother, Mrs Arafat Abiodun Kasunmu, who passed on in 2007, was the younger sister of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, making Hon. Kasunmu a grandson of the late Iyaloja-General and a major stakeholder within the extended family.
As a prominent lawmaker and notable political figure in Lagos State, many had expected him to grace what has been described as one of the most significant cultural tributes in recent times.
While no official explanation has been offered for his absence, the development has fueled speculations in some quarters, with unverified insinuations of long-standing family feud making the rounds.
However, sources close to the families have dismissed such claims, insisting that
Hon. Kasunmu’s non-attendance had nothing to do with family discord.
According to insiders, the lawmaker was neither officially carried along nor formally invited by the organisers of the event, a lapse they believe accounted for his absence at the ceremony.
The sources maintained that Hon. Kasunmu holds his grandmother’s memory in the highest esteem and would ordinarily not miss an event of such magnitude held in her honour.
The Eyo festival itself lived up to its billing as a grand cultural spectacle. Clad in flowing white regalia, the iconic Eyo masquerades (Adimu Orisa) danced majestically across the arena, reenacting age-long traditions that underscore Lagos’ rich heritage.
The ceremony also featured tributes recounting Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji’s role as a formidable market leader, political mobiliser and bridge-builder whose influence transcended generations.
Among the high-profile personalities in attendance were President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, alongside his deputy; members of the Federal Executive Council; serving and former governors; principal officers of the National Assembly; lawmakers of the Lagos State House of Assembly; the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; as well as respected traditional rulers, business moguls and leaders of market associations.
Despite the murmurs surrounding Hon. Kasunmu’s absence, many observers have cautioned against drawing premature conclusions, urging the public to separate conjecture from facts and to focus on the broader significance of the event — the celebration of a woman whose life and legacy remain deeply woven into the political, economic and cultural fabric of Lagos State.
As discussions continue, one thing remains clear: the Eyo festival in honour of Alhaja (Dr) Abibatu Mogaji reaffirmed her towering influence, even as the unexplained absence of one of her grandsons added an unexpected layer of intrigue to an otherwise historic occasion.
