Lai Labode has revealed the inspiration behind ‘Egbaliganza,’ the cultural initiative celebrating the rich heritage, artistry, and fashion of the Egba people of Ogun state.
In a recent interview, Labode, who holds the chieftaincy title of Osi Apagun Pote of Egbaland, explained that Egbaliganza, meaning ‘Egba the Great’, was born from a call by the Alake of Egbaland for indigenes, both at home and abroad, to revive and modernize the cultural legacy of their homeland.
He added that Egbaliganza aims to highlight the creativity and innovation of the Egba people, while also commemorating the Lisabi Festival.
“And for 38 years, we have celebrated the Lisabi Festival. Now, since Kabiyesi Alake came in, he started to inspire other young people, other Egbas to come back home and reenact the beauty of Egbaland,” he said.
“And be able to recreate all the not just past glories, what are the new glories that we actually have. And, of course, many of us started to respond to that call. And we felt that we needed to celebrate Lisabi because it’s a seven-day celebration of so many activities and all of that.
“We needed to show that the Egbas are truly creative and we truly are creative and, of course, we had decided to put together a team, so it’s not just Laila, but we have a team of Egbas and other professionals from everywhere who had actually come together. And then we established what is called Egbaliganza.”
Labode emphasized that Egbaliganza represents much more than fashion, but a fusion of cultural preservation, economic empowerment, and global recognition of African craftsmanship.
“Now, we have become the first indigenous people in Nigeria and perhaps Africa to establish a single brand for their people, one brand called Egbaliganza that has never happened before, right? And the Egbaliganza is not just fashion. People have seen the fashion side of it. That’s what we see,” he said.
Lagbede also expressed his desire for the legacies he and Egbaliganza leave behind to inspire others.
He prayed for a long life, hoping to serve as a guide for future generations. He also expressed his desires for the Egba people to take leadership roles across Africa.
“That we led there at a time that we listened to the call of our forefathers, that came through the Alake of Egba land. And we didn’t just inspire the Egbas to a new era of prosperity, but that the Egbas were able to lead the rest of the ethnic nationalities in Africa to a time of a new era of African pride,” he said.
“But that’s how we are like. But I hope I live very long, and I hope that my tenure must be very long. For us, you know, it’s important that we are also there to guide the future.
“But we also don’t want to do the work every day ourselves. We want to inspire others to do it, so that we can sit back and also enjoy, to see how people have actually taken it out.
“And we pray very much that God continues to give us the grace and good health, and the resources to be able to not just see them through, but also be able to enjoy them and be able to hand them over to our children, and our children’s children.”
The initiative took center stage at this year’s Lisabi Festival held on April 5 in Abeokuta.
The event drew high-profile attendees, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor Dapo Abiodun, and actor Richard Mofe-Damijo.
Labode, a seasoned entrepreneur with ventures in fashion, business, and culture, recently announced plans to establish a $1 billion fashion industry to showcase Africa’s culture, particularly the cultural attire and heritage of Egbaland in Ogun State.
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