On Wednesday, Nollywood actress Awoyemi Bukola, best known as Bukola Arugba, survived an accident on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos State, that wrecked her car, a Toyota Venza.
Before this time, the 35-year-old Yoruba actress, who has maintained a low profile on social media, rarely made the news except for her marital crisis.
The actress was accused of taking Damola Olatunji, her partner, away from his wife, Raliat Olatunji. The actress and Mr Olatunji separated in May 2023 after having twins.
However, the unfortunate car accident has made fans and colleagues condole the actress and reminded Nigerians of her role in Tunde Kelani’s 2008 Yoruba classic, ‘Arugba’.
Mrs Bukola’s stellar performance as ‘Adetutu ’ in the movie earned her the name ‘Arugba’ and accolades.
Arugba
Fifteen years ago, Arugba was screened across major cinemas in Nigeria and was later screened at the 60th anniversary of the University of Ibadan.
In 2009, the movie screened at the 9th BFM International Film Festival in London.
Directed by veteran filmmaker Tunde Kelani, “Arugba” wasn’t just a movie; it depicted the history and the culture of the Yoruba people.
The movie featured a stellar cast, including Bukola Awoyemi, Segun Adefila, Peter Badejo, Funke Adeyemo, and Bukky Wright.
“Arugba” was centred on the life of a young girl, Adetutu, who is supposed to be the intermediary between the gods and the people as she periodically carries sacrifices to appease the gods.
Despite its rural setting, the movie opens up with an extremely long shot which shows a mountainous city, ‘Ilu Nla, ’ which eventually turns out to be the film’s setting.
Then, it focused on a market with a high-angle camera placement, which gradually found a celestial prophet preaching Christ’s coming back.
Plot
“Arugba” opened with the bustling streets of Osogbo, a city renowned for its rich cultural heritage and as the host of the annual Osun-Osogbo festival.
The film introduced us to the central character, a young woman named Adetutu.
Adetutu was chosen as the “Arugba,” a sacred virgin who carried the sacrificial materials to the Osun-Osogbo sacred forest during the annual festival.
She (Adetutu) eventually falls in love with Makinwa, a traditional dancer in the movie who heads a dance group in the village.
She gets kidnapped and frees herself via the extraordinary abilities Yemoja (the river goddess) granted to her.
As Adetutu embarks on her sacred journey, the film skillfully weaves in themes of societal issues, political corruption, and the clash between tradition and modernity.
The film’s soundtrack, composed by the maestro Kunle Ayo, added another layer of magic to “Arugba.” The melodic tunes, infused with traditional Yoruba rhythms, complemented the visual storytelling.
Reviewing the movie, Yeye Olade of the Sun online newspaper described the film as a parody of former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, as the movie also narrates the story of a king of an imaginary small town somewhere in Nigeria’s South-west, who makes a loud splash against corruption, rigorously prosecutes an economic reform and handily welcomes foreign investors.
Allegory
Beyond just a movie, ‘Arugba’ is a vital element in the Osun-Osogbo festival that usually takes place in August in Osun State.
The age-long festival, which is often a five-day event, draws tourists from both within and beyond the country’s borders, flooding the streets of Osogbo to partake in the annual rituals, with thousands escorting the maiden calabash bearer to the shrine to show gratitude to the Osun goddess.
Arugba is an Osun calabash-carrying votary virgin, a traditional allegory of the Virgin Mary.
An allegory is a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
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Some people say the festivals share some similarities with Christmas, as the virgin carrying the calabash containing sacrifices is likened to the ‘birth of Christ’.
However, the Arugba is now worshipped as a goddess rather than just a virgin maid, and when she carries the calabash and leads the crowd to the river, people pray to her and blame all their problems on her.
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