OmoElublog: Nigeria's Diary Blog on Interesting Facts and Stories OmoElublog: Nigeria's Diary Blog on Interesting Facts and Stories
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Agogo in Yoruba is a bell that is ringed, or slammed with a rod by a town crier or its user.
What’s Agogo Ide in English? It is a special kind of gong called used in native Yoruba towns and villages years ago for community pronouncements. It shaped like a flat cup (where you beat with the rod) with a tiny shap short tale for holding it.
What does Agogo Ide look like? It is made of metals entirely, and it is usually put together by a local blacksmith just like other metal tools like sword, cutlass, hoes etc.
Uses: Agogo Ide is principally used by native Town Criers to pass information around nooks and crannies of the town, especially from the Palace. This was the main, recognized and authorised means of passing information without which no one takes you serious.
In the olden days, there was no formal news source or medium like we have now through news platforms on radio, newspapers, and Internet, so a town crier with Agogo Ide is a formidable tool of communication.
Watch this video of a town crier using Agogo Ide to pass his information
Agogo Ide is also a local musicial instrument used by YORUBA local musicians to give a special sound like a brass gong, sounding “konkolo kon kolo”
A popular Yorùbá adage explains better the significance and place of Agogo Ide in Yoruba history with a saying that goes like, “A kii faja kéde ìlú, Agogo ide lọba fi ń ko wọn jọ” . Meaning the King uses a special type of gong to announce and pass information across a town and to gather people.
When next you see an Agogo Ide, you should know what it is all about.
