Adeyipo village is set to mark another landmark as the home to a research institute. The village which is the location of great films; Mainframe’s White handkerchief, The narrow path, The wind of change and Eru Amukun amongst many others is more importantly, the home of the largest African studies library in Africa with over 100, 000 volumes, the African Heritage Research Library and Cultural Center (AHRLC). The management and Board of Advisors of the Research Library, located at Adeyipo village in Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo state, have concluded arrangements to immortalize the name of Governor Rauf Aregbesola with the building of a Yoruba Studies Centre at the village.
The library is second only to the North Western University in the United States which has 250, 000 volumes and is the largest African studies collection and the School of Oriental affairs in the University of London that has 200, 000 volumes.
Now, it is setting another landmark to further entrench Yoruba culture and language and create a platform for the sustenance of the Yoruba heritage.
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The centre, named Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola Yoruba Studies Centre is in recognition of the governor’s effort as a formidable exponent of Yoruba language and a reputable advocate of Yoruba traditional values worldwide.
The Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola Yoruba Studies Centre, identified as first of its kind in Africa, is to initiate intensive research activities on the language, history, arts and culture of the Yoruba, among scholars, researchers, archivists and documentalists; and also to take Yoruba to the enviable position of a World Language.
The Centre in addition, is established to foster unity and harmony between the Yoruba Race and all ethnic groups in the country, as well as in the entire African Continent and its Diaspora.
When completed, the Centre will boast of a well-equipped library; talking drum museum; a language and culture studies school; a Conference hall, a board room; and an administrative wing.
An advance team of the African Heritage Research Library and Cultural Centre, comprising Yeye Akilimali Funua Olade (Chief Librarian) and Gbemisola Edun (Secretary), both representing the Director/ Founder, Dr. Bayo Adebowale (Associate Professor of Creative Writing in English), met with Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who gladly endorsed the project and promised to see to its early completion and eventual commissioning, in no distant a time.
and then