At Ekiti summit, stakeholders prioritise sustenance of Yoruba language

TUNDE BUSARI reports the relevance of the maiden edition of Ekiti State Arts and Culture Summit organised by the state’s Council of Arts and Culture.

The arrival of her entourage practically stunned the whole cultural centre, hosting the first Ekiti State Arts and Culture Summit with the whole hall rising to have a glimpse of wife of the state governor, Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi who arrived at the venue about noon. Appearing in a simple skirt and blouse ankara fabric, a style on some of female guests, she demonstrated her passion for culture in her words and mannerism throughout the event.

When she spotted a retired academic, whom she disclosed taught her at in the then University of Ife, professor Isola Olomola, she went on her knees after which she asked the Professor of history to take a seat at the front row of the high table. Although this scene escaped the sight of some, the action earned her additional respect of some guests who openly applauded her unusual humility hardly seen in top public office holders.

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“I never knew this woman is this humble. I have watched her on television at different public functions where she identified with aged people, but I have never witnessed any of them as this. She is setting a high standard on how important personalities should treat the aged and even the masses. I love what I am seeing today,” one Jayeoba Awe remarked while Erelu was delivering her speech constructed on need to revive old values.

Combining a prepared speech with extemporal presentation,  Mrs fayemi charged the society to return to old days when criminal suspects were made to pass through public mockery. Drawing a reference from her Ilaramokin, Ondo State hometown, she revealed that her people would not treat criminals with kid gloves, a contrast to the alleged current practice whereby in which a section of the society turns a blind eye to crime and criminals.

She called for return to communalism as promoted by the Yoruba culture, pointing out that such practice would alert the young ones to the consciousness of being under the watchful eyes of everybody resident in their surroundings.

With nostalgia, she recalled a practice in her hometown which subjected an offender to what she called ‘Dance of Shame’ during which he or she would be besieged by a clapping crowd and compelled to dance to their rhythm.

“I just wrote something on my wall. If you have not read it, go and read and read other issues which I put there for public enlightenment. Some readers are complaining that posting picture of the man who raped a minor online is over reaction. But it is not. Rather it is a measure and deterrence against future occurrence. Everybody should see his face to know who he is. Doing this is a way of returning value to our society,” she said.

Though Erelu Adeleye-Fayemi’s husband, Governor Kayode Fayemi could not make it to the well-attended event, he was represented by the Head of Service, Mr Deji Ajayi, who broke the news that henceforth use of English language at Yoruba cultural functions would be an offence. Amidst cheers, he expressed Governor Fayemi’s aversion to the old practice of anglicizing Yoruba events.

“From today henceforth,” he said, adding that “the government has banned speaking of English in any cultural programme. Whoever that will participate in any traditional programme must speak Yoruba or our Ekiti dialect. This is aimed at promoting our language and making it more attractive to the non-Yoruba who attend our functions. It is a policy which is dear to Governor Fayemi and which he is ready to nurture to fruition for the preservation of our rich cultural heritage”.

Before the ovation that greeted the head of service’s announcement subsided, he dropped another, declaring that the abandoned Ekiti Festival of Arts and Culture had been revived with  an assurance that the 2019 edition would be held in December. He also promised that the government had concluded plan to build a befitting secretariat for traditional rulers in the state with a view to making their operations more effective.

Ajayi did not stop at that, he also assured that the youths would be encouraged to take into vocational skills as a means to confront the biting unemployment scourge in the society.

A brief opening remark by the Commissioner for Information, Tourism and Orientation, Aare Muyiwa Olumilua, alerted the audience to the inherent danger in abandoning the Yoruba culture for the imported, declaring his ministry’s readiness to embark on rescue mission and elevation of the culture to where it ought to have since been.

The welcome address by the Director-General of Ekiti State Council of Arts and Culture, Mr Wale Ojo-Lanre was laced with some drama, a spectacle which earned him ovation as he sang and danced. He showered encomium on the governor and his wife for their faith in him to paddle the canoe of the council, restating his commitment to add more value to promotion of Ekiti cultural heritage.

A brief opening remark by the Commissioner for Information, Tourism and Orientation, Aare Muyiwa Olumilua, set the ball rolling

A session which focused on the relevance of the Yoruba culture moderated by Professor Bakare Ojo of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti had former Director of African Studies of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Professor Isola Olomola as guest speaker.

Professor Olomola, who arrived at the venue long before the commencement of the event, spoke extensively on need to preserve the Yoruba culture with a view to assisting incoming generation to identify their root.

During question and answer segment, the renowned scholar revealed how Professor Wole Soyinka sighted Ori Olokun in the US and played a fast one by creating a way to return the sculpture to Nigeria, an act which, according to Olomola, earned Soyinka terrorist tag by the US authorities. Olomola also revealed the exact place where one can find many Yoruba artifacts in British Museum.

“In one of my trips to Britain, I visited the British Museum and found in the fourth floor amazing Yoruba artifacts. When you are on the fourth floor of the museum you would think you are back home. Shrines are arranged the way they are here. One will realise that they are not joking with our culture which unfortunately we are not taking seriously here. Therefore, it will be difficult to recover these items but we can keep those still left with us away from being stolen and sold away,” he admonished.

In one of his statements, Professor Ojo reminisced failure which he recorded in his attempt to promote stage play in Ekiti State. Regrettably, he said all he expended on the project went down the drain as the target people preferred to watch a free show.

“If that same play was taken to Lagos, I would have returned to Ekiti with bagful of money. That is telling us that arts is not lucrative here. There is no market. But we can deliberately create market for our works.

How can that be done? Without mincing words, he declared to the artisans present to bury their differences and form a unit for better recognition and effective relationship with government, adding that no government would like to collaborate with fractured associations, which work at cross-purposes.

It was an occasion which brought under one room creative personalities such as wood carvers, musicians, theatre practitioners, cotton weavers and bands of drummers, all of whom dressed in native attire. The veteran Ekiti dialect singer, Mr Femi Ariyo, did a brief performance which refreshed the memories of audience of his old tracks.

Aside Ariyo, a female poet, Mrs Jumoke, Owolola, also added literary spice to the event as she rendered a poetry, which earned her applause after her reading. The Ekiti-born Lagos-based demonstrated her patriotism with her generous use of Ekiti dialect in her poem.

Convener of Ekiti Youth Agenda, Abimbola Aladejare, in her remark, urged the parents to guide their children according to Yoruba custom in order to preserve their identity in the future. She said her group had been at the forefront of promoting Yoruba culture and would continue to showcase the culture to the non-Yoruba.

Popular expectations were that traditional rulers, the acclaimed custodians of custom and tradition, would be part of the occasion. But none was in attendance. When asked during the interactive session, Professor Ojo made what sounded like a valid case for the non-inclusion of the royal fathers on the agenda of the summit, saying “our fathers were left out of this stakeholders’ summit for technical reason. They are our fathers to whom we must give report. So, there is no problem about that.”

The highly elated Ojo-Lanre expressed his satisfaction at the event, gave kudos to the officials of the council and challenged them to be ready for a long journey to return the glory of Yoruba culture.