Barely two weeks after the Sango Festival, Oyo also witnessed the annual Oranmiyan festival with songs of fulfillment on the lips of stakeholders after the event was rounded off last Saturday. TUNDE BUSARI reports the relevance of the festival.
Sign that the seventh Oranmiyan Festival would come and end with a difference emerged at the press conference addressed by the retired Archbishop of the Methodist Church, Ayo Ladigbole. Ladigbolu, a prince, put no one in doubt about the determination of the organizing committee headed by Alhaji Hassan Adeyemi, also a prince, to stage an improved event different from the previous editions.
And true to Ladigbolu’s promise, all the events he highlighted from Day one to the grand finale held last Saturday lived beyond expectations as each event attracted sizeable participants from far and near. Aside the regular cultural shows including visits to interesting tourism sites in the town, the Seminar on entrepreneurial skill acquisition for self-reliance and sustenance added value to the capacity of the people of Oyo who attended the programmme.
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But the grand finale as usual proved the biggest one with the convergence of more crowd at the event ground inside the Alaafin’s Palace premises. The space, which can conveniently play host to football match, was a place to be with the previous announcement that the fuji music star, Saidi Osupa would perform to add social spice to the cultural gathering.
As early as 10 in the morning, spectators were arriving the venue in threes and fours to secure seats under the canopies erected on the circumference. By the time the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Olayiwola Adeyemi led other traditional rulers to the venue, to find a seat became a battle for the fittest, testing the crowd control skill of the law enforcement agents deployed to the event.
Ladigbolu brushed aside the likely effect of his 80 years age and effectively connected the VIP arena with the podium where he made intermittent announcement and clarifications on the programme.
When he announced that the Asiwaju Afijio, Chief Debo Omotosho would be bestowed with Oranmiyan Medal of Honour, affirmative reactions greeted the announcement as a pointer to the role which the awardee had played in the town.
Oba Adeyemi was specific while presenting Omotosho with his certificate accompanied by a medal, saying Omotosho’s philanthropic gestures was noticeable and indeed consistent.
“There is no cultural festival we held here including birthday that Omotosho’s water would not be made available before any other. You have made invaluable contributions to Oyo metropolis and its neighbouring towns in such a way that stood you out as an industrialist and employer of labour. I am pleased to present this medal of honour to you to serve as attestation and to also encourage you to be a role model to others in community service,” he noted.
Omotosho, who was decked in flowing white Agbada, walked gently to the Alaafin and prostrated before he received the honour and pledged to double his effort in living up to the expectation of his people. The Oranmiyan award of honour is bestowed on the deserving in every three editions of the festival.
Ladigbolu said the essence of the award was to show appreciation to those who have identified with the promotion of cultural heritage of Oyo and also engaging in community service.
Some of the regular live performances included that by the wives of the Alaafin. Seated in the middle of the arena, the wives, old and young did some inspiring panegyrics of Oba Adeyemi to the admiration of other traditional rulers most of whom were nodding in appreciation of the work being done by the Oloris.
Oyo State Cultural Troupe from Ibadan also added their touch to the event. In its all-adire fabric attire, the members danced sang and did some incredulous dance that won them applause. A troupe from Benin Republic also performed to show the spread of Yoruba culture.
Besides, the fuji star, Osupa also enlivened the place with his music and sent his fans who came from different places into frenzy.
Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Toye Arulogun represented Governor Abiola Ajimobi, while Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode was also represented by a special adviser on culture and tourism.
A member of the House of Representatives, who doubles as son of the Alaafin, Honourable Akeem Adeyemi was also in attendance as well as a senatorial aspirant, Bisi Ilaka among other dignitaries. Ladigbolu had also acknowledged the contribution of Nigerian Breweries, the sponsor of the festival as element of the success recorded so far in staging the annual event that brings tourists to Oyo.
“We appreciate your partnership and support, and the wider publicity which your brand has given to our festival this year. May our relationship continue to wax stronger for the mutual benefit of both parties and for the greater enrichment of our cultural heritage,” he said
Ladigbolu added that the past six editions of the festival was a pointer to the brighter future of the event staged to honour Alaafin Oranmiyan whose exploits earned Yoruba a revered status beyond Nigerian boundary.
Highlighting the landmarks achieved since inception, the Oyo Prince said the introduction of quiz competition among students of primary and secondary schools has laid a strong foundation for the future of Yoruba culture and tradition.
“With the participation of school pupils, who have shown positive attitude to Yoruba Language and culture in general through the quiz competition, there is no doubt that bright future lays ahead. They will naturally take the baton and continue the race,” he noted.
While acknowledging the role played by Oba Adeyemi , Ladigbolu also commended the chairman of the organizing committee, Alhaji Prince Hassan Adeyemi for his relentless service that facilitated the sponsorship agreement with the Nigerian Breweries.
The Alaafin called on the Yorubas to see the last month’s declaration in the state of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil of Yoruba Language as Intangible Heritage of Brazil as eye opener to the high value placed on Yoruba culture outside the shores of Nigeria. He commended the government of the state of Rio de Jeneiro for setting the record straight by acknowledging the importance of the language as a means of official communication.
“You saw representatives of those Brazilians here during the Sango Festival. You saw the way they were dressed. You saw the way they comported themselves. You also saw them accompanying me into the palace after the event. This should suggest to you that they appreciate Yoruba culture and are willing to learn more for better understanding of the totality of the culture.
“We have to change our attitude now that foreign countries are promoting our language for us. This development in Brazil is just a tip of what will happen to Yoruba Language. We should be very careful and guard it religiously so that foreigners would not come and teach our children our language,” he warned.
However, unlike previous editions of the festival which usually ended with youths dancing to the beat of musicians on stage, pandemonium broke out, leading people out of the venue following a gunshot that which allegedly injured one woman said to have been admitted at the University College Hospital in Ibadan.
The shot, it was learnt, was triggered by a security guards in one of the convoys in an attempt to clear the road blocked by a crowd running after a politician soon after he allegedly threw some naira notes at the crowd. Two suspects have reportedly been arrested by the police in connection with the incident.
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