Foremost Ifa Priest, Chief Yemi Elebuibon, has urged the governors of Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti and Lagos states to set aside a day as a public holiday for traditional religion adherents in order to promote Yoruba cultures and traditions.
Elebuibon stated this while speaking as a special guest at a one day stakeholders meeting organised for Ogun State Alternate Medicine Practitioners, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, recently.
The traditionalist said traditional religion adherents also deserve to enjoy a public holiday like their Christians and Muslims brothers, appreciating former governor of Osun State, Engr Rauf Aregbesola, for setting aside a day for traditionalists.
He noted that the continual disdain of culture and tradition is making the Yoruba nation to lose its identity.
Elebuibon insisted that the acceptance of the British culture and language had been largely responsible for the abandonment of the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba, as well as potent herbal medicine.
He said: “Our government must seriously work to resuscitate our culture, public holidays should be given to those practising traditional religion. Our legislators should work on this.”
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“They now speak Yoruba very well in Brazil while our culture and tradition is also given adequate recognition in Trinidad and Tobago. These people left from here, unfortunately, where is supposed to be the source is now getting dry. The government must give their support and not allow our culture to go into extinction”
He further advised the government to support the promotion of alternate medicine while asking practitioners of the alternate medicine to be truthful and operate within the provision of the law.
The state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who was represented by his deputy, Engr (Mrs) Noimot Salako-Oyedele, called on practitioners of alternate medicine to ensure standardisation of their products.
He promised that his government would spare no effort to give them required support as they remained partners towards qualitative health care delivery in the state.
Abiodun said that his administration’s commitment towards the development of the country’s rich culture and tradition and support towards further development of trado-medical care informed his decision to constitute for the first time Alternate Medicine Board for the state.
He, however, challenged practitioners of alternate medicine in the state to embark on further researches to develop their products, while they should also fight quackery to a standstill among their members.
The State Chairman of the Alternate Medicine Board, Chief Nurudeen Olaleye commended the state government for inaugurating the Board while charging practitioners to remain united and never give room to acrimony.
He asked to complement government’s efforts in its bid to provide qualitative health care delivery for the people.
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