The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi has urged world leaders to invest in humanity through researches and documentation of historical facts rather than spending on nuclear weapons.
He made the call on Sunday evening at his Ile-Oodua palace in Ile Ife while playing host to a team of researchers led by the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Jerome Pasquier.
Oba Ogunwusi, who decried the huge amount of resources invested in the procurement of war weapons which he described as items of destruction, contended that the world will be a better place for all if such fund is expended on advancing nature through archaeological and historical researches that can establish the links connecting various nations in the world as one family.
According to him, “we are one people regardless of our cultural, racial, religious and social beliefs and the earlier we recognise this fact the better for us. Let us use our God-given resources and potentials to document our history and research on archaeology linking all of us together as one family even though separated by artificial national boundaries. These archaeological items are useful for the unborn generations, rather than destroying ourselves with our own resources.”
Commenting on the visit of the French Ambassador and other researchers to the ancient city, Oba Ogunwusi explained that there is a strong cultural relationship between France and Nigeria especially on the basis of kingship, just as he commended the visiting Ambassador and his team members for their commitment to the promotion of the prestigious African culture.
He stated, “just recently, the French President, Mr. Emanuel Macron, visited Nigeria during which he stopped at some notable heritage sites including the famous musical shrine originated by the late Afro legend, our own Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
“I have always said we are of one family source, the Europeans too are now corroborating me. The French government has been wonderful especially in ensuring that all our artefacts are returned to us in this part of Africa, they are working with us on this here in Ile-Ife, they are also working with the Benin kingdom.
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“Of course you all know the strong relationship between the Benin Kingdom and we Yoruba people as direct descendants of Oduduwa who pioneered kingship in the world with this sacred throne I currently occupy as the Arole Oodua and natural head of the Yoruba race worldwide,” Oba Ogunwusi remarked.
Earlier in his address, Ambassador Jerome Pasquier who was flanked by the French Consular General, Mrs. Lawrence Nonnayrant, and other personalities admitted that the Ife kingdom occupies a huge place in history, adding that such historical relevance could be a source of economic gain if maximised.
He said, “we in Europe, especially the French love this king and we follow his unity and peace efforts. It is good to embrace civilization, but it is much more important to keep the traditional culture intact and I am very happy to see that culture and tradition are well kept in this kingdom of Ife which is the ancestral home of the great Yoruba nation despite its current civilised state.”
One of the researchers from the US told journalists he is in the town to join his colleagues from Europe and America who have been working on different archaeological sites in Ile-Ife to corroborate the historical facts pointing to Yoruba race with Ile-Ife being its spiritual headquarters as the cradle of mankind.
“There are facts pointing to this town as the source of humanity and it is through these archaeological efforts like this the facts can be corroborated. Several of our colleagues have been working here in Ile-Ife for the past four years and a lot of positive mysteries of archaeology have been discovered, that is why my university has sent me to come and join the work,” he averred.
and then