Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams has urged state governors and Houses of Assembly in South West zone to make Yoruba Language compulsory subject in schools from the basic to secondary and tertiary level, saying that such initiative would help in deepening knowledge of traditional religion in Yoruba land.
Iba Adams made the call during the 2023 Edition of Odo Erelu Festival, which took place on Thursday at Meiran, Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State.
The Yoruba generalissimo, while making the call, argued that one of the best ways to sustain Yoruba culture and tradition is to teach the younger generation everything they needed to know about the language, culture and identity, adding that it was the role of the government in the South-West to promote Yoruba Language.
“Yoruba language should be a compulsory subject in our schools from the basic to secondary and tertiary institutions.
“Our children should be taught Ifa and other traditional religion knowledge for them to know and have comprehensive knowledge about our history, our existence and the science of our languages.
“Ifa usually enhances our spiritual knowledge and gives insights into the background of our being and existence.
“The Chinese and all the Asian countries will always teach their children the basic and core knowledge of their culture and traditions.
“Cultural festivals like Osun Osogbo, Olokun and Odo Erelu Festivals have remained a major platform that helps in sustaining the cultural identity of the people and one of the best ways to define people is to know and understand their culture and tradition.
“As far as I am concerned, there is nothing bad if we teach basic Ifa traditional religion knowledge in our schools as we teach both the Christian Religion Knowledge (CRK) and Muslim Religion Knowledge (IRK) in our schools,” Iba Adams stated.
The Onimeiran of Meiran Kingdom, Oba Samuel Adewale Oroja, in his own remark, applauded Iba Adams for using his cultural promotion activities to promote Yoruba culture and tradition, saying that such gesture had helped greatly in keeping the hope of Yoruba race alive.
The monarch noted that Yoruba culture and tradition was being promoted by celebrating Odo-Erelu Festival, saying that the spiritual gains cannot be over emphasized, even as he enjoined all Yoruba Obas to continue to pray for Aare Gani Adams, “in his efforts to project our culture and tradition.”
“All Yoruba Obas should continue to pray for Aare Gani Adams,in his efforts to project our culture and tradition.
“By celebrating Odo-Erelu Festival, we are promoting our culture and tradition and the spiritual gains can not be over emphasized.
“So I am appealing to all Yoruba Obas to keep the flag flying by supporting any initiative that is geared towards promoting Yoruba culture and tradition,” he said.
Also speaking, the Akinrogun Aareonakakanfo of Yoruba land, who is also the Coordinator General of Agbado Oke Odo, Chief Kazeem Hamzat, said there was need to look beyond the challenges facing the country and seek spiritual method to solve all the problems in Yoruba land.
According to him, there are both economic and spiritual blessings in celebrating Yoruba culture and traditions through festivals.
Other monarchs that were present at the event, include the Olu of Agbegishe Kingdom, Oba Ikudaisi Okikiola; the Onipaja of Ipaja, Oba Kolawole Egunndupe; the Olorile of Orile Ifo, Oba Abdul Semiu Ogunjobi, among others.
Also in attendance were the Osi Aare Onakakanfo, Chief Gani Kayode Balogun; Parakoyi Aareonakakanfo, Prof. Kolawole Raheem; the Barejiro, Chief Dauda Asikolaiye and members of the National Executive Council and National Coordinating Council of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) as well as Meiran Council of Chiefs.
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