At OPU/OPC events, Alaafin, Ooni call for Cultural–tourism revolution in Yoruba land

The Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Royalty, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, III and the  Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi,  at different fora organised   by  Oodua Peoples’ Congress, OPC  and Oodua Progressive Union, OPU have called for cultural–tourism revolution in Yoruba land .

The two foremost traditional rulers in Yoruba land, who played host to the  members of the associations being led by Otunba Gani Adams in Ile–Ife and Oyo respectively lauded the two associations for remaining focused and strong in their spirit of rejuvenating the cultural–tourism heritage of Oduduwa, the progenitor of Yoruba race .

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi ignited the fire of revivalism during a pre-Oodua Festival  2017 courtesy visit on him at the palace by the members of the Oodua Progressive Union and Oodua Peoples’ Congress  where he admonished them  for stoking the embers of the Yoruba cultural heritage in their respective countries of domicile

“I am most impressed by the vision and objectives of Oodua Progressive Union as related to me by your Convener, Otunba Gani Adams which is to create  an enabling economically viable platform promoting peace, unity and harmonious existence among all Yoruba sons and daughters in Diaspora, through a re awakening and strengthening of the huge culturally diverse and ancestral heritage of the Yoruba nation, whilst ideas consolidation working together for the common interest of the Yoruba race . . This is noble and of essence to the sustainability of the Yoruba race.”

Ooni Ogunwusi pointed out ‘I am also happy with the consistent  efforts of the Olokun Festival Foundation for its tenacity of purpose at celebrating the Oodua  Festival  in Ile-Ife, a festival that has far reaching economic implication in Ile–Ife “

The Ooni, who was accompanied to the venue of the Oodua Festival 2017 held at Enuwa Palace on Thursday, January 26, 2017, commended Otunba Adams for a good package and programmes  quality made up of cultural dances , salutation to the spirit of Oduduwa.

Otunba Adams in his speech pointed out the demonstration of unity and harmony by the ooni of Ife and the Alaafin of Oyo for commencing the process of unifying Yoruba sons and daughter calling on other Yoruba Obas to join hands with them at making sure that the Yoruba race attains its God – ordained potentials and become a reference point in development and peace.

He commended Ooni Ogunwusi for his efforts at turning Ile-Ife into a tourism haven and called on political leaders in the country not to lose sight of the role of traditional rulers in the governance of the society.

Spicing the Oodua Festival with a philosophical and sociological memoir, Dr Ogunwale Joshua Abiodun, Associate Professor, Department of Linguistic and African languages, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, who is the Oodua Festival 2017 guest speaker, in his paper ‘Yoruba onomastic and proverbs with leadership lexis as potential tool  for national development ‘painstakingly and exhaustively in sequential order brilliantly itemised some Yoruba onomastic and proverbs and squarely situated them in consonance with leadership and development.

Dr Ogunwale showcased and demonstrated a rare knack for masterpiece academic research in Yoruba which

pointedly cast a shame on the race for neglecting the engagement of its onomastic and proverbs for national development and the race advancement

Dr Ogunwale brilliantly made a peer comparison of nations which have utilized their onomastic and proverbs as tool of national development to others, particularly Nigeria and fished out the reasons for the latter underdevelopment.

In conclusion, he said “Even with all the precarious situations expressed above, we need not despair because the hope is not completely lost. It is our leadership that needs to rededicate themselves a new to the issues of linguistic concern”

The cultural lessons gained from the Oodua festival in ife with the understanding of the   potency of the Yoruba language as a tool of national development stoked the enthusiasm in the members of the Oodua Progress Union, who stormed the ancient and historical city of Oyo, the venue of their 3rd World Congress slated for Atiba Hall, on Friday 27 January 2017.

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Adeyemi   dazzled the OPU members from 77 countries of the world not only with the spectacular display of cultural stunts by palace entertainers but by his revelation of historical secrets which make the Yoruba the greatest and best race in the world

Oba Adeyemi reeled out extempore without blinking an eye 25 professional callings in which Yoruba charted the first breath of it in Nigeria and some in Africa

“Yoruba is the race of the grace. Yoruba is the grace of a race. We are distinctly created by God and our progenitors were super human who passed through the transcendental realms before passing as human”

Oba Adeyemi extolled the nobility in the members of OPU adding that “I am compelled not only to endorse your aims and objectives but also to point out that you are all a noble crop of Yoruba who are doing what we at home have difficulty in achieving . I am impressed that OPU has branches in 77 countries of the world and some of you are here. This is not a mere feat but a sign that the Yoruba are on the right path to greatness.

The Deputy European Coordinator, OPU, Chief Victor Mobolaji Adewale thanked the royal father for ‘letting us into those things which we never heard before. I must state that our coming home and fixing the venue of our congress in Oyo is not only a product of wishful thinking but a divine directive as we gained more than what we bargained for. Kabiyesi has made our visiting home more rewarding culturally, intellectually, socially and historically. We are going back not in the mode of a third class citizen of the world but with our shoulders high as a product of a superior race which according to kabiyesi has instituted the cabinet system of government, check  and balances 100 years   before any white man can think of it”

At the opening of the Congress, Dr Oyelekan Ayantunji, Lecturer, Osun State University,  the  guest lecturer for the 3rd OPU Congress, held at Atiba Hall, Oyo,   in his paper, ‘The place of the Yoruba in the newly emerging nation’   delivered a brilliant expose of the role of the Yoruba in the global historical, cultural and academic context   eloquently in Yoruba  language ,  calling  the attention of the Yoruba to the fact that challenging the race to wake up and take its rightful position in the affairs of comity of races.

He concluded that “the current situation in Nigeria has always created the needed vacuum for the Yoruba to unify and have a strong front runner instead of dividing and creating sub–regional unions to propagate various interest”

With the beautiful and ceremonial atmosphere provided by the Alaafin of Oyo, the OPU Congress held amidst pomp and ceremony of dances, entertainment and educational journey into historical voyage of values and heritage of Yoruba race.

The colourful celebration of Oodua Festival in Ile-Ife, the source of Yoruba race where the Ooni Ogunwusi rubbed mind with the OPU and OPC members in a once in life time experience with the spectacular hosting of the 3rd Congress of OPU in Oyo, the ancient and historical capital of Oyo Empire where Alaafin Adeyemi II fed the members with ego restoring history and values, the association drafted a 16- point communiqué of inspiration and hope.