The Yoruba Youth Movement during a convention held in Akure, Ondo State, on Monday, has pointed out that some of the Yoruba festivals are age-long and archaic.
The spokesperson of the group, Oladele Adeleke while talking on the Yoruba festivals which includes; Egungun, Oro, Agemo, Orosun, Osun, Sango, Obatala and others, said that the ceremonies surrounding the celebration of these festivals differ from town to town and lack merits.
“There are harmful traditions associated with many of these festivals and that is why we are appealing to the Yoruba monarchs for modification,” he said.
Oladele said further that although cultures and traditions are necessary for human’s life but should be subjected to constant modification and reformation as time and events demand.
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“We are not clamouring for the abandonment of our cultural heritage because we adore and uphold our cultures and traditions but must, however, be careful these traditions don’t threaten our fundamental right to associate with our religious prerogatives.
There is no doubt that rituals and some inhumane acts are strongly associated with these festivals and do not only pose threat to our lives but also to our spiritual, ethical and societal acumen,” he said.
He also vehemently preached against some of the Yoruba cultures that overlap with the fundamental human rights, such as shaving of hairs on some parts of the body, incision, oath taking among others.
“How could we choose to shut down our markets and places of commercial value just to commemorate our festivals? It is just unethical and it also serves as a bane towards the economic growth of some of our towns and communities,” he said
He submitted that Yoruba race and Nigeria as a whole should not be left behind in the quest for modernization and that any traditional festival that is anti-modern and does not uphold human rights should be reformed or abolished.
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