Yoruba ife ni koko

Being a text of Speech Delivered by the Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, at the 2022 edition of Oodua Festival, holding today, Monday January 31, 2022, at the Palace Square, Ile- Ife, Osun state.

It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this year edition of Oodua festival.

I believe our ancestor,the great Oduduwa will be happy to see us
as we continue to promote the cultural identity of Yoruba race.

It is interesting that the Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF) has made remarkable progress in the last two decades.

Every year,we begin our cultural promotion calendar with the Oodua Festival in Ile-Ife, Osun state.

The idea is to pay homage to our ancestors.That is the best way to sustain the Yoruba cultural values and identity.

We are in Ile-Ife today with many of our members and delegates of the Oodua Progressives Union (OPU) to promote the culture of our race.

And I am happy that many of the delegates that came here today with us will be happy that they are part of this historic event.

Ile-Ife remains the cradle of human existence.For a very long time now, the ancient town has become the rallying point for the Yoruba since over 8000 years ago when Ile Ife came into existence.

But let me express my appreciation to our father and host,the Ooni of Ife, Arole Oodua, Oonirisa, His imperial majesty, Oba Babatunde Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi,Ojaja II

Kabiesi's support to us in the last couple of years has been awesome.

Kabiesi,Aseyi Samodun O, Oodua A gbe wa, ao ma riyin ba o.

I appreciate all our guests,including other traditional rulers and chiefs that are present here.

I also appreciate all members and leaders of our group, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), as well as all the delegates of the Oodua Progressive Union (OPU) that are present here today.

As we celebrate Yoruba culture and tradition,we are also building a brand that will improve the image of the organization and also endure for a very long time.

Our activities in the last twenty years have helped in showcasing the beauty and tourism potentials of the entire south west region.

THE PROSPECTS OF CELEBRATING OODUA FESTIVAL IN YORUBALAND

Oodua festival is a major festival that reflects the identity of our race.

It is one festival that needs to be celebrated across Yoruba land.

This is the truth because Oduduwa is our progenitor.He represented the symbol of leadership to the Yoruba traditional institution.Oduduwa was the king of all Obas and the deities.

As the progenitor of our race, it was Oduduwa that built the structure of the traditional stool and its hierarchies.

For example,the Otun, Osi, Basorun Asipa, and other traditional chiefs were created by Oduduwa to ensure effective administration.

That is one of the beauty of our traditional institution.

So,as we celebrate the festival in Ile Ife today,I am appealing to all other Obas in Yoruba land to start celebrating Oodua festival in their respective communities.

This is how it is supposed to be because our ancestor the great Oduduwa created the stool of the traditional rulers.

And the Oonirisa is the Arole Oduduwa in Yoruba land,while other Obas are the Arole Oduduwa in their respective communities.

As the Aareonakakanfo of Yoruba land and chief promoter of Yoruba culture and traditions,I can say it categorically that we have various testimonies of the prospects and rewards of promoting Yoruba culture and traditions.

We thank God that our efforts are not in vain.We can see the rewards.

The glory and rewards in promoting our cultural identities and tradition is evident in our growth and successes over the years.

But while we continue to enjoy the rewards,many who do not know marvel at the way our ancestors and deities are blessing and rewarding our efforts.

However,we will not relent in our efforts to preserve, sustain and promote the Yoruba culture and tradition.

For instance,I am of a strong belief that all the problems associated with the security issues in the Southwest can be solved by applying the traditional method.

In the good old days,our traditional rulers had a way of using the traditional means to forestall evils and insecurity in their kingdoms.

Yoruba is blessed and we can make good use of our gifts,our resources, both physical and spiritual means to make the southwest region safe for the people.

THE NEED FOR UNITY,SOLIDARITY AND RESPECT FOR TRADITIONAL INSTITUTION IN YORUBALAND

One of the most important virtues that have eluded us in Yorubaland is lack of unity, solidarity and respect for the traditional institutions

These are problems that are calling for urgent solutions.

I was in Kabba,Kogi state for three days for the 8th edition of the OPU World Congress and I felt humbled by the way the Okun people have identified with Oduduwa as their
progenitor.

Though, they are at the extreme end of the South, Kabba people truly
identify with us.They make strong claims that they have their root in Ile-Ife.

The Kabba monarch,HRM Oba Solomon Oladele Owoniyi,played host to us at the palace.

And no fewer than 30 traditional rulers were in attendance at the palace where issues were raised about the unity and progress of Yoruba race.

It was a wonderful experience sharing the best moments with the people of Okun land.

From my findings,it is evident that the Okun people are about 20 or 25 percent of Kogi state.And happily, they really want to be addressed as Yorubas and also as the proud sons and daughters of Oduduwa.

They believe rightly that there is a bond between us in the southwest
and they want the bond to be sustained more than ever.

However,our inability to promote unity has really affected us as a race.

For instance,issues of politics, religious bigotry and sentiments have divided us,created disunity and lacuna among the Yoruba folks.

We have failed to see ourselves as one big family.We have also lost the respect for our culture, heritage and traditional institutions.

Yoruba race is no doubt a blessed race,but we are far behind others.

That is why it is very important for us to foster unity, solidarity and embrace our brothers and sisters that are from far and near.

On the other hand,I felt bad when the news broke that a prominent monarch in Ogun state and three of his aides were killed by hoodlums in the most cruel manner.

In this time and age,the situation
that led to the death of the late Alagodo of Agodo, Oba Ayinde Odetola,and three others was sacrilegious.It is alien to Yoruba culture and tradition.

A situation where the remains of a traditional ruler and three others were set ablaze was sacrilegious and must be thoroughly investigated.

The suspects must be apprehended and their trials must be made open.

We cannot fold out arms and pretend that all is well with the way the bad elements of this generation disrespect our traditional institution in Yoruba land .

We should discourage any attempt to desecrate our traditional institutions.

I want to appeal to the Ogun state governor,Prince Dapo Abiodun to make sure the culprits of the dastardly acts face the wrath of the law, so that it can be a deterrent to others.

In the past,our traditional rulers enjoyed the respect of a god.

The Yoruba tradition respected and placed more powers in the hands of our traditional rulers.

They are reputed to be the Igbakeji Orisa, meaning they are the next to god.

But it is sad that today things have changed and our traditional institutions are beginning to lose the respect of the past.

Today, some of our governors in the southwest are doing everything to change the Yoruba tradition and culture.

We must be wary of this and do everything within our reach to preserve the sanctity of our culture and tradition in Yoruba land.

Finally, I urge all our Obas to be diplomatic on the issue of politics.
As the father of all, traditional rulers should be apolitical.

We have a rich history that must be protected.And we must do everything within our reach to protect the sanctity of our traditional institutions.

Thanks for listening and God bless you all

Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams
Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland