Gani Adams’ Oodua Festival 2014 stokes embers of unity
Written by Wale Ojo-Lanre Wednesday, 12 February 2014 00:00Nigerian Tribune
THE 2014 Oodua Festival organised and packaged by Otunba Gani Adams, National coordinator, Oodua Peoples’ Congress, under the platform of Olokun Festival Foundation held at the Oduduwa Square, Ooni palace, Ile Ife, Osun State on Thursday 30 to 31 January, 2014, had all the trappings of what a festival should be.
The two days event was well attended by many dignitaries and distinguished personalities from all over the world with over 70,000 members of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress who signified their commitment to uplifting of Yoruba culture and also affirmed their loyalty to Otunba Adams was well packaged and organised with a beauty pageant nite where Miss Oodua 2014 emerged.
The festival has not only come of age but displayed peace and orderliness as it recorded no case of pilfering, stealing or flagrant misdemeanor as the organisation enforced its anti-social behaviour code, and spiced with exciting traditional dances, spectacular cultural display and enchanting.
Apart from the fact that the festival which would have attracted no less than 100,000 visitors to Ile-Ife with its attendant effect on the economy of the ancient city, the 2014 Oodua Festival distinguished itself as one of the most fascinating, eventful and historical so far in the history of Yoruba land in the last few years.
The packaging of the event and its success have squarely reconfigured the personality of Otunba Adams as not only a man of peace and rare vision, but also as an enigma who is driving, mobilising and mentoring a agile, mobile, strong and positive minded Yoruba home and abroad ,garnering them for developmental, spiritual and cultural rejuvenation which will not only be of benefit to the race, but to the nation in general.
The pattern of 2014 Oodua Festival could be described as mission to unite all the Oduduwa scion home and abroad as every event was stuffed with elements of unity of purpose that conformed to the chores of brotherhood while also lubricating the wheel of communal togetherness.
Even the contents and materials in the brochure of events elucidated the purpose of the festival with the exhibition of the photographs of Governors Babatunde Raji Fashola, Lagos, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, State of Osun, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Oyo, Dr Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun and Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo with the picture of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo on a conspicuous page and documented information on brief history of Ife, tourism attractions in Ile-Ife, contact details and addresses of coordinators of Oodua Progressive Union abroad, list of countries where Oodua descendants could be found in the world and other relevant information.
The beauty pageant was conducted by leveraging on issues which extol and celebrate the virtues in Yoruba social-cultural mode of selecting the Arewa, who must not only be a beauty, but a paragon and epitome of Yoruba culture.
If the beauty pageant was anchored on inculcating and creating awareness in the youth mostly the ladies, the grand finale which was held at the Ooni Palace Square was not only a fascinating spectacle, but a veritable platform to showcase why the Yoruba are what they are.
It was a cultural platform which announced to the world that the unity of purpose and togetherness Yorubaland is not negotiable.
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi though not present, sent a delegation led by High Chief, Bashorun Yusuf Ayoola, while the Ooni was not only on his royal seat but acknowledged and commended the presence of Alaafin at the event.
The Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola who was billed for a commissioning in Ilesa was represented by Mr Oladipo Soyode, Special Adviser on Tourism who arrived the venue promptly and witnessed the festival to its close.
The Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, (NTDC), Mrs Sally Mbanefo who was the Special Guest of Honour showcased to the world that her passion for domestic tourism is beyond rhetoric and newspapers mongering as she heaped on herself generational blessings and prayers from not only the Ooni of Ife but by all the participants at the festival who marveled at her humility and sense of cultural appreciation despite being an Ibo woman.
Adding value to this year’s festival were the members of Oodua Progressive Union in Diaspora who sent a powerful delegates led by Akogun Banji Ojo, Coordinator, Holland to show solidarity, support and represent them at the Yoruba cultural communal revival held in Ile-Ife, the source.
Showcasing that the Oodua Festival is beyond cultural jamboree but a unified platform for all Yoruba irrespective of sex, class, religion or social or political affiliations was the observance of the opening prayers which were offered by clerics and practitioners from three major religions - Christianity, Islam and Traditional Religion.
Otunba Adams, in his speech confirmed that Oodua Festival was inaugurated majorly to serve as a platform for the unity of all Yoruba home and in Diaspora.
“The vision to embark on the celebration of Oodua Festival as handed to me by the ancestors was to rejuvenate our cultural festivals and values using it as a platform for interaction by all Yoruba home and abroad at the first month of every year. This is the reason why Oodua Festival has been the first event of the Olokun Foundation.”
Otunba Adams said that “ It is an ancestry call to duty which the owners of Yorubaland have bestowed on me. It is enormous, but I thank the creator of heaven and earth, the luminous order who parted the sea for the Israelites to walk through, the owners of Ife oyee, Oodua Atenwonro and the gods and spirits which are servants of the Lord almighty for ensuring the success of each and every celebration.”
He pointed out that “Oodua Festival is dedicated to celebrate the progenitor of Yoruba race, the great Oduduwa Atenwonro who was a paragon of peace, order, harmony, love, brotherliness, development and an epitome of growth.”
Otunba Adams called on all Yoruba home and abroad to eschew bitterness, shun acrimony and spread love and brotherhood as espoused by Oduduwa.
“I am using this forum to appeal to all Yoruba home and abroad to live in peace, embrace each other, oil the chord of brotherhood , exude love and continue to exhibit that trait of Omoluabi which distinguishes and stand out a Yoruba man from the crowd anywhere and at any time.”
He commended the Ooni of Ife for tending the stead of “our forefathers with grace, honour and unrivalled dignity while praising the Alaafin of Oyo for hoisting high the cultural heritage of Yoruba land without blemish.”
Otunba Adams commended the Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Aregbesola for his strides at enhancing the cultural and tourism assets in Osun urging him to do more while tasking the Director-General, NTDC to “as matter of urgency put machinery in place to tap into the various tourism sites in Ile-Ife.”
The representative of the governor, Mr Soyode lauded the efforts of Otunba Adams which he described “a salvage mission entrusted on him to rescue Yoruba culture from slipping into the abyss of forgetfulness.”
He affirmed the commitment of Governor Aregbesola at seeing that all indigenes and citizens of Osun State express their socio and religious feelings without fear and bias.
The guest speaker at the event, Dr Subair Tayo, of the Department of Educational administration and Planning, Faculty of Education, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife in his paper “Oduduwa: Separating the myth from the truth” concluded after painstaking analysis of the various concepts, myths and discourses on Oduduwa “we should reflect on the decency and probity in terms of character and embodiment of culture, let us all borrow a leaf from the documented facts about Oduduwa that he united the different states within Ile–Ife and was so successful to the extent that other Yoruba leaders and towns began to claim affiliation with Ile –Ife in order to gain some respect and relevance as well as access to beaded crown.”
Dr Subair in line with the tone of 2014 Oodua festival appealed to all Yoruba “ We should remain one irrespective of our social , political and religious differences so that in togetherness a suitable, prosperous and glorious Yoruba lineage is built, maintained and sustained.”
He commended Otunba Adams for reforming and changing the public perception of OPC as an organisation peopled by miscreants and nonentities to a socially responsible army of socio – cultural revolutionaries doing the race proud.
The Director–General, NTDC, Mrs Mbanefo who was excited by the various display of dances and cultural stunts by different groups extolled the historical and cultural greatness of Ife and promised her corporation’s readiness at partnering with OPC in its drive to promote domestic tourism and enhance the culture of Yorubaland.
“NTDC is to drive domestic tourism. OPC through its calendar of events seems to be the only organised organisation in Nigeria with such an exciting and colorful cultural calendar which hosts events from January to December.This is commendable. We are definitely going to run with you.”
Mrs Mbanefo lauded the Ooni of Ife and Alaafin of Oyo for their efforts at enhancing the cultural heritage of their forefathers and promoting domestic tourism.
The representative of Alaafin of Oyo, High Chief Ayoola eulogised Otunba Adams for his temerity of purpose and determination to see that Yoruba culture is not swept into the dustbin of forgetfulness.
He lauded the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade who he described as a pristine royal father while commending the Alaafin of Oyo for his untiring defence and protection of cultural values of Yorubaland.
The Ooni who copiously acknowledged the presence of Alaafin of Oyo praised Otunba Adams for his singular effort at veneration and resuscitation of the Yoruba culture and tradition.
“I am very sure that what you are doing is not your own making, but a mission saddled upon you by our ancestors. And you have been pursuing the vision diligently and responsibly at your own expense , you are one of the greatest Yoruba men in the contemporary era. You shall live long and our ancestors will ensure you live well and fulfill your mission on earth.”
Ooni also commended the Director General, NTDC, Mrs Mbanefo for “displaying not a robust sense of duty at her post, but showcasing to the whole world that she is well brought up and from good home.
The Ooni who fervently prayed for the success and enviable accomplishment for the Director-General at her duty post, added that Mrs Mbanefo is an asset to the nation.
The 2014 Oodua Festival was packaged and cleverly organised platform by Otunba Adams at cementing the bond of unity and brotherhood among the Yoruba. It has not only achieved the purpose, but sending signal of harmonious relationship among the traditional rulers in Yorubaland. It was a great feat and wonderful stride which has not only explored the cultural gifts and virtues for excellence but truly show the Yoruba as one race with common heritage and one destiny.
модули joomla 2.5
Read 44 times
Published in Tourism — with Sola Opesan Brown and 36 others.
