The theme of the second edition of Samodun Fiesta Asa Parapo put in place by the Oyo State government under the ambience of its Ministry of Culture and Tourism really captured the mood as the annual cultural event further strengthened the chord of unity and also hastened the advancement of regional integration as thousands of representatives from all the Yoruba speaking states including Kwara and Kogi converged on Ibadan the two days—festival.
The packaging, programming, content and events were tailored and designed purposefully by Governor Abiola Ajimobi at celebrating the cultural heritage and rejuvenating the dying culture and showcasing the better part of those values which make the Yoruba all over the world a unique specie of humans.
The 2014 Samodun Festival was not just one of the run- off – the – mill event taking cognizance of the elaborate and stylish preparation supervised and coordinated by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Princess Adetutu Akhigbe Adeyemi who had to travel round the Yoruba states of Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Edo and Lagos telling them that this year’s theme was Asa Parapo.
And the states, having the geological blood of Oduduwa running in their veins responded promptly by not only ensuring their presence but putting up fascinating display and stunts at the festival which started on Friday 14 February, with cultural display from different states and local governments followed by Oleku night, a night which paraded veteran actors and artists such as Jide Kosoko, Dele Odule, Muyiwa Ademola, Saheed Balogun, and Ronke Oshodi Oke and others climaxing with food tourism which was sponsored by Tourism Care Hospitality Association of Nigeria (TCHAN) where each state and local government displayed their rich traditional food such as, Iyan and Efo, egusi, amala and. gbegiri, ewedu, ila, egbo and ewa oloyin, ekuru, akaran, moin moin, sapala, and others on Saturday 15 February.
In accordance with the purpose of the festival, apart from the security operatives who were in their uniform virtually everybody at the occasion were cladded in traditional attires either in buba and sokoto for men, some in sanyan dansiki and simple armless buba while women were in their wrappers and buba,with good headgears that captured the mood of the event while those who could not hide the beauty of their hairdo showcased different types of hairstyle such as suku, kojusoko, koroba among others.
Oyo State Cultural Troupe demonstrated their pace setting role throughout the event by stunning the audience with spectacular and superlative display of creativity in art work, and dance. The troupe entertained the audience with a short theatre depicting the fabulous lifestyle of the traditional rulers whose absolute authority needs no questioning. The splendour of the palace life was captured with the king and olori followed by Dongari “palace slaves and the Abobakus. This display reinforced the tales about the elegant and majestic life a king enjoyed in the olden days.
Ekiti State shifted, all the way from Ikere, the Olosunta Hill, to demonstrate how the people hid under the rock for safety during the Yoruba internecine wars while other states thrilled the audience with exciting and fascinating performances with different beautiful masquerades and dancing troupes.
All through the two days events were festival of songs, music, drama, while traditional dancers from all the South West states entertained guests with traditional music from traditional music instruments like, dundun, sekere, bata, agidigbo, and djembe.
An American artist, Kelvin Berry, popularly called Kayode Oyinbo added value to the show as he not only spoke Yoruba language fluently to the admiration of all, but displayed his skill and dexterity on Bata and omele, which are two of the Yoruba traditional instruments.
Kayode Oyinbo who was prompted on stage by an actor, Saheed Balogun commended Governor Ajimobi of Oyo State for putting up such a festival and urged the Yoruba in the Diaspora to come back home and identify with their culture and tradition which he described as ti o dara julo lorilede agbaye (the most excellent culture in the world.
Kayode who spoke in Yoruba said he had been an advocate of promotion of Yoruba culture and tradition, “I have been in Nigeria for a while and I love this race, their culture is the best in the world, the dress, food, tradition and everything about the tribe I love and I will want Yoruba people not to allow the culture to die by organising events like this. Today, I have learnt many new things. I am happy to be here,” he said.
Dr Satoru Muranaka, a Japanese researcher with Tropical Agriculture Research Front ( TARF) in a chat with Tribune Tourism Magazine at the food tourism event said, “Yoruba food provides good nutrients for the body, after eating a plate of egbo and beans with stew, Dr Satoru said, he loves iyan and efo or egusi, amala and gbegiri, ekuru, moinmoin and akara, “I have been in Nigeria for 10 years and what I enjoy most is this Yoruba food.
We are carrying out a research on yam and cowpea on how to preserve them for longer period.”
While declaring the festival open, Governor Ajimobi, who could not hide his feelings about the success of the festival said, he was happy because the programme has scored another point in promoting the culture and tradition of Yorubaland and taking another fruitful step towards enhancing the regional integration agenda.
He said further that “the concept of Omoluabi which has been the major guiding principle of Yoruba people is being restored through promotion of cultural festival and enlightenment programme like this adding that, “Everything about Yoruba is unique, our dressing, food, traditions and everything about us fantastic and that is why people from other parts of the world are coming to learn this from us, because they consider it useful and crucial to living a socially good life.”
Gov Ajimobi who lamented the retrogression and the set back plaguing the teaching of Yoruba Language and culture in schools revealed that the state government is taking a serious step at making students to be interested in learning the language, “we are worried about it and part of what we intend to do apart from encouraging the teachers is organising cultural competition where series of cultural events will be taught and prizes will be given to those who excel. This will no doubt go a long way in making people to be more interested in learning and developing positive attitude towards their culture and tradition.”
He concluded by charging parents, guardians and all the custodians of culture and tradition of Yoruba land not to relent in their effort, but also to encourage people particularly children to develop interest in their culture and tradition “our culture is a free gift from God, it is a wonderful gift which naturally must be flowing in us, but things have changed due to globalisation and infiltration of the western idea, but we must not allow it to die.”
The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Oyo State, Princess Adetutu Adeyemi Akhigbe in her welcome address which was read in Yoruba said Samodun Fiesta was a unique event which is organised to celebrate the goodness of God in the life of people of Oyo State and designed in a way that it encompasses events that will enhance the promotion of Yoruba culture and tradition.
According to her, “As a pacesetter, we are determined to champion the course of taking Yoruba culture and tradition to a higher level. It is obvious that we Yoruba are losing the inherited legacies of our forefathers through the overbearing influence of the Western culture on our land, but we can no longer continue to fold our arms to watch it die. We are ready more than before to ensure that the dying culture is rejuvenated and promoted beyond the shores of our land.”
She said that the festival was also organised to showcase the beauty of Yoruba, music, dress, hairdo and everything associated with the race and which form the basics of her strength and unity, and hoped that at the end of the festival, the cultural integration agenda will be on another.”
Confirming the success of the festival, a veteran actor, Mr Abiodun Ayoyinka, popularly known as Papa Ajasco, who attended as part of the Lagos contingent said that he was delighted to be at the event as he enjoyed everything including the display from participating states “I love this programme especially the title Samodun and I want to encourage the government to continue having this kind of event from time to time.”
The Aare Latoosa of Ibadan, Chief Adegboyega Mabinuori in a chat with TTM, said “this is the best thing that is happening in Oyo State in terms of cultural rejuvenation and regeneration. We are not only promoting our culture, we are celebrating our heroes, both alive and those that have long gone. We are celebrating the generations unborn because if we failed to do all this, it will definitely tell in the future and a man that has no culture is like a baboon.”
Are Latoosa who expressed delight about the programme said, “We need this kind of cultural event from time to time, if past governments have been doing this before, we won’t be at this level but with this development, I am hoping to see changes in the approach to the growth of our tradition. As a custodian of culture and tradition, we cannot do it alone, the government and other traditional institutions should join and I am happy about this development and will continue to be part of events like this.”
The wife of the governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi who was the special guest of honour at the Food Tourism Day held at the Cultural Centre, said women should encourage their wards in preparing local delicacies “our delicacies and culture are far better than others, but we can only demonstrate it if we reflect it in our day to day activities. This kind of belief reinforces the confidence in the fact that Yoruba culture will not fade. We are organising this food tourism event to showcase to the entire world that we are truly Omoluabis with rich culture. We should encourage our culture, growth of language, our dressing trend and activities should reflect our tradition and if we missed it, it may be difficult to retrieve, but I am sure we won’t,” she concluded.
Traditional rulers from Ibadan, Oyo, Oke Ogun and Ibarapa areas of the state were present at the two – day events with the trio of Alaafin,Olubadan and Soun of Ogbomoso pledging their continuous support for Senator Ajimobi’s government in his quest to promote Yoruba culture and change the face of Oyo State.
The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mr David Parradang has lauded the Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs Sally Mbanefo for evolving a sustainable vision needed to kick –start the blossoming of the tourism sector in Nigeria.