Christopher Oji
Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gan Adams, has reaffirmed his belief in Yoruba culture, urging Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora to show- case their cultural identity wherever they might find themselves. Adams spoke on Tuesday, in Agege, Lagos, during the 2019 edition of Wealth Festival (Odun Aje).
He expressed regret that Nigerians usually abandon their culture and traditions, even as he insisted that promotion of Yoruba deities and festivals, remains pivotal for cultural rebirth and transformation.
Adams said ignoring Yoruba culture is likened to digging the grave of the most precious culture.
“We cannot continue to bury our culture and tradition and remain relevant in the world. It is not possible. It is a fact that we must bring back our culture and identity. Any nation that buries its cultural identity and traditions buries its history and that will be dangerous for us as a people,” he said.
Adams, who spoke about the failures of Nigeria’s leaders, said the country can only make meaningful progress if its leaders can appreciate what it has as a nation.
Meanwhile, the guest lecturer, Prof. Oladele Orimogunje, from the department of Linguistic, Africa and Asian studies, University of Lagos, said wealth is pertinent to life, describing it as the richness of the spirit, mind and soul, adding that there is little to be done without wealth.
Royal Father of the day, the Alaige of Orile Agege, Oba Ambaliu Agbedeyi, said the beauty of the gathering is that the annual festival has impacted greatly on the economy of the town.