I’ll Continue To Celebrate Yoruba Deities- Alaafin
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III has said he would continue to promote and celebrate Yoruba deities like Sango.
He said this during the celebration of World Sango day which held at his palace in Oyo at the weekend.
The first-class paramount ruler used the opportunity to advise other traditional rulers in Yoruba land to uphold Yoruba culture and prevent it from going into extinction.
According to him, the generation unborn would not forgive the traditional rulers if they failed to promote Yoruba cultural heritage in their respective domains.
“I want to charge you to promote our cultural heritage in your respective domains. It is a challenge for us in Yoruba land if we forget our culture and tradition. Let us teach our children Yoruba culture and tradition. There is a difference between religion and culture. Don’t be ashamed to dress in Yoruba attires. Our culture should even reflect in the way we eat,” he said.
The first-class monarch harped on the importance of World Sango festival describing Sango as one of the Alaafin of Oyo before he later became a deity.
He added that Sango possessed the ability to fight his opponent without physical encounter.”
He noted that the beauty of this festival is for the promotion of Yoruba culture and heritage, adding that people should start teaching their children Yoruba language in their different homes and schools.
The king pointed out that the Yoruba language is being taught in over 26 Universities in America, hence, the need to take Yoruba culture very seriously.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatubosun noted that Sango festival is celebrated not only in Oyo State but across the world.
Olatubosun hinted that “by next year, the state government will promote this festival by including it in one of the UNESCO programmes like Osun-Oshogbo festival.
“Our culture should be celebrated more than that of the Western world. Let us all go back home and teach our children our culture because there is a difference between religion and culture,” he said. He, however, called on the people of Oyo State to cooperate and support the governor of the state, Engr. Seyi Makinde to promote Yoruba culture and heritage in the state.
