Tuesday, 10 December 2013

Ooni Warns Against Distorting Yoruba History

Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade has warned Yoruba people against allowing the distortion of the history of their race, saying it is causing colossal damage to the people’s cultural values.

He said this in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, at the formal launch and presentation of a book , ‘Ekiti Historical and Royal Compendium.’

He stated in a veiled reference to renewed supremacy war between him and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi.

Expressing regret that some traditional rulers were re-writing the history of the Yoruba people and attacking the source of the race, Ile-Ife, Oba Sijuade said: “For centuries, Yoruba have no other source than the cradle, Ile-Ife, the core centre of the great dispersal. Migrants founded cities, communities and kingdoms and unmistakable references are made to no other source at all times.

“It is, however, saddening that today the wet blankets are at work. Yoruba tradition generally is being bastardised in all ways. So, the very foundation of the historical antecedents of progenitors and founders of the dynasty are being daily twisted, concocted, reconfigured and re-written only for personal egos, selfish reasons and individual satisfaction,” Oba Sijuwade said.

Responding, legal icon and the Chairman of the occasion, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), urged Oba Sijuwade to maintain peace with all his brother Obas in the interest of unity.

“Based on the point your imperial majesty just raised concerning the distortion of history, I want to advise that Kabiyesi should make peace with all the Yoruba Obas.

Meanwhile, the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who described the book as a rich collection of history of all the 131 towns in the state, disclosed his government’s intention to establish a modern museum that would conserve the state’s historical documents and artefacts.

Present at the occasion were the Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, represented by Special Adviser, Chieftaincy Affairs; Mr. Samuel Odewumi, Oyo State Deputy Governor; Chief Moses Adeyemo, the Yeyelua of Ile Ife, Olori Mojisola Sijuwade, the Chairman of Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers and Onitaji, Oba Adamo Babalola, among others.

No comments:

Post a Comment