OBA ADEYEMI EXPRESSES DISPLEASURE OVER NON-CELEBRATION OF PAST HEROES, SPEAKS ON ORANYAN FESTIVAL

Alaafin of  Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi  III

As the date  for the celebration of  the maiden Oranyan Festivals draw near, the  Alaafin of  Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III has  expresses t his displeasure over the negligence  and non  recognition  of our  past heroes.

Oba Adeyemi  while speaking with Members of Guild of Tourism Journalists   who visited   him in line with the preparation for the forthcoming Oranyan festival scheduled to commence on September  8  in Oyo   lamented t way and manner  in which  the  entire black race do not appreciate and celebrate  their hero who had once made them proud

The first class monarch who is  an embodiment of knowledge  maintained that the  importance attached to the celebrations of the past heroes in  Britain and  others countries of the  world   make them  to be more relevant  even centuries  after they have  gone but  it is not so here in the black race  we are not  celebrating  our hero the way it should be.

“How many people  listen and talked  about those  heroes who had made us proud in the international community  anymore, it is disheartening  to  see that  tombs of some of them are rotten away  and this is very sad we must change the trend”. He said

Explaining  why the celebration of Oranyan festival   the monarch who took  journalist down the memory  lane said Oranyan is the only  son of Odua that has the  biggest  empire, and it is not just an  empire  it is   the longest  empire   existed  the world as it lasted  over 600 years. “Now the phenomenon of Oranmiyan is that he is the only single African leader that has set up an empire that was peaceful  , enduring, that will stood the test of time, it was enduring”.

We  have to celebrate our progenitors and our hero, we are  doing this to achieve  many things  part of  which is to  honour  our hero, revive our culture  and  showcase what we have to the world develop the economy of our land ” So what we are doing now is let us bring it into correct perspective, let people know who is oranyan, probably the maiden edition will be focused on   who is Oranyan we want to be able to tell you briefly not by large or voluminous literature  but by sharply manifestation that Oranyan is a phenomenon which create the greatest empire of the  head of the black race and the black race is oyo

Answering  the question on why it take them so long to  wake up to the challenge  Oba Adeyemi said  “ in contemporary Nigeria, how many time are we celebrating Awolowo or Sardauna of Sokoto or Azikwe,  we’ve forgotten them probably their tombs are rotten away how many of you know or heard much about  Herbart Macaulay, the doyen of Nigerian Politics he was a thorn in the flesh of the British he set up Newspaper in  Nigeria Lagos Daily News,  where is it  who  is celebrating him, who is the first Nigerian Lawyer  Chief Sapara Williams he graduated at the age of 19  in 1878 and he is the only Lawyer that went to court at his time  with only a piece of paper and from there he  recite ten or fifteen of cases off hand and to convince and conform his opponent he was a Yoruba  Man, The first Doctor in  Nigeria  is a Yoruba Man who is celebrating them, then somebody must come up to rise  to this challenge if it is Oba Adeyemi that will  start it ,it is not too late”

 Earlier in his  speech, the president Guild ot Tourists Journalist Comrade Wale Ojo Lanre  lauded  Oba deyemi  for the  role  he  has been playing in  projecting the culture of Yoruba and urged him to continue to do more, he also plegde  the  association's  support to  any course that will promote  and project the black  peoples  race especially  the Yorubas.

Also  vice chairman prganising committee  Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu  while adressing pressmen at  a world confrence  held  at Agbala Ogun  in Oyo corrobrated  Alaafin on the need to celebrate our past heroes  which he said  the Oranyan festival is all about.

According to him,It is meant to showcase our rich and unique, yet peculiar culture. We want to re-awaken a new sense of cultural appreciation among our youth, while also creating opportunities for greater interaction among the citizens of the metropolis for the socio-economic and development of our area. We want to engender people's greater appreciation of the contributions of Oranyan to the development and sustenance of Yoruba culture and civilization in general.

He said  further that "We are celebrating Oranyan festival to remind and impress it upon the sons and daughters of the Yoruba race at home and in the diaspora that the Alaafin is the symbol par excellence of this outstanding legendary Oranyan, and to emphasize the urgent need to accord him his due recognition, respect and honour"

  The retired Bishop   also reveals that  about 35  Yoruba Obas  from other part of the world including emeinent personalities are expected to grace the ocassion

The Marketing Consultant prince Adeoye Aderinwale of  Catalyst communication gave an insight  into the week-long activities for the festival starting on 8,September with the Carnival Float, while Eyi Ara will follow at BCOS, Ibadan the following day. He said that, "activities lined up for the festival during the week of the programme are carefully done to take cognizance of the peculiarity and uniqueness of the festival to our race and culture.

On Septembe 10, there will be opening of Arts and Crafts exhibition, film show documentary on Alaafin Sango and Alaafin Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III comes up on Tuesday. There will be lecture on Arts and Crafts, veritable sources of economic empowerment by Dr. B. B. Aremu. Gbegiri Day, Musical Concert, Oyo in Diaspora Day and Visit to historical sites is on Friday. The grand finale at Oiude Aremo on Saturday 15thSeptember will feature special festival lecture by Professor Wande Abimbola, praise songs of Alaafins, traditional homage, re-enactment of Oyo Palace Oath of office and cultural display by Yoruba Artistes from Nigeria and diaspora."

 The chairmna publicity  commitee  Prince Bayo Sanda   who also spoke  at the event  called on  yoruba race  to do everything humanly possible to  prevent our  culture from fading away, " we should leant to  appreciate our culture and try to cultivate good," he said.