RAMADAN MESSAGE

Keep your sermons within realm of moderation, modesty, ALAAFIN admonishes religious leaders 

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba [Dr.] Lamidi Olaywola Adeyemi III, has advocated the need to reform the current curriculum on religious studies in schools.

The current curriculum, he said, hitherto privileged the exclusive teaching of dogmatic Christian and Islamic doctrines to a new praxis that would build in comparative religious studies, and expose students and pupils to basic principles of Christianity, Islam and traditional religion necessary for religious harmony and moral instructions. 

Alaafin, in the Ramadan message pointed out that all religious communities must understand that there is no alternative to inter-faith dialogue, as there can never be a universal religion or an exclusive society for adherents of a particular religion.

Admonishing Nigerians not to perceive religious diversity as a barrier to human relations and development, but rather a tool or resource for national development, the royal father noted that religious faithfuls in the country should, therefore, realize the fact that religious tolerance and harmony are both legally sanctioned and socially inevitable, as the world can never be composed of one religion or culture. 

Accordingly, he stated that, whereas every religious group has the right to uninhibited religious practice, this must be done with commensurate or reciprocal respect for the rights of other faithfuls to practise their own religious traditions; provided that such does not constitute any derogation to the right of others to observe their own rituals.

‘’This desirable scenario of religious harmony can be achieved in Nigeria only through the establishment and sustenance of a neo-religious educational praxis that would generate a culture and orientation of multi-religiosity in our children and youth, as well as a commensurate programme of re-orientation of the adult population. Hitherto, the dominant model of religious education in Nigeria has been faith-oriented and overwhelmed by religious indoctrination and dogma.”

 

The monarch went further, “religious education is used to get people to embrace Christianity or Islam, rather than as a process or formation for religious tolerance and dialogue. Consequently, most children and youths are educated within this framework and are thus inclined to adopting a blind faith. This religious pedagogic gives little room for inter-faith understanding and harmony; hence religious intolerance is rife even amongst school children.”

While calling on Muslims in the country to see the period of Ramadan as abstinence from sins and all acts inimical to peace and development in the country, Oba Adeyemi counseled all religious communities to educate their leaders or preachers on the need for religious harmony and the toleration of other faiths.

“While also educating their leaders on the need to keep their sermons within the realm of moderation and modesty, there is also need to strengthen inter-faith dialogue at the national, state and local levels in order to prevent future manifestations of religious violence,” Alaafin asserted.

RAMADAN MESSAGE

Keep your sermons within realm of moderation, modesty, ALAAFIN admonishes religious leaders 

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba [Dr.] Lamidi Olaywola Adeyemi III, has advocated the need to reform the current curriculum on religious studies in schools.

The current curriculum, he said, hitherto privileged the exclusive teaching of dogmatic Christian and Islamic doctrines to a new praxis that would build in comparative religious studies, and expose students and pupils to basic principles of Christianity, Islam and traditional religion necessary for religious harmony and moral instructions. 

Alaafin, in the Ramadan message pointed out that all religious communities must understand that there is no alternative to inter-faith dialogue, as there can never be a universal religion or an exclusive society for adherents of a particular religion.

Admonishing Nigerians not to perceive religious diversity as a barrier to human relations and development, but rather a tool or resource for national development, the royal father noted that religious faithfuls in the country should, therefore, realize the fact that religious tolerance and harmony are both legally sanctioned and socially inevitable, as the world can never be composed of one religion or culture. 

Accordingly, he stated that, whereas every religious group has the right to uninhibited religious practice, this must be done with commensurate or reciprocal respect for the rights of other faithfuls to practise their own religious traditions; provided that such does not constitute any derogation to the right of others to observe their own rituals.

‘’This desirable scenario of religious harmony can be achieved in Nigeria only through the establishment and sustenance of a neo-religious educational praxis that would generate a culture and orientation of multi-religiosity in our children and youth, as well as a commensurate programme of re-orientation of the adult population. Hitherto, the dominant model of religious education in Nigeria has been faith-oriented and overwhelmed by religious indoctrination and dogma.”

 

The monarch went further, “religious education is used to get people to embrace Christianity or Islam, rather than as a process or formation for religious tolerance and dialogue. Consequently, most children and youths are educated within this framework and are thus inclined to adopting a blind faith. This religious pedagogic gives little room for inter-faith understanding and harmony; hence religious intolerance is rife even amongst school children.”

While calling on Muslims in the country to see the period of Ramadan as abstinence from sins and all acts inimical to peace and development in the country, Oba Adeyemi counseled all religious communities to educate their leaders or preachers on the need for religious harmony and the toleration of other faiths.

“While also educating their leaders on the need to keep their sermons within the realm of moderation and modesty, there is also need to strengthen inter-faith dialogue at the national, state and local levels in order to prevent future manifestations of religious violence,” Alaafin asserted.

THE DEATH OF ANY LANGUAGE IS THE DEATH OF AN INVALUABLE CULTURAL HERITAGE…. ALAAFIN

WORLD CULTURE DAY

THE DEATH OF ANY LANGUAGE IS THE DEATH OF AN INVALUABLE CULTURAL HERITAGE…. ALAAFIN

"We need to vigorously promote the study of our history, language and culture. The tendency for educated Yoruba indigenes not being able to speak their native languages should be urgently addressed. If we cannot speak our languages, which embody our philosophies, wisdoms and proverbs, we have lost an essential contribution of our nation to the collective pool of human civilization’’

The population of Nigeria is put at about 180 million. It is, consequently, the most populous country in Africa, close to twenty percent of Sub-Saharan Africa, and is the sub-continent’s second largest economy. In the same vein, Nigeria is one of the most culturally diverse nation in the world. It is thus, a multi-cultural nation. There are about 500 ethnic groups in Nigeria with very diverse socio-cultural system deeply rooted in ethnic segmentation. The cultural variability in the country is represented through ethnic categorization which collectively forms ethnic plurality, culture multiplicity and ethno-linguistic groupings. However, in commemoration of the World Culture Day, the Oyo State Government, through the Ministry of Information and Culture conducted an interview for His Imperial Majesty, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba [Dr.] Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III. The crew that conducted the interview in the ancient palace was led by the State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mr. Toye Arulogun.

Oba Adeyemi observed that the time to begin to appreciate and re-appreciate the cultural importance to Yoruba and national growth is critically now, as experiences suggest that the pathways to development are strategically hidden in the cultures and cultural-political determinations. 

He said it is a truth today that Yoruba cultures are under threat, adding that these cultures are in fact been pushed beyond their limits of tolerance in manners that suggest danger, adding that some cultures are in fact already surviving at the merging.

‘’The basic culture and civilization which the Yoruba have built still endured and remained fulcrum of political, economic, religious and intellectual development of the country till today. The Yorubas developed a highly sophisticated system of government with effective checks and balances, which was spiced with a high level of gender consciousness, adding that the Yoruba traditional system of government is indeed one of the oldest forms of democracy in the world’.

Alaafin who lamented that the elites’ attitudes towards the use of Yorùbá language, said English is regarded as a symbol of our social structure. “The age-long prohibition of ‘vernacular’ is still firmly operational in a large percentage of Yorùbá elite homes. Their children must learn and always speak English. Apparently, Yorùbá language still exists in Nigeria today because of high-level of illiteracy. If we have a low percentage of literacy, the language will be gone. Parents want their children to speak and learn English.

While the language gives us the ability to think differently and retain the mentality, total abandonment of the Yorùbá language brings total dislocation and loss of identity. Some basic aspects of the Yorùbá culture, especially different forms of greetings, are now completely foreign to many élite families.”

The paramount ruler explained that some élites find all greetings forms in Yoruba language unnecessary and time wasting, but adopt a simple greeting pattern such as Hi or Hello, which to them is preferable. 

“The children too imbibe their parents’ attitude, their personalities and then become not only divided, but also totally shattered. They become localised foreigners. The negative negligence and negligible use of Yorùbá by the élites, has spilling over effects on Yorùbá as a discipline.”

 

According to the Alaafin, ‘’Yoruba culture is not static. At the same time, every generation tries to preserve aspects of the indigenous tradition. This effort is counterbalanced by the pragmatic desire of the Yoruba to appropriate change in the garb of tradition.”

Alaafin further called for inculcation in the children at all levels of education, and awareness of his or her history, folklores, believes, and thought-system, so as to enable him or her gain knowledge of the physical, as well as the spiritual properties of the society in which he or she lives.

He also warned that if oral history and verbal art of Yoruba culture are not to be lost in time, the languages in which they are expressed must be jealously safeguarded.

Explaining areas of activities that should form the focus of implementation of the National Cultural Policy, especially in education, the Titan of Yoruba Empire urged both the Federal and State Governments to ensure at all levels of education, a curriculum featuring aspects of education which will enhance the common heritage of Nigerians as brothers and fellow citizens with a common destiny.

According to him, "the traditional attitude to oral tradition was one of respect and cultural pride, but with the advent of western education, traditional religion came to be associated with paganism. Added to this is the fact that western education and the colonial style of administration were both based on a written tradition. As a result, an unlettered person gifted for his or her oratory and steeped in traditional culture, came to be seen merely as a simple illiterate and an idol worshipper".

Alaafin pointed out that Yoruba forefathers paid special attention to names of their offsprings, adding that this is one of the reasons why young couples in the past send messages to their villages asking their parents to send names when their wives give birth to babies.

“Today, they use foreign language, English, has always been an important aspect of official language in Nigeria. Though there is high rate of illiteracy in the rural population, the use of our local languages has its limitations. Many elite families would like their children to learn English language better than their local language. Nigerians use and read books written in foreign language faster and more fluently than those written in local languages. In Nigeria, cultural globalization has impacted on the number of Movies produced by Nigeria Nollywood. Movies produced in English are much more than those performed and produced in Igbo and other Nigerian languages’’.

"With this development, the name of every Nigerian child has a historical meaning. But unfortunately all that has vanished thereby eroding and debasing our culture as well as being held in ridicule".

He warned that an essential aspect of Yoruba culture is the preservation of its verbal art and oral traditions, which implies preserving the vitality of our languages, in which they are enshrined.

‘’It is a known fact that several languages of the world are endangered and threatened with extinction. The death of any language is the death of an invaluable cultural heritage".

Advocating that books and teaching aids used in our educational system and products of society with most of their messages drawn from the Nigerian experiences, the Custodian of Yoruba culture and traditions submitted that mother tongue should be the basis of cultural education, while the development of Nigerian languages should be vehicles of expressing modern ideas and thought-processes.

"We need to vigorously promote the study of our history, languages and cultures. The tendency for educated Yoruba indigenes not being able to speak their native languages should be urgently addressed. If we cannot speak our languages, which embody our philosophies, wisdom and proverbs, we lost an essential contribution of our nation to the collective pool of human civilization.

Alaafin however noted that whatever human intellectual pursuit we have, it must have a past which forms with the departure point for present and future endeavours, adding that is why all knowledge is historical.

"So, to develop the human person, we must have a reference point and time perspective, and history provides the milestone against which we can measure how much distance we have covered".

‘

EMBRACE YOUR CULTURE

ALAAFIN calls for radical revival of indigenous languages, strong metaphorical uses of proverbs, idioms incantations, panegyrics

‘’It is a truism that an average Yoruba man or woman throws his or her weight into the enforcement of traditional codes expressed and encoded in proverbial wisdom, and anybody that flout the social norm faces the social correction and sanction’’.

EMBRACE YOUR CULTURE

ALAAFIN calls for radical revival of indigenous languages, strong metaphorical uses of proverbs, idioms incantations, panegyrics

‘’It is a truism that an average Yoruba man or woman throws his or her weight into the enforcement of traditional codes expressed and encoded in proverbial wisdom, and anybody that flout the social norm faces the social correction and sanction’’.

Seventy Black Americans trace roots to Oyo

ALAAFIN charges world leaders to preserve Oyo Yoruba traditions as international heritage of exceptional values

Yoruba history was re-written when about seventy Black Americans traced their ancestral lineage to the ancient town of Oyo. At a civic reception organized for the visitors, His Imperial Majesty the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba (Dr.) Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, has urged the Federal, State Governments, as well as well-meaning individuals to, as a matter of utmost concern, embark on re-integrating Yorubas across the globe back to their ancestral roots, in order to save their souls from continued trauma.

He also stressed urgent need for world leaders to conserve Oyo Yoruba traditions as international heritage of exceptional value. According to him, “concerted efforts must be intensified at increasing inspiration to become national or to recognise nationhood. So with that, we see the Yoruba in the diaspora, as it is popularly called, to be the Yoruba that will greatly guided and influence the Yoruba in the ancient homeland, who for the most part are tending to move away from a sense of preservation of their own culture and tradition, particularly religion’’.

Said he, “as a people, our culture, politics and religious experience have been extremely unfulfilled. The Yorubas are now falling in the same condition through which the African Americans had allowed themselves to be seduced by preachers of a foreign gospel. We know that the Universalist inspiration which has come to the Yorubas through Christianity and Islam has reduced their concern or allegiance to their own god and by extension to their own nationality. The Yoruba will be very much reduced in their political, cultural and spiritual development by these seduction into these alien religions.

He pointed out that today, the Alaafin is duty bound to stand for and in defense of every Yoruba soul either on the continent of Africa or in the Diaspora in a globalized world. 

People, the monarch, noted, carry in their veins the rich, strong, virile Yoruba blood that has refused to be polluted or diluted by many years of contact with the outside world, adding that they are not only devoted, courageous but devotional in preserving the sacred intellectual property and the foundation of the Yoruba knowledge system, despite the orchestrated condemnation of its relevance.

‘’Oyo Empire was in possession of all the land. Oyo was very fast in expansion and became one of the earliest states with a central authority system. This makes Oyo, probably the greatest of the forest states in West Africa. At the highest of its existence, having fully developed a sophisticated internal system of government, Oyo dominated all other Yoruba kingdoms namely; Ife, Ekiti, Ijesa, Egba, Ijebu, Ondo,Sabe and Owu. It stretched into Dahomey, Togo and parts of the Ashanti in Ghana.

‘’This achievement marked a new phase in the history of the Yoruba; for it witnessed the effective transfer of power from Ile-Ife to Oyo which became the Centre of a new powerful empire with far flung cultural, political and linguistic influences.. Oyo soon became the seat of government of the Yoruba people. Interestingly, the new identity of Oyo was diffused to all parts of Yoruba land with overwhelming adoption’’.

Lamenting on how scores and scores of Africans, particularly the Yorubas are being encouraged to disrespect, dishonour and abandon anything African by the Western world, Oba Adeyemi said African religious beliefs are demonized and discarded to the extent that some misguided Africans now abandon their family names in preference to names without bearing to their backgrounds. 

“This danger is imminent and it is already destroying the African personality and confidence.” Oba Adeyemi took a swipe of European colonisation and their hegemony, saying that the colonization of Africa was indeed a cultural project, while the hegemonic cultures of Europe actually set out to destroy other cultures and super-impose their own cultures and values on the people, in order to perpetuate the relationship of inequality and inequity.

“In spite of the assaults, African culture has demonstrated its resilience and beyond that relevance in a troubled and confused world. Yoruba culture is today spreading and attracting many studies. It has been said that Yoruba is the best studied African civilization and has attracted the attention of the largest number of scholars, leading to the production of impressive number of publications. He observed that it is time Yoruba at home and in Diaspora start partnering for synergy. 

“Without doubt, we can find strength in unity. This has become imperative so that whenever our brothers and sisters in Diaspora come home, they won't be complainers about how things are not working, but rather, they would see themselves as partners and partakers in the overall development for a better future of their home land.

Partnership is a voluntary collaborative agreement between two or more parties in which all participants agree to work together to achieve a common purpose. Partnerships, he explained, share interest, concerns and create visions for the future’’. 

In his address, the co-ordinator of the visit described as ‘ancestral homage,’ honourable Segun Olaleye, said the Yorubas from the United States under the aegis of THE NIGERIA BLACKOUT is a yearly trip where hundreds of Black Americans travel to Nigeria to experience the Economic and Cultural Powerhouse of West Africa.

“The Nigeria Blackout Mission is to encourage Black Americans to trace their roots, and to regularly visit and embrace the culture of West Africa’’.  According to him, ’’African Americans attempting to find their own roots will be better served by adopting the Yoruba tradition which for over 30 years, we have been able to introduce into U.S. A. We see the African Americans have a profound desire to re-identify with their ancestors and with an ancestral tradition. We know that among vast numbers of African American intellectuals, there is a lack of fulfillment in their development and advancement in the Yoruba-American economic world. They found also that Christianity is unfulfilling and that Islam is misleading. So in consequence, African Americans are better served by a knowledge of the custom and tradition of their Yoruba ancestry.”

The convener of the programme and Founder of Arewa House of Culture, Princess Folasade Adeyemi, who described the visit of the Black Americans as ‘’ historic and identification with their roots’’, charged Younger Yoruba generation ‘’to advance to the extent that they increase the knowledge or institution among African Americans, who will serve the need for knowledge improvement through television and resurrection and introduction of stories and background images that established a sense of celebration of their African ancestry.”

However, glamour was added to the colourful event with Oba Adeyemi’s unique dance steps, as the visitors were elated and could not hold back their excitements. The event which coincided with the Children’s Day has in attendance members of the Oyo Traditional Council [Oyo Mesi], Baales [village heads], and selected secondary schools’ pupils. Highlight of the event were cultural dances and display of Yoruba metaphysical powers.

Photograph with the Alaafin of Oyo