By Shina Abubakar
As the Olojo festival climax on Saturday in Ile-Ife, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi emerged from seclusion to host personalities at his Ile-Oodua Palace.
The monarch emerged from Seven days seclusion which was dedicated to commune with the Olodumare to cleanse the land of the ravaging coronavirus pandemic.
The event was attended by monarchs from Ekiti, Osun, Oyo and the Republic of Benin has government functionaries in attendance too, including Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and the APC state Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun.
ALSO READ: Ondo 2020: Akeredolu is the candidate of Akure Kingdom – Alasoadura
Colour was added to the festival with the parade of different Yoruba deities by Students of the Institute of Cultural Studies of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and the paying obeisance to the Ooni by the various Ife Monarch, Cults and Chiefs.
Oyetola while addressing the gathering, lamented lack of foresight by African leaders, especially Nigeria, for not promoting the numerous cultural heritage in the country.
He said his visit to some the Latin Americas showed that if properly harnessed, the different festivals in Nigeria could be a source of income for the country and Osun in particular.
The Governor then disclosed that his administration, in a bid to promote Yoruba heritage, has concluded plans to establish a world-class edifice the Yoruba museum and heritage.
ALSO READ: GERD: “No intention to harm” Egypt and Sudan ― Ethiopian PM Ahmed
“As a Government, we believe that the contributions of culture and tourism infrastructure to the economic development of the State and as a foreign exchange earner are huge and must be maximally harnessed.
“To further show our commitment to the preservation and promotion of our roots, Ile-Ife, the State Government has decided to establish a unique and World-Class edifice – the Yoruba Museums And Heritage Centre – to showcase our unique culture, tradition, heritage and experiences to the globe and create a huge market for the State.
“We are happy to have an Ooni who shares our dream that Olojo Festival should be of tourist and commercial values and not a mere avenue for celebrations and merrymaking”, Oyetola said.
Meanwhile, as the celebration was going on some youths in the crowd were advocating support for Oduduwa nation, displaying a flag to drive home their demands.
