The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has urged Yoruba people in the diaspora to reconnect with their traditional religion and cultural heritage for spiritual strengthening and personal fulfilment.
The monarch made the call during the grand finale of this year’s World Sango Festival held at the ancient Oyo Palace in Oyo City.
In a statement by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin said the festival provided an opportunity for Yoruba people to reflect on their history and preserve their cultural identity in an increasingly globalised world.
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He said the rapid advancement of technology and growing global interaction had made it necessary for the Yoruba to remain connected to their cultural roots.
Explaining the significance of the festival, Oba Owoade said Sango was chosen because of his valour, purpose-driven leadership and diplomatic skills.
“Sango was preferred because he was a man of valour, purpose-driven and master of diplomacy. He became King when Oyo was at its formative stage and surrounded by mighty and warlike states such as Nupe, Ibariba and Owu.
“His charismatic leadership redefined the character and pattern of inter-group relations and diplomacy and made Oyo the centrepiece of his foreign relations. His short reign consolidated the position of Oyo as the foremost Guinea Savannah State and also secured the independence and sovereignty of the nascent kingdom.
“Sango paid the supreme sacrifice and left Oyo more grandiose, more stable, better administered and more secured than he met the nascent kingdom. He is today remembered as one of the rare African leaders who became an instant success in empire building.”
The Alaafin said African societies should place greater value on their history and cultural heritage, noting that other societies continued to celebrate their historical figures and traditions.
He expressed concern that the influence of Christianity and Islam, alongside colonial-era attitudes, had contributed to negative perceptions of some African traditional practices.
“While great countries celebrate their glorious past, Africans do not give much reverence to theirs due to super-imposition of the two main religions of Islam and Christianity,” he said.
The monarch added that colonial influence had also contributed to the perception of African cultural practices as fetish, urging Yoruba people to reassess their heritage and preserve traditions that define their identity.
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