By: ADMIN
The Alafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III has charged prospective successors of Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state to ensure that the Africa Drum festival does not go into extinction after the expiration of Amosun’s administration.
The Alafin of Oyo who graced the third edition of
the Africa Drum festival in Abeokuta alongside other royal fathers accused
politicians for lackadaisical attitude towards culture.
He said “This is our problem in Nigeria. We hardly
continue good projects like this; the governor will go in 2019, what will
happen to this festival?
“My plea to all politicians aspiring to be governor
is not to allow the good works of Amosun die. He started this festival in 2016
and it must continue to get better.”
Alafin hailed the governor for his commitment
towards the festival while also giving credits to him for “good leadership
skills”.
He described the governor with five qualities which
are “good leader; source of inspiration; great mentor; a role model and a man
of the people”
He said, “The person who has made us come here is no
one but our son, Ibikunle Amosun. What has brought me here? What compelled Ooni
to leave his Palace and come to this gathering? It is because it is worthwhile.
“People know that we love merriment in Yoruba land;
I thank God for gifting us Ogun state to help promote our culture; next year we
shall all be here for another edition of this festival.
“Those in Bauchi or Zamfara where there are killings
going on, can not do something like this. We are celebrating because we,
Yorubas are peaceful people.”
Alafin also hailed the people of Abeokuta for being
pace-setters, saying the Egba land was where he grew up.
“Egba is first in all; they started newspaper
publication in Nigeria with Iwe Iroyin awon omo Egba.
“I am also your son in Egba land; they fed me in
Egba land, I ate their lafun (a local diet), I drank their water. I lived with
Adetokunbo Ademola’s father; in fact I had been living in the Palace before the
present Alake started living in the Palace.”
He opined that Culture, if taken seriously, is a tool
to liberate Africa from neocolonialism and slavery from the Western World.
“Oyinbos do not want to leave us again; they sat and
shared Africa like a cake cut with knife. We were able to free ourselves with
culture.
If we take our culture seriously, we can librate
ourselves in Africa; we Yorubas are very intelligent people; we are definitely
the pride of Africa.” Alafin said.
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