By Anote Ajeluorou
The Ooni of the ancient city of Ile-Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade
and his illustrious Ile-Ife subjects are preparing to celebrate the historic
exploits of their fourth monarch, Oranmiyan, whose warlike and expansionist
exploits saw the Yoruba race spreading its influence far and wide. Ile-Ife is
the spiritual and founding home of the Yoruba race.
Festival consultants, Flabsy Travel and Tours Ltd, stated at
the Ooni’s palace last week that
besides fostering unity among Yorubas worldwide in promoting the noble virtues
of the revered Oranmiyan, the festival would also promote Yoruba traditional
drumming through a contest.
The festival, which
will hold from September 26 – 28, 2013 will be supported by Nigerian Bottling
Company, makers of Coca Cola Coke; Grand Oak Ltd, makers of Seamans Schnapps,
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Vita Foam and WABP Publishers.
Through Oranmiyan
Festival, Lawrence Omidiora and Abiodun Olabampe of Flabsy Travels and Tours
Ltd are hoping to market the historical artifacts associated with the legendary
Oranmiyan and Ile-Ife. Such artifacts include Oranmiyan Staff located in his
grave site, his sword and calabash of divination, which must confer legitimacy
on any would-be Alaafin of Oyo
before he takes office, and his shield located at Alasa compound at Iremo, Ife.
According to Obalufe of Ile-Ife, Oba S.F. Omisakin, Oranmiyan was the only Ooni, who crowned two of his sons, Eweka and Ajaka in two
kingdoms –Benin and Oyo and was later crowned the fourth Ooni of Ife.
Festival Consultants
stated, “Ife is a great legacy; it’s a sacred name, and all of us must preserve
and protect its history. Ife, what a name! What a glorious heritage! May we all
be worthy of her illustrious history and her great tradition. Peace within her
gates and prosperity within her palaces.
“Flabsy Travel and
Tours is a tourism promotional company. We are concerned about people, their
comfort, movements and the places they visit for relaxation, education,
enlightenment and so on. We market historical sites like the Oranmiyan Staff,
which history has brought us together to celebrate today.
“We have come as an
organisation to inform you that our Kabiyesi, the Alayeluwa, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II, Ooni of Ile - Ife, the
source, has mandated us to promote and let the world know that a legend,
Oranmiyan deserves to be celebrated because he expanded the Yoruba dynasties
from Oyo to Benin and so on.
“The mission of Oba
Sijuwade is to foster unity among the Yoruba dynasties. According to him, our
histories are supposed to be unifying factors and should not divide Yoruba
people. Hence the Oranmyan Festival should be a bond for all and project our
cultural diversity as derivable from a source and for a purpose ordained by Olodumare. Therefore, Yoruba dynasties and the people are one
and should be seen as one totally committed to the sustenance of our cultural
values.
“Oba Sijuwade’s
vision is to see a united Yoruba nation through her history”.
They paid tribute to
the chiefs in attendance and the government of Osun State, and sued for their
support for a successful festival, noting, “Our royal fathers, we are here
because you are there. The festival is your festival. You are the owners
of this land. We are to support you and make you happy that our heritage for
which you are the custodians is sustained and celebrated.
“We are short of
words to describe the heart warming disposition of the government of Ogbeni
Rauf Aregbesola when we raised the idea of celebrating Oranmiyan Festival as a
traditional festival in Ife. We are encouraged in a government that is bestowed
with wisdom to develop the culture of its people”.
Chairman of the
event, Chief Bashir Awotorebo, commended Flabsy for the festival initiative and
said Oranmiyan isn’t a religious deity or a political affair, but a cultural
hero. He added that Ile-Ife is the cultural capital of all Yoruba and that
Oranmiyan the legend of Ile-Ife culture, a man who was always in the forefront
of war, saying, “Flabsy is in the right perspective that Oranmiyan should be
celebrated. There should be Ife Cultural Week to really bring to the fore the
rich culture of Ife”.
Among the highlights
of the festival will be a drumming competition, with King Sunny Ade and Jimi
Solanke as jury members. All intending competitors are to pick up forms for
free at the Ooni’s palace. The
three-day festival would also have a showcase of cultural artefacts and objects
of Yoruba origin. It will see the Ooni visiting Oranmiyan Staff and other historical sites, with the keepers
of Oranmiyan war paraphernalia also paying homage to the Ooni in his palace.
Guests at the palace
got firsthand treatment of the coming contest, with the Alagbon body drummers and dancers and Osirigi gong drummers also serenading the royal palace with
their foot-stamping and sonorous beats.
Chiefs present at the
briefing were Oba Akiyele, Chief Owoyomi, Chief Akindoyin, Prof. Adewusi, Hon.
Lekan Omidiora, Mr. Funmilola Olorunsola among others.
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