Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, weekend, commended members of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, for the active role in securing the South-West zone.
Speaking during the 2022 edition of the Oodua Festival in Osun State, the Ooni said that the security challenges in the region could have worsened, if not for the intervention of the OPC.
The monarch also stated that the OPC, under the leadership of Aare Gani Adams, has made a remarkable impact in complementing the efforts of the Nigerian Police and other security outfits in reducing the security challenges across the southwest.
While explaining the importance of celebrating the Oodua festival in Ile Ife, he appreciated the efforts of the Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land in promoting Yoruba culture and tradition.
He stressed the need to turn the annual Oodua festival into a big festival in Ile Ife, insisting that the palace would support the Olokun Festival Foundation, OFF, in making subsequent editions of the festival one of the major festivals in Ile Ife.
He said: “I want to appreciate the leaders of the OPC and the Aare Onakakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams for this lofty initiative. I am impressed by his commitment to cultural promotion across Yoruba land, and I think it is better for us as custodians of Yoruba culture and tradition to support him in his efforts to sustain the Yoruba culture and traditions.”
In his address, Adams urged all traditional rulers in Yoruba land to start celebrating the Oodua festival in their respective towns and communities, maintaining that the festival remains the only festival that reflects the identity of the Yoruba race.
He said: “This is the truth because Oduduwa is our progenitor. He represented the symbol of leadership to the Yoruba traditional institution. Oduduwa was the king of all Obas and the deities.
“As the progenitor of our race, it was Oduduwa that built the structure of the traditional stool and its hierarchies.”
