Alaafin decries neglect of traditional festival

Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi                                                                                                                                                    The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, has expressed worry over what he described as the growing neglect of traditional festivals of the Yoruba by traditional rulers.

He noted that rather than make conscious efforts to nurture and promote such annual traditional festivals, many traditional rulers in Yorubaland were apathetic towards such festivals on the excuse of being Christians or Muslims.

Adeyemi said this during the celebration of the 18th Otan Ayegbaju Day in Otan Ayegbaju, Osun State.

He said, “I have noticed that it is now becoming a norm in towns across Yorubaland for Obas to excuse themselves from the observance of yearly traditional festivals such as Irele, Egungun, Sango, Osun and so on, primarily on account of the traditional rulers being either Christians or Muslims. This is against our role as custodians of the Yoruba culture and tradition.”

He called on all Yoruba traditional rulers to be alive to their role as the custodian of the rich cultural heritage of their people by actively participating, promoting, nurturing and sustaining the annual traditional festivals handed to them by their forebears.

He, however, called on Yoruba people to pay attention to the welfare of traditional rulers, who he said, had left everything to serve them.

Oba Adeyemi added, “As traditional rulers, you have appointed us to serve you for life. In this office, we are expected to serve our people round the clock without any distraction. Even at times when I travelled abroad, hardly would I stay a week before calls will be coming in that my attention is needed by the Oyo people. So, indigenes of towns across Yorubaland must ensure that their Obas are well catered for in terms of provision of their basic needs, healthcare and overall wellbeing.”

On his own part, the Owa of Otan Ayegbaju, Oba Lukman Fadipe, sued for love and unity among his subjects, without which he said there could neither be progress nor development in the community.

He also sought their support towards the timely completion of the palace and the civic centre, which were under construction.

Also speaking, the President, Otan Ayegbaju Progressive Union, Ademola Olayemi, stressed the need for the sons and daughters of the town to support and contribute their quota to the palace project.

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