The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has called on Yoruba people in the diaspora to reconnect with their traditional religion and cultural heritage as a means of achieving spiritual renewal 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 issued by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin described the festival as an important platform for Yoruba people to reconnect with their roots, reflect on their history and preserve their cultural identity amid the growing influence of globalisation.
He urged Yoruba descendants living outside Nigeria to embrace and promote their rich cultural heritage, stressing the importance of preserving traditions for future generations.
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.