Oba Ìsèse Of Ogun state and Chairman Ìsèse Kingdom Of Truth Association Of Nigeria," Oba Ifarotimi Adifagbola Balogun
Our Culture, Tradition Must Not Go Into Extinction – Ogun Traditionalist
Oba Ìsèse Of Ogun state and Chairman, “Ìsèse Kingdom Of Truth Association Of Nigeria,” Oba Ifarotimi Adifagbola Balogun, has called on traditional rulers and other relevant stakeholders not to allow culture and traditions to go into extinction.
Oba Adifagbola Balogun gave the advice in Abeokuta the state capital, to commemorate the “Orun Akogun Owu festival” in celebration “Egungun Otonporo” slated for every three years intermittently.
Chairman, Ìsèse Kingdom Of Truth Association, said the festival is an ancient festival aimed at celebrating the remembrance of “Chief Olufakun Olafimihan,” the first Balogun Owu of Owu kingdom (1780 to 1853), which usually celebrated every three years.
Adifagbola Balogun said that relevant stakeholders in Yorùbá land should rise up to rescue the culture and traditions as well as the language of the race from going into extinction, saying that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has contributed immensely to the growth and development of Owu kingdom, as the son of the soil.
“It is sad that gradually our culture is being submerged by modernity/civilisation and this portends a great danger for the future of the culture and traditions of Yorùbá and Owu in general.
“Unless everyone rises up to rescue this avoidable cultural eclipse, the future of our culture and traditions will be in jeopardy”, he said.
Adifagbola Balogun, who is the Oba Ìsèse of the State, congratulated the Former President Obasanjo, sons and daughters of Owu kingdom across the world on the celebration of the “Odun Akogun Owu festival.”
He noted that the constant celebration of the festival would not make the coming generations to lose touch with the history of the race, thereby rekindling cultural renaissance.
“I want to sincerely congratulate our highly revered traditional ruler of Owu, Oba (Prof.), Saka Adelola Matemilola, and the good people of the ancient town home and abroad on the celebration of “Odun Akogun Owu Festival.” Oba Adifagbola Balogun said
In his remarks, one of the son of Olufakun Olafimihan, Mr. Kazeem Rahman, the son of Are Onilu of Ogun state, said that unless they sustain the tempo of celebrating the culture in Owu land in the challenging face of modernity/civilization, coming generations would lose touch with the history.
He said, “Indeed, we are blessed with relics, artefacts and other cultural events worth celebrating, so we need to sustain the tempo as not to let’s go into extinction.”