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Eminent Yoruba leaders and scholars on Wednesday gathered in Ibadan, Oyo State to chart a new direction for the ethnic nationality, which they said had lagged behind in the last 10 years.

The occasion was the inauguration of the Board of Trustees and Governing Council of the Yoruba Academy in Ibadan.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole; Profs. Babatunde Fafunwa; Akinwumi Ishola; Bolanle Awe; Oladipo Akinkugbe; and Wale Omole were at the event.

Also on hand to share in the aspiration of the group were Justice Bolarinwa Babalakin; Chief Adebayo Faleti; Mr. Wale Oshun; Mrs. Jumoke Anifowoshe, and a former governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande.

A book that captures a graphic account of the history of the Yoruba of Nigeria and those in the Diaspora drew a large gathering of eminent personalities from the ethnic nationality to Ibadan, Oyo State on Thursday.

The occasion was the public presentation of the 498-page book: “A history of the Yoruba people,” authored by a renowned historian and Second Republic senator, Prof. Adebanji Akintoye.

Incidentally, the United States-based author could not make it to the occasion because of the difficulties occasioned by the volcanic ash that hit parts of Europe last week and the consequent chaos in air transportation.

Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, the   Awujale of Ijebuland clocked 50 years on the throne on April 2, 2010. The outspoken and widely respected monarch will also mark his 76th birthday next month. Both events have been rescheduled for June 16-26, 2010.

In this interview held at his palace in Ijebu Ode, the frontline traditional ruler spoke on ascension to the throne, the attempts to dethrone him in the second republic, the state of the nation and his upbringing.  Excerpts;

How did you feel when you went in search of the golden fleece abroad but had to return home to ascend the throne of your fore fathers?
In addressing traditional rulers you start by saying, “Your Royal Highness”, “Your Highness” or “Your Majesty” I usually tell people this is wrong to define English word meaning of our titles. If you look at my instrument of office, you will see Oba Alaiyeluwa Sikiru Kayode Adetona. The moment you want to find the English equivalent of it, you are missing the road, and you are causing a lot of distortion in the whole institution.  Even another person can come up tomorrow and say His Majesty. It is total rubbish! Afterall when you see the English equivalent, are the traditional rulers of the same status bearing the same title abroad.

Who among these people among these Obas  with the highest of them, can you equate with any of the Kings in terms of resources, functions?  Therefore I want to appeal to you, my colleagues are free to change their titles to anything. It is their business not mine! Anytime you refer to the office of Oba Alayeluwa Sikiru Kayode Adetona avoid calling Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness. I don’t clearly understand what this means. The same thing applies to the use of Chiefs.  There are some Chiefs, you have Chief Clerk, Chief Medical Adviser, Chief Adviser etc, and there are some people who will say they are Chiefs, they are just wasting their time, they are destroying the institution, it is not so, let us bear our name as it is. Now coming to your question, you remember at that younger age, you could not comprehend why it was so very exciting but it didn’t mean too much at that time, because you must consider my age as at that time, my values, all sorts of things, so there must be some substance in it.

The Deputy Governor Lagos State, Mrs. Sarah Sosan, has urged all private schools in the state and across the nation to teach indigenous languages and inculcate Nigerian curriculum in the school curriculum.

She said this at the official opening of the maiden edition of Nigerian International....

Some people have argued that children who are exposed to their mother tongue at home find English language difficult to understand. What is your take on that?

I don‘t think there is any scientific basis for that, after the experiment at the University of Ife, which showed that pupils who were taught all subjects in Yoruba, except English, did better than those who were taught all subjects in English. There was a control group of children who were taught every subject in English and there was this experimental class who were taught everything in Yoruba, except English, but their English were taught by an expert in the language. Both groups were followed through their six years in the primary level and it was discovered that the experimental group who were taught all their subjects in Yoruba did better in entering secondary school. They were followed through the university and they did better.

The simple thing is once you speak your language, you are on the way to speaking another one, because you discover things in the new language which are already present in the one that you speak. The more languages you speak, the easier it becomes for you to speak more languages. There is no basis to say that people who are spoken to in Yoruba first will find learning English difficult. If parents are bilingual, there is no reason why they should not bring up their children as bilingual. There are instances where an English man is married to a German and their children became good in both English and German. What is not satisfactory is if both parents are bilingual and they don‘t speak the mother tongue to the child. They are depriving the child of something very useful.

Why have we not been having such experiments?

Governors in the South-West, frontline traditional rulers and other eminent Nigerians on Tuesday eulogised the works of the late pioneer coordinator of the National Troupe, Dr. Hubert Ogunde, who died 20 years ago.

At the inauguration of the complete musical works of the late theatre impresario, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, the personalities said that the messages of the late Ogunde still held much meaning to the society, especially the Yoruba race, 20 years after his demise.

In attendance at the ceremony were Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel; his Ekiti State counterpart, Mr. Segun Oni; Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, while other state governors in the South-West sent their representatives.

Oba Kamoru Sansi, the Obelu of Esure, Ijebu Mushin in Ogun State, foremost veterinary doctor, and a former Director of the Nigeria Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research in Kaduna, ascended the throne 25 years ago. ADEOLA BALOGUN got him to talk about his life.

How does it feel like to be on the throne for 25 years?

I thank God for lasting so long on the throne. Initially when I was asked to become the Oba, I had refused. Even all of my friends were opposed to the idea. They thought that with all my education and exposure, I would not be able to cope. But, somehow, I gave in to the request. I saw it as a call to service and I never like to shun such calls. Well, I went through the elementary school here and I knew my people in and out. When I was in Kings College, I used to come home every holiday, except when I visited other parts of the country. The longest time I was away from home was when I was a student in Britain. In those days, it was not always easy coming home regularly. But when I returned and I was working in Ibadan, I used to come home for the festivals. so I had been in touch with them. They knew me, I knew them. And immediately I retired I became a member of Esure Community Development Association. That was in 1980. Then I was in Ibadan and I was coming home every Saturday. So far, people have been nice to me and I have not had any problem with my people.

India's southern state of Kerala may have hosted the largest gathering of women ever seen on the planet.

Clad in traditional Kerala saris and bearing offerings of food, more than two million women - perhaps more - thronged the state capital Trivandrum on Sunday.

The women braved searing heat to offer a special meal at the Attukal temple to Hindu goddess Bhagavathy - one incarnation of the potent goddesses Kali and Saraswati.

Women howled shrilly, as is the custom at the culmination of this 10-day annual event, and they joined the chief priest in offering their earthenware pots overflowing with rice and jaggery - an unrefined sugar - to the presiding goddess.

They were seeking her blessing for the health and prosperity of their families - and the special meal, known as the pongala, was later distributed among family and friends back at home.

Aerial count

Atlanta’96 Olympics silver medallist, Falilat Ogunkoya, had several reasons not to be an athlete. There were doubts over her survival when she was born and even after she weathered the early life challenges. In this interview with our correspondent Femi Atoyebi, the former African champion spoke about her life on and off the tracks.

When did you make a break in track and field?

There was no particular time that can be referred to as the period I made a break in my career. I was born into a polygamous family and started running from the primary school with my siblings. I represented Remo Secondary School, Ogun state in track and field events and won many medals in competitions. I represented Ogun State and won medals.

When I was at the Teacher’s Training College there were so many inter-collegiate competitions and because I won most of the races I participated in I represented Ogun State at the National Sports Festival in Ilorin, 1985, where I won four gold medals. From there, I did not look back aiming for the top.

What were the hurdles you crossed before coming this far?

Cooking is something we all take for granted but a new theory suggests that if we had not learned to cook food, not only would we still look like chimps but, like them, we would also be compelled to spend most of the day chewing.

Without cooking, an average person would have to eat around five kilos of raw food to get enough calories to survive.

The daily mountain of fruit and vegetables would mean a six-hour chewing marathon.

It is already accepted that the introduction of meat into our ancestors' diet caused their brains to grow and their intelligence to increase.

Meat - a more concentrated form of energy - not only meant bigger brains for our ancestors, but also an end to the need to devote nearly all their time to foraging to maintain energy levels.

As a consequence, more time was available for social structure to develop.

Lovers of Nigerian films will be familiar with this trend: a man or a woman who wants to harm his/her neighbour goes to Ifa priest for help. He/she is given a charm and the evil intention most likely succeeds. The victim suffers for a while and then a Christian pastor or Islamic cleric is invited to pray for him/her.

The victim is delivered and everybody goes home rejoicing. For good effect, the ‘Babalawo‘ who carries out the evil is sent some spiritual missiles when prayers or a Bible/Quran is hauled in his direction. He slumps, dies and the power of light which Christianity/Islam represents is seen as having triumphed over darkness and evil which the African traditional religion is seen as representing.

It doesn‘t happen the other way round - a Babalawo untying the knot that Christianity/Islam has tied.

A renowned author and poet, Prof. Akinwunmi Isola, has described cultural development as a major factor in national development.

Isola made the submission in a lecture he delivered at the third Adegoke Adelabu Memorial Lecture Series organised by the Engr. Lere Adigun-led Ibadan Foundation at the Ibadan Civic Centre, Agodi, on Thursday.

The lecture titled, “Adelabu Okunrin Meta,” was delivered in Yoruba language for the first time since the inception of the series three years ago.

Isola told the participants at the gathering, which had the Chairman, PUNCH Nigeria Limited, Chief Ajibola Ogunshola, as the chairman, that any nation not grounded on non-perishable cultural values could not move forward.

He regretted that many people, out of ignorance, placed unnecessary value on material things and judged national development by the volume of materials such as houses, good roads and cars, among other luxuries.

Olumo Rock is no stranger to the people owing to its historical appeal to tourists. But the crowd which gathered recently at the historical site for the yearly Olumo Festival was quite unprecedented. The monument again played hosted thousands of devotees and the people from Egbaland.

All the adjoining roads around Olumo Rock complex were a beehive of activities ranging from musical jamborees to hawking of souvenirs. While many made it to the peak of the mountain through the well-paved stairway or electrically powered accelerator, others who stopped mid-way were seen chatting with acquaintances. While some Olumo devotees were seen consulting priestesses, others simply took refuge at different spots on the rock to pray.

Olumo Rock is no stranger to the people owing to its historical appeal to tourists. But the crowd which gathered recently at the historical site for the yearly Olumo Festival was quite unprecedented. The monument again played hosted thousands of devotees and the people from Egbaland.

All the adjoining roads around Olumo Rock complex were a beehive of activities ranging from musical jamborees to hawking of souvenirs. While many made it to the peak of the mountain through the well-paved stairway or electrically powered accelerator, others who stopped mid-way were seen chatting with acquaintances. While some Olumo devotees were seen consulting priestesses, others simply took refuge at different spots on the rock to pray.

The story is simple enough and can bear endless repetition. In the beginning Olodumare created the universe. Then, He decided that Orunmila should complete the work of creation. But Orunmila was a great lover of palm wine. One day, he drank one keg too many and his richly endowed creative hands became wobbly. So wobbly were his hands that instead of creating perfect human beings as directed by Olodumare, he created imperfect humans, among them, the deaf, the blind, the hunched-backed and even albinos (or depending on interpretation, ‘white folks’!). In grave disappointment, Olodumare appointed Oduduwa to complete Orunmila’s unfinished tasks. And what did Oduduwa do? He descended from heaven in chains and landed in a place called Ile-Ife, where he proceeded to create the first perfect human beings! The survivor of that progenitor of human-kind is none other than the incumbent occupier of the throne of the Source of all humankind, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II, the Ooni of Ife!

Lagos State Government has expressed its support for the campaign being made by some individuals and organisations for the use of indigenous languages not only as a medium of expression but also in transmitting knowledge in schools across the country.

Making this declaration in Lagos at the third D.O. Fagunwa Memorial Lecture, held at Afe Babalola Hall, University of Lagos, the State Governor, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, lauded D.O. Fagunwa Foundation for being one of the several groups championing the cause.

Represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters, Rev. Tunji Adebiyi, Fashola recalled that the state House of Assembly and some other prominent individuals including foremost African novelist, Professor Ngugi Wa’Thiongo, from Kenya, and Professor Babs Fafunwa, from Nigeria ,had been at the vanguard of the crusade for mandatory use of indigenous languages in schools.

Exactly 150 years today, the first newspaper in Nigeria rolled out of the press. It was called Iwe Iroyin Fun Awon Ara Egba ati Yoruba, literally meaning “Newspaper for the Egba and the Yoruba”. The name was later shortened to Iwe Irohin.

The newspaper was published and edited by an Anglican missionary named Henry Townsend who worked with Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowder, a Yoruba Anglican priest.

Notably, Iwe Iroyin was also the first indigenous-language newspaper in Africa.

Participants came from different parts of Yorubaland, far beyond to deliberate on the future of Yoruba culture. For four days, people who graced the event that took place at Mowo Kekere, a serene village located on the outskirts of Ikorodu, Lagos State brainstormed on how to preserve African culture and tradition. At the cultural programme tagged: Holy Orunmila Congress ‘09’, participants made up of traditional worshippers, Africans in the diaspora, and some Europeans bemoaned the gradual decay of African culture. As part of efforts to project the richness of African tradition, the organisers put on display, masquerades’ parade, Yoruba drama presentations, poetry recitation and dance competitions.

Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) has declared that the organisation has not deviated from the principle guiding its formation, as it is irrevocably committed to defending the integrity of the Yoruba nation.Osun State chapter of the group  maintained that the Congress remains indivisible and assured that it has remained united and tolerant of other races and religion.

In a bid to empower its youths with qualitative education, a group of concerned Yoruba elders has established the Yoruba Education Trust Fund (YETFUND). Addressing newsmen in Lagos recently, Chairman of the Steering Committee and former Governor of Central Bank Chief Ola Vincent who expressed concern over the rot in the sector said the fund is designed to meet the educational needs of the time.

He said: “Since the unexpected termination of the second Republic, our education descended to the doldrums. Scholarships stopped and Bursary assistance took its flight. As a result, in Yoruba land 2.2 million children do not have the benefit of formal education. This has come about not through their fault but through the socio-economic situation of pauperised families and the gradual extinction of the middle class.”

A foremost computer engineer and Executive Director of African Language Technology Initiatives (ALTI) Dr Tunde Adegbola, has described the use of foreign language in the learning process as inimical to national development.

Delivering the first distinguished guest lecture of the African Regional Centre for Information Science (ARCIS), University of Ibadan recently, Dr. Adegbola, who has done pioneering research work on enhancing language and communication through technology, lamented that “this unfortunate phenomenon, which manifests in the Nigerian situation, can be a serious impediment to education.”

OFFICIALS of the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) yesterday urged Africans to return to their original ways of life so that they would not lose their identity in a globalised world.

The AU representative at the summit of agencies and organisations involved in the management and promotion of African arts and culture, Mr. Benjamin Gnalega, made the appeal in Cameroun at the opening of the event.

The prince sat gorgeously among other dignitaries listening to the long Oriki of his lineage. He was the chief host at the yearly ritual, yet he was required by tradition to pay homage to the royal father who in turn offered his blessings as the custodian of people’s culture. And as the popular artiste/chanter, Sulaimon Ayilara (a.k.a Ajobiewe) reeled out the Oriki, the prince listened with nostalgia, smiling and nodding at intervals in appreciation of the rhythmic flow of the recitation.

CHIEF (Dr.) John Agboola Odeyemi, is a culture promoter, philanthropist and businessman to the core. Director, Governing Board, International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre (ISTC) for South-South under UNESCO in Malaysia and Chairman, Board of Directors, EcoBank Plc, Odeyemi got to the top through dint of hardwork, determination and unwillingness to succumb to any hindrances. The business magnate and lover of culture marked his 70th birthday anniversary recently with a difference evidenced in the construction, equipping and donation of a Museum of Antiquities and Contemporary Art to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. BANKOLE ADESHINA covered the last leg of the birthday bash.

“For us, the people of Osogboland, it is indeed a great privilege to have this overwhelming number of visitors in our midst after the last time when we all had the opportunity of coming together to celebrate this festival. And this has continued to endear itself to many people across the world.”

With these words, the Ataoja of Osogbo, HRM Oba Iyiola Oyewale, Matanmi III welcomed the huge crowd of people who witnessed the just concluded Osun Osogbo festival. By his position as the royal father of Osogboland, the host city of the yearly Osun Osogbo festival, the royal father is also the custodian of the people’s culture.

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, has explained why he appears to be at loggerheads with successive governments in Oyo State. In an exclusive interview with Daily Sun at Aafin Oyo last week, Oba Adeyemi said it was a misconception to say that he was always combat-ready with any government, especially in the state:

“The question of combat does not arise at all. Both the traditional and the executive arms of government should be complimentary of each other. When they are campaigning, they come to me here in Oyo to pledge their loyalty as my son. But no sooner they become governor, they start receiving all kinds of anti Alaafin briefs. “That the Alaafin is both bellicose and uncompromising; that if you give him the chance, he will pocket you and so on and so forth. In some cases their new counsellor guardians go as far as flattering them. That the hallmark of their success would be the extent to which they tamed A1aafin by cutting his wings. To all these, I laugh.”

IN a world where lack of kindred understanding has often resulted in chaos, Ayo Salami, in his book, Yoruba Theology and Tradition: The Man And The Society, makes an in-depth study of the ways and potentials of one among earth's actors: the Yoruba man.

The author speaks to minds that still have an ear for the wisdom of culture. This he does against that paradoxical backdrop of a world in the blaze of technological and scientific achievement; one where, often, we are puzzled as to whether we actually are progressing or retrogressing. Published by NIDD Limited (2008), the 401-page book that has come to shed more light on the belief of the Yoruba nation, has no doubt carved for itself an ambitious task. It implies a mission to correct untrue perceptions and confirm the feeble knees that desire to tread the Yoruba world path.

Many people believe you must have studied Yoruba very deeply to be so versed in it. How true is this?

Well, at the high school level, Yoruba was not part of my Cambridge certificate. I did French instead of Yoruba. At the university level, I didn‘t study Yoruba at all.

So how did you gain your mastery of the language?

We have traditions. Like the British people, when they don‘t go to higher institution, they tell you ‘my mother taught me.’ So, if any member of the Faleti family speaks Yoruba, we were taught by our father. My father and my brother taught me Yoruba because I lived a long time in the village and I shared their stories, their jokes and all the festivities. So, my Yoruba was taught me from home, not from any institution.

But some of your books in Yoruba, like Won Ro Pe Were Ni, are better written than some authored by Yoruba professors.

As the preparation for the Eyo Festival 2009 which holds this Saturday in Lagos heightens, AKEEM LASISI looks its influence on Nigerian artistes and sundry issues

The main Eyo Festival is usually an annual treat. But its ripples echo through the entertainment scene all seasons of the year. Thanks to musicians, dramatists, visual artists and writers who have regularly explored various aspects of the songs, themes and other motifs of the festival that is synonymous with Lagos.

British and Gas Nigeria (BG) and Legacy, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) last Friday signed a contract for the restoration of an historic building, Jaekel beside the railway compound in Ebuta-Meta.

Speaking with newsmen during the contract signing at BG Nigeria office in Ikoyi, the Chief Operating Officer BG Nigeria, Mr. Dave Simmonds said that its aim of signing the contract with Legacy is to help Nigeria to restore its historical legacy.

IT was a gathering of literary and linguistic titans last Wednesday at the Banquet Hall of Kankafo Inn, Ibadan, when University Press Plc hosted its Authors' Forum.

It was the first of its kind in years and the turn out was eloquent testimony of its desirability in these distressed times when reading for pleasure in Nigeria has become a luxury, which has contributed negatively in shaping the nation's cultural outlook.

The roll call was endless. From eminent writers and academics such as Professors (Emeritus) Vincent Chukwuemeka Ike, (who has since become an Eze in his community), J.P. Clark, Akinwunmi Isola, Ayo Bamgbose and Ernest N. Emenyonu to Peter Lasa, Femi Osofisan and Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, among several others, they were all there to witness what may well be a revival of a literary tradition long forgotten.

For four days, the ancient town of Osogbo and capital of Osun State was a beehive of cultural activities. It was at the instance of the Osun State Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Theatre Practitioners (ANTP), which debuted with the Asa-Ibile Festival, aimed primarily at resuscitating Yoruba arts and culture under the theme; Giving Yoruba culture a Voice.

The festival held amid pomp and ceremony even as thousands of indigenes, artistes, culture workers and government officials rallied ANTP members to showcase the people’s culture in diverse genres.

Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, has said that he never conferred any chieftaincy title on ace Fuji musician, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshal. In a statement made available to newsmen in Ibadan on Tuesday by the Principal Private Secretary to Alaafin, Alhaji Olayiwola Folarin, the royal majesty denied conferring the chieftaincy title of Mayegun of Yorubaland on Ayinde popularly called ‘K1 De Ultimate’ during his recent visit to the palace.

 

Lagosians most respectable and symbolic festival, Adamu Orisa Play otherwise known as Eyo will troupe out the streets of Lagos Island, popularly called Eko in the hinterland of Lagos on April 25, 2009 to mark the final burial rites of late Chief Theophilus Owolabi Shobowale (TOS) Benson (SAN). This year’s festival will mark the 67th in the history of Eyo festival. About 53 groups (Iga) will participate in this year festival with five groups of the orisas as the head of all. The Adimu, (Orisa baba Nla Mila); Okanlaba Ekun (Alakete pupa), the Olopa Eyo; Eyo Orisa Oniko (Abara Yewu), Eyo Orisa Ologede and Eyo Orisa Angere respectively will lead in the festival.

 Yoruba Traditional Religion and the Environment1

 

 

1 . While the author of this paper is an Ifa adherent and an Ifa priest in Nigeria, this paper is purely

academic and the author will be pleased to welcome comments.

 

2 Aderemi Suleiman Ajala is a lecturer in Anthropology at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. He is a fellow of Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany between October 2008 and October 2009. During the period he is in the Insititut fur Ethnologie und Afriken Studien, Universitat Mainz as guest Professor on Yoruba nationalism, political ethnicity and violence.

 

Aderemi, S. AJALA, PhD2

Institut fur Ethnologie und Afrikan Studien

Universitat Mainz

Forum 6

55099

Mainz

 

asajala@yahoo.co.uk

 

ajala@uni-mainz.de

 

sa.ajala@mail.ui.edu.ng

+49 6131 39 22870

+234 803 490 6801

+49 1515 674 9027

OSTBEVERN, Germany, 30th May 2009.

Introduction.

 

I am mostly humbled by being invited to present this lecture, marking

the celebration of the festival of Yoruba traditional religion in Germany.

More importantly I am most grateful to the founder and organizer of the

programme in his consideration of my humble self to be here not only

witnessing the twin programme of the annual Irunmole festival, but also

being here to take active role in the award of the Best Traditionalist 2009, to

Iyanifa Fayomi Falade from United States of America (USA).

 

As I know very little about Iyanifa based on information collected on

internet about her and her activities, related to the sustenance of Irunmole

philosophy, I cannot claim expertise on her citation. I think at the

appropriate time another well deserved person will do that. One thing I

certainly know about Iyanifa is that she is a woman of substance across

many waters with indelible impacts. At Ile Iwosan Orunmila Mimo,

pioneered and powered by Iyanifa- a woman detached from gender polarity,

the goals and mission is the reintroduction of Ifa and Orisa worship in the

United States. A propagation that is based on authentic knowledge and

practice of the Yoruba ancestral and spiritual traditions. Iyanifa is also posed

towards spreading the true teachings of Ifa from the Holy city of Ile-Ife and

Yoruba land in general. She has therefore created a network of adherents-

both devotees and priests-Awo, who uphold Ifa's stainless moral and ethical

dictates. Hence I sincerely believe that this honor done on her today is a

well- deserved one and as I also believe that to whom much is given much is

expected, I am of the conviction that Iyanifa will not relent on her efforts to

propagate more intensively with passion, the teachings of Yoruba beliefs and

philosophy especially on contemporary socio-ecological problems induced

by modern technology and culture change.

Reactions have continued to trail the death of Austrian-born iconic Yoruba traditional religion devotee, Suzanne Wenger, who died Monday, at her adopted home of Osogbo, the Osun state capital at the age of 93.

Describing her death as ‘a big loss’ to the nation, Director-General of the National Theatre/National Troupe of Nigeria, Prof. Ahmed Yerima, said the late Wenger’s work in Osogbo had paid off with the international heritage status bestowed on the Osun Osogbo by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

THE Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, will arrive in Nigeria, from Paris, tomorrow evening for the commissioning of the Institute for African Culture and International Understanding (IACIU) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, as well as the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding in Osogbo, Osun State.

Nigeria secured the final approval to host the institute, regarded as first of its kind in Africa, as Category 2 centre under the auspices of UNESCO, last October in Paris during the 180th Session of the Executive Board of the international organisation.

ILE-Ife, the ancient Yoruba city, is strategically located in the centre of Yoruba speaking people of South Western Nigeria. lIe-lfe by geographical coordinate occupies a meeting point between the deciduous forest of southern Nigeria and Guinea Savannah to the North. According to the mythology, Ile-Ife was first of creation on earth and Oduduwa was the progenitor of the Yoruba race. The historians generally acclaimed him as the great one from which human existence originated.

Ile-Ife is the cradle of the Yorubas, a town where other Yorubas migrated from at different times. The people of Ile-Ife are predominantly farmers and are endowed with unique cultural heritage.

OSOGBO, the Osun State capital and indeed Nigeria, was yesterday thrown into mourning as Susan Wenger, popularly known as Adunni Olorisa, passed on at the age of 94.

She died at 2.00 p.m. at Jaleyemi Catholic Hospital, Osogbo. She had been bed-ridden due to old age.

The Austrian, who became a Nigerian citizen after her marriage to a Nigerian, one Chief Alarape in 1959 and had since become the custodian of Osun Osogbo Groves, was buried quietly at about 8.30 p.m. yesterday in one of the sacred shrines near the groves.

Susan Wenger ,the  popular Adunni  Orisa in Osogbo, Osun state capital,  is dead. Wenger's death yesterday after a brief illness at the age of 94 was  made public by one of her colleagues and artist, Chief  Muraina Oyelami ,via a text message sent  yesterday night. The text message read  'our colleague, mentor and  Adunni-Olorisa,  responded to the call of Olodumare (God) some hours ago 'According to the statement, Wenger, who is of European descent ,will be commited to  mother earth this evening according to Orisa burial tradition

Susan Wenger, devotee of Osun goddess, popularly known as Adunni Olorisa, passed away peacefully on Monday at the age of 94. Wenger, an Austrian, came to Osogbo, Osun State in the 50's in company of Ulli Beier and since then had been the rallying point in the revival of the dying tradition of Osun Osogbo.

V OODOO priests in Benin Republic offered sacrifices and prayers to gods and ancestors on Saturday to seek an end to the IsraeliPalestinian conflict and to other wars in Africa and elsewhere in the world.

The small West African state sandwiched between Togo and Nigeria is the home of the ancient Voodoo religion, which was later carried by slaves to the Americas where it survives in different forms in countries like Brazil, Haiti and Cuba.

HOT is the debate that appeared to have divided practitioners around the world over the skill of a photographer and the advanced process otherwise known as digital photography.

From the opening of an aperture of the camera to the final print, the advent of digital photography has offered a more dynamic art form just as proponents of traditional photography always argue that the worth of a professional cameraman is better proven with the film camera.

However, from Vienna, Austria came a proof in support of the traditional film system at a recent photo exhibition by Austrian artist, Paul Albert Leitner. The show, Vienna, City View From Inside, held at the Magnolia Hall, City Mall, Lagos Island and organized by Lagos State Government and the Embassy of Austria in Nigeria, also attempted to show the difference between professional and amateur photography

Until he became a traditional ruler last year, the Onibeju of Ibeju-Lekki, Oba Rafiu Salami, functioned as the bar manager of Nicon-Noga Hilton Hotel in Abuja. In this interview with ADEOLA BALOGUN, he narrates his experiences in the last one year and discloses that his father did not come from a royal family. He also contends that the Oba of Lagos’ stool is not superior to his even though he (Oba of Lagos) is the chairman of the Lagos State Council of Chiefs. Some claim that the area we all know as Lekki today is not the original place called Lekki. As the traditional ruler of Ibeju-Lekki, can you clarify this?

Suzanne Wenger, the Austrian artist who dedicated her life to saving traditional Nigerian spiritual beliefs, has died aged 94.

Mrs Wenger was a devotee of the animist culture of pre-Christian Yoruba gods from Nigeria's south-west.

She won Unesco protection as a world heritage site for an under-threat sacred forest grove in Osun state.

She lived in Nigeria for 58 years, supporting a large group of artists and fostering in the town of Osogbo.

The grove's few acres of primary forest are filled with sculptures by her and her students

BARELY one week after Osogbo re-asserted its profile as the nucleus of the Yoruba cultural heritage with the establishment of the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU), the death of the Osun Osogbo Grove's priestess, Susanne Wenger has thrown the ancient city into mourning.

Popularly known as Adunni Olorisa, Susanne Wenger whose contribution to the development of art and culture of Osogbo is legendary passed on, Monday, January 12, 2009 at the age of 93.

She died at 2.00 p.m. at Jaleyemi Catholic Hospital, Osogbo. She had been bed-ridden due to old age.

Professor Solomon Adeboye Babalola, the quintessential academic, linguistic purist and undoubtedly, one of the foremost educational administrators and mentors this country has been privileged to produce, died recently, two days short of his 82nd birthday. Prof Babalola reached the pinnacle of achievement as a scholar and left an indelible mark on the canvas of the nation's secondary and tertiary education.

Born on December 17, 1926, in Ipetumodu, Osun State, Adeboye Babalola was a child prodigy and polymath. After his primary education at Christ Church School, Ipetumodu, he proceeded to Igbobi College, Lagos, in January 1938 for his secondary education, where he demonstrated his intellect by topping the class in the June 1938 examination. Young Babalola maintained his position on top of the class for the next six years, culminating in the Cambridge School Certificate Examination of December 1943 where he made nine alphas or A1 in nine subjects.

As late renowned art collector and Osun Osogbo devotee, Suzanne Wenger, breathed her last on Monday, her last wish was to see the grove which she laboured for all her life preserved and transformed to world tourist site.

Speaking with Daily Champion yesterday at Wenger’s residence in Osogbo, one of the 15 adopted children of Wenger, Chief Sangodare Gbadegesin Ajala lamented the decaying nature of some of Wenger’s art works and carvings in the grove despite it recent acquisition by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

THE award of a Gold medal to Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Wednesday at the commissioning of the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU) in Osogbo, Osun State underscores the appreciation of his immense contribution to the promotion of cultural heritage of the Yorubas.

But the governor demonstrated at the occasion on Wednesday, to the admiration of the guests from all walks of life including traditional rulers from Yoruba land, that he is not only a promoter, but also an active practitioner, a dancer especially. In fact, he had to ignore the security details, as he jumped to the dance floor with rhythmic dance steps that blended perfectly with the drum-beat. It was an interesting scene to behold. Coincidentally, it was the performance by Ajangila from the governor's town, Okuku, that invoked the choreographic spirit in Prince Oyinlola and he could not resist the urge but to let out the steam creatively and princely. The brief show of masterly dance steps raked in wide applause from the crowd.

THE  Soun of Ogbomoso, in Oyo State, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi, has dismissed the claim by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, that he (Soun) illegally acquired his crown in 1973 and that Alaafin was instrumental to his status as a crown wearing king. In a telephone interview, the monarch stated that it was the Alaafin that was desecrating the obaship institution  by his outbursts.