Beauty of language, Ewa Ede: Preserving Yoruba cultural
heritage.
it was celebration of culture, tradition and language as Ewa
Ede, a programme designed to project the aesthetics of Yoruba, was held in
Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
The venue, June 12 Cultural Centre, was filled to capacity
as culture enthusiasts, linguists, historians, traditional rulers and chiefs,
graced the occasion to witness the celebration of Yoruba as a unique language.
As culture is the imprimatur that distinguishes a particular
set of people from another and encapsulates their way of life, thus, Gbagede
Ewa Ede Foundation, powered by Princess Adejoke Shomoye, has been championing
the celebration of Yoruba cultural heritage.
Anchored by the quartet of Afeez Oyetoro (aka Simply Saka),
Ibrahim Chatta, radio personality, Yinka Adegbite (a.k.a ‘Omo Baba Tisa) and
actress Toyin Aimakhu, the programme saw many cultural troupes performing to
the admiration of the audience.
The Kegite Club, Sango Dancers, Ogodo Egba Music Group, Art
Beat Dancers and Yoruba cultural group of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic,
Abeokuta, thrilled the audience with their scintillating performances. Also, a
renowned drummer, Alhaji Adisa Ojubanire, left the audience enthralled as he
used the popular Gangan drum to recite the national anthem.
In his opening remark, a historian, Professor Banji
Akintoye, described Yoruba language as a globally revered language.
He disclosed that his 30 years sojourn in various
universities in the US, had made him to witness how Yoruba language was
cherished overseas, with many non-Africans studying it.
He noted that many languages in the world had gone into
extinction, charging parents to allow and encourage their wards to learn and
speak the language in order to preserve it. This, according to him is
important, as research has shown that the language may go into extinction in
the next 50 years, if people continue to use English as a language of
communication.
The don informed the gathering that Yoruba linguists all
over the world were working assiduously, to ensure Yoruba language was used to
teach science and technology like the Hebrew, German and Chinese. Noting that
any child who cannot speak Yoruba fluently cannot be eloquent in English
language, Prof. Akintoye, lauded the promoter of Ewa Ede for envisioning such a
laudable programme and picking up the gauntlets of preserving not only Yoruba
language but its traditional values.
Delivering the lecture with the theme; “Inheritance of
Colonialists: Curse or Blessing,” Oloye Lekan Alabi, recollected how the
colonialists usurped the African cultural values. He stated that because of the
administrative savvy of the ancient Yoruba kingdom, the imperialists could not
tamper with the societal values they met on ground.
The Ibadan high chief, who said culture and tradition are
like an umbrella, under which are language, food, dressing, song and faith,
called on the people to reverse several nomenclatures given to them and urged
them to be at the forefront of promoting Yoruba culture.
The highlight of the programme was the honouring of a
renowned folklore personage, Jimi Solanke with the Ogun Ambassadorial, United
Kingdom Award.
Promoter of the event, Ronke Shomoye, said her passion for the
propagation of Yoruba culture and tradition, spurred her into founding Ewa Ede.
She added that apart from the annual event, she had
finalised plans to take the event to overseas with the intention of propagating
the uniqueness of Yoruba culture, tradition and values
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