THE Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, were among dignitaries at the Shell Hall of the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos Island recently. They came to promote the culture and history of Lagos in celebration of Eko @50.
The event, the third colloquium of the anniversary, was to kick-start the Badagry Ibile division’s activities.
Its theme was “Tourism potential in Yorubaland: Landmarks, culture & history”.
Oba Ogunwusi said: “Our culture and traditions bind us together more powerfully than religion. So, it is pertinent that our culture be kept, and that our heritage should be preserved for our generations unborn.”
He debunked claims that the Yoruba tradition is a golden calf, saying that it is a fallacy born out of misconstruction in many ways.
“People think we are idol worshippers. But the true idol worshippers are those who challenge God and nature. Olodumare is the ultimate and supreme being. If you have a differing God, then you are the idol worshipper. However, we have lesser gods who are messengers of Olodumare,” he said.
He assured guests that residents of Lagos had not yet witnessed the full potential of the state, adding that the founders of Lagos did so based on the ideals of truth and unity. He described that the story of Lagos as one of the greatest in the world because of its strong link to culture.
Narrating how Lagos was founded, he recalled that a great prince from Ife, Olofin Ogunfunminire, son of Olofin Ajalaye, who was the son of Olofin Oduduwa, left Ile-Ife with his family, travelled along the river, following a ritual calabash, popularly called ise. They were to follow the calabash till it sank: this they did until it sank at the area called Isheri. The word ‘ri’, when translated to English, means ‘to sink’. However, the ritual calabash, which contained an offering of awo (glass), a technology, he explained, the Yoruba people were masters of, resurfaced and finally sank at Iddo, where the Awori people then settled. Awori, of course, means “the glass sunk”.
He noted that honouring the ancestors, who had laid foundations from which Lagosians are benefitting, “is part of our heritage that must not be thrown away. We are benefitting from their foundations, and I put this challenge to our leaders to make Lagos the greatest city in the world,” he said.
He said Lagos was not only made great by the people of Lagos who were descendants of Olofin, it was the accommodating nature of the indigenes of Lagos, in accordance with Olofin’s blessing, that paved the way for people with ideas to come into Lagos and develop it. The need for a terminus to receive foreigners from all over the world led to the creation of Iddo Terminus.
To affirm that there is, indeed, a blessing of prosperity attached to Lagos, he said: “If Lagos had not been accommodating, maybe I would not have gone back to Ife to be the Ooni. Lagos has been fruitful for me. I came to Lagos with virtually nothing, but I went back with my baskets full and running over.’’
Meanwhile, Mohammed identified art and culture as viable sources of income. He said: “In this age of economic recession, Nigeria had to look for alternative sources of income. Culture and tourism have been identified as sources of income.”
He noted that while Nigeria has many lucrative tourist sites, only two have been recognised by investors as profitable, and this was because of bad inventory and management.
After the speeches came the premiere of the movie Eko: Iwure Olofin, produced by Fola Onifade, and directed by Femi Bright. It recieved the blessings of the Ooni and the nod of the Chairman of the day, Donald Duke. It featured popular Nollywood actors, such as Yemi Black, Bukky Wright, Orisabunmi, Kwam 1, and others.
Oba Ogunwusi said despite the intense rivalry between the Benin and Yoruba peoples that the historical film portrayed, such has not damned Eko, and that such had no place in contemporary existence. He noted that Lagos has been developed due to its accommodation of the Benin people.
Duke praised the ingenuity of the film’s producers, claiming that they put in a lot of effort into the movie. He commended the picture quality and the sound, and gave a thumbs up to the story and plot.
The National Troupe of Nigeria, Footprints of David, and Badagry Troupe entertained the audience, while a team of prospective record-setters, Team Nigeria, announced their intention to perform for 300 hours to set a new world record.
Also at the event were Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture Folarin Coker, Adebimpe Akinsola, and Co-chair Eko @ 50 Alhaji Rasheed Gbadamosi, among other dignitaries.