The Nation Newspaper

Tag: World Orisha Congress

  • World Orisha Congress in search of roots, truth

    World Orisha Congress in search of roots, truth

    US-based scholar and former Vice Chancellor Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Prof Wande Abimbola, has said that the planned World Orisha Congress should have been held in the past 50 years, saying that the realization to hold it now, is a little bit belated. But, he however added that it is better late than never.

    The renowned scholar on Yoruba religion, culture and philosophy, spoke virtually at the recent conference on World Orisha Congress organised by National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), at the Braziain Consulate, Lagos. He said it is high time the Yorubas celebrated their religion and culture across the globe. “We should continue to sustain and nurture the meeting for our people across the globe,” he added.

    International Consultant, World Orisha Congress, (WOOCON) Mr. Ajoyemi Osunleye described the planned World Orisha Congress as not only a spiritual awakening,  but also a cultural homecoming where the ancient wisdom of the ancestors will meet the curios minds of the modern world in search of roots, truth, and divine connection. 

    He stated that world over, nations are leveraging cultural heritage to invigorate their economies through tourism, heritage diplomacy and spiritual renewal, adding that Nigeria home to the origins of Orisha traditions, must not be left behind. He noted that over 400 million people around the world identify with Orisha-based traditions, yet ironically, ‘many of us here have been taught to fear it, to hide from it or worse, reject it’ 

    Osunleye said with the birth of the congress, the world will see Africa not as a land of darkness but a fountain of divine light, knowledge and unmatched spiritual depth.

    “Thirteen years ago, I walked the streets of Brazil for the first time. There, I saw Yoruba culture alive–respected, practiced, and cherished in ways that shook me to my core. What I was conditioned to dismiss in Nigeria was celebrated as sacred in Brazil. It was a painful realisation: we had abandoned our well of wisdom while others across the ocean protected its flame for centuries.

    “Brazil and Nigeria are two brothers separated by centuries of pain. But, despite the separation, our brothers in Brazil guard the flame. They preserved our songs, our prayers and rituals—unaltered. While we in Africa drank from other wells and forgot our own, they remembered. And today, it is time to reconnect. It is time to become whole again,” he added.

    Read Also: Orisha of Lagos announces Awoodah pop-up fashion show

    Osunleye stressed that the goal of the congress is to showcase the sophistication and spirituality of Africans, noting that many of African artefacts now sit in Western museums carbon dated to 6,000 years.  “Think about it, the African mind that created these wonders predates modern civilisation…What wisdom did the maker of Ori Olokun carry in their spirit to create such magnificence? What if we could retrieve just a fragment of that inspiration today? Why should you allow anyone to convince you that the maker of Ori Olokun – an artistic and spiritual masterpiece of our ancestors—is evil? Why should you believe that the Orisha, divine beings created by God, are evil? Why should you believe that your own ancestors- the ones whose prayers brought you here—were evil?” he asked. 

    The conference was attended by Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife and Global Patron of the World Orisha Congress (WOOCON), Prof Wole Soyinka, Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Manuel Innocencio de Lacerda Santos Junior, Executive Secretary, NICO, Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, Ambassador Erieka Bennett, Olori Francis Meshioye, Mrs Sally Mbanefo  among others.

  • Ogunwusi, Soyinka laud Tinubu for creating cultural-friendly environment

    Ogunwusi, Soyinka laud Tinubu for creating cultural-friendly environment

    Ooni of Ife  Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, has hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his administration’s growing recognition of culture as a vital pillar of national identity, unity and international diplomacy.

    The monarch, who is the Global Patron of the World Orisha Congress (WOOCON), expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for creating a cultural-friendly environment and giving formal recognition to traditional heritage and spiritual institutions across the country.

    “We are grateful that this administration is giving rightful recognition to our culture,” the Ooni declared. “Culture is the soul of a people. Without it, we have no identity. President Tinubu’s leadership is not only helping to reposition our cultural values on the global stage, but also bringing us back to the very essence of our existence,” he added.

    Oba Ogunwusi, who spoke at a conference held at the Brazilian Consulate in Lagos,  organised by the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), as part of preparations for the upcoming global cultural exchange between Nigeria and Brazil under the auspices of WOOCON, called for religious tolerance among adherents of  religions, saying humanity should be paramount in all that religion stood for.

    READ ALSO: Awka: trader vs professor

    The Ife monarch urged the Yoruba across the globe to reconnect with one another in order to shift global perceptions about Orisa, saying Orisa was a propellant energy that no one could survive without.

    Brazilian Consular in Lagos, His Excellency, Ambassador Manuel Inocencio de Lacerda Santos Junior, lauded the historical and spiritual connections between Brazil and Nigeria, particularly through the shared Yoruba heritage that continued to thrive across both nations.

    Executive Secretary/CEO, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) and Secretary of the WOOCON Board of Trustees (BOT), Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, emphasised the global cultural renaissance currently taking shape and the pivotal role Nigeria must play in the unfolding narrative.

    “WOOCON is not just a congress—it’s a movement to reclaim and redefine African cultural consciousness and identity. This ground-breaking initiative is going to be one of the global cultural festivals that will reposition Nigeria as a major tourism destination in the world by exploring new opportunities in cultural and spiritual tourism that can generate over 10 billion USD annually for the country in the next three years if planned well.

    “Nigeria’s decision to collaborate with Brazil in the area of culture, tradition and heritage is informed by the deep historical and cultural connections that exist between the two nations.

    “These cultural similarities are specifically profound and undeniable in the area of Yoruba heritage where thousands of Brazilians have over the years, visited Nigeria to participate in major cultural and religious festivals such as the Osun Oshogbo Festival, the Olojo Festival, and Sango Festival to mention a few.

    “These interactions reaffirm the strong ancestral ties between our people and highlight the need for structured engagements that will further solidify these bonds. Interestingly, it is not just Brazil but a whole lot of other countries in the Caribbean’s”, Otunba noted.

    Two eminent cultural icons who are Patrons of WOOCON; Prof Wole Soyinka and Prof Wande Abimbola lent their voices for the movement.

     While the Nobel laureate reaffirmed the importance of intellectual and spiritual engagement in reviving the African culture, Prof. Abimbola, a renowned Yoruba scholar, who joined virtually from the United States, spoke passionately about the Orisha tradition as a global spiritual system that must be preserved and respected across continents.

    Soyinka alluded to the fact that culture defines people and nationalities. He opined that this consciousness is long overdue and appreciates the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for encouraging and supporting this initiative, saying it is sincerely a step to greatness and global boost in tourism revenue and relevance.

    The gathering marked a significant moment in advancing Nigeria’s cultural diplomacy and underscored the commitment of WOOCON to building bridges between Africa and the diaspora through shared heritage, spirituality, and collaboration.