Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday said anyone “who says Ifa Orunmila is nothing must be a bloody fool.”
Obasanjo added that before the advent of Christianity or Islam, traditional forms of worship had been in existence.
He spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while hosting renowned female talking drummer, Olamuyiwa Aralola, popularly known as Ara, on her 50th birthday at the Green Legacy Hotel and Resort, within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, OOPL.
The former President emphasised that Africans, particularly the Yoruba people, must preserve their cultural heritage and ensure it does not go extinct.
Obasanjo, lamenting that many rich African cultures are being relegated in favour of western culture, stressed the importance of safeguarding Yoruba culture as it is authentic.
He said: “Culture is the totality of who we are. Unfortunately, we have relegated some aspects of our culture to the background—our food, our language, our dress, and so on.
“They even say Yoruba is vernacular. That is not right. Yoruba is Yoruba; it is authentic, and we must learn to celebrate what belongs to us because that’s the authentic.
“I am a Christian. I have been to two churches today, but whoever says Ifa Orunmila is nothing must be a bloody fool. I will say that person is a big fool because Orunmila has been with us before the advent of Christianity or Islam. Ifa Orunmila means Olorun lo mo eni to ma la—’It is Heaven that knows who will be saved’.”
He disclosed that he decided to celebrate the female talking drum expert for being a cultural icon and ambassador in her own right.
“For whatever reason, we must preserve our culture. Ara is a woman of culture; she is our cultural ambassador. She has lifted our culture and broken the taboo surrounding what was once believed to be exclusively for the male gender. She has not only excelled in this but is also nurturing young ones to preserve her legacy.
“When I was growing up, there were two things you would never imagine a woman doing: climbing a palm tree and playing the talking drum. Ara has broken the taboo, and she has done it very well.”
The former President urged other youths to follow in the footsteps of the famed drummer, saying: “Whatever good your hands find to do, do it well, and I will celebrate you. The lesson here is that nothing is unimportant in any area of human endeavour.”
Speaking earlier, Ara thanked the former president for the honour, saying he did what her parents could not live to do for her.
The well-known drummer from Ondo State revealed that she began playing the talking drum at the age of 10 in her father’s palace in Ondo.
She urged parents to take all necessary steps to preserve their culture, saying she is where she is today because she refused to let her dream die.
