The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II, has officially presented a Certificate of Yoruba Territory to the Quilombola community in Brazil, making the city the first outside Africa to receive this title. The revered Yoruba king also addressed Brazil’s Federal House of Assembly on Tuesday, inaugurating the country’s first‑ever National Orisa Day.
According to a statement from the Ooni’s media aide, Moses Olafare, the royal visit aimed to bridge the gap between the Yoruba people and the wider world through cultural integration and the globalization of Yoruba culture in the diaspora. The Ooni and his entourage arrived in Bahia on Sunday, met President Lula da Silva in Brasília on Monday, and delivered the title in the Quingoma community of Lauro de Freitas, in the Metropolitan Region of Salvador.
Residents of Quilombola celebrated the recognition, which they say will strengthen and preserve Yoruba history, culture, and language in the community. The statement noted that Quilombola was acknowledged for having welcomed Yoruba people who were enslaved and forcibly removed from Nigeria during the trans‑Atlantic slave trade. Recognizing Quilombola as Yoruba territory is described as another step in the fight for respect for African history; the Quilombola’s own history dates back to the 17th century. Today, about 580 families live on roughly 1,200 hectares, and Quingoma has been officially recognized as Quilombola territory by the Palmares Foundation since 2013.
The Ooni emphasized that the rich, robust histories of Brazilians and Yoruba people are deeply intertwined. He said the ceremony not only preserves history through cultural preservation but also gives Brazilians a sense of belonging, helping to strengthen Yoruba heritage globally. He described the event as deeply personal, reflecting his passion for safeguarding Yoruba culture and its values.
“This event will set a precedent for the Yoruba language and its culture to become more widely accepted globally,” he declared, noting the excitement on participants’ faces. “Their Babalawos are well grounded in the teachings of Ifa and can render the Odu‑Ifa and its panegyrics just as our Ifa priests do in Nigeria.”
He added that Brazilians hold deities such as Sango, Ogun, Yemoja, and Obatala in high esteem, celebrating them with colorful, aesthetically rich festivities. “They also speak Yoruba, which I love about them; it is essential to harmonize our peoples and show solidarity—that we are part of each other,” the Ooni said. He concluded that this cultural bond will foster stronger bilateral trade between Brazil and Nigeria and give Yoruba culture a strategic advantage.
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