We Must Not Allow Our Culture Go Into Extinction, Says Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday, called for preservation of African cultural heritages, saying they must not go into extinction.

He spoke in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, while hosting a renowned female talking drummer, Olamuyiwa Aralola, popularly known as Ara, on her 50th birthday at Green Legacy Hotel and Resort, within Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library

He emphasized how important it is to follow Yoruba culture because it is “authentic.”

The former president praised her efforts to preserve the Yoruba cultural heritage, which includes the talking drum, which is thought to be reserved for the wealthy.

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“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 had broken the taboo on what was formerly believed to be exclusively for male gender. He claimed that she had already started creating young people to preserve her legacy.

You don’t think a woman should do two things when she was growing up, the author says. A woman cannot be seen climbing a palm tree. Secondly, you cannot see a woman playing talking drum, Ara had broken the taboo, and she had done it very well”.

According to the former president, Ara’s actions taught him that one must do whatever they are very well.

Parents were once forbidden from letting their son play football, but now they are pleading with their kids to do the same.

” For me if you are a dancer, dance well and if you invite me for celebration, I will come. If you are a footballer and you invite me for celebration, I will come. Whatever you find your hands in doing, do it well.

“We must not joke with our culture. We are being relegated to the background, our language is being relegated, our food, our dress and others. It must not be tolerated. They are things that are authentic. Yoruba is not vernacular”.

Obasanjo maintained that despite being a Christian, he hasn’t forgotten his culture.

“I am a Christian, and I have attended two churches today. I should not disregard my culture.” Whoever says Ifa is nothing, I will say that person is a big fool.

Before Islam and Christianity, Ifa Orunmila, or “Olorun lo mo eni to ma la,” was said by him. “Heaven knows who will be saved.”

Ara thanked Obasanjo for her admiration.

Source: Channels TV