Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has expressed concern that the Yoruba people have drifted away from their ancestral roots and traditional beliefs.
Speaking at the 2024 Ogun Festival held at the Ikorodu Town Hall in Ikorodu, Lagos, Adams emphasized that the Yoruba race has lost its standing because it has neglected the veneration of its deities and ancestors.
He warned that if the Yoruba continue to disrespect and abandon their traditional values, they will fail to make meaningful progress as a people. According to Adams, the failure to honor the sanctity of Yoruba religious beliefs and the growing influence of foreign religions have contributed to a decline in cultural pride and identity.
Adams called on the Yoruba monarchs to support the cultural promotion initiatives of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), which he leads. He pledged that the organization would continue its efforts to restore the Yoruba people’s cultural pride and ensure that their heritage remains alive and vibrant.
He stated, “In Yoruba land, we have lost our pride of place because we have failed to honor and identify with our deities and ancestors. We cannot make any meaningful progress as a race if we continue to disrespect the sanctity of our traditional beliefs and use foreign religions to undermine our culture and tradition.”
Adams emphasized the importance of culture in preserving the Yoruba identity, saying, “Culture is one of the best ways to sustain our values and pride as a race. Our identity is our pride. Our culture is our pride. Our tradition is our pride. Our culture encompasses our total being—it is about our tradition, our language, and we must protect it from extinction.”
