– Micheal Azeez Ogunsiji, Abeokuta
The founder, Paseda Legacy Foundation, Otunba Rotimi Paseda, has expressed disappointment over non-adherence to the norms and values of Yoruba Culture in manners that suggest future danger.
Otunba Paseda said despite being one of the richest cultures in the world, the Yoruba Culture has been bastardized by the youths, through their behavioural attitude and mode of dressing.
Paseda who was the Chairman of the occasion at the 2017 Yoruba Youths Summit held in Abeokuta on Friday, stressed that the understanding of Yoruba Culture has been reduced to fetishism, archaic and anachronistic acts, due to the misrepresentation of the culture by the youths.
Speaking on the topic, “The beauty of Yoruba Culture “, Paseda who was represented by his Coordinating Director, Engr. Babatunde Folarin, explained that the culture holds the key to growth, oneness, identity and national integration, urging the custodians of the Yoruba Culture to inculcate moral and good values in the youths and show them the rich Yoruba heritage, as such would discourage their engagement in social vices.
He reiterated that, if sanity must be restored into Nigeria’s political system and curb social vices among the youths, it must come in the cultural features of African language and other institutions of culture.
“There is no gainsaying in the fact that, Yoruba cultures are under threat. Yoruba cultures are in fact being pushed beyond their limits of tolerance in manners that suggest future danger.
“Undoubtedly, some of our cultural values are indeed not useful today. This should however not be an excuse to throw away the baby with the bath water. We can take a cue from countries like Malaysia, South Korea, China, Japan, India and even Ghana, among others, who have adopted what is referred to as critical cultural renaissance.
“Unfortunately, some have reduced the understanding of Yoruba culture to fetishism, archaic and anachronistic acts which they considered only good for the museum. Others considered our culture to be just drumming and dancing.
“Culture is said to be the oil that keeps society running. The Yoruba Culture and tradition are like an umbrella, under which are language, food, dressing, fashion, greetings, behaviourial attitude, song and faith, but these norms and values are being washed away with the application of westernization, otherwise called civilization today.
“No doubt, Nigeria’s cultural history cannot be completed without mentioning the pivotal roles played by the Yorubas during the pre-colonial era in upholding the unity of Nigeria.
“This is where I want to call on Royal fathers, academic scholars, researchers, historians, traditionalists, the Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural groups such as Afenifere, Oodu’a Peoples Congress, and religious leaders to reverse several nomenclatures imposed on our culture; and urge them to be at the forefront of promoting Yoruba cultural heritage”.
He therefore, enjoined the youths to remain focussed on their academic pursuits and embrace the culture of hard work for which the Yorubas are known for.