The Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has extolled the initiative to establish a Yoruba World Centre inside the University of Ibadan by the International Centre for Yoruba Arts and Culture (INCEYAC), saying it is a project that must be supported by all.
“A project of this nature must be supported by all, for it is a project for the good of the people,” the Governor emphasised.
He was speaking in his Akure office when he received an INCEYAC team led by Mr Alao Adedayo, the publisher of Alaroye newspaper and the initiator of the project. The team that went to brief the Governor on the coming presentation and turning of the first sod of INCEYAC by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, also had the renowned cinematographer, Mr Tunde Kelani, and Mr Gabriel Sosanya.
Akeredolu said the collaboration of INCEYAC and the University of Ibadan is a development that must be encouraged as it would induce collaboration and progress in many fields. He lamented that the language, arts and culture of Yoruba continued to nose-dive by the day, and it was the duty of concerned personalities to save the situation.
“This problem starts from our various homes, and this involves all of us,” the Governor continued. “We refuse to use or encourage our children to use our language, or learn about the arts and culture of our people, and it is something that must be stopped. We, in the Southwest Governors’ Forum, are working hard on this to see that every state makes the study of Yoruba compulsory up to secondary level. It is one of the ways we plan to address the situation.”
The Governor not only promised to attend the UI-INCEYAC programme on Tuesday, 23 November, 2021, he also assured the team that he would personally speak with his colleagues in the region to also grace the occasion.
“Yes, I will personally come,” he enthused. “And I will send words round to my colleagues that it is a programme we must attend, to show our support for this collaboration that’s meant for the preservation and protection of our history, language, arts and culture!”
Adedayo, the initiator of the project had earlier told Governor Akeredolu that the Centre, which will be filled with books, documents, artefact, records, art works, etc. is being put together by the Institute of African Studies, Yoruba Language Centre of the University of Ibadan and INCEYAC. It is expected to be a one-stop shop where researchers, journalists, writers and members of the general public interested in Yoruba history, arts and culture can approach to source for all materials needed.
“Not only this,” Adedayo emphasised, “the Centre will locate lost or forgotten Yoruba historical materials, music and arts, and make same available at the Centre for general usage. It will also digitalise and reconstruct historical facts through documentary and films on all subjects relating to the Yoruba people, thereby making search by researchers and others easy, and needed materials ready.”
