The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has officially presented a Certificate of Yoruba Territory to Quilombola territory in Brazil, making the city the first outside Africa to receive the title.

The highly revered Yoruba king also on Tuesday addressed Brazil’s Federal House of Assembly where he officially inaugurated the first-ever National Orisa Day in the South American country.

A statement from Ooni’s Media Aide, Moses Olafare, said Ogunwusi addressed the Brazilian Parliament on the special session for Isese Practitioners marking the national day for Orisa religion in Brazil.

The Ooni said the royal visit was undertaken to bridge the gap between the Yoruba race and the rest of the world through cultural integration and globalizing Yoruba culture in the Diaspora.

According to him, the Royal Father and his entourage from Nigeria arrived in the Brazilian city of Bahia on Sunday and met with President Lula da Silva in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, on Monday.

According to him, the Ooni delivered the title in the Quingoma community, in Lauro de Freitas, in the Metropolitan Region of Salvador.

Residents of Quilombola could not hold their joy as they celebrated the delivery of the title of Yoruba territory which would further strengthen and preserve the Yoruba history, culture and language in the community.

“The Quilombola was recognized for having received and welcomed Yoruba people, who were enslaved and forcibly removed from their base in Nigeria during the era of the slave trade in Africa.

“The recognition of Quilombola as Yoruba territory is another step in the fight for respect for African history; for the history of the Quilombola dates back to the 17th century.

“Currently, around 580 families live in the area covering approximately 1,200 hectares. Quingoma has been recognized as a Quilombola territory by the Palmares Foundation since 2013,” the statement said.

Ọ́ọ̀ni disclosed that the rich and robust history of the Brazilians and the Yoruba people have dated back time in memorial.

The royal father said that the steps taken would not only preserve the history via cultural preservation but would also give Brazilians a sense of belonging which would help to foster improvement in strengthening the heritage of Yoruba globally.

“This event is a very big one for me because I am passionate about preserving the Yorubas culture and its deep-rooted values.

“This event will lay precedence for the Yoruba language and its culture to be more acceptable globally. You can see the excitement on their faces.

“Their Babalawos are well grounded in the teachings of Ifa and can render the Odu-Ifa and its panegyrics like our Ifa priest do in Nigeria,” Ooni stated.

According to him, the Brazilians hold their gods like Sango, Ogun, Yemoja, and Obatala in high esteem and have designated days to celebrate these gods with colorful displays infused with plenty of aesthetics.

“They also speak Yoruba which is one thing I love about them; It’s very essential to harmonize with them and also show solidarity that we are part of them and they are part of us.

“This will foster good bilateral trade between Brazil and Nigeria and it will also put the Yoruba culture at an advantage,” he added.

LIGHTER MOOD: Your Legacy…!

*ACG Musa Tahir

ABUJA

The Vatican is returning to Greece three fragments taken from the Parthenon, the Holy See announced on Tuesday.

The relevant certificate was signed at a ceremony in the Vatican Museums on Tuesday attended by Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, a representative of Athens Archbishop Ieronymos II and Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni.

The fragments, which are expected to arrive in Athens on March 24, have been held in the papal collections since the 19th century and were on display in the Vatican Museums.

Pope Francis announced his decision to return the artifacts in December 2022.

Greece has for decades demanded the return of the Elgin Marbles, large sections of the Parthenon frieze that have been in the possession of the British Museum in London since 1816.

In 2009, Greece built a new museum to house parts of the frieze in both original and plaster copy for the missing elements.

The Parthenon, Virgin’s Chambers is one of the most famous ruins of Ancient Greece.

Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire at the time, had the best-preserved sections removed and taken to Britain at the start of the 19th century, selling them to the British Museum in 1816.

56 of the 96 sections of the frieze are in London. 

– dpa