Saint Anne's Private College visits Alaafin , Old Oyo National Park

By Wale Ojo-Lanre

Students of Saint Anne's Private College, Ibadan in a
group photograph with Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III
at his palace.

TUESDAY 14 August, 2007 will ever remain evergreen in the memories of the students and teachers of Saint Annes’ Private College, Babalola Estate, Orita Challenge, Ibadan, Oyo State as they consummated fully the wisdom in the saying that travel and tour is not only part of education but avenue of great exposure and everlasting experience which cannot be obtained within the cocoon of the College arena alone.

That day, the students in a tour packaged by a professional tour and excursion expert, Hospitality Watch had a date with the protector and paragon of Yoruba history and culture, His Royal Majesty, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, III, the Alafin of Oyo and had an educ-tour of the Old Oyo National Park under Alhaji Oladimeji Abdulsalami, where they learnt about conservation.

The students on getting to the palace was honoured and humbled not only by the sheer magnificence of the historical palace, but by the royal reception accorded them by the Iku baba yeye, who detailed a high chief to conduct them on a tour of the palace. They marvelled at the numbers of rooms and compounds inside the palace and wondered about the architectural ingenuity of their forefathers who constructed the palace which has an underground water passage constructed before the advent of science. They were fascinated by the ‘BABA’ the 168 years old tortoise on which some of them had a jolly ride inside the garden.

They were fascinated but the golden fishes in the aquarium which was a replica of what Alafin Abiodun, the first king in the whole of Africa to domesticate carnivorous animals and rare species of pisces did. The student interacted with palace chiefs, chamber maids and royal courtiers. And as when they thought they have had enough, they were surprised when High Chief Oyeotan led them into the Royal Hall where the first Conference of Yoruba Oba was held in 1937 awaiting the Kabiyesi. By the time Iku baba yeye emerged, the student displayed a robust understanding of the Yoruba Culture as they paid obeisance to kabiyesi in the traditional form, a position they maintained until Kabiyesi asked them to take their seats.

Introducing the mission, Prince Adeoye Aderinwale, CEO, Hospitality Watch who packaged the tour, disclosed that, the students when contacted preferred visiting “Alafin of Oyo, who is the foremost traditional ruler in Yorubaland, who is not only the custodian of the Yoruba culture and tradition but who gleefully exudes and makes proud the Yoruba race.” Not minding the age of the students, Kabiyesi demanded to know in which language the student preferred him to address them and they chorused “kabiyessi, Yoruba.”

And with royal stoicsm and flawless historical evidence and data, the Alafin related to the students the history of Yoruba race, the contributions of various Alafin, the role of Are-Ona Kakanfo and the wonderful heritage of the palace. Kabiyesi explained the concept of Iku baba yeye and ka bi o ko si (kabiyesi) being used first in Yorubaland during the tempestuous reign of Alafin Sango. The student were so enthralled, thrilled and enlightened particularly when Kabiyesi informed that Yoruba was the first ethnic group to practice DNA. Kabiyesi spoke on the concept of wisdom, knowledge and understanding and made practical examples which actuated several applauses from the students.

Alafin also entertained questions from the curious students who took on the royal father on his date of enthronement? why marrying many wives? why is the Alafin always controversial? These questions were thoroughly dealt with to the satisfaction of the students who received the royal blessing.

“I bless you my children. You are the hope of Yorubaland and Nigeria. Among you are governors, ministers, commissioners and ambassadors. Very soon, I am expecting some of you to visit me here and inform that, Kabiyesi, I was one of those students you hosted sometime ago and you predicted that we shall be great. And so shall it be. Go in peace.” With this royal blessings, the students headed for the Old Oyo National Park Headquarters where the Director, Alhaji Oladimeji Abdulsalami opened the gate in a warm embrace of the students. One factor that struck the visiting students about the headquarter of the Old Oyo Park was the serene environment, the well manicured lawn, beautiful landscape and its neatness.

And to potray the person, Alhaji Abdulsalami too was immaculately dressed in white dansiki with white cap and shoe to match. This feature of the person and his environment dominated the message of Alhaji Abdulsalami. Alhaji Abdulsalami commended the students for picking interest in conservation and described them as “hope of othe future.” He said that without them having interest in nature, the environment is in danger. Alhaji Abdulsalami after a thorough education and enlightenment on conservation and what Park is all about presented some souvenirto the teachers. At the end of the tour, the students were not only in high spirit but confessed of being fulfilled. Mrs. O. Netufor, one of the accompanied teachers said: “Honestly speaking, this is the best tour or excursion ever embarked upon by the school. And this is to show that there is the need to contact expert or professional whenever a school is going on tour.

This is the first tour when we have a qualified nurse, a police officer and a tour guide, which made it the best ever. My students are happy." Reinforcing this, Miss Mosadoluwa Lewis, described the excursion as “a journey to history and a wonderful experience when we met and spoke with the most prominent Oba in Yorubaland. We will ever be grateful to the school authority and Hospitality Watch for the package. We had enough to remember for life. We had our fun. We were excited, and we acquired knowledge about the Yoruba culture and conservation. Truly, travelling and tourism are an essential parts of education.

Benefits of MTN's Osun Osogbo sponsorship

The foremost telecommunication company in Nigeria , MTN, has re-affirmed that its sponsorship of the Osun Osogbo festival is not a marketing initiative, but a commitment to move the people of the Osogbo community ahead.

As the world focuses on the age long tradition that has come to showcase the city of Osogbo as a major tourist attraction, the telecom giant has described its contribution towards promoting the community festival as a Corporate Social responsibility (CSR). Downplaying the cost implication involved in the sponsorship of the Osun Osogbo Festival for the second year running, the Senior Manager, Trade Marketing Sales and Distribution Department, MTN, Abiodun Odejayi explained that, cost for the company is not the key issue, “the most important thing for us is to do what we need to do, and to do it well”. According to him, “We are not taking this as a marketing initiative; we are seeing it as a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Our desire is to ensure that the Osogbo people enjoy what they enjoy doing, make it come to life for them, expand the scope, and further put it on the world map so that a lot of people will hear about it and be part of it”. Meanwhile, MTN apart from its sponsorship of most of the events during the Festival, plans are also ahead to give it the needed publicity in the print and electronic media, to further leverage it to the world as a tourist attraction.

Commenting further on the company’s involvement, Abiodun Odejayi added that for MTN, “We are proudly a Nigerian Company, we believe in the values of this country, we believe in the cultural capability of this country, we also believe in the Nigeria people. And part of what we said we will do is that we will support Nigerians to achieve their dreams, and by getting involved in all these cultural celebrations, as we have done in other events across the country. I believe to a large extent, we have been able to throw up the possibilities around these events”. He advised the people to make use of the opportunity that the festival will provide, to ensure that it becomes a source of revenue to them.

That even if it is just to make memorabilia of the event and sell to every tourist that comes; it will go a long way in making impact on the economy of Osogbo, and Osun State at large. “I think the critical thing here is that after all the communication support MTN has given this event; the people now need themselves to start looking at the possible opportunities to make in their economic life.

So that they can always be better and if they can do that, it is going to be a win-win situation for all of us. They should be proactive, even if it is just looking for an indigenous company in Osogbo that we record the event and put it on DVD, and sell, they will make money”.

MTN will be involved in various activities during the festival, which include; Art Exhibition, Olagunsoye Oyinlola Golf Tournament Cocktail party at Ada, the Ataoja Youth Football Challenge, African Woman Cultural Pageant, and the Festival Musical Concert, in which Nigeria’s rave of the moment D’ Banj, Musiliu Ishola, Sir Shina Peters and other up-coming artists are also billed to perform. There will also be festival promotion raffle draw, in which winners will go home with lots of prizes from the foremost telecommunication company.