Oyinlola calls for promotion of Yoruba language and culture - As Osun plans World Yoruba Congress

Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun
State, second from left, and Oba
Okunade Sijuwade, Ooni of Ife, third
from left, at a reception organised for
both of them by the Yoruba community
in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has announced that the state would be hosting a congress of all Yoruba people, both in Nigeria and in the Diaspora, the purpose of which is to look for ways of re-inventing the race for modern challenges.

Governor Oyinlola disclosed this at the Harvard University, United States in his speech as Special Guest of Honour at the opening of a conference on “Sacred Knowledge, Sacred Power and Performance of the Yoruba in West Africa and the Diaspora”.

He informed the gathering of eminent cultural scholars across the world that the proposed conference would discuss ways of making the Yoruba take their rightful front place on the world stage.

The Governor, who was at the conference with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade and some other prominent Yoruba traditional rulers, described the Yoruba people as a major race found excelling in many nations of the world.

The strength of the race, according to Oyinlola, can be seen in the richness of its culture and its resilience in the face of the ravages of modernity.

He therefore, called on all stakeholders in Yoruba affairs to save the Yoruba language from extinction just as he informed of the efforts of his government at home to promote the culture, language and tradition of the race.

On his part, the Ooni of Ife thanked Harvard University for honouring the Yoruba race with the conference declaring that it was a significant step forward in the move by the developed world to appreciate the wisdom contained in Yoruba culture and tradition.

Several scholars from universities in America, Latin America and Africa presented papers on Yoruba culture and belief systems and the need to promote and use them for meaningful development at the conference. Some of the key speakers at the event were Barry Allen of Morehouse College, Harvard, Andrew Apter of UCLA, John Mason of Yoruba Theological Seminary who spoke on “Itan Odu Oni” (Tales of Strivers today) and Mei Mei Sanford of the College of William and Mary whose contribution was anchored on the Yoruba saying: “The hunter thinks the monkey is not wise; the monkey is wise, but has its own logic.”

Earlier, Governor Oyinlola had used the opportunity to call for strong ties between Osun State University and Harvard University. Prince Oyinlola, who spoke while meeting with authorities of the University in Boston, United States on the need for exchange programmes between Harvard and Osun State University added that there were several areas of cooperation that could be explored by both sides for their mutual benefit.

The Governor, who was in Boston, United States with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, on the invitation of the University lauded Harvard for showing the way in areas of sound academic research and training stressing that his own government at home also designed Uniosun to be a world class institution.

Prince Oyinlola met with the Marshal of Harvard University, Jackie O'Neil and the Dean, Harvard Divinity School, Prof. William Graham where he intimated them of the efforts of the Osun State Government to have a UNESCO category two institute established in Osogbo this year.

“The executive board of UNESCO has already approved the establishment of the Institute for Black Culture and International Understanding in Osogbo. The UNESCO General Assembly will meet next month to give final approval to the initiative, while the state government has paid for the archives of Ulli and Georgina Beier which will form an important part of the Institute," Prince Oyinlola said.

In their separate comments, the two university officials also spoke on the need for mutual understanding and cooperation between Harvard University and Uniosun including the need for the Nigerian government to fund training of brilliant Nigerian students in Harvard.

The University Marshal also used the meeting to inform the Governor and the Ooni that a total of 27 Nigerian Students currently study in that institution.

The following day, Prince Oyinlola with top traditional rulers and scholars on Yoruba cultural studies brainstormed on the way out for the Yoruba to preserve their language and culture.

At a reception organised for the Governor and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade with other prominent monarchs at Boston, Massachusetts, United States, by the Yoruba people in that city, the threat posed to Yoruba language and other aspects of Yoruba culture by agents of modernism was brought to the fore.

Prof. Wande Abimbola, with Prof. J.K. Oluponna of Harvard University among others at the event agreed with the Governor and the Ooni that the task of safeguarding the language of the race and its traditional mores and values was that of every genuine Yoruba.

According to Governor Oyinlola, it was saddening that even Yoruba people living at home were discouraging their children from speaking the language while many of those abroad had long lost contacts with everything in the culture of the race.

He promised to open talks with his colleagues in the other Yoruba speaking states to initiate a programme that would reconnect Yoruba people abroad with their mother tongue and tradition .

The conference afforded an opportunity to showcase the rich content of Yoruba culture. Rabiu Ayandokun from Erin Osun and his group were also on hand in the United States to entertain the gathering with bata beats and esa chants.

‘I’m coming out’ - 60 metas, stand-up comedian

60 metas in action at the
newsroom of Nigerian Tribune.
Photo: Alolade GaniyuSTAND-UP comedy has come to stay in Nigeria. The likes of Ali Baba, Basket Mouth, T A. and Teju Babyface readily come to mind here, although there are quite a number of others too making waves around the country. However, one young man hoping to join the league of the ‘big boys’ in the stand-up comedy world is Abiola Fuad Aloba, who goes by the stage name 60 metas.

60 metas, a 300 level student of European Studies at the University of Ibadan believes he will also make his mark on the comedy scene. He affirmed this in a chat with Arts & Review. Indeed, 60 metas is already working towards his way up, for, in fact, he started doing stand-up comedy some six years ago.

Asked how it all started, 60 metas said comedy is natural to him. This is because he had always been a funny guy. All through his days in secondary school, he was the funny guy in class who made people laugh, especially by “yabing” his friends and colleagues. But six years ago, he went professional with the act.

Six years is quite a long time and one would have thought that 60 metas would be up there already in the comedy world. But 60 metas told Arts & Review that it is his educational pursuit that is slowing things down a bit. For instance, he was not able to perform at the “Night of a thousand laughs” in December last year in Ibadan, having been invited, because he had to attend to some important matters at school.

This notwithstanding, the last six years have been eventful for 60 metas. In the past six years since he started, he has been performing at social functions and engagements, either as the anchor person or a stand-up comedian proper. He is popular in Ibadan, which we can say, is his base for now since he is schooling there. And that is why he is a regular face at shows and other social events within the Ibadan metropolis. Although he also performs at shows outside Ibadan.

Moreover, 60 metas has also taken his comedy act to ‘big-time’ events. He was on stage at the MTN/Sound City Campus Blast held at the University of Ibadan last year. 60 metas also performed at the Nigerian Breweries Vanlentine Show 2008 held at Generations Hotel, Apete, Ibadan, last February 14.

On his plans for the near future, 60 metas told Arts & Review that he is planning a show, which would hold sometime in May at the University of Ibadan. When asked to tell the source of his jokes and where he gets inspiration from, 60 metas said, basically, inspiration comes from God but social situations and happenings also inform his jokes.

Finally, 60 metas reiterated that it was his educational programme that was slowing things down a bit. Once he is through with this, he would come all out to launch himself finally onto the comedy scene and he is convinced the sky would be his starting point.

Indeed, it appears 60 metas would be a force to reckon with very soon as a stand-up comedian. 60 metas showed the stuff he is made of when Arts & Review asked him to prove his mettle. He told two jokes and he was able to put smiles on the faces of the Editorial staff in the newsroom of the Nigerian Tribune.