By Peter Omopo
The Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has inaugurated a Central Working Committee to coordinate activities for the maiden Oyo Empire Day Celebration scheduled for December 17 in Oyo town.
The monarch inaugurated the committee on Tuesday and charged its members to approach the assignment with integrity, unity and commitment, stressing the need to preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people.
Oba Owoade said the Oyo Empire occupied a significant position in the history of Yorubaland, West Africa and the wider African continent, citing its sophisticated political institutions, military organisation, diplomacy, commerce, intellectual traditions and cultural practices as evidence of its historical importance.
He said the celebration was conceived as a deliberate effort to preserve, document, promote and transmit the heritage of the ancient Oyo Empire to present and future generations.
Themed “Celebrating Our Heritage, Preserving Our Legacy, Building Our Future,” the event, according to the monarch, would go beyond recounting historical events to examining the values, institutions and achievements that shaped the Oyo civilisation.
“We must preserve our legacy because people who lose their history gradually lose an important part of their identity, and we must build our future because history should not become a museum of memories. It should become a foundation upon which future generations can build,” Oba Owoade said.
The Alaafin said the celebration would bring together traditional rulers, scholars, historians, cultural practitioners, government representatives, businesses, young people and friends of Oyo from Nigeria and other parts of the world.
Planned activities include a heritage and opening ceremony, book presentation, cultural exhibitions, an Oyo Empire colloquium, tourism activities and other cultural engagements.
The monarch also called for the participation of communities across present-day Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Ogun and Ondo states, as well as Oyo-linked communities in the Republic of Benin.
He explained that the initiative was intended to reconnect communities whose histories and cultural heritage were linked to the Oyo civilisation, while stressing that it was not aimed at diminishing the history or heritage of other communities.
Oba Owoade urged historians and scholars to conduct further research and properly document the history of the Oyo Empire. He also encouraged young people to learn about their heritage and contribute to its preservation.
He appealed to Oyo indigenes in the diaspora, corporate organisations, development partners and friends of Oyo to support the initiative through intellectual, financial, technological and cultural contributions.
The monarch further tasked the committee with promoting heritage tourism, preserving historical monuments, documenting oral traditions, encouraging scholarships and strengthening cultural industries.
“I formally inaugurate the Central Working Committee for the Oyo Empire Day Celebration and charge you to commence your work with immediate effect,” he declared.
In his welcome address, retired Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu commended the Alaafin for his commitment to promoting Yoruba cultural heritage and preserving the historical significance of the Oyo throne.
The chairman of the committee, Dr Adekunle Ogunmola, expressed appreciation to the Alaafin for entrusting the responsibility to the committee, saying members would work towards laying a solid foundation for the celebration.
The committee is co-chaired by Ogunmola, a former National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, and Professor Soji Adejumo.
Other members include Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu, Engr. A. K. Amodu, Chief Banji Ojo, Professor Kouchade Clement of the Republic of Benin, Professor Abiola Adebayo, Chief Bisi Ilaka, Senator Yunus Akintunde, Hon. Prince Akeem Adeyemi and Chief Gdani Kayode Balogun, Otun Akogun of Ibadan.
The committee also includes representatives from traditional institutions, academia, politics, diplomacy, business and cultural organisations in Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.
The maiden Oyo Empire Day Celebration is expected to serve as a major platform for cultural preservation, historical documentation and heritage tourism, while providing an avenue for communities connected to the old Oyo civilisation to reconnect with their shared history.
