The Aare Ona Kakanfo-designate, Chief Gani Adams has pledged to use new position to unite Yoruba race and ensure that peace reign in the Yoruba Nation.
Chief Gani Adams
Adams who described unity among Yoruba leaders, as the only weapon for the socio-economic and political development of Yoruba race from the present challenges that face the race, he also called on Yoruba leaders to embrace unity for the progress and survival of the Yoruba race, adding that all Yoruba extraction both at home and in diaspora should appreciate, defend and promote their culture and tradition, complaining that “our culture and tradition is gradually going into extinction.”
Adams, who made the observation while playing host to team of journalists led by Wale Adewumi, Chairman Correspondents’ Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists. Ogun State Council in his Lagos residence, lamented the neglect of the Yoruba culture, positing that the Yoruba race “is still existing by God’s grace because a lot of damage has been done to our culture.”
Chief Gani Adams and team of journalists in Abeokuta, Ogun State
Adams noted that religion and tradition must be given equal attention, warning that playing down tradition will not help the Yoruba race.
He said; it is our duty to appreciate, defend and promote our culture so that we can assume our rightful place in the scheme of things in the country.
“We are losing a lot by not promoting our culture. It is the understanding and promotion of our culture that can reveal to us the secrets of life and give us liberation because culture is the main content of liberation. It is those who know the secrets of life that know how to survive in life.”
He said people are better known by their language and culture. “Our language is our culture”. He urged the Yorubas to see themselves as leaders, positing that “God has blessed the Yoruba race in several ways”.
He lamented that Yorubas are not promoting their culture and language due to in-fighting and disunity, noting that this was causing a lot of setbacks to Yoruba race.
“Yoruba is a serious minded race that any other race in the world will not take slightly, and it’s a unique race that if Yoruba move forward it will encourage the entire Africa to move forward and other continent will follow, definitely the unity of Yoruba is more useful to Nigeria as a country and much more useful to Africa as a continent and the development of the global system”.
“Almighty God really bless us with all that we need in Yorubaland , but he is not happy with us because we are not united so therefore we have to put everything behind us and come together as brothers and sisters, direct descendant of the Oduduwa so that we can enjoy the full potentials that we are endowed with,” Adams said
He called on all Yoruba leaders and traditional rulers to brace up for the new challenges, Unity, growth and development of Yorubaland should be our concern and we should all join hands to make Yoruba race great.