It was an eventful Easter Monday at the Gabriel Orororo Hall in the Ikotun area of Lagos as Centre For The Redemption of Yoruba Civilization Art and Traditions (C.R.Y.C.A.T.) hosted a lecture and recognition award.
Centre For The Redemption of Yoruba Civilization Art and Traditions (C.R.Y.C.A.T.) is a Non Governmental Organisation with very deep concern about the revitalization of Yoruba culture and traditional arts.
It uses traditional songs, dance, drama, drumming, organising of seminars and excursions to historical places in Yoruba land as vehicles to bring to the fore the richness in the language, culture and tradition of the Yorubas.
In line with their vision, the organisation hosted a lecture and recognition award ceremony. The theme of the lecture was – Is The Yoruba Language Endangered? The guest lecturer, Dr. Tunde Adegbola posited that Yoruba language was already endangered as a result of external and internal factors.
He pointed out that language is a symbol of identity; that when a people loses their language, they often lose their cultural identity and history which is an irreparable loss to the database of human knowledge.
The chairman of the occasion, Prince Adegbola Olujobi in his remarks said that of greater concern was the fact that Yoruba language is not handed over to children in their different homes and many parents otherwise thoughtful people shrug it off as a minor issue.
He advised that every well meaning Yoruba sons and daughters must endeavour to support any move towards checking the trend of raising of young Yorubas without indigenous roots.
The Pan Yoruba group, Afenifere was represented at the event by their spokesperson, Yinka Odumakin.
The royal fathers of day were HRM Oba Lasisi Gbadebo (Onigando of Igando), HRM Oba Ambaliu Hakeem Agbedeyi (Alaige of Orile Agege), HRM Oba Yusuf Munirudeen Olatunji (Oba of Onigbongbo), other royal fathers from Abeokuta and other places in Yoruba land.
Highpoint of the event was the recognition award given to some illustrious sons and daughters for their roles in keeping the Yoruba culture alive.
The awardees were Alagba Lere Paimo (Eda onile ola) MFR; Alagba Kareem Adepoju (Baba Wande); Alhaja Lanre Hassan-Adeshina (Mama Awero); Alagba Aderemi Adedeji (Olofana); Alhaji Ramon Adewole (Adewole Onilu ola); Gbenga Adeboye (Funwontan, Alabefe), and Mama Esther Idowu Phillips (Iya Rainbow).
Attendees were taken down memory lane with scintillating music from Alhaji Kollington Ayinla who was on the bandstand.Other Yoruba traditional dance groups were very much around to spice up the event.
Legendary film maker, Tunde Kelani was also around with his Mainframe Production team to add colour to the event.
People also had the opportunity of taking fresh palm wine with native calabash under the colourful cultural ambiance.
In a chat with P.M.EXPRESS, the Vice Chairman of C.R.Y.C.A.T., Alagba Wole Ogunlolu said that the best way to give our children good knowledge of history, values and tradition is to ensure that they read and write in their own local language. He said that language is the most potent instrument for preserving and developing a people’s cultural heritage and his organisation is doing their very best to promote Yoruba language, and advised that government at different levels should do their bit by introduction of strict policies to encourage the learning and teaching of Yoruba language in schools.