Dare Babalola
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has praised President Bola Tinubu and Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka for their exhibition of core Yoruba values on the global stage.
The organization commended Tinubu’s act of cultural deference towards Soyinka during a recent state banquet in Brazil, describing it as a proper display of ‘Omoluabi’ ethos.
In a statement signed by its National Organising Secretary, Otunba Kole Omololu on Thursday, Afenifere noted that the gesture embodied humility, respect, and proper conduct, regardless of status or position.
The organisation highlighted the significance of the Yoruba culture, citing its widespread influence across the globe, particularly in countries such as Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, and the United States.
Afenifere celebrated the Yoruba spirit as resilient, dignified, and eternal, and commended Tinubu and Soyinka for exemplifying these values with grace.
The organisation noted that the Yoruba culture continues to thrive through faiths like Candomblé, Santería, Vodou, and Orisha traditions, where sacred words such as ‘àṣẹ’, ‘adúrà’, ‘oríkì’, and ‘Ọlọ́run’ are still spoken more than a century after the transatlantic dispersal.
The statement read in part, “These global expressions affirm that no other African people possess such a wide-reaching, deeply rooted diaspora, one that has faithfully preserved its àṣà (traditions) and ìwà pẹ̀lẹ́ (gentle character).
“Recent events underscore the unique prestige of the Yorùbá nation and the timeless power of its culture. In faraway Brazil, during a state banquet, President Tinubu vacated his seat in deference to Professor Soyinka, addressing him with the dignified word ‘egbon’ – elder brother.”
