Pledges commitment to meet UNESCO’s target for recognition

From Rotimi Agboluaje, Ibadan

Oyo State Government, yesterday, urged the people to always identify with their cultural heritage and promote its values rather than shy away from embracing it.

The guest lecturer, Ifayemi Elebuibon, who gave the charge in his lecture presentation during the 2024 World Egungun festival in Ibadan, said that the Yoruba culture is replete with a lot of cultural heritage, norms and value systems that should be adorned with admiration instead of feeling embarrassed or ashamed to be associated with it.

Elebuibon, while acknowledging that beyond entertainment and cleansing, Egungun plays vital roles as spiritual messengers in bringing good tidings to the society, applauded Governor Seyi Makinde for promoting social cultural growth and development that would impact the state economy for the benefit of the people.

Earlier in his welcome address, the state’s Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, hinted that despite initial challenges in organising the festival, the state government remained committed in redefining the wrong narratives associated with Egungun festival and repackaging the festival for global acceptability.

Olatunbosun also expressed optimism that in subsequent years, different Egunguns across various Yoruba states would converge on Ibadan for the festival even as the state government would continue to make effort for the enlistment of the festival by the United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as an internationally-recognised festival.