The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has urged Yoruba in the Diaspora to reconnect with their cultural and spiritual roots as part of efforts to strengthen their identity and promote self-rediscovery.

Oba Owoade made the call on Saturday at the grand finale of this year’s World Sango Festival held at the ancient Alaafin’s Palace in Oyo.

According to a statement by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, Owoade also called for a broader intellectual study of Yoruba culture, saying cultural scholarship should move beyond the performing arts to examine the intellectual foundations of the civilisation.

He urged stakeholders to support efforts to promote the study of Sango, sustain the festival in his honour and appropriate the virtues of leadership associated with the former Alaafin.

The royal father  said the life, administration and leadership of Alaafin Sango should be subjected to rigorous academic study, particularly at a time when Nigeria was searching for effective models of governance and nation-building.

He said, “The Yoruba Diaspora was an ever-expanding world, next only to the Jews in terms of relevance and number. Sango indeed was at the heart of this expanding world of the Yoruba and competing favourably with other religions to explain spiritual and physical mysteries.”

The monarch called for greater support for the Sango Festival as part of a broader cultural tourism agenda, as well as increased scholarly attention to Sango’s leadership and heroic attributes.

“We are at a momentous and critical stage in the historical development of our country, when we are looking back, trying to redefine the system of government in order to establish a responsible and responsive government,” he said.

Owoade expressed confidence that a thorough study of the knowledge system and society that produced what he described as an archetypal African system in Oyo could provide lessons for addressing some of the challenges facing the country.

He urged Yoruba in the Diaspora to immerse themselves in their religion and traditions for spiritual strengthening, personal fulfilment, global understanding and harmony.

The Alaafin said, “You should look beyond the challenges of nation-building we are currently facing in Nigeria and concentrate attention on the spiritual significance of your homecoming to rebuild your cultural identity and spiritual self-rediscovery.”

He explained that the celebration of Sango offered an opportunity for people to reconnect with the virtues that transformed the historical Oyo ruler from the fourth Alaafin of Oyo into a global cultural symbol.

Owoade described Sango as a man of valour, purpose and diplomacy, noting that his leadership helped strengthen Oyo at a formative period when the kingdom was surrounded by powerful states.

According to him, Sango’s charismatic leadership redefined Oyo’s inter-group relations and diplomacy, consolidated its position in the region and strengthened its independence and sovereignty.

The monarch lamented what he described as the declining appreciation of African history and traditional heritage, urging Africans to document and preserve the deeds, wisdom and achievements of past heroes for future generations.

He also attributed part of the challenge to the influence of colonial mentality and the tendency to regard indigenous cultural practices as fetish.

Owoade called on Yoruba to support their traditions and cultural institutions, saying doing so would enable the race to retain its distinct identity and make greater contributions to global civilisation.

He also urged parents to teach their children the Yoruba language, saying proficiency in the indigenous language could enhance children’s ability to learn other languages.