Yoruba Council holds 4th Annual World Omoluabi Day Award
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo
The Yoruba Council Worldwide (Igbimo Apapo Yoruba Lagbaye) will hold its 4th Annual World Omoluabi Day Festival and Omoluabi Royal Icon (ORI) Awards on 1st May, 2022.
A statement signed by the Global President, Yoruba Council Worldwide, Aare Oladotun Hassan and made available to journalists in Osogbo on Wednesday, said distinguished sons and daughters of Oduduwa in various fields, as well as individuals from other parts of Nigeria will be honoured at the event.
Ooni of Ife,, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, His Imperial Majesty, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, will host the event at the Ojaja Arena, Banquet Hall, Ife Grand Resorts and Suites, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
According to Aare Hassan, the event was specifically aimed at celebrating and appreciating distinguished Nigerians with uncommon integrity, hardworking spirit, intelligence, perseverance, intellectualism, as well as acknowledging their landmark achievements and unquantifiable commitments.
He added that the World Omoluabi Day Festival and ORI Awards are dedicated to raising active awareness campaigns against prevalent societal vices such as cultism, ritualism, cybercrime, and teen sex: impacts and solutions.
Hassan expressed concern about daily news of ritual killings, kidnappings, cultism, teenage sex, sexual abuse, domestic violence, prostitution and internet fraud and scam popularly called Yahoo Yahoo or most Yahooplus (ritualism) among others.
“We cannot over-emphasised the lost grounds and how deep this endemic and cancerous lack of Omoluabi ethos has destroyed our renowned good behavioural conducts and attitudinal values, morals and spirit of hardwork in Yoruba land (ile kaaro oojire) and by extension Nigeria at large.
“Omoluabi is a symbology and descriptive way of identifying a true born good character of hard work, perseverance, integrity and intellectual acumen filled with divine wisdom. These are common sense and attitudes Yoruba are respected for in our environment in the past, regrettably now lacking in our today’s society.
“Most unfortunately, we have lost lots of our youths and children to drug abuse, early sex, ritualistic tendencies, prostitution and juvenile delinquency traits to mention a few.”
The 2022 edition of ORI Awards has dignitaries such as Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo ,SAN, as keynote speaker, Hon. Yemi Adaramodu, House Committee Chairman on Youth, Federal House of Representatives, is the guest speaker, while Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State is the chief host, alongside other governors of Southwestern and Yoruba indigenous speaking states of Kogi, Kwara, Edo And Delta states.
Awardees are; Sijibomi Ogundele of Sijimoto, Wale Ayilara, Mr. Wale Folami, Hon. John Campos Ogundare, Executive Chairman of Eti-Osa East LGA as Asoju Odo Oodua Agbaye.
Other expected guests are captains of industries, political leaders and other eminent Nigerians.
