From Dupe Olaoye Osinkolu
Houston, Texas/
Special recognition was given to the Yoruba race today in the United States of America as the Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti Kingdom, HRH Oba Joseph Adebayo Adewole, was conferred with the Honorary Citizen and Goodwill Ambassador of Houston.
The honour was conferred at a Meet and Greet programme in the City of Houston, where the Alara of Aramoko Ekiti also got a certificate of recognition for the August visit to the Mayor.
The certificates were presented to the monarchs by Vice Mayor Pro-Tem Jerry Davis who received them on behalf of Mayor Sylvester Turner who is meeting the delegation at a bigger reception on Monday.
Welcoming the monarchs, the Director of Trade and International Affairs, City of Houston, Mr Christopher Olson said that the City provided an enabling environment for trade and businesses for all. He added that Houston, Texas would always celebrate the diversity of people and that the city’s diversity law “is one of the best in the country”.
He revealed that Houston brings all cultures together for healthy and progressive co-habitation in an enabling environment under a conducive diversity law.
The Interim Director, Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs, Mr Robert Dembo III, listed areas of businesses where Houston is willing to partner with other cultures to include oil and gas, education, health, power generation among others.
The Ajero of Ijero Ekiti appreciated the Houston authorities and pledged trade and economic partnership of the Yoruba people with the City of Houston. He said that the Yoruba are industrious and always pull their trade and economic weight wherever they resided.
Ajero also conveyed the goodwill and best wishes of foremost Yoruba traditional ruler, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi to the City of Houston and the authorities.
The Matron of the Asa Festival Inc., Prof. Yeside Adeniji, in her speech at the event said, “We are beginning to rejuvenate Yoruba Culture and tradition. Our culture is being forgotten, awareness is not being created in order for Yoruba people to know who they are and where they are coming from. This will make them proud of who they are and the virtues that they can contribute to any society they belong to, without being shy.”
Prof. Adeniji also enjoined Yoruba people to see themselves as one and “stop discriminating, saying I am Ondo, Oyo, Ijesha, Egba, Ijebu, Ekiti. Yoruba is Yoruba. We must work towards preventing our language and culture from going into extinction in the next fifty years by encouraging our children to speak Yoruba language and promote our culture”.
One of the Conveners of Asa Festival 2018, Prince Bolaji Afolabi, said that the main aim of the Festival was to ensure Yoruba culture and tradition didn’t go into extinction. He said that Yoruba tradition, fashion, food among others must be entrusted to Yoruba children in the diaspora, to enable them to appreciate their roots.
Princess Adejoke Phillips predicted a greater future for the Yoruba children in the diaspora as the yearly Asa Festival would benefit them in all necessary areas needed for their cultural and economic advancement.
