Adeyinka Olaiya/
A Brazilian writer, author and philosopher has translated an old Yoruba bestseller, D.O. Fagunwa’s ‘Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irumole’ to the Portuguese language.
Emmanuel de Oliveira Abruzzo aka Awo Ifabiyi, who is also a Yoruba traditionalist, discussed the project with NewsmakersNG at the African Cultural Centre, Sao Paulo, Brazil. He said that the joy in translating such a masterpiece to Portuguese was immense and he could not wait to see the book approved and published so that Brazilian people could also enjoy it.
Fagunwa, who died on July 12, 1963, pioneered the Yoruba-language novel.
Fielding questions in Yoruba language from NewsmakersNG Editor-at-Large, Adeyinka Olaiya, at the African cultural Center, in Brazil, Ifabiyi said, “Many of us Brazilians do not have access to Literature in Yorùbá, although we value the Yorùbá culture, which is part of the formation of the Brazilian people.
“Access to Literature in Yorùbá is practically nonexistent in Brazil. I saw the possibility of translating this book as an opportunity for my own learning, but also to make Literature produced in the Yorùbá language more accessible to us in Brazil.”
Ifabiyi urged Nigerian Yoruba authors to also look towards Brazil and try to translate their books in Portuguese so that the Brazilian readers could enjoy the books.
The Brazilian author who speaks Yoruba fluently harped on the importance in learning Yoruba language. He said that the language itself would “connect you to your ancestors in Africa”.
According to him, a person can better practice the Yoruba traditional religion if the person communicates in very good Yoruba language.
Ifabiyi also commended some Nigerian and Brazilian artists, scholars, and traditionalists who are making efforts to elevate the values of the Yoruba culture and religion in the diaspora. He commended Prof. Felix Ayo Omidire of the Obafemi Awolowo University, in Nigeria and the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil; Oba Ogboni Iwase, South América, Kabiyesi Adekunle Aderounmu; Prof. Mavo Adelson and the entire members of the Akeeko Ede Yoruba group.
A computer scientist and writer on the Yoruba tradition of Ifa, Ifabiyi is currently working on a project ‘Ifa Mathematics and Quantum Computing’.