Ife, Nigeria – In a compelling call to action, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has challenged Nigerian universities to meticulously document the rich history of the Yoruba race. Emphasizing the importance of accurate historical accounts, he denounced reliance on what he termed “jaundiced history” and urged academia to delve into the roots of the Yoruba people.
Addressing journalists at his palace in Ife ahead of the International Conference on ‘Ile-Ife and Yoruba Civilization: Nexus between Tradition and Modernity,’ the monarch asserted that proper documentation would not only foster unity but also unveil interconnected ties across ethnic groups. Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi revealed intriguing evidence suggesting that the Igbo race has historical roots in Ile-Ife, supporting his claim with the existence of Ile-Igbo within the palace premises.
“We have good evidence to believe that Igbo race has its roots here in Ile-Ife. There is Ile-Igbo here in the palace which was not a recent creation but has been existing here for decades. For this and many other reasons, I believe we need proper documentation of our history,” the Ooni expressed.
Acknowledging the deficiency in recorded history, the monarch highlighted that only about a quarter of the Yoruba race’s history has been documented. Collaborating with select universities, he emphasized the urgency of accurately documenting the history to enhance global cohesion among Yoruba people.
“We are not involving the government in this project so that we can just place all the facts together; we must write our history properly and put things the right way for the coming generations,” the Ooni declared.
Renowned Professor of History, Siyan Oyeweso, echoed the Ooni’s sentiments, noting that the upcoming conference aims to bring scholars together to discuss and develop methods for the comprehensive documentation of Yoruba history. The focus will particularly center on Ile-Ife as the cradle of the Yoruba race.
