Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has called for repackaging, re-branding and reorientation of people about Yoruba traditional religion and practice, so as not to lose valuable benefits inherent in them.
The governor disclosed this at the swearing-in ceremony of newly elected executives of the Traditional Religion Worshippers Association, State of Osun, (TRAWSO).
Represented by the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Wale Adebisi, Aregbesola was of the opinion that the wholesale rejection of the Yoruba traditional religion could lead, in no distance time, to loss of identity by the race.
He said the warm hands of fellowship the West, in recent past, appears to be offering Yoruba culture, should send signals to the discerning minds within the race that there are several good things about the culture.
“But how are we, the owner of the culture treating it? Shabbily. We don’t value what we have and that is not the right way to go. We must guard our culture jealously and ensure we don’t lose it. Loss of culture means loss of identity and we must not allow that to happen,” Aregbesola said.
As part of measures to ensure Yoruba race preserves its culture, Aregbesola urged adherents to package it in such a way that it would be attractive to people and make it more exportable to other parts of the globe.
“I am suggesting as part of the way forward, that you leaders and adherents of the Yoruba traditional religion should not scare people away from it, but package it and make it very attractive and more exportable,” Aregbesola concluded.
BOLA BAMIGBOLA, Osogbo
