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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for the preservation of African cultural heritage, describing it as authentic and vital to the continent’s identity.
Obasanjo stated this on Sunday during a luncheon he hosted to celebrate the 50th birthday of renowned female drummer Aralola Olamuyiwa at the Green Legacy Resort within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta.
Obasanjo lamented the unfortunate relegation of rich African cultures in favour of embracing Western culture.
“Culture is the totality of who we are. Unfortunately, we have relegated some aspects of our culture to the background—our food, our language, our dress, and so on.
“They even say Yoruba is vernacular. That is not right. Yoruba is Yoruba; it is authentic, and we must learn to celebrate what belongs to us because that is the authentic.
“I am a Christian. I have been to two churches today, but whoever says Ifa Orunmila is nothing must be a bloody fool because Orunmila has been with us before the advent of Christianity or Islam,” he said.
The former President explained that he decided to celebrate the female talking drum expert for being a cultural icon and ambassador in her own right.
“Growing up, there were two things you would never see a woman doing: a woman would never be seen climbing a palm tree, and you wouldn’t see a woman drummer.
“But Ara, with her tenacity and focus, has broken this taboo. She is now known all over the world as a drummer.
“We now have a woman who can beat the drum better than the men. She is helping a lot to sustain our cultural heritage, and that is why I decided to celebrate her — to further encourage her to keep up the good work,” he added.
The former President urged youths to take inspiration from the celebrated drummer, saying, “Whatever good your hands find to do, do it well, and I will celebrate you. The lesson here is that nothing is unimportant in any area of human endeavour.”
In her response, Ara thanked the former President for the honour, describing it as a gesture she would cherish for the rest of her life and career.
The renowned Ondo State-born drummer revealed that she had doubted her survival to celebrate her 50th birthday, having suffered a life-threatening illness last year.
Ara explained that the celebration was her way of returning praises to God, who had preserved her and supported her rise to the global stage despite all odds.
