The Orangun of Oke Ila, Oba Adedokun Omoniyi Abolarin has called on the 1800 corps members deployed to Osun State to appreciate the way of life of their host communities. He charged them not to seek to know why the host community behaves the way it does but rather to seek to appreciate the community’s ways of life.
Oba Abolarin gave the charge while delivering a traditional lecture on the culture and traditions of the Yorubas at the 2019 Batch B stream II orientation course at the Permanent Orientation Camp, Ede on Friday 23rd August. His Royal Majesty, who took the members through the features of the Yoruba culture, further charged the members to practice the saying “when you’re in Rome, behave like the Romans”, as according to him “you’re in Yoruba land, take interest in the land and in the culture of the people. Think and act like the Yoruba for this one year. You’re Yorubas for the next one year”.
He charged them further not to be so immersed in western culture and products at the expense of their indigenous culture and things. He enjoined them to be proud of their culture and indigenous products. He stated “no culture is static, every culture is constantly changing. Let’s begin to take interest in our indigenous things. Let’s begin to believe in our language and in who we are, because this is who we are and cannot be otherwise”.
Oba Abolarin, the founder of Abolarin College, a school that gives free education and skill training to poor indigenous Nigerians, urged the corps members to be selfless and patriotic in all their dealings. He urged them further to relate well with other ethnic groups as this will make them appreciate who they are better. He described the nation’s cultural diversity as the beauty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and said “be patriotic, hold Nigeria dear to your heart, hold other ethnic groups dear to your heart. Let us build on our diversity, for it makes sense”.
He reminded the members that nation building is a gradual process and they should therefore not be discouraged but rather channel their strength and creativity towards bringing the nation to limelight in the community of nations. He furthermore, reminded them that the only antidote to poverty is hard work and not vices and called on them to eschew vices and embrace hardwork as their ladder to success.
Oba Abolarin allayed the fears of the corps members by dispelling popular negative myths about the Yorubas. He described the Yorubas though fastidious, as diplomatic, sociable, flamboyant, cooperative and hospitable people who tend to own things collectively and are very receptive to strangers.
