Published: Thu, 08 Aug 2013
The Yoruba Community in Ghana in a rare showcase of culture is set to mark the 200th year of the Yoruba in Ghana with a book that captures the sojourn.

Plans have been concluded to celebrate 200 years of Yoruba in Ghana. This special display of culture and heritage of the Yoruba people of South West Nigeria is being put together by a committee constituted by the various Yoruba communities in the ten regions of Ghana.

Slated for the National Theatre, Accra on September 24, 2013 the event is expected to attract not only the members of the Yoruba Community numbering 500,000 but also members of other Nigerian groups alongside top players in the Ghanaian economy.

Explaining the series of events that have been lined up to make this event as grand as possible, the leader of the Organising Committee, Joshua Bola Olalere said in an interview that it would be weeklong: The 200 years of Yoruba in Ghana will start with a press conference where the leadership of the Yoruba Community will announce to the world our intention to celebrate and why we should celebrate. There shall be courtesy visits to the Nigerian Embassy and some Obas of the Yoruba across the regions in Ghana.

We have ten regions in Ghana and the Yoruba Community has functioning executives in all these regions and Obas. On the third day, there will be charity visit to some childrens homes where items shall be donated to the less-privileged children in the society.

On Thursday, there shall be novelty football match between the Yoruba youths from Accra and Kumasi. There shall be Jumat service on Friday and on Saturday shall be the main day for award , dinner and the grand reception for some Yoruba leaders who have made us proud as Yoruba people. Some of these awardees are Group Managing Director of Energy Group, Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, the Governors of Oyo, Osun and Ogun states; Abiola Ajimobi, Rauf Aregbesola and Ibikunle Amosun as well as Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Others are Adebayo Salami, Chief Mrs. Toyin Kolade, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Alagba Adebayo Faleti and Gani Adams.

The Yoruba Cultural Centre shall come alive for the public presentation of the book: Exploits of Migrant Community: 200 Years of Yoruba in Ghana.

At the end of the day, the book would have proven so much to our host country that we have indeed contributing massively to the allround development of Ghana.

It will also serve as reference material for the future generation because to live without any form of record is to live without any form of history; many efforts of our past heroes have gone uncelebrated because it was not properly documented.

The book shall chronicle the earliest migration of Yoruba people from Nigeria since about 200 years ago. It shall highlight their influences, impacts and their challenges in their sojourn in a foreign land and as well celebrate their successes.

The book will also help some of the Yoruba born and raised in Ghana to know more about Yoruba culture and home. This event, according to the Organising Committee would not only announce the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba but also bring respect and honour to the entire Nigerian nation country.

At the end of this programme, Ghanaians will have more respect for Nigerians and more importantly, the Yoruba because we are part of the builders of the modern Ghana, Olalere said.

Highpoint of the celebration would be the Yoruba Heritage Award which will be recognising some illustrious sons of Yoruba land as the members of the Yoruba Community roll out the drums to celebrate them in an atmosphere of conviviality.

One of the honourees is celebrated entrepreneur, Dr. Ibrahim, whose vast interests in sectors such as banking, insurance, education, media and hospitality, has rubbed off positively and immensely on the image of the Nigerian nation in Ghana.

According to the leader of the Organising Committee, Dr. Ibrahim was unanimously decided to be honoured by the Yoruba Community for his untiring role in putting the African continent on the map of the top World Corporate entities, judging from the performance of his Energy Group in just ten years.

Olalere said: The case of Dr. Ibrahim is spectacular. The Energy Bank Ghana has added to the pride of Nigerians in Ghana as one of the successful Nigerian businesses in the country.

The entire Yoruba are very happy and proud that one of us has come to Ghana to own a bank 100% and so far so good, the bank has provided employment for several Ghanaians, buttressing our point that we did not come to Ghana to take. We are also providing and contributing to the economy of Ghana. When Air Nigeria was flying, it was the most preferred on Lagos-Accra route and we cannot wait for it to be back in the sky.

In other threads some cretins make it seem like the Yorubas are so rich they don't need to travel. Am surprised they're in Ghana picking oranges...eyah!!!
Brua-hua-ha-ah...!!! I laugh in Buhari voice.

Many yoruba families in Osun, Oyo and kwara states had/have relatives who lived/live in Ghana. Many of them are landlords there. Ogbomoso in particular has a large number of people with connections in Ghana and many still speak Ghananian languages. They were successful businessmen/women there.

Haa! emi...eku orire oh. I tink say una no dey hustle like d ibos. Ahw me dey kampe jare.