“Ogede N Baje, A Loun Pan”: Nurturing Our Heritage for A Promising Tomorrow | Alli Egbesola

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Ogede N Baje, A Loun Pan”: Nurturing Our Heritage for A Promising Tomorrow | Alli Egbesola

In the words of the great Marcus Garvey, “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.” Sadly, Nigeria is gradually losing touch with its rich cultures and traditions under the guise of development. This alarming trend becomes most evident in the erosion of our native languages, particularly within the Yoruba community, where the saying “Ogede n baje, a loun pan” rings true.

The essence of a nation’s culture resides in the hearts and souls of its people. Any nation that disregards this fundamental aspect loses its identity. Unfortunately, the Yoruba race seems to be heading in that direction. While Yoruba culture and language have gained recognition and appreciation in foreign lands like Cuba, Argentina, and the USA, it’s disheartening to note that we, the custodians of this heritage, often fail to value it within our own families.

One of the consequences of abandoning our traditional modes of dressing for foreign attire is the diminishing sense of modesty among our youth. This, in turn, has led to a regrettable increase in the sharing of explicit content on social media platforms, with a significant portion originating from Yoruba ladies.

Adding to these concerns, a recent incident today, September 15, 2023, during the commissioning of a project by the Oyo State government in Iseyin was deeply distressing. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s actions, where he directed all “Oba Alayes” in attendance to stand up and sit down as if they were pupils, are nothing short of a disgrace to the Yoruba institution. Our culture and traditions were once impeccable until the influx of foreign influences led us astray from our roots.

It is incumbent upon the Yoruba race to retrace its steps to its origins before we lose everything that defines us. We must rekindle our appreciation for our heritage and resist the allure of foreign imitations. Let us take the initiative to preserve our culture, language, and traditions so that we don’t find ourselves in a position where we must pay others to recount our own history to us. 

Don’t turn Yoruba into argot and stop treating our highly valued culture and tradition with disdain.

Alli Egbesola, a full-blooded Ibadan descendant, writes from Ibadan, Oyo State.