A foreign tourist, His Majesty, Raba Gaye Konjwa of the Ndebele Nation, South Africa, while fielding questions from journalists on the sidelines of the famous Olojo festival celebration, in Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria, has called on Africans to unite to solve the problems in the continent.
He charged Africans across the world to come back to their source to solve the problems together to protect their indigenous cultures.
According to the royal father: “Wherever you are as Africans, let’s come back to our home. You don’t need to run away from your home. Our problem is our problem that we need to solve. Nobody else will solve our problems unless African brothers and sisters.
“We shall solve our problems on our own by uniting. Let’s stop this thing from being selfish.
“We’ve been so concerned about the issue in the entire Africa that we Africans, are so divided and we are wondering about the whole problem about us as South Africans on why we Africans do not unite.
“It is a time now that everybody needs to run. We have the organization called Sovereign Congress of Africa that organization we made it so that we can unite in the whole Africa. Mind you, together we stand, divided we fall.
“As Africans will need to unite and protect our indigenous people, protect our culture because we are rich in culture. Everywhere, stop this fighting your brother. Whether a Nigerian, a South African, a Ugandan, or a Congolese among others, we are one.
“Fighting each other was man-made for us to ensyer we do not unite. They are scared of us. The enemy is behind and is busy exploiting us and then encouraging killing one another because of their thinking that we cannot stand on our own.
“Now we need to go back to our traditional leaders. When we are with our traditional leaders then we will be able to conquer the world.
“We in our Africa with all our riches and culture are very rich. So, let’s unite as Africans wherever you are, Sovereign Congress, traditional leaders of Africa.
“I’m here with His Majesty my Colleague in the Sovereign Congress of African leaders in the whole Africa. Let us unite, let’s go back and respect African elders.
“We need to stand and love one another, and protect one another. stop these xenophobic things.
“South Africa is also your home. Nigeria is also my home. Uganda is also my home. Congo is also my home. Everybody, we should unite. We are one. So let’s stand as Africans brothers and sisters.
“Let this message find everybody wherever you are. It is our time now as Africans that we stand.”
On his own, a Mexican and traditional worshipper, Ifamosun Saorigameh expressed his excitement seeing that Yoruba tradition is alive.
The Yoruba-speaking Mexican, who traveled from Mexico to witness the 2023 Olojo festival said: “This is my first time of attending the Olojo festival.
“Four years ago the first I heard about it when I saw it, I wanted to participate. So this year I traveled to Nigeria to attend the festival.
“I’m feeling so happy because our Yoruba culture is alive I’m very happy to see that.
“People outside really love local fabrics and any kind of Yoruba clothes and if we can take these to all the places it will be good for fashion around the world.”
This year’s Olojo Festival, which is held annually in Ile Ife, Osun State, took place on Saturday, September 30, 2023
It is one of the most popular and respected festivals in Yorubaland, and is celebrated in honour of ‘Ogun’, the god of iron.
The festival connotes the day in the year specially blessed by Olodumare (the Creator of the universe). Prayers are offered for peace and tranquillity in Yorubaland and Nigeria.
This year’s festival started with the seclusion of the revered monarch, the Arole Oodua, Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Sunday 24, 2023, before coming to the palace on Friday, after which some women from the town had earlier swept the palace, which symbolises sanitisation from evil.
During the seclusion, the Ooni was expected to commune with the ancestors and pray for his people.
At the significant event which took place inside the palace, tourists from Nigeria and abroad traveled down to the ancient town for the 2023 celebration.
Imediately the Ooni wore the sacred crown “Ade Are” traditional adherents started praying to Olodumare.
