By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Oyo State Director of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Olukemi Afolayan has advocated an African solution as catalyst for unity and development on the continent.
Dr. Afolayan said this on Wednesday, at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan 2023 CULTURAL DAY Organised by African Studies Students Association (ASSA) with the theme “Embracing Africa heritage a path to unity and development in the 21st century”.
She emphasized that solutions to problems on the continent can only be found in embracing African heritage, lamenting that the fact that development continues to elude most African countries despite our rich culture and heritage.
Dr. Afolayan pointed out that African indigenous society was haven of great civilization, interaction with external forces have led to African’s heritage been falsified, sapped and plundered and that much of the socio-economic upheavals in the continent to the abandonment of our traditional culture and values.
” If we embrace our culture and showcase our heritage, Africa as a continent has everything we need to be great,” she said
Dr. Afolayan maintained that we must find an African solution to our problems by embracing heritage such as applying indigenous instruments of social engineering and development.
The heritage according to her included indigenous instruments as ‘Omoluabi’ concept of the Yoruba which signifies good character and citizenship and Ubuntu concept of the Zulu which signifies solidarity and kinship.
Tasking the audience at the symposium who were mostly youths to take pride in African literature, history language, fashion, cuisine, arts, music etc, she noted that cultural identity stands as a unique way to differentiate people from other human societies, particularly their social norms, core values and their ways of life in totality.
Emphasizing that an heritage passed from one generation to the other and should not be abandoned because it is who we are, Dr Afolayan lauded IAS for the leading role it has continued to play in the promotion of renewed interest in African culture and in essence preservation of African heritage.
