The Elegushi of Ikate Elegushi Kingdom, HRM Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi Kusenla III said that promoting Nigerian culture, investing in tourism and agriculture is key to stimulating economic growth and accelerating the nation’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP) ,only if businesses would leverage on them. This he disclosed at the weekend during a courtesy visit by the representatives of HRM Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II, the Oloyotunji of Oyotunji African Village,Sheldon, South Carolina, U.S.A, led by Rotimi Vaughan, the Oyotunji African Village Ambassador to Nigeria to his palace.
He said “In the past, the country survived through investment in agriculture and businesses and there is no reason why this path should not be revisited. What we need to do is invest in the sector and repackage our locally made products to meet globally acceptable standards”
In Oba Adefunmi’s message to the Elegushi, he said “Your reputation and your great works as a remarkable promoter of the Yoruba race, culture and tradition precedes your Royal Majesty and in recognition of this, the entire people of Oyotunji African Village, South Carolina, and the Yoruba people of North America, with love, have decided to decorate HRM Oba Ademola Saheed Elegushi as ‘The Special Royal Personality of Yoruba Culture and Heritage in North America and Diaspora’”. In view of this, the delegate extended a formal invitation to the Elegushi from Oba Adefunmi, to attend the forthcoming National Cultural Day event in South Carolina, USA tagged The Lagos-Oyotunji Cultural Heritage Fiesta, where he will be formally recognized and honored by the Oloyotunji of Oyotuni
The Royal message further stated that, The Yoruba of North America intend to name a heritage monument within Oyotunji Yoruba African Village after Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi. This monument will serve as a stepping stone for African descendants whose ancestors were captured, enslaved and shipped from Africa to the Americas via the port of Badagry and other parts of Nigeria.
Read Also:
In accepting the invitation and honor, Oba Elegushi expressed his sincere appreciation to be considered worthy of such an honor by the Oyotunji people. He also endorsed the cultural heritage fiesta as a positive step in supporting our shared vision to preserve and promote Yoruba culture especially in Diaspora. Reverting to his degree in Economics, His Majesty said that we need to explore the possible opportunities within this bilateral relationship to promote not only our culture but viable commercial ventures. Obvious examples are promoting Nigerian Food, Arts and Culture as a catalyst to boost tourism trade and agricultural investments. These are some of vital and veritable sources of revenue that the country should harness to improve Balance of Payments adjustments. In the Agricultural Sector, the monarch maintained that the time is ripe to join hands with well-established agricultural regions like, Oyotunji African Village in boosting agricultural investment that would bring about mutual benefits for both regions.
He also disclosed that the realities of the dwindling oil sector has revealed that there is an obvious need to diversify. There are a lot of investment opportunities in the agricultural sector that if properly harnessed and leveraged, will give the desired boost in the economy. He therefore, urged Nigerians to look beyond the obvious by thinking outside the box to invest in other sectors of economy but majorly agriculture, saying, “if average Nigeria can eat three square meal this would alleviate a major part of our basic needs”.
In conclusion, The Elegushi appealed to corporate bodies and well-meaning Nigerians to support the youth and individuals towards promoting our rich culture and investing in tourism and agricultural businesses.
Aare Oluwanbe Amodu, the Aare Apo of the Oyotunji Village, expressed his pleasure for the warm greetings received from the monarch and made it clear that Oyotunji Village is set to explore meaningful bilateral relations with Lagos State in the area of heritage, tourism, arts, culture, agriculture, education, trade and combating modern slavery.
The anti-modern slavery and child trafficking activist, Ambassador Rotimi Vaughan and initiator of the Lagos-Oyotunji Cultural Heritage Fiesta, said that the event would serve as an opportunity and platform for people to meet numerous investors and to strengthen cultural and investment Bond between Oyotunji village and Nigeria
