Dr Paula Gomes (middle), the Cultural Ambassador to Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, flanked by Sango worshippers at the just concluded Sango festival in Oyo Town. NAN-PHOTO.
Dr Paula Gomes, the Cultural Ambassador to Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, has advised Yoruba people to embrace their rich culture and tradition to save it from extinction.
Gomes, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Oyo, said that Yorubas needed to be proud of their culture and tradition, and work toward preserving them.
NAN reports that the Portugal-born culture expert, who coordinated the just concluded World Sango Festival, is popularly known as Iya Sango.
“I advise all Yorubas to embrace their culture and tradition. If they don’t do it, they will lose it. Your blood is stronger, so be proud of it.
“Most Europeans go to Brazil to learn about Yoruba culture, because in Brazil, Yoruba culture is preserved. So, you have to preserve it for these people to come here,” she said.
Gomes said that Yoruba people no longer appreciate, as well as, respect their strong culture and tradition.
She confirmed the richness of Yoruba culture and tradition, saying that there was no bastard in Yorubaland due to their known roots.
“Yoruba tradition and culture is very strong. Everything is knowledge and you people have a lot of knowledge. It is a pity that Yorubas don’t appreciate and respect it anymore.
“As a foreigner, if I don’t love what I am doing, I won’t be here. It is something that I really respect, because money can’t pay what I am doing.
“You are very rich in culture. You are very rich in tradition. Everything has a meaning. We have lost a lot of our culture.
“I use to say that Yorubas know their roots, nobody is a bastard. Everybody knows where he or she is coming from. Everybody knows his or her own oriki,” she said.
Gomes described Alaafin as a very knowledgeable king, who is very passionate about his tradition and legacy to bequeath to the younger generation.
She, however, called on Nigerians to preserve their culture and tradition as another way of generating income through tourism, saying that Nigerians have invested a lot in tourism to Mecca and Israel.
Gomes urged the people to always learn their mother tongue and should not be ashamed of their culture.
“Children should learn their mother tongue. Their mother tongue is Yoruba and it is very important. They should not be ashamed of their culture and tradition.
“Your forefathers didn’t do bad to anybody. Even, if they don’t believe it, they should preserve it. Yorubas need to be proud of their culture,” she said.(NAN)