The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has made history by declaring the Quilombola territory in Brazil as a Yoruba heritage.
This unprecedented move marks the first time that such a declaration has been made, solidifying the cultural ties between the Yoruba people of Nigeria and the Afro-Brazilian community of Quilombolas.
The highly respected monarch revealed this during his recent visit to Bahia area of the South-American country where he and his entourage were received with hospitality.
Ooni of Ife, as a custodian of Yoruba culture, is keen on promoting cultural integration between the Yoruba race and the rest of the world.
The Quilombola emerged as a historical community in the 17th century, and to this day, it remains a vital part of Brazilian history. With approximately 580 families occupying an area spanning 1,200 hectares, the Quingoma community has been officially recognized as a Quilombola territory by the Palmares Foundation since 2013.
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Given the history of Quilombola and the iconic role it played during the slave trade by recognizing and embracing Yoruba people, who were enslaved and forcefully removed from their base in Nigeria, the recognition of Quilombola as Yoruba territory is another step in preserving African history.
The epoch-making ceremony took place in the Quingoma community, in Lauro de Freitas, in the Metropolitan Region of Salvador, Brazil.
In his address, the Ooni highlighted the similarities between the Yoruba culture and that of Quilombola while noting his passion and drive to preserve the African culture.
“This event is a very big one for me because I am passionate about preserving the Yorubas culture and its deep-rooted values. This event will lay precedence for the Yoruba language and its culture to be more acceptable globally,” he concluded.
