President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday inaugurated the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History in Onikan area of Lagos State.
The President alongside Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and many other stakeholders in the entertainment and tourism industries toured the entire Centre for Yoruba Culture and History.
According to the site architect, Mr Damilare Ojewole, who took visitors on tour of the facility, the centre hopes to strengthen the origin of Yoruba culture and also educates individuals about the creation of Yoruba empire through ‘Ile-Ori’, ‘Ori-Olokun’, ‘Esu’ and more.
John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Onikan, Lagos State
“This place, you will learn about happenings in the Yoruba empire in the olden days and now, the customs and practices.”
“We have exhibitions on how naming ceremonies were conducted in the old, divinations, it reveals the various masquerades in Yoruba land, we have contemporary art section, fashion and more.”
“At another session, we have a gadget for visitors to check the meaning of their names and we have a good ambience for tales by moonlight.”
“The permanent exhibition here celebrates the language, rituals, festivals, deities and ancestry of the Yoruba people at this time and will ensure that the legacy of Yoruba culture and history is kept alive in Lagos,” Ojewole said.
The John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History forms part of the urban regeneration at the heart of Lagos Island, a part of the city steeped in rich history.
The centre which used to serve as a hub for cultural tourism, recreation and entertainment was originally built in 1928.
It has been renovated as a cultural attraction meant to reveal to visitors the time-honoured story of Yoruba ethnicity, one of the most influential ethnicities in Nigeria.
The centre is said to serve as a place for remembrance and reconnection for Yoruba people from Cuba, Brazil, Haiti, America and the Caribbeans as well as the rest of Southwest Nigeria.
It highlights how Yoruba culture influences musicians, artistes and creative innovators in the present day.
INLANDTOWN recalls that the President commissioned the Blue Rail Line which is scheduled to ply Marina to Mile 2, the Lekki Deep Sea Port, Imota Rice Mill, and Bestaf Lubricant at MRS Holdings Company Limited all located in Lagos.
See more photos from the inauguration below;
