The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi expressed joy at the launch of a book on Yoruba people, written by Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Jamaica and Belize, Ambassador Maureen Tamuno.
Titled, Ile-Ife: Cradle of the World, the book focuses on the history, culture, tourism, and business of Yoruba people of the Ife stock.
The Ooni commended Tamuno for her zeal and passion for the people of Ile-Ife. He said: “I am fulfilled and thankful to God for this project and book written by an Okrika princess (from Rivers State), who understands and values the importance of Ife to the Black race and the world in general. She is dogged and a goal-getter and went about to get several scholars and academics to commit to the project. Efforts like this will make society better”.
Recalling what inspired the book, Tamuno said: “Upon my appointment as an ambassador, I did some research and found some linkages between Ile-Ife and the Caribbean and Black people in the Diaspora. I had to go to Ife to meet the Ooni and I was warmly welcomed.
“Some Jamaicans came to me, saying they wanted to learn Yoruba Language. I could not speak it myself, but I was lucky to get a volunteer who taught them for about 180 days.
“I thought that was all until I saw people coming from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and other places, who said they had traced their roots to Yorubaland”.
The event also featured a fashion show by Olori Ronke (nee Ademiluyi), one of the wives of the Ooni.
Other guests included Chief Executive Officer of Derotech Offshore Nigeria Limited, Rotimi Ibidapo; businessman, Oyekunle Alex-Duduyemi; and founder of the Love of Christ Generation Church, Esther Ajayi.
