In a significant move to strengthen unity and promote cooperation among Yoruba traditional rulers, a delegation of Obas of Yoruba extraction from the Republic of Benin paid a courtesy visit to the Aresa of Iresa-Apa, Oba Moses Olayiwola, today.
This visit forms part of an ongoing tour by Beninese Obas to meet with their counterparts in Nigeria as they seek to foster unity among Yoruba Obas across national borders.
The Beninese Obas have already visited key Yoruba monarchs, including the Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and the Orangun of Ila,
Oba Wahab Kayode Oyedotun, as part of this unity tour.
While in Ila Orangun, the newly installed Onipopo of Grand Popo in Benin Republic, Oba Adeshina Fagbemi Alahoussan Hélékétché, during their visit to Ila Orangun’s palace entered Ìpèbí where the he communes with ancestors and transitions to king, exudes artistic elegance and sobriety.
The significant ceremony reverses the disruption caused by European colonization, which fragmented Africa and erased cultural identities.
This latest visit to the Aresa of Iresa-Apa is viewed as a historic step in promoting Yoruba cultural and traditional cohesion beyond Nigeria’s borders, as well as enhancing the longstanding relationship between Yoruba communities in Nigeria and Benin.
During the meeting, Aresa Oba Moses Olayiwola expressed his full support for the Beninese Obas’ efforts to unify Yoruba leaders. He emphasized the importance of peaceful coexistence and promised to actively engage in efforts that bolster harmony and cooperation among the Yoruba-speaking people in both nations.
The delegation included prominent traditional rulers from Benin, such as the Onipopo of Popo, the Alaketu of Ketu, and the Onisabe of Sabe, among others.
Their visits are expected to lay the groundwork for collaborative initiatives that celebrate Yoruba heritage, traditions, and values, thereby strengthening the shared cultural identity of the Yoruba people.
The visit further established the deep connections that continue to bind the Yoruba people across modern political boundaries.
