BEING THE TEXT OF SPEECH DELIVERED BY OTUNBA (DR) GANI ADAMS AT THE THIRD OYA FESTIVAL HELD AT IRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL IRA, KWARA STATE ON THE 13TH OF NOVEMBER 2014.
Your Excellency, Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed Executive Governor of Kwara State
Your Royal Majesty Oba Wahab Oyewale Oyetoro Onira of Ira
Your Royal Majesty Oba Kilani Adekeye Oyedare Oluyele 1, Oloyan of Oyan The Royal Father of the Day
The Royal Majesties Presents,
The Chairman of the Day
The Guest Lecturer,
National Coordinating Council of OPC Committee
Members of the Oodua People’s Congress
Members of the Press
Ladies and Gentle Men.
Your Royal Majesty Oba Wahab Oyewale Oyetoro Onira of Ira
Your Royal Majesty Oba Kilani Adekeye Oyedare Oluyele 1, Oloyan of Oyan The Royal Father of the Day
The Royal Majesties Presents,
The Chairman of the Day
The Guest Lecturer,
National Coordinating Council of OPC Committee
Members of the Oodua People’s Congress
Members of the Press
Ladies and Gentle Men.
The Place of Oya Among the Yoruba Goddesses
Let me warmly welcome you all to the celebration of another important goddess in the history of the Yoruba race.
We have come again to celebrate another goddess , whose contribution to the development of what is today known as Yoruba values and culture, cannot be quantified
We have carefully chosen the topic " The place of Oya among the Yoruba Goddess " Our intention is not to create a debate on which of the goddesses is superior.
Let me at this point reiterate my call to all Yoruba sons and daughters not to see the celebration of our gods and goddesses as idolatry.
The gods and goddesses were beings, whose existence on earth has continued to be a roadmap to those who believe in them
Those, who are familiar and have celebrated these gods and goddesses can testify to the goodness of their works and accomplishment on earth .
Oya is one of the few gods and goddesses, whose celebration interlink the traditional worshippers in Yoruba land.
Those who celebrate Egungun also celebrate Oya, Those , who celebrate water also celebrate Oya and those who celebrate Sango also celebrate Oya This is very rare
Those who celebrate Egungun also celebrate Oya, Those , who celebrate water also celebrate Oya and those who celebrate Sango also celebrate Oya This is very rare
We cannot talk about Oya in isolation without mentioning the impact of her husband , Sango Olukoso , the god of Thunder Oya was one of the wives of Sango and she was regarded as the most powerful of all the wives.
Apart from being just a wife to Sango , Oya carved a niche for herself and became a celebrated goddess
Oya is the powerful Yorùbá Orisha of the winds and tempests. . She can manifest as winds ranging from the gentlest breeze to the raging hurricane or cyclone.
She goes forth with her husband during his thunderstorms, destroying buildings, ripping up trees, and blowing things down.
Oya is known as a fierce warrior and strong protector of women, who call on her to settle disputes in their favor.
Oya' s place among the goddesses in Yoruba land or any other part of the world is of great importance Her attributes in leadership , marriage and business can compete favorably with those of goddesses and other legends She was an exemplary and rare gem
Let us begin by looking at Oya as a leader .
Sango had Oya and two other wives but Oya naturally assumed the role of the leader of all the three wives.
This greatly manifest in the relationship between Oya and Sango and the two of them and other wives
History has it that Oya' s leadership position and sense of authority was very immense to the extent that the other two wives became very jittery and jealous of her position as the most powerful wife of the great Sango
Oya ' s supportive role as a wife , when she was alive continued even in death.
Today Sango is known as the god of thunder but windstorm , which is a symbol of Oya usually accompanies Sango' s thunder What this literally means is that , even in death Oya has continued to support her husband
Unrivaled loyalty is another great attribute of Oya , when Sango decided to end his life , Oya as part of her efforts to show her love for Sango also ended her life This is very uncommon in the real sense
It however should be noted that Oya was sweet and terrible at the same time Her tempest windstorm,
Whenever she was angry and her memorable sense of hospitality and love , when she was happy , both portrayed the two side of a woman
Oya with all her attributes can be described as a great advocate of what is today known as the battle for the emancipation of women She epitomizes womanhood She preached feminism and battled endlessly for the freedom of women .
The goddess is also known as a spirit of fertility Oya is well known to have the power to give children to barren women .
Those, who have genuinely consulted Oya for their childlessness can testify to the efficacy of the goddess ' power to give children
Apart from being very supportive to her husband , Oya' s great sense of understanding with other goddesses , which include Olokun , Oba and others is highly admirable Oba was known as a rival to Oya but somehow Oya till today maintained a very unrated relationship with Oba
The lesson that can be learnt from the life and time of Oya by women and others in our modern society abounds
Oya ' s life is a good example of the carrot and the stick We should leant to recognize and honour those,
who have done well in the society , while also punishing the bad ones in the society
At this juncture , let me appeal to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Ministry of Culture and Orientation, National Museum and monument and the Kwara State Government to do the needful and recognize the eponymous importance of Oya.
There is a strong need to construct permanent site , a groove for the goddess , as a result of her importance to the history of the Yoruba race and to Nigeria
I also want to call on governors and traditional rulers in the south western states of Nigeria to be at the forefront of the course to celebrate the heroic achievement of our gods and goddesses.
It is in this note i therefore, use medium to thank The Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatai Ahmed for his support in making this year festival a very successful one, and his effort to make kwara state a tourism haven.
Apart from the cultural and economic benefits, inherent in the celebration of out gods and goddesses, there is a great spiritual attachment , which can help in the development of the region
A well - organized Oya Festival at a permanent groove will no doubt attract foreign tourists, who will not only learn about our culture and tradition but also contribute to the commercial activities of the host communities and the spiritual benefits can be endless.
Thank you all for coming
Let us begin by looking at Oya as a leader .
Sango had Oya and two other wives but Oya naturally assumed the role of the leader of all the three wives.
This greatly manifest in the relationship between Oya and Sango and the two of them and other wives
History has it that Oya' s leadership position and sense of authority was very immense to the extent that the other two wives became very jittery and jealous of her position as the most powerful wife of the great Sango
Oya ' s supportive role as a wife , when she was alive continued even in death.
Today Sango is known as the god of thunder but windstorm , which is a symbol of Oya usually accompanies Sango' s thunder What this literally means is that , even in death Oya has continued to support her husband
Unrivaled loyalty is another great attribute of Oya , when Sango decided to end his life , Oya as part of her efforts to show her love for Sango also ended her life This is very uncommon in the real sense
It however should be noted that Oya was sweet and terrible at the same time Her tempest windstorm,
Whenever she was angry and her memorable sense of hospitality and love , when she was happy , both portrayed the two side of a woman
Oya with all her attributes can be described as a great advocate of what is today known as the battle for the emancipation of women She epitomizes womanhood She preached feminism and battled endlessly for the freedom of women .
The goddess is also known as a spirit of fertility Oya is well known to have the power to give children to barren women .
Those, who have genuinely consulted Oya for their childlessness can testify to the efficacy of the goddess ' power to give children
Apart from being very supportive to her husband , Oya' s great sense of understanding with other goddesses , which include Olokun , Oba and others is highly admirable Oba was known as a rival to Oya but somehow Oya till today maintained a very unrated relationship with Oba
The lesson that can be learnt from the life and time of Oya by women and others in our modern society abounds
Oya ' s life is a good example of the carrot and the stick We should leant to recognize and honour those,
who have done well in the society , while also punishing the bad ones in the society
At this juncture , let me appeal to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Ministry of Culture and Orientation, National Museum and monument and the Kwara State Government to do the needful and recognize the eponymous importance of Oya.
There is a strong need to construct permanent site , a groove for the goddess , as a result of her importance to the history of the Yoruba race and to Nigeria
I also want to call on governors and traditional rulers in the south western states of Nigeria to be at the forefront of the course to celebrate the heroic achievement of our gods and goddesses.
It is in this note i therefore, use medium to thank The Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatai Ahmed for his support in making this year festival a very successful one, and his effort to make kwara state a tourism haven.
Apart from the cultural and economic benefits, inherent in the celebration of out gods and goddesses, there is a great spiritual attachment , which can help in the development of the region
A well - organized Oya Festival at a permanent groove will no doubt attract foreign tourists, who will not only learn about our culture and tradition but also contribute to the commercial activities of the host communities and the spiritual benefits can be endless.
Thank you all for coming
Otunba (Dr) Gani Adams
National Coordinator Oodua People’s Congress
Chief Promoter,
Olokun festival Foundation
President Oodua Progressive Union.
National Coordinator Oodua People’s Congress
Chief Promoter,
Olokun festival Foundation
President Oodua Progressive Union.
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