The Yoruba News

A publication of The Alliance of Yoruba Organizations & Clubs, USA

YORUBA FESTIVAL 2000

The first Yoruba Festival in the new millennium was sponsored by none other than the only organization that is capable of organizing a huge event of this size - The Alliance of Yoruba organizations and Clubs.  Having perfected the art of staging elaborate event in the Yoruba community, The Alliance once again has left no stone unturned in our attempt to make this year festival befit the name that is historically imposed and it will carry for many generations to come, The Yoruba Millennium Festival. 

Like others that we have had in the past, the site was overflowing with festival enthusiasts. And unlike the other past venue that we have used, this new site for the Y2K festival was stunningly beautiful. The entire compound is comfortably enclosed between several medium tall architecturally placed buildings. The parking lot resembled that of a Giant Stadium neatly rapped around the site like a blanket. Prince George’s Community College, Largo campus, has now maintained the Yoruba community interest as a permanent site for many years to come. 

We are delighted to announce that we doubled our vendors in all trade and services this festival.  Many in the Yoruba small business community were happily fighting to be allotted space for the event. The National Institute of Health (N.I.H), which is the premier research and health delivery services around the world, also came to assist and educate many in our community about paying serious attention to our health.  Many local hospital representatives supported the N.I.H and other health service centers were present at the Yoruba Millennium Festival. Several health examinations were offered free-of-charge to all interested persons that attended the festival. Mrs. Eniafe was the Messiah that brought this gift of life to our community with much help from many health specialists within the Alliance and the Yoruba community in general.  Other hospitals and healthcare outlets represented include Howard University Hospital, Prince George’s Hospital, Doctor’s Hospital, and Chieta Phi Sorority Inc.

Another milestone attributed to this year event, was the special attention that it received from all local and major media. Many of our local counties newspaper sent correspondents to cover the event. The Washington Post, a powerful and most recognized newspaper in the world also sent some of their reporters down to cover the event.  As a result, the event was gloriously reported few days after the event has been successfully concluded.

The entertainment was culturally outstanding according to several news accounts. The Yoruba Youth Dancers again performed with rave reviews from their audience and the media staff in attendance. They flamboyantly dressed in Yoruba cultural attires designed in attractive shades and colors. The Eyo and the Yoruba Youth Dancers became a must see and the most exciting reason why many of our audience return year after year. And both performers have never disappointed their adoring fans. From Foli Peperempe, Sammy Agagu, Fuji Lagos and other interesting Yoruba musicians were on hand to add fun, meaning and to welcome the new millennium in rich Yoruba cultural tradition and style. 

Like many in the past, this year event also attracted the support of many corporate giants in our local area. Major corporations like Western Union, Prudential Insurance, Quick Page & Cellular, Howard University Hosital and many more that time and space will not permit us to list, gave generously to help defray the huge cost of the event. Also it’s never enough to mention that without the constant generous support and the encouragement of the Yoruba business community, the hard work and persistence of all the Yoruba ethnic organizations that made up of the Alliance, this year event might not have been uniquely memorable.

To the entire Y2K executive staff, we salute your courage and we appreciate your dedication. To everyone in the Yoruba community, it is your event; your input and your support will never be taken lightly nor forgotten. See you all next year at the festival.

The First Diaspora Dialogue

- Obasanjo Visit

By: A Special Correspondent

A conference for Nigerian professionals, dubbed “The first Diaspora Dialogue” was organized by the Nigerian Consulate in Atlanta, Georgia.  This conference took place on Saturday, September 9, 2000 in Atlanta, Georgia.  It was organized to coincide with the visit of President Olusegun Obasanjo who was in the USA to attend the United Nations Millennium Summit.  The highlight of the conference was the opening speech by His Excellency, President Olusegun Obasanjo.  The speech appropriately encapsulated the essence of the “Diaspora Dialogue”. Highlights of the speech are given below. 

President Obasanjo began his speech thus: “I address you this morning not only with much pleasure and privilege, but fully seized of a deep sense of history and a vibrant feeling of confidence in the bright promise of a process that we are starting here today.  For, here and now, Nigeria is taking the bold first step to enable Nigerians living outside the country to participate fully in the process of visioning, planning and pursuing the political well being, the economic development and the sound governance of their country.  They are being brought back to the fold, not as a response to any expediency, but as an overdue development, as it were, to bring all hands on deck in the refitted and highly seaworthy Noah’s Ark of Nigeria.”  

After some glorious comments on why Atlanta was chosen as the venue of this “first dialogue,” President Obasanjo then declared the Nigerian Government’s purpose for the dialogue by stating that: “... all Nigerian governments have always expressed commitment to giving full opportunity to all Nigerians to contribute to the development of their country.  That is consistent with our Constitutional Directive Principles of State Policy.”  Then, he continued, “But, this particular issue of a formalized participation of Nigerians in the Diaspora in the affairs of their country has been an issue gnawing my mind for a very long time.  The more I thought of it, the more it became imperative to do something about it as soon as Providence afforded me the opportunity to do so.  Those here who are old enough to remember, will surely (remember) that our preoccupation with the political programme and national security did not allow us to embark on long term processes like this one during the period that some call Obasanjo One.  By the grace of God, we have been favored with the second chance to act and will do so.” 

He continued articulating the purpose of the “dialogue” with the following appeal: “My Fellow Countrymen and women, all of us are deeply concerned about the prospects as well as the problems of our dear country and we have surely agreed on the need to move forward to maximize our opportunities, decisively solve both our political and economic problems and to develop into a united, great and benevolent nation to bequeath to our children and to Africa and the world.  In that formidable task, we shall require all our will and all our wits.  As they say, we need to get our act together.  In this task, we thank God that we have the freedom to take our own decisions.  Then, we must mobilize our total resources.  That has wide connotations, including imaginative planning, cutting out waste and inefficiency, exorcising corruption as completely as possible, keeping more of our earnings instead of bleeding to the payment of unfair debts, and gathering as much supplementation as possible from our friends and well-wishers disposed to do so.  We are doing all that, with new resolve and firmness, and are determined to make a difference.” 

President Obasanjo digressed briefly by giving a little philosophical discourse on the importance of knowledge and manpower as vital components of the resources necessary for the process of nation-building.  He said, “Understanding knowledge is to know that it can be accessed and used without necessarily amassing manpower for the purpose.  This is because of the great advances in communication technology like the e-mail, internet, satellite-broadcast, etc.  In other words, we can tap the knowledge and skills of many of our fellow Nigerians, wherever they are, provided they are willing to oblige.  Time was when a professional had to be physically at home before one can use his or her skills.  It is no longer necessary, in many instances, although we would still prefer to have them home.” (contd.)