Dansabe Kuni.
Professor Wole Soyinka, Africa's first Nobel Laureate, and the popular Fuji maestro, King Saheed Osupa, were celebrated at Obafemi Awolowo University on Monday.
The Nobel Laureate had a museum launched and named after him while the popular singer was conferred an honorary member of the Awolowo hall, one of the school's halls of residence, after his performance in the evening.
These were done at the opening ceremony of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ife festival organised by the University's institute of cultural studies to celebrate the African culture. The one-week long programme was tagged "Food and identity".
Present at the event were representatives from Cuba, Brazil, South Africa and other African countries; traditional rulers, Political office holders and dignitaries across firms and professions in the country. '
Araba Awo' representing the Nigerian culture in USA and a popular Yoruba Actor, Kola Oyewo were also present.
It should also be noted that Prof. Wole Soyinka's newly established Museum is located in his former residence when he was a lecturer in the school many years ago.
While commenting on the massive turn out of dignitaries across the world for the festival, the Vice- Chancellor, prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, announced that the festival will henceforth, be an annual thing to revive the spirit of culture across the campus and in the Yoruba land at large , since the motto of the university suggests interest in Culture.
The Ogun State governor, represented by Senator, Oyetunde O., urged that the festival exhibition should be a yearly things as suggested by the VC so as to bring to stay the spirit of continuity.
She also promised that the government of Ogun State had made provision for one thousand bags
of Ofada rice to be distributed evenly to OAU students.
To mark the global recognition of the festival, and the need for global cultural recognition, especially in the African continent, the republic of Rwanda representatives came to display their culture in form of dance.
In addition, to honor the great effort of the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, in sustaining the culture of the African nations in his own little way, the great Ife students representatives presented a portrait of the great Ife 'Students Union Building' to his representative, the minister of Culture and tourism, republic of Rwanda.
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