African-Americans Plan Historic Home Coming To Ile-Ife
Some African Americans from Oyotunji Village, South Carolina, United States of America have concluded plans to reconnect with their origin through a historic visit to Ile-Ife and some states in Nigeria.
The home-coming, which is expected to hold in April will have the African Americans led by the Royal father of Oyotunji Village, HRM Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II.
The Oyotunji Village, a large and culturally-rich community dominated by the Yorubas of North America has been educating millions of African American descents about their African heritage and they're so moved and willing to come home to their roots.
Barr. Rotimi Vaughan, the Ambassador to the Crown and Kingdom of Oyotunji, South Carolina made this known after a stakeholders meeting at Ile-Ife sequel to their return from London where they had also gone to brief the Ooni who has been on a two-week Royal Visit to the United Kingdom.
He stated that the historical home coming visit is set to bring to outstanding impactful fruition, the vision of our founding father of Oyotunji Village, His Royal Majesty Oba Efuntola Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I, and the deep desire of spiritual head of Yoruba race, His Imperial Majesty, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeye Enitan Ogunwusi to foster long lasting unity and strong economic development amongst the Yoruba race worldwide.
Barrister Vaughan noted that HRM Adefunmi II royal home-coming visit would take place in April 2017 with Osun State as host state for the historic event, and Ooni as the chief host.
He added that Oba Adefunmi II would be accompanied by powerful 23-member African American royal entourage, and while in Nigeria will visit Abuja, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo, Edo, Kano, Sokoto.
“This historic home coming is set to lay the foundation for African Americans in the United States, looking to reconnect to their roots, to have a huge spring board from which to dive deep into their past, thereby affecting positive changes in the present state and the future.
The Royal homecoming event is set to mark the beginning of a ‘going back to my roots Nigeria movement’ for African Americans and people of African descent in the Diaspora, while laying the foundation for the recognition of the huge potential that lies in cultural, and cross-continental heritage tourism.
“Oba Adefunmi II would during the home coming advocate the promotion and development of meaningful Socio-Economic and deep cultural ties and relations between Nigeria, Nigerian states and Oyotunji, the state of South Carolina, USA and North America continent, in ways that would yield immense economic and social benefits, including youth development in these regions.” Barrister Vaughan explained.
When contacted on phone in London, the Ooni's spokesman, Comrade Moses Olafare listed Other Initiatives to be launched during the home-coming visit asThe Oyotunji SC Socio-Economic Cultural Development Fund, Nigeria; The Going Back to My Root – Nigeria Movement (GBRN Movement); which is going to reach out to over 200 million Africans and Diasporans resident in the Americas who have identified themselves as of African descent especially Yoruba origin to embark on "Atlantic Tourism and Migration to Nigeria" by visiting, returning, investing and re-settling in Nigeria.
Olafare added that the dignitaries to be part of the entourage of HRM Adefunmi II as potential investors for Nigeria, including notable film producer, Lloyd Weaver amongst others, paving the way for the possible home coming soon of the likes of Chicago based capital investment guru John Rogers Jnr, an African American with an intriguing Nigerian-American family story.
It was also known at the meeting that HRM Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II will declare open the OYOTUNJI AFRICAN VILLAGE ECONOMIC, CULTURAL. AND TOURISM DIPLOMATIC OFFICE in Nigeria and together with Arole Oodua, Ooni of Ife, declare the opening and bless the forthcoming Oyotunji-Nigeria National Cultural Heritage Celebration, Sheldon, South Carolina USA 2017 in Oyotunji Village.
