SALVADOR, BAHIA, BRAZIL — In one of the defining moments of his historic official visit to Brazil, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, the Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́, delivered a compelling keynote address at the Universidade do Estado da Bahia (UNEB), calling for renewed commitment to preserving and promoting the Yorùbá language, culture, traditions, history and indigenous knowledge systems.
Speaking before an audience of academics, researchers, professors, historians, linguists, cultural theorists, traditional rulers, religious leaders, students and members of the Yorùbá diaspora, the monarch urged institutions across Africa and the diaspora to work together in ensuring that the Yorùbá civilization remains vibrant and relevant in the modern world.
“Keep the Yorùbá language and tradition vibrant,” the Aláàfin declared, emphasizing that the survival of any civilization depends on its people preserving their language, cultural identity, customs and historical consciousness. He further warned that neglecting these priceless legacies would amount to allowing one of Africa’s greatest civilizations to fade, stressing that the responsibility for preservation belongs not only to traditional institutions but also to universities, scholars and governments.
The conference attracted an impressive gathering of distinguished personalities from Nigeria and Brazil. The event was graced by the Vice-Chancellor of the Universidade do Estado da Bahia (UNEB), alongside Francisco Luz, former Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, whose decades of work have contributed significantly to strengthening diplomatic, educational and cultural relations between both countries.
Also in attendance was Professor Tayo Ajayi, Director of the Lagos State University Centre for African and Asian Studies (LASUCAS), who led a distinguished academic delegation from Lagos State University. Scholars and researchers from Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), UNEB and several other higher institutions participated in what has been described as one of the most significant academic engagements on Yorùbá civilization held in Brazil in recent years.
Throughout his address, the Aláàfin emphasized that safeguarding the Yorùbá heritage requires more than festivals and cultural celebrations. According to the monarch, preserving the civilization demands sustained investment in language revitalization, historical research, academic publications, curriculum development, digital documentation, archaeological studies, cultural diplomacy and international scholarly cooperation.
He encouraged universities to establish stronger institutional partnerships with the Kingdom of Ọ̀yọ́, proposing academic exchanges, collaborative research projects, conferences, student and faculty exchanges, and joint initiatives dedicated to documenting and preserving the rich intellectual, political and spiritual heritage of the Yorùbá people.
As part of his vision, the Aláàfin formally extended the hand of collaboration from the Kingdom of Ọ̀yọ́ to UNEB and other Brazilian academic institutions. He expressed his readiness to support initiatives that reconnect the Yorùbá homeland with its descendants across the Atlantic, describing education as one of the strongest bridges capable of restoring historical ties severed by centuries of forced displacement.
The conference formed a major highlight of the Aláàfin’s historic visit to Salvador, Bahia, a city globally recognized as one of the principal custodians of Yorùbá heritage in the Americas. The visit continues to strengthen the centuries-old historical, cultural and spiritual connections between the ancient Kingdom of Ọ̀yọ́ and the Brazilian Yorùbá diaspora while opening new frontiers for academic cooperation, cultural diplomacy and heritage preservation.
For many participants, the gathering represented far more than an academic conference. It symbolized the reunion of a civilization with its diaspora and reaffirmed the enduring relevance of the Ọ̀yọ́ Kingdom in contemporary global discussions on African identity, indigenous knowledge and cultural preservation. Above all, the Aláàfin’s message served as a powerful reminder that keeping the Yorùbá language and traditions vibrant is a shared responsibility—one that must be embraced by scholars, traditional institutions and communities across the world if the legacy of the Yorùbá people is to endure for generations to come.
