On Friday, November 6, 2026, Aláyélúwà Ọba Olusola Idris Adébọ́wálé Lamidi-Ọsọlọ, the Ọba of Adó and Ọlọ́fin Adìmúlà Oodùà of Àwórìland, led a delegation of Yoruba traditional rulers and traditional practitioners on a historic visit to the Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
During the visit, the monarch delivered a royal address entitled “The Role of Traditional Leadership in Modern Cultural Sustainability and the Safeguarding of Sacred Heritage.” In his address, he highlighted the important responsibility of traditional institutions in preserving ancestral history, indigenous knowledge systems, sacred sites and cultural identity.
He emphasized the enduring historical and cultural connections between Yorubaland and Brazil, noting that despite the geographical separation resulting from the transatlantic slave trade, Yoruba language, spirituality and cultural practices have survived across generations and continue to shape cultural identities within the African diaspora.
One of the major highlights of the visit was the official unveiling of the Adó-Odò Kingdom flag, which was subsequently deposited at the university museum. The monarch also deposited historical artefacts documenting the migration pathway of the Àwórì people of Nigeria. These contributions represent an important step towards the international preservation, documentation and academic recognition of the kingdom’s ancestral heritage.
The landmark event was attended by Professor Rita de Cássia Martins Montezuma, Professor of Geography at the Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), and Professor Érika Elizabeth Vieira Frazão, Professor of Ethnic-Racial Relations in Education at UFF.
In his address, the Olófin also called for stronger academic and cultural partnerships between Nigeria and Brazil. He advocated collaborative research initiatives, exchanges between traditional rulers, diaspora reconnection programmes and programmes designed to engage younger generations in the preservation and transmission of ancestral heritage.
As part of his engagement with the Brazilian community, the Olófin extended an invitation to members of the Brazilian diaspora to visit Adó-Odò and participate in the forthcoming Oduduwa Àwórì Festival. He described the Adó-Odò Kingdom as an important destination for those seeking to reconnect with their Yoruba ancestral heritage, history and cultural roots.
The visit represents another significant milestone in the cultural diplomacy efforts of the Adó-Odò Kingdom and reinforces its commitment to projecting Àwórì history and Yoruba civilisation onto the international stage. It also underscores the importance of universities and traditional institutions working together to preserve indigenous knowledge, strengthen historical connections and promote cultural understanding between Nigeria and Brazil.
