By Victor Gotevbe & Ikenna Asomba
Come February 23-25, March 2-6, 2018, notable personalities from Nigeria consisting of First-class monarchs in Yoruba Land, Traditionalists and journalists, will gather at the Sacramento, the capital of California and South Carolina, United States, respectively, to commemmorate the 2018 Black History Month.
The organisers say the event became imperative to campaign against the pathetic and rising cases of modern day slavery and human trafficking involving some Nigerians as victims, particularly as recently exposed in Libya.
A statement by the Convener of the event, H.R.L. Yeyeoba Omooba Ifabunmi Adefunmi read: “Our recent visit to Nigeria, further exposed us to our roots; the best of African traditional heritage and our historical background as Blacks. Therefore, in commemoration of the 2018 Black History Month, we are putting up a three weeks-long event to reconnect participants to our roots.
“The event is billed for February 23-25, March 2-6, 2018, in Sacramento, California and South Carolina, United States, respectively, as notable personalities from Nigeria consisting of First-class monarchs in Yoruba Land, Traditionalists and journalists are expected at the event.”
According to Adefunmi, “There will be an opportunity to honor some eminent personalities during the Awards of Recognition and Excellence Ceremony. Also, there will be discussions and presentations on how to strengthen the Campaign against Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking. It will end with a rove of ancient historical points in the U.S., including Oyotunji African Village (OAV) in South Carolina that was founded by Oba Efuntola Osejiman Adelabu Adefunmi in 1970.”
She said, “Oyotunji African Village is the first international community based on the culture of the Yoruba and Dahomey tribes of West Africa; founded, (1970) in the Americas. Now in 2016, after over 45 years of sustaining the only Kingdom based on traditional Yoruba sociology and values, OAV brings to the Low-country and greater global community the depth of culture, beautiful art, grandeur of customs and resilient history of the New World Yoruba.”
Nigeria’s first digital diplomacy magazine, Diplomatic Watch Magazine is media partner for this auspicious event, as the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Victor Gotevbe and the Editor, Mr. Ikenna Asomba, are among the Media Delegates expected at the United States, to give maximum reportage to this epoch-making event.
However, leading the Media Delegation to the United States is Broadcast Journalist/Team Leader/Project Director, Hajia Yinka Paramole-Shabi.
Also expected at the event are Olubuade Gbemisola Mulikat- Entrepreneur/Osun Devotee; Dele-Olori Oladele- Entrepreneur & Osun Devotee; Adegbola Afolashade Kalifat– An Osun Devotee; Kehinde Olarenwaju Anipupo- Traditional Priest/Honoree; Abbey Sulaiman Kasali – Osun Devotee/Designer; Bukola Taylor – T.V. Presenter, Lagos Television (LTV); Engr. Tope Ogunade –Studio Engineer, Lagos Television (LTV); Ayanbadejo Oluwaseun – T.V. Reporter, Lagos Television (LTV) and Amb. Dr. Prince Kazeem Eletu Odibo – Honoree.
