Yoruba community celebrates Odua Day, launches 2012 Community Almanac

Yoruba community in The Gambia on Saturday celebrated the 8th Odua Day and launching of 2012 Community Almanac.

The celebration held at the Joint Officers Mess in Kotu was attended by senior government officials, the Nigerian High Commissioner to The Gambia and local dignitaries.

In her opening statement, the Nigerian High Commissioner to The Gambia, Madam Esther John Audu, thanked all those who attended the programme.

She also thanked the Yoruba community in The Gambia for inviting her to the programme.

The Nigerian diplomat expressed her happiness to the community noting that members of the Yoruba community in the country are united and also respect their mission in the country.

“I will sincerely appreciate the coming of the Yorubas in The Gambia, especially your leadership community,” she said.

“You are the ambassador of Nigeria in The Gambia and I am definitely happy with what you are doing in The Gambia.”

The Nigerian High Commissioner added that the Yoruba community supports the Gambia government in many ways.

She called on other Nigerian communities in The Gambia to emulate the Yoruba Community.

“I want to encourage you in the good work that you are doing in The Gambia. I must say congratulations to the Yoruba Community in The Gambia.

“We are here to assist The Gambia to go forward and I thank all those supporting the Yoruba Community.”

High Commissioner Esther John Audu sent special thanks to the Gambian leader for the good work he is doing for the country and the sub-region.

“I also thank the Government of The Gambia for the conducive atmosphere,” she said.

Professor Prince Mike Ikupolati, Director General of the West African Insurance Institute, in his remarks, prayed that the unity and love that binds them together continues to propel them to institute the day in remembrance of their origin.

According to Dr Ikupolati, Yorubas are a nationality, numbering about 40 million, the majority of whom live in the South Western part of the state of Nigeria in West Africa.

He said that they speak a common language called the Yoruba, which belongs to the Kwa Group of the Niger-Congo linguistic family and it has about 12 dialects.

The Yoruba people are found in Togo, Benin Republic, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and in other parts of the world including Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad and the United States, the WAII DG said.