Earnings from export of our culture, tradition can triple revenue from oil and gas – Odunmbaku
Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
Trinidad and Tobago based 19 year-Old cultural ambassador and musician, Odunmbaku Adesoga Somorin has said that Nigeria gains from proper development of its rich culture and tradition are quite inestimable.
Odunmbaku who is in the country to announce the release of his first album called Vibrate disclosed that the revenue of the country from the proper harnessing and export of its potentials in its culture and tradition is such that could triple the earnings from oil and gas.
The final year Psychology student of University of West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago also revealed that with his deep understanding of Yoruba culture and tradition, it is such that could be deployed to checkmate the problem of insecurity currently ravaging the country.
Odunmbaku, whose both parents are from Ode Remo and currently working as consultants on African culture at Trinidad and Tobago, while speaking with journalists said “I make bold to say that the opportunities are unending when we embrace our rich culture and tradition.
“My both parents, though from Ode Remo in Remo North local government area of Ogun State are currently working as consultants on African culture at Trinidad and Tobago and my mother is even teaching Yoruba at University of West Indies. Our Yoruba culture is so valuable that the Brazilians, many other European countries are falling head over heels in love with it.
“There was a time my father and I were invited to Barbados to teach them how to make our local foods like akara, ebiripo. The remittances of Nigerians in diaspora has been very huge and what many of them are selling are nothing other than our rich culture which could be in form of our foods, fabrics, fashion, songs among others.
“It is an important segment of our lives that the government should focus on to add great values to our country. It’s unfortunate that we have allowed the importation of foreign culture that we called religion to make us relegate what truly is ours and even termed it evil”.
Speaking on the power of culture, Odunmbaku said “in Trinidad and Tobago where I and my sister, Efuwape live with our parents, we don’t joke with our culture and tradition. In fact, not until I began showcasing our deep culture, putting on our local fabrics that I became so prominent, influential as many people are usually thrilled and excited to see me in those outfits, it’s really a thing of honour and something to be proud of”.
Odunmbaku also counselled that the dynamics of the rich culture and tradition could also be explored to fight the menace of insecurity and curb the problem of corruption, misappropriation of fund in the country. He said some countries of the world like China, India among others are doing so much with their culture.
The cultural enthusiast also advocated for the compulsory teaching of Yoruba language across the Southwest saying that “teaching of Yoruba language comes with teaching of highly cherished values of respect for the elderly ones, upright living, patriotism, sound characters as encapsulated in omoluwabi and these truly are some of the missing links in our society of today”.
Speaking on his maiden album scheduled for release on August 1, 2023, Odunmbaku said “the album is called Vibrate and this talks about our connection to spirituality. Vibe in the religion parlance is spirit, it is called energy in science and it is called vibes on the street.
“It is a fusion of Afrobeat and it essentially promotes our rich cultural heritage in such a way that people can understand. It forms part of my desire to serve as a bridge between those in the western world as well as Africans at home and in diaspora”.
