.jpeg "Ooni says there is more to Ile-Ife history than what is taught in academic institutions.")
Ooni disclosed this on Saturday during the press conference on the theme: “International Conference on Ile-Ife and Yoruba Civilisation: The Nexus between Tradition and Modernity”, held at his palace in Ile-Ife.
He lauded the organisers of the event saying that it would pave the way for proper documentation of Ile-Ife history.
“As the 51st Ooni of Ife, in the third dynasty of Ife, i noted that there are so many facts that were not written down about the nexus of tradition and modality.
Our oral tradition has not been adequately written down, so many facts and figures were distorted from the original history of Kaaro-o-o-jiire.
“For me to build the legacy for the entire Kaaro-o-o-jiire race, that is known as Yoruba people, we are discovering every day that our history is deeper than what we have in various academic institutions,” OOni said.
He commended the team led by Prof. Siyan Oyefeso, as very passionate and fantastic people working together to put history in the right perspective.
The royal father revealed that Ghanians had traced their lineage to Aga-Ako in Ile-Ife and that Euthopians are sons and daughters of Oramiya in Okerewe, Eredumi ruling house in Ife till date.
‘Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania categorically told me when i traveled to their countries that they migrated from Ile-Ife and they are sons and daughters of the source, while all these cannot be found in any archive.
We are leading the team globally, nobody has documented the three dynasties, only the last dynasty, Ife Akanlubebe, which am the 51st Ooni, was documented to a large extent.
“But the two, Ife Oodaye and Ife Ooyelagbo, some professors talked briefly on them, but during this internatioanl conference, the duo will be deeply rooted.
“Their rulers, supernatural beings that form these dynasties like: the Luwos, the Agbaakos., the Oromos, Oranmiyans, all over the continents of Africans, the Bantoos, the Baribas will be dealt with,” Ooni added.
Oba Ogunwusi tasked the indigenes to support the conveners of the conference in order to properly document the history of their race.
“If we fail to do it this time around, nobody will do it for us, we cannot be waiting for any western country to continue with wrong documentation,” he said.
Earlier, Oyefeso, a Lecturer at the Department of History, International Studies, Osun State University, said the conference is an international academic gathering that needs the royal blessing of Ooni.
Oyefeso said that apart from royal the blessing, the conference would deepen the body of literature on Ile-Ife and Yoruba civilisation.
He predicted that Ile-Ife would be proven to be more than only the birthplace of the Yoruba race, but also the site of the development of the Yoruba identity.
"Ife Oodaye, Ife Oyelagbo, and Ife Akanlubebe have not been placed in the proper perspective, starting with the Oduduwa revolution and continuing through the three periods of Ile-Ife history.
"We want to make sure that Nigerians are aware that there were three phases prior to the 51st dynasty, and that his royal majesty is currently the 51st Ooni of Ife.
Therefore, the convener explained, "When people discuss the history of Ile-Ife, they do it in general terms; we want to draw that distinction.