The Director of Studies, Centro de Orunmila in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Mr. Paulo Oliveira, has called for stronger cultural ties between Nigeria and Brazil.
Oliveira made the call in Osogbo an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the ongoing Osun- Osogbo Festival.
He said Brazil had cultural affinity with Nigeria and it should be used to foster a better relationship with Nigerian people particularly the Yoruba.
“For instance in Brazil, we remove our caps before greeting our traditional rulers, we also prostrate to greet them just like the Yoruba.
“We eat, dance and worship the same way Yoruba do, and most of us are traditional worshipers.
“There is, therefore, need for a better and stronger relationship between the two countries,’’ Oliveira said.
The director also traced the origin of some of Brazillians to Oduduwa in Ile-Ife, Osun,
whom he described as the progenitor of Yoruba.
“I believe that majority of Brazillians are not foreigners, but Nigerians.
“If one reads the history of Brazil very well, you will be able to trace their origin to Ile-Ife and that is why most Brazillians
believe that we are Yoruba.’’
Oliveira said in some parts of Brazil the god of Sango, Obatala, Sonpona, Oya, Ogun and Irunmole were still being worshipped.
“We are still worshipping the gods till date, it is a generational thing.
“It is because of our common cultural heritage that we are here to attend the Osun-Osogbo Festival,’’ he said. (NAN)
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