JUST IN: Ooni Declares Quilombola Yoruba Territory In Brazil

The Ooni of Ife Arole Oduduwa, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, has declared Quilombola, an Afro-Brazilian settlement in Brazil, as a Yoruba territory.

The Ooni who has been on a visit to the South American country for days for his "Back To Home" project, also presented a certificate of Territory to the people.

The highly revered monarch had on Tuesday addressed Brazil’s Federal House of Assembly where he officially inaugurated the first-ever National Orisa Day in the country.

The ceremony took place in the Quingoma community, located in Lauro de Freitas in the metropolitan region of Salvador.

Quilombola is popular for housing Yoruba people, who were enslaved and forcibly removed from their base in Nigeria during the era of the slave trade in Africa.

The Ooni in a statement, said the recognition of Quilombola as Yoruba territory is another step in the fight for respect for African history and a move to further preserve the rich and robust history of the Brazilians and the Yoruba people.

"This event is a very big one for me because I am passionate about preserving the Yorubas culture and its deep-rooted values. this event will lay precedence for the Yoruba language and its culture to be more acceptable globally,” he said.

“You can see the excitement on their faces. Their Babalawos are well grounded in the teachings of Ifa and can render the Odu-Ifa and its panegyrics like our Ifa priest do in Nigeria.

“They hold our gods like Sango, Ogun, Yemoja, and Obatala in high esteem. They have designated days to celebrate these gods with colorful displays infused with plenty of aesthetics. They also speak Yoruba which is one thing I love about them.

“It’s very essential to harmonize them and also shows solidarity that we are part of them and they are part of us. this will foster good bilateral trade between Brazil and Nigeria and it will also put the Yoruba culture at an advantage.”