Pure indigenous Yoruba culture, arts and tradition were showcased and celebrated  at the 2014 Annual EWA ASA put in place to champion the advocacy for promotion and preservation of Yoruba culture.

The traditional attires, hairdo and local fashion styles like beads among others were richly displayed during the programme, which was packaged by Afitcan Mind Production, in collaboration with Valentine Projects and Olokun Foundations.

Many custodians of Yoruba culture and traditions including the representatives of the  Alaafin Of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, National Leader of the Oodua Peoples Congress, Otunba Gani Adams, Chief Yemi Ogunyemi, Onaolapo Gbolagun, Chief Ireti Borishade, Princess Adetutu Adeyemi Ahigbe, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Chairman Oluyole Local Government, Prince Abass Ayodeji Aleshinloye, Chief Dele Odule among others.

Renditions of Ijala, traditional music with the rhyme of the drums thrilled members of the audience who intermittently stood up to wriggled their bodies to the melodious tunes and lyrics from the traditional dancers who entertained the guests.

The stage performance of the progeny of Odolaye Aremu, a dadakuada proponent thrilled the audience mostly including the writer who is a fan of the late music legend Aremu whose music is full of inspirations, lessons and entertainment, particularly his humorous play on words.

The panegyrics on Yemoja, Iroko tree, and dance on masquerade, omitun display from Ondo,and Arugba from Osun Osogbo made the event more thrilling and successful to a very large extent and cultivated more eulogies  and accolades for. Yeye Rose Odika the initiator of Ewa Asa.

In her address, the Oyo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Princess Adetutu Adeyemi Akhigbe attributed the decline in the culture and language to the globalisation trend, which is rapidly finding its way into our society without any check.

“We are gradually losing our tradition to the foreign culture and if care is not taken,we may regret this action in the future as the western world is waiting for the time when Africans will be coming to learn African languages and culture from them.”

She, however, commended Yeye Rose Odika for her contributions to the promotion of culture and pledged government continuous support for any idea and programme that will help in rejuvenating the dying culture of Yoruba.

In her response, Chief Mrs Ireti Borishade, who was the mother of the day lamented the decline rate of Yoruba language and tradition.”

“We have to start a serious rescue mission so as not to lose the credibility and integrity of our culture and tradition to the western culture.

According to Borishade, “Ewa Asa is an initiative that is lofty and lovely, it promotes culture and I love it. You can see the display, the dressing, drums and even lyrics of the music being played, you can see that Yoruba has a very rich culture which we must not allow to die.”

The initiator, Ewa Asa, Yeye Odika who was christened Adesewa Adeola by Alaafin of Oyo was full of happiness and satisfaction, According to her, “As you can see, unlike last year there has been a great improvement in participation and I am sure next year will be better.”

“You can see the arrays of celebrities and personalities who witnessed the event and at the same time we brought in artists from Ondo for Obitun and their dances and Osun for the display of Osun Osogbo, various traditional groups also participated this year and we expect that next year’s celebration will be greater and better.

Awards were presented to some personalities and organisations , the awardees include Jexcel commercial and security printers, Alaroye Agbaye, Chief Onaolapo Gbolagun, Mr Femi Babalola, (Jogor), Mrs Ramat Adedayo Adeyemi, and Prince Adeniyi Adewole.