3rd June, 2025
Otunba Ajiboye Visits Brazil To Advance Cultural Cooperation
NICO Boss In Brazil To Deepen Cultural Relations Between Nigeria & Brazil
The Executive Secretary/CEO, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Otunba Biodun Ajiboye has disclosed that Nigeria’s decision to collaborate with Brazil in the area of culture, tradition and heritage is informed by the deep historical and cultural ties that exist between the two nations.
Otunba Ajiboye made this disclosure while meeting people of African descent in Salvador, Brazil during his ongoing visit to strengthen ties between Brazil and Nigeria through the World Orisa Congress (WOOCON).
According to him, the cultural similarities between these two countries are particularly deep and undeniable, especially in the Yoruba heritage, where thousands of Brazilians have, over the years, visited Nigeria to participate in major cultural and religious festivals, such as the Osun Oshogbo Festival, the Olojo Festival and the Sango Festival, among others.
While participating in the 5th National Meeting of Axe Women of RENAFRO in Salvador/BA, Otunba Ajiboye used the opportunity to speak and listen to numerous religious leaders from all over Brazil, and also stressed the need to deepen this relationship that exists among them.
The NICO ES also met with Congresswoman Olívia Santana to discuss how to deepen Nigeria’s relationship with Bahia just as he visited one of the oldest ase houses in Brazil, Ilê Axe Mariolaje, the Alaketu terreiro.
As part of activities to mark the event, Mãe Meninazinha de Oxum during presentation to the waters of the Abaeté Lagoon, expressed her joy of being at the event and the ability to connect with Nigeria.
Similarly speaking, Mother Nilce de Iansã, who is the National Coordinator of RENAFRO and Iya Egbe of Ile Omolu and Oxum, stressed the importance of having the Nigerian government present at the Women of Axé Working Group event, marking this rapprochement with the motherland.
President, Oduduwa Heritage House, Ajoyemi Osunleye while describing the meeting as historic, said for the first time, the federal government of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, is making a move to reach out to the children of Orisha in Brazil and the entire diaspora.
” This is significant in this year of 2025, which the African Union has defined as the Year of Justice for Africans and People of African descent through Reparations”.
“The people of African descent will know that there is a country in Africa, willing to listen to them and welcome them with open arms.”
Mother Flávia Pinto, a member of the Casa Herança delegation to Salvador raised the need to go to Ile Ife, just as the Muslims go to Mecca, the Catholics to Rome, the Jews to Jerusalem, there is also the need to know that Orisha worship has a sacred land in ile Ile Ife, which is evident by the visit of the NICO Boss.
Caleb Nor
Media Assistant to the Executive Secretary, NICO.
