As part of efforts to use culture to foster national unity, cultural enthusiasts in Africa and other continents are gearing up for the maiden edition of the Ayan-Agalu Festival themed; ‘Rejigging Yoruba Cultural Heritage as Catalyst for National Unity, Progress and Development- The Ayangalu Example,’ slated to hold in Canada in July 2023.
The event, which will hold on Friday, July 28, 2023, at Fuzion Banquet Hall, Britannia Rd E, Mississauga. Ontario, Canada, has been endorsed and given royal blessings by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja III).
Ayan-Agalu Festival, packaged by an international media organisation duly registered and operational in Canada, The Drum Online Media, with the critical mandate of strategic recognition and promotion of Africa and Nigeria’s cultural heritage on both national and global scenes in a number of interesting and articulated dimensions has a line up of activities to promote the African culture.
According to the organisers and the convener of The Drum Festival, Prince Segun Akanni, part of The Drum Online Media Inc is a critical mandate and obsession for African cultural renaissance, as well as promotion.
Akanni said he wished to use this medium to announce the organisation’s plan and preparation to showcase one of Africa and Nigeria’s most prestigious cultural festivals known as The Drum Festival (Ayan-Agalu Festival).
It was revealed that the history of “The ayan-Agalu Festival is as extremely fascinating as that of any other drum festival staged across the globe; with a plethora of healing, educative, entertaining and prosperous cultural festivals, the Yoruba race is, undoubtedly, one of the most endowed races replete with rich and prestigious traditions and cultures in the world today.
“One of the such celebrated and prestigious cultural festival is the Drum Festival – (Ayangalu Festival). The origin of Ayan Agalu dates back to the epoch when the Yoruba primogeniture, Oduduwa, descended on the earth at Ile-Ife. Ayangalu was said to have descended next to Oduduwa at a historic place called Atiba and this obviously accounts for why Atiba remains the hub of traditional drummers in Ile Ife – Yoruba ancestral abode – till date. The term ‘Ayangalu’ refers to the ‘spirit or god of the drum,” Akanni said.
A number of breath-taking and culturally exhilarating activities have been pencilled down to celebrate the maiden edition amidst pomp and pageantry; street-wide procession across Toronto and Mississauga; lecture to be delivered by a Professor Emeritus, His Royal Majesty Oba (Prof) Adekunle Adeogun Okunoye, Eburu Of Iba, Osun State – on the event’s theme; Arts Exhibition; Beauty Pageant; Drum Competition; Presentation of Award of Excellence to selected awardees; Presentation of Prizes and Cultural Gifts; and lots of mind-blowing shows and side attractions.
In order to make the event epoch-making and memorable, important dignitaries and crème de la crème from Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Benin Republic and Canada as well as cultural enthusiasts and drum aficionados from other parts of the world will be in attendance.
Other dignitaries include the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, Canadian Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Nigerian Government officials, Canadian Members of Parliament, Mayors of Toronto, Mayor Of Brampton, Mayor of Mississauga, UNESCO, Canada Council for the Arts and the Canadian National Arts Centre, Department of Canadian Heritage among others.
