Pharmacist Turned Culture Promoter, Osunbumi Ifasemilore Speaks On New Multi-Million Naira Cultural Grove In Ibadan

Chief (Mrs.) Osunbumi Ifasemilore is a cultural enthusiast who has toured the world promoting Yoruba culture and tradition. She is not just Yeye Alaragbo Oodua for the sake of it. She is living up to expectations as one of the major promoters of Yoruba culture.

Yeye Abiye Osunbumi Ifasemilore is the Founder, Alaragbo Cultural International Festival and Omilere Alaragbo Global Foundation. The two platforms she has used maximally in promoting Yoruba culture across the world, not only as a royal princess but also as the custodian of Alaragbo, the head of all known spiritual 'Egbes' (societies).

Interestingly, Yeye Alaragbo, as Ifasemilore is popularly called, has taken a step ahead of mere promoting culture by establishing a multi-million naira cultural grove in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State. The grove will be officially opened on Friday, 15th November, 2024, as part of activities highlighted for this year's edition of Alaragbo Cultural International Festival.

The Festival, which is in collaboration with the Oyo State government through the Ministry of Information, Art and Culture, commenced on Friday, 1st November and ran till Monday, 18th November, 2024.

All these and many other interesting issues formed the part of discussion as City People's Dare Adeniran (08057639079) engaged Yeye Alaragbo in an interactive session.

During the encounter, the highly energetic Ifasemilore spoke extensively about how she got into cultural engagements. How she abandoned her profession as a Pharmacist to embrace culture and several other issues. You can't afford to miss excerpts of the interview. Enjoy it......

What inspired your going into promotion of Yoruba culture and tradition?

Well, it was when I had one or two issues. I was really trying to look for solutions when the issues occurred but to no avail. Until when someone invited me to a program. When I met the person she said I had to go and take care of all the deities in my father's compound. I couldn't find that funny because I was an evangelist. 

At what stage of your life did this happen?

That was after I have had my two daughters. About 40 years ago.

Did you eventually carry out the instruction given to you, and what happened thereafter?

Yes. I did. I got solutions to the problems. I scaled through the challenges at that time. 

So how would you describe the experience since you finally embraced this?

Everything is going smoothly for me since when I started practicing this culture thing. I have no issues, be it marital or otherwise. I live peacefully and get what I want at the right time.

Do you think your efforts have had positive impacts as far as promotion of Yoruba culture and tradition are concerned?

Since I was able to get what I wanted at that time I have decided to let people understand the fact that we all must not only embrace culture but also preserve it. We all need to practice it. We don't need to throw them away because there are side effects when you avoid what you have. There are some certain side effects when you neglect what you have. But when you practice or keep what you have to yourself many positive things would come your way. So, our efforts and programs are yielding positive results in sensitizing our people to value what they have.

What were you doing prior to this time?

I'm a pharmacist by profession.

Tell us more about that?

I'm a pharmacist. I graduated from the University of Ibadan. I practiced at a very prominent pharmaceutical company in Akowonjo, Lagos. I had to quit because when they give me goods, millions of naira worth of goods to take out. There were always more debts by the time I got back. And nobody took the goods away from me. So how are the goods missing? How are money missing? Despite earning good salary, I had no even a plot of land. I had no house. I had never traveled out of the country. But immediately I started promoting culture, I have been able to build houses. I have my own company, and I travel all over the world. Like this coming Alaragbo Cultural International Festival, I'm expecting people from Trinidad, Brazil, US, UK and some other places.

What else do you do apart from culture promotion? 

I promote culture and empower people. So, whatever I earn in this field I use it to empower people and assist the widows.

Yoruba culture is going into extinction, what do you think is responsible for this and what is the way forward based on your experience?

What I noticed is that people are being manipulated along the religion line. So, nobody is ready to listen to anything that has to do with our own religion. Until they have one issue or the other, and are told to come back in the cause of looking for solution. Without that nobody is ready to listen but when you talk about Christianity or Islam you will see people opening their two ears to listen. They try to throw what belongs to them away. Interestingly, international people do come back, especially those that were packed for slavery, to look for their roots. Some of my guests that are coming for Alaragbo Cultural International Festival are really happy that they are coming back to their roots. I could remember I had a guest that came last year, she said when she arrived Nigeria she felt she is not a stranger. She said she feels 100% home. She felt comfortable than she staying in the States.

What other mechanism have you deployed to promote culture apart from cultural festivals?

There are many ways through which we have been pushing the messages across board. Like I said earlier, I have a foundation where I assist the needy. I give scholarships. I'm going to do empowerment for men, women and widows during the 2024 Alaragbo Festival. 

What is Alaragbo?

Alaragbo is a combination of all ancestral soulmates. It's the arrowhead of all spiritual 'egbe' (societies) including Abiku, Leriko, Idi Ogede, Osunsina, Iyalode and so on. Alaragbo is the general that carries everything together.

How did you become Yeye Alaragbo?

I was crowned by Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi as the Yeye Alaragbo Oodua.

Tell us more about yourself and your background?

I'm from Osun State. I was born into the royal home of Samuel Adisa Adeleye Adenle, the king who was installed as Ataoja of Osogbo on the 4th April, 1944, and reigned till 1976. He was also the Financial Secretary to Oba Adesoji Aderemi during the Western Region. I'm one of the biological daughters. I attended primary school, secondary school up to my university level at University of Ibadan. Then later proceeded to study Hospitality & Tourism when I started practicing in this field. I just applied in the States for International Affairs to get my PhD.

What was your husband's reaction when you first ventured into culture promotion?

My husband supported me. My children are involved in this with me as well. The lady you saw in there as Oya is my biological daughter. That is my first daughter. The one that lifted Aje is my second daughter. Those are the two daughters I have.

How do you manage between all these activities and the home front?

It was so difficult at the initial stage. But thank God we survived it, and here we are today. My husband had to divorce me when I started, even my children left me because they were into Christianity. But in the long run my children came back to join me. We are all back together now, and we are doing very fine.

How did you convince them to joining you?

I kept praying to all the deities, and one day they decided to have a change of mind. I didn't try to convince them, I spoke to the deities. That I don't want to do what am doing in vain. Somebody must be there to inherit it. And am so happy my children now support me in this field. Thank God, we are doing perfectly well.

You are about to launch a multi-million naira cultural grove in Ibadan. Tell us about it?

The grove is one of its kind in this part of the world. It's fashioned after Osun Osogbo grove. The aim is to put Ibadan on the global map, and to also promote not only Yoruba culture but our cultural values and tradition. The grove was official unveiled on 15th November, 2024, during the celebration of this year's edition of Alaragbo Cultural International Festival. We are also working very hard to make sure that Alaragbo Cultural International Festival is listed on UNESCO calendar just like Sango Festival.