The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II has called on Afro-Brazilians to synergise adequately with Africa for the enhancement of the Back-To-Root movement.
The Africa’s foremost monarch made this assertion through his Queen, Olori Aderonke Ademiluyi Ogunwusi during the opening ceremony of the African Fashion Week Brazil holding at Expo Center Norte, 1000 – Villa Guilherme, Sao Paulo on Thursday.
Queen Aderonke explained the aim of the event is to create more synergies in terms of culture and fashion between Africa, Afro-Brazilians and Brazil.
She said her husband, the Ooni of Ife is determined to seeing very strong synergies between African designers and Afrobrazilian designers in the bid to strengthen the economic and cultural bond of the Africans and Africans in diaspora.
The Ooni’s Queen noted that the Ooni’s recent visit to Brazil hosted by President Lula for African Traditional Religion Day and the legislative approval for Twin City status between The City of Ife and some cities in Brazil were in in fulfillment of his dream to get the Afro-Brazilians connected to their home continent of Africa.
“The benefits of the African Fashion week holding in Brazil are huge if there’s a synergy between you and designers in Africa.
“The aim of the project is to create more synergies in terms of culture and fashion between Africa, Afrobrazilians and Brazil which is already happening through the efforts of my husband.
“Creating African designers and Afrobrazilian designers in the bid to strengthen our economic and cultural bond is also a good strategy. The twin cities arrangement backed up with Brazilian legislative law that was recently passed the parliaments of Rio and Bahia states here in Brazil which my husband and other traditional emissaries and business tycoons from Africa came to celebrate and his meeting the President of Brazil last some 2 months ago was to ensure a robust relationship between you all and your home continent of Africa”. The Queen said.
Also, while answering questions from journalists after the event, Queen Aderonke further stated the characteristics of African Fashion in terms of beauty, colour, boldness, uniqueness, royalty as what to be showcased to the world. She lauded the Models that came for the event and describing them as phenomenal, amazing, wonderful and professional partners.
She gave the brief historical background of how Africa Fashion week started 14 years ago in London and later metamorphosed the one that held in Nigeria and the one that is holding presently in Brazil, saying that Africa continent is full of about 3000 tribes part of which have different fashion and cultural values inspired and influenced by the historical and traditional set up of each tribes particularly in the Oduduwa race.
The Ooni’s beautiful wife who is also a great granddaughter Ooni Ademiluyi Ajagun, the 48th Ooni of Ife led a team of Nigeria designers and her Adire Oodua Textile Hub
