Ooni of Ife Reaffirms Unity and Shared Heritage Between Yoruba and Ga People During Historic Visit to Ghana
The Head of the Oduduwa Race Worldwide and Chairman of the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council (SNTRC), Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, has reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to strengthening ancestral and cultural ties among Yoruba descendants across Africa.
Represented by his spokesman, Otunba Moses Olafare, the Ooni made this known on Saturday during a historic visit to major Yoruba and Oduduwa-descendant communities in Ghana. The delegation visited the Gua Spiritual Dynasty, led by Ga State Akwashong Mantse, Nii Kwatatei Kojo II, as well as other culturally significant centres including Ussher Town, Ga Paramount Stool House, and Ga SĚi Yeleyli in Accra.
Addressing the gathering, Otunba Olafare conveyed the Ooni’s warm greetings to the Ga people of Accra and all Oduduwa descendants in Ghana, emphasizing the monarch’s deep cultural and spiritual bond with them.
“The Ooni is not a stranger here. He has been to Ghana more than thrice. I have come home to meet my brothers, and I feel at home in your midst this afternoon,” Olafare said.
He explained that the Ooni’s ongoing mission is to reconnect all descendants of Oduduwa across the globe, fostering unity, peace, and a cultural renaissance that will drive Africa’s collective progress.
“We are one people. Nobody can distort our shared history. The Gua and Ogun dynasties share the same ancestral roots. Since your tradition recognizes Gua as the first blacksmith and god of iron, it shows that your forefathers carried this sacred practice with them when migrating from Ile-Ife centuries ago. Harnessing these shared spiritualities will help us work together for the advancement of Africa,” he added.
Highlighting the cultural and spiritual significance of the Olojo Festival, Olafare described Ogun as one of the 401 deities delegated by God to the earth — a divine pathfinder who first brought light to humanity.
“Ogun was the first engineer and blacksmith on earth. The Olojo Festival celebrates his divine purpose. Since your ancestors migrated from Ile-Ife, the festival connects all of us as members of one global family under the House of Oduduwa,” he noted.
He also revealed the Ooni’s plan to strengthen ties between the Gua Dynasty and Osoogun, the spiritual headquarters of Ogun worship worldwide.
“We will ensure that the Gua Dynasty becomes a vital part of the Olojo Festival. The Ooni himself, or the Osogun, will attend your festival here in Ghana to deepen this sacred connection,” he assured.
Speaking further, Olafare decried the historical exploitation of Africa’s cultural heritage by colonial powers, lamenting the spiritual and material losses inflicted upon the continent.
“They came with the Bible and demonized our heritage. They looted our sacred artifacts, which are now displayed in British museums for their economic gain. Sadly, today, we pay to see what rightfully belongs to us,” he lamented.
In his response, Nii Kwatatei Kojo II, Head of the Gua Spiritual Dynasty, expressed profound gratitude to the Ooni of Ife for the historic visit, affirming the ancient link between the Gua people of Accra and Ile-Ife, the cradle of the Yoruba civilization.
“Our ancestors migrated from Ile-Ife — there’s no doubt about that. The Gua Festival, held a day before Palm Sunday every year, shares a covenant with the rainbow and rain, just like the Olojo Festival in Ile-Ife, our ancestral home. We are also children of Ogun; that is why we continue to celebrate him here in Ghana,” the Ga chief stated.
He called for greater collaboration between Nigeria and Ghana to preserve and promote the shared Oduduwa heritage, emphasizing that unity among the descendants of Oduduwa remains crucial to Africa’s development.
According to Ga tradition, Gua represents the deity of blacksmithing and hunting — symbolizing the spiritual essence and ancestral reverence central to Ga identity. It embodies the people’s belief in life after death, the continuity of the spirit, and the role of priestly mediation in their cultural existence.
Similarly, among the Yoruba of Ile-Ife, Ogun is revered as the god of iron, warfare, and labour — spiritually enshrined in the Olojo Festival, one of Africa’s oldest religious and cultural celebrations.
The term Olojo means “Owner of the Day” or “Day of the First Dawn,” representing creation, new beginnings, and the triumph of light over darkness. It also commemorates the end of the historic conflict between Olofin Oduduwa and his great ally Ogun, known as “Ojo ti o l’ojo” — the day that truly stands out among days.
Otunba Moses Olafare’s three-day visit to Ghana comes ahead of the Yoruba Cultural Heritage Isokan Festival 2025, scheduled to hold on Sunday. The event aims to celebrate Yoruba identity, promote cultural diplomacy, and reinforce the age-old bond between Yoruba descendants and their Ga counterparts in Ghana.