The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has hailed President Bola Tinubu for his administration’s growing recognition of culture as a vital pillar of national identity, unity and international diplomacy.

The commendation was made in a statement on Tuesday.

The monarch commended Mr Tinubu during a media conference organised by NICO to herald the upcoming World Orisha Congress.

The Ooni, also the global patron of WOOCON, said Mr Tinubu was creating a culturally-friendly environment, and giving formal recognition to traditional heritage and spiritual institutions across the nation.

Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka also praised the president for encouraging and supporting the initiative, adding that it was a step to greatness and a global boost in tourism revenue and relevance to nationalities.

Mr Soyinka, a WOOCON’s patron, said culture defined people and nationalities, and intellectual and spiritual engagement were important in reviving African culture.

The Brazilian consul in Lagos, Manuel de Lacerda Santos, highlighted the spiritual connections between Brazil and Nigeria, particularly through the shared Yoruba heritage that continues to thrive across both nations.

A renowned Yoruba scholar, Wande Abimbola, said the Orisha tradition was a global spiritual system that must be preserved and respected across continents.

(NAN)