
Call her arts and culture advocate, and you are surely stating the obvious. Princess Folashade Olabanji-Oba, is the vice chairman of Ikorodu Local Government Area, Lagos State. She is also the global coordinator, Yoruba Council of Women World-wide, and the Aare Arewa Oodua, she spoke TONY OKUYEME, on the imperative of culture to development, why Ikorodu needs a film village and sundry issues
What’s your opinion on the imperative of culture in socio- economic development, particularly, Ikorodu?
One thing I know about Ikorodu is her rich cultural heritage, which for me, is everything to be celebrated. Forgetting where we come from or one’s identity means that you remain unimportant and not relevant, because there’s a very strong sense of pride in knowing who you are, what you are and what your forebears stood for. We have several cultural festivals in Ikorodu, for instance, Asa Festival, which brings us together. Some of the festivals are for appeasement, to bring peace, love in our community – ‘common unity’. This is something that binds us together; something that is like a DNA of who we are. So, it is something that radiates from within us, that at every point in time, in those days every year, it is something that we all look forward to; home and abroad.
Besides being a hub for filmmaking in Nigeria, especially the Yoruba language film genre, Ikorodu is also home to notable practitioners and Nollywood stars, as well as musicians such as Q-Dot, does this inspires the community of upcoming creatives?
Ikorodu is almost like the base of Nollywood today be- Arts cause we have a lot of celebrities living here with us. And don’t forget, we also have the ‘Ikorodu Boi’s here too, and if you look at the creativity, the kind of production and what was used, even Hollywood stood up and acknowledged their creativity. So, it is not about you having abundance, it is about you making use of what you have. I am one person that always celebrates Ikorodu to the world. The potential we have among our youths in Ikorodu, a lot of them I know will be sought after definitely.
What do you think should be done to ensure that other youths who are very talented in the various genres of the art, literary, performing and the visual art can blossom?
The first thing for me is peace, it is important. Peace must be sought at all levels to attract investments or investors. Ikorodu Division is one of the fastest growing divisions in Lagos State. We are one lovable and accommodating people, but that strong sense of belonging in living together as one, in looking out for one another, being each other’s keeper, being our brothers’ keeper, is something we need to all sustain. In terms of security, I want to say a big thank you to the Governor of Lagos State, and Kabiyesi, the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, for putting up a strong team to make sure that people can go to sleep. The local government is also doing awesome job. But all in all, I want to start from parenting. If every parent did their job we would have less issue on the road, and being the very best of you – best mother and best father. I am imploring us to adopt a youth in need of mentoring and guidance. We must invest in our youths for the greater good of our beloved great country. No pain no gain, we need to revalue our value system, go back to the basics, make sure that we invest in that citizenship of Nigeria, being the best of us at all times, raising the best children, best citizens because what we do today determines what happens tomorrow. Nobody is an island; we must understand that what we owe to motherland is to make sure that we leave it better than we met it. So, each and every one of us has to make sure that we are not just proud citizens but we also invest in raising proud citizens as well, not just the ones that you birth – it could be mentorship, it could be adoption. Anywhere we find ourselves, help the next child; it is very important. Every community is unique in their own challenges. The best we can do is to reassure somebody today, help somebody today; be a bridge to where they can get out for tomorrow.
Do you subscribe to the idea of establishing a film village here in Ikorodu?
Yes. I am aware of the one the Lagos State government is working on across the various divisions of the state. In Ikorodu we are also thinking of similar projects. The challenge has been land; nobody wants to use their property for public use. But this is beyond individual thing, and I know that very soon the one Lagos State government is working on across the divisions will be ready and it will be a place where our children can be tutored and their potentials unleashed for the good of our great country.