The City That Carries Its History

When we talk about the credle of Yoruba civilization, you are referring to my hometown. A place where culture, history, identity remains part of our daily life.

In my hometown, we do not have to search for our history in any textbook because every country corner you enter has it own history. And that is part of the city gives introduction about itself. Even to those who are new to the two or anywhere, just by mentioning Ile-Ife, someone somewhere will tell you a story about the town, Yoruba people, Ooni or even Oduduwa. But my home town carries more heritage than what has happened in the past. It also has current values that the ordinary life continues around our history.

I always appreciate something strongly about Ile Ife, and that is how deeply rooted our sense of identity it. We have never shy away from our root, we always been confident to talk about it, including the various festivals, family compounds and names, local stories which is the beauty of keeping everything alive, traditional titles and all others things I might not list. My town also has a prestigious University: Obafemi Awolowo University, which brings students from all of the country to build Idea, teach them and the school has raised a lot of creatives minds and superstars over the year. That mix gives Ife a life beyond its history. I have met different people who have lived there all their life for generations and, someone who just came around and has decided to stay.

I am very proud of the way that my people carries our culture in a proud way without making everything about the past. And looking at our food to our language, the way we greet others in a very respectful way, that alone still have a place in everyday activities. At any market place you get to, a greeting is always said ahead before any bargaining starts and that shows that we recognise eachother first before other things follows.

But admist all these good things, there is still something that we can always do better which is the constant care of how we use our public spaces. Though Ife is neat, but we can be neater because a town gave birth to other Yoruba towns should always have a working drainage, clean environments, good roads even though the current governor has been working on that, and a sign that helps outsiders to locate important places easily. When our roads are poor and our drainage system is faulty, it is those living in the town that is going to suffer the cause, while the outsiders leaves with a bad impression.

To become better, I do not think Ile-Ife needs to become another city. What it only needs is just for it to make daily life go hand in hand with its history. We have already gotten the prestige and heritage that is worth protecting, so having a good maintaince of the city will allow everyone to enjoy it without struggling to avoid the problem. What I always wish for is that I want everyone to remember Ile Ife not only for what is in there, but for how they can care for a place that we all call our hometown.

Thank you for reading.

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