By Peter Dansu Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka has reached out to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, calling for royal support as pre...
By Peter Dansu
Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka has reached out to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, calling for royal support as preparations intensify for the 2026 Door of Return Festival, a grand cultural homecoming set to bring thousands of Africans in the Diaspora back to their ancestral roots.
Soyinka, recently appointed by NiDCOM Chairman Abike Dabiri-Erewa to coordinate the 2026 edition of the festival, visited the Ooni’s palace in Ile Ife to rally traditional backing for what has been described as one of Africa’s biggest heritage reconnection events. Next year’s festival in Badagry is expected to welcome over two thousand descendants of enslaved Africans, especially from Brazil, who are seeking to reconnect with the land of their forebears.
Welcoming Soyinka and his delegation, the Ooni praised President Bola Tinubu for renaming the National Arts Theatre in honour of the Nobel Laureate, describing the gesture as a recognition well deserved. He reaffirmed the palace’s commitment to the return-to-Africa initiative, noting that Soyinka’s involvement gives the project a deeper cultural and spiritual significance.
Oba Ogunwusi said Ile Ife, the cradle of the Yoruba people, remains Soyinka’s ancestral home and the natural starting point for a global reconnection movement.
He said it was a privilege to see Soyinka leading a project that aims to reunite Yoruba descendants scattered across continents. “This assignment aligns perfectly with your calling. We will work with you to rebuild the bond between our people and their children abroad. You remain a pride to the Yoruba nation,” the Ooni said.
Soyinka, speaking after the meeting, stressed that the growing interest among Afro-Brazilians and other diaspora communities shows a deep emotional longing for identity, history, and restoration. He said educating them about the realities of slavery and their cultural heritage would help them rediscover who they are and why their return matters.
“If we fail to act now, rebuilding this bridge may take much longer. When they return, they bring not just talent and knowledge, but a powerful sense of belonging. Above all, their strongest desire is to find their origin,” Soyinka said.
With the Ooni’s blessing and the federal endorsement already in place, the 2026 Door of Return Festival is shaping up to become a historic celebration, one that could spark a renewed global movement of cultural reunification, pride, and homecoming for millions of African descendants worldwide.
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