Osunbumi Ifasemilore, a US-based Pharmacist turned culture promoter

All these and many other interesting issues were discussed as City People’s Dare Adeniran (08057639079) engaged Yeye Alaragbo in an interactive session.

Well, it was when I had one or two issues. I was really trying to look for solutions when the issues occurred but to no avail. Until someone invited me to a program. When I met the person, she said I had to go and take care of all the deities in my father’s compound. I couldn’t find that funny because I was an evangelist.

That was after I had my two daughters. About 40 years ago.

Yes. I did. I got solutions to the problems. I scaled through the challenges at that time.

Everything is going smoothly for me since when I started practising this culture thing. I have no issues, be it marital or otherwise. I live peacefully and get what I want at the right time.

Since I was able to get what I wanted at that time I have decided to let people understand the fact that we all must not only embrace culture but also preserve it. We all need to practice it. We don’t need to throw them away because there are side effects when you avoid what you have. There are certain side effects when you neglect what you have. But when you practice or keep what you have to yourself many positive things will come your way. So, our efforts and programs are yielding positive results in sensitizing our people to value what they have.

I’m a pharmacist by profession.

I’m a pharmacist. I graduated from the University of Ibadan. I practised at a very prominent pharmaceutical company in Akowonjo, Lagos. I had to quit because when they gave me goods, millions of naira worth of goods to take out. There were always more debts by the time I got back. And nobody took the goods away from me. So how are the goods missing? How is money missing? Despite earning a good salary, I did not even have a plot of land. I had no house. I had never travelled out of the country. But immediately I started promoting culture, I have been able to build houses. I have my own company, and I travel all over the world. Like this coming Alaragbo Cultural International Festival, I’m expecting people from Trinidad, Brazil, the US, the UK and some other places.

I promote culture and empower people. So, whatever I earn in this field I use it to empower people and assist the widows.

What I noticed is that people are being manipulated along the religious line. So, nobody is ready to listen to anything that has to do with our own religion. Until they have one issue or the other, and are told to come back in the cause of looking for a solution. Without that, nobody is ready to listen but when you talk about Christianity or Islam you will see people opening their two ears to listen. They try to throw what belongs to them away. Interestingly, international people do come back, especially those who were packed for slavery, to look for their roots. Some of my guests who are coming for the Alaragbo Cultural International Festival are happy that they are coming back to their roots. I remember I had a guest who came last year, she said when she arrived in Nigeria she felt she is not a stranger. She said she feels 100% at home. She felt more comfortable than she staying in the States.

There are many ways through which we have been pushing the messages across board. Like I said earlier, I have a foundation where I assist the needy. I give scholarships. I’m going to do empowerment for men, women and widows during the 2024 Alaragbo Festival.

Alaragbo is a combination of all ancestral soulmates. It’s the arrowhead of all spiritual ‘egbe’ (societies) including Abiku, Leriko, Idi Ogede, Osunsina, Iyalode and so on. Alaragbo is the general that carries everything together.

I was crowned by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi as the Yeye Alaragbo Oodua.

I’m from Osun State. I was born into the royal home of Samuel Adisa Adeleye Adenle, the king who was installed as Ataoja of Osogbo on the 4th of April 1944, and reigned till 1976. He was also the Financial Secretary to Oba Adesoji Aderemi during the Western Region. I’m one of the biological daughters. I attended primary school, and secondary school up to my university level at the University of Ibadan. Then later proceeded to study Hospitality & Tourism when I started practicing in this field. I just applied to the States for International Affairs to get my PhD.

My husband supported me. My children are involved in this with me as well. The lady you saw in there as Oya is my biological daughter. That is my first daughter. The one that lifted Aje is my second daughter. Those are the two daughters I have.

It was so difficult at the initial stage. But thank God we survived it, and here we are today. My husband had to divorce me when I started, even my children left me because they were into Christianity. But in the long run, my children came back to join me. We are all back together now, and we are doing very fine.

I kept praying to all the deities, and one day they decided to have a change of mind. I didn’t try to convince them, I spoke to the deities. That I don’t want to do what am doing in vain. Somebody must be there to inherit it. And am so happy my children now support me in this field. Thank God, we are doing perfectly well.

The grove is one of its kind in this part of the world. It’s fashioned after Osun Osogbo Grove. The aim is to put Ibadan on the global map and to also promote not only Yoruba culture but our cultural values and traditions. The grove was officially unveiled on 15th November 2024, during the celebration of this year’s edition of the Alaragbo Cultural International Festival. We are also working very hard to make sure that the Alaragbo Cultural International Festival is listed on the UNESCO calendar just like the Sango Festival.