The Traditional Religion Worshippers’ Association has called on the Federal and State Governments to create schools that would teach traditional religious knowledge as a subject, in order to pass on Yoruba culture and tradition to the younger generation.
The Secretary of the Oyo State branch of the association, Fayemi Fakayode, made this plea in Ibadan, emphasizing the need for traditional religious knowledge to be part of the primary and secondary school curricula, similar to Islamic Religious Knowledge and Christian Religious Knowledge.
Fakayode, in a personally signed statement, emphasized the importance of educating the younger generation about Yoruba history and heritage.
He explained that the incorrect education about African heritage and culture had resulted in many misconceptions about traditional religion.
The secretary, who is the Founder of Olodumare’s Temple of Light International, mentioned this call was made during the installation of two Brazilians, Awoyomi Fakayode and Iyanifa Ifatayo Obemo, as Mayegun and Yeye Mayegun of Ìjọ Ìmọ́lẹ̀ Olódùmarè Àgbáyé, respectively, at Alade Town in the Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.
“The time has come for both the Federal and State Governments to include TRK as a subject in the primary and secondary school curriculum, like they have the IRK and CRK, respectively. There is a need for proper education to impart to the younger generations the needed knowledge of our traditions and religion.
“Also, there is a need to equip the younger generations with culturally based knowledge which will make them useful for themselves and their land as well as implanting in them the spirit of patriotism that will make them unyielding to the spirit of betraying their ancestors.
“We call on the traditionalists to start making efforts to establish this subject in our primary and secondary schools, while the Federal and State Governments will give it the needed support by approving its inclusion in the school’s syllabus and curriculum.”
He said with TRK in place, the children and grandchildren would not be taught about their own religion, culture, tradition, and history by foreigners and those from other religions, who have painted the religion in bad light to lure them away.
