Yoruba Academy

Shortcuts

• Address
• Telephone
• Opening Hours
• Alerts
• Contact The Organization
• Claim ownership or report listing

• 

  Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Ibadan?

Our history

Concerned by the situation of the Yoruba people which, as noted by several analysts, had uncharacteristically allowed their basic values, culture and norms to be buffeted by forces that seem to be beyond control, a retreat was organised by a group of Yoruba professionals and activists, which led to the establishment of yoruba academy as a think tank for yoruba culture and heritage.

This meeting, which was attended by Yoruba political leaders, intellectuals, thinkers, businessmen and women were convened in the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) with the aim of charting a way forward for the Yoruba.At the meeting, a motion was moved by Professor Wale Omole for the establishment of a think-tank to promote the renaissance of our culture, capture the soul of our youth and re-establish the pride of our race and increase its capacity to contribute to the international community. This motion was accepted and ratified as part of the meeting's resolutions.The historical trajectory after the meeting at IITA made the Afenifere Renewal Group the self-assigned custodian of the resolutions reached at the meeting. Therefore, ARG, with the support of other notable individuals decided to commit to bringing this dream to life.Subsequently, a committee headed by Dr Charles Akindiji Akinola was set up to midwife the institution. The Yoruba Academy opened office in August 2008 in Ibadan Nigeria. It was then discovered at this point that similar agenda was already afoot by a group led by late Professor Babatunde Fafunwa. A meeting of the two groups held and both united to pursue the agenda. Consequently, Professor Fafunwa became the pioneer chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Yoruba Academy and Professor Wale Adebanwi, its pioneer Executive Director.In 2009, another organ was instituted known as the Programmes Development Committee (PDC), now known as Programmes Advisory Committee (PAC). In 2010, Yoruba Academy started an audacious research project which culminated in the publication of "Development Agenda for Western Nigeria: Strategy Roadmap", which was publicly unveiled in March 2012. This publication led to the establishment of the DAWN Commission. Yoruba Academy has also influenced, through evidence-based research some other notable social agenda in the area of net migration, education etc.Perhaps Yoruba Academy would have gone moribund but for strategic interventions of Lieutenant General Alani Akinrinade GCON whose influence helped to secure the current office location. In addition, he launched a book in Lagos in 2017 and donated all the profit realised from the book launch to Yoruba Academy’s purse. This singular philanthropic act paid for the lease on the current office location and enabled Yoruba Academy to return to normal operation in January 2019.The Yoruba academy has become very critical for the promotion of a strong Yoruba identity and development of our social space and intellectual capacity as a means to preserve and continue to nurture who we are.Yoruba is a proud race and Yoruba Academy will strive to foster that pride again through the institutionalisation of the Omoluabi ethos and welfarist politics, which define our essential characteristics as responsible, ethical and people of sound moral standard.