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Royal fathers, government officials, cultural enthusiasts, media practitioners and prominent Yoruba leaders gathered in Lagos on Sunday to celebrate the fifth anniversary of La’afin Oba, an online cultural platform dedicated to documenting and promoting the history, traditions and royal institutions of the Yoruba people.
The colourful anniversary celebration, organised by Pemprom Nigeria Limited, was held at La’Scala Hall, Muson Centre, Onikan, and featured traditional dance performances, drama presentations, goodwill messages and the presentation of awards to individuals recognised for their outstanding contributions to the promotion and preservation of Yoruba culture.
The event celebrated five years of La’afin Oba, a cultural programme founded by media entrepreneur and cultural advocate, Chief Prophetess Bisola Agbaje, and broadcast on Adide TV, the online television platform of Benprom Nigeria Limited.
Speaking during the celebration, Agbaje recounted the remarkable journey that transformed a painful financial setback into what has become one of the leading digital platforms showcasing Yoruba history and traditional institutions to audiences around the world.
She disclosed that before venturing into film production, she worked as a fashion designer and later became an actress and producer. According to her, the turning point came in 2020 after investing about ₦3 million in producing a movie titled Ore Aye, which failed to achieve the expected commercial success.
Agbaje explained that her disappointment deepened when a film marketer offered only ₦250,000 to purchase the rights to the production, an amount she considered insignificant compared with the resources invested.
Rather than accept the offer, she decided to distribute the film independently through her YouTube platform, Adide TV, a decision she said eventually proved rewarding as the production continued to generate revenue over time.
The experience, she said, taught her the importance of resilience, innovation and self-belief.
She urged aspiring entrepreneurs and creative professionals not to abandon their dreams because of temporary setbacks but to create opportunities for themselves instead of depending solely on others.
Agbaje revealed that after the disappointment surrounding Ore Aye, she sought divine direction through prayer and received the inspiration to establish La’afin Oba, a programme devoted to interviewing Yoruba monarchs about the history of their kingdoms, cultural heritage, occupations, traditions and the unique identities of their communities.
Since its debut with an interview featuring the Akran of Badagry five years ago, the programme has documented the histories of numerous traditional rulers across Yorubaland, creating what she described as a digital archive for future generations.
She expressed gratitude to God for sustaining the initiative and reaffirmed her commitment to preserving Yoruba identity through Adide TV and La’afin Oba.
Earlier in his welcome address, educator and Coordinator of Gender Violence at POCACAV, Ambassador Oguntoye Olabode, described the anniversary as more than a celebration of longevity, saying it represented five years of telling the Yoruba story through authentic cultural narratives.
He noted that at a time when indigenous values face increasing challenges, platforms such as La’afin Oba play an important role in reconnecting younger generations with their roots while promoting the dignity of Yoruba royal institutions.
He commended the organisers for remaining steadfast in preserving Yoruba traditions and thanked the royal fathers for their unwavering support of cultural initiatives.
One of the highlights of the event was a strong appeal for greater unity among Yoruba traditional rulers.
Speaking during an interview, the Alaketu of Ketu-Oduduwa, His Imperial Majesty Oba Ajibade Adebowale, called on Yoruba monarchs to work together in safeguarding the language, customs and cultural heritage inherited from their ancestors.
The monarch described the Alaketu Kingdom as one of the ancient Yoruba kingdoms, tracing its ancestry directly to Oduduwa and stressed that preserving Yoruba civilisation requires collective responsibility among traditional institutions.
He commended Agbaje for her commitment to promoting Yoruba identity through La’afin Oba and prayed for wisdom, good health and divine guidance for Yoruba monarchs to continue fostering peace, unity and development across their respective kingdoms.
Also speaking was the Chief of Staff to the Chairman of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area, Taiwo Ogunbe, who, representing the council chairman, Hon. Dr. Sheyi Lawal-Jacobs, reaffirmed the local government’s commitment to preserving Yoruba cultural heritage.
Ogunbe said the council, through its Chieftaincy Affairs, Culture and Tourism departments, has maintained strong partnerships with traditional rulers and community stakeholders to revive indigenous customs and traditions.
He expressed optimism that interest in Yoruba culture among young people is growing, citing the introduction of Yoruba-speaking days and cultural activities in schools as evidence of increasing awareness and appreciation of indigenous language and traditions.
According to him, such initiatives are helping to strengthen cultural identity and instil pride in Yoruba heritage among younger generations.
He praised the organisers for the impressive display of traditional attire, music, dance and drama throughout the anniversary celebration and encouraged them to sustain the initiative.
“I believe that in the next five to ten years, we will witness even greater progress in preserving and promoting our culture,” he said.
The celebration concluded with the presentation of recognition awards to distinguished Yoruba leaders and cultural advocates whose contributions have advanced the preservation of Yoruba history, traditions and indigenous values.
For many participants, the fifth anniversary of La’afin Oba was not only a celebration of a successful cultural media platform but also a renewed commitment to ensuring that the history, language and royal heritage of the Yoruba people continue to thrive in the digital age.
