Yoruba heritage protection is championed by TYF Worldwide as it condemns false narratives about Ile-Ife and calls for accurate cultural representation

Yoruba heritage protection has become a top priority for the Think Yoruba First Ogo Adulawo Socio-Cultural Association (TYF Worldwide), which is urging accurate representation of Yoruba culture to safeguard its legacy and identity.

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Mr. Oluwatobi Sanwo, Lead Legal Consultant of TYF, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that falsified narratives pose a threat to Yoruba civilisation and intellectual integrity globally.

The conference convened by TYF highlighted cultural defamation and historical distortion found in a recently published academic book.

According to Sanwo, the book falsely claims that non-Yoruba groups were the original inhabitants of Ile-Ife and alleges that the Yoruba were immigrants who usurped authority in their ancestral home.

Other falsehoods include claims of a fabricated empire preceding Ile-Ife, assertions unsupported by Ifa Corpus, oral traditions, or credible historical and anthropological research.

Sanwo condemned these distortions as cultural defamation, intellectual dishonesty, and potential ethnic provocation. He reaffirmed that Ile-Ife remains the undisputed cradle of Yoruba civilisation, recognised worldwide by scholars and authorities.

TYF has submitted petitions to Nigerian and international institutions and is raising public awareness to defend Yoruba heritage and intellectual truth.

The association called on Yoruba people globally to unite in defense of Ile-Ife and urged the media to responsibly promote authentic Yoruba history and scholarship.

Sanwo emphasised that TYF’s approach is rooted in peaceful dialogue and collaboration with traditional rulers, academics, and the press. “Yoruba history is sacred, Ile-Ife non-negotiable, and our identity indivisible,” he said.

He clarified that TYF does not promote hatred toward any ethnic group but will resist attempts to undermine Yoruba civilisation or distort ancestral history.

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The association also appealed to government agencies, universities, and international cultural organisations to support Yoruba scholarship, fund research, and strengthen frameworks preserving African histories and indigenous knowledge systems.