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Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

Towards curbing the denigration and bastardisation of the Yoruba belief system, a group known as Isese Welfare Association (IWA), has expressed its commitment to organise a one-day interactive session with stakeholders in the film industry and skit makers in the South-west region.

The group, in a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ifatayo Ayomo Awolade, said the symposium will provide a sustainable channel for periodic consultation and collaboration towards the preservation of Yoruba culture, tradition and heritage through film making and the theatre.

He said it has become imperative to reorganise the Isese community at large in Yorubaland, create new innovations and enduring capacities to deal with challenges encountering the Yoruba divinatory practices, traditions, spirituality, heritage and religion known as Isese, adding that the event to be held on Thursday at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, will be hosted by High Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon, who is the Araba Awo of Osogbo.

According to him, targeted participants at the event are actors, directors, producers, script writers, film and skit makers, content creators and makers who will interact with leading and practising traditionalists. 

The statement read: “On behalf of Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Community in general, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Welfare Association (IWA), which is popularly known as Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Assembly is organising a very inclusive and historic one-day interactive session with the critical stakeholders in the movie industry in Nigeria (particularly in Yorùbáland), and these stakeholders include actors, directors, producers, scripts writers, film and skit makers and contents creators and marketers with leading practising Oníṣẹ̀ṣes in Ibadan, Oyo State.

“This is part of the ongoing initiatives and activities aimed at reorganising Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Community at large in Yorùbáland in particular and objectively to create new innovations and enduring capacities to deal with the contemporary challenges damaging the Yorùbá’s unique divinatory practices, traditions, spirituality, heritage and religion known as Ìṣẹ̀ṣe.

“The primary objective of this interactive session is to curb denigration of Ìṣẹ̀ṣe and to implore the stakeholders to help to stop the barstadisation of our dear belief system and also to establish a sustainable channel for regular consultation and collaboration to preserve and promote our rich culture, tradition and heritage through film making and theatrical practices.”