It was  very tough to get The President, Yoruba Community Association (YCA) Chief Mrs. Sola Olubunmi  for an interview since she wears many caps in Toronto, Canada.  She is an Executive member of Nigerian-Canadian Association, a member of The Nigerian-Canadian Queens, a good housewife to her darling Husband Elder Olubunmi.  She was very busy preparing to go to Yoruba Class to assist in the supervision of her Yoruba students as well as running around for the upcoming Yoruba Picnic coming up next week Saturday.    In this interview, She shares her thoughts on coming picnic, activities and programs that would move the Yoruba Community Association and the members forward.  Excerpts;

You celebrated the Yoruba Picnic last year, this year you are celebrating it as Yoruba Canada Day Picnic why did you change it from Yoruba Picnic to Yoruba Canada Day?

The Yoruba Canada Day Picnic is the unique day, an important day for all Yoruba descendants in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).  It is in collaboration with 18-Affliated Associations and tagged ‘Family Day’.   The Yoruba people in diaspora appreciate togetherness, unity, family orientation, culturalism and pluralism.  The Canadian government admires its diversity and multiculturalism. The visitors to the Picnic who are non-Yoruba descendants, especially the Politicians in the GTA and other friends of Yoruba enjoy our costumes, different dishes, and Yoruba costumes.

When is this event coming up?

The Yoruba Canada Picnic Day event  is coming up next week  Saturday  August 15, 2015, at G Ross Park, 4801 Dufferrin Street. Toronto.

What other programs for this event?

The primary program is that each affiliated association will have its stand, display the culture, foods, clothings, costumes and different local games, such as “Ayo Olopon”, Table tennis, etc.

Other programs are divided into categories of seniors, Adults, Youths and children. This year's picnic will showcase  youth and children between ages 10-20 years and are going to display our culture for fashion show.  In addition, the Yoruba Class students will perform in order to promote the Language. Track and field events will be performed as well.  The youth has special events, such as, soft music, comedy and awareness.  It is a great avenue for the socialization for these youths.

How do you relate with other affiliates since YCA is the umbrella Organization?

The 18 affiliated associations are: Eko Club of Canada, Ekinmogun Cultural Association, Egbe Omo Ife Cultural Association, Ekiti Kete Cultural Association, Efon –Alaaye Cultural Association,  Ibadan Descendant Association, Ijebu Heritage Association, Ikorodu Descendant Association, Ile-Oluji Cultural Association, Ijesa Progressive Association, Idanre Cultural Association,  Ifon Omima Cultural Association, Kwara Descendant Association,, Olumo Progressive Association,  Owo Community Association, Ogbomoso Cultural Association, Oyemekun Cultural Association and Osun Descendant Association; these affiliates are with Yoruba Community Association (YCA).  They are recognized by the YCA constitution. Presidents of these associations are the Vice Presidents of YCA.  The Presidents and the Executives of YCA deliberate and run the affairs of YCA.    Each affiliated association has it’s constitution.  The associations are   autonomous in running their affairs.  The YCA Executive do visit on the regular basis in order to update these affiliaes for unification. Theses affiliates run programs to create awareness in YCA community.  The issues that affect Yoruba community are evaluated in order to develop suitable programs for community in the GTA. 

Now let’s talk about  the on-goingYoruba class.  How is the program funded and how is the program faring?

The program emphasizes the incorporation of culture in language instruction and learning. The present YCA Admin. started the Language class in 2014 summer.  The Yoruba class is funded by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB).  The Volunteers contribute  greatly to ensure that the Program is successful, especially the Chairman YCA Board of Directors, Reverend Dr. Adebusola Onayemi, the Yoruba class teachers and members of the YCA

Executive.

                         OASES NEWS Publisher; Michael Kehinde Abiodun listening with full attention during the interview.

The growth of this Yoruba  Language Class  Program is encouraging. The goal is to increase the number of learning centres in Ontario. E.g. There is high demand for this Language Class in Scarborough, down town Toronto, Barrie, Ajax, Pickering etc.   In the 2014 summer class, there were two classes with 65 students. Likewise, September 2014 to June 2015, every Saturday, there were 38 students.  Now, the 2015 Summer Class started on June 29, 2015 with 23 students.  People brought their children from  Barrie and other parts of Ontario to participate in the program.  Yoruba parents have realized the importance of the Yoruba Language hence they want their children to know how to speak, write, comprehend and read in Yoruba Language popularly tagged “Moo so, Mo ko, moo gbo, moo ka “.  We are like the rising stars, the shining sun and the moon for  Nigeria and Nigerians in Diaspora.  The sky is surely the limit  for the Yorubas in Diaspora.

The present Executive is asking the community to support the program by registering their children to participate in the Yoruba class program.  As I always mention that there is no excuse for our children not to be able to speak Yoruba Language.  It is at our doorstep and the rest is for the parents to register their children. The Yoruba Class is advertised in the Nigerian-Canadian Newspaper, African Society Newspaper.  Sponsors of these advertisements do these for the community awareness.

Apart  from Yoruba Class Program what other programs do you have for the YCA Members in the GTA Toronto?

We invite professionals to come and give Seminar on important issues generally affecting the community. For instance a lot of our members are out of touch on the importance of insurance.  It is very unfortunate that most of the Nigerians do not even care and when the time comes we all start running around going "abegging".   Here in foreign country or advanced country you can't drive without insurance, you must also insure your life in case of sudden death you have nothing to be afraid of. Consequent upon the mentality we have towards Insurance we invited Mr. Charles Oyelowo of Charbo Financial Services Inc. to educate us more on Insurance and it was a very successful seminar.

A cross section of the YCA Members listening to  seminar on “The importance of Insurance”. Mr Charles Oyelowo, Financial Advisor

(Charbo Financial Services Inc.) explaining some points to YCA members.

We have unverified staggering figure of over 100,000 Nigerians here in Toronto, how do these people either as a group or association or individual contribute to the development of Nigeria at home through either their expertise or  in any form?

The brain drain and brain gain slogan for the Nigeria as a country is fading via the technology. The Nigerians in the diaspora are contributing to the development of our great country, Nigeria in all areas: economy, education, technology, transportation and others.  The Western Union could testify to how much money being remitted to Nigeria yearly.  Few people took a bold step in returning home to join the Nigerian politics in order to advance the county.   Series of seminars were organized in order to deliberate on the advancement of the country.

With the statistics of Nigerians in diaspora how can you push the home government of Buhari to allow the diasporans to vote during any general election?

The right of eligible citizen is to vote during the election.  The role of the government is to give its citizens the accessibility and right to vote wherever they are in the face of the world. The Diasporans are reminding the Nigerian government to exercise this right.  The request to have a right to vote has been forwarded to the Federal of Government and is being monitored to ensure that the idea is considered and executed.

The struggle continues on the right to vote for the Diasporans.  The struggle and lobby with the House of Senate and House of Representative in order to insert this  in the constitution.

Nigerians in the Diaspora have been granted the right to vote in the 2019 general election in Nigeria by the house in the recently passed Diaspora Commission Bills. 

OASES NEWS:  Thank you for granting the interview.

YCA President:  Thank you too for taking your time to do this.