Published October 5, 2023 at 3:24 PM CDT
The Yoruba Cultural Center Dallas is hosting Yorubafest this Saturday, a celebration of the history, art and culture of one of the oldest ethnic groups in Africa.
For the fourth year, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson has proclaimed a day in October as Yorubafest Day.
The center’s theater and dance coordinator, Ola Ogunkoya, said they’re especially turning their attention to the younger generation.
“A lot of people, like most people, especially in the diaspora, a lot of youth…they have never been to Nigeria,” he said. ”A lot of them don't even know where they're from."
"We come together to build this kind of a place so that it actually encourages people to once in a while come somewhere that can remind you of where you're from, your roots, you know?”
The center also caters to young Nigerian Americans by providing scholarships and programs.
Yorubafest is at noon this Saturday, Oct.7, at the Yoruba Cultural Center. The event caps off a week of celebrations commemorating Nigerian Independence Day.
Oct.1 marked the 63rd anniversary of Nigeria’s independence from Great Britain. Dallas has one of the largest Nigerian American populations in the U.S., and for many, it’s a priority to mark the day and celebrate the culture.
Childhood friends Adeola Kofoworade and Menab Tesfu are the founders of COLORS, a dance party held every first Sunday of the month that features Afrobeats and amapiano.
The two created the event after sharing similar interests in the Boiler Room, a London-based online music broadcast. They felt like it was what the younger generation needed to feel at home.
“In Texas, a lot of Africans might not feel as comfortable, like themselves at other events,” Kofoworade said. “It doesn't really play Afrobeats. It doesn't really encourage, you know, the African culture."
“So, this is kind of a place not only for Africans, just people in general… we call it True Colors, so people can really come here and act like themselves. It doesn't matter, like nobody's really watching.”
He says the event is a way to keep young Nigerian Americans feeling connected to Nigeria.
“A lot of people here, they don't really know what's going on back home,” Kofoworade said. “You know, they were born and raised here so they’re kind of like, ‘If it doesn't affect me, I'm not really worried about it.’
"So, I feel like doing events like this, it really does give Nigeria a bigger platform.”
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