The president of the YCE UK, Bolaji Falase, who made this known at a recent press conference in Lagos, said the centre will help preserve the Yoruba culture and serve as a meeting point all Yoruba people in the Diaspora.
Falase added that London was chosen for the project because Nigeria was a colony of Britain.
He said, “All over the world, India has community centres, which they use to propagate their culture and traditions. That is also the reason we are planning to build the Yoruba Village in London. Apart from its economic importance, it is also a meeting point for all Yoruba in the Diaspora.
“The Yoruba language is diminishing. To remedy the situation, the facility will be a meeting point where we can teach our children our language, our culture and traditions, and also eat our food.”
He said the estimated cost of the land for the Yoruba Village was £5m, while the construction of the centre, which will host a museum, library, offices, conference facilities, restaurant and supermarket, was estimated to cost £7m.
He said while they were working towards acquiring the land, the construction would be in stages, depending on availability of funds.
The President of the YCE, Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo (retd.), commended the UK chapter for its interest in the organisation and efforts towards actualising the project.
Adebayo added that the project would help the future generation of Yoruba people not to lose touch with their roots and culture.
Culled From Punch
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