- Aug 20, 2015
The name Yinka has special meaning. Not just to Yinka Osifeso, treasurer of the United Nigeria Association of Tulsa. In his culture, a person’s name can reflect what was happening when the child was born.
“It means my father was happy when I was born,” explained Osifeso, a native of Ogun State in southwestern Nigeria. “The happiness can be anything.”
That tradition of culture and many more will be among those shared at the first Greater Tulsa Culture Festival set for Friday and Saturday in Glenpool. The free, family-friendly event will showcase Oklahoma’s African, Latin/Hispanic and Caribbean cultures with more than 50 vendors and attractions.
Osifeso, a father of three children and president of the United Yoruba of Tulsa Association as well, will be on stage Saturday sharing his culture with festivalgoers.
In particular, he will be showing off traditional Nigerian clothing made of natural materials and decorated with beautiful designs, some of which are available at Ebute Metta Tropical Market, 6926 E. Lewis Ave., and other local outlets.
The Nigerian culture in Tulsa is represented by a small group who work to provide not only information about their culture but also to provide scholarships for college kids, teaching classes at the Tulsa City-County Library for those who want to learn the language and providing supplies for up to 500 school children and support for schools in Nigeria.
Osifeso, who moved from Nigeria to Houston 21 years ago and then to Tulsa when his wife enrolled at Oral Roberts University, said he wants people to know that members of the Nigerian culture are “good friends.”
“Everyone is unique, and Nigeria is a unique area,” he said in a recent phone interview. “In our culture, everything is involved in tradition, in our roots. We also have good food and we enjoy making it.
And, we enjoy exploring other cultures and seeing the differences between cultures.”
Entertainment for the event will include Delacroix & Friends at 8 p.m. Friday, followed by a DJ dance party highlighting the Caribbean, African and Latin cultures. On stage at 6:30 p.m. Saturday will be On a Whim followed by DJ G Wiz, reggae band Local Hero and Charlie Redd & The Full Flava Kings.
