04/09/2026
AMBASSADOR LOLA AKANDE DELIVERS SPECIAL ADDRESS AT YORUBA DAY 2026 IN FINLAND
Her Excellency Ambassador Lola Akande delivered a special address at the 2026 Yoruba Day celebration held on Saturday, 29 August 2026, in Espoo, Finland, commending the Yoruba community for its efforts in preserving cultural heritage, promoting unity and strengthening community bonds. The event, organised by the Association of Yoruba Descendants in Finland (AYDF) in collaboration with the Yorubas in Pirkanmaa Association (YPA), was held under the theme, “Celebrating Culture, Heritage, and Community.”
Speaking at the event, Ambassador Lola Akande commended AYDF for its commitment to promoting cultural pride, unity and community development. She noted that the celebration exemplified enduring Yoruba values encapsulated in the concept of Ọmọlúàbí—integrity, respect, humility, responsibility and service—while underscoring that Nigeria’s rich cultural diversity remains a source of strength and a vital component of its national identity.
Ambassador Lola Akande further emphasised the importance of diaspora engagement and cultural diplomacy, noting their direct relevance to the Diaspora and Demography pillars of Nigeria’s 4D Foreign Policy framework. She encouraged Yoruba and other Nigerian community organisations in Finland to strengthen collaboration through the umbrella Association of Nigerian Community in Finland (ANCF) in order to promote greater cohesion and maintain a constructive and representative voice for the Nigerian community.
She also urged Nigerians resident in Finland to register with the Embassy to facilitate access to consular services and welfare support, particularly in preparation for her forthcoming official engagement with the Nigerian community in Finland.
The celebration brought together members of the Nigerian diaspora, community leaders, sister associations, Finnish partners and friends of Nigeria to celebrate Yoruba traditions, music, dance, fashion and cuisine, while strengthening solidarity and community bonds across Nigerian and African communities in Finland. Participants included representatives of Yorubas in Pirkanmaa, Yorubas in Uppsala, Sweden, the Delta Association in Finland, Noble Women of Finland, and the Anambra Association in Finland, among others.
The programme featured cultural heritage presentations, traditional dance performances, a fashion parade, community dialogues on identity and cultural preservation, traditional games, and an awards session recognising individuals for their contributions to community development.
Her Excellency’s participation in Yoruba Day 2026 reflects the Embassy’s commitment to promoting Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage as an instrument of cultural diplomacy, deepening engagement with Nigerians in the diaspora, and strengthening people-to-people relations between Nigeria, Finland and the wider Nordic region.