Ifa priest calls for recognition of traditional religions · Says Govt, Muslims, Christians look down on them

EMEKA IBEMERE

The Chief Priest of a Yoruba traditional religion, Ijo Orunmila Adulawo, has decried the unfair treatment being given to worshippers of traditional religions in the country, and called on the Federal, State and local governments to give adherents of traditional religions the necessary recognition they deserve just like their counterparts in Christendom and Islam.

Chief Priest Ifagbemi Fajobi, made this known at the recent 2013 Founder's Day celebration of the traditional religious group which was held at Akeja-Ota branch in Ogun State. The Founder's Day is an annual event organised yearly in honour of the founder.

Fajobi said other religious groups such as Christianity and Islam often look down on traditionalists unfairly and that government has also joined in relegating traditional religions to the background.

He said for many years the religion was not given any attention, but the Federal and State governments have gradually began to recognise traditional religions but strongly asked for equal treatment like that given to the two borrowed and imported religions -- Christianity and Islam.
He therefore appealed that governments should further support the traditional religions just like other religions receive support from the Federal and state governments.

He appealed to the Federal and state governments to support the traditionalists and invite them to government functions, just as the other religions are invited to pray at events. "We too can pray at such events when invited," he added.

According to the Chief Priest, some state governments in the South-West have already recognised the Ifa religion and that it has been introduced into the  school curriculum in Osun State adding that the Ifa religion is now being taught in universities for people studying African traditional religions.

He enjoined other believers in Ifa to come together and be united under the umbrella of Ijo Orunmila Adulawo.

 "Since what they do is not covert or occultism, coming together under such unity will make the states and the federal governments to further recognise them and grant their request for overdue patronage."

Stressing the need to continually promote Nigerian languages, the Chief Priest noted that other countries of the world attach importance to their languages. He said, “China and Japan use their languages on important occasions and then translate it to English. Nigeria should take a cue from that. This will not allow our Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and other languages to go into extinction."

According to Fajobi, the annual founder's day bring all members together in unity. He said rather being at their different branches, the occasion brings them together to a particular branch.

"We do not want what our founder Adebanjo Olorunfunmi Osiga established to go into extinct, that is the essence of the Founder's Day," he noted. He said the annual event usually brought significant spiritual development and progress to the members and the nation.

"Persevere, have faith and endurance in everything. One should not be impatient when it comes to wealth and money. One should wait for his or her time. Impatience makes one to run hither thither without success. But if you wait for your time, the blessings of Olodumare will reach you."

The Chief Priest advised the members of the traditional religion on the challenges confronting the traditional religion and revealed that finance has been the major issue. "Finance is very important in this regard, if there's finance there is nothing one cannot do," he said.

To the issues of marginalisation of the Yoruba people in the national government and the current political dispensation, the Chief Priest was of the belief that Yoruba people have been relegated to the background. He said in the past it was not like that, "but I implore the government to look into the situation and address the issue because it is unfair. There should be equality and fairness, not marginalisation since we are all Nigerians," he pointed out.

The 2013 Founder's Day which was held on 21st of April, coincided with Fajobi's 10 years of the leadership of the Ijo Orunmila Adulawo. The organisation was founded in 1929, but was incorporated in 1934. The pattern of worship of the Ijo Orunmila traditional believers is just like a typical weekly Sunday service which include traditional prayer sessions, hymns singing accompanied by traditional drumming and sermons on Ifa messages.

Fajobi explained that Ifa, the message of God to humans, explains the past, present and future. It also proffers spiritual and physical solutions to problems. Ijo Orunmila Adulawo organisation has its headquarters in Lagos Island with many international branches.

On Boko Haram insurgency in the country, he identified religious tolerance as a means of achieving lasting security and peace in the country. The Chief Priest called for religious tolerance among the various religious groups in the country, adding also that dialogue between the government and the insurgent Boko Haram sectarian group in northern Nigeria might still be necessary. 

Fajobi noted that the security challenges in the states where emergency rule had been imposed could be resolved if the insurgent groups would come out and dialogue with the Federal Government. This, he said, would allow the government to know the group's grievances and thereby end their nefarious activities which has claimed many lives and property.

Ijo Orunmila Adulawo is a core traditional Yoruba religion without any European or imported content. They start their prayers in the name of Orunmila or Ifa and the chorus to prayer is ‘Ase,’ in Yoruba and which means ‘Amen.’ The Aro (Shepherd-in-Charge) and some other officials are dressed in white apparels like a cassock. The adherents believe so much in the Yoruba culture and traditions and some of their songs and chorus portray that. The choir, also appear in white attires with blue berets to match and they sing with passion.

There is also a heavy presence of Yoruba traditional drums. On the origin of the Ijo Orunmila Adulawo, its spiritual head, Eni Owo Julo, Ifagbemi Fajobi (Olori Oluwo) said that the organisation was founded by Eni Owo Julo Adebanjo Olorunfunmi Osiga, in 1929 because of his passion for culture and tradition. He added that the late Adebanjo Osiga (1898 – 1943), founded Ijo Orunmila Adulawo in 1929, but the organisation was incorporated in Nigeria in 1934.

He founded the organisation because of his love for tradition and culture. Because of his deep knowledge of traditional doctrines, he assembled many people together to start the organisation and to show the world that traditionalists also have a way they worship before the advent of the foreign religions -- Christianity and Islam.

The organisation which started in Odunlami Street on Lagos Island about 80 years ago is waxing strong. Today it can boast of about 40 branches in Nigeria and branches in the United States (US), Port Novo and many other countries. Eni Owo Fajobi while speaking about the vision and mission of the organisation said that Ijo Orunmila Adulawo was established to give opportunity to people to have the opportunity to worship God traditionally and to promote Yoruba tradition and culture.

Investigation showed that the organisation based its beliefs and teachings on holiness and purity and it abhors evil. 

The adherents of the traditional religion believe and say it’s good to serve Ifa. The organization said if anything was bothering somebody, the person could go to Ifa to seek guidance. Among the members of the organization, Ifa has been in this world before the advent of Christianity and Islam. And it was Ifa that people were worshipping in Yorubaland. Their testimony was that Ijo Orunmila Adulawo brings prosperity for them. They have nothing to regret in any form and they called on some traditional worshippers that have left the religion to come back to experience the wonders of Ifa.

The group said they do not involve in any form of ritual or fetish things. They believe so much in holiness because Orunmila is holy and always emphasised on holiness during service.

The aim of the organisation is to see Ijo Orunmila Adulawo spread to every nooks and crannies of Nigeria and the world.

The mode of their worship is not much different from the way Christians usually hold their Sunday services. But one unique thing about them is that they make use of the Yoruba language more in their service and they lay more emphasis on Yoruba culture, norms, traditions and values, especially on issues relating to relationship between Olodumare (God) and Orunmila.

A Sunday service at Ijo Orunmila Adulawo starts with a prayer session at the Vestry and choir’s dressing room followed by a processional hymn and congregational opening prayer.

Then, it progresses with praises, songs, drumming, reading of some traditional canticles, offerings and sermon. The sermon is co-ordinated by any of the leaders known as Eni Owo (Person of honour).

In the cause of their service instead of reading or quoting from the Bible, the priest makes references to some historical accounts, especially on matters relating to Orunmila and the Ifa oracle.

They make use of a compilation of writings on Ifa worship, sacrifices and other forms of reverence known as Odu. The compilation of the writings is divided into 16 categories and each of the categories has 16 stages, making a total of 256 articles.

The 16 major categories of the compilation are Ogbe, Oyeku, Iwori, Idi, Irosun, Owonrin, Obara, Okanran, Ogunda, Osa, Ika, Oturupon Otara, Irete, Ose and Ofu.

In Christian gatherings, people usually shout ‘Praise the Lord’ or ‘Halleluiah’ but in Ijo Orunmila Adulawo, they usually echo ‘Eyin Orunmila’ or ‘Eda muso fun Edumare,’ meaning ‘Praise Orunmila or Edumare.’

During prayer they usually pray in the name of Orunmila or Ifa and the chorus to prayer is ‘Ase’, which means ‘Amen.’ The Aro (Shepherd-in-Charge) and some other officials are dressed in white appares that looks like a cassock. The choir, also appear in white attires with blue beret to match and they sing with passion.