Ifa festival: Stakeholders raise stakes against traditional religion’s neglect, say practices not diabolical
pannigeriannews
5 min read
By Sunday Adepoju
Traditional religious adherents have raised stakes against the seeming neglect of the African Traditional Religion (ATR), calling on all and sundry to discard the belief that its practices are diabolical.
The stakeholders and other adherents stated this, last weekend, at an Ifa festival dubbed “2025 Ìwòrì Bogbè Festival” organized by the Akanni family of Akede Compound, Odẹ Abese, Okeelerin, Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
The festival, a 16-day event, was massively attended by chiefs and high chiefs in the African Traditional Religions of Ifá, Egúngún, Orò, Ọbàtálá, Sàngó, Ògún, among others.
While Oro is male Orisa who descended from the celestial realm, Obatala is Yoruba deity who is the creator of humanity and the father of all orisas.
Ifa is a divination system and religion that uses a system of signs to guide decisions. It is practiced by the Yoruba people and by followers of other African diasporic religions.
Sango is Yoruba mythological figure and god of thunder and lightning. He is also known as Jakuta.
Egungun is a West African masquerade that symbolizes the spirits of ancestors. It’s a vibrant tradition that involves dancing, drumming, and singing.
A unique feature of the Akanni family of Akede Compound, Ode Abese, Okeelerin, Ogbomoso, the organisers of the Ifa festival, is that her sons and daughters are well positioned, with medical doctors, engineers, lecturers, scientists, seasoned administrators, teachers, fine artists, among others.
Speaking at the event, the Araba Awo of Ogbomosoland, High Chief Alao Opeyemi Ifamakinde, expressed the potency of the coming together of adherents to worship and offer prayers.
Ifamakinde said, “It is Ifa Festival, festival of irunmole (deities), we did here today in Akede’s Compound, Ode Abese, Okeelerin, Ogbomoso. The festival always ushers in blessings for the worshippers and adherents of the gods.
“The festival prevents misfortunes and other calamities from entering the communities. It brings development as it was bequeathed to us by our forefathers. It had, in the past, brought development. You would see that Ogbomoso is developing.”
While comparing traditional religions with other faiths, Ifamakinde stated, “Every religious group adherents will make bold to say that theirs is superior to the others. But it is an incontrovertible fact that traditional religion is the father of them all because it was the first.
“Yorubaland, like every other African settings, was founded on traditional religious principles. Traditional religion has fostered unity, progress and development of the land.
“I advise all Yorubas and other descendants of Oduduwa not to abandon our tradition. Let us come back home to our foundation because of the future. Don’t allow them to receive us that our religion is counterfeit.”
In the same vein, the Araba Awo of Okin Apa from Suurulere Local Government Area of Oyo State, Chief Ifadare Orolade Akande, noted that festivals are about giving thanks for what the gods have done for their adherents.
He said, “Every festival means giving thanks to Olodumare through the worship of the gods/deities. As we gather here this year to offer prayers of protection from evil, misfortunes and death and prayers for good health and overall progress, God will grant our requests and we will still come here next year give thanks.
“That is the same thing that Christians and Muslims do at their festivals. It is about offering thanks through sacrifices.
“We inherited these traditional practices from our forebears and we should keep it burning.”
Chief Akande decried the declining interest in the traditional religious practices.
“It is quite unfortunate that Yoruba has lost its powers through the neglect of the gods. Through the deities, we reach the Olodumare for defence of our territorial integrity. Esu would defend by destroying our enemies. The whites came and made us believe that our religion was counterfeit.
“I beseech the Yoruba race to embrace our traditional religion. Only Olodumare determines who makes heaven, not any religion.
“There was a masquerade in Arowomole. It is believed that the barren would visit the shrine and become mothers the following year. It was faith at work. Sadly and suddenly, they called the deity different names and threw it away,” Akande explained.
He lauded the efforts put up some white men who are now learning about religion, saying “Olodumare endowed the whites who are now learning Ifa with wisdom more than our people who have neglected their roots. I have seen white men who recite our Ifa Corpuses in clearly native-like (in Yoruba).
“Another one authored a book containing sixteen principal odus, each presented in sixteen different ways. Interestingly, he sells many copies and makes a lot of money. It means that we have wasted our pride and tradition.”
Speaking with Pannigeriannews.com at the event, Ifayemi Alabi Akanni, grandson of Late Pa Sangodokun Akanni and son of late Araba Awo of Ogbomosoland, High Chief Olagoke Adio Akanni, said the festival was a 16-day event where prayers and worships were offered to appease Olodumare for the peace, progress and development of their families, Ogbomoso communities, Oyo State, Nigeria and the world at large.
Ifayemi-Akanni, who is a postgraduate student (fine art) of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and staff of Federal Polytechnic Ayede, Oyo State, stated, “I am a teacher of Ifa religion and fine art, witj specialisation in sculpture, textile and others. I grew to know the festival through my father and grandfathers.
“Since then, I have been practicing it. During this festival, prayers have been offered for the families, Ogbomoso communities, Oyo State, Nigeria and the world at large.”
Citing Ifa corpus, Ifayemi-Akanni offered prayers of protection, good health, prosperity, abundance of riches.”
Why presenting vote of thanks on behalf of the family of Late Pa Sangodokun Akanni, the Head of the family, Dr. Oladejo Akanni, who is also the C.E.O. of Akanni Books and Stationery Stores, thanked all stakeholders and well-wishers for their dedication and support towards the success of the 16-day event.
“I offer our profound greetings to all who graced this year’s festival of our father. Our father made remarkable marks before he died. And we, the children, are still surrounded by good people. We have been celebrating this festival for years.
“We receive donations from people of other faiths. This is the same way I also support church and mosques’ projects.”
Dr. Akanni called for religious tolerance, saying “Let us love one another, even beyond religious ties.”
