Prof. Wande Abimbola Professor Wande Abimbola is an enigma any day. The former Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) is the Awise Awo Agbaye (Spokesman of Ifa and Yoruba Religion Worldwide). As Vice Chancellor, he often invited Babalawos to offer sacrifices to the Gods “ so that there would be peace and progress on the campus and for a lot of good things too”. Does the mystery deepen?

It is said that during your tenure as Vice Chancellor, whenever the students wanted to embark on any demonstration you would address them making some gesticulations and they would be pacified. That you would then give them akara (bean cakes)….

(Prolonged laughter) It is true that whenever they were to embark on any protest and I addressed them, they would listen. They had songs for me. And they would sing and dance after. But it is not true that I was using charms to do that.

No, I was not. If you even do that and you are bad or your behaviour is bad, they would not listen to you. The students were listening to me because they knew me. They knew I was only for their good and success and a father. Hence, they listened when I talked to them. However, we were offering sacrifices. We were doing that to appease the gods so that there would be peace and progress in the campus and for a lot of good things too. I would send for babalawos who would come and join me in making the divinations.

How did you reflect that in the school budget?

I was using my own money. The babalawos all over the world have made me their spokesman. In Cuba alone there are over 100,000 babalawos. Only babalawos and not other followers or priests of other African religions. In Brazil too, it is like that. That is why I said that all those have not gone into extinction. It is only that people do not understand. And the understanding would come and many would return to the traditional ways and religions. It is even happening now. And it does not mean you cannot continue to be a Christian and attend church services. I do not attend but in Cuba and Brazil, there are a lot of the babalawos who still attend churches. They attend churches for their white slave masters and Ifa, Oya, Sango and others because of their ancestors who worshipped in such ways.

When did you become an Ifa worshipper?

Yes, I have always been. But some time ago when I was in the secondary school, an American Baptist secondary school, called Baptist Boys Secondary School, Oyo, everybody there then would go to church on Sunday. In fact there was a society then called Evangelical Students Society. If you belonged to that society you had to go and preach at a station which they would give you. That was how I went to preach at Jagun Village, Ijaye Orile and other places. I was a student pastor. But I never abandoned my Yoruba religion.

Oh! In fact when returning in the evening from the evangelical trip, I would be chanting ijala and the Ifa corpus and my fellow students would surround me. But since I left the secondary school, it has stopped since nobody forced me in the first instance. I don’t go to church any more. But if anyone invites me I do go. There is a cousin of mine, we are childhood friends. If he is doing anything in church I would be the first person to get there. That is one of the traits of our belief. You do not see any practitioner of the traditional religion who would say one faith or religion is not good. Like I said earlier on, our things are equally good. And even, now those who confused us earlier on are retracing their steps.

How can traditional religion be engaged to impact positively on Nigeria and Nigerians?

I am a practitioner of the Yoruba religion. I am a babalawo. My full name is Ogunwande. My home here is the number one Ogun home in the whole of Oyo land. My elder brother is the Asipade, that is, the generalissimo of Ogun in Oyo land. Our indigenous ideas, values and religions are beautiful. And they work. I was saying earlier that I don’t take bribes and so on. All those come from our indigenous religion. An Ogun person should not tell a lie if he knows that it is a lie. You cannot find an Ogun priest going to pluck the okro of his neighbour or a babalawo. And I was telling you that one should be contented with whatever one has, and not look for material wealth are values from our indigenous religion. Up till now, there are many people in the religion.

There are many Sango worshippers here in Oyo. There are also many babalawos, Oya worshippers and so on. Thousands of people still follow that religion. You are not going to find one; I repeat not one of them who has ever been arrested for stealing or for doing something wrong because that is what we believe. Ifa is beautiful. But alas, there came a time when our children did not know that our things were beautiful anymore. But another time is coming and the revolution has already started in America, South America, all over the world. Many people are returning to the traditional ways. Even there is an indigenous European religion before Christianity which many Europeans are now returning to. It is called Wiker.

It is more alive in places like Ireland and even in Italy where we have the Pope. Ifa is part of me and we do not have anything against other people who practice other religions. Religion should be your own thought. Everybody should be free to imbibe any way of life or any religion that he or she wants. Nobody should be compelled or cajoled out of his own way of life. It should be a crime to do that. But unfortunately, that is the stock in trade of Christianity and Islam. But do you think there are many Christians and Muslims who have completely left our tradition? You cannot count 10 percent of them who have done so. You cannot do it. Our traditions are so strong that they are still there. Traditions die hard. They never go away. If they are profound they will be there. Somebody may try to cover them up but when you dig they would be there.

DAT ONE SEF DEY SHA......

Awo ti mo mo ni mose o.
Awo ti mo mo ni mose
Mi o sawo odale
Mi o sawo eke
Awo ti mo mo ni mose


From what I learnt, not all Orisa practitioners are babalawo and Orisa practitioners are not Idol worshippers like religion depict it.

Orisha practice is awareness and recognizing of spiral energies (irunmole), nature and all forces in the universe.

Mo seba ori (pay homage to my consciousness...brain)

Ifa ka rele o
Omo Enire
Omo Enire
Omo enikan saka bi agbon
Ifa ka rele o
Ewi nle Ado
Onsa n defa
Erinmi lode owo
Ifa ka rele o
Mapo elere
maba otun
mapo elejelu
Gbolajokoo, omo okinkin
ti i meriin fon......

I pay homage to Ifa
I pay homage to 401 orisha in yoruba land
I pay homage to Earth
I pay homage to Mothers
I pay homage to my Ori

kii base

Ase

FOLYKAZE: Awo ti mo mo ni mose o.
Awo ti mo mo ni mose
Mi o sawo odale
Mi o sawo eke
Awo ti mo mo ni mose

ASE!

From what I learnt, not all Orisa practitioners are babalawo

Yes ofcourse. Babalawos are only the priestly class. There are different names for different types of Priests.

The rest are just Yoruba.

and Orisa practitioners are not Idol worshippers like religion depict it.Orisha practice is awareness and recognizing of spiral energies (irunmole), nature and all forces in the universe.

To begin with, the very concept of "using Idols" for worship has been demonized by the abrahamists.

It is not the idols that are worshipped but what it represents and is consecrated for.

As you stated, Yorubas worship the Irunmoles (Energies), etc., and other Forces or what we call :GODS: .

However can I ask you a question brother FOLYKAZE?

can you see this Energies/Forces?

No.

WHY?

Because they belong to a parallel realm to the Material Forces, that is us and the nature around us.

Therefore we humans use idols to help us concentrate on these Gods. or else it would be impossible for us materialistic humans to focus on Invisible, Intangible Spiritual Forces and feel any devotion or entertain feelings towards them, i.e., communicate with them.

PAGAN 9JA:


ASE!



Yes ofcourse. Babalawos are only the priestly class. There are different names for different types of Priests.

The rest are just Yoruba.



To begin with, the very concept of "using Idols" for worship has been demonized by the abrahamists.

It is not the idols that are worshipped but what it represents and is consecrated for.

As you stated, Yorubas worship the Irunmoles (Energies), etc., and other Forces or what we call :GODS: .

However can I ask you a question brother FOLYKAZE?

can you see this Energies/Forces?

No.

WHY?

Because they belong to a parallel realm to the Material Forces, that is us and the nature around us.

Therefore we humans use idols to help us concentrate on these Gods. or else it would be impossible for us materialistic humans to focus on Invisible, Intangible Spiritual Forces and feel any devotion or entertain feelings towards them, i.e., communicate with them.

Lol...another ifa verse quickly ran to my head.
Ofofo ni i peru
Epe a si pole
Iledida a pore
Alajobi ni payekan to sebi
A jo gbori ile, a jeku
A jo gbori ile, a jeja
A jo gbori ile, a je koko igbin
Ase dowo ile, a jo mu

*meaning gossip and twisting kills slave....curse kill thief.....betrayal kill friends.....umbilical cord kills family............but we shall live together...eat till death, eat and fight, eat from snail shell.....Ase belong to earth...we dine together.

Christian and muslim from African has betrayed their heritage.....the reason muslim kill and strike, christian divide and enemy conquer. If we had agree on our differences, we will all on these earth dine together.

The crossing and imposition of western belief system and Abrahamic religion did serious damage to uniformity and the core meaning that would have simplified all these confusion in Orisa practice here in Africa and in diaspora.
Some still think Eledumare is a humanlike skydaddy that is hungry for worship.

Some think Orun is heaven located somewhere in the sky.

Some think Irunmole is a monster drinking people's blood.

Some think Esu is lucifer

Some think Ogun is saint George or demon causing accident.

Ifa and Orisa is not something person can fight or die for.......it speak for itself and it standing tall now for itself.

Erm, i owe you some kolanut, bitterkola, palmwine and atare. Lol

Spirituality has been corrupted with religion but they are really different. If our scholars, philosophers and scientist can research on African spiritualism....Africa will rise again and beat her chest as the mother of the whole world.

Well said brother. Truly you are very enlightened. I hope you lead a successful life and spread your wisdom around. Our Nation is currently in need of right thinking minds and active folk. The Gods bless you.


btw that was a beautiful Verse truly! Keep it up!

The Gods Bless Nigeria.

PAGAN 9JA:
Well said brother. Truly you are very enlightened. I hope you lead a successful life and spread your wisdom around. Our Nation is currently in need of right thinking minds and active folk. The Gods bless you.


btw that was a beautiful Verse truly! Keep it up!

The Gods Bless Nigeria.

Ase

Im atheist....I just have admiration for my tradition, culture and ancestral heritage. I decided to checkin on Ifa and im really enjoying it. Also wish to know more and more like Wande Abimbola

Unfortunately, most atheist dont understand what spirituality is. They claim to freed religion and every dogma but are still encircled with religion because their argument and knowledge draw toward it. They are appreciate and embrace science but some kick against spirituality without knowing what spirituality is. We know the world now is a slam between science and spirituality (religion). People are programmed to belive that science oppose spirituality and/or one is truth, reality and fact and other is false, delusion and myth. Well I see science and spirituality are two sides of a coin.

Science is not only compatible with spirituality, it is a profound source of spirituality--Carl Sagan.

Spirituality is the challenge of reaching beyond your current limits. This can include keeping an open mind, questioning current beliefs, or trying to better understand others' beliefs.

It is connectedness to yourself, to others and everything in our environment. Spirituality is personal, but it is also rooted in being connected with others and with the world around you. This connection can facilitate you finding "your place in the world."
Meaning, purpose, and direction. Spirituality, while it doesn't necessarily solve or reach conclusions, often embraces the concept of searching and moving forward in the direction of meaning, purpose, and direction for your life.


I dont do religion. It scam. Africa doesn't have religion.....we have spirituality, philosophy and realism according to my understanding.

African spirituality is our stronghold as African. We cant depend on the europeans and Asian technology, economy and infrastructures because it also a tool for our destruction. Oppressors wont emancipate oppressed for their freedom and will always want oppressed to be dependant, slave through debt and destroy development among them through division and war. Our scientist, philosophers and scholars should dig into Ifa.....our technology, social development, security, economy and politics are embodied in the cortex of knowledge which Ifa is. By this,,,,we become mother of earth we have been claiming for ages

May the Gods bless you bro....

End Time Thread
God forbid!

Bro I have a revelation to make.

Seriously. .


You are not a atheist. or a spiritualist.


You are a daym Pagan.

Most, if not all Nigerians (even if of Pagan mentality) would rather claim themselves to be atheist or christo-muslim. Theyare consciously or subconsciously influened by negative stigma attached to this word due to colonist influence.

The only person to openly declare himself as a Pagan on this site was CAMEROONPRIDE.
-Pagan is a combination fo science and spirituality. i had spoken on this before. the combination of medicine, astrology, astronomy, biology and spirituality.

LEt me tell you why I think you are a Pagan:


-You believe in culture, tribe, etc.

-You believe in science and spirituality.



what more? :/


do you know Paganism is not a religion in fact?

so then why is PAGAN 9JA promoting it as a religious movement?

Ans: to counter the heavy organized religious influenece encroaching on "Pure base Natural Ancient Tribal SPirituality". Human SPirituality.


what is the meaning of "Pagan" ?

It is a term used by the christians in europe to criticize and mock the Tribal commoner of the land.

Pagan means Villager in its loos translation.


There is no one Pagan religion. There as many Pagan religions as there are tribes of humans. Paganism is humanity combined at its finest.

Guess its d same charm dt helped him secure a position as VC.

no wonder everything in this country is going to the gutters

END TIME TINZ

I felt babalawo means herbalists who uses leafs to treat

I love IFA corpus and divination poetry!!!!!!

I testify dat there is no oda god worthy of worship except Allah..He beget not nor was he begotten..."Bury mE a Muslim"

Rilwayne001: I testify dat there is no oda god worthy of worship except Allah..He beget not nor was he begotten..."Bury mE a Muslim"

Allah is shaitan.
Muslims are slaves as Islam demands full submission.

Hmmm



this is the end of the end

Pvt_Parts:

Allah is shaitan.
Muslims are slaves as Islam demands full submission.

guy
Go borrow some sense

*common sense is not common

Or didn't your dad tell you that?

Imanuelle:


guy
Go borrow some sense

*common sense is not common

Or didn't your dad tell you that?

The wounded beast in revelation is the Islamic Caliphate about to rise again.

Call me a f00l but it is also stated that at the end times wisdom will be granted to some while the rest will remain in the dark.

Jesus is d way,the truth and the light,no one gets to the father(GOd) except through him.

Hmmm speechless

I have come to realize that there is a hunger for the divine in every man no matter where you are from, the way each tribe or people try to go about it might differ, so I respect all but avoid those who claim their way is the ultimate or only way. I have also come to realize that a man who claims to be an atheist, sometimes or most times will be a man who lives by obeying divine principles, thereby making him a believer of the divine intelligence ( God) that governs the universe, maybe, I say maybe what most atheist fight is not the divine but the way our various faiths ( Judaism, Christianity and Islam ) has presented God to him.

caramelll: Guess its d same charm dt helped him secure a position as VC.

He became a VC 'cos he's also a renowned and erudite Scholar and not just a revered Babalawo. He's actually a Full Professor of African Languages and Literature and has lectured in the best of the bests, Harvard University and a host of other Ivy-league Universities in the States...

Not only Professors of Engineering, Law or Surgery are qualified to be Vice Chancellors...If I ain't mistaken, the erstwhile VC of the University of Ilorin, Professor Ishaq Oloyede is a Professor of Islamic and Arabic studies...

Itoroetti :
Jesus is d way,the truth and the light,no one gets to the father(GOd) except through him.

when atheists and pagans invade christian threads .........u lots will be crying for them to respect ur religion and belief.........now tell me how jesus take enter d topic now............hypocrites!!

Itoroetti :
Jesus is d way,the truth and the light,no one gets to the father(GOd) except through him.

...and who's interested in getting to the Father?

Bros, it's not a must you comment! There's actually nothing bad in viewing a thread and leaving it without dropping a comment!

Respect yourself before I send a Joint task force of Ogun, Sango ati Esu to strike you down!

Pvt_Parts: no wonder everything in this country is going to the gutters

yes o! These people control a lot of destinies in 9ja!

caramelll: Guess its d same charm dt helped him secure a position as VC.

I disagree with you on that. I am a christian not an ifa worshipper but i have been to the instritute for tourism purpose. it is an amazing place and the man is one of the most intelligent people ive met. Do you know how many odu that the ifa has, it takes someone of high intelligence to master it all.

It is very dangerous to insult anybody on Nairaland anyhow these days. omg

Pvt_Parts:

The wounded beast in revelation is the Islamic Caliphate about to rise again.

Call me a f00l but it is also stated that at the end times wisdom will be granted to some while the rest will remain in the dark.

im not a Muslim

But you should not sound this way on other people's religion