Nigerians are morons. Particularly those of us in Oyibo land, we are worse than the lowest of the beasts in creation.

On July 4th. . . what do they do in America, don't they close shops and schools and offices? On Christmas day, what do they do. . . are businesses not closed?

In your fatherland, with a ritual practiced by your ancestors you are asking for it to be shut down and banned because they ask you not to open shop and school. Some of us belong in the zoo, next to the monkey cage and make the white people come there and tease and feed us banana while we throw shi_t at them out of our yansh.

On July 4th. . . what do they do in America, don't they close shops and schools and offices? On Christmas day, what do they do. . . are businesses not closed?

isn't this by choice and not mandatory?

Mowire:

That rubbish is done in all of Yorubaland where they still do this curfew-imposing oro.

The more annoying thing is that they don't put warning signs at the roads that lead to those restricted areas so that strangers (and even residents) who are unaware will see the signs and avoid the danger. The penalty for any woman seeing the oro people is DEATH. Ask any Yoruba man who knows the tradition. THEY WILL MURDER THAT WOMAN IN COLD BLOOD and tell you oro has carried her.

Because they don't place warning signs the other day (earlier this year) I drove my wife and little kid to Ikorodu garrage and parked almost at their OJUBODE (one of the ritual houses where their major shrine is located) while returning from Mainland Lagos where we had passed the night totally unaware that they were doing oro and (consequently) there was their curfew.

The only cane-carrying idiot that saw us early that morning would have been their sacrificial animal as I was ready to run over him as I made a violent u-turn and sped off from the place.

Thank you bros. for that wonderful and little information you have given us. Please let just pray and continue to tell the authority of these abnormalities that exist within our state. So that everyone can continue to live in peace in respective of your culture, language, colors, nationality, and even background.

.

Bongo_man:

I grew up in Ikorodu, all all bullshit and too fettish for this new generation and as a matter of fact its not banned.
i vividly remembered the conflict this same fettish festival aroused 1998 between the late T.O.S BENSON and the active OBA OYEFUSI he wanted the festival date shifted due to her wifes birthday am sure living Ikorodu people know this.
Its only an avenue for loothing and crimes by youths and avenue to violently pay prices for friends and groups who crossed each others part. lets talk about something meaningful here.

u are talking bros

Negro_Ntns:

In your fatherland, with a ritual practiced by your ancestors you are asking for it to be shut down and banned because they ask you not to open shop and school.  Some of us belong in the zoo, next to the monkey cage and make the white people come there and tease and feed us banana while we throw shi_t at them out of our yansh.   

The above aptly applies to you (ref boldened). If your fathers want to walk naked, doing their oro and not impose curfew and murder who cares.

When one of yours is caught unawares in one of their curfew and murdered for rituals you will start to think differently.

I grew up in Ikorodu, all all bullshit and too fettish for this new generation and as a matter of fact its not banned.
i vividly remembered the conflict this same fettish festival aroused 1998 between the late T.O.S BENSON and the active OBA OYEFUSI he wanted the festival date shifted due to her wifes birthday am sure living Ikorodu people know this.
Its only an avenue for loothing and crimes by youths and avenue to violently pay prices for friends and groups who crossed each others part. lets talk about something meaningful here.

Oh please!!! I grew up in Ikorodu and NEVER, I say NEVER had to pay a dime to anyone, neither was I robbed on Oro Day ever. I lived on Benson Street ( really close to the Benson Estate) and regardless of what tos bensons issues were with the festival, was never affected by that in anyway. Trying to tie the festival to looting and crimes is utterly ridiculous. Just because you do not want it does not mean you should make up stories about it.

.

Bongo_man:

Kobojunkie: I dont know why you re avoiding speaking the truth, did you participate for once do you come to Ajina market during morning hours after OKO WORO do you come close to ITA ELEWA,did you go as far as Igbogbo if you live in Ikorodu you wont deny this places and one last question what is the aftermath when the festival ends going back home is alway very bloody within abled youths do you come to the festive point on foot or with your car? Do you know how many abled youth has been rendered useless as a result of charms inflicted on each other lets not talk in details its not worth it and dont to see my point as topic os discussion on here am keeping a low profile let it be.
I live a street life in Ikorodu and and an active partaker of the festival breaking it down for you i lived there where you say you live we might be close street neighbours dont be suprised, lets just face the truth and sweep away good ridance once and for real.ciao

I was born and bread in Ikorodu as well, and whlile growing up, i never experience any yama yama stuff, it was just a festival where people have fun.
I remember how i used to follow them and immitate them then, I think the festival just need to be overhauled and make it a tourist attaraction.
If they can make gay parade a tourist attraction and 100s of thousands of people travels to come and see madness at highest order, why not ORO?

@Again, Bongo, I lived in Ikorodu more than 75% of my life full time and I never, repeat, never heard anything bad of the festival. I have friends who are still full time down there and they have never made the claims you have made here.

I never lived the street life but I am not surprised that someone who chooses ever so willingly to immerse himself in such would make such claims. I lived through oro as a kid with no such stories told me. I grew up in the same and heard no such stories.

Kobojunkie:

@Again, Bongo, I lived in Ikorodu more than 75% of my life full time and I never, repeat, never heard anything bad of the festival. I have friends who are still full time down there and they have never made the claims you have made here.

I never lived the street life but I am not surprised that someone who chooses ever so willingly to immerse himself in such would make such claims. I lived through oro as a kid with no such stories told me. I grew up in the same and heard no such stories.

Please conferm ur claims and tell us the truth so that this country can move forward. I know that u cannot follow them if u didn’t belong to them. The common says is that “to obirin ba`fojuboro oro agbe”. Can u pls think about that Yoruba words?

salinco:

Please conferm ur claims and tell us the truth so that this country can move forward. I know that u cannot follow them if u didn’t belong to them. The common says is that “to obirin ba`fojuboro oro agbe”. Can u pls think about that Yoruba words?

Confirm what claims? I cannot follow them if I don't belong to them?

.

Bongo_man:

@ Salinco


tell them the truth my broda, To obirin ba`fojuboro oro agbe he get meaning ooo please tell him to confirm the truth.

nice one. still dont know why we dodge the truth.

Bongo_man

Sigh!!! Every one who understands the language knows the meaning of those words but I am not sure what makes it TRUTH in this case. What TRUTH is there to confirm when you are the one making the claims that have been made so far against this practise?

.

Bongo_man:

@Kobokunje

follow my previous comments in respect to this topic and know my point of view.its too clear to misinterpreted either.
you always find a way of hiding from matter you know am not and would never in support of such barbaric practise in this modern age.

peace!

Lol . . .  Your previous comments makes CLAIMS that I REFUTE stating I have lived in the same town, during the same period, as a resident and have heard none of the ludicrious claims made, not even from the local media. You are the one making claims that I am refuting. That  'owe' does not make fact any of the claims you made as it does absolutely nothing to your credibility.  So, if you will, read my questions and see how you have yet to answer them.

I thought this thread has been rested.

@Kobojunkie, I don't know whether to bilieve that you don't know anything about this Ikorodu oro, or you don't really live in Ikorodu or you are telling lies here.

There is no day of oro in Ikorodu when shops are not burgled in places like Ota ona ( this I know for certain). And the slogan "To obirin ba`fojuboro oro agbe" simply means that that woman (obirin) will die for sure: murdered in a most gruesome and painful manner. And that fate normally befalls any stranger (especially non-Yorubas) that strays into the oro train in the nights.

And @Kobojunkie, isemo (curfew) does not affect residents of your area of residence (at least in recent times).

.

Mowire:

I thought this thread has been rested.

@Kobojunkie, I don't know whether to bilieve that you don't know anything about this Ikorodu oro, or you don't really live in Ikorodu or you are telling lies here.

There is no day of oro in Ikorodu when shops are not burgled in places like Ota ona ( this I know for certain).

Shops are burgled daily in Ikorodu, Oro or not. Linking the burglaries to Oro is ludicrous considering there is no record that it is BECAUSE of the festival itself that these things happen.

Mowire:

And the slogan "To obirin ba`fojuboro oro agbe" simply means that that woman (obirin) will die for sure: murdered in a most gruesome and painful manner. And that fate normally befalls any stranger (especially non-Yorubas) that strays into the oro train in the nights.

And @Kobojunkie, isemo (curfew) does not affect residents of your area of residence (at least in recent times).

I know what the slogan means, yet, can anyone show any record of a woman being murdered in such a gruesome way in recent years by Oro men? That slogan has been around since the beginning. It has been used for decades by mothers to threaten their kids or even guys scaring their women from going out on that day but how many records of actual Oro deaths do we have?

In recent times, sure it does not but it used to and that was when Oro used to be taken more seriously. With the development that has taken place in most areas, in the last 20 years, Oro curfew has been limited to smaller and smaller areas. I remember when I was younger, Ibeshe/Ebute/Ireshe/Ijede areas were no go areas. But now, isemo is practised in a more relaxed way. I remember female Nichemtex workers able to go to work on Oro day without reprisal.


I am all for development and all that but do we really need to make it seem as if all what we used to have was “evil”? If as a stranger, I could live and conduct business in Ikorodu, even with all the stories around Oro, which have never really been corroborated, I don’t see why anyone who claims to be close to the Oro “Lords” should suddenly come making claims without producing some evidence to support such.

Kobojunkie:

Shops are burgled daily in Ikorodu, Oro or not. Linking the burglaries to Oro is ludicrous considering there is no record that it is BECAUSE of the festival itself that these things happen.

Kobojunkie, what kind of reasoning is this? When the burglaries are carried out with with greater recklessness on the oro night?

Kobojunkie:

I know what the slogan means, yet, can anyone show any record of a woman being murdered in such a gruesome way in recent years by Oro men? That slogan has been around since the beginning. It has been used for decades by mothers to threaten their kids or even guys scaring their women from going out on that day but how many records of actual Oro deaths do we have?

This is either borne out of ignorance or you are just telling plain lies.

What do you expect? That one should take a camera to the shrine and ask the priests to pose with the ritual victims for a pix?

Kobojunkie:

In recent times, sure it does not but it used to and that was when Oro used to be taken more seriously. With the development that has taken place in most areas, in the last 20 years, Oro curfew has been limited to smaller and smaller areas. I remember when I was younger, Ibeshe/Ebute/Ireshe/Ijede areas were no go areas. But now, isemo is practised in a more relaxed way. I remember female Nichemtex workers able to go to work on Oro day without reprisal.

Kobo, main Ikorodu oro does not affect areas like[b] Ibeshe/Ebute/Ireshe/Ijede[/b]. Check your facts well.

Kobojunkie:

I am all for development and all that but do we really need to make it seem as if all what we used to have was “evil”? If as a stranger, I could live and conduct business in Ikorodu, even with all the stories around Oro, which have never really been corroborated, I don’t see why anyone who claims to be close to the Oro “Lords” should suddenly come making claims without producing some evidence to support such.

I'm not sure your claim can be believed

.

Mowire:

Kobojunkie, what kind of reasoning is this? When the burglaries are carried out with with greater recklessness on the oro night?

No need to get touchy here! Could you please provide some news articles supporting these claims at least? I have lived long enough to know how much people tend to cling faster to rumors than truth, especially while growing up in Ikorodu.

Mowire:

This is either borne out of ignorance or you are just telling plain lies.

What do you expect? That one should take a camera to the shrine and ask the priests to pose with the ritual victims for a pix?

Ever read the book “Akin, the drummer boy” and the descriptions given in there of how Oro comes out. If you are telling me that the only way one can know if a murder has been committed is for one to take a camera to the shrine to get a picture, then I have to ask if you also believe that a masquerade/spirit comes out of some anthill on Oro day. I mean come one dude. . .  which part of it is ignorant?

Mowire:

Kobo, main Ikorodu oro does not affect areas like[b] Ibeshe/Ebute/Ireshe/Ijede[/b]. Check your facts well.

I'm not sure your claim can be believed

Oh boY!!! Keep moving the marker!!! Now those areas no longer get Oro??  Which one be “MAIN” IKORODU now? I know for sure that it does not extend to the maya/isiu areas.


Forgive me here, but it seems too easy for people to claim to have all the information about any one issue, than it is for them to provide some supporting evidence for their claims. I lived in that same town with family and friends for decades and have heard so many ridiculous folk tales of this and that. I even heard stories of mermaids showing up in the majidun river but not a single shred of evidence for 99% of the stories and claims. I am not even a traditionalist in the literal sense but even I know that this Oro issue is being blown way way out of proportion here.

Kobojunkie:

No need to get touchy here! Could you please provide some news articles supporting these claims at least? I have lived long enough to know how much people tend to cling faster to rumors than truth, especially while growing up in Ikorodu.

Kobojunkie, tell me how many people get missing in Lagos everyday and how many are ever reported in the newspaper.

What I (and any other sincere Yoruba man who knows/is close to the oro tradition) know for sure is that in all of Yoruba land with a major oro tradition (Ikorodu inclusive), human sacrifices are involved in their main deity (oro) festivals/celebrations. And any woman or stranger that stray into the  oro  & priests/procession pays with her/his life. Anyone who's ever been a partaker of the procession will tell you that (my former bricklayer on site who used to be an "oro" in Ijebu will tell you how he quit when a pretty girl found in the bathroom outside her home one of those oro nights was murdered in his presence, the liquor in his eyes cleared). An eluku (Ikorodu traditional oro deity) chief priest who was worked with me as an artisan on another site will not make the kind of denials you are making here.

Kobojunkie:

Oh boY!!! Keep moving the marker!!! Now those areas no longer get Oro??  Which one be “MAIN” IKORODU now? I know for sure that it does not extend to the maya/isiu areas.

Man/woman, here you still continue to expose your poor knowledge of this thing you claim to know. These areas Ibeshe, Ebute, Ireshe, Ijede, and other areas like maya & isiu that you mentioned, are referred to as suburbs of Ikorodu. They have they own lesser oro days than what you have in central Ikorodu. The isemo in Ikorodu does not extend beyond the abatoir when going towards Ebute and does not even get to the cemetry as you go towards Shagamu and Ijebu Ode roads. during the oro days bizs' go on unhindered.

There is IKORODU TOWN almost all the other places are just the various families' farmlands and villages. The oro ceremony in town does affect people living in those areas it is just that women (and to some extent strangers) are not allowed to come into/roam freely in town.

Kobojunkie:

Forgive me here, but it seems too easy for people to claim to have all the information about any one issue, than it is for them to provide some supporting evidence for their claims. I lived in that same town with family and friends for decades and have heard so many ridiculous folk tales of this and that. I even heard stories of mermaids showing up in the majidun river but not a single shred of evidence for 99% of the stories and claims. I am not even a traditionalist in the literal sense but even I know that this Oro issue is being blown way way out of proportion here.

In other words you were/are an ALEJO (stranger) . What did you expect to know?
Human sacrifice and the mythology of mermaid are not the same thing my friend.

Mowire:

Kobojunkie, tell me how many people get missing in Lagos everyday and how many are ever reported in the newspaper.

Do we then attribute all missing cases we read of to ORO just because we can?

Mowire:

What I (and any other sincere Yoruba man who knows/is close to the oro tradition) know for sure is that in all of Yoruba land with a major oro tradition (Ikorodu inclusive), human sacrifices are involved in their main deity (oro) festivals/celebrations. And any woman or stranger that stray into the oro & priests/procession pays with her/his life. Anyone who's ever been a partaker of the procession will tell you that (my former bricklayer on site who used to be an "oro" in Ijebu will tell you how he quit when a pretty girl found in the bathroom outside her home one of those oro nights was murdered in his presence, the liquor in his eyes cleared). An eluku (Ikorodu traditional oro deity) chief priest who was worked with me as an artisan on another site will not make the kind of denials you are making here.

You do realize you are still feeding me the same lame old “ I KNOW BETTER THAN YOU JUST/SIMPLY BECAUSE I CAN SAY SO” rebuttle and nothing more?


Again, show some evidence of these claims made. Like I mentioned earlier, what you continue to say is no different from the many stories I have heard of their being a mermaid in the majidun river or idiroko area who kidnaps people when she is angered. It does not work that way in the real world. I am sure these stories are told to scare people in some way but are there any hard proof that these things really happen?


In Ikorodu, people do go missing every now and then but don’t you think it would be far fetched to claim ORO is the reason for all those cases 365 days of the year?

Mowire:

Man/woman, here you still continue to expose your poor knowledge of this thing you claim to know. These areas Ibeshe, Ebute, Ireshe, Ijede, and other areas like maya & isiu that you mentioned, are referred to as suburbs of Ikorodu. They have they own lesser oro days than what you have in central Ikorodu. The isemo in Ikorodu does not extend beyond the abatoir when going towards Ebute and does not even get to the cemetry as you go towards Shagamu and Ijebu Ode roads. during the oro days bizs' go on unhindered.

In over 2 decades of living in that town, I have lived in various areas but one thing I have noticed for sure is this, people come up with claims of different kinds, when you come requesting they provide evidence, the claim is similar to what you came up with above. When I say I lived over 2 decades, I mean I grew up, schooled, worked, even played at the Oba’s house with some of his kids etc.

Tell me EXACTLY where this ORO issue you claim actually goes on and I will gladly investigate it myself next time I am there or even ask my friends who are all over Ikorodu as we speak for verification. No need trying to play feather ball with me here.

Mowire:
There is IKORODU TOWN almost all the other places are just the various families' farmlands and villages. The oro ceremony in town does affect people living in those areas it is just that women (and to some extent strangers) are not allowed to come into/roam freely in town.

In other words you were/are an ALEJO (stranger) . What did you expect to know?
Human sacrifice and the mythology of mermaid are not the same thing my friend.

I know Oro restricts women . But I would like to know where you consider Ikorodu Town. Someone else claimed it was the Italewa area. I lived in that area and had next to no problems with the Oro people and their practices. Never heard of murders committed in the name of Oro considering no bodies were ever found and no missing person cases I know of were attributed to that. Where is this YOUR Ikorodu TOWN located? I mean it seems everyone has an Ikorodu town to claim. Please reveal this Oro location so I can investigate and get facts for this discussion to continue. Is it towards town center or the post office? Near the Kings Palace? Where exactly is this IKORODU TOWN you speak of?

Any aspect of any culture that relies on the forceful restriction of citizens to move around freely is insane, stupid and barbaric!

No culture must be placed above a citizen's right to move freely!

If Nigerians move freely on Christian and Muslim holidays, I see no reason why followers of Traditional Religions will want to infringe on the rights of citizens to move freely without fear of intimidation or threat to life or limb!

These so-called cultures must not be tolerated in this age!

Who is claiming there no Oro in Ebute, Igbogbo and Ibeshe? There are still doing that Especially when someone of note dies OR for instance in Ibeshe, an unfortunate soul is lost at sea and a festival of a week was practiced with the curfew no later than 10 p.m. till dawn. At night no one dares go out and if you rear animals, coop, tie or chain them or else it'll be the last you see of them. . . Trust me I know, my dog strayed during that period and never returned. . .

RichyBlacK:

Any aspect of any culture that relies on the forceful restriction of citizens to move around freely is insane, stupid and barbaric!

No culture must be placed above a citizen's right to move freely!

If Nigerians move freely on Christian and Muslim holidays, I see no reason why followers of Traditional Religions will want to infringe on the rights of citizens to move freely without fear of intimidation or threat to life or limb!

These so-called cultures must not be tolerated in this age!

But how can will stop this dirty and illegal so call tradition pls?

firestar:

Who is claiming there no Oro in Ebute, Igbogbo and Ibeshe? There are still doing that Especially when someone of note dies OR for instance in Ibeshe, an unfortunate soul is lost at sea and a festival of a week was practiced with the curfew no later than 10 p.m. till dawn. At night no one dares go out and if you rear animals, coop, tie or chain them or else it'll be the last you see of them. . . Trust me I know, my dog strayed during that period and never returned. . .

Imagine someone that claimed that he spent all his life in Ikorodu does not see why we must stop this common nonsense.
Truth is bitter but most be told. Let them practice their religion but allow every one to move day or night.

Even uptil today they still practice it

Kobojunkie:
I am not into traditional religions at all but I know Oro has been in existence for decades, and I do not see why the State should now deny the people their right to their tradition. I grew up in Ikorodu, and as much as I hate all things Oro, I believe it is right for us all to respect the people there. I am not sure who the current Oba of Ikorodu is but I know we used to have a Christian Oba and even he saw need to respect the people's culture. If you do not like it, MOVE!

But they kill people. Hope you know that.