1.Is it a religion meaning are there sets of people worshipping these idols.2.which tribes follows any of these.3.Historical facts about it.4.Are there more apart from the above.5.If it is a religion how can one join it i.e what qualify u to join.
Awaiting ur reply.

these are called Orisa. Orisa means eni ori sa da meaning human being with special ability. They were human being but had some sort of powers. Examples:
Esu-his full name was Ola-ilu that is why he was called Esu lalu ebora ti nje latupa. He was raised as one of d pillars of oko. That is why he is praised as ogiri oko. Oko is scattered in 4 states oko in kwara, oko in oyo /osun, ago oko in abeokuta ogun state possibly ondo state

Ogun was raised in ire possibly ire ekiti. He was a drunk who could kill anyone cos of palm wine. He possessed metaphysical power like esu

Really,they are humans but why are they call idols

Sango was the half brother of alaafin Ajaka. When Ajaka was captured by Olowu sango who was staying with his maternal family in nupe land possibly present day patigi in kwara state was to become alaafin. It was his marternal family that helped him to develop metaphysical power with pebble called edun ara.

@OP,

Use the following information as the basis for further research.

Religion: Ifa
Supreme being (God): Olodumare or Olorun
Ministers/Deities/Orishas: Orisa-nla, Ogun, Sango, Oya, Yemoja, Esu, Ibeji, Orunmila, Osanyin and Sopona.

You know in africa, especially yoruba land we tend to respect and by extension worship. For instance, ancestors are worshipped by representation of masqurades

ok thanks.Just want some1 2 simplify it for me.

luvmijeje: Really,they are humans but why are they call idols

The idols are not worshipped but what they represent. the idols are just used to concentrate prayers on.

fitzkenny: Sango was the half brother of alaafin Ajaka. When Ajaka was captured by Olowu sango who was staying with his maternal family in nupe land possibly present day patigi in kwara state was to become alaafin. It was his marternal family that helped him to develop metaphysical power with pebble called edun ara.

Shango was the name given to an exsting earlied God of War and Destrutive Spiritual Forces, known as Jakuta,

luvmijeje: 1.Is it a religion meaning are there sets of people worshipping these idols.2.which tribes follows any of these.3.Historical facts about it.4.Are there more apart from the above.5.If it is a religion how can one join it i.e what qualify u to join.
Awaiting ur reply.

If you want to truly join it you have to be of Yoruba descent and you have to visit a Babalawo priest.

PAGAN 9JA:



Shango was the name given to an exsting earlied God of War and Destrutive Spiritual Forces, known as Jakuta,

are you saying sango was never alaafin? In deed he was. Ajaka was his brother and the mother was elempe linage in Tapaland(nupe)

fitzkenny:

are you saying sango was never alaafin? In deed he was. Ajaka was his brother and the mother was elempe linage in Tapaland(nupe)

the point is that the name of a powerful ruler (Shango) was probably used to designate the SPirit of warfare and destructive forces. this force already existed. it was just named after this ruler (in all probabilities). also this force surely had a different name before being renamed as Shango (DJakuta).

PAGAN 9JA:


the point is that the name of a powerful ruler (Shango) was probably used to designate the SPirit of warfare and destructive forces. this force already existed. it was just named after this ruler (in all probabilities). also this force surely had a different name before being renamed as Shango (DJakuta).

In the Yorùbá religion, Ṣàngó ( also spelled, Sango or Shango, often known as Xangô or Changó in Latin America and the Caribbean, and also known as Jakuta[1]) (from '=shan, 'to strike') is perhaps one of the most popular Orisha; also known as the god of fire, lightning and thunder. Shango is historically a royal ancestor of the Yoruba as he was the third king of the Oyo Kingdom prior to his posthumous deification. In the Lukumí (Olokun mi = "my dear one" religion of the Caribbean, Shango is considered the center point of the religion as he represents the Oyo people of West Africa, the symbolic ancestors of the adherents of the faith. All the major initiation ceremonies (as performed in Cuba, Trinidad, Puerto Rico and Venezuela for the last few hundred years) are based on the traditional Shango ceremony of Ancient Oyo. This ceremony survived the Middle Passage and is considered to be the most complete to have arrived on Western shores. This variation of the Yoruba initiation ceremony became the basis of all Orisha initiations in the West.

Following Oduduwa, Oranyan and Ajaka, Shango (or Jakuta) was the third Alafin (king) of Oyo.[1][2] In Johnston's mythological account of racial heroes and kings, contrary to his peaceful brother Ajaka, he was a powerful and even violent ruler. Moreover, he is said to have had supernatural forces because he could produce thunder and lightning. He reigned for seven years, the whole of which period was marked by his continuous campaigns and his many battles. The end of his reign resulted from his own inadvertent destruction of his palace by lightning.[3]
The religious ritual of Shango was possibly designed in order to help the devotees of Shango gain self-control. Shango's beads tell the story of "his" essence, the logic of Obatala (white) alternating in balance with the fire of Aganyu (red) in passion towards some goal. Historically, Shango brought prosperity to the Oyo Empire during his reign.[2] After his deification, the initiation ceremony of the cult of his memory dictates that this same prosperity be bestowed upon followers, on a personal level. According to Yoruba and Vodou belief systems, Shango hurls bolts of lightning at the people chosen to be his followers, leaving behind imprints of stone axe blades on the Earth's crust. These blades can be seen easily after heavy rains. Veneration of Shango enables—according to Yoruba belief—a great deal of power and self-control.
Shango altars often contain an often-seen carved figure of a woman holding her bosom as a gift to the god with a single double-blade axe sticking up from her head. The axe symbolizes that this devotee is possessed by Shango. The woman's expression is calm and cool, expressing the qualities she has gained through her faith

.

fitzkenny: these are called Orisa. Orisa means eni ori sa da meaning human being with special ability. They were human being but had some sort of powers. Examples:
Esu-his full name was Ola-ilu that is why he was called Esu lalu ebora ti nje latupa. He was raised as one of d pillars of oko. That is why he is praised as ogiri oko. Oko is scattered in 4 states oko in kwara, oko in oyo /osun, ago oko in abeokuta ogun state possibly ondo state

Ogun was raised in ire possibly ire ekiti. He was a drunk who could kill anyone cos of palm wine. He possessed metaphysical power like esu

THat is a symbolic thing. They are not human beings. they might be represented by human beings/names, but they are SPiritual Forces/ Gods.

Yoruba never have and never will be Idol worshhipers.

The term "Idol worship" is a nonsensical Abrahamic Religions concept that is meaningless outside of European and Asian philosophy. i.e the term "Idol' makes better sense in a European and Asian context as is properly reserved for Roman & Greek mythology.

The term "Idol" in the context of Abrahamic Religions is an immure and derogatory way of attempting to discredit all other faiths or religious concepts that arent Abrahamic.


That is to say, those who belong to any of the Abrahamic faith are prone to automatically consider anyone else using bad and disrespectful terms such as non-believer, Idol worshiper e.t.c

Yoruba Orisha is never an Idol in the context Abrahamic religions would have you believe..

Orisha are divine entities.

Orisha are in all reality divine representatives of the Almighty God on planet earth.

PAGAN9JA:


THat is a symbolic thing. They are not human beings. they might be represented by human beings/names, but they are SPiritual Forces/ Gods.

The Almighty God loves the people of the world correctly and judiciously, as such, Yoruba Orisha are said to have been sent to planet earth so as to make the world a better place.

...

PAGAN9JA:


the point is that the name of a powerful ruler (Shango) was probably used to designate the SPirit of warfare and destructive forces. this force already existed. it was just named after this ruler (in all probabilities). also this force surely had a different name before being renamed as Shango (DJakuta).

I agree with you. Olodumare continue blesssings upon Nairalanders, blessins be upon OP, blessings be upon the above authority, blessings upon all adherents of Shango, Ogun, Osun e.t.c blessings be upon you all.

Is a common Yoruba saying;

"There are Orisha, and there are Orisha".

My Great grandad is Orisha to me, yet he isnt when compares to Orunmila.

My Great grandad is better known as a dema-deity, whilst Orunmila is Imole.

That is to say, the real Orisha exist prior to the earth's existence and as such are known as Divinities or the divine Visiers of Olodumare; their embodiments, those that came to live amongst us as men/women are known as Deities.

When Orisha are in the 'heavenly realm' they are known as a "divinity"; while on earth they are called deity.

Just as earlier post suggest, there are an innumerable amount of dema--deities.