Posted To The Web: Monday, August 18, 2008 - By Moyo Fabiyi

Hundreds of pregnant women and infants below the ages of one and three months, have been ejected from the industrial town of Ota in Ogun State.

They were asked to leave the ancient town for their various states like Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, etc. in observance of the Ogbodogi festival, a version of the popular, but dreaded Oro festival in the town.

There are conflicting reports about how long the annual festival would last. While some said it would last three weeks, others said it would last up to three months.

P.M.News learnt that the festival started last weekend, and there will be curfew from mid-night to about 4 a.m., each day throughout the period.

Pregnant women and infants were strictly warned to leave the town during the period of the festival. In a chat with the Moslem leader in the town, Alfa Abdulraheem Ola Ajifenwa, he stated that the festival had been modernised, adding that in the past it used to last for three months.

He further said that he did not foresee a clash between the traditionalists and Moslems in the town during the Ramadan, for the festival will last till the Muslim fasting period, for about two days.

Said he: “The traditionalists have a lot of respect for Islam because the Olota of Ota, Oba Moshood Alani Oyede, is himself a Muslim.”

P.M.News further learnt that the monarch used his influence to reduce the duration of the festival. Pastor John Okiki, who also spoke with P.M.News, revealed that many of the landlords in the town have put their houses under lock and key pending the conclusion of the festival.

Okiki explained that those travelling to their states are those who don’t have relations or friends to put up with in neighbouring towns like Ipaja, Agege, Abule Egba, etc.

As at the time of filing this report, the king was said to be unavailable to comment on the festival. But his secretary, Mrs. Busirat Lawal, said P.M.News can call tomorrow morning, to speak with the Oba.

I can't believe this, so because of some sort of festival people have to leave their own homes for only them know how long. Cant believe some people are still this backward. God have mercy!

ayomifull:

I can't believe this, so because of some sort of festival people have to leave their own homes for only them know how long. Cant believe some people are still this backward. God have mercy!

well this has always been a standard bullshit no one has managed to stop

dont forget, in Nigeria, anything is allowed!

Nigerians and religion sha.

Link please!!! I wonder what people derive from evil worship. Ogun people are synonymous with all sorts of evil worship sha.

I tire for Nigerians.

If an earthquake or some other natural disaster hits, these organizers of festivals and the like wont display any initiative but will prefer to rain curses on the government.

Now they know how to evacuate pregnant women and children because of some religious brouhaha, but can never do the same in a real emergency.

Misplaced priorities is synonymous with (some) Naijas.

I tire for Nigerians. Undecided

If an earthquake or some other natural disaster hits, these organizers of festivals and the like wont display any initiative but will prefer to rain curses on the government.

Now they know how to evacuate pregnant women and children because of some religious brouhaha, but can never do the same in a real emergency. Undecided

Misplaced priorities is synonymous with (some) Naijas.

God bless you and we still allow practices like this to prevail in our communities. The children will miss school, their pregnant poor mother that can only afford to feed them beans will have to relocate to another state with her meager savings from vending pure water just to satisfy these urchins that call themselves traditionalists. What a prodigal prodigy!!!

@poster
it is what it is,would you rather they used one of these pregnant women or the children for sacrifices?irrespective of the right or wrong,i think it better they tell them to leave rather than not saying anything and using them for some ritual

@poster
it is what it is,would you rather they used one of these pregnant women or the children for sacrifices?irrespective of the right or wrong,i think it better they tell them to leave rather than not saying anything and using them for some ritual

Story!!, they wouldn't have done anything if they had stayed. Children of God should stop taking commands from evil men.

lucabrasi:

@poster
it is what it is,would you rather they used one of these pregnant women or the children for sacrifices?irrespective of the right or wrong,i think it better they tell them to leave rather than not saying anything and using them for some ritual

so you think if sacrifices are needed, they wont find someone regardless?

I would have actually posted this long before  it started but for the sheer folly of it. I found it ridiculous and I didn't think my source was reliable enough.  One of my colleagues is an indegene of Ota and going by what he said, it's an age-long festival that used to last for three months  but has now been reduced to 15 days. In the first three days, apart from  pregnant residents, any pregnant passer-by stands the chances of losing the pregnancy (age 0-9months ) In addition  any infant who dares to cry within  those first three days  will instantly die. That explains why those people had to flee.Furthermore, anything hung on the wall, photo frame, calendar, clocks or anything hung on  a wall rack must fall at the cry of Mr. Oro. That was why those people had to flee for their dear lives. But the 3 'dangerful' days have passed now. Those who fled their homes can now return. The ritual is restricted to midnight to 4am.

everything na die die die.

The mentality of Africa.

DeepZone:

Story!!, they wouldn't have done anything if they had stayed. Children of God should stop taking commands from evil men.

hmmmn, how r bout all the ones that have been used for sacrifices,has the culprits been apprehended?its easy for you to say because you prolly don't have families or loved ones there, seems you ll rather have the christians waving the bible and muslims waving the quran at masked marauders with weapons

tpia:

so you think if sacrifices are needed, they wont find someone regardless?

they would but at least they have been warned to leave the town for a number of days,isnt it better than sneaking and kidnapping them?search on google and u ll realise when sacrifices of these sort need to be done they use non indigenes rather than the son of the soil, abeg its better save than sorry

who governs the local government, religious groups or the government?, this is ridiculous

lucabrasi:

at least they have been warned to leave the town for a number of days,isnt it better than sneaking and kidnapping them?search on google and u ll realise when sacrifices of these sort need to be done they use non indigenes rather than the son of the soil, abeg its better save than sorry

need to be done?

All the ones they've been doing have improved their overall condition in what way? They are now at first world level?

tpia:

need to be done?

All the ones they've been doing have improved their overall condition in what way? They are now at first world level?

"need to be done"either rightly or wrongly, the point im making is that they tend to use non indigenes/visitors rather than their fellow villagers,im not justifying human sacrifice or sacrifice of any sort

i was in Ota yesterday

we were urged to leave before 5pm

if not untold disaster will befall us

We left at 5:46