₦airaland Forum

How much does a country need to keep its busiest international airport from running like an oven? The Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos has to be the hottest airport in the world. It is easily the hottest I have travelled through and I have been through quite a lot of airports. Even the Nairobi airport in Kenya that was engulfed by fire is not as hot as the MMIA. You should not even get started with comparing it with the airport in Cape Town or Johannesburg, South Africa. Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport, Accra may be small but it does not meet you with the repulsiveness the MMIA greets you with. Even the Eyadema airport in Togo has a better atmosphere. The Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal trumps ours by light years. This is speaking of African countries. We dare not try to compare with airports outside Africa. As soon as you descend from the plane to go through the immigration point, the feeling is as though you were being punished for daring to travel to Nigeria – if a foreigner – or you were being punished for daring to leave the country – if a Nigerian. The saddest part of this reality is that money is not the reason why we have an airport that makes us look like we are a people without shame. Or, are we?

There is a chance you are busy during the week. If you find time this Sunday, please pay a visit to the MMIA. Find your way to the Departure Hall. If it does not remind you of the old Oshodi in Lagos, I’d write an apology for everyone who says it doesn’t. Of course, there is a chance they quickly react to this piece to make a few cosmetic changes. If it looks better this Sunday because of this piece, just wait another four weeks; I can bet it will be back to its seamy self. Last Sunday, there were more touts than there were passengers inside the airport. The system is such that even getting your boarding pass to travel is made difficult so an incentive is created for you to engage one of the touts. I was approached to pay N5,000 to get my boarding pass. I wouldn’t pay because I just needed to see if I’d miss my flight despite arriving over three hours earlier. If that had happened, I’d have made sure the airline in question never gets to try it with anyone again. Where else could an anomaly like this happen? If you arrive the airport two hours before your flight, there is a chance you miss your flight not because that is not enough time before your flight but because somehow, someway, bottlenecks have been created to make you need touts to do what you’d do within minutes elsewhere. Nigeria is a nightmare!

If per chance you are wondering why one would dedicate a column to an airport of all the myriad of issues facing Nigeria, please have a rethink. The airport is an essential part of a country’s prestige and perception. Any country with a badly managed airport as ours is likely to be as badly managed as our country. If a country cannot manage its main airport, how can it manage anything else? Travelling through Section D 34 on Sunday and it was as though someone was increasing the heat as we were getting boiled. How much does it cost to make the air-conditioning systems work? What does it cost to make the airport clean enough? Why should we have people in queues for hours just to go through immigration and security checks? Why have more metal detectors if passengers are made to use just one or two on most occasions? Body scanners have been in use since 2007, how much does it cost to have them in our major airports? Why is Nigeria the only country where, to travel, you must have your box opened and ransacked by security men? What is the essence of running these same bags through electronic security? Why in the world can’t we get even the simplest of things right?

The first impression you get about a country upon visiting is its airport. There are people who intentionally run their flight connections through some airports just to make use of their facilities or make purchases. I know people who travel to other parts of the world but make sure to travel through Dubai simply because of the travel experience. I dare not start comparing our airports with Dubai’s because then I’d be comparing two things of different kinds. You will not find a Nigerian who has been outside of this country who is not ashamed of our airports. Of course, this does not include Nigerians who call things that do not exist as though they do; Nigerians who look at the poverty and gross unemployment and proclaim our lives are being transformed. You will not find a Nigerian who has the ability to face the truth who’d not admit shame at looking at our major airports. I was at the Addis Ababa airport last August when a Nigerian started lamenting behind me. She was shocked even Ethiopia could do better than the “giANT” of Africa. Giant ko, dwarf ni. We stay living in a delusion of grandeur that does not exist.

Having said all this, I will never be able to describe the pain and sadness that come with travelling from the MMIA. The only way you won’t feel this sadness is if you’ve gone past caring about this country or you are one of the reasons this country is so messed us as it is. The MMIA was modelled after Amsterdam’s Schipol. Over 40 years later, the MMIA is worse than it looked when the military government of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo remodelled it. Just look at Schipol airport today. If you dare compare both, tears will fill your eyes before you even get started.

Where then do we start? We can start by doing away with the touts inside the lobby. We can start by ensuring the air-conditioning systems work. We can look to make sure passengers are well-treated on arrival and departure. We always look at problems and immediately assume throwing money at them will solve them. I have since realised half the problems with Nigeria have nothing to do with money. Even with all the money in the world, our airports and our country will not work as long as we do not have people who care about excellence. Caring about excellence means knowing that Nigerians deserve the best all the time. When we reserve the rights citizens of other countries take for granted, upgrade such to privileges for our citizens, we will always miss the point of making things work. Nigerians deserve more but as long as we have people – including the President – dancing on national TV because a road contract has been awarded, we’d always have a situation where mediocrity will remain the norm. Would anyone say the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is the mess it is because of money? Nay. It is what it is because we are who we are. We have become a people accustomed to seeing nothing work.

It’d be great to see someone in authority do something about the mess that is the MMIA for starters. It’s a shame to Nigeria. But does Nigeria even understand what shame is? Does anyone really give a damn about the shame?

-Mr. Omojuwa @gmail.com; twitter: @omojuwa

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 23-year-old robber, Prince Nwafor, with a visual recording of a robbery operation that he took part in.

According to police authorities, the suspect is part of a robbery gang that specialises in snatching vehicles in Lagos and selling them at low prices.

The gang was also alleged to have robbed in Ebonyi and Anambra states.

The recording, which was captured with a camera phone, showed how Nwafor’s gang members robbed a motorist of his car in an undisclosed location. He, however, did not appear in the recording.

The police said it was believed that Nwafor intended to release the incriminating video on the Internet for allegedly cheating him every time they went for operation.

Nwafor, however, told PUNCH Metro that he made the recordings so he could blackmail his colleagues with it.

He said his colleagues usually cheated him when sharing their loot and the recording was meant to be used as a leverage to force them to share the robbery loot equally.

He said, “I was a commercial motorcycle rider but when the Lagos State Government began to restrict our operation, I abandoned the job and started working as a labourer at construction sites in Lagos. However, the money was too little.

“When I travelled to my village in Ebonyi State, I met Kingsley Chibuzor, who told me that he came to the state to snatch some cars and asked me to join him. Since I needed money, I joined his gang. However, they were always cheating me when they were sharing the money.

“In the first robbery operation I did with them, we stole two cars and sold them at N800, 000. We were three, which means I should have received at least N250, 000. Unfortunately, I was given only N100, 000.

“During the second operation in Abakaliki, they cheated me again. So the third time, I used my camera phone to record the entire operation. I kept it to be used as leverage so that if they cheated me again, I can use it to blackmail them.”

The suspect said things, however, did not work as he planned because after another operation, he was not contacted by the gang members.

He said after a lot of efforts on his part, he located them and discovered that another member of the gang, Enebeli Ozoemena, held his (Nwafor)N200, 000 share.

He said, “We had a big quarrel and everybody went their separate ways until we were arrested by operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad.”

When asked what he did with the money he made from his robberies, the suspect said, “I went to Ebonyi State, where I had my wedding. Weddings are expensive. Soon after, my wife gave birth to a son and we were happy, but when I left the gang, I became so broke that I had to sell some of my things in order to feed.

“My parents, my wife and child had been killed during a communal clash between Amedo village in Ebonyi and Adama Village in Cross River.”

PUNCH Metro had reported last week Wednesday that a prison escapee, Chibuzor, who is the alleged gang leader, and Enebeli, were arrested by the police.

Our correspondent learnt that through Chibuzor’s confessions, Nwafor was arrested.

SARS operatives, who made the arrests, found the visual recordings of the robbery operation on Nwafor’s mobile phone.

Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, who confirmed the arrest to our correspondent on the telephone, said some of the stolen vehicles had been recovered, adding that efforts were on to recover the remaining ones stolen by the gang.

snika: Shut up your lousy mouth Mr. Reporter. Must you overate yourselves each time you are talking about this overcrowded, traffic-jammed, dirty community?

Who told you Lagos has more than than 9 million people? And who told you your state abi city is even world acclaimed, and the only city in Nigeria held in such personality?

Dude go home, you are drunk

Ikengawo: My does Amaechi dress like a 24 hour disco

RedBenson: Excuse me pls! We are talking abt fg/ASUU here (education and brighter future) and not ur seemingly fraud deal. Take ur time!

odizeey: wetyn dey pain u oga. Na bad tyn him tlk?

FreeGlobe: I hope Rivers people will come out enmasse and stone Tinubu while on the trip

Lord Mecuzy: Abeg They Should Hurry Up na, My Msc Accounting Don do 3years now like play

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan will meet the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities on Monday (today), apparently with a view to resolve the Federal Government-ASUU face-off that has left varsity gates shut since July 1.

But the union said it had got wind of Presidency’s plan to direct that universities be reopened, saying such directive without amicable resolution of the current strike would deepen the crisis.

Chairman of ASUU, University of Uyo chapter, Dr. Nwachukwu Anyim, said this in a statement in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Sunday, saying that the union leaders were invited by the President.

Anyim said the invitation by Jonathan should ordinarily inspired hopes that the four-month-old strike by the lectures would soon end but that the union needed to be cautious in its optimism.

His statement read, “We are aware that President Jonathan intends to meet with the leadership of ASUU tomorrow, Monday, November 4, 2013, in a bid to address the deadlock in the ongoing strike by the members of the union.

“Ordinarily, the invitation by the President to the union would give the impression that the resolution of the strike was on the horizon. While we appreciate the present show of concern from the high office of the Presidency, we are, however, cautious in our optimism that the meeting between the President of the country and the union would yield desired results.

“The apparent lack of enthusiasm among our members concerning the outcome of the meeting is based on government’s lack of commitment towards the implementation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement and the memorandum signed with ASUU. While we hope that the Federal Government would see reason to finally resolve the issues in contention, we urge well -meaning Nigerians and stakeholders to persuade government to implement the agreement with the union in order to save Nigeria’s public universities.”

It added, “We have received information that President Jonathan intends to direct that universities should be re-opened immediately. As a branch, we do not think that such a directive would resolve the issues at stake. Rather, such a directive would deepen the prevailing crisis. A show of force by the president could only, at best, result in a “pyrrhic victory.”

“We stand on the existing agreement between the union and the Federal Government. The MoU between government and ASUU and also the NEEDS Assessment Report should provide the road map for the resolution of the ongoing strike by ASUU.”

AS the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress prepares to visit Rivers State on Monday (today), the Peoples Democratic Party has warned that the state Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, should be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order in the state.

The Rivers State Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Felix Obuah, issued this warning on Sunday at the inauguration of the Grassroots Development Intiative in Eleme Local Government Area of the state.

Obuah accused Amaechi, of using state funds to organise a reception for the national leadership of the APC.

The state party chairman also alleged that Amaechi had doled out N500m belonging to the state to neighbouring states to mobilise people from such states to the airport to receive national leaders of the opposition parties.

He suggested that such action by the state governor could cause a breakdown of law and order in the state.

According to the state PDP chairman, “I want to say this as a sign of warning that any breakdown of law and order in this state, Governor Rotimi Amaechi should be held responsible.

“Only yesterday, he gave out N500m of our state money to neighbouring states to mobilise people to the airport to receive the leadership of APC.

“Is that what our money is meant for? When there is a breakdown of law and order, they will say it is Mbu.”

Also, the Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, recalled that though Amaechi had said that nothing would make him (Amaechi) leave the PDP, the governor’s planned reception of APC leaders was contrary to such claim.

Wike explained that the mobilisation of people from neighboring states to support the APC would not prevent Rivers people from supporting President Goodluck Jonathan for a re-election in 2015.

He said, “What you must know is that before now, your governor has lied to you that nobody will make him to leave PDP.

“But today, the same governor has told the people to go to the airport tomorrow to receive the APC leadership; Tinubu, Buhari and co. Does that not show people who are inconsistent? Does that not show that you do not have a governor who is consistent?”

Reacting, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, described Obuah’s allegation as false and a sign of fear in the PDP.

Okocha also predicted a large turnout of Amaechi supporters at the airport and the Government House, describing the expected crowd as a storm that would show the PDP that “Amaechi remains the only politician on the ground in the state.”

He challenged Obuah and his cohorts to show proof of the disbursement of N500m to Edo and other neighbouring states by Amaechi for the APC leaders’ visit to Rivers.

Garri the 1st: They should just colonize us.....

The embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, has been linked to another car purchase scandal.

This time, Oduah is said to have also approved the procurement of two Lexus Limousine cars and two Toyota Prado jeeps.

The minister is expected to appear before the House Committee on Aviation which is investigating the purchase of two BMW bulletproof cars for her by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority at N255m.

But during the sitting by the Senate Committee on Aviation which is probing the crisis in the Aviation industry, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria , Mr. George Uriesi, said the Lexus Limousine cars and Toyota Prado jeeps were in the custody of a bank.

Uriesi, who said the limousines were bought for N60m each , added that he did not have details of the cost of the Prado jeeps.

He explained that the bank whose name he did not give, funded the purchase of the four vehicles.

The FAAN chief told the six-member committee that while Oduah gave the approval, somebody whose name he failed to mention, signed on his (Uriesi) behalf.

An obviously enraged Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Mr. Hope Uzodinma, lambasted him for receiving approval from the minister instead of the Federal Executive Council.

He was therefore ordered to appear again before the committee on Monday with details of the transactions.

Uriesi, who was said to have sweated in the air-conditioned room while the session lasted, was also asked to bring along with him, details of other vehicles bought for the agency’s directors.

The Senate panel also resolved to inspect the N255m bulletproof cars parked at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Meanwhile, members of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation are set to quiz Oduah on Wednesday(today) over the controversial bulletproof cars.

The minister, who was summoned by the committee to appear before it on Tuesday, had written , explaining that she had travelled to Israel to sign the Bilateral Air Service Agreement between Nigeria and Israel.

On Monday, the committee headed by Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, said Oduah would now appear on Wednesday and not Tuesday as ealier scheduled.

It claimed that the decision was to give all stakeholders the opportunity to prepare their documents.

But the committee warned that it would not hesitate to take necessary actions against Oduah if she failed to turn up today (Wednesday).

As of 10pm on Tuesday, it was unclear if Oduah, who was on Monday accused by the House Committee on Public Procurement of shunning similar invitations 12 times, had returned from Israel.

As part of its preparations for the hearing, a five-member sub-committee of the Onyejeocha-led Aviation panel on Tuesday discreetly inspected the controversial bulletproof cars at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

A source privy to the visit, informed The PUNCH that the aim was to “truly establish that the cars were bought.”

The source added, “This is an investigation and you do not leave anything to chance.

“The idea of the inspection team was to go to the location and physically see the cars.

“All these will form part of the final report to the House.”

When contacted, Onyejeocha confirmed that a team visited the airport to inspect the cars.

She, however, parried questions on the details of what the team saw.

The committee chairman said, “Yes, it is true that we set up a committee to go and inspect the cars.

“The committee went to the airport but they have not reported back to us.

“If you are interested, come to the hearing tomorrow, please, PUNCH.”

A senior official of the NCAA, who accompanied the sub-committee to the airport said the lawmakers “saw the two bulletproof cars .”

The source added, “They were satisfied. Some of them even stated that people were beginning to insinuate that there were no cars. So, I think people can now ask the House members whether there are cars or not.”

Asked if the committee members were also shown the limousines parked at the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria site at the airport, the official said, “I don’t like joining issues, because people are beginning to write what they like.

“The cars we are talking about here are the bulletproof cars and not limousines.”

The House spokesman, Zakari Mohammed, said sanctions that could be imposed on Oduah if she failed to appear before the Aviation committee included issuing a bench warrant to facilitate her arrest.

He said, “What the committee will do is to apply to the Speaker (Mr. Aminu Tambuwal) for a bench warrant to be issued for her arrest.

“Once that is done and the speaker approves it, the Inspector-General of Police will be directed to arrest her and bring her before the committee.”

Prominent ifa priest, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon in this interview with FEMI MAKINDE shares his experiences as a traditional priest

Which schools did you attend?

I did not attend any formal school. I had all my education at home. Many people erroneously believe that you can’t be educated until you go to school. I did not step into any classroom to be taught anything. I learnt Ifa at home and I learnt reading and writing also at home

How long did you spend to learn Ifa?

I started learning from my father at the age of four. My father later gave me out to another priest who taught me. I stayed there for 10 years and six months. After that, I started learning from my father’s colleagues at different locations. I moved from Ilobu to Ede, Ibadan and Oyo to add to my knowledge of Ifa. Ifa knowledge is extended, so you continue to learn until you are dead.

Why have you not renounced Ifa worship in this age when many are being converted to Christianity and Islam?

Despite that many are being converted to these foreign religions, we still have some people who are embracing Ifa here in Nigeria and even abroad. This is because the knowledge of Ifa is spreading wide. Before, very many people didn’t know what Ifa was all about. Those who brought these foreign religions tried hard to rubbish Ifa and they painted it black to make our people accept their religions. Many people are afraid of traditional religion and they were not proud to associate with African Traditional Religion.

But now some of those who attend churches and mosques are now embracing African Traditional Religion. More people are now being initiated in this religion. Lots of Europeans and Americans are coming to be initiated into Ifa worship. Some people came from United Kingdom recently to be initiated into it. This is what early missionaries rubbished to have their religions spread to us but I am happy that their offsprings are now coming to embrace it.

How do you feel when people equate Ifa with evil?

The early missionaries started this. They brought civilisation and started calling Babalawo witchdoctor and painted them black to scare away people from them. But now, nobody calls Babalawo a witch doctor anymore. Babalawo is an Ifa priest, just like you have priests in churches and Muslim clerics in mosques.

People still link occurrence of bad things to Babalawo, maybe due to what is shown in home vidoes. How do you feel when this happens?

This is an erroneous belief of Babalawo and Ifa. Babalawos are not responsible for evil happenings. They are the ones who shed light on things which are not right. It is wrong to say that Babalawos are the ones responsible for bad things. We will continue to enlighten people about it. They are the ones putting right what the evil ones have made crooked. For example, when there is no rain or there is famine, people consult Ifa through Babalawo and these problems are always solved. So, Ifa is not wicked like they want many to believe. All those involved in acts of wickedness are not Babalawos because no Babalawo will engage in any evil act.

Apart from Nigerians, do you have foreigners consulting Ifa through you?

As I said earlier, some of those who consult me are based abroad. They make telephone calls almost everyday. They send e-mails to me asking me to consult for them and to prepare sacrifices and to do other things for them. I have a lot of clients abroad.

How do you react to negative things associated with traditional religion, especially in Nollywoood videos?

When you are talking about Nollywoood, you will realise that a good number of those who write their scripts don’t have a good knowledge of Yoruba culture. A lot of them disappoint us because they are misleading many who watch the films. But take a look at the works of Prof. Akinwumi Ishola, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Adebayo Faleti and others, you will discover that their works are different from all these because they know what Yoruba culture is about and they promote this in their works. But some of the Nollywood script writers and producers don’t know much about Yoruba culture.

Christianity and Islam do have converts; do you have those you have converted from other religions to traditional religion?

Yes, we do have people who were Muslims and Christians and were converted to traditional religion. They are now coming back to the religion of their forefathers. You remember that the early missionaries converted our fathers from traditional religion to Christianity and Islam but some are now retracing their steps. They are coming back to the religion of their forebears. All families in Yoruba land have one orisa they worship or another. Anyone who says anything contrary is either telling lies or doesn’t know.

What do you use to convert them?

Some who had one problem or another which could not be solved in the church or in the mosque get automatically converted when they find cure in the traditional way. They do refer some to us from churches and mosques. Some of them whose cases have no solution even with orthodox medicine or through prayers in church or mosque are advised to come back to their roots. When those come and find solutions, it is not difficult to convert them. There are prophets who tell their members to go back to their families and appease the gods their ancestors worshipped. They come back, a lot of aladura (white garment church ) have been doing that. A lot of Muslim clerics have been doing that also. Some of those Muslim clerics use Koran to deceive their followers while they practise traditional religion in secret. They know a lot of herbs and other things we do. That is the way it is.

Is there any rite to be performed on anyone who wants to be converted to traditional religion?

There are rites to be performed on such persons. Such person will be initiated. We will find out the Odu that gave birth to him. We will find out this through divination.

Have you killed anybody with your charms before?

Why will I kill anybody? I don’t do that, I have never killed anybody and I will never kill. You see, Babalawo don’t kill. Although Babalawo have an immense power, they are capable of doing so many things but killing is against the rules in this religion. There are things that are forbidden here. It is wrong to blame killings on the doorstep of Babalawo. Those involved in killing may be oloogun-ika (wicked people) Babalawo are priests, just like you have Catholic priests, Imams. We don’t use Ifa divination and sacrifice to kill. Sacrifices are offered for atonement, for healing of diverse diseases and ailments. But all the religions have some parts they can use to do evil things. There are portions like that used by some wicked Muslims and also the Seven Books of Moses are used by some Christians to do evil. All the religions have positive and their negatives uses.

But will you kill if Ifa asks you to kill anybody?

I have never killed and I am not going to kill. Ifa will never ask you to kill anybody. Some people want to kill when they believe somebody is blocking their progress. But there are many ways to make yourself unstoppable rather than seeking to kill those blocking you. I have had a lot of obstacles in life but what I do is to consult Ifa and ask it to help me to overcome such hindrances.

Have you ever snatched anybody’s wife using your Ifa knowledge or mysteries?

No. I have never done that. I married all my wives the right way. I know what you mean; it is called ‘ape’ or ‘ohunfa’. For example, if you like a lady and want to marry her but the lady does not want to marry you, you use ‘ape’ to bring such lady to your side but I have never done that or snatched anybody’s wife.

Have you ever been attacked by spirits or invincible forces?

I have enemies and there is no doubt about that. There is nobody who does not have enemies, especially when one is successful. There will be envy or jealousy and other things but what you need to do is to offer prayers and you will be untouchable and unstoppable. That is what I do. Back to your question, demons or spirits have never attacked me.

Traditional religion believers are not always given recognition in public functions, don’t you get annoyed with this?

This happens from time to time but I don’t like to argue in the public. There are many functions I attend and while they ask Christians and Muslims to pray according to their religions, traditional religion believers are not recognised. I don’t get annoyed. I just ignore it and keep quiet. I know that raising such issues could lead to crisis and I don’t want that. I know that those who do not recognise traditional religion have limited knowledge. Some people don’t want to hear anything about traditional religion and this shows how limited their knowledge is. African traditional religion believers are the most peaceful people. We don’t fight the Christians and Muslims who preach against our religion. We know that they are all descendants of the gods and how do you expect a father to be fighting against his children. That is why we don’t fight them. They come even to our houses and preach against our religion and abuse us but we don’t fight them. They can’t take that because they are not tolerant. But if anyone criticises their religions, they cause a lot of trouble. Have you ever seen any traditional believer go to any church and fight them there?

Do you think Ifa can assist in curbing corruption that has become endemic in Nigeria?

Corruption thrives in this country because our people are afraid of the truth. They are afraid of African Traditional Religion. Let political office holders and others in public offices swear in the name of Ile (earth). Some of them would say they are Christians and Muslims and would not swear in the name of Ogun ( god of iron) or Sango ( gods of thunder). I agree with them but let everybody swear in the name of Ile. We are all made from the soil and we would return there. Let them swear in this name and you would see that corruption would stop. It should be used in the private sector as well. We will continue to live with corruption unless we start doing this. Corruption can’t stop with the way we are fighting it. It will never stop except somebody would just descend from heaven and kill everybody. We can’t see any change going this way.

Can you recollect any occasion when you were saved by Ifa?

There was a year I was invited to the University of Ibadan for a programme. On the day of the programme, I was set to go and I consulted Ifa to know how the outing would turn out but it was negative. I asked Ifa, “should I not go for the programme? And it said, no don’t go.” So, I cancelled the outing and stayed back indoors. The following day, somebody came and brought a newspaper and I read how those who attended the programme were beaten and molested. I couldn’t believe it; I had to fetch the invitation card to ascertain that the programme I was invited to attend was the one disrupted. I thanked Ifa because it saved my life that day.

Do you have the power to disappear?

I don’t have that power called ‘egbe.’ Anybody who has it can disappear. But this is not to say that I am not protected. I have maximum protection, so I cannot be harmed.

Do you think that you could one day be converted to Islam or Christianity?

That one cannot happen. I have a deep understanding of the Bible and Quran and I also have a good understanding of Ifa but I cannot renounce Ifa. Christians and Muslims scare people with hell fire but I want you to listen to my CD on who will go to hell fire. They say that you will go to hell fire if you are not a Christian or a Muslim, but I am not afraid of hell fire because I am not a wicked person. I know what you can do that will take you to hell fire and I don’t do such things. What will now pursue me to be converted to Christianity or Islam? There is no problem that Ifa cannot solve. A lot of Christians, even pastors and Imams come to consult Ifa and use Ifa to solve their problems. But because we believe in fidelity, it is forbidden for me to start mentioning their names. It is confidential just like medical doctors don’t disclose the ailments of their patients to just anybody. Pastors and imams come to me and I prepare a lot of things for them. I use my Ifa knowledge to solve their problems. So, how am I supposed to go to them? Just this afternoon, a leader of a church came here wearing a native dress, you can’t know that he is a pastor but I know.

Do you take orthodox drugs ?

You don’t know me. I take hot pap with ‘agunmu’ (powdery dry herbs). I spent the last three weeks in Europe and I missed my agunmu so much. I use ‘agbo’ (concoction of herbs). I am almost 67 years old now and I have never slept in any hospital. I only undergo medical checks and take vaccines whenever I want to travel out of the country because it is mandatory.

You travel abroad with your totems; have you ever been embarrassed by security agents at the point of entry into any country?

I travel often to the United States with my ‘opele’ and I have never been troubled by anybody. They respect your religious beliefs in America. They would ask you if any strange object is found on you and it is your duty to explain to them. A lot of white people come here and I prepare ‘elegbara’ for them. They declare it to security officials at airports and they allow them to pass with the objects. One of my clients, a white man called Obakunle Akinlana, came and I made elegbara for him but they seized it from him at JFK Airport and destroyed it. He sued them and he claimed damages and he was paid. I have never been molested because of my religious items but the only people who give us serious headache are the animal rights people. They don’t want you to kill animals even for sacrifice. Anytime we want to kill animals for sacrifice abroad, we would go to the basement and hide the animals from people. There was an occasion in New York about 12 years ago when we wanted to prepare a sacrifice for a lady and she came with the animal we wanted to use. I was staying on the third floor and we went to the basement but the people on the street saw her bring the animal into the house: they called the police and informed the animal rights advocates. They came and asked us about the animal but we denied having any animal in our possession. They searched everywhere and found the animal at the basement and took it away. While they were searching, people started gathering in front of our house. There was a huge crowd and journalists from various media organisations were also there. I don’t know what they would have done to me if we had slaughtered that animal before they arrived. Despite the enforcement of animal rights, a lot of African Traditional Religion believers go to court to take permission to kill animals based on their religious beliefs. Even Muslims in the United States go to a certain place before they slaughter rams for Eid-el-Kabir festivals. You can’t just slaughter animals in the public.

But how would you feel if a law is made stopping killing of animals?

That cannot happen here in Nigeria because it is wrong. Killing animals for sacrifice, for entertainment and others is part of our culture. Killing of animals cannot be stopped here; such law would not work. Killing of animals is not a sin.

How many of your children share the same religious beliefs with you?

Maybe some of my daughters who are married to Christians or Muslims may be following their husbands in whatever they believe. But they all respect traditional religion and we live harmoniously. But this happens because wives must obey their husbands. But there is nothing you can get from the church or mosque that you can’t get from Ifa. Talk about healing or anything, you get it.

Many believe that Ifa divination is an art of deceit. Do you agree with this?

That is what the missionary made our people to believe. They use everything to scare our people away from the religion of their ancestors. They say that traditional religion believers use human beings for sacrifice but they have forgotten that there is no religion without sacrifice. Jesus Christ used his blood as sacrifice for Christians. Just last week, Muslims slaughtered millions of animals to replace Ismail that Ibrahim was supposed to kill. These foreigners use blackmail and fear to lure away our people from their religion to spread their own religions.

How do you react to the Isese Day declaration as a public holiday in Osun State?

It is a very good decision. It is first of its kind. I give kudos to the governor for doing that despite that he is a staunch Muslim. I implore other governors in Kwara, Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, Lagos, Ogun to also emulate Aregbesola and declare Isese Day in their states.

Alfa Seltzer: What's wrong in wanting to handle a real gun? Are soldiers not handling real guns?

If we follow your twisted one sided logic, toy cars may make kids want to steal cars when they grow up. Toy barbie dolls will make girls want to become prostitutes, etc.

ochilikoko: Well said Mr Metuh.I am not seing those APC members as Nigerians in the first place so they are not needed.

Harbosede02: Bcomputer n politics!!!