KILLING for rituals has become the crime of the moment for many desperate young Nigerians angling for quick wealth. In the last few months, many of these criminals have sent their girlfriends, mothers, fathers, friends and many unfortunate others to their untimely graves. Amid the prevailing poverty in the land, many have resorted to doing anything, no matter how weird, for wealth.
Miffed by this ugly trend, some traditionalists across the South-West have urged security agencies to clamp down on the people that claim to have the power to make others wealthy through the use of human parts for rituals.
The traditionalists insist that no Yoruba deity was recorded to have used human beings or parts of their bodies for wealth.
Recently, the Traditional Religion Worshippers Association in Oyo State said the current situation in Nigeria and Africa where youngsters exhibit tons of cash, jewelry, posh automobiles and other material wealth on social media, thereby inviting unsuspecting members of the public to subscribe to the same venture, is horrible and should be stamped out by the Federal Government.
The traditionalists claimed that the daily reports of killings and kidnappings for ritual purposes are traceable to the belief that wealth could be made by sacrificing human lives. Going into history, the Chairman and Secretary of the association, Messrs Adefabi Dasola and Fakayode Fatunde, said that the progenitors of Ifa oracle never claimed to have used human parts to seek prosperity.
The body added that Ifa adherents would rather call on Eledumare to bless whoever sought wealth through them and whenever appeasements were to be done, simple items like sugarcane, salt and banana among others, were used.They claimed that the general notion that ritual money is done by Ifa priests is not true, saying it is in the public domain that people of all religious leanings engage in it.
Regulatory bodies were also charged to censor Nigerian movies (Nollywood) that have contents projecting the use of human beings for money rituals, as according to them, the false projections have made unguided youths believe in the lies and engaged in money rituals, especially killings and selling of human body parts.
They said: “We are calling on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgent cause, clamp down on Nigerians proclaiming to have the power of wealth through rituals on social media and other platforms, they should be brought to justice. We are the butt of ridicule all over the world today because those in power have failed to be proactive against this horrendous development.
“The world no longer has respect for our traditions, they think we are all guilty of human rituals, no history of Africa or Yoruba gave credence to wealth by using humans for rituals.
“We should lay much of the blame on the doorsteps of our leaders in the society, their display of wealth in the face of widespread poverty, where the majority of youths are jobless and what belongs to the people is kept in the hands of a few, they are the major cause.“We have to, therefore, set the record straight that the Ifa oracle does not support the use of human parts to make wealth. Prayers can be offered for an individual who is engaged in a job for him to be prosperous; no Ifa adherent will do that.
“Our government went after Twitter the other time, for whatever reason, they claimed the platform was banned; but today, TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms are being used by these people to escalate the rate of killings in our society as our young ones now believe it is easier to access wealth through rituals with human parts than doing diligent work.
“We call on the government to quickly work alongside the owners of the social media platforms to either ban those exhibiting such horrible contents on the platforms or make it impossible to upload such.
“We also call on all religious bodies to start working on mental reorientation of their congregations; no human society survives the slope we are descending, a stitch in time, saves nine.”
Set up campaigns against ritual killing
The traditionalists, however, urged Nigerians to step up the campaign against ritual killing, which they said has become a daily occurrence in the country.
The association said: “These criminal elements that they said were the ones fortifying armed robbers and engaged in ritual crimes are not our people, anybody can be a spiritual herbalist if he or she knows about herbs and spirituality, it doesn’t mean traditional worshippers are the culprits, ours is a religion, not a professional calling and this is reflected in the fact that Christian and Muslim clerics have also been apprehended in the course of committing these heinous crimes, does that make them our members?”
Ritual killings encouraged by spiritualists, not traditionalists — Elebuibon
In his contribution, a renowned Ifa priest and Araba of Osogbo, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon accused spiritualists of engaging in ritual killings, adding that it is not part of Yoruba culture and tradition.
Elebuibon said: “I have always said that ritual killing is not a teaching of traditional religion. In fact, it is also not part of Yoruba culture and tradition but an import from Nupe and Ghana during the old Yoruba Empire.
“Cultural mix eventually gave birth to the phenomenon in Yoruba land. Traditionally, what the Yoruba does is favour-seeking prowess known as Osole and Awure, aimed at attracting favours and customers to one’s businesses or work, but the killing of humans for ritual, especially, money-making ritual, is alien to our culture.
“Osole and Awure have roots in Ifa corpus, but killing for money cannot be found in any of the Ifa corpus. It, therefore, implies that people acquired knowledge through contact with culture or other traditions other than that of the Yoruba people.
“Hence, many of those involved in the act or encourage killings, cannot be Yoruba traditional religious practitioners. It could be Muslims, or Christians, who have acquired the knowledge or stumbled on documents relating to money-making rituals.”
Ritual killers are Muslims, Christians – Oba Isese Worldwide
On his part, the Oba Isese Worldwide, Ifarotimi Adifagbola Balogun, said those behind the nefarious act are Muslims and Christians, whom he said had infiltrated the traditionalists.While he stated that those perpetrating the crimes are not part of them, Balogun said a true traditionalist knows what is forbidden and abominable.
He said: “There is a difference between a Babalawo and an idol worshipper. People from the borrowed religions are the ones doing all these ritual killings. They don’t belong here. They are not traditionalists.
“Those people from the other side have ‘sneaked’ into alternate medicine, causing crises here and there. A Babalawo or an idol worshipper knows what is abominable and forbidden. They know what they should do and what they should not do. But these hanky-panky people have infiltrated us. As we are, we don’t go to the mosque, we are not Islamic clerics, and we don’t go to church. We face our religion, which is idolatry.
“When these ritual killers are arrested, the names you hear are like Musiliu, Yusuf, Daniel. You won’t hear the name of an idol worshipper. Nothing concerns traditionalists with killing or cutting people’s heads for ritual. We are clean and pure.”
They’re charlatans not traditionalists—Tutugbua of Akure
In his submission, the Tutugbua of Akureland, Chief Fayemi Akinyemi said: “It’s not true that traditionalists encourage money rituals, Ifa doesn’t encourage such abomination, those that engage in such are charlatans, and they are not our members at all. Wealth comes only from God and any other means is unacceptable.
“Although we have some who engage in such, I want to advise that if caught, they should also be killed and not spared.
“This would also stop bringing disrepute and shame to the traditionalists. Many are genuine, while the few, who engage in rituals and fortifying criminals, are just hungry and charlatans. We’re not murderers and we don’t encourage crime. Our conscience is clear.”
It’s a source of worry— Olori-Awo
Also speaking, the Olori-Awo of Obaile, Chief Oluwagbamigbe Fagoroyo expressed worry, saying: “It is a source of concern to the association.”Fagoroyo said: “In Akure North Council Area of Ondo State, we have mandated all members of the association to swear to an oath not to be involved in such atrocities and murderous activities. So, such heinous acts don’t happen here. We’ve discouraged it completely by swearing to the oath and our members know the consequences and repercussions.”
Traditionalists don’t engage in money rituals— Aare Isese
Similarly, the Aare Isese of Oyo State, Baale Omikunmi Egbeladi, said that there was nothing called ritual money in traditional religion, pointing out that “you can only engage in sacrifice to make your life better or more bearable whether you are disturbed by witchcraft or any kind of a spirit.”
Egbeladi said: “Even during the initiation, we always emphasize that there is nothing like ritual money. Face your work squarely. We are not after fame or money. If there is money to eat fine, if there is not, life continues.
“There is a difference between traditionalists and herbalists. Herbalists can be Christians or Muslims but we, traditionalists, are barred from going to church or mosque.”
In his contribution, an advocate of traditional religion, Yanju Adegboyega, said from time immemorial, traditionalists have never engaged in money ritual.
Adegboyega said: “A traditionalist will never ask for money from you. He will only tell you to talk to your Creator through the money and thereafter use his Opele to tell you what Ifa said about your future. He will never ask for anything from you.” Continue Reading
