THE HISTORY YORUBA OF PROJECT NIGERIA MUST NOT FORGET - TRADITIONAL YORUBA RELIGION WAS A NATION BUILDER - By - Erelu Tunwase Of ODE-REMO Lest We Forget - three words renown across most countries to show remembrance of those who have fought, and those who have died fighting for freedom. It means that the world will never forget. In Britain and Canada they honour the day by wearing poppies, a flower that bloomed throughout the fields of battle grounds in France and Belgium during World War I. Erelu says Lest we forget ODUDUWA fought for the freedom of OMOLUABI PEOPLE known as YORUBA. According to the English dictionary the word RELIGION is the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.a particular system of faith and worship, or a pursuit or interest followed with great devotion Another school of thought suggests that a religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence Many religions are said to have have narratives, symbols, and sacred histories that are intended to explain the meaning of life and/or to explain the origin of life or the Universe. From their beliefs about the cosmos and human nature, people derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle. According to some estimates, there are roughly 4,200 religions in the world. Many religions may have organized behaviors, clergy, a definition of what constitutes adherence or membership, holy places, and scriptures. The practice of a religion may also include rituals, sermons, commemoration or veneration of a deity, gods or goddesses, sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trance, initiations, funerary services, matrimonial services, meditation, prayer, music, art, dance, public service or other aspects of human culture. Religions may also contain mythology. The latter confirms that YORUBA PEOPLE have RELIGION(S). I say religion(s) because YORUBA PEOPLE would describe themselves as ORISA WORSHIPPERS ( Sango, Yemoja, Obatala,Oya, Ogun, Orisa OKO, OSOSI, etc.or IFA worshippers). ALL THE ORISA ARE SPIRITUAL MENTORS. I have always argued that the word ORISA does not mean god. The Ancient Yoruba did not call ORISA a god. Interesting enough there are not many worshippers of ODUDUWA. the ancestral father of all YORUBA KINGS. Oduduwa is believed to have had several sons (16 in number) who later became powerful traditional rulers of Yoruba land, most notably Alafin of Oyo, Oni of Ife, Oragun of Ila, Owa of Ilesha, Alake of Abeokuta and Osemawe of Ondo.A Yoruba traditional belief suggests that Oduduwa fled from Mecca to Ile-Ife, bringing with him the Ifa religion which was under persecution in Mecca. He established it firmly in Ile-Ife and founded the Ogboni cult to protect the ancient customs and institutions of his people. The Oduduwa shrine is still worshipped today in Ile-Ife as the cradle of Yoruba culture. NO ORISA can exclude IFA the quiet still voice which guided ODUDUWA - THE ANCIENT ANCESTOR OF YORUBA PEOPLE and all known ORISA of Yoruba Land... A BELIEF IN ANCIENT ANCESTORS AS GUIDED BY IFA IS THE YORUBA RELIGION. We need to in the history Of Yoruba and all other African Traditional Religion carry out a historical evaluation of the role of Yoruba religion in African History. Until Islam and Christianity made in roads, Yoruba traditional religious systems permeated every aspect of Yoruba People and Yoruba land. And even today they remain the beliefs of a significant majority, that cannot be ignored. They remain as source of moral and a set of principles underlying the values of many who no longer acknowledge devotion to the TRADITIONAL YORUBA RELIGION. Even more than Islam and Christanity the day to day life of the indvidual, the family, clan town or ethnic group was governed and is still governed by the goodwill of the ANCESTORS, the wishes of our SPIRITUAL MENTORS which many mistakenly refer to as gods.. The fabric of the society was established as directed by THE ORACLES OF IFA. The ability of the people and the traditional priests to pacify the ancestors through worship, devotion, and sacrifices to avert evil remains. In the past at birth they were responsible for safe delivery implored to keep death, sickness and other evils away, and to facilitate good fortune to the child the parents family and kindred. No major matters like journeys marriage contractual agreements or litigation were undertaking without seeking the direction of the ANCIENT ANCESTORS AND MENTORS. When someone passed away they are deemed to have joined the ANCIENT ANCESTORS. As the deceased joined the ancestors the funeral rites assured them of a safe journey to the unknown land and implored goodwill to those they were leaving behind. As with individual so with the family, town village or group. The ANCESTORS were called to guide and witness all major events like war new settlements choice of new leaders an so on. The Ancestors were the sources of the land and property for which they deserved constant honour and veneration. Justice was dispensed in their names. The loss of their goodwill were the most effective sanctions. So important was the role of the ANCIENT ANCESTRAL YORUBA WAY in our society that one can hardly think of the IJEBU without AGEMO NUpe without IGUNNU OYO without EGUNGUN. An assessment of the role of the ANCIENT ANCESTRAL WAY in the historical development of Yoruba land MUST BE AN ASPECT OF YORUBA HISTORY. Yoruba Tradition was involved in STATE FORMATION and NATION BUILDING.
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 13:46:50 +0000
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