As Nigeria continues to witness upsurge in rates of ritual killings, some Ifa priests have dissociated themselves from speculation that they are behind the menace.
The Ifa priests, who are under the umbrella of the Traditional Religion Worshippers’ Association of Osun State, said their religion does not support shedding human blood and neither do they ask anyone to kill in order to become wealthy.
The Nigeria Police had arrested some herbalists over possession of human parts. Also, some youths who had been nabbed in recent times concerning ritual killings had confessed that they were asked to fetch human parts for money ritual purposes by herbalists.
Meanwhile, the body said it is not involved in any act of ritual killing, noting that the tenets of the traditional religion are against such practice.
The Point reported on March 24, 2024, that residents discovered remains of a homeless woman on a vacant land behind some shops directly opposite Osogbo Local Government Secretariat after she was beheaded by some suspected ritualists.
The dastardly act was suspected to be the handiwork of ritualists who dumped her body after severing her head. It was gathered that the assailants also cut off her two hands.
The incident, however, caused fear among residents of the area.
Also, the Osun State Police Command had on Friday, April 19, 2024, arrested three suspected ritualists for luring a 45-year-old woman, Usman Aminat to Ibadan, capital of Oyo State where she was killed for ritual purposes.
Speaking on incessant reports of ritual killings, the President of TRWASO, Oluseyi Atanda, directed law enforcement agents to arrest and thoroughly investigate any individual caught engaging in the act, maintaining that ritual killing is alien to traditional religion and culture.
According to him, “Isese is not associated with ritual killings or money rituals. Anybody caught by law enforcement officers should be thoroughly investigated and, if guilty, be prosecuted accordingly. There is no verse of Ifa that prescribes money ritual and our fathers have said that money ritual is alien to our religion and culture.”
While urging young Nigerians to be hard working and do not fall for fraudsters who parade as Babalawo, Atanda said, “We enjoin our youths to be wary of the kind of friends they associate with as the present viral case is a clear association of greed, bad company, and borrowed culture as revealed in some viral videos. Olorisas are God-fearing and loving people and we must always be examples of true believers of God. Let us show by example.”
Warning traditional rulers against acts that could put the traditional institution and religion in disrepute, the Ifa priest noted that the Ifa oracle should be allowed to pick kings.
Emphasizing the importance of tradition in the selection of monarchs, Atanda, who called on the state government to allow the use of the Ifa system in the selection of traditional rulers, also urged that kingmakers be allowed to play their traditional role in the emergence of Obas
“Osun State Government is commended for attempting to correct some anomalies in the selection process of Obas, but we also advise that kingmakers should be allowed to play their traditional role while allowing the Ifa system of selection to prevail.
“Oba is a traditional title and any Prince who is not ready to embrace the tradition of our forefathers should not go near the throne. If he chooses to do so, let him go through the traditional Ipebi and he will be accepted. It is time to stop the trend of Obas who embarrass our cherished heritage,” he said.
