Most Nigerians are closet traditionalists

[Im The Truth]

Most Nigerians are closet traditionalists - Elebuibon
http://www.tribune.com.ng/19102007/weekend.html


Chief Ifayemi Ayinde Elebuibon

HE calls them the men “who have always stood by me and assist in putting my messages across to the public�.
This is true.

High Chief Ifayemi Ayinde Elebuibon, poet, dramatist and foremost apostle of ancient Yoruba traditional philosophy and religion has, indeed, enjoyed the goodwill of the media who have been showcasing his activities from the 1980s.

As evident in the newspaper cuttings displayed at the interactive session with reporters held as part of activities marking his 60th birthday which ended last Sunday in Osogbo, Osun State with a grand party, the media have really been invaluable co-sojourners in Elebuibon’s quest to propagate his theo-philosophy.

Samples: Michael Awoyinfa (now Mike Awoyinfa, Editor-in-Chief, Sun Newspapers) wrote an engaging piece titled “Africans of the Diaspora gather for Ifa festival� in the Sunday Concord of December 9, 1984. Segun Adelugba, in the Saturday Tribune of January 30, 1982, wrote “Ifa Olokun: NTA’s popular series�. Jahman Anikulapo, Editor, Guardian on Sunday, equally wrote a story entitled “African spiritualism for Brazil� in the September 6-12 edition of Lagos Life. Others like Sina Oladeinde, Editorial Page Editor, Nigerian Tribune, Yemi Ogunsola, Jare Ajayi, Segun Ajayi and several foreign reporters, have also written on the man who did not ‘see’ the inside of a school while growing up yet rose to become a visiting professor to several institutions across the world.

Little wonder that at the session with culture journalists held on the eve of the presentation of his new book, Ogofa Ewi, and his autobiography, the Akoda Awo of Osogbo and Atayese of Ido-Osun, spoke extensively with the reporters who engaged him on several issues. Excerpts:

How would you rate the level of your success in propagating Ifa and traditional religion generally?
We have recorded some achievements while I can also say we have not made significant progress.
I premise my assertion that we have made progress on the fact that in the 1960s when we just started telling people of the West about our religion and philosophy, they were at a crossroad; yet to decide on what to do. But when you go to the United States now, we have made significant progress. All the African-Americans who knew nothing about their past, culture and ancestry now do and several of them come to Africa and Nigeria to worship Orisa (god)and learn about Ifa. Many of them now speak Yoruba and even write books; they research into Ifa. So, we can say we have made progress there.

But we have not made significant progress here. People are still not very aware of the knowledge and beliefs of our fathers because of the received religions of Christianity and Islam. People have thus forgotten their roots.

In all countries I have been opportune to travel to, I realised that there is nothing as valuable as one’s own culture. Let’s take China as an example. Wherever is designated as China Town will have everything about Chinese culture and herbs. If a Chinese establishes a restaurant, he will have an altar somewhere showcasing his roots.

The same applies to the Indian who is a proud ambassador of his culture. Besides, Muslims and Christians are in India but they don’t disparage their roots and philosophy. The Japanese is the same. Anywhere you see a Japanese, he will speak his language fluently. If you happen to be in a work place where there are several Indians or Chinese, they usually gather to recite chants, what we call ofo (incantation) most afternoons.

Sadly, it is not the same here. We do not yet value our ancient philosophy and knowledge. Until we find ways of blending aspects of our culture into our everyday living, we may not progress. Even in our system of government, we have to introduce our culture.

What are you adherents of African traditional religion doing to make Nigerians aware of your existence because all your activities appear shrouded in secrecy?
Publicity is not part of traditional religion. Professor Wole Soyinka and I discussed the issue in Atlanta, that we should start publicising our activities. Publicity is embedded in the other two religions and that’s why Nigerians are more favourably disposed to them.

Then, most people that ought to be adherents of traditional religion have all gone to churches and mosques. But the truth is that most of them return to traditional religion when they have problems. In fact, majority of them are closet traditionalists. Until people stop being ashamed of the faith of their ancestors, we may not make headways.

What’s the relationship between traditional religion and traditional medicine?
There is no religion without its system of healing. If you assess Christianity, you’ll see it uses prayer and fasting in healing. Islam, too, has its systems. African traditional religion gave birth to traditional medicine. The white pap came out from the black pot, they are inseparable.

If you ask who started traditional medicine, it is Orunmila and Osanyin. And Orunmila is the head of all Orisas (gods) in Yoruba land. Osanyin, that is the patron of traditional healers, was a slave of Orunmila and it was Olodumare that gave Orunmila knowledge of herbs to heal people.

But some people claim they are traditional healers but are not adherents of traditional religion. The Awujale of Ijebu land, Oba Sikiru Adetona and I had a debate about this issue when he claimed Ifa is a vocation. But the fact is, part of it is a vocation, and it’s a religion.

Is there any relationship between you and the Babalawos (traditional healers) who are abroad, specifically those in Oyotunji, in the United States?
Everything over there originated from here. Oyotunji, Brazil and the Carribbean, everything originated from Yorubaland. The founder of Oyotunji, when he wanted to propitiate the Orisa (god), he came to Nigeria.

What we do most times is to educate them about what they don’t understand because they have taken aspects of our culture too; marriage, dressing, tribal marks and even kingship system.

We have a good relationship. When they have events there, they invite us and when we have functions, we also invite them.

You used to produce Ifa Olokun Asorodayo, a TV series. You also produced music albums, movies and books but you have been silent of late. What’s happening?
Times have changed and most organisations, TV stations included, have prioritised profit. Everything has been commercialised and we have been unable to get sponsors to partner with us.

Producing for TV requires big money. Before you assemble the cast and crew, write the script and begin the shoot, it takes time and money. But that’s not the most important thing. Getting a sponsor is the most important thing. If we can get sponsors, of course, we will produce different series.

It’s lack of sponsorship that has stopped us from producing Ifa Olokun like we used to do. What we now do is to extract episodes from it and turn it into home video and VCD for people who want it.

As for my songs and ewi, plans are afoot for us to have our own studio so that we can mass-produce our records for people to enjoy. We presently have a store in town where all our records are stored.

A word for your fans?
It’s a piece of advice and prayer for the Yoruba people: May we not get lost before we realise our folly. We should celebrate our culture; our food; clothing and language. We should particularly try to ensure that our children speak Yoruba language in the house because the family is the most basic unit of sociali-sation. When we imbibe the good parts of our culture into them, they will become better individuals when they grow up.