• Urge FG to clamp down on those projecting achieving wealth through rituals
In light of the recent upsurge in reported cases of ritual practice, traditional religion worshippers have stated that the Ifa oracle does not support the use of human parts to make wealth.
This is as they stressed that no Yoruba deity was recorded to have used human beings or parts of their bodies for wealth.
The Traditional Religion Worshippers Association, Oyo State Branch, stated this in a statement, on Tuesday, in addressing notions that Ifa priests were behind people doing rituals for money.
As contained in a statement signed by its Chairman, Adefabi Dasola and Secretary, Fayemi Fakayode, the association held that the progenitors of Ifa oracle never claimed to have used human parts to seek prosperity.
The body held that Ifa adherents would rather call on ‘Eledumare’ to bless whoever that sought wealth through them and whenever appeasements were to be done, simple items like sugarcane, salt, banana among others were used.
The traditional worshippers said the upsurge in people using human parts for money rituals might not be unconnected with people using social media to display tons of cash, jewellery, posh automobiles and other material wealth.
This they noted was an avenue used to entice members of the public to take to horrible ventures to live such displayed posh lives.
The statement read: “We have to therefore put the record straight that 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.
“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 through the use of 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 the what belongs to the people are kept in the hands of a few, they are the major cause.”
Describing money rituals as an insult to African tradition, the Ifa priests called on parents, religious bodies, well-meaning individuals in the society to campaign against killing for rituals and horrible crave for wealth.
Also, the Ifa priests called on regulatory bodies to censor Nigerian movies (Nollywood) that project the use of human beings for money rituals.
According to them, such projections push unguided youths to believe in money rituals, especially killings people and selling of human body parts.
The traditional worshippers charged the federal government to clamp down on the people that claim to have the power to enrich others to become wealthy through the use of human parts for rituals, saying that no Yoruba deity was recorded to have used human beings or parts of their bodies for wealth.
“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.
“Our government went after Twitter the other time for whatever reason they claimed the platform was banned for.
“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 totally impossible for the upload of 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 nip in time, saves nine.”
