Adebayo Adenrele
The International Council for Ifa Religion (ICIR) has said that no fewer than three hundred and fifty million people within six continents of the world are harden believers in “Ifa” deity and choose it as religion.
The National President of ICIR, Dr Sholagbade Popoola, spoke in Ado-Ekiti at the weekend while declaring opened the maiden edition of the World Ifa Festival Conference, tagged: “Oke Igeti festival 2023” held in Ekiti State.
He explained that his members who were up to three hundred and fifty millions were spread across all countries of the world including some notable traditional rulers.
He explained that the aim of the conference targeted towards rejuvenate among members and move closer to the gods they served.
Speaking on the theme of the conference entitled: ”That We May Not Forget” the ICIR National President said during the pilgrimage as part of the activities of the conference, traditional worshipers in their hundred would visits some traditional shrines in Erinjiyan, Ijelu, Ipole-Iloro and Ire-Ekiti in Oye and Ekiti West local government areas of the State respectively.
Similarly, in a lecture delivered as part of the conference, a Senior Lecturer at the department of Linguistics and African Languages, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Dr (Mrs) Adeola Ifaleye, dwelled more on the need for the people to promote the culture and traditions of the Yoruba race.
Lamenting over what she described as the culture, norms and value of the Yoruba extraction going into oblivion and extinction, Ifaleye called on the traditional worshipers to continue in their relentless efforts in propagating the traditional religion, argued that its only through this, culture and traditions of the Yoruba’s would be more popular.
Speaking on what she called societal norms in Nigeria today, the OAU Senior Lecturer, explained that lackadaisical attitude of some parents who she said have failed in their bids to inculcate good moral attitude on their wards.
Other points mentioned by her are lack of proper consultation from “Ifa corpus on any action to be taken concerning their life, as well as lack of proper care to some observations in life among others.
She quoted several “Ifa divination to support her claims, described Ifa religion as one of the best, called on the traditional worshipers to intensify more efforts at promoting the religion.”
The programme held at the Royal Hall located within the palace of Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, was attended by traditional rulers within and outside Ekiti State as well as traditional worshipers from various parts country among others.
