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It was a momentous occasion in Osogbo, the Osun State capi- tal when recently Ile Ijuba Idin Ileke (Temple) was inaugurated in one of the rural communities. Located at Atelewo, Olugun area Osogbo, the temple witnessed pomp and celebration as it was filled to the brim, spilling over to the outside, with hundreds of Ifa priests and worshipers, who came from within and outside Nigeria. The edifice, which is to serve as a place of weekly worship and other ceremonies for the adherents of different deities, has a hall, with solar panels and designated places for placing atonemen.

For these traditional worshipers, Western religion didn’t teach them how to worship. According to their narrative, the Yoruba people of South Western Nigeria adherents of the Orisa religion, where ‘Orisa’ refers to divine being with unique attributes and responsibilities. Unfortunately, the term ‘Orisa’ has often been misunderstood and misinterpreted by Western culture and other imported religions’ adherents.



According to the followers and worshippers of Orisa, ‘‘in Yoruba tradition, Orisa are revered as a ministers of Olodumare (God), with each deity serving a specific role in cosmic order: Ogun, the Minister of Justice and Technology; Obatala, an arch divinity; Elegbara, the law enforcement agent; Orunmila, the one who ensures safety and bears witness to all fate known as ‘heaven knows who shall be saved’. For renowned Ifa priest, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon, who is based in Osogbo, these.

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