Chief Promoter of Olokun Festival Foundation and National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Gani Adams, believes Nigeria cannot successfully tackle the Boko Haram insurgency without invoking the gods of the land.
Speaking at the maiden edition of the 2014 Ajagunmale festival held in Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos, Adams said Nigeria was in a guagmire because it had neglected the gods and deities by failing to accord to them their respectful place.
Lamenting how Nigerians had relegated the gods since the coming of the western religion, the OPC leader also wondered why people say nasty things about deities in their various places of worship.
His words: “We cannot be using derogatory terms for our deities and expect that things will be normal.
“These are the emissaries who serve as intermediaries between humans and God before the coming of western religion. They are God’s administrators on earth.
“Before the coming of Islam and Christianity, traditional religion has been holding our system intact.
“But today, people say a lot of bad things about them and look those who are worshipping them with disdain”.
While calling for recognition and celebration of traditional festivals, Adams urged traditional rulers to dedicate more time and resources to the celebration of festivals and ensure the sustenance of the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba.
“That is one of the reason we are not getting things right today. Look at the issue of Boko Haram today.
“The fanaticism just came into our religion. They started burning churches. Now an organisation has sprung up and it is threatening the peaceful existence of our country.
“If care is not taken, with the modern religion in Yorubaland, something like that may happen”. .
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