Prominent ifa priest, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon in this
interview with FEMI MAKINDE shares his experiences
as a traditional priest
Which schools did you attend?
I did not attend any formal school. I had all my
education at home. Many people erroneously believe
that you can’t be educated until you go to school. I
did not step into any classroom to be taught
anything. I learnt Ifa at home and I learnt reading and
writing also at home
How long did you spend to learn Ifa?
I started learning from my father at the age of four.
My father later gave me out to another priest who
taught me. I stayed there for 10 years and six
months. After that, I started learning from my father’s
colleagues at different locations. I moved from Ilobu
to Ede, Ibadan and Oyo to add to my knowledge of
Ifa. Ifa knowledge is extended, so you continue to
learn until you are dead.
Why have you not renounced Ifa worship in this age
when many are being converted to Christianity and
Islam?
Despite that many are being converted to these
foreign religions, we still have some people who are
embracing Ifa here in Nigeria and even abroad. This is
because the knowledge of Ifa is spreading wide.
Before, very many people didn’t know what Ifa was
all about. Those who brought these foreign religions
tried hard to rubbish Ifa and they painted it black to
make our people accept their religions. Many people
are afraid of traditional religion and they were not
proud to associate with African Traditional Religion.
But now some of those who attend churches and
mosques are now embracing African Traditional
Religion. More people are now being initiated in this
religion. Lots of Europeans and Americans are coming
to be initiated into Ifa worship. Some people came
from United Kingdom recently to be initiated into it.
This is what early missionaries rubbished to have
their religions spread to us but I am happy that their
offsprings are now coming to embrace it.
How do you feel when people equate Ifa with evil?
The early missionaries started this. They brought
civilisation and started calling Babalawo witchdoctor
and painted them black to scare away people from
them. But now, nobody calls Babalawo a witch doctor
anymore. Babalawo is an Ifa priest, just like you have
priests in churches and Muslim clerics in mosques.
People still link occurrence of bad things to
Babalawo, maybe due to what is shown in home
vidoes. How do you feel when this happens?
This is an erroneous belief of Babalawo and Ifa.
Babalawos are not responsible for evil happenings.
They are the ones who shed light on things which
are not right. It is wrong to say that Babalawos are
the ones responsible for bad things. We will continue
to enlighten people about it. They are the ones
putting right what the evil ones have made crooked.
For example, when there is no rain or there is famine,
people consult Ifa through Babalawo and these
problems are always solved. So, Ifa is not wicked like
they want many to believe. All those involved in acts
of wickedness are not Babalawos because no
Babalawo will engage in any evil act.
Apart from Nigerians, do you have foreigners
consulting Ifa through you?
As I said earlier, some of those who consult me are
based abroad. They make telephone calls almost
everyday. They send e-mails to me asking me to
consult for them and to prepare sacrifices and to do
other things for them. I have a lot of clients abroad.
How do you react to negative things associated with
traditional religion, especially in Nollywoood videos?
When you are talking about Nollywoood, you will
realise that a good number of those who write their
scripts don’t have a good knowledge of Yoruba
culture. A lot of them disappoint us because they are
misleading many who watch the films. But take a look
at the works of Prof. Akinwumi Ishola, Prof. Wole
Soyinka, Adebayo Faleti and others, you will discover
that their works are different from all these because
they know what Yoruba culture is about and they
promote this in their works. But some of the
Nollywood script writers and producers don’t know
much about Yoruba culture.
Christianity and Islam do have converts; do you have
those you have converted from other religions to
traditional religion?
Yes, we do have people who were Muslims and
Christians and were converted to traditional religion.
They are now coming back to the religion of their
forefathers. You remember that the early missionaries
converted our fathers from traditional religion to
Christianity and Islam but some are now retracing
their steps. They are coming back to the religion of
their forebears. All families in Yoruba land have one
orisa they worship or another. Anyone who says
anything contrary is either telling lies or doesn’t
know.
What do you use to convert them?
Some who had one problem or another which could
not be solved in the church or in the mosque get
automatically converted when they find cure in the
traditional way. They do refer some to us from
churches and mosques. Some of them whose cases
have no solution even with orthodox medicine or
through prayers in church or mosque are advised to
come back to their roots. When those come and find
solutions, it is not difficult to convert them. There are
prophets who tell their members to go back to their
families and appease the gods their ancestors
worshipped. They come back, a lot of aladura (white
garment church ) have been doing that. A lot of
Muslim clerics have been doing that also. Some of
those Muslim clerics use Koran to deceive their
followers while they practise traditional religion in
secret. They know a lot of herbs and other things we
do. That is the way it is.
Is there any rite to be performed on anyone who
wants to be converted to traditional religion?
There are rites to be performed on such persons.
Such person will be initiated. We will find out the Odu
that gave birth to him. We will find out this through
divination.
Have you killed anybody with your charms before?
Why will I kill anybody? I don’t do that, I have never
killed anybody and I will never kill. You see, Babalawo
don’t kill. Although Babalawo have an immense
power, they are capable of doing so many things but
killing is against the rules in this religion. There are
things that are forbidden here. It is wrong to blame
killings on the doorstep of Babalawo. Those involved
in killing may be oloogun-ika (wicked people)
Babalawo are priests, just like you have Catholic
priests, Imams. We don’t use Ifa divination and
sacrifice to kill. Sacrifices are offered for atonement,
for healing of diverse diseases and ailments. But all
the religions have some parts they can use to do evil
things. There are portions like that used by some
wicked Muslims and also the Seven Books of Moses
are used by some Christians to do evil. All the
religions have positive and their negatives uses.
But will you kill if Ifa asks you to kill anybody?
I have never killed and I am not going to kill. Ifa will
never ask you to kill anybody. Some people want to
kill when they believe somebody is blocking their
progress. But there are many ways to make yourself
unstoppable rather than seeking to kill those blocking
you. I have had a lot of obstacles in life but what I do
is to consult Ifa and ask it to help me to overcome
such hindrances.
Have you ever snatched anybody’s wife using your Ifa
knowledge or mysteries?
No. I have never done that. I married all my wives the
right way. I know what you mean; it is called ‘ape’ or
‘ohunfa’. For example, if you like a lady and want to
marry her but the lady does not want to marry you,
you use ‘ape’ to bring such lady to your side but I
have never done that or snatched anybody’s wife.
Have you ever been attacked by spirits or invincible
forces?
I have enemies and there is no doubt about that.
There is nobody who does not have enemies,
especially when one is successful. There will be envy
or jealousy and other things but what you need to do
is to offer prayers and you will be untouchable and
unstoppable. That is what I do. Back to your
question, demons or spirits have never attacked me.
Traditional religion believers are not always given
recognition in public functions, don’t you get annoyed
with this?
This happens from time to time but I don’t like to
argue in the public. There are many functions I attend
and while they ask Christians and Muslims to pray
according to their religions, traditional religion
believers are not recognised. I don’t get annoyed. I
just ignore it and keep quiet. I know that raising such
issues could lead to crisis and I don’t want that. I
know that those who do not recognise traditional
religion have limited knowledge. Some people don’t
want to hear anything about traditional religion and
this shows how limited their knowledge is. African
traditional religion believers are the most peaceful
people. We don’t fight the Christians and Muslims
who preach against our religion. We know that they
are all descendants of the gods and how do you
expect a father to be fighting against his children.
That is why we don’t fight them. They come even to
our houses and preach against our religion and abuse
us but we don’t fight them. They can’t take that
because they are not tolerant. But if anyone criticises
their religions, they cause a lot of trouble. Have you
ever seen any traditional believer go to any church
and fight them there?
Do you think Ifa can assist in curbing corruption that
has become endemic in Nigeria?
Corruption thrives in this country because our people
are afraid of the truth. They are afraid of African
Traditional Religion. Let political office holders and
others in public offices swear in the name of Ile
(earth). Some of them would say they are Christians
and Muslims and would not swear in the name of
Ogun ( god of iron) or Sango ( gods of thunder). I
agree with them but let everybody swear in the name
of Ile. We are all made from the soil and we would
return there. Let them swear in this name and you
would see that corruption would stop. It should be
used in the private sector as well. We will continue to
live with corruption unless we start doing this.
Corruption can’t stop with the way we are fighting it.
It will never stop except somebody would just
descend from heaven and kill everybody. We can’t
see any change going this way.
Can you recollect any occasion when you were saved
by Ifa?
There was a year I was invited to the University of
Ibadan for a programme. On the day of the
programme, I was set to go and I consulted Ifa to
know how the outing would turn out but it was
negative. I asked Ifa, “should I not go for the
programme? And it said, no don’t go.” So, I
cancelled the outing and stayed back indoors. The
following day, somebody came and brought a
newspaper and I read how those who attended the
programme were beaten and molested. I couldn’t
believe it; I had to fetch the invitation card to
ascertain that the programme I was invited to attend
was the one disrupted. I thanked Ifa because it saved
my life that day.
Do you have the power to disappear?
I don’t have that power called ‘egbe.’ Anybody who
has it can disappear. But this is not to say that I am
not protected. I have maximum protection, so I
cannot be harmed.
Do you think that you could one day be converted to
Islam or Christianity?
That one cannot happen. I have a deep understanding
of the Bible and Quran and I also have a good
understanding of Ifa but I cannot renounce Ifa.
Christians and Muslims scare people with hell fire but
I want you to listen to my CD on who will go to hell
fire. They say that you will go to hell fire if you are
not a Christian or a Muslim, but I am not afraid of hell
fire because I am not a wicked person. I know what
you can do that will take you to hell fire and I don’t
do such things. What will now pursue me to be
converted to Christianity or Islam? There is no
problem that Ifa cannot solve. A lot of Christians,
even pastors and Imams come to consult Ifa and use
Ifa to solve their problems. But because we believe in
fidelity, it is forbidden for me to start mentioning their
names. It is confidential just like medical doctors
don’t disclose the ailments of their patients to just
anybody. Pastors and imams come to me and I
prepare a lot of things for them. I use my Ifa
knowledge to solve their problems. So, how am I
supposed to go to them? Just this afternoon, a
leader of a church came here wearing a native dress,
you can’t know that he is a pastor but I know.
Do you take orthodox drugs ?
You don’t know me. I take hot pap with
‘agunmu’ (powdery dry herbs). I spent the last three
weeks in Europe and I missed my agunmu so much. I
use ‘agbo’ (concoction of herbs). I am almost 67
years old now and I have never slept in any hospital. I
only undergo medical checks and take vaccines
whenever I want to travel out of the country because
it is mandatory.
You travel abroad with your totems; have you ever
been embarrassed by security agents at the point of
entry into any country?
I travel often to the United States with my ‘opele’ and
I have never been troubled by anybody. They respect
your religious beliefs in America. They would ask you
if any strange object is found on you and it is your
duty to explain to them. A lot of white people come
here and I prepare ‘elegbara’ for them. They declare it
to security officials at airports and they allow them to
pass with the objects. One of my clients, a white man
called Obakunle Akinlana, came and I made elegbara
for him but they seized it from him at JFK Airport and
destroyed it. He sued them and he claimed damages
and he was paid. I have never been molested
because of my religious items but the only people
who give us serious headache are the animal rights
people. They don’t want you to kill animals even for
sacrifice. Anytime we want to kill animals for sacrifice
abroad, we would go to the basement and hide the
animals from people. There was an occasion in New
York about 12 years ago when we wanted to prepare
a sacrifice for a lady and she came with the animal we
wanted to use. I was staying on the third floor and we
went to the basement but the people on the street
saw her bring the animal into the house: they called
the police and informed the animal rights advocates.
They came and asked us about the animal but we
denied having any animal in our possession. They
searched everywhere and found the animal at the
basement and took it away. While they were
searching, people started gathering in front of our
house. There was a huge crowd and journalists from
various media organisations were also there. I don’t
know what they would have done to me if we had
slaughtered that animal before they arrived. Despite
the enforcement of animal rights, a lot of African
Traditional Religion believers go to court to take
permission to kill animals based on their religious
beliefs. Even Muslims in the United States go to a
certain place before they slaughter rams for Eid-el-
Kabir festivals. You can’t just slaughter animals in the
public.
But how would you feel if a law is made stopping
killing of animals?
That cannot happen here in Nigeria because it is
wrong. Killing animals for sacrifice, for entertainment
and others is part of our culture. Killing of animals
cannot be stopped here; such law would not work.
Killing of animals is not a sin.
How many of your children share the same religious
beliefs with you?
Maybe some of my daughters who are married to
Christians or Muslims may be following their
husbands in whatever they believe. But they all
respect traditional religion and we live harmoniously.
But this happens because wives must obey their
husbands. But there is nothing you can get from the
church or mosque that you can’t get from Ifa. Talk
about healing or anything, you get it.
Many believe that Ifa divination is an art of deceit. Do
you agree with this?
That is what the missionary made our people to
believe. They use everything to scare our people
away from the religion of their ancestors. They say
that traditional religion believers use human beings for
sacrifice but they have forgotten that there is no
religion without sacrifice. Jesus Christ used his blood
as sacrifice for Christians. Just last week, Muslims
slaughtered millions of animals to replace Ismail that
Ibrahim was supposed to kill. These foreigners use
blackmail and fear to lure away our people from their
religion to spread their own religions.
How do you react to the Isese Day declaration as a
public holiday in Osun State?
It is a very good decision. It is first of its kind. I give
kudos to the governor for doing that despite that he
is a staunch Muslim. I implore other governors in
Kwara, Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, Lagos, Ogun to also
emulate Aregbesola and declare Isese Day in their
states.
Punch
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