By Isioma Madike and Tosin Makanjuola
“They should move out of the South-West immediately because they don’t have anywhere to stay in the zone. The South-West will not be convenient for them”. Those were the words of the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, while speaking on the recent tragedy, in which 36 cows were killed in Ijare community, Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State.
He added: “We thank God that the Inspector General of Police and the federal government have taken the security of south west more seriously because they understand the economic and political implication of it. So, I think from the IGP response they are not living any stone untouched so the collaboration will start practically maybe next week or in two weeks.
“I spoke with the CP and they said they would not leave any stone untouched because they are more serious about the matter.
They have bought vehicles and machine to start their own arrangement too, so by the time we harmonize the two, definitely the criminals will not have a place to live, and we are serving them notice to leave south west even Nigeria because I know that what we are doing in South West will be a good example for other regions to follow.”
Warning that the sad oc- currence is just a tip of the iceberg and a caution to herdsmen and other livestock shepherds, who are in the habit of straying into farmlands in the South West, the generalissimo of the Yoruba nation said there are bound to be more of such consequences if ‘foreigners’ do not desist from desecrating sacred land. Explaining that the mysterious death of the cows shows that the deities in Yorubaland are still alive to their responsibilities, Iba Adams said it is quite unfortunate that many people had forgotten their tradition.
“Because we have abandoned out traditions, that is one of the reasons we are having the problems we are facing in Yorubaland. During the Oyo Empire, we normally use our deities to conquer wars but it is quite unfortunate that our people did not know the difference between tradition, culture and religion”, he said. Insisting that the recent calamity that befell a cattlerearing group in the agrarian community was as a result of the desecration of a sacred place, Aare Adams argued that thunder and lightning are part of the secret powers of the Yoruba race, and that their efficacies are still very potent.
He also warned communities that refuse to practice their traditional faith and fail to worship their deities that they may not have the same instant reaction as that of Ijare because the divinities in such areas may be slow in reacting to desecrations, owing to their neglect by the people. However, he agreed that such powers are not limited to the Yoruba race, noting that there are many of such places, with such mysterious powers all over the world, giving examples of Brazil, Mexico, and countries in the Caribbean, Africa and elsewhere.
“What happen there was as a result of the sacred place, which must not be touched, unless by the kings of that community and some members of spiritual groups in the community. When the cows passed, the thunder struck and killed the cows.
So, it is part of the secret powers in Yorubaland. “But for communities that do not grease its own, they may not react at the right time. We have many sacred places in Yorubaland that our community leaders and the rulers have abandoned.
In the whole world, God give every human being and each community, the power to react at the right time. “It is not peculiar to Yoruba race only and you have seen different things that happened all over the world. Even the hurricane, they investigated it and said that some were caused spiritually by human beings. A lot has happened in Yorubaland, when you want to write what has happened, Yoruba is enriched and it has been in existence for the past 8500 years.
He further advised Yoruba monarchs and the masses to pursue their tradition beliefs irrespective of the religion they practice so as to forestall problems in the near future, even as he noted that tradition could be used in fighting crime and reduce ills of the society.
“I will just advise our royal fathers and the people that no matter how we practice Christianity and Islam, we should not overlook our tradition. What binds Yorubas together is our tradition; the only respected sector of the Yoruba now is the tradition. If Yoruba stop our tradition, definitely there would be problem. “We will have more recog-nition and more prosperity if we uphold our tradition and cherish it.
We can use tradition to fight crime, if you consult what you have in your community and pray against crime, I can tell you authoritatively that if it is not totally eradicated, it will reduce. “As it is said, Heaven helps those who help themselves. If the deities and their intermediaries are in a Yoruba palace, they will intercede between man and God.
In Christianity, they pray through Jesus Christ to God but in Yoruba tradition, they believe that you pray through the deities to God.
“Since 8500 years ago, they have existed, before the coming of Christianity in 1864 to Yorubaland, so, Yoruba believe that if they have a security threat, they will go through all the deities in the community and report the incident to them. Once the necessary rites are performed, I can assure you that, if not 100 per cent, at least 86 per cent of the situation would be under control”, he noted.
