By Temidayo Akinsuyi Snr Correspondent, Lagos
Chief Promoter of Olokun Festival Foundation and National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Gani Adams, has said one of the reasons Nigeria has failed to successfully tackle the Boko Haram insurgency is because of lack of regard for the country’s rich traditional values and cultural heritage.
Speaking at the maiden edition of the 2014 Ajagunmale festival held in Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos, Adams said Nigeria is bedevilled with so many problems today because of the failure to accord the gods and deities their respectful place in the day-to-day affairs of our national life.
While adding that these gods and deities were the ones overseeing the affairs of human endeavours on earth before the coming of the western religion, he said many today have not only stopped worshipping the gods, but also say nasty things about them in their various places of worship.
“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 urge 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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