Debo Adeniran |
Prof Sophie Oluwole |
Segun-olusola |
Gani Adams |
Contrary to the belief in many
quarters that the Yoruba self-determination group, Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC)
is solely about idol worshipping, its National Co-ordinator, Otunba Gani Adams
has revealed that the organization recognizes the supremacy of God Almighty.
No wonder, Olokun Foundation Festival, which
is an offshoot of OPC which has Otunba Gani Adams as it's Chief Promoter,
devoted the whole month of March, 2011 to celebrate 'Eledumare' (God Almighty).
The 21-day event started with
Muslim, Christian and traditional prayers on Saturday March 3 and ended with a
special programme on Friday 30th March at an open field beside Ifako-Ijaiye General
Hospital in Lagos . In his characteristic manner, Otunba
Gani Adams welcomed the guests with a background of the event.
According to him, 'Eledumare is
the mystery of our spirituality. We believe he was not made, that he made all
things including the earth and heaven and everything residing inside and
outside them. We believe that Eledumare made death. It is a tool of supremacy
of Eledumare. No matter how good or bad anyone may be, no matter how rich or
poor anyone may be, death is inevitable-it will surely come.”
The festival, he said is a
veritable platform to show the world that OPC believes in God that they believe
in 'Eleda' 'our creator. I am saying this today because many people believe
that those who are committed to cultural values and heritage are rarely
spiritual towards God. Those people are either ignorant or mischievous about
the truth that there are indeed different ways of identifying and venerating
God among tribes and religions,” he said.
Gani Adams emphasized that the
last 21 days of the Eledumare Festival have been filled with life-changing
programmes in honour of the Almighty. “Truly, the experiences of the last three
weeks have confirmed our position that Eledumare is indeed the benevolent God,
the 'Eleburuike,' who would bring water out of stone in order to ensure that
his children have water to drink. We shall forever be grateful to him for
ensuring the success of the festival,” he stressed.
He added that Olokun Foundation
started with the idols, but that it is now promoting God, the creator and said
that people should not see his group as promoting evil. He explained that all
the things created by God were meant for the use of man and that all what OPC
and Olokun have been doing was to promote culture and create respect for Yoruba
heritage as 'UNESCO recognizes many heritage, China recognizes more than seven
heritages, and in Nigeria, three heritages are recognized such as Arugungun,
Ifa and Osun Osogbo.'
“What we are doing today does not
have any ulterior motive about any religion, it does not reflect any religion.
All what we are doing today is the promotion of our heritage, which culminated
in Eledumare Festival. What we are doing does not concern any religion. We
practice Islam, Christian and traditional religions. We are not saying any of
them is the best way to communicate with God; all the three are the best ways
to talk to God. When you go to Asia, you see the Buddhist, when you go to India , you see the Hindus, when you go to Israel , you see
Judaism, there is Eckankar, a lot of religions all over the world,” he stated.
The guest lecturer, Professor
Charles Adenrele Alade, who spoke on the topic, “The Essence of Olodumare To
Humanity,” said that the Yoruba as well as the Edo
have a myth which shows that in all things, God is unique.
“They have it that in the
timeless prehistory, there was no land, everything was water. And Olokun was
the god of the sea which covered the space below. But the time came when the
solid earth was created on Olokun's domain by the Supreme Being. For this,
Olokun was angry and felt humiliated. He decided to destroy the earth by
inundating it. However, the Supreme Deity sent Orunmila, the oracle of
divinity, to thwart the attempt of Olokun to reclaim his territory. But this did
not end the conflict between Olokun and the Supreme Deity. Olokun began to
consider the ways in which he might humiliate or outwit God seeing that His
power had proved to be greater than his own. At last, he saw a means in his
great power as a weaver and dyer. He had an array of adorable habiliments, and
in these he believed that he had excelled all the divinities and the Supreme
Deity Himself,” he lectured.
He affirmed that the Yoruba
describe God as Qba Orun or Olofin Orun
“the king in heaven”. As king, he
said, God is also regarded as the sovereign ruler of the universe. And since God is all-powerful, people believe
that he rules and controls the universe absolutely in His almightiness.
“Also as King, God is believed to
be the Father of all. He is a Person, like a Father. There is nothing that He
cannot do. The Yoruba call Him: Oba Asekonmaku, meaning “The king who does his
work to perfection,” he said.
He said further that God is
Omnipotent, God is judge, God immortal, God is Transcendent. “The transcendence
of God has led many foreign writers to conclude erroneously that God is too
remote and has nothing to do with human affairs. To the African peoples, the
transcendence and immanence of God are two divine attributes that are
paradoxically complementary,” he stated.
Cultural troops as well as
entertainers added colour to the ceremony, which was graced by dignitaries from
all walks of life including Ambassador Segun Olusola, Professor Sophie Oluwole,
Comrade Debo Adeniran, Comrade Ayodele Akele, several monarchs and Bashorun of
Oyo, who represented Alaafin of Oyo, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adeyemi Lamidi.