May 12, 2016 – Pastor Warns Against Daytime Oro Festival Celebration In Ikorodu Lagos
Pastors in Lagos have expressed concern over the restriction of the movement of certain persons during the celebration of the Oro festival in Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb.
Oro festival is an ancient Yoruba cultural celebration that prohibits the movement of persons, especially women, at night.
Monsignor Gabriel Osu, Director, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, condemned the act, saying that the celebration of the festival should be restricted to the midnight hours, when most persons were usually indoors.
“The Oro festival is usually celebrated at night; the celebrators should know that we are now living in modern times and that any cultural practice that is not in conformity with the mood of the times is anti-people and is not good.
“It’s high time government looks into such cultural practices because be it night or day, a festival is not designed to kill or frighten the people. It is meant to appease the gods, and should not be used against the spirit of the country’s unity,’’ Osu said.
But the spokesman, African Traditional Religion of Nigeria (AATREN), Mr Lekun Ajirotutu, however, noted that the celebration of the festival was the practice in most Yoruba towns.
“In most towns in Yoruba land, it is always in the night, not just in the night, but in the midnight hours that the festival is celebrated.
“Every town has its own traditions and the practice in the olden days was that the oracle was usually consulted whenever there was a problem in the land.
“When an unexpected thing happens, it is an unexpected sacrifice that is usually used to reverse it. That has been the tradition in Ikorodu since the ancient times,’’ he added.
The Oro festival was celebrated in Ikorodu, Lagos State, last Monday, during which females were confined indoors in the evening hours, as well as during the night.
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Total rubbish! Those kind of festivals that they usually use the opportunity to destroy, thief and kill human being and even frighten people are suppose to be in night around 1-3am so that them, their gods and spirit hovering around will really enjoy themselves alone without any normal human beings observing them.
Hmmm, just to avoid troubles, give what belong to Caesar to Caesar. We are in the modern day YES, but this is thier custom an believes let them have thier wishes, as long they don’t shed human bloods.
Wonder these people still carry out all this outdated rites in this modern era
@ sola olaniyi, ….outdated rites in this modern era. you say, do you know that other races practice their cultural ‘rites’ in this modern era?
here are some few examples for you:
Chinese New Year
Boryeong Mud Festival – South Korea
Burning Man – Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA
Magh Mela Festival India
Holi Festival, India
Mardi Gras, New Orleans, USA
Desert Festival of Jaisalmer, India
Pingxi Lantern Festival – Taiwan
Songkran Water Festival, Thailand
Dia de los muertos (Day of the Dead) – Mexico
Panafest, Ghana, Africa
Pingxi Lantern Festival – Taiwan
Halloween Festival of the Dead, Salem, Massachusetts
Hanukkah- jewish festival
just few examples. remember you can’t be someone else no matter how well you traveled or what level of education, you will find that you are not even accepted in other places, they just tolerate people mostly due to the law of the land or just for the sake of humanity. it is best to cherish what and who we are and make any improvement in light of current changes but not to discard our cultural custom and identity.
There is only one true God…My father that is high on his eternal throne. all these fake ass festivals or custom will bow to him
Is why I like say I be rastaman. Rastama is not do nonsens. Is not do wayo. Is not say make pipul or womens not wenting where they are wanted to wenting. Is biliv say everybody is equal to one. But see nonsens wey they are calling say culture. So if my wife was cook soop for me and is remember say she was not buy maggi, she no fit go to mayroad to my magi? Are they want make she cook nonsens for me?
Unfortunately those who champion such ostensibly outdated customs are those born in either christian or Muslim homes where such customs have no place.
Our main problem is disobedience, whether traditional law or constitutional law, before the white man came we have our customs and tradition which help to maintain peace. everyone abide by the law (traditional), but these days people think they are above even the constitutional laws.traditional religion is recognized in the constitution and every one have right to practice their religion. where are these so called pastors when the whole community is constantly being disturbed with noise day and night with so called crusade sometimes going on on for days; there is law against that is it not? but they choose to disrespect the law because they thing they above the law. This is mere attempt to gain more ground and push traditional religion into a corner because it will affect their bank balance.People have been adequately warned with advance notice regarding the festival and so should be planned with their routine, its not for ever! .All other races respect their culture Arabs , Jews, Indians, Pakistanis Russiians etc are doing well making impact on the world. there is limit to copy copy.
Dis rubbish satanic festival gat 2 be stoped..
I can’t see any benefit 4rm dis dirty practice rather than sorrow, destiny restiction and pains..
D way of Jesus christ z d only true way and life.
well spoken.
I THINK IT HIGH TIME TO USE DRONE TO BOMB ALL THESE SO CALLED OORO MY ASS SHRINE,OR WHEREVER THE TEMPLE IS LOCATED.BOMB AND BOMB , BUM BUM BUM BOMB LOUD BANG ,
I PRAY FOR TORNADO TO SCATTER THE FUCKING OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORO MY ASS.
BECAUSE DURING OORO FESTIVAL , MANY PEOPLE GET MISSING AND BURIED ALIVE UPSIDE DOWN, IN IGBO OORO. THIS IS TOTAL RUBBISH .
this unlawful cultural festival should be banned if its going to take place in the day time Lagos is a multicultural city not for the so called oro festival idiots alone. can this ORO bring good life to people of lagos ? stable electricity ? good roads ? employments ? the answer is NO so its totaly useless and meaningless