Egbe Emere draws Diaspora Members for Annual Festival

By Omolola Okanlawon, Osogbo

Tourists and members of Egbe Emere Onitesiwaju descended on Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, for the society’s annual festival.

Members from Brazil, United Kingdom, United States of America joined their local counterparts to celebrate their Egbe Orun (heavenly mates),which form part of Yoruba spiritual beliefs.

Dr. Oluseyi Atanda, President of Traditional Worshippers, said people now accept the idea of heavenly mates more openly, calling on the government to use the festival and many other ancients ones as source of revenue,like they do with the famous Osun Osogbo festival.

“Nowadays, it seems people are having a better understanding of what it means to have a peer group — spiritual, heavenly mates. So, it’s one step after the other. Now that society is beginning to accept it, the next step will be for the government to look the other way and see it as a source of revenue generation and something to promote”.

The General Overseer, Priestess Oyelola Elebuibon explained that breaking cultural taboos usually bring unknown problems not witches.

She urged Nigerians that when they faced health challenges, they should first consult traditional priest and also seek advice from medical doctors.

“Taboo is the main factor causing many problems for people and not related to witches.

“The witches also have other things to do than destroy people’s lives. The reason why I said that if you noticed that you aren’t well, take care of yourself spiritually and physically by being healthy. Go to medical doctors because one of our colleagues did a workshop for us one time and he said that even when the witches are troubling you, you have to first do divination then you make rituals”.