Otuagasa Foundation Demand Probe of Christian Group over Alleged Osun-Osogbo Grove Sacrilege

The Otuagasa Foundation has called on security agencies to urgently investigate and arrest individuals allegedly involved in a sacrilegious act at the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove.

In a viral social media video some individuals dressed in white garments were seen praying at the Osun-Osogbo Grove.

The group, in a statement signed on Saturday by its founder, Babalawo Ogundeji Elebuibon condemned the act allegedly carried out by a Christian group, saying that such actions could trigger religious unrest if not urgently addressed.

Elebuibon called on the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Osun State and across the country to direct its members to desist from desecrating spiritual sites such as the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove.

According to Elebuibon, No one has the monopoly of violence, but for the sake of peace we have decided to thread this path, to call on security agencies, especially the police force to investigate and arrest the overzealous religious fanatics, bring them to book to curb future re-occurrence of the act.

“As traditionalists, we are matured enough accommodate and live in harmony with other religions and even allow anyone access the grove for spiritual cleansing for decades. Our maturity should not be taken for granted.

“We also call on those saddled with the responsibility of maintaining the sanctity of the grove, such as the Ataoja of Osogbo, Baba Olosun, Iya Olosun among others to not just look at the grove as a source of income alone but a sacred entity that should be conserve and protected from all form of abuse.

He said, “It is with deep sense of responsibility the Otuagasa foundation address an act of irresponsibility perpetrated by some persons under the guise of religion practice.

“It is already a public issue that some white garment Christians, God of White Calling for Souls Ministries, led by one Prophet Odedoyin Ezekiel, paid their way into the Osun-Osogbo grove to perpetrate what can be best described as an abomination and, maybe, with intent to provoke religious unrest in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

“The so called religious fanatics, having obtained ticket to access the sacred grove recorded video of themselves purportedly casting “spirit out of religious symbol” within the grove. This is an act of fanactism taken too far and if not properly addressed could trigger religious crisis in the peaceful town.

“Religion is a thing of the heart and salvation is personal, paying your way into a grove, which serves as a religion symbol for traditionalist globally is totally irresponsible and need to be investigated with a view to nipping such provocative act in the bud.

“The Osun-Osogbo sacred grove is not just a religion symbol but also a cultural and traditional heritage that exists for hundreds of years, hence, no one should be allowed to defile it and insult our collective identity in the name of strange religion,” he said.