According to them, this will curb the misappropriation of public funds as it is believed that the god of iron’s wrath comes swiftly.
Adherents of traditional religion have called on the Nigerian government to adopt Ogun, the god of iron, to swear in all elective and appointed office holders instead of the tradition of using the Bible and the Qur’an.
According to them, this will curb the misappropriation of public funds as it is believed that the god of iron’s wrath comes swiftly.
This comes as Nigeria prepares for May 29 inauguration day when the ‘President-elect’, Bola Tinubu, ‘Vice President-elect’, Kashim Shettima, governors-elect and others will be sworn into office.
According to The PUNCH, they made this call during a press conference held at Osemeji Temple in Ibadan, Oyo State, to announce the 2023 world annual Ifa festival.
“We have contributed and are still contributing to the development of our nation. The problem we are facing in Nigeria is our people at the helm of affairs because they are not honest, and that’s what is affecting us,” Jagunmolu Awo Agbaye, Dr. Fayemi Fakayode, said.
“If we can decide to be swearing in political office holders, either elective or appointed officers, in traditional ways or through the god of iron, things will be better and they will stop embezzling our money because they know the immediate consequence of their action. Even in the judiciary, the judges too will give fair hearing and judgement.”
They urged the federal, state and local governments to give them the same honour accorded Muslims and Christians, arguing that as adherents of traditional religion, they are “entitled to all the things the other two religions enjoy in Nigeria.”
Others who spoke included the Araba (Olu Isese) Agbaye, His Eminence, Awodotun Aworeni; Araba/Olu Isese of Ibadanland, High Chief Ifalare Odegbola; Araba/Oluwo of Oyo, High Chief Faleye Kusaanu and Araba of Oka Akoko of Ondo State, Chief Adewale Oso.