24/11/2025
In as much as one person’s evil deed cannot define an entire community, I strongly believe more Onísẹ̀ṣes must stand up and collectively condemn the actions of the few bad eggs among us. The man known as Abere Ifa, who is reportedly involved in the ritual killing that claimed the life of an FRSC woman and her child, was said to have been appearing on TikTok Live, brandishing afose and other items. Pictures have also surfaced of him participating in Ifá initiations with people.
We have many of such characters on social media today, individuals who go on TikTok to sell false hopes and deceive the public. Unfortunately, many people already have negative assumptions about us Onísẹ̀ṣes. So when these bad eggs commit atrocities, it places all of us in a difficult position. Law enforcement agents then find it easy to profile and harass innocent practitioners due to stereotypes. Religious bigots, who already dislike Isese, take such incidents as justification to label all Onísẹ̀ṣes as ritualists. And a government that barely acknowledges us will continue to see us as primitive and destructive.
When issues like this arise, we need our thought leaders, influencers, and especially bodies like ICIR and ICIOS to speak up, condemn these individuals, and dissociate Isese from their crimes. Speaking up may seem insignificant, but when push comes to shove, the government will ask whether our regulatory bodies responded. Considering that we have been clamoring for acceptance and equal rights, these are the moments they will use to judge us.
May Ifá lead us through
Ire O!
©Afomo Isese
