Africa Walking Magazine: There is Worship in the City

In an urban-culture city of Lagos, inhabited by diverse worship and faith, Ijo Orunmila Adulawo Worldwide faithful worship with great testimonies, as they affirmed, there is worship in the city…

Lagos is one of Africa’s cosmopolitan cities and it is widely regarded a rat – race enclave.

Everything in Lagos is hot! Business, commerce, education, politics, accommodation, people and religion. Yes! Even religion.

It is often said, it takes the divine grace to survive in a city like Lagos. And that is why religion is sacrosanct!

The church of Ijo Orunmila Worldwide was founded in 1934 by the revered apostle and high priest Olorunfunmi Adebanjo Oshiga. Born in 1898, but lived and died in 1943 aged 45.

His life was brief, yet he left an established faith already for the faithful. Since the demise of Olorunfunmi Oshiga, the faith has grown in numbers with countless testimonies and appreciation of the Almighty from the faithful.

While some were born into the faith, others came through spiritual search for God’s presence.

Bosun Adetayo is a 19 year old undergraduate student in a Nigerian university. He is a proud faithful of Orunmila worship in the sprawling city of Lagos.

He is not alone in this devotion. Along with his sister and their mum, they join their uncle who is the parish head of Orunmila church known as solution temple in Somolu, one of the bludgeoning suburbs in cityto worship God through regular mass and programs. The somolu temple of the church is 55years old.

The testimonies abound from the spiritual head to the members of the church as they continue to give countless reasons for being part of a fruitful church.


Members at Solution Temple of Ijo Orunmila Adulawo Somolu

Prayers at the church of Orunmila Eji Elemere temple, mushin, Lagos

Chief Ifagbemi Adedotun Ifajobi- Supreme Leader/Chief priest- Ijo Orunmila Adulawo Worldwide

We have parishes, provinces, diocesan councils scattered all over the world. In Lagos, we have 9 to 10 parishes. In Ogun State, we have about 30 parishes. We have churches in Cotonou-Benin Republic, in Ghana likewise Porto Novo, California USA and other major cities of the world.

This church was founded in 1934 by Late Adebanjo Olorunfunmi Oshiga. He hailed from Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State.

My parents gave birth to me in this faith and I was reliably informed the church anchored the naming ceremony. Ever since, I have been part of the church movement.

Presently, I am the most high priest of the church worldwide. Our order of service is in line with the culture, tradition and the language of our people in Yoruba land.

We know among the people of black origin, there are many lost souls. The western civilization and incursion into our culture actually tampered with many of our cherished traditions and heritage.

Though they did so well by introducing western education into our society. Nevertheless, they shouldn’t have made to rubbish our culture, tradition and religion. All what God the Supreme Being gave us as gifts to relish have been tampered with by brainwashing our people.

Many have been deceived that God does not answer prayers through traditional worship.

Our destinies are different. Some have it hard while others have it so simple. When we realized fortuitous moments in our lives, we tend to look for solutions.

Traditional worship brings life. Our foundation is genuine. When it comes to giving names, chaotic moments arise when our people try to give name that are derived from traditional culture. Africans reject their traditional names, proclaiming evil. These are false assumptions.

In the beginning of creation, different religion thrived with no inhibitions. What is obtainable in traditional religion and worship are now being seen in western faith and denominations.

In Orunmila worship, there is healing and salvation. Check our broken homes and marriages today; they are the result of neglecting our traditional morals and family ties. We blame the devil for everything. The devil we know burrowed himself in Ijebu-Ekiti. Back here, the devil is used as an emissary. We want good business, grace and comfort; we send the devil to deliver.

I employ and appeal to everyone, let us go back to what we know. Our traditional worship shouldn’t be neglected every civilization has its foundation process.

The stakeholders in films, music and theatre have exploited our traditional worship for their career and personal gains, yet they are very far away from the worship. All of us in this Orunmila worship, we stand by this religion because we believe and have faith in it.

Ifa is universal. Ifa is the word. Our society today lives on pretenses and lies. Let’s go back to the root. We have sycophants all over the place. They sneak in and out. They always come for salvation here under cover.

African continent is going through tumultuous times but are we praying?

Africans should appreciate what they have. They should not go astray.

Ifa is the word and voice of God.

We are also appealing for a holiday for traditional worship.