Paganism And The Hypocrisy of Nigerians -By Kehinde Oluwatosin Babatunde

Kehinde Oluwatosin Babatunde

Nigeria is a deeply fetish nation, forget the monopoly of the other two major faiths, the serpentine lengths of cars parked along these big worship centres or the drove of garb wearing Muslim faithfuls commuting for Sunday morning ‘Àsàlátù.’ A cursory look at any T-junction at least in the south west is a brazen sight of propitiatory offal provided for the ‘Òsòròngà mothers to feast on, you might probably think such offering of sacrifices is an antiquated practice restricted to the crude villages of Abeokuta and Oyo, however Lagos for all its claim of urbanity has greeted my eyes at several times with an orotund portions of sacrifices even in the most exotic places.

Do I have a challenge with paganism? No! Nigeria is a secular state allowing the freedom of worship, however my anguish is the hypocrisy of Nigerians who openly aligns with the two popular faiths but openly deny paganism.

From Nigeria’s high office holders to her politicians to her musicians to her Civil servants , all benefit in one way or the other from the prebends that falls from the table of paganism. However in double standard prefer to go to church and mosque to share tales of pretend testimony.

Up till now, adherents of the two popular faiths have not stopped patronizing ‘Òsun’ the riverine goddess for children, only for them to give birth and deny the source of the gift. Nigerian politicians kill each other through the instruments of voodoo (If they decide not to use assassins), holders of big offices repress and oppress others from ever getting to their exotic positions through fetish powers, people in Government Civil Service pulverise each other’s seats to eliminate dissenting colleague through voodoo, musicians sing about God in heaven but makes wanton sales because they have submit themselves and their music to higher spiritual deities yet non of them admits he is an adherent of Ògún or Òbàtálá because it’s more fashionable to be called a Christian or a Muslim. Our adherence to faith isn’t about God but about the most popular movement. Of all the good and otherwise wroth through fetishism, Nigerians hardly admit openly to its efficacy, the adherents of pagan gods hardly get public holidays for their festivities yet the biggest patronisers is either a Christian or Muslim who only goes to church or mosque to be part of its popularity.

Paganism is a tragic victim of Nigeria’s knack for talking more than doing. I have encountered at many occasion the outright contravention of rules people initially defended with their blood.

We are a people who have devised myriad of ways to bail ourselves and always have our course, yet deceitfully chant “Na God” to everyone that cares to listen.

Alluding the things we brought into reality by our sheer forcefulness and insistence to God is one of the myriad of ways we have cheapened the personality and sovereignty of God.

Kehinde Oluwatosin Babatunde is a prolific writer and public speaker based in Lagos.
Email: Kehindeobabatunde@gmail.com