Some renowned Ifa priests have urged the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, to appease the gods following the incessant suicidal deaths on the popular Third Mainland Bridge in the state.
This is coming after a medical doctor, Allwell Orji, jumped into the Lagos Lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge last Sunday after he ordered his driver, who was conveying him to Lagos Island in his Sport Utility Vehicle to stop following a phone call he received.
Just yesterday, the Lagos State Police Command rescued a woman identified as Taiwo Titilayo Momoh, who attempted to jump into the Lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge. http://dailypost.ng/2017/03/24/police-rescues-woman-jumping-off-third-mainland-bridge/.
Following the purportedly re-occurring tragedy, two renowned Ifa priests have said they believe that the likely cause of Dr Orji’s decision to commit suicide was either because he was controlled using an African traditional technique or the lagoon is hungry and angry.
In a chat with NewTelegraph, Chief Omo-Oba Olorunwa Ayekonilogbon and Chief Yemi Elebuibon, said to solve the mystery of what really caused Dr Orji’s demise, the Oba of Lagos must appease the gods.
Chief Omo-Oba Olorunwa Ayekonilogbon said, “Considering that it was after Oji received the call that he took his life in such a cruel manner, speaks volume.
“That a bird cried at night and a child died in the morning could not be wished away as a mere coincidence.
“It is either he was controlled using an African traditional technique or the lagoon is hungry and angry.
“If he was controlled through African traditional way, no matter how he tried to evade it, he could still have looked for or waited to get near water before taking his life. You also know that our religion believes in destiny, it could have been his destiny as well.
“Again, if you look at the rate of deaths in the lagoon in recent time, via suicide mostly, it is equally possible the water is hungry and angry.
“What His Royal Highness, Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos, needs to do now and urgently too, is to assemble credible traditionalists, I mean Ifa priests, to find out why the lagoon has suddenly become angry.
“All what the Babalawos need do is get close to the water, take a little for consultation.
“Ifa is capable and would surely reveal why all these things are happening.
“Until that is done, we might be chasing shadows.”
On his part, Chief Yemi Elebuibon suggested that Orji could have been ‘programmed’ (hypnotized) to do what he did.
He said, “It is a great offence for a person to commit suicide; an abomination. Whoever does that is considered to have brought dishonor to his/her family.
“Yet, the traditional belief behind suicide is that some people do not just commit the act on their own, but for some mystical interventions.
“However, some people could find themselves in critical and unpleasant situations, and opt for suicide as the last resort instead of living to face the problem.
“Whenever it happens proper inquiry is set up by the king or head of the community where it occurred to find the cause of the problem and an Ifa priest is mostly called upon to prescribe atonement to cleanse the city,” he added.
