Pages: 1-10

Abstract

Ifá cult is a society considered to be an affair for men alone in many parts of the Yorùbá land. However, since Ọ̀rọ̀mọ̀dìmọ̀dì also known as Odù—the binding factor among the Babaláwo—was a woman and women are accorded great influence even among the gods, the complexity of the issue of women maginalisation is noteworthy. In Yorùbáland, both initiation into the Ifá Cult and Igbódù—the groove where the initiation takes place—are considered to be extremely sacred. This is because the value of Ifá is acknowledged in the people’s religious life and other secular activities such that the Yoruba depend almost entirely on the knowledge of Ifá for ascertaining the will of Olódùmarè as regards the present and the future. In the past, given the sacredness and spiritual significance of Ifá, it was exclusively men’s affair. But today, as a result of civilization, some females are also being initiated into the Ifá Cult. This act, however, has been criticized or opposed by some Ifá priests, who believe that initiating women into the Cult is not only against the will of Ifá, but also a reckless violation of the sacredness of the Cult. Yet, considering the values of Igbódù to every being in Yorùbáland, must women be prevented from taking part in this important act? The objective of this paper, therefore, is to investigate the reasons responsible for acceptance or rejection of women in the initiation into the Ifá Cult. This is with a view to knowing the implications of this trend on the individuals and society at large. To achieve this, 30 Babaláwo (Ifá priests) were purposively selected in all the six Yorùbá states and in-depth interview conducted. Data collected were content analysed‎‎.