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Chief Ifashola Olusoji Adeyemi is one popular Ifa priest a lot highly-placed and influential people, as well as many rich celebrities know so well. The spiritualist, who is based in Iseyin in the Oke Ogun area of Oyo State has people from different cities across Nigeria, and even from outside the country thronging to his place at Stadium Road in Iseyin for prayers and other spiritual assistance. He is a spiritual father to many know celebrities in Ibadan, Abeokuta and Lagos. Chief Ifashola’s annual Ifa Festival is a big event that draws many big guns to Iseyin every year. He is holding the event this year on Sunday, August 16 and K1 will be on the band stand. Last week, the highly influential priest hosted TOPE AILERU in his house in Iseyin and spoke about his practice as an Ifa priest, which had spanned almost 4 decades.
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When did you start up as an Ifa Priest?
It has been a long time. My father was a great Ifa priest and he has brought me into the study and practice of Ifa since I was a little kid, like from when I was about 5 years ago. I grew into the practice. So, I have been in this for over 40 years.
At what point did you now start off on your own?
My father was still alive then. When my father was growing old and was thinking of retiring from consulting for people, he called me and handed over to me. He introduced me to most of his clients then and told them I would be taking over from him. My father died 10 years ago, but he had since left me to be in charge for over 25 years now.
When you were growing up, didn’t you consider doing any other things apart from this; like going to school?
I went to school. But even as I was going to school, I was fully into the Ifa study as well, because my late father had already made me to know that I would be the one to take over from him. My father and mother had me when they had grown in age. Before my birth, my father has had 10 babies that were stillborn, so I was his first child. So, when it was becoming obvious that my late father had become old, I went to him and said dad, let me stop schooling at this grammar school level and continue from where you are as an Ifa priest. I was very brilliant while in school and my mates at Iseyin District Grammar School can attest to this.
So, how do we describe Ifa? Is it a religion or a practice that people study to do as a profession by becoming a priest?
It is just like the other religions. For instance, in Christianity, all Christians go to church and some go to Bible schools to become pastors or priests. In Islam, all Muslims go to mosque to pray and try to learn the Quran, but some go a step further to Arabic and Quranic schools to become clerics. It is the same thing we have in Ifa. We have the general religion and worship, while we have people who seek further knowledge in the religion to become priests. Like other religions, Ifa has its own worship activities too. In my place here, we do it on Saturdays. Ifa is a complete religion and it is the first religion of our forefathers. It has the guidelines for living and solutions to all problems, because of its divine connection to the Almighty God.
Tell us about your annual Ifa festival?
We have started since that time I told you I took over from my dad. It is a spiritual tradition that has been on for time immemorial, even my late dad was doing it. And year after year it has been growing bigger. People from around the world, who are richly blessed when they attend every year, always look forward to the date. This year, it is holding on August 16. We have series of activities lined up this year. I have a foundation, which I set up to promote the Ifa religion and African tradition. The foundation has been doing a lot for the society. Last year during the Ifa Festival, we did free medical checkups for people; we donated free books to pupils among other things. This year, we shall also be touching the lives of people with some other things. As usual, a lot of dignitaries will be coming to Iseyin on August 16, which is the grand finale. King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal will be on the band stand. We have had other artistes like Saheed Osupa and Sefiu Alao in the past, but we want to take it higher this year.
It appeared that Ifa religion is beginning to gain relevance in the society again after Christianity and Islam appeared to have sent it into oblivion in the past. What do you think is responsible for this?
It is true that in the last few decades, the popularity of the two religions had affected the popularity of traditional African religion negatively, because the people who brought the religions appeared to have succeeded in battering the image of the religion of our forefathers. But now, we are going back to reality. A lot of people don’t know how big the African religious practice has become again, just because many people who consult Ifa priests and others are still trying to keep the fact that they do such things from the public. You will be shocked at the number of young people who are embracing Ifa today and they do consultations from time to time, including many prominent Muslims and Christians.
Tell us more about yourself?
I am Oluwo Fashola Olusoji Adeyemi. I am based here in Iseyin in Oyo State. I attended Methodist Primary School, Ogbe, Abeokuta. I was later moved to Ansarudeen Primary School, Ebedi in Iseyin here where I completed primary education. I attended Iseyin District Grammar School, before I later moved fully into Ifa practice.
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