Although I’m a born again Christian whoever says Ifa is nothing is a big fool—-Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said although he is Christian, whoever says that Ifa, a Yoruba divination and traditional worship system, is nothing is a fool

He said this in Abeokuta, Ogun State when he hosted renowned female talking drummer, Olamuyiwa Aralola, also known as Ara.

The talking drummer was at Green Legacy Hotel and Resort, which is located inside Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, to mark her 50th birthday.

Obasanjo said on Sunday when he received Ara: “For whatever reason, we must preserve our culture.

“Ara is a woman of culture.

“She is our cultural ambassador.

“She has lifted our culture and has broken the taboo on what was formerly believed to be exclusively for male gender.

“She had not only excelled in this, but was already building young ones to preserve her legacy.

“When I was growing up, there were two things that you don’t imagine a woman should do: You cannot see a woman climbing a palm tree.

“Secondly, you cannot see a woman playing a talking drum.

“Ara had broken the taboo and she had done it very well.

“Before now, parents don’t allow their son to play football, but today, parents are now begging that their children should be allowed to play football.

“For me, if you are a dancer, dance well.

“And if you invite me for a celebration, I will come.

“If you are a footballer and you invite me for a celebration, I will come.

“Whatever you find your hands in doing, do it well.

“We must not joke with our culture.

“We are being relegated to the background.

“Our language is being relegated, our food, our dress and others.

“We must not allow it.

“They are things that are authentic.

“Yoruba is not vernacular.

“I am a Christian.

“I attended two churches today and that does not mean that I should forget my culture.

“Whoever says Ifa is nothing, I will say that person is a big fool.

“Before Christianity and Islam, we have Ifa Orunmila, meaning Olorun lo mo eni to ma la.

“It is heaven that knows who will be saved.”