By Alade Aromashodu

The annual Ogun Ajobo festival was observed by the Yoruba people of Ikate Elegushi in Eti-Osa Local Government of Lagos State in honour of Ogun, a warrior and powerful spirit of metal work believed by the Yoruba to be the first deity to arrive on earth.

Members of Association of African Traditional Religion Nigeria and Overseas (AATREN), an association of African traditional religious worshipers were there to create awareness about the indigenous African religion.

According to Chief Awodiran Okanlawon Agboola, Secretary General of the association and the Araba of Oworonsoki kingdom, AATREN was estabished to co-ordinate all traditional regious groups: ifa, ogun, osun, obantala worshippers respectively.

He said it’s also the umbrella body of all traditional groups and associations in Nigeria and overseas with Chief Ifasegun Elegushi, the Opemoluwa of Ikate Elegushiland, as Pesident.
He continued: “Ogun is the divinity for iron metal, we must agree and admit that we all live the life of Ogun, except you don’t have knife or spoon in your house, we proficiate ogun for protection and safety.
“Ifa even mention in Ogbe Itura: (Igbarun gbasa ni won fi sa’gun, esin lomo ogun, abere lomo ogun, obe lomo ogun, ibon lomo ogun, ifa maje k’awa se gege jamba omo ogun kankan); you either ride by bus on the road, ship on the sea or you fly by the plane; we are all children of ogun. It is the significant and important deity of the Yoruba heritage.
“Ogun Ajobo is a religion of African people, the way they worship, their spiritual practices, symbols, art and culture, just like other religions and also a way of life that relate to the culture and the society and how they affect the world view of African people; their focus is the obeisance to the heavenly god, known and called by several indigenous names like Eledumare, Sango, Ogun, Osun etc through deities and ancestral worships.”

Dignitaries present at the event include eminent Obas, Baales, White Cap Chiefs, Iya-Olojas, Babaolojas and various traditional religion practitioners, among others.