Ooni of Ife reveals how Yoruba deity Oluorogbo is identical to Jesus Christ as he also resurrected after three days

OONI of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has likened the Yoruba deity Oluorogbo, with Jesus Christ saying that they both ascended to heaven after being killed indicating that there are distinct similarities between Yoruba traditional religion and Christianity.

Speaking at the resuscitated Edi Annual Festival in Ile-Ife, meant to celebrate Oluorogbo, who according to mythology, ascended to heaven, after being killed by her mother, Moremi as a sacrifice for the gods, Oba Ogunwusi said there is no difference between Oluorogbo and Jesus Christ. He added that  they both sacrificed their lives for the salvation of all souls, describing Oluorogbo as a selfless deity that turned himself into a sacrificial lamb for humanity, to bring peace and sanity among other deities to the world.

Oba Ogunwusi added that as Jesus Christ brought peace and unity to the whole world, so also did Oluorogbo deliver people at the time of trouble by allowing peaceful coexistence to reign supreme. Pushing his point further, Oba Ogunwusi said Oluorogbo was the son of God who stood for purity and godliness and was among the deities that were specially made.

According to the Ooni, unlike Jesus Christ who came 2019 years ago, Oluorogbo preceded the creation of the whole universe and as Christians are expecting the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, Oluorogbo will forever remain. Oba Ogunwusi debunked the perception that Ife indigenes are idolaters, pointing out that by celebrating their deities, the Ife people are only worshiping the Almighty God and upholding the cultural heritage and tradition of the Yoruba race.

He said that some people have ignorantly tagged the cradle of Yoruba, Ile-Ife as a town that practised idolatory. Ooni Ogunwusi urged the populace to give room for peace and unity and called on them to be altruistic for no one can achieve greatness in life without showing love to others.

In addition, the Ooni urged all and sundry to emulate the Oluorogbo in giving all they have to assist others in trouble. According to Yoruba mythology, Oluorogbo was the only son of Moremi, who she used for sacrifice to the river goddess to deliver the people of Ile-Ife from Igbo predators.

One Ife myth said Oluorogbo survived the sacrifice by making a rope of grass and climbed to heaven where he is said to have lived ever since with the gods and immortal heroes of Yorubaland. Similar myths exist in numerous other cultures, particularly in Greek mythology and in European Paganism.

Also speaking at the event, Professor Deborah Lime of the Anthropology Department of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, urged Yorubas to value their cultural heritage. She appealed to the people of Ile-Ife and Yorubas at large to ensure that they support the Ooni to take Ile-Ife to greater heights

Also, the Iyalode Osun Ife Worldwide, Nilsia Lourdes dos Santos, who came from Brazil to Ile-Ife for the festival, condemned the indifference of Yoruba to their tradition. Ms Santos said that Ile-Ife as the source of all Yoruba has all the deities, one of them being Oluorogbo that delivered the race from the destruction of the enemies.

United Kingdom based Princess Folasade Adegoke said foreigners value Yoruba culture more than the owners. Ms Adegoke  appealed to all Yorubas to embrace their cultural heritage to keep the memories of their past heroes alive.