Ebo (Sacrifice) in Ifa Religious Tradition of the Yoruba, Southwestern Nigeria and Its Implications for Public Health

Samuel Kayode Olaleye; Oluwatoyin Adebola Gbadamosi; Julius Sunday Adekoya

doi:10.47679/makein.2025218

Published: 25 February 2025

Ebo (Sacrifice) in Ifa Religious Tradition of the Yoruba, Southwestern Nigeria and Its Implications for Public Health

Samuel Kayode Olaleye
Oluwatoyin Adebola Gbadamosi, Ph.D
Julius Sunday Adekoya, Ph.D

Vol. 6 No. 1: 2025 | Pages: 27-34

DOI: 10.47679/makein.2025218 Reader: 3170 times PDF Download: 525 times

Abstract

Ebo (sacrifice) is the feeding of spiritual entities such as gods, witches, and other energies believed to maintain equilibrium between the physical and spiritual worlds. It is an integral part of the Ifa divination system, a religious tradition in Yoruba society, southwestern Nigeria, which provides solutions to various problems. The materials for Ebo range from food items and animals to mineral and natural resources, including both living and nonliving things. Depending on the dictates of the Ifa oracle, Ebo can be offered at any time and placed in locations ranging from private spaces to public areas such as roadsides, rivers, gutters, or canals. Public reaction to the indiscriminate placement of Ebo is predominantly negative, except among practitioners or those offering it. This negativity stems from exposure to western education, foreign religions, and modern civilization. Common societal concerns include whether Ebo, beyond being an eyesore, contributes to air, water, and soil pollution, thus endangering public health. This paper aims to address the public health implications of Ebo placement. To explore these issues, interviews were conducted with 10 Babala?wo-Ifa priests, 10 men, and 10 women in Ibadan who had participated in offering Ebo. The content analysis of their responses revealed no consensus. Opponents of Ebo offerings cited speculative dangers, religious sentiments, and western education as factors shaping their views. This study highlights the complex interplay between traditional practices, modernity, and public health concerns, calling for further dialogue and solutions to mitigate potential risks.

References

Abimbola, W. (1968). Ijinle Ohun Enu Ifa Apa Kinni. UK: Wm. Collins. Sons and Co. Ltd.
Abimbola, W. (1970). Ijinle Ohun Enu Ifa Apa Keji. Wm. Collins, Sons and Co, Ltd.
Abimbola, W. (1997). Ifa will Mend Our Broken World. Aim Books.
Ade Dopamu, (1988). Health and Healing within the Traditional African Religion, ORITA: Ibadan Journal of Religious Studies, XVI/2, 74-75
Adeogun, E. O. (2018). Christian Theology of Sacrifice in the African Context with Reference to the Yoruba Practice. Sacrifice in Religious Traditions. D. Ayegboyin and A.O. Dada. Eds. Samprints and Graphics.
Adeoye, C. L. (2023). Igbagbo ati Esin Yoruba, Nigeria: Evans Brothers (Nigeria Publishers) Limited.
Adewale, I. O. (2017). Introduction to Ancient Yoruba Divination System, USA: LCCN Imprint.
Adewale, S. A. (1978). The Role of Ifa in the Work of the 19th Century Missionaries in ORITA: Journal of Religious Studies, XII/I, 26
Ajibola. F.O. Fabric Merchant. Personal Interview. Gbagi Market. Ibadan. Interviewed on 26/8/2024
Akinnawonu Bolude, Traditional Birth Attendance. Personal Interview. Moniya Area. Ibadan. Interviewed on 30/6/2024
Awolalu, J. O. & Dopamu, P. A. (1979). West African Traditional Religion, Nigeria: Onibonoje Press & Book Industries (Nig.) Ltd.
Awolalu, J. O. (1979). Yoruba Beliefs and Sacrificial Rites. Longman Group Limited.
Awotunde, F. (An Ifa Priest, Personal Interview), Inalende Area, Ibadan, Interviewed on 22/8/2024
Ayelaagbe Toluwase. School Teacher, Personal Interview. Ajibode Community, Ibadan. Interviewed on 27/8/2024
Ayo Salami, A. (2008). Yoruba Theology and Tradition: The Worship. Lagos: NIDD Limited (Publishing).
Babalola Abidoye, (2008). The Making of a University Administrator, (An Autobiography). Ibadan University Printery.
Babalola, E. O. (1981). Christianity in West Africa, Nigeria: Bamigboye & Co Press 9Nig) Ltd.
Elebuibon, Y. (2000). The Healing Power of Sacrifice, USA: Athelia-Henrietta Press.
Fadairo, F. An Ifa Priest. Personal Interview. Abule Coker, Moniya, Ibadan, , Interviewed on
Falola, T. (2022). African Spirituality, Politics and Knowledge Systems, USA: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
Faseegun Ajibade, An Ifa? Priest. Telephone Interview. Ibadan. Interviewed on 29/8/2024
Fatoki, P. O. A Pentecostal pastor. Telephone Interview. Olomi. Ibadan. Interviewed on 30/8/2024
Fatoosin Awosola, (An Ifa Priest. Personal Interview). Alemuloke Area, Sanngo, Ibadan. Interviewed on 26/8/2024
Gbotoso Nathaniel, Business Man. Personal Interview. Ologunerun Area. Ibadan. Interviewed on 30/8/2024
Idowu, E B. (1990). Olódùmarè: God in Yoruba Belief. Nigeria: Longman Publishing Ltd.
Idowu, E. B. (1990). Olódùmarè: God in Yoruba Belief, Nigeria: Longman Publishing Ltd, 70
Idowu, E. B. (1991). African Traditional Religion: A Definition, Nigeria: Fountain Publications.
Jegede, C.O. (2004). Incantation and Herbal Cure in Ifa Divination among the Yoruba of South Western Nigeria. PhD. Thesis, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan. Nigeria.
Jegede, C.O. (2015). Shrines and Sovereignty in Religious Life and Experience. African Indigenous Religious Traditions in Local and Global Contexts: Perspectives on Nigeria. D.O. Ogungbile. Ed. Malthouse Press Limited.
Jenmbola Bola. A Secondary School Teacher. Personal Interview Ijebuode Road. Ibadan. Oyo State. Interviewed on 26/8/2024
Lijadu, E. A., (2001). Ifa Mimo Alabalase. Nigeria: J.A. Ifeoluwa Printing Press.
Odegbola, I. O. (2014). Iwe Mimo Ifa: Esin Akoda Olódùmarè. Nigeria: Odegbola Traditional Global Services.
Oladipo Yemitan, ati Olajide Ogundele, (1973). Oju Osupa Apa Kinni. Ibadan: University Press Limited.
Olaleye, S. K. (2013). E?bo? as a Healing Technique in Ifa Divination System, An Investigation of a Potent Therapeutic Mechanism for Today’s Health Problems, Germany: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing.
Olamileye Ifeoluwa Mary Personal Interview, Gbagi Area, Ibadan, Interviewed on 30/8/2024
Olorunlaye Beyioku, Business Woman. Personal Interview. Moniya Area. Ibadan. Interviewed on 13/8/2024
Olusola, A. J. An Accountant, Telephone Interview, Interviewed on 29/8/2024
Omidiwura Fakorede, An Ifa Priest, Personal Interview, Omi Adio, Ibadan, Oyo State, Interviewed on 27/8/2024
Oyetola Adebayo, Personal Interview, Gbagi Area, Ibadan, Interviewed on 30/8/2024
Samuel Olatunji, An Evangelist, Telephone Interview. Christ Apostolic Church. Igo?go-Ekiti. Interviewed on 28/8/2024
Tolulope Owoaje, Artesian. Telephone Interview. Ibadan. Interviewed on 30/8/2024
Van Der Meer, T.M. (2015). Dilemmas, Controversies and Challenges of African Descendant Ifa Priests and Practitioners in the United States: Some Reflections. African Indigenous Religious Traditions in Local and Global Contexts: Perspectives on Nigeria. D.O. Ogungbile. Ed. Ibadan: Malthouse Press Limited.

Rights and permissions

© The Author(s) 2025
Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0), which permits others to share, adapt, and redistribute the material in any medium or format, even for commercial purposes, provided appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and the source, a link to the license is provided, and any changes made are indicated. If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.

PDF

Keywords

E̩bo̩ (Sacrifice)
Ifa Religious Tradition
Public Health
Environmental Pollution
Spiritual Healing

Author Information

Samuel Kayode Olaleye

Department of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan̩, Ibadan̩, Oyo State, Nigeria, Nigeria.

ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9285-2598

Oluwatoyin Adebola Gbadamosi, Ph.D

Department of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan̩, Ibadan̩, Oyo State, Nigeria, Nigeria.

ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0993-0610

Julius Sunday Adekoya, Ph.D

Department of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan̩, Ibadan̩, Oyo State, Nigeria, Nigeria.

Article History

Submitted: 6 December 2024
Accepted: 21 February 2025
Published: 25 February 2025

How to Cite This

Olaleye, S. K., Gbadamosi, O. A., & Adekoya, J. S. (2025). Ebo (Sacrifice) in Ifa Religious Tradition of the Yoruba, Southwestern Nigeria and Its Implications for Public Health. Majalah Kesehatan Indonesia, 6(1), 27–34. https://doi.org/10.47679/makein.2025218