Unity in Diversity

Unity in Diversity 00:03 Everything about Yoruba has this religious dimension 00:13 You know, there is nothing you want to say about Yoruba that does not reflect this religiosity. 00:41 Prof Akin Ogundiran: When people are looking for that quiet moment when they can communicate with the big power, the power that is more than other powers, they go to Osun grove. 00:54 Prof Akin Ogundiran: Whether you are a Christian, a Muslim, whether you are an Osun follower, whether you are Obadua Obetella (sp?) there is a space…there is a place in that space for you. 1:49 Madame Orisafunke: My mother was a practitioner of indigenous religion. Her father was also a practitioner of indigenous religion. 2:00 Madame Orisafunke: Due to civilization, my mother married a Muslim man. 2:06 Interviewer: Since you’ve returned to being an Osun devotee, have you had any regrets? 2:18 Madame Orisafunke: Osun has not given me a reason to be regretful. In my mother and father’s house, many have left traditional religion, many even laughed at me for returning to traditional worship. 2:30 But my father called me to encourage me and advised me to continue watching the end of those that converted to Islam. In comparison to my path, and he said that in the end I would be glad. 2:56 Since I’ve returned to this religion, I’ve had no regrets. 3:44 Mrs. Lydia Ojelade: When I was transferred to Osogbo, the first thing that was my problem was ‘how will I cope with a grove that is not in line with my religion?’ As a Christian - a devoted one - because of the perception of people about the traditionalists. 4:02 Mrs. Aduke Fashina: People think of the grove as a place where people make sacrifices to the deities. Then, there are other people that even look at us, staff members, as if we are people who sacrifice to the deities. 4:16 My first day of coming to Osogbo, this sacred grove, I was so scared. I was looking at this like, come, what is happening? Looking at the statues, looking at the sculptures Just looking at everything… 4:27 Mr Muliyu Jinadu: When I arrived here as well, different people were asking “ as a Muslim, are you partaking in Orisa Devotion?” I would respond to them that our forms of worship, our religions, are different. The Orisa devotees are doing their own thing and we, staff members, are doing our own thing. It is because of the work that we, staff members, are here. 5:32 Madame Orisafunke: Everyone has an enemy. We Orisa devotees have the most enemies. We have the most enemies because people don’t have love for us. However, our deity is helping us to overcome. Our form of worship demands that we do not lie and we must not be angry with each other. 5:53 Madame Orisafunke: If other religions are angry, we are always at peace with them because we know that they will return to receive help from us one day. 6:12 If you look at the traditionalists…like I said, they are not as hostile as we are made to believe. Eh, you don’t need to have anything to do with these people. So, because we work here, we interact with them, we now see them as they are, as human beings, and they are part of us. 6:31 Mrs. Lydia Ojelade: Muslims come here also, to see what is happening. Christians come here also, to see what is happening. In that case, our relationship between the devotees and other religions must continue. Otherwise, this place cannot be motivated, this place cannot grow, this place cannot be known all over the world. So in that case there is unity among us. 7:00 Interviewer: Why do you think the Muslim, Christian, and Orisa devotees are willing to work together in regards to the grove? 7:03 Madame Orisafunke: It is love. If we didn’t have love amongst ourselves. There would be trouble amongst us. But we have love for each other.