An Ondo State-based former pastor, Olabanjo Felix, has explained why he abandoned Christianity and embraced Ifa, saying his decision followed what he described as years of soul-searching and concerns over alleged deception within some Christian circles.
Felix, who founded the Image of God Evangelical and Prophetic Ministries in the Ibaka area of Oka-Akoko, disclosed this in an interview, days after a video announcing his transition from Christian ministry to Ifa practice went viral.
The former cleric, who now identifies as Ifawamiri Aworanolodumare, Babalawo of Ifa, said he made the public declaration because he no longer wanted to be addressed as a pastor after quitting the ministry.
“I made the announcement because people continued to call me pastor even though I had stopped practising Christianity. I do not believe in deceit, so I felt people needed to know that I had moved on to Ifa,” he said.
Felix said he spent about two years questioning his religious convictions before taking the decision, adding that he consulted several Christian clerics in an attempt to resolve his doubts.
According to him, his growing concerns about what he described as contradictions in the Bible and alleged misconduct by some Christian leaders eventually made it difficult for him to remain in the faith.
He said, “My decision was not something I took overnight. I went through a long period of soul-searching and spoke with pastors because I wanted to be certain that the problem was not with my own understanding or commitment to Christianity.”
Felix, who said he had been a pastor for more than three years, disclosed that he briefly considered becoming a Muslim before settling on Ifa.
He explained that he studied a Yoruba translation of the Quran after consulting a Muslim cleric but eventually concluded that Islam did not address the questions that had led him to reconsider his Christian faith.
He subsequently began searching for an Ifa practitioner who could guide him and eventually contacted the Araba of Isararemọ, Oluṣẹgun Latunji Aifuwapẹ, whom he said he discovered through Facebook.
Felix said his interest in traditional Yoruba spirituality was also strengthened by his belief in the usefulness of herbs and roots.
He rejected the description of Ifa practice as fetishism, saying his activities under the guidance of his mentor had focused on prayers, supplications and the traditional use of herbs and roots.
“I contacted the Araba of Isararemọ after finding him on Facebook because I wanted to learn Ifa. Since I began learning from him, I have not participated in any fetish activity. What we have done is prayer, supplication and the use of herbs and roots,” he said.
The former pastor further claimed that people from outside Nigeria visit the centre to learn about Ifa and its traditional practices.
He also alleged that some Christian clerics privately seek the services of Ifa practitioners while publicly condemning traditional religious practices.
“There is a lot of hypocrisy in religion. Some people publicly condemn Ifa but privately approach practitioners for divination. I could not continue to live that way, which was why I decided to make my position public,” Felix said.
He said his transition was ultimately driven by his personal convictions and desire to practise a faith he now believes in, rather than pressure from any individual or group.
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