Denigration of Ifa in Nigerian movies: Isese Community storms TAMPAN office

Oredola Adeola|



The Iṣẹ̀ṣe Community has cautioned the national leadership of Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Association of Nigeria TAMPAN over the conscious and unconscious misrepresentation, and denigration of Ifa/Orisa practice in their movies.

The Isese Community in a statement delivered to the President of TAMPAN, Otunba Bolaji Amusan, on Tuesday, by Omidan Àyínke Ifátòròmádé Adéfémi,  disclosed that the Òrìṣà Religion known as Ìṣẹ̀ṣe in numerous movies produced by most Nollywood actors have continued to misrepresent Iṣẹ̀ṣe as religious of people that practice cannibalism and perform human sacrifice, contrary to the doctrines guiding Ifá/Òrìṣà.

According to her,  these portrayal is evident in the high level of religious intolerance and discrimination of people who are devotees of Ifá/Òrìṣà Known as Oníṣẹ̀ṣe.

Corroborating the earlier submission of Omidan Adefemi, another member of the delegation, Elder Yemi Amodu noted that similar issues have been tabled previously with the National Film and Videos Censors Board, but due to the lack of information on which body to address as the central body for Ìṣẹ̀ṣe, delibrations were stalled up till now.

In his response, President of TAMPAN, assured the delegation that TAMPAN as a body is dedicated to the elevation and propagation of the Káàárọ̀-oòjíire way of life which Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is essential to and as such, will not deliberately take steps to denigrate Ìṣẹ̀ṣe religion.

According to him, within TAMPAN and the Yoruba movie industry at large, are individuals who present themselves as Oníṣẹ̀ṣe but have refused to express such observations or made such complaints before.

He said, " Most movies or non fiction productions are inspired from real life situations where some Oníṣẹ̀ṣe i.e babalawos, olorisas etc have acted in ways that project ìṣẹ̀se in a negative light, hence the potrayal in the movies, bearing in mind that there are bad eggs in every religion.

He also cautioned that generalizations of the actions of some few bad people is unfair to the collective, he charged the Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Community to carry out constant sanitization and flush out the evil doers in their population to avoid their actions casting Ìṣẹ̀ṣe in the wrong way.

He added that most producers of the Yoruba movies, films and documentaries have very little knowledge of Ìṣẹ̀ṣe and are often discouraged by the fearful disposition of some people who identify themselves as Oníṣẹ̀ṣe, hence the wrong portrayals out of ignorance.

Another member of the delegation, Olúwo Fayemi Abidemi Fakayode, noted that the human sacrifice contravenes the doctrine of Ifá/Òrìṣà, adding that the odu Ifá Ogunda ìrosù, completely outlawed human sacrifice. He disclosed that babalawo and an adahunse are not the same.

In tackling the issue raised, the traditionalists urged TAMPAN to organise a seminar and workshop with its members where capable representatives from the Ìṣẹ̀ṣe community will be invited to lecture and enlighten film makers, about as a way of curbing wrong representations in their movies.

The Isese Community also planned to set up committee to provide research and fact checking source for members of TAMPAN who intend to make movies with content relating to ìṣẹ̀se.

The  Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Community has promised to  remain steadfast in working with film makers on movie projects that are capable of repairing the negative public perception given to devotees.