PUNCH
Following the comments that greeted a video capturing renowned gospel singer, Tope Alabi, infusing a Yoruba traditionalists’ common greeting parlance, ‘Aboru aboye’ into her worship song, an Ifa-priest, Oluwo Jogbodo Orunmila, has told the award-winning singer to conduct an ancestry Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid (DNA) to be sure of her origin.
In the viral video, Alabi and her backup singers were heard referring to themselves as ‘ebo’ literally meaning sacrifice, emphasising that they are ‘Aboru Aboye’ meaning that they have been accepted as sacrifice by God.
Orunmila who is the chief priest of Iledi Imule Agba in Oyan, Odo Otin North Local Council Development Authority in Osun State while speaking with The PUNCH in an exclusive interview on Monday noted that Alabi has always been enmeshed in the usage of traditionalists’ lexicons.
He mentioned the singer’s use of ‘Eledumare’ and several other appraisals usually meant for Orunmila (god of wisdom) and Yoruba deities.
The Ibadan-based priest said, “All these phrases showed that Tope Alabi needs ancestry DNA to confirm that she belongs to the Ifa tradition. Those words are forcing their way out, she only needs the right teachers to get fully on track.
“Ifa is ancestry. When a lineage known to be Ifa practitioners stop its practice, there would be a day when one of the family members will illustrate the doctrines of Ifa, knowingly or unknowingly.
