Psychic Self-Defense, Healing, Protection

We attempt to analyze the impact of slavery and colonialism on the psyche of the Benin/Edo Diaspora, so that we may discover and undo the negative impacts on one hand, and strengthen the positive impact on the other hand.

We had at the beginning, Ancient African Religion-AAR. Humankind share in their psyche the nature and fundamental attributes with Osanobua, FOUNDER of the world who begot us. We are baby-Osanobua.

As Baby-Osanobua, a person who should grow up and become like Osanobua. The cognitive capabilities within personality that will eventually transform into transcendental consciousness are only a potentiality waiting to be realized. We must work our ways individually to unlock the potentiality. We must be guided by the attributes of Osanobua.

The one who unlocks the potentiality became Obo. Obo is the prefect and guide of begotten babies-Osanobua on earth.

The impact of Slavery and colonialism interrupted the process of our unlocking the potentiality. We were guided by attributes of the God of slavers and colonialists rather than Osanobua’s.

God Is Not Osanobua

A few examples should illustrate the differences between God and Osanobua as follow:

Osanobua has “children” that included Olokun-Edo and humankind. God by contrast has only one child. Besides, if Osanobua and God are different names for same being, Jesus Christ and Olokun-Edo would be brothers. But God has only one son.

OSAIGBOVO means Osanobua is not jealous. Osanobua does not dwell in an abode that is flowing or scarlet with blood of sacrifices. The dwelling that would fit that description is that of Obason (king of “night”) whose dwelling is described as being ododo – royal red. Osanobua neither receives nor makes blood offerings.

Benin/Edo Do Not “Ga” (worship) Osanobua

“GA” can be appreciated from the following examples: Benin/Edo ga Oba (king) and ga oruaen (in-laws). Edo ga Oba by paying tributes and taxes for the upkeep of the palace. Edo ga oruaen by helping him during bush clearing if a farmer; you should contribute towards his/her treatment when ill and upkeep during old age.

Colonialism transformed AAR into African Traditional Religion (ATR), evangelism, African Christianity, Pentecostalism, blood slavery, spiritual slavery, and neo-slavery. People worship God, dead ancestors, and vexatious spirits, because they (the spirits) would punish them if they reneged. Osanobua neither punishes nor causes pains. He does not take life.

One’s metaphysical HEAD is bastion of mastery that should be venerated. EHI is spiritual destiny or guardian spirit. Ehi protects against spiritual adversaries.

Olokun Initiation.

Olokun-Edo initiation ritual was carried out inside the Ocean at Ughoton close to Ekehuan barracks of today. The officer in charge immersed the candidate in okun (ocean). The officiating priest intoned incantations. Chanting, drumming, and dancing accompany these. In due course, while the candidate was still in the ocean and in trance, he/she would voice a word in a loud cry. Those around would include the word in their songs as his/her name. This reminds one of what happened at the baptism of the Rabbi.

Ebo Maker

The intermediary agents are those that we create for the purpose of bearing our decrees, fiats, oaths, curses, etc. to fruition. We call these Ebo/Ẹbo. The roles of Ebo include the roles that logos and angels fulfill for God, [or God fulfill for “believers”]. Every potent shrine, home or business has Ebo imbedded in it. If Ebo were to be removed from the universe, what would be left is chaos.

Womanhood Debased

The Benin/Edo recognizes the powers of woman, especially as wife and mother. Most Deities of Africa are female. Our ancestors safeguarded the family by making the wives to take oath by the ancestors that they will not subvert the spirituality of the family.

Pastors coach the women in techniques of subverting the family nowadays. The least of this is adultery. Most ancient families taboo eating of some animals (totem). The “believers” revel in cooking these in the family kitchen feed children of the family with it.

People Are Confounded About Family
Relationships within biological family are put asunder. The average or common African (including African and Benin/Edo Diaspora) today seem to be confounded as to which family they truly belong.

My okaigbe (the traditional head of my patrilineal family) when he died was caught between three, namely his biological family, a secret society, and the shrine to which he belonged. The shrine insisted that he be buried without the coffin; the cult said he must be buried without opening the coffin. My mother’s funerary rite was caught between the church and her family.

This alienated their children who are devastated psychically. Emancipation will come only if their souls, spirits, minds, etc. are emancipated.

College Of Custodians“The world would have been devoid of morality and virtues if there was no God or religion of God.” they argue.

The impact of Semitic or Judeo-Christian religion on the psyche is aberrant behavior of adults and youths. For examples: An undergraduate confessed to being a member of a university on TV. He clubbed his father on the head to death with a pestle, because the father refused to sponsor him on overseas trip. The sons of a distant relation of mine beat their mother to death because the pastor told them that God revealed to the pastor that she was the witch preventing their success in life. Domestic violence is prevalent. Vagrant psychotics are roaming the streets while psychiatric wards in hospitals are overflowing. Demons are on the prowl. Anybody could be their victim.

Those in charge of spiritual welfare of the race at present are failing, because they lack divine authority. This is in spite of their proclaiming that they got revelation from God or OsaLobua. Contradictions between authority of God and Osanobua are glaring. A viable spiritual institution with divine authority of Oboiro must be re-established. The majority could be groomed to take over control. We once had the custodians of the Land in AAR.

(Culled from a lecture delivered in June, during International Conference organized by TAYO AKPATA FOUNDATION in collaboration with INSTITUTE FOR BENIN STUDIES)