Big Town (Olokun)

Quiet please. Quiet.

The ordinary African religion

How do Africans see God.

The concept of God, divinities and spirits in African traditional religion.....

You know has been misunderstood by a lot of students who think on this continent we don't know who the supreme being is all it will worship him.

You know.

Thank you Simon for your opinion can I teach?

I thought it was a question sir.

It was a question not for you to defend it.

You see how the topic of African traditional religion has been a controversial and misunderstood concept that a lot of westerners collars...

... do think that here we don't know the gods that we worship we don't know anything.

In a process imposing their ideas on how the Africans think or feel. I need to process and rushing into hasty conclusions.

That is exactly why we in this classroom today. To study how Africans see God.

Now an African traditional religion the concept of supreme being is well defined that's because Africans....

believe and recognise and accept the fact of the existence of a supreme being.

Who may use material objects to manifest. And natural phenomena

-Hello sir. -What Simon

Come on Simon.

I mean has they never been any image distributes of that supernatural being that you speak about how can I believe is something that I know nothing about

Yes.

The only image we've seen on the continent is that of Jesus Christ.

Simon do me and your fellow students a favour packing bags and leave.

-Yes. -Go.

-Go. -See you later, leave.

Bye bye Simon.

Now as I was saying.

-What is the rubbish. Spiritual incantation thing. -What is it?

What is it? Why will this whole village worship this women because she is Olokun princess

That is because her is blessed by the Gods.

Blessed by the Gods, not me, why not me.

You are not the chosen one.

-Akin -Yes

How do you recognise the chosen one?

Go and ask her, can we just round up?

-Bye. -You are not leaving here Dorcas.

Mxm.

Dorcas.

You look upset what is wrong with you?

Its not about that stupid Prince, she disrupted my game.

Is that why you are upset, are you not to big for the game.

Well it is the game that makes me happy I like it.

Dorcas this it the time of the year where she gets the biggest ovation. She just coming back from the river to make sacrifices for our villages, come on.

-Please I don't care -Lets go back.

-I an not going. -Why?

-I don't like her. -Dorcas.

This girl.

You are a smart guy but when you act like a fool it's not a smart thing to do.

I'm sorry Sir but when it comes to Africa and religion I think you are people know nothing about.

I studied African religion for 15 years I've written numerous award winning books on the topic.

But because in your book you tell people what believe about African religion which has been brought to the shelter by the missionaries.

I'm not a missionary I'm a lecturer and researcher.

Have you been to Benin city to do your research about us to do more on the African divinities.

I was in Ohio state in 1997 although some festival I've seen how you west Africans think of divinity you guys take it to the extreme.

That's because you don't know our way of doing things, we do things differently on the continent ...

But you guys are so big in your Eurocentric ways that to you, you don't consider us as people have knowledge of what to do. That is bad.

What's your point?

My point is there is a god in Africa there's a lot of intermediate as in Africa.

We all know that this is false what science gone proof that is what you call God.

Now I've traveled 70 percent of the come across no divinities apart from maybe magical the dude tell you people believe in...

...this little man in the sky and then the relationship with his imaginary figure that you call God.

I can see you don't believe in God and his immediate so why do you teach about?

That is what I do research. I believe in what I can see.

You can see why I hate your class you should visit Benin City.

This man again, Billy Billy every time.

Don't worry I am going to show him, isn't that man say God is here, God that we don't see. Don't worry.

-Jesus is here. -Leave Billy alone he is a good man.

-This man is a good man -Yes he is a good man, leave him alone.

Every time that you see today is created by God. That Jesus is coming back again.

Leave me alone leave me bell alone. Leave me.

-Stop making noise in the community. -What?

Leave him he is a good man, leave him alone. What is wrong with you.

This is a good man, he is making noise they is no Jesus.

Where is Jesus, when you were hitting him.

-I told you I will show him. -Just go, go.

You did very well.

Sorry Pastor. My bell, my bell. Okay.

Bell ringing.

That young man is heavily manipulated.

This world is rude and governed by spirit.

We humans are weaker beings but this spiritual beings want to rule and dominate over our spirit, soul and body.

Our body, why don't the spirit stay in the world and we leave in our world.

No we are in there world, we are just privileged to be in flash.

That's why Paul said. Well we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of darkness spiritual...

...Hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Do you understand what I mean. We are in their world.

-Pastor can I confess in you. Like can I tell you something? -Oh yes go ahead.

I have a friend in the spiritual world.

-What. -Yes.

How many.

No just one very special one.

He is so nice to me pastor, so nice.

He gives me so many thing, tells me things about people. Different things, the small thing, they is nothing I don't know about anyone.

But he just want one thing, just one thing.

What is that?

-He wants me to remain pure. -What?

-Dorcas -Yes

It is wrong to have a spiritual friend. Very wrong we are humans.

But pastor you told me that you are allowed to have spiritual friends and Jesus is your spiritual friend. It is the same thing.

Off course Jesus is my spiritual friend.

-But no like, no spiritual..... -Yes Mama I...

-Dorcas, Dorcas -Yes mama. I am coming mama

What is this?

Dorcas what is this?

At 25 you still wet your bed. You know this is one that that made you father mad at us.

Mummy I told you it is not my fault.

-So it is my fault. No its is my fault. -No.

It is that man that keeps coming here, is the man it is that man.

I don't want to marry him.

What did you say, Dorcas this is not marriage it is an initiation to set you free from him.

Please don't do anything that will make this initiation not to work.

Please rubbish.

-Evening sir. -How are you?

I am fine, sir there is something I want you to do for me.

What is that?

-Make love to me. -Jesus.

I can do this.

It should be the other way round not me asking.

You told me that you have a spiritual husband and that we could not be together. You forgot?

Yes I did but I don't want to be apart of the local festival again.

Than what about the spiritual man.

Well pastor said it lies a bunch of lies.

Wait .the priest said you must not.

A person like me.

Do you like me?

-I do, I like you. -Okay.

Dorcas.

-Than make love to me today. -Are you serious.

-Play -My sister did you buy the dress for the initiation.

Yes my mum bought it, it is very beautiful.

Dorcas who are you smiling are you okay.

Dorcas you are not seeing anything concerning the common event.

I...

Come tell us.

The princess said we should not have anything do do with any man.

Yes you are right.

And if I do, will you tell her.

You know what as it is I don't think I want to be part if the initiation any more.

Why?

I am considering what the pastor told me.

The pastor told me about this God stronger the Olokun.

What?

He said his name is Jesus.

Dorcas, don't even start, you know your father won't except this, your father won't even want to hear this.

Don't even start it.

What is wrong with you?

Look at tis girl, Dorcas.

-Please come and sit down -No, I want to...

All my club members are going to attend my daughter's initiation ceremony.

Is that enough to invite so meeting people for?

What do you mean by that this is a once in a lifetime occasion for my dear daughter.

Well and I just had little to preparation that's my strengths can carry.

Look you and I are not the same and we can never be.

See you brag to much, you brag to much you are to proud. That is the problem I have with you, you are to proud.

Why wouldn't I be proud, do you know who I am.

My daughter is going to be the next Olokun princess.

What do you expect do you know how much respect she commends right now.

Do you know all the things that are going to be given to her? What are you talking about.

-You are right anyway, this is worth a celebration. -Good, how you are talking.

I agree with you.

How much does it cost to?

-Let me sum it up. -Okay.

Okay we have a total of seven hundred and fifty thousand Naira.

-It is okay, its not bad. It's my daughter. -Okay.

Afternoon.

-Oh Prof. -Pastor.

Please wait.

I am a professor of philosophy 15 years now. Pastor please. Kindly tell me the relationship between divinities and supreme being.

You see there is no relationship between light and darkness. Jesus said I am the light of the world whoever follows me will not...

...walk in darkness but will have the light of my life. That is John chapter 8:12

I didn't say light and darkness I say divinity supreme being.

-Divinity is darkness. -Ignorance is play a role here.

I needs to educate you. So you don'y mislead us. Because we really need you.

Divinity is defined as to quality of being divine. eg. Divine nature of God. Increased gender is Christ.

-Yes. -Good, you are getting me.

Now back to my question. What is the relationship between divinity and super being.

Okay Prof, educate me on that.

That is why I like you. You are one of the best to students that I have in this place.

In your Christian geology about the divinity of Christ. You Christians believe that Christ was not created, but came out brought forward.

By the father the supreme.

That is why

You see all the attributes of the father in the same way I applied the same theory to the divinity.

That is why in Benin, Oloukun the ark divinity and regarded at the son of Osanobwa.

Which mean the son invested with power, majesty by the father to give children wealthy, healing and blessing.

As a prof. at Glasgow University for 15 years all of my works are based on facts because Olokun has provided this for me before I fall off his favour.

-No -Why?

Because Jesus is the only divinity in the world. Jesus saying I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.

That is what Jesus said what did Olokun say ...

I now see why Olokun failed. He refused to recruit disciples to write his words.

No no no no no that is not why, he lost the battle in heaven.

There was a war and when was that. When I travelled abroad because I leaves 15 years overseas.

In the book of Ezekiel chapter 28.

That was before I was born. Did Olokun lost his right as divinity.

-(Laughing) -Have a nice day.

Pastor.

Mama Dorcas are we doing to cook together this year.

Let us cook together.

I think that is a good idea.

How many guests are coming to be initiated.

12 new members.

No, I think more then 12 because 12 girls are from this village. They should be more then 24.

Really