DESTINY CAN HARDLY BE CHANGED – IFA PRIEST

A traditionalist and Ibadan Ifa Chief Priest, Ifalere Odegbemi Odegbola, has said that destiny plays a most prominent part a man's life, saying 'destiny can hardly be changed.' He said this during the lecture delivered at Assembly of Traditional Religious Temple, Omi-Adio, Ibadan, Oyo State.

He said the concept of destiny in Yoruba tradition is so important because 'there is little anybody can do to alter it. Parents need to monitor their children in order not to derail from Ifa's voice. They need to know and guard on some dos and don'ts to forbid misfortune.'

He advised people not to handle the issue of Ifa divination of their offspring with levity, as 'this will serve as a road map for them in their life journey to this mystery world.'

He also called on individuals to possess good character so as to get destiny fulfilled: 'Anyone that lacks good character will not achieve much on earth. Most of the problems people attach to destiny are inflictions on oneself. It is for this reason people are punished for wrongdoing because they are believed to be responsible for their actions.'

The traditionalist, who spoke on 'Yoruba Myth and Tradition' explained the significance of head saying 'it goes beyond its biological importance as the seat of the brain that controls the body.' He said head is more or less the guardian angel that guides one's destiny on earth 'thus when you narrowly escape an accident the Yoruba would say your head has helped you out.

'Most problems confronting our society today are as a result of the people insensitivity to culture and tradition.' He implored the people to embrace the traditional methods of child naming, where the child's journey to earth will be clearly divined to the parents through the messenger of Olodumare, Ifa the witness of destiny.