OSUOPELE- ADEORU — ANCESTRAL GOD AMONG THE OGULAGHA PEOPLE: A FESTIVAL OF PEACE AND PROTECTION.

By Asiayei Enaibo

Every community has ancestral belief systems that their forefathers hold onto that protects their territorial borders against intruders in the time of old.

Slave traders and the invasive Christian domination against the African belief system gradually took our sanctity of worship and traditional powers away and introduced the new mentality of the white- man -God and condemn the African moral faith and belief and the white man took our gods and our forefathers’ belief away into foreign lands for slavery and use them to enrich themselves and demonize us while the gods prosper them with creative sense of discovery. Yes, our gods inspired them with technology; yes the revelation of ideas from the gods of our ancient values were covered. When they come to our lands for oil explorations, yes, they throw foods like fanta, biscuits, and other items for the gods to allow them to operate. When such rituals are done, there is peace for them to do what they wish to do. Those who understand this common belief, resolved their problems with ease but those who are ignorant to it, run around the whole world in vain.

We find new faiths and lose everything; the gods too become angry and hide their faces away from us. Before the coming of Christianity, before the Ogulagha man embraced the whiteman’s faith, there was Osuopele Adeoru —an ancestral power that watched over the seas and the land to protect the Ogulagha people against invaders from the sea and that made Ogulagha kingdom beyond conquest in history. But Christianity came to take this value system away for centuries, but today the gods have revealed themselves to Tompolo so we can come back home as they are with the people.

As far as Abraham remains the whiteman ancestor, Osuopele too is an ancestor to the people of Ogulagha community.

No matter how far it is, the root of a man cannot be cut away from him, for the gods have spoken.

OSUOPELE – ADEORU ancestral worship is an annual festival in Ogulagha community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State where worshippers commune with the deity to do thanksgiving for protection of life and prosperity. Believers take their activities sacred as Osuopele Adeoru is considered to be the deity that opens the oil wells in Ogulagha kingdom for the people to be so rich beyond the understanding of mortal, according to the Chief Priest — Guwor Timati, who made a slight historical trace to this belief system of his forefathers’ lineage before his eyes became open to the light of the world.
According to him, “Osuopele Adeoru is a god of protection and prosperity. Osuopele open the oil wells that are hidden in the kingdom after receiving sacrifice.
“It can also defend his people in time of war.
It blesses the believers.
It works with the strike of thunder.

“When the white men came from their foreign land to Ogulagha land for oil exploration, they didn’t know how to go about it but our forefathers that have been sitting on the throne of Osuopele, they made prayers to the ocean, they made to the forest, they made to the ancestral land, and the land answered them, and they blessed them like the land of Egypt and the land of Israel that they will prosper forever.

“Osuopele is as old as mankind, as it is dated back in antiquities . My forefathers were on this before I was chosen from their generation, yes, I am the fifth Chief Priest because after a long period , the family abandoned this practice but OSUOPELE revealed himself to Tompolo for the right thing to be done and from there, I became the chosen one from my forefathers’ line.

“Yes, God or gods must choose a channel through which the message will pass from one generation to the other, just like when Jonah was escaping from what he was sent by God to do; his refusal caused him pain and retrogression and this is so to those who the gods decide to work with.”

The new date for the celebration of OSUOPELE – ADEORU has been fixed for the 8th of February, 2022. All believers of Osuopele deity in Ogulagha kingdom have been invited to receive their new year blessings, and new increase.

Yes, it is a phenomenon that cannot be argued within the mundane mind frame. The supernatural visit can only be interpreted by those who the gods be with.High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo has been the eyes of the gods that have come to restore our heritage.

This is tradition as it plays a crucial role in the cultural heritage of our faith as the Ijaw people in the Niger Delta region, we hold our traditional worship institution sacred as part of life.

The identify of a man cannot be thrown to the sea, for it will surely come back no matter how long it may be.

This celebration is one of it kind for believe r to witness and receive abundance of protection and wealth as Osuopele will be coming out to see the sea and the land again for blessings.

Osuopele moves with thunder as the god that is assigned to watch over the cloud, the seas, and the land.
According to the Chief Priest —Guwor Timati, “whoever that plans any evil against the Ogulagha kingdom, should expect an unusual thunder that will consume him as Osuopele watches over his people for divine protection and close all evil eyes from his children.”

By Asiayei Enaibo,
The Talking Drum, writes from GbaramatuVoice.