“Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt. And the men of Babylon made Succoth- benoth and the men of Cuth made Nersal and the men of Hamath made Ashima. And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sephavites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods Sepharvain. So they FEARED THE LORD and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priest of the high places. They FEARED THE LORD and SERVED THEIR OWN gods after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence “2Kings 179 (Emphasis is mine). After series of warning from God to Israel to desist from evil and especially idolatry to which Israel refused to take heed unto, the Lord delivered Israel to the king of Assyria who thoroughly depopulated Israel and brought different nationals he had subjugated to fill Samaria.
Since they were all idolaters who had no respect for the true and living God they came into Samaria with their different gods and feared not the great and living God, the Lord equally responded to their evil ways by sending lions amongst them that constantly devoured them.
The inhabitants of Samaria cried out to the king of Assyria concerning their plight and on inquiries and consultations he was told that the evil befalling the Samarians was because they had no regard to the God of heaven. Therefore the Assyrian king looked for and brought into Samaria, priest of the living God who on coming taught them the ways of the Lord. Despite all these teachings they feared the Lord and served their own gods. IIKings 1733
Despite the incursion into Ora of these denominations and especially the orthodox faith, the people got “converted, baptized, confirmed and partook of the Holy communion but refused to get divorced from their different immoral, sinful, idolatrous, witchcraft, etc practices. This is not despising the great effort the Orthodox and especially Anglicanism brought into Ora Land for without them there would have been nothing the Pentecostals could have built upon.
Our fore-runner brought into Ora land unquantifiable human development through education. The first privately opened primary education was pioneered by the Anglican Church in the year 1913 in Sabongidda-Ora, a Maternity home opened in 1942/43 at Sabongidda-Ora and the great Anglican Secondary School that produced men, some who achieve great educational height all over the Country and beyond – Holy Trinity Grammar School had its foundation stone laid in April 28th 1942, All these and many more makes for appreciation the evangelistic efforts of this demonstration. And of very recent the Anglican Church established another Secondary School in memory of the great man of God, Rev. Akinluyi named Venerable Akinluyi Memorial Grammar School.
The above notwithstanding, the spiritual wilderness of the Oras can be seen all over the land in respect of idolatrous practices despite “Spiritual enlightenment” education advancement and social development by the following research work gathered:
(a) EVBIOBE ORA (SABONGIDDA-ORA)
(1) Ancestral Worship is still very much alive for this must be practiced by the high priest (Odinkute) the eldest of each family, sacrifice and libation is offered constantly.
(2) The introduction of chieftaincy title into Ora culture and tradition in about 1630 brought into Ora land another form of encouragement into idolatry for no one can be made a chief without sacrifice to and worship of one idol or the other as practiced by the chiefs of Ora. It should be mentioned here that chieftaincy in Ora is not by inheritance, commendation or title for good deed but for sale. The Egjes thus became the uncrowned rulers of the Oras.
(3) In Sabongidda-Ora we also have the Eguarelu-the meeting place for the Oras. The oldest man n Sabongidda-Ora on enthronement leaves his house no matter how good or bad to make Eguarelu his abode until death.
Eguarelu also housed the Ikpi (Python) worship by the Evbiobes. The Python has so many myth waved around it. The agents of the Python are house rats that must be fed with Ekha – mashed yam with oil.
(4) The Odigbanisirin also is kept here which must have the blood of animal shed for it on the enthronement of the eldest man in Evbiobe. Human sacrifice was replaced by animal sacrifice due to renaissance and reformation. This man at Equarelu has so many taboos and it is of important to note that not long after enthronement, he could go deaf, blind or become incapacitated in one form or the other.
(5) Apart from the above, there is the famous Ukpako, Omonayan etc age-long custom as the masquerades of Evbiobe-Ora. When festival of Ukpako is in progress there must be no music in form of drumming to any god or the Almighty God. Anyone who defiles this is liable to a fine of a goat with any other item(s) for sacrifice and atonement at the Ukpako shrine. There are other idols or relics associated with one sacrificial event, festival etc of the past which are still of significance to the Evbiobe-Ora. Main taboo. The Evbiobes forbid Ojedo (king & queen of termites) for it was believed these saved Evbiobe in the time of war & calamity.
(b) OHIA-ORA
(1) The Ohias have the 1&2 as the Evbiobes. At present the Aihiedu’s shrine of Ohia is no more serviceable, same for that of Agba for there is no one interested in being its priest.
(2) The main taboo of the Ohias is the python. This was believed to have saved the Ohias in the time of war for it stretched across a river when the Ohias were being pursued and the Ohias crossed to the other side while their enemies attempted to cross, the python folded itself and they all got drowned. Therefore the Ohias forbids the killing or eating the python and any one who dares will have his nose and fingers cut off supernaturally and his body texture will become like that of the python except an atonement for sin of a goat and other items is made.
This they still believe up till date.
OVBIOKHUARIN-ORA
For the Ovbiokhuarins their taboo is Ovbue and the python. They believed that the Ovbue covered their escape route from their enemies and thus got them distracted and they (Ovbiokhuarin) escaped. The python is also believed to be the protector of the villagers from witchcraft, dangers and whatever form of evil.
(d) OVBIARE-ORA
Ovbiare is part of Sabongidda-Ora but it has its distinctive features of idolism. Its taboo is the eagle – Oghu-Ughomo which they believed was their saviour in adversity. Idols served are Ozi, Ari, Udo and Aziza- wildwind.
(e) EME-ORA.
At Eme the idols being worshipped are Ikute, Ojekpen,Evon, Ikpi (python), Ogbe Agangan etc. though this is the cradle of Christianity the worship of gods has not ceased.
(f) OKE-ORA.
The taboo of the Okes is the deer and sheep. The Okes believed that the deer and sheep are cold and the eater will not be physically strong and since they are traditionally the Ora warriors they must not eat the aforementioned animals. Their shrine is called Eguare-Okhikhan. They also have in Oke the Akeso shrine – the god of fertility, this is apart from ancestral worship.
(g) UHONMORA-ORA
The Uhonmora’s taboo is Ivbue-grass-cutter. They believed that any one of them that eat of it will have his nose mysteriously cut off. At Uhonmora is the Owan river which is yearly worshipped with Isikolo- (mashed water yam). Other idols/gods are:- Urukpa, Omoikhin etc. like every other part of Ora, there is the ancestral worship.
In every part of Ora land we have the traditional churches- Anglican and Catholic but these Churches from the beginning did not have a strong Christian influence to stem the tide of idolism nor were they able to bring about repentance from evil works but accommodates the adherents, Chiefs are made leaders of the Church, Ora Chiefs are not excused from idolatrous worship for to induct one into this group, one must pass through different stages of sacrifice to different idols.
Moreover every child has to be initiated into manhood at the appropriate age. This also cannot be done without idolatrous practices of visits to shrines and sacrifice thereto.