Overview Of System Of Befiefs Of Badagry People
The belief system of Badagry people has some element similar to that of other Yorubal tribes. Both the Yoruba and Ogu believe in the Supreme God, who should be worshipped through a hierarchy of other minor deities. This belief system is known among the Egun and Awori Yoruba as Vodu and Orisha respectively. These Vodu and Orisha were meant to be effective means of communication between God and man and therefore not hierarchy of gods. The people of Badagry from time immemorial have their own religion denominations with notable shrine of Hevioso located at Vede-Genvie, Loko-Magbeyon at Agbalata (Ogbata), Nabuluku (Nabruku) at Jegba, Adiye, Topodun, Adikomeh, Whlakoh, Ajaloko at Ganho, Made at Adaliko (Adariko) Ahoviko quarters, Vlekete at Posukoh. The Toplisen Shrine situate at Hunto is an important shrine of a very great historical significant as the hierarchy and the extended congregations of the various traditional groups joined by other well wishers coverage around this shrine to watch the crowning ceremony of past and present Badagry monarchs - the Akran of Badagry.
Many respondents confirmed that the Badagry indigenes also worship deities like the god of iron and the goddess of river as in other part of Yoruba land. ‘The language distinguishes us from our neighbours. In Badagry, we have the Aworis and the Eguns. The language we speak is known as Ogu. Our local biscuit is made from cassava, Ajogun and the local name of the biscuit is Agbotu. This biscuit can only be found within Badagry’.
One major difference between the Ogu religious system and that of the Yoruba was in the provision made by priests for the training of initiates in the various cults. In Badagry, the priests in charge of the training of the initiates were called Voduno and he prepared instruction manuals used for the training. Successful initiates became members of the cult and were called Vodunsi. This process of training became a bond of unity among the different Egun cults, as the different worshipers came together as members of a common congregation. In their own case, the Awori Yoruba system, each religious cult maintained its own programme and retained under its own leadership. They do not see themselves as members of a single religious faith. The Ogu system has defined offices for members which is comparable to the Christian system.
Other aspects of the peculiarity of Badagry include their traditional occupation; the Mobee of Badagry stated further that: The other things that also set us apart from others can be traced to our natural endowments and our occupation; the natural terrain of the area is very much related to the traditional occupation of the people which are chiefly fishing, farming, animal husbandry and cottage industries ranging from boat-building, net making, bamboo furniture industry, mat weaving and raffia works, to wine-tapping, pottery and the art of constructing traditional dwelling houses. Another thing is our friendly disposition to visitors; our hospitality’.
