Professor of Religious studies and Head of the Lagos State University’s Epe Campus, Danoye Oguntola-Laguda has shared his opinion on the viral photo of the new wife of Oni of Ife, Evangelist Seyi Naomi who stepped on what appeared to be blood during her recent marriage rites.
Though the palace has reacted to the trending photo saying, ‘the new Yeyeluwa wasn’t stepping on blood but OOSUN (Cam Wood).
There’s no where in Yoruba tradition where the bride is required to step over blood as part of a wedding rite’.
The professor however believes that stepping on blood has a symbolic value that ‘we should appreciate’,
Read his piece below…
I read many reactions to the new marriage of Oni of Ife. I have also read condemnation of the action of the new bride, an evangelist stepping into her new home on the blood of an animal. Some said it is about tradition. Some said it is fetish.
Others are quick to label her as a ritualist. Permit me to say that blood is very central to many religions in our world today. All taking their origin in the Ancient Near East. Thus the expression”blood of the lamb”. The eid ahdah celebration is about blood offering to the Almighty creator of humanity.
The anthropologists among us will tell inform on the value of blood to our existence. Thinking of female monthly flow. Without it no life. Based on these premises I wish to submit that the new bride of Oni has done nothing wrong based on the traditions of the Ife people, Yoruba and humanity as a whole.
We should see the blood as a symbolic sacrifice to Olodumare. The signify a new beginning for the bride and groom. I pray we don’t condemn the act but appreciate the symbolic value of the stepping on blood. It is about life not death as in death, blood cease to flow. I await comments.
