Oro deity does not k!ll women, traditional priest debunks myth
An Ifa priest and member of the Oro cult has clarified misconceptions about the Oro deity, emphasising that the traditional rite does not harm women.
Speaking on Pulse Hot Takes on Tuesday, the priest described Oro as a community cleansing ritual aimed at banishing negativity, not a violent practice.
The Oro festival, an annual Yoruba tradition celebrated by male descendants in specific communities, typically restricts women from being on the streets during the event due to beliefs that seeing the deity could bring harm.
However, the priest debunked the notion that Oro kills women, calling it a falsehood that has been repeated until widely believed.
He stressed that the Oro deity does not kill women, as many believe.
“The part about Oro killing women is not true. You know, when you tell a lie too many times, it becomes the truth. Oro, according to ancient history and what history has said, is a woman. She is a female deity who does not want to see women, and they should not see her either,” he said.
He explained the reason why women are usually asked to stay indoors: it is for their own safety, as some people may take advantage of the festival to harm them.
People with different motives might use the avenue of Oro to do negative things and cause havoc; this is why they make announcements all the time.
Every community has an Oro grove where members go around to make sure that women don’t go outside. They’re like security details, and are the ones that you see, but you’d never see Oro because they’re in the grove. They just send the women back. No place on earth does not conduct cleansing rites, even in urban areas
