Read the interview below A popular pastor, Solomon
Oladimeji, who is founder of Cherubim and Seraphim
Church, Orisun-Ayo, with branches at Alapere, Ketu, and
Odogunyan in Ikorodu area of Lagos, has confessed to
being a member of the Ogboni confraternity.

Oladimeji, 65, says that there is no stigma that should be
associated with the cult which is rumoured to be a
gathering of evil doers by most Nigerians. Oladimeji, who
is also a member of the Christian Association of Nigeria
talks about blood sacrifices, charms and his views on the
misconceptions of practising Christians in Nigeria.

Excerpts:

When did you become a member of the Ogboni,
and what were the circumstances that prompted you to be
a member?

Although, my journey as shepherd for Jesus
Christ’s flock is over 40 years, I became a member of
theOgboni society over 20 years ago. Initially, I was
initiated into the Aborigine Ogboni fraternity, that is the
one they call Ogboni Ibile, but later I joined Saala Ogboni
fraternity, and since I made that decision, I have no
regret.

As a member of Ogboni fraternity, my life is having a
meaning. I have prospered. My coast has been enlarged.
Members of my congregation are increasing everyday. I
also thank God that due to my diligence as a committed
member, I have been able to rise to the enviable position
of Oluwo within the Ogboni fraternity.

Are your members, that is members of your church aware that you belong to Ogboni fraternity?

What is there to be hidden? I am not ashamed of my association with Ogboni Society, and I don’t hide it from members of my church. They all know that I’m a leader in the Ogboni group. When you even come to my house, I openly display my regalia as Ogboni
chief. Let me quickly tell you this, by making my members know that I’m Ogboni member, it makes me popular among
them. They describe me as an open and honest person.
For that, many of them have been voluntarily coming to
me pleading to be initiated as a member of Ogboni
fraternity.

Some people would think that you use charms
on them?

Why should I use charm on them or to charm
them as some people will say?

God forbid. I’m a child of light; darkness or anything evil
has no place in my life or church. Your member will like
you, when they know that the power you are using to
solve their problems is power from Jesus Christ, my Lord
and Saviour. I have never committed evil in my life and I
will never do so till the day my Lord calls me home.

Are you saying that charm doesn’t exist?

No. I’m not saying so. Charms do exist, but it depends on how you use it. I used herbs and leaves combined with other items to prepare soap, anointing oil for members and other people that are having spiritual problems. It is unfortunate that today a lot of Christians are suffering out of ignorance.

You see some saying it is what my pastor or what my
prophet tells me I believe. I will never use any soap,
cream, oil by just any minister of God, but only if those
members know what those pastors are doing. Some of
these pastors and prophets come to people like me to
acquire power to perform miracle and wonders. Some of
them are even Ogboni members like me. But they are
hypocrites. I will never deny somebody who is my
benefactor, and that is why you see me wearing and
displaying beads and other items being used by Ogboni
fraternity. To me, what matters again is saving life, and it
doesn’t matter where you get saved whether it is in the
house of babalawo or any juju priest. We are all calling on
the name of the same God. In my neighbourhood, both at
Alapere and Odogunyan, many residents know me both as
a cleric andOgboni leader. In fact, Baale of Odogunyan,
that is the community leader, knows me as the Oluwo
ofSaala Ogboni. I’m highly respected in the community. I
joined the Ogboni fraternity because I like their ways of
life. They are decent people. Contrary to misconception
some people have about Ogboni, that we are evil people.
Far from it, rather I will say that Ogboni members are not
only children of Light, but we are also messengers of the
Most High God because, we don’t kill but only save lives.
But some people believe that Ogboni is evil, and that it is
an evil association condemned by the Bible. Those who
say so are ignorant. They have been brainwashed by our
colonial masters. But thank God, we are now in a
different era, and we can all be reading the Bible without
relying or depending on what the imperialist swould want
us to believe in order to suit their own purpose.

Some will tell you that Ogboniis evil because they use juju, they still carry out sacrifices of various forms by shedding blood of animals, and birds. Some even out of ignorance say we eat human flesh. Rubbish. May Almighty God forgive our traducers. If you are talking about sacrifice, where did the Bible condemn sacrifice? Let our accusers point it out either in the old or the New Testament.

Throughout myyears at the seminary and the Bible school, I never come across such. Then the sacrifice you are talking about, on several occasion especially in the Old Testament,
sacrifices were carried out to atone for the sins of the
Israelites. It was also often carried out when the children
of Israel were looking for one favour or another. But
coming down to the New Testament, don’t mind those
confusionists who say that Jesus Christ, my own Lord
and Saviour condemns sacrifice, what a big lie. If you can
still remember when Jesus Christ himself was born the
day His parents Joseph and Mary were taking Him to the
Synagogue, Joseph has to sacrifice doves, and pigeon.
He took the birds to the church.

You can read in the book of Matthew and Luke. So, if the
parents of Jesus, my Master, the Author and Finisher of
my Faith were involved in sacrifice, why would I say I
want to distance myself from such? Again, they accused
us pastors of asking some people that have problems to
go and bathe in a running stream, what is wrong with
that, did such not happen in the Bible? Have we forgotten
the story of Naman, the Syrian Army General who had
leprosy and was looking for a cure, how Prophet Elisha
asked him to go bathe inside River Jordan, and Naman
was healed after complying with the prophet’s instruction,
and this is why I said some people are dying due to
ignorance. Sacrifice is biblically ordained. I sacrificed
animals and birds to offer prayers to cure and heal people
of their ailments. When I pray for you and it is revealed to
me that I should kill duck, cow or even goat to offer
prayers for you, I will tell you to make available such
animals for sacrifice, and the moment we do that, you
receive your healing. When I kill fowl, goat, duck or even
cow for sacrifice to heal somebody, I have not in any way
transgressed. I’m only doing the will of Jesus Christ, who
is my personal Lord and Saviour. Whatever is outside the
Bible, you will never see me doing it.

Even in the book of Revelation, the use of leaves and
herbs was recommended for healing. And for those who
describe Ogboni fraternity as a cult, this is wrong. Ogboni
is a society. We are transparent and honest people.
Ogboni abhors evil. We are organized and disciplined. A
cult is a group of people involved in secrecy, we are open
to scrutiny. Let those who out of hearsay say evil about
Ogboni be bold and come to our meeting and see whether
it is true that we drink blood. All those pastors saying
rubbish about Ogboni are doing so to attract membership.
You say you sacrifice animals, if that is what is needed
for someone’s prayers to be answered, but the Bible says
Jesus has done that by His death, are you not going
against the Bible? Far from it! Whatever I do as Ogboni
Pastor is biblically ordained and inspired.

If you read your New Testament very well, Apostle Paul
who is regarded as one of the most dynamic evangelists
of his era says that without shedding blood, that there is
no redemption. Am I the one that put that in the Bible?
Even when Jesus Christ was about to be dedicated, His
parents, Joseph and Mary took pigeons and doves to the
church which were slaughtered as a sacrifice. You also
read in several other places both in the Old and New
Testament where blood sacrifice took place. You
remember the case of Cain and Abel. I even read Bible
before I carry out this killing of animals as sacrifice in
order to save souls.





source: https://tips.naij.com/lagos-pastor-confess-i-belong-to-ogboni.html

'I am a child of light '


nah this one make me stop reading sef!

They don dey confess,one by one..wolf in sheep's clothing

Just like many others do.

Religious syncretism at its peak.

It is this kind of people my Shepherd at Ayilara Parish call " Babalawo in Sutana".

A Celestial hymn says " There is no other way that Leads to heaven! Sinner the Name of Jesus will save you"

Another verse in the hymn says " the priceless blood of Jesus has done propitiation for our sins, Sinner bathe in his blood and you shall be saved"

Christ died by shedding his blood on Calvary so that there will be no need to sacrifice animals no more for anything.

The scriptures say that the power over life and death is in the tounge and those that are wise will eat the fruit thereof.

The ideal is that we grow to the level of faith of the Centurion who told Jesus that he did not need to be physically present for his daughter to be healed but he should instead command in a similar way that je commands his own soldiers who go and get the job done.