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| Jude Idemudia The Holy Aruosa is a traditional religion with a unique worship place where the Oba of Benin, his palace chiefs , family members including men and women of Edo origin commune directly with God. It is situated along the famous Akpakpava Road, Benin City, Established as a traditional worship house where the people are said to have direct contact with God , the Holy Aruosa, ( Eye of God ) predates the Portuguese expedition. It is widely acclaimed as the oldest worship center in the entire continent of Africa. As a defacto religion of the Edos, it is headed by the reigning Benin Monarch . Its entire activities are centred on Edo culture and language, but over the years the prominence, growth and proliferation of Holy Aruosa whose geographical spread once cut across Edo, Delta , Rivers, Cross Rivers, western parts of Nigeria and parts of Dahomey (present day Republic of Benin), was adversely affected by western civilization and the Nigerian civil war. The British invasion of Benin in 1897 which led to the exile of Oba Ovorawmen N’Ogbasi to Calabar, had adverse effect on Arousa. However, it was rebuilt by Oba Akenzua when he ascended the throne in 1933. Many branches were rebuilt in Benin, Port Harcourt, Onitsha and Dahomey. Many historical versions gave divergence views about the origin of Arousa as a religion. The British according to world initiative for peace, a non-profit organization, in its 5th world conference on Religion and Ethnicity with a special reference to the Portuguese, ancient Benin Kingdom and the Romania churches as case studies, has it that Holy Aruosa was founded by the Portuguese in 1406AD. In an interview with LEADERSHIP WEEKEND, Col. Paul Ogbebor (Retd.) counselor and chairman Board of Trustees (Arousa), who vehemently contradicted the position of World Initiative of Peace, said: “it amounts to saying it was when the Spanish got to America that America was founded. The Portuguese came for commercial and religious treaties, they only came to complement what had long existed.” “Ever before their expedition in Africa, we had a very entrenched, disciplined and strong religion. When they arrived, they took our priest to Portugal, but the difference is that, we commune directly to God, while the Christians pray through Jesus Christ. “We are not Christians. We are Godly. We deal directly with God.” According to Ogbebor, many years ago, Edo people experienced strange happenings, man’s inhumanity to man outlived its bound. Spurred by three fundamental questions and request: that the young ones should not be dying before their elders, the need to continue to have rain throughout the season and that the dead should be able to visit the living, Okhuahe, a Benin priest volunteered to take the message to God. Although several years later, God spoke, unfortunately the above requests were declined as they tend to violate the natural law which says there cannot be witness of any person who have seen God on earth.” “But the same spot where the Binis gathered, prayed and waited for the return of Priest Okhuahe, is the present site where we have Arousa.” On a comparative dichotomy between Arousa and contemporary religion, Col. Paul said: “Arousa is more imparting, Christianity has nothing to do with Edo culture, but Arousa is Edo. Hardly would you see five percent of Edos who live 100 percent by Christian doctrines as worshipers, it is rare. But Arousa is Edo culture.” Before most Edos go to the church they commune with their ancestors in family ways to keep their homes.” Reacting to the diminishing prominence of Holy Arousa in the contemporary society, the chairman board of trustee explained: “the British expedition affected Arousa, there were insinuations and accusation that we were fetish. Being a spiritual institution, Arousa was demolished. Arousa went underground until Oba Akenzua started rebuilding most of the shrines that were affected.” The Nigerian civil war, the snare waves of Christianity and the government take over of the missionary schools that was dedicated to its propagation also negatively impacted on the growth of Arousa. On his part, Royal Priest Harrison Okao (JP), Senior Presiding Priest of Arousa who shared similar opinion with Col. Paul on the origin of Arousa said Aruosa is a rallying center for Christians, Muslims and traditional worshippers. “We are not against any religion, but we are concerned with the state of the mind” Priest Harrison, a product of Ministry Pastoral school institute, USA, and Worldwide Ministry, stated that reigning Benin Monarchs are responsible for the appointment of Arousa priests through inspiration from God. Defining his specific role in Bini kingdom, he said himself as a priest of Arousa and Chief Nosakhare Isekhure,the Chief Priest of Benin, are saddled with duties and responsibilities of protecting the Oba. “I pray to God on behalf of the Oba, while Isekhure pray to ancestors on behalf of the Oba.”The Oba’s wives are not under my jurisdiction. No Oba’s wives come here, but we only pray for them.” However, women who are mostly the choristers are allowed to worship freely without inhibition, as they commune freely with Osanobua (God or creator) without any intermediary. “We do not pray through Jesus Christ or any other intermediary. It is not that we do not believe in him, but the truth is that we pray directly to God.” “If you have a father and you also have a brother and you want to ask your father for something, do you pass through your brother? That is why we do not pass through any intermediary and instead, go directly to God to make our requests. “During the prayer session, I ask the people to come out and talk to their God and say or ask whatever is dear to them. There is a specific time during every worship service when such people will come out to cry to their God. To me, it is one of the best sessions in the entire service.” “The prayer every successive Oba offers at the worship site ensures the success of the kingdom and its inhabitants as a whole.” “God has been answering our prayers. Here, we pray for barren women, jobless youth, our children—that they have the fear of God and grow properly; we pray for our market women and others generally. So, being a place of true worship, and of prayer for good things, Holy Aruosa is a very important place to the society here. The Benin monarch occasionally attends worship at the traditional church especially after Igue festival for thanksgiving. The temple which conducts services every Sunday is also believed to have the most unadulterated bible they use for worship. |
Additional reports by Patrick Ochoga, Edo World And LEADERSHIP WEEKEND
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