Incorporation of Ayelala traditional religion into Nigerian criminal justice system: An opinion survey of Igbesa community people in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Ayelala is a popular deity in the western part of Nigeria. The deity is well known for its efficacy in punishing offenders of law and order when invoked. With 52 participants, this study investigated whether Ayelala should be incorporated into Nigeria Criminal Justice and political Systems. A total of 94% of the participants agreed in one form or the other that the deity is very efficient in punishing offenders of law and order when invoked. For its inclusion in Nigeria Criminal Justice System, 54% wanted it to be included and implemented. The study, therefore, recommended that survey should be conducted in Nigerian society on whether traditional criminal justice system like Ayelala should be included in the Modern Criminal Justice System or not. If the people so desired that it should be included, government should take steps towards the implementation of the decision of the people. Other recommendations are discussed in this paper.

The Role of Juju Rituals in Human Trafficking of Nigerians: A Tool of Enslavement, But Also Escape

“…In the case of Nigerian women who are trafficked, the juju ritual that is carried out by traffickers to bind the victims to them should then be referred to as “bad juju .” These oaths are taken by the women before embarking on the journey before deities such as Ayelala , a deified deity who is invoked to ratify an oath between two parties and believed to cause diseases or calamity to befall whoever breaks the oath (Ojo, 2014; Oviasuyi et al, 2011). Therefore, before the commencement of the journey to a European country, the women are taken to the shrine of a juju doctor/ritualist who performs a juju rite/oath-taking ritual on them (Adeyinka et al, 2021; van der Watt & Kruger, 2017).…”

Not all deities were transformed in Igboland: a cultural history of the Api-Opi deity

“…Most scholars believe that the functionality and duties of African deities, has always be efficient as seen in its ability to punish offender when invoked. In complimenting this point, Ojo (2014), conducted a study titled "incorporation of Ayelala traditional religion into Nigeria criminal justice system: An opinion survey of Igbesa community people in Ogun state, Nigeria". He summarized it by adopting a concurrent method with 52 participants, to elicit information concerning the genuineness in Ayelala functionality and duties.…”