Understanding the Relevance of Oro Festival in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State Nigeria: Implications for Seventh-day Adventist Christian Mission = Understanding the Relevance of Oro Festival in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State Nigeria: Implications for Seventh-day Adventist Christian Mission

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Oro festival, a tradition among the Yoruba people of Southwest Nigeria, serves as a political, spiritual and judicial hallmark of the culture. Restrictions of movement and other punitive measures hold the females in the society to ransom during the Oro festival. This study examined the practice of Oro among the indigenes of Ilishan-Remo Ogun State Nigeria. Functionalist theory of religion formed the theoretical framework for examining the structures within the Oro festival. Seventy-four males and thirty-nine females were interviewed. Findings reveal themes of prayer, fun, male dominance, unity and rest, among others. The study finds that for the indigenes, Oro is a viable means of prayer for the carrying away of sin, receiving protection, prosperity, fertility of women, great harvests and males wanting to have fun. Presenting the Day of Atonement as a type and Jesus as our High priest is a viable mission option. It is concluded that Charles Kraft’s Dynamic Equivalence Churches Model be applied to create an alternative Annual Special Community Day of Prayer and Fun that will compensate for the Oro festival.