Nobel Prize-winning author and playwright, Professor Wole Soyinka, has shed light on his personal choice to embrace traditional Orisa worship over Christianity and Islam.
In a recent interview with CNN’s Larry Madowo, the renowned writer explained that his preference stems from the deep cultural connection and creative essence he finds within African traditional religions, especially Orisa worship, which he believes surpasses the appeal of the two dominant global faiths.
Soyinka, who was born into a Christian family, shared that his upbringing was influenced by both Christianity and traditional African beliefs.
He revealed that his grandfather practiced Orisa worship before eventually converting to Christianity. The experience of being exposed to both faiths allowed Soyinka to explore both worlds, but he found Orisa worship more captivating.
“I was fortunate to be born in two worlds – the Christian world and traditional Orisa worshippers. My grandfather, until he – poor man – also got converted – he was an Orisa person and a chief, and his (grandfather’s) side (of Orisa) fascinated me a lot more,” the playwright told CNN’s Larry Madowo, during an interview.
He added, “For me, it (Orisa worshipping) was more artistic, creative, and also more mysterious. I don’t find much of the mysterious in Christianity and even less in Islam and that is for a simple reason that I didn’t grow up in a Muslim environment.
“Orisa is open, and very ecumenical and that is why these foreign religions were able to penetrate it and even distort the truth. Because of the generosity of this spirit (Orisa), it is not violent. It is one of those African religions which eschew violence.
“I don’t believe in the Islamic or Christian God and for the adherents of these religions if that makes me an atheist, so I say, I am an atheist. I insisted that all human beings have a certain spiritual core in their being, I believe myself to be a more spirit-sensitive person.”
“Let me put it this way, turning anything in my life into what other people can watch pains me. It makes me extremely uncomfortable. It’s wrong to say it’s terrific, let me just say I’m detached from it.
“It takes me a while to bring myself to watch me.”
