The Chief Priest of Osogboland, Araba Ifayemi Elebuibon, the renowned Ifa priest of Osogbo, has said dangers await any married woman who is unfaithful to her husband.
He said this when he hosted members of the Ọmọ Yoruba Atata Socio-Cultural Initiative (OYÀSI) at his residence on Elebuibon Street, in Osogbo, Osun State, on Thursday.
The visit to Elebuibon was part of preparations for the upcoming World Headdress Celebration, which will take place in Ibadan on 28 December, 2025.
The maiden edition of the event (the first of its kind anywhere in the world) was held at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan in 2024.
Elebuibon, globally known for his deep knowledge of Ifa divination and Yoruba spiritual practices, explained that the Yoruba people already had a well-developed traditional system long before the Europeans introduced modern science.
He added that the Yoruba had their own ways of identifying the paternity of a child without any medical blood test, commonly referred to as DNA Test.
“Head adornment is very important for both men and women in Yoruba land, especially the tradition of wearing caps and head-ties, which the Ọmọ Yoruba Atata group is now promoting.
“The Yoruba have their complete and unique traditions; it is not true that the Europeans came to teach us how to be civilised.
“The practice of wearing caps and head-ties, which you are now reviving, is very significant, especially for the younger generation who no longer know the difference between right and wrong.
“Indeed, caps (fila) were sometimes used in traditional rituals to determine the faithfulness of a woman.
“It is used to ease prolonged labour but it works only for a woman who is truly faithful to her husband. That practice is, in a way, similar to what we now call DNA testing.
“A woman must be faithful to her husband. Did you know that the Yoruba had their own ways of verifying a child’s paternity in ancient times, before modern blood tests existed? That was how our ancestors used to confirm the true father of a child,” he said.
He commended OYÀSI for its efforts in promoting Yoruba culture and traditions, especially through World Headdress Celebration organised by the group.
Elebuibon pledged his support for the organisation and expressed hope that the annual festival would soon gain recognition from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), to make it an officially-celebrated global annual event.
Earlier, during the visit, the chairman of OYÀSI, Mr. Olawale Ajao, explained that the Yoruba people use caps and head-ties for many spiritual and cultural purposes.
Ajao, in company of Mr. Adeyemi Oloriire, Mr. Kolawole Olatunji, and Mrs. Yetunde Olalere, also praised the veteran Ifa priest for his continuous efforts in promoting Yoruba culture around the world.
