Last time this news report was done, it was in Tanzania. Now
apparently there is a town in Nigeria where albinos are actually killed according to reports.
Ibule-Soro is a town in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo
State. The town which literally means ‘turning land to wealth’ is reputed to
have good palm wine. However, Ibule-Soro is a no-go-area for ‘Albinos’ as they
would die on getting to the town, located very close to the state capital.
BABATOPE OKEOWO who was in the town reports that Jooro, a river goddess in the
town abhors men and women of light skin.
In Ibule-Soro in Ifedore local government area of Ondo State
everybody is welcome to the agrarian community where the best palm wine is sold
in the state as long as you are not albino; the river goddess in the town
forbids it. Apart from the fact that an albino cannot enter the town, no
indigene of the town has ever given birth to one. In fact, a source in the town
said Jooro, the river goddess in the town kills any albino given birth to by
any indigene of the town wherever they may be living.
A visit to the town by the New Telegraph showed there was no
single resident of the town that is albino or even someone that is
‘excessively’ light in complexion. For many people living in Akure, who delight
in taking palm wine, the nearest place to get good palm wine and bush meat is
Ibule-Soro, as top government functionaries and political office holders
usually trooped to the town to enjoy the undiluted palm wine.
For those who because of their tight schedule could not visit
the town, they usually send their drivers or trusted aides to get it for them.
However, the town, which has remained without a monarch since 2008 when the
last occupant joined his ancestors, welcomes everybody to the town and is ready
to host you provided you are not an albino.
The highest ranking chief in the town, Chief Isaac Olawale
Adegboye, the Oluoye of Ibule-Soro, said the people are hospitable to people
but not to albino because of Jooro River which usually kill albino who come
near to the town. Adegboye, who spoke with New Telegraph alongside the Priest
of the River, Chief James Jayeoba, said the present residents of the town
should not be blamed for the taboo as the history of the town predated many of
them. His words: “We have a river called Jooro. The river does not see albino,
if an albino comes to the town, the river will trace him and will kill him.
If the albino comes around the town, the river will get angry
and flood everywhere until the albino is killed. “The river will not only kill
the albino, it would kill the people in sight and destroy properties. Our
forefathers told us that if you bring albino near the town, the River will turn
to beach and wash away all the inhabitants of the town.”
According to him, apart from albino, the river does not allow
bead near it. “You don’t get near Jooro with bead,” he said, adding that only
the priest could wear bead to the river. When asked what actually led to the
River goddess forbiding albinos, the Priest said he was not told about it, but
that it is a tradition handed down from generations past. He informed that the
river which is worshipped yearly by adherents, takes pigeon and kolanut, and
that it is also prevents calamities from befalling the town. His words: “The
River is useful for the indigenes and non-indigenes alike.
It has curative power; it gives children to the barren, heal the
sick and promotes the indigenes of the town wherever they are. “If any fetish
object is being brought to the town, the river would render it impotent. You
can’t also take any fetish object outside the town because the river goddess
forbids it.”
Besides the river also play a role in the installation and
burial of a monarch in the town. Chief Jayeoba said they usually mixed the
power used for the installation and once he dies, it is the water from the
river that would be used to watch the remains. Chief Adegboye said they were
hoping to have a new monarch one day and that normalcy would soon return once a
new monarch emerges.
His words: “The monarch of the town died in 2008, but we cannot
get one because we are waiting for the government’s approval. The government
must approve warrant chiefs to replace the chiefs that died. We have six
kingmakers but four have died, reaming two. We have written to the government
to appoint four warrant chiefs for us.”
Culled from Ynaija
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