SOCIAL VALUES OF SACRED OBJECTS IN SELECTED CHURCHES IN IBADAN, NIGERI

Abstract

Sacred Objects (SOs) are an important aspect of religious beliefs and practices of many churches in Nigeria, including churches in Ibadan. Previous studies on SOs explored mainly symbolic, ritual and spiritual values inherent in them, with scant attention paid to their social values. This study was, therefore, designed to examine social values of SOs used in selected churches in Ibadan, with a view to determining their usage and significance. Robert Codrington’s Mana Theory was used as the framework, while the descriptive design was adopted. Purposive sampling was used to select five churches and areas where SOs are mostly used in Ibadan: Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Ashi-Bodija; Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), Orogun; Cherubim and Seraphim Church (C&S), Iwo Road; The Church of the Lord (Prayer Fellowship) Worldwide (TCLPFW), Oke-Ado; and Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Challenge. In-depth interviews were conducted with 75 members (15 from each Church) because of their possession of SOs; and 10 members of the clergy (two from each Church) for consecrating the objects. Five sessions of focus group discussion were held with artisans and traders; expectant mothers and mothers-in-waiting; the sick; security personnel; and drivers. The data were content-analysed. Five SOs were used: water, oil, candle, crucifix and perfume; and three social values were identified: economic, security and healing. The artisans and traders affirmed that selling water in CAC, oil in RCCG, and candles, crucifixes and perfume in CCC increased their finances. While some security personnel wore crucifixes, some drivers hung them in cars, and others sprayed perfume on the body and in cars for protection. However, some drivers over-rely on the SOs by engaging in overspeeding on the highways, thereby becoming a threat to other road users. The majority of the expectant mothers and mothers-in-waiting in CAC, CCC, C&S and TCLPFW affirmed that they got healed from fibroid and stillbirth as they drank and bathed with holy water. Likewise, some persons in RCCG reported that they got healed from ulcers, stroke, 30 years of haemorrhage and epilepsy through the use of anointing oil. However, some respondents claimed that non-standardisation of the use of water, oil and perfume exposed their users to the health risk of overdose. The sale of these SOs resulted in business growth, job provision and self-reliance by their dealers. While some members of the clergy in CCC reportedly sold candles at exorbitant prices during programmes, some traders in CAC, C&S and RCCG sold water and oil at exorbitant prices during special programmes. The security personnel and drivers in CCC claimed that crucifix and perfume helped to ward off evil attacks, and prevented vehicle accidents and attacks by highway armed robbers and kidnappers. The healing from the use of these SOs reportedly prevented their beneficiaries from a high medical bills in conventional hospitals. Sacred objects are deployed by the selected churches in Ibadan to provide religious alternative measures for addressing economic, security and health challenges.