Gade religion
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The ancient and modern Gade religion from time immemorial is gàbó which is called Gaboism (Gaboism is a philosophical, cosmological and linguistic, evolutionary and revolutionary word coined and propounded by GT Obadiah in 2015 in his research thesis titled “Gaboic Theory of Evolution”). Gàbó and gobo are two separate wordings[1]. The later (Gobo) has to do with ‘secret society, and Witcraft’ while the former involves the practice of traditions, culture, norms, values, worships, religious and belief system of the Gade people. Holistically, Gabo comprises the traditional religious and spiritual concepts and practice of the Gade people. Gade religion is characterized by a supreme being called Sigapa, many deities called itukpokpo, twin goddess called Ikorobi, and a belief in spirits and reincarnation. It also includes divination and traditional medicine practices that are sometimes linked to magic and revelation; etymologically called Rubochi which is sometimes linked to Witcraft called Katsi. Ikorobi refers to the deity of twins - twin goddess (Ancestral lineage system), who is associated with wisdom, fortune, misfortune, intellect, and divination . Every thought and action of each person or being in gwuku (the ancestral and lineage realm) interact with the Supreme force, all other living things, including the Earth itself, as well as with asam (the otherworld), in which gods, spirits and ancestors exist (It is a popular knowledge that every Gade came from otherworld and shall return to the otherworld after fulfilling the purposes of staying in the physical earth). The Gade religion can be described as a complex form of polytheism as against the Abrahamic religion, with a Supreme but distant creator force, encompassing the whole universe. Summarily, in Gade Religion, Ṣịgàpá is the most important "state of existence”, " Ṣịgàpá" is the owner of all heads, for during human creation, Sigapa gave " Ịtụkpọkpọ" (the breath of life or the Revenge gods), and Ikorobi “Twin goddess” to humankind (The twin goddess for fortune and misfortune). In this, Ṣịgàpá is Supreme. Perhaps one of the most important human endeavours extolled within the Gade literary corpus is the quest to improve one's "Iye" (mind, heart, character, behaviour). In this way the teachings transcend religious doctrine, advising as they do that a person must also improve their civic, social and intellectual spheres of being; every stanza of the sacred songs oracular poetry has a portion covering the importance of "Iye". Central to this is the theme of righteousness, self-consciousness, both individual and collective, communal and socio-profile of Gade people. Evidently, the Gade people worship Ṣịgàpá through Ịtụkpọkpọ “Revenge god”, Ikorobi “Twin goddess”, and several lineage and ancestral deities. In Gade Religion, each family and ancestral lineage have a supergod or demigod for referencing and worshipping, recourse and protection, evil practices and diversification of purposes based on the functions which is characterises by Zizi and non-zizi celebrations.
Polytheistic Gade Religion
[edit]In the polytheistic nature of Gade Religion, Gwuku is a complex and multifaceted concept that encompasses various aspects of death, the afterlife, and the relationship between the living and the dead. Gwuku is often translated as "the dead," but it carries a deeper meaning that goes beyond the physical act of dying. Gwuku refers to the transition of a person from the world of the living to the world of the dead and the subsequent journey of the deceased to the afterlife. The worshipping and referencing of Gwuku spirits involve incarnation, beze filtered water sprinkling on the tomb at begune ‘grave’ invoking the spirit of righteousness, fortune and misfortune on the worshippers and the ancestral blessing, curses and rejection characterises with eulogising and praising the afterlife and mediating and consolidating the purpose of life in otherworld. In essence, Gade Religion is a complex religion which has several aspects such as etymological concepts, historical models, forces of the religions, aspect of the religion, philosophy, science and belief system, communal gods or demigods, individual demigods, uncountable number of deities and gwuku; each with their theories, mythological account and histories[2]