Nobel Laureate and acclaimed author, Wole Soyinka, has revealed his preference for traditional Orisa worship over Christianity and Islam. In a recent discussion, Soyinka explained that Orisa, a religion rooted in African traditions, appeals to him more deeply than the more commonly practiced Christianity or Islam.
One of the reasons for his preference is that Orisa worship is centered around creativity and peace, unlike what he perceives in the other religions. Soyinka highlighted that Orisa practices reject violence and instead promote a creative spiritual journey, something he finds more fulfilling.
For Soyinka, the intensity and richness of Orisa worship offers a deeper connection that he hasn’t found in Christianity or Islam. This deep personal connection and admiration for Orisa’s peaceful nature are why it stands out for him as a more meaningful way to practice faith.
“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.”
The literary icon also revealed that he said he doesn’t like to watch anything adapted from his life or works.
“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.”
