Residents of Ipaja area of Lagos State have been thrown into panic and confusion, following an alleged discovery of some ghosts in their community. A woman, who reportedly sold amala at a restaurant located at Alaja-Megida road, Ayobo, Ipaja, Lagos, and her apprentices reportedly disappeared after someone who came to eat at the canteen recognised the food seller.
Some concerned residents reportedly visited the restaurant after the discovery and met the place deserted. The reports have been generating hot debates on social media as some of those who had eaten at the restaurant expressed shock.
A Lagosian, who said he lives two streets away from the restaurant, confirmed that the food seller and her workers had not resumed business since the incident occured on Sunday, January 22, 2023.
“My house is just two streets away from this place (restaurant). I eat here regularly and the woman’s food is so sweet. I was even asking one of the sales girls out so that I would be eating free food. The day she came to visit me in my house, she met my girlfriend there, so I had to lie to my girlfriend that I was owing her madam.
That was how I gave the girl N2,000 to give to her madam,” the resident, who identified himself as Hilary Ushie, said. Another resident, Deji Odun, also claimed to have patronised the food seller, saying, “I have eaten there a couple of times whenever I visited a friend that lives in the neighbourhood.
There was nothing to show that the woman or any of her aides were ghosts. This is shocking.” Opabunmi Mary Ogidan said she lives around Ayobo in Lagos, and that the person that uncovered the alleged ghost status of the food seller and others, informed people around the restaurant that the woman and her three daughters had died in a car accident a few months ago. “Yes, it’s true.
The incident involved a mother and her three daughters who were helping her out at the restaurant. We were told the four of them died in a car accident. They came here selling amala.
Someone who knew they were dead saw one of them and they disappeared,” Ogidan said. The Point had reported that a prominent Ifa diviner, Ifayemi Elebuibon, had explained that ghosts co-exist with humans in the society, especially in big cities such as Lagos, Ibadan, Abeokuta, Osogbo, noting that those who died before their ordained time usually return to the earth to complete their time. According to Elebuibon, the existence of ghosts is enshrined in the Yoruba belief about reincarnation, known in local parlance as ‘Akudaya’.
Explaining the concept of reincarnation in Yoruba cosmology during an interview, the renowned cultural icon said that ghosts were real and that they were the reincarnated version of those who died before their God’s destined time. Such categories of people, he said, were not allowed entry into heaven.
However, according to Elebuibon, ghosts don’t return to their initial stations when they reincarnate. Those who lived and died in Lagos, Ibadan, Abeokuta, Osogbo would, for instance, move to other communities, those who died in cities often reincarnated in smaller towns and villages, while those who lived and died in villages move to cities to avoid meeting with family members, he noted.
The Ifa priest had said that whereas many people were oftentimes unaware of the presence of ghosts in their midst, those who were deeply spiritual could see and relate with them, adding that, sometimes, ghosts revealed themselves to whomever they pleased. According to him, those who were killed by their haters, criminal elements and evil doers; those who died through road accidents; and those who passed away through sicknesses and diseases; departed the world untimely.
Their spirits, he said, could not yet be accommodated in heaven, hence, they would return to the earth to live in another clime. However, a Christian cleric, Olusegun Solomon, had differed, saying that there was nothing like reincarnation.
Solomon warned the people not to believe the claim that those who died untimely would return to the earth to continue living. Making reference to the Holy Bible, he said, “It is appointed unto man once to die, after this is judgement. “We know that there are people who converse with ghosts but the word of God makes us understand that it has been appointed unto a man to die once.
And if we are talking about reincarnation, it means that one is going to die twice. No! Man shall die once and after this, judgement.
The plan of God is that we have come to the earth and after leaving the earth, we are returning to God. “That someone dies and he or she is being found in places such as Lagos, Kaduna or Ibadan, is an ancient belief, but the gospel established it to us in Hebrew 9 verse 27 that after death is judgement. “Christianity does not approve or support reincarnation. Once you die, you are going to face judgement, so don’t think that you will go to another place to enjoy life. There is nothing like that.”