Ijimagodo

The man that drinks animal blood as food 

In Ila Orangun , Osun State is a living deity called Ijimagodo who some claim he  had lived up to 150 years old .He feeds on animal blood.Taiwo Abiodun was there 

The mysterious Ijimagodo

At the entrance of the big compound are these words  boldly written on it   "Ile  Alapinni Eyindi Ila Orangun', ( This is the house of Alapinni in Ila Orangun).In the compound is  also a small mud house which  was built  centuries ago .The mud house is  dread not because it is big but because it is where the Deity , Ijimagodo lives. In the town , the mere mention of Ijimagodo instills fear into one's spine.

No one sees Ijimagodo  freely as he has become untouchable, a myth, and a Deity.The mud house he lives is sacred and no one dares enter it unless there is an important message from the traditionalists  , spiritual consultation or  during his own festival.In the ancient town of Ila Orangun everybody fears, respects and honours him   including the monarch.Those who know his worth revered him ,some claim that he is the one that holds the town  in high esteem while  some claim that he is the spiritual head of the town.

According to Pa Mohammed Aderemi Adedeji, a retired soldier who is the Alapinni ( the custodian of the Deity )and the indigenes , Ijimagodo  is a man of small stature but his stature notwithstanding he is feared, honoured and respected.

The mere mention of Ijimagodo instills fear in many people - both natives and non natives.According  to the wise men of the town , Ijimagodo was and is a human being but he is no longer believed to be  an ordinary human being  as he has been transformed into a living deity." Don't just mention his name for God's  sake , he has transformed  into another human being  and please don't go to where he lives " , a native warned this reporter and adding " if you even go there you can never see him.Never,., but his attendant or the man in charge would attend to you".

Ijimagodo's age is not known  as some said he could be about 150years of age while others said he is about two centuries old .But according to Alapinni who is the custodian of the 'Household of Ijimagodo , ' the age of the man cannot be ascertained , he is very , very old .He is close to 180 years according to report .We met him here , our great grandfather , he is one of our ancestors , they all met him here  too.He has become a Deity that we offer sacrifice to".

According to Alapinni, Ijimagodo was a king in his days but he revealed some  secrets to his wife which was  not acceptable. And since then he had been living.He lives up till now and has become a man we worshiped.He has refused to die and no one can kill him, that is the fact".

Asked about the children of Ijimagodo , but Alapinni said all the people in the town are  his children, Alapinni declared ' it has been centuries ago , how do we look for that?We are all his children" 

How Ijimagodo looks like 

The stature of the said Deity  is not controversial , as almost all the people this reporter asked were able to describe his look.On how Ijimagodo looks like , some of the natives said " he has become small, tiny and he is being carried in a sack when going to the palace " another said " Ijimagodo  looks like a lizard and his sight is frightening,", while others said " he has become a god".

Alapinni described Ijimagodo's  look like this" he  was once a man of a huge stature , but he is  now very, very small and tiny . Infact his height is  like that of placing a  bottle of   Coca cola on top of another one. He has shrunk .You know he has become very, very old and  his look is frightening.He does not come out anyhow.The story of Ijimagodo is real.Foreigners used to come here to ask about him and all efforts to take his photograph is futile".

Asked what  the mysterious man feeds on, , Alapinni was reluctant to continue his story saying , he is responsible to the Ila Orangun Community and would  not tell much but after some persuasions , he said ' Ijimagodo's food is blood , that is his food .He does not eat any other food apart from blood" 

Asked to confirm the story that Ijimagodo was said to be feeding on human blood in the olden days , but Alapinni said ' I don't know in the olden days but presently we give him animal blood.I am his custodian "

Alapinni himself 

Alapinni too is a man of small stature. His eyes are bloodshot .He talks tough and he is  not  only respected but dread not   because  he is a retired soldier but  because of  the   dreadful  job he does and  as the head of  Alapinni family who is  in charge  of the Deity , Ijimagodo .

When  this reporter  and some visitors went home with Alapinni  all  the women in the household  quickly  went on their kneels paid obeisance to him and greeted him- according to their custom .While  the women were still on their kneels and  with their heads bowed , they chanted  panegyrics , sang his praises  hailing him with  their high  voice that shook the palatial  building. A parrot  kept  in its cage in the corner of the balcony too added its voice as it mimicked  the women , saying " Alapinni, you are welcome, your wives and  people are greeting you" .The man in question, Alalpinni  too responded and thanked them  and also his parrot while this reporter showed appreciation by giving the women some money .This is  where   one of the most popular man, Alapinni  of Ila Orangun lives.

In Ila Orangun, Alapinni  is not only known as a retired military officer but because of the  sensitive and dreadful tittle he holds, as the Alalpinni of Ila Orangun , he is in charge of the dreaded Ijimagodo in Ila Orangun , a  living deity .

Ijimagodo's importance

According to Alapinni , the  strange man , Ijimagodo is brought out once in a  year, when this reporter demanded to see him, Alapinni said  he is not as cheap as the reporter thought , he said " You cannot just see him, and if you want to see him at all costs then you have to go and buy some animals as  he needs to  be fed with their blood  which serves as his food", but when this reporter said he was not prepared.  Alapinni then humbly advised him to come back next time with the animals , if he is serious.

How Alapinni became the custodian 

Alapinni  who is the custodian of the Deity  said  his family  inherits the custodian of the Deity and  when it was his father' s turn  to  be installed  as the Alapinni , he became afraid and ran away , he said " My father was afraid and ran away to Oshogbo , then to Ibadan where he was traced to until he ran to Kano where I was living .As a soldier I was not supposed to be  afraid but when I was called to ascend the throne I was also afraid.Later I came down home to occupy the position which is hereditary  but it was not as easy as I thought."

According to Alapinni , the first  time he  performed the role as  Alapinni he was afraid and was not happy , he said " I was so sober with my wife and children  as we were all crying , weeping seriously and bitterly  thinking on how I will cope, my children and myself were crying , weeping wether I would die the next day" Alapinni confessed that he refused to sleep in the  Alapinni compound but sleeping elsewhere , "But roughly a year or two I did not sleep in Alapinni's  compound where the Deity is because of  the fear .In fact if a child sees what is more than him he would be jittery .Yes, I became jittery until I summoned courage to accept the roel and be sleeping there."  

Asked why he had to exercise fear since it is  hereditary but the man made his point " I thought after my retirement I would sit at  home and be enjoying ,that  was what  made me  to cry. It was over 10years I had retired  and those who  always occupied the sacred position should be within the ages of  70 and 80 years  old ., but I again summoned courage that since they had written me that there would not be any problem .I  decided not  to be living there  and I was using the Ijimagodo' place as an office  instead of living there , I again I thought that  if one really wants to  cage a lion , it is by style   Or method and one should get closer by inch , and this is what I did , then I was no longer afraid again"

When told he should have  acted as  brave  soldier , the 72 - year old man screamed "this is not a military affair or  a soldier  affair , nothing concerns the tradition as a soldier  for anything can happen .Tradition is powerful , soldier or bravery has nothing to do with tradition. When I started  offering sacrifices and performing rituals  I  then became his ( Ijimagodo ) son and grandson .I was no longer afraid of Ijimagodo, since I  had received my staff of office  and I have been cooperating and he took me like a grandson".

He brought peace to the  town 

According to Alapinni  "Ijimagodo  makes sure the town is peaceful and  we don't want  what happened  to  him to happen to any monarch  again, we don't want the king to expose secret to any woman again.( Ijimagodo revealed his secret to his wives) you can see that when the reigning Oba comes to the palace with the Oloris , the Oloris  will sit down while the Oba will go into Ijimagodo's sacred place and nobody , his wives or women should  not enter there with him. Ijimagodo was a king then , he is still a king  , you can't kill him".

Ijimagodo's has become a Mecca of sorts 

Alapinni said he is no longer afraid of the mysterious Ijimagodo , he said " I am a Muslim , but it is on a vow  that I  had had to be its custodian .I am no longer afraid , I am a Muslim and in the night I act like Christians and do vigil  and all the necessary things  I have to do .Many people do come here to seek for his assistance and favour and they would bring cake beans, kolanuts , moin moin and animals  to offer to Ijimagodo. People come here and slaughtered  animals for him to drink its blood while they would come and  beg for children, or  to appeal to him when their ways are blocked .Traditionally , many are told to come and sacrifice to him .They come from far and near and all their problems are solved," , Alapinni boasted .