An Ogun State-based pastor, Olabanjo Felix Gold has reportedly left the Christian faith and embraced the traditional Yoruba religious practice of Ifá, taking on the identity of a Babalawo.
Olabanjo Felix Gold, who was previously identified as the pastor of Image of God Evangelical & Prophetic Ministries, is said to have transitioned from his former Christian ministry to the traditional spiritual practice.
The development has attracted attention among residents and social media users, with reactions ranging from surprise to curiosity over the reported change in his religious affiliation.
His decision has particularly generated discussion because of his previous role as a Christian pastor. For some Netizens, the move represents a significant shift from Christian ministry to an entirely different religious and spiritual tradition.
A Babalawo within the Yoruba Ifá tradition is a trained practitioner associated with Ifá divination and the preservation and interpretation of its teachings. The title is traditionally linked to practitioners who undergo training and acquire knowledge of the Ifá system.
Details about his transition remain limited. The specific reasons that influenced his decision to leave Christian ministry and embrace Ifá have not been publicly disclosed.
It is also unclear when the transition took place or whether Gold has made a detailed public statement explaining the circumstances surrounding his decision.
The development has nonetheless prompted broader conversations about religious identity, spirituality and personal conviction. Some social media users have focused on the contrast between Gold’s former position as a Christian pastor and his reported new identity as a Babalawo.
Others have approached the issue from the perspective of individual religious freedom, arguing that people should be able to reassess their beliefs and choose the spiritual path they consider appropriate.
The reported development also highlights the continuing presence of traditional Yoruba religious practices in contemporary Nigerian society. Although Christianity and Islam are the dominant religions in Nigeria, indigenous spiritual traditions remain part of the country’s cultural and religious landscape.
For some practitioners and cultural advocates, Ifá represents more than a system of divination, describing it as an indigenous body of knowledge with philosophical, cultural and spiritual dimensions that has been passed down through generations.
At the same time, Gold’s reported transition has raised questions about what could have motivated such a major change in his spiritual journey. Those questions remain unanswered in the absence of a detailed explanation from the former pastor.
There has also been no verified indication from the available account that the change was connected to any particular dispute, controversy or event within his former ministry.
As reactions continue, the story has become a subject of discussion about the complexities of faith and religious identity in Nigeria, particularly when an individual moves from one established religious tradition to another.
Until Gold provides further details about his decision, the circumstances surrounding his reported conversion and the motivations behind his new spiritual identity remain a matter of speculation.
For now, the development has drawn attention primarily because of his previous role as a Christian pastor and his reported decision to embrace Ifá and identify as a Babalawo.
