Ooni of Ife Donates Land for World’s Largest Ifa Temple in Historic Boost to Yoruba Spirituality

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has donated three acres of land in Ile-Ife to the International Council for Ifa Religion (ICIR) for the construction of the world’s largest Ifa temple in a landmark move aimed at promoting Yoruba spirituality and cultural heritage.


The land, located around the Stadium Area, Route 7 in Osun State, will host a monumental temple project intended to serve as the foremost global pilgrimage site for Isese (Yoruba traditional religion) practitioners. Work has already commenced on the site, marking a significant step toward realizing a long-held aspiration within the traditional Yoruba spiritual community.

A Gesture Rooted in Cultural Preservation

Announcing the development in Ibadan on Wednesday, ICIR President Fayemi Fakayode hailed the donation as a historic and deeply symbolic act.

“This gesture of our revered first-class Oba has demonstrated his love for tradition and Yoruba culture and spirituality,” Fakayode said. He extended appreciation on behalf of the Council of Araba and Oluwo, led by His Eminence Awodotun Aworeni, the Araba/Olu-Isese Agbaye, affirming that the project would amplify global recognition for Yoruba indigenous religion.

“With this step, Ooni’s commitment to preserving and promoting Oduduwa’s cultural heritage and spirituality is obvious to all to see,” he added.

A Global Pilgrimage Destination

The planned temple is envisioned as the spiritual epicenter for practitioners of Ifa and Orisa worldwide, a physical and symbolic homecoming for adherents of Yoruba cosmology scattered across continents. The facility is expected to draw spiritual tourists and traditional religion followers from Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, and beyond, further positioning Ile-Ife as the cradle of Yoruba civilization and religion.

The ICIR, headquartered at Oke-Itase in Ile-Ife, has long advocated for the temple, viewing it as a necessary landmark to consolidate global Yoruba religious identity and foster cultural unity among followers.

This development is more than just a construction project, it is a cultural statement. At a time when indigenous African spiritual systems continue to face marginalization, the establishment of such a prominent religious site signals a powerful resurgence of identity, pride, and global visibility for the Yoruba faith. It also aligns with ongoing efforts to institutionalize and protect traditional African religions as living systems with historical depth and contemporary relevance.

The Ooni of Ife’s donation of land for the world’s largest Ifa temple marks a pivotal moment in Yoruba cultural preservation and spiritual resurgence, setting Ile-Ife on course to become a global pilgrimage hub for Isese worshipers.

 

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