NGA Nigerian historian, Ibrahim Anoba, has documented the systematic persecution of Olorisa practitioners during colonial Nigeria, challenging the common narrative that Yoruba people voluntarily converted to Christianity and Islam. His doctoral dissertation, 'Olórìṣà: Alternative Decolonisation, Spiritual Identities, and Recasting the African Postcolony,' highlights how colonial authorities and local actors used legal and administrative measures to suppress traditional religious practices, leading many adherents to abandon their faith. Anoba argues that discussions on religious persecution in Nigeria often overlook the historical experiences of traditional worshippers, emphasizing the severity of the injustice faced by Olorisa practitioners. He notes that while Christianity and Islam remain prevalent, the suppression of indigenous religions was intense enough to nearly erase them. The research combines archival records, oral histories, court documents, and anthropological sources to reconstruct the history of the Olorisa people.
Bias read (Left): The article frames the suppression of traditional Yoruba religions as a significant historical injustice, highlighting systemic persecution by colonial authorities. It emphasizes the marginalization of indigenous spiritual practices compared to dominant religions like Christianity and Islam, which a
