By Kehinde Adejumo
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The people of Mobire community in Ondo East Local Government Area of Ondo State has attributed their peaceful  coexistence and progress in the area to the  goddess of the land.

The Oloja of Mobire , Chief Felix Kolawole said the worshiping of the goddess has been from ancient times and was transferred from generation to generation.

“We make sacrifice to the goddess  of Mobire  river because the goddess is the reason for the progress and the  development that  community is witnessing, our annual bountiful harvest  was a blessing  from this goddess.

” Due to  the innumerable benefits of this goddess to us that was why we name this  town after the goddess (Mobire).

Mobire , according to the Oloja means  “save delivering” any pregnant woman that drinks this water will deliver  without  any complication, women from our community don’t deliver through operations as long as they drank  from the water from this river  during pregnancy.

He said  during  sacrifice the people of the land will be in their best attire , and with pomp and pageantry and dance to the shrine

The Oloja said  the priest (Alaworo),  who  wears white robe leads  the dancing procession to the shrine of the goddess.

He said the  objects for the sacrifice are Kolanut,  Snail , fried beans cake , Palm oil and a big goat.  Kolawole said their is nothing or fetish in the way this sacrifice is done.

He added that  after the sacrifice sacrifice  both male and the  female at the shrine will start requesting for what they want the goddess to do for them, they will back – up, their requests  vows if their requests are granted.

According to the Oloja , testimonies abound  on the  efficacy of the prayers they prayed to the goddess of the river.

 “This year many of our  sons and daughters who came to request for visa to travel abroad last year had  traveled, some who  requested for admission to higher institutions had already gained admission , some barren women had given birth and many others.

He appealed to the non indigenes, who are kicking against  the tradition of the land to desist from doing so .

Kolawole said the non-indigenes should respect the traditions of the land so that their will be peace  in the area .

” If the goddess is not sacrifice to, evil will befall the land, the farm crops will not yet it’s increase, most especially the pregnant  women in the land will  experience difficult in delivering the importance of this goddess to  us can not be overemphasized because it is everything to us ” the Oloja said.

He called on those who do not believe in it to stop castigating  their goddess less she gets   annoyed and withdraw her help from the community ” without her nothing like Mobire “.

Mobire community is centrally situated there are over ten communities under Mobire some which are Masole,  Oludasa and many others.