Oke Maria: Otan Ayegbaju’s mountain where everybody is equal

Though churches, mosques and other religious centers provide safe havens where supplications can be made to God, some people often go the extra mile to visit prayer mountains, where they feel their prayers can be answered.

The spiritual potency of such prayer mountains usually determine the traffic of people who come around in a bid to get solution to their problems.

One of such mountains is Oke Maria Prayer Mountain, located at Otan Ayegbaju, in Boluwaduro Local Government Area of Osun State. Findings by Nigerian Tribune reveal that supplicants include foreigners, locals, the rich, the poor and the destitute.

The Marian Pilgrimage Centre, popularly known as Oke-Maria is for prayers and evangelization. The annual pilgrimage to this shrine had lasted for years. Oke-Maria is a special place for pilgrims and individuals who decide to move far from the normal hustle and bustle of life for fervent and consecrated prayers.

This praying centre is to the ancient town of Otan-Ayegbaju what Jerusalem and Mecca are to their respective adherents. The centre welcomes thousands of pilgrims twice in a year and at different times of the year.

Findings indicate that the establishment of Oke Maria Prayer Mountain  Pilgrimage Centre was as a result of the efforts of Egbe Iya Rere of Saints Peter and Paul, Lagere, Ile-Ife under the leadership of Miss C. O. Otuyelu.

The group at Ife was said to have visited the centre before it invited the bishop to give a talk of encouragement on the hill. It was later made a diocesan annual activity. However, another version of the origin and establishment of Oke-Maria shows that the prayer resort dates back to 1978, when at one of the meetings of the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) in the old Oyo Diocese before the creation of Osogbo Diocese, decided to establish a place very serene where their members could have a quiet place to pray and meditate.

It was the same Miss C. O. Otuyelu from Ile-Ife who moved the motion that a Marian shrine should be established at Otan-yegbaju for annual pilgrimage like that of the Ondo Diocese. The members present unanimously supported her idea including their chaplain, Rev. Sister Mary Juliana Macaulay who passed their motion and idea to His Lordship, Julius Adelakun, the bishop at the time who gave his consent and approval for the establishment of the shrine at Otan-Ayegbaju.

The first pilgrimage to Otan-Ayegbaju took place on December 8, 1979, the solemnity of Immaculate Conception of Blessed Virgin Mary. The first pilgrimage was more or less an only women affair except for the children of Mary and Joseph society who also participated actively.

The pilgrimage soon became a diocesan activity when it won the acceptance of the priests, the religious and the entire lay faithful of the then old Oyo diocese. Until 1984 when the date of the pilgrimage was shifted to February, it was held on the 8th of December.

Till date, the activities start with candle light procession to the Marian shrine where the pilgrims keep vigil. In the course of the night various spiritual activities like adoration of blessed sacrament, recitation of the holy rosary, anointing, teaching, penitential service and sacramental confession. Traditionally, the pilgrimage is concluded with the celebration of the holy mass.

In 2008, the venue was recognised by the Osun State government and was designated by the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a World Heritage Centre. It was also recognised as one of the world Spiritual International Heritage Tourist Centre like that of Lourdes and Fatima in France and Portugal in Europe respectively.

The tremendous spiritual impact and influence of Oke-Maria to Otan-Ayegbaju community is unprecedented. Yearly, there are cases of miracles and wonders with great number of people who would always want to give testimonies.

To underscore the spiritual fame and acceptability of Oke Maria as a mountain, where Nigerians, irrespective of class and religious inclinations throng for favour, during the build up to the 2014 governorship election in Osun, both the current governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the poll, Senator Iyiola Omisore visited the mountain to seek the face of God, regarding their political ambition.

Similarly, the spiritual activities on Oke Maria has been able to bear positively on the social and economic growth of Otan Ayegbaju, with the annual prayer session attracting a huge crowd that boost the commerce of the community through the purchase of different items, needed for their stay on the mountain.

Speaking during an interview with Nigerian Tribune, the director, Oke-Maria Pilgrimage Centre, Reverend Father Michael ‘Wumi Akinsode said “Oke Maria Prayer Mountain is a place that belongs to the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo and dedicated in honour of the blessed virgin Mary”.

“In Catholic faith and tradition, even though there are so many misunderstandings, some people believe we worship Mary or place her above Jesus Christ. That is not true. Today, you talk about Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Gadalupe, Lady of Mexico and so on, where Mary herself had appeared just to propagate the gospel of her son. In every Catholic world, Mary will continue to be honoured and not adored. Only God is adored”.

“Oke Maria is for us in the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo. If you go to Ekiti, they have their own Oke Maria there too. The same thing if you go to Ijebu Ode, they have their own Oke Maria. They also have Oke Maria at Oro in Kwara State. We have it in Abeokuta, Ondo. The only thing is that Oke Maria of Otan Ayegbaju is the most popular. The first Oke Maria is in Ondo, but ours is more famous and prominent than any other one.

“I became director here in 2014. Before I took over, Oke Maria in Otan Ayegbaju had been popular. Now, the crowd we witness here is so teeming that we have well positioned big television screens, such that you don’t need to be at the front to see whatever is going on. Wherever you are, you can feel whatever that is happening.

“Some people came from Ile-Ife few days ago because we wanted to re-design the grotto to make it more colourful, beautiful and edifying. We continue to work on making the mountain better. Even our new Bishop for Osogbo Diocese now, Bishop (Dr) John Akin Oyejola has better and greater ideas for the mountain”, Akinsode explained.

On how the activities on the mountain have affected the economy of Otan Ayegbaju, he stated, “you just need to be there when we have the yearly prayer programme. We usually hold the yearly programme in the second weekend of February. Anytime the programme is coming up, the DSS, police, NSCDC and FRSC  would be informed. We normally plan and strategise ahead of time, with a view to checkmate criminals or evil activities”.