During our tour of Enugu State, we visited a series of caves and waterfalls in the Ezeagu area. Something different stood out during this visit: we were asked to bring something for the gods.
Typically, I view such requests as extortion and refuse to enable them. I explained to the community leaders that mixing tourism and religion rarely succeeds unless religion itself is the tourist attraction. I provided global and Nigerian examples to illustrate my point.
For instance, a Christian visiting a mosque as a tourist is not expected to perform ablution unless the visit is for pilgrimage purposes. The Roots Festival in Gambia was a top diaspora event in West Africa until the former Gambian president incorporated mysticism and traditional worship into it, effectively killing the event. Today, Ghana leads with the Year of Return. Similarly, the Lagos Heritage Festival faced challenges when religious practices were introduced.
I highlighted that while Osun Oshogbo is primarily for devotees of the goddess and thus less attractive to non-believers, events like the Durbar, which also has religious ties, do not impose religious practices on tourists.
The Durbar works well because the religious activities are confined to the mosque, and the public celebrations happen at the palace, open to all.
I emphasized that I respect traditional beliefs but prefer not to partake in their worship. Instead, I suggested implementing a uniform entrance fee, allowing community leaders to conduct their rituals privately. This practice was notably absent at Ezimo and Awgu, where no such demands were made. I urged that this approach be adopted universally.
During our trip, we reached a lake where a local priestess, a pretty lady who had been sitting next to me, was called to perform a ritual. She addressed the water spirits, telling them we came in peace. Her performance was captivating, and afterward, I asked her about the offering of Fanta. She explained that both Fanta and Coke are used, but we had only seen Fanta because, as someone joked, the vigilante guys probably drank the Coke.
I learned she is active on Instagram and has a shrine at home. She was so glamorous that no one would have guessed she was a priestess until she performed her ritual. This experience underscored the importance of balancing respect for traditional practices with the broader appeal of tourism.
