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             \author[1]{Olaleye Samuel  Kayode}

             \affil[1]{  University of I?ba?da?n?}

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\date{\small \em Received: 15 December 2016 Accepted: 4 January 2017 Published: 15 January 2017}

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African indigenous religion is the religion that sums up the total life of Africa in politics, economy, social life, and medical system. Africa as a whole and Nigeria in particular is endowed with religious tourist centres and rich cultural heritage that could no doubt be centres of attraction for foreigners like Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem where people around the globe travel to for religious worship. Though Nigeria claims to be a secular state, religion permeates and plays significant roles in the citizens? social conduct and in choosing political leaders. Although much had been written on African indigenous religion, there have been scanty works on how religion can be used as a tool for the overall development and to engender good governance. Therefore, this study shall explore how indigenous religion can be used to curtail some of our social and political vices for the development of Nigeria. Given the vast size of Africa as a continent, specific attention is given to Nigeria and the scope limited to the Yoru?ba? nation. The study adopts qualitative method of research with oral interview as tool for data collection. Twenty priests of indigenous religion and 20 worshipers purposively selected were interviewed, given their vast knowledge as custodians of the religion. Findings of this study provided insights on how African indigenous religion can be used to stimulate social and economic development not only in Nigeria but also across Africa.

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\let\tabcellsep& 	 	 		 
\section[{Introduction}]{Introduction}\par
frican religion is an indigenous system of beliefs and practices which evolved from the culture and world views of the African peoples. According to Mwakabana \hyperref[b0]{1} , "African Religion is diverse in its local manifestations, but has common basic elements which testify to its unity regionally and at the central level''.  {\ref Idowu 2} in God, belief in the divinities, belief in spirits, belief in ancestors, and the practice of magic and medicine Mbiti also confirmed that African Religion has five component elements that are common. These are belief accepted that African religious beliefs are kayodeleye2005@yahoo.com \hyperref[b0]{1} Adams C. (ed) The Encyclopedia of Religion. Vol 3, New York: Macmillan Publishing Co. 21 2 E. B. Idowu, 1973,African Traditional Religion (A definition) London: SCM Press Ltd,139 \hyperref[b2]{3} John S. Mbiti, 1967, African Religions and Philosophy, London: Heinemann Educational Books Ltd, 11   with topics such as God, spirits, human life, magic, the hereafter and so on. Some of the world religions like Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism etc have founders who started them, but this is not the case with African Religion. It has evolved slowly through many centuries. As Africans responded to the situation of their life and experience, religious ideas and practices arose and took shape in the process of man 's search for solutions to problems confronting him in order to make human life safer and better. According to  {\ref Mbiti 4} , "There were no founders of African Religion. These days, however, there have been reformers, preachers or missionaries to changing it, improving it and they have even started taking the religion overseas to other continents, thus reminding us blacks lugubrious of African peoples carried away into slavery \hyperref[b4]{5}  
\section[{a) African/Yoruba? Indigenous Religious Belief System}]{a) African/Yoruba? Indigenous Religious Belief System}\par
." This sorry story (slave trade) however, is no longer tenable. The reverse, happily is the case. There are a lot of African missionaries who now travel abroad to propagate the religion, particularly the Yoruba? religion. This is cheering news African indigenous religion is the religion that sums up the total life of African in all its ramifications. It is a religion that permeates every aspect of African life. Religion itself is a fundamental and most relevant influence in the life of Africans. Sadly its essential principles are too often unknown to western scholars who make themselves constantly prone to misunderstand African worldviews and beliefs. These arm-chair scholars have forgotten that Africa has never at any time in life been left in a spiritual vacuum as to knowledge and idea about God (Supreme Being) before the arrival. The religion permeates every aspect of African life, and therefore cannot be studied in isolation. This is the reason why Mbiti 6 asserted that Africans are notoriously religious. Wherever African is, there you find his religion.  {\ref Idowu 7} infancy, puberty initiation, marriage and funeral, many African societies have religious rituals for each phase of life. Each day begins with prayer, offering of kola nut and pouring of libation. Each major step in the life of any given traditional communities involves certain consultation of diviners to ascertain the will of God and the spirits. It is rare to find any act, human or otherwise, without some religious explanation for it. Africans never lose the consciousness of the divine presence and intervention in their daily affairs. Their strong religious education has assured them that neither the advancement of science nor mere human endeavour is sufficient to solve the existential problems of man today and to guide his decision in daily understandings or still to guarantee happiness, peace and progress in the world.\par
In the religion of Africa, particularly the Yoruba? on which this paper centred, there are five distinct beliefs. These five beliefs sum up their total life mentioned above earlier. They are belief in Olodumare-God the Creator, beliefin divinities, The Yoruba? as well as the whole of Africans hold the belief that as Olodumare? created heaven and earth and all the inhabitants; so also did He bring into being the divinities (generally called Oris? aìn Yorubato serve His theocratic world. Divinities are little gods. They are part of divine status, because they were brought forth by Him. Therefore, they have all the attributes of the Supreme Being. According to the myth and information gathered from informants of their coming to the world, there is a place called Ikolé in Èkìtì state belief in spirits,belief in ancestors and belief in mysterious powers that manifested in magic and medicine. Olodumare? is believed to be the creator of all things both on earth and in heaven. He is the holy one and the one that will judge individuals and the world at large at eschatology.\par
. It was a route for every being fromIkolé o? run to Ikoléayé. (i.e. from Iko? leheaven to Iko? le? earth) Divinities were the first inhabitants of the earthly world. Therefore, man met them on earth, and because of the spectacular roles that many of them played on earth, they became small gods to be worshipped, or, better still, they became errand boys and girls that men can send with their petitions to Olodumare since they realized their closeness to Him, Olodumare. The actual number of the divinities cannot easily be determined, it has variously been estimated for instance in Yoruba?and to be 200, 201, 400, 401, 600, 601, 1,700 or even more. Some are widely worshipped, some locally worshipped, while some are individually worshipped. There are at least four different categories of spirits in Africa namely, primordial divinities, lesser divinities like historical figures that were defied e.g. Sàngó, O? ya, Omira?and Odùduwà who some writers like  {\ref Johnson 9} Spirits are common spiritual beings that are below the status of divinities and above the status of men. Although, divinities and ancestors are spirits, they are different from the spirits we are talking about here. The reason for their difference is that divinities and ancestors have shrines or temples dedicated to them. These are called domesticated spirits. The one we are talking about here are the undomesticated spirits that move from place to place. Sometimes they can create a place for themselves as an abode for rest. From there, they wonder about and come back later to rest. These type of spirits are very common and could either be dangerous or harmless, depending upon the mood and spot where they were confronted. The origin of a particular spirit depends on the group to which it belongs. Some spirits are considered to have been created as a race by themselves. According to Mbiti claimed came from Mecca. So also are environmental spirits, that is, the natural phenomena. Spirits from the practice of magic and medicine also abound. \hyperref[b9]{10} these spirits, like other living creatures, continued to reproduce themselves and add to their numbers. Some believe that spirits are the remains of men after their death. Spirits are believed to be invisible, but they can make themselves visible to human being at will. (D. O. Fágúnwàin his books  {\ref 11 , 1213} The Yoruba, like any other Africans, believe in the active existence of the deceased ancestors, they are called the living dead. Almost all the religions in the world try to explain man in its totality. They believe that, besides the physical body of man that grow old and ultimately expires at the end of the day, there is another component of man that is intangible and indestructible that outlives the physical death. This is the soul. The Yoruba? identify five compounds parts that make up a man. These are Ara-the physical body of man, ojiji-the human shadow. The third part of man identified by the Yoruba? is the o? ka?. It is the heart that can be physically seen if man's body is opened through surgical talked much about these spirits). The general belief is that spirits are more powerful than men. This could be so because their power cannot be accessed because of the fact that they are most of the time invisible. However, these spirits are of various categories, the major ones are the ghosts, emere, àbíkú, nature spirits, spirits of witchcraft and guardian spirits.\par
operation. There is also e? mi, the seat of life. It is closely associated with breathing. When one dies, the e? mi? will cease to function. Finally there is the real essence of being, the personality soul that guides and helps a person before he is born. This is what the Yoruba? calledori? inu. When a man is born he is endowed with all the components parts of man. When he dies, the soul does not die. It goes to Olodumare? the source who disposes the soul as he pleases. It is this soul that the Yoruba? religion believe reincarnates and continues to live in the hereafter. This is the reason why the Yoruba? view death not as an extinction but as a change from one life to another. When the Yoruba? speak of the ancestors, therefore, it is the departed spirits of their forebears who live in the land of the spirits that the living still maintain relationship with. However, it is not every one who died that is qualified to be called the ancestor.\par
To become an ancestor, the person must have lived well, attained an enviable old age, before he died and left behind good children. The ancestors are both male and female that attained all the qualifications mentioned above with a befitting burial.\par
Belief in mysterious powers which can alter the course of nature is very common, real and prevalent among the Yoruba. Almost every Yoruba? who grew up in the village and town would understand this concept that manifests itself in the form of incantations, medicine, magic, sorcery and witchcraft. Incantation is interpreted in Yoruba? to mean O? fo? , A?ajo? or Ogede. It involves the chanting or uttering of words with magical power which sometime goes with some medicinal preparation that is carried inform of ring, armlet, gourd or needle. According to Dopamu \hyperref[b13]{14} , incantation works more swiftly than any medicinal preparation. It is a matter between the physical world and the world of the spirit. Ogunba \hyperref[b14]{15} said incantation is an attempt by man to control the word by the use of assertions which manifest themselves in positive or negative affirmation with supernatural connections. Olatunji is of the view that, to control both the natural and the supernatural world, and subject them to do his bid, man uses incantation. Medicine is the use of available natural materials in treating and preventing disease or illness. Therefore, a good medicine man must be able first of all, to determine the etiology of a disease; then to cure or alleviate and prevent the disease. A medicine man can be a diviner, a priest and a manufacturer of charms. Sometimes he could be a professional herbalist who knows little about divination. Magic is defined by Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary as the secret power of appearing to make impossible things happen by saying special words or doing special things, something that seems too wonderful to be real. It is a human art which involves the manipulation of certain objects which are believed to have power to cause a supernatural being to produce or prevent a particular result, which are considered not obtainable by natural means. It is a means of bending natural forces to obey the will of man. This is peculiar with the religion and life of the Yoruba? in particular and Africans in general.\par
Witches are called Aje? in Yoruba. They are said to operate in groups. They can also operate individually. It is believed also that they operate through animals. They are mostly women. But few men can be found among their guild and they are (men) called Abe? se? ? and are equally calledos? o. Some witches are inherited, while some are purchased with some money while some are born with it. It can be passed on through food. Witches, we hear operate at night at spiritual meetings only their souls are actively there; with their bodies at home. This is contrary to the ways Nollywood artists, particularly YekiniAjileye in his films OpaAje 17 , Koto-Orun \hyperref[b17]{18} and Koto-Aye \hyperref[b18]{19} They are said to be meeting on top of trees, where they eat the flesh or suck the blood of their victims. We learn that victims of close relations among children are donated as meat. Once the soul of the victim is eaten, the victim dies physically. It is through the confessions of some of these witches that the scanty information people hear about witches come out. Whether a person is educated or not, he/she can be in witchcraft. Today, we learnt that there are a lot of educated women among them. This is evident in what Olukunle portrayed them in their plays where they are physically seen with their physical bodies in a role moving round the town to wreak havoc. 20   They cannot be fought in the open. And it is Ifa? oracle that can discover which particular witch is responsible for a victim's predicaments. This is the reason why many people wear charms, and make incisions to protect themselves from the activities of the claimed arose his interest in writing on witchcraft. According to him, the interest came as a result of a conversation between him and his classmate as undergraduate in the University of Ibadan. While there are bad witches, there are also good ones among them; benevolent ones claim claimed they protect their family with their witchcraft. They are however lone rangers, they don't belong to the groups. They are the set of witches that are bold to tell some close and very dear ones that they belong to such group. Although not to the level of revealing how they operate in their meetings.\par
witches. These are what combine together to form African indigenous religion to which the Yoruba? religious belief also have its share. One may then wonder how all these belief system put together could be a catalyst for social and economic development. The answer is not far-fetched. 
\section[{b) African/Yoruba? Indigenous Religion as a Catalyst for Social and Economic Development}]{b) African/Yoruba? Indigenous Religion as a Catalyst for Social and Economic Development}\par
Though Nigeria claims to be a secular state, yet hardly anything is done without the presence or reflection of religion. In choosing political leaders in Nigeria, religion plays significant roles. This is the reason why we see many would be political leaders trooping to religious centres and traditional rulers for their endorsements. However, among the Yoruba? , the O? bais the monarch that wields the political authority and power, he is also the head of the religious life of the people. The king is therefore seen as holding power in trust for the Supreme Being, and he is usually greeted as igba?eji? Oris? a-second in command to the gods. To date, despite the advent of western civilization that opens the way for other religions which eventually have their own adherents, one cannot talk of a dichotomy between religion and politics in Yoruba?and. The King as the monarch is still expected to be non-partisan. He is therefore regarded as belonging to all the religions practiced by all his subjects. This is a principle copied from indigenous practitioners. Indigenous practitioners do not display religious self-centeredness, superiority and the idea of "my own religion in better than yours" as we have in other religions being practiced in Nigeria today. There is no Oris? a? that is better than another. Therefore, when an O? ya worshipper is celebrating, he invites Ogu?, S? a?go, O? bata?a? etc and they will all celebrate the festival together, thereby promoting love, unity, harmony and progress among them because of the fact that they believe that all these Oris? a? are from the same source, Olodumare. This has helped the entire Yoruba? people to carry on with their social and religious life without any bitterness inspite of the encroachment of foreign religions into their land. Any misunderstanding is always from the foreign religions who are trying to establish sound footing among the local people.\par
This issue of economic development would be approached from two dimensions. One through Yoruba? traditional festivals and sacred places or natural phenomena that could be centre of attraction like Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem. As earlier said, there are about 401 gods in Yoruba?and alone, prominent among whom are Ogu?, S? a?go, O? ya, Ifa, Oris? a?la, Egu?gu?, Oro, E? le? ku, Age? mo? , Es? u, Olo?un, S? o? po? naór O? baluáye?2 \hyperref[b0]{1} Many of these Oris? a? found their ways to Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, and other parts of America through the slave trade and have remained celebrated there till date. \hyperref[b21]{22} In Ile-Ife? , the sacred city of the Yoruba, there are about 201 gods out of whomO? lo? jo? festival, Ifaánd new Yam festival, Mo? remi? in the festival of Ediànd Odùduwà, the God-king festival are prominent among traditional festivals that are celebrated till today \hyperref[b22]{23} . Findings revealed that OkeÌta?? e? ,(o? du? Ifaágbaýe)-an annualIfa? festival in Ile-Ife? alone, (a festival that lasted for only one day)usually attractedmore than half of a millionpeople into Ile-Ife? annually from all over the world and from all walks of life. During this festival, income generation of agricultural products, arts and sculptures, hotel accommodation, transportation, purchase of traditional wears and attires, books, videos and audio CDs always triple what is often generated throughout the year. If this festival alone is well-organized, whereby each state is assigned a day to display traditional music and other talents to entertain guests, orare merged together to form groups that would spread across seven days of the week and make it a week-long festival where the last day which would be the 7 th day of the festival, a general celebration when annual Ifa? divination could be performed, it is estimated that more than 500 million Naira could be generated through (sales of artefacts, hotel and catering services, selling of traditional wears, transportation as mentioned above) this means. Thus bringing in the economic values of the festival beyond the religious benefit that made people troop into Ile-Ife? annually for the festival  {\ref 24} Other festivals that could generate income in such manner in Yoruba?andare Ogu? festival that is celebrated throughout Yoruba?and, particularly in On do town (where 200 dogs must be killed to celebrate the festival),Igogo festival in O? wo? in the first place. 25 \hyperref[b21]{22} Migene Gonzalez Wipper, 1981, Santeria: African Magic in Latin America; New York: Original products Div. of Jamal Products Corp. 103-123. \hyperref[b22]{23}  , Oke'bada? in Ibada?, O? s? unOs? ogbofestival that already enjoys international recognition and patronage, S? a?go? festival in O? yo? town, Asabarifestival in S? aki, Amo? eku?, an annual Ifa/new yam festival in Itapa-Ekiti? and Udiro?o? festival in Ado-Ekiti? to mention but a few. In fact, it is a general assumption and belief that there is no town, no matter how small in Yoruba?and, where at least one or two traditional festivals are not celebrated in honour of either one of the prominent gods of the land or a deified personality like Ire? le? in Ikirun,A?oro-O? se? in Ila-O? ragu? and O? balo?unin Ile?? aàmong others  {\ref 26} Apart from festivals, there are sacred places of natural phenomena that could attract the attention of both local and foreigners that could be developed as tourist centers to generate money for the government and create employment opportunities for people far and near. In the ancient City of Ile-Ife alone, there are several shrines, grooves and sacred forests that could be of interest to tourists. Such places like the sacred hill of Oramfe? at Itangunmodi, Oodua? shrine, the shrine of Olo?un, the favorite wife of Oodua, and the wealthiest woman of her time, Omitoto-o? se? shrine, Obata?a? shrine at igbo? Itapa, ItaYemoo? shrine, Ore?uére? shrine, Agi?i? oke-Ta?? e? , home of IfaÃ?"? ru?mila, Ogu? shrine, Olu?ogbo shrine, O? ra?miýa? shrine, Ajeshrine and Mo? ?emi? Shrine, . These traditional festivals that spread across villages, towns and cities of Yoruba?and are capable of turning in millions of Naira yearly if properly harnessed. Thus, they are other means of internally generating revenue for the government, job creation and means of improving the lives of the people living in those communities. However, it is unfortunate that these festivals that are sources of income for some groups of people and individuals. 
\section[{27}]{27}\par
.Other places of interest in Ile-Ife? are I?i?ri?-igbo? Ugbo? the homestead of the Ugbo? people who were raiding and tormenting the Ife? people before Mo? remi? discovered their secrets and were permanently subdued by Ife? people 28 ,OkeÌle?i: IgboÍtapa, Igbo?ubo? laje? , and IgboÃ?"di. These are sacred forests that have to do with the ceremonies in connection with the crowning, induction and burial of an O? o?i of Ife?  {\ref 29} At Os? ogbo, there areOs? un groove and shrine, Olu?o rock is in Abeokuta, Idanrehill in Idanre,Ondo State, four headed palm tree at Owu-ile in a forest where A?lu?buá? shrine is located . , Oke'bada? hill, Ogu? forest in Ire? Ekiti, Ikogosi Warm Spring in Ekiti. All these and many more are tourist centers in Yoruba?and alone. If other tribes in Nigeria are combined together, properly harnessed, given adequate attention and well-funded, it would surely boost the economy of the country. Besides, it will give Nigeria international recognition as a tourist, spiritual and religious country like Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem where thousands of people travel to every year as tourist and spiritual centers. Although efforts have been made by some state government to make some of these sacred places tourist attractions by decorating and equipping them with modern facilities to attract the tourists, yet these efforts are still in adequate.\par
However, there are criticisms as to the sanctity of these places as religious centers because to the majority of people visiting the sites, I mean those that had been provided with decorations and modern facilities see those places as relaxation centers as against religious centers. This made Olupona 31 argued that beautification of these sacred sites is alien are artificial to African cosmology as African aesthetic differs greatly from western aesthetic. While this may be true at the same time be a solution centers for spiritual problems that may be confronting individual groups, country and the entire country. This is so because Fagbemi 32 II. 
\section[{Conclusion}]{Conclusion}\par
maintained that some of the shrines in Ile-Ife are under lock and key. As a result, visitors are not allowed to go inside unless sacrifices are made previously in the interest of the visitors and the custodians who will conduct them round the shrines. Through this means alone, unknown problems are revealed and solutions are found for them.\par
Since individuals, groups and governments, either at local, or at federal level, would be involved in the development of these sacred centers, they will not be alien to the potency of the spiritual energy of the sacred centres. This awareness alone is enough to guide the choosing of credible political leaders that can curtail some of our social and political vices for the overall development and engender good governance forward on truth, love and harmony as found in indigenous religions. After all Mecca and Jerusalem where Nigerians travels to for spiritual purposes, there are rules and regulations guiding their conducts there which the people should be advised to continue with after leaving the holy centres. A very good example in Yoruba?and was the case of Adu?niÃ?"lo?is? a? who visited and remained behind atOs? unOsogboshrine till she died.\par
It is evident that Nigeria has in abundance in the areas of religious festivals and sacred place that can improve the economy of this country and at the same time improve our social life that could otherwise curb some social and political vices. However, through emulation and imbibing the spiritual characters and guiding principles of these sacred centres, things would be better if the Yoruba?and alone with its numerous festivals and religious [places of interest could be of tourist attractions, how much more the whole Nigeria? However, it is quite unfortunate that it is being neglected by the tiers of government in Nigeria, by not adequately catering for these countries thereby, missing the revenues we are supposed to be generating through the source.\par
It will therefore be good if government can do something about this, by starting from the local government level through the finance of some of these festivals to create an awareness for the state through which it will gain national recognition, and later develop to international standards. To achieve this, serious minded people who love culture should be invited to run the affairs by collaborating with the custodians of these festivals and sacred places. Through understanding, reasonable income will be generated by the government and the life of the country and people involved will be the better for it.   \begin{figure}[htbp]
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  {\small\itshape [Note: \hyperref[b15]{16} O.O.Olatunji, 1970, Characteristic Features of Yoruba oral poetry, PhD Thesis, University of Ibadan, 197]} 
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 			\footnote{John S.\hyperref[b13]{Mbiti, 1967}, African Religions and Philosophy, London: Heinemann Educational Books Ltd,151 5 Migene Gonzalez Wippler, 1981, Santeria: African Magic in Latin America, USA: Original Products Div. of Jamil Products Corp. 3 6 John S. Mbiti, 1967, African Religions and Philosophy, London: Heinemann Educational Books Ltd, 1 7 E.B.Idowu, 1982, Olodumare God in Yoruba belief, Nigeria: Longman Nigeria Limited, 5} 			\footnote{\hyperref[b7]{8} Chief Olawale Ajongolo, an Ifa Priest,June 2016, Oral Interview, Itapa Ekiti.} 			\footnote{\hyperref[b21]{Samuel Johnson, 1969}, The History of the Yorubas, London: Lowe \&Braydon (Printers) Ltd, 3\hyperref[b9]{10} John S.\hyperref[b13]{Mbiti, 1967}, African Religions and Philosophy, London: Heinemann Educational Books Ltd, 80 11 D. O. Fagunwa, 1965, Igbo Olodumare, London: Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd, 39} 			\footnote{C.L.\hyperref[b2]{Adeoye, 1985}, IgbagboatiEsin Yoruba, Ibadan: Evans Brothers (Nigeria Publishers), Limited, iii-iv} 			\footnote{Year 2017 © 2017 Global Journals Inc. (US)African Indigenous Religions as a Catalyst for Social and Economic Development} 		 		\backmatter  			  				\begin{bibitemlist}{1}
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