A traditionalist, Ayinla Oniru, has urged the Federal Government to prioritise and promote traditional religious tourism to boost the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.

Oniru made the call during an interview in Lagos on Sunday.

He said governments at all levels should promote the religion for equity and inclusion.

 He, however, urged Nigerians to embrace traditional religion, noting that countries such as Cuba, Brazil and Mexico have generated high incomes from the religion through tourism.

 He also advised Nollywood film-makers against misrepresentation of African traditional religion and culture in movies.

Mr Oniru said that the negative perception of the faith was largely influenced by its misrepresentation in Nollywood, lamenting that “people think what they watch in the movies is the true image of the traditional religion. Most of the films produced in Nigeria portray traditional religion as fetish, conveying a wrong message to the populace. Traditional religion frowns at ritual killings and anything fetish, it values and respects humanity.’’

 He appealed to film-makers to stop misleading their audience about the nature of traditional religion.

 “It is not in line with traditional religion to cut people’s heads for money rituals as portrayed in films. Also, witchcraft is not synonymous with traditional religion. Engaging mystical powers to disappear from a terrorising scene, display of wickedness in killing people prematurely, altering people’s destiny and all are not part of traditional religion. We value human lives and hate wickedness.

 “I appeal to our film-makers to desist from portraying traditional religion as being fetish, wicked and inhuman religion so that people are not misled,” Mr Oniru said.

Mr Oniri said that traditional religion was perfectly practised before the advent of Christianity and Islam.

(NAN)