Tope Alabi has responded to the controversy surrounding her viral video in which she was heard singing in Yoruba and using the phrase ‘Aboru Aboye,’ a traditional greeting among Ifa initiates.

In the video, Alabi referred to herself as ‘ebo,’ which literally means sacrifice, and sang the words, “Abiye ni mi, Oruko mi ni yen. Mo de bo, mo ru, mo ye,” which translates to “I am a sacrifice, that’s my name. I am a sacrifice accepted by God, that’s my name.”

These lyrics sparked a flurry of reactions among her fans and some Christian leaders, who took sides regarding her choice of words.

The award-winning singer, while ministering in a white garment church, explained that ‘Aboru Aboye’ is a pure Yoruba phrase and not exclusively used by traditionalists.

Alabi, who backed her explanation with a biblical reference, clarified that her adept use of the language is her distinctive style as a gospel artist.

She said, “It is recorded that David made a sacrifice of faithfulness to God. Why was the word ‘sacrifice’ not written in the same English word in the Yoruba version of the Bible? It is a Yoruba language.

There is no special language for traditionalists. We are all speaking the Yoruba language.”

She further emphasized that sacrifices were mentioned in the Bible, and questioned, “Was Abraham’s sacrifice accepted or not? Was it not the same with Isaac?”

Citing Romans 12:1, Alabi highlighted the phrase ‘living sacrifice,’ stating, “The word ‘acceptable’ is the ‘Aboru,’ while ‘living sacrifice’ is ‘Aboye.'”

The controversy arose when an Ifa priest, Oluwo Jogbodo Orunmila, advised Alabi to conduct a DNA test to confirm her ancestry.

Orunmila, the chief priest of Iledi Imule Agba in Oyan, Osun State, stated that Alabi has frequently used lexicons associated with traditionalists, such as ‘Eledumare’ and various other praises usually reserved for Orunmila and Yoruba deities.

He clarified that whoever labeled Alabi as an idol worshipper was merely fueling public opinion and lacked sufficient knowledge to understand that Ifa only acknowledges those who seek its recognition, as it values secrecy.

When asked if the phrase ‘Aboru Aboye’ could be used by anyone, Orunmila responded, “No, it is specifically used by Ifa initiates.”

He also explained that the phrase became a common greeting among Ifa initiates due to the stories of three women, Aboru, Aboye, and Abosise, who provided special assistance to Orunmila as depicted in the Odu Ifa ‘Ogunda meji’ in the Ifa corpus.