Ifá Dídá An Invitation to Ifá Consultation Volume TWO By Ṣọlágbadé Pópóọlá Library, Inc. ÀṣèfínMedia LLP London - Toronto - New York - Lagos © 2012 Ṣọlágbadé Pópóọlá Library, INC Contributing Authors: Ifá Dídá Volume Two Fakunle Oyesanya Gbolahan Okemuyiwa Abiola Aladesuru Olaribigbe Bankole Adesola Benson Awoyinfa Kori Ifaloju Chief Solagbade Popoola Solagbade Popoola Library, INC. is a collective of researchers, writers, cultural anthropologist and scholars, all of whom practice Ifa tradition as a way of living. This work is a combined effort of these individuals contributions. Learn more here: www.SolagbadePopoola.com Ifá Dídá An Invitation to Ifá Consultation Volume TWO Copyright © 2012 by : Àṣèfín Media, LLP Cover designed by: Awóyinfá Kori Ifálójú ( @alawoye ) Cover layout by: Fákúnlé Oyèsànyà Contributing Editor: Jose Rodriguez (Awo Agboọlá) Additional contributions by: Awóyinfá Kori Ifálójú (Ifálọmọ) Publicist: Alawoye Productions - www.Alawoye.com Circulation Coordinator: ÀṣèfínMedia, LLP eMail : sales@asefin.net Notice of Right All rights reserved, no part of this book may be reproduced or duplicated in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, scanning and recording or by any digital information storage or retrieval system without the prior written permission from the copyright holder(s), the author(s) or the publisher, is considered unlawful & a punishable act. Contact Àṣèfín Media LLP for more information eMail: admin@asefin.net Twitter: @AsefinMedia ISBN: 978-1-926538-12-9 First Edition The author(s) and publisher have made every effort in the preparation of this book to ensure its utmost accuracy of the quality and information present here within. However, the information in this book is sold without warranty, either expressed or implied by any of the parties mentioned. Neither the authors nor the publisher or its agents, will be liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused directly, incidentally, or consequentially by the information in this book. The opinions expressed in this book are solely those of the author(s) and their informants, and are not necessarily those of the publisher(s). Project Impact Asefin Media LLP partnering with Ekofa INC. This book was printed on 30% post consumer paper & recycled cardboard binding. We strive on finding ways to reduce the adverse human impact on our plant Earth. A portion of all sales of this complete 17 volume collection and all future Asefin Media publications will be donated to preserve tropical green space, plant Holy Palm trees & other sacred trees of Ifa. Asefin Media, LLP - Publications Division, working in conjunction with Ekofa INC, a Europe & US based non-profit organization, dedicated to traditional grassroots environmental projects globally & preserving Nature for which we depend. Letter from the Publisher ÀṣèfínMedia wishes to thank the collaborative team of traditional Ifá researchers and scholars, for their efforts in compiling this magnificent work. Until now, nothing of this magnitude has ever been written on the subject of Ifá, yet this work has only 16 Ese Ifá (Ifá poetic stanzas) for the combinations of Ogbè. Which according to most estimates, contain approximately 1000 - 1,800 Ifá poetic stanzas for each of the 256 Odù combinations. We are merely sipping a small calabash of an ocean worth of Ifá knowledge. Nonetheless, this is a historic masterpiece, Volume Two is the continuation of a full comprehensive encyclopedic seventeen-volume collection. For this we are very humbled and proud to serve Ifá by producing works to enhance Ifá wisdom. Ifá Dídá Volume Two embarks upon the next paradigm, away from the Ojú-Odù (the 16 principal Odù) coded Ifá. Beginning the 240 Àfẹ̀ka-Lẹ̀ka (meaning; Àfi - to take, èka one branch, lù - combine/mix with, èka - another branch). Other common terms used to describe the 240 minor Odù combinations are: Àpólà Odù (meaning, mixture) or Àmúlù Odù (meaning; Àmú - to take, lù - (and) combine with). Ifá Dídá with its detailed explanation of the full Ifá literary corpus, it is the first book of its kind. Bringing deeper Odù Ifá understanding to the Ifá diviners, practitioners, and to the scholar of African philosophies, packaged as a multi-volume collection. Once again, ÀṣèfínMedia is pleased to publish this multi-volume collection, and to be an integral part of promoting a new understanding of the coded messages within the ancient Ifá oral tradition. We trust that Ifá Dídá - Volume Two, will become a masterpiece and cherished by Ifá devotees, researchers and interested persons alike. Ifá Dídá - Volume Two furthers us toward comprehending of the vast body of knowledge we call Ifá. Awóyinfá Kori Ifálojú ( @alawoye ) Publisher ÀṣèfínMedia, LLP eMail : sales@asefin.net UK Office: 020-8144-5005 www.AsefinMedia.com On Twitter: @AsefinMedia Facebook: www.facebook.com/AsefinMedia What is Ifá Dídá? link here: Dedication It is with honour that we dedicate this work to Dr. Ògúnwándé Abímbọ́lá, the Àwiṣẹ ni Àgbáyé (meaning; the “Spokesperson for Ifá in the World”) ọmọ-Odù Ogbè Ọ̀ṣẹ́. Dr. Abímbọ́lá often times, casually referred to as simply Prof. or Baba ‘Wande, has made an invaluable contribution to promoting Ifá worldwide. We Ifá followers remain grateful for your tireless work forwarding Ifá. Contents: The Authors Copyright Letter from Publisher Dedication Chapter 1 ! - Ogbè Ọ̀yẹ̀kú :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 1 Chapter 2 - Ogbè Ìwòrì :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 73 Chapter 3 - Ogbè Òdí ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 173 Chapter 4 - Ogbè Ìrosùn :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 247 Chapter 5 - Ogbè Ọ̀wọ́nrín ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 319 Chapter 6 - Ogbè Ọ̀bàrà ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 404 Chapter 7 - Ogbè Ọ̀kànràn ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 478 Chapter 8 - Ogbè Ògúndá ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 548 Chapter 9 - Ogbè Ọsá :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 644 Chapter 10 - Ogbè Ìká :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 723 Chapter 11 - Ogbè Òtúrúpọ̀n ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 788 Chapter 12 - Ogbè Òtúrá :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 860 Chapter 13 - Ogbè Ìrẹtẹ̀ :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 946 Chapter 14 - Ogbè Ṣẹ́ ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 1040 Chapter 15 - Ogbè Òfún ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 1114 Glossary: The glossary for this work, the prior work and all future & past volumes of Ifá Dídá will be electronic (web-based), accessible via website: www.glossary.IfaDida.com or by clicking QR code here: By so doing, we can refine and enhance the glossary more effectively and frequently thus ensuring the explanations used within this work are the most relevant and current. This will ensure we meet our objectives of presenting a comprehensive work, yet at the same time sustaining the environment by; reducing paper usage, paper waste, paper printing duplication, other environmental cost (carbon) associated with manufacturing/ transporting paper-pulp, printing cost and protecting the environment overall. We are keen on doing our part, this work like all works on Ifá need to be cognizant of the environment, as she too is a deity to us, thus needs protecting. To be kept informed of future new book releases, all our new media content and to join our inclusive book club ÌrosùnÀṣèfín, visit: www.newbookrelease.alawoye.com or click this QR code here: About joining our ÌrosùnÀṣèfín book club membership, it is as online connected group, this is not traditional book clubs with paper mail-outs. We will discuss, promote, make pre-release specials, promo-buys and be keeping our membership informed virally using social media and other means. We do implore you to join, it is free. NOTE: just a hint, it might be worthwhile to scan that code every so often, as we will have flash deals and free giveaways that will only be located via that site-link. Note on the use of QR codes; we have deployed QR (Quick Reference) codes, as a means to ensure connectivity and ease of access. QR codes also reduce paper use and thus paper waste. Using the camera on your SmartPhone (depending on device it may require a free download of a QR Code reader), you can access the content within the web-enabled QR codes listed. As with our Glossary going digital, moving forward, so will our promotional / informative literature at the conclusion of this book. All future volumes and additions will source to our digital formats. (the website listed above, our Twitter www.twitter.com/AsefinMedia and our Facebook: www.facebook.com/AsefinMedia). Join us at those social places and click the QR code to read more about this exciting development. Chapter 1 Ogbè Ọ̀yẹ̀kú II I II I II I II I 1 OGBE®-OÙ®YEÙ®KU: OGBE® - `YE®ÙKU: AGBI®YE®ÙKU: A. 1. Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed during I®koôseô¾da;ye; or I®teô¾lo;du¾ is a born organizer and leader. He/she was born with the ability to organize people and resources and at the same time lead them to achieve greatness, peace and harmony. Ifa; says that, with this sense of management and organization, this person shall rise from obscurity to prominence, from being a nobody to becoming an important personality and will move from the very bottom of the ladder to the apex. Ifa; advises the person for whom Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; is revealed however to lay less emphasis on his/her rights and to learn how to absorb and deal with in a meek manner, all kinds of insults, humiliation, opposition and outright condemnations. He/she shall eventually be rewarded with prestige, honour and respect. He/she shall be given leadership roles to play. These roles shall expose His/hers great potentials and He/she shall become a decision maker in the family, community and/or country where He/she lives. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô of A®ru;kore - two rats, two fish, two hens, two cocks, two pigeons, two goats and money. He/she should also put it at the back of his/her mind that he/she is not a lone ranger. He/she cannot do things all alone. He/she needs others to join him/her in whatever he/she does. He/she is not expected to float a business and be a sole entrepreneur. He/she needs to go into partnership with others in order to succeed in life. On these aspects, Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; says: O®gbo;ju; o¾ teô'raa reô¾ n'i;fa; I®mo¾ôra¾n o¾ fi'raa re¾ô j'oye¾ OÙ®beô to; mu; ki¾i; gbe;ô e¾e¾ku¾ araa re¾ô Di;a; fu;n Ogbe¾'Yeô¾ku; Ti; yo;o; ko; gbogbo A®mu;lu¾ joô o EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe 2 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: A courageous person cannot initiate himself into Ifa; A wise person cannot award a chieftaincy title to himself A sharp knife cannot fashion its own handle These were Ifá’s declarations Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; Who shall organize all A®mu;lu¾ in a systematic manner He was advised to offer eôboô When all the Oju;-Odu¾ were coming from heaven to earth, Ofu;n-Me;ji¾ led the group followed by OÙ®sôe;ô-Me;ji¾. E®ji¾¾-Ogbe¾ who was in the 16th position while OÙyeô¾ku;-Me;ji¾ occupied the 15th position. When the A®mu;lu¾ came into the world, O®fu;n-OÙ®sôe; was in the 17th position while Ogbe¾-'Ye¾ôku; was given the 256th position. These positions were maintained for a very long time. One day however, due to some major acts of misconduct perpetrated by O®fu;nMe;ji¾ and O®Ùsôeô;-Me;ji¾, they were removed from their leadership positions and moved to the 16th and 15th positions respectively. As soon as this happened, it sent out a serious confusing signal to all the A®mu;lu¾;. Would these changes affect them too? If so, how? If not, why? Nobody could proffer any acceptable explanation or answer. It soon got to a stage where one A®mu;lu¾ was not ready to respect the other because it became unsure which A®mu;lu was senior to the other. This situation also went on for a long period until all the A®mu;lu began to think that they would be better off doing their things on an individual basis. The problem here was that even their names and existence were derived from the combination of two Odu¾! This matter became more and more complicated with each passing moment. One day however, Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku;, the very last Odu¾ in the hierarchy took it upon himself to find a way of arranging and organizing all the A®mu;lu in a systematic way according to the order of seniority. In order to ensure success in this assignment, he went to the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I succeed? If not, what do I need to do to ensure success? If yes, how should I go about it in order not to face insurmountable obstacles on the way? The Awo assured him that he would not only succeed, but he would be highly respected and honoured at the end of the exercise. He was however told to prepare himself for criticism, humiliation, intimidation and outright condemnation. He was also informed that others would conspire against him, 3 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: they would try to stop him at all costs and they would create problems for him in his bid to actualize this assignment. He was advised to persevere, to be consistent, determined and purposeful. He was also advised to offer eôboô as stated above. He complied. With the advice of the group of Awo, Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; went home, full of determination to succeed. The first thing he did was to sample the opinions of all the 16 principal Odu¾. They all agreed that it was imperative for there to be reorganization and recording of the hierarchy among the A®mu;lu¾. This would reduce tension and confusion among the A®mu;lu¾. With their assurance, he sent message to all the 239 A®mu;lu¾ for them to organize a day for serious deliberation. What serious deliberation? What could be so serious that the last A®mu;lu¾ in the hierarchy was summoning all his seniors for deliberation. They all became very curious. They wanted to know what Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; had to tell them. When they all met, Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; explained to them that it was very imperative for them to have a systematic hierarchical order. He explained that it would make things easier if there was an order of seniority and it would also eliminate confusion. O®fu;n-O®Ùsôeô; was the first A®mu;lu¾ to react. He accused Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; of having the temerity, bothering on effrontery, to summon all his seniors to such a meeting. He accused Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; of attempting to upstage him. He vowed to stop Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; by all means. All the efforts of Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; to explain himself were of no meaning to O®fu;n-O®Ùsôeô;. The meeting broke down completely without any resolution. As soon as they left, O®fu;n-O®Ùsôeô; summoned all the other O®fu;n combinations from O®fu;n-Ogbe¾ to O®fu;n-I®reôte¾ô and instigated them all against Ogbe¾-OÙyeô¾ku;. He mandated them to try all they knew to work against the interest of Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; to ensure that he failed in his mission. They all worked according to how they were directed by O®fu;n-O®Ùsôeô;. Life became very unbearable for Ogbe¾-OÙyeô¾ku;. In spite of this setback however, Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; continued to persuade all the other A®mu;lu¾ for there to be orderliness. O®fu;n-OÙ®sôeô; did everything he knew to frustrate his efforts. All the other A®mu;lu¾ from Ogbe¾-We¾ôyin to O®fu;n-O®Ùsôeô; would go to O®fu;n-O®Ùsôe’ô; s home for instructions. They all agreed that there was the need for hierarchy to have order, but they supported only O®fu;n-O®Ùsôeô; to be the leader who would lay 4 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 down the procedure to organize the order of seniority. When O®fu;n -O®Ùsôeô; began this assignment, he gave all his cronies higher hierarchy positions without any consideration for the significance of their Odu¾ combinations. In no time, crises ensued. It later degenerated into full-scale pandemonium. To make the matter worse, if any A®mu;lu¾ complained that he was not given his rightful position, O®fu;n-O®Ùsôeô; would change the person’s position and give the complainer a higher position. This led to more protests as those whose positions were hitherto higher than that of the complainer’s Odu¾ would feel cheated and a new protest would begin. This was going on for a long time before all the other A®mu;lu¾ got fed up with the administrative style of O®fu;n-O®Ùsôeô;. They invited Ogbe¾-OÙyeô¾ku; to come and re-order and reorganize the whole hierarchical process. Ogbe¾-OÙyeô¾ku; informed the other A®mu;lu¾ that it would be easier and more pragmatic to emulate the hierarchical order of the 16 Oju;-Odu¾. They all agreed. That was how all agitations and protests stopped forthwith. In the new hierarchy, Ogbe¾-OÙyeô¾ku; was moved from the 256th position to the 17th position. He thus became the leader of all the A®mu;lu¾. He was followed by Ogbe¾-Iwo¾ri¾, Ogbe¾-O®di;, Ogbe¾-I®rosu¾n and so on. On the contrary, O®fu;n-OÙ®sôeô; was moved from the 17th position to the 256th position followed by O®fu;n-I®reôte¾ô in the 255th position and O®fu;n-O®tu;ra; in the 254th position, and so on. When all these arrangements were made, it became very easy to understand and recognize the hierarchical order. The protests eventually subsided and later disappeared. All the A®mu;lu¾ knew that the hierarchical order was not arranged in a haphazard manner. It was, rather, in accordance with the order of seniority of the Oju;-Odu¾. O®gbo;ju; o¾ teô`raa reô¾ ni;fa; I®mo¾ôra¾n o¾ fi`raa re¾ô j`oye¾ O®Ùbeô to; mu; ki¾i; gbe;ô e¾e¾ku¾ araa re¾ô Di;a; fu;n Ogbe¾'Ye¾ôku; Ti; yo;o; ko; gbogbo A®mu;lu¾ joô o EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O g: b’e¾ôboô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa;a; ba;’ni¾ b’a;yoô EÙ wa;a; wo’re o 5 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: Translation: A courageous person cannot initiate himself into Ifa A wise person cannot award a chieftaincy title to himself A sharp knife cannot fashion its own handle These were Ifa;’s declarations Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; Who shall organize all A®mu;lu¾ in a systematic manner He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed shall become great in life. He/she shall be highly respected. He/she must however not revenge any evil or injustice done against him/her. Olodumare Himself shall place him/her where he/she rightly belongs. 2. Ifa; says that if Ikin are used during Ifa; consultation for someone who is pregnant and Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; is revealed, the officiating Ifa; priest must abandon the Ikin and change to OÙ®pe¾ôleô¾ immediately. No I®ye¾ôro¾su¾n must be used for this pregnant woman again until she safely delivers. As a matter of fact, no form of powdery substance, such as e¾lu¾bo;ô (yam flour), la;fu;n (cassava flour), etc must be used for the pregnant woman until she delivers. Furthermore, if this Odu¾ is revealed during I®koôseô¾da;ye; for a new-born baby, the Ikin and I®ye¾ro¾su¾n must be put away and the OÙ®pe¾ôleô¾ must be used for all the remaining consultations. It must be noted that there is nothing wrong with using Ikin, it’s actually the use of I®yeôô¾ro¾su¾n that is a serious taboo for this consultation because it constitutes a grave health hazard for the unborn baby in the case of a pregnant woman and also for the newly-born baby in the case of consultation during I®koôseô¾da;ye;. For this reason, as soon as the Odu¾ is marked, the rest of the consultation must be done with the OÙ®pe¾ôleô¾. 6 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ifa; however foresees the Ire of a bouncing baby if this caution can be observed. Ifa; says that this baby shall live long and accomplish great feats as he/she grows older. Ifa; recommends eôboô with rats, two fish, one matured he-goat and money. A stanza in Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; on this aspect says: Ge;ôjeô;-ge;ôje;ô n’ile; wo; Geô¾je¾ô-geô¾je¾ô n’ile; bale¾ô Ti; ile; ba; ba'le¾ô l'eô;yi¾n Etutu ni;i; f'ile; mu o Di;a; fu;n I®ya;lo;de I®po Ti; n; sunku;n o¾un o¾ bi';moô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôôe Translation When a wooden house is weak, it will fall When a building is old, it will collapse A building that collapses from behind Such a building will be consumed by termites These were Ifa;’s messages for I®ya;lo;de I®po When weeping that she was not blessed with the fruit of the womb She was advised to offer eôboô I®ya;lo;de I®po was a very successful woman. She was blessed with intelligence. She had fantastic business acumen. She loved everyone and all the inhabitants of I®po land loved her in return. She was happily married. She was always willing to serve her community in any capacity selflessly. She had singlehandedly bank-rolled several projects in I®po land, all for the progress of the community. As a reward for all these selfless services to the community, all the elders unanimously conferred on her the title of I®ya;lo;de of I®po land. That made her the highest-ranking woman in the land. With all her achievements in the land, she was supposed to be very happy but she actually wasn’t. She was very contented alright; but she was not happy. Why? She had no child of her own. Life without any child of one’s own, she reasoned, is an incomplete life. Would she live her life and die without her own child? She was the mother of all the women and children in I®po land alright but at night, how many of them would enter her own room and sleep? None! Would 7 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: she not experience what other women go through in life, conception, gestation, labour, child-birth, lactation, nursing, raising and affection? She needed all these for her to be able to feel like a complete woman. What could she do to be a happy woman? Would she be able to have her own child that she would strap on her back and shower with her unalloyed love and affection? Nothing short of this could make her completely happy and happily complete. It was in her search to make her dream come true that she went to the Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation and assistance. During the consultation Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; was revealed. The Awo assured I®ya;lo;de that she would be blessed with the fruit of the womb in a very short time. She would also be a proud mother 10 lunar months after. She was advised to offer eôboô with two rats, two fish, one matured he-goat and money. She complied instantly. Money was not her problem. She was however warned never to use I®ye¾ro¾su¾n to do anything for herself as soon as she became pregnant or for the baby when it was born. She was warned that failure to heed the instruction might lead to miscarriage or even lead to the death of the baby when born. She was fully determined to keep this warning. Two months after this, I®ya;lo;de became pregnant. No, this cannot be true. It is too good to be true. She said. All herbal tests confirmed that she was indeed pregnant. She was overwhelmed with joy and expectations. By the time the pregnancy became six months old, she was already experiencing the unique sensation of a foetus kicking and turning in her womb. She then felt totally complete as a woman- well almost totally complete. She put to bed. She just could not wait for that day to come. In her boundless joy, she simply forgot about the warnings of the Awo. She gave birth to her baby with relative ease. She cuddled her bundle of joy. She wrapped the baby, a male, very well. She declared that she was now a total woman! She had her baby to breast feed, love, care for, raise the way she loved and make into a socially acceptable adult. The whole of I®po land celebrated the birth of this baby with her. The baby was considered to be the blessing of I®po land and not just as I®ya;lo;de’s baby. On the third day of birth it was time to do the I®koôseô¾da;ye;. The Awo she had invited to perform this rite of passage arrived early. They brought their Opo;ôn Ifa; (Ifa; tray) and I®ye¾ro¾su¾n, together with other materials necessary for the 8 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 ceremony. I®ya;lo;de had forgotten the stern instructions of the Awo who had performed her Ifa; consultation before she became pregnant. The rite was performed with I®ye¾ro¾su¾n. This powder was used to touch the feet and part of the body of the baby. The powder entered the baby’s nose. As soon as this happened, the baby began to sneeze. What was this? The sneezing continued. Two days after, the baby died! When people heard that I®ya;lo;de’s baby had died, they concluded that it must be the work of witches, wizards and evil doers in the community. They encouraged her to go and find out from Ifa;. She did. Ifa; said that the baby died because I®ya;lo;de had failed to heed Ifa;’s warning and not as a result of the evil machination of anyone. After the Awo made this declaration, that was when I®ya;lo;de remembered that she should not have allowed these Awo who came to do the Ikoôse¾ôda;ye; to use I®ye¾ro¾su¾n for the ceremony. Ge;ôjeô;-ge;ôje;ô n’ile; wo; Geô¾je¾ô-geô¾je¾ô n’ile; ba'le¾ô¾ Ti; ile; ba; ba'le¾ô l'eô;yi¾n Etutu ni;i; f'ile; mu o Di;a; fu;n I®ya;lo;de I®po Ti; n; sunku;n o¾un o¾ bi';moô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôôe O: gb'e;boô, o; ru'boô O: ru'boô ta;n, o; gba¾gbe; i¾ki¾lo¾ô Awo Nje¾ô oômoô to; gb’i¾ye¾ô to; ku; Ni wo;ôn n;pe¾ ni; Agbi¾ye¾ôku; Translation When a wooden house is weak, it will fall When a building is old, it will collapse A building that collapses from behind Such a building will be consumed by termites These were Ifa;’s messages for I®ya;lo;de I®po When weeping that she was not blessed with the fruit of the womb She was advised to offer eôboô She complied After offering the eôboô, she however forgot to heed the warnings of the Awo 9 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: Behold, the baby that died after getting in contact with I®ye¾ôroôsu¾n Such a baby should be called Agbi¾ye¾ôku; Agbi¾ye¾ôku; is another way of calling Ogbe¾-O®Ùye¾ôku;. In this Odu¾, if it is revealed during Ikoôse¾ôda;ye;, while Ikin and I®ye¾ro¾su¾n are being used, the use of Ikin must be stopped forthwith and must be replaced with an OÙ®peô¾le¾ô. This is in a bid to protect the newborn baby from early death. Furthermore, if someone is very ill and Ifa; is cast to know what to do, if Ikin is used, then the use of the Ikin must be stopped immediately and O®Ùpe¾ôleô¾ must immediately be used to complete the consultation exercise. This is also in order to prevent the sick person from experiencing untimely death. 3. Ifa; says that it foresees the Ire of a compatible spouse for the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa; says that the relationship shall be blessed with children. Ifa; says that the woman involved in the relationship will be very elegant, homely, and beautiful but will not be a great business-conscious type of person. Ifa; says that she will however be blessed with great children. If a man has gone for Ifa; consultation in search of a compatible spouse, Ifa; advises him to offer eôboô with four rats, four fish, two hens and money. Two rats, two fish and one hen shall be used to feed Ifa; out of these materials after the ebo is done. On the other hand, if a woman has gone for Ifa; consultation and this Odu¾ is revealed, then, Ifa; advises her to offer eôboô with two rats, two fish, one cock and money. She also needs to feed Ifa; with two rats, two fish, and one hen. On all of these, Ifa; says: Pa¾n;ka¾ra¾ ni;i; bo;ô s’o;mi Ni;i; gba¾’ja; oô¾na¾ doo-do¾o¾-do Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Ti; n;loô re¾e; gbe; Aj;i;nase¾ô ni;ya¾wo; EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe 10 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: When a broken calabash falls into a stream It will meander in an unsteady path along the direction of the stream This was Ifa;’s message for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ When going to have the hand of Aj;i;nase¾ô as wife He was advised to offer eôboô O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was in need of a compatible spouse. He was looking for a woman who would respect him, who would love him and care for him. He wanted a woman who would be friendly with his numerous clients and customers; not one who would frown on them and display a bad attitude that would chase them away. The woman was also expected to be friendly with his extended family and relatives. She was also to show hospitality to his friends and well wishers. One day, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ met Aji;nase¾ô and he believed that she had the qualities that he was looking for in the woman of his choice. The families of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ and Aji;nase¾ô met on the issue and their reactions were very favourable. In order to put a final touch to the arrangement, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ went to the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will there be mutual gain in this relationship if it leads all the way to marriage? The Awo assured O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ that the relationship was good and beneficial for both families. They told him that Aji;nase¾ô would be able to meet all his requirements, and what was more, the union would be blessed with fantastic children. He was however warned not to expect Aj;i;nase¾ô to be commercially enterprising. She would be very homely and friendly to all;, she would however not be good in business. What really made O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ decide in favour of Aji;nase¾ô was that she would give birth to fantastic children for him. For this very reason, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ ensured that all the marriage formalities were put in place as quickly as possible and before long the wedding was contracted. When Aji;nase¾ô moved into O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾’s home, everything changed. His life became better organized. His work was moving rapidly and he accomplished much. His results were better performed, thanks to Aji;nase¾ô. She was a great domestic chores organizer. She did not lift one finger to do anything; all she would do was to wake up in the morning, take care of her personal hygiene, put 11 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: on her best dress and look as elegantly as possible. She would then sit gingerly and stretch her legs. After these ceremonies she would begin to use all the domestic workers in O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾’s home to do all the work in the most genial manner ever possible. Everybody loved the way she spoke and directed them to do the work. Not only this, she had nicknames for all the kids and young ones in the household. They simply loved her ways. Her best talent was in the area of story-telling. She could tell different stories from morning till night and she would never feel tired. The only work she would do in the house was to cook for her husband. Everybody loved her. She could not trade or farm but nobody cared. In spite of her inability to work or trade, she was a disciplinarian of the highest degree. She did not tolerate any form of indiscipline whatsoever. She was blessed with many children, both biological and adopted. They were all well trained. They became the pride of the household and the community in general. This made Aji;nase¾ô the favourite among the wives in O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾’s family. Nobody appeared to remember that O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was married to a woman who was not a good business woman. Those who did were not concerned about it. What they were laying much emphasis upon was the children and how welltrained they were. They concluded that only O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was capable of marrying such a woman as Aji;nase¾ô. One day, the whole community gathered together to honour Aji;nase¾ô for giving her children the best moral training ever. They came with I®pe¾ôseô¾, Ifa; drums and Agogo Ifa; (Ifa; gongs), singing and dancing and saying: EÙ wa; m’oômoô Aji;nase¾ô weôreôreô o o EÙ w’oômoô Aji;nase¾ô weôreôreô O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ A®ja¾na¾ Ohun lo; to;o; gbe; Aji;nase¾ô ni';ya¾wo; EÙ w’oômoô Aji;nase¾ô weôreôreô o Translation: Come and behold the great children together by Aji;nase¾ô Behold Aji;nase¾ô’s well-trained children O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ A®ja¾na¾ Is the only one capable of having Aj;i;nase¾ô as a wife Behold, the many beautiful children of Aj;i;nase¾ô 12 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 That day was the happiest day in the life of Aj;i;nase¾ô and all her children. Aj;i;nase¾ô felt fulfilled and well rewarded. She knew that her activities in O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾’s home were recognized and approved by his family members and particularly the community in general. She lived and died a contented and fulfilled woman. Pa¾n;ka¾ra¾ ni;i; bo;ô s’o;mi Ni;i; gba¾’ja; o¾na¾ doo-do¾o¾-do Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Ti; n;loô re¾e; gbe; Aj;i;nase¾ô ni;ya¾wo; EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’eôboô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba';ni b’a;yo¾ EÙ wa; wo’re o N®je;ô eô wa;a; w’oômoô Aj;i;nase¾ô weôreôreô o o¾ EÙ w’oômoô Aj;i;nase¾ô weôreôreô O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ A®ja¾na Lo; gbe; Aji;nase¾ô ni;ya¾wo; EÙ w’oômoô Aji;nase¾ô weôreôreô o Translation When a broken calabash falls into a stream It will meander in an unsteady path along the direction of the stream This was Ifa;’s message for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ When going to have the hand of Aj;i;nase¾ô as wife He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far Come and join us in the midst of joy Come and behold all the Ire of life Now, come and behold the great children begotten by Aji;nase¾ô Behold Aji;nase¾ô’s well trained children O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ A®ja¾na¾ Is the only one capable of having Aji;nase¾ô as a wife Behold the many beautiful children of Aji;nase¾ô 13 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: Ifa; says the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed shall not regret having the spouse whom he/she has come for during Ifa; consultation. He/she shall live happily with his/her spouse and both of them shall be blessed with children who will make them proud and contented. All the children that they train shall be successful in life. 4. Ifa; says that the doors of death, affliction, contention and loss shall be firmly shut and put under lock and key for the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa; says that the life of this person is being threatened by these four principalities but Ifa; will protect him/her against them. He/she needs not entertain any fear whatsoever. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with a mature he-goat and money. He/she also needs to feed the main door of his/her house with one mature cock, kola nuts, bitter-kolas and palm-oil. If the house is shared among many tenants, then he/she needs to feed the door leading to his/her own apartment. The eôboô and Ibo need to be offered as quickly as possible. On this aspect of Ogbe¾-OÙÙ®yeôô¾ku;; a stanza in the Odu¾ says: O®Ùpoô¾lo;ô ga di;e¾ ju amo¾ômoô¾ Di;a; fu;n OÙku¾nrin gba¾ga¾da¾-gbagada Ti; yo;o; se;’ku¾n mo;ô Iku; Ti; yo;o; se;’ku¾n moô; A®ru¾n Ti; yo;o; se;’ku¾n mo;ô Ejo;ô Ti yo;o; se;;’ku¾n mo;ô Ofo Ti; yo;o; se;’ku¾n mo;ô gbogbo Alubi¾ EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o Translation: The toad is a little taller than a lizard This was Ifa;’s message to the big, wide, and sturdy man Who shall lock the door against Death And lock the door against Affliction And lock the door against Contention And lock the door against Loss And lock the door against all Misfortunes He was advised to offer eôboô 14 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 OÙku¾nrin gba¾ga¾da¾-gbagada, the big wide and sturdy man was not happy with the way that Death, Affliction, Contention and Loss were entering into people’s homes and lives to inflict untold damage with relative ease. He felt that life was too precious for bad things to be happening in the world without any resistance. Yet, he realised that there was hardly any home that one could visit without hearing, seeing or experiencing disastrous occurrences happening to people or their properties. Why should these be happening? Was there no way to put an end to all these occurrences? What could be done to stop these problems from polluting the society and spoiling the joy of the people? Who could do these things effectively? As a matter of fact what would stop him from preventing these principalities from disrupting people’s lives? In the end, he vowed to do something positive about it. The first step he took was to study how disasters occur. After a lengthy study, he found out that anything, good or bad, that would ever happen to anyone in life, before it manifested physically, would first start and conclude in the spiritual realm. On the other hand, if any problem was to be meliorated physically, it must be resolved spiritually first before any lasting solution could be found physically. This knowledge and understanding made him to be even more determined to volunteer himself to be the one to checkmate all these disasters from occurring in the lives of people. This determination was what took him to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I succeed in my determination to be the barrier preventing disasters from walking freely into the lives and homes of people, both physically and spiritually? If so, what do I need to do to succeed in this assignment? During consultation, Ogbe¾O®Ùyeô¾ku; was revealed. The Awo told him that he was about to pursue a very noble course. He was charged not to relent in his effort. The Awo also assured him that he would surely succeed. He was advised to offer eôboô as stated above in order to ensure success. He complied. When OÙku¾nrin gba¾ga¾da¾-gbagada returned home, he positioned himself in the frontage of the house and ensured that nobody or anything entered or went out of the house without passing through him. In this position, he was able to lock in anyone he did not want to meet with grief or disaster outside. He was also able to lock out anything or anyone he did not want to enter the house to cause grief or disaster. 15 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: Iku; (Death) A®ru¾n (Affliction) EÙjoô; (Contention), O®fo¾ (Loss) and other Alubi (Negativities) decided to visit the home of the Aka;po¾, as they used to do in order to cause havoc and chaos as usual. Iku; marched majestically but had his face slammed against the door. He retreated in a hurry. A®ru¾n was not able to pass through the door at all. EÙjoô; got trapped outside and O®fo¾ was at a loss on what to do when it became clear that the home of the Aka;po¾ was no longer a place for them to go and wreck havoc. In the end, all the Alubi returned to where they were all coming from. As from that day henceforth, the Aka;po¾ was able to live a trouble-free, crisis-free, havoc-free and disaster-free life for the rest of his life. In the end, the Aka;po¾ died a contented, accomplished and fulfilled man. O®Ùpoô¾lo;ô ga di;e¾ ju amo¾ômoô¾ Di;a; fu;n OÙku¾nrin gba¾ga¾da¾-gbagada Ti; yo;o; se;’ku¾n mo;ô Iku; Ti; yo;o; se;’ku¾n moô; A®ru¾n Ti; yo;o; se;’ku¾n mo;ô Ejo;ô Ti yo;o; se;;’ku¾n mo;ô Ofo Ti; yo;o; se;’ku¾n mo;ô gbogbo Alubi EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o O: gb’eô;boô, o; ru;’boô Ko; pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni la;ru¾u;se;ô ogun A®ja¾seô; ogun la¾a; ba; ni le;ôse¾ô OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾ Nje;ô mo se;’ku¾n moô; Iku; Mo se;’ku¾n mo;ô A®ru¾n Mo se;’ku¾n mo;ô Ejoô; Mo se;’ku¾n mo;ô O®fo¾ Mo se;’ku¾n mo;ô gbogbo Alubi Mo ti¾i; si;ta Translation The toad is a little taller than a lizard This was Ifa;’s message to the big, wide, and sturdy man Who shall lock the door against Death And lock the door against Affliction And lock the door against Contention 16 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 And lock the door against Loss And lock the door against all Misfortunes He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far Join us where we offer eôboô to overcome adversary Victory over adversities is what Ifa; guarantees I have locked the door against Death I have locked the door against Affliction I have locked the door against Contention I have locked the door against Loss And I have locked the door against all Misfortunes I have pushed them outside Ifa; assures that all misfortunes leading to grief, disaster and catastrophe shall be pushed away from the life of the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. He/she shall never experience any form of misfortune in his/her life. 5. Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed shall be victorious over a friend who has been seriously planning to see him/her fall. Ifa; says that this enemy is more powerful, more resourceful and more influential than the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa; however assures him/her that with the appropriate eôboô victory is guaranteed. Ifa; says that this enemy wants to show that he/she has power, influence and/or authority over and above the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed; and that is why the enemy wants to prove that punishment should be meted out without consideration for fair play and justice. Ifa; does not support any form of blatant display of power at the expense of justice. For this reason, Ifa; will come to the aid of the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed and he/she shall overcome. Ifa; advises the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat and money. He/she also needs to take one of his complete dresses to the home of the Awo in order for the Awo to sanctify the dress. The person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed is expected to put on this dress when returning from the home of the Awo. If the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed is threatened over a specific issue or occasion, he/she is expected to put on the dress to the venue of the occasion. 17 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: A stanza in Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku¾ laying emphasis on this particular issue says: Gbongbo ji¾ga;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾ gbongbo Di;a; fu;n Iku; Ti;i; sô’oômoô Ami; Gbongbo ji¾ga;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾ gbongbo Di;a; fu;n EÙ®ri;n Ti;i; sô’oômoô OÙloô;fin A®woôn me;je¾e¾ji¾ joô n;so¾ôre;ô o¾sôeye¾ka¾n-sôolu¾ku¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe Translation: Gbongbo ji¾ga;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾ gbongbo They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for Iku; (Death) The son of Ami; Gbongbo ji¾ga;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾ gbongbo They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for EÙ®ri;n (Laughter) The son of OÙloô;fin Both of them were so close that their friendship could be mistaken for a consanguineous bond They were advised to offer eôboô Both Iku; and EÙ®ri;n were very close friends. Both of them were so close that many people thought that they were siblings. Iku; was full of wickedness while EÙ®ri;n was kind-hearted and God-fearing. Any time that Iku; unleashed his wickedness on people, the only person that they could report him to was his friend EÙ®ri;n. He would try to pacify the aggrieved and make them laugh. He would also persuade his friend to show mercy on his victims. In short, EÙ®ri;n was the only one who could talk Iku; out of any action he was about to take. Unfortunately for EÙ®ri;n, Ami;, Iku;’s father was always behind his son, giving him support and encouragement to inflict pain on other people. This made EÙ®ri;n’s work even more difficult. Anytime that EÙ®ri;n succeeded in persuading Iku; not to take any action, when Iku; returned home, his father would ask him to go ahead. Iku; would then go and wreck havoc on the people. This was very frustrating for 18 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 EÙ®ri;n because most of the people who desperately came to him to intervene on their behalf were disappointed. One day, EÙ®ri;n vowed never to have anything to do with Iku; again. He went to his father OÙloô;fin to inform him of his decision. OÙloô;fin told him that he must never do so. He explained to his son that even if he was able to save two out of ten potential victims of Iku;, it was worth celebrating since all of them would have been dealt with if there was nobody to intercede on their behalf. With this, E®Ùri;n agreed to continue to move with Iku;. One day, as these two friends were walking along the road, they met a group of young children playing in an open field. There were about thirty (30) in the field. Iku; said that he was not happy with those children because he sensed that as they were laughing they were making jest of him. E®Ùri;n was taken aback. How do you know this?, he asked. Iku; explained that he did not need to know because the way they were expressing their joy was really irritating him and they must be punished for that! This led to a heated argument between the two friends. Iku; insisted that all the children would be killed within three days! Why must you kill 30 innocent children in three days? This was not fair! It was just an erratic way of displaying power. This argument later degenerated into an open confrontation between the two friends. They engaged in a serious fight and E®Ùri;n gave Iku; the beating of his life. Iku; told EÙ®ri;n that he would be his first victim. E®Ùri;n told Iku; to go and do his worst. That was how both of them dispersed. As soon as Iku; got home, he reported what E®Ùri;n had done to him to Ami;, his father. Ami; was livid with rage! Did I hear you right, E®Ùri;n raised his filthy hands to beat you? Did I not tell you over and over again that if you want to inflict pain on people, start with your best friend? You have spared this bastard for too long! That is why he now has the guts to strike you! He will not get away with this. I will personally see to that. He must suffer! He must pay for his temerity. Have I not told you repeatedly that too much familiarity brings contempt? Can’t you see what has happened now? Who is he? What is his worth? Who would even know of his worthless entity if not because of his association with you? Yes! He is a worthless entity! I shall personally put him in his place. I shall snuff the life out of him the way, I snuff life out of my wick everyday! He must die! His death will be very fast and extremely painful. This I assure you 19 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: son. Go and bathe and have your rest. E®Ùri;n is hereby sentenced to deathand he must die tomorrow unfailingly! While Ami; was shouting at the top of his voice assuring his son that he would personally kill E®Ùri;n the next day, OÙlo;ôfin was busy calming his son down to entertain no fear. OÙloô;fin blamed E®Ùri;n for engaging in a fight with his friend. He told him never to allow himself to be reduced to the level of losing his temper or engaging in any form of physical fight with anyone again. You must always be level-headed, no matter how trying the situation may be OÙloô;fin told his son. OÙloô;fin told E®Ùri;n to put his mind at rest. He assured his son that he would not come into harm’s way because Olodumare would never allow those who were doing His biddings to meet with grief. You will not meet with disaster son. Whatever happens, you will come out triumphantly. This I assure you. Do not entertain any form of fear, because if you do, you are giving your enemies victory over you. This you must not do. You shall live to narrate this story to others. In order to ensure success and victory E®Ùri;n went to the home of the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I be victorious? If yes, how will I gain such victory? The Awo assured EÙ®ri;n that as long as Olodumare remains on His seat, there will always be the victory of goodness over wickedness. For this reason, he, E®Ùri;n will overcome. They however told him that there was an urgent need for him to offer eôboô as stated above so as to ensure resounding victory. He was also advised to bring one of his best dresses along when coming. EÙ®ri;n assured the Awo that he would come and offer the eôboô first thing the next day. He did and the eôboô was offered. The Awo sprinkled the remaining I®ye¾ôro¾su¾n that was used in offering the eôboô on the dress that he brought along with him and he was asked to put on the dress. He did. As soon as EÙ®rin offered the eôboô, E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ and his lieutenants went into session. They were aware that physically, E®Ùri;n was stronger than Iku; but spiritually, he was no match for Iku;. But it was clear as day followed night that evil must never be allowed to overcome goodness. They considered all the personalities involved in the matter and E®su¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ concluded that OÙloô;fin must not be made to suffer any grief because he had toiled to give his son EÙ®ri;n the 20 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 best of education. In the same vein, E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ concluded that Ami; was the principal culprit for three reasons; one, he failed to give his son, Iku; good education; two, he encouraged his son to do evil and inflict pain on other people; and three; he enjoyed the use of power as a form of vendetta. E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ and members of his council concluded that instead of Iku;, Ami; was the one to be punished. The person who had gone into another person’s pantry to steal a keg of palm-oil is not the major thief; rather, the person who helps in keeping and/or selling the loot is the major culprit. For this reason, Ami; must be made to pay for all his bad educating and deeds. In the case of Iku;, it was concluded that he would be given another chance to turn over a new leaf if he wished. As soon as E®Ùri;n stepped out of the home of the Awo, E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ went to work. He told Ami; to quickly go out to waylay EÙ®ri;n on his way back home. He told him to take along with him a powerful spear with which to strike E® Ùri;n down. When Ami; rushed out, E®sôu¾ directed him where to go to await EÙ®ri;n. E®sôu¾ also showed him a tall tree to climb in order to wait for his would-be victim. This tree was so tall that Ami; could see EÙ®ri;n coming along the road towards him from afar. Ami; was so sure that it was the last journey that E®Ùri;n would ever make in his life. He planned to jump on E®Ùri;n together with the spear so that the spear would enter E®Ùri;n’s body through his head and come out wherever pleased the spear. The important thing was for E®Ùri;n to die a very painful death as he had promised Iku; his son. When E®Ùri;n was returning home he began to sing as he had been instructed to do. He said; Iku; oômoô Ami; Gbongbo ji¾ga;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾ gbongbo EÙ®rin; oômoô OÙloô;fin Gbongbo ji¾ga;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾ gbongbo Iku; oômoô Ami; Gbongbo ji¾ga;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾ gbongbo E®Ùri;n oômoô OÙloô;fin Gbongbo ji¾ga;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾¾ gbongbo 21 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: Translation Iku; the child of Ami; Gbongbo ji¾ga;;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾ gbongbo EÙ®ri;n, the child of OÙloô;fin Gbongbo ji¾ga;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾ gbongbo Iku; is the son of Ami; Gbongbo ji¾ga;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾ gbongbo And EÙ®ri;n is the son of OÙloô;fin Gbongbo ji¾ga;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾ gbongbo! He was dancing and repeating this song over and over. As he was doing this, he kept assuring himself that even though a true child of the Iru;nmoôleô¾ who did all things which please Olodumare at all times was not immune against tribulations, the child will however overcome. He saw what was happening as his own trying period and he was prepared to overcome it. That was the training his father had given him. He could not afford to let his father down. He could not afford to let himself down. While he was thinking, dancing and singing, he had no way of knowing that he was so close to death. He had no way of understanding that the Divinities had taken up his matter and that they had decreed that he would not be allowed to suffer. Neither did he know that E®sôu¾ O®da¾ra¾ had been given the mandate to ensure that wickedness must recoil and return to the wicked. When it remained just a few steps for him to reach the spot where Ami; was hiding on the tree, E®su¾ made it possible for Ami; to see comedy in the actions of EÙ®ri;n; someone who was about to die; he put on his best attire, singing and dancing and walking straight to meet his death. The scenario pleased Ami; to the extent that he burst into laughter. He missed his grip on the branch of the tree. He fell head on, together with his spear. When he fell down the spear entered his body from the shoulder and came out from his back. Before his painful death, he shouted; E®Ùri;n pa mi; o! meaning EÙ®ri;n, Laughter has killed me! His voice was echoed round the world for people to know that laughter will always overcome wickedness. Kindheartedness will always be triumphant over all evil designs. 22 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 To make matters worse for Ami; he died right at the feet of EÙ®ri;n, his intended victim. E®Ùri;n simply stood rigid for several moments, unable to understand what really went right for him and wrong for Ami;. Gbongbo ji¾ga;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾ gbongbo Di;a; fu;n Iku; Ti;i; sô’oômoô Ami; Gbongbo ji¾ga;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾ gbogbo Di;a; fu;n EÙ®ri;n Ti;i; sô’oômoô OÙloô;fin A®woôn me;je¾e¾ji¾ joô n;so¾ôre;ô o¾sôeye¾ka¾n-sôolu¾ku¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe E®Ùri;n ni¾kan ni; n¾beô leô;yin ti; n;sôeôboô N®je;ô EÙ®ri;n pa mi; o! E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ OÙ®fa¾ EÙ wa; ba;’ni la;ru¾u;sôeô ogun A®ja¾sôeô; ogun la¾a; ba;’ni leô;se¾ô OÙba¾ri¾sa¾ Translation: Gbongbo ji¾ga;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾ gbongbo They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for Iku; (Death) The son of Ami; Gbongbo ji¾ga;da¾ Ji¾ga;da¾ gbongbo They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for E®Ùri;n (Laughter) The son of OÙloô;fin Both of them were so close that their friendship could be mistaken for a consanguineous bond They were advised to offer eôboô Only E®ri;n complied with the advice Behold, E®Ùri;n has killed Ami;! Travellers to I®po and O®Ùfa¾ Join us where we offer eôboô to overcome enemies Victory over adversity is what Ifa; guarantees 23 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: Ifa; assures this person victory over his/her enemies. He/she will never be allowed to fail. His/her enemies will never have the opportunity of laughing at his/her expenses. 6. Ifa; asks the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to feed his/her EÙgbe;ô so that all his/her Ire in life can come within his/her reach. Ifa; says that all these Ire are presently outside the boundary of his/her place of abode. There is therefore the need to direct the EÙgbe;ô of the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed back to his/her home in order for them to assist him/her by handing over all his/her Ire to him/her. Not only this, the EÙgbeô; will also support him/her by creating opportunities and chances for him/her and ensuring that he/she is able to take advantage of these opportunities and chances. In one word, the EÙgbeô; of the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed will be close to him/her and will urge him/her to success, accomplishment and elevation. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with four rats, four fish, two hens, two cocks, two guinea fowls, two pigeons and money. This eôboô will be placed by Esu¾ close to his/her house. After this, he/she needs to feed EÙgbeô; with 16 wraps of eôk¾ oô (corn meal) and 6 a¾ka¾ra¾ (bean cakes) fried with palm-oil. These items will be placed in a wide container such as a calabash-tray or even plastic or aluminium tray and placed outside the boundary of the town, city or village where the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed lives. If these two steps can be taken, the EÙgbe; of the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed will surely move to the town, city or village where he/she lives and trace him/her to his/her home in order to be close to him/her so as to assist and support him/her at all times. A stanza in Ogbe¾-Yeôk¾ u¾ in support of all these assertions states thus: Olo;wo; ni;i; sôe bi;; aja; I®woô¾fa¾ ni;i; sôe bi; o¾ôboô woô¾’lu; Di;a; fu;n Aka;sôoôle;ri; (oru;koô eôgbeô;) Ti;i; sôe Oni;bode¾ OÙloô¾run Wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôeôboô Ki ari;si¾ki; i re¾ô o; lee¾ woôle; wa; 24 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation The rich is he who behaves like a dog The one in servitude enters the town like a monkey These were Ifa;’s declarations for Aka;sôoôle;ri; The sentry in Heaven She was advised to offer eôboô In order for all her prosperity chances to enter her home Aka;sôoôle;ri; would coordinate the activities of all the EÙleô;gbe;ô people in heaven. She was always by the gate in heaven in order to remind all EÙle;ôgbeô; babies who were going from heaven to earth not to forget their promises and for them to ensure that they all returned to heaven at their appointed periods. That is how she had been handling things since the time that she had taken up her residence at the boundary between heaven and earth. She was making a really good job of her assignment. One day however, she decided that she too would love to visit the world and spend some time on the planet. She went to Olo;du¾mare¾ for permission and she was granted the permission. She moved to the home of SÙensôenti¾so¾ro¾ at the chamber of A®ja¾la;moô¾pi;n and chose the best Ori; (destiny). Some other things were given to her to complement what she had chosen. After this exercise she moved to the home of I®wo¾ri¾-Bogbe¾ OÙlo;ôko;ô and she was handed a hoe with which to dig a hole in the ground. She dug a very small hole. She moved to the boundary between heaven and earth and paid her boundary tax before moving into the world. All other things being equal, she was supposed to live a relatively easy and enjoyable life, full of joy and contentment. When she got into the world however, to eat became a problem. She had no food to eat, she had no good friends, she had no spouse, she had no children, and no sound health. Why are things like this? Was this the way she would continue to live her life? She never bargained for a miserable life. Why was it that she had no relevance in her life, her family, and her compound and in the community in general? What must she do to right all these wrongs? Who must she approach for help? How must she approach the person or persons for help? Meanwhile, as soon as Aka;sôoôle;ri; left heaven, all her EÙgbe;ô in heaven had a quick deliberation. They said that Aka;sôoôle;ri; had done marvellously for them when she was a sentry in charge of all the EÙgbeô; in both heaven and earth. 25 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: Consequently, it was their duty to ensure that she lived a comfortable and rewarding life while on earth. They vowed that she must not be made to suffer in any way. She must not experience any form of want while on earth. They all gathered all the Ari;si¾ki; of life together to be forwarded to her on earth. The Ari;si¾ki; that they gathered together for her could not be exhausted in seven generations. They delegated three of them to go and deliver it to Aka;sôoôle;ri; as their own show of appreciation. When these delegates arrived on earth, Aka;sôoôle;ri; was nowhere to be found. They looked for her everywhere but they could not find her, for several years, they were looking for her- all to no avail. They vowed never to return to heaven without delivering the Ari;si¾ki; to her. They considered that the least they could do for Aka;sôoôle;ri; was to be sincere and dedicated to her now that she was on earth. The mere thought of the fact that she might be experiencing any form of need was very painful to these delegates. However, after several years of searching without success, the delegates decided to stay close to the boundary of a town and wait patiently for that day when they would be lucky to meet Aka;sôoôle;ri; and deliver all her Ari;si¾ki; to her. In the case of Aka;sôoôle;ri;, the situation was moving from bad to worse. One day, Aka;sôoôle;ri; summoned up courage and went to the home of the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I ever succeed in life? During Ifa; consultation, Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku¾ was revealed. The Awo assured her that she would not only succeed in life, she would also get all the recognition she deserved. She was advised to put her mind at rest and continue to think, say and do what was right without ceasing. She was told that all what she was searching for was so close by and she would be able to get them in no time at all. She was advised to offer ebo as stated above. She complied. After this, she was advised to feed EÙgbe;ô with 16 wraps of eô¾koô and 16 balls of a¾ka¾ra¾. She procured all these too. She was asked to go and place the food at the boundary of the town. She also did. As soon as she left, E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ went to work. He pointed the attention of the delegates who had come into the world with all the Ari;siki belonging to Aka;sôoôle;ri; to the food. He told them that the food was brought to them by Aka;sôoôle;ri; as a way of welcoming them to her vicinity. He advised the delegates to eat first in order for him to lead them to Aka;sôoôle;ri;’s home afterwards. They 26 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 ate. They were so excited that at last, they had seen someone who would take them to the abode of Aka;sôoôle;ri;. When they got close to the abode of Aka;sôoôle;ri;, E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ bid the delegates farewell and pointed out the house to them. The three delegates entered Aka;sôoôle;ri;’s home. She could not see the delegates but she sensed that some beings were in her home. These delegates delivered the Afi;si¾ki; into her home and left. They felt happy that they had accomplished their mission. When they got to heaven, they reported to all the other EÙgbeô; that the Afi;si¾ki; had been delivered into Aka;sôoôle;ri;’s home successfully. There was a big celebration in heaven on that day. Suddenly, Aka;sôoôle;ri; became the toast of everybody in her community. Everybody scrambled to please her. There was no project or activity that they did not want her to be involved in. Many suitors were competing for her hand in marriage. It was as if the whole world had just taken notice of her. Soon, she met someone she loved and whom she felt loved her and the two families met. They deliberated and the marriage was contracted. She became pregnant two months after. She gave birth to many children. Her business progressed, her health improved and everything about her life changed completely. She became happy and contented. Her EÙgbeô; in heaven ensured that she was accorded her deserved respect and honour on earth. One day, Aka;sôoôle;ri; sat down and ruminated over her journey from nothing to everything, from poverty to surplus; from agony to joy and anonymity to glory and prominence. She could not help but give glory to Olo;du¾mare¾, her Ori;, her Ifa;, E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ and of course, her EÙgbe;ô. Olo;wo; ni;i; sôe bi;; aja; I®woô¾fa¾ ni;i; sôe bi; o¾ôboô woô¾’lu; Di;a; fu;n Aka;sôoôle;ri; (oru;koô eôgbeô;) Ti;i; sôe Oni;bode¾ OÙloô¾run Wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôeôboô Ki ari;si¾ki; i re¾ô o; lee¾ woôle; wa; O: gb’eô;boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni; ni; woô¾wo;ô ire gbogbo 27 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: Translation The rich is he who behaves like a dog The one in servitude enters the town like a monkey These were Ifa;’s declarations for Aka;sôoôle;ri The sentry in Heaven She was advised to offer eôboô In order for all her prosperity chances to enter her home She complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of all the Ire of life Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed shall lack nothing in life. He/she shall be taken care of by his/her EÙgbeô; who will ensure that they cater for all his/her needs here on earth. He/she shall move from penury to opulence. He/she shall also be given honour and recognition in life. 7. Ifa; advises the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to offer eôboô and feed EÙgbeô; for his/her EÙgbeô; in heaven to row the boat of all the Ire of life to him/her. He/she has the potential to be great and to accomplish wonderful things at this moment. This is the reason why he/she needs to offer eôboô and feed EÙgbe;ô so that these opportunities will not pass him/her by. He/she needs not entertain any doubt or fear because when coming from heaven, he/she had chosen all the Ire of life as part of his/her destiny. To manifest all these Ire will not be a problem for him/her. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô as A®ru;kore with four rats, four fish, two pigeons, two hens, two cocks, two guinea-fowls and money. He/she also needs to feed EÙgbe;ô with plenty of e¾¾ôkoô, plenty of a¾ka¾ra¾, honey and fruits. In Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku¾ a stanza laying emphasis on this aspect says: Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku¾ Are;e¾su; gba¾’ja; A ri; ko;o;ko hu;n’ra Afe¾ji¾gba¾ i¾le¾ôkeô¾ Kan’ru¾n A®ra¾ ti; Abo;do¾re;ô n da; o¾ lee¾ ba;je;ô Walami ni; n;jo; geregere lo;ri; oômi 28 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Di;a; fu;n OÙla;-Abo;do¾re;ô oômoô Atu¾lo;ôkoô¾ Wo;ôn ni ko; wa; sôeôboô si; oô¾na¾ Ire gbogbo Translation Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku¾ He who uses E®e¾su¾ (the wild grass) as loin cloth He who uses grasses to scratch his body He who adorns his neck with expensive beads The wonders being performed by Abo;do¾re;ô (he who is friendly with the stream) will not be spoilt forever He uses his paddles to manoeuvre in the waters These were Ifa;’s declaration for OÙla;-Abo;do¾re;ô, the offspring of the boat rowers He was advised to offer eôboô in order to open the path of all Ire in life When Abo;do¾reô; was coming from heaven, he chose, as part of his destiny, boundless opportunity to succeed and excel in all the things he laid his hands upon. He was also the head of his own EÙgbe;ô group in heaven. When he arrived on earth, he was born a very innovative and resourceful person. He tried his hands on many things and he was able to bring forth several things out of little or nothing. His area of specialization was in the area of boat construction. He built many types of fast-moving boats and put some into the streams, some into the rivers; some into the lagoons and some into the sea. He engaged in merchandize across several lands the world over. His EÙgbe;ô were bringing many great people across his path and he was a very successful person. Many of the things which he did and succeeded in most of his contemporaries had failed woefully in them. It was his rate of success that actually made him seek Ifa;’s advice on how he would be able to maintain the level he had occupied. When he got to the home of the Awo mentioned above, the only question he asked was “Will I be able to continue to succeed as I have found myself at the pinnacle of my chosen career?” When Ifa; was consulted, Ogbe¾OÙ®ye¾ku¾ was revealed. 29 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: The Awo assured him that nothing would ever stop him from going up and up. He was told that the sky was just the beginning of his success. To continue to maintain his level of success and to surpass his position, he was advised to offer eôboô with four rats, four fish, two pigeons, two guinea-fowls, two hens, two cocks and money. He was also advised to feed his EÙgbe;ô with a lot of E®®ôkoô, a¾ka¾ra¾, honey and fruits. Abo;do¾re complied As soon as he returned home, more business opportunities opened for him. His home became a beehive of activities. He was more successful than the OÙba of his town. He had more respect and adoration than anyone in the land. His ability to row his boat to success both figuratively and metaphorically became legendary. By the time he died, he was the most successful boat constructor and handler ever known. Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku¾ Are;e¾su; gba¾’ja; A ri; ko;o;ko hu;n’ra Afe¾ji¾gba¾ i¾le¾ôkeô¾ Kan’ru¾n A®ra¾ ti; Abo;do¾re;ô n da; o¾ lee¾ ba;je;ô Walami ni; n;jo; geregere lo;ri; oômi Di;a; fu;n OÙla;-Abo;do¾re;ô oômoô Atu¾lo;ôkoô¾ Wo;ôn ni ko; wa; sôeôboô si; oô¾na¾ Ire gbogbo O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa;a; ba;'ni ni; woô¾woô; ire gbogbo Woô¾wo; ire gbogbo la¾a; ba; ni l'eô;seô¾ OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾ Translation Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku¾ He who uses E®e¾su¾ (the wild grass) as loincloth He who uses grasses to scratch body He who adorns his neck with expensive beads The wonders being performed by Abo;do¾re;ô (he who is friendly with the stream), cannot be spoilt forever He uses his paddles to manoeuvre in the waters These were Ifa;’s declaration for OÙla;-Abo;do¾re;ô, the offspring of the boat rowers He was advised to offer eôboô in order to open the path of 30 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 all Ire in life He complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of all the Ire of life All the Ire of life is what Ifa guarantees for all its true devotees Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed shall excel in his/her chosen career. He/she will be known and respected from far and near. 8. Ifa; foresees the Ire of prosperity and childbearing for the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa says that this person needs to take more seriously the need to beget children than the need to succeed financially. Ifa; says that whether this person offers eôboô for financial success or not he/she shall succeed; but he/she needs to offer ebo for him/her to have children who shall continue where he/she has left off when he/she dies. As a matter of fact, Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed during I®koôse¾da;ye; or I®teôni;fa; does not bring from heaven the destiny of having several children. The few they can have however shall be the most accomplished children in their community. There is therefore the need to offer eôboô for the children to arrive early in the life of the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with four rats, four fish, two hens and money. On this aspect, Ifa; says: Ka; yeô po;po; bula;bula; Ka; mu; r’o¾kun loô¾oô; teôfa; Ka; yeô¾na¾ bula¾bula¾ Ka; mu; r’oô¾sa¾ loô¾o;ô teô’du¾ OÙ®g’eôsôin pi¾i;¾ti-pi;i¾ti l'eô;ba¾a; o¾kun Di;a; fu;n Abo;do¾re;ô Ti; woô;n ni; ko; f'eôboô oôla¾ si;leô¾ EÙboô oômoô ni ko; ma;a sôe 31 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: Translation Let us construct a wide avenue And extend it to the sea for Ifa; initiation Let us clear a wide path And direct it to the lagoon for I®teô¾lo;du¾ He who rides his horse and gallops by the seaside They were the group of Awo who cast Ifa; for Abo;do¾reô When he was advised to leave the eôboô for prosperity And offer the one for him to beget children It was very clear that Abo;do¾re;ô would succeed in life, barring all unforeseen circumstances; he was very resourceful, he was witty, intelligent and imaginative. He knew how to convince people to patronize him in the area of his chosen career. He worked tirelessly to succeed in life. When he realized that he was going up in the socio-economic ladder, he went for Ifa; consultation in order to determine what to do for him to continue to succeed in life. During Ifa; consultation, Ogbe¾-OÙ®yeô¾ku; was revealed. The Awo told Abo;do¾re;ô that he had come in order to ensure that he would continue to go up the ladder of success in life. He was assured that he had no problem in that area. He was however told that the area of his life that he needed to offer eôboô for was for him to be able to beget children. He was advised to offer eôboô in that area and for him to get married as soon as possible. Abo;do¾re;ô told the Awo that he would not only offer the eôboô, but he would also love to go for I®teô¾lo;du¾. He got many able-bodied people together to help him construct a wide road that would lead straight to the sea so that he could do his initiation close to the sea which was where his business was situated. He also employed the services of other groups to clear another path to the lagoon for him. This would make it very easy for his Awo to choose anyone that they preferred out of the two sites; seaside or lagoon-side. He gave the head of the group of Awo a strong horse to ride for the inspection of the two sites. In the end, the Awo chose the sea-side and his initiation was done there. Abo;do¾re;ô also offered the eôboô as stated above. 32 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 In the end, Abo;do¾re;ô became the most successful merchant of his time. He was also blessed with two children who continued where he had stopped when he died. These two children grew to become more successful than their father. They built their father’s business empire beyond the wildest imagination of all those who were in their community. They had business links and contacts all over the world. When Abo;do¾re;ô died, he died a contented and accomplished man. When his two children died, they died happily. Ka; yeô po;po; bula;bula; Ka; mu; r’o¾kun loô¾oô; teôfa; Ka; yeô¾na¾ bula¾bula¾ Ka; mu; r’oô¾sa¾ loô¾o;ô teô’du¾ OÙ®g’eôsôin pi¾i;¾ti-pi;i¾ti l'eô;ba¾a; o¾kun Di;a; fu;n Abo;do¾re;ô Ti; woô;n ni; ko; f'eôboô oôla¾ si;leô¾ EÙboô oômoô ni ko; ma;a sôe O: gb’eôboô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ pe;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni ba;’yo¾ô EÙ wa; wo’re o Translation Let us construct a wide avenue And extend it to the sea for Ifa; initiation Let us clear a wide path And direct it to the lagoon for I®teô¾lo;du¾ He who rides his horse and gallops by the seaside They were the group of Awo who cast Ifa; for Abo;do¾reô When he was advised to leave the eôboô for prosperity And offer the one for him to beget children He complied Before long, too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed shall be blessed with financial success but will have few but great children. When he/she dies he/she 33 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: will be remembered as someone who had left an enduring legacy for his/her children, group and/or community. 9. Ifa; says that it foresees the blessing of child-birth for the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa; says that this person has been struggling to be blessed with the fruit of the womb for quite some time now but it is time for him/her to receive this blessing. Ifa; says that this person did not choose to have many children as part of his/her destiny from heaven but he/she shall be blessed with few but great children. These children shall be greater than this person and he/she will have course to be grateful to Olo;du¾mare¾ and the Divinities for these gifts. Ifa; advises the person for whom this Odu¾¾ is revealed to offer eôôboô with four rats, four fish, two hens and money. He/she also needs to feed I®beji® (the Twins Divinity) with cooked black beans, one big cock and other edible items available at that time. He/she needs to invite children to come and feast on the provided food items. If these can be done, Ifa assures that this person shall be blessed with two great children. An aspect in Ogbe¾-OÙ®ye¾ôku; laying emphasis on this says: Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; baba A®mu;lu¾ Ori; ogbo;, ori; ato;ô ni baba EÙdan Ki;nni n o;; ta¾ ni baba i¾sôo¾wo¾ Di;a; fu;n A®gba; Ti; n;mo;ju; su¾ngbe;re¾ oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; is the father of all combinations Longevity is the father of EÙdan "What line of enterprise will I pursue" is the father of business principles These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®gba; When weeping in lamentation for her inability to bear children She was advised to offer eôboô 34 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 A®gba; (the O®gbo;ni Drum) had everything going for her in the area of her chosen career. She was very successful. She had chosen the right business enterprise and she was making huge profits. She also had the right choice of spouse. Both of them were very compatible. She had every reason to be grateful to Olo;du¾mare¾. Anytime she would see her husband, smiles of joy and contentment enveloped her beautiful face. There was a big snag however, A®gba; had no child of her own. She was not blessed with the fruit of the womb. Much as she tried, she was not successful. One day, she decided to take the bull by the horns and made up her mind to seek the help of Ifa; in solving her problem. She therefore approached the group of Babala;wo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I be blessed with the fruit of the womb? Will I have my own children? Who will carry on after I have passed on? Will I be able to have my own children whom I will love, train, pet, pamper and adore as other women do with their own children? In short, will I be prevented from losing out completely? When Ifa; was consulted, Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; was revealed. The group of Awo told A®gba; that even though she was very successful economically, she had no complete joy and contentment because she had no child of her own. She was however assured that Olo;du¾mare¾ would bless her with the fruit of the womb. She was also informed that she had not chosen to have many children from heaven. Consequent upon this, she needed to offer eôboô as quickly as possible in order to ensure that she was able to have her children early in her life before it was too late. She was also advised to offer eôboô and feed I®beji¾ (the Twins Divinity) as stated above. She complied. A few months after this, she became pregnant. Ten lunar months after, she gave birth to a baby. The baby was named EÙdan, the Icon of O®gbo;ni. As soon as this child was born, everything changed in the life of A®gba; for the better. When the child started to speak, A®gba; gave him the best training possible. At a tender age, EÙdan became the Icon representing the O®gbo;ni cult. Both A®gba; and EÙdan were able to put in place the firm establishment of the O®gbo;ni cult. This move caught the attention of many people and drew them to the Ile;di¾, the O®gbo;;ni cult grove and shrine. They were able to attract many members. 35 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: There arose another snag however: there was no priest to officiate in the Ile;di¾. Those who trooped there had nobody to take care of their spiritual and psychological needs. Most of these people were highly disappointed when their spiritual needs were not satisfied. It was during this period that A®gba; became pregnant again. She later gave birth to a baby boy named Ala;wo¾ro¾, the offspring Priest. The boy grew up rapidly and became the officiating priest in the Grove and Temple. Between A®gba; and her two children EÙdan and Ala;wo¾ro¾, they were able to establish and administer the O®gbo;ni cult successfully. Those who became members of the O®gbo;ni cult were no longer disappointed. Their success grew in leaps and bounds. In the lifetime of A®gba; her two children had succeeded. They had reason to be happy and contented. A®gba; was the happiest and proudest mother of her time. Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; baba A®mu;lu¾ Ori; ogbo;, ori; ato;ô ni baba EÙdan Ki;nni n o;; ta¾ ni baba i¾sôo¾wo¾ Di;a; fu;n A®gba; Ti; n;mo;ju; su¾ngbe;re¾ oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’eô;boô, o; ru;’boô I®gba¾ ti; yo;o; bi; O: bi; EÙdan O: si¾ bi; Ala;wo¾ro¾ E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ OÙ®fa¾ EÙÙ wa; ba; ni ni; je¾ôbu;tu; oômoô Translation: Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; in the father of all combinations Longevity is the father of EÙdan “What line of enterprise will I pursue” is the father of business principles These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®gba; When weeping in lamentation for her inability to bear children She was advised to offer eôboô 36 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 She complied When she delivered She gave birth to EÙdan And later gave birth to Ala;wo¾ro¾ Travellers to I®po and OÙ®fa¾ Join us where we are blessed with the fruit of the womb Ifa; says that this person shall be blessed with great children who shall succeed and become accomplished in their lifetime. He/she shall be a proud parent of well trained and well groomed children. Even though he/she shall not have many children, the few ones he/she will have shall make him/her proud. He/she shall grow old and go to his/her grave a very proud and contented person. 10. Ifa; says that there is the need for the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to offer eôboô and feed OÙba¾ta;la; in order to protect his/her life from imminent danger. Ifa; says that there is a serious threat to his/her life but OÙba¾ta;la; will not let him/her be involved in any untimely death. OÙba¾ta;la; has been protecting his/her life from danger and threat, thus this person should become a devout follower and worshipper of OÙba¾ta;la;. They should adorn the shrine of OÙba¾ta;la; with his many icons and have regular festivities in honour of him. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat and money. He/she also needs to feed OÙba¾ta;la; with 16 land snails, shea butter, and 16 native chalk. On this aspect, Ifa; says: Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; baba A®mu;lu¾ Ori; ogbo;, ori; ato;ô ni baba EÙdan Ki;nni n o;; ta¾ ni baba i¾sôo¾wo¾ Di;a; fu;n O®os¾ ôa¾n;la; OÙ®sôeô¾er¾ô eô¾ma¾gbo¾ Ti; n; loô re¾e; K’o;wo; r’e¾ômi; EÙboô ni wo;ôn ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; in the father of all combinations Longevity is the father of EÙdan “What line of enterprise will I pursue” is the father of business principles 37 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: These were Ifa;’s declarations for OÙba¾ta;la; When going pay for EÙ®mi; (Life) He was advised to offer eôboô OÙba¾ta;la;, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾, O®gu;n and E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ were the four Iru;nmoôleô¾ whom Olo;du¾mare¾ assigned the task of creating E®ni¾ya¾¾n (human beings) to. E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ was the one who went to I®koô¾le; O®Ùrun to bring the basket of sand which Olo;du¾mare¾ used to create the universe to use for the creation of E®ni¾ya¾¾n . O®gu;n moulded the bones of both males and females while OÙba¾ta;la; added the flesh to the bones before Olo;du¾mare¾ put the final A®sôeô. The assignment of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was to continuously consult Ifa; in order to ensure that everything was going according to the plan of Olo;du¾mare¾ and create a systematic order of activities and processes. In this assignment, OÙba¾ta;la; was put as the head of the group project. The four Iru;nmoôle¾ô and their subordinates performed splendidly and the job was completed to the satisfaction of Olo;du¾mare¾, even though there were several impediments along the way. All those who participated in this great assignment were aware that EÙ®mi; (Life force), which Olo;du¾mare¾ put into what they designed and moulded was the most important and most valuable element that the E®ni¾ya¾n possessed. Without EÙ®mi;, there would not be any E®ni¾ya¾n. This was the reason why OÙba¾ta;la; made it his concern to see to it that EÙmi;, which Olo;du¾mare¾ gave E®ni¾ya¾n was well protected and preserved. OÙba¾ta;la; however observed that there were so many things threatening the EÙ®mi; of E®ni¾ya¾n. There was no action or even inaction of E®ni¾ya¾¾n that was not fought with life-threatening things: eating or refusal to eat, drinking or refusal to drink; sleeping or walking, sitting or standing; walking or running, crawling or swimming, working or refusal to work, hard-work or laziness, wickedness or benevolence; trust or distrust, truthfulness or lies, cleanliness or dirtiness etc. all were accompanied by life snatching things. In spite of all these threats, OÙba¾ta;la; vowed that a means must be found to protect E®ni¾ya¾n from untimely death. That was why he went to the home of the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I be able to protect the E®ni¾ya¾n from meeting calamity and untimely death? If yes, what do I need to do to be able to do this? 38 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The Awo told OÙba¾ta;la; that the assignment that he had given to himself was a noble one. He was however informed that the assignment would only succeed under three conditions; one, the E®ni¾ya¾n who was given the EÙ®mi; must recognize that he/she must not engage in any unreasonable risk and expect that his/her E®Ùmi; be protected; two, he/she must be ready to surrender his/her EÙ®mi; to the Divinities for them to protect, and three, they must be able to pay the price and be obedient by listening to the advice, heeding warnings and offering eôboô when asked to do so. They also advised OÙba¾ta;la; to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat and money in order for him to succeed in the assignment. He was also asked to feed his O®ke¾-I®po¾ôri; with 16 snails, shea butter and EÙfun, native chalks. He complied. As of that moment, anyone who felt threatened where this Odu¾ was revealed would be advised to offer eôboô and feed OÙba¾ta;la; as stated above. As soon as these were done, such a person would be given air-tight protection which could only come from OÙba¾ta;la; and the other Divinities. As long as this person follows the instructions above, he/she would never have his/her E®Ùmi; cut short by anything in this world or beyond. He/she will be guaranteed long life for him/her to find, follow and fulfil his/her destiny on earth. That is why those who hand their lives to OÙba¾ta;la; continue to pray that their lives be given to the Divinity for protection and so their lives won’t be lost for any reason whatsoever. Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; baba A®mu;lu¾ Ori; ogbo;, ori; ato;ô ni baba EÙdan Ki;nni n o;; ta¾ ni baba i¾sôo¾wo¾ Di;a; fu;n O®os¾ ôa¾n;la; OÙ®sôeô¾er¾ô eô¾ma¾gbo¾ Ti; n; loô re¾e; K’o;wo; r’e¾ômi; EÙboô ni wo;ôn ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô N®jeô O®o¾sôa¾n;la; OÙ®sôeô¾e¾ôreôm ¾ a¾gbo¾ E®Ùmi; ti; mo fu;n oô du¾ Ma; ma¾ je;ô ko; boô; E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ OÙ®fa¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni la;i¾ku; Kangiri A®i¾ku; Ifa; du¾n, o; j’oyin loô o 39 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: Translation: Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; in the father of all Odu¾ Ifa; combinations Longevity is the father of EÙdan “What line of enterprise will I pursue” is the father of business principles These were Ifa;’s declarations for OÙba¾ta;la; When going pay for EÙ®mi; (Life) He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Please O®ri¾sôa¾n;la; OÙ®sôeô¾e¾ôreôm ¾ a¾gbo¾ My EÙ®mi; which I give you to protect Please do not let it be lost Travellers to I®po and O®Ùfa¾ Join us where we enjoy long life The longevity guaranteed by Ifa is sweeter than honey Ifa; says that the life of this person shall be protected. He/she shall not die young. He/she will also live long enough to be able to accomplish those things that he/she has come into this world to accomplish. Ifa however warns the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed against taking undue risks or being reckless with his/her life. Doing so may make it very difficult if not impossible, for him/her to have the protection of the Divinities. He/she also needs to heed warnings and follow the advices given to him/her by competent Awo. 11. Ifa; says that it foresees the Ire of long life and sound health for the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa; says that as OÙÙbatala is protecting this person so also is the Ori; of his/her mother responsible for his/her protection. Even though there are real threats to his/her life, he/she will not die young. He/she will manage to escape untimely death and live to his/her old age. He/she will also be able to accomplish all what he/she has chosen as his/her destiny in heaven before returning to heaven. Ifa; advises this person to offer ebo with one mature he-goat and money. There is also the need to ask Ifa; what the Ori; of his/her mother will take and use these materials to feed the Ori; accordingly. If the mother is dead, then the chosen items will be used to feed the spirit of the mother. 40 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 A stanza in Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; says: Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; baba A®mu;lu¾ Ori; ogbo;, ori; ato;ô ni baba EÙdan Ki;nni n o;; ta¾ ni baba i¾sôo¾wo¾ Di;a; fu;n A:a;mi; Ti;i; sôe I®ya; OÙ®ra¾n-a;nya¾n Woô;n ni; ko; ru;'boô si; la;i¾ku; oômoô reô Translation: Ogbe¾-OÙ®ye¾ôku; is the father of all combinations Longevity is the father of EÙdan “What line of enterprise will I pursue” is the father of all business principles These were Ifa;’s declarations to A:a;mi; The mother of OÙ®ra¾n-a;nya¾n She was advised to offer the eôboô of longevity for her child A:a;mi; was a very honest, straight-forward, gentle headed, God-fearing and kindhearted woman. All the people in her community loved her. She had assisted many people to succeed in life. She had also saved many people from trouble and calamity. She did all things in her community with humility. She behaved as if those whom she was assisting were the ones doing her great favours. She also had a great sense of humour. She was happily married but she had no child. She tried all she could, yet she was not blessed with any child. Her inability to beget any child made A:a;mi; cry every day. She prayed and begged Olo;du¾mare¾ and the Divinities to give her a child to love and cherish. Her appeals were given consideration by Olo;du¾mare¾ and the Divinities. Her good deeds weighed heavily in her favour and it was resolved to bless A®a;mi; with a baby. A:a;mi; became pregnant afterward. Her pregnancy was like the whole community was carrying the pregnancy. When she gave birth to the baby, the whole community named the baby boy O®Ùra¾n-a;nya¾n (My matter has succeeded). O®Ùra¾n-a;nya¾n developed rapidly. A:a;mi; became a very happy and fulfilled woman. Her good and benevolent deeds in the community increased in many folds. By the time O®Ùra¾n-a;nya¾n grew up to become a teenager, he was known by 41 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: everyone in the community. The way A;a;mi; treated her only child made it clear to everyone that the boy was her major source of joy. One day, O®Ùra¾n-a;nya¾n suddenly took ill. A few moments after, he fainted. When A;a;mi; was informed that her son had fainted, it was as if the whole world had come crashing down on her head. She screamed, cried, wailed and gnashed her teeth, all to no avail. Each moment made the condition of her son worse. That was when she decided to go to the home of the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation. Will my son survive? If yes, what do I need to do for my son to be well? The Awo assured her that her son would be well. They stated that it was her own Ori; that would help resuscitate her son. They made it known to her that the Divinities had seen the way she had been performing in her home, her environment and in the community at large and they were impressed with her. The Divinities knew that her son was her joy. For that reason, she was assured that the Divinities would ensure that her son survived. She was advised to offer eôboô as stated above. She was also asked to feed OÙba¾ta;la;. She was also told to feed her Ori; regularly. She complied. A few days after, her son recovered. To her, the weight of the whole world had just been lifted from her head. She then became the smiling, vibrant and humorous woman that she used to be again. One day, A:a;mi; sent O®Ùra¾n-a;nya¾n her son to go and fetch some wood in the forest. On his way, he fell down and sprained his left ankle. At the very same time, a big tree fell just close to his head. Had he not fallen down, he would certainly have been crushed to death by the fallen tree. The Divinities made sure that anything that would bring grief to A:a;mi; was averted. A few months after, O®Ùra¾n-a;nya¾n went to swim in the river. The tide suddenly became stronger and faster. He was being washed away and he was totally helpless to do anything about it. He was slammed against the roots of a mighty baobab tree which grew close to the river. His dress was entangled in the roots and debris which the river had washed away with him. He got stuck between the roots. He was there for several hours. That was how he escaped being completely washed away to his death. Again, it was not because of his good 42 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 deeds. It was simply because the Divinities would allow A:a;mi; to grieve over her source of joy. On several occasions, O®Ùra¾n-a;nya¾n was close to death but he would escape miraculously. It was the Ori; of his mother, A;a;mi;, which continuously would save him. It got to a stage that people in the community were saying that had it not been for A;a;mi;, O®Ùra¾n-a;nya¾n’s mother, Death would have taken O®Ùra¾n-a;nya¾n away a long time ago. Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; baba A®mu;lu¾ Ori; ogbo;, ori; ato;ô ni baba EÙdan Ki;nni n o;; ta¾ ni baba i¾sôo¾wo¾ Di;a; fu;n A:a;mi; Ti;i; sôe I®ya; OÙ®ra¾n-a;nya¾n Woô;n ni; ko; ru;'boô si; la;i¾ku; oômoô re O: gb’eôboô, o; ru;’boô Ti; ko¾ ba; si; ti A;a;mi; Iku; i¾ba; ma¾ ti pa Oran-anyan E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ O®Ùfa¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni la;i¾ku; kangiri A®i¾ku; Ifa; du¾n o; j'oyin loô Translation: Ogbe¾-OÙ®ye¾ôku; is the father of all combinations Longevity is the father of EÙdan “What line of enterprise will I pursue” is the father of all business principles These were Ifa;;’s declarations to A:a;mi; The mother of OÙ®ra¾n-a;nya¾n She was advised to offer the eôboô of longevity for her child She complied Had it not been for A;;a;mi; Who was O®Ùra¾n-a;nya¾n’s mother Death would have snatched OÙ®ra¾n-a;nya¾n away a long time ago Travellers to I®po and OÙ®fa¾ Join us where we enjoy longevity The longevity guaranteed by Ifa; is sweeter than honey 43 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: Ifa; says that this person shall not die young. He/she needs to be feeding the Ori; of his/her mother if she is alive; or feed her spirit if she is dead. This person needs to ask Ifa; what the mother’s Ori;/spirit will take every time he/she wants to do the feeding. By so doing, long life is guaranteed. 12. Ifa; advises the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to offer eôboô urgently in order to prevent a fellow human being from being the cog in his/her wheel of progress. Ifa; says that apart from offering the eôboô he/she also needs to be offering I®pe¾se¾ for the Elders of the Night on a regular basis. Ifa; says that he/she is not supposed to be at the level he/she presently is. Ifa; makes it clear that this person needs to be higher than where he/she is now. Those who are responsible for his/her lack of progress commensurate to his/her efforts are, unfortunately, those who are very close to him/her. They are people he/she trusts and whom he/she shares many things to and who knows a lot about him/her and his/her life. Ifa; advises this person to be more careful with those living in his/her home and/or close family or associates than with outsiders. Ifa; advises the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat for victory. The officiating Awo also needs to inquire from Ifa;, over what to use as I®pe¾se¾ for the Elders of the Night. This needs to be done regularly in order to pull this person up the ladder of success and give him/her the opportunity to actualize his/her full potentials in life. A stanza in Ogbe¾-OÙ®ye¾ku; on this aspect says: Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; o, Iku; yeô¾ Di;a; fu;n E®ni¾ya¾n Ti;i; sô’oômoô I®ya; Aye; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku;, Death is shifting forward This was the Ifa; cast for E®ni¾ya¾n The sibling of Aye; She was advised to offer eôboô 44 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 E®ni¾ya¾n was the sister of Aye;. They were both born by the same parents. They were very close to each other. They had many things in common, even though they were not of the same sex. The love they had for each other was so great that many people envied their relationship in their community. Anytime that E®ni¾ya¾n purchased anything, Aye; would ensure that he paid part of the money back to his sister. One day, E®ni¾ya¾n went to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I succeed in life? If so, how will I go about being successful? The Awo assured E®ni¾ya¾n that she would surely succeed in life. Not only that, she would be instrumental to lifting other people up in her community. She was also told that she had a sibling whom she needed to cooperate with at all times. By so doing, the Awo informed her, both of them would rise up together. Their fame would shine together and they would succeed beyond their wildest dreams together. The Awo advised her to offer eôboô as stated above and to ensure that there was no form of competition between her and her younger brother. Only cooperation must exist between the two of them. She offered the eôboô to succeed and overcome her problems that same day. Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; o, Iku; ye¾ô Di;a; fu;n Aye; Ti;i; sô’oômoô I®ya; E®ni¾ya¾n EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku;, Death is shifting forward This was the Ifa; cast for Aye; The sibling of E®ni¾ya¾n He was advised to offer eôboô Aye; was the younger brother of E®ni¾ya¾n. He was very fond of his sister. There was nothing that he was not ready to do for his sister in order to make her happy. When E®ni¾ya¾n was to get married, Aye; emptied all his savings in life as his own contribution towards the success of his sister’s marriage. When his sister gave birth to her first baby, Aye; organized the naming ceremony and ensured that it was not only successful, but also the talk of the community for a 45 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: long time. When he went to the Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation, his concern was how he and his sister would succeed in life. The Awo assured him that they would both succeed. He was advised to ensure that cooperation existed between the two of them more than ever before. He was advised to offer eôboôô as stated above. He too complied with the advice that same day. As soon as he returned home, he called his sister and informed her about what the Awo had said. He pledged his unflinching loyalty to his sister. During this time period, he cleared both his farm together with that of his sister. He worked tirelessly to ensure that the huge farm succeeded. When the harvest period came, he shared the proceeds with his sister, her husband, and her three little children. It never bothered him that her sister, her husband and her children never lifted a finger on the farm. He took the advice of the Awo seriously. One day, Aye; met a young lady that he felt would be a nice wife for him. His sister was the first person he told. He begged his sister to help him investigate the lady and help put things into motion if she was satisfied with the lady. For six months, his sister was still investigating. In the end, she told her brother to look for another lady. She convinced the brother that the lady would never make a good wife. On hearing this, he dropped the lady instantly. Five times, he met different ladies and asked his sister to help him investigate them. Five times his sister rejected them. This went on for a period of eight years. Unknown to the brother, the sister did not want him to get married at all. If he must get married it must be delayed for as long as possible. why? She felt that if her brother were to get married, the wife would not allow him to continue to serve her the way he had been doing. She also felt that he would begin to have his own children and this would not allow him to concentrate on her own children as he had been doing. In the end, on the ninth year, the sister met a girl whom she considered to be of low intelligence and whom she would easily intimidate. She told her brother that the girl was very homely and would make a good wife. The brother, suspecting nothing agreed with the sister and the marriage was conducted. All the neighbours were disappointed with the choice of spouse. Only Aye; and E®ni¾ya¾n were happy with the choice for different reasons. 46 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 A few months after marriage, the girl became pregnant. E®ni¾ya¾n told the girl to come to her house everyday as the girl had no experience on pregnancy. She complied. When the pregnancy became five months old, the young girl began to complain of stomach trouble. A few days after, the pregnancy was miscarried. E®ni¾ya¾n blamed the girl for being careless. Unknown to anyone, it was the concoctions prepared for the girl by E®ni¾ya¾n that caused the miscarriage. Why would she do this? Simply to ensure that her brother continued to serve her and her family for as long as possible. Much as he tried, Aye; found it very difficult to make ends meet. Yet, he was unrelenting in his bid and vowed to cooperate with his sister. One day, one of his close friends gave him four hens. He started to rear the fowls and before long, they began to lay eggs. Within six months, the fowls had increased to over 40. That was when his sister and her children and husband found chicken flesh more agreeable to them than any other meat. Before long, they consumed the last fowl and that put an end to the idea of rearing fowls on commercial basis. Yet, he saw nothing wrong with what his sister had done. By the time Aye;’s wife had the fifth miscarriage, her parents came to pack her bags and baggage from his home, saying that there was the need for Aye; to have a thorough self-examination. They promised that as soon as this was done and a solution was found to his numerous problems, his wife would then be returned to him. This move devastated him greatly. He cried to his sister to help him find a solution. E®ni¾ya¾n on the other hand promised to go to his in-laws home to look for an amicable solution to the problem. Aye; was grateful to his sister. When she got there however, she provoked the in-laws to the extent that they vowed never to release the wife to Aye; anymore. As soon as she left, the elders in Aye;’s in-laws home knew something was terribly wrong. They also felt that what was wrong was totally beyond Aye; ’s comprehension and power. They decided to help him, if not for his own sake, at least for the sake of their own daughter, his wife, who had bluntly refused to leave him. She told her parents that instead of ordering her to leave Aye;, it would be better to find a way of assisting him because he was a great husband. One day, the head of the in-laws family sent someone to go and call Aye; to the farm. He was told that his wife would be returned to him on three conditions: one, he must go for Ifa; consultation in order to determine exactly what was wrong with him, two, he must move out of the family compound and three, he 47 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: must not tell his plans to anyone until everything had returned to normal. He agreed. First, Aye; went for Ifa; consultation. That was when he was informed that his own blood was at the root cause of his misfortunes. He was advised to offer eôboô and feed the Elders of the Night as stated above. He complied. As far as he was concerned, it must be some of his close relatives who were responsible for all his misfortunes. He confided his suspicion in his sister who advised him to steer clear of all his relatives, except her of course. Secondly, he began to erect another building which he and his wife would live in outside the family compound. He was doing it secretly. He only told his sister what he was doing and the location of his new site. Before long, he was ready to roof the house. He told his beloved sister to come and pray for him the next day when the roofing would commence. In the dead of the night, something kept telling him to stand up and go straight to his new site. Initially, he ignored the urge. But when the urge became too persistent, he decided to go. What harm would it cause him when he was not able to sleep anyway? He moved rapidly, then slowly and then rapidly again. He was expecting anything out of place. When he got there, what he saw made him totally speechless. He saw his beloved sister, her husband and her three kids with clubs, diggers and batons breaking the walls and wood he had used to erect the house. Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; o, Iku; ye¾ô Di;a; fu;n Aye; Ti;i; sô’oômoô I®ya; E®ni¾ya¾n EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Aye; ni¾kan ni; n;beô leô;yi¾n ti; n;sôe¾boô Nj®e;ô aye; i¾ ba; ti ni; ogu;n eôru; E®ni¾ya¾n ni o jeô; EÙ®yin E®ni¾ya¾n eô jeô; n r’a;a¾ye¾ sôe te¾mi o EÙÙ®yin E®ni¾ya¾n Aye; i¾ ba; ti ni; oôgboô¾n i¾wo¾ôfa¾ E®ni¾ya¾n ni o¾ je;ô EÙ®yin E®ni¾ya¾n eô jeô; n r’a;a¾ye¾ sôe te¾mi o EÙÙ®yin E®ni¾ya¾n Aye; i¾ ba; ti ni; a¾ad; oô;ta omidan E®ni¾ya¾n ni o jeô; EÙ®yin E®ni¾ya¾n eô jeô; n r’a;a¾ye¾ sôe te¾mi o 48 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 EÙÙ®yin E®ni¾ya¾n Ko¾ pe;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba;; ni la;;ru¾u;sôeô; ogun A®ja¾sôeô; ogun la¾a; ba; ni l'eô;seô¾ OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾ Translation: Ogbe¾-Ye¾kô u; (Death) is shifting forward This was the Ifa; cast for Aye; The sibling of E®ni¾ya¾n She was advised to offer eôboô Only Aye; complied with the eôboô Behold! Aye; would have been blessed with 20 servants But E®ni¾ya¾n did not allow it to materialize You human beings Please give me the chance to fulfil my destiny You human beings Aye; would have been blessed with 30 workers But E®ni¾ya¾n did not allow it to materialize You human beings Please give me the chance to fulfil my destiny You human beings Aye; would have been blessed with 50 damsels But E®ni¾ya¾n did not allow it to materialize You human beings Please give me the chance to fulfil my destiny You human beings Before long, not too far Join us where we offer ebo to have victory Offering ebo to have victory is what Ifa; guarantees at the feet of Obarisa Ifa; says it may be hurtful and agonizing in the end, but this person shall know those responsible for all his or her woes in life. The enemies shall be exposed and put to shame and they shall know victory. Ifa; says all one needs to do is perform all necessary rites and be prayerful and hopeful. 49 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: 13. Ifa; says that the person for who this Odu¾ is revealed has an adviser who has been guiding him/her aright. This adviser may be his/her Awo, spiritualist, Counsellor, Friend, Confidant or Aide. However, he/she has decided not to listen to this person’s advice anymore or he/she is no longer listening to his/her advice. Ifa; advises the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed never to do so as the consequence will be disastrous to him/her. There is the need for this person to quickly go and reconcile with his/her adviser in order to avoid everlasting regret and sorrow. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with four rats, four fish, two hens, two shegoats and money. Out of these materials, two rats, two fish, one hen and one she-goat will be used to feed Ifa;. No matter what material is used for eôboô, the warning must be heeded. This person must listen to their adviser where this Odu¾ is revealed. It is more important than any other thing. An aspect of this Odu¾ says: Agungi o¾ r’eô;yi¾n aye; Ala¾n¾te¾te; o¾ r’eô;yi¾n osôu¾ Apa¾n¾te¾te; ori; o¾ r’OÙloô;run OÙba Di;a; fu;n Ogbe¾ Ti; n;sôoô¾re;ô Aye; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: He who climbs a tree will not be able see the other side of the world A star gazer will not be able to see the other side of the moon He who raises his head by stretching his neck will not see the Heavens These were Ifa’s declaration for Ogbe¾ The friend of the earth The living beings were advised to offer eôboô When the planet earth was created by Olo;du¾mare¾. He sent O®gu;n, OÙba¾ta;la; and OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to make it conducive and habitable for living beings. The assignment was successfully completed. After this, Olo;du¾mare¾ commissioned that Éníyán (Beings) be created to occupy and inhabit the earth. They existed on earth for 50 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 several millennia before they began to destroy themselves and the world. This prompted Olo;du¾mare¾ to remove them from the earth. Not all of them died, and those remaining went into hiding. It was after this that Olo;du¾mare¾ sent OÙba¾ta;la;, E®sôu¾-O®Ùda¾ra¾, SÙa¾ngo; and OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to mould E®®ni¾ya¾n (human beings) and settle them on earth. This assignment was successfully completed. As a result of the events that had earlier taken place on earth, Olo;du¾mare¾ summoned all the 801 Iru;nmoôleô¾ to nominate someone who would be the guard, guide, adviser, protector and security person for the planet. After due consideration, the Iru;nmoôleô¾ nominated Ogbe¾, taking into consideration his antecedent as an astute organizer, coordinator and negotiator. When Ogbe¾ took up the assignment, it was clear that he was ready for the task. For several millennia, everything on earth was perfect. Human beings and other beings living on the earth had no problems whatsoever. One day, Iku;, Death, thought of visiting the earth in order to perform his assignment. Before he left heaven however, Ogbe¾ had known that he was coming. Ogbe¾ quickly summoned all the leaders on earth to a meeting. In the meeting, he announced to them the mission of Iku; and advised them to offer eôboô with four rats, four fish, two hens and two female goats. They complied. Ogbe¾ successfully warded off Iku; from entering the earth. Iku; made several attempts to penetrate the earth but Ogbe¾ was proficient in his duties. In the end, Iku; gave up temporarily. Soon after this A®ru¾n, Affliction tried to visit the earth. Ogbe¾ informed the inhabitants of the world to offer eôboô as stated above. They did, Ogbe¾ also successfully blocked A®ru¾n from entering the earth. After this, EÙjoô;, Contention, I®ja¾, Fight, O®fo¾, Loss, EÙ®gba¾, Paralysis, E®sôe, Harm, E®te, Intrigue, OÙ®ra¾n, Implication, OÙ®te¾ô, Conspiracy, Ja¾m¾ba;, Disaster, I®ba¾nu;jeô;, Grief, Owu;, Jealousy, I®lara, Envy, Ma¾da¾ru;, Confusion, Ru;ke¾ru;do¾, Crisis and A®ko;ba;, Implications, came one after the other. They were all rebuffed by Ogbe¾ after the inhabitants of the earth had offered eôboô as stated above. One day however, the 17 negative Principalities decided to come into the world all at once. They began to plan their moves. As soon as they started their planning, E®®ôsu-OÙ®da¾ra¾ came and reported all their moves to Ogbe¾. This prompted Ogbe¾ to summon all the leaders of the world to an emergency meeting. In this 51 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: meeting, he explained all the plans of the 17 negative principalities to his audience. He told them that the negative principalities must be stopped at all costs because if they were not stopped, it would spell doom, restlessness and uncertainty for the inhabitants of the planet earth. He stated that the only way to do this was for them to offer eôboô with 200 rats, 200 fish, 200 birds and 200 beasts. He emphasized that this must be done urgently as there was no time for delay. The elders left and informed Ogbe¾ that they would get back to him as soon as possible. On that same day, the leaders converged somewhere and they began another round of deliberation. Who does Ogbe¾ think he is asking them to offer eôboôô with 200 rats, 200 fish, 200 birds and 200 beasts each? Whom did he think he was? They wondered. One of the leaders said that it was high time they called the bluff of Ogbe¾¾. They must not offer the eôboô. If they did not stop this cheat now, the leader screamed, he (Ogbe¾) would come up with more eôboô materials in the future. This leader concluded that they needed to go back to Ogbe¾ and let him know that they had seen through all his cheap tricks. All the other leaders present agreed that it was the most reasonable line of action to take. One woman present pleaded with the leaders to exercise caution because all the predictions of Ogbe¾ in the past had actually come to pass. The woman was shouted down and asked to keep quiet for as long as the meeting lasted. At the end of the meeting, they trooped back to Ogbe¾’s house. When they got there, they dragged him out of his house and called him all sorts of names. He tried to explain the urgency of offering this ebo but nobody was ready to listen to him. They told him to go and do his worst and that they were sick and tired of all his cheap tricks. They spat on his face and called him a thief. They accused him of working to line his pocket with money. They then proclaimed him the enemy of the people. He was so provoked that he could do nothing but burst into uncontrollable tears. They all left him crying. He had nobody to console him. At night E®sôu¾-OÙ®da¾ra¾ came and he narrated his ordeal to E®sôu¾-O®Ùda¾ra¾. Ogbe¾ was however told by E®sôu¾-OÙ®da¾ra¾ that he (Ogbe¾) had kept up his responsibilities and he would be absolved of any wrong-doing when the repercussions came. A few days later, the 17 negative principalities, led by Iku; came to visit the planet earth. Ogbe¾ who used to stay at the boundary between heaven and earth simply left the boundary which gave the 17 principalities the opportunity of 52 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 visiting the earth. When they got to the earth, they vowed never to leave the planet again. As from that day, a series of mishaps, confusion, disasters, death, both timely and untimely intrigues, conspiracies, pandemonium and all other forms of negativity began to take place on the planet. These types of events had never happened before. The inhabitants of the planet earth began to worry greatly. They all went to plead with Ogbe¾ to please help them chase away all the negative principalities but alas, it was too late. Agungi o¾ r’eô;yi¾n aye; Ala¾n¾te¾te; o¾ r’eô;yi¾n osôu¾ Apa¾n¾te¾te; ori; o¾ r’OÙloô;run OÙba Di;a; fu;n Ogbe¾ Ti; n;sôoô¾re;ô Aye; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Woô;n koô'ti; oôô¾gboônyin s’eô;boô N®je;ô Ogbe¾ ma; yeô; fu;n Iku; N®je;ô Ogbe; ma; ye;ô fu;n A®ru¾n N®jeô; Ogbe; ma; ye;ô fu;n EÙjoô; N®je;ô Ogbe; ma; ye;ô fu;n I®ja¾ N®jeô; Ogbe; ma; yeô; fu;n O®fo¾ N®je;ô Ogbe; ma; ye;ô fu;n gbogbo Ajogun K'a;ye; e wa o; le baa¾ da;ra ni OÙmoô ara;ye; i¾ ba; te¾te¾ moô¾ Woôn o¾ ba; wa; f'owo; sô’a¾ru;fi;;n eôboô Translation: He who climbs a tree will not be able see the other side of the world A star gazer will not be able to see the other side of the moon He who raises his head by stretching his neck will not see the Heavens These were Ifa;’s declaration for Ogbe¾ The friend of the earth The living beings were advised to offer eôôboôô They refused to offer the eôboô Now Ogbe¾, do not allow Iku; (Death) to come in 53 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: Now Ogbe¾, do not allow A®ru¾n (Affliction) to come in Now Ogbe¾, do not allow EÙjo;ô (Contention) to come in Now Ogbe¾, do not allow I®ja¾ (fight) to come in Now Ogbe¾, do not allow O®fo¾ (Loss) to come in Now Ogbe¾, do not allow any negative Ajogun to come in So that our lives can have meaning Had all the living beings known ahead of time They would have offered the prescribed eôboô Ifa; says that it will not allow the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to come face to face with disaster, together with his/her loved ones. This is the reason why he/she needs to take the advice of the person who had been giving him/her counselling very seriously. Refusal to heed advice can lead to untold calamity where this Odu¾ is revealed. 14. Ifa; warns that something serious and of calamitous magnitude is about to happen where this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa; recommends that eôboô should be urgently offered in order to avert this calamity. Ifa says that four rats, four fish and one mature he-goat are the ebo materials to avert calamity where this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa; equally warns that nobody should rear cocks where this Odu¾ is revealed. By extension, the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed is forbidden from going into the poultry business. He/she cannot breed cocks and it is not advisable for him/her to live in a house where they engage in poultry business. Ifa; says that if there are cocks where this Odu¾ is revealed, all the cocks present should be used to feed E®sôu¾-OÙ®da¾ra¾ immediately. This is very important if disaster is to be averted. On this aspect, Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; says: B’o;bi¾nrin ba; f’oju; kan owo; EÙ®reôk¾ eô; e reô¾ a gb’eô¾ri;n Di;a; fu;n Oni;gure¾-Agoô¾tu;n EÙboô Ajogun ni woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe 54 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: If a woman sights money Her face will dissolve into a huge smile This was Ifa;’s declaration to Oni;gure¾-Ago¾ôtu;n When advised to offer eôboô against Ajogun The inhabitants of I®gure¾ town had everything going for them. Their land was very fertile. The people were very enterprising. They were blessed with bountiful harvests. They developed their town to the envy of all their neighbours. Oni;gure¾-Ago¾ôtu;n, the OÙba of I®go¾ôtu;n land, was the happiest and proudest OÙba in his area. His reputation as a good leader spread far and wide. One day, Oni;gure¾ had a terrible and terrifying dream. He could not make any sense of the dream but he was sure that a disaster of gigantic magnitude was about to happen in the land. This worried him seriously. He summoned all the chiefs in the land to a meeting. He explained his premonitions to them. After much deliberation, it was concluded that there was the need to call an Awo for Ifa; consultation. That was the reason why they called the Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will there be peace and harmony in the land? What was the significance of Oni;gure¾’s dream? What did they need to do to avert any possible disaster? During Ifa; consultation, Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; was revealed. The Awo explained that the dream of Oni;gure¾-Ago¾ôtu;n was loaded with grave consequences. There was the need for the inhabitants of the land to offer eôboô against the envy of their neighbours which could lead to these neighbours overwhelming them. The Awo made it clear to them that their neighbours were planning to wage a fierce war against them. All their neighbours, they were told, had ganged up to wage this war. The Awo stated further that it was useless thinking that they could contain the aggression of these neighbours because they would be greatly outnumbered. The only way out was for them to offer eôboô. The Awo therefore advised them to offer eôboô with four rats, four fish, and one mature male goat. They were also advised to slaughter all the cocks in their town and give them to E®sôu¾-O®Ùda¾ra¾. It was by so doing that they would overturn and destroy the military might of their neighbours. The Awo also advised them to dig trenches and underground tunnels that they would hide into when the invaders arrived. 55 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: The inhabitants of Igure¾ land put their heads together. They concluded that they would offer the eôboô. They were also prepared to dig trenches and tunnels in order to hide themselves when the invaders arrived. They however could not see why all their cocks should be slaughtered to feed E®sôu¾. What was the significance of cocks in warfare? Would they bring success or defeat, they wondered? In the end, they concluded that there was no need for them to slaughter their cocks for any Divinity, whether it is E®sôu¾ or not. For that reason, they only offered the eôboô as advised by the Awo. They dug the trenches and underground tunnels as they were instructed; but they kept all their cocks in defiance of the advice of the Awo. A few weeks after the completion of the work, the invaders arrived! Oni;gure¾ Ago¾ôtu;n quickly ordered all the inhabitants to go into the trenches and tunnels. They did. They took with them all their belongings, and live-stock. They took their goats, sheep, pigs, fowls, cocks, pigeons, guinea fowls, ducks, etc into the trenches. The invading forces could see nobody. They moved from one house to the other but they found no one. They searched all the hamlets, farms, compounds, etc and yet they found nobody. What was this supposed to mean? To make matters worse, they had nothing to take away as the spoils of war! Everything and everyone had simply vanished! It was a disappointment of the highest order. They searched until the middle of the night. The invaders decided to sleep overnight and leave the town the following morning. At dawn the next morning, the invaders began to pack their things in order to leave. Suddenly, all the cocks began to crow. With the first cock crow, the others would chorus the crowing and the whole place was filled with the noise of crowing cocks! Initially, the invaders could not make out where the noise of the crowing cocks was coming from. Before long, they realized that it was coming from under the ground! They began to search and they found the entrance to the trenches and the underground tunnels! They entered and fished out all the inhabitants of I®gure¾. They were kicked and slapped. They were tied up one after the other. The invaders commended their ingenuity and said that if not for the crowing cocks, they would have been deceived. 56 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The inhabitants of I®gure¾ were full of lamentations. They then told the invaders that they had earlier been warned by their Babala;wo to slaughter all the cocks that they had for E®sôu¾ but they had failed to do so. The invaders then became very angry at hearing this and they said that even if they had had the intention of being lenient with them before, they would certainly not do so now, since they had earlier been warned and they had refused to heed the warning of their Awo. B’o;bi¾nrin ba; f’oju; kan owo; EÙ®reôk¾ eô; e reô¾ a gb’eô¾ri;n Di;a; fu;n Oni;gure¾-Agoô¾tu;n EÙboô Ajogun ni woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe Woô;n koô'ti; oô¾gboôyin s’eô;boô EÙ®yin o¾ ri; a¾ku¾koô ga¾ga¾ra¾ To; wa;a; fi ara; I®gure¾ f’o;gun ko; E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ OÙ®fa¾ EÙni gb'eô;boô ni;be¾ô ko; wa;a; sôeôboô o Translation: If a woman sights money Her face will dissolve into a smile This was Ifa;’s declaration to Oni;gure¾-Ago¾ôtu;n When advised to offer eôboô against Ajogun They refused to comply with the advice of the Awo Can’t you see the matured cocks Which have made the inhabitants of I®gure¾ become war captives Travellers to I®po and OÙ®fa¾ Let those advised to offer eôboô heed the advice Ifa; says that it is the best interest of the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to offer eôboô and at the same time follow the advice of the Awo. Furthermore the urgent need to heed all the warnings of this Ifa;, no matter how stupid or unrealistic the warnings/advice may seem to him/her. 15. Ifa; warns a woman where this Odu¾ is revealed to desist from showing arrogance to her husband. Ifa; says that the woman is too cocky and overbearing. Ifa; warns this woman to turn a new leaf, lest she face disgrace and humiliation. 57 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: Ifa; says that this woman feels that she is superior to her husband and for that reason, she can maltreat and disrespect her husband as she sees fit. Ifa; cautions that the woman’s husband holds the key to her failure and success and she may come face to face with a sanction she never expected from her husband if she pushes him to use the key to open the door of failure for her. Ifa; says that the husband of the woman for whom this Odu¾ is revealed deserves to be given full honour and respect because, even though he may appear to be lower than the wife on the socio-economic ladder, he nonetheless he is working tirelessly for his wife to be elevated and be recognized in all spheres of life. This is the reason why the man must not be disrespected or humiliated. The man is also someone who cherishes and values his respect and self-esteem and who is ready to reciprocate in like manner if he is treated well and respected. Conversely, if he is disrespected or humiliated, he will go to any length to bring down the woman who does not treat him with respect. Ifa; advises the woman to offer eôôboô with four rats, four fish, one mature male goat, one knife and a lot of money. She also needs to feed O®gu;n with one mature cock, palm oil, roasted maize, raffia palm wine, roasted yam and a dog. If the woman is in the habit of showing arrogance toward her husband, she must put an end to such behaviour forthwith. She should serve Na¾na;; Bu¾u¾ku;u¾-Omolu;. On this, Ifa; says: OÙ®to¾¾ô l'ohu¾n E®e¾gu¾n OÙ®toô¾ l'ohu¾n EÙ®yoô¾ Ba;kanna;a¾ ni woô;n n; sunku;n Di;a; fu;n Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ Ti; n;loô re¾e; f’O®gu;n sô’oôkoô ni; SÙaki; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko;; wa;a; sôe Translation: The dialect of the E®e¾gu¾n people is different The dialect of the EÙ®yoô¾ (OÙ®yo;ô) people is different Nonetheless, all people cry the same way This was Ifa;’s message to Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ (Omolu;) When going to pick O®gu;n as her husband in SÙaki; land She was advised to offer eôboô 58 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Bu¾u¾ku;u¾, also known as Na¾na;; Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ or Omolu; was an extremely successful woman. She was very wealthy. She had a large followership. She was an O®ri¾sôa¾ whom many women were fond of. She guided, guarded and supported many women. Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ however did not give women children nor did she take their children from them either. She simply ensured the protection of women and their children. She also defended them against all aggression, particularly from their husbands and neighbours. All drunken and aggressive men who took pleasure in violating women as a way of letting out their own frustrations would realize that having the fear of Omolu; was the beginning of having wisdom. This was because she would go to any length to revenge any violence or humiliation meted out against the women who were her followers. For this reason, she had a large group of women following her. Membership into her group was forever. This made her even more popular. Many old women would see this as being a sanctuary against their husband’s families who would at times take pleasure in cheating them or creating problems for them as soon as their husband’s would die. All her followers were ready to offer any sacrifice that she asked them to do because they knew that the desired results would follow as soon as they did the sacrifices. In spite of this success, Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ was unable to have her own husband. The reason for this was because her reputation as an O®ri¾sôa¾ who protected and defended women against humiliation and violation from their husbands was very intimidating to most men. Many men did not have the courage to ask for her hand in marriage. Secondly, she was an extremely proud, arrogant and self-opinionated woman. Beside the fact that she needed a man to become pregnant and bear children, she found no other reason why she should be in any relationship with a man. She considered all men to be too chauvinistic and too self-centred for her liking. To her, men needed to be put into their place. For this reason, she had no patience for any man. She would often be found shouting them down and bullying them at the slightest opportunity. Men who were in their right sense would run away from her and she would see nothing wrong with this. All the same, she needed a man to at least give her children but who could this man be? She did not need to love the man or be loved back because to her, true love couldn’t possibly occur with any man anyway. She did not need to respect 59 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: the man either because no man, according to her, deserved respect anyway. She also did not need to follow any advice from a man or listen to any instruction because as far as she was concerned, all men had no sense of direction anyway. There were only two criteria that the man must fulfil; one, he must be strong and healthy enough to father her children and two, he must have popularity and a large followership. These criteria were what she used before she narrowed her search down to O®gu;n. By that time, O®gu;n was living in SÙaki; town. O®gu;n had the reputation and the bearing of a very strong man. He also had the charisma as someone who could make things happen. This was somewhat pleasing to Bu¾u¾ku;u¾. Secondly, O®®gu;n had a lot of adherents, both males and females. Unknown to many, there was nothing that Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ set her mind to achieve which she would not get. Even though many women looking for compatible spouses would go to her for a solution to their problems, they never thought that she would ever have the need for a man as ordinary women did. That was why they were unmindful of the fact that she needed a spouse of her own. People believing this suited her very well because she did not want any man or person, let alone any of her numerous followers, to know what she too desperately needed a man to at least make her a mother of children. In order to succeed in her plan, she went to the home of the Babala;wo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation. She wanted the Awo to work on this personal project so that it would succeed. She was convinced that she would not be able to live with the shame and humiliation if she were to be turned down by O®gu;n. How would she be able to face her numerous followers, if this were to occur? During Ifa; consultation, Ogbe¾-Ye¾ôku; was revealed. The Awo informed Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ that she planned to marry a very powerful and important man. She was assured that she would succeed in her mission. She was however warned never to look down upon her man because doing so would lead to undesirable consequences. She was advised to respect, love, honour and listen to her husband when she got married. She was informed that doing so would be the only way to ensure matrimonial peace, harmony and success. She was also advised to offer eôboô and feed O®gu;n as stated above. She considered the statements of the Awo. The Awo said that she would succeed in her bid to marry O®gu;n. If that was the case, of what use was the eôboô that the Awo recommended? If she refused to respect her husband, what was the 60 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Awo’s concern in that? To rub injury with salt, why should she be asked to go and feed the O®ke¾-I®poô¾ri; of O®gu;n? Anyway, she concluded, only busy-bodies like the Awo would insult her with such recommendations; she stood up and simply walked out without uttering a word, to the amazement of the Awo. The wedding ceremony between Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ and O®gu;n was the talk of the whole community and its environment for a very long time. Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ however left nobody in doubt as to who was calling the shots in the relationship. She made sure that everyone present realised that she was the person in charge. Meanwhile, O®gu;n was totally blind to all her schemes and manners. He was simply in love with her. He was prepared to satisfy her and dance to her tunes. When he noticed that she had several followers trooping to their house everyday in order to find solutions to their problems, he would even arrange things so that she would always have people assisting her. These people would help her offer the sacrifices required by her clients and devotees. O®gu;n even gave her his steel knife for her to use in slaughtering the animals that her clients and devotees had brought for sacrifice. Nonetheless, everything that O®gu;n was doing for Bu¾u¾ku;;u¾ did not impress her one bit. She only translated these actions to mean that O®gu;n was simply performing his duties as a husband. What was his duty? To Bu¾u¾ku;u¾, O®gu;n’s duty as well as the duty of all men to all women, was just to make her happy and do all that she wanted. Any man who was not ready to make a woman happy and do what she wished, had no business in a woman’s life in the first place. She also believed that there was no reason for any woman to make a man happy because the man would only end up taking advantage of that and lord it over the woman. In spite of all the things that O®gu;n was doing for her, she could not see any reason why she should cook him food or bring him water to drink or bathe. To make matters worse, any time that O®gu;n tried to advise her, she would just shout him down. It took less than three months before O®gu;n became the laughing stock of everyone in SÙaki;. The other wives in O®gu;n’s household could not believe what was happening to their husband. Those who had originally accorded O®gu;n high regard and respect were so appalled that they lost all respect for him. One day, O®gu;n called Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ for a discussion in order to straighten things out with her. She could not be bothered. She asked O®gu;n to come and meet her in her room 61 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: if he felt that there was anything to discuss. She consented to discuss with him after much pressure from O®gu;n and the only way the discussion could take place was if he agreed to discuss things with her in her room. As soon as O®gu;n started the discussion, Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ lost interest. She was so uninterested in what he was saying that at a stage, O®gu;n became visibly angry. Noticing this, she simply shouted him down. If O®gu;n was not satisfied with the treatment she was giving him, he was free to go and hang himself or better yet, throw himself into a lagoon or a well. She had no time to give him better treatment. Besides, he had other wives who could satisfy his silly needs. She then screamed at him to get out of her room. She cursed and abused him. She ran her mouth upon him any way she liked and in a way that nobody, man or woman, had ever talked to O®gu;n before. She then topped it off by spitting in his face! By this time, everyone in the household and some of the neighbours had gathered around their home. They could not believe what they were seeing and hearing. This could not be happening to O®gu;n. This man standing before Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ cannot be the O®gu;n they know. It cannot be him. It must not be him! She then began to push O®gu;n to get out of her room. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. O®gu;n became livid with rage! He began shaking all over! When he finally spoke, Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ became overwhelmed with fear! “I will not allow you to disrespect me in my home any longer! Even if yesterday’s pounded yam does not satisfy one or fill one’s belly, its mere look is not enough to instil fear into one’s mind. Who are you? What do you represent? Who gave birth to you? What do you want? What are you looking for? What has entered into your dumb head? What has turned your little brain upside down? What gives you this temerity? Don’t you have any fear? Who do you think you are? Can’t you recognize your mate? What gives you this bloated impression about yourself and your worth? What are you thinking about yourself? Where are your manners? Where is your womanhood? Where is your decency? Where is your decorum? Where is your self-respect?” He then paused. By this time, the whole room was charged. The expression on the face of Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ changed from arrogance to anger, from anger to surprise, from surprise to confusion, from confusion to regret, from regret to fear, from fear to horror! By the time O®gu;n was done with her, he had shed all his humanly garment and had adorned himself with those of an Iru;nmoôleô¾! 62 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 He then told her, “I will spare you my wrath today. Go and remove all your things and move out of my home now! Leave all my things behind. This includes the steel knife that I had given to you to use in slaughtering the animals brought to you. As of today, you will desist from using anything that belongs to me: knives, blades, axes, cutlasses, hoes, diggers, cudgels, and so on. Get out now before I change my mind about you!” As he was speaking, he was shaking all over. Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ was sweating bullets. She had nobody to plead on her behalf. At that moment, she remembered all the things that the Babala;wo had told her. It was just too late to do anything about it now. She blamed herself for over-doing things. She began to pack all her belongings and some of her followers who were attracted to the scene assisted her in moving her things out. The shame she did not want to happen to her was witnessed by everyone around. It was news in the area for a long, long time. This became a lesson to all arrogant women up till today. When Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ left, she had no knife to slaughter or skin her animals. She therefore began using bamboo to skin them instead. From that time, Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ would use only sharpened bamboo to skin her animals since she had been banned from using any knife or anything made of metal which belongs to O®gu;n. OÙ®to¾¾ô l'ohu¾n E®e¾gu¾n OÙ®toô¾ l'ohu¾n EÙ®yoô¾ Ba;kanna;a¾ ni woô;n n; sunku;n Di;a; fu;n Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ Ti; n;loô re¾e; f’O®gu;n sô’oôkoô ni; SÙaki; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko;; wa;a; sôe O: koô’ti; oô¾gboônhin s'eô;boô Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ to; ni; t’O®gu;n ko¾ si; Bo; ba;a; p’eôran Ko¾ ni;i r’o;ôbeô kun’ran E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ OÙ®fa¾ EÙni to; gb’e;ôboô ni;be¾ô ko; sôeôboô o Translation: The dialect of the E®e¾gu¾n people is different The dialect of EÙ®yoô¾ (OÙ®yo;ô) people is different Nonetheless, all people cry the same way 63 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: This was Ifa;’s message to Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ (Omolu;) When going to pick O®gu;n as her husband in SÙaki; land She was advised to offer eôboô She refused to comply Bu¾u¾ku;u¾ who says that O®gu;n amounts to nothing If she slaughters an animal She won’t have any knife to skin the animal Travellers to I®po and O®Ùfa¾ Let those advised to offer eôboô comply with the advice Ifa; advises the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed never to mal treat her man. She must respect, show love for her man, and she must not humiliate her husband in any way. That is the only way that she will have peace of mind and matrimonial comfort. Ifa; says, that if this woman does not change her attitude toward her husband, the disgrace and humiliation she will bear will be very great. 16. Ifa; gives a very serious warning here, especially where the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed is planning a party or get-together involving several children and young ones or where he/she is planning to attend an occasion involving many children together with his/her own children. It is in the best interest of the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to offer eôboô with two mature female goats and money in order to avert the loss of the lives of young ones. If this is not done before the said occasion, it is most likely that this person will suffer the loss of lives of children and young ones. If the celebration or ceremony is in the form of a picnic or an outing by the seaside or a body of water, or is a swimming training or competition, then it is even more imperative for the eôboô to be offered before the day of the event. If this eôboô cannot be offered, then it is advisable for the event to be postponed or put off altogether. On this, Ifa; says: Bi; a ba; ri;, a¾a; wi; A®bi; a ki¾i; wi; A®i¾wi; n’i¾ka¾ 64 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Bi; a ba; wi;i la;wi¾i;ju¾ A ma;a d’a¾wo¾ko Di;a; fu;n oô¾ko¾ôoô¾ka¾n le;ni;ru;n Iru;nmoôleô¾ Woô;n n; loô ba; Olo;kun peô¾sa;n oôdu;n EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe Translation: Should one see and say something Or should one not say anything at all? Refusal to speak out amounts to wickedness But if one says too much One will be viewed as a parrot This was Ifa;’s message for the 401 Iru;nmoôleô¾ When going to celebrate the annual festival with Olo;kun They were all advised to offer eôboô In terms of financial and asset accumulation, Olo;kun was the most successful being ever created by Olo;du¾mare¾. She owned four-fifths of all the resources on the earth. She controlled many more things on the earth than all the other Iru;nmoôleô¾, O®ri¾sôa¾, and human beings put together. She was a highly honoured and respected O®ri¾sôa¾. Her annual festival was also the grandest event on earth. Anytime she invited the Iru;nmoôleô¾, O®ri¾sôa¾, and human beings to her celebration, they were expected to come with at least one of their children. When the guests would arrive at the celebration, something would happen that would affect their children. When it was time to start the ceremony, the children who accompanied their parents would either be washed away by the sea or they would lose their lives by drowning in the ocean. Most of those who attended the ceremony would return home without their children and with a long sad story to tell others. The time came again when Olo;kun invited all the 401 Iru;nmoôleô¾ to her annual festival. They were all expected to come with at least one of their children. It was impossible for them to refuse to attend because this was not the way of the Divinities. That was when OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ finally decided to go for Ifa; consultation: What must I do to avoid losing my child if I attend Olo;kun’s annual festival? 65 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: The Awo told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to offer ebo with two mature she-goats; one would be for eôboô and the other one to be handed over to Olo;kun instead of his own child. OÙru;nmi¾la¾ was urged to offer the eôboô before the date of the festival. He was assured that if he did this, his child would be spared. He was also cautioned not to go to the ceremony with any of his children. He complied. On the day of the ceremony, every invitee came with his/her child. Only OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ went there with his own she-goat. All those who saw him thought that he was either insane or being cynical. All of them had been told to invite at least one of their children, so why did O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ come with a she-goat?! All the invitees were totally convinced that O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ would receive the humiliation of his life that day because Olo;kun would not find this queer sense of humour a funny affair at all. When the time came for the children to go and celebrate with Olo;kun, one by one, all the invitees went forward and handed over their children. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ also went forward but handed over his she-goat. In the presence of the parents, the children were marched to the sea. Most of them were washed away while the remaining ones drowned right in the very eyes of their parents! Orunmila’s she-goat was slaughtered for consumption, also in the presence of all the invitees. Before the close of the ceremony, Olo;kun summoned OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ and all the other invitees to her presence. They all waited eagerly to witness how OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ would be given the dressing down that he deserved. How dare he bring along with him a she-goat when all the others had brought with them their children, they wondered? When they had all assembled, Olo;kun faced OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ and asked; “why is it that you chose to bring along with you a she-goat when you were supposed to come with one of your children? Can you explain yourself to everyone here what is behind your action?” The whole gathering became dead silent. They wanted to hear his reasons for behaving in such a funny manner before Olo;kun descended on him. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ cleared his throat and with a smile, he responded, “after deliberating deeply with my Ori;, I concluded that it would bring me much sorrow and agony for my beloved child to be put to death right before my very eyes. That is why I decided to instead bring a she-goat along with me. If the she-goat were to be slaughtered, like you have done, it would not pain me or cause me grief like it 66 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 would if it were the death of my own child. That is why I could not bring my child to this ceremony and see my child die before my eyes. “Is that your reason?”, asked Olo;kun. “Yes, that is my reason”, responded OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. Olo;kun then turned her attention to the other guests who had all lost their children. She then asked them”, why is it that none of you have reasoned the way OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ has? None of you are the least bit brilliant. Those who are brilliant are not intelligent. Those who are intelligent lack understanding. Those who have understanding among you do not know how to couple it with wisdom. Those who have wisdom don’t know how to apply your hindsight and foresight in any way! You are all fools! You have all been bringing your children to my festival and every time they have been dying. Was that first experience not enough to teach you all a lesson? Can you not borrow a leaf from hindsight? Why is it that none of you could foresee that this year, would follow the same pattern as last year and the year before? You have all continued to bring your children here to be killed! Where have your brains gone to? Have your brains suddenly leaked out of your ears? Are you the Iru;nmoôleô¾ whom the affairs of the world rest in their hands? You are all Fools! Anyway, don’t worry about this any longer. Next year, just bring your children again and witness them being killed! She then paused a little. By this time, the faces of all the invited guests had contorted into huge grimaces of agony. Many of them began wishing the ground to open up and swallow them. She then asked, “when you all were invited the first time and you lost your children, why didn’t you use your hindsight and discretion when you were invited again the following year? If all of you had decided to leave your children behind at home, what could one person do against 401 Iru;nmoôleô¾ once you had all taken a decision? She then declared, “when a law is made, as soon as one realizes that the law is not in the interest of the group, the only reasonable thing is to abrogate such a law! Why didn’t you all use your common sense? For this reason, all of you need to praise OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ for using discretion, hindsight and foresight. He is the only one who was spared of agony among you! This is all I have to say to everyone present here today. I bid you all a good day!” 67 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: Bi; a ba; ri;, a¾a; wi; A®bi; a ki¾i; wi; A®i¾wi; n’i¾ka¾ Bi; a ba; wi;i la;wi¾i;ju¾ A ma;a d’a¾wo¾ko Di;a; fu;n oô¾ko¾ôoô¾ka¾n le;ni;ru;n Iru;nmoôleô¾ Woô;n n; loô ba; Olo;kun peô¾sa;n oôdu;n EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ ni¾kan ni; n;beô leô;yi¾n to; n; sôeôboô N®jeô; yo;o; d’i¾i¾ro¾nu; Aka;po¾ Ka; to;o; le¾ ma;a p’oômoô eôni l'o;ju; eôni Yo;o; d’i¾ba¾nu;je;ô Aka;po¾ E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ OÙ®fa¾ EÙni gb’eô;boô ni;beô¾ ko; wa;a; sô’eôboô Translation: Should one see and say something Or should one not say anything at all? Refusal to speak out amounts to wickedness But if one says too much One will be viewed as a parrot This was Ifa’s message for the 401 Iru;nmoôleô¾ When going to celebrate the annual festival with Olo;kun They were all advised to offer eôboô Only OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ offered the eôboô Behold, it will became a matter of sorrow for the Aka;po¾ If one’s child is killed in one’s presence It will become a matter of agony for the Aka;po¾ Travellers to I®po and OÙ®fa¾ Let those advised to offer eôboô comply with the advice Ifa; says that it is in the best interest of the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to do a thorough investigation before he/she allows his/her child to go to any occasion when this Odu¾ is revealed, especially if the occasion is close to a river, lagoon, the sea, etc. Ifa; says that this person will be spared the agony and sorrow of weeping over the death of a loved one. On the other hand, anyone organizing an event where many children are invited needs to investigate thoroughly before embarking on it. This is in order for him/her not to have the 68 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 deaths of children and young ones on his/hers conscience for the rest of his/hers life. It is very important here for the person to use common sense, discretion, and hindsight and to speak up when something appears wrong, where this Odu¾ is revealed. If this advice is not taken, the person may experience a serious loss and may feel sorry and regret for many years to come. A®boôru; A®boôye¾ B. SIGNIFICANCE OF OGBE®-OÙ®YEÙK ® U: FOR THOSE BORN BY THE ODU DURING I®KOÙSEÙD ® A:YE: OR I®TEÙ®NI:FA: By nature, Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; children are born organizers. They have the uncanny ability to organize people and materials to achieve set objectives. They are dogged, unassuming, courageous, tireless and accommodating people. These qualities more often than not account for the success, greatness and reputation of those born by this Odu¾ during I®koôseô¾da;ye; or I®te¾ôni;fa;. Coupled with this is the fact that they believe in doing things correctly, orderly, with discipline, and doing the right thing at all times. They are good advocates, campaigners, advertisers and demonstrators. They also grow to become great labour leaders or political leaders. They however do not progress well in politics because many people usually find their forthrightness a bitter pill to swallow. This is why many people end up ganging up against them to make their lives very difficult. However, they triumph in the end. Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; children live to their old age because they have the support of the Divinities who help them to close the doors of death, affliction, litigation, loss and all other life-threatened principalities. They are also blessed with compatible spouses who understand, love and appreciate them. Most Ogbe¾Yeô¾ku; children do not have many kids of their own but the few they beget end up making their parents, extended families, community and society at large very proud. They also have the gift of raising and training children who later grow up to become useful adults in the society. All Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; children however are warned not to pursue wealth at the expense of childbearing. Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; children are also very temperamental but they are also very straightforward with people. They value true friendship. They however have a way of picking friends who will later on become their bitter enemies. They however 69 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: overcome these enemies. The cause of the enmity more often than not emanates from their insistence that their friends must change their bad habits (or perceived bad habits) to having good conduct. They will repeat this to the extent that it will irritate these friends and they will end up becoming antagonists and bitter enemies. Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; children are also leaders of their various EÙgbeô; in heaven. They have a lot of respect, reward and support from their EÙgbeô;. This is why those born by this Odu¾ will never lack anything in life. Anytime they are in acute want of anything in life, the moment they feed their EÙgbeô; as appropriate and required, whatever they lacked hitherto will be supplied in surplus. These children are very lucky to be born and raised by mothers who believe in proper upbringing for their children. They are often well brought up. Their mothers also have the qualities of being relevant in the community they find themselves. The good deeds and behaviour of their mothers always end up rubbing off on them. The Divinities make it a duty to protect them in order to prevent their mothers from weeping over them. Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; children are truly witty and highly intelligent. This is why they sometimes ignore the advice of others and do their things their own way. Ifa however warns against this as the result will not be in their favour. They need to learn to listen to others. Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; female children must never look down upon their husbands or humiliate them. They must treat their husbands with respect. If they don’t, they will fail. In summary, Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; children shall reach the top of their chosen careers. They must not let anyone or anything intimidate them. On top is where they have been destined to be. The position is always beckoning to them to come and occupy it. A®boôru; A®boôye¾ 70 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 C. AFFILIATED O®RI®SÙA: AND IRU:NMOÙLEÙ® OF OGBE®-‘YEÙ®KU: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Ifa; – for overall success, protection and elevation Ori; – for support, victory and overall wellbeing E®sôu¾-OÙ®da¾ra¾ –for victory, support and guidance EÙdan O®gbo;ni – for longevity, children and support Odu¾ – for compatible spouse EÙgbeô; – for success, child-bearing, support and victory Sôa¾ngo; – for victory over adversaries OÙba¾ta;la;– for overall well-being and protection against untimely death O®gu;n – for victory, leadership, success and overall well-being D. TABOOS OF OGBE®-OÙ®YEÙ®KU: 1. Must never use I®ye¾rosu¾n during Ifa; consultation especially during the I®koôse¾ôda;ye; of his/her child – to prevent the premature death of the child Must never go into the poultry business or rear roosters as pets in his/her home – to avoid misfortunes and calamity. Must never eat bat or use it for anything – to avoid the problem of childlessness Must never take his/her child to events (especially where water is near) without proper investigation first – to avoid the child’s premature death Must never ignore useful advice – to avoid unconsummated fortune and disaster. Ogbe¾-Yeô¾ku; women must never be arrogant toward their husbands – to avoid unconsummated fortune Must never set traps for others – to avoid falling into the trap that he/she has set for others. Must avoid black, red and hand-painted dresses – to avoid unconsummated fortune Must avoid going out at night–to avoid being harmed grievously. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Must never eat groundnuts – to avoid being implicated in what he/she knows nothing about and to avoid a situation where his/her good intentions may turn sour and he/she will be held responsible for causing harm or death to those he/she intended to help. 71 OGBE®-OÙY ® EÙ®KU: E. POSSIBLE NAMES OF OGBE-OYEKU i. MALES 1. 2. 3. 4. Ifa;feô;mi – Ifa; wants me Ifa;lo;yin – Ifa; has honey Ba;ngba;la¾ – Let OÙba¾ta;la; hand me my purity (white cloth) for me to carry my baby O®ri¾sôa¾da;yi¾i;si; – O®ri¾sôa¾ spares this from death ii. FEMALE 1. 2. 3. 4. Odu¾yeômi; – Odu¾ befits me Ifa;lo;yin – Ifa; has honey Ifa;sôeôwa¾ – Ifa; makes things beautiful Aji;nase¾ô – She who sits and stretches her legs early in the morning A®boôru; A®boôye¾ 72 Chapter 2 Ogbè Ìwòrì II I II II II I 73 OGBE® I®WO®RI® OGBE® -W'E®ôYI®N A.1. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù¾ is revealed during I®te¾ôlo;du¾ or I®koôseô¾da;ye; shall move from hardship to comfort. He/She shall rise from grass to grace. He/she shall occupy a leadership position in life. The person for whom this Odù¾ is revealed is destined to mould other people’s character; not just as a teacher, but as someone who shall lead by example. He/She shall teach people how to think, speak and act in pragmatic ways. Ifá says that a very heavy responsibility is placed on his/her shoulders and he/she cannot afford to fail or let himself/herself down in this divine assignment. Ifá says that he/she will constantly be confronted with contentious situations, but he/she should not over-emphasize his/her rights when dealing with these situations. When cheated, he/she should not over-react or show that it pains him/her too much. All what he/she needs to do is put it at the back of his/her mind and know that it shall be well in the end. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọwith three pigeons, three cocks, three guinea fowls and money. He/she is also advised to feed Ifa; with bitter-leaf soup (Vernonia Amygdalina). The stanza in Ogbe¾ W'eô¾yi¾n, which is in support of these assertions says: Bi; woô;n ba; j’e¾e¾ru¾ du¾n yi;n Eô ma; jeô¾e;ô ko; du¾n yi;n ra;ra; Oun ti; Awo yo;o; jeô Ki¾i; wo;n ô l’eôs ; e¾ô Ikin Di;a; fu;n Yo;o;-du¾n-gbe¾ôyi¾n Ti;i; sôe A®re¾m ô oô Ewu;ro I®gba¾ti; n; beô la;a¾rin i¾po;ônju; ẹbọni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe 74 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: If you are denied of your rightful share Do not let it perturb you at all Whatever an Awo will consume Will never be scarce at the feet of Ifá This was the declaration of Ifá to Yo;o;-du¾n-gbe¾ôyi¾n (It-shall-be-sweet-in-the-end) The first child of Ewu;ro, the Bitter-leaf When he was in the midst of misery and want He was advised to offer eôboô Yo;o;-du¾n-gbe¾ôyi¾n was totally convinced that something was seriously wrong. He worked himself up to the extent that he believed that something was amiss in his life. He saw all his colleagues and young ones succeeding and he could not understand why he had failed to succeed. He had been initiated into Ifá for over 15 years and he had been studying and following Ifá for about 10 years before then. Yet, he had nothing to show for it. He had been hardworking, dedicated, honest and unassuming. Yet, he had been wallowing in penury. He had never lied, cheated or usurped other people’s belongings. Yet, he was being cheated and denied his rights and what belonged to him on a constant basis. He would work selflessly and tirelessly to achieve a goal only for others to come from nowhere to enjoy the fruits of his labour. Surely, he concluded, something was seriously wrong with him. What was it that was really wrong? He reasoned that it must be one of two things: he did not choose a good destiny from heaven or he was being attacked by witches and other negative principalities. Before long, he began to see himself as someone who did not choose a good destiny from heaven and who was a victim of the witches and evil people’s attacks. One day, Yo;o;-du¾n-gbe¾ôyi¾n went to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation. He asked: why must I be working for others to enjoy themselves while I am being denied of my rightful share? Why, in spite of my dedication, selflessness, honesty and benevolence, do I have nothing to show in terms of achievement? Why must I be the target of attacks from the witches, wizards and evil ones? Why did I not 75 OGBE® I®WO®RI® choose a good and comfortable destiny from heaven? treating me so badly? Why? He asked. Why is life The Awo told Yo;o;-du¾n-gbe¾ôyi¾n that his situation in life was pathetic at that particular point in time but he should however be assured that in the end, failure would give way to success; sadness to joy; and hopelessness to boundless opportunities. He was told that his life would be likened to that of the Ewu;ro, bitter-leaf. When first tasted, it will be very bitter in the mouth; but in the end, it will bring out sweet tastes which those who have tasted it will really enjoy. Yo;o;-du¾n-gbe¾ôyi¾n was told that things were hard and rough for him now because that was the way it was at the initial stage for the bitterleaf. He was advised to persevere and he would be pleasantly surprised that everything would change for the better for him. The Awo advised him to offer ẹbọas stated above and to feed Ifá with bitter-leaf soup. He complied. He was also asked to be patient and hopeful. He was ready to do those too. The Awo told him that Olo;du¾mare¾, his Ori;, and Ifá would give him all the support that he needed to wade through the turbulent period of his life. He was told to continue doing well at all times; to move closer to Olo;du¾mare and never give up. He equally complied with all of these directives. When going, the Awo told him never to think that anyone was after him or that he had chosen a bad destiny. Rather, he was advised to be hopeful that his time to succeed was very near. With these assurances, Yo;o;-du¾n-gbe¾ôyi¾n left the home of the Awo with the determination to live his life within the ambit of the advice of Ifá. He continued to do good, please people and work tirelessly for the success and happiness of others. At the initial stages, those who had been cheating him continued to do so, thinking that Yo;o;-du¾n-gbe¾ôyi¾n was simply a fool. Before long, others who had benefited from his benevolence stood up in his defence. They did not allow anyone to cheat him any longer. Soon after this, he no longer slept in hunger or want. His due recognition was given to him. He continued to pray to Olo;du¾mare¾, his Ori;, and Ifá to make his life change from bitterness to sweetness, just like the ewu;ro, bitterleaf. 76 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 It did not take him much longer before he began to accumulate wealth. With this wealth, he secured a good spouse. Together, they had many children. The children and his spouse joined hands with him to erect a befitting mansion. He was highly recognized and respected in his community. At a stage, no decision could be taken in that community without his knowledge and approval. One day, Yo;o;-du¾n-gbe¾ôyi¾n sat down quietly in his home to take stock of his journey from penury to wealth; from failure to success and from agony to joy. He had no option but to give thanks and praise to Olo;du¾mare¾, his Ori;, and Ifá. Bi; wo;ôn ba; j’e¾e¾ru¾ du¾n yi;n Eô ma; je¾ôeô; ko; du¾n yi;n ra;ra; Oun ti; Awo yo;o; jeô Ki¾i; wo;n ô l’eôs ; e¾ô Ikin Di;a; fu;n Yo;o;-du¾¾n-gbe¾ôyi¾n Ti;i; sôe A®re¾ômoô Ewu;ro I®gba¾ti; n;; beô la;a¾rin i¾poô;nju; ẹbọni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô N®je;ô bo; ba; w’oôla; OÙloô;run O®Ùroô¾ mi ka¾sô¾a¾i¾ du¾n gbe¾ôyi¾n Bo¾; ba; w’oôla; Ori; mi O®Ùroô¾ m¾i ka¾sôa¾i¾ du¾n gbe¾ôyi¾n Bo; ba; w’oôla; Ifá; mi O®Ùroô¾ mi ka¾sôa¾i¾ du¾n gbe¾ôyi¾n Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ Eô wa; ba;’ni b’a;yo¾ô Eôô wa; wo’re o Translation: If you are denied of your rightful share Do not let it perturb you at all Whatever an Awo will consume Will never be scarce at the feet of Ifá This was the declaration of Ifá to Yo;o;-du¾n-gbe¾ôyi¾¾n (It shall be sweet in the end) The first child of ewu;ro, the Bitter-leaf 77 OGBE® I®WO®RI® When he was in the midst of misery and want He was advised to offer eôboô He complied By the special grace of Olo;du¾mare My situation shall be sweet in the end By the special grace of my Ori; My situation shall be sweet in the end By the special grace of my Ifá My situation shall be sweet in the end Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of endless joy Come and perceive all Ire Ifá says that this person shall witness all the Ire of life. He/she shall have reason to celebrate in life. With perseverance, he/she shall attain recognition, honour and success. 2. Ifá says that if Ikin are used for Ifá consultation on any issue whatsoever and Ogbe¾-w'e¾ôyi¾n is revealed and it comes out in A®ye¾ôwo¾, certain information must be borne in mind: one, although Ifá is not predicting Ire at this initial stage, this does not necessarily mean that Ifá does not foresee Ire. What this means particularly is that the spirit of Ifá is not in the home of this person at this point in time. The consultation must be stopped as soon as A®ye¾ôwo¾ is revealed. The Awo in charge will then procure two big kola nuts with four lobes each and break them open for Ifá in order to summon back the spirit of Ifá into this person’s home. After this has been done, the Awo will then continue by asking again if Ifá foresees Ire or A®ye¾ôwo¾. Ifá promises that by so doing, Ifá will cast its benevolent glance at the Awo and the client(s). If A®ye¾ôwo¾ is revealed again after feeding the kola nut, the Awo will continue the casting as usual. Two, Ifá says that there is equally the need for the person for whom this Odù¾ is revealed to seek the support of Egu;ngu;n and Oro¾. This is because the person for whom this Odù¾ is revealed has a close affinity with these two divinities. There is the need to find out what to use to feed these divinities and to do so promptly. 78 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Three, there is the need to offer ẹbọ of A®ru;kore in order for the client to be the recipient of all Ire in life. The ẹbọ materials include: two rats, two fish, two hens, two cocks, two guinea fowls, two ducks, two pigeons and money. On these, Ifá says: Ifá; n;beô ni;le; o, a¾bi; ko¾ si; ni;le;? Ifá; n;beô ni;le; o, oômoô ab'OÙ®sôun lô';e;ôri Ifá; n;beô ni;le; o, oôômoô ab'OÙô®o¾ôsôa¾ kan ji¾ngbi¾nni¾ lo;tu Ife¾ô Ifá; n;beô ni;le; o, oômoô oô¾pe¾ô kan n;la; ti; n;fi oju; joô a¾gba; ni;le; ire;ôgi;-ire;ôgi;; A®woôn ni woôô;n m'o;bi¾ me;ji¾ ko¾gba¾di¾-kogbadi Woô;n; fi n;b'e;ôfoô¾n sô’oô¾ta; O: ni; a;; paa; o A® la;a pa a; Woô;n ni; ni;bo la gbe; pa a; si; Mo la;a paa; si; ori;ta Olu; O: ni; a; kun-u;n o A® la;a kun-u;n Wo;ôn ni; ni;bo la gbe; kun-u;;n si;;? A ni; a kun-u;n s’o;ôna¾ Di¾ndi¾nri¾n A®woôn O®ke¾ ni o¾ fibi ri¾nmi¾ri¾nmi¾ teô’leô¾ Di;;a; fu;n Egu;ngu;;n Ti; woôn o; ma pe¾ e; ni; Baba Oro¾ ni o¾ r'eô;ni ti; yo;o; pe¾e; mo;ô Translation: Is Ifá at home or not? Ifá is at home, he who propitiates OÙ®sôun inside the river Ifá is at home, he who propitiates an elegantly decorated O®ri¾sôa¾ in Ile;-Ife¾ô Ifá is at home, the holy palm tree that resembles an a¾gba; drum in its entirety May two big kola nuts be procured And let us use them to confront a buffalo They asked us to break the kola nuts We responded that the kola nuts have been broken They wanted to know where the kola nuts were broken 79 OGBE® I®WO®RI® We responded that they were broken at the crossroad leading to Olu;’s home We were asked to cut them into pieces We responded that they had been cut into pieces They wanted to know where we had cut them We responded that it was on the way to Di¾ndi¾nri¾n-Land A®woôn O®ke¾ ni o¾ fibi ri¾nmi¾ri¾nmi¾ teô’le¾ô (Big hills do not sit on their tips turned upside down) They were the Awo who cast Ifá for Egu;ngu;n Who would be known and called “Baba” But Oro¾ was he who had no one to salute him In the beginning, Oro¾ and Egu;ngu;n were planning to leave I®ko¾ôle; O®Ùrun (heaven) for I®ko¾ôle; Aye;, (the Earth) together. Their intention was to come and settle on earth. When they got to the boundary between heaven and earth, Oro¾, the Elder divinity instructed Egu;ngu;n his younger one to go into I®ko¾ôle; Aye;, to find out if I®ko¾ôle; Aye;, would be conducive for them to stay. Oro¾ also wanted Egu;ngu;n to report back to him after investigating the earth. Egu;ngu;n came into I®ko¾ôle; Aye;,. When he arrived, those who saw him realized that he was not an ordinary human being, especially with his costume. They greeted him with reverence. Egu;ngu;n responded in like manner and told them that he would like to be taken to the palace of the Ϙba of I®ko¾ôle; Aye;. He was taken there accordingly. On getting to the palace of the Ϙba of I®ko¾ôle; Aye;, the Ϙba asked him what roles he planned to perform. He responded that he would perform the roles of blessing the childless with children; blessing the unmarried with a good spouse; blessing the poor and helpless with success chances and wealth; and that he would bless people and the community with prosperity, peace and tranquillity. In summary, he promised to change the bad aspects of people’s lives to good so that life would be worthy of living for them. When asked what he would want to be offered for performing these roles, he responded that he would like to be offered A®ka¾ra¾ (fried bean cakes), E®koô (cold corn meal), OÙ®o¾ôleô (cooked bean fritters), Obi¾ (Kola nuts), A®ku¾koô (cocks), Oti; (liquor) and A®gbo¾ (Ram). 80 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The Ϙba then instructed that the first person that saw Egu;ngu;n should take him home and this person should be given the title of A®a¾reô O®je;¾. Also, that Egu;ngu;n should be propitiated and the ceremony should be performed by the A®a¾reô O®je;¾., the first person to “see” Egu;ngu;n. Where Egu;ngu;n was located as his permanent place of abode was known as I®gba¾le¾ô. Egu;ngu;n could only be seen outside on special occasions when special ceremonies were to be performed. For 12 full months, Egu;ngu;n had a field day. People kept trooping into his I®gba¾le¾ô. He performed as he had promised: the sick got well; the poor became rich; the debtor paid off his/her debts; the bachelor/spinster became blessed with a suitable spouse; the barren received the blessing of the fruit of the womb; the hopeless became hopeful. In short, life changed for the good for all the inhabitants of Ile;-Aye; who approached Egu;ngu;n for assistance. While all this was occurring, Oro¾ was still waiting at the boundary of Aye; and O®Ùrun. Initially, he felt that there was nothing to worry about. Three full moons after, he became concerned: Why is Egu;ngu;n taking so long to come and report to him? Did he meet with calamity when he got to Ile;-Aye;? Oro¾ quickly removed these thoughts from his mind because he knew that if Egu;ngu;n was in any type of problem, he (Oro¾) would notice it instantly. But if Egu;ngu;n was not in any type of trouble, then what was causing the delay? By the time it was seven full moons, Oro¾ was getting angry with Egu;ngu;n. Oro¾ felt that it should not have taken Egu;ngu;n more than seven days to find out if Ile;-Aye; was conducive for them or not and report back to him. He began to think some more. Why then was it that an assignment that was supposed to be performed in seven days has not been completed in seven months? Why? By the time it was 10 months, Oro¾ had worked himself up into red hot anger. He concluded that Egu;ngu;n was only being impertinent. He reasoned that Egu;ngu;n was doing that in order to slight him. He decided that he would not be bothered. Egu;ngu;n had to come and meet him at the boundary and purge himself of his impertinence. He promised that he would tongue lash Egu;ngu;n and tell him things he would never forget in a hurry. When it became 12 full moons, the inhabitants of Ile;-Aye; put their heads together and performed a one year ceremony to commemorate 81 OGBE® I®WO®RI® when Egu;ngu;n arrived into their midst. Everyone had good tales to tell. It was a grand occasion and all those who participated in the ceremony were abundantly blessed. There was singing and dancing, drumming and displays of costumes. The devotees of Egu;ngu;n had increased in many folds. On the 13th full moon, a thought occurred to Oro¾: Maybe Egu;ngu;n has been living so good in Ile;-Aye; that he has simply forgotten his own elder who had sent him on a very simple errand? The thought looked so preposterous to Oro¾ that he quickly dismissed it from his mind. But what could make Egu;ngu;n refuse to come and report back to him? It had been 13 months and him being in any form of trouble had been ruled out; but then what other reason could there be? None! It must be that Egu;ngu;n has been really enjoying himself at the expense of his elder! No, it can’t be so; it really is so! Yes, it is so! It has to be so! But why? Egu;ngu;n must be taught a lesson for this! He must be punished for this! He must be rubbished for this! It must be done right in the presence of the people of Ile;-Aye; so that they will know that Egu;ngu;n has broken a great oath and has betrayed the trust reposed on him! Egu;ngu;n has cheated his Elder and he must be punished! Yes, he must be punished! With this resolved, Oro¾ angrily left the boundary between Aye; andOÙ®run and stormed into Ile;-Aye;. As soon as he got to Ile;-Aye;, he was asking for Egu;ngu;n. In his blind fury he was a very awful spectacle. The first person who saw him was so terrified that he did not know what to do. In the end, he decided to take Oro¾ to the palace of the Ϙba of Aye;. While at the palace, Oro¾ was demanding for Egu;ngu;n. His anger was totally uncontrollable. As soon as the Ϙba of Aye; saw this, he summoned his chiefs and had a quick meeting with them. Meanwhile, Oro¾ was made comfortable but he could not be comforted completely. He could not wait to set his eyes on Egu;ngu;n.. However, during their deliberation, the Ϙba and his chiefs concluded that Oro¾ must never be allowed to set his eyes on Egu;ngu;n. They reasoned that in the past 13 full moons, their lives had changed for the better and the quality of their very existence had greatly improved; all 82 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 due to the activities of Egu;ngu;n. For this reason, they would have to defend Egu;ngu;n at all costs. The only way to do this, they reasoned, was to ensure that where Egu;ngu;n was living must remain hidden from Oro¾. The chiefs also felt that they could equally take advantage of the presence of Oro¾ in Ile;-Aye;, and make use of his abilities too. They approached Oro¾ and demanded from him what roles he could perform while in their midst. He explained what he could do for them. They realized that his roles were similar to those of Egu;ngu;n. They also discovered that Egu;ngu;n and Oro¾ both represented the Ancestors even though Oro¾ was the Elder Divinity. They demanded from Oro¾ to tell them what he would love people to give him as propitiation material for all the good things he would be doing for them. He explained to them what the items were and most of them were similar to those of Egu;ngu;n. Ϙba-Aye;, then directed that the first person who saw Oro¾ should take him home and put him in a grove. The grove was known as Igbo;ro¾. He also directed that Egu;ngu;n must be coming out in the day time while Oro¾ should be coming out during the dead of the night. This was to avoid confrontation and friction between the two. Since that time up till today, Egu;ngu;n and Oro¾ are still not in good terms. Even their devotees are not the best of friends. Ifá warns the person for whom this Odù is revealed not to send anyone on any errand that is known to be very important to his/her life. Ifá says that he/she will not be in any position to blame the person sent on that errand if that person decides to go and exhibit his/her own potentials where he/she has been sent. When anything is very important to the person for whom this Odù is revealed, it is in his/her best interest to perform that assignment by himself/herself. That is the only way he/she will not have everlasting regret. Ifá; n;beô ni;le; o, a¾bi; ko¾ si; ni;le;? Ifá; n;beô ni;le; o, oômoô ab'OÙ®sôun lô';e;ôri Ifá; n;beô ni;le; o, oôômoô ab'OÙô®o¾ôsôa¾ kan ji¾ngbi¾nni¾ lo;tu Ife¾ô Ifá; n;beô ni;le; o, oômoô oô¾pe¾ô kan n;la; ti; n;fi oju; joô a¾gba; ni;le; ire;ôgi;-ire;ôgi;; A®woôn ni woôô;n m'o;bi¾ me;ji¾ ko¾gba¾di¾-kogbadi 83 OGBE® I®WO®RI® Woô;n; fi n;b'e;ôfoô¾n sô’oô¾ta; O: ni; a;; paa; o A® la;a pa a; Woô;n ni; ni;bo la gbe; pa a; si; Mo la;a paa; si; ori;ta Olu; O: ni; a; kun-u;n o A® la;a kun-u;n Wo;ôn ni; ni;bo la gbe; kun-u;;n si;;? A ni; a kun-u;n s’o;ôna Di¾ndi¾nri¾n A®woôn O®ke¾ ni o¾ fibi ri¾nmi¾ri¾nmi¾ teô’leô¾ Di;;a; fu;n Egu;ngu;;n Ti; woôn o; ma pe¾ e; ni; Baba Oro¾ ni o¾ r'eô;ni ti; yo;o; pe¾e; mo;ô EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ki;; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe Egu;ngu;n ni¾kan lo; n;beô l’eôy ; i¾n to; n;s’ô e¾boô N®je;ô Olu;yoôku¾n Baba ni o Ifá; Olu;yoôku¾n Baba ni EÙ®yin o¾ mo¾ô ‘pe; Olu;yoôku¾n ni Baba n;je;ô A®se ô ; Olu;yoôku¾n Baba ni o Translation: Is Ifá at home or not? Ifá is at home, he who propitiates O®Ùsun inside the river Ifá is at home, he who propitiates an elegantly decorated O®ri¾sôa¾ in Ile;-Ife¾ô Ifá is at home, the holy palm tree that resembles an a¾gba; drum in its entirety May two big kola nuts be procured And let us use them to confront a buffalo They asked us to break the kola nuts We responded that the kola nuts have been broken They wanted to know where the kola nuts were broken We responded that they were broken at the crossroad leading to Olu’s home We were asked to cut them into pieces We responded that they had been cut into pieces They wanted to know where we had cut them We responded that it was on the way to Di¾ndi¾nri¾n-Land A®woôn O®ke® ni o¾ fibi ri¾nmi¾ri¾nmi¾ teôle¾ô 84 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 (Big-hills-do-not-sit-on-their-tips-turned-upside-down) They were the Awo who cast Ifá for Egu;ngu;n Who would be known and called “Baba” But Oro¾ was he who had no one to salute him They were advised to offer ẹbọ Only Egu;ngu;n complied Behold! Olu;yoôku¾n is Baba Ifá Olu;yoôku¾n is truly Baba Don’t you know that Olu;yoôku¾n is the name of Baba So, Baba is known and called Olu;yoôku¾n Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall be known and called Baba, the Father. There is however the need for this person to make himself/herself relevant to his/her family, group, community and the whole society at large, at all times. Where maturity is expected to be applied, he/she needs not display anger. 3. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of prosperity for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Ifá says that this person shall be counted among the movers and the shakers of his/her groups, family or community. Ifá says that this person shall come across something or someone who shall turn him/her into a highly influential person in his/her community. No serious decision can or will be taken outside his/her knowledge. Ifá advises the person for whom this Odù is revealed to procure two dogs for ẹbọ. One of the dogs shall be returned to him/her to keep as a pet while the second one shall be retained by the Awo. He/she also needs to feed his/her Ifá with Iku;n (Squirrel). If these two steps can be taken, success is guaranteed. Leadership is assured. On these, Ogbe¾-'We¾ôyi¾n says: Ogbe¾-'Weô¾yi¾n b’a;ja; reô o; baa¾ pa Iku;n Dia fun O®Ùru;nmi;la¾¾ T’I:fa; yo;o; woô;n’ja; Ti; yo;o; soôoô; ni; Oore-Ki¾i;-gbe; EÙboô ni wo;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe 85 OGBE® I®WO®RI® Translation: Ogbe, look back, maybe your dog will kill a squirrel This was Ifá’s message to Orunmila Who would procure a dog And name it Oore-Ki¾i;-gbe (Benevolence is not in vain) He was advised to offer ẹbọ OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was farming and doing Ifá business simultaneously. He cultivated a large farm. He primarily planted yams. He was very sure of a bountiful harvest that year. In spite of this hope, he went to the home of the Awo mentioned above, who incidentally was one of his former students, for Ifá consultation. Will I succeed this year? The Awo assured OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that he would succeed beyond his expectations. He was told that he would come across something that would elevate him financially. He was assured that he would become very influential in his community. The Awo also advised OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to offer ẹbọ with two dogs. He complied. One of the dogs was returned to him. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was advised to name the dog “Oore-Ki¾i;-gbe”–meaning “Benevolence-is-not-in-vain”. He did. He was also advised to ensure that he fed his Ifá with squirrel on a regular basis. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ returned home with his dog and with the determination to ensure that his Ifá was fed with a squirrel at least once every 17 days. Anywhere he went, it was with Oore-Ki¾i;-gbe his dog. The dog soon became his favourite pet. The dog was also very good in hunting. As a matter of fact, Oore-Ki¾i;-gbe’s training was thorough and intense. The dog would kill rabbits, big rats, grass cutters, antelopes, brown rats, grey rats, squirrels, etc. All of these were very easy kills for the dog. One day, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ went to his farm together with Oore-Ki¾i;-gbe. As soon as they got to the farm, they saw a squirrel. Oore-Ki¾i;-gbe sited the squirrel first, even before OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. The dog needed no prompting before giving the squirrel a hot chase. The squirrel entered a hole in an anthill close by. Oore-Ki¾i;-gbe began to dig the hole with his hands and legs. Before long, the dog fell into a big hole, saw and killed the squirrel 86 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 but at the same time, it saw two big loads of expensive jewellery, coral beads, elephant tusks, enamels, etc in the big hole. Unknown to anyone, about 20 years back, a group of armed bandits had gone on robbery operations. They had robbed and killed the high and mighty in several towns and villages and dispossessed them of their goods. While they were carting these goods away, common sense told them to hide the goods somewhere for sometime in order to allow public outcry to subside. They dug a large hole at the particular site and buried all their loot there. The next day, there was heavy rainfall. All the signs they made in order for them to easily identify the spot where the loot was buried were obliterated. A week or so after, they came to the spot to retrieve their loot but they could not spot the place where all the jewellery, enamels and ivories were buried. They were able to retrieve the clothes, shoes and leather materials only. They promised to come back at a later date to comb the site more thoroughly. The following week, they went on another robbery operation. This time around, the public was ready for them. The robbery gang was wiped out mercilessly. Soon after this, ants made the site where the loot was buried their home. They moulded their hill on the very spot. About 10 years or so, they left the spot. The anthill became the home of rodents, rabbits, big rats, snakes, etc. That was how the squirrel ran into the anthill when Oore-Ki¾i;-gbe was in pursuit. Oore-Ki¾i;-gbe called the attention of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to the jewellery. As soon as he saw the jewels, he remembered what his Awo had told him. He packed all the jewellery, enamels, ivory, etc and took them to his home. He also used the squirrel to feed Ifá. That was how OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ became the richest man in his community in one day. He invited the leader of the community to his home. He showed them what he had found. They deliberated together on what to do with them. In the end, they shared them among the inhabitants. A part of the materials were sold and the proceeds were used to execute public projects. They however ensured that the biggest share went to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ who brought their attention to his change of status. Everyone 87 OGBE® I®WO®RI® gave OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ respect because they knew that not all people would agree to share their wealth with others. Ogbe¾-'Weô¾yi¾n b’a;ja; reô o; baa¾ pa Iku;n Dia fun O®Ùru;nmi;la¾¾ T’I:fa; yo;o; woô;n’ja; Ti; yo;o; soôoô; ni; Oore-Ki¾i;-gbe; EÙboô ni wo;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ® ba; ba;’ni b’a;yo¾ô EÙ wa;a; wo’re o Translation: Ogbe, look back, maybe your dog will kill a squirrel This was Ifá’s message for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Who would procure a dog And name it Oore-Ki¾i;-gbe; (Benevolence is not in vain) He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and behold all the Ire of life Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall have cause to celebrate. He/she shall be highly honoured and respected in his/her family, community and the society at large. 4. Ifá says that the person for whom Ogbe¾-We¾ôyi¾n is revealed shall make huge profits in his/her chosen career. If his/her profession has to do with farming or agriculture in general, he/she shall succeed very well. He/she shall not regret his/her chosen career. Ifá, at the same time, says that he/she shall also make huge profit in his/her marriage, especially with regards to the resultant children that he/she will produce and raise from the marriage. His/her children will bring him/her huge profits, joy, pride, peace of mind, contentment and 88 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 satisfaction. He/she shall be very proud of these children. In fact, these children shall be greater than him/her in the future. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with four pigeons, four guinea fowls and money. He/she also needs to feed Ifá with one mature she-goat. On these, Ifá says: Ako;’gi-l’a;pa;, t’e¾ôyi¾n lo; po¾ô ju t’iwa;ju; loô o Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Ti; Baba yo;o; f’oko la¾ Ti; yo;o; si¾ f’oko; la¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: In order to carry a bundle of firewood in one’s arm successfully, the part extending to the back needs to be longer than the part extending to the front This was Ifá’s message for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Who would succeed on the farm And would also succeed while raising a family He was advised to offer ẹbọ OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was contemplating going into full-scale farming. He planned to cultivate yams, maize, okra, sweet potato, melon and plantain. He secured very fertile land for his intended project. Before embarking on anything further, he went for Ifá consultation: Will I succeed? Is farming in line with my destiny? The Awo assured OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that he would be very successful in his chosen career. He was told that he would make a huge profit that would turn him into a very wealthy man. He was advised not to entertain any fear whatsoever. The Awo also told him that his real profit in life depended on him getting married and producing his own children. He was told that his children would give him more profit and joy than any financial success could ever do for him. The Awo informed him that raising his own family was his 89 OGBE® I®WO®RI® real gain in life. He urged OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to go ahead and get married and have his own children as soon as possible. After this, he advised OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to offer ẹbọ and feed Ifá as stated above. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ complied. As soon as he got home, he embarked on the two projects - cultivating his farm and finding a suitable spouse. He soon cleared the land and at the same time cleared the way for marriage. He made heaps for planting and at the same time, he got married. He planted yams on the farm and planted babies at home, when his yams germinated on the farm, his wife delivered a baby at home. His joy knew no bounds. He became very wealthy on the farm and became a proud father in the home. Many years after, his wealth on the farm helped him to train his children in the home. The children soon became richer than him. They became his greatest source of joy. Ako;’gi-l’a;pa;, t’e¾ôyi¾n lo; po¾ô ju t’iwa;ju; loô o Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Ti; Baba yo;o; f’oko la¾ Ti; yo;o; si¾ f’oko; la¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’eô;boô, o; ru;’boô N®je;ô mo r’e;re¾ l’o;ko; Mo r’e;re¾ l’o;ko E®re¾ ti; mo ri; l’o;ko ko¾ to; t’oko; Translation: In order to carry a bundle of firewood in one’s arms successfully, the part extending to the back needs to be longer than the part extending to the front This was Ifá’s message for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Who would succeed on the farm And would also succeed while raising a family He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Behold, I have profited while raising a family I have also profited on my farm The profit I have made on the farm is nothing compared to the one I have made with my genitals 90 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ifá says that this person shall have no regrets in his/her business and family undertakings. 5. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall be blessed with a bouncing baby boy. When this baby arrives, the name of the baby should be Ifá;wuyi¾. If a pregnant woman is where this Odù is revealed, the woman is to be assured that she will have a safe delivery. Not only this, the coming baby shall be a male and the name to be given to the baby is Ifá;wuyi¾. Ifá says that if this Odù is cast during the I®koôse¾ôda;ye of a male baby, the name of the baby is Ifá;wuyi¾. Ifá also says that this baby shall enjoy the special protection of Ifá. The baby shall not die young. He shall live to his old age. The baby shall also accomplish many things in his life. Ifá however advises this person to be very close to Ifá. He must never contemplate leaving the path of Ifá as there lays his protection and sanctuary. On all these, Ifá says: A® n; ki; oômoô eku OÙmoô eku n; wo iwa;ju; Woô;n ni; oômoô eku ki;n lo; de; Ti; o; fi n; wo iwa;ju; O: ni; iku; ala;i¾wo iwa;ju; Lo; pa ba¾ba; o¾un Ala;jere-ideô A® n; ki oômoô eôja OÙmoô eôja n; w’e¾ôyi¾n wo¾ Woô;n ni; oômoô eôja ki;n lo; de; Ti; o; fi n; wo eô¾yi¾n wo¾ O: ni; iku; ala;i¾ we¾ôyi¾n wo¾ Lo; pa ba¾ba; o¾un Ala;jere-ideô Mo wa; wo iwa;ju; E®mi wo e¾ôyi¾n E®mi o¾ ri; ohun to; sunwo¾ôn bi; Ifá; Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Ti;i yo;o; bi¾i; Ifá;wuyi¾ l’o;ômoô EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ko;o wa;a; sôe 91 OGBE® I®WO®RI® Translation: While greeting Eku (the Rat) The rat continued to look forward They asked him, “Rat, what has occurred that you are continuously looking forward?” The rat answered, “Failure to look forward was what led to the death of my father, Ala;jere-Ideô ” While greeting EÙja (the Fish) The fish continued to look backward They asked him, “Fish, what has occurred that you are continuously glancing backward?” The fish answered, “Failure to glance backward was what led to the death of my father Ala;jere-Ideô ” I looked forward And I even glanced backward I could not see anything as beneficial as Ifá These were Ifá’s messages for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Who would give birth to a baby called Ifá;wuyi¾ He was advised to offer ẹbọ OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was very successful in his calling as a Babaláwo. His clients had cause to rejoice any time they went to him for solutions to their numerous problems. In the end, they usually showed him their appreciation by showering him with gifts. For this reason, money was not OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s problem. He was also blessed with a nice and beautiful spouse. His wife was totally devoted to him. She also believed absolutely in him. In spite of this, there was a problem however. There was no fruit of the womb to show for the love and belief they had for each other. One day, his wife called him and told him that she found it difficult to believe how OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ could be looking after her for all these years that they had been married without helping her to solve her infertility problem. After all, there had been several people who had come for the same problem whom OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ had helped and these women were already proud mothers many times over! She said that a woman’s child 92 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 is her pride and wealth in her matrimonial home. What love does OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ profess to have for her when he has failed to help her solve her infertility problem? In the end, she accused OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ of being insensitive to her plight and by extension, just paying lip service to his love for her. In his response, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ assured her that he was also suffering from the same problem of childlessness. He told her that he too yearned to have his own child that he could love, cherish, send on errands and confide in. He said that he had tried to find a solution to this problem but Ifá told him that with a little more patience, they would soon become proud parents. With this assurance, she calmed down. Six months after, they were still having patience and hoping that the baby would soon come. The wife could wait no longer. She called OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ again and screamed at him that he could afford to wait until his old age because as a man, he could still father a baby when he was very, very old but in her own case, her time was limited. “You are callous!” she screamed. “You are a wicked man! You have not tried hard enough!” If it had been other people, you would have found a solution! What offence have I committed against you that has made you not to take my matter seriously? Why?!” In the end, she pleaded with OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to let her go if he felt that he was no longer in love with her. In his response, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ told his wife that he was still in love with her and that he would do anything for her to make her happy. He assured her that Ifá said that she was just at the verge of getting pregnant. Consequently, she had no cause to leave her matrimonial home or be angry. He explained to her that he had even gone to meet the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation on the issue. The Awo had assured him that whether he offered ẹbọ or not, his wife would become pregnant. What he needed to take more seriously was for the baby not to be snatched away from them by the cold hands of Ikú (Death). He informed his wife that he had been advised to offer ẹbọ with four rats, four fish, two hens and money in order for his wife to become pregnant. He was also advised to add a mature he-goat to the ẹbọ so that his baby would not die young. After this, Ifá had advised him to feed Ifá with a mature she-goat. It was on the morning of that very day that OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ offered all the ẹbọ. 93 OGBE® I®WO®RI® When OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ told her all of these, she was somewhat pacified. She felt that OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was really concerned about their welfare. That was when OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ told her that the coming baby would be a male and its name should be Ifá;wuyi¾-Ifá is prestigious. In the end, apologies were offered and accepted on both sides. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ apologised to his wife even though he was doing everything for her. The problem was that he was not keeping her in the picture of what he was doing to help. In the case of the wife, she apologised for the use of intemperate language against him. That very month, she became pregnant. Every OÙ®se¾ô Ifá;, they cast Ifá to ensure that nothing happened to the pregnancy. In the end, she gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. The baby was named Ifá;wuyi as Ifá had advised. From that day, they began to shower their love and affection on the baby. At the same time, they began to do everything and anything to protect the life of Ifá;wuyi, their jewel of inestimable value. A® n; ki; oômoô eku OÙmoô eku n; wo iwa;ju; Woô;n ni; oômoô eku ki;n lo; de; Ti; o; fi n; wo iwa;ju; O: ni; iku; ala;i¾wo iwa;ju; Lo; pa ba¾ba; o¾un Ala;jere-ideô A® n; ki oômoô eôja OÙmoô eôja n; w’e¾ôyi¾n wo¾ Woô;n ni; oômoô eôja ki;n lo; de; Ti; o; fi n; wo eô¾yi¾n wo¾ O: ni; iku; ala;i¾ we¾ôyi¾n wo¾ Lo; pa ba¾ba; o¾un Ala;jere-ideô Mo wa; wo iwa;ju; E®mi wo e¾ôyi¾n E®mi o¾ ri; ohun to; sunwo¾ôn bi; Ifá; Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Ti;i yo;o; bi¾i; Ifá;wuyi¾ l’o;ômoô EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ko;o wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô Ifá;wuyi¾ oômoô oô¾ mi o Ifá;wuyi¾ o¾ gboôdoô¾ ku; ni; ke;kere; Ifá;wuyi¾ oômoô oô¾ mi o 94 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: While greeting Eku (the Rat) The rat continued to look forward They asked him, “Rat, what has occurred that you are continuously looking forward?” The rat answered, “Failure to look forward was what led to the death of my father, Ala;jere-Ideô ” While greeting EÙja (the Fish) The fish continued to look backward They asked him, “Fish, what has occurred that you are continuously glancing backward?” The fish answered, “Failure to glance backward was what led to the death of my father Ala;jere-Ideô” I looked forward And I even glanced backward I could not see anything as beneficial as Ifá These were Ifá’s messages for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Who would give birth to a baby called Ifá;wuyi¾ He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Ifá;wuyi¾ is my beloved child May Ifá;wuyi¾ not die young Ifá;wuyi¾ is my beloved child Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed will be blessed with a baby boy and the baby will be protected from dying young or meeting with any calamity. 6. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed had hitherto used his/her mouth to create problems for himself/herself. Ifá says however that it is the same mouth that he/she will use to pull himself/herself out of the problems. Ifá says that this person has a keen sense of observation. His/her sense of observation will eventually exalt him/her. He/she shall become a leader and shall be found in the midst of royalty. 95 OGBE® I®WO®RI® Ifá also says that there is a pregnant woman where this Odù is revealed. The woman will give birth to a male baby. Ifá equally warns a man who is having a disagreement with his spouse where this Odù is revealed to act with levelheadedness. He must not behave like a bastard! Ifá says that a bastard is he who encounters something that angers him (because something bad has been done to him) but who shies away by not showing any anger; also, it is a bastard who is begged for forgiveness and refuses to accept the plea. Ifá advises the person for whom this Odù is revealed to offer ẹbọ with one mature she-goat and 30 bags of money. On these, Ifá says: OÙgboô;n inu; u woôn ni;i; ra;n woôn lo;gun OÙ®fun i¾mo¾ôra¾n ni;i; ro i¾mo¾ôra¾n l’e;;ro¾ Bi; woô;n ba; gboô;n l’a;gbo¾ôn-o;ônju¾ Oko aje ni;i; mu; woôn-oô;n loô Di;a; fu;n Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ Ti; n;ba; Olo;wo; o re¾ô loô sa;la¾de OÙ®yoô; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Their wisdom is it that sends them to the war front And their voice is it that haunts them If they claim to be too intelligent They will be forced to face trial by ordeal These were Ifá’s declarations to Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ (He-who-uses-his-mouth-to-offset-his-debts) When following his lord to OÙ®yo;ô land He was advised to offer ẹbọ Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ was a man with a very keen sense of observation. He could accurately read any situation and make a perfect deduction from his observations. He was also a very ambitious man. His intention was to make it big in life, no matter the odds. People would often tell him that if there is a will, there is surely a way. He was convinced that he had the will to succeed; therefore, there must be a way to do just that. 96 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 One day, the Baa;le; of a family close to him died. Instead of leaving behind any fruitful legacy for his family, he left huge amounts of debt, amounting to hundreds of bags of cowries. This became a very serious embarrassment to the whole family. In this wise, an emergency meeting was quickly summoned in order for the family to address this problem and find a quick solution to it. When all the various representatives of the extended family had assembled, the convener of the meeting, who incidentally was the next Baa;le; of the family, stood up to address those present at the meeting. He stated thus: “I greet you all in the name of our ancestors. May Olo;du¾mare¾ grant all of us the grace to live to our old age before we pass on to the great beyond. Our Baa;le; who has just joined our ancestors lived to his old age. He witnessed the birth and growth of his children, grand-children and even great grand-children. He was a father to all. He was also fair to everyone”. He paused to let the words sink into their heads before he resumed his speech. By this time, the gba¾gede that they all sat in was dead silent. When he resumed, his voice was a little higher than before. He declared; “There is nobody here who our dead father had not assisted one way or the other. We are no longer seeing him, but I can assure you that he is seeing each and every one of us here. If anyone here feels that he had not assisted him/her in any way, that person is free to speak out now”. After saying this, the Baa;le; designate sat down. One after the other, all those present started extolling the virtue of the dead Baa;le;. The general consensus was that the deceased was a likeable person when he was alive. He was a man who would go to any length to help other people; especially members of his extended family. As soon as this fact was settled, the Baa;le; designate stood up again to speak. He said; “it is clear that our late Baa;le; would receive merciful consideration from Olo;du¾mare¾ because he had made this family better than how he met it. May the ancestors continue to bless and pamper him in the realm of the Dead”. As he said this, all those present responded with a resounding “A®sôeô”. 97 OGBE® I®WO®RI® When the Baa;le; designate knew that he already had all those in attendance in his pocket, he decided to drop the bombshell of the real reason why the meeting was called. He then said, "In spite of these great qualities of our late father and Baa;le;, something however is amiss. There is a big patch of palm-oil that has stained his otherwise immaculately white garment. Our Baa;le; has left a huge debt, running into the hundreds if not thousands of bags of cowries for us to offset. If he had left a huge legacy for us, I am sure that we would all have gladly shared it. Now that he has left a debt for us, it is equally our duty to share it. That is what we can do to save this noble family from disgrace and embarrassment. It is the least we can do to remove the stain in our late Baa;le;’s immaculately white garment. Are there any objections to this? Do we have anyone with a different viewpoint? Let the person stand up and speak out now if they do." This time, he did not sit down. Instead, he began to look round the gba¾gede to see if anyone would stand up to speak against what he had just said. Nobody did. “I now realise that we are all in agreement that what I have said is the noble thing to do to save the face of a noble family and pull out a noble man from ignoble embarrassment. Is that not correct”? All those present shouted that it was certainly the correct thing to do under that circumstance. The Baa;le; designate continued, ”I do not intend to take too much of your time. All of you have one thing or the other to do. You are all busy and serious-minded people. I will soon ask you to go. Before that however, there is the need for us to share the debt among ourselves according to our capabilities. All this has been put into consideration.” He paused again to let his words and its implications sink into their heads before he continued. Then he pointed to the first man directly in front of him and said; “You, your own money is 40 bags of cowries. He then pointed to another person and said yours is 30 bags of cowries. The man next to you, yours is 25 bags of cowries. And you, it is 55 bags of cowries. As for me I will take 100 bags of cowries. You next to me, yours is 25 bags of cowries....”. That was how he began to share the debt for everyone present. There was no objection from any quarter. As the money to be paid back was being shared, that was precisely the time that Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾¾ passed behind the house. What he heard was “you, yours is 25 bags of cowries and you, yours is 35 bags of cowries...”. He quickly gathered that the Baa;le; had just died; a family 98 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 meeting had been summoned; money was being shared; definitely, it must be the legacy of the man that was being shared among his brethren. This was an ample opportunity for him to partake in the sharing of the legacy. Truly, if there is the will, there is a way. He must let the family know that he had 30 bags of cowries to collect from their late Baa;le;. With that amount he could start life anew as a rich man. He was truly in luck; he concluded. Before thinking any further, he shouted at the top of his voice, “mine is 30 bags of cowries! Please let me in”. When those present at the meeting heard this from Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾, they were all taken aback: who was this transparent, honest person who would declare that he had 30 bags of cowries to pay back to a dead man, when nobody even knew that he owed the dead man any money at all? The Baa;le; designate quickly summoned him inside. When he entered, he greeted all those present at the meeting. The Baa;le;, who had been standing all the while, addressed him and said; “Young man, I am pleasantly surprised that youth like you can still be found in this community. Youths of your type are very rare to come by nowadays. With your transparent honesty, I am convinced that there is still hope for this community and the future is very bright for this generation”. Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ responded that since he was born, he had never told any lie because his parents insisted that he must never lie, no matter how difficult the situation may be. The Baa;le; said,” You do not need to tell us that; you have really demonstrated that you were well trained and that you actually imbibed all the advice and instructions of your parents. If not so, how many people could ever come out and declare that they owed a dead man money when there was no witness? It is only an honest person like you who can do that. On behalf of the family, I thank you for your honesty and at the same time, I will like to inform you that we need this money in two days' time”. Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ could not believe his ears. What was this supposed to mean? Had he inadvertently put himself into trouble? Where would he come by 30 bags of cowries? He was looking for cheap money, had he cheaply organised himself into debt and embarrassment? His head was spinning and planning. He must get himself out of this problem one way or the other. He quickly thought of an appropriate response to pull him out of the trouble. When he felt that he had articulated the 99 OGBE® I®WO®RI® appropriate sentences to get him free of the trouble, he said,” Thank you everyone. As I had earlier told you, I have never lied in my life. There is no reason for me to lie. My parents gave me that training and it was well imbibed by all the children. Besides this, I am a living witness of the virtues of honesty and truthfulness everyday and every time. For these reasons, falsehood can never be a part of my life. “What really happened was that the late Baa;le; was actually owing me 30 bags of cowries. The late Baa;le; planned to assist some people but he had no money to execute his plan. He therefore approached me for assistance. I gave him the 30 bags of cowries in order to ensure that he was able to actualize his plans. That was how the late Baa;le;, may his soul rest in peace, came to owe me the money. Even if I were to tell lies, would I lie against someone who is dead?” He paused to let his statement sink in. After a while, he continued; “What I will really appreciate now is for this family to look for a way to avoid being embarrassed. It will not be appropriate for you to be dragged to the authorities simply because your late Baa;le; owed me money. Please arrange for my money now and let me leave you in peace so that you can continue with your deliberation. The whole gba¾gede was dead silent when he finished his speech. He was very sure that he had confused and outwitted the whole family. For a long while, nobody said or could say anything. In the end, the Baa;le; designate responded. Before speaking, he cleared his throat. He said; “Young man, you have really convinced all of us present here today that our late father actually borrowed money from you. It is a good thing that you said it was not more than 30 bags of cowries. Somehow though, I do not believe you. Our father gave us all the names of those he owed money to and your name was not mentioned. We shall pay your money first however. In fact, we shall pay your money today”. When Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ heard this he silently congratulated himself. He praised his intelligence. He promised himself a big bowl of pounded yam and a keg of palm-wine when he received the money. The Baa;le; designate resumed his speech, “Here are the 30 bags of cowries. Young man, here is the money you claim our father owed you. But before you take the money however, we are going to place the bags 100 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 of money on our father’s grave for you to pick up. Not only this, you are going to take a bath with the sponge with which the corpse of our father was given his last bath before he was buried. We will put a little sand in a calabash. This sand will be taken from our father’s grave and a little water will be added to it. You will drink the water. After this, you are free to take the money and depart in peace. I can assure you that if you have taken a false oath, you will not last seven days on earth before you join our father in the spirit world”. When Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ saw that the money had been brought out, he was full of contentment. He was even happier when the Baa;le; designate told him that the money was for him. However, his face changed from contentment to utter consternation when the Baa;le; designate threw the bombshell that he must swear to an oath before he went away with the money. He desperately needed the money; he however did not want to die young. How was he going to extricate himself from this problem now? He must not take the oath; that was certain. At the same time, he must not lose face in the presence of the whole family. What must he do now? In the end, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ decided to bluff his way out of the problem. He looked at the Baa;le; designate in the face and thundered, “So, it is now an offense for me to show kindness to your late father when he was in dire need of money? Where were you all when he came to me to borrow money? Because I had pitied your late father, you think that you will now question my integrity and spoil the name I have laboured to build since I was young? So, you think that you will not pay back my money unless and until I swear to an oath? I will never do that! You are all ingrates! Pay me my money and let me go now! Was it because I did not ask for interest? You now have the temerity to impugn upon my integrity! I will deal with all of you! There will not be peace in this family until you pay me my money! Thieves!” The Baa;le; designate looked at him for a long time and said, ”Young man, we shall pay your money today; but if you do not swear, you will not collect the money. What is more, you will not be allowed to leave. The Ϙba of this land will hear about this. I was totally convinced that you had spoken the truth the very first time when you said that you owed our father 30 bags of cowries. I do not know what entered into your head to lie afterward. Young man, you have two options now; you 101 OGBE® I®WO®RI® either take the 30 bags of cowries after swearing, or you pay the 30 bags of cowries you are owing our father!” Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ then realised that the more he tried to bluff himself out of trouble, the more he entangled himself deeper into the crisis. He decided to give it a last trial. He said,”In all my life, I have never met a family who was so insensitive. I lent your late father money without conditions and now that it is time for this family to pay me back my money, you begin to bring conditions! You even go to the extent of insisting that I should swear to an oath! In any case, it is not in my character to do that. I will rather prefer to forgo the money and leave everything to Olo;du¾mare¾ to judge. It will however be on record that this family owes me 30 bags of cowries! That is all I have to say. Good day!” As soon as he finished, he made to go out of the gba¾gede. He was however accosted. He was thoroughly roughened up. In the end, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ was dragged before the Ϙba. The Ϙba heard both arguments and ordered that Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ must swear to an oath if truly he was not the one owing the late Baa;le some money. He could not. He later confessed that he was lying. The Ϙba ordered the palace guards to give him 20 strokes of the cane for lying against a dead person, trying to cheat and planning to cause chaos and confusion in the community. He was also ordered to pay the family the 30 bags of cowries he owed their late father. All his pleadings that he made about not owing any money fell on deaf ears. He pleaded that he could not get the money. As a matter of fact; his newly married wife had just dressed him down because he could not provide any money for the family upkeep before he left home. After much deliberation, it was agreed that the 30 bags of cowries would be paid by the Ϙba. Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ was then ordered to be serving the Ϙba as one of his domestic servants until he could pay back the money. This was done. For six months, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ was still serving the Ϙba. He would resume duty very early in the morning and leave late at night. He had no time to work for himself and look for the money that he owed. He was in grief and melancholy. 102 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 One day, the Ϙba summoned him to his presence and told him that he, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾, would accompany the Ϙba to OÙ®yo town the next day. He was allowed to go home early in order to prepare himself for the journey. When he was going home, he began to ruminate over his plight: was this the way he would live for the rest of his life? Would any miracle happen to him that would enable him to regain his freedom? Would he not be able to fulfil his destiny as a result of perpetual servitude? These and many more related questions were what dragged Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation. In the home of the Awo, he was informed that it was his mouth that had landed him into trouble in the first place. The Awo however assured him that the same mouth would also pull him out of the trouble. The Awo said that Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ was a highly intelligent man with a keen sense of observation. He had however chosen to apply his intelligence in a fraudulent way. It was his wisdom that sent him to war where he found himself in servitude. When he felt that he was too intelligent, that was the time that he was asked to come and swear to an oath. Because he was truly intelligent, he quickly realized that swearing a false oath would cut short his life, he refused to do so. That he refused to do so was what made all those listening to him to disbelieve him. That was how he ended up incurring a huge debt. He was advised to offer ẹbọ as stated above. He complied. After the ẹbọ, he was counselled to use his intelligence in positive ways at all times. With this, he left the home of the Awo fully determined to succeed in life. The next day, he was the person who woke everyone up in the Ϙba’s palace. Soon after, they set out on their journey; the Ϙba rode on a horse while Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ trekked. Shortly after they passed through the town and moved into the road that led to OÙ®yo town, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ shouted; “Ka;bi;ye¾si, please halt!” confused, the Ϙba drew the rein of the horse. Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ said; “a horse has passed through this same path a short while ago. The horse has only the right eye that is working while the left eye is blind”. “How do you know this?”, the Ϙba inquired. 103 OGBE® I®WO®RI® “Let us move more quickly so as to meet the horse on the way. But Ka;bi;ye¾si, let’s make a deal, if we eventually meet the horse and we find it to have only one eye, then 10 bags of cowries must be deducted from my debt,” Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ declared. “Ok. I agree. But if we cannot not find any horse that has only the right eye without the left, then 10 bags of cowries will be added to your debt,” said the Ϙba. Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ also agreed and they moved quicker than before. Before long, they came across the O®gu¾n River and they crossed it. As soon as they did so, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ shouted again; “Ka;bi;ye¾si, please halt”. “What is it this time?”, the Ϙba asked. Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ declared; “a woman has just urinated here. The woman is pregnant and she is carrying a male baby in her womb”. “How do you know this”, the Ϙba inquired. Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ responded thus; “let us move even faster than before. If we meet the woman and she says that she is the one who urinated here, close to this Iya; tree, then 10 bags of cowries must be deducted from my debt. If the woman is pregnant, another 10 bags of cowries must be deducted. If the woman eventually gives birth to a baby boy, then I should be the one to ride your horse back home. The Ϙba considered all these things and said,”Ok. I agree. But if these assertions of yours are not found to be so, you shall be serving me perpetually until you die”. Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ also agreed. What continued to baffle the Ϙba was the fact that Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ was absolutely unperturbed. His level of confidence was unbelievable. He was totally sure of himself. The Ϙba could just not understand where such confidence came from. In the end, the Ϙba concluded that Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ was totally fed up with life and was just looking for somewhere to stay to spend the rest of his miserable life. 104 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 They moved faster and faster. Before long, they met a man with a horse. They were both resting under the shade of a mighty Baobab tree. Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ approached the man and asked;” Baba were you by any chance coming from O®ke¾-O®gu¾n region?” The man responded that he was. The horse he was riding was examined. It was found out that the horse had an eye on the right side of its head but the eye on the left was not there! Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ invited the Ϙba to come and take a look at what he had seen. When the Ϙba had satisfied himself that the horse indeed had only one eye, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ said; “Ka;bi;ye¾si, my debt remains only 20 bags of cowries”. The Ϙba agreed. When the Ϙba realised that what Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ said had been confirmed, he began to want to change his mind on the deal he had made. Who was this person? Did it mean that he had special means for knowing things which others did not? Was he specially blessed by the divinities? Or, was this an extension of his numerous tricks which had landed him into trouble in the first place? Who exactly was he? The Ϙba was still ruminating over this when they met a woman who was eating eô¾koô, cold corn meal, and a¾ka¾ra¾¾, bean cake, under the shade of a tree along the road. Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ approached the woman immediately and asked; “woman, were you by any chance coming from O®ke¾-O®gu¾n region?” “Yes, I was”, responded the woman. “Did you cross the O®ogu¾n River close to the Iya;; tree?” “Yes, I did. But why do you ask?” “Nothing in particular, I just wanted to know if you were the one who urinated by the foot of the tree. That is all.” “Yes, I was the one. You know, since I’m heavy with pregnancy, I urinate more frequently than ever before. This is my first pregnancy and people say that it is normal for me to urinate the way I am doing at this stage. Is there anything particularly wrong with my urinating?” 105 OGBE® I®WO®RI® “There is nothing wrong with your urinating. What you will never realize is that your urine has just set me free of all debts. However, how advanced is your pregnancy?” The woman was totally confused. How did her urine set this strange man free of all his debts? She however responded thus, “Any moment from today, I will give birth to my baby. I am going to O®Ùyoô; town to meet my husband’s relations so that they will take proper care of me”. “Which compound are you going to?” Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ asked. “The name of my husband’s family compound is the Pa¾ra¾ko¾yi; Compound. It is well known in the whole of O®Ùyoô; town”. With this, they bid the woman farewell and promised to come and check on her at O®Ùyoô;. On the way, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ told the Ϙba that he no longer owed him any money. The Ϙba agreed. He told the Ϙba that they needed to stay behind in O®Ùyoô; for the woman to deliver her baby, so as to determine who would ride the horse back home. The Ϙba also agreed, adding that if the woman gave birth to a female, then Asoô¾ro¾ôsan-gbe¾se¾ would resume serving him perpetually. Three days after their encounter with the woman, she went into labour. She gave birth to a baby boy! When they went to see the woman in her husband’s family compound, they were greeted with the news. As soon as they heard this, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ told the Ϙba that, “we can now return to O®ke¾-O®gu¾n. But remember Ka;bi;ye¾si, I am the person who will ride your horse back home. We have just confirmed what I have already known”. The Ϙba dismounted and Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ mounted the horse and rode on it to O®ke¾-O®gu¾n while the Ϙba trekked all the way. By the time they returned to their land, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ had no more debt to pay. He had used his mouth to offset all his debt. He was however in constant touch with the Ϙba. Many times when the Ϙba wished to go anywhere, he would invite Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ to accompany him and he would oblige the Ϙba. One day, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ was invited by the Ϙba to come and accompany him to a ceremony the next morning. He was urged to arrive very early in the morning. He agreed to come. 106 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The next day, he woke up very early and headed for the Ϙba’s palace. When he got there, he met the Ϙba and one of his wives engaged in a serious physical confrontation. Everybody around tried to pacify the Ϙba but he just refused to listen. Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ also tried, but the Ϙba refused to be pacified. In the evening Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ returned to his own house while the fight was still raging. The following day Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ returned to the palace to see the Ϙba. He asked him why he was so angry. The Ϙba responded that the woman had really infuriated him. As the Ϙba was narrating his experience with the woman he became livid with anger, and once again, another round of fighting ensued. They begged the Ϙba to calm down, all to no avail. When the situation was getting out of hand, Asoô¾ro¾ô-sangbe¾se¾ sneaked out of the palace and rushed back to his house. About one week after, the Ϙba invited Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ to follow him to the farm in order to go and inspect the progress his slaves and servants had made on the farm with the work that they were doing for him there. They went together that same day. When they got to the farm, the Ϙba was so angry with the slow pace of work that he jumped down off his horse and began to beat up the workers. They pleaded, shouted, begged and appealed- all to no avail. “You good-for-nothing slaves and servants! May SÙa¾ngo; send his thunder and strike you all down! So, this is all the work you have done on this farm! You have been eating my food for nothing! My God, what have I spent my money to purchase in the market? I have gotten for myself a bunch of fools whose bones have suddenly turned to cartilage! May SÙa¾npo¾ônna; strike all of you dead!” He continued to beat them with canes, clubs, whips and anything he could lay his hands upon. All their pleading did not have any effect on him. At a stage the Ϙba began to scream at the top of his voice, slapping, kicking and biting the slaves and servants. All the while, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ stood aside watching the macabre scene with complete detachment. He did not stop the Ϙba anymore. When the Ϙba became truly tired and exhausted, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ simply told him to let them go back to the palace. He sheepishly obliged him. On their way to the palace however, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ threw him a lifechanging bomb-shell. He said; “Ka;bi;ye¾si; with all due respect, you do not 107 OGBE® I®WO®RI® have one drop of royal blood in your veins. The late Ϙba who joined his ancestors before you, who stepped on the thrown, was not your real biological father. The person who actually impregnated your mother that led to your birth was at best, a half-crazy and never-do-well fool. Everything about you shows that you hail from a social refuse site and not from a home of royalty!" “How dare you talk to me like that"? said the Ϙba! "This is the reason why it is not advisable to allow commoners like you to move too close to me! Because I have condescended so low as to call you to accompany me to places, it has now given you the license to abuse me! I will not take this lightly with you. I will put you in your proper place! I assure you of that. You must prove that the circumstances of my birth are anything short of what they are supposed to be. If you cannot prove this, I will make sure that you die in my palace as my horse-keeper! Everyone in the land knows that I am the first son of the late Ϙba. That was why I was made their Ϙba when my father joined his ancestors”. The Ϙba thundered. He continued on and on, for several moments. “Ka;bi;ye¾si;, it is true that everybody in the land believes that you are the first son of the late Ϙba but your mother knows whose son you really are. Fortunately for you and for me, your mother is still alive. You have given me your own condition and it is alright with me. But if it is found out that you are indeed the son of a good-for-nothing man, then you must abdicate the throne and make me the Ϙba. Do not forget this land cannot afford to have the son of a half-insane person as their Ϙba”. That was the response of Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ to the Ϙba. Until they got home, both of them did not utter one word to each other. As soon as they got home, the Ϙba went straight to his mother and said; “mother, I beg you in the name of I®ku;nle¾ô-Abiyamoô. What I want to ask you now, please tell me nothing but the truth...”. He wanted to continue but Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ stopped him, “No Ka;bi;ye¾si;! This is not the way to handle this. What will drive you out of the palace is not something that you will handle with your mother alone. You need to summon the whole land to the market square by breakfast time tomorrow, and then ask your mother your question in the presence of the whole town. If I am wrong, then the whole land will know about it. If I am right on the other hand, the whole land will know why you are leaving the throne for me to become the Ϙba”. 108 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 By breakfast time the following day, the whole of the village square was filled up with people. Those who were unable to walk employed the services of able-bodied men to carry them there. The atmosphere was charged. The tension in the air was almost touchable. As soon as the Ϙba came out, together with his mother on one hand, and Asoô¾ro¾ô-sangbe¾se¾ on the other, the village square went dead silent. Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ cleared his throat and, in a dramatic manner declared thus; “Today will determine many things in this village. First, today will determine whether or not our Ϙba will continue to be our Ϙba. Second, if he cannot continue to be the Ϙba, then I, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ will assume the throne. As he was speaking, everyone kept wondering what he was really heading for, and what could lead to such a statement? After what looked like a very long pause, he continued, “What will bring about all the changes in the life of this village is simply the circumstances surrounding the birth of the person we all know and believe as our Ϙba. I have told him, and by extension, I am telling the whole village that he is not of a royal birth. I told him that he had no royal blood flowing in his veins. I declared to him that the person who fathered him was at best a half-sane person. The Ϙba disputed my claim. We have said that if my assertions are incorrect, then I will return to his palace and serve him for the rest of my life. This is alright with me. On the other hand, if my assertions are found to be correct, then he will have to leave the throne and I will become the Ϙba. He has also agreed to this”. He paused again for good effect. The Elders present could not believe what they had just heard. Was this true? They all believed that the Ϙba was the first son of the immediate past Ϙba. Were they all wrong to have chosen this Ϙba to assume the throne? No! They were right! The person who was wrong and who ought to be wrong must be Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ ! If he was found guilty of false accusation, he must be severely punished, apart from making him serve the Ϙba for the rest of his life. That would teach other jokers like him a lesson. But what if he was right and his allegations were found to be true? No, he could not be right! He must not be right! In fact he is not right! He has no right to be right! 109 OGBE® I®WO®RI® As they were deliberating on this issue, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ resumed his speech; “The Ϙba and I have agreed that this is not enough. The whole town also needs to agree with what we have said. Is anyone present here in any disagreement?” Yes, this was the opportunity the village needed to severely deal with this joker. He would never in his life level any false allegation against anyone again. Without thinking any further, the town shouted in unison that they were all in agreement! That was when Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ turned to the Ϙba’s mother and declared, “Mother, you are the only one here who can shed light on what we are saying now. What we need from you is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Yesterday, your son, the Ϙba begged you to tell him the truth. He invoked the spirit of I®ku;nle¾ôAbiyamoô to plead with you. I am using the same I®ku;nle¾ô-Abiyamoô to beg you to tell us the truth here and now, so that the wrath of I®ku;nle¾ôAbiyamoô will not be on your head for the rest of your life. Please, tell the whole town the circumstances of the birth of your son, our Ϙba”. The Ϙba’s mother looked at her son and asked, “Why have you brought it to this level? Why did you not ask me before making it an open debate?” The Ϙba simply said, “Mother, this matter started yesterday when we were returning from my farm. What I am really interested in now is the truth. I am more interested in knowing the truth than in retaining my crown. Please mother, in the name of I®ku;nle¾ô-Abiyamoô tell the world the truth of the matter”. The old woman looked round the whole crowd and burst into uncontrollable tears. Meanwhile, the people remained silent and were full of expectation. After a while, she said, “I knew no man before I was married to your father, the Ϙba. We were living happily together for eight months. Throughout this period, I was not blessed with the fruit of the womb. Your father and I began arguing incessantly over this issue. One day, he got angry with me and I got angry too. I packed my things and left the palace. My thinking then was that the misunderstanding would be resolved within a few days. I was convinced that the Ϙba would come and beg me to come back home but he never did. For six months, the matter remained unresolved”. She burst into tears again. The whole of the village square was charged, electrically charged. Everyone held his/her breath. What would come out next? 110 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 With a huge sob, she continued, “while in my parent’s home, people would barely look at me. Being married to the Ϙba did not reduce my appetite to satisfy my emotional needs. It was unfortunate that nobody in his right sense would ever move close to an Ϙba’s wife. I was given food because your father regularly sent abundant food to my family and I was also sent clothing materials of all kinds but I was feeling very lonely and lacked physical and emotional affection. This, nobody could, or was ready to satisfy since the misunderstanding was yet to be settled”. She looked up to assess the mood of the crowd. She felt that the women pitied her condition while the men showed understanding. When she looked at her son, she realised that his face was contorted into a grimace of pain, grief and frustration. She also saw that her son had resigned himself to his fate. She could also see satisfaction in the face of Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾. She continued; “One day, I saw a drunkard in our area. He looked young and handsome. When I enquired about him, I was informed that he was always drunk. One day, he got drunk and fell down close to our backyard. I drew him close to me and took him home. Ostensibly I took care of him. I cleaned him up and gave him a mat to sleep on. Eventually, one thing led to another and I decided to satisfy my sexual needs with him. This happened four times over a period of two weeks. When it was time for my menstruation to come, I realised that I had missed my period. That same week, the misunderstanding between the Ϙba and I was finally settled. Who was I to tell him that a drunkard had impregnated me?! So, I decided to keep this secret and take it to my grave. That was how you were born and that is why everyone believes that you are the true son of the Ϙba. “In order to keep my great secret, I ensured that this drunkard was banished from our community. He was sent far away. I later learned that he fell into a ditch four months after. He died even before you were born, when I was still carrying your pregnancy in my womb.” There were mixed feelings among the crowd. Some felt disappointed; some were outraged; some angry; while some could just not be bothered. For the Ϙba, he felt pain and anguish. 111 OGBE® I®WO®RI® In the case of Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾, he felt contentment. Soon after, the crowd went dead silent again. The Ϙba stood up from his stool. He surveyed the whole crowd and saw pity on their faces. He cleared his throat to speak but no words came out of his mouth. Instead of speaking, hot tears were just rolling down off his cheeks. In the end, he said, “Well, I have accepted my fate. Sometimes in our lives, our own mothers are our nemesis. The actions and inactions of our mothers affect our destiny and change the course of our lives. My mother has dug the grave which I have fallen into today. This grave was dug ever before I was born”. He paused. After a while, he continued; “What my mother did before I was born has come to visit me today. I have no regrets. If the truth had been said earlier, I would have had no right to the throne in the first place. I am going to vacate the throne today because it does not belong to me in the first place. Before I leave however, I have three questions to ask Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾. If he answers my questions to my satisfaction, I will go. I do not want to know whether or not you install Asoô¾ro¾ô-sangbe¾se¾ as your next Ϙba. What really concerns me is that I am not entitled to the throne in the first place. One, when we went to OÙ®yo; town, on our way, you said that a horse had earlier passed through the same path and that the horse had only one eye. And it was so. How did you know this? Two, when we crossed the Oo®gu¾n River, you said that a woman had just urinated by the foot of an Iya; tree, that the woman was pregnant, and that she would deliver a male baby. It was found to be so. How did you know this? Three, when we were returning from my farm yesterday, you declared that my actual father was at best a half-insane man. It was so. How did you know this?” Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ instantly became the focus of all eyes. Everyone was interested in knowing how he was able to accurately predict all these events. Was he using special means? Curiosity engulfed the whole village square. It was indeed Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾’s day. He stepped into the middle of the village square. He took his time before he began to speak. “First of all, I have no special means to know anything. The difference between you and I is that while you see things, I go beyond that by observing what others see. It is lack of observation 112 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 that usually prevents people from making accurate deductions from what they have seen. “When we went to OÙ®yo;ô town, on our way, I observed the print of horse hooves on the ground. That made me realise that one horse had earlier passed through that path. I also noticed the biting of the horse’s mouth on the grasses on the right side but there was no such thing on the left. That made me realize that the horse was eating grass that it saw. That gave me the conclusion that the horse could only see the grass on its right and it had no eye to see what was on its left side. That was why I declared that the horse had the right eye and did not have the left eye. It was only through observation that I knew this and nothing more”. He looked round the crowd to see whether they were following his analysis or not. They were. “The second question: it is very simple as well. When a man urinates, the urine will first go forward away from the person urinating and will gradually move towards the person as his bladder is becoming empty. In the case of a woman, the whole bladder is emptied on the same spot. When I moved close to the Iyá tree, I observed that someone had urinated there. The mark of the urine was in the same spot. This made me realise that the person who urinated there was a woman. Also, when a woman is pregnant, the womb will put heavier pressure on her bladder and the force of the urine will be more than that of a woman who is not pregnant, especially if the pregnancy has reached an advanced stage. That was why the hole that the force of the urine will make on the soil will be deeper than that of a woman who is not pregnant. I observed this and I knew that the woman who urinated there was pregnant. Furthermore, there is something called La¾n¾ko¾ri¾ which our elders usually observe in the urine mark of a pregnant woman in order to determine the sex of the foetus. If it was a female foetus the La¾n¾ko¾ri¾ would make a deep round hole in middle of the soil where the woman had just urinated. If it was a male foetus, the mark would make a linear hole. I observed that it was a linear hole that the urine of the woman made in the middle of the soil where she urinated. That was how I knew that the woman would give birth to a male baby.” 113 OGBE® I®WO®RI® At this point, the crowd became flabbergasted at such an informative utterance coming out of Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾’s mouth. They exchanged glances and could not believe this man to be so knowledgeable and observant to that level. The crowd then started moving even closer to him. As a result, it was so difficult to control the excitement of the crowd. “Now back to the third question,” continued Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾. “Royalty is synonymous with decorum, maturity, understanding, protocol and orderliness. That is the blood that runs through the veins of those with royal birth. When I came into the palace to see the Ϙba, I saw him engaging in physical combat with his wife. Those who were there begged him to stop but he refused to listen. This shows lack of any form of maturity, decorum or orderliness. Yesterday when we went to his farm, he jumped down from his horse and began to beat up his slaves and servants. These were the same set of people who had done the work to the stage that he found it. They begged him and he refused to listen. He did not show any understanding, protocol, maturity or orderliness. If it is true that these are characteristics of royalty, then he has no such blood in his veins. It is only a bastard who will see something that’s annoying and not be annoyed by it; in the same vein, only a bastard is he who will be begged and will not listen to appeals. There are more mature ways that those who have royal blood in their veins handle anger and dissatisfaction. His own father, the former Ϙba handled issues with maturity and understanding. That was how I concluded that the person he claimed to be his father was not his real father. His erratic behaviour made me assert that his real father was, at best, a half-insane person. I rest my submission.” For what looked like an eternity, nobody spoke or moved. They all stood rigid in one spot. Suddenly, they rushed toward Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾. They carried him shoulder-high and began to sing, thus: Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾, i¾woô lo l’a¾a¾re o o¾ Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾, i¾woô lo l’a¾a¾re OÙba na;a¾ i¾ ba; ru; o A: pe;ô l’o;ye¾ e re¾ô o Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ i¾woô lo l’a¾a¾re 114 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾, you have been vindicated Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾, you are really correct Had the Ϙba heeded the warnings He would have stayed longer on the throne Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾, you have been vindicated They all danced round and round the village square until evening time when everyone finally returned home. OÙgbo;ôn inu; u woôn ni;i; ra;n woôn l’o;gun OÙ®fun i¾mo¾ôra¾n ni;i; ro i¾moô¾ra¾n l’e;ro¾ Bi; wo;ôn ba; gbo;n ô la;gbo¾ôn-oô¾nju¾ Oko aje ni;i; mu; woôn-oô;n loô Di;a; fu;n Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ Ti; n;ba; Olo;wo; o re¾ô loô sa;la¾de OÙ®yo;ô EÙboô ni woôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô N®je;ô Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾, i¾woô lo l’a¾a¾re o o¾ Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾, i¾woô lo l’a¾a¾re OÙba na;a¾ i¾ ba; ru; o A pe;ô l’o;ye¾ e re¾ô Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ i¾woô lo l’a¾a¾re Translation: Their wisdom is it that sends them to the war front And their voice is it that haunts them If they claim to be too intelligent They will be forced to face trial by ordeal These were Ifá’s declarations to Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾ When following his lord to O®Ùyo;ô land He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Now, Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾, you have been vindicated Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾, you are really correct Had the Ϙba heeded the warnings 115 OGBE® I®WO®RI® He would have stayed longer on the throne Asoô¾ro¾ô-san-gbe¾se¾, you have been vindicated Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall be elevated from grass to grace. He/she shall move from disgrace to respect and honour. That is the message of Ifá for this person. 7. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed has the full backing of the Divinities. Ifá says that he/she shall also be protected against problems and untimely death. This person shall not be rejected by Ifá. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with one mature ram and 20 blades. He/she also needs to feed Ifá. There is the need to find out from Ifá the exact materials needed to feed Ifá. When the ẹbọ is to be offered, this person needs to shave all the hair on his/her body and use it as part of the ẹbọ. A stanza in Ogbe¾-W'eô¾yi¾n on this aspect says: OÙ®pe¾ i¾ha;ha;, abi¾jin re¾ôreô¾e¾rô eô¾ Di;a; fu;n A®ja¾sa; Ti;i; sô’oômoô Odu¾duwa¾ Woôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôeôboô si; la;i¾ku; ara reô Translation: The forest palm tree with its broad shade This was the Awo who cast Ifá for A®ja¾sa The child of Odu¾duwa¾ He was advised to offer ẹbọ against untimely death A®ja¾sa was one of the children of Odu¾duwa¾. He was also a favourite of the Divinities. He was well-behaved, level-headed and truthful. He was always found in projects that would bring development to the community. He assisted many people without expecting any reward from them. 116 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 One day, A®ja¾sa fell ill. The illness became serious. He was doubtful of whether he would survive or not. He began to wonder whether Ifá had rejected him. After all, he reasoned, a true child of Ifá is not expected to die in his/her prime. What then has gone wrong in my own case? These were the questions at the back of his mind when he approached O®Ùpe¾ô i¾ha;ha; abi¾jin reô¾re¾ôeôr¾ e¾, a veteran Babaláwo of that time for Ifá consultation: Will I survive? If yes, what do I need to do to survive? If not, what have I done wrong? The Awo assured A®ja¾sa that he would not only survive, he would also live to his old age. He was assured that Ifá was solidly behind him. He was counselled that a child of the Divinities might face problems, but he/she surely will overcome them. "There is nowhere that Ifá says that you will not have problems; what is sure however is that you will overcome your problems." This is what the Awo told him. He was then told that he still had a lot of good work to do for the Divinities. He was advised to offer ẹbọ as stated above. He complied. One of the blades was used to shave all the hair on his body. After the ẹbọ, Ifá was fed with a mature ram as advised. When he returned home, he began to notice an improvement in his health, life and family. He regained his strength and his family became stronger than ever before. He was able to help more people than he had done before. He gained self-fulfilment more than ever before. He then realised that Ifá had never at any time, abandoned or rejected him. OÙ®pe¾ i¾ha;ha;, abi¾jin re¾ôreô¾e¾rô eô¾ Di;a; fu;n A®ja¾sa; Ti;i; sô’oômoô Odu¾duwa¾ Woôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôeôboô si; la;i¾ku; ara reô O: gb’eô;boô, O: ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, Ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni la;i¾ku; kangiri N®je;ô abeô o¾ koô’ri;; o A®gbo¾ o¾ koô¾’ja¾ Ifa; o¾ koô¾ mi; ‘Moôdeô I®reôsa¾ 117 OGBE® I®WO®RI® Translation: The forest palm tree with its broad shade This was the Awo who cast Ifá for A®ja¾sa; The child of Odu¾duwa¾ He was advised to offer ẹbọ against untimely death He complied Before long, not too far Join us where we enjoy longevity Behold, the blade cannot reject shaving hair And the ram cannot reject a fight Ifá does not reject me, M’oôdeô I®reôsa¾ offspring of the hunter of I®reôsa¾ land Ifá says that this person will never be rejected by Ifá for any reason. He/she has done well; therefore, he/she has the backing of Ifá at all times. 8. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed is suffering from back problems. Ifá says that these problems will soon disappear. With appropriate ẹbọ, they shall soon become things of the past. On the other hand, Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall be the instrument to the finding of solutions to the ailments of the back being suffered by an important person. Ifá says that with the solution, this person shall be handsomely rewarded for a job well done. If the person for whom this Odù is revealed is the victim of back ailments, there is the need for him/her to offer ẹbọ with one mature he-goat. If on the other hand, the person for whom this Odù is revealed is the one trying to proffer a solution to the back ailments of another person, then he/she needs to offer ẹbọ with two pigeons, two guinea fowls and money. He/she also needs to feed Ifá with one hen and plenty of palm-oil. On these, Ogbe¾-We¾ôyi¾n says: A n; ki; oômoô eku OÙmoô eku n; wo iwa;ju; Woô;n ni; oômoô eku ki;nlo; de; 118 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ti; o fi n; wo iwa;ju; O: ni; Iku; ala;i¾wo iwa;ju; Lo; pa Ba¾ba; o¾un Ala;jere-Ideô A n; ki; oômoô eôja OÙmoôô eôja n; weôy ¾ i¾n Woô;n ni; oômoô eôja Ki;nlo; de; Ti; o fi n; weô¾yi¾n O: ni; Iku; ala;i¾ weôy ¾ i¾n Lo; pa Ba¾ba; o¾un Ala;jere-Ideô Mo wa; wo iwa;ju; E®mi wo eô¾yi¾n E®mi o¾ ri; ohun to; sunwo¾ôn bi; Ifa; Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Baba n;loô re¾e; wo a¾ru¾n e¾ôyi¾n sa¾n Ni;le; Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade; EÙboô ni woôn ni ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: While greeting Eku (the Rat) The rat continued to look forward They asked him, “Rat, what has occurred that you are continuously looking forward?” The rat answered, “Failure to look forward was what led to the death of my father, Ala;jere-Ideô ” While greeting EÙja (the Fish) The fish continued to look backward They asked him, “Fish, what has occurred that you are continuously glancing backward?” The fish answered, “Failure to glance backward was what led to the death of my father Ala;jere-Ideô” I looked forward And I even glanced backward I could not see anything as beneficial as Ifá These were Ifá’s messages for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la When going to solve the problem of the back ache In the home of Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade; He was advised to offer eôboô 119 OGBE® I®WO®RI® Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade; was the wealthiest person Olo;du¾mare¾ had ever created. She had influence, command and respect all over the world. She was also known everywhere. Whatever she said was law for both men and women. She also controlled more than three-quarters of all the world’s resources. In spite of her enormous wealth and power, she was humble, graceful and respectful. These qualities made her to be loved by all. Anytime she showed anger, it was believed that she had been greatly provoked. However, she was known to be ever-returning to mercy. One day, Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade; woke up with a slight leg pain. She thought nothing of it. A few days later, the pain moved to her lower back. Yet, she considered it a minor inconvenience. The pain persisted. It however reached a stage where it became unbearable. She could neither stand nor sit. She was forced to support her back with many pillows, yet the pain refused to subside. Several herbs and roots were recommended, all to no avail. When the pain became unbearable, she asked her domestic staff to look for a competent Ifá priests who would help solve her problems. They invited Kogu;n-Kogu;n, Awo ile; Ala;ra;,, He-who-recites-20-stanzas-in-eachOdù, the resident Awo of Alárá’s palace. He tried all he knew but the backache persisted. Next they invited Koôgboô¾n-koôgboô¾n, Awo O®ke¾ I®reôji¾, He-who-recites-30-stanzas-in-each-Odù, the Awo of O®ke¾-I®reôji. He tried all he knew and failed. The back-ache even became worse. Next, they invited Ka¾a;doô;ta-ka¾a;doôô;ta, Awo Epa To¾o;¾ro¾mo¾fe;, He-who-recites-50stanzas-in-each-Odù, the Awo of E®pa-To¾o¾ro¾mo¾fe; land, He was full of promises and assurances but tried and failed. They went to invite many more prominent Awo and these Awo also tried all they could but they all failed. That was when they decided to invite OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ himself to come and solve the problem of Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade;. As soon as OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ received Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade;’s message, he approached the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: Will I succeed on this mission? If yes, what do I need to do to ensure success? On the other hand, if the chance of success is slim, what do I need to do to turn the impediments in the way of success to opportunity? 120 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The group of Awo, who were his former students, assured him that he would surely succeed. He was told that he would not only succeed in finding a solution to the problem of Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade;, he would equally be handsomely rewarded for doing so. He was advised to offer ẹbọ with two pigeons, two guinea fowls and money. He was also advised to feed Ifá with plenty of palm oil. He complied. Soon after this, he set out on his journey to Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade;’s home. When OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ got to Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade;;s palace, she summoned him to come straight into her innermost room where she laid down, resting her back on some soft pillows. She asked OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to consult Ifá for her. He did. During Ifá; consultation, Ogbe¾-We¾ôyi¾n was revealed. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ assured Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade;, that her back ailment would soon be a thing of the past. He told her that all the other Awo who had visited Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade; before him had prescribed the right herbal remedies for her, but they were not enough. They should have offered appropriate ẹbọ first before administering those remedies. The ẹbọ would have assisted to attack the ailment spiritually so as to accelerate the process of healing. He therefore advised Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade; to offer ẹbọ with a mature he-goat and money. She was also advised to feed Ifá with a big she-goat. She complied. After these processes had been completed, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ began to apply herbal medications on her. Within three days, Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade; could sit un-aided. In a week, she could stand up on her own. Soon after this, Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade; could move about in her palace. Three weeks after the medication began she had all but forgotten about the backache. Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade; could not believe the rate of recovery. She pleaded with OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to stay two weeks extra with her. He did. By the time OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was to leave, Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade; had recovered her health completely. As a token of her appreciation, Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade; gave OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ several coral beads, plenty of money, different types of clothing material, and several able-bodied servants to help him carry all the goods back home. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ became fabulously rich. Anyone who asked him how he came about his wealth, he would inform them that his success came from his ability to find a solution to backache problems. 121 OGBE® I®WO®RI® A n; ki; oômoô eku OÙmoô eku n; wo iwa;ju; Woô;n ni; oômoô eku ki;nlo; de; Ti; o fi n; wo iwa;ju; O: ni; Iku; ala;i¾wo iwa;ju; Lo; pa Ba¾ba; o¾un Ala;jere-Ideô A n; ki; oômoô eôja OÙmoôô eôja n; weôy ¾ i¾n Woô;n ni; oômoô eôja Ki;nlo; de; Ti; o fi n; weô¾yi¾n O: ni; Iku; ala;i¾ weôy ¾ i¾n Lo; pa Ba¾ba; o¾un Ala;jere ideô Mo wa; wo iwa;ju; E®mi wo eô¾yi¾n E®mi o¾ ri; ohun to; sunwo¾ôn bi; Ifa; Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Baba n;loô re¾e; wo a¾ru¾n eô¾yi¾n Seô¾ni;ade; Ni;le; Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'e;ôboô, O: ru;'boô Ko¾ pe;ô, Ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni ni; jeôb ¾ u;tu; ire gbogbo Jeô¾bu;tu; ire gbogbo la¾a; ba; ni leô;se¾ô oô¾pe¾ô N®je;ô a¾ru¾n eôy ¾ i¾n l’E®Ùdu; wo¾ sa¾n o A®ru¾n eô¾yi¾n l’EÙ®du; wo¾ sa¾n Mo si;n’de¾ s’o;ôwoô; Mo la’de¾ b’oôru¾n A®run e¾ôyi¾n l’EÙ®du; wo¾ sa¾n o Translation: While greeting Eku (the Rat) The rat continued to look forward They asked him, “Rat, what has occurred that you are continuously looking forward?” The rat answered, “Failure to look forward was what led to the death of my father, Ala;jere-Ideô ” While greeting EÙja (the Fish) The fish continued to look backward They asked him, “Fish, what has occurred that 122 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 you are continuously glancing backward?” The fish answered, “Failure to glance backward was what led to the death of my father Ala;jere-Ideô” I looked forward And I even glanced backward I could not see anything as beneficial as Ifá These were Ifá’s messages for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la When going to solve the problem of the back ache In the home of Olo;kun Seô¾ni;ade; He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and behold all the Ire of life Now, It was the back ache ailment that EÙ®du; had resolved It was the back ache ailment that EÙ®du; had resolved I have adorned my wrist with ide¾, Ifa; beads I have also adorned my neck with ide¾ It was the back ache ailment that EÙ®du; had resolved Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall be very happy in life. He/she shall be honoured and respected. On the other hand, the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall have course to be grateful. He/she shall have his/her health restored to normal and shall enjoy sound health as soon as the ẹbọ in this stanza is complied with. 9. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of prosperity for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Ifá promises that this person shall be very successful in life. Ifá advises him/her to offer ẹbọ with one mature ram and a lot of money. He/she is also advised to feed I®ya;-Aje;, the icon of the Divinity of Wealth with snails, honey and e¾kuru (bean fritters) that are cooked without salt, palm-oil or pepper. He/she is also expected to sprinkle the e¾kuru round his/her compound, house and/or room as the case may be, depending on how spacious his/her apartment, house or compound is. 123 OGBE® I®WO®RI® Ifá also advises this person to show hospitality to visitors, especially total strangers. His/her success will come from visitors and those who he/she may normally overlook and/or discountenance. To those for whom this Odù is revealed, showing courtesy to visitors and strangers is the most important ẹbọ than all the ẹbọ materials in the world. This is why he/she needs to be very careful when dealing with visitors, strangers and people who look like they belong to the lower socioeconomic ladder. A stanza in Ogbe¾-'Weô¾yi¾n laying emphasis on this aspect says: EÙÙ®eô¾kan e¾ôba; oôn ¾ a¾ ni;i; hu¾ le;ôba¾a; oô¾na¾ Ni;i; sô’eônu ganngan s'i;ta Di;a; fu;n Aje; Ti; n; sunku;n o¾un o¾ ni;’bu¾do; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: The blade grass by the roadside is it that grows by the roadside And shoots outside the road This was the Ifá cast for Aje; When weeping in lamentation for her inability to secure a suitable home of her choice She was advised to offer ẹbọ In spite of the enormous wealth controlled by Aje;, she was avoided by all prospective suitors. In fact, as a result of her wealth, many suitors believed that it was not advisable to marry her because they felt that her stupendous wealth had definitely gotten to her head and she was not a woman that could easily be handled. For this reason, no man in his right sense wanted to have anything to do with Aje;. They believed that she would only bring them grief because there was no point in marrying a woman they could not easily handle. 124 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Aje; was looking for was a man who would respect her, treat her well, and understand her. She vowed that if she could find such a man in her life, she would turn herself into that man’s slave. However, she was not in search of just any man. She had certain qualities she was looking for and she would not settle for less. These qualities were: the man who would win her heart must be kind, honest, considerate, benevolent, accommodating, brilliant and intelligent. She could not find this quality in any man who had approached her thus far. Her inability to find a man who met her standards however was a cause of concern and sadness for her. She would cry almost daily. Tired of this, she approached the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: Will I be able to find the man of my dreams? Will I be loved and will I be able to share my love with someone of my choice? Will I find someone intelligent enough that could help in advising me on how to manage my wealth to the best advantage of the world? Will I be able to have my own kids who will love and respect me and my husband? These and many more were the questions she asked Ifá in the home of the Awo. The group of Awo told Aje; that she was actually looking for a spouse who would be everything to her. They assured her that she would be blessed with such a spouse and the time that she would receive this blessing was very near. She was advised to offer ẹbọ with one big ram and plenty of money. After this, she was advised to feed her O®ke¾ I®po¾ôri; with E®kuru mixed with honey and snail juice. She complied. E®e¾kan e¾ôba; oô¾na¾ ni;i; hu¾ le;ôba¾a; oô¾na¾ Ni;i; sô’eônu ganngan s'i;ta Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ Baba n; sunku;n ala;i¾lo;bi¾nrin EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: The blade grass by the roadside is it that grows by the roadside And shoots outside the road 125 OGBE® I®WO®RI® This was the Ifá cast for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ When weeping in lamentation for his inability to secure a compatible wife of his choice He was advised to offer eôboô O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ had everything going for him in his work. He had a lot of clients. He had the most impressive record ever. He was able to proffer solutions to the problems of all his clients. His clients trooped into his home morning, afternoon and night. He had no time to rest, he had no time to go to the market to procure the materials needed to do ẹbọ or other rituals for his clients. Two reasons were responsible for this: one, all his students had graduated at that particular point in time; and two, he had no wife in his home that could assist him in any way. He soon realised that his clients began to complain that their work was being delayed. This brought frustration for both O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ and his numerous clients. While he was ruminating over this problem, it occurred to him that with his own wife at home a substantial part of the problems would be solved. His wife could help him by going to the market and procuring materials while he was busy attending to clients; his wife could also help him pound, grind and/or mix various remedies for his clients, his wife could prepare meals for him while he was with his clients; and his wife could help him wash his dirty dresses, fetch him water to take his bath and clean up the house and the environment. All these O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ had to do by himself when he had nobody with him. That was how he decided that, instead of lamenting over his inability to secure a compatible wife, he needed to take practical steps to get one. For this reason, he approached the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: Will I be able to secure a compatible spouse who will be my wife, helper, supporter, confidant and life partner? Will I be able to find a woman who will understand me enough to work hard hand-inhand with me to solve the problems of the world? Will I be lucky enough to find someone who will have my interest at the back of her mind and assist me in the household chores and other assignments and therefore relieve me of most of my burdens and prevent me from working myself to death? All these and many more were the questions at the back of his mind when he approached the group of Awo for Ifá consultation. 126 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The Awo made it clear to O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ that who he needed was not just any woman, but rather, an understanding, passionate, selfless, considerate, loving and supportive woman. The woman he needed must be able to adore and assist him without giving any conditions. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was assured that he would be able to find and marry such a woman. He was told that as he was lamenting his inability to find a compassionate and compatible woman who would support him in every way so also the woman he would marry was lamenting for her inability to meet a man who was intelligent, loving, accommodating, considerate, respectful, and who could complement her own efforts and make her happy and proud in all ways. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was advised to offer ẹbọ with one mature ram and plenty of money. He was also advised to feed his O®ke¾-I®po¾ôri; with one mature she-goat and a lot of palm-oil. He complied. A few days after this, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ went to the market. On the same day, Aje; went to the same market. They met. One thing led to the other. They both developed interest in each other almost immediately. Aje; went back to her Awo to find out if O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was the man that Ifá was referring to. Ifá confirmed that O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was the man of her dreams. She returned home a happy woman. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ also went to his Awo to find out if Aje was the compassionate and compatible woman who would support him in life. He was told that she was the woman being referred to by Ifá. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ returned home a happy man. All arrangements were made and the marriage was the talk of the whole community. When they began to live together, Aje; was very happy because O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was able to consult for her and help her plan all her financial endeavours. He stood firmly beside her as her pillar of support not only by guiding her but in every other way as well. She never regretted one day that she got married to O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾. She was also blessed with many children whose conduct and upbringing made her proud and happy all the time. In the case of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾, he realised that his work load suddenly reduced drastically. Many of the regularly used materials were being sold in the house by Ajé so he had no reason to leave his work and go to the 127 OGBE® I®WO®RI® market to look for such things anymore. If there were items that were not readily available at home, Ajé would volunteer to go and get them for him in the market. When his children grew up, the pounding, grinding, holding of the I®bo¾ determinants, breaking of bitter kola and kola nut were done by them. This made his work-load even lighter. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾’s family soon became more prosperous, united, happier and better organized than the families of all his neighbours. Anytime O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾, passed along the road, other people who recognised him would greet him thus,”O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ peô¾le,;ô oôkoô Aje;-meaning “gently O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾, the husband of Aje;, the Divinity of Wealth and Prosperity”. On the other hand, when they would see Aje; they would greet her thus; “Aje; peô¾le;ô, oni;soô¾ ibo¾o¾ji”–Meaning “gently Aje;, the owner of the shaded market stall”. EÙÙ®eô¾kan e¾ôba; oôn ¾ a¾ ni;i; hu¾ l'e;ôba¾a; oô¾na¾ Ni;i; sô’eônu ganngan s'i;ta Di;a; fu;n Aje; Ti; n; sunku;n o¾un o¾ ni;’bu¾do; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'eô;boô, o; ru;'boô E®®Ùe¾ôkan e¾ôba; oôn ¾ a¾ ni;i; hu¾ l'e;ôba¾a; oô¾na¾ Ni;i; sô’eônu ganngan s'i;ta Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ Baba n; sunku;n ala;i¾lo;bi¾nrin EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'eô;boô, o; ru;'boô Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni ba;’yo¾ô EÙ wa;a; wo’re o N®je;ô OÙr® u;nmi¾la¾ peô¾le;ô o OÙkoô Aje;; Aje; pe¾ôleô; o Oni;so¾ô ibo¾o¾ji Translation: The blade grass by the roadside is it that grows by the roadside And shoots outside the road 128 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 This was the Ifá cast for Aje; When weeping in lamentation for her inability to secure a suitable home of her choice She was advised to offer ẹbọ She complied The blade grass by the roadside is it that grows by the roadside And shoots outside the road This was the Ifá cast for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ When weeping in lamentation for his inability to secure a compatible wife of his choice He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire in life Now, gently, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ The husband of Ajé And gently, Ajé The owner of the shaded market Ifá says that prosperity, happiness, elevation and contentment shall be the lot of the person for whom this Odù is revealed. 10. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed is about to be robbed. There is the need for him/her to offer ẹbọ urgently for this not to happen. He/she also needs to be extra vigilant. The person planning to steal his/her things is very close to him/her. This is the reason why there is the need for extra vigilance on his/her part. Ifá says also that the person for whom this Odù is revealed is not only well-trained, he/she is also very intelligent. He/she however needs to offer ẹbọ regularly in order for his/her intelligence to shine through at all times. It would not be good for him/her to be made a fool of by those who are not as intelligent as he/she is. Ifá advises the person for whom this Odù is revealed to offer ẹbọ with one mature he-goat and money. He/she also needs to feed Ifá with 129 OGBE® I®WO®RI® two rats, two fish, one hen and a lot of palm-oil. All of these need to be done as urgently as possible. On all these, Ifá says: Bi; OÙdeô me;ji¾ ba; ko’raa woôn Woôn a jo; Mi¾koro-mi¾koro Bi; a¾gbeô¾ me;ji¾ ba; ko’raa woôn Woôn a si¾ jo; mi¾wo¾ôya¾-mi¾wo¾ôya¾ Bi; Babala;wo me;ji¾ ba; ko’raa woôn Woôn a da¾bi; iye¾kan Woôn a sôe i¾roô;ke;ô gbon¾dori¾gi¾-gbon¾dori¾gi¾ Woôn a sôe i¾ru¾ke¾ôreô¾ tieômi¾-tieômi¾ Di;a; fu;n A®le;n¾gba¾ Ti; yo;o; ma;a ra;n’Fa; koko Ti; yo;o si¾ ra;n o¾o¾gu¾n koko EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: If two hunters meet each other They will dance with their hunting tools in their hands If two farmers meet each other They will hold their hoes while embracing each other If two Babaláwo meet each other They will be like children from the same mother They will waive their I®roô;ke;ô tappers at each other They will also greet each other with their I®ru¾ke¾ôreô¾ in their hands These were Ifá’s messages for A®le;n¾gba¾ Who would study Ifá extensively And study medicine extensively He was advised to offer ẹbọ A®le;n¾gba¾ was a serious-minded person. Right from his youth, he had planned to become the best Babaláwo and herbalist of his time. He had studied extensively and had also travelled wide to fulfil his dream and he was on his way to become the very best. Anyone who was lucky to meet him at home for either Ifá consultation or healing of any kind of ailment would never be disappointed. He was so good that he was in 130 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 high demand. He was sought after by the movers and shakers of different societies. This made him very successful. His success gave him the drive to study more. And he did. All the other Awo and Herbalists of his time knew that he was not in the same league with them. All of them respectfully admitted that he was far ahead of them in terms of wit, knowledge acquisition and success in resolving problems for clients. At a stage, there was a general belief that some extra-terrestrial beings were responsible for A®le;n¾gba¾’s vast knowledge. They also believed that he was being taught Ifá and medicine in his sleep, if not, they reasoned, how could any normal human being be that versatile? The fact of the matter, however, was that A®le;n¾gba¾ was very serious, determined, and he studied hard. In spite of all these achievements however, A®le;n¾gba¾ could not explain how his hard-earned money and materials would disappear in his house. Several Ifá consultations confirmed to him that his things were being stolen by someone very close to him. Who was this person? A®le;n¾gba¾ was advised to offer ẹbọ and be very vigilant. His studies had always precluded him from having the chance to be more vigilant therefore, the stealing continued unabated. One day, A®le;ng ¾ ba¾ summoned up the courage to put his studies aside and deal with this problem decisively. He went to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: Will I be able to catch this thief? The Awo assured him that yes, he would catch the person stealing his things. He was advised to offer ẹbọ as prescribed above. He complied. He was also advised to be extra vigilant. He was also determined to do so.When he got back home, he went straight into his room and began to take more interest in his environment. Two days after, what did he see? While he was going outside, he suddenly turned back and behold, he saw I®wo¾ri¾, his own sibling packing his belongings to the backyard through the window! So, it had been I®wo¾ri¾ stealing his things all along! Oh, what a shame. Bi; OÙdeô me;ji¾ ba; ko’raa woôn Woôn a jo; Mi¾koro-mi¾koro Bi; a¾gbeô¾ me;ji¾ ba; ko’raa woôn Woôn a si¾ jo; mi¾wo¾ôya¾-mi¾wo¾ôya¾ 131 OGBE® I®WO®RI® Bi; Babala;wo me;ji¾ ba; ko’raa woôn Woôn a da¾bi; iye¾kan Woôn a sôe i¾roô;ke;ô gbondori¾gi¾-gbondori¾gi¾ Woôn a sôe i¾ru¾ke¾ôreô¾ tieômi¾-tieômi¾ Di;a; fu;n A®le;n¾gba¾ Ti; yo;o; ma;a ra;n’Fa; Koko Ti; yo;o si¾ ra;n oo¾gu¾n koko EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'eô;boô, o; ru;'boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni la;;ru¾u;sôeô; ogun A®ja¾sôeô; ogun la¾a; ba;’ni le;ôseô¾ OÙp ® eô¾ Ogbe¾ o o¾ we¾ôyi¾n I®wo¾ri¾ n; ko; oô le;ôru¾ u; loô o Translation: If two hunters meet each other They will dance with their hunting tools in their hands If two farmers meet each other They will hold their hoes while embracing each other If two Babaláwo meet each other They will be like children from the same mother They will waive their I®roô;ke;ô tappers at each other They will also greet each other with their I®ru¾ke¾ôreô¾ in their hands These were Ifá’s messages for A®le;n¾gba¾ Who would study Ifá extensively And study medicine extensively He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Before long, not too far Join us where we overcome adversity Victory is what Ifá guarantees for its devotees Ogbe¾ look at your back I®wo¾ri¾ is packing your things away! Ifá says that those who hide in the dark to kill and consume the hens incubating eggs in the life of the person for whom this Odù is revealed, shall be exposed and put to shame. 132 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Conversely, if the person for whom this Odù is revealed is the culprit, he/she must put an end to his/her nefarious activity forthwith, lest he/she is exposed and put to public odium and ridicule. The shame will stay with him/her for the rest of his/her life. 11. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall succeed where others have failed. He/she shall be blessed and accepted where others have been confronted and chased away. If the person for whom this Odù is revealed is a man, he shall be accepted and even assisted by women. They will find him very agreeable and for this reason, they will not confront him for any reason. The man must always be careful not to be in contention or confrontation with women for any reason. He must never dream of taking advantage of any women for any reason because if he does, the women will resist and fight him to the end. Ifá advises the person for whom this Odù is revealed to offer ẹbọ with 30 fowls and 30 bags of cowries. He/she also needs to make himself/herself agreeable with women so as to succeed in his/her endeavours. On these issues, Ogbe¾-Weô¾yi¾n says: E®e¾ra¾ wi¾n-i¾n, e¾¾e¾ra¾ wi¾n-i¾n Di;a; fu;n woôn ni; I®lu; I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n Ni;'jo;ô ogun run akoô ni;nu; woôn bi; isôu Eôboô ni wo;ôn ni; ki; woô;n wa;a; sôe Translation: The clustering of ants And the movement of ants That was Ifá’s message for the inhabitants of I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n land When war had eliminated all the males They were advised to offer ẹbọ The inhabitants of I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n land were very enterprising. They developed their land to the envy of all the neighbouring communities. Their businesses thrived. They made a lot of profit and they would use 133 OGBE® I®WO®RI® their gains for the progress of their community. Unfortunately they never planned for war so they never had any protection. When war came to them, it had devastating consequences for the inhabitants of I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n land. All the males in the land were killed. Not only this, all the pregnant women were also slaughtered in case they gave birth to male children. The land was therefore left with only women. In spite of this, life continued. They made the I®ya;lo;de the head of all the women in the land. One day, they went to the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: What can we do now that we have not a single man in our midst? How will we survive all the vagaries of life without men? The Awo told them that they must always do all their things as a group. They must behave as the ants do in their kingdom. The ants do all their things as a group. That is why it is impossible for anyone to take advantage of ants as small and as seemingly powerless as they appear. The Awo assured them that if they did their things as a group, nobody, man or woman would be able to take them for a ride. They were advised to offer ẹbọ with a mature He-goat. They complied. As soon as they got back home, they called everyone together and had a meeting. In this gathering, everybody pledged to work together and treat any man they saw as a potential enemy. They vowed never to trust any man again, as men were the ones who had reduced their land and had snuffed out the joy from their hearts. They promised each other that they would battle any man who felt that he could take advantage of their vulnerability. They said that such a man would meet with the shock of his life. A few days after this, O®gu;n heard that there were no men in I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n land. He was told that they had all been killed. O®gu;n and his men planned to go to I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n land to have a nice time there. What with all the men in the land killed, surely the women would be longing for the company of able-bodied men by now. Those who did not want to cooperate could be roughened up a little and made to cooperate. When O®gu;n and his group arrived in I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n, because of the confidence they had that the women could not put up much resistance and that if they did, before long, they would cave in. What they met 134 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 was far from what they bargained for. The women put up an unbelievable resistance and were very resilient. They simply overwhelmed O®gu;n and his men. They swarmed over them like ants. In the end, O®gu;n and his men were chased out of I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n land with ignominy. Next came OÙ®sôoô;o¾ôsôi¾ and his men; they were overwhelmed and chased out. I®ja, O®ri¾sôa¾-Oko, SÙa¾ngo;, OÙbalu;waye;, OÙba¾ta;la;, Erinle¾ô, Ko;ri¾, etc came and they were all disgraced and chased out of I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n land. In the end, 399 Iru;nmoôleô¾ had tried to enter I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n but they were all chased away. They simply could not understand how and why these weak women were able to overpower the strong and mighty Iru;nmoôleô¾. Where did they acquire this power to overcome the Iru;nmoôleô¾, they wondered. All the 399 Iru;nmoôleô¾ ended up going home to nurse their disgrace and humiliation. E®e¾ra¾ wi¾n-i¾n, e¾e¾ra¾ wi¾n-i¾n Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Baba n;sôawo loô si;lu¾u; I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: The clustering of ants And the movement of ants That was Ifá’s message for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ When going on an Ifá mission to I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n land He was advised to offer ẹbọ O®Ùru;nmi¾la was the only Iru;nmoôleô¾ who had not gone to I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n land to force the women into submission. He heard of the attempts made by all the other Iru;nmoôleô¾ and their consequent failures. One day, O®Ùru;nmi¾la made up his mind to go to I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n land. His reason for going there was however different from that of the other Iru;nmoôleô¾ who had been there before. The reason for him going was that even though the women had the full right to protect themselves and uphold their dignity from aggressive men, he felt that they were being too extreme in not allowing any man at all to enter their land. He 135 OGBE® I®WO®RI® reasoned that the stance taken by the women would not be favourable to them in the long run. If care was not taken, he reasoned, they would all die off without leaving behind anyone to continue their legacies. O®Ùru;nmi¾la resolved that the women needed to understand that they needed men just as much as men needed them, and of course, not as tools to be trampled upon or taken advantage of, but as partners who had specific roles to play that were in accordance to the design of Olo;du¾mare¾. The women must understand this, but how? Because these women had experienced severe pain and trauma by men, they had all taken the extreme stance to suspect, hate, resist, and not have anything to do with any man ever again. To succeed in this mission O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ decided to approach the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: Will I succeed? How should I approach these women? What do I need to do for these women to soften their stance toward men and allow me to speak with them? These were the questions that O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ asked Ifá during consultation. The Awo in his response, told O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ that he was about to undertake a very delicate task. He was assured that he would succeed if he approached the issue with wisdom, caution and great understanding. He was also told that he needed to behave like a fool if he was to succeed. The Awo made it clear to him that only a wise person can pretend to be a fool; but a fool had no power or capability to pretend like a wise person. He was told that his assignment was such that any confrontation would never work. If he went there and he began to behave like someone who had come to teach them something or to tell them that they were wrong in how they were behaving, he would definitely fail. What he needed to do was to work himself into their minds. He must convince them that he meant no harm firstly before he could even begin to tell them anything. He also needed to show them evidence that he had no hidden agendas. This was the only thing he could do that would make the women lower their guard so that he could commence to talk to them. He told O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ that the women he was going to meet at I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n had experienced intimidation, cheating, bullying, deceit, victimization, abuse of all types, and chauvinism by men, and that none of those things would ever work anymore. 136 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The Awo advised O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to offer ẹbọ with 30 fowls, two I®ru¾keô¾re¾ô, and 30 bags of cowries. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ did. At the end of the ẹbọexercise, the Awo gave him one I®roô;ke;ô and one I®ru¾keô¾re¾ô. He told O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ that instead of bows and arrows, spears, javelins, clubs and blades, he needed to go to the land with an I®roô;ke;ô and one I®ru¾keô¾re¾ô. He was advised to go there alone. He was also told to go with fowls and pretend to be a trader among them. He agreed. The 30 fowls were put in a cage and O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ carried the cage and set out on his journey to I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n land. It took him several days to get there. In the end, he got to the land and went straight to the market place. As soon as the women saw him, they put up their guard. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ extended his greetings to them, but none of them answered. They quickly averted to report the presence of a man to the Iyalode and the other chieftains of the land. When they heard that he was alone, they became suspicious. They sent out scouts to comb the whole area in order to ascertain whether or not, he had other people hidden nearby. In the end, they discovered that he was the only one who had entered I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n. Still, they decided to put him at arms length. During the evening time, as O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was hawking his fowls, they all escaped from the cage and ran everywhere. He became confused as to what to do. That was when E®su ô ¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ whispered into his ears that the opportunity he needed to take advantage of had just happened. E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ told him to seek the assistance of the women to help him catch his fowls and put them back into the cage; and while doing this, he needed to let them know that he was harmless. Taking the cue from what E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ told him, he cleared his throat and began to sing thus: Ara; ilu I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n ki;;nni mo wa; sôe o O®wo¾ o¾ o¾ Nna;a¾ mo wa; sôe O®wo¾ o¾ I®ya;lo;de i¾lu; eô ba; mi m’a;di¾eô mi o O®wo¾ o¾ o¾ Nna;a¾ mo wa; sôe O®wo¾ o¾ EÙni¾kan ki¾i; fi I®ro;ôkeô; jagun 137 OGBE® I®WO®RI® O®wo¾ o¾ o¾ Nna;a¾ mo wa; sôe O®wo¾ o¾ o¾ EÙni¾kan ki¾i; fi i¾ru¾ke¾ôreô¾ eô¾ tu;’lu¾u; O®wo¾ o¾ o¾ Nna;a¾ mo wa; sôe O®wo¾ o¾ O®Ùtu;n i¾lu; eô ba; mi m’a;di¾eô eô¾ mi o O®wo¾ o¾ o¾ Nna;a¾ mo wa; sôe O®wo¾ o O®si¾ i¾lu; eô ba; mi m’a;di¾eô eô¾ mi o O®wo¾ o¾ o¾ Nna;a¾ mo wa; sôe O®wo¾ o¾ Ki;nni mo wa; sôe o o? O®wo¾ o¾ o¾ Nna;a¾ mo wa; sôe O®wo¾ o¾ Translation: Inhabitants of I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n land, what have I come to do? Trading That is what I have come to do Trading I®ya;lo;de, please help me retrieve my fowls Trading That is what I have come to do Trading Nobody uses an I®roô;ke; to wage war Trading That is what I have come to do Trading Nobody uses an I®ru¾keô¾reô¾ to sack a town Trading That is what I have come to do Trading OÙ®tu;n, please help me retrieve my fowls Trading 138 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 That is what I have come here to do Trading O®si¾, please help me retrieve my fowls Trading That is what I have come here to do What have I come to do? Trading That is what I have come here to do Trading Hearing this song, the women became confused as to who was this man? Truly, who could wage war with an I®roô;ke; or an I®ru¾keô¾reô¾ as a weapon? What did this man want? Was it safe to come close to him and allow him to come close to us? Was it advisable to listen to him? Was this mission truly for commerce and trading as he was saying? Looking at OÙ®ru;nmi¾la, the women realized that truly, instead of a bow and arrow, he was holding an I®roô;ke;ô, instead of a javelin or a spear, he was holding an I®ru¾keô¾reô¾. Did this man come for war or peace? Surely, nobody wages war with an I®roô;ke;ô and an I®ru¾keô¾reô. Consequently, this man must have come in peace but what did he stand to gain? The women decided that they would wait to see. They resolved to help him catch his fowls. By the time that they finished catching them up, it was night time. He was then invited to stay in the I®ya;lo;de’s house for the night. While in the I®ya;lo;de’s house he was able to discuss many things with her and converse with her over the virtue of living harmoniously and in complementary relationships with men once again. After much discussion they both agreed that it was the right thing to do provided that both parties would not have the intention of taking the other party for a ride. The next day, the I®ya;lo;de explained her discussion with OÙ®ru;nmi¾la with the other women. After much discussion, they eventually agreed that they needed to reduce their suspicion and hatred toward men and give them another chance. They did and they never had cause to regret this decision ever again. 139 OGBE® I®WO®RI® E®e¾ra¾ wi¾n-i¾n, e¾e¾ra¾ wi¾n-i¾n Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Baba n;sôawo loô si;lu¾u; I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'eô;boô, o; ru;'boô Ko¾ pe;ô, Ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba;’ni ba;yo¾ô, eô wa;a wore o N®je;ô ara; i¾lu; I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n ki;nni mo wa; sôe Ara; i¾lu; I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n ki;nni mo wa; sôe o O®wo¾ o¾ o¾ Nna;a¾ mo wa; sôe O®wo¾ o¾ I®ya;lo;de i¾lu; eô ba; mi m’a;di¾eô mi o O®wo¾ o¾ o¾ Nna;a¾ mo wa; sôe O®wo¾ o¾ EÙni¾kan ki¾i; fi I®ro;ôkeô; jagun O®wo¾ o¾ o¾ Nna;a¾ mo wa; sôe O®wo¾ o¾¾ EÙni¾kan ki¾i; fi i¾ru¾ke¾ôreô¾ eô¾ tu;’lu¾u; O®wo¾ o¾ o¾ Nna;a¾ mo wa; sôe O®wo¾ o¾ O®Ùtu;n i¾lu; eô ba; mi m’a;di¾eô eô¾ mi o O®wo¾ o¾ o¾ Nna;a¾ mo wa; sôe O®wo¾ o O®si¾ i¾lu; eô ba; mi m’a;di¾eô eô¾ mi o O®wo¾ o¾ o¾ Nna;a¾ mo wa; sôe O®wo¾ o¾ Ki;nni mo wa; sôe o o? O®wo¾ o¾ o¾ Nna;a¾ mo wa; sôe O®wo¾ o¾ 140 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: The clustering of ants and the movement of ants That was Ifá’s message for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ When going on an Ifá mission to I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n land He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Before long, not too far Come and join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life Now, Inhabitants of I®ra¾mo¾gu¾n land, what have I come to do? Trading That is what I have come to do Trading I®ya;lo;de, please help me retrieve my fowls Trading That is what I have come to do Trading Nobody uses an I®roô;ke; to wage war Trading That is what I have come to do Trading Nobody uses an I®ru¾keô¾reô¾ to sack a town Trading That is what I have come to do Trading OÙ®tu;n, please help me retrieve my fowls Trading That is what I have come here to do Trading O®si¾, please help me retrieve my fowls Trading That is what I have come here to do What have I come to do? Trading That is what I have come here to do Trading 141 OGBE® I®WO®RI® Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall have cause to celebrate in life. He/she shall be happy and contented. On the other hand, the person for whom this Odù is revealed needs to be careful never to plan to take anyone for a ride or take undue advantage of anybody. Anyone who plans to do so shall be humiliated. 12. Ifá advises the person for whom this Odù is revealed never to under-estimate any child or young one. Ifá says that as elders have their wisdom, young ones also have their own areas where they excel. For this reason, as youths love to learn a lot from elders, so also should elders have some things to learn from youths and young ones. Ifá says that for the person for whom this Odù is revealed, he/she must endeavour to hear all sides of any matter before making any pronouncement or taking any action. This, Ifá says, is the noble course he/she must always take. If this is not done, he/she will end up being blamed for taking action without proper deliberation first. Ifá also says that if there is any form of contention where this Odù is revealed there is the need to resolve these issues as soon as possible. This is because, if left unsolved, the consequences will be grave for all those involved. In order to enjoy peace of mind therefore, all misunderstandings, altercations, contention, suspicions, hostilities and/or brickbats must be amicably resolved urgently and permanently. In this same stanza, Ifá enjoins all elders where this Odù is revealed to ensure that a good and enduring legacy is left behind for future generations. Any action that can lead to controversy or crisis after an elder has joined their ancestors must be resolved amicably before they pass on to the great beyond. Ifá equally says that there is a pregnant woman where this Odù is revealed, that needs to offer ẹbọ so that she will have a safe delivery. Ifá advises the following ẹbọ to be offered: i. To benefit from the knowledge of youths and other young ones; there is the need to offer ẹbọ with three hens and money. There is also the need to feed Ifá with two kola nuts and liquor. 142 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 ii. Not to be blamed for acting without seeking and understanding all sides of a story; one mature he-goat and money. iii. To be able to resolve all contentious issues before they get out of hand; one mature he-goat and money. iv. For elders to leave behind an enduring legacy for future generations; one big she-goat, one he-goat and money. v. For a pregnant woman to have a safe delivery; two rats, two fish, one hen and money. After all these have been done, there is the need to feed OÙba¾ta;la;. The Awo needs to find out what OÙba¾ta;la; will like to take and use it to feed the Deity accordingly. On all these, Ogbe¾-'Weô¾yi¾n says: Ifa; wi;, o; lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ E®mi na;a¾ wi;, mo lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ Di;a; fu;n O®ri¾sôa¾ n;la; OÙ®sôeô¾e¾ôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ Ti; yo;o; maa lo¾ôoô; ko;ô e¾de¾ l'oô;doô¾ OÙr® u;nmi¾la¾ loô;jo;ô oôroôoôru;n EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ifá declares that it is time to learn wisdom from those behind us I chorus that it is time to learn wisdom from those behind us This was Ifá’s message for OÙba¾ta;la; When going to learn wisdom from OÙ®ru;nmi¾la every five days He was advised to offer ẹbọ OÙ®ru;nmi¾la and OÙba¾ta;la; were good friends. They had been together for a long time. One day, OÙba¾ta;la; told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la that he wanted to study Ifá philosophy, esoteric language and in-depth understanding of life with OÙ®ru;nmi¾la. After some deliberation, they concluded that OÙba¾ta;la; needed to come to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la’s house every five days to learn new things. 143 OGBE® I®WO®RI® The first OÙru;n came and OÙba¾ta;la; went to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la house. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la was not home. He however met his child, a seven-year old at home. After both of them exchanged greetings, OÙba¾ta;la; asked the boy where exactly OÙ®ru;nmi¾la had gone to. The boy responded thus, “Baba mi¾ ra;n asôoô aweô; kan loô ni” meaning “my father has gone to sew one strand of clothing material and has left behind the other strand un sewn”. OÙba¾ta;la; could make no sense of what the boy was saying. “What is that supposed to mean child?” The boy said, “Baba, if you want me to tell you the meaning, then you have to pay me two kola nuts with four lobes each and a bottle of liquor”. Out of curiosity, OÙba¾ta;la; paid the boy. The boy then explained thus, “Baba, as you are aware, my father has two wives, OÙ®sôunfu;nnle;ôyoô¾ and my mother. When my father went out very early this morning there was a little misunderstanding between the two wives. As soon as my father returned, my mother, the younger wife, complained bitterly to my father about what had happened in his absence. She was crying and wailing as she was narrating her story, giving my father the impression that she had been abused and maltreated by Iya OÙ®sôunfu;nnle;ôyoô¾, the senior wife. Instead of investigating fully by listening to the other side of the story and if possible interviewing those present when the quarrel had taken place, my father descended on his senior wife. She wanted to explain, but he shouted her down without giving her any chance to speak. If one inquires what has occurred from the first party, is it not wise to ask from the other when two parties are involved in any issue? That was why I told you that my father had sewn one strand of clothing material but had left behind the other strand un-sewn”. When OÙba¾ta;la; heard this, he knew that there was a lot of sense in what the child had just said. He thanked the child and turned back to go home. The boy declared, “Baba, before saying anything or taking any action on any issue always endeavour to hear all sides of a matter. This will make you an impartial and a level-headed judge”. Ifa; wi;, o; lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ E®mi na;a¾ wi;, mo lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ Di;a; fu;n O®ri¾sôa¾ n;la; OÙ®sôeô¾e¾ôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ Ti; yo;o; maa lo¾ôoô; ko;ô e¾de¾ l'oô;doô¾ OÙr® u;nmi¾la¾ loô;jo;ô oôroôoôru;n EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe 144 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: Ifá declares that it is time to learn wisdom from those behind us I chorus that it is time to learn wisdom from those behind us This was Ifá’s message for OÙba¾ta;la; When going to learn wisdom from OÙ®ru;nmi¾la every five days He was advised to offer ẹbọ On the next OÙru;n, OÙba¾ta;la; went again to learn from OÙ®ru;nmi¾la. When he got there, he met his child outside the house. “Good morning son, is your father at home?” he asked. Good morning Baba. My father has gone out”. Where exactly has he gone?” The child responded thus, "Oku¾n aye; feô; ja; o; loô tu;n-un so" meaning, “the rope of the world is about to break. My father has gone to tie it back together.” Again, OÙba¾ta;la; could make no sense of it. He asked the child to explain. Again, the child asked him to bring two kola nuts and bottle of liquor. OÙba¾ta;la; did. The boy then explained thus, “Baba, there is a serious disagreement between OÙba A®ja¾la;ye; and OÙba A®ja¾loô;run which my father has gone to settle. If this misunderstanding is left unsolved and allowed to degenerate into full-scale war, the very fabric of this world will have its foundation shaken and existence on earth will cease or at the very least be seriously threatened. In order to ensure that the rope which Olo;du¾mare¾ uses to tie the world is not broken, my father has gone to bring peace among these two Divinities. Baba, don’t you know that any fight between OÙba A®ja¾la;ye; and OÙba A®ja¾loô;run will certainly break the rope used to hang this world in balance if things are not mended between them?” OÙba¾ta;la; thought about this statement and concluded that what the child had said made a lot of sense. He told the child to extend his greetings to his father when he returned. “Baba, please remember, the rope of the world must never be allowed to break. Any time you find two very important people engaged in a quarrel, any time you find two or more major groups engaging in a misunderstanding or any time you find two societies, communities, regions or countries engaged in any quarrel, ensure that you bring peace before it leads to a full-scale crisis or war. 145 OGBE® I®WO®RI® If you fail to do so, then you may end up witnessing the rope of the world being broken.” “Thank you, son. Greet your father for me; I will be back on the next OÙru;n. Ifa; wi;, o; lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ E®mi na;a¾ wi;, mo lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ Di;a; fu;n O®ri¾sôa¾n;la; OÙ®sôeô¾e¾ôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ Ti; yo;o; maa lo¾ôoô; ko;ô e¾de¾ l'oô;doô¾ OÙr® u;nmi¾la¾ loô;jo;ô oôroôoôru;n EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ifá declares that it is time to learn wisdom from those behind us I chorus that it is time to learn wisdom from those behind us This was Ifá’s message for O®ri¾sôa¾n;la; OÙ®sôeô¾e¾ôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ When going to learn wisdom from OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ every five days He was advised to offer ẹbọ Again on the next OÙru;n, OÙba¾ta;la;; went to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s house to study. And again OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ had gone out of the house. He again met the child at home. He again asked where OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ had gone to? The child replied by saying, “Baba mi loô tu;n e¾ôhi¾n aye; sôe ni” meaning “my father has gone to mend the world in preparation for the time he will no longer be around”. What does this mean? The child asked OÙba¾ta;la; to procure the usual two kola nuts and liquor. He did. The child said, “my father has been receiving signals that he is about to be summoned by Olo;du¾mare¾ to return to I®koô¾le; OÙ®run in due course time. He knew that some of the elders in his family were not in good terms. He was convinced that if he should depart the world while this altercation was still going on, these elders would surely tear each other apart when he was no longer around to serve as a control for them. That is why my father has gone to the family compound to settle all the rifts and return life in the family to normalcy. Don’t you know that when there are unresolved rifts in any family, before the head of the family departs, such a family stands the 146 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 chance of disintegrating at the slightest chance? The head of that family will then stand condemned forever and ever”. When OÙba¾ta;la; ruminated over what the child had just said he agreed with him completely. He asked the child to extend his greetings to his father and turned left to go. "Baba, please ensure that all unresolved crises in your household is resolved amicably before you return to the great beyond. You have all worked hard and done well while on earth; do not let that rubbish all your good works. You need to leave a great legacy behind; it is equally important for you to leave behind those who will continue where you have left off. This can be done only when there is love, understanding, and cooperation”. Ifa; wi;, o; lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ E®mi na;a¾ wi;, mo lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ Di;a; fu;n O®ri¾sôa¾n;la; OÙ®sôeô¾e¾ôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ Ti; yo;o; maa lo¾ôoô; ko;ô e¾de¾ l'oô;doô¾ OÙr® u;nmi¾la¾ loô;jo;ô oôroôoôru;n EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ifá declares that it is time to learn wisdom from those behind us I chorus that it is time to learn wisdom from those behind us This was Ifá’s message for O®ri¾sôa¾n;la; OÙ®sôeô¾e¾ôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ When going to learn wisdom from OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ every five days He was advised to offer ẹbọ On the next OÙru;n day, OÙba¾ta;la; again went to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s house to learn. He had vowed that he would become one of the most knowledgeable Iru;nmoôle¾ô of all time. When he got there again, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was not at home. “Where has your father gone this time?” OÙba¾ta;la; asked OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s child, who was always at home. In his response the child said “I®ya; mi loô fa oku¾n aye; a¾ti t’oô¾run. Bo;ya; t’aye; lo; ma;a ja; mo;ôoô l'oô;wo;ô ni ta¾bi; t’oô¾run ni eôni¾kan ko¾ mo¾ô. Baba mi¾ loô la;ti m’o;ju; to;o”. Meaning “my mother is pulling the chord of Ayé (earth) and OÙ®run (heaven) with her hands right now. Whether the chord of Ayé is the one that will eventually remain in her hands or that of heaven, nobody can say for certain. My father has gone to take care of this matter“. 147 OGBE® I®WO®RI® OÙba¾ta;la; could make no sense of this statement. In order to get the full explanation of what the child had said, OÙba¾ta;la; himself, without any prompting, gave the child two kola nuts and a bottle of liquor. The child said, “My mother, right now, has gone into labour. Nobody can predict the outcome. If she has a safe delivery, then the chord of Ayé is the one that has remained in her hands. On the other hand, if she dies in the process, then the chord of OÙ®run is the one that has remained in her hands. To ensure that it is the chord of Ayé that remains in her hands, my father has gone to where she is to oversee things for himself." When OÙba¾ta;la; heard the explanation of this child, it occurred to him that even if he had met OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ every time he had been coming, he would not have learnt something different. He concluded that as elders have their wisdom, youths are not totally bereft of wisdom and understanding. “Ok child, tell your father that I am no longer coming. You have given me enough wisdom for a lifetime”. As he turned to go back home, the child said; “Baba, any time your wife is pregnant, ensure that you give her all the things that will make the day of delivery relatively easy and convenient for her. Do so for all the wives of your loved ones and clients as well. By so doing, people will have cause to come and thank you for a job well done. This is what my father does all the time”. Ifa; wi;, o; lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ E®mi na;a¾ wi;, mo lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ Di;a; fu;n O®ri¾sôa¾ n;la; OÙ®sôeô¾e¾ôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ Ti; yo;o; maa lo¾ôoô; ko;ô e¾de¾ l'oô;doô¾ OÙr® u;nmi¾la¾ loô;jo;ô oôroôoôru;n EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'eô;boô, o; ru;'boô O: de;'le; O®rÙ u;nmi¾la¾ Baba ko¾ si; ni;le;. Ni;bo ni Baba loô? OÙmoô reô¾ ni; Baba o¾un ra;n asôoô aweô; kan loô ni Ifa; wi;, o; lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ E®mi na;a¾ wi;, mo lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ Di;a; fu;n O®ri¾sôa¾ n;la; OÙ®sôeô¾e¾ôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ Ti; yo;o; maa lo¾ôoô; ko;ô e¾de¾ l'oô;doô¾ OÙr® u;nmi¾la¾ loô;jo;ô oôroôoôru;n EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'eô;boô, o; ru;'boô 148 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 O: de;'le; O®rÙ u;nmi¾la¾ Baba ko¾ si; ni;le;. Ni;bo ni Baba loô? OÙmoô reô¾ ni; oku¾n aye; feô; ja; Baba o¾un lo¾ôoô; tu;n-u;n so Ifa; wi;, o; lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ E®mi na;a¾ wi;, mo lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ Di;a; fu;n O®ri¾sôa¾ n;la; OÙ®sôeô¾e¾ôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ Ti; yo;o; maa lo¾ôoô; ko;ô e¾de¾ l'oô;doô¾ OÙr® u;nmi¾la¾ loô;jo;ô oôroôoôru;n EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'eô;boô, o; ru;'boô O: de;'le; O®rÙ u;nmi¾la¾ Baba ko¾ si; ni;le;. Ni;bo ni Baba loô? OÙmoô reô ni; Baba o¾un loô t'eô;yi¾n aye; sôe ni Ifa; wi;, o; lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ E®mi na;a¾ wi;, mo lo; di a¾te¾ôyi¾n-ke;de¾ Di;a; fu;n O®ri¾sôa¾ n;la; OÙ®sôeô¾e¾ôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ Ti; yo;o; maa lo¾ôoô; ko;ô e¾de¾ l'oô;doô¾ OÙr® u;nmi¾la¾ loô;jo;ô oôroôoôru;n EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'eô;boô, o; ru;'boô O: de;'le; O®rÙ u;nmi¾la¾ Baba ko¾ si; ni;le;. Ni;bo ni Baba loô? OÙmoô reô¾ ni; i¾ya; o¾un loô fa oku¾n aye; A®ti oô¾run Bo;ya; t'aye; lo; ma;a ja; moô;ôoô loôw ; o;ô ni Ta¾bi; t'oô¾run ni EÙni¾kan ko¾ mo¾ô Baba o¾un loô re¾e; m’o;ju; to;o E®ro¾ I®po, E®ro¾ OÙ®fa EÙ®yin o¾ moô¾ wi;pe; oômoôde; gbo;ôn A®gba¾ na;a¾ gboô;n La fi mu;'le; aye; ro; ni ndan? Translation: Ifá declares that it is time to learn wisdom from those behind us I chorus that it is time to learn wisdom from 149 OGBE® I®WO®RI® those behind us This was Ifá’s message for OÙba¾ta;la; When going to learn wisdom from Oru¾nmi¾la¾ every five days He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied When he got to Oru¾nmi¾la¾’s home Oru¾nmi¾la¾ was not at home Where has he gone to? Oru¾nmi¾la¾’s child responded that his father went to sew one strand of clothing material but left behind the other strand un-sewn Ifá declares that it is time to learn wisdom from those behind us I chorus that it is time to learn wisdom from those behind us This was Ifá’s message for OÙba¾ta;la; When going to learn wisdom from Oru¾nmi¾la¾ every five days He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied When he got to Oru¾nmi¾la¾’s home Oru¾nmi¾la¾ was not at home Where has he gone to? Oru¾nmi¾la¾’s child responded that the rope of the world was about to break And his father had gone to tie it back together Ifá declares that it is time to learn wisdom from those behind us I chorus that it is time to learn wisdom from those behind us This was Ifá’s message for OÙba¾ta;la; When going to learn wisdom from Oru¾nmi¾la¾ every five days He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied When he got to Oru¾nmi¾la¾’s home Oru¾nmi¾la¾ was not at home Where has he gone to? Oru¾nmi¾la¾’s child responded that his father had 150 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 gone to mend the world In preparation for the time that he would no longer be around Ifá declares that it is time to learn wisdom from those behind us I chorus that it is time to learn wisdom from those behind us This was Ifá’s message for OÙba¾ta;la; When going to learn wisdom from Oru¾nmi¾la¾ every five days He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied When he got to Oru¾nmi¾la¾’s home Oru¾nmi¾la¾ was not at home Where has he gone to? Oru¾nmi¾la¾’s son responded that his mother was pulling the chord of Ayé (earth) and OÙ®run (heaven) with her hands right now If the chord of Ayé is the one that will eventually remain in her hands or that of heaven Nobody can say for certain My father has gone to take care of this matter Travellers to I®po and OÙ®fa¾ Don’t you know that the wisdom of both youths and elders is what Olo;du¾mare¾ has combined to establish governance in this world? Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed need not overrely on the fact that only elders will or can share their knowledge with him/her. He/she needs to make use of wisdom, wise counselling, advice or guidance from anyone who can share it with him/her - whether that person is an elder or a youth does not really matter. What is important is for him/her to use the idea shared with him/her in a very positive way. 13. Ifá says that it foresees victory over an untimely death for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. He/she will be spared where people will be dying in multitude. He/she will not be at home if the building where he/she stays is going to collapse. He/she will not be 151 OGBE® I®WO®RI® involved in any boat, ship or motor mishap that will snuff out his/her life. He/she will not be allowed to fall off a tall tree or building which may result in his/her death. He/she will not be mistakenly poisoned. No stray bullet will hit and kill him/her. Assassins will fail if they intend to eliminate him/her. He/she will not slip on a wet floor and break his/her skull. Fire will not burn him/her to death. He/she will not lose his/her life during times of war and uprising. When there is pestilence in the community, he/she shall be spared. Ifá says that with the exception of suicide, either intentional or inadvertent, the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall be spared from any violent death. He/she shall live long. He/she shall not experience any group death. He/she shall witness his/her old age, the birth and growth of his/her children, grand children and even great grand children. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with three mature he-goats and money. He/she also needs to feed Ifá with a mature she-goat and plenty of palm-oil. After these have been done, he/she needs to handle life with care and caution. That he/she has offered ẹbọ is not enough reason to be reckless in life. On these, Ifá says: A®da¾ba¾ ga;n ba;yi¾i; A®da¾ba¾ fo¾ ba;yi¾i; Di;a; fu;n Ori;sôa;nku; Ti;i; sô'eô¾gbo;ôn Ogbe¾-W'eô¾yi¾n Iku; o¾ lee¾ pa o¾un lo; n;da;'fa; si; EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: The dove landed here The dove took off from here This was Ifá’s message to Ori;sôa;nku; The elder brother of Ogbe¾-I®wo¾ri¾ He had consulted Ifá to escape untimely death He was advised to offer ẹbọ 152 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ori;sôa;nku; was Ogbe¾-W'eô¾yi¾n’s elder brother. He had witnessed many people dying in their prime. Many people had died violent deaths. Many more were living in fear of dying through violence. He was one of the people nursing this fear. As a result of this, Ori;sôa;nku; went to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation. Will I live long? If so, what do I need to do to ensure that nothing cuts short my life as I have witnessed many youths whose lives have been cut short while in their prime. He had witnessed the inexplicable deaths of people who had everything going for them. Surely, he did not want to be one of these people. What then could he do to make him live to his old age? Will I be able to escape all these problems and grow old? The Awo assured Ori;sôa;nku; that he would live long. He was told that outside outright suicide, he would surely grow old. This was because Ifá would protect him and ensure that he would be spared the agony of experiencing untimely or violent death. He was advised to offer ẹbọ as stated above. He complied. The Awo however warned him that he needed to do all things with care and caution. That, according to the Awo, this advice was a more important ẹbọ than all the materials he had procured. As long as he followed the advice and he refused to dare death when it threatened, then long life was guaranteed for him. When Ori;sôa;nku; got home, he began to do everything with care and caution. He was in turn protected by Ifá. If there was any mishap, it would happen immediately before or after Ori;sôa;nku; had left the scene, when people asked him why he was always lucky to escape death, he simply responded that he did not follow anyone into the world, he therefore would not follow anyone to heaven. He came into the world at the very end when all those who would be unlucky to meet with violent deaths had already departed. A®da¾ba¾ ga;n ba;yi¾i; A®da¾ba¾ fo¾ ba;yi¾i; Di;a; fu;n Ori;sôa;nku; Ti;i; sô'eô¾gbo;ôn Ogbe¾-W'eô¾yi¾n Iku; o¾ lee¾ pa o¾un lo; n;da;'fa; si; 153 OGBE® I®WO®RI® EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O gb'eô;boô, o; ru;'boô Ko¾ pe;ô, Ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni la;i¾ku; kangiri A®i¾ku;; Ifa; du¾n o; j’oyin loô N®je;ô n o¾ ba; woôn wa; Ti; n o; ba; woôn loô o Ni;tori; ni; 'keôyi¾n-keôyi¾n ni mo to;o; de; o Translation: The dove landed here The dove took off from here This was Ifá’s message to Ori;sôa;nku; The elder brother of Ogbe¾-I®wo¾ri¾ He had consulted Ifá to escape untimely death He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Before long, not too far Join us where we enjoy long life The longevity guaranteed by Ifá is sweeter than honey I did not follow them into this world Therefore, I will not follow them to heaven This is because I came into this world very, very late Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall be given long life. He/she shall be spared the agony of dying violently. He/she shall not die together with others during mishaps, crises, uprising, or even disasters. 14. Ifá says that for the person for whom this Odù is revealed to live long and die peacefully, meekness and I®wa¾ Peô¾le;ô are the watchwords. Without these, it will be very difficult, if not totally impossible for him/her to live long and attain his/her old age. Ifá says that longevity has no special panacea; I®wa¾ Peô¾le;ô is the only known medicine for long life. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed must never be in the forefront of any uprising. He/she 154 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 must never organize, coordinate, or direct mass unrest; he/she must also not try to be a hero; he/she must not try to show that he/she is bolder than others. If there is the need to retreat when death threatens, especially when it is possible to do so, he/she must do just that immediately. Apart from these, the person for whom this Odù is revealed must have deep respect for elders and those in authority over him/her. He/she must avoid being cursed by elders or incur their wrath. Curses from elders or their wrath do not allow one to live long. Ifá advises the person for whom this Odù is revealed to offer ẹbọ with three items, I®wa¾ Peô¾le;ô, I®wa¾ Peô¾le;ô and more I®wa¾ Peô¾le;ô. Ifá says that this person can never have too much I®wa¾ Peô¾le;ô . There is no such thing as excessive I®wa¾ Peô¾le;ô but there can be I®wa¾ Peô¾le;ô in short supply. A stanza in Ogbe¾-W'eô¾yi¾n on this aspect says: A n; ki; oômoô eku OÙmoô eku n; wo iwa;ju; Woô;n ni; oômoô eku ki;nlo; de; Ti; o fi n; wo iwa;ju; O: ni; Iku; ala;i¾wo iwa;ju; Lo; pa Ba¾ba; o¾un Ala;jere-Ideô A n; ki; oômoô eôja OÙmoôô eôja n; weôy ¾ i¾n Woô;n ni; oômoô eôja Ki;nlo; de; Ti; o fi n; weô¾yi¾n O: ni; Iku; ala;i¾ weôy ¾ i¾n Lo; pa Ba¾ba; o¾un Ala;jere ideô Mo wa; wo iwa;ju; E®mi wo eô¾yi¾n E®mi o¾ ri; ohun to; sunwo¾ôn bi; Ifa; Di;a; fu;n Jeô;e;ôjeô;-Logbo; Ti; n; raye; e re¾ô la;i¾ ni;i; ku EÙboô ni woôn ni ko; wa;a; sôe 155 OGBE® I®WO®RI® Translation: While greeting Eku (the Rat) The rat continued to look forward They asked him, “Rat, what has occurred that you are continuously looking forward?” The rat answered, “Failure to look forward was what led to the death of my father, Ala;jere-Ideô ” While greeting EÙja (the Fish) The fish continued to look backward They asked him, “Fish, what has occurred that you are continuously glancing backward?” The fish answered, “Failure to glance backward was what led to the death of my father Ala;jere-Ideô” I looked forward And I even glanced backward I could not see anything as beneficial as Ifá That was the message of Ifá for Jeô;e;ôjeô;-Logbo; (Meekness brings longevity) When coming to enjoy long-lasting life on earth He was advised to offer ẹbọ Jeô;e;ôjeô;-Logbo; had witnessed several people dying, especially youths who had died violent deaths. He had seen the remains of those who died when their boats capsized in the middle of the sea; he had witnessed the burial of those who were burnt beyond recognition when they were asleep and the lamp which they lighted overturned and the ensuing fire burnt down the whole building, including those who were occupants of the house. There were no survivors. He had seen people who had gone to rescue a child who had fallen into a well and in the process they drowned along with the child because they did not understand how to get out of a deep well. He had been called upon when members of his family got killed when their mud house suddenly collapsed, killing all occupants; he had heard the story of those who died when they went to rescue those whose boats capsized and they were not good swimmers. The instances of sudden, violent and multiple deaths were simply endless. These incidents made Jeô;e;ôjeô;-Logbo; and all those around him live in constant fear of death. This was why one day, Jeô;e;ôjeô;-Logbo; 156 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 decided to approach the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: What do I need to do in order to live long, avoid a violent death, and also avoid being part of those who die in groups or in multitude? The group of Awo told Jeô;e;ôjeô;-Logbo; that he had justifiable reason to fear for his life, nonetheless, he had been destined to live long and die in peace. They however cautioned him that because he had been destined to live long did not give him the license to live a rough life or take unreasonable risks. They made it clear to him that if he did not handle life with caution and I®wa¾ Pe¾ôleô;, he would just rubbish the promises of his destiny. What must I do and what must I avoid? Jeô;e;ôjeô;-Logbo; asked the group of Awo. i. If a stream is full and too swift, especially when rain has just fallen, do not attempt to cross it. ii. If you do not know how to swim, do not jump into a river. iii. When fire is raging on the farm or inside a house, do not enter the fire to salvage any goods. Your life is more precious than material wealth. iv. Do not use banana leaves to climb a palm-tree. v. Do not prove any point by eating or drinking contaminated or poisoned food or drink. vi. Do not develop the habit of moving about in the dead of the night. vii. Do not challenge a multitude of people to a fight. viii. Do not under-estimate the capability of anyone especially women and youths. ix. Do not fail to save your life when death threatens, especially when it is possible to do so. x. Do not be disrespectful or rude to elders. 157 OGBE® I®WO®RI® xi. Do not defecate in public utilities. xii. Do not conspire against anyone or plan evil against innocent ones. xiii. Do not set traps against innocent people. xiv. Do not steal or take what belongs to other people. xv. Do not reap where you have not sown. xvi. Do not harbour evil thoughts in your mind against yourself or other people. xvii. Whatever people do to you that causes you pain, do not do unto others. Do not dash the hopes of others. xviii. Do not be prideful and/or arrogant in all the things you do. Humility is your watchword. xix. Do not use or do anything that can affect or alter the normal functioning of your brain. That is the seat of your destiny. xx. Do not ignore the advice of Ifá; on any issue. Do not delay the offering of ẹbọ unduly. xxi. Do not attempt to be what you are not. Be yourself. Be true and honest to yourself. Don’t love others more than yourself. All these, Je;ôeô;je;ô-Logbo memorized and determined to comply with. He actually complied with all of them. It soon dawned on him that longevity had a special panacea, meekness and I®wa¾ Pe¾ôleô;, were the only known panacea for long life. A n; ki; oômoô eku OÙmoô eku n; wo iwa;ju; Woô;n ni; oômoô eku ki;nlo; de; Ti; o fi n; wo iwa;ju; O: ni; Iku; ala;i¾wo iwa;ju; 158 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Lo; pa Ba¾ba; o¾un Ala;jere-Ideô A n; ki; oômoô eôja OÙmoôô eôja n; weôy ¾ i¾n Woô;n ni; oômoô eôja Ki;nlo; de; Ti; o fi n; w'eô¾yi¾n O: ni; Iku; ala;i¾ weôy ¾ i¾n Lo; pa Ba¾ba; o¾un Ala;jere ideô Mo wa; wo iwa;ju; E®mi wo eô¾yi¾n E®mi o¾ ri; ohun to; sunwo¾ôn bi; Ifa; Di;a; fu;n Jeô;e;ôjeô;-Logbo; Ti; n; raye; e re¾ô la;i¾ ni;i; ku; EÙboô ni woôn ni ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'e;ôboô, o; ru;'boô N®je;ô jeô;e;ôjeô; logbo; o Ogbo; o¾ lo;o¾gu¾n kankan I®wa¾ pe¾ôle;ô logbo; o Ogbo; o¾ lo;o¾gu¾n kankan Translation: While greeting Eku (the Rat) The rat continued to look forward They asked him, “Rat, what has occurred that you are continuously looking forward?” The rat answered, “Failure to look forward was what led to the death of my father, Ala;jere-Ideô ” While greeting EÙja (the Fish) The fish continued to look backward They asked him, “Fish, what has occurred that you are continuously glancing backward?” The fish answered, “Failure to glance backward was what led to the death of my father Ala;jere-Ideô” I looked forward And I even glanced backward I could not see anything as beneficial as Ifá That was the message of Ifá for Jeô;e;ôjeô;-Logbo; (Meekness brings longevity) When coming to enjoy long-lasting life on earth He was advised to offer ẹbọ 159 OGBE® I®WO®RI® He complied Behold, meekness enhances longevity I®wa¾-pe¾ôle;ô ensures longevity Longevity has no other panacea Ifá says that with meekness and I®wa¾-pe¾ôle;ô, longevity for the person for whom this Odù is revealed is guaranteed. Jeô;e;ôjeô; and I®wa¾-peô¾le;ô work together and together they ensure and enhance longevity. That is the message of Ifá for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Even if he/she is destined to live long in heaven, if he/she has Jeô;e;ôjeô; and I®wa¾peô¾le;ô in short supply, he/she will surely die young in a sorry way and manner. 15. Ifá warns the person for whom this Odù is revealed to take care of himself/herself first before thinking of helping others. Ifá says that there is the need for this person to ensure that he/she pulls himself out of the waters before attempting to pull other people out. If this is not done, Ifá says that he/she will not have the capacity to help him/herself and others when the time comes. Ifá also advises this person to take care of his/her health before ever contemplating any form of help for other people. If this is not done, the ailment will incapacitate him/her and he/she will no longer be in the position to help him/herself and those he intends to assist. Ifá recommends for this person to offer ẹbọ with one mature he-goat and 30 bags of cowries. After this, he/she needs to take care of himself/herself first before rendering any help to other people. On these aspects, Ogbe¾-W'e¾ôyi¾n says: A ri; t'eôni moô¾oô; wi; A f’a¾pa;a¾di¾ ba¾ra¾mu¾ bo tire¾ô mo;ôleô¾ Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Baba n;sô'awo re’le; oni;hann¾han EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe 160 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: He who is preoccupied with analyzing other people’s problems But uses a big potsherd to cover his own inadequacies This was Ifá’s message for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ When going on an Ifá mission to the home of Oni;hann¾han He was advised to offer ẹbọ Oni;hann¾han was a very generous and benevolent man. He loved to help other people. In fact, he enjoyed rendering help to people. Several people, men and women, had been elevated financially through the help of Oni;hann¾han. Not only that, he usually made it a point of duty to find an amicable solution to any rift. There was no way one could count the number of domestic problems he had resolved. People had lost count of the number of intra and inter communal clashes he had found lasting solutions to. He had footed the bills for many ill people and they had regained their health. Several people in the community and even outside the community had complementary comments on Oni;hann¾han . One day, Oni;hann¾han woke up with a slight head-ache. He thought nothing of it. He believed that the head-ache would go away on its own. Why should he bother about a slight head-ache when he had people who were on the verge of death who needed his urgent assistance? He simply ignored the head-ache. Three days after, the head-ache had become more severe and persistent. Yet, he could not be bothered because many people needed his help. By the time he felt that something must be done, he could no longer sleep. He could not eat, drink, sit upright or do anything again. He could not help anyone again. In fact, he did not have the strength to help himself. He relied on his children to do everything for him. He could not wash his mouth, take his bath, or empty his bowels without assistance. What gave him the greatest worry of his life was that he was no longer in a position to help those who needed his assistance. His worry added to his problems. He became weaker and sadder. That was when the family of Oni;hann¾han invited O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to their home to come and consult Ifá for Oni;hann¾han. Before going, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ went to 161 OGBE® I®WO®RI® the Awo mentioned above to determine Oni;hann¾han’s home would be: Will I succeed? how his journey to The Awo assured O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ that he would surely succeed. His degree of success however depended entirely on whether or not the person on behalf of whom he was invited was ready to heed the advice. How? O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was told that this person loved other people more than himself. He had been working hard to help others and put smiles on their faces at the expense of his own health and well-being. It had then reached a stage that he was no longer in a position to help himself, not to talk of others. O®Ùru;nmi¾la was asked to advise him to offer ẹbọ as stated above. If he agrees to offer the ẹbọ, he will also need to take care of his health first before he can think of rendering any form of assistance to other people. It was only when this advice was complied with, that he could ever succeed. If the person on behalf of whom O®Ùru;nmi¾la was invited is not ready to heed this advice, then O®Ùru;nmi¾la’s journey to his home would amount to a sheer waste of effort. When O®Ùru;nmi¾la got to Oni;hann¾han’s house, the man was in a sorry state. O®Ùru;nmi¾la explained to him that he would get well and regain his strength in no time at all if only he could concentrate all his effort now on how to take care of his health and regain his strength and health first before thinking about how to assist others. O®Ùru;nmi¾la told him that he had been loving other people more than himself and that this attitude was what brought him into the sorry state he had found himself. He was also advised to offer ẹbọ with one bearded he-goat and 30 bags of cowries. He complied. After this, he was advised to purge his mind of any worry, use his medication which O®Ùru;nmi¾la had prepared for him and allow the healing process to take place. He agreed and complied with the advice. In no time, he began to regain his health and strength. That was when he realized that there was nothing wrong with caring for other people; but when this was carried to the extreme when he/she cared for others more than himself/herself, then the result would be disastrous for him/her because he/she would drive himself/herself to a stage where it would be impossible to help himself/herself and others he/she intended to assist. This realization made him to rearrange his priorities accordingly. 162 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 A ri; t'eôni moô¾oô; wi; A f’a¾pa;a¾di¾ ba¾ra¾mu¾ bo tire¾ô mo;ôleô¾ Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Baba n;sô'awo re’le; oni;hann¾han EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'e;ôboô, o; ru;'boô Ko¾ pe;ô, oô¾na¾ o¾ ji¾n EÙ wa; ba; ni la;to¾le; ire gbogbo A®to¾le; ire gbogbo la¾a; ba; ni l'e;s ô eô¾ O®Ùpe¾ô Translation: He who is preoccupied with analyzing other people’s problems But uses a big potsherd to cover his own inadequacies This was Ifá’s message for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ When going on an Ifá mission to the home of Oni;hann¾han He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of all Ire This is what Ifá guarantees for all its followers Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall surely be blessed with all the Ire in life. His/her heart is pure, he/she is benevolent but he/she cannot do everything at his/her own expense. There is nothing wrong with caring for others but it must not be carried to the stage where he/she will be caring for other people more than himself/herself. 16. Ifá warns the person for whom this Odù is revealed never to engage in any fruitless exercises. Not only this, Ifá says that this person must never seek glory for their own vanity, must not exercise in vanity or even perdition. However, if he/she has already engaged in such a venture, then there is the need for him/her to stop forthwith. Ifá says that this person needs to not stress himself/herself too much to talk to anyone who has made up his/her mind not to listen or see reason with him/her. Such an exercise will not yield any fruitful results. 163 OGBE® I®WO®RI® Ifá says also that people hear what they want to hear; they see what they want to see. Trying to convince those who have intentionally closed their eyes and ears to see or hear the other side of an issue is an exercise in vanity. Ifá also warns the person for whom this Odù is revealed never to have extra-marital relationships of any kind; be it casual or serious, especially if this illicit partner is also married to someone else. If this has already been going on, he/she needs to put an end to such a relationship forthwith. This is because the result will be very disastrous. Ifá equally advises this person never to close his/her ears, eyes and brain to reason and logic. If anyone or any situation presents another side of an already held opinion, such an alternative view must be carefully considered before any decision can be taken to reject or accept it. In other words, all what the person for whom this Odù is revealed thinks, says or does must be based on rationale thinking and logic. Ifá says that if this person has been guilty of holding any rigid view on anything before or he/she has been involved in an extra-marital affair of any kind then he/she needs to offer ẹbọ with three mature he-goats, 30 bags of cowries and then stop such an attitude immediately. On all these, an aspect of Ogbe¾-W'eô¾yi¾n says: OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; e¾gbe; ni Mo ni; e¾gbe; ni Bara a¾ mi A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; orin ti; a koô lo;ju; aditi; n;ko;ô? Ki;n lo; ti ri;? Woô;n ni; o; du¾n pu;poô ju¾ Translation: OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declares that it is an exercise in vanity I chorus that it is an exercise in vanity OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ asked, “a song sung in the presence of a deaf person, How will it be received?” They said that it would be a fantastic song 164 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ summoned all his Aka;po¾ who were living close to him in order to teach them some life lessons. He asked them that if a melodious song were to be rendered in the presence of a deaf person, how do you all think the song will be received by the person? All those present concluded that the fact that the person was deaf would not stop the song from being melodious. They told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that the song would remain melodious. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ told them that to the deaf person, any singing in his/her presence amounted to an exercise in futility. This is because be it melodious or otherwise, this person will not hear it and it will be of no effect to him/her. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ warned all his Aka;po¾ never to bother singing for any deaf person because he/she would not hear it or make any good use of the song. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; e¾gbe; ni Mo ni; e¾gbe; ni Bara a¾ mi A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; ijo; ti; a jo; l'oôd ; o¾ô afoô;ju; n;ko;ô? Ki;n lo; ti ri;? Woô;n ni; o; du¾n pu;poô¾ ju¾ Translation: OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declares that it is an exercise in vanity I chorus that it is an exercise in vanity OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ asked, “the dance steps taken in the presence of a blind person, How will they be received ?” They said that they would be fantastic dance steps Again, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ asked his Aka;po¾, if we were to dance in the presence of a blind person would he/she love it or not? Again after much deliberation all the Aka;po¾ present agreed that the blind person would love it because dancing would be an expression of joy. Again OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ made it clear to them that dancing in the presence of a blind person would be an exercise in futility. This was because good or not, he/she would have no way of knowing if they were good or not. He therefore warned all his Aka;po¾ never to bother dancing for any blind person because it would amount to a sheer waste of time and effort. 165 OGBE® I®WO®RI® OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; e¾gbe; ni Mo ni; e¾gbe; ni Bara a¾ mi A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; ere; ti; a ba; aya ala;ya sôe n;ko;ô? Ki;n lo; ti ri;? Woô;n ni; o; du¾n pu;po¾ô ju¾ Translation: OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declares that it is an exercise in vanity I chorus that it is an exercise in vanity OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ asked, “what if we were to makelove to another person’s spouse, How would that be?” They responded that it would be very enjoyable OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ then asked his Aka;po¾, what can be gained by making-love to another man’s wife? All of them answered that it would at least be enjoyable while it lasted. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ made it clear to his Aka;po¾ that making love to another man’s wife was an exercise in perdition. He said that before love-making could be said to be a completely enjoyable exercise, three conditions must be fulfilled: One, it must have legitimacy. This can only come after all marriage rites have been performed. Love-making when rites are not yet performed cannot be said to be legitimate. Also pre-marital sex in itself can cause many problems that otherwise could have been avoided. Two, love-making must be done with a clear conscience. Any man making love to another man’s wife, or a married woman making love to another woman’s husband cannot be said to be an exercise done with a clear conscience. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ stated further that anything we do under cover is wrong and unacceptable to Ifá and Olo;du¾mare¾. Three, if pregnancy were to occur with someone else’s wife, the baby would not belong to the man who had made love to the other man’s wife. The reason for this is that Ifá does not support such relationships in the first place. The only things that could result from such a union are anger, conflicts, public condemnation, disgrace or even death. 166 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 For these three reasons, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ warned all his Aka;po¾ never to make love to other people’s wives as the results would never be favourable. All the Aka;po¾ present agreed with OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ on the first two reasons he gave but they did not understand why the resultant pregnancy and baby from the relationship would not belong to the man who actually impregnated the woman. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ then explained by giving the following illustration: If a thief breaks into a house and steals expensive jewellery from the house, and the thief then sells the jewellery and uses the money from the sale to build a house for himself; if eventually the thief is caught, who can we say is the rightful owner of the house built by the thief with the money he realized from the sale of the stolen jewellery? Of course we cannot say that the house rightfully belongs to the thief. It belongs to the original owner of the jewellery. In this same vein, Ifá does not agree that the baby produced as a result of an illicit relationship with another man’s wife belongs to the man who engaged in the adultery. The child born from the illicit affair will stay in the husband’s family to bring benefit to his family and not to the man who impregnated his wife. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; e¾gbe; ni Mo ni; e¾gbe; ni Bara a¾ mi A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; orin ti; a koô lo;ju; aditi; n;ko;ô? Ki;n lo; ti ri;? Woô;n ni; o; du¾n pu;poô¾ ju¾ OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; e¾gbe; ni Ni;tori; ko¾ gboô; Mo ni; e¾gbe; ni Bara a¾ mi A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; ijo; ti; a jo; l'oôd ; o¾ô afoô;ju; n;ko;ô? Ki;n lo; ti ri;? Woô;n ni; o; du¾n pu;poô¾ ju¾ Orunmila ni egbe ni Ni;tori; ko¾ ri;i OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; e¾gbe; ni Mo ni; e¾gbe; ni Bara a¾ mi A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; ere; ti; a ba; aya ala;ya sôe n;ko;ô? Ki;n lo; ti ri;? Woô;n ni; o; du¾n pu;po¾ô ju¾ 167 OGBE® I®WO®RI® OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; e¾gbe; ni Ni;tori; Iku; lo; wa¾ ni;be¾ô OÙmoô to; ja;de ni;be¾ô ki¾i; si¾i; sôe t'eôni Translation: OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declares that it is an exercise in vanity I chorus that it is an exercise in vanity OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ asked, “a song sung in the presence of a deaf person, How will it be received?” They said that it would be a fantastic song OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ replied that it would simply be an exercise in vanity Because he would not hear the song OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declares that it is an exercise in vanity I chorus that it is an exercise in vanity OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ asked, “the dance steps taken in the presence of a blind person, How will they be received ?” They said that they would be fantastic dance steps OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ replied that it would simply be an exercise in vanity Because he would not see the dance steps OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declares that it is an exercise in vanity I chorus that it is an exercise in vanity OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ asked, “what if we were to make love to another person’s spouse, How would that be?” They responded that it would be very enjoyable OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ replied that it would simply be an exercise in vanity Because the only gain would be death and humiliation The resultant pregnancy and baby would not belong to us Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed needs to be careful and not engage in any non-productive or vain activities which could lead to regrets, pain, loss, or death. If this person has already involved himself/herself in it, then he/she needs to offer ẹbọ with three mature he-goats. He/she also needs to put a stop to such an exercise immediately. A®boôru; A®boôye¾ 168 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 B. SIGNIFICANCE OF OGBE®-'WEÙ®YI®N FOR THOSE BORN BY THE ODU® DURING I®TE®ÙNI:FA:: OR I®KOÙSEÙD ® A:YE: Ogbe¾-'W'eô¾yi¾n children are generally lovable people. They possess the ability to make those around them happy when they too are happy. On the other hand, they also infect their loved ones with grief and pain whenever they are sad or dejected. It is therefore advisable for those close to them to insist that they must not brood over trivial issues since their moods, more often than not, dictate the mood of the group they move with. Again, because these people have the tendency to be loved by all, including the high and mighty, males and females, those who love them are also usually very jealous and they crave for the attention of Ogbe¾'W'eô¾yi¾n children. The challenging part is that they do not always know how to strike an acceptable balance among all those who love them. More often they create crises among their admirers and they appear not to bother about the possible implications of their actions and/or inactions. For Ogbe¾-'W'eôy ¾ i¾n children, success comes from two major areas- their work and their family, especially their family of procreation. They are usually blessed with fine work whether they are on their own or they work with/for others. Their intelligence is superb and they quickly get to the zenith of their chosen career. Their families also show them love and deep understanding. However, no matter how great they are in their work their real satisfaction usually comes from the success of their family as a whole. They take more pride and accolade in the achievements of their children than any other thing in life. Many times, Ogbe¾-'W'eô¾yi¾n children talk too much and end up putting themselves on the spot with what they say. This is not surprising in the sense that they are acutely aware that they are very intelligent. They also feel strongly that others are not, and cannot be, as intelligent as they are. For this reason, they always end up putting themselves in huge trouble. The interesting part however is that as soon as they enter into this trouble, they have an unbelievable way of talking themselves out of trouble. Not only this, they end up attaining higher positions and 169 OGBE® I®WO®RI® social status through their words. This is why it is not in the best interest of anyone to compare themselves with Ogbe¾-'W'eô¾yi¾n children in this aspect! This is due to the fact that Ogbe¾-'W'eô¾yi¾n children are always protected by the Divinities, sometimes even against themselves. For Ogbe¾-'W'eô¾yi¾n children, their main physiological problems are back troubles, internal organ problems, and heart and respiratory challenges. With appropriate ẹbọand constant monitoring however, the problems can be put in check. It is not advisable for Ogbe¾-'W'eô¾yi¾n children to get themselves involved in two relationships at the same time. This is because of the fact that they usually find it tough to maintain equality on emotional issues, instead of being diplomatic they either end up being glaringly one-sided or being totally cold and un-emotional. This usually brings pain and frustration to those who love them passionately. As an adjustment to this, Ogbe¾-'W'eô¾yi¾n children must never engage in extra marital activities of any kind. This will only reduce their spiritual and economic gains to the barest minimum. Sometimes these relationships can even lead to their death! On the whole, Ogbe¾-'W'eô¾yi¾n children succeed where others have failed. They gain acceptance where others have been rejected. They are respected and honoured where others have been humiliated and ridiculed. To Ogbe¾-'W'eô¾yi¾n children, life usually has extra meaning that must be explored and put to good use. C. TABOOS OF OGBE®-'WEÙ®YI®N 1. Must never eat beef or use any part of cattle – to avoid suffering, where there is supposed to be honour. 2. Must not ignore his/her health condition – to avoid incapacitating himself/herself. 3. Must never maltreat dogs – to avoid losing spiritual support. 4. Must not marry anyone who hails from his/her place of birth – to avoid a matrimonial breakup and failure 170 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 5. Must not attempt to outwit anyone or take undue advantage of anybody or any situation – to avoid being ridiculed and humiliated. 6. For Ogbe¾-'W'eô¾yi¾n women: they must investigate fully all social organizations before joining them - to avoid putting the lives of their children on the line. 7. Must not engage in extra marital affairs – to avoid putting himself/herself in destructive or perditious circumstances. 8. Must not eat squirell (but can use them to feed Ifá) – to avoid losing success chances. 9. Must never use dove for anything whatsoever, must never eat it, use it for medicine or keep it in bondage as a pet – to avoid unconsummated fortunes and constant agony and misfortune. 10. Must never care for others more than himself/herself – to avoid incapacitating himself/herself. 11. Must never under-estimate anyone– to avoid disappointments in life. 12. Must never kill ants of any kind - to avoid contentious issues in his/her life. D. AFFILIATED O®RI®SÙA®/IRU:NMOÙLE® OF OGBE®-W'E®ÙYI®N 1. Ifá – For guidance, direction, protection, success and general well-being 2. Orí – For elevation, success and spiritual harmony 3. E®sôu¾-OÙ®da¾ra¾ – For success, victory and fortune 4. Egu;ngu;n – For overall success, protection and ancestral support 171 OGBE® I®WO®RI® 5. Oró – For overall success and protection 6. SÙa¾ngo; – For victory and protection 7. OÙba¾ta;la; – For spiritual elevation 8. Ajé– For prosperity and financial success 9. O®gu;n– For victory over all adversity 10. O®ke¾ – For victory, success and spiritual elevation E. POSSIBLE NAMES OF OGBE®-'WEÙ®YI®N i. MALES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Ifa;ti¾mi;le;ôyi¾n – Ifa; gives me backing Ifa;o¾koô¾mi; – Ifa; does not reject me Ifa;wuyi¾ – Ifa; is prestigious Olu;sôeô;gun – The Lord is victorious Aye;gbaje;ôje;ô – The world needs meekness Adi¾mu; – Hold onto the tenets of the Divinities Yo;o¾du¾ngbeô¾yi¾n – It shall be sweet in the end ii. FEMALES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Teô;woô;gbade; – Spread your hands to receive your crown of honour Adi¾mu; – Hold unto the tenets of the Divinities Yo;o;du¾ngbeô¾yi¾n – It shall be sweet in the end Jeô;eô;je;ô-L’ogbo; – Meekness guarantees longevity Ifa;wu¾mi; – I love Ifa; A®boôru; A®boôye¾ 172 Chapter 3 Ogbè Òdí I I II I II I I I 173 OGBE®-O®DI: OGBE®’DI: OGBE® E TI®DI: OGBE® DINDI A.1. Ifa; says that all the good things of life that people strive for shall be given unto the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. He/she shall be blessed with wealth, compatible spouse, good children, happiness, victory, sound health, while long life shall be added to these desirable gifts as bonus. Ifa; says that this person was not created to come into this world to experience want or to suffering. He/she shall be elevated. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with four rats and four fish for childbirth; two hens for spouse, if a man; two cocks for spouse, if a woman; two pigeons for wealth; two guinea fowls for peace of mind; two mature cocks for victory, sound health and long life; two ducks for elevation; and money. On these, Ifa; says: Poro n;la;nl; a; aboju; gbaragada Di;a; fu;n Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Ti; n;;’toô¾run boô¾ w'a;ye; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: The broad farm ridge with a clear view This was the Ifa; cast for Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n When coming from heaven to earth She was advised to offer eôboô When Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n was coming from heaven to earth, she pleaded for, and was granted, the Ire of prosperity, compatible spouse, well-behaved children, sound health, victory over adversary, peace of mind, mental, social and spiritual elevation, long life and all the Ire of life. When she arrived on earth, she began to receive the bounties of Olo;du¾mare¾ and the Iru;nmoôleô¾ which no human being could give or take away from her. 174 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Her youthful life was challenging and interesting; she got married at the right time, and to the right man; she got her children at the right time; the children were well brought up; they became the envy of the community they lived in; and they were very useful to the community; she was blessed with sound health; she was looking and acting younger than her age; she carried herself very well; and she was not involved in any form of scandal in her community. She was blessed with an opulent mansion which she insisted on its construction together with her husband and children; she turned the bush around her parents home into living apartments; she converted the refuse dump-site in her community into a daily market-place; she was fond of coming up with brilliant, well articulated and well implemented ideas and she was highly honoured and respected in the society. There was no good project in the community that would be implemented without her input. In spite of all these good attributes, Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n did not allow her achievements to enter into her head. She was very humble, respectful and unassuming. She never ignored or overlooked anyone in the community. To her, nobody was useless, everyone deserved love, and everyone had a contribution to make to the society. Even though she tried to make everyone important, she was still hated and envied by a pocket of people who could not understand why she should be so blessed by Olo;du¾mare¾ and the Divinities. Her antagonists were never noticed in the community and they had no relevance in the community of important people. The sheer force of the goodwill of Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n drove these detractors to the ground. They remained on the ground. They lived with their sorrow. They died with their sorrow. As a bonus for all the good deeds which Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n did for herself, her immediate family, her extended family and the community at large, Olo;du¾mare¾ and the Divinities gave her long life. She became the historian in the community. Young ones also went to her for advice and counselling. She never disappointed any of them. Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n lived happily. She died a contented and fulfilled woman. Poro n;la;nl; a; aboju; gbaragada Di;a; fu;n Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Ti; n;t'oô¾run boô¾ w'a;ye; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe 175 OGBE®’DI: O: gb’eô;boô, o; ru;’boô OÙ®wo;ô Aje; n; wo;ô joô l'eô;yi¾n mi boô¾ wa; Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n OÙ®woô; joô OÙ®woô; joô OÙ®woô; aya n; wo;ô joô l'eô;yin mi bo¾ô wa; Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n O®®Ùwo;ô joô O®Ùwoô; joô O®Ùwoô; oômoô rere n; woô; joô l'eô;yi¾n mi boô¾ wa Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n O®Ùwo;ô joô O®Ùwoô; joô O®Ùwoô; ile; n; wo;ô joô l'eô;yi¾n mi bo¾ô wa; Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n O®w Ù o;ô joô O®Ùwoô; joô O®Ùwoô; Ire gbogbo n; woô; joô l'eô;yi¾n mi boô¾ wa; Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n O®Ùwoô; joô O®Ùwoô; joô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni ba';yo¾ô EÙ wa;a; wo’re o Translation: The broad farm ridge with clear view This was the Ifa cast for Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n When coming from heaven to earth She was advised to offer eôboô She complied The benefit of prosperity is coming to me Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n 176 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Let them gather together and come Let them arrive The benefit of compatible spouses are coming to me Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Let them gather together and come Let them arrive The benefit of well trained children are coming to me Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Let them gather together and come Let them arrive The benefit of comfortable homes are coming to me Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Let them gather together and come Let them arrive The benefit of all the Ire in life is coming to me Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Alaworo A®gu¾nta¾n Let them gather together and come Let them arrive Ifa; assures the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed that he/she shall be relevant in his/her home and community at large. He/she shall be in high demand. He/she shall live happily. In his/her old age, he/she shall recline comfortably and watch his/her handiwork grow steadily. He/she shall die with a smile on his/her face. That is the message of Ifa;. 2. Ifa; says that there are five issues which the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed needs to address as soon as possible in order for him/her to enjoy his/her life to the fullest. These issues are: i. His/her Ori; is not strong enough. This is the reason why many evil plans against him/her, both physical and preternatural, readily affect him/her. ii. His/her health is not sound. He/she has health issues that require urgent attention. He/she cannot continue to live his/her life with ill health. iii. His/her life is not free of contentious issues. This is why he/she is easily implicated in issues which he/she knows about and those he/she knows nothing about. 177 OGBE®’DI: iv. He/she is not enjoying the fullness of his/her life. This is why he/she always feels that something is always missing in his/her life. v. Most of the Ire he/she is expecting are not yet within his/her reach. This is the reason why he/she ends up toiling so much before he/she can make ends meet. Ifa; recommends for this person to offer the following items as eôboô and to use them to feed his/her Ori; in order to redress the issues stated above: i. Two coconuts to make his/her Orí strong enough to ward off the evil plans against him/her. ii. Two dry EÙda; (grey rats) to boost his/her health so that he/she will stop living his/her life in ill-health. iii. Two dry eômoô; (brown rats) to make his/her live his/her life free of contention. iv. Two dry iku;n (type of squirrels) to make him/her enjoy the fullness of his/her life. v. Plenty of brown shrimp for his/her Ire to come within reach. One of each item will be used as eôboô while the remaining material will be used to feed his/her Ori. On these aspects, a stanza in Ogbe¾‟Di; states: Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Baba n;sunku;n Ori; o¾un o¾ gbo; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la; Baba n;sunku;n ara o¾hun o¾ da; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la 178 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Baba n;sunku;n ara o¾hun o¾ moô; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Baba n;sunku;n ile; o¾hun o¾ ku;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la Baba n;sunku;n Ire o¾hun o¾ de; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When lamenting that his Ori; was not strong enough Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n They cast Ifa; for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When lamenting that his health was not sound Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n They cast Ifa; for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When lamenting that his life was not free of contention Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n They cast Ifa; for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When lamenting that he could not enjoy the fullness of his life Ti;ni¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n They cast Ifa; for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When lamenting that the Ire he was expecting was not manifesting He was advised to offer eôboô OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was a very sad man indeed. He could not understand why all the evil plans of his antagonists, both physical and preternatural, continued to affect him adversely in spite of all his efforts to put an end to them; he failed to comprehend why his bad health had failed to improve despite all the 179 OGBE®’DI: remedies he had applied; he continued to wonder why people loved to implicate him and drag his reputation through the mud over what he knew nothing about, in spite of all his efforts to put a stop to these problems; he was at a loss as to why he could not enjoy the fullness of his home and life, even though he had put in all efforts to enjoy his life to the fullest. He could also not understand why he needed to toil so much before he could make ends meet. He was unhappy that all the Ire in life that he was expecting eluded him. Why must I continue to live this type of life, he wondered? What must I do to improve my life? He asked himself repeatedly. These were the problems that took him to the home of the two Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will my life improve and change for the better? Will I be able to actualise my destiny? If yes, what do I need to do to make this happen? The Awo told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that even though he had chosen all the good things of life from heaven, he was nonetheless facing the problem of unconsummated fortune as listed above. He assured OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that all these problems would be things of the past because they were not supposed to be his portion in the first place. He was told that he needed to offer ẹbọ and feed his Orí in order to right all these wrongs. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was advised to procure two coconuts, two eômoô;, two eôda;, two iku;n, plenty of ede; (brown shrimp) and money. He was told that one coconut, one eômoô;, one eôda;, one iku;n and half the quantity of the edé would be used to offer the eôboô while the remaining materials would be cooked well and use to feed his Ori;. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ provided the items as soon as he could lay his hands on them, and the eôboô was done. After this, he fed his Ori; as instructed by the Awo. The transformation was magical. The result were miraculous. As soon as these rituals were performed, the life of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ changed completely for the better. His Ori; became very strong; his health improved and all his health issues became things of the past; all the contention in his life became a matter of history, he was no longer implicated in matters he knew nothing about; he began to enjoy the fullness of his home and life, the feeling that something was missing in his home and life disappeared; he was able to realise all the things he had been expecting. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was overwhelmed with joy that he rolled out the drums, singing and dancing, saying: 180 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;;n o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Mo f’a¾gboôn boô’ri; mi o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Ori; mi; i ma¾ ma¾ gbo; o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Mo f’eôda; boô'ri; mi o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Ara mi ma¾ ma¾ da; o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Mo f’eômoô; boô’ri; mi o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Ara mi ma¾ ma¾ moô; o Ti;n--i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Mo f’iku;n boô’ri; mi o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Ile; mi ma¾ ma¾ ku;n o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Mo f’ede; boô’ri; mi o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Ire mi ma¾ ma¾ de; o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾n o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;ndin o Translation: Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o I have used coconut to feed my Ori; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o And my Ori; has become strong Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o I have used eôda; (grey rat) to feed my Ori; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o And my health has improved tremendously Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o I have used eômoô; (brown rat) to feed my Ori; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o And my life has become free of contention 181 OGBE®’DI: Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o I have used iku;n (squirrel) to feed my Ori; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o And I enjoy the fullness of my home and life Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o I have used ede; (brown shrimp) to feed my Ori; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o And all my fortune has been consummated Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n o That was how OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ moved from sadness to joy; he moved from anxiety to peace of mind; and from uncertainty to confidence and comfort. Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Baba n;sunku;n Ori; o¾un o¾ gbo; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la; Baba n;sunku;n ara o¾hun o¾ da; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la Baba n;sunku;n ara o¾hun o¾ moô; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Baba n;sunku;n ile; o¾hun o¾ ku;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la Baba n;sunku;n Ire o¾hun o¾ de; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’eô;boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ Ire gbogbo wa; ya de; tuturu O: wa; sôi;hu¾n Ifeô¾ 182 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ala;do; wa; f'orin si;i leô;nu O: ke;’jasa¾ Orin Ikin ni; n;koô O: n; pe; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;;n o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Mo f’a¾gboôn boô’ri; mi o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Ori; mi; i ma¾ ma¾ gbo; o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Mo f’eôda; boô'ri; mi o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Ara mi ma¾ ma¾ da; o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Mo f’eômoô; boô’ri; mi o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Ara mi ma¾ ma¾ moô; o Ti;n--i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Mo f’iku;n boô’ri; mi o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Ile; mi ma¾ ma¾ ku;n o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Mo f’ede; boô’ri; mi o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Ire mi ma¾ ma¾ de; o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾n o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;ndin o E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ OÙ®fa¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni ni; woô¾woô; Ire gbogbo Woô¾woô; Ire gbogbo la¾a; ba; ni l'eô;seô¾ OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾ Translation: Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When lamenting that his Ori; was not strong enough Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n They cast Ifa; for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ 183 OGBE®’DI: When lamenting that his health was not sound Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n They cast Ifa; for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When lamenting that his life was not free of contention Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n They cast Ifa; for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When lamenting that he could not enjoy the fullness of his life Ti;ni¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n They cast Ifa; for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When lamenting that the Ire he was expecting was not manifesting He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far All Ire trooped in abundantly He opened his mouth to speak Ifa; put a song into his mouth He called his musical group together It was Ifa;‟s song he raised He sang: Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o I have used coconut to feed my Ori; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o And my Ori; has become strong Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o I have used eôda; (grey rat) to feed my Ori; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o And my health has improved tremendously Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o I have used eômoô; (brown rat) to feed my Ori; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o And my life has become free of contention Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o I have used iku;n (squirrel) to feed my Ori; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o And I enjoy the fullness of my home and life Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o 184 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 I have used ede; (brown shrimp) to feed my Ori; Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o And all my fortune has been consummated Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi;n o Ti;n-i¾nri;n ji¾ngi¾ndi;n o Travellers to I®po and OÙ®fa¾ Join us in the midst of all the Ire of life All the Ire of life is what Ifa; guarantees for all its devotees Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed shall have course to celebrate in life. He/she shall live a fulfilled life and overcome his/her challenges in life. 3. Ifa; assures the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed that he/she shall surely be blessed with all the Ire of life that he/she needs. Ifa; says that this person needs to work in conjunction with his/her Ori; and Ifa;. If he/she has any problem now, it is simply because he/she has not been in close alliance with his/her Ori;. This, he/she needs to do in order for the Ire to stay with him/her for the rest of his/her life. Ifa; advises this person to provide the following materials as a matter of urgency: six coconuts, six wa¾ra¾ (goat-milk cheese lumps) and plenty of brown shrimp. Two coconuts, two cheese (wa¾ra¾), shrimp and money will be used to offer eôboô. Two coconuts, two wa¾ra¾, shrimp, and money will be used to feed Ifa;; while the remaining two coconuts, two wa¾ra¾ and shrimp will be used to feed his/her Ori;. Ifa; says that as soon as these are done, all the Ire of life shall come trooping in to him/her. On this aspect, a stanza in Ogbe¾‟Di; says: Eruku to;o;ro; abeô apata I®ja¾ n;la; ni;i; seô¾’gboro keô¾ke¾ôeô¾ke¾ô O®si¾fi¾ aba¾ ni;i; ya¾’ka A®wo¾ra;n mo ko¾ n’isa¾n awo ‘La;gbe;nro; Di;a; fu;n Ori;ni;nsôeba;yi¾i; OÙmoô ar’a;gboôn sôoô¾run Ni; wa¾ra¾wa¾ra¾ ntoôla¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe 185 OGBE®’DI: Translation: The dust that passes under a masquerade‟s Apata costume A serious uprising is it that shakes a city to its foundation An oversized barn is it that caves in from the centre A®wo¾ra;n-mo-ko¾, (different images are carved for different masquerades) the Awo of „La;gbe;nro; They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for Ori;-ni;-n-sôe-ba;yi¾i; (Ori;-instructs-me-to-do-my-things-this-way) He who uses coconuts to feed his Ori; To acquire prosperity quickly He was advised to offer eôboô Ori;ni;nsôeba;yi¾i; had great potentials. He was very resourceful. Yet, he found it difficult to consummate his fortunes. Why? He could not understand. He tried many things and yet he could not consummate his fortunes. Tired of what was happening in his life, he decided to go for Ifa; consultation: What can I do to right this wrong? The Awo assured Ori;ni;nsôeba;yi¾i; that he had come into this world to succeed. They assured him that he would not only succeed, the whole world would also bow to him and celebrate with him on his fortunes. He was however told that he was having all sorts of problems which were leading to his unconsummated fortunes because he was not in alignment with his Ori;. He was urged to find out what he must do on a regular basis in order to be in alignment with his Ori;. The Awo then gave him the following analogy: There were certain Egu;ngu;n that used to parade the town with Apata. (This Apata was a specially carved image which one of the high-ranking officials of the Egu;ngu;n cult would carry for the masquerader). It was not a masquerade per se, but it would be used to pray by passers-bys). Rapid movements of people and passers-bys would often raise dust that would pass under the Apata. The dust however never had the power to affect the Apata in any way. But anytime there was an uprising, the uprising would raise up a huge dust cloud and create crises and anxiety. The whole community would be shaken to its very foundation. There would also be several costumes carried for different masquerades which would enhance the beauty, dignity and respect of their appearance. One costume was not expected to be the same as the other. 186 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The Awo basically likened his case to that of the small dust that moves under the Apata and has no effect on the Apata. Basically, his prayers were like the dust which, were not having any effect on his life whatsoever. The Awo stated further that when his wishes were not manifesting, it was like the dust raised by an uprising which would bring a lot of anxiety, pain, anguish, agony and frustration. The Awo concluded that all these things were happening in his life because his Ori; was not in harmony with him and he was not in alignment with his Ori;. Different things place different people in alignment with one‟s Ori;, just as different costumes make different masquerades appeal to their spectators. In his own case, the Awo said that the usage of coconuts, wa¾ra¾ (cheese), and brown shrimp would place him in alignment with his Ori;. He was therefore advised to procure six wa¾ra¾ and plenty of brown shrimp to be used as EÙboô and to feed his Ori; and Ifa;. Fully determined to be in alignment with his Ori; Ori;ni;nsôeba;yi¾i; quickly complied. True to the prediction of the Awo, his transformation from poverty to riches: his conversion from hopelessness to boundless opportunities and his elevation from the dregs to the zenith happened in a very sudden manner. He too could not believe his good fortune. Initially, he had to convince himself over and over that he was not dreaming. He would prick himself, look at himself in the water that he had fetched which acted as his mirror and he would ask neighbours if truly he was awake or deep in slumber and in dream to convince himself that he was really wide awake. Everything came to him very quickly and like a torrent. He became stupendously rich. He was blessed with a compatible spouse. That same month that the spouse got to his home, she became pregnant and gave birth to a beautiful baby 10 lunar months after. Within seven years, he was blessed with four children. He had several properties scattered in many choice locations. His health never failed him again. He was always full of life and was looking and feeling much younger than his age. He was indeed a well fulfilled man. He was able to look back at the trend and movement of his life and beat his chest that he had truly and permanently parted ways with unconsummated fortune. 187 OGBE®’DI: Eruku to;o;ro; abeô apata I®ja¾ n;la; ni;i; seô¾’gboro keô¾ke¾ôeô¾ke¾ô O®si¾fi¾ aba¾ ni;i; ya¾’ka A®wo¾ra;n mo ko n’isa¾n awo ‘La;gbe;nro; Di;a; fu;n Ori;ni;nsôeba;yi¾i; OÙmoô ar’a;gboôn sôoô¾run Ni; wa¾ra¾wa¾ra¾ ntoôla¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô Ori; ni; n l’a;je; Mo l’a;je; Ni; wa¾ra¾wa¾ra¾ a nt'oôla¾ Ire aje; ti; mo feô; ku¾ ti; mi o¾ ri; Ede; lo; ni; ko; de; Ori; ni; n l’a;ya Mo la;ya Ni; wa¾ra¾wa¾ra¾ a t’aya Ire aya ti; mo feô; ku¾ ti; mi o¾ ri; Ede; lo; ni; ko; de; Ori; ni; n bi;'moô Mo bi;'moô Ni wa¾ra¾wa¾ra¾ a t’oômoô Ire oômoô ti; mo feô; ku¾ ti; mi o¾ ri; Ede; lo; ni; ko; de; Ori; ni; n koô;’le; Mo koô;'le; Ni; wa¾ra¾wa¾ra¾ a t'ile; Ire ile; ti; mo fe;ô ku¾ ti; mi o¾ ri; Ede; lo; ni; ko; de; Ori; ni; n l’e;ôsôin Mo l’eô;sôin Ni; wa¾ra¾wa¾ra¾ a teôsôin Ire eôsôin ti; mo fe;ô ku¾ ti; mi o¾ ri; Ede; lo; ni; ko; de; Ori; ni; n ni;’re gbogbo Mo ni;’re gbogbo Ni; wa¾ra¾wa¾ra¾ a toôla¾ Ire gbogbo ti; mo feô; ku¾ ti; mi o¾ ri; Ede; lo; ni; ko; de; 188 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa;a; ba; wa b’a;yo¾ô EÙ wa; wo’re gbogbo o Translation: The dust that passes under a masquerade‟s Apata costume A serious uprising is it that shakes a city to its foundation An oversized barn is it that caves in from the centre A®wo¾ra;n-mo-ko¾, (different images are carved for different masquerades) the Awo of „La;gbe;nro; They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for Ori;-ni;-n-sôe-ba;yi¾i; (Ori;-instructs-me-to-do-my-things-this-way) He who uses coconuts to feed his Ori; To acquire prosperity quickly He was advised to offer eôboô He complied My Ori; says that I will be blessed with prosperity I will be prosperous I will acquire the blessing of prosperity quickly The Ire of prosperity which I have not yet acquired It is ede; (the shrimp) that decrees for it to come now My Ori; says that I will be blessed with a spouse I will be a married person I will acquire the blessing of a compatible spouse quickly The blessing of a spouse which I have not yet acquired It is ede; that decrees for it to come now My Ori; says that I will be blessed with children I will become a proud parent I will acquire the blessing of beautiful children quickly The blessing of children which I have not yet acquired It is ede; that decrees for it to come now My Ori; says that I will be blessed with property I will have many properties I will acquire the blessing of properties quickly The Ire of properties which I have not yet acquired It is ede; that decrees for it to come now My Ori; says that I will be blessed with many horses I will have many horses I will acquire the blessing of horses quickly The blessing of horses which I have not yet acquired 189 OGBE®’DI: It is ede; that decrees for it to come now My Ori; says that I will be blessed with all the Ire of life I will have all the Ire of life I will acquire the blessing of all Ire quickly The Ire that I have not yet acquired It is ede; that decrees for them to come now Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire in life Ifa; promises the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed that he/she shall be blessed with all the Ire in life. He/she shall lack nothing in life. He/she shall be denied nothing. He/she has come into the world to achieve greatness. As long as he/she stays in alignment with his/her Ori;, the sky is just the beginning of his/her achievements in life. 4. Ifa; foresees the Ire of prosperity and boundless opportunities for the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa; advises this person never to forget the person who had made it possible for him/her to succeed in life. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with three pigeons and money. He/she is also advised to feed SÙa¾ngo; and Baa;ya¾nni¾. There is the need to ask Ifa; what these two Divinities will take from the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed and feed them accordingly. A stanza in Ogbe¾-E-Ti¾di; laying emphasis on this aspect says: Koô;la;wu¾mi; Awo abeô; ata Ejo¾ ni;i; ko; na¾ng¾ bo¾ôn na¾ng¾ bo¾ôn woô’sa¾ OÙjoô; oore e; pe;ô Asôi¾we¾re¾ e; gba¾gbe; Di;a; fu;n Baa;ya¾nni¾ Ti; n;sôawo re’ju¾ I®seô¾leô¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Koô;la;wu¾mi;, the Awo under the pepper plantation The snake is it that enters the hole with its entire length Because the day a favour had been extended to one had long passed by 190 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The foolish person who was the recipient of the favour totally forgot These were Ifa;‟s messages for Baa;ya¾nni¾ When going on spiritual mission to the wilderness of I®seô¾leô¾ He was advised to offer eôboô Baa;ya¾nni¾ was an elder brother of SÙa¾ngo;. Both of them also had another sibling who was older than them. His name was Da¾da. Da¾da was living in the wilderness of I®seô¾le¾ô. He was known to be a very physically weak Iru;nmoôleô¾. His hair was also always in locks. Unlike him, his two brothers, Baa;ya¾nni¾ and SÙa¾ngo; were very strong, fearless and forceful personalities. There was nothing that they would not confront and battle to the very end. The two of them were very fond of their elder brother who was a weakling and they were ready to defend him to the very last. Anyone who planned to cheat Da¾da would always have the two brothers to contend with. That was why people would say; “Dada ko¾ le¾ ja¾, sôu¾gboôn; o; l’a;bu¾u;ro¾ to; gbo;ju;”, meaning that; “Even though Da¾da has no strength to engage anyone in a fight, he nonetheless has brave brothers”. One day, Baa;ya¾nni¾ planned to go on spiritual mission to I®seô¾leô¾ wilderness. He went for Ifa; consultation: Will I succeed where I am going? The Awo cast Ifa; for him and Ogbe¾-Di;i; was revealed. The Awo assured him that he would surely succeed where he was going. He was however, told that he needed to assist all those he met there so that everyone would be happy. He said that those assisted would owe him the duty of being grateful and would show their gratitude. He was advised to offer eôboô as stated above. He complied. When he got to I®se¾ôleô¾ wilderness, he met his elder brother, Da¾da. He realised that trying to make Da¾da a strong and brave person might not work. He therefore offered eôboô and made Ifa; preparations for him to succeed financially. Before long, Da¾da become a financially successful man. While Baa;ya¾nni¾ concentrated on ensuring financial success for him, SÙa¾ngo; continued to protect and defend him against all forms of aggression. When Da¾da realised that his success and security were coming from his two younger siblings, he decided to show his own gratitude to them by making the whole world know that these two great Iru;nmoôleô¾ were the ones who assisted him in succeeding. He tied plenty of cowries to the hair locks on his head. Anyone who saw him would call him thus, “Da¾da A®wu;ru; oô¾yale¾ô yagi oko. 191 OGBE®’DI: Da¾da olo;wo; eôyoô. Bu¾nmi lo;o;kan n so moôri;. Olo;wo; ori; la moô¾ ni; Da¾da” meaning “Da¾da the brave, he who tears both the ground and the forest trees apart (reference to SÙa¾ngo¾) Da¾da, owner of the cowries (money). Please give me some cowries to tie to my hair. Those who have money tied to their heads are the ones recognised as Da¾da". It never occurred to him for one day that those two Iru;nmoôleô¾ were younger than him and therefore, he need not advertise to the world that they were the ones who had made him great. Koô;la;wu¾mi; Awo abeô; ata Ejo¾ ni;i; ko; na¾ng¾ bo¾ôn na¾ng¾ bo¾ôn woô’sa¾ OÙjoô; oore e; pe;ô Asôi¾we¾re¾ e; gba¾gbe; Di;a; fu;n Baa;ya¾nni¾ Ti; n;sôawo re’ju¾ I®seô¾leô¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’eô;boô, o; ru;’boô N®je;ô Da¾da A®wu;ru; O®Ùyale¾ô ya'gi oko E®ro¾ I®seô¾leô¾ n; bo¾ô lo;ôna¾ Da¾da, Olo;wo; eyoô Fu;n mi lo;o;kan n so mo;;ôri; Da¾da Olo;wo; eyoô Olo;wo; ori; la mo¾ô ni; Da¾da Translation: Koôl; a;wu¾mi;, the Awo under the pepper plantation The snake is it that enters the hole with its entire length Because the day a favour had been extended to one had long passed by The foolish person who was the recipient of the favour totally forgot These were Ifa;‟s messages for Baa;ya¾nni¾ When going on spiritual mission to the wilderness of I®seô¾leô¾ He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Behold Da¾da the Brave He who tears both the ground and the forest trees apart Travelers to I®se¾¾ôle¾ô land are coming along the road Da¾da, the owner of plentiful cowries 192 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Please give me some cowries to tie to the hair of my head Da¾da, the owner of plentiful cowries Those who have money tied to their heads are the ones recognised as Da¾da Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed shall succeed in life. Not only this, he/she shall also be given adequate protection by the Divinities. He/she must however not forget those who have assisted him/her one way or the other to succeed in life. By showing gratitude to those who have assisted him/her, he/she shall continue to receive elevation and security for the rest of his/her life. 5. Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed shall succeed this very year. His/her success shall be so sudden that he/she too will find it difficult to understand how the success has happened. Ifa; advises this person to always respond personally anytime he/she is invited to any occasion or when asked to go anywhere. He/she should not send anyone to go on his/her behalf, especially if where he/she was asked to come is very crucial or important. Ifa; recommends for this person to offer eôboô with four pigeons and one shegoat. ¾H;e/she also needs to feed OÙba¾ta;la; with 16 land snails, shea butter and native chalks. Even though the eôbo materials are important, the more important aspect of the eôbọ is for him/her to heed the advice of the Awo by ensuring that he/she attends where he/she is invited personally. On this aspect, Ogbe®-„Di¾i; states thus: O®n®peni ni;i; f’oôla; O®n¾jeôpe¾ ki;i; f’oôla; Di;a; fu;n Erin Ti; n; lo¾ôoô; f’ara sô’oôfa¾ l'o;ôdo¾ô EÙtu EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Privilege is for the person who calls someone The person who is called has no such privilege This was Ifa;‟s message for Erin (the Elephant) 193 OGBE®’DI: When going to serve under Eôtu (the Antelope) He was advised to offer eôboô EÙtu, the Antelope was very close to OÙba¾ta;la;. He was well loved by OÙba¾ta;la;. Why OÙba¾ta;la; loved him that much was unknown to anyone. OÙba¾ta;la; too could not explain why, in spite of EÙtu‟s many inadequacies, he was still loved. The privilege given to EÙtu by O®ba¾ta;la; made many people respect him. By this time, Erin (the Elephant) was serving under EÙtu. Erin was not bigger than a rodent during this time period. Erin was looking for money but could not get any. For this reason, he went to EÙtu to borrow money and he gave money to him. When it was time to pay back the money, he had no money to pay. Consequent upon this, he decided to serve EÙtu until he could get the money to pay him back. As soon as he got to EÙtu‟s home, he had no peace of mind. He was given no freedom whatsoever. EÙtu was working him to death. Unfortunately for Erin, he had nobody to complain to. Everyone feared OÙba¾ta;la;. Unknown to many however, OÙba¾ta;la; had been warning EÙtu against being too high handed but he simply would not listen. Erin would work on the farm for EÙtu from dawn to night time. He would only be allowed to rest when it was complete darkness. Erin was fed only once a day, just to make sure that he did not die of starvation. He would not be given more than this one meal. One day, Erin stole some time to go for Ifa; consultation in order to determine his fate in life: Will ever regain my freedom? Will I ever became successful in life? Will I be able to assert my own authority and influence in life? If yes, What do I need to do? The Awo assured him that he would surely succeed in life. He was told that his success would be so sudden that he would never believe what had happened to him. He was told to ensure that anywhere he was sent, he should not avoid that errand or skip that job. He was advised to persevere and that it would be well in the end. He was advised to offer eôboô as stated above. He had no money to do it. For this reason, he went to borrow money from EÙtu. EÙtu gave him the money, believing that he would never be able to pay it back. He made Erin toil harder than ever before. Erin did everything without complaining, believing that it would truly be well in the end as the Awo had told him. One day, OÙba¾ta;la; decided to transform EÙtu into a great person. EÙtu must be turned into a giant, Oôba¾ta;la; boasted. He began to make many preparations for 194 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 EÙtu. When it was time for OÙba¾ta;la; to administer it on EÙtu, he sent a message for EÙtu to come immediately. When Eôtu got the message, he felt that he was too important for anyone, OÙba¾ta;la; inclusive, to just summon him without notice. He decided that he would not go. Instead, he sent Erin to go and tell OÙba¾ta;la; that he had no time to come that day and that OÙba¾ta;la; was free to give the message to Erin. When Oôba¾ta;la; saw Erin and heard what EÙtu had told Erin to inform him, he was totally disappointed. Out of anger, OÙba¾ta;la; decided to make Erin a giant instead of EÙtu. That was exactly what OÙba¾ta;la; did. Within a few moments, Erin was transformed from a rodent to a mountain. The front door of OÙba¾ta;la;‟s house was broken in order to allow Erin to pass through because of his massive size. This was unbelievable! Erin told himself repeatedly. OÙba¾ta;la; blessed him and ask him to return home. On his way home, everyone gave him way to pass. The branches, creeping plants and trees which stood in his way were all uprooted by his sheer might, size and force. When EÙtu saw Erin, he simply took to his heels! Those who saw Erin when he was going to OÙba¾ta;la;‟s house and when he was returning exclaimed thus: I¾si¾nyi; la r‟Erin, ni;gba¾wo lo wa do¾ke¾!? - meaning, we have just seen Erin, when did you turn into a mountain?! Erin just responded that the work of the Divinities was beyond comprehension. O®n®peni ni;i; f’oôla; O®n¾jeô¾pe¾ ki;i; f’oôla; Di;a; fu;n Erin Ti; n; lo¾ôoô; f’ara sô’oôfa¾ lo;ôdo¾ô EÙtu EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’eôboô, o; ru;’boô Fi¾ri;fi¾ri; la r’Erin Erin ni;gba¾wo lo wa d’o¾ke¾ Translation: Privilege is for the person who calls someone The person who is called has no such privilege This was Ifa;‟s message for Erin (the Elephant) When going to serve under Eôtu (the Antelope) He was advised to offer eôboô He complied 195 OGBE®’DI: We barely noticed Erin (on his way to OÙba¾ta;la;‟s house) When did you become a mountain? Ifa; says that this person shall move from insignificance to prominence within the twinkling of an eye. 6. Ifa; says that it foresees victory for the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa ;says that this person is being worked upon by enemies in order for him/her to fail, misbehave, disappear or simply die altogether. Ifa; assures him/her that the negative designs of his/her enemies shall fail. Those planning to tie down his/her progress, freedom, reasoning or life shall be put to shame. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôbo with one hen whose legs are tied with rope, salt wrapped in a leaf and tied with rope, locust beans wrapped in a leaf and tied with rope, pepper wrapped in a leaf and tied with rope, melon wrapped in a leaf and tied with rope, and three yams tied together with rope. These ropes will be untied and added to the eôboô as well and after the eôbo, the hen will be slaughtered to feed Ifa;. The same hen will be cooked with the same pepper, salt, locust beans and melon. The three yams will be prepared into pounded yam. All these will again be used to feed Ifa; while all Awo present will consume the rest. A stanza in Ogbe¾‟Di¾i; on this aspect says: Ta wa¾ra¾wa¾ra¾ ta O®® ta si;gbo; ele;gbe¾e; Ni;bi; ti; wo;ôn gbe; n; di; oômoô A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n EÙboô ni¾ wo;n ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe Translation: To jump with agility To jump into the woeful forest Where they were tying down the essence of Agbonni;re¾gu;n‟s child He was advised to offer eôboô A®gboônni¾¾re¾gu;n‟s child had everything wrong with him. He could not make ends meet. His colleagues were at work against him. They were planning to run him down completely. They were sure that it was just a matter of time before he would lose everything he had ever laid his hands upon in his life. 196 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 His clients had all disappeared. He was spending the money he had made before his crisis began. He had almost run through all his savings. His health was failing as a result of sorrow and regret. He had taken to excessive alcohol consumption in order to quell his sorrow. As soon as his brain settled a little, his sorrows would multiply. He was using the alcohol in order to sedate himself to sleep. One day, he got drunk to the extent that he collapsed. He regained his consciousness four days later. That was when he began to think about his ill luck and illness and he burst into tears. He realised that within a short period, he had lost everything he had ever acquired in his life, his wealth had almost gone completely; his wife and children had abandoned him; his family members had vowed never to come to him anymore; his community had already seen him as a classical example of a failed man; and children in the community made jest of him as a compulsive drunkard. He cried and cried. In the end, he began to console himself that no amount of weeping would ever change his condition. He assured himself that since he was still alive, he should not lose any hope. He told himself that once there is life, there is hope and opportunity. He decided to visit a Babala;wo for a lasting solution to his problems. It occurred to him that he had just been proving his enemies right when he took to excessive drinking. He told himself that he must not give his enemies the pleasure of coming to shed crocodile tears over his dead body. That evening, he decided to go to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I succeed in life, in spite of all the misfortune that has befallen me? What do I need to do to right all the wrongs in my life? In fact, what is responsible for my misfortunes in the first place? Are they man-made or natural? The Awo told him that he had come into the world full of opportunities and success chances. He was told that he had actually begun to exhibit his potentials before things began to go wrong for him. The Awo told him that his situation did not worsen naturally; but rather, there were people who had taken it upon themselves to tie down his success and opportunities. These people saw nothing wrong in tying him to death, both figuratively and metaphysically. The Awo however assured him that the negative designs of his enemies would collapse and fail. He was told that even though these enemies had succeeded in tying him down, Ifá would nonetheless untie him completely and set him free of all negative machinations and designs. The Awo then advised him to offer eôboô with all the items listed above, and explained that when these items were to be brought from the market, the mere fact that they were tied with strings would make them safe and secured but at 197 OGBE®’DI: the same time, they were not usable until they were untied. Consequent upon this, anyone who brings these items tied from the market to the house would need to untie them before they can be used. The Awo assured him that those who had tied him figuratively and metaphorically were bound to untie him, unless if those who bought salt wrapped in a leaf and tied with string could use it to cook without untying the string before using it; unless if those who bought locust beans wrapped with leaf and tied with string could use it to cook without untying the string before using it; unless if those who bought melon wrapped with leaf and tied with string could use the melon for cooking with the string attached to it; unless if those who bought a fowl whose legs were tied could cook the fowl together with the feathers and the string that was used to tie its legs; unless if those who brought three yams from the market tied with string could use them to prepare pounded yam without first untying the string from the yams. If all these strings must be untied before these items can be used, then, all the physical, spiritual, economical, social, psychological, mental and emotional strings used to tie him down would be untied unconditionally as soon as the eôboô was offered. Agboônni¾re¾gu;n‟s child (Ogbe;-Di;i;‟s child) was so impressed with the analysis of the Awo that he returned home instantly, took the remaining money he had left with him and headed straight for the market to purchase all the items mentioned by the Awo for eôboô. He returned to the Awo‟s house shortly after and the eôboô was offered accordingly. Ogbe¾-Di;‟s child returned home with hope. And true to the prediction of Ifa;, he began to feel that all the things used to tie him and his potentials began to loosen up. He began to feel relieved. His self confidence returned. And just as his problems had begun they all disappeared in like manner. He was able to consummate his fortunes. He also forgot that he had once been a compulsive drunkard. Once more, he became very wealthy and successful. He lived the rest of his life a happy and contented man. Ta wa¾ra¾wa¾ra¾ ta O¾ ta s'i;gbo; ele;gbe¾e; Ni;bi; ti; wo;ôn gbe; n; di; oômoô A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n EÙboô ni¾ wo;n ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe Ifa; ni; eô ma d’oômoô Ogbe¾ Di; pa o E®e¾wo¾ Ifa; ni; eô ma d 'oômoô Ogbe¾ Di; pa o E®e¾wo¾ A ki;i; di;rru; ka; ma; le e¾ tu o E®e¾wo¾ô 198 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ifa; ni eô ma; d’oômoô Ogbe¾ Di; pa o E®e¾wo¾ô A ki¾i; d’ata ka; ma; le e¾ tu o E®e¾woô¾ Ifa; ni; eô ma; d’oômoô Ogbe¾ Di; pa o E®¾e¾wo¾ô A ki¾i; d’eô¾gu;si; ka; ma; leô e¾ tu o E®e¾wo¾ô Ifa; ni; eô ma; d’oômoô Ogbe¾ Di; pa o E®e¾wo¾ô A ki¾i; d’i¾yo¾ô ka; ma; l¾e e¾ tu o E®e¾wo¾ô Ifa; ni; eô ma d’oômoô Ogbe¾ Di; pa o E®e¾wo¾ô A ki¾i; d’isôu ka; ma; le e¾ tu o E®e¾wo¾ô Ifa; ni eô ma; d’oômoô Ogbe¾ Di; pa o E®e¾wo¾ô A ki¾i; di; adi¾eô ka; ma; le e¾ tu o E®e¾wo¾ô Ifa; ni; eô ma; d’oômoô Ogbe¾ Di; pa o E®e¾wo¾ô Translation: To jump with agility To jump into the woeful forest Where they were tying down the essence of Agbonni;re¾gu;n‟s child He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Ifa; orders you not to tie the child of Ogbe¾ Di; It is a taboo Ifa; orders you not to tie the child of Ogbe¾ Di; It is taboo We will never tie locust bean without untying it It is a taboo Ifa; orders you not to tie the child of Ogbe¾ Di; It is taboo We will never tie pepper without untying it 199 OGBE®’DI: It is a taboo Ifa; orders you not to tie the child of Ogbe¾ Di; It is taboo We will never tie melon without untying it It is a taboo Ifa; orders you not to tie the child of Ogbe¾ Di; It is taboo We will never tie salt without untying it It is a taboo Ifa; orders you not to tie the child of Ogbe¾ Di; It is taboo We will never tie yam tubers without untying them It is a taboo Ifa; orders you not to tie the child of Ogbe¾ Di; It is taboo We will never tie a fowl without untying it It is a taboo Ifa; orders you not to tie the child of Ogbe¾ Di; It is taboo Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is reveled will not be incapacitated spiritually, mentally, psychologically, emotionally, economically, socially or physically. He/she shall be freed from any form of bondage. Ifa; assures this person that his/her fortunes shall be consummated. 7. Ifa; says that it foresees the blessing of a baby for the person who is seriously in need of the fruit of the womb. Ifa; says that very soon, this person shall become a proud father/mother. Not only this, he/she shall showcase his/her joy for everyone to see. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with four rats, four fish, two hens and money. Out of these items, two rats, two fish and one hen will also be used to feed Ifa;. By so doing, Ifa; will ensure that this person is blessed accordingly. On this aspect, Ifa; says: O®ni; wiriwiri Ogbe¾ Di; O®ôla wiriwiri Ogbe¾ Di; Di;a; fu;n Po;ônn;ge;le; Eku;n oômoô lo; n; sun 200 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Today, all things point to Ogbe¾ „Di; Tomorrow, all things point to Ogbe¾‟Di; This was the Ifa; cast for Poô;nn;ge;le; When weeping in lamentation for her inability to beget a child She was advised to offer eôboô Po;ônn;gele; loved children and young ones to a fault. She was always found in their midst. She would play with them and tell them different stories. She would take them to places and organize outings for them. Many times, she would be the one who would stand sure for the young ones acting as their mother when these young ones were about to do great things in life. She used to sponsor many events which would elevate the children and young ones. They all loved her and respected her like their own mother. Unfortunately for Po;ônn;gele; however, she had no child of her own. Much as she tried, she could not get a baby of her own. Many times, she would be on her bed and cry for hours. Sometimes, she would cry and cry from night till day break. She prayed to Olodumare and the Divinities to bless her with the fruit of the womb, but her prayers were yet to be answered. After more than 18 years of prayers, she became desperate. She began to move from one healing home to another, all to no avail. One day, she decided to give Ifa; a trial, consequent upon this, she went to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I receive the blessing of Olodumare by receiving the fruit of the womb? Will I become a mother of my own biological child? Will I continue being the „mother‟ of others young ones and children, without being a mother of my own biological children? If this is the case, how would this happen? What do I need to do for the good things to happen? The Awo assured her that she would surely become a mother of many children of her own. She was told not to lose hope or despair. She was told not to entertain any fear or doubt. The Awo advised her to offer eôboô and feed Ifa; as prescribed above. She complied. After this, she went home, full of hope and expectations. 201 OGBE®’DI: One lunar month after, Po;ônn;ge;le; discovered to her surprise that she missed her period. She refused to believe that she was really pregnant. No, it could not be true. It must be a delay. As time passed, she began to vomit, feel early morning sickness, weakness of the body and drowsiness. She still refused to believe that those were symptoms of early pregnancy. She rather considered them as signs of illness and nothing more. Four months after this, her breasts had developed and her stomach was bulging out. People began to greet her the way pregnant women are greeted. She realised then that she was indeed pregnant. There was no mistake about that anymore. When the foetus began to kick inside her, she began to imagine herself talking to her baby, singing for her and sending her on errands. She imagined herself sitting as the mother when the baby was old enough to be betrothed to a man. She vowed to herself that the marriage ceremony would be the talk of the whole community for a very long time to come. In her soliloquy, she imagined herself cruising into a contented smile as she proudly handed over the hand of her beloved daughter to her husband who would in turn hand over the bride to the most senior man in the groom‟s family. It would certainly be a grand occasion, she boasted to herself. But wait, what if the baby turned out to be a male? Well, the difference in sex would make no difference in the way the baby would be treated by her. But it is said that a male child is more difficult for a woman to raise on her own unless a father is present. But anyway, the father was there. She vowed to ensure that the father, played an active part in the raising and upbringing her boy. He would be beside her to ensure that her baby was given the best training. She almost swore that the boy would take after his father in stature, likeness, strength and character. She smiled with satisfaction at the thought of her boy growing up to become the best farmer, wrestler and administrator in the community, just as his father had proven over and over. With those thoughts, she slept off. That was the way she used to tease herself to sleep every single night during her pregnancy. On the 10th lunar month, Po;ônn;ge;le; gave birth to a baby. She was overwhelmed with joy that she never bothered to know the sex of the baby. When she got to know it however, it made no difference to her. The next thing she did was to start singing and dancing saying: Ogbe; Di; Ogbe; di¾ o Po;ônn;ge;le; 202 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Emi; ti; d’oôlo;ômoô o Po;ônn;ge;le; Ogbe; Di; Ogbe; di; o Po;ônn;ge;le; Emi; ti; d’oôlo;ômoô o Po;ônn;ge;le; Translation: Ogbe; Di; Ogbe; Di; Po;ônn¾ge¾le; I have become a proud mother Po;ônn;ge;le; Ogbe; Di; Ogbe; Di; Po;ônn;ge;le; I am now a mother Po;ônn;ge;le; The whole community rejoiced with her on the occasion of her blessing. It was a big celebration in the community. For three days, people from far and near kept trooping to Poô;n;nge;le;‟s home to look at her bundle of joy and to celebrate with her. O®ni; wiriwiri Ogbe¾ Di; O®ôla wiriwiri Ogbe¾ Di; Di;a; fu;n Po;ônn;ge;le; Eku;n oômoô lo; n; sun EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O; gb’e;ôboô, o; ru’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna EÙ wa; ba; ni; ni; je¾ôbu;tu; oômoô Nje Ogbe; Di; Ogbe; di¾ o Po;ônn;ge;le; Emi; ti; d’oôlo;ômoô o Po;ônn;ge;le; Ogbe; Di; Ogbe; di; o Po;ônn;ge;le; Emi; ti; d’oôlo;ômoô o Po;ônn;ge;le; 203 OGBE®’DI: Translation: Today, all things point to Ogbe¾ „Di; Tomorrow, all things point to Ogbe¾‟Di; This was the Ifa; cast for Poô;nn;ge;le; When weeping in lamentation for her inability to beget a child She was advised to offer eôboô She complied Before long, not too far Join us in the celebration of a new baby Now, Ogbe; Di; Ogbe; Di; Po;ônn¾ge¾le; I have become a proud mother Po;ônn;ge;le; Ogbe; Di; Ogbe; Di; Po;ônn;ge;le; I am now a mother Po;ônn;ge;le; Ifa; assures the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed that he/she will be blessed with a new baby. With Ifa;, it is never too late for anyone to receive the blessing that would change his/her life from sadness to joy and from desperation to contentment. 8. Ifa; advises a woman who has only one child to offer eôboô so as to avoid a situation where this will be her only child in her life. Ifá warns this person to work on having more children now when it is not yet too late for her to do so. If this is not done as quickly as possible, it will be difficult for her to give birth to more children and in her later years of life, she will end up having many pains and regrets for the rest of her life. Ifa; recommends for her to offer eôboô with a completely black mature female goat and money. After the eôboô, she will need to make herself positively disposed towards having more children. On this, Ogbe;-„Di; says: Ogbe; di;ndi; ko¾ ya;a; bu¾ ku¾ Di;a¾ fu;n E®Ùki¾ri¾ Ti; yo;o¾ bi; o¾ôkan na;a¾ 204 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ti; yo;o; pa¾’di; moôô; EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbe¾ dindi; is not easy to reduce This was the Ifa; cast for EÙ®ki¾ri¾ (The bush Goat) Who would give birth to only one child And who would stop child bearing She was advised to offer eôboô EÙ¾®ki¾ri¾, the Bush Goat was blessed with a baby very early on in her life. She was really proud of her God-given gift. As soon as she had the baby, she felt that there was the need for her to take a long break from making any more babies. She wanted to achieve all the good things she needed in life. She however began to struggle to succeed in life. Any mention of child-bearing to her was out of it. She took good care of her only child all right, but she did not want to hear of having more. She was only interested in material acquisition and social elevation. In order to acquire more success and recognition, she went to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I succeed in life? Will I be accorded more recognition? Will I make a lot of profit that will enable me to purchase dresses, jewellery and ornaments? Will I be able to go to places to enjoy myself? During Ifa; consultation, Ogbe¾-O¾di; was revealed. The Awo assured her that she would certainly succeed in life. She was told that all her heart‟s desires would be accomplished. The Awo made it clear to her that whether she offered eôboô or not, she would reach the apex of her chosen career in life. She was however advised that there was the need for her to offer eôboô and to work seriously on ensuring that she gave birth to more children before it was too late to do so. She was also warned against concentrating all her efforts on the pursuit of mundane things at the expense of having more children. Her eôboô materials, the Awo said, were one giant black she-goat and money. When E®ôki¾ri¾ heard all these statements from her Awo, she became livid with rage. If she disrupted her quest to reach the top of her career in life with the silly idea of becoming pregnant at this particular point in her lifetime when she had everything going for her, what type of gains would she be able to 205 OGBE®’DI: make? No, this Awo must be either drunk, ignorant, or mischievous. Either way, she will not allow anyone to truncate her goals and ideals, her Awo inclusive. Instead of arguing with her Awo, she simply stood up, took back the five cowries she paid for the Ifá consultation and left the house of the Awo. The Awo looked at her in utter disbelief. He could not understand what was wrong with her. As she left, she vowed never to return to the Awo again in her life. Truly, she was making progress in her chosen career. Truly, she became the envy of all her colleagues. And truly, she was recognised as a truly successful woman. The thought of having more children never crossed her mind again. One day however, she was greeted with the sad news that her only daughter was seriously ill. All medications administered on her simply failed to work. For three long years, EÙ¾ki¾ri¾ was moving from one health home to the other, in search of a solution to her daughter‟s health problems. Yet, she could not find any. She began to live in constant fear for the life of her daughter. She soon realised that she could not do any work again, as she had nobody to help her stay with her daughter where she was receiving medical attention. She also realised that had she had another child, then the other child would have been of help to her during this period. Her business began to go down since there was nobody to look after her business. She concluded that she must work on having another child but two things worked against her: one, her age, and two, she simply did not have the time to work on having a child since there was nobody to look after her child or business. In a nutshell, it was too late for her to have any more children. She constantly remembered the advice of the Awo that she needed to have more children before it was too late. She lived and died with her regret. Ogbe; di;ndi; ko¾ ya;a; bu¾ ku¾ Di;a¾ fu;n E®Ùki¾ri¾ Ti; yo;o¾ bi; o¾ôkan na;a¾ Ti; yo;o; pa¾’di; moôô; EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe EÙ¾ki¾ri¾ i¾ ba; te¾te¾ mo¾ I® ba; wa; f’owo; sô’a¾ru;fi;n eôboô I®ba; te¾te¾ mo¾ô Gbogbo i¾sôo¾wo¾ O®pe¾ô EÙni gb’eôboô ni;’beô, ko; sô’eôboô o 206 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: Ogbe¾ dindi; is not easy to reduce This was the Ifa; cast for EÙ®ki¾ri¾ (The bush Goat) Who would give birth to only one child And who would stop child bearing She was advised to offer eôboô Had EÙ¾ki¾ri¾ known ahead of time She would have spent her money on offering the eôboô If only she had known ahead of time All adherents of the Holy Palm tree Let those who are advised to offer eôboô do so Ifa; says that it shall not allow this person to live and die with avoidable regrets. This person also needs to ensure that he/she does not pursue wealth at the expense of children. If children are pursued before it is too late, then everlasting regrets will be avoided. 9. Ifa; says that it foresees decisive victory over adversaries for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Ifá says that his/her colleagues, relatives and/or close friends are behind his/her travails. Ifa; assures this person that victory is certain, no matter how strong the opposition may be. Ifa; says that this person may have cause to travel outside his/her normal place of abode on business together with many people. Ifa; says that he/she will face serious opposition where they are going. Ifa; however assures him/her not to entertain any fear as he/she shall overcome all oppositions. Ifa; assures this person that he/she will not only overcome, he/she will also return home with honour, prestige and success. He/she shall be accorded well deserved respect where he/she will go to. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with two cocks, two sharp knives and money. There is also the need to feed Ifa; with one mature hen. On all these, Ogbe¾-O®di; says: A®ro¾ôni¾ lo; ni; mo pa akoôgun i¾ya; o¾hun j¾eô o Di;a; fu;n Gbogbo I®wo¾ro¾ Wo;ôn n; sôawo loô ibi oô¾na¾ to; j¾i¾n gboôoôroô bi; oôj;o;ô Eôboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe 207 OGBE®’DI: Translation: A®ro¾ôni¾ was he who accused me of killing his mother‟s warrior This was Ifa;‟s message to all the A¾wo¾ro¾ When going on a spiritual mission to a far distant place They were advised to offer eôboô Out of the over 400 A¾wo¾ro¾, EÙse¾ô kan sôosôo Ogbe¾ had left no one in doubt that he was the most competent and the most gifted among them. He had the record to show for it. He could not count the number of debtors whom he had turned into financially buoyant people. There were countless invalid people who had regained their health and vitality. Several barren people had been turned into proud mothers. Many more impotent men had become sexually active again. Those who were destined to die young had been able to live up to their old age. Whenever there was crisis in the community, he knew exactly what to do to return the community to normal. He had also helped the community to develop financially, economically, socially and spiritually. On this particular trip, it was generally assumed that Ogbe¾ would excel where all others had failed. That was precisely what the other I®wo¾ro¾ would never tolerate, not to mention accept. They were prepared to do anything and everything to stop him from out-shinning them, even if it meant killing him. When all the I®wo¾ro¾ planned to proceed on this spiritual journey, they went for Ifa; consultation in the home of the Awo mentioned above: Would they succeed in their mission? Would every one of them return home safely and happily? Would they gain recognition and fame? Would they also be spiritually elevated? Was there anything for them to do in order to bring accomplishment to the group? The Awo assured them that they would all succeed in their spiritual mission and sojourn. He told them that their lives would have meaning. They were told that there was the need for them to cooperate with each other in order for them to achieve resounding success and recognition. They must not conspire against anyone among them or plan evil against any member of the group. They were warned that this must never occur. They were all advised to offer eôboô as stated above. Meanwhile, all the I®wo¾ro¾ who planned to go on that mission were determined to ensure that Ogbe¾ did not out-shine them. Consequent upon this, they saw 208 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 no reason why they should offer the eôboô since they knew that they needed to plan against him in order to make him fail. There was therefore no reason whatsoever to offer eôboô. For this reason, they simply ignored the advice of the Awo to offer eôboô and not to conspire against anyone. A®ro¾ôni¾ lo; ni; mo pa akoôgun i¾ya; ohun jeô o Di;a; fu;n EÙsôe¾ kan sôosôo Ogbe¾ Ti; n; sôawo loô ibi oô¾na¾ to; jin gboôoôroô bi; oj;o;ô EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe Translation: A®ro¾ôni¾ was he who accused me of killing his mother‟s warrior This was Ifa;‟s message for one leg of Ogbe¾ When going on a spiritual mission to a far distant place He was advised to offer eôboô EÙse¾ô kan Sôosôo Ogbe¾ was having the sensation that he was not safe. He felt that a grand conspiracy was being planned against him. From where, he was not sure. He did not suspect his fellow I®wo¾ro¾ O®ri¾sôa¾ in any way whatsoever. He continued to have bad dreams and terrible premonitions. Unable to stand it any longer, he decided to visit the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: Am I safe? Will I overcome all the problems I have been feeling? The feeling of uncertainty and intrigue he was having had become very palpable. Will I succeed and be victorious? What will I do to survive, overcome and succeed where I am going along with all the other A®wo¾ro¾? The Awo made it clear to Ogbe¾ that he was not safe. He told Ogbe¾ that he was right in the midst of conspiracy and treachery. He was told that his colleagues were the ones planning evil against him. He was however assured that he would certainly overcome and succeed. The Awo advised Ogbe¾ to offer eôboô with two cocks, two sharp knives and money. He was also advised to feed Ifa; with a big hen. He complied. After the eôboô and ibọ the Awo gave Ogbe¾ one of the two knives to keep with him all the time. He was told to take it along with him on his journey. With this assurance, Ogbe¾ left. Very early on the day of their departure, all the I®wo¾ro¾, with the exception of Ogbe¾, had a quick meeting. In their deliberation, they concluded that the only way to stop Ogbe¾ from doing better than all of them was to eliminate him. They stated that in order not to make anyone suspect any form of foul play, it 209 OGBE®’DI: was advisable for them to do so in such a way that no tell-tale evidence would be left behind. His corpse must not be left anywhere for anyone to discover, so that no embarrassing questions would be asked. Consequently, it was concluded that Erin, the Elephant, would be made to swallow him completely. By so doing, they reasoned, nobody would be able to trace any part of him at all. This plan was unanimously endorsed by these conspirators. When they set out on their journey, Erin was the most friendly to Ogbe¾. For this reason, Ogbe¾ relied on him as a friend who would defend and protect him with his huge frame and power. Unknown to him, Erin was supposed to be his executioner. When they were almost approaching their destination, Erin moved close to his unsuspecting prey and before Ogbe¾ could realise what was actually happening, Erin gripped him from behind and swallowed him from head to toe! Why is this happening? Ogbe¾ was totally confused. He was engulfed in total darkness and unbearable heat: Why was this happening? He had offered all the eôboô and ibo that the Awo prescribed for him. Why must he meet with this type of calamity? Why must it be Erin, his confidant and friend who would end up being his killer? Why must he end up as food for his erstwhile friend who turned out to be his betrayer? Why must Erin betray the trust and confidence he had in him? Why? Why? Why? There were so many other whys that he had in mind to ask but there was nobody to talk to. Why was their nobody to talk to? That was another why in itself. As these thoughts entered into Ogbe¾‟s mind inside the belly of Eri;n, he began to feel unbearable pain. He became more confused. Suddenly, it occurred to him that the mere fact that he was feeling pain and discomfort indicated that he was still alive. It also showed that he was still breathing. How come that he was still breathing in the midst of the offal, excrement and half-digested food? The truth was E®sôu¾ was responsible for keeping him alive. E®ôsôu¾ then appeared to Ogbe¾ and said: “Have no fear, Ogbe¾. You have offered the eôboô and iboô prescribed for you. Those who offer their eôboô are always my friends. I will support you and you shall overcome all the conspiracies hatched against you? “Who are you? I do not know you”, Ogbe¾ said. Funny enough Ogbe¾ was able to see this being inside the belly of Eri;n. “I am E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra. I am your friend. I will get you out of this trouble. Just do as i tell you. It shall be well with you”. With this assurance Ogbe¾ relaxed a little. After a while, E®sôu¾ O®da¾ra said, bring out the knife that the Awo gave to you, use the knife to cut the intestine of Eri;n”. Ogbe¾ did as he was instructed. As soon as he did this, Eri;n 210 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 felt a terrible pain inside his gut, he staggered but kept going. Now, use your knife to cut the liver, I shall show you where the liver is located.” E®sôu¾ O®da¾ra said. Ogbe¾ did as instructed. Eri;n felt like fainting. He shouted at the top of his voice! The other conspirators urged him to keep going on. They told him that it would be a shame if he succumbed to fatigue at this juncture. Eri;n kept going on. Next E®sôu¾ O®da¾ra told Ogbe¾; “Use your knife to pierce through the heart. This is where the heart is located”. E®sôu¾ O®da¾ra pointed out the heart to Ogbe¾. With all his might, Ogbe¾ then pierced through the heart. Blood gushed out of the organ. Eri;n coughed out blood from his mouth. His steps became more unsteady. By this time however, they were by the boundary of their destination. They continuously urged Eri;n to move on. He did. It was clear that it was raw will-power that kept him going. He continued to find each step extremely difficult to take. E®sôu¾ O®da¾ra then told Ogbe¾. “Look at this. It is the large intestine. It leads to the anus of your enemy. Cut it into two and then enter there. It will lead you out”. Ogbe¾ cut the intestine into two. Eri;n fell down. A few moments after, he bided the world good night. Just before his death, it occurred to him that there was no gain in conspiring against anyone. Ogbe¾ entered through the large intestine and moved downwards. He came out through the anus of Eri;n. It was a surprise to everyone present, both friends and foes alike. They all concluded that since Ogbe¾ had come out of the Elephant‟s anus. He should be known and called Ogbe¾-Ti¾di;i;. A®ro¾ôni¾ lo; ni; mo pa akoôgun i¾ya; o¾hun j¾eô o Di;a; fu;n Gbogbo I®wo¾ro¾ Wo;ôn n; sôawo loô o¾ôna¾ to; j¾i¾n gboôoôroô bi; oôjo;ô EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe A®ro¾ôni¾ lo; ni; mo pa akoôgun i¾ya; o¾hun j¾eô o Di;a¾ fu;n EÙse¾ô kan sôosôo Ogbe¾ O: n; sôawo loô o¾ôna¾ to; j¾i¾n gboôoôroô bi; oôjo;ô EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o EÙse¾ô kan sôosôo Ogbe¾ ni¾kan ni¾ n;beô le;ôyi¾n ti; n;;sôeôboô o N®®je;ô Ogbe¾ to; ti¾di; Erin bo;ô Ka; ma;a pe¾e; mi; Ogbe¾-Ti¾di; E®ro¾ Ipo, e¾ro¾ O®ôfa¾ Ogun lo; n; sôe;ô fu;n’ni ni;beôô¾ To; ba; bi; ni; o 211 OGBE®’DI: Translation: ¾ô i¾ was he who accused me of killing his mother‟s warrior A®ron This was Ifa;‟s message to all the A¾wo¾ro¾ When going on a spiritual mission to a far distant place They were advised to offer eôboô A®ro¾ôni¾ was he who accused me of killing his mother‟s warrior This was Ifa;‟s message for one leg of Ogbe¾ When going on a spiritual mission to a far distant place He was advised to offer eôboô Only Ogbe¾ complied with the advice of the Awo Now, the Ogbe¾ who comes out of the Elephant‟s anus Let him be known as, and be called Ogbe¾-Ti¾di;i; Travellers to Ìpo and Ofa; The ability to overcome adversity is guaranteed If this Odu¾ is one's birth Odu¾ Ifa; assures this person not to entertain any fear whatsoever. He/she shall overcome all the evil designs fashioned against him/her. In the same breadth, he/she must never be part of any conspiracy or evil design against anyone. If this warning is not heeded, it will lead to only one destination-disaster. 10.Ifa; assures the person for whom Ogbe¾-Ti¾di;i; is revealed that he/she shall overcome. Ifa; says that there is a plan to dispose this person of his/her hardearned money, goods or prosperity. Ifa; says that those planning to cheat him/her shall fail woefully. Ifa; says that the diabolical plans of some tricksters, fraudulent people or/and con men/women shall be exposed and they shall be put to ridicule. The person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed needs to put his/her faith in Ifa;. He/she needs not entertain any doubt, no matter how bad the situation may be. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with two cocks and money. He/she also needs to feed Ifa; with one very big smoked catfish. On this aspect, Ifa; says: O®gu;n ni;i; deô Ifo;ôn O®Ùsôo;ôo¾ôsi¾ ni;i; boô i¾ge¾re¾ Yemo¾o; ni;i; sôe oni;po¾ôn'ti; O®ri¾sôa¾ 212 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Di;a¾ fu;n O®®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Ti; woôô;n o; j’ogu;n du¾n Ti; woôn o; ni; pi;n l’o;;gu;n EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: O®gu;n hunts with arrows O®ôsôoô;o¾ôsôi¾ propitiates the fishing net Yemo¾o; is the one in charge of the O®ri¾sôa¾ brewery These were Ifa;‟s messages for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ When he was denied his own share of their ancestral legacy And was not given any share He was advised to offer eôboô OÙÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ and seven others were beneficiaries of the will of a very influential woman in the community. When this woman was alive, she took O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ as her son because she had no child in life. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ took care of her and made her happy. Whenever she fell ill, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ was always available to take care of her. She trusted O®ôru;nmi¾la¾¾ more than any other person in the world. This woman was very wealthy. She was the most successful woman in her community. As a matter of fact, this woman owned nearly half of all the property in the community. Everybody in the community respected her for her luck, business sense and ability to read economic trends correctly. She had seven relatives but she relied on O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ for everything. She would tell whoever cared to listen that her properties must be divided into two parts, one part must be given to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ while the remaining half was to be shared equally among her seven relatives whenever she died. The seven relatives however saw no reason why O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ should be given any part of the woman‟s property, not to mention him being given the lion‟s share. They did not complain while the woman was alive but as soon as the woman died, they sprang into action. They blocked every avenue for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to claim any part of the property bequeathed to him. As if that was not bad enough they confiscated all the personal properties of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ claiming that he tricked other people before he could acquire them. Any attempt by O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to explain himself was met with rebuff. They would shout him down and call him names. To make matters worse, the seven relatives were very influential in the community. Those who knew them as being related to the departed woman 213 OGBE®’DI: respected them and were ready to do their bidding. Together with others, they stripped O®Ùru;nmi¾la; completely naked. To eat became a problem for him. He was ridiculed and victimized on top of him being stripped of his hard-earned possessions. One day, O®ôru;nmi¾la¾¾ decided to go to the home of the group of Babala;wo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I be able to regain all my lost possessions? Will I overcome this grand conspiracy? Will my enemies be put into their proper places? Will I be victorious in the end? Would the community be able to see the truth at the end of the day? The group of Awo told O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ that he had been treated unjustly. He had suffered unduly. He was told to put his mind at rest. He was told that all his lost possessions would be recovered. Not only this, those who had usurped his possessions would suffer terribly. The group of Awo advised him to offer eôboô as prescribed above. He complied. After this, he was told to go about his day to day business. Meanwhile, the seven conspirators, two women and five men had a meeting on how to share the proceeds from their loot. They concluded that it would not be wise to share the loot; but rather, each person should be given money from time to time according to each individual‟s needs. All of them saw this as the most realistic thing to do under the circumstances. What they never bargained for was the surprise that E®sôu¾ O®ôda¾ra¾ would pull on them. As soon as OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ offered the eôboô, E®sôu¾ gave one of the two women the gift of yaws and gave one of the men the gift of being a hunchback. They all began to look for solutions from several healing homes but there was no relief. They kept spending the money from the joint loot. The remaining conspirators began to complain after about six months that the two infected members were spending too much money on themselves at the expense of the others. Before long, one of the remaining men developed elephantiasis of the scrotum. Two months after, the other woman developed goitre. Three weeks after this, one of the three remaining men developed epilepsy; the second went totally blind while the third and last conspirator developed palsy. Why is all this happening to us? They concluded that OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ must be responsible for all their woes. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ must be dealt with by all of us and by any means. It got to a stage that none of them had time nor paid attention to the much cherished loot. It did not take long before people began to insinuate that they were suffering from greed. People began saying that they had cheated and they were paying 214 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 for their misconduct. The talk of the people was even more painful to the conspirators than their actual ailments. One day, the seven conspirators went to the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation; they wanted the Awo to do two things for them; one, find solutions to their ailments; and two, to punish O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ for their woes. Were these possible? The Awo told them that they encountered their misfortunes simply because they lacked honesty. They were told to go home and change their attitudes. They must be honest. They must not cheat others. They must not conspire against anybody. If they had done so already, they must change and right the wrong. They were also told that they must forget about punishing O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ because he had never wronged them or planned evil against them. To plan against him would only bring more woes on them. The group of Awo asked the conspirators to go and apologize to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ and ensure that anything they had done wrong against him was corrected accordingly. The seven conspirators left the home of the Awo totally disappointed. Why must they go and apologize to someone who has inflicted so much pain and agony on them? They wondered. The conspirators concluded that it was a mistake to go to the home of the Awo to find a solution to their problems in the first place. They said that the Awo were all OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾‟s ex-students and they were bound to support him. Maybe they were the ones O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ used to inflict pain on them. For that reason, they were bound to support their master. If he had used the Awo to punish them, then they were no longer safe. The Awo had touched all of them; they sat down on their mats; they had used the consultation instruments to touch their hands, foreheads and chests! What if they had poisoned the instruments? Yes, they must have poisoned the instruments! What a mistake! They were going to be in more trouble! God! Why did they not think well and properly before they approached the Awo? They had dug their own graves by themselves! All of them began to panic. In their state of confusion, they began to make more and more mistakes. In the end, they heaped all the blames on the one among them who suggested that they should go to the Awo for Ifá consultation. That was the one with the elephantiasis of the scrotum. He got angry and began to rain curses on those blaming him. Before long, a big fight ensued. They were beating, cursing and tearing each other apart. Soon after this, a huge crowd gathered to watch the macabre scene. They began to expose each other and to explain to the watching crowd the role each 215 OGBE®’DI: and every one of them played in the grand conspiracy. They were so busy exposing each other that none of them wanted the others to outplay him or her in the revelation. In the end, they were all marched to the OÙba‟s palace. They narrated their stories to the OÙba. The whole community was in shock when they heard the story. In the end, the council of Chiefs ordered that the seven of them should be banished from the community. All of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾‟s possessions which they had unjustly usurped were returned to him. The community apologised to O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ for not finding out the truth earlier when the matter first came up. O®gu;n ni;i; deô Ifo;ôn O®Ùsôo;ôo¾ôsi¾ ni;i; boô i¾ge¾re¾ Yemo¾o; ni;i; sôe oni;po¾ôn'ti; O®ri¾sôa¾ Di;a¾ fu;n O®®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Ti; woôô;n o; j’ogu;n du¾n Ti; woôn o; ni; pi;n l’o;;gu;n EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Ko¾ pe;ô ko¾ j¾i¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba¾ni¾ la;ru¾us; ôe;ô o¾gu;n OÙ®ru;nmi;la¾ si¾ ru;boô ni;be¾ô O:: sôe;ôgun Translation: O®gu;n hunts with arrows O®ôsôoô;o¾ôsôi¾ propitiates the fishing net Yemo¾o; is the one in charge of the O®ri¾sôa¾ brewery These were Ifa;‟s messages for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ When he was denied his own share of their ancestral legacy And was not given any share He was advised to offer eôboô Before long, not too far Join us where we enjoy victory OÙ®ru;nmi¾la; offered eôboô there And he had victory Ifa; says that this person shall surely be victorious over conspirators. In the same vein, Ifa; warns this person never to conspire with others to cheat anyone. This is because their victim shall be victorious in the end. 216 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 11. Ifa; promises that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed shall succeed and be prosperous in life. Ifa; advises this person to continuously offer the eôboô of victory over adversity together with that of prosperity. Ifa; says that in the life of the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed, there is going to be success coupled with contention. After the success of this person, those close to him/her shall begin to raised inquiry on his/her source of prosperity. They will want to know how and from where he/she has made his/her wealth and prosperity. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat, two pigeons and money. After this, he/she needs to procure kola nuts which have only one lobe, beads which have been broken into two and which no longer have holes that can be used to string them together, the leather used to cover the gu;du;gu;du; drum and amu;ni¾mu;ye¾ leaves. All these shall be pounded together by the Awo and this Odu¾ will be recited into it and be given to the person for whom this Odù is revealed to bathe with. On this, a stanza in Ogbe¾ „Di¾i; says: SÙa;ka; bale¾ô, sôa;ka; ro; yagbayagba I®sôu¾ o¾ôro¾ô bale¾ô ko; ra¾ti¾ra¾ti¾ E®Ùe¾ôru¾n lo; de;, loômoôde; ‘Ku¾nrin d’o¾ri; Ifa; Di;a¾ fu;n O®ôru;nmi¾la; Baba n¾sôawo loô si;le; A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ Ni;gba¾ti; o; n;fojooju;mo;ô sun-unrun i¾su¾nku;su¾n To; n;fojooju;mo;ô la; a¾la;ka;la¾a; EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: SÙa;ka; bale¾ô sôa;ka; ro; yagbayagba I®sôu¾ o¾ôro¾ô bale¾ô ko; ra¾ti¾ra¾ti¾ E®Ùe¾ôru¾n lo; de;, loômoôde; „Ku¾nrin d‟o¾ri; Ifa; They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ When going on an Ifa; mission to the home of A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ When A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ was having sleepless nights And was having nightmares O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was advised to offer eôboô The life of A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ was in complete disarray. He had lost almost all what he had made in his life. His business was in ruins. 217 OGBE®’DI: His problems were compounded when his wives and children abandoned him unceremoniously. He found it impossible to believe that his beloved wives and children would abandon him at this time that he needed their support the most. He cried and cried. Weeping only compounded his problems instead of solving them. Before long after his family left him, he began to have terrible and terrifying dreams. Sometimes, he would see himself being tied to a stake by some fierce-looking men and before he could shout for help, he would be doused with oil and fire would be set on him. Sometimes, he would be thrown into a swamp infested with giant open mouthed crocodiles and alligators. Within the twinkling of an eye, these amphibians would be feasting on his body. He would then scream out only to realise that he was dreaming. Sometimes, he would see himself being pursued with clubs, knives, sticks, cutlasses, swords and machetes. He would run and run only to see his pursuers overpowering him. Just as his attackers were about to deliver their deadly blows on him, he would wake up startled and have a terrible headache. Tired of all of this, he approached many medicine men and women for solutions to his problems. There was none. He tried many seers. There was no solution. Somebody told him about O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾. He decided to give him a trial. He therefore sent some people to go and invite O®Ùru;nmi¾la; to his house, telling OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ that his assistance was urgently needed. When OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ saw A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾‟s delegates, he decided to approach the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I succeed at A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾‟s house? Will I be able to proffer solutions to A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾‟s numerous problems? Will it be possible to move A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾‟s present state of poverty to one of affluence? Will his family members who have abandoned him return to him again? If it is possible for me to do accomplish these things, what do I need to do? What eôboô do I need to offer? What advice do I need to give A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾@ The Awo assured OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ that whether he offered the eôboô of success or not, he would surely succeed in finding solutions to A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾‟s problems. He was however told that the main eôboô which he really needed to offer was that of victory over oppositions. He was advised to offer eôboô with one mature hegoat for victory and two pigeons for success. He complied. After this, the Awo prepared the Ifa; work for him as listed above. He was advised to use the herbal soap to bathe with until it was exhausted. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ also complied. The following day, he set out on his journey to A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾‟s house. When O®Ùru;nmi¾la; got there, he set out on his mission to improve his client‟s life immediately. All the advice of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ was carried out by A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾. 218 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ explained to him that the main reason why the problems were occurring in the first place was that A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ was out of tune with the Irunmoôle¾ who were guiding and protecting him. Because A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ had chosen to abandon these Iru;nmoôleôô¾ they too had abandoned him. When he was facing all the problems and tribulations, there was no guiding Iru;nmoôleôô¾ who was prepared to raise a finger to protect or defend him. A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ was advised to offer eôboô and feed all the Iru;nmoôleôô¾ and O®ri¾sa¾ that he was affiliated to. He complied. He decided to embrace them all and feed them on a regular basis. Before long, A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾‟s businesses, which had hitherto collapsed began to pick up. Soon after, he was back in the serious and profit-making businesses. He began to control huge amounts of money as he used to do before. When the wives heard that their husband had met with fortune once more and that success had begun to smile on him again, they too decided to return home together with their children to be part of the aspects of his life where smiles would light up his face. Within 15 lunar months, A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ had become stupendously wealthy. He began to control vast business estates. He was sought after by the high and the mighty. His wealth surpassed what he had before. He became the most successful man in his community. One day, A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ sat down and took stock of his journey so far. He realised that within 16 lunar months, he had moved from poverty to opulence. He had moved from severe want to surplus. All the members of his family who had abandoned him had returned to him. His nightmarish dreams had become things of the past. He had become happier, more influential, more respected and more honourable than ever before. He also noted that, but for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ all these would never have happened. He was very moved that O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ had stood by him when he had nothing and he did not work for him with monetary consideration. He concluded that the only right thing for him to do was to show his gratitude to him. How would he do this? He decided to reward O®Ùru;nmi¾la; with one quarter of his vast business estates. This amounted to more than enough for seven families to spend throughout their lifetimes. As soon as people found out that O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ had been given that much, envy set in. How could he be given such an amount of money and assets? What had he done which others had never done before? They concluded that O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ must have used undue influence to twist the arms of A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ for him to part with such a huge amount of money and assets. These antagonists 219 OGBE®’DI: went to A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ to convince him to change his mind and withdraw all the money and assets from O®Ùru;nmi¾la;. They told him that O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was a fraudster, a cheat and wicked man who had used diabolical means to get all the things which A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ had given him. A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ was however not impressed with their submissions. He chased them away and told them never to return to his house again. When they failed to persuade A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾, the antagonists decided to deal with OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ in their own way. They began to prepare potent charms to destroy O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾. They failed. The charms had no effect on him whatsoever. They began to conspire against him. They did this for several months. It had no effect on him in any way. That was when one of them said that someone among them must be going to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ to reveal their plans. This led to mutual suspicion among the conspirators. One day, things blew up into an open confrontation. They fought for several hours. That was when someone went to call O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to come and see what was happening among the group of conspirators. When he got there, the conspirators shamelessly began to reveal all their diabolical plans against O®Ùru;nmi¾la; to him. As they were exposing each other O®Ùru;nmi¾la; kept smiling knowingly. When he was asked why he was smiling, he stated thus: EÙÙ®yin o¾ mo¾ô wi;pe; la;ki;ri;boto kan ki¾¾i; lo;ju; aweôô; E®ôla¾ i¾le¾ôke¾ô kan ki¾i; lo;ju; a¾toku¾nbo Bi; a ba; n; fu;n gu;du;gu;du; N®sôe lara re¾ô ma;a; n; le OÙwoô; o¾ô mi; wa; b’ewe; amu;ni;mu;ye¾ e te¾mi; Po¾ro¾ ti; mo ba; de; Ifa; Ka¾sa¾i¾ ba; mi; mu; wo;ôn ni;ye¾ i¾ku;n Translation: Don‟t you know that the la;ki;ri;boto kola nut has no lobe A split bead has nowhere to put string through If we pull on the leather used to make the gu;du;gu;du; drum It‟s sound will become more audible I have now gotten a hold of my own amu;ni;mu;ye¾ leaves As soon as i arrive Ifá will becloud their consicousiness 220 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 O®ôru;nmi¾la¾ explained that since la;ki;ri;boto kola nut has no value because it cannot be split into pieces, all of them could not design anything that would affect him adversely. He said that since a bead that is split into two cannot be strung together again, no malicious designs of his enemies would have any adverse effect on him. He said that when the gu;du;gu;du; drum was tightened, it only made the drum stronger, all their conspiracies would only make him stronger; and it was Amu;ni;mu;ye¾ leaves that had ordered that all his enemies would lose concentration and cohesion. That was why all their diabolic plans had not been able to affect him in any way. When the conspirators heard these statements they simply disposed in disarray, OÙr® u;nmi¾la¾ was given free hand to enjoy his hard-earned wealth. SÙa;ka; bale;ô, sôa;ka; ro; yagbayagba Is¾ôu¾ o¾ôro¾ô bale¾ô ko; ra¾ti¾ra¾ti¾ E®Ùe¾ôru¾n lo; de;, loômoôde; ‘Ku¾nrin d’o¾ri; Ifa; Di;a; fu;n O®ru;nmi¾la¾ Baba n;sôawo loô si;le; A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ I®igba¾ti; o; n;fojooju;mo;ô sun-unrun i¾su¾nkusun To; n;fojooju;mo;ô la; a¾la;ka;la¾a; EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O® gb’e¾ôboô, o; ru’boô OÙ®ru;nmi¾la; de;le; A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ O: tu;n aye; A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ sôe O: wa; gba;gu;n owo; O: gba;gu;n ola; O: gba;gu;n ola; O: gba;gu;n oôlo;ôgi¾nni¾ng¾ i¾nni¾ asôoô I®ra¾da¾ Wo;ôn wa; ni; ni;bo ni; yo;o; gbe;e gba¾? O®Ùru;nmi¾la; ni; e¾ôyi¾n o; mo;ô wi;pe; la;ki;ri;boto ki¾i; loj;u; awe;ô E®ôla¾ i¾le;ôke;ô kan ki¾i; lo;ju¾ a¾toku¾nbo¾ô Bi; a ba; n; fu;n gu;du;gu;du; Nsôe lara re¾ô ma;a n; le OÙwo;ô o¾ô mi; wa; b’ewe; amu;nimu;ye¾ e te¾mi¾ Po¾ro¾ ti; mo ba; de; Ifa; Ka¾sôa¾i¾ ba; mi; mu; wo;ôn ni;ye¾ i;ku¾n Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni; ni; a¾ru;se;ô ogun Aj¾a¾sôe;ô ogun l¾a¾a; ba; ni; le;ôse¾ô OÙba;ri¾sôa; 221 OGBE®’DI: Translation: SÙa;ka; bale;ô, sôa;ka; ro; yagbayagba Is¾ôu¾ o¾ôro¾ô bale¾ô ko; ra¾ti¾ra¾ti¾ E®Ùe¾ôru¾n lo; de;, loômoôde; „Ku¾nrin d‟o¾ri; Ifa; They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for O®ôru;nmi¾la; When going on an Ifa; mission to the home of A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ When A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ was having sleepless nights And was having nightmares OÙ®ru;nmi¾la; was advised to offer eôboô He complied When he arrived at A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ home He received gifts of cash He received gifts of clothing And received gifts of land and ornaments His antagonists threatened that he would not be able to consummate these fortunes OÙ®ru;nmi¾la; declared, Don‟t you know that the la;ki;ri;boto kola nut has no lobe A split bead has nowhere to put string through If we pull on the leather used to make the gu;du;gu;du; drum It‟s sound will become more audible I have now gotten a hold of my own amu;nimu;ye¾ leaves As soon as i arrive Ifa; will becloud their consciousness Before long, not too far Join us where we enjoy victory Victory over adversity is what Ifa; guarantees for its followers Ifa; assures this person victory over all those who plan to block his/her fortunes and ensure that he/she fails to actualise his/her dreams and enjoy the fruit of his/her labour. 12.Ifa; warns the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to offer eôboô urgently in order to prevent himself/herself from experiencing untimely death. Ifá says that the ground that will consume him/her is already open. The ground must be covered (propitiated) as quickly as possible. To do this, Ifa; recommends this person to procure one mature he-goat, plenty of idi; leaves and money. After the eôboô, a hole will be dug in the ground; the same he-goat from the eôbo will be sacrificed into the hole and the head of the he-goat will be placed 222 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 inside the hole; the leaves will be placed on top of the goat‟s head. The Odu¾ (Ogbe¾-Odi;) will need to be imprinted on I®yer¾ô o¾su¾n in an OÙpon;ô Ifa; and this stanza will be recited. After this, the I®yer¾ô o¾su¾n will be poured on top of the leaves and the ground will then be covered with soil. That is when the threat of death will be eliminated for this person. On this aspect, Ogbe¾ Odi; says: Iku; du;du; ni;i; k’osu¾n du;du; Iku; pupa ni;i; k’osu¾n pupa Ai¾ri;ku¾n a ku¾n’le¾ôpa do¾do¾o¾do¾ Ti; n;beô l’a;la¾de O®®Ùrun Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Ni;jo;ô oô wo;ôn ni; ile¾¾ô la'nu ni';le; e Baba EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Black death is it that paints itself with charcoal Red death is it that paints itself with camwood That which has nothing to use will rub on itself dug-up soil That resides in heaven above These were Ifa;‟s declarations for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ On the day that the ground opened in his home He was advised to offer eôboô To sleep was a serious issue. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ considered sleeping, even taking a nap as an ordeal that he was better off without. Why? The dreams that he was having were more than enough to drive anyone crazy. The dreams created serious fears and unbelievable premonitions in him. Yet, to sleep was sometimes inevitable. He dreaded the time that he would close his eyes. He used to see himself in the midst of wild animals being torn into shreds and scattered everywhere. Sometimes, he would see himself being buried alive, only for him to realise that he was just sleeping. Anytime that he slept, he would wake up with startled because of his terrible dreams. For how long would he continue to endure this discomfort? That was why, one day, he made up his mind to consult Ifá in order to put an end to these undesirable experiences. What did he need to do to get rid of these premonitions? He asked. 223 OGBE®’DI: The Awo told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la; that the ground had opened in order to consume him. He was however assured that it would not happen. He was told that what he needed to do was to perform the necessary eôboô to fill up the hole that was meant to be his grave. He was advised to offer the eôboô as stated above. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ procured the eôboô materials immediately. The Awo performed the ceremony for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ that same day. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ returned home, full of hope and confidence. In the evening on that day, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ fell asleep and woke up without any untoward incident. He even had a sweet dream! From that day onward, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ slept and woke up as normally as other people. He was so happy that his premonitions had all disappeared. He was able to concentrate on his assignments throughout his sojourn on earth. Iku; du;du; ni;i; k’osu¾n du;du; Iku; pupa ni;i; k’osu¾n pupa Ai¾ri;ku¾n a ku¾n’le¾ôpa do¾do¾o¾do¾ Ti; n;beô l’a;la¾de O®®Ùrun Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Ni;jo;ô oô wo;ôn ni; ile¾¾ô la'nu ni';le; e Baba EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;;ôboô, o; ru;boô Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni la;i¾ku; kangiri A®i¾ku; Ifa; du¾n, o; j’oyin loô Translation: Black death is it that paints itself with charcoal Red death is it that paints itself with camwood That which has nothing to use will rub on itself dug-up soil That resides in heaven above These were Ifa;‟s declarations for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ On the day that the ground opened in his home He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far Join us where we enjoy long life The longevity guaranteed by Ifa; is sweeter than honey 224 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ifa; says that this person shall not experience any untimely death. He/she shall live long, grow old and die peacefully. 13.Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô against untimely death. This person is being threatened by death and there is the urgent need to address the problem. Ifa; warns this person never to keep fowls in his/her home or engage in poultry business. This is indeed a very serious taboo for those born by this Odu¾¾. If it is revealed during routine Ifa; consultation, the person needs to stay away from where fowls are kept or reared. It is not in his/her best interest to be close to these birds. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with one he-goat, plenty of idi; leaves, a long strip of fu;u¾ cloth and money. On this, Ifa; says: Ogbe¾ di; Ogbe¾ sôin SÙangiliti o¾ôpe¾ô sôinsôi¾nsôin Di;a; fu;n OÙloômoô A-gbo;ô-ha¾a¾-adi¾¾eô-ku; E®yi; ti; wo;ôn ni; ko; ru;’boô si; lai¾ku; araa reô Translation: Ogbe¾ di; Ogbe¾ sôin SÙangiliti o¾ôpe¾ô sôinsôi¾nsôin They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for OÙloômoô-A-gbo;ô-ha¾a¾-adi¾eô-ku; (He-who-hears-the-sound-of-a-fowl-and-dies) Who was advised to offer the eôboô against untimely death OÙloômoô A-gbo-;ô ha¾a¾-adi¾eô-ku; was seriously ill. Most of her family members had almost lost hope of her ability to survive the illness. They did not even know what the illness was in the first place. They had spent a lot of money. Yet, there was no improvement on her state of health. At a certain stage, many of her family members no longer came to visit her. They felt that no amount of money could help her regain her health. 225 OGBE®’DI: Her husband and two immediate family members however stood firmly by her. They did not hesitate to continue spending any amount on her in order to make her regain her health and vitality. They were prepared to go to anyone who claimed to have the knowledge or remedy for her ailment. One day, they heard about the group of Ifá priests mentioned above and off they went to seek a solution to A-gbo;ô-ha;a¾-adi¾eô-ku;‟s problem. When they got there, Ifa;; was consulted on her behalf and Ogbe-„Di was revealed. The group of Awo explained to them that A-gbo;ô-ha;a¾-adi¾eô-ku; was suffering from ailments caused by breaking taboos. They were told that she was the victim of a spiritual allergy which was caused by her close contact with fowls. The Awo told them that she might lose her life if she did not move away from where there were fowls and other birds. They were also advised to offer eôboô as stated above. They offered the eôboô instantly. When they returned home, they moved away all the fowls in the compound. They ensured that no animal with feathers gained entrance into their compound. Before two weeks, they noticed a slight improvement in the condition of her health. Could it be true that her close contact with birds was really what was responsible for her ill-health? They continued to apply the medication given to them by the Awo on her. Five weeks after, she was able to stand and walk by herself. Her appetite improved. Eight weeks after the eôboô was offered, they noticed a little smile on her face. This was too good to be true. They also noticed that some of her family members who had hitherto stayed away from her returned, giving all sorts of excuses for their long absence. Three months after, A-gbo;ô-ha;a-¾ adi¾eô-ku; regained her health. She returned to her normal business. She was full of gratitude to OÙlodumare, Ifa;, the Awo and her family members who stood by her during her health ordeal. Ogbe¾ di; Ogbe¾ sôi;n SÙangiliti o¾ôpe¾ô sôinsôi¾nsôin Di;a; fu;n OÙloômoô- A-gboô;-ha¾a¾-;adi;eô-ku; E®yi; ti; wo;ôn ni; ko; ru;'boô si; lai¾ku; araa reô O: gb’eô;boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ j¾i¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba¾ ni; la;i¾ku; kangiri Ai¾ku; Ifa; du¾n o; j'oyin loô 226 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: Ogbe¾ di; Ogbe¾ sôi;n SÙangiliti o¾ôpe¾ô sôinsôi¾nsôin They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for OÙloômoô-A-gbo;ô-ha¾a¾-adi¾eô-ku; (He-who-hears-the-sound-of-a-fowl-and-dies) Who was advised to offer eôboô against untimely death He complied Before long, not too far Join us where we enjoy long life The longevity guaranteed by Ifa; is sweeter than honey Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed shall enjoy his/her life to the fullest, he/she shall live long without any health challenges which may cut short his/her life. 14.Ifa; warns the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to deliberate carefully before taking any major decisions in life. He/she needs to ensure that he/she does not take any decision that may bounce back on him/her in the end. In other words, this person is advised not to inadvertantly set traps against himself/herself. Ifa; equally warns this person not to be too rigid in any pronouncement that he/she makes. He/she needs to be cautious when enacting any law or rule that is expected to be followed strictly by all and sundry. On the other hand, it is possible that this person has already made some pronouncements or laws which have backfired on them. He/she has sanctioned others with the pronouncement but right now, he/she has become a victim of his/her own pronouncements. Ifa; therefore advises this person to offer eôboô in order to pull himself/herself out of the dilemma. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with three cocks, two fresh fowl eggs, shea butter and money. After this, Ifa; says that there is the urgent need to review some enactments where this Odu¾ is revealed. Any law or enactment which has become unrealistic must be reviewed accordingly. 227 OGBE®’DI: On these aspects, Ogbe¾‟Di¾i; says: Ee;wo n;la; ni;i; soô i¾mo¾ôra¾n l’e;ônu Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Ti; n;;lo¾ôoô; jeô ol’o;ri; asôo¾fin i¾lu;; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: A big boil exasperates an understanding person This was Ifa;‟s message for O®Ùru;nmi¾la; When going to become the head of the law-makers in the community He was advised to offer eôboô There were too many criminals in town. Consequent upon this, there was general consensus that such drastic problems required even more drastic solutions. It was therefore decided that all those who committed crimes, big or small, must be put to death on the very day that the crime was committed. Nobody was above the law; nobody should be treated as being above the law. All criminals must be executed the day that they were caught, even for small offenses. One day, Ala;ra;‟s son was caught eating a morsel of meat that he took from his mother‟s pot of soup without first asking for permission from his mother. Before he could explain himself to those who had caught him, he was beheaded in broad daylight! This made Ala;ra; grieve uncontrollably. He could do nothing about it because he was one of the people who had decreed this punitive law. Three weeks after this, Ajero¾‟s daughter, his only female child was caught rubbing her mother‟s coconut oil into her hair. She had gone inside her mother‟s room to pick the oil when her mother was not at home. Why was she using her mother‟s oil without asking for permission? What belongs to her mother also belongs to her impressed none of the prosecutors. She however was adjudged guilty and was beheaded instantly. There was a serious disagreement between two families over land issues. One of the two warring families set fire on the disputed land. They were caught. The whole family was arrested, arraigned and executed that same day. 228 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 In the estimation of the community, that was the best way to curb any form of crime. Petty larceny, adultery, promiscuity, rudeness, public assault, and any other small or big offense deserved capital punishment.. It was at this period that O®Ùru;nmi¾la; was conferred with a chieftaincy title. As an additional responsibility, he was told to be the head of the law makers. It was pronounced that all criminals must be brought before him. He would have to listen to the case and pronounce the suspect guilty or innocent. The moment the culprit was pronounced guilty, he/she would be executed instantly. There was no room for postponement of any case. It must be concluded on the very day that the crime was committed. When these explanations were given to O®Ùru;nmi¾la;, he knew instantly that this was not wise. Why must all offences carry the same punishment? Why must the punishment be capital punishment? Why must someone who used his/her parents' things without permission be killed because of that? Why must someone who eats two pieces of stolen bananas be killed for that? Why must there be capital punishment for people who were found guilty of rudeness? What kind of society were they trying to build? O®Ùru;nmi¾la; concluded that there was an urgent need to review this law. It was clear to O®Ùru;nmi¾la; that those who promulgated these laws did so without proper deliberation and wisdom. They failed to think about the future and the consequences of the laws they were making. That was why many of the lawmakers had become victims of the same laws they had promulgated. Instead of regulating anything in the society, they had actually set traps for themselves and many of them had fallen into these traps. These laws must be reviewed, O®Ùru;nmi¾la; vowed. But how? He had no idea. That was why he went to the Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I do well as the head of the law makers in the community? What do I need to do in order to succeed in my new assignment? The Awo advised O®Ùru;nmi¾la; to offer ẹbọ as stated above. He was also assured that there would be an opportunity to effect the much needed change because it is highly imperative to ensure that the changes took place, and very urgently too. Four days after he became the head of the law makers, something serious happened; his son, the child of OÙlo;ôfin, the daughter of Ala;ra;, two of the children of Ajero¾, two of the children of OÙwa;ra¾ngu;n-A®ga and the daughter of Olo;jom¾bo; were caught eating coconuts that were assumed not to be theirs. Their explanations did not impress those who accosted them. They were 229 OGBE®’DI: beaten to a pulp. Those who beat them up decided to take them to O®Ùru;nmi¾la;'s house that same evening in order for them to be summarily executed. While they were on their way, E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ rushed ahead of them to go and leak out their plans to O®Ùru;nmi¾la;. Why must eight young ones be executed simply because they were caught eating coconuts that were not theirs? Who will benefit from this law? What must he do to avert the death of these children? He asked himself. Eṣu however assured O®Ùru;nmi¾la; that the young ones would not die that day. He said that he would ensure that O®Ùru;nmi¾la; was not in any position to make any pronouncements that day. He then proceeded by rubbing the body of O®Ùru;nmi¾la; with the shea butter that he used as part of his eôboô materials. He also deposited the two fresh eggs into his mouth. He told O®Ùru;nmi¾la; to feign illness when the people arrived in his house. Soon after this, both the accusers and the accused arrived. They were prevented from entering O®Ùru;nmi¾la;'s room by E®sôu¾ OÙÙ®da¾ra¾. He told them that O®Ùru;nmi¾la; was very ill. They insisted that there was the need for O®Ùru;nmi¾la; to make a pronouncement on the eight culprits this very day. That was the law and the law must be obeyed. E®sôu¾ OÙÙ®da¾ra¾ said that it was not possible for O®Ùru;nmi¾la; to make any pronouncement because he was very ill. The accusers would have none of that, they insisted that he must do so. E®sôu¾ OÙÙ®da¾ra¾ then told them to choose two people among them to enter the room to see O®Ùru;nmi¾la;'s condition. They did. When they entered the room, E®sôu¾ OÙÙ®da¾ra¾ hit O®Ùru;nmi¾la;'s left cheek with his elbow. One of the two eggs lodged in his mouth broke. He threw everything down, it looked like vomit. E®sôu¾ O®®Ùda¾ra¾ told the accusers that it was because they were trying to force O®ôru;nmi¾la¾¾ to speak that he vomited. Before they could say anything, E®sôu¾ O®®Ùda¾ra¾ hit O®Ùru;nmi¾la;'s right cheek with his elbow and the second egg broke. He "vomited" again. E®sôu¾ O®®Ùda¾ra¾ then chased them away from O®Ùru;nmi¾la;'s house. As soon as they left, O®Ùru;nmi¾la; and E®sôu® O®®Ùda¾ra¾ had a good laugh. The trick was perfectly executed. It also brought the desired result. Very early the next day, the accusers returned. They met E®sôu¾ O®®Ùda¾ra¾ again. He asked them what their mission was. They told him. E®sôu¾ OÙÙ®da¾ra¾ then shouted at the top of his voice and called them names. He said, "You are all fools!" He shouted; "you have all spoilt this law! This judgement should have occurred yesterday! You all are stupid people! Why are you all coming now? What have you found out now that was different from what you discovered yesterday? Fools! Idiots! Why didn‟t you use your brains yesterday? Have you idiots found new information now? If yes, what did you find out"? 230 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 That was when one of them responded that they had since found out that the young ones actually bought the coconuts from the owner and didn‟t steal them. They were assured that the coconuts were not stolen. It was an error of judgement in the first place to accuse the young ones of stealing. "When did you find this out?" E®sôu¾ OÙda¾ra¾ asked. "We discovered this just this morning", they responded. "Why did you rush here yesterday when you had not done your investigations properly?" E®sôu¾ asked them. They had no answers to that. After this E®sôu¾ said, "If O®Ùru;nmi¾la; had been well yesterday, you all would have taken the lives of these innocent children!" They kept quiet. "Nitwits! Fools! Murderers! Blood suckers! Wicked souls! Why are you taking delight in taking innocent lives? Olodumare will punish you all for killing innocent people." The accusers were totally confused to open up this time. They wished for the ground to open up and swallow them. This was when O®Ùru;nmi¾la; came out of his house and declared that the laws were supposed to be made for the benefit of mankind. Any law serving no benefit to mankind must be reviewed further. He declared that all laws promulgated in the land must be reviewed and amended as required. He then set the eight young ones free. Ee;wo n;la; ni;i; soô i¾mo¾ôra¾n l’e;ônu Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Ti; n;lo¾ôoô; jeô ol’o;ri; asôo¾fin i¾lu; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbe;ô'boô o; ru';boô Ko¾ pe;ô ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni; ba;yo¾ô EÙ wa; wo're o Translation: A big boil exasperates an understanding person This was Ifa‟s message for O®Ùru;nmi¾la; When going to become the head of the law-makers in the community He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life 231 OGBE®’DI: Ifa; says that this person shall not be allowed to make a law that will backfire against him/her in the end. This is the reason why he/she needs to weigh any pronouncement and really think about its impact and effectiveness before declaring something as law. 15. Ifa; says that if conditions are unfavourable for the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed and if this condition has failed to improve after much effort, the reason for this is that the person has made a solemn promise that he/she has failed to fulfil. Ifa; says that this person has paid the good deeds of his/her benefactors with evil. He/she has bitten the hand that feeds him/her. This is the reason why his/her situation had deteriorated and defied all solutions. Ifa; also says that if this person borrows any money, he/she will attempt to delay the time they need to pay back the money. If care is not taken, he/she may even look for means and ways of ensuring that the money is never paid back and may even intend on inflicting pain on his/her benefactor. Ifa; stresses the fact that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed is actually suffering from a curse placed on his/her head by someone who he/she had wronged. Until and unless this curse is removed, this person shall continue to live a life of sorrow, agony, and regrets. Ifa; advises someone whose situation has gone from bad to worse to go and be initiated into Ifá. This person has no money to do the initiation right now. He/she may be assisted by the Awo but the Awo should know that this person may not honour any pledge that he/she makes to the Awo. Ifá however warns this person to ensure that he/she does not forget or maltreat his/her benefactors. No matter what this person offers as ẹbọ, the most important thing is for him/her to never repay good with evil and to always honour his/her pledges. On these aspects, Ogbe¾-O®di; says: O®Ùru;nmi¾la; ni; bo;ô ba; ka¾n ni;'pa; EÙ je;ô ko; ka¾n ni;'pa; Bo; ba; ka¾n ni; ja¾ge¾de¾ Ki; a ka¾n-a;n ni; ja¾ge¾de¾ Ta ti¾le¾ô ni ko¾ mo¾ô wi;pe; ja¾de¾ge¾ ni; yo;o; ti; le¾ô ko;ôko;ô d 'a;ye;? Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ 232 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Baba n; loô re¾e; teô A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ ni;'fa; EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ declares that if it requires physical force Let us use physical force If it requires the use of preternatural force Let us use preternatural force Who does not know that preternatural forces manifest before any other force These were Ifa;'s message for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ When going to initiate A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ into Ifa; He was advised to offer eôboô By the time that A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾, the master of strong charms and preternatural manifestations, came to O®Ùru;nmi¾la; for Ifa; consultation, he was simply fed up with life. He could not understand why despite his mastery of vast esoteric knowledge, everything good just refused to move into his life. He had the knowledge on how to conjure things and yet he had nothing to show for it. For instance, he could turn stones into meat, sand into grains and water into blood but he had failed woefully to turn his own life around from the situation where he had run it aground. He prepared several good luck and success potions which worked perfectly for others but which simply failed to work for him. What was this supposed to mean, he asked himself repeatedly. He could not come up with any concrete answer. He could only guess why his life had not improved. His enemies must be responsible for his woes, he concluded. If not, what else could it be? He began to convince himself that this must be the case. Before long, he began to believe that it was simply the case. He convinced himself that it was the case. He began to use several potions against his enemies and adversaries. There was no solution. As a matter of fact, his case went from bad to worse. He soon concluded that the best thing was to confront these enemies. But who were they? He could not be so certain of who to confront. Before long, all his strong charms failed to work anymore. He could not use his hands to do anything effective for anyone. His two hands became spiritual and esoterically dead. What was this? Hunger and frustration set in. Soon after, desperation joined his woes. He concluded that he was better off dead than being alive. Before he died however, he decided to go to O®Ùru;nmi¾lá to find out why his life had failed so badly. He had worked himself up so much that his mind was not thinking of any turn-around in his life. He believed that 233 OGBE®’DI: if there was any chance of improvement in his life, his strong charms would have done it. He only wanted to know why his life had collapsed before he committed suicide. In O®Ùru;nmi¾la;'s home, A®ro¾¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ was informed that even though his success chances had run down considerably, nobody was responsible for his failure. He was assured that his situation would improve and he would be able to actualize his potentials. He was advised to go and get himself initiated into Ifá immediately, as that was the only thing lacking in his life and was the only thing that could break the yoke of failure and poverty for him. It was with amazement and utter disbelieve that A®roôô¾ni¾ma¾ji;a¾ heard what O®Ùru;nmi¾la; said. So, it was because he had not been initiated into Ifá that his life had gone down completely? So, there was nobody trying to put him down? So, his life could still improve and his things go up again? So, joy and contentment could still return into his life? So, his hands could be resurrected to make his charms work again? Well, he reasoned, if that is the case, then he had better give it a trial and if there is no improvement, especially after about six full moons, he would then go ahead and terminate his life. There was another problem however; where would he get all the money and materials to use for his initiation when he knew for certain that he was worth nothing as he sat before O®Ùru;nmi¾la;?He knew of nobody who would take the risk of lending him money, when they knew that he had no means of paying back the loan. Well may be his lot was not to succeed in life. If not, what could explain what had been happening to him. The advice of O®Ùru;nmi¾la; which he wanted to give a trial had become impossible because he had nobody to lend him the money. In pain, agony and disillusion he stood up to go. O®Ùru;nmi¾la; asked him what was amiss. He responded that much as he would have loved to comply with O®Ùru;nmi¾la;'s recommendation for him, he did not have the money or materials to do the initiation. He concluded that he had come into the world to fail and be frustrated. He had therefore decided to return to his house to die. O®Ùru;nmi¾la; took pity on A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji¾a¾ when he heard what he said. He decided to help him out. Consequently, O®Ùru;nmi¾la; got all the materials for A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾ji¾a¾ and the initiation was performed. It was a comprehensive affair. All the money spent for the initiation was calculated and A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ promised to refund everything if his life improved as O®Ùru;nmi¾la; had assured him that it would. 234 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The day A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾jia¾ ¾left the Igbo;du¾, he had not reached his own house before he knew that his life and condition had actually improved. All his clients who had hitherto abandoned him were looking for him. He even gained more customers. Seven days after he completed his initiation and left the Igbo;du¾, his main problem was how to satisfy his numerous clients. He employed more hands and got more students who were to study under him. By the time it was six months since he had left the Igbo;du¾, he had success stories to tell. He had however forgotten about O®Ùru;nmi¾la; and the money he was owing him. O®Ùru;nmi¾la; gave A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾jia¾ two years before he decided to ask for the money that he was owing him. By this time, A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾ji;;a¾ had become the most successful person in the community. He was held in awe because of his numerous charms. Nobody dared to confront him on anything he did. That was why O®Ùru;nmi¾la; could not understand why A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾ji;a¾ failed to redeem the pledge he made on paying back the money. O®Ùru;nmi¾la; concluded that A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾ji;a¾ must have forgotten about the money. All he needed to do was to remind him and he (A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾ji;a¾) would send over the money immediately. The amount that A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ was owing O®Ùru;nmi¾la; was like a drop of water in a deep well. Consequently O®Ùru;nmi¾la; sent one of his students to A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾jia to inform him not to forget his pledge. When the student returned home, he had been beaten black and blue. One of his legs was broken. Blood was flowing all over his body. What went wrong? O®Ùru;nm¾ila¾¾ was informed that A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ considered it an insult for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to remind him of such money. A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾jia¾ told O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾„s student that such money would never be paid back. He also warned O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ never to send anyone to ask for the money again. When O®Ùru;nmi¾la; heard this, he felt strongly that it must have been the manner in which his student approached A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾jia¾ that had infuriated him. He asked the student if visitors were present when the message was being relayed. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was not satisfied with his students explanation. Two days after, O®Ùru;nmi¾la; sent another student to A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾. This student was senior to the first one and was also older in age. He told the student to go and apologise to A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji¾a¾ if the former student had embarrassed him in any way and for A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ to use his discretion on when the money would be refunded. The older student returned with a broken arm. He lost two of his fingers and five of his teeth. O®Ùru;nmi¾la; asked his student what had happened. The student said that A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾jia was angry that he was sent to come and demand for money. The student was also hit with a rod and the rod broke his arm. When he narrated his ordeal to O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾, he was totally at a loss as to 235 OGBE®’DI: why the youths were finding it so difficult to show humility and respect to an elder. He was still of the opinion that his students were the ones who provoked A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾jia. He restrained himself from blaming the two students because he realised that they were in deep pain. Still he wanted to prove to them that their approach was wrong. He wanted to show them that A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾jia was a responsible person who would not pay good with evil or display wickedness where kindness had been shown to him. Five days after the second incident, he sent the eldest of all his students to A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾jia with the instruction that he should apologise for the misconduct of his two students and after that, he could then ask A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾jia about the money. He was warned to ensure that he was very diplomatic in his approach. He must not be rude in any way to A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾. He left for A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾'s house. As soon as he left, O®Ùru;nmi¾la; told all his students that they would see that the eldest student would bring good results back from A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾jia¾'s house. He lectured them on the virtues of respect for elders, humility and diplomacy. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ vouched for A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾'s good character. He stated further that those who lacked humility, respect, diplomacy and meekness would be appropriately sanctioned. They were still on this lecture session when the Awo returned missing one eye. He was also accompanied by one of A®ro®Ùni¾ma¾jia¾'s aides. The aide told O®Ùru;nmi¾la; that A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ just pitied the student sent to A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ and that was why his (the student's) life was spared. The aide also warned O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ never to send any other person to A®Ùro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a's¾ house again, stating that the money should be forgotten as it would not be paid back. If anyone was sent to A®Ùro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a's¾ house again, the aide emphasised, that person would be dealt with without mercy as force and strong charms would be liberally used to attack the person. O®Ùru;nmi¾la; could not believe his ears when he heard all that A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾'s aide had finished saying. He spoke with utter arrogance and disrespect. He slammed shut the door when he left the house. All of them kept looking at the Aide as he walked down the street until he disappeared from sight. After some time had passed that seemed like an eternity, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ told his Awo that it was time for him to go there and see things for himself. He however waited for another five days before he went to A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾'s house. When he got there, he met A®Ùro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ in the frontage of his house. He greeted A®Ùro¾ni¾ma¾ji;a¾ but the greeting was not returned. He began by apologising to A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ on behalf of the three students whom he claimed had been rude 236 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 and disrespectful to him (Aroni). Before he could finish, A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ gave him a heavy blow to the eye. This shook O®Ùru;nmi¾la; and dazed him. He picked a long cane and began to whip O®Ùru;nmi¾la; with the cane. He beat him until he (A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾) was exhausted. He then kicked O®Ùru;nmi¾la; with his right leg and O®Ùru;nmi¾la; fell down. As O®Ùru;nmi¾la; was on the ground, A®ro¾ni¾ma¾ji;a¾ started kicking him with both legs. That was when O®Ùru;nmi¾la; made his weeping the weeping of shouting, he made is i¾ye¾ôre¾¾, the i¾ye¾ôre¾ô of lamentation, and declared thus: A®ro¾¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾, mo ko;ô eô ni;'po O ma¾we; mi Apa; reô kan a; loô si A®roô¾ni¾ma¾ji;a¾, mo koô; eô ni;'po O ma¾we; mi Esôe¾ô reô kan a; loô si A®ro¾ni¾ma¾ji;a¾, mo ko;ô eô ni';po O ma¾we; mi; Oju; reô kan a; loô si A®ro¾¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾, mo ko; eô ni;po O ma¾we; mi; o! Translation: A®ro¾ni¾ma¾ji;a¾, I initiated you and made you great But you pay me back with ingratitude One of your arms shall be lost because of this A®ro¾ni¾ma¾ji;a¾, I initiated you and opened the doors of opportunity for you But you pay me back with wickedness One of your legs shall be lost because of this A®ro¾ni¾ma¾ji;a,¾ I initiated you and ensured that you would become great in life But you pay me back with malevolence One of your eyes shall be lost because of this A®ro¾ni¾ma¾ji;a,¾ I initiated you and made you relevant and important in life But you pay me back with inconsideration As soon as O®ru;nmi¾la¾ finished this i¾ye¾¾ôre¾¾ô, it turned into a curse and all the Awo in heaven and earth, those under the sea, ground, rivers, lakes, mountains and 237 OGBE®’DI: hills upheld the curse. A®ro¾ni¾ma¾ji;a¾ began to experience strange feelings around him; they cut his right arm off, then his left leg, and removed his right eye. That was how A®ro¾ni¾ma¾ji;a¾ became an entity with one arm, one leg and one eye up until today. O®Ùru;nmi¾la; ni; bo;ô ba; ka¾n ni;'pa; EÙ je;ô ko; ka¾n ni;'pa; Bo; ba; ka¾n ni; ja¾ge¾de¾ Ki; a ka¾n-a;n ni; ja¾ge¾de¾ Ta ti¾le¾ô ni ko¾ mo¾ô wi;pe; ja¾de¾ge¾ ni; yo;o; ti; le¾ô ko;ôko;ô d 'a;ye;? Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Baba n; loô re¾e; teô A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ ni;'fa; EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O gb'eô;boô, o; ru;'boô A®ro¾¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾, mo ko;ô eô ni;'po O ma¾we; mi Apa; reô kan a; loô si A®roô¾ni¾ma¾ji;a¾, mo koô; eô ni;'po O ma¾we; mi Esôe¾ô reô kan a; loô si A®ro¾ni¾ma¾ji;a¾, mo ko;ô eô ni';po O ma¾we; mi; Oju; reô kan a; loô si A®ro¾¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾, mo ko; eô ni;po O ma¾we; mi; o! E®ro¾ Ipo, e¾ro¾ o¾fa¾ Eni¾ gb' eô¾boô ni; be;ô ko; wa;a; sôeboô o Translation: O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ declares that if it requires physical force Let us use physical force If it requires the use of preternatural force Let us use preternatural force Who does not know that preternatural forces manifest before any other force These were Ifa;'s message for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ When going to initiate A®ro¾ôni¾ma¾ji;a¾ into Ifa; He was advised to offer eôboô He complied 238 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 A®ro¾ni¾ma¾ji;a¾, I initiated you and made you great But you pay me back with ingratitude One of your arms shall be lost because of this A®ro¾ni¾ma¾ji;a¾, I initiated you and opened the doors of opportunity for you But you pay me back with wickedness One of your legs shall be lost because of this A®ro¾ni¾ma¾ji;a,¾ I initiated you and ensured that you would become great in life But you pay me back with malevolence One of your eyes shall be lost because of this A®ro¾ni¾ma¾ji;a,¾ I initiated you and made you relevant and important in life But you pay me back with inconsideration Travellers to Ìpo and o¾fa¾ Let those advised to offer eôboô comply accordingly Ifa; says that it shall not let the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed live with a curse for the rest of his/her life. This person however needs to appreciate the value of paying back goodness with goodness. Ifa; also advises one Babala;wo/Iyanifa to be very careful before using his/her own money to procure eôboô materials (or other form of financial assistance) for a client. This client may not be inclined to refund the money when it is due. 16. Ifa; says that where this Odu¾ is revealed, someone has recently been initiated into Ifa;. This initiate has used the lkin of a dead person to do his/her Iteôni;fa;. The dead person may be the parent, relative, family member or close acquaintance of the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa; says that this dead person whose lkin was used to perform the Iteôni;fa; for the person for whom this Odù is revealed was also initiated into Ifa; but the final burial rites were not performed according to Ifa;; specifications. The dead person is waiting impatiently for the rite to be performed and if it is not done, the consequences will be very grave for the person who has used the dead person‟s lkin to perform iteôni;fa;. Ifa; says that there is the urgent need to bury all the lkin at the back of the house where the water from the bathroom, kitchen and restroom normally passes outside the house. A hole will be dug, cocoyam leaves will be spread at the bottom of the shallow hole, the lkin will be emptied in the hole, and a 239 OGBE®’DI: mature pig will be slaughtered and the blood drained into the hole where the lkin have been placed. An Ifa; tray will be procured and Iyerosun will be used to imprint Ogbe¾-O®®di; on the tray. The Odù will be recited and the Iyerosun will be poured into the hole. The hole will then be covered back with sand. After this, a new set of lkin will be prepared for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Once all these have been performed, this person‟s life will be full of life. On this aspect, Ifa; states thus: A®gba; n; sôubu; l' a¾gba; Ogi¾dan n; sôubu; lu ogidan I®pe¾se¾ n; sôubu; lu i¾pe¾se¾ Di;a; fu;n Ewu; Ti; yo;o; gba lkin O®Ùro¾¾ôroôô¾ te¾ô EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: A®gba;; drums are falling on other A®gba;; drums Ogidan drums are falling on other Ogidan drums Ìpe¾se¾ drums are falling on other Ìpe¾se¾ drums This was the message of Ifa; for Ewu; Who was initiated with Ikin that were earlier used by O¾ô®roôô¾ro¾¾ô for initiation He was advised to offer eôboô OÙ®ro¾ôroôô¾ was a fantastic Ifa; priest and practitioner when he was alive. He abided by all the rules and regulations of Ifa;. Not only this, he was well trained, very efficient, effective, honest, humble and hopeful. He was benevolent to a fault. He was always looking for ways and means of assisting others. Any time there was any problem, OÙÙ®roôô¾ro¾¾ô would be one of the people who would find a lasting solution to the problem. Anyone who went to him for help would never be disappointed. When OÙÙ®roôô¾roôô¾ died, it was a big loss to the whole community. The family had a quick meeting and decided to ensure that at least one of his children continued where he had left off. It was unanimously decided that Ewu; must be the one to continue the good work of his father. 240 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 O®Ùro¾ro¾ died during breakfast time and he was buried at dinner time. The same Ikin that he used while he was alive were used to initiate Ewu; into Ifa; three days after. Ewu; spent 17 days inside the Igbodu¾ and all the rites were comprehensively performed. When O®®Ùroôô¾ro¾¾ô arrived in heaven, his good character eminently qualified him for oôgba¾ i¾ter;ô o¾ô, the garden of eternal peace. He was welcomed to the gate of ogba¾ ite;rô oô¾ with pomp and pageantry. The sentries in heaven asked him questions on how he lived on earth with respect. He responded with humility. The sentries in heaven told him that his good character was his passport to enter oôgba¾ ite;rô o¾ô. He was assured that he was more than qualified to be in oôgba¾ ite;rô o¾ô. They then demanded for his Ikin which were supposed to be buried with him after all necessary rituals had been performed on him and his Ikin. (The normal practice is for one hand of Ifa; (16 lkin) to be buried with the dead in order to serve as his/her visa to oôgba¾ ite;rô o¾ô). None were buried with him. O®Ùro¾ôro¾ô simply told the sentries in heaven that his children and loved ones would soon perform the remaining rites and his Ikin would soon be buried with him inside his grave. The sentries then told him that even though he had the passport to be in oôgba¾- ite;rô o¾ô, his visa (the Ikin) to enter the innermost chamber of oôgba¾ ite;rô o¾ô were not available. For this reason, OÙÙ®ro¾¾ôroôô¾ was told that he was not allowed to enter the main garden of oôgba¾ ite;rô o¾ô. He was therefore told to stay outside the garden. Even though the outside garden was peaceful and comfortable, OÙÙ®ro¾¾ôroôô¾ was not satisfied, but there was nothing he could do about it. The only thing he could do was wait for his loved ones on earth to perform the rituals to qualify him to gain entrance into the innermost garden. For seven years, he waited. Ewu; simply continued to use his father‟s Ikin to perform as his father OÙÙ®ro¾¾ôroôô¾ was doing while on earth. In the end, O®Ùroôô¾ro¾¾ô became restless and uncomfortable. He decided to pay a visit to earth and bring back his Ikin by himself. Ewu; began to have frightening dreams and terrible premonitions. That was why they took him to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: What is the meaning of the dreams I am having? The Awo told him that the owner of the Ikin that he was initiated with wanted the Ikin back and they must be returned to the owner. Ewu; was advised to do it as explained above. When Ewu; got home, he was totally convinced that the Awo was being mischievous. How could he go and bury the Ikin that his father had used successfully and which was also giving him success? No. That would not be done. If he had been told to bury a new set of Ikin, he 241 OGBE®’DI: could do that; but to give away his father‟s Ikin, this was totally out of the question. For this reason, he did not offer the eôboô. Before the end of the year, O®Ùro¾¾ôroôô¾ finally arrived on earth. He went straight to Ewu;'s house. He grabbed his Ikin together with Ewu; and pulled both Ewu; and the Ikin to heaven! A®gba; n; sôubu; l' a¾gba; Ogidan n; sôubu; lu ogidan I®pe¾se¾ n; sôubu; lu i¾pe¾se¾ Di;a; fu;n Ewu; Ti; yo;o; gba lkin O®Ùro¾¾ôroôô¾ te¾ô EÙboô ni; wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O;: ko'ôti; oôô¾gboônhin s'ôe;ôboô N®je;ô o; n;gbe; ikin re¾ôe;ô loô o O: n; gbe; ikin re¾ôe;ô loô o E®Ùyin o¾ ri; O®®Ùro¾¾ôroôô¾ Ti; n¾gbe; ikin re¾ôe;ô loô Pe¾ôlu; Ewu; O: n¾gbe; ikin re¾ôe;ô loô o Translation: A®gba; drums are falling on other A®gba; drums Ogidan drums are falling on other Ogidan drums Ìpe¾se¾ drums are falling on other Ìpe¾se¾ drums This was the message of Ifa; for Ewu; Who was initiated with Ikin that were earlier used by O¾ô®roôô¾ro¾¾ô for initiation He was advised to offer eôboô He simply ignored the eôboô Behold, he is carrying away his Ikin He is taking away his Ikin Can't you see OÙ®ro¾¾ôroôô¾ Who is taking away his Ikin Together with Ewu; He is taking away his Ikin Ifa; warns the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed never to ignore this warning. Doing so can only lead to grief and gnashing of the teeth. A®boôru; A®boôye¾ 242 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 B. SIGNIFICANCE OF OGBE® O®DI: FOR THOSE BORN BY THIS ODU DURING I®KOÙSEÙD ® A:YE: OR I®TE®ÙNI:FA: When Ogbe¾ O®di; children were coming from heaven, the Ire of financial success, compatible spouse, great children, sound health, several properties, longlife, and self actualization were specifically loaded into their Ori as part of their destinies on earth. Consequent upon this, there is no aspect of Ire that they will not achieve. Not only this, Ogbe¾ O®di; children also have the luck of being elevated over and above their contemporaries. For all Ogbe¾ O®di; children, males and females, they usually contend with five major issues in their lives. These issues are i) There Ori appears not to be strong enough to withstand the evil plans and activities of their detractors. ii) They also have health challenges that usually take them to healing homes on a regular basis. iii) They are always implicated on issues which they know little or nothing about. iv) They find it a challenge to enjoy the fullness of their lives, this is because they are always having feelings that something important is missing in their lives. And v) They find it difficult to actualise their expectations in life. With appropriate eôboô however, all these shall become things of the past. This is the reason why it is advisable for all Ogbe¾ O®di; children, males and females, to feed their Ifa; and Ori; regularly. For Ogbe¾ O®di; children, males and females, it is imperative for them to note that anytime that they want to undertake any project or assignment that is very important to their lives, they must never send other people. It is in their own interest to personally attend to such assignments. The reason for this is that if they send someone to do for them what is very crucial to their lives, there exists the tendency that the person sent on this errand will end up taking the glory and the profit of the assignment. Ogbe¾ O®di; children are always threatened by death. There is therefore the need for them to ensure that they offer appropriate eôboô on a regular basis. There is therefore the need for Ogbe¾ O®di; children, males and females, to regularly consult Ifa; and offer eôboô on their health issues. As long as this can be done regularly, Ogbe¾ O®di; children have nothing to fear. In the day to day activities of Ogbe¾-O®di; children, they end up gathering a lot of opposition and enemies. The good thing is that they also have the good 243 OGBE®’DI: luck of overcoming all their enemies. Also, people love to cheat Ogbe¾ O®di; children and dispossess them of their hard earned money and belongings. Again, Ifa; says that with appropriate eôboô, they will be victorious over their detractors. Ogbe¾ O®di; children have the tendency of forgetting those who assist them to get to the top as soon as they feel comfortable in life. This is something that they need to take into serious consideration and prevent from happening. Failure to recognise those who do good to them and refusal to honour such good deeds are major things that may lead to the downfall of Ogbe¾ O®di; children. For Ogbe¾ O®di; female children, they appear to be trouble mongers, especially if they are of short stature. They love to create problems and when confronted, they simply burst into uncontrollable tears that can last for several hours. Many times, this is the behaviour that leads to separation or divorce for this woman. For Ogbe¾ O®di; male children, they appear to be quick tempered and they easily jump into conclusions. This makes them to act first and regret later. There is the need for them to review this character in order to live in harmony with others. In general, Ogbe¾ O®di; children, males and females, have come into this world to live rewarding, contented and profitable lives. They will have cause to celebrate their success in life. They are also blessed with great children who will carry on their names when they have departed from this world. A®boôru; A®boôye¾ C. AFFILIATED O®RI®SÙA/¾ AND IRU;NMOÙLEÙ® OF OGBE® O®DI: 1. Ifa; - for progress, direction, victory, long life, elevation, protection, contentment, and overall wellbeing. 2. Ori; - for fulfilment of destiny, victory, support, sanctuary, elevation, direction, contentment, and self actualization 3. E®sôu¾-OÙ®da¾ra¾ - For victory, sanctuary, protection, support, long life, elevation, and overall success 4. O®gu;n - For victory, leadership, success, elevation, and general wellbeing 5. O®Ùna¾ - For achievement, direction, success, elevation, and general wellbeing 244 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 6. OÙ®sôun - For compatible spouse, childbearing, childrearing, protection, and general wellbeing 7. OÙba¾ta;la; - For leadership, success, comfort, support, elevation, and general wellbeing 8. EÙgbeô; - For comradeship, leadership, elevation, support, success, victory, and general wellbeing 9. Baa;ya¾nni¾ - For financial success, elevation, progress, direction, contentment and overall wellbeing 10. I®beji¾ - For childbearing, childrearing, support, financial success, and general wellbeing 11. SÙa¾ngo; - for victory, leadership, success, elevation and general wellbeing 12. Egu;ngu;n - for ancestral support, leadership, progress, victory and general wellbeing D. TABOOS OF OGBE® O®DI: CHILDREN 1. Must never produce, consume or sell alcohol - to avoid unconsummated fortune, failure, regrets and disaster 2. Must never draw money with force from debtors - to avoid disaster, threat to life and calamity 3. Must never repay good deeds with evil - to avoid unconsummated fortune, failure, disaster and regrets 4. Must never engage in usury - to avoid unconsummated fortune, failure, calamity, and regret 5. Must never accompany anyone going to draw money with force from a debtor - to avoid calamity, and regrets 6. Must never send another person on an errand that is very important to his/her life - to avoid losing his/her success opportunities to others 7. Must never use any Ikin that was used for the initiation of a deceased person - to avoid untimely death and calamity 8. Must never use any part of the elephant for anything - to avoid dwindling success chances, failure and regrets 9. Must never act before proper deliberation is performed on any issue - to avoid unconsummated fortune, ridicule, humiliation, and regret 10. Must never engage in poultry business or consume fowl - to avoid threat to life and disaster 245 OGBE®’DI: E. POSSBILE NAMES OF OGBE® O®DI: CHILDREN i. MALES 1. OÙla;gbe;nro; - Honour elevates and sustains me 2. OÙla;n;rewa;ju; - Honour is progressing 3. Ifa;korede; - Ifa; brings all the Ire of life 4. Ifa;la¾na¾ - Ifa paves the way 5. Ifa;di;ya¾ - Ifa; blocks the paths against suffering ii. FEMALES 1. Olu;ko;yin - The Lord brings honour to my life 2. Ifa;sôee;ke;ô - Ifa; is worthy of pampering 3. Ifa;da;mila;re - Ifa; absorbs me 4. Ifa;pami;le;ôrin - Ifa; makes me smile 5. Ifa;peô¾ro¾ô - Ifa; brings peace into my life A®boôru; A®boôye¾ 246 Chapter 4 Ogbè Ìrosùn II II II I II I 247 OGBE® I®ROSU®N OGBE® DO®SU®MU: OGBE® DA:’WO:Ù O®SU® TEÙ’LEÙ® A.1.Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed during I®koôseô¾da;ye; or I®te¾ôni;fa; shall live a fulfilled life. He/she shall be given space to exhibit his/her full potentials. Ifá says that this person shall succeed more in the rural environment than in an urban centre. This is not to say that he/she cannot succeed in the urban centre, what it means is that he/she will have better chances in a rural setting, or try to consider getting involved in urban agriculture. In this way the connection with the Earth and agricultural land use is established and maintained. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with two pigeons, two guinea fowls and money. A handful of red peppers (hot) should also be added as part of the ẹbọ materials. They should also serve O®ri¾sôa-¾ Oko as appropriate and indicated by Ifá. On this, a stanza in Ogbe¾-Do¾su¾mu; says: Ogbe¾ d’o;ko, n lo; f’eôseô¾ OÙsi¾n teô’leô¾ l’oô;da¾n Di;a; fu;n Ata Pupa Ti; n;loô oko a¾lero¾ l’oô;du;n EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbe¾ got to the farm and stretched her legs of royalty to the grass-field This was Ifá‟s message for Ata-Pupa, the Hot-Red Pepper When going to the farm for the annual cultivation She was advised to offer ẹbọ Ata Pupa was full of potential and promise. She planned to multiply in order to satisfy the common good. For this reason, she wanted to 248 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 know which location would make her exhibit her full potentials best. After much deliberation, she decided to go to the farm to stay and multiply. After she had taken this decision, she decided to go to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation. Will I make it as expected if I and stay on the farm? Will I be able to multiply and come up in surplus if I invest myself on the farm or if I do this in any other place? Will I be able to satisfy the common good? These and many more were the questions on the mind of Ata Pupa when she approached the Awo for Ifá consultation. The Awo informed Ata Pupa that she had come to determine her success chances where she was going to establish herself. He informed her that she would succeed where she was going because she had a better success chances in a rural area than in the city. When she said that she was actually going to the farm, the Awo told her that no location could be better than that for her. She was informed that her investment would succeed and multiply. She was advised to offer ẹbọ as stated above. She complied. A few days after, she headed for the farm. She buried herself in the ground. Five days after, she began to come out of the ground with leaves. A month after this, she had bloomed splendidly. Three months after, she had multiplied herself in several hundreds. The outcome was beyond her expectations. She was very glad and grateful to Olo;du¾mare for the blessings of multiplying. Ogbe¾ d’o;ko, n lo; f’eôseô¾ OÙsi¾n teô’leô¾ l’o;ôda¾n Di;a; fu;n Ata Pupa Ti; n;loô oko a¾lero¾ l’oô;du;n EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;’boô Ifa; ma; je¾ôeô; k’a;ye; e¾ mi o; le¾ p’e¾ôdi;n o Ata Pupa, ki¾i; p’e¾ôdi;n oôr’oô;be¾ô Ata Pupa Ifa; ma; je¾ôeô; k’i;re mi o; le¾ p’e¾ôdi;n o Ata Pupa, ki¾i; p’e¾ôdi;n oôr’o;ôbeô¾ Ata Pupa 249 OGBE® I®ROSU®N Translation: Ogbe¾ got to the farm and stretched her legs of royalty to the grass-field This was Ifá‟s message for Ata-Pupa, the Red Pepper When going to the farm for the annual cultivation She was advised to offer ẹbọ She complied Ifá please do not let my life reduce Ata Pupa (the red pepper) will never have its life reduced in any soup The Red Pepper Ifá please do not let my Ire reduce Ata Pupa will never have its Ire reduced in any soup The Red Pepper Ifá says the person for whom this Ifá is cast will receive the support of Ifá, and have success in his/her choosen field. What he/she needs to do is hold Ifá close and follow the advises of Ifá, while also appeasing the O®ri¾sôa-¾ Oko (deity of the Farm). Furthermore they should not abuse the Earth and plant pepper seeds close to their place of abode. 2. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of boundless prosperity for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Ifá says that this person shall return home from where he/she is going with abundant Ire. This person has a very good chance of succeeding in rural areas compared to urban centres. This person may set up his/her home in the city but he/she will do better by setting up his/her workplace in the rural area. By so doing, he/she shall become influential and honourable. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with two pigeons, two guinea fowls, two hens, two cocks and money. He/she also needs to feed Odù deity as Ifá specifies. A stanza in Ogbe¾-Do¾su¾nmu on this says: Ogbe¾ da;’wo;ô o¾su¾ teô’leô¾ O: sô’oju; sôorosôoro Di;a; fu;n Odu¾-Ke¾ôkeô¾ Ti; n; re’nu; i¾gbeô; lo¾ôoô; k’a;je; wa;’le; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe 250 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translations: Ogbe¾ used O®su¾ as a walking stick And its tip left a deep narrow hole (eye) in the ground This was Ifá‟s message for Odu¾-Ke¾ôkeô¾ When going into the forest to bring home wealth She was advised to offer ẹbọ Odu¾-Kek ¾ô eô¾ was the container in which the 256 Odu¾-Ifa; resided. Nobody could go for initiation without picking one of the Odu¾-Ifa; from her. When she wanted to start the business of initiating people, she thought about where to set up her business that would be the most convenient and most profitable. After much thought, she decided to use the forest for her business. (This is why Babaláwo call the forest of initiation Igbo;du¾ - the forest of Odù). Before starting her business however, she went for Ifá consultation to know for sure how successful her business would be: Will I be able to impact the initiates positively from the forest? Will my business strive in the forest? The Awo told her that the most convenient place to set up her business was in the forest. She would make profit beyond her wildest dreams. She would also be able to transact her business without much distraction in the forest. She was reminded that her business was not the type that allowed for much interference or interruptions. She was dealing with the esoteric aspect of people‟s lives. Odu¾-Ke¾ôkeô¾ was told that she could live in the city but her business was best transacted in the forest where there would be peace and space. Odu¾-Ke¾ôkeô¾ was advised to offer ẹbọ as stated above. She complied. Soon after, she went to the forest to look for the most conducive area which would be close to a stream for her business. If anyone planned to go for Ifá initiation, the person would be advised to procure 16 fowls, 16 pigeons, guinea-fowls, part of an antelope, part of a bush-goat, giant rats, plenty of kola nuts, bitter kolas, alligator peppers, palm-oil and so on. The person would then be taken to the forest to meet Odù. During the process of initiation, the person would undergo a spiritual rebirth and one of the Odù-Ifá would give birth to the new initiate. At the end of the exercise, people would know which Odù-Ifá gave birth to the initiate and that would become the symbol of his/her full destiny. 251 OGBE® I®ROSU®N The more the initiates came for initiation in the forest, the more successful Odu¾-Ke¾ôkeô¾ became. She was so successful that she had nothing to say but to give thanks and praise to Olo;du¾mare and Ifá for all the days of her life from that period until today. Odù promised to continue to give thanks and praise till the end of life and existence on this planet earth. This was because as long as life remained on earth, initiations would continue to take place and she would continue to make profit during the initiations. Ogbe¾¾ da;’wo;ô o¾su¾ teô’leô¾ O: sô’oju; sôorosôoro Di;a; fu;n Odu¾-Ke¾ôkeô¾ Ti; n; re’nu; i¾gbe;ô loô¾o;ô k’a;je; wa;’le; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôôe O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ pe;,ô ko¾ ji¾nna¾ Ire gbogbo wa; ya de; tu¾tu;ru N®je;ô i¾woô Odu¾-Ke¾ôkeô¾ Ifa; n;ko;’re e; bo¾ô wa; ba; oô o I®woô Odu¾-Ke¾ôkeô¾ Translation: Ogbe¾ used O®su¾ as a walking stick And its tip left a deep narrow hole (eye) in the ground This was Ifá‟s message for Odu¾-Kek¾ô eô¾ When going into the forest to bring home wealth She was advised to offer ẹbọ She complied Before long, not too far All the Ire of life came trooping in Behold, Odu¾-Ke¾ôkeô¾ Ifá is ushering in all the Ire of life to you Odu¾-Ke¾ôkeô¾ Ifá says that all the good and beneficial things of life shall be brought to the person for whom this Odù is revealed wherever he/she stays. 252 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 He/she does not need to struggle or scramble for great things before they are giving to him/her. 3. Ifá says that there is the need for many people to be initiated into Ifá when this Odù revealed. Ifá advises the person for whom this Odù is revealed to be initiated into Ifá and at the same time, for his/her siblings to be initiated too. If they cannot do the initiation together, Ifá advises them to do so one after the other in quick succession. Ifá says that if this can be done, everyone will have cause to be grateful to Olo;du¾mare for the rest of their lives. Going for initiation will make their luck shine. They will all be able to achieve all their heart‟s desires. The whole household will succeed together in their various fields of endeavour. On this particular aspect, Ogbe¾-Do¾su¾nmu; says: Ogbe¾ da;’wo;ô o¾su¾ teô’leô¾ O: sô’oju; sôorosôoro Di;a; fu;n Odu¾-Ke¾ôkeô¾ Ti; n; re’nu; i¾gbeô; lo¾ôoô; k’a;je; wa;’le; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: The small hill here and now The ditch here and now These were Ifá‟s declarations to E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro¾ (the shoulders) When carrying O®su¾ to Igbo;du to be initiated into Ifá He was advised to offer ẹbọ O®su¾ was very ill. All medications administered on him proved ineffective. He was even dying. He did not want to die. He was determined to live, but his ailments were tearing his body and soul apart. While he was battling with his life, his immediate younger brother was in deep trouble with the state. He was being accused of planning 253 OGBE® I®ROSU®N against the state. All efforts to prove his innocence fell on deaf ears. The fact that he was not in the vicinity when the offence took place did not seem to impress anyone at all. The one next to this one was unhappily married. She had been turned into a punching bag in her husband‟s house. All of his family was asking her to leave but she would refuse to leave. Where would she go when she already had five children for her husband? They promised to make life unbearable if she did not leave. They accused her of many things she knew nothing about. It even got to a stage where they began calling her the head of the Red Witches and accused her of running her husband‟s fortunes to the ground. The fact that she had been made to swear on ordeals two times to prove her innocence and she survived the two ordeals impressed nobody. She must be kicked out of the husband‟s house, they vowed. The last brother in the house was running away from his creditors. He had no peace of mind whatsoever. His business had collapsed and he was being pursued by both creditors and by those who stood sure for him. To make matters worse, his father-in-law was one of the people who had stood sure for him. His creditors had been pestering the life of his father-in-law who in turn had been putting pressure on his wife to ensure that the loan was paid forthwith. At a stage, nobody believed him anymore. They were all of the opinion that he had diverted all the money into something else and was pretending that the business had collapsed. His father-in-law was already considering taking steps to take his daughter from him. There was crisis and confrontation in his house. He didn‟t even have respect among his neighbours. He was being looked down upon and scorned anywhere he went. When O®su¾ had exhausted all avenues to get himself healed and all proved abortive, he called on his bosom friend E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro¾ to help him. That same day, E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro¾ went to the home of the two Babaláwo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: Will my friend get the much needed healing that he is looking for? Will he survive this ailment? The Awo told E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro¾ that his friend was in deep trouble at that particular point in time. The Awo said that it was not only him that was in trouble. All his other siblings were equally in trouble. The Awo 254 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 explained to E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro¾ that O®su¾ and all his other siblings came into the world with great destinies, but there is negative interference which must be cleared up and straightened out. To do this, all of them need to be initiated into Ifá as quickly as possible. That was the most realistic step to take. The Awo however implored E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro¾ to assist his friend during the initiation process. They told him that he would have to carry O®su¾ to the Igbo;du¾ for the initiation. He agreed to inform him and to carry him into the Igbo;du¾. When E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro¾ returned home, he discussed the messages of Ifá with O®su¾ and all the other members of his family. The family concluded that O®su¾ should be taken to Igbo;du¾ for initiation first before any decision could be taken on other family members. The family had no money to finance the I®teô¾ni;fa; ceremony. That was when E®ji¾ka;Go¾go¾ro¾ volunteered to pay the bill of his friend‟s initiation. Three days after, O®su¾ was taken to Igbo;du¾ with the help of his friend E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro¾ both financially, physically and morally. Three weeks after the initiation, O®su¾ bounced back to his normal self. He had returned to his boisterous and lively self. Except for the fact that he had not yet fully regained his weight, it was difficult for anyone who was seeing him for the first time after a while to believe that he had just recovered from a very serious illness. The result that they got from O®su¾‟s initiation prompted the family to sell a part of the family land to finance the initiation of the brother who was having problems with the state. Again, E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro¾ was there to assist in the initiation process. When he came out of the Igbo;du¾ after the initiation, he was summoned to the Ϙba‟s Palace. He was informed that after a thorough investigation, it was discovered that he had no hand in the plot against the state. Consequently, he was discharged and acquitted. The day of his discharge and acquittal was the day his immediate younger sister was sent out of her matrimonial home in an unceremonial manner. The woman cried and cried. The family decided to take her to the Igbo;du¾ for initiation. They looked for money and sold more part of the family land to raise money. The woman went for initiation; E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro¾ also played a vital role in her initiation. The day she came out of the Igbo;du¾, she met her husband and his family by her 255 OGBE® I®ROSU®N family‟s compound‟s doorstep. They were begging for her to return home. The family discussed everything fully and it was agreed that she would return to her husband‟s house as long as the abuses ceased and never occurred again. Her husband then said that he too would like to undergo Ifá initiation together with the last brother in her family. One week after, the woman‟s husband and the man who was in debt went into the Igbo;du¾ together. E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro¾ was there with them. They performed all the rituals for them together. When they came out of the Igbo;du¾, it was clear to them that all their problems were over. The husband began to see his wife in a very loving and positive way. He then began to take proper care of her and give her all the attention and respect she deserved. On the other hand, those who her brother owed ended up giving him space to find their money. Before long, he was back on his feet and was doing very well in his business. His father-in-law even became his business partner. They both succeeded together. Gegele ba;yi¾i;-ba;yi¾¾i; Ko¾to¾-ko¾to¾ ba;yi¾i; ba;yi¾i; Di;a; fu;n E®ji¾ka; Go¾go¾ro¾ To; n; gbe; O®su¾ re Igbo;du¾ loô teô¾ ni;fa; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ Ire gbogob wa; ya de; tu¾tu;ru N®jeô; wa¾ra¾wa¾ra¾ la¾ n; ka'se¾ô Odu¾ Ti; a ba;; teô eô¾gboôn ; ta;n o Ka; tu;n teô a¾bu;ro¾ Wa¾ra¾wa¾ra¾ la¾ n; ka'seô¾ Odu¾ Translation: The small hill here and now The ditch here and now These were Ifá‟s declarations to E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro¾ (the shoulders) When carrying O®su¾ to Igbo;du to be initiated into Ifá He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied 256 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Before long, not too far All Ire came trooping in In quick succession do we do initiation After initiating the elder sibling Let us initiate the younger ones too In quick succession do we do initiation Ifá says that it shall be well for all the people that Ifá speaks about where this Odù is revealed. As soon as they undergo Ifá initiation, all their problems shall become things of the past. 4. Ifá says that if anything is lost where this Odù is revealed, the thing shall be found, no matter what it is that is missing. Once the person offers the ẹbọ the missing item shall be found. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed is Ifá's child. As soon as he/she undergoes I®ten ¾ô i;fa;, all his/her problems shall disappear. Ifá says that if this person is suffering from illness, no matter how grave the illness may be, it will disappear as soon as he/she undergoes Ifá initiation. Ifá says that the problems and tribulations of the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall become joy and fulfilled dreams very soon. They should offer ẹbọ with three cocks and money. They should also serve Ifá and O®su¾ as indicated while feeding the ground. On these, Ifá says: A®te;’ô woô; Awo ni A®te;’ô seô¾ Awo ni E®ji¾ka; Go¾go¾ro¾ Awo ni O®su¾ Ga¾ga¾ag ¾ a¾ ni;i; sô'oômoô i¾keôyi¾n woôn le;n;je-le;n;je A®woôn meô;re¾ôeô¾rin n; sô’awo loô si;’le;; OÙloô;fin A®wo¾ro¾ Aja; OÙloô;fin lo; soônu¾ O®un le¾ ri; aja; o¾un lo; da;’fa; si; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe 257 OGBE® I®ROSU®N Translation: A®teô;’wo;ô, the Palm is an Awo A®te;ô’seô¾, the Foot is an Awo E®ji¾ka; Go¾go¾ro¾, the Shoulders is an Awo O®su¾ Ga¾¾ga¾ag ¾ a¾ is the youngest among them The four of them went on an Ifá mission to OÙloô;fin’s Palace A®wo¾ro,OÙloô;fin’s dog, got lost How to get his dog back was the reason why he summoned the Awo for Ifá consultation He was advised to offer ẹbọ A®wo¾ro was the name of OÙloô;fin’s favourite dog. A®wo¾ro used to sleep in OÙloô;fin’s Palace. The dog was of the opinion that she was actually a human being. She would stay in the palace without going anywhere if the Ϙba was around. If there was any important meeting in the Palace, A®wo¾ro would definitely be there. If she was chased out of the meeting venue, she would act as if her rights had been infringed upon! The next thing would be for OÙloô;fin to bring her back into the fold! That was the extent of OÙloô;fin’s love for A®wo¾ro. One day however, it was discovered that A®wo¾ro had disappear! Where had she gone to? Nobody knew. A search party was organized to find the dog. The party returned empty-handed. That was when OÙloô;fin summoned the four Babaláwo mentioned above to come and cast Ifá for him on how to find the dog. The Awo told OÙloô;fin’s that something was missing in his household and that he would surely find it. They asked OÙloô;fin to offer ẹbọ with three cocks and money. OÙloô;fin did. The Awo told O®su¾ who was the youngest of the four of them to go and place the ẹbọ that they just offered at the E®sôu¾ shrine. On his way to the shrine, a big rainfall started. The flood of the rainfall washed O®su¾ off his feet and he fell down and was unable to stand up again. He was just rolling and crawling on the ground by the E®sôu¾ shrine. Meanwhile, the rainfall also washed A®wo¾ro, OÙloô;fin’s dog into the palace. There was a big celebration in the palace. But when they realized that O®su¾ who had gone to place the ẹbọ by the E®sôu¾ shrine had not yet returned, they thought that he was still looking for the dog. The three other Babaláwo went out, saying: 258 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Wa;’le;, O®su¾ wa;’le; A r’A:wo¾ro¾ he o O®su¾ wa;’le; o A ti r’A:wo¾ro¾ he o Translation: Return, O®su¾ please return home We have found A®wo¾ro¾ O®su¾ please return home We have found A®wo¾ro¾ While they were singing this song, they were moving towards the E®sôu shrine. When they got there, they saw O®su¾ still crawling and rolling on the ground! What went wrong? O®su¾ told them that the flood had washed him off his feet and much as he tried, he could not stand up on his feet again. When they wanted to help him to his feet, he said: ô oô; oô reô,¾ A®tel;ô esô e,ô¾ o; ya; ma;a “A®teôl; eôwoô; gbe; mi, E®ji®k¾ a; Go¾go¾ro¾, gba¾ mi; l'o;w gbe; mi ni¾sôo;; meaning; “A®te;ôleôwoô;, the Palm, please lift me up, E®ji¾ka; Go¾go¾ro¾, the Shoulders, pull me up from the Palm; and A®te;ôleôseô¾, the Foot, move on and take me back home”. As they were going back home, the three Awo were singing, saying: EÙ gb’O:su¾ l’o;ri; EÙÙ gb’O:su¾ l’eô;se¾ô o o¾ L’o;o¾ro; gangan la¾a; b’O:su¾ EÙ gb’O:su¾ l’o;ri; o EÙ gb’O:su¾ l’e;ôseô¾ L’o;o¾ro; gangan la¾a; b’O:su¾ Awo Translation: Lift O®su¾ on your head Move O®su¾ with your legs Straight and erect does one find O®su¾ Lift O®su¾ on your head And move O®su¾ with your legs Straight and erect does one find the O®su¾ of an Awo 259 OGBE® I®ROSU®N Note: O®su¾ must never lie prostrate in the presence of an Awo. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed will not fall ill and if he/she is ill, he/she will rise up and recover his/her health. They should be inviting Awo to be serving O®su¾ on their behalf. A®te;’ô woô; Awo ni A®te;’ô seô¾ Awo ni E®ji¾ka; Go¾go¾ro¾ Awo ni O®®su¾ Ga¾ga¾ag ¾ a¾ ni;i; sô'oômoô i¾keôyi¾n woôn le;n;je-le;n;je A®woôn meô;re¾ôeô¾rin n; sô’awo loô si;’le; OÙloô;fin A®wo¾ro¾ Aja; OÙloô;fin lo; soônu¾ O®un le¾ ri; aja; o¾un lo; da;’fa; si; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O; gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô EÙ gb’O:su¾ l’o;ri; EÙ gb’O:su¾ l’eôô;se¾ô o o¾ L’o;o¾ro; gangan la¾a; b’O:su¾ EÙ gb’O:su¾ l’o;ri; o EÙ gb’O:su¾ l’e;ôseô¾ L’o;o¾ro; gangan la¾a; b’O:su¾ Awo Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni l’a;i¾ku; kangiri N®je;ô eô gb’O:su¾ l’O:ri; EÙ gb’O:su¾ l’e;ôseô¾ o o¾ L’o;o¾ro; gangan la¾a; b’O:su¾ O®su¾ ki¾i; do;ôgbaleô¾ l'o;ju; Awo Translation: A®teô;’wo;ô, the Palm is an Awo A®te;ô’seô¾, the Foot is an Awo E®ji¾ka; Go¾go¾ro¾, the Shoulders is an Awo O®su¾ Ga¾¾ga¾ag ¾ a¾ is the youngest among them The four of them went on an Ifá mission to OÙloô;fin’s Palace A®wo¾ro,OÙloô;fin’s dog, got lost How to get his dog back was the reason why he summoned the Awo for Ifá consultation He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied 260 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Lift O®su¾ on your head Move O®su¾ with your legs Straight and erect does one find O®su¾ Lift O®su¾ on your head Move O®su¾ with your legs Straight and erect does one find the O®su¾ of an Awo Before long, no too far Join us where we enjoy longevity Now, lift O®su¾ on your head Move O®su¾ with your legs Straight and erect do one find O®su¾ O®su¾ will never lie prostrate in the presence of an Awo Ifá says that all shall be well for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. He/she needs to be initiated into Ifá where the O®su¾ will be carried into the Igbo;du¾ for him/her when the initiation takes place. 5. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of a new baby where this Odù is revealed. Ifá says that the person who needs the Ire of a new baby needs to offer ẹbọ with four rats, four fish, two hens and money. Ifá also says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed needs to offer ẹbọ in order to be blessed with sound health and vitality. He/she needs to offer ẹbọ against ill-health. For this to happen, he/she needs to offer ẹbọ with one mature he-goat and money. The he-goat must not be slaughtered. He/she also needs to feed O®su¾ with whatever material that Ifá recommends to be used. A stanza in Ogbe¾-Da;wo;ô-O®su¾-teô'leô¾ on this aspect says: I®ri¾ wo¾ôoô¾wo¾ôoô¾ ni;i; p’a¾gbe¾ô l’eô;yi¾n Di;a; fu;n O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾ Ti; n;s’ô awo loô s’o;de I®se ô rô i Woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sô’eôboô si; lai¾ku; araa reô Translation: 261 OGBE® I®ROSU®N The dew is it that wets the back of a farmer This was Ifá‟s message for O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾ When going on an Ifá mission to I®sôerô i land He was advised to offer ẹbọ of long life and vitality O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾ was an accomplished Babaláwo. He had consulted Ifá for the high and mighty and his predictions had come to pass. He was held in high esteem by all and sundry. When any serious Ifá consultation was about to be made, O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾ was everyone‟s first choice; it was only when he was not available that any alternative Babaláwo would be approached with some measure of reluctance. When the inhabitants of I®sôerô i felt the urgent need to do Ifá consultation, it was O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾ they approached. When he received the message of the inhabitants of I®sôerô i for him to come and consult Ifá for them, O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾ went to I®ri¾ woo ¾ô w ô¾ oo ¾ô ô¾ ni;i; p’a¾gbe¾ô ley ô; i¾n, another Babaláwo, for Ifá consultation: How will his sojourn to I®sôeôri land be? Will I be able to solve the problems of the people who called upon him for Ifá consultation? Will I succeed in I®sôerô i land? These were the questions which O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾ asked his Awo when he did the consultation. The Awo told O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾ that he was called to I®sôerô i land because many of the women in that land were suffering from infertility. The Awo said that he would be able to solve the problems that would be brought to his attention in the land. He was told that he would be highly honoured and respected because of the level of success that he would record in the land. O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾ was however warned that he should not overwork himself in the land, even though he would be in very high demand. He was cautioned to take things easy because if the warning was not heeded, he stood the chance of ruining his health and losing his life in the process. The Awo advised O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾ to offer ẹbọ with one mature he-goat and money. He was informed that the he-goat was not to be slaughtered. O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾ complied with the advice of the Awo and offered the ẹbọ before he set out on his journey to I®sôerô i. 262 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, Awo woôn l’o;;de I®se ô rô i Di;a; fu;n woôn l’o;de I®se ô rô i EÙku;n oômoô ni woô;n n; sun EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe Translation: O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, their Awo in I®sôerô i land He cast Ifá for the inhabitants of I®sôerô i land When they were weeping in lamentation for their inability to bear children They were advised to offer ẹbọ The inhabitants of I®sôerô i land were eagerly awaiting the arrival of O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾. When he eventually arrived in the land, they took him directly to the Palace of the Oni;sôerô i,, the Ϙba of the land. Oni;sôerô i, was an old kind-hearted man who took the overall interest of the land to heart. He could not bear to hear the cry of pain and grief of the women who had not been blessed with the fruit of the womb who had been married for several years. When O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, arrived, the Ϙba ordered that he should be settled in his palace and that the consultation must be made as soon as O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, settled down. He also instructed that the consultation must be made in the presence of all his chiefs who would act as witnesses and would be able to relay the messages of Ifá to all those concerned in their various wards. When O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, consulted Ifá for the inhabitants of I®sôerô i land, Ogbe¾-Do¾su¾mu; was revealed. He informed all those present that the main problem in the land which warranted Ifá consultation was that of infertility. He explained that the problem of infertility in the land was actually divided into three parts but the inhabitants had been looking at only one part all along; the three parts were: (i) male infertility; (ii) female infertility; and (iii) infertility of both male and female. He said that the problem was evenly distributed in the land but efforts had been concentrated on only female infertility because they expected the woman to produce the evidence of pregnancy but if it did not come, they assumed that the problem was from the woman. How would a 263 OGBE® I®ROSU®N woman become pregnant if her husband‟s semen was not viable? He asked. He explained to them that he would have to make Ifá preparations for them to use. One of the preparations would be for the man to use separately; one for the woman to use separately and the third for the couple to use jointly. He also advised each couple looking for the blessing of the womb to offer Ϙba with four rats, four fish, two hens and money. All the chiefs went to their respective wards to inform all the affected couples of what O®su¾ had just said and what they needed to do in terms of solution to their problems. The next day, as early as dawn, there was a long line made from the couples who had come to O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, with their ẹbọ materials. When he saw the people, he quickly took care of his personal hygiene and set out to work. He offered ẹbọ from morning till late at night. He promised those who he offered ẹbọ for to come and collect their Ifá preparations three days after. Before sunrise the next day, he was already on his way to the forest, looking for the herbs, roots, barks, leaves and animals to use in preparing the remedies for the people. He could hardly sleep. Two months after the arrival of O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, in I®sôerô i land, many couples had begun to congratulate each other and thank their Orí secretly for the blessing of Olo;du¾mare¾ in their lives but could not announce openly because it was not the custom to do so. The ẹbọ and remedies which O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, gave to them had worked! This made the demand for him to be even higher. The success story had left nobody in doubt that O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, held the key to their joy in I®sôerô i land. For one full year, O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, could not go back home. Many women had delivered safely. He was the one they continued to call upon to take charge of the deliveries. He was a very busy man. He was also a very successful man. After two years from his arrival in I®sôerô i land, Oni;sôerô i, died. He was given a befitting burial. The Chiefs and other elders in the land put their heads together and proposed O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, as the next Oni;sôerô i, on the premise that he had brought so much joy to the land than they could ever imagine. The honour they could give him was to make him the Ϙba. He remembered that his Awo, I®ri¾ wo¾o ô ôw ¾ oo ¾ô ô¾ ni;i; p’a¾gbe¾ô l'eyô; i¾n had once predicted that he would be highly honoured in the land. He 264 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 accepted the honour on the condition that it would not affect his work as a Babaláwo. His installation was grand. He still continued as a Babaláwo. One day, the strain and pressure of his work took its toll on O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾. He collapsed while attending to some of his subjects. He had not slept for three days. Pandemonium erupted. The news spread like wild fire. What could they do? O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, could not afford to fall ill, not to mention die! There were several people waiting for him to take care of them. ¾ô ô¾woo ¾ô ô¾ ni;i; p’a¾gbe¾ô The next morning, he quickly sent for his Awo, I®ri¾ woo l'eôy; i¾n to come quickly and help his friend and colleague. I®ri¾ woo ¾ô w ô¾ oo ¾ô ô¾ dropped everything he was doing and set out on the journey as soon as he heard that O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, was ill. When he got to I®sôerô i land, he began serious Ifá work for Oni;sôerô i, also known as O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾. He instructed all the inhabitants to come and sing Ifá songs for O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, every day until he recovered and became hale and hearty again. He taught them to continuously sing thus: Oni;se ô rô i m’o;ri; ro; o Ko; o ma; du¾bu;le¾ô eô I®du;ro; gangan la¾a; b’O:su¾ O®su¾ o¾ ba; ma¾ m’o;ri; ro; o Ko; o ma; du¾bu;le¾ô L’o;o¾ro; gangan la¾a; b’O:su¾ o Translation: Oni;sôerô i, please raise up your head Do not lie prostrate Straight and erect does one find O®su¾ O®su¾, please rise up and stand Do not lie down Straight and erect does one find O®su¾ After 17 days of intensive Ifá preparation and continuous singing of the I®ye¾ôreô¾, O®su¾ regained his health. Nobody preached to him after that time before he knew that he needed to take all things easy. 265 OGBE® I®ROSU®N I®ri¾ ¾wo¾ôoô¾wo¾ôoô¾ ni;i; p’a¾gbe¾ô l’eô;yi¾n Di;a; fu;n O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾¾ Ti; n;s’ô awo loô s’o;de I®se ô rô i Woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sô’eôboô si; lai¾ku; araa reô¾ O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;’boô O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, Awo woôn l’o;de I®se ô rô i Di;a; fu;n woôn l’o;de I®se ô rô i EÙku;n oômoô ni woô;n n; sun EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe Woô;n gbe;ô’boô, woô;n ru;’boô Ko¾¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾¾nna¾¾ Ire gbogbo wa; ya de; tu¾tu;ru N®jeô; Oni;se ô rô i m’o;ri; ro; oKo; o ma; du¾bu;le¾ô I®du;ro; gangan la¾a; b’O:su¾ O®su¾ o¾ ba; ma¾ m’o;ri; ro; o Ko; o ma; du¾bu;le¾ô L’o;o¾ro; gangan la¾a; b’O:su¾ o E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ O®ôÙfa¾ EÙ wa;a; ba; ni ba;’yo¾ô EÙ wa;a; wo’re o Translation: The dew is it that wets the back of a farmer This was Ifá‟s message for O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾ When going on an Ifá mission to I®sôerô i land He was advised to offer ẹbọ for long life and vitality He complied O®su¾ Go¾go¾ro¾, their Awo in I®sôerô i land He cast Ifá for the inhabitants of I®sôerô i land When they were weeping in lamentation for their inability to bear children They were advised to offer ẹbọ They complied Before long, not too far All the Ire of life came trooping in Oni;sôerô i, please raise up your head Do not lie prostrate 266 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Straight and erect does one find O®su¾¾ O®su¾, please rise up and stand Do not lie down Straight and erect does one find O®su¾¾ Travellers to I®po and O®Ùfa¾ Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life Ifá says that this person shall enjoy his/her life in good health. He/she shall be blessed with all the Ire of life. However, he/she needs to take things slow and easy in order to enjoy the fruit of his/her labour. 6. Ifá advises the person for whom this Odù is revealed to persevere. Only a little time remains for all his/her efforts to materialize and for him/her to actualize his/her destiny. Ifá assures this person that all his/her struggles, sufferings and toiling in life are about to end. These then will be replaced with contentment, peace and accomplishment. Ifá advises the person for whom this Odù is revealed to offer ẹbọ with two pigeons, two guinea fowls, two hens, two cocks and money. He/she also needs to feed O®ri¾sôa-¾ Oko as appropriate. On this aspect, Ifá has this to say: I®ya¾ la¾a; jeô teô;’le¾ô iku¾n Ka; to;o; j’oore o Di;a; fu;n Ko;ko;-Irin Ti; n; sô’awo o; loô s’o;de I®ra¾wo¾ô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: There is the need to experience suffering and tribulations Before experiencing favour and benevolence This was Ifá‟s declaration to Kok; o;-Irin, the Iron Knob Collection When going on spiritual mission to I®ra¾wo¾ô land He was advised to offer ẹbọ 267 OGBE® I®ROSU®N Kok; o;-Irin, was the collection of Iron knobs. He was known by nobody important and he was also a nobody. He was suffering and facing a series of tribulations. To feed himself was a very serious problem, not to mention to cloth himself. He continued to persevere. One day, Kok ; o;-Irin, planned to go on a spiritual mission to I®ra¾wo¾ô land. That was why he decided to go for Ifá consultation in the home of the Awo mentioned above in order to determine his success chances in I®ra¾wo¾ô land where he was going: Will I succeed in I®ra¾wo¾ô land? Will my sufferings and tribulations end when I get to the land? Will I be recognized where I am going? Will I become someone important and be given reverence over there? The Awo told Kok ; o;-Irin, that even though he had been suffering throughout his lifetime, only a little period remained for all his sufferings and tribulations to end. He was advised to persevere. The Awo told him that it is better to face suffering and tribulation before entering into enjoyment, favours and benevolence than to enjoy first and then enter into sufferings and pains. He was told that his sufferings remained just a little; and after that, he would become a very important personality in life. The Awo advised Kok ; o;-Irin, to offer ẹbọ as stated above and at the same time, be ready to face the remaining hardship in his life with courage and perseverance. Kok; o;-Irin, complied. A few days after, he set out on his journey to I®ra¾wo¾ô land. As soon as Kok ; o;-Irin, got to I®ra¾wo¾ô he was recognized as fit and proper to be moulded into an O®ri¾sôa-¾ Oko staff. They gathered all the Kok; o;-Irin, and placed it into an iron container. They placed it on fire, real red-hot fire! Ko;ko;-Irin, screamed. “But you all told me that I would become somebody important. What then is the reason why you should set me on fire!? The Blacksmiths who were working on Ko;ko;-Irin, responded; “Patience please. Your suffering is about to end. Just persevere”. Before long, Ko;ko;-Irin, was moulded into a hoe. They placed the hoe on an anvil and used a big sledge hammer to pound him into shape. The pain was unbearable and Ko;ko;-Irin, screamed in agony. He was counselled to exercise patience and to have persevere. 268 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 A few days after this, Kok ; o;-Irin, was again placed on fire and melted again. He screamed and cried. He was told to persevere. He was moulded into a long Iron staff. He was placed on the anvil again and hammered into shape once more. When the Blacksmiths had become satisfied with what they had turned Ko;ko;-Irin, into, they looked for an iron sponge and started to scrub Ko;ko;-Irin, with it. He screamed. He was advised to persevere. He did. After this, they began to put ornaments and other decorations on Kok; o;Irin,. In the end, he became an O®ri¾sôa-¾ Oko staff. He was fed with one she-goat per day for 16 consecutive days. He became the most expensive O®ri¾sôa¾ to acquire. He found out that everyone came to pay respect to him, saying; “O®ri¾sôa¾-Oko pe¾lô eô; o, A®gba¾ I®ra¾wo¾ô” – meaning; greetings to O®ri¾sôa-¾ Oko, the Elder in I®ra¾wo¾ô land. From that day onwards, his sufferings ended and he became the most important personality in I®ra¾wo¾ô land. I®ya¾ la¾a; jeô teô’leô¾ iku¾n Ka; to;o; j’oore o Di;a; fu;n Ko;ko; Irin E®yi; ti; n;s’ô awo loô s’o;de I®ra¾wo¾ô Ti yo;o; loô k’oô;ro¾ô wa;’le; Ti; yo;o; j’oye¾ Ajori;-Iwin EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;’boô N®jeô; O®ri¾sa ô -¾ Oko peô¾le;ô o A®gba¾ I®ra¾wo¾ô O: wa;a; d’eôni a¾pe;si¾n Translation: There is the need to experience suffering and tribulations Before experiencing favour and benevolence This was Ifá‟s declaration to Kok; o;-Irin, the Iron Knob Collection When going on spiritual mission to I®ra¾wo¾ô land He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied 269 OGBE® I®ROSU®N Greetings, O®ri¾sôa¾-Oko The Elder in I®ra¾wo¾ land You have now become someone that is collectively venerated Ifá says that this person shall be honoured and respected. He/she shall be placed in the highest position among his colleagues. He/she only needs to persevere as his/her time to succeed and prosper is close at hand. NOTE: Ajori;-Iwin or Olo;ri;-Iwin is the highest title among the O®ri¾sôa-¾ Oko devotees. 7. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of resounding victory for the person for whom Ogbe¾-Do¾su¾mu; is revealed. He/she shall overcome all his/her antagonists and enemies. None of his/her enemies will be able to inflict any harm on him/her. In fact, the enemies will disperse with tales of woe to tell, which would have happened to them. Ifá also advises a woman where this Odù is revealed to offer ẹbọ of victory for her child in order to enable the child to overcome all his/her enemies. Ifá says that there are many people who are after her child but they shall all fail in their evil designs. Ifá advises those involved here to offer ẹbọ with one mature he-goat and money. As usual, the he-goat must not be slaughtered. There is also the need to feed O®ri¾sôa-¾ Oko with whatever Ifá recommends. On this, Ogbe¾-Do¾su¾mu; says: Ogbe¾ du;ro; ni;nu; igbo; O: fi¾’di; O®su¾ la’le¾ô ga¾ar¾ a¾ga¾ ja;’na¾¾ Di;a; fu;n Gboônna¾ Ti;i; sôe’¾ ya; O®ke¾ Ni;gba¾ti; O®ke¾ n;beô l’a;ar¾ in E®di¾di¾ Ti; n;beô l’a;ar¾ in o¾ôta; Ti; n;f’ojooju;mo;ô koôminu; ogun Awo;, oô¾ta; O®ke¾ ni Olo;bu¾ro;, o¾ôta; O®ke¾ ni A®paro¾, oô¾ta; O®ke¾ ni EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe 270 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: Ogbe¾ stood in the forest And used the O®su¾ staff to draw a line from the forest to the main road This was Ifá‟s declaration to Gboônna¾ The-mother-of-O®ke¾ When O®ke¾ was in the midst of enemies And living with the anticipation of an uprising Awo;, (the Guinea-fowl) was O®ke¾‟s enemy Olo;bu¾ro; was O®ke¾‟s enemy A®paro¾, (the Partridge) was O®ke¾‟s enemy She (Gboônna¾) was advised to offer ẹbọ Gboônna¾ was the mother of O®ke¾. O®ke¾ was her only child. It took Gboônna¾ several years before she could be blessed with O®ke¾. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was the Awo that she cried to for help when she was unable to become pregnant and O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ prepared several Ifá works and ẹbọ for her before Olo;du¾mare¾ answered her prayers and gave her O®ke¾. When she gave birth to O®ke¾ and the I®koôseôda;ye; rite was performed on the third day of the baby‟s birth, it was clear that O®ke¾ was much more than 20 children put together. She was a very special child! When O®ke¾ was growing up into her adolescent age, her rising profile was very daunting. She instantly became the enemy of some people who could not handle her high profile. These people were: Awo; (the Guinea fowl) Olo;bu¾ro,; and A®paro (the Patridge). These three hated O®ke¾, the daughter of Gboônna¾ with passion. Why should this child with such a magnificent personality come from Gboônna¾, and not from any of the three of them? They queried. This was what they could not handle. Consequent upon this, they planned to eliminate O®ke¾ by any means available to them. Instead of Gboônna¾ receiving blessings from her child, which would give her additional popularity in the community, it was better for all of them to get rid of the child and so neither of them would have popularity or prominence. They decided to sneak into Gboônna¾‟s home at night, strike O®ke¾ to death with their beaks and consume her remains or part at least part of her. This arrangement suited the three conspirators and they congratulated each other. To them, it was a fool-proof plot. They would execute 271 OGBE® I®ROSU®N their plot whenever Gboônna¾ was not at home. Gboônna¾ was a big time trader who travelled from place to place at regular intervals. To make the plot easy to execute, any time that Gboônna¾ was about to travel, she would call her three “friends” and put her home and only daughter into their care. A few days after this, Gboônna¾ was preparing to travel on business as usual. She planned to spend two weeks before she returned. She went to inform her three „friends‟ that she would be leaving her only daughter in their care. The „friends‟ willingly agreed to help her look after her house and daughter. Gboônna¾ however did what they did not expect her to do - she went for Ifá consultation before going on her trip. Primarily, her intention was to find out how her journey would be and the chance of her making huge profit on her journey and business transaction. These were the only things on her mind. When the Awo consulted Ifá for her, they informed her that there was no problem whatsoever with her business. They equally told her that death was dangling precariously over the head of her only child. They said that the death was coming as a result of the evil plans of envious and treacherous people in the community. They warned her that her daughter must not die, that if she died, there would be a terrible chain of events which would bring disaster upon disaster to the world and to all those living in it. The Awo advised her to offer ẹbọ to save the life of her daughter as stated above. She offered the ẹbọ that same day. They told her to go and bring O®ke¾. She did. The Awo prepared some potent Ifá works for O®ke¾ and made her use them all that same day. After that, they asked both mother and child to return home with the assurance that nothing evil would happen to the child anymore. As soon as they got home, O®ke¾ transformed into a mighty hill. Her sheer size and structure became very daunting and intimidating. Those who saw O®ke¾ the next moment marvelled at her from a distance. The size of O®ke¾ however did not intimidate A®paro, Olo;bu¾ro;, or Awó in any way. If anything, it only increased their envy and their determination to eliminate her. As soon as Gboônna¾ travelled to transact her business, the three conspirators went to work. Awó flew upward to strike her on the head. As she did so with all her might, her beak broke into pieces! Not only this, she tasted sour dust in her 272 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 mouth. She cried out in agony saying: O®ke¾ kan go;go;o;go;!!! - meaning; “O®ke¾ is very acidic and sour!!! Unknown to Olo;bu¾ro; that A®paro was already in trouble, she too flew up in order to strike O®ke¾ her own deadly blow. She planned to strike her on the neck. She did. Her beak also broke and her lower jaw bent sideways. She screamed saying “O®ke¾ La;kir;;a”!!! meaning “O®ke¾ is very sturdy”!!! She returned home in pain, holding her broken lower jaw with her two hands. When A®paro saw Olo;bu¾ro; holding her lower jaw with her hands, E®sôu¾ appeared and said she had struck O®ke¾ and had eaten her flesh to her satisfaction and was only taking part of O®ke¾‟s flesh home to be consumed later! A®paro then rushed out of her house to go and have a piece of the action herself. She flew up in order to strike O®ke¾ in the mouth. She did so mightily. She lost her beak and broke her neck. She wailed in agony, saying; “EÙnu reô¾ ku¾ra¾mi¾”!!! meaning “her mouth is solid rock”!!! When the three conspirators met, they only had tales of woe to tell each other. O®ke¾ became unmovable, untouchable and beyond the scope of their evil designs. They however learnt to live with O®ke¾ and used her as their sanctuary when there was heavy heat as a result of intense sunlight or when they were being attacked by other people. Ogbe¾ du;ro; ni;’nu; igbo; O: f'i¾di; O®su¾ la’le¾ô ga¾ar¾ a¾ga¾ ja;’na¾ Di;a; fu;n Gboônna¾ Ti;i; sôe’¾ ya; O®ke¾ Ni;gba¾ti; O®ke¾ n;beô l’a;ar¾ in E®di¾di¾ Ti; n;beô l’a;ar¾ in o¾ôta; Ti; n;fojooju;mo;ô koôminu; ogun Awo;, o¾ôta; O®ke¾ ni Olo;bu¾r¾o;, o¾ôta; O®ke¾ ni A®paro¾, o¾¾ôta; O®ke¾ ni EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ;ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'e;ôboô, ru;’boô Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni l’a;ru¾u;se ô ô; ogun 273 OGBE® I®ROSU®N A®ja¾se ô ô; ogun la¾a; ba; ni l’e;ôseô¾ O®Ùpe¾ô Awo; ni;; O®ke¾ kan go;go;o;go; Olo;bu¾ro; ni; O®ke¾ l'a;ki;ra o A®paro¾ ni; eônu reô¾ ku¾ra¾mu¾ Translation: Ogbe¾ stood in the forest And used the O®su¾ staff to draw a line from the forest to the main road This was Ifá‟s declaration to Gboônna¾ The mother of O®ke¾ When O®ke¾ was in the midst of enemies And living with the anticipation of an uprising Awo;, (the Guinea-fowl) was O®ke¾‟s enemy Olo;bu¾ro; was O®ke¾‟s enemy A®paro¾, (the Partridge) was O®ke¾‟s enemy She (Gboônna¾) was advised to offer ẹbọ She complied Before long, not too far Join us where we enjoy victory Victory over enemies is what Ifá guarantees for all its devotees Awó declared that O®ke¾ is very acidic and sour Olo;bu¾ro; screamed that O®ke¾ is just very sturdy And A®paro¾, wailed that O®ke¾‟s mouth is solid rock Ifá declares that the enemies of the person for whom this Odù is revealed will have tales of woe to tell if they ever make any attempt to harm him/her. It is better to leave him/her alone as he/she has not offended them at all. Conversely, Ifá warns the person for whom this Odù is revealed never to conspire against anyone. If he/she does so, he/she will also have tales of woe to tell at the end of the day. There will be weeping, moaning and gnashing of teeth for him/her to contend with for the rest of his/her life. 274 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 8. Ifá assures the person for whom this Odù is revealed that he/she will never be disgraced or humiliated. Ifá says that this person is about to be given an impossible task to perform. He/she needs not refuse to do it. Ifá says that it will make the impossible possible. Ifá advises this person to leave all things in the hands of Ifá and Ifá will make him/her shine. Ifá also advises this person to offer ẹbọ with one big container filled with guinea corn, one mature she-goat, a lot of palm-oil and money. On this, Ifá says: E®Ùseô n¾gbi¾n EÙseô¾ n¾te¾ô Di;a; fu;n E®Ùri¾ndi;nlo;gu;n Oju; Odu¾ Woô;n n;; re’le; OÙloô;fin lo¾ôoô; gb’awo EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe Translation: EÙseô¾ n¾gbi¾n (The legs plant) EÙseô¾ n¾te¾ô (The legs step on) They were the Awo who cast Ifá for the 16 major Odù When going to OÙloô;fin‟s palace for Ifá business They were advised to offer ẹbọ OÙloô;fin could be very mischievous and funny sometimes. He was in a mischievous mood when he called the 16 principal Odù to his palace to come and consult Ifá for him. Prior to the time that he summoned the 16 Awo, he called his domestic servants and told them to get him a container filled with guinea-corn grains. When this was procured, he asked them to go and boil the guinea-corn. When it had been well boiled, he instructed the domestic servants to go and plant the corn in his farm. After this had been done, he asked one of the servants to go and call the 16 principal Odù for him. What he wanted to know from them was whether or not the boiled guinea corn grains that he had just ordered to be planted would germinate and grow. 275 OGBE® I®ROSU®N When the 16 Odù received his message they went to EÙseô¾ n¾gbi¾n and EÙseô¾ n¾te¾ô for Ifá consultation: Will we succeed where we are going? Will we be able to satisfy OÙloô;fin this time around? Will we be given respect and honour? The two Awo told the 16 principal Odù that it was something impossible that OÙloô;fin wanted them to make possible. They told the 16 Odù that Ifá would make it possible. They only needed to inform OÙloô;fin that Ifá said that even though he had asked them for the impossible, Ifá would make it possible in five days‟ time. They then warned the 16 Odù never to refuse to do OÙloô;fin‟s bidding. They also recommended for them to offer ẹbọ with a container filled with fresh guinea-corn, one she-goat (which must not be slaughtered), plenty of palm-oil, and money. They complied. After this, they headed for OÙloô;fin‟s palace. When the 16 principal Odù got to OÙloô;fin‟s palace, they cast Ifá for him and the Odù that was revealed was Ogbe¾-Da;wo;ô-O®su¾-teôleô¾. They told OÙloô;fin that he had done something that he felt he would use to test the efficacy of the Awo. They said that Ifá assured him that what he had done would germinate and bring forth good fruits. That was when OÙloô;fin told them that what he had done was to boil guinea-corn grains and then instructed his servants to plant them in his farm. He had asked if it was possible for the boiled grains to germinate and grow. The Awo responded that they would sprout forth leaves in five days' time. OÙloô;fin declared that the 16 Principal Odù were the most incredulous Awo he had ever come across in his life. How could they tell him that the grains would germinate when they had been boiled already before they were planted. He said that they must tell him what they wanted him to do against them if the planted grains failed to germinate. The Awo responded that the grains would surely germinate in five days‟ time and that if they failed to do so, OÙloô;fin was free to do whatever pleased him against them. When OÙloô;fin heard this, he asked the 16 Awo to state their ẹbọ. They did. OÙloô;fin offered the ẹbọ. The 16 principal Odù returned to EÙseô¾ n¾gbi¾n and EÙseô¾ n¾te¾ô to explain to them what they encountered in OÙloô;fin‟s palace. They explained to the two Awo that OÙloô;fin had planted boiled guinea-corn grains in his farm 276 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 and expected the grains to germinate. The Awo told the 16 Odù that the grains would surely germinate since that was what Ifá had said. E®sôu¾ then appeared and brought out the container of the guinea-corn used as ẹbọ and they fed SÙan ¾ go; with one big cock. Ϙya was also fed with one hen. Ϙya started with her strong wind and SÙan ¾ go; opened the door of rainfall and the rain fell from evening till the next day. Meanwhile, the farm owned by OÙloô;fin was highly fortified and guarded by many skilled soldiers. To circumvent this, E®sôu¾ employed the services of Iku;n (the squirrels) to carry the guinea-corn grains to OÙloô;fin‟s farm for planting. Iku;n went to work. They however had problems knowing which areas to plant the grains and which ones to leave out because there was no light. When E®sôu¾ realized this, he informed the 16 principal Odù. That was when they started to chant I®ye¾rô eô¾ for lightening to strike at regular intervals in order to allow the squirrels to see what they were doing and where to plant the grains. The I®ye¾ôreô¾ went thus: O® ba; sa;n n ri;’ran o I®mo¾ôn¾mo¾ô sa;;n, n ri;’ran I®moô¾n¾mo¾ô o O®jo¾ n;la; ni; n; bo’se¾ô OÙloô¾run I®mo¾ôn¾mo¾ô sa;n, n ri;’;ran I®mo¾ôn¾mo¾ô Di;a; fu;n E®Ùri¾ndi;nlo;gu;n Oro;du¾ I®moô¾n¾mo¾ô sa;n, n ri;’ran I®mo¾ôn¾mo¾ô Ti; wo;ôn n; sô'awo loô si;’le; OÙloô;fin I®moô¾n¾mo¾ô sa;n, n ri;’ran I®mo¾ôn¾mo¾ô We¾re;we¾re; ni;i; sô’oôwoô; Iku;n I®moô¾n¾mo¾ô sa;n, n ri;’ran I®moô¾n¾mo¾ô Sa;n n ri;’ran o I®moô¾n¾mo¾ô sa;n, n ri;'ran I®moô¾n¾mo¾ô 277 OGBE® I®ROSU®N Translation: Strike for me to see I®moô¾nm ¾ o¾ (lightning), please strike for me to see I®moô¾nm ¾ o¾ (lightning) Heavy rain is it that covers the legs of the high heavens I®moô¾nm ¾ o¾, please strike for me to see I®moô¾nm ¾ o¾ They cast Ifá for the 16 principal Odù I®moô¾nm ¾ o¾, please strike for me to see I®moô¾nm ¾ o¾ When going on an Ifá mission to OÙloô;fin’s Palace I®moô¾nm ¾ o¾, please strike for me to see I®moô¾nm ¾ o¾ Quietly is how squirrels work I®moô¾nm ¾ o¾, please strike for me to see I®moôn ¾ m ¾ o¾ That was the way the 16 principal Odù chanted the I®yer¾ô eô¾ from dusk till dawn and the squirrels planted the fresh guinea-corn grains from dusk till dawn, until the whole farm was touched. For the five days, SÙan ¾ go; continuously opened the door of rainfall in very moderate proportions for the grains, and the grains were doing very well. Very early on the fifth day, OÙloô;fin summoned the 16 Principal Odù to his palace. He asked them to cast Ifá for him. They did. Again, Ogbe¾Da;'wo;ô-O®su¾-teô'leô¾ was revealed. The Awo told OÙloô;fin that what he planted five days ago was what he wanted to know about. They assured him that it had germinated and had come out very well. They told him that he thought that it was not possible but Ifá and E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra, together with SÙan ¾ go; and Ϙya had made the impossible possible. OÙloô;fin asked his domestic servants to lock all the doors in order to prevent the 16 Awo from running away. They however assured OÙloô;fin that they would go nowhere. The doors were securely locked anyway. OÙloô;fin asked the O®ro¾reô; bird to go out to his farm and check what had happened on the farm. He went. When he returned, he told OÙloô;fin “Baba, O: ku;n Si;nmu;-si;nmu;”” meaning, “father, it is filled up to the 278 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 edge of the farm”. What? It‟s the germinated grains. OÙloô;fin said that O®ro¾reô; must have consumed too much alcohol to be saying such nonsense. OÙloô;fin sent the Eg ®Ù a¾, bird (the Palm-bird), to go and check his farm and report back to him. Eg ®Ù a¾, went. When he came back, he declared; “o; ga sôoôr¾ o¾sô ôoôr¾ o¾ô” meaning “they have all grown tall for everyone to see”. OÙloô;fin stood up by himself and opened the door that led to his farm; Behold, all the grains have filled the farm! He could not believe what he was seeing. When he returned to his seat, he declared that the Babaláwo were really great. He said that he witnessed the boiling and cooking of the grains before they were planted. How was it possible? The Babaláwo responded that they too did not know but he needed to not forget that Ifá had promised to make what was impossible possible. With this, OÙloô;fin went inside his chambers and honoured the 16 principal Odù. They all became an instant success. EÙseô¾ n¾gbi¾n EÙseô¾ n¾te¾ô Di;a; fu;n E®Ùri¾ndi;nlo;gu;;n Oju; Odu¾ Woô;n n; re’le; OÙloô;fin lo¾ôoô; gb’awo EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ki; woô;n wa;a; sôe Woô;n gbe;ô’boô, woô;n ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa;a; ba;’ni ba;’yo¾ô, eô wa;a; wo’re o Translation: EÙseô¾ n¾gbi¾n (The legs plant) EÙseô¾ n¾te¾ô (The legs step on) They were the Awo who cast Ifá for the 16 major Odù When going to OÙloô;fin‟s palace for Ifá business They were advised to offer ẹbọ They complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life 279 OGBE® I®ROSU®N Ifá says that the person(s) for whom this Odù is revealed must never plan to humiliate or disgrace anyone. If he/she plans this, he/she shall fail. The Divinities shall find a way of protecting his/her/their would-be victim(s). 9. Ifá advises the person for whom this Odù is revealed to offer ẹbọ in order for his/her secrets not to be exposed to those who are not supposed to know the secrets. Ifá however assures this person that his/her secrets will remain unexposed. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with one mature he-goat, strong rope or twine and money. He/she also needs to feed Oro¾ with whatever Ifá recommends. On this aspect, Ifá has this to say: Ogbe¾ d’a;wo;ô O®su¾ teô’leô¾ Di;a; fu;n La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ Ti; n; sô’awo re’gbo; EÙ®gba; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbe¾ stuck the tip of the O®su¾ in the ground This was Ifá‟s message for La¾ka¾la¾ka¾, the Oro¾ blade When going on spiritual mission to the EÙ®gba; grove He was advised to offer eôboô La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ also known as Abeô Oro¾ was the Oro¾ blade. He had to have a rope attached to him to make him work as expected. (This cannot be explained beyond this point because of the secrets surrounding this cult). When La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ planned to go to the E®Ùgba; grove on a spiritual mission, he went to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation. The Awo told him that the only thing he needed to do was to offer eôboô so that his secrets would not be exposed to the un-initiated, especially women. 280 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 He was told that his secrets might be exposed during that particular journey. He was advised that in order to prevent that from happening, he needed to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat, a long strong rope or twine. He also needed to add money to it. After this, he needed to feed I®ta; and I®re¾ôleô,¾ the Oro¾ Divinity icons, for them to make his secrets remain intact. La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ complied. When they got to the E®ôÙgba; grove and the ceremony was about to begin, they called on La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ to send everyone a note of warning that the Oro¾ ceremony was about to start. He did. When the ceremony began, La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ was making the Oro¾ sound as expected. Suddenly, it was discovered that the rope that La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ was attached to was about to break. That was when E®sôu¾ O®ôda¾ra¾ came into the scene and began to sing I®ye¾rô eô¾ song; E®sôu¾ O®ôda¾ra¾ sung: EÙ ba; wa w’o;ku¾n to; yigbe¾ e¾ EÙ ba; wa w’o;ku¾n to; yigbe¾ La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ ki¾i; gbe¾ e; ja; o EÙ ba; wa w’o;ku¾n to; yigbe¾ Translation: Please look for a strong rope for us Please fetch us a strong rope It won't take long for La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ to break off Please look for a strong rope Those present knew that if La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ should break, he would just fling away and would certainly fall into the hands of the uninitiated ones, in particular, women. If that were to happen the secrets of La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ and those of Oro¾ would be exposed for the world to see. They quickly looked for stronger rope. They could not find any. E®sôu¾ however supplied the rope that was added to the ẹbọ. They attached it to La¾ka¾la¾ka¾. It was strong enough to sustain La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ throughout the ceremony. This was how the secrets of La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ remained unexposed. 281 OGBE® I®ROSU®N Ogbe¾ da;’wo;ô O®su¾ teô’leô¾ Di;a; fu;n La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ Ti; n; sô’awo re’gbo; E®Ùgba; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;’boô N®je;ô eô ba; wa w’o;ku¾n yigbe¾ e¾ EÙ ba; wa w’o;ku¾n to; yigbe¾ La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ ki¾i; gbe¾ e; ja; o EÙ ba; wa w’o;kun to; yigbe¾ o Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa;a; ba; ni ba;’yo¾ô EÙ wa;a; wo’re o Translation: Ogbe¾ stuck the tip of the O®su¾ in the ground This was Ifá‟s message for La¾ka¾la¾ka¾, the Oro¾ blade When going on spiritual mission to the EÙ®gba; grove He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Now, please look for a strong rope for us Please fetch us a strong rope It won't take long for La¾ka¾la¾ka¾ to break off Please look for a strong rope for us Before long, and not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall have his/her secrets kept intact. This however does not suggest that he/she is at liberty to take undue risks with his/her secrets. Conversely, this person must never be a party to the unjustifiable exposure of other people‟s secrets. He/she must never plan to do so. If he/she does, Olo;du¾mare will protect his/her would-be victim and he/she will be put to well deserved shame. Protection is granted to those whom adhere to this advice. 282 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 10. Ifá says that if the person for whom this Odù is revealed is not a practicing Babaláwo/I®ya;ni;fa;, then two great things are coming his/her way during the coming dry season or summer time. Ifá says that a third Ire will come but that one is for his/her Awo. It is not for him/her. If the third Ire comes, he/she needs to refer it to his/her Awo immediately. On the other hand, if the person for whom this Odù is revealed is a practising Babaláwo/I®ya;ni;fa, then he/she needs to understand that the first two great things that will come during the coming dry/summer season (or change of season) do not belong to him/her. It is the third great thing that is really his/hers. He/she must not be avaricious on this matter. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with a mature she-goat. This animal is not to be slaughtered. It must be taken away to live by the Awo. After this, he/she needs to feed his Orí with a very big catfish. Ifá says that two of the ancestors of the person for whom this Odù is revealed were very prominent personalities when they were alive. Both of them are in the same location in heaven. They are both looking after the person for whom this Odù is revealed together with other members of his/her extended family. Ifá recommends that a big live catfish needs to be used; to feed Odù so that all these great things will come as predicted. On these aspects, Ifá states thus: O®gbo;lo;gbo¾o; Oni;sôe¾gu¾n lo; su¾n l’e;ji¾gbo¾ôn Lo; fi o;n;de¾ e re¾ô roô’ri; poônpoôn-oônpoôn Di;a; fu;n Ma¾ga¾la;ja; Ti; n;loô ile; OÙloô;fin lo¾ôoô; gb’awo EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: A great Herbalist was sleeping in the corner of a room And was resting his head firmly on his leather charm belt This was Ifá‟s message for Ma¾ga¾la;ja; When going to OÙloô;fin‟s palace for on an Ifá mission He was advised to offer ẹbọ 283 OGBE® I®ROSU®N There was chaos and tension in the land. Something urgent had to be done to bring the land back to normal. OÙloô;fin was concerned. That was why he sent for this great Babaláwo called Ma¾ga¾la;ja; to come and consult Ifá for him in order to know what to do to ward off all the evil principalities in the land. When Ma¾ga¾la;ja; heard the news that OÙloô;fin was looking for him to come and consult Ifá in his palace, he went to the home of the Awo mentioned above for his own consultation: Will I succeed in OÙloô;fin‟s palace? Will I be able to solve OÙloô;fin‟s problems? The Awo told Ma¾ga¾la;ja; that Ile;-Ife was in chaos. There was the need to do high-level e¾tu¾tu¾ for the land in order to ward off all the negativities there. He was assured that he was capable of doing it. He was however warned to be very careful and watch his tongue while there, so as not to say something that would put himself into deep trouble while performing his duty. Ma¾ga¾la;ja; thanked the Awo and left. He could see no way how he would land himself into trouble while performing his duty. When he got to OÙloô;fin‟s palace, he consulted Ifá for the Ϙba and Ogbe¾Do¾su¾-mu; was revealed. He told OÙloô;fin that there was crises in the land and that he was capable of warding off the evil. He told OÙloô;fin that all what he needed to bring were four she-goats, one man suffering from elephantiasis of the scrotum, four sacks of cowries and four large kegs of palm oil. He insisted that the ẹbọ must be performed on that same day. OÙloô;fin sent all his domestic servants out to go and look for the materials. They combed everywhere and were able to procure the four she-goats, four kegs of palm-oil, four sacks of cowries but they could not find a man afflicted with elephantiasis of the scrotum. Time was of paramount importance. OÙloô;fin instructed Ma¾ga¾la;ja; to commence with the e¾tu¾tu¾. He did. When he completed the preparation, he told OÙloô;fin that the only item remaining was the man afflicted with swollen testicles. He said that they needed to slice the man open and pour plenty of palm-oil on his intestines and the e¾tu¾tu¾ would be completed. Where would this e¾tu¾tu¾ be placed? OÙloô;fin asked Ma¾ga¾la;ja;. 284 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 He responded that each goat would be buried in each corner of the town while the man with elephantiasis of the scrotum would be thrown into the middle of a flowing river. OÙloô;fin then whispered to one of his domestic servants to hit Ma¾ga¾la;ja;‟s head with a pestle. The servant did, and Ma¾ga¾la;ja; died instantly. He was stripped naked. That was when they discovered that he was suffering from elephantiasis of the scrotum. OÙloô;fin told them that he had noticed this as soon as Ma¾ga¾la;ja; had entered his palace. They sliced the chest of Ma¾ga¾la;ja; open and completed the e¾tu¾tu¾ as he had instructed them to do. They buried the e¾tu¾tu¾ in the areas that Ma¾ga¾la;ja; had earlier specified. His corpse was then thrown into a river. With the e¾tu¾tu¾ done, there was no improvement in the land. The situation was simply getting worse. What did they need to do now? Bi; Babala;wo ba; gbo;ô’f;a; l’a;gboô¾o;ôju¾ Araa woôn ni woô;n n; ya¾n m’eô;boô Di;a; fu;n Se¾kunda; Ti; n; loô ile; OÙloô;fin lo¾ôoô; gb’awo EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: If a Babaláwo understands Ifá too excessively He will end up recommending himself as ẹbọ material This was Ifá‟s message for Se¾kunda; When going to OÙloô;fin‟s palace on an Ifá mission He was advised to offer ẹbọ When there was no solution yet to the problems plaguing Ile;-Ife, OÙloô;fin summoned Se¾kunda; for Ifá consultation: What is to be done to put a permanent stop to all the crises in the land? When Se¾kunda got OÙloô;fin‟s message, he went to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: Will I succeed in OÙloô;fin‟s palace? Will I be able to solve the problems in the land? Will I be adequately rewarded? 285 OGBE® I®ROSU®N The Awo informed Se¾kunda; that there was a series of problems in Ile;Ife. They told him that he would be capable of solving all the problems there. They however warned him against being over-zealous or showing that he could analyze Ifá better than O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ himself. He was advised to watch his utterances and weigh every statement that he would pronounce before voicing it out, lest he put himself into trouble by his statements. Se¾kunda; thanked the Awo and left. He could not see how he would analyze and put himself in trouble. As a matter of fact, he reasoned, it was his in-depth knowledge and accurate analysis of Ifá that made the high and the mighty to come looking for him any time that there were problems in their lands. He had analyzed Ifá for Ala;ra;, Ajero¾, Oni;sôerô i, Oni;mia, and so on and all his analyses had been found to be very accurate. He concluded within himself that the group of Babaláwo were just envious of his chain of achievements. He refused to offer their ẹbọ. How could he, when they were just a bunch of jealous fools? The next day, he set out on his journey to OÙloô;fin‟s palace. When Se¾kunda got to OÙloô;fin‟s palace, he consulted Ifá and Ogbe¾Do¾su¾mu; was revealed. He told OÙloô;fin that there was an urgent need to offer ẹbọ in order to chase away all the evil spirits causing problems in the land. He said that the ẹbọ must be performed that same day. The ẹbọ materials were four mature she-goats, 16 sacks of cowries, four kegs of palm-oil and one bald headed man. He had totally forgotten that he was a bald headed man before he pronounced the ẹbọ materials. OÙloô;fin instructed his domestic servants to go and fetch all the items. They went and got all the materials - minus the bald-headed man. OÙloô;fin told Se¾kunda to proceed with the ẹbọ. When he finished, he told OÙloô;fin that it was only the bald-headed man that was delaying the ẹbọ. How can that be done? OÙloô;fin asked. Se¾kunda responded that the bald-headed man needed to be sliced open and the I®yeôr¾ o¾su¾n used for the ẹbọ would be poured over the intestines, together with plenty of palm-oil. The ẹbọ was to be deposited inside the river while the four she-goats were to be buried in the four corners of the town. OÙloô;fin gave his domestic servants the signal. They understood. They got the pestle and hit it heavily on Se¾kunda‟s head. In the split moment before his death, he remembered the warning of the Awo that he had gone to meet, he remembered that he was indeed a baldheaded man, and realized to his everlasting regret that he was the one 286 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 who had actually pronounced himself to be used as part of the ẹbọ materials. His corpse was sliced open, the I®yerô¾ o¾su¾n and palm-oil were poured inside and he was deposited inside the river. As soon as this was done, the situation in Ile;-Ife worsened. On that very day, many evil things happened to the inhabitants of the land. Life became very unbearable for the inhabitants. Many of them began to contemplate leaving the land for other places altogether. What is it that I need to do? OÙloô;fin questioned himself. He concluded that he would continue to look for competent Ifá priests to come and help him solve the problems until he got an Awo or group of Awo who would find him a lasting solution and chase away the evil spirits plaguing the land. Iku;; to; pa e¾bu¾ e¾siô ;n n;beô l’oô;ru¾n ebe¾ Iku; to; pa baba oômoô O: n; wa; oômoô kiri Di;a; fu;n O®Ùwoô¾nni-we¾re¾ Ti; n; re;’le OÙloô;fin lo¾ôoô; gb’awo EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: What killed the yam piece that was planted last year is still on the farm heap What killed the father is still looking everywhere for the child These were Ifá‟s declarations to O®Ùwoô¾nni-We¾re¾ When going to OÙloô;fin‟s palace on an Ifá mission He was advised to offer ẹbọ When OÙloô;fin heard that O®Ùwoô¾nni-We¾re¾ was a very competent Babaláwo, he sent for him to come and help him solve the problems in his land. When O®Ùwoô¾nni-We¾re¾ received the message of OÙloô;fin, he went to the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: Will I succeed where two other great Babaláwo have failed? The Awo told O®Ùwoô¾nni-We¾re¾ to be very careful with where he was going. He was told that there was the need for him to procure a lot of 287 OGBE® I®ROSU®N beef, cook it well, and use it to feed O®Ùsu ô n in the river. By so doing, he was told, he would understand exactly what to do when he got to OÙloô;fin‟s palace. He thanked the Awo and left. When he got home, he went straight to the market to procure the beef. He cooked the meat and took the soup to the river. As soon as he got to the river, I®ya; O®Ùsôun appeared to him. O®Ùsôun asked him, why have you come to feed me? He explained to O®Ùsôun that he was summoned by OÙloô;fin to come and consult Ifá for him. Two other Babaláwo had earlier gone to OÙloô;fin‟s palace but they never returned home. He said that that was the reason why he was concerned. He had gone to his Awo and they were the ones who advised him to come and feed O®Ùsôun before going to OÙloô;fin‟s palace. O®Ùsôun then told O®Ùwoô¾nni-We¾re¾ that when he got to OÙloô;fin‟s palace and after the Ifá consultation, he must not recommend more than four pigeons and four sacks of cowries as ebo. He must also not slaughter any of the pigeons. If OÙloô;fin asked him what remained to do done, he must tell OÙloô;fin that what remained was the benefits which OÙloô;fin would receive during the coming dry season. O®Ùsôun told O®Ùwoô¾nniWe¾re¾ to inform OÙloô;fin that before the end of the following dry season, three great things would come to OÙloô;fin. The first two of these things belonged to OÙloô;fin while the third and last one belonged to O®Ùwoô¾nniWe¾re¾, the Awo. She informed O®Ùwoô¾nni-We¾re¾ that the third one that was his would come from the river and must be taken directly to his (O®Ùwoô¾nni-We¾re¾) house. When it had been taken it to his house, he must lock all the doors and windows of his house before he began to examine it. O®Ùwoôn ¾ ni-We¾re¾ thanked O®Ùsôun and left. The next day, he headed for OÙloô;fin‟s palace. When he got to OÙloô;fin‟s palace, he cast Ifá for OÙloô;fin, and again, Ogbe¾Do¾su¾mu; was revealed. He told OÙloô;fin that there was a series of problems and crises in the land. Evil spirits had taken over the land. He however assured OÙloô;fin that all the problems would soon disappear. He said that there was no need to slaughter any animal, as doing so would only invite more evil spirits to the land. He therefore recommended four pigeons and four sacks of money as ẹbọ material. Are you sure these are all the materials we need for the ẹbọ? OÙloô;fin asked. O®Ùwoô¾nni-We¾re¾ assured OÙloô;fin that he did not need more than those items. He offered the ẹbọ for OÙloô;fin. 288 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 As soon as the ẹbọ was offered, the crises and tension in the land cooled down. Life returned to normal. Debtors in the land were able to pay off their debts; the invalid became well and happy; the barren became pregnant; the pregnant ones had safe deliveries; the farmers recorded bountiful harvests. Everyone in the land became happy. When the dry season arrived, a giant elephant left a forest and headed for OÙloô;fin‟s palace. The elephant fell in front of OÙloô;fin‟s palace and rested its trunk on the veranda of OÙloô;fin‟s house. The news spread like wild fire and soon came to the notice of OÙloô;fin. People said it must be one of the great gifts which O®Ùwoôn ¾ ni-We¾re¾ had predicted for OÙloô;fin. OÙloô;fin summoned all able-bodied men around to help him dissect the animal and bring the meat into his innermost chamber. They did so and the whole town rejoiced with OÙloô;fin. About three market days after (that is 13 days), a giant buffalo left the grass-land and headed for OÙloô;fin‟s palace. When it got there, it fell and rested its two horns on OÙloô;fin‟s veranda. The citizens proclaimed that O®Ùwoô¾nni-We¾re¾ had predicted this. They knew that it was the second free gift that was predicted that had come OÙloô;fin‟s way. They helped him to dissect the animal and took the parts into his palace‟s innermost chamber. Three market days later, early in the morning on the fourth market day, women who went to the river to fetch water rushed back home to announce that they saw a fish whose size they had never seen before. The fish was twice the height and about four times the weight of a tall human being! Where did this come from? They quickly went to report their finding to OÙloô;fin. When he heard this, OÙloô;fin told them that the fish belonged to O®Ùwoô¾nniWe¾re¾. He ordered that it must be taken to O®Ùwoô¾nni-We¾re¾‟s house. They took the fish there. When O®Ùwoô¾nni-We¾re¾ saw the fish, he knew that the gift which I®ya; O®Ùsôun had told him had come his way and had just arrived. He locked the doors and windows as instructed by O®Ùsôun. He got his knife ready. He began to slice the fish open. When he got to the belly of the fish, he heard some voices telling him, “Gently, great Awo. 289 OGBE® I®ROSU®N Please be careful. Do not cut us with your knife”! Fear gripped him. What was this supposed to mean? Those inside the fish said; “Great Awo, please continue with what you are doing. It is well”. When he sliced open the fish‟s belly Ma¾ga¾la;ja;; was the first to come out. After that, Se¾kunda; came out. They thanked him profusely. They asked him to go and bring four knotted calabashes, known as “igba;du¾”. He brought them. Ma¾ga¾la;ja;; and Se¾kunda; converted themselves into part of the essences of Igba; Odu¾. They filled the four igba;du¾ and became Igba; Odu¾. O®Ùwoô¾nni-We¾re¾ then fed them accordingly. Those planning to undergo igba;du¾ ceremony began to visit O®Ùwoô¾nniWe¾re¾ and he began to use the Igba; Odu¾ for them. People then began to feed them. (more cannot be explained beyond this point because we need to preserve the secrets of Odù). Those who came to feed Odù or undergo the igba;du¾ ceremony began to sing thus: Igba; d'igba; a wa a¾joôboôô wa ni o Igba; di'gba;; a wa a¾joôboô wa ni Igba; I®re¾se; o, ti Gbe;ôna¾lo;ko¾ Igba; d'igba; a wa, a¾joôboô wa ni Translation: These calabashes have become our joint property that we need to feed jointly These calabashes have become our joint property that we need to feed jointly The calabashes of I®re¾se and those of Gbe;ôna¾lo;ko These calabashes have become our joint property that we need to feed jointly NOTE: That was how everyone who needed to feed Igba; Odu¾ ensured that they were done jointly. One set of Igba; Odu¾ is enough for one or two whole towns to own and use together collectively. It is not necessary for every Babaláwo to think of possessing Igba; Odu¾ individually. 290 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 O®gbo;lo;gbo¾o; Oni;sôe¾gu¾n lo; su¾n l’e;ji¾gbo¾ôn Lo; fi¾ o;n;de¾ e re¾ô roô’ri; poônpoôn-oônpoôn Di;a; fu;n Ma¾ga¾la;ja; Ti; n;loô ile; OÙlofô;in lo¾ôoô; gb’awo EÙboô ni woôô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: f’eti; o¾ôtu;n gb’e;ôboôô O: fi t’o¾si¾ da¾a; nu¾ Bi; Babala;wo ba; gboô;’fa; l’a;gbo¾ôoô;ju¾ Ara a woôn ni woô;n n; ya¾n m’e;ôboô Di;a; fu;n Se¾kunda; Ti; n; re’le; OÙloô;fin lo¾ôoô; gb’awo EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: koô’ti; o¾ôgboônyin s’eô;boô Iku; to; p’e¾eb ¾ u¾ e¾siô ;n n;beô l’oô;ru¾n ebe¾ Iku; to; pa baba oômoô O: n;wa; oômoô kiri Di;a; fu;n OÙ®woô¾nni-We¾re¾ Ti; n;re’le; OÙloô;fin lo¾ôoô; gb’awo EÙboô ni woô;n ni;; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e::ôboô,ô o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa;a; ba;’ni ba;’yo¾ô EÙÙ wa;a; wo’re o N®je;ô igba; d'igba; a wa a¾joôboôô wa ni o Igba; di'gba;; a wa a¾joôboô wa ni Igba; I®re¾se; o, ti Gbe;ôna¾lo;ko¾ Igba; d'igba; a wa, a¾joôboô wa ni Translation: A great Herbalist was sleeping in the corner of a room And was resting his head firmly on his leather charm belt This was Ifá‟s message for Ma¾ga¾la;ja; When going to OÙloô;fin‟s palace for on an Ifá mission He was advised to offer ẹbọ He heard the advice with his right ear But threw the advice out with his left ear If a Babaláwo understands Ifá too excessively He will end up recommending himself as ẹbọ material 291 OGBE® I®ROSU®N This was Ifá‟s message for Se¾kunda; When going to OÙloô;fin‟s palace on an Ifá mission He was advised to offer ẹbọ He paid no attention to the advice What killed the yam piece that was planted last year is still on the farm heap What killed the father is still looking everywhere for the child These were Ifá‟s declarations to O®Ùwoô¾nni-We¾re¾ When going to OÙloô;fin‟s palace on an Ifá mission He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life Now, these calabashes have become our joint property that we need to feed jointly These calabashes have become our joint property that we need to feed jointly The calabashes of I®re¾se and those of Gbe;ôna¾lo;ko¾ These calabashes have become our joint property that we need to feed jointly Ifá says that it shall be well where this Odù is revealed. Ifá says also that if there is any serious problem or crisis where this Odù is revealed, the ẹbọ materials should not exceed four pigeons and four sacks of money. If this is done, then normalcy will return to the place very quickly. There should not be any slaughtering of any animal, lest the presiding Awo put his/her life on the line. These are the messages of Ifá on that matter. 11. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of wealth and accomplishment for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Ifá says that he/she shall succeed. Ifá advises this person never to sleep in total darkness. This is just to enable Ajé the divinity of Wealth to see him/her wherever he/she sleeps so that the Divinity can come and stay with him/her for the rest of his/her life. 292 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ifá advises this person to offer eôboô with four pigeons and money. After the ebo, feed E®sôu¾ with one mature cock and feed Ajé with E®kuru, honey, and land snails. On these aspects, Ifá says: A®lu¾ki;nri;njingi;nni Di;a; fu;n Ogbe¾ To; ji; l’o;ro¾o¾ru Ku¾tu¾ku¾tu¾ Ti; ko¾ ri; oo;kan a¾a; yoô oô; na; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: A®lu¾ki;nnri;njingi;nni He was the Awo who cast Ifá for Ogbe¾ Who woke up early in the morning But had no money to spend He was advised to offer eôboô Ogbe¾ could not understand why he would work so hard without seeing anything to justify all his hard work. He worked more than his contemporaries, yet he was not as successful as any of them. True, he was told that there was reward in working hard, but all what he got for his own hard work, however, was starvation, want and hunger. When would these end? He wondered. If he had no money to feed himself, how could he even talk about marriage and children? Where would he find the means to feed his wife and children? If he had no wife and children, how could he ever dream of seeking permission from the head of his family to erect his own personal building? What would he do with it? Who would help him to do it? Who would live there with him even if there was a miraculous development which made it possible for him to erect his own personal structure? Without his own building, how could he even dream about buying a horse? Where would he keep it? Olo;du¾mare¾, is my life on earth a mere waste? Nobody really had faith or belief in him at all. That was why he had no serious customers. Will all these things change? Will I turn out to become a great person in my 293 OGBE® I®ROSU®N life? These were the thoughts at the back of his mind when he approached his Awo, A®lu¾ki;nri;njingi;nni for Ifá consultation. The Awo told Ogbè that he was fretting over his present condition in life. A®lu¾ki;nri;njingi;nni told him that it was totally unnecessary for him, Ogbè, to work himself up because his success was just around the corner. Ogbè was assured that he would certainly attain all the Ire of life which he had chosen in O®rÙ un. He told Ogbè to be a little more patient. A®lu¾ki;nri;njingi;nni explained to Ogbè that his destiny did not like to be in total darkness. He said that he had remained poor because Ajé, the Goddess of wealth, could not stay in his house because he loved to sleep in total darkness. He was advised to ensure that he always put on light in his room any time he wanted to sleep. He said that on several occasions, Ajé had made attempts to come and stay with him but she could not come because Ajé loved to move at night but she always found his room in total darkness. This had always made Ajé turn back and go elsewhere. Ogbè was also advised to offer ẹbọ as stated above. He complied. He also ensured that he put on light in his room every time. As soon as Ogbè offered the ẹbọ and started to put light in his room every night, E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ went to work, whispering into the ears of all the people in the community that Ogbè was a very competent Ifá priest who specialized in all matters of Ifá consultation. He informed the people that whenever they needed any medical or spiritual service, Ogbè‟s home must be their first port of call. That was exactly what the people began to do. Ogbè woke up one day and found a long line of people waiting to consult Ifá from him. He quickly dressed up and began to consult Ifá for all the people. The number of people trooping into his house was so many that it was obvious that he needed assistants within a few days that this started. Ogbè got two more hands as students. As this was going on, some of his clients suggested to him that he would need a wife who could be taking care of his domestic needs, someone who he could have conversations with, have children with, and raise his family with. He had the means to do this at that point in 294 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 time. These clients and his family put their heads together. They found Ogbè a compatible wife. He loved the wife very much and the wife loved him too. In between the two of them, they raised several children, both biological and adopted. Within a few years, it was obvious that the house he was using had become very inadequate for the present size of his family. Ogbè, his wife and children, together with many well-wishers erected a big mansion. It was the talk of the whole community. Everyone in the community came to rejoice with Ogbè on the achievement. To crown the gain, Ogbè was presented with a horse by the Ϙba of the town. He became an honourable man in his community. He was loved and respected by all. When Ogbè looked at the way his life had changed within a short period of time, he began to give many thanks and praises to Olo;du¾mare. A®lu¾ki;nri;njingi;nni Di;a; fu;n Ogbe¾ To; ji; l’o;ro¾o¾ru Ku¾tu¾ku¾tu¾ Ti; ko¾ ri; oo;kan a¾a; yoô oô; na; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;’boô N®je;ô Ogbe¾ ma; ma¾ su¾n A®lu¾ki;nri;njingi;nni Owo; fe;ôreô¾e;ô de; na; o A®lu¾ki;nri;njingi;nni Ogbe¾ ma; ma¾ su¾n Aya fe;rô eô¾eô; de; na; o A®lu¾ki;nri;njingi;nni Ogbe¾ ma; ma¾ su¾n OÙmoô feô;reô¾eô; de; na; A®lu¾ki;nri;njingi;nni Ogbe¾ ma; ma¾ su¾n Ile; fe;ôreô¾eô; de; na; A®lu¾ki;nri;njingi;nni Ogbe¾ ma; ma¾ su¾n EÙsôin feô;re¾ôeô; de; na; 295 OGBE® I®ROSU®N A®lu¾ki;nri;njingi;nni Ogbe¾ ma; ma¾ su¾n Ire gbogbo fe;ôre¾ôeô; de; na; A®lu¾ki;nri;njingi;nni Ogbe¾ ma; ma¾ su¾n E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ O®Ùfa¾ EÙ wa; ba;’ni ba;’yo¾ô EÙ wa;a; wo’re o Translation: A®lu¾ki;nnri;njingi;nni He was the Awo who cast Ifá for Ogbè Who woke up early in the morning But had no money to spend He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Ogbè, please do not fall asleep Wealth is coming soon A®lu¾ki;nnri;njingi;nni Ogbè, please do not fall asleep A spouse is coming soon A®lu¾ki;nnri;njingi;nni Ogbè, please do not fall asleep Children are coming soon A®lu¾ki;nnri;njingi;nni Ogbè please do not fall asleep Property is coming soon A®lu¾ki;nnri;njingi;nni Ogbè, please do not fall asleep Horses are coming soon A®lu¾ki;nnri;njingi;nni Ogbè, please do not fall asleep All the good things of life are coming soon A®lu¾ki;nnri;njingi;nni Ogbè, please do not fall asleep Travellers to I®po and O®Ùfa¾ Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life 296 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ifá assures this person that he/she shall be blessed with all the Ire of life. There is nothing that he/she fervently wishes for which will not be given to him/her. He/she needs not despair or lose hope. 12. Ifá warns that there is a fair-skinned woman where this Odù is revealed. This woman is Ifá‟s daughter and wife from heaven. No man who has not undergone I®te¾ôni;fa; ceremony can marry her and have a successful relationship. If anyone wishes to marry her, then the person must be advised to go for initiation as soon as possible. On the other hand, if a man is already initiated into Ifá and wishes to marry this woman, a thorough investigation must be made to ensure that this woman is not with an Awo already. If this woman is not with anyone already, then further steps can be taken. Ifá advises the man planning to marry this woman to offer ẹbọ with four rats, four fish, two hens and money. The woman needs to offer ẹbọ with four rats, four fish, two cocks and money. She also needs to feed Ifá as recommended. On these aspects, Ifá says: A su;re; ni;’nu; e¾ôeô¾kan Ko¾ sôe l’o;ri; asa;n Bi; ko¾ ba; le; nn¾kan Nn¾kan lo; n; le; e Di;a; fu;n Ogbe¾ Teô;e;ôreô; Ti; yo;o; sô’oôkoô I®rosu¾n pupa EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: He who runs inside the blade grass It cannot be for nothing If he is not pursuing something Then something is pursuing him This was Ifá‟s message for the Slender Ogbè When planning to marry the light skinned I®rosu¾n He was advised to offer ẹbọ 297 OGBE® I®ROSU®N Since the time that I®rosu¾n was born, her parents had been told that she could not marry any man who was not initiated into Ifá. This was because she had certain characteristics that only someone who was initiated into Ifá, casted Ifá, and offered ẹbọ regularly could handle her. For this reason, she had resisted all proposals from all men who had approached her to be their wife, especially if they informed her that they were not initiated into Ifá. One day, Ogbè met I®rosu¾n on the road and became attracted to her. Ogbè was a slim tall man while I®rosu¾n was a fair skinned woman. He could not concentrate any longer. He longed to see her and stay close to her all day. When this was becoming very unbearable to him, he informed his relatives. That was when they went to the home of the Awo stated above for Ifá consultation: Will Ogbè be able to marry I®rosu¾n? Will the relationship be peaceful and will it be blessed with children? Will both of them live long and enjoy the fruits of their labour? Will there be no regrets from both families? The Awo informed them that the woman in question was an Apet¾ô eb ô¾ i; from heaven therefore, she had to marry an initiated man. Since Ogbè had already been initiated into Ifá, the relationship stood a good chance of succeeding. The Awo however informed them that they needed to investigate in order to ensure that I®rosu¾n was not involved with another man already. The Awo advised them to offer ẹbọ as stated above. They complied and left the home of the Awo to go and investigate I®rosu¾n. Their investigation revealed that I®rosu¾n had no man. They also discovered that she was a very kind-hearted and attentive person. When they discovered this, the family of Ogbè was very happy. They sent people to the family of I®rosu¾n in order to inform them of their interest to have I®rosu¾n be a part of their family. The family of I®rosu¾n did their own investigations, both physical and spiritual. They found that both of them stood a good chance of living happily as husband and wife. Before long, the marriage was contracted. Both of them lived happily ever after. They were equally blessed with children, long life and sound health. 298 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 A su;re; ni;nu; e¾ek ¾ an Ki¾i; sôe l’o;ri; asa;n Bi; ko¾ ba; le; nn¾kan Nn¾kan n; le;e Di;a; fu;n Ogbe¾ Te;ôeô;re;ô Ti; yo;o; sôô’oôkoô I®rosu¾n Pupa EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa;a; ba;’ni ba;’yo¾ô EÙ wa;a; wo’re o Translation: He who runs inside the blade-grass It cannot be for nothing If he is not pursuing something Then something is pursuing him This was Ifá‟s message for the Slender Ogbè When planning to marry the light-skinned I®rosu¾n He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Before long, not too far Come and perceive all the Ire of life Ifá says that it shall be well for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Ifá says that the relationship shall be blessed and rewarded for both the man and the woman. 13. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of pregnancy and bouncing baby for a woman who is desperately in need of the fruit of the womb. Ifá says that this woman has toiled and cried endlessly to receive this blessing for a long time and all to no avail. Ifá advises this woman to continue to be positive as her time to receive her own blessing is at hand. She must not think about how much she has spent to receive help as Ifá will answer her prayers. 299 OGBE® I®ROSU®N Ifá also advises her to offer ẹbọ with four rats, four fish, two hens and a lot of money. She also needs to feed Ajé with whatever Ifá recommends for feeding the Divinity. On this, Ifá says: Ogbe¾ da;'wo;ô O®su¾ teô’leô¾ jinngi;nni Di;a; fu;n Are;bu¾jo; E®yi; to; ji; ni; ku¾tu¾ku¾tu¾ To; n;f’omi oju; su¾ngbe;re¾ oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbe¾ used O®su¾ as a walking stick and stepped gingerly This was Ifá‟s message for Are;bu¾jo; She who was waking up early in the morning And weeping profusely in lamentation for her inability to bear any child She was advised to offer ẹbọ Every morning of her marital life, she would weep. Why? She was yet to be blessed with the fruit of the womb. Imagine this, she would say, a fowl which has nobody to take care of her medically or spiritually is able to lay several eggs and hatch them without any form of assistance. Yet, she has moved from one herbal home to the other for several years and has not had any pregnancy at all! A small she-goat was given to her neighbour just a year ago. This she-goat had delivered two small kids of her own and was again pregnant! If the deities could answer the prayers of birds and beast, why were her own prayers remaining unanswered? Why? She cried. When would her sorrow end? She searched for solutions in far distant places and found none. She looked for solutions around her, there was also none. That was when she was advised by a neighbour to try Ogbè and see if Olo;du¾mare¾ would answer her prayer. This prompted her to go to the home of the Awo for Ifá consultation. Will I be blessed with the fruit of the womb? Will I have a baby of my own? Will I be a mother who has given birth to her own baby and quit the league of barren women? Will my wailing stop? Will I have my own children that 300 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 I will be able to send on errands? She remembered vividly one incident which made her feel depressed for a very long time. She remembered when she sent her neighbour‟s son out to buy something for her in the market. The boy went eagerly. As soon as the boy left, the mother marched into her house, complaining that she did not like her son being sent on such errands. What if his father was to return home and did not meet his son at home? She gave Are;bu¾jo; a piece of advice though: why don‟t you pray to Olo;du¾mare¾ to give you your own child, instead of sending other people‟s children on errands? Well, it was not the woman‟s fault. It was her own Ori; destiny who allowed such an insult to be passed on to her. That was what she thought about until she got to Ogbè‟s home. She asked Ogbè to consult Ifá for her. Ogbè did. Ogbe¾-Do¾su¾mu; was revealed during Ifá consultation. The Awo told her that Ifá foresaw two Ire for her: The Ire of wealth and the Ire of a baby. Ogbè said that she would be very happy and would have cause to celebrate. She was told that she would be able to bear babies who would grow up in one day and she would bear babies who she would give her own breast milk to and train to her satisfaction. The children she would bear who would grow up in one day were not the ones who would suck her breast milk; they were the ones who would be weaned and trained by other women. The two sets of children would make her happy and fulfilled. The Awo advised her to continue to do good and to spend her money on the right courses and projects. She must also assist people in the community and ensure that her presence is always felt in all community projects. The Awo also advised her to offer ẹbọ with the materials stated above. She complied. As soon as she returned home, she intensified her good deeds in her home, her environment and in the whole neighbourhood. She extended her good will to all. About five days after, Are;bu¾jo; carried her keg to go and fetch water in the stream. One of her neighbours saw her. She rushed out of her home and said: “No! You should not do that. Let my daughter fetch the water for you. She is your daughter too. Remember, anytime you want to fetch water, call her and she will do it for you. The girl is your daughter”. Are;bu¾jo; thanked the woman profusely. The water was fetched for her. Every day, the girl would come to her to ask for what she needed to do in the house. Before long, the girl packed her things and moved into Are;bu¾jo;‟s house to live. 301 OGBE® I®ROSU®N At another time, Are;bu¾jo; grabbed her cutlass to go into the forest to look for firewood. A man saw her and stopped her from going. “Why are you going into the forest to cut wood? My son can do that for you. He is equally your son. Anytime you need to do something like that, call him and he will do it for you”. Before long, the boy packed his things and moved into Are;bu¾jo;‟s house. Within six months, Are;bu¾jo; had five children living with her. That was when she remembered what the Awo told her that she would bear children in one day and the children would grow up in one day. She also remembered that the Awo said that she would not be the person who had breast fed the children. Two months after the ẹbọ was offered, Are;bu¾jo; became pregnant. She needed a lot of rest. The children in her house were doing all the domestic chores that she would hitherto have been doing. They washed the clothes, the dishes and the floor for her. They swept the ground, they fetched water, they cut firewood, they went to the market and would do all other work that made life easier for Are;bu¾jo;. By the time Are;bu¾jo; gave birth to her first child, she already had five other children. Her joy knew no bound. The whole community rejoiced with her. She later gave birth to many more children. She lived and died a very contented woman. She agreed that money put into the right use could make one give birth to a child in one day and the child would be able to go on errands for one on that very day! Ogbe¾ da;’wo;;ô O®su¾ teô’leô¾ jinngi;;nni Di;a; fu;n Are;bu¾jo; E®yi; to; ji; ni; ku¾tu¾ku¾tu¾ To; n;f’omi oju; su¾ngbe;re¾ oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni ni; wo¾ôwoô; oômoô rere Woô¾wo;ô oômoô rere la¾a; ba; ni l'e;ôseô¾ OÙ®pe¾ô N®je;ô Are;bu¾jo; O®ôÙja¾ja¾ Owo; ni;i; bi;’moô l’o;o¾jo;ô T’o¾un ti¾’kooro l’eô;nu o 302 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: Ogbe¾ used O®su¾ as a walking stick and stepped gingerly This was Ifá‟s message for Are;bu¾jo; She who was waking up early in the morning And weeping profusely in lamentation for her inability to bear any child She was advised to offer ẹbọ She complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of good children Good children are what Ifá guarantees Behold Are;bu¾jo; O®Ùja¾ja¾ Money is it that gives birth to a child in one day And the child will have all his teeth complete Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall have her dreams fulfilled. She will live happily and die content. 14. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed has a friend who is very dear to him/her. This friend also thinks high of him/her and is ready to do anything he/she can to improve the quality ofhis/her friend‟s life. Unfortunately however, this friend finds it difficult to be present any time his/her friend is doing something. This is either due to the fact that the friend has problems with his/her legs or his/her work schedule is such that it is difficult for him/her to be present. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed needs to take the patience of ensuring that this friend is present anytime he/she is doing anything. The friend‟s presence will add quality to whatever he/she is doing. Ifá says that both of them will help each other. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with two pigeons, two hens, two cocks, two guinea fowls and money. He/she also needs to move close to his/her parents all the time. 303 OGBE® I®ROSU®N On this, Ifá; says: Ogbe¾ da;'wo;ô o¾su¾ teô’leô¾ O: du;ro; jinngi;nni Di;a; fu;n E®®ji¾ka; Go¾go¾ro¾ Ti; yo;o; gbe; O®su¾ de;’gbo; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbe¾ struck O®su¾ down It stood gingerly This was Ifá‟s message for ®ji¾ka; Go¾go¾ro¾ (the Shoulders) Who would help carry O®su¾ to the Igbo;du¾ He was advised to offer ẹbọ O®su¾ was the best friend of E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro. They loved each other dearly. Unfortunately, anytime that E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro had anything to do, O®su¾ was never present. This was because O®su¾ could not walk. Anytime that E®ji¾ka; was doing anything, he would have to contend with missing the energy of his best friend. This gave him much concern. That was why E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro went to the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: What can I do to help my best friend? The Awo told E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro that O®su¾ was very important to have in anything that he was doing. His absence in all rituals and initiations which E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro was doing was a big minus. Consequent upon this, E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro was advised to ensure that O®su¾ was carried by him to the Igbo;du¾ anytime that an initiation rite was to be performed. By so doing, E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro was assured, it would be beneficial to both friends. The Awo also advised E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro to offer ẹbọ as stated above. He complied. The next time that initiation was to be performed, E®ji¾ka;Go¾go¾ro made it a point of duty to carry O®su¾ to the Igbo;du¾. It was a grand performance that the two friends recorded. Before long, E®ji¾ka;-Go¾go¾ro ensured that O®su¾ was not too far away from the Igbo;du¾. This made it more convenient for both friends. They both recorded more successes than ever before. 304 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ogbe¾ da;’wo;ô o¾su¾ teô’leô¾ O: du;ro; jinngi;nni Di;a; fu;n E®ji¾ka; Go¾go¾ro¾ Ti; yo;o; gbe; O®su¾ de;’gbo; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;’boô N®jeô; eôni eôni l’oni;ra¾nwo;ô eôni o EÙniô eôni l’oni;ra¾nwoô; eôni E®ji¾ka; Go¾go¾ro¾ ni yo;o; gb’O:su¾ de;’gbo; EÙni eôni l’oni;ra¾nwo;ô eôni o Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa;;a; ba; ni ni; wo¾ôwoô; ire gbogbo Translation: Ogbe¾ struck O®su¾ down It stood gingerly This was Ifá‟s message for E®ji¾ka; Go¾go¾ro (the Shoulders) Who will help carry O®su¾ to the Igbo;du¾ He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied One‟s person is one‟s helper One‟s person is one‟s supporter E®ji¾ka; Go¾go¾ro is the one to carry O®su¾ to Igbo;du¾ One‟s person is one‟s helper Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of all the Ire of life Ifá says that it shall be well for two friends who genuinely love each other. Their relationship shall be mutually beneficial to the two of them. 15. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed loves children beyond description. Ifá says that for this reason, he/she shall enjoy the benefits of children and young ones. He/she shall also be loved, honoured and respected by the children. They will not live to do anything to hurt him/her because they know that he/she has suffered for them. 305 OGBE® I®ROSU®N Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with two rats, two fish, two hens and money. He/she also needs to feed Ifá as appropriate. On this, Ifá says: I®lu; ke;re;je, ki¾ki¾ ohu¾n gooro Di;a; fu;n Ogbe¾ Ti; ko¾ ni; le¾ su¾n Ni;tori; oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;;a; sôe Translation: A small town with loud voices This was Ifá‟s message for Ogbè Who was not able to sleep Because of children He was advised to offer ẹbọ Ogbè could not sleep because of his children. How could he sleep? He had suffered a lot before he could give birth to these children. He suffered even more when he was raising them. He suffered to ensure that they became useful children to him and to themselves. How could he sleep, when there were many fearful and fearsome things happening everyday out there? He could not sleep because he feared for his children. He could not sleep because he loved his children very much. He could not sleep because his children had not reached the height that he prayed Olo;du¾mare¾ and all the 401 Iru;nmoôleô¾ to let them be. He could not sleep because there was still a very long way to go. This was the reason why he went for Ifá consultation: Will my children be useful to me, to themselves and to the society at large? Will they be protected against all the dangers of life? Will they live long enough to succeed? These and many more were the questions that he asked Ifá during the consultation. The Awo informed Ogbè that even though he had every reason to be apprehensive on the welfare and well-being of his children, he however needed to take things easy because only Olo;du¾mare¾ could take care of 306 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 children. If not for Olo;du¾mare¾, he, Ogbè, too would be totally powerless to do anything about his children. This was not to suggest that he needed not perform his parental roles on the children though. Ogbè was assured that these children would turn out to be great children who would all make his life easy, who would make him proud and happy, and who would became great ambassadors of their family, their community and the whole society at large. The Awo advised Ogbè to offer ẹbọ as stated above, ensure that the children were given the necessary parental guidance and leave the rest in the hands of Olo;du¾mare¾. That was exactly what Ogbè did. In turn, the children turned out to be exactly whom Ogbè wanted them to be. I®lu; ke;re;je, ki¾ki¾ ohu¾n gooro Di;a; fu;n Ogbe¾ Ti; ko¾ ni; le su¾n Ni;tori; oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni l’a;to¾le; ire A®to¾le; Ire la¾a; ba; ni l’e;ôseô¾ O®Ùpeô¾ N®jeô; i¾lu; ke;re;je o Ogbe¾ ma; ma¾ su¾n Translation: A small town with loud voices This was Ifá‟s message for Ogbè Who was not able to sleep Because of children He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of all the Ire of life Piling up all the Ire of life is what Ifá guarantees its devotees Now, The small town Ogbè, please do not sleep 307 OGBE® I®ROSU®N Ifá says that all shall be well for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. The must ensure to socialize their children well and be a role model for them and others. 16. Ifá warns the person for whom this Odù is revealed not to be a doubter. If he/she fails to heed this warning, it may spell doom for him/her. Ifá advises this person not to go out when it is dark for 17 days. Heeding this warning will help him/her ward off any impending disaster coming his/her way. Ifá also advises this person to offer ẹbọ with one mature she-goat, his/her coverlet and money. The she-goat must not be slaughtered. All that the Awo needs to do is cut a tiny part of the goat‟s ear in such a way that blood will not come out of the cut part, cut a part of the rope used to tie the goat, and cut tiny parts off the four edges of the coverlet and put all these into the ẹbọ. The ẹbọ is to then be buried by the E®®sôu¾ shrine. The Awo is then to take the goat away live. The Awo is free to do whatever pleases him/her with the goat when he/she takes it to his/her own house. This is what Ifá says on this aspect: Aa;ya;n ile; ni;i; fe;ô’raa woôn l’e;ti;-l’e;ti O®Ùoô¾ku¾n gi¾di¾gba¾ ni¾;i; ri¾n t’araare¾ô-t’araareô¾ Di;a; fu;n OÙÙloô;fin ade;ôja¾a; Wo;ôn ni; ko; f’asôoô ru;’boô ni;tori; iku; Translation: Cockroaches are insects which blow air into each other ears The millipede is the animal that walks alone on the road This was Ifá‟s message for doubting OÙloô;fin Who was advised to offer his coverlet as ẹbọ in order to avert untimely death 308 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 What kind of dream was this? OÙloô;fin wondered. Why must he see himself being pierced with arrows, spears and javelins in his dream? To make matters worse, all those who came to his rescue just stood by watching the massacre scene. Certainly, his enemies were at work, he concluded. But wait a moment; the weapons which were used were actually brought out from the palace. Not only this, he was the one who handed over the weapons to them before they turned them against him! What was this supposed to mean? Surely, there is conspiracy against him by those close to him. Well, he knew how to deal with that, he assured himself. As soon as he woke up in the morning, he rounded up all the palace guards and locked them up. Not only this, he ensured that a new set of palace guards were put in their places immediately. Those who planned to use the guards against him would be surprised and disappointed, he assured himself with a deep sense of satisfaction. He went to sleep in the evening of that day with a high sense of relief. At night, however, he had the same dream, this time around, with more people hitting and striking him with weapons. He saw his blood flowing freely with nobody to come to his aid! When he woke up, he realized with a deep sense of urgency that this was more than the conspiracy of his enemies. He concluded that there was the need for him to consult Ifá as quickly as possible. He therefore summoned the Awo mentioned above to come and consult Ifá for him urgently. What is the meaning of these dreams that I have had? Who are these enemies planning against him? What must I do to overcome them? After overcoming these enemies, what punishment must be meted out to them to serve as a deterrent to others? The Awo consulted Ifá and informed OÙloô;fin that even though death was hovering round his head, it was not as a result of anyone or any group conspiring against him. He was informed that a bad omen was around him at that particular point in time. Not only that, life-threatening spirits were surrounding him. They had settled down with him in preparation to snuffing out his life. The Awo advised OÙloô;fin to offer ẹbọ as stated above. He was also advised not to go out at night for 17 days. He was assured that if 309 OGBE® I®ROSU®N these advices could be kept, then the evil spirits would pack up and leave him alone. OÙloô;fin was very skeptical of the fact that nobody was responsible for the threat to his life. Nonetheless, he offered the ẹbọ as advised. He began to plan frantically to ensure that his enemies were dealt with ruthlessly. He ordered four of his guards to be on the alert every night. These guards were: O®ri;si;nsi;n-tasi;n oôdeô OÙlo;ôfin O®ri;si¾nsi¾n-tasi¾n oôdeô OÙloô;fin Atama;ta¾se; oôdeô OÙloô;fin O®ri;yii-ta¾ri;-o¾yi¾i¾yi oôdeô OÙloô;fin Translation: O®ri;nsi;nsi;n-tasi;n OÙloô;fin‟s guard O®ri;si¾nsi¾n-tasi¾n another guard of OÙloô;fin The-Expert-Whose-Shot-Never-Misses-its-Target, OÙloô;fin‟s guard O®ri;yi ta¾ri; o¾yi¾i¾yi, OÙloô;fin‟s guard OÙloô;fin instructed them that if they saw any movement around his main chamber in the palace any time at any night henceforth, they must shoot first and ask questions later. He went inside and brought out more bows and arrows, spears and javelins for the guards. He felt secured after this. In the evening when he went to bed, his favourite wife came to his room and told OÙloô;fin that she would like to have a word with him. OÙloô;fin let her in. As soon as she sat down, she said, “Ka;bi;es¾ i;, is it wise for fraudsters to come inside this palace to dupe you? Can‟t you see that these people no longer fear or respect your Royal Majesty? Why do you allow tricksters to be close to this palace in the first place?” OÙloô;fin looked at his favourite wife, but he could not understand what exactly she meant. “What are you trying to tell me, dear? Let me know who has come to dupe me in this palace.” “Your so-called Babaláwo have come to dupe you! They were the ones who have come to cheat you! They are liars and cheats! Those bunch of incompetent fools! They must be dealt with ruthlessly!” 310 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 “What exactly did they do? I must know before I take any action.” “You want to know? Surely, you shall know. Did those thieves who call themselves Babaláwo not tell you that they were going to bury the goat and your coverlet by the E®sôu¾ shrine? I was watching the bastards when they were offering the ẹbọ for you. They didn‟t know that I was watching them. What did I see? They cut the rope on the neck of the goat, the skin of the ear of the goat, bits of cloth from the four edges of your coverlet and buried all these things together with the ẹbọ. They took away the goat and your coverlet right in my presence! I swear! Those Babaláwo are thieves! “Is that so?” OÙloô;fin asked incredulously. "Ok, don‟t worry my dear, I shall take appropriate action. Those Awo will be taught a lesson that will serve as a deterrent to others. Go and have your well-deserved sleep”. As soon as his favourite wife left, OÙloô;fin began to roll over what he had just heard in his mind. “So, these Awo are thieves. So they were the ones who put imprecations on me to have such terrible and terrifying dreams in order for them to come and dupe me of my she goat and coverlet. Anyway, they will suffer. I swear by the spirit of my forefathers. They will suffer!” OÙloô;fin declared repeatedly. As he was doing this, he was also planning the type of punishment for them. After much deliberation, he concluded that the most appropriate punishment for the two Babaláwo was for them to be burnt alive. When he settled this in his mind, he settled down to sleep. Even though he had settled the punishment of the two Babaláwo in his mind when he settled down to sleep, his mind could not settle. Why? Something kept nagging him that he had not investigated the allegation to be sure that what his favourite wife was telling him was the truth. How could his wife lie to him? He queried in his mind, yet the nagging did not stop. That was when he stood up in the middle of the night to go and investigate. Truly, if he investigated, his assurance would be double and all doubts would be removed completely. As he moved to go, he toyed with the idea of going with a lamp. What for? Something told him. There was no need to take a lamp. There was no point in disturbing other people in the palace. As he was going, he smiled to himself: he was a very good investigator who his subjects 311 OGBE® I®ROSU®N ought to praise and respect. If not for his royal calling, he would have been a full-time spy or investigator, he mused. When he got to the E®sôu¾ shrine, he saw freshly dug and covered sand beside the shrine. He knew that it must be the site where the thieves who called themselves Babaláwo had buried his ẹbọ. He used his hand to dig the soil. As he did so, his hand touched the rope that was used to tie the she goat. He pulled the rope; and behold, the full goat was pulled out, together with his coverlet! The goat began to bleat loudly! As the goat began to bleat, this attracted OÙloô;fin‟s four hunters/guards. They wasted no time in unleashing their poisoned weapons in the direction of the sound. After all, they had the standing order of OÙloô;fin himself to shoot first and ask questions later. The arrow struck OÙloô;fin in the throat and came out the other side of his neck; the spear struck him in the chest and pierced through his heart and came out at his back; the javelin struck him in the stomach, tore open his liver and came out from his back; and the boomerangs sliced his bowels open. Blood flowed everywhere. In the split second before his death, he remembered his two dreams and recollected that he was the one who had given the guards the weapons with which he was struck dead. He died by the E®sôu¾ shrine. A:a;yan ile; ni;i; fe;ô’raa woôn l’e;ti;-l’e;ti; O®Ùoô¾ku¾n gi¾di¾gba¾ ni;i; ri¾n t’araare¾ô-t’araareô¾ Di;a; fu;n OÙloô;fin ade;ôja¾¾a; Wo;ôn ni; ko; f’asôoô ru;’boô ni;tori; iku; O: gb'e;ôboô, o ru;’boô SÙu¾gboô;n ko¾¾ pa i¾ki¾lo¾ô moô; A®woôn O®ri;si;nsi;n-tasi;n oôdeô OÙlo;ôfin O®ri;si¾nsi¾n-tasi¾n oôdeô OÙloô;fin Atama;ta¾se; oôdeô OÙloô;fin O®ri;yii-ta¾ri;-o¾yi¾i¾yi oôdeô OÙloô;fin OÙlo;ôfin o¾ ba; te¾te¾ mo¾ô I®® ba; wa;a; f’owo; sôô’a¾ru;fi;n eôboô E®ro¾ I®po e¾ro¾ O®Ùfa¾ EÙni gb’eô;boô ni;’be¾ô ko; wa;a; sô’eôboô o 312 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: Cockroaches are insects which blow air into each other ears The millipede is the animal that walks alone on the road This was Ifá‟s message for doubting OÙloô;fin Who was advised to offer his coverlet as ẹbọ in order to avert untimely death He offered the eôboô But he refused to respect the warning O®ri;nsi;nsi;n-tasi;n, OÙloô;fin‟s guard O®ri;si¾nsi¾n-tasi¾n, another guard of OÙloô;fin The expert whose shot never misses its target, OÙloô;fin‟s guard O®ri;yi ta¾ri; o¾yi¾i¾yi, OÙloô;fin‟s guard Had OÙloô;fin known the implication He would have offered the prescribed eôboô Travellers to I®po and O®Ùfa¾ Let those warned to offer eôboô do so Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed will not be allowed to die a violent death. He/she however MUST heed the warnings of Ifá. He/she must NEVER doubt his/her Awo. A®boôru; A®boôye¾ 313 OGBE® I®ROSU®N B. SIGNIFICANCE OF OGBE® DO®SU®MU: FOR THOSE BORN BY THIS ODU® DURING I®KOÙSEÙ®DA:YE: OR I®TE®ÙNI:FA: Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; children, males and females, have the potential to succeed in life. They are also blessed with the ability to live a fulfilled life and achieve self realization in their various fields of endeavour. They tend to succeed more in rural areas than in urban centres. This is not to suggest that they cannot succeed in urban centres as well; but the point is that their success chances are brighter in rural settings than in urban settings. This is the reason why it is very good for Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; children, males and females, to set up their work places in the rural areas. They may live in urban centres but they should work in rural areas. They may also live and work in rural areas in order to double their success chances. Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; children, males and females, will do much better if they and all their siblings are initiated together or one after the other. Doing so will make their luck and success potentials rise together and they will all be able to realise their hearts' desires together. For Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; children, their ability to survive serious ailments is incredible. No matter how serious ailments may be, they have the tendency of overcoming such ailments and bouncing back to normalcy and sound health. The moment that Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; children undergo Ifá initiation, that is when miracles begin to enter into their lives. The importance of this is that Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; children, males and females, live their lives with the blessing of sound health and vitality. At the initial stage, Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; children, males and females, may experience some hardship in their lives. All what they need to do is to persevere. With perseverance and resilience, all their sufferings, struggles, toiling and hardships in their lives will disappear. They will in turn be blessed with peace of mind, comfort, contentment, and accomplishment. It is not a wise thing for anyone to antagonise Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; children unjustly. Anyone who attempts this will be crushed because the children of Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; have the support of Ifá, Orí, E®sôu-¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾¾, and O®ri¾sôa¾ Oko. These four Iru;nmoôleô¾ are solidly behind them and they 314 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 always assist them in crushing all their antagonists. As an adjunct to this, Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; children always make impossible things possible. They have the blessing of Ifá, E®sôu-¾ O®Ùda¾ra, SÙan ¾ go; and OÙya and they will never allow this person to be disgraced or humiliated in any venture that they set their minds on. Their secrets can never be exposed to those who are not supposed to know them. When offering the ẹbọ of Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu;, on no condition must there be slaughtering of any animal. Also the Ikin of Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; children must never be fed with blood of any kind. This is very important to note in order to avoid a situation where blood spilling will lead to more complications instead of solving any problem. Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; male and female children are generally very inquisitive, they love to see and know what are behind closed doors. They are never satisfied with accepting that there is something or anything that they are not supposed to see or touch. They want to know everything and see everything. Many times, when Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; children are in deep trouble, their curiosity and inquisitiveness are responsible for the trouble. For all Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; female children it is advisable for them to marry people who are either Ifá practitioners or those who are initiated into Ifá. It is a taboo for all Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; female children to be involved in adultery or promiscuity. Doing so may make their Orí turn against them and refuse to support them in any of their undertakings in life. For Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; male children, they must never be dishonest or cheat in their businesses and in their love lives. They must also investigate extensively before they get involved in any business transaction or any love relationship. Doing this will help them avoid suffering, gnashing of teeth and regrets. Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; children, males and females, love their children deeply, both biological and adopted, with passion. This is the reason why Olo;du¾mare¾ makes it possible for them to enjoy the benefits of children and young ones. The children that they give birth to and raise have the potential to be useful to themselves, to their parents, to their contemporaries, to their communities and to their countries at large. 315 OGBE® I®ROSU®N On the overall, Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾mu; children live their lives in such a way that they leave their marks on the sand of time that it becomes very difficult to forget them in a haste. A®boôru; A®boôye¾. C. AFFILIATED IRU:NMOÙLEÙ/® O®RI®SÙA® OF OGBE® DO®SU®MU: 1. Ifá - For success, victory, direction, leadership, elevation, sanctuary, protection, security, support, contentment, fulfilment, and self actualisation 2. Orí - For fulfilment of destiny, guidance, protection, leadership, support, sanctuary, elevation, protection, contentment and self realisation 3. E®su ô ¾-O®Ùda¾ra¾ - For support, sanctuary, protection, victory, leadership, elevation, achievement, direction, protection, and overall wellbeing. 4. O®gu;n (especially that of the Blacksmiths) - For success, victory, inspiration, guidance, direction, support, leadership, and overall wellbeing 5. O®ri¾sa ô -¾ Oko- For financial success, victory, support, leadership, elevation, and general wellbeing 6. SÙan ¾ go;- For victory, support, achievement, leadership, protection, sanctuary, and general wellbeing 7. O®su¾- For sanctuary, support, sound health, success, and general wellbeing 8. EÙgbeô;- For success, leadership, victory, comradeship, direction, and general wellbeing 9. O®Ùsu ô n- For childbearing, childrearing, success, victory, compatible spouse selection, direction, guidance and general success 10. O®ri¾sa ô ¾ O®ke¾- For leadership, victory over enemies, sanctuary, protection and general wellbeing 11. Odu¾¾- For financial success, leadership, general acceptance, elevation, protection, and general wellbeing 12. Aje; - For financial success, elevation, contentment, leadership, self realization and general wellbeing 316 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 D. TABOOS OF OGBE DO®SU®MU: 1. Must never eat Okra - To avoid a threat to the lives of his/her children, unconsummated fortune and failure 2. Must not go out at night - To avoid a threat to one‟s life, unconsummated fortune, failure, regrets and disaster 3. Must never put blood on his/her Ikin - To avoid unconsummated fortune, threat to life, failure, regrets and disaster 4. Must never be avaricious - To avoid unconsummated fortune, failure, humiliation, and regrets 5. Must never engage in secret love affairs/promiscuity - To avoid unconsummated fortune, dwindling resources, failure, regrets and disappointment 6. Must never ignore his/her dreams - To avoid regrets, and disappointments 7. Must never plan to disgrace or humiliate anyone - To avoid unconsummated fortune, failure, disappointment, regrets and disaster 8. Must never be in a hurry to achieve success - To avoid failed opportunities, disappointments and regrets 9. Must not walk bare footed, especially on farms - To avoid serious injury that may lead to a threat to one‟s life 10. Must never abandon his wife when she is ill - To avoid losing her to the healer who treats her. 317 OGBE® I®ROSU®N E. POSSIBLE NAMES OF OGBE® DO®SU®MU: i. MALE 1. Do¾su¾mu; - I hold onto the O®su¾ staff for support 2. Ifa;so ô ôla; - Ifa; brings me honour 3. Ifa;gbe;miga - Ifa; elevates me 4. Ifa;sa ô yoô¾ - Ifa; brings joy 5. Ifa;se ô ô;gun - Ifa; gives me victory 6. Ifa;ra¾nmi;lo;ôwoô; - Ifa; comes to my aid 7. O®ke¾se ô ô;gun - O®ke¾ brings me victory ii. FEMALE 1. Ala;la¾at; a¾ - She who turns her dreams into money making ventures 2. Ifa;da;ra¾ - Ifa; performs wonders in my life 3. Ifa;sa ô yoô¾ - Ifa; brings me joy 4. O®ke¾gba¾mi;la¾ - O®ke¾ comes to my rescue 5. Odu¾so ô ôla; - Odu¾ brings me honour and prosperity 6. Ayo¾m ô i;de; - My joy has arrived A®boôru; A®boôye¾. 318 Chapter 5 Ogbè Ọ̀wọ́nrín II I II I II II 319 OGBE® OÙ®WOÙ:NRI:N OGBE® WU:N’LE: OGBE® HU:N’LE: A.1. Ifá says that, for a person born by this Odù during I®te¾ôni;fa; or I®koôseô¾da;ye;, at least six different kinds of Ire are coming for him/her within four days. If this person does not have these Ire in his/her hands, the foundation of all the Ire will be laid within the four days. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with six pigeons and money. There is also the need to feed Ifá with whatever Ifá prescribes for this person. On this, Ifá says: Ogbe¾ hu;n’le; Ile; la¾a; hu;n Di;a; fu;n O®ôru;nmi¾la¾ Baba yo;o; ri; ire me;ôfa¾ ni;’re¾ni; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbè, please mind your home It is one’s home that one should mind was the declaration of Ifá to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When going to be the recipient of six Ire in four days He was advised to offer ẹbọ The dream convinced him that some things of great significance were about to take place in his life. But what were they? OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ could not readily put his fingers to it. Much as he tried to understand the dream, he realized that there were too many possible explanations to the dream. To be very sure of what the dream was all about, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ summoned his Awo who incidentally was one of his former students to come and consult Ifá for him. During Ifá consultation, Ogbe¾ OÙ®woôô;nri;n was revealed. 320 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The Awo told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that he was approaching six different Ire of life which would change his life forever. Not only that, these Ire would also make all those who came in contact with him to view him with more honour and respect. The Awo advised OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to offer ẹbọ with six pigeons and money. He was also advised to feed his Ifá as appropriate. The Awo explained further that Olo;du¾mare¾ had placed him under close observation and the report which Olo;du¾mare¾ got on OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ had been very satisfactory. For this reason, Olo;du¾mare¾ had decided to reward him with the six Ire as stipulated above. All the Ire would however arrive and be in the reach of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ within four days. The Awo congratulated OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ in advance. On that very day, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ complied by offering the ẹbọ. He even found out what exactly Ifá wanted for him to use as the feeding material. After verification, he feed Ifá accordingly. When all these had been done, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was full of hope that his life would change for the better. The first thing that he noticed very early on the next day was that there was an unusually large number of people who were at his house entrance waiting for him to wake up in order to consult Ifá for them. He quickly took care of his personal hygiene, prayed together with all the members of his household and set to work. Before evening he had realized in one day what he could not make in six months! Even at night time, people kept trooping into his house! All of them told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that they were asked to come to his house by one short man. They stated that the man told them that the only person who had the capability to turn their lives from bad to good was OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. Who then was this short man? How could OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ know that the short man who kept referring everybody to his house was E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾? How could he know that immediately after OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ offered the ẹbọ, Olo;du¾mare¾ had summoned E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ to carry the ẹbọ to I®wa¾run where all ẹbọ are deposited in the spirit world. From there, Olo;du¾mare¾ ordered the ẹbọ to be transferred to Ibu¾da¾ where all ẹbọ are accepted in the spirit world. E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ was also ordered to point his A®sôeô to the ẹbọ for all the Ire of life which OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was craving for to manifest. All these happened in quick succession. 321 OGBE® HU:N’LE: After these had been done, Olo;du¾mare¾ mandated E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ to ensure that all the six Ire that Ifá promised OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ got to him within four days as specified. What OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was experiencing in his home was the manifestation of financial success in his life. It was a big surprise to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that he was making so much money that had transformed him into an instant success. This was no surprise to E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ and Olo;du¾mare¾. They knew that OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was reaping the profit of what he had sowed. People kept coming to his house. Those whose crops had failed, they could not understand why their own crops could fail in spite of the fact that they were blessed with fertile soil. Why should their own crops fail when all their colleagues who had their farms adjacent to theirs recorded bountiful harvest? How could anyone explain to them that their farms were destroyed by pests when the farms of all their neighbours were left unaffected? Why should pests single out their own farms for destruction? Why? Why? Why? People kept coming to his house. Those whose health had failed, they could not understand why they should be suffering from malaria when all their colleagues who were living in the same environment with them were enjoying sound health? Some of them were vomiting and defecating at the same time. The disease was called Oni;gba;-Me;ji¾ the ailment which makes victims use two containers (one for defecating and the other for vomiting)'. Why should this happen to them? They were told that the water they drank had venoms of OÙbalu;aye; which caused them to stool and vomit at the same time. Nonsense! Were they the only people who drank the water? Why must they be the ones afflicted by this disease? Why must OÙbalu;aye; single them out for punishment? Even if OÙbalu;aye; wanted to punish them, why this particular type of disease and not other water-borne diseases? There must be an explanation for what was happening to them. People kept coming to his house. Those whose brother, father, son or relative fell from a tall palm-tree and broke their backs, or lost their lives in the process; those whose family members or relatives were struck to death by poisonous snakes; those whose family members or relatives were killed by wild 322 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 animals; those whose relatives or family members were victims in a canoe mishap; those whose family members or relatives were victims of fire outbreak; those whose family members or relatives lost their ways in the wilderness and were not found. The list was endless. They all came to find out from OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ two things? One, why is this happening to their own relatives and not someone else's? Two, what could they do to either find a solution to the problem or put an end to such problems? People kept coming to his house. Those whose lives had begun to look brighter; those whose economic outlook had begun to improve; those who have course to celebrate one thing or the other in their lives; those who had just met the partners of their dreams; those looking for the blessings of the fruits of the womb; those going on a journey; those who were about to start a business undertaking; those whose spouses were pregnant and were praying for safe delivery; those whose spouses had just delivered and were looking for the best for their bundle of joy; those who just wanted routine Ifá consultation in order to have something to guide their lives so as not to make any mistakes. They came to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ in order to receive appropriate Ifá guidance. All of these people who came to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s house returned to their homes, satisfied that if anyone could assist them, it was OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ ensured that all what OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ told them met their satisfaction. They were also prepared to offer all the ẹbọ which OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ recommended for them. The second Ire that OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ received was for him to be able to give satisfactory answers to all the questions and inquiries of all his clients. It was this ability that kept convincing the clients to offer the ẹbọ. It also gave them the hope that once the ẹbọ was offered the solutions to their problems would come. It also convinced them that improvement and stability would come to their lives. This ability is called A®soôgba¾ – The ability to give a acceptable explanations to questions. The third Ire that OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ received within four days was known as A®sôegba¾. This was the ability to embark on what will meet the acceptance of the Divinities and Olo;du¾mare¾. All the ẹbọ, i¾boô and a¾ko;sôe that OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ performed for all these clients were accepted by 323 OGBE® HU:N’LE: the Divinities and they all had positive impacts on the lives of his clients. This alone convinced them beyond all doubts that the most sensible thing for them to do was to stick to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ and invite all members of their household to make OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ their personal doctor. This made OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s popularity skyrocket beyond his wildest imagination. The fourth Ire which OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was blessed with was that the whole community began to see him with genuine love, honour and respect. They saw him as indispensable to the community. They felt that they needed to consult him before any major decision was taken in the community. The fifth Ire that came to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was that he found himself more and more relevant in the community. He was regarded as an intelligent and understanding elder in the community whose opinion on any issue counted very much. He became the crises resolution elder, a progressive member of the society and the right hand man of the Ϙba of the community. The sixth Ire that OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ received was contentment. He was satisfied with the blessings of Olo;du¾mare¾ in his life. He was reasonable and realistic enough to understand that Olo;du¾mare¾ showered His blessings on whosoever He pleased and that the decision of Olo;du¾mare¾ could not be questioned or challenged. He was always grateful to Olo;du¾mare¾ over what Olo;du¾mare¾ gave him. He did not envy the blessings of others. Instead of that, he was always prepared to rejoice with those that Olo;du¾mare¾ had chosen to shower blessings upon. Ogbe¾ hu;n’le; Ile; la¾a; hu;n Di;a; fu;n O®ôru;nmi¾la¾ Baba yo;o; ri; ire me;ôfa¾ ni;’re¾ni; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô OÙ®runmi¾la¾ EÙri¾gi¾ I®ya¾nda¾ Ifa; ma; je¾ôeô; ki; ire me;ôfa¾ o; se;; mi o Translation: 324 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ogbè, please mind your home It is one’s home that one should mind This was the declaration of Ifá to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When going to be the recipient of six Ire in four days He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ also known as EÙri¾gi¾ I®ya¾nda¾ Ifá please do not let my six Ire of life skip me by Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed must not miss the six Ire that is coming his/her way within four days. These six Ire will also not be allowed to skip him/her by. This is the message of Ifá for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. He/she needs to prepare his/her mind for the acceptance of these six Ire. 2. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of prosperity for the person for whom this Odù is revealed together with another person who is living far away from the place of abode of this person. Ifá says that both of them shall succeed together in their different localities. Ifá advises each of these people to offer ẹbọ with four white pigeons and money. On this aspect, Ogbe¾-Hu;nl'e; says: Hun’le; Hu;n’de Di;a; fu;n Akeôsôeô A bu¾ fu;n O®go¾do¾ EÙboô aje; ni woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn sôe Translation: Mind your home Mind what’s outside This was Ifá’s message for Akeôôsôeô (the silk cotton) And for O®go¾do¾ (the cotton wool) They were both advised to offer ẹbọ for prosperity 325 OGBE® HU:N’LE: Akeôôsôeô, the Silk Cotton and O®go¾do¾, the Cotton wool were bosom friends. They had been friends from youth. They loved each other and they loved to do things together. Many people would often mistake one for the other. One day, the two friends decided to pursue their professional careers and were determined to reach the zenith of their chosen professions. Both of them went for Ifá consultation. The Awo told Akeôôsôeô that he would succeed in the home while O®go¾do¾ would succeed in the farm. Both of them agreed and Akeôôsôeô stayed at home while O®go¾do¾ moved to the farm. They maintained close contact with each other though. About six months after this, Akeôôsôeô went for another round of Ifá consultation; this time to determine his success chance in life. During Ifá consultation, Ogbe¾ Hunle; was revealed. The Awo assured Akeôôsôeô that he would be very successful. Not only this, he would also become a very prominent person in life. He was informed that he had another friend who was not living in the same locality with him who would also succeed like him. The Awo told Akeôôsôeô that both he and O®go¾¾do¾ would have achievement and they would be prominent in their communities. They would also have course to showcase their achievement in life. The Awo advised each of them to offer ẹbọ with four pigeons and money. That very day, Akeôôsôeô sent a message to O®go¾¾do¾ to inform him of what the Awo had said. Both friends procured the ẹbọ materials and returned to the Awo in order to offer the ẹbọ for them. It did not take long before they were convinced that their ẹbọ had been accepted. Both of them blossomed in majestic splendour. Everyone began to seek them. Their products became precious and invaluable to those who were lucky to acquire them. The products were being converted to dresses and garments. Both Akeôôsôeô and O®go¾¾do¾ were being treated with honour and respect. Their lives changed for the better and they moved up in the social-economic cadre of their society. When asked how they became so successful in a short time, they responded that it was simply because they were children of Ogbe¾Hunle;! It is therefore not a surprise to see children of Ogbe¾-Hunle; succeeding beyond their wildest dreams. 326 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Hun’le; Hu;n’de Di;a; fu;n Akeôsôeô A bu¾ fu;n O®go¾do¾ EÙboô aje; ni woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn sôe Woô;n gb’eô;boô, woôn ru;’boô Akeôsôeô la¾ nile¾ô O®go¾do la¾ lo;ko Gbogbo wa la o; je;ô’woô; oômoô Ogbe¾-Hu;nle; Translation: Mind your home Mind what’s outside This was Ifá’s message for Akeôsôeô (the silk cotton) And for O®go¾do¾ (the cotton wool) They were both advised to offer ẹbọ for prosperity They both complied Akeôsôeô succeeded at home And O®go¾do¾ succeeded on the farm We shall all display the success potentials of Ogbè-Hu;nle; children Ifá says that those who have come for Ifá consultation where this Odù is revealed shall succeed in their various localities. Their success will turn them to prominent and highly respected personalities in their localities. They need to follow the advice of Ifá, be hopeful and hardworking. Success is very close to them. 3. Ifá says that there is the need for this person to go and receive prayers from his/her mother. The prayers from his/her mother will change his/her life from bad to good and from good to better. The solemn prayers from this person’s mother are more potent and more efficacious than any strong charm or ẹbọ material in the world. If this person’s mother is dead he/she needs to visit the burial site of his/her mother and pray solemnly for all what he/she wants in life. If the burial site of the mother is not accessible due to one reason or the 327 OGBE® HU:N’LE: other, the person needs to summon the spirit of his/her mother either through Ifá or Ile¾,ô the mother Earth. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with four guinea-fowls and money. After this, he/she needs to ask for the solemn prayers of his/her mother. On these aspects, Ifá says: EÙtu ko; k'a;ra ki;ri; l’aje; O®o¾ri¾ ko; k’a;ra ki;;ri; l’agbe¾ A®ri¾jo¾ ti; yo;o; ba; jo; Ko; m’e;ôse¾ô eô re¾ô ko; le kokooko Di;a; fu;n O®o¾re¾ô Se¾ôgi¾ Ti;i; sô'oômoô EÙleô;ku¾re;ô EÙbo a¾sôeyoôri; ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a sôe Translation: Let the antelope prepare himself for financial success Let the O®o¾ri¾ bird get ready to play the Agbè (the calabash drum) music Those who will dance to the music Let them have strong legs for manoeuvring These were Ifá’s declarations to O®o¾reôô¾ Se¾¾ôgi (the porcupine) The offspring of EÙleô;ku¾re;ô He was advised to offer the ẹbọ of accomplishment O®o¾re¾-Se¾ôgi¾, the Porcupine, the offspring of EÙleô;ku¾re; was a very hardworking person. He was very ambitious. His eyes were always on the zenith of the socio-economic ladder. He dreamt of being there all the time. For this reason, he worked hard, he sweated, and he toiled and stressed himself to the limit. Yet, he had very little to show for all his efforts. He changed his line of work many times. He started as a farmer. No success. He changed to being a sculptor. No success. He changed to being a trader, yet there was no success! That was why he decided to go for Ifá consultation in order to determine what exactly 328 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 was wrong with him that made him fail in all his chosen careers. He also wanted to know what he must do to convert his failure to success. During Ifá consultation Ogbe¾-Hun'le; was revealed. The Awo told O®o¾re¾ô-Seô¾gi¾ that he had come into this world to succeed in life. He was told that he had no business with failure in any way whatsoever. The Awo told him that he had been experiencing failure in his life simply because he needed to receive the solemn prayer of his mother and he had not done so yet. He was told that changing his profession was not the solution to this problem. He only needed to offer ẹbọ and go to his mother for comprehensive prayer that only a mother can give her child. The Awo advised O®o¾re¾ô-Seô¾gi¾ to offer ẹbọ with four guinea-fowls and money. After this, he needed to go to his mother for prayer. The Awo told O®o¾re¾ô-Seô¾gi¾ that his mother needed to raise her voice aloud to screaming level when giving him the prayer in order for all the Divinities in heaven to hear her voice. This was because whenever the guinea-fowl summons her children, it is always with a loud voice. The next day, O®o¾re¾ô-Seô¾gi¾ procured all the ẹbọ materials and the ẹbọ was offered. As soon as this was completed, he headed for the home of his mother. He pleaded with her to give her a solemn prayer as prescribed by his Awo. The mother raised her voice as loud as she could and gave her son a prayer from the very bottom of her heart. A few days after this, those who had hitherto failed to notice O®o¾re¾ôSeô¾gi¾ as a trader who dealt in clothes sales began to notice and patronize him. Within a short time, O®o¾re¾ô-Seô¾gi¾ was able to support himself and fend for his family financially. Soon after this, he was able to save enough money to start thinking of erecting his own personal property. Life became comfortable for O®o¾re¾ô-Seô¾gi¾, the offspring of Eleôku¾re;. He had course to be grateful to Olodumare and his mother. He saw no reason why he should not celebrate his success. EÙtu ko; k'a;ra ki;ri; l’aje; O®o¾ri¾ ko; k’a;ra ki;;ri; l’agbe; A®ri¾jo¾ ti; yo;o; ba; jo; Ko; m’e;ôse¾ô eô re¾ ko; le kokooko 329 OGBE® HU:N’LE: Di;a; fu;n O®o¾re¾ Se¾ôgi¾ Ti;i; sô'oômoô EÙleô;ku¾re;ô EÙboô a¾sôeyoôri; ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a sôe O: gb’eôboô, o; ru;’boô N®je;ô I®ya; a; mi ni yo;o; gbe¾ mi; o Igbe Kankan L’eôtu¾ n; ke; p’oômo reô¾ Igbe kanka¾n Translation: Let the antelope prepare himself for financial success Let the O®o¾ri¾ bird get ready to play the Agbè (the calabash drum) music Those who will dance to the music Let them have strong legs for manoeuvring These were Ifá’s declarations to O®o¾reôô¾ Se¾¾ôgi (the porcupine) The offspring of EÙleô;ku¾re;ô He was advised to offer the ẹbọ of accomplishment He complied My mother is the one to give me support With a very loud voice The guinea-fowl summons her children With a very loud voice Ifá says that this person shall succeed through the support of his/her mother. Ifá says that this person needs the spiritual support and prayer of his/her mother more than any other thing in life. If these steps can be taken, success is assured. 4. Ifá says that it foresees all the Ire of life for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Ifá says that this person shall accomplish all his/her hearts desires in life. Ifá assures this person that Ifá will personally direct all the Ire of life that he/she is craving for to his/her direction. This is because all the things that have been making him sad and dejected are also making Ifá sad and dejected. For this reason, Ifá will ensure that this person is happy and contented so as to make Ifá 330 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 happy and contented. Ifá says that it cannot afford seeing this person in a sad and uncomfortable mood. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with four pigeons, four hens, four guinea-fowls, four roosters, six bananas, and money. He/she also needs to feed Ifá with one pigeon, one guinea-fowl, one hen and plenty of bananas. On all these, Ifá says: Ala;ba¾n¾toto¾-o mi eô¾lu¾ju¾ Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Ifa; n; sunkun Aka;po¾ o re¾ô kiri Eôboô ni; woôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o Translation: My unripe banana tree of the wilderness This was Ifá’s declaration to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When weeping in lamentation for his Aka;po¾’s pitiful condition He was advised to offer ẹbọ The Aka;po¾ was well trained. He was versatile in his chosen career. He served OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ with undivided loyalty for a very long period. He was truthful, honest, pious, hopeful, dedicated, steadfast, humble and unassuming. In spite of all these noble qualities, the Aka;po¾ had very little to show in terms of achievement. The Aka;po¾ had no money. He could not afford to eat two times in a day. He had been due for a wife for over ten years, yet he remained a chronic bachelor because he had no money to have a wife. How could he even think of having his own children when he had no wife of his own? A person who has no money, no wife, and no child cannot dream of erecting a personal property of his own, and if he dreams of it, such will remain a mere dream that can never become a reality. The Aka;po¾ knew within himself that he had abided by all Ifá’s injunctions; and yet he remained unknown and unsuccessful. He also knew without being told that he was a failure in all aspects of life. He had no money, no spouse, no children, and no personal property. It 331 OGBE® HU:N’LE: got to a stage that his health began to deteriorate as a result of constant sorrow. Sadness and weeping became his regular companions. It was for this reason that OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ took it upon himself to consult Ifá on behalf of his Aka;po¾. How could an Aka;po¾ score so many high points in terms of moral and ethics and yet score so low in the areas of achievement? OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was convinced that people would soon begin to make jest of his Aka;po¾ as a result of his failure and by extension make jest of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ too. The failure of the Aka;po¾ became very worrisome to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. The sadness of the Aka;po¾ became OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s constant source of worry. That was why OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ decided to go for Ifá consultation on behalf of his Aka;po¾ in order to find a lasting solution to the problem that the Aka;po¾ was facing. During Ifá consultation Ogbe¾-hu;n'le; was revealed. The Awo told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that the pains of his Aka;po¾ were also his pains. The failures of the Aka;po¾ were also his failures because people assess others through their products. The Aka;po¾ was OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s product and if he remained unsuccessful, then by extension OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was also unsuccessful. He however assured OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that the situation of the Aka;po¾ would improve and that he would soon have course to smile and celebrate his success and achievements. The Awo advised OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to offer ẹbọ with four pigeons, four hens, four guinea-fowls, four roosters, six bananas and money on behalf of his Aka;po¾. He was also advised to feed Ifá as stated above. On that very day, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ complied with the advice of the Awo. He invited the Aka;po¾ and his (Aka;po¾’s) Ifá was propitiated as advised by the Awo. Four days after the ẹbọ was offered the wife of the Basôoôrun of the land was very ill, all medications proved ineffective. That was the reason why they came to the house of the Aka;po¾ for Ifá consultation: Will there be relief for his wife? Will she regain her health and vitality? These and many more were the questions which the Basôoôrun asked Ifá. The Aka;po¾ told Basôoôrun that his wife would regain her health and vitality in no time. He prescribed ẹbọ for Basôoôrun and all the ẹbọ 332 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 materials were procured immediately for the ẹbọ to be offered. The Aka;po¾ prepared all the necessary medication remedies for the wife of Basôoôrun and within five days, she was already attending to all her personal business. There and then, the Basôoôrun turned the Aka;po¾ into his household Babaláwo. He showered the Aka;po¾ with money and other gifts. He also introduced his friends to the Aka;po¾. Before long, the Aka;po¾’s name became a household name in the community. The elders in the community who had benefitted from the efficacy of the Aka;po¾’s work gathered their heads together one day and decided that the Aka;po¾ must not be allowed to remain a bachelor. They reasoned that he alone could not continue to attend to the needs of all his clients, which had grown tremendously and at the same time attended to his own personal needs all by himself. The Aka;po¾ needed an assistant and the best assistant for him was a wife. They arranged for this and got the Aka;po¾ a very nice woman. Both the Aka;po¾ and the woman were compatible and grew to be very fond of each other. The marriage was considered to be the marriage of the whole community. All the nobilities including OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ attended the ceremony. It was the talk of the whole community for a long time. Less than one year after the marriage, the whole community gathered once again to celebrate the naming of the couple’s bouncing baby. Many more children came after this. The community gave the Aka;po¾ a parcel of land to erect his personal property. He did. Many people assisted him to do this. He became a highly respected member of the community. He was very happy. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ his mentor also became very happy. Ala;ba¾n¾toto¾-o mi eô¾lu¾ju¾ Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Ifa; n; sunkun Aka;po¾ o re¾ô kiri Eôboô ni; woôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o O gb’ebo, o ru’bo Ire Aje; ti; mi¾ o¾ ni; Ni’fa; n; sunku;n-u¾n mi to¾ o; si; OÙÙ®ge¾ôde¾ô oôm ¾ i¾ni¾ ma¾ de; o¾ Abomi¾ oju; su¾u¾ru¾su¾ Ire aya ti; mi; o¾ ni; 333 OGBE® HU:N’LE: Ni;’fa; n; sunku;n-u¾n mi to¾ o; si; O®ôge¾ôde¾ oô¾mi¾ni¾ ma¾ de; o¾ Abomi¾ oju; su¾u¾ru¾su¾ Ire oômoô ti; mi; o¾ ni; Ni;’fa; n; sunku;n-u¾n mi to¾ o; si; O®Ùge¾ôdeô¾ o¾ômi¾ni¾ ma¾ de; o¾ Abomi¾ oju; su¾u¾ru¾su¾ Ire i¾le;ô gbogbo ti; mi; o¾ ni; Ni’fa; n; sunku;n-u¾n mi to¾ o; si; O®®Ùgeô¾de¾ô oôm ¾ i¾ni¾ ma¾ de;; o¾ Abomi¾ oju; su¾u¾ru¾su¾ Ire gbogbo ti; mi; o¾ ni; Ni’fa; n; sunkun-u¾n mi to¾ o; si;; O®Ùgeô¾de¾ô o¾ômi¾ni¾ ma¾ de; o¾ Abomi¾ oju; su¾u¾ru¾su¾ Translation: My unripe banana tree of the wilderness This was Ifá’s declaration to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When weeping in lamentation for his Aka;po¾’s pitiful condition He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied The blessing of financial success that I lacked Was the reason why Ifá was crying profusely over my predicament Here comes the banana The owner of profuse tears The blessing of spouse that I lacked Was the reason why Ifá was crying profusely over my predicament Here comes the banana The owner of profuse tears The blessing of children that I lacked Was the reason why Ifá was crying profusely over my predicament Here comes the banana The owner of profuse tears The blessing of property that I lacked 334 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Was the reason why Ifá was crying profusely over my predicament Here comes the banana The owner of profuse tears The blessing of all the Ire of life that I lacked Was the reason why Ifá was crying profusely over my predicament Here comes the banana The owner of profuse tears Ifá says that the tears in the eyes of the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall be wiped off and be replaced with smiles and contentment. Ifá assures this person that he/she shall soon have course to be happy and celebrate his/her success and achievements in life. 5. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of a compatible spouse for a woman for whom this Odù is revealed. Ifá says that her Orí has brought her to the person and place where her life will experience peace, comfort and contentment. She will be very happy in the relationship. The man will cater to all her needs and treat her very nicely. She only needs to be careful of not being misled by others. She must not allow people to talk her into leaving her matrimonial home for any reason whatsoever. Ifá advises this woman to offer ẹbọ with four rats, four fish, two hens and money. She also needs to feed her Orí with one hen. On this, Ifá says: Ori;san Awo ko;ko¾ Di;a; fu;n Ko;ko¾¾ Ti n; loô¾oô; s’obi¾nrin A®ku¾ro¾ô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; se Translation: Ori;san, the Awo of Ko;ko® (Cocoyam) He cast Ifa; for Ko;ko¾ 335 OGBE® HU:N’LE: When going to become the wife of A®ku¾ro¾ô (the Swamp) She was advised to offer eôboô Right from her adolescent age, her ambition in life was to become a successful married woman in order to enjoy matrimonial bliss. She watched all the wives in her area very closely in order to determine what a woman needed to do to make her man happy. She understood and perfected those little gestures which made men run crazy with love and adoration. Before long, she convinced herself that she was ready and fully prepared for the marriage market. She was sure that she would spoil her man with love. The first person she met who wanted her hand in marriage was A®pa;ta, the Rock. It did not take long before she realized that she could not find the much deserved contentment and comfort that she craved for in the relationship. Next came O®Ùda¾n, the Savannah. She also realized that the relationship was bound to fail. She continued to pray for a compatible man. When she met A®ku¾ro¾, the swamp, something told her that she had just met the right man in her life. In order to be very certain, she went to the home of Ori;san for Ifá consultation: Will the relationship be good if I marry A®ku¾ro¾? Will I live with peace, satisfaction and comfort? Will I be able to satisfy my man when I get married? Will my man appreciate what I do for him and will he love me in return? Will my man’s family members treat me with respect and honour? Will I be able to beget nice children with A®ku¾ro¾? All these formed part of the questions which she posed to Ifá during Ifá consultation. The Odù that was revealed was Ogbe¾-Hu;'nle. The Awo assured Ko;ko¾ that her Orí had just directed her to the right person who would turn her dreams into reality. The Awo told her that she would be loved, adored, honoured, respected and appreciated by all if she agreed to marry A®ku¾ro. She was also told that she would give birth to, and raise, all her babies in relative comfort. She was told that she would not experience any want or lack anything in her life 336 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The Awo advised Ko;ko¾ to offer ẹbọ with four rats, four fish, two hens and money. She was also advised to feed her Orí with one hen. She complied. Her marriage ceremony was simple but eventful. All the predictions of Ifá on her relationship with A®ku¾ro¾ came to pass. Her children were also blessed with all what it takes for children to be great in the future. She was so happy that her Orí made it possible for her to meet a man like A®ku¾ro¾ in her life. Ori;san Awo ko;ko¾ Di;a; fu;n Ko;ko¾¾ Ti n; loô¾oô; s’obi¾nrin A®ku¾ro¾ô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; se O: gb’eô;boô, o; ru;’bo N®je;ô Ori; san Ko;ko¾ O: ba; A®ku¾roô¾ pa¾de; E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ OÙ®fa¾ EÙ wa;a; ba;’ni ba;’yo¾ô EÙ wa;a; wo’re o Translation: Ori;san, the Awo of Ko;ko® (Cocoyam) He cast Ifa; for Ko;ko¾ When going to become the wife of A®ku¾ro¾ô (the Swamp) She was advised to offer eôboô She complied Orí favours Ko;ko¾ She met A®ku¾ro¾ô Travellers to I®po and O®Ùfa¾ Come and join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life Ifá says that the woman for whom this Odù is revealed shall live a very happy and comfortable life in her matrimonial home. She will be loved, adored, respected, honoured and pampered. Her children shall be well trained in the right direction. 337 OGBE® HU:N’LE: 6. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of victory, success and accomplishment for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Ifá says that this person and someone else are in competition but that he/she shall be victorious over his/her co-contestant. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with two pigeons, two guineafowls, two roosters and money. He/she also needs to feed his/her Orí with one pigeon and one guinea-fowl and feed OÙba¾ta;la; with 16 snails, shea butter and chalk. On this, Ifá says: Te¾mi¾-le;ke¾, Awo Oyi¾nbo; Te¾mi;-le;ke¾ Awo Ori¾sa¾ (OÙba¾ta;la) Di;a; fu;n Ori¾sa¾n;la; O®Ùsôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾ T'o;un Oyi¾nbo; jo¾ô n;le;re; oôna¾ oôô; po¾¾ô EÙboô ni¾ wo;n ni;; ko; sôe Translation: Te¾mi¾-le;kè (mine is triumphant), the Awo of Oyi¾nbo; Te¾mi¾-le;ke¾, the Awo of O¾ri¾sa¾ He cast Ifa; for Ori¾sa¾nla; O®sôeô®reô¾eô¾ma¾gbo¾ When he was in competition with Oyi¾nbo; over who was the better designer He was advised to offer eôboô It was an established fact that Oyi¾nbo; had a lot of designs to his credit. There was nothing to think of that Oyi¾nbo; had not designed. All the designs were working and were very relevant to human beings in order to bring comfort and to make their day-to-day activities very easy to perform. All these designs were imitations of the original designs of Ori¾sa¾nla; O®sôeô®reô¾eô¾ma¾gbo¾. The problem however was that Oyi¾nbo; had used a lot of Ori¾sa¾nla; O®sôeô®reô¾eô¾ma¾gbo¾ publicity to promote his own designs to the extent that many people believed that the designs of Oyi¾nbo; were the original ones while those of Ori¾sa¾nla; O®sôeô®reô¾eô¾ma¾gbo¾ were the imitations. This situation swelled up the head of Oyi¾nbo; to a point where he challenged Ori¾sa¾nla; O®sôeô®reô¾eô¾ma¾gbo¾ to a 338 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 contest in order to determine who was a better designer among the two of them. A date was fixed for the competition. OÙba¾ta;la; was not too keen on the contest but everyone around did not want to hear that OÙba¾ta;la; would not contest. If he did not contest, they considered that to mean the admission of his inferiority. When only nine days remained for the contest to occur, Oyi¾nbo; went to the home of Te¾mi;-le;kè for Ifá consultation in order to determine his success chances. He was advised to offer ẹbọ. He saw no reason why he should do that, especially when all evidence pointed to the fact that he would be triumphant in the contest. He simply left the home of the Awo and promised himself never to return until he had been declared the winner of the contest. OÙba¾ta;la; also went to the home of the same Awo for Ifá consultation. The Awo told him to offer ẹbọ in order to come out triumphant. He complied. He was also told to feed his Orí and his Oke-Ipori¾ as stated above. He also complied. On the day of the contest, it was evident that Oyi¾nbo; had prepared himself fully. He came out to talk. As soon as he stepped out, the whole arena went dead silent. His presence was intimidating. He talked with confidence and authority. He cleared his throat and declared; “the white dress worn by Ori¾sa¾nla; O®sôeô®reô¾eô¾ma¾gbo¾ was my design. If it wasn’t for me, what would he be wearing today?" The audience remained silent. “The sandals on his feet, the A®ja¾ in his hands, all the Seôseô-Efun beads round his neck and wrist were all my designs! If not for me, OÙba¾ta;la; would be here now completely naked!" Oyi¾nbo; allowed the information to sink in very well before he turned to the spectators. He declared; "If not for me, what would all of you be using? I designed everything that you are wearing or using in your homes. I even designed your various homes, your streets, your kitchens and even made sure that I designed what you use to improve the quantities and qualities of your farm products. If not for me, you all would be starving to death!” He cleared his throat again and continued, ”Where was OÙba¾ta;la; when I was designing all these things? Who is he to now come here and contest superiority over me? I expect him to bury his head in shame and go back to his home which I designed quietly.” 339 OGBE® HU:N’LE: Some of those present knew that not everything said by Oyi¾nbo; was true and correct. They knew that most of the things which he claimed to have designed had been in use even before the advent of Oyi¾nbo; man himself. He however sounded so sure and so convincing that most of the people present had began to accept his statements for a fact. The whole place still remained silent. Many were convinced that Ori®sa¾nl; a; Osôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾ would have nothing to say. Some were looking at him with pity. They felt that instead of saying anything that would bring him further humiliation, he ought to do as Oyi¾nbo; had said and return to his home quietly. To their surprise Ori®sa¾nl; a; Osôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾ came out to speak. He was even smiling. He started by thanking everybody present and wished them well in all their undertakings in life. He continued thus; "Even though you have heard all what Oyi¾nbo; has said and what he claims to have designed, I am not here to contest the validity of his statements. I am here to congratulate him for all his achievements. He paused a little. He then continued and said, “In spite of all these achievements, he cannot deny the fact that I, Ori®sa¾nl; a; Osôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾ am the one who designed him. If not for me, he would not be alive today to design all the things that he claims to have rightly and falsely designed.” He then simply bowed his head and went back to his seat. After this statement, the whole place busted into a tumultuous shout in praise and honour of OÙba¾ta;la;. Even Oyi¾nbo; rose from his seat and came to prostrate flat for Ori®sa¾nl; a; Osôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾. Without being told, it became clear to everyone present that Ori®sa¾n;la; Osôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾ was far superior than Oyi¾nbo;. Instead of Ori®sa¾nl; a; returning home in shame, it was Oyi¾nbo; who did so. Te¾mi¾-le;ke¾, Awo Oyi¾nbo; Te¾mi¾-le;ke¾ Awo Ori¾sa¾ Di;a; fu;n Ori¾sa¾n;la; Osôeô¾e¾ôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ T'o;un Oyi¾nbo; joô¾ n;le;ri; oôna¾ o;ô poô¾ Eôboô ni¾ wo;n ni; ko; sôe Ori¾sa¾n;la; Osôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾ ni¾kan ni; n;beô l'e;ôyi¾n ti¾ n;s'ô eôboô N®je; te¾mi ni¾ yo;o; sôeô;'te¾ô eô ti¾ woôn o Ori¾sa¾nla; Osôeô¾e¾ôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ ni¾ yo;o; sôe'ô;te¾ô eôô t’Oyi¾nbo; T'awo ni® yo;o; sôeô;’te¾ô eô ti ¾won o 340 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: Te¾mi¾-le;kè (mine is triumphant), the Awo of Oyi¾nbo; Te¾mi¾-le;ke¾, the Awo of O¾ri¾sa¾ He cast Ifa; for Ori¾sa¾nla; O®sôeô®reô¾eô¾ma¾gbo¾ When he was in competition with Oyi¾nbo; over who was the better designer He was advised to offer eôboô Only Ori¾sa¾nl; a; Osôeô¾re¾ôeô¾ma¾gbo¾ complied Now, mine will always overcome theirs The designs of Ori¾sa¾nl; a; Osôeô¾re¾ôeô¾ma¾gbo¾ will always overcome those of Oyi¾nbo; An Awo will always overcome theirs Ifá assures this person that he/she will always overcome those contesting with him/her. Ifá says that he/she will always have cause to celebrate his/her success over competitors and antagonists. As long as he/she hands over all his/her activities to Ifá, OÙba¾ta;la; and Olo;du¾mare¾, he/she will always be victorious. 7. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of longevity for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Ifá assures this person that he/she will not experience any form of premature death. He/she will live to his/her old age. He/she will also live a contented life. Ifá however says that this person has been experiencing life-threatening issues and has been having dreams that were not making him/her comfortable. Ifá says that it is not as a result of any negative design of enemies or evil people. It is coming from heaven. He/she shall however overcome the situation. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with one mature ram and lots of money. He/she will need to mount a ram several times and allow his/her weight to make the ram collapse. This will be done as many times as practicable. After this, the ram will be used as ẹbọ. The ram should not be slaughtered on that day. The next day Ifá will be asked whether or not to ram should be slaughtered or not. This person also needs to feed Ifá as specified. 341 OGBE® HU:N’LE: On this, Ifá says: Oro;gbo; Osôu¾gbo; A®ja¾na¾-on ma¾ gbo; ti¾e¾ô-ti¾e¾ô Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Woôô;n n; ra;n’ni¾i; p’e¾ôdu; l’o;;ôrun EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o Translation: Oro;gbo; And Osôu¾gbo; A®ja¾na¾ who will become old and feeble with age They cast Ifá for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When delegates were sent to bring him back to heaven He was advised to offer ẹbọ He woke up with a start. He was sweating in all parts of his body. He was even shivering a little. The dream was terrible. Why was he seeing himself being carried away and being dragged from inside the safety of his home outside to be loaded onto a heavenly horse back to O®ôrun in an unceremonious manner? True, he had never been afraid of returning to O®ôrun but the point was that he had not completed his assignment that he was given yet. He needed to complete this assignment before returning to O®ôrun. This was what was giving OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ cause for concern. He realized, without being told that he was being summoned to return to O®ôrun. He also knew that going to O®ôrun at this point in time was not in his best interest; neither was it in the best interest of the assignment which Olo;du¾mare¾ gave him to come and perform on earth. What must he do then? The best and most realistic option left to him was to go for Ifá consultation. He knew that he would find a solution on how best to deal with the situation when Ifá was consulted. Incidentally, the three Awo were his former students whom he had given intensive training and who had proved their competence before they became independent. The only question which OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ asked Ifá was what he needed to do in order to avoid going to O®ôrun at that particular point in time. During Ifá consultation, Ogbe¾-Wu;n’le; was revealed. 342 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The Awo assured OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that even though all arrangements had been completed to drag OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to heaven if need be, he would not go to O®ôrun at that particular point in time. He told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to go and procure a mature ram instead of a horse and announce that he was prepared to ride on this ram to O®ôrun. It was clear that the ram would not be able to carry his weight and it would collapse as soon as he mounted it. After many trials, he would tell the delegates from O®ôrun that he was not opposed to following them back to heaven, but that the ram that he had procured to ride to O®ôrun had simply and bluntly refused to move! OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ complied with all the instructions and advice of the Awo. He offered the ẹbọ as stated above and also fed his OÙ®ke¾ô-Ipoô¾ri;. He returned to his home full of confidence that the threat of death was all over. On the day that the delegates arrived to take him to O®ôrun, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was fully prepared for them. He welcomed them with respect and friendliness which was totally strange to give from anyone who was about to bid the world farewell. He told the delegates that he had been expecting them earlier. He told them that he had already procured his ram that he would ride to O®ôrun. He saddled the ram and mounted it. As soon as he did this, his massive weight was too much for the ram. It collapsed instantly. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ stood up and picked up the ram. He mounted the ram once again and the ram collapsed and fell down again. This exercise went on over and over, and again and again, and the ram would always collapse and fall down. When it was getting late, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ told the delegates from O®ôrun to inform those who sent them that it was not as if he did not want to go, but that his ram was refusing to carry him there. He told them that he needed to feed the ram very well and make him strong so he could make the journey some other time when the ram was strong enough to make the journey. The delegates left OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s house with regrets. For several years, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ would keep feeding the ram to make it strong enough for the journey to O®ôrun. For several years, the ram was still unable to support the weight of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. That was how OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was able to stay on earth to accomplish all his major assignments on earth. 343 OGBE® HU:N’LE: Oro;gbo; O®sôu¾gbo; A®ja¾na¾-on ma¾ gbo; ti¾e¾ô-ti¾e¾ Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Woôô;n n; ra;n’ni¾i; p’e¾ôdu; l’oô¾run EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o O: gb’eôboô, o; ru;’boô EÙ wi; fu;n woôn l’o¾¾ôrun Eô ni; n o¾ wa; mo;ô o A®gbo¾ E®Ùdu; ma¾ ko¾ô’ri¾n E®ro¾ Ipo, e¾ro¾¾ O®Ùfa¾ EÙ wa;a; ba;’ni¾ la;i¾ku; kangiri¾ A®i¾ku; kangiri la¾ a; ba;’ni l'e;ôseô¾ OÙba¾ri¾sa ô ¾ Translation: Oro;gbo; And Osôu¾gbo; A®ja¾na¾ who will become old and feeble with age They cast Ifá for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When delegates were sent to bring him back to heaven He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Please inform them in OÙ®run That I am no longer coming The ram procured by E®du; has refused to move Travellers to Ìpo and O®Ùfa¾ Join us where we enjoy the blessing of longevity In the midst of longevity does one find Ifá devotees Ifá says that it will not allow the person for whom this Odù is revealed to experience untimely death. Instead he/she will be blessed with the opportunity to accomplish all his/her major assignments in life before returning to heaven a fulfilled man/woman. In the same vein, those planning the premature death of this person will fail woefully. It is also not advisable for this person to plan against others. If he/she does so he/she will fail woefully too. That is the message of Ifá. 344 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 8. Ifá says that this person has someone who he/she considers to be his/her friend but who is actually his/her enemy. This so-called friend had been busy planning to humiliate, and cause harm to the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Ifá says that there is the need for the person for whom this Odù is revealed to identify this so-called friend and give him/her social and physical distance. On the other hand, Ifá says that there is a particular ailment that is afflicting the person for whom this Odù is revealed on a periodic basis. This ailment has been making it difficult if not totally impossible for this person to exercise his/her full potentials in all the things that he/she is doing. There is the need to identify this ailment and find a lasting solution to it. Ifá however promises that the bad friend and/or the ailment will disappear from the life of the person for whom this Odù is revealed that very season. Ifá assures him/her that his/her problems will not extend to the next season. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with one matured he-goat and money. After this, a special soap will be prepared for him/her with the head of a male lizard, the head of a female lizard, and plenty of re¾k ô u¾re¾k ô u¾ leaves (cassia rotundifolia). They will then be pounded together into a paste and mixed with soap for the person for whom this Odù is revealed to bathe with. On this aspect, Ifá says: A®ta¾n¾pa¾ko¾ ni;i; f’ori;i; ‘la;am ¾ u¾ so;ôoô¾oÙ;ka;n Di;a; fu;n Ko;ko; Orí Ti; n; ba; Orí sô’oô¾re;ô iku; EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o Translation: The thumb of the hand makes the head of the lizard appear to be looking straight forward This was Ifá’s message for Ko;ko; Ori; (the lump on the head) That was involved in a fatal friendship with Orí (the Head) He was advised to offer ẹbọ 345 OGBE® HU:N’LE: Ko;ko; Ori; was the closest friend that Orí had. Orí was very proud of his friend and was ready to allow Ko;ko; Orí to accompany him to anywhere he went. Anywhere and anytime one found Orí, one could be certain that Ko;ko; Ori; would be there. It got to a stage where both of them had become inseparable. Unknown to Orí however, Ko;ko; Ori; had been nursing a deep hatred for his friend for a very long time. He could not understand why everyone would give Orí more attention than him. The loath became so intense that he concluded that the only thing that would satisfy him was to ensure that Orí was eliminated. Ko;ko; Ori; was prepared to die too, as long as Orí died with him. He could no longer tolerate seeing Orí taking all the glory and honour. If anyone wanted to propitiate his/her Orí, he/she would propitiate only Orí and he/she would totally ignore him and this was not acceptable! He could never allow this to happen again. If anyone had a narrow escape from danger, the person would be advised to give thanks to Orí and he/she would ignore him! This brought Ko;ko; Ori; a lot of serious frustration and he vowed to do something drastic about it, and do it fast too! If someone had made a good choice of a spouse or a business opportunity, such a person would be advised to give thanks and praise to his Orí while he, Ko;ko; Ori; would not be noticed or recognized at all! No! This simply could not be allowed to continue! To make the matter worse, Orí had never for once cautioned the people and asked them to pay him, Ko;ko; Ori; respect and honour at all. Ko;ko; Ori; vowed that Orí must be made to pay for it. He must suffer for making him go through all this humiliation without effecting any correction. That was the reason why Ko;ko; Ori; went to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation. All he wanted to know was how and what he needed to do to inflict maximum punishment on Orí and at the same time ensure that his death was extremely painful but very slow. During Ifá consultation, Ogbe;-Wu;nle; revealed. The Awo told Ko;ko; Ori; that he was about to inflict pain and undeserved punishment on an innocent friend who not only loved him, but equally trusted him deeply. He was blamed for allowing such negative thoughts to cross his mind at all. The Awo then warned him 346 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 to desist from taking any further steps as it would only backfire and end up destroying him. He was also advised to offer ẹbọ with one mature he-goat and money. Ko;ko; Ori; left the home of the Awo, livid with anger. Instead of desisting, he was more determined to destroy his friend. He believed that the Awo was supporting his friend against him and that the Awo was only interested in the he-goat for the ẹbọ and not in giving him necessary spiritual support with which to deal with and damage his friend. Ko;ko; Ori; was prepared to destroy himself as long as his friend was also destroyed in the process. He decided to plan his strategy all by himself. One day, Ori; woke up with a slight headache. He thought nothing of it. Four days later, the headache had become worse. There were lumps and swelling all over his face. He touched his face and felt serious pain and discomfort. He complained to his friend Ko;ko; Ori; and he was told that the lumps and swelling were put on his face and head in order to help combat the problem of the headache. Ori; instantly believed what his friend told him. This made Ko;ko; Ori; to secretly congratulate himself that his plans were working effectively. About 15 days after, Orí;’s neck had become very stiff. Every part of his face was swollen. His head had developed various lumps, bumps and contours of different sizes and shapes. He could no longer go out. His condition was getting worse by the minute. On the 21st day of the affliction, it was obvious that Ori; was on his way to his grave if nothing drastic was done to arrest the situation. However, the past 21 days were the happiest days in the life of Ko;ko; Ori;. He was sure that it was just a question of time before his friend breathed his last breath. He was already making burial preparations. He promised himself a large keg of palm wine on the day that the death of his friend was announced. Everybody in Ori;’s household was worried. What could have brought about this ailment? They were even more concerned that all the efforts of Koko Ori; to help solve Ori;’s health problem had only made the matter worse. The family members called for an emergency meeting and Ko;ko; Ori; was also invited. In the meeting, Orí’s health 347 OGBE® HU:N’LE: condition was reviewed and most of those present at the meeting agreed that there was the need to go for Ifá consultation on the matter. Ko;ko; Ori; told the family that it was not necessary as he was sure that all the medications he had administered for Orí would soon begin to work. The family agreed but still felt that there was the need to seek extra support from a Babaláwo in order to accelerate the improvement rate of Orí’s health. Off they went, but Ko;ko; Ori; gave an excuse and he did not accompany them to the home of the Awo. A®ta¾n¾pa¾ko¾ ni;i; f’ori;i; ‘la;am ¾ u¾ so;ôoô¾oÙ;ka;n Di;a; fu;n Orí Ti; Ko;ko; Ori; n; ba; sô’oôô®re; iku; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: The thumb of the hand makes the head of the lizard appear to be looking straight forward This was Ifá’s message for Orí Who Ko;ko; Ori; was in fatal friendship with He was advised to offer ẹbọ When they got to the home of the Awo, Orí and his family members wanted to know what could have caused such serious health problems for Orí and what could be done for him to get relief from such an ailment. When the Odù was revealed, it was Ogbe¾-Hu;nle;. The Awo told them that the ailment being suffered by Orí was not a natural one. He made it clear to them that it was inflicted on Orí by a friend of his who was envious of his profile and achievements in life. He stated further that this friend was very close to him and had vowed that he would stop at nothing in ensuring that he saw the demise of Orí. At this stage, the whole family was in a state of alarm. Who could this friend be? They decided to find out. The Awo agreed to find out who this friend was. After much question and investigation through Ifá, the person was identified. That person was, of all people, Ko;ko; Ori;! This was a further alarm and shock to the whole family. The Awo warned them never to allow Ko;ko; Ori; to bring any more medicine for 348 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Orí. He must never be allowed to move close to him again. All the lumps, bumps and swelling must be pressed and the contents expelled from Orí’s body as quickly as practicable. The Awo also advised the family to offer ẹbọ with one mature hegoat and money. This was offered immediately. The Awo prepared a special soap for Orí with which to take his bath regularly. He also prepared other medications for him to use. With this, the family returned home in a state of utter disbelief. How could Ko;ko; Ori; do this to his bosom friend? What did he stand to gain? What offence had Orí committed against Ko;ko; Ori; to warrant this punishment? How could they know that everything was out of envy and jealousy? The family was however determined never to allow Ko;ko; Ori; to be too close to Orí any longer. Meanwhile, Ko;ko; Orí began to panic. He did not know what the Babaláwo had told Orí and members of his family. They had not come to him to inform him of the outcome of their investigations in the home of the Awo. He regretted not killing Orí instantly. He would have used a potent poison which would have killed Orí immediately. His desire to enjoy watching Orí die a slow but painful death had backfired! What must he do now before it was too late to do anything? He decided to go to Orí’s house and finish him off, if possible with force. When going; he armed himself with a bow and arrow, spear, dagger and machete. He decided that we would use tricks to gain access to Orí, and after that he would just stab him to death with his dagger. If the family refused to allow him in peacefully, he would force his way into Orí’s room and finish the job. Off he set out on his wicked journey. As Ko;ko; Orí was going to Orí’s house, one short man was already in the house, telling the whole family to be fully prepared for any form of eventuality. He told them to arm themselves against any attack since they had just been able to identify their enemy. The enemy might come to put up an unexpected fight against the family. The family saw this as a realistic precaution. They got themselves armed immediately! They didn’t know that the short person who had approached the family was actually E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ himself. Because the family had offered all the ẹbọ, E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ had become the friend of the family and was ready to give the family all the necessary support. 349 OGBE® HU:N’LE: When Ko;ko; Ori; arrived at Orí’s house, he met more than his match. They were all more than ready for him. He was beaten mercilessly and he broke his back in the process. He screamed, cursed and fretted, all to no avail. He was not allowed to be close to Orí again. It however took the family three full lunar months to affect a total cure for Orí. This was because the slow poison injected into his body by Ko;ko; Ori; was also very slow in getting out of his body. In the end Orí regained his health. As from that day forward, people ensured that they do did not allow Ko;ko; Ori; any chance to be close to or even associate with Orí. When Ko;ko; Ori; is noticed, it is removed with ignominy. A®ta¾n¾pa¾ko¾ ni;i; f’ori;i; ‘la;am ¾ u¾ so;ôoo ¾ô k ;Ù a;n Di;a; fu;n Ko;ko; Ori; Ti; n; ba; Ori; sô’oôr¾ e;ô iku; EÙboô ni wo;n ô ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o O: koôti; oô¾gboônyin seô;boô A®ta¾npa¾ko¾ ni;i; f’ori;i ‘La;am ¾ u¾ so;o ô ¾ôok ô; a;n Di;a; fu;n Ori; Ti; Ko;ko; Ori; n; ba; sô’oôr¾ e;ô iku; EÙboô ni wo;n ô ni;; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;b ô oô, o; ru;’boô Ko;ko; Ori; to; l'o;un o; p’Ori; Ko¾ lee¾ p’Ori; mo;ô o I®gba¾ eôe ¾ ¾rô u¾¾n yi¾i; ni yo;o; loô o I®gba¾ o¾jo¾ yi¾i; ni yo;o; loô o Akoô ala;a¾mu¾ ki¾i; la eô¾erô¾ u¾n me;ji¾ ja; Abo ala;am ¾ u¾ ki¾i; la eô¾erô¾ u¾n me;ji¾ ja; OÙwo;ô o¾ô mi wa; ba ewe; e sôe’;ô gun-sôôe’;ô te¾ô eô te¾mi Reôk ¾ô u¾re¾k ô u¾¾ oko N:se ô ni ma¾a; sôe;ô woôn l'o;gun N:se ô ni ma¾a; sôe;ô woôn l'oô;te¾ô Translation: The thumb of the hand makes the head of the lizard appear to be looking straight forward This was Ifá’s message for Ko;ko; Ori; (the lump on the head) That was involved in a fatal friendship with Orí (the Head) 350 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 He was advised to offer eôbọ He refused to comply The thumb of the hand makes the head of the lizard appear to be looking straight forward This was Ifá’s message for Orí Who Ko;ko; Ori; was in fatal friendship with He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Ko;ko; Ori; boasted that he would kill Orí He could not kill Orí anymore It is during this dry season that he will disappear It is during this rainy season that he will disappear A male lizard will not survive two dry seasons A female lizard will not survive two dry seasons I’ve now gotten a hold of my leaves which overcome both uprising and conspiracies Re¾kô u¾re¾kô u¾ leaves I will surely overcome their uprising And I will overcome their conspiracies Ifá says that this person shall live long and shall overcome all those who pose to be friends but who are working secretly to see his/her downfall. Ifá says that his/her enemies shall be exposed and be put to shame. Conversely, this person must never plan to destroy another person or subject anyone to ridicule or embarrassment. Ifá warns that if he/she attempts to do so, he/she will end up carrying all the negative designs that he had planned for others. 9. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed is literally and figuratively bereft of all the Ire of life. Ifá says that he/she is going about nakedly. Ifá however promises that he/she shall be blessed with all the Ire of life that he/she is craving for in no time. Ifá advises this person to go and procure six bottles of alcohol on credit and purchase two mats and pay for the mats. 351 OGBE® HU:N’LE: These items will then be offered as eôboô for him/her and his/her life will improve for the better. Ifá also says that there is a barren woman close to the person for whom this Odù is revealed or that the woman for whom this Odù is revealed is praying fervently for the blessing of the fruit of the womb. Ifá says that this woman shall be blessed with her own child very soon. Ifá says also that the woman is someone who likes to show gratitude for any favour that is extended to her. Ifá advises this woman to offer ẹbọ with two hens, four rats, four fish and money. The Awo also needs to prepare a¾ko;sôe for her to use in order for her womb to open and for her to receive the blessing of the fruit of the womb as soon as possible. On these two aspects, Ifá says: Bi; Ifa; eôni¾ yo;o; ba; gbe’ni¾ I®se ô ku;se ô ni;i; ko;ôoô; sôe’ni¾ Di;a; fu;n E®er¾ e¾ô-Seô¾gi¾ Ti; n; re’le; Oni;ju¾mu; lo¾ôoô; sôu;’ti; EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o Translation: When one’s Ifá is about to support one It will first make one go through tribulation This was the message of Ifá for E®er¾ e¾-Se¾ôgi¾ (the porcupine) When going to Oni;ju¾mu;’s house to procure liquor on credit He was advised to offer ẹbọ E®er¾ e¾-Se¾ôgi¾, the Porcupine was one of the most proficient Awo who ever lived on earth. He was so versatile in all aspects of Ifá to the extent that those who were close to him felt that he was using other means to analyze and explain all the reasons why people were coming for Ifá consultation. He was always so accurate that he regularly left his clients dumbfounded. Nobody had ever said that E®er¾ e¾-Se¾ôgi¾ had missed the point on the reason why he/she had come for Ifá consultation. 352 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ironically, E®er¾ e¾-Se¾ôgi¾ was one of the most unsuccessful Awo who ever lived on earth. It was so ironical that for E®er¾ e¾-Se¾ôgi¾ to eat once in a day was a big problem. In spite of his huge knowledge, anytime people came for Ifá consultation and he analyzed all their problems for them, somehow, they would never return to offer the ẹbọ. Instead, they would go to the home of other less competent Awo to offer the ẹbọ. Some of them complained that they did not feel comfortable with E®er¾ e¾-Se¾ôgi¾. Others would say that he seemed to be penetrating their eyes and skull with his gaze. Some others said that they simply did not trust their lives into the care of someone who knew so much about them through just one Ifá consultation. The result of this was that E®er¾ e¾-Se¾ôgi¾ was always hungry and he had no dress to wear. He was completely naked! His nakedness was the reason which other people gave for not going to his home to offer their ẹbọ. If he was that versatile, why had he not found a solution to his chronic poverty problem, they queried. What kind of irony is this? E®e¾re¾-Se¾ôgi¾ asked himself over and over. Tired of living a life of want, inadequacy and frustration, he decided to approach the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: What do I need to do to improve the quality of my life? That was the major question that he asked Ifá when he got to the home of the Awo. The curious aspect of it was that he went there nakedly because he had no clothes or dress that he could wear to cover himself. Someone who had no clothes or dress, how could one expect such a person to have a wife or child at home? The fact of the matter was that he had nothing! When he got to the home of the Awo and Ifá was consulted, Ogbe¾-Wu;n’le; was the Odù that was revealed. The Awo informed E®er¾ e¾-Se¾ôgi¾ that he had been experiencing hardship, deprivation and frustration most of his life in spite of the fact that he was a very competent Ifá priest. He assured E®e¾re¾-Se¾ôgi¾ that all these would soon disappear and his proficiency would be recognized and rewarded. The Awo advised him to go and procure six bottles of liquor and money for ẹbọ. That was when E®er¾ e¾-Se¾ôgi¾ burst into tears. He explained to the Awo that he could not boast of even one cowry shell, not to mention money to buy six bottles of liquor! He cried profusely. That was 353 OGBE® HU:N’LE: when the idea of going to procure the items on credit was mentioned. He agreed to approach Oni;ju¾mu;, a very successful business woman and liquor merchant and solicit her assistance in that regard. When he got to the shop of Oni;ju¾mu;, he explained to her the reason why he had come for her assistance. “Please, I really need your assistance. If you help me, I will come and pay you your money at the earliest opportunity. Please assist me so that I may get out of this life of deprivation”. Oni;ju¾mu;, looked at E®er¾ e¾-Se¾ôgi¾ with disdain. In her response, it was obvious that she was not prepared to help; “what makes you think that I will help you? If I had been giving out my things to people in an indiscriminate manner, do you think that I would still be in business today? Look at yourself! The only thing that you have in this world that I can see is your name and the name is worth nothing! Where will you get the money to pay me back? Tell me! You are worth nothing and you are nothing”! When E®er¾ e¾-Se¾ôgi¾ heard this, instead of getting angry, he simply smiled an innocent and accommodating smile. He responded thus: “it is certainly not your fault. The way I appear to you without any clothes on gives you that impression. You are probably right. Outwardly I am worth nothing and I am indeed nothing. Inwardly however, Olo;du¾mare¾ has endowed me with the intelligence that is totally uncommon to find in an average human being. It is in my bid to improve my outward appearance with my natural endowment that I have come to you for assistance. For example, my Ifá told me before I left home that you, Oni;ju¾mu;, had never experienced the pain and pleasure of being called a mother by your own baby in your life. You have never been blessed with the fruit of the womb. If you can offer my ẹbọ you will receive this blessing in no time. There is also the need to prepare a special Ifá work, a¾ko;sôe for you in order for your womb to open and carry your own baby. If you are interested your ẹbọ materials are two hens and money. This threw Oni;ju¾mu; totally off her guard. She had never heard anyone speak to her like that before. Not only that, what this naked man had said was the biggest problem of her life. She had hidden it from everyone, except her husband who knew of the problem. There were many children in her house who people believed to be her 354 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 children but none of them were. Now, this naked man has come from nowhere to strip her closely-guarded secret! She felt more naked than the man in front of her. She simply closed her shop and asked E®er¾ eô¾-Seô¾gi; to follow her to her home. On that very day, the ẹbọ was offered. The following day, the a¾ko;sôe was given to her to use. She gave the six bottles of liquor to E®er¾ eô¾-Seô¾gi; on credit. The following month, Oni;ju¾mu; noticed that she had missed her period. It was later confirmed that it was pregnancy. On the tenth month, she gave birth to a bouncing baby. The whole household of Oni;ju¾mu; erupted into a big celebration. They announced to the whole world that the naming ceremony would be the grandest event the whole community had ever witnessed. Everybody began to prepare for the big day and the big event. While all these were going on, Oni;ju¾mu;’s mind was filled with worry and anxiety. How could she celebrate the naming ceremony of her bundle of joy without the presence of the Awo who made it possible for her to have the baby in the first place? How could this Awo appear for the ceremony naked? What could she do to show her own appreciation to this mighty Awo? This Awo had covered her barrenness' nakedness with a baby; it was therefore imperative for her to cover his own nakedness with dresses. How would she do this? Who would help her to do this? Where would she go to get this help? As she was thinking of all these in her mind, the thought for her to approach the Awo who asked E®er¾ eô¾-Seô¾gi¾ to procure six bottles of liquor came to her mind. Without any delay, off she went. She told the Awo that it was E®er¾ eô¾-Seô¾gi¾ who made it possible for her to become a proud mother of her own baby. The naming ceremony of the baby was about to be celebrated in a grand style. She felt that it would be totally unfair for the celebration to take place in the absence of E®er¾ eô¾-Seô¾gi¾. She had come for the help of the Awo to find a way of ensuring that E®e¾reô¾-Seô¾gi¾ was properly clothed for the occasion. When Ifá was consulted, again, Ogbe¾Wu;nle; was revealed. 355 OGBE® HU:N’LE: The Awo told Oni;ju¾mu; to procure two big O®o¾re; mats and money. They were procured immediately. After this, E®er¾ eô¾-Seô¾gi¾ was invited by the Awo. When he arrived, he was still naked. He was asked to lie down on the mat. He did. The ẹbọ was offered for him. The surprising thing was that as soon as the Awo finished offering the ẹbọ, all the O®o¾re; mats stuck to the body of E®er¾ eô¾-Seô¾gi¾ and they became the spikes which covered all his body! His nakedness no longer showed. He was looking glorious and majestic! The transformation was totally unbelievable! E®er¾ eô¾-Seô¾gi¾ entered the home of the Awo completely naked and came out of the house completely clothed, from head to toe! The day of the naming ceremony was magnificent. All roads led to Oni;ju¾mu;’s compound. Food and drinks were in excess. E®er¾ eô¾-Seô¾gi¾ was placed on the High Table. There was singing, dancing and merriment galore. When it was time for Oni;ju¾mu; and her husband to come to the dance floor to dance, Oni;ju¾mu; insisted that she would be the one to sing and the musical band would only chorus her songs. Everybody was delightfully surprised. As she stepped out, she busted into a song of joy saying to the amazement of the attendants. She sang: Ta lo; soô mi; d’oôloô;moô o? O®o¾re;-Seô¾gi¾ Lo; soÙÙ mi d’oôlo;ômoô E®e¾re¾¾ô-Seôgi¾ Lo; soô mi d’onílé To; soô mi; d’ala;so ô ô O®o¾reô¾-seô¾gi¾ Lo; soô mi; d’oôloô;moô O®o¾reô¾ o o¾! Awo ile; Oni;ju¾mu; o O®o¾reô¾-se¾gi¾ Lo; soô mi d’oôloô;moô O®o¾reô¾-se¾ôgi¾ 356 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: Who turned me into a mother? O®o¾reô¾-se¾ôgi¾ He was the one who turned me into a mother O®o¾reô¾-se¾ôgi¾ He turned me into a property owner He turned me into an owner of garments O®o¾reô¾-se¾ôgi¾ He was the one who turned me into a mother O®o¾reô¾ o ò, the resident Awo of Oni;ju¾mu; o O®o¾reô¾-se¾ôgi¾ He was the one who turned me into a mother O®o¾reô¾-se¾ôgi¾ On and on, the song continued. All eyes were on O®or¾ eô¾-se¾ôgi¾. He became an instant celebrity. Everyone wanted to know where he had been hiding himself all these years. Everybody wanted to try his/her luck with him. All the chiefs, Ϙbas, market leaders and influential personalities in the society became his clients instantly. It was the time for O®or¾ eô¾-se¾ôgi¾ to manifest and fulfil his destiny. He did. None of the clients were disappointed. Bi; Ifa; eôni o¾ ba; gbe’ni I®se ô ku;se ô ni;i; ko;o; sôe’ni Di;a; fu;n O®o¾reô-Seô¾gi¾ Ti; n; re’le; Oni;ju¾mu; loô¾o;ô sôu’ti; EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô O®o¾reô-Seô¾gi¾, Awo ile; Oni;ju¾mu; Di;a; fu;n Oni;ju¾mu; To; f'eô¾yi¾nti¾ mo;ju; eôku;n su¾nra;hu¾n oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni;; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’eô;boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba;’ni ba;’yo¾ô EÙ wa;a; wo’re o N®jeô; talo; soô mi; d’oôloô;moô? O®o¾re;-Seô¾gi¾ Lo; soÙÙ mi d’oôlo;ômoô 357 OGBE® HU:N’LE: E®e¾re¾¾ô-Seôgi¾ Lo; soô mi d’onílé To; soô mi; d’ala;so ô ô O®o¾reô¾-seô¾gi¾ Lo; soô mi; d’oôloô;moô O®o¾reô¾ o o¾! Awo ile; Oni;ju¾mu; o O®o¾reô¾-se¾gi¾ Lo; soô mi d’oôloô;moô O®o¾reô¾-se¾ôgi¾ Translation: When one’s Ifá is about to support one It will first make one go through tribulation This was the message of Ifá for E®er¾ e¾-Se¾ôgi¾ (the porcupine) When going to Oni;ju¾mu;’s house to procure liquor on credit He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied E®e¾re¾-Se¾ôgi¾, the resident Awo of Oni;ju¾mu; He cast Ifá for Oni;ju¾mu; When she was weeping in lamentation for her inability to beget her own child She was advised to offer ẹbọ She complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life Now, who turned me into a mother? O®o¾reô¾-se¾ôgi¾ He was the one who turned me into a mother O®o¾reô¾-se¾ôgi¾ He turned me into a property owner He turned me into an owner of garments O®o¾reô¾-se¾ôgi¾ He was the one who turned me into a mother O®o¾reô¾ o ò, the resident Awo of Oni;ju¾mu; o O®o¾reô¾-se¾ôgi¾ He was the one who turned me into a mother O®o¾reô¾-se¾ôgi¾ 358 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed only needs to persevere for a little more time as his/her Ire is about to reach his/her hands. Once he/she gets the Ire, his/her life will never be the same again. Ifá also urges somebody here to render a helping hand to the person who has approached him/her for assistance. Through this person, his/her own problems will also be solved. There is nothing that this person lacks in this world that Ifá will not give him/her. Ifá also says that once he/she gets his/her heart’s desires, he/she will remain fulfilled for the remaining part of his/her life. 10. Ifá says that the life of this person for whom this Odù is revealed shall change for the better. This person shall move from obscurity to prominence. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of prosperity, compatible spouse, great children, befitting property, longevity and all the Ire of life for this person. All he/she needs to do is offer ẹbọ and be hopeful. Ifá advises him/her to persevere. Ifá says that his/her success will be so sudden that it will baffle those who are close to him/her. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with four white pigeons, a keg of honey and money. He/she also needs to feed Aje; (Wealth deity) with e¾kuru, bean pudding that is prepared without salt, oil or pepper. Honey however can be added to the e¾kuru. On this aspect, Ifá says: A®gba¾ra; o¾jo¾ ni;i; f’a¾ya¾ roô ko;o;ko di';na¾ Di;a; fu;n O®o¾reô¾-Se¾ôgi¾ Ti; yo;o; sôi;’gba; Aje; pi¾ri; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: The rain flood is it that drags debris and blocks the main road This was Ifá’s message for O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾ (the Porcupine) Who would open the calabash of wealth suddenly He was advised to offer ẹbọ 359 OGBE® HU:N’LE: O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾, the Porcupine, was a well trained Babaláwo. He was extremely proficient in his work. As good as he was; he had nothing to show for it. He had no money. He had no wife. He had no children. He was living in an abandoned family house. Anytime there was rainfall, he would have to stay awake overnight because the roof would leak. He had no good dresses that he could wear to anywhere. All his family members had abandoned him because they felt that he could never amount to anything in life ever. There were only two things left for him in his life as his assets: his extensive knowledge of Ifá and his hope. Those were the only two assets that kept him going. He was very sure that the future would be brighter for him. How? He could not tell. Still, he did not lose hope for one day. He was ready to persevere until his own time of success arrived. He knew for sure that his own sun would soon shine. He slept and woke up in hunger and with inadequacy every time. Yet, his hope and belief in Ifá was unquestionable. In his bid to know for sure what the future had in stock for him, O®or¾ eô¾Se¾ôgi¾ went to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: Will I succeed in life? Will I be blessed with my own wife and children? Will I be among those who are destined to have their own personal properties in life? Will I be accorded with due honour and respect in life? Will my family members who had hitherto abandoned me return to me again? Will I stop living a lonely life, full of despair and disappointments? During Ifá consultation Ogbe¾-Wu;n’le; was revealed. The Awo assured O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾ that his sun would soon shine for all to see and appreciate. He was urged to persevere as he was almost touching his success and opportunities. He was told not to lose hope or give in to despair. The Awo also advised him to offer ẹbọ with four white pigeons, and a keg of honey. He was also advised to feed Ajé as stated above. It took him a lot of effort and self deprivation to procure the materials. In the end, he got them and the ẹbọ was offered. For three full moons, nothing happened. Nothing changed. He was still living in abject poverty and want. Instead of any improvement, the situation was deteriorating further. To eat was getting tougher. 360 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 It got to a stage that he could no longer afford the money to buy soap to bathe! Yet, O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾ was hopeful that his sun would soon shine. For three full lunar months, his sun had failed to shine. His life remained in total darkness. One day, a young girl of about 15 years of age came crying into his house. This girl was covered with scabies all over her body. There was almost no space on her body that scabies had not covered. She was thrown out of her home because of the fear that she would infect others with her ailment. It was believed that she had done something wrong and O¾Ùbalu;aye; was angry with her. The family believed that the scabies were a punishment from O¾Ùbalu;aye;. That was why they felt that it was best to throw her out of the family for her to deal with her problem alone. When she got to O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾‘s house, she collapsed and sobbed uncontrollably. She was hungry and totally disoriented. She was also confused and the pain of being wickedly thrown out by her own family was too much for her to cope with. When O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾ asked her to explain how it all happened, she could only cry and cry. She kept repeating "they threw me out” several times. O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾ knew that the ailment that had afflicted the girl had absolutely nothing to do with O¾Ùbalu;aye;. It was something that he could cure. The only snag was that there was no money to buy the materials that he needed to use to cure the girl. There was no food in the house, and there was no soap to bathe with! He was fully determined to assist the girl in spite of his condition. The only way was for him to assure the girl that there was no problem between her and O¾Ùbalu;aye;. With appropriate medical attention, all the ailments would disappear from her body. After this, he went to cut down some dry wood so that he could sell it. He had never done this for himself before but for this girl, he was ready to do anything within his capacity to assist her. He only made a little money from this effort. He spent the money to get some food for the girl. The next day, he went out on an empty stomach to fetch more wood. He took the wood to the market for sale. He repeated the trip to the forest and the market four times that day. He got more money from the sale. He bought soap and some of the materials needed for the medication and some food. He did this for three days before all what he needed to cure the ailment was complete. He prepared the medicine and administered it on the girl. About 20 days after, the girl 361 OGBE® HU:N’LE: was totally cured! During the time he had been spending with her he realized that she was a very lovely person. The girl also felt very much at home with him. While he would go out to work, the girl would stay at his home and sweep the ground and fetch water. For the first time in many years, he saw someone who was ready to assist him without any consideration. Now, the next task in helping her out was in how to reconcile the problem with her parents and the entire household. At first, the girl felt reluctant to go. After much talk and persuasion however, she agreed to follow him to her parents’ house. When they got there, they discovered, to their chagrin, that there was nobody in the household who was not afflicted with scabies. The only difference was that they had not thrown anyone else out of the house. When they saw her, they were surprised that she was looking fresh without any affliction. O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾ explained to the family that what they were suffering from had nothing to do with O¾Ùbalu;aye;. He also assured them that it could be cured. They all agreed for him to cure them of their ailments since they had seen their girl who had already been cured of the same ailment. They discussed further. They gave O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾ an amount of money he had never seen before. The money transformed him immediately from a poverty-stricken man to a man of affluence and opulence. He already had an assistant. The girl returned with him to prepare the remedy for her household members. Three days later, the medicine was ready. About 20 days after, they were all cured of their ailment. Other families who had been afflicted approached O®o¾reô¾-Se¾ôgi¾. They paid huge sums of money and they were all cured. That was how O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾ became an instant celebrity. He also became an instant success story. He became wealthier far beyond his wildest dreams. When members of his family who had hitherto abandoned him heard of his success, they began to look for him. They appealed to him to forgive them. He did. Two years after this, O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾ woke up one morning only to find the family members of the girl who had been working with him in front of his house. They had come to discuss something very important with 362 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 him. Their discussion centred on their girl. Since O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾ had proved to be useful in the community and had assisted all those who needed his help, the family felt that they could only show their appreciation by giving him the hand of their daughter in marriage. When he heard this, he was overwhelmed with joy. He informed his own family members. They approved of the relationship. Ifá was consulted on the matter and Ifá gave its go ahead. The marriage ceremony was a huge spectacle and success. Everybody was happy. The bride was even happier. The woman gave him several children after. Their home was transformed from a leaky abandoned house to a magnificent home befitting an influential family in the community. He extended his wealth to both his and his in-laws' family members. Everybody around him was happy. One day, O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾ planned to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his transformation from poverty to affluence. He also intended it to be a solemn thanksgiving ceremony. He invited many people to the occasion. He was pleasantly surprised to see his own family members and those of his in-laws singing, drumming and dancing together. They were saying: Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o o Awo l’O®o¾reô¾-Se¾g ô i¾ o O®o¾re¾ô lo sôi'; gba; aje; pi¾ri; Aje; poô¾ ni;’ran a¾wa Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o o¾ Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o O®o¾reô¾ lo; sôi’; gba; Aya pi¾ri; Aya po¾ô ni;'ran a¾wa Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o o¾ Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o O®o¾re¾ô lo; sôi’; gba; OÙmoô pi¾ri; OÙmoô poô¾ ni;'ran a¾wa Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o o¾ Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o 363 OGBE® HU:N’LE: O®o¾re¾ô lo; sôi’; gba; Ile; pi¾ri; Ile; po¾ô ni;'ran a¾wa Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o o¾ Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o O®o¾re¾ô lo; sôi’; gba ire gbogbo pi¾ri; Ire gbogbo po¾ô ni;'ran a¾wa Awo l’O®o¾re¾ô Seôg ¾ i¾ o Translation: O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a great Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a competent Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a prominent Awo O®o¾re¾ô is the person who suddenly opened calabash of wealth Wealth abounds in our lineage O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a great Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a competent Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a prominent Awo O®o¾re¾ô is the person who suddenly opened calabash of spouse Spouses abound in our lineage O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a great Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a competent Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a prominent Awo O®o¾re¾ô is the person who suddenly opened calabash of children Children abound in our lineage O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a great Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a competent Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a prominent Awo O®o¾re¾ô is the person who suddenly opened the calabash of property Property abounds in our lineage O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a great Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a competent Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a prominent Awo O®o¾re¾ô is the person who suddenly opened calabash of all Ire All the Ire of life abounds in our lineage O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a great Awo 364 the the the the Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 That was how the celebration went with O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾ and his woman feeling on top of the world. They were grateful to Olo;du¾mare¾, their Orí their Ifá, and all the Iru;nmoôleô¾ too. A®gba¾ra; o¾jo¾ ni;i; f’a¾ya¾ roô ko;o;ko di;na¾ Di;a; fu;n O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾ôgi¾ Ti; yo;o; sôi;’gba; Aje; pi¾ri; EÙboô ni woôn ; ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;b ô oô, o; ru;’boô Nj®eô; Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o o Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o O®o¾re¾ô lo sôi'; gba; aje; pi¾ri; Aje; poô¾ ni;’ran a¾wa Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o o¾ Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o O®o¾reô¾ lo; sôi’; gba; Aya pi¾ri; Aya po¾ô ni;'ran a¾wa Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o ô i¾ o o¾ Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o O®o¾re¾ô lo; sôi’; gba; OÙmoô pi¾ri; OÙmoô poô¾ ni;'ran a¾wa Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o o¾ Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o O®o¾re¾ô lo; sôi’; gba; Ile; pi¾ri; Ile; po¾ô ni;'ran a¾wa Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o o¾ Awo l’O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ o O®o¾re¾ô lo; sôi’; gba ire gbogbo pi¾ri; Ire gbogbo po¾ô ni;'ran a¾wa Awo l’O®o¾re¾ô Seôg ¾ i¾ o Translation: The rain flood is it that drags debris and blocks the main road This was Ifá’s message for O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾ (the Porcupine) Who would open the calabash of wealth suddenly 365 OGBE® HU:N’LE: He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Now, O®or¾ eô¾-Se¾ôgi¾ is a great Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a competent Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a prominent Awo O®o¾re¾ô is the person who suddenly opened calabash of wealth Wealth abounds in our lineage O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a great Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a competent Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a prominent Awo O®o¾re¾ô is the person who suddenly opened calabash of spouse Spouses abound in our lineage O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a great Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a competent Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a prominent Awo O®o¾re¾ô is the person who suddenly opened calabash of children Children abound in our lineage O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a great Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a competent Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a prominent Awo O®o¾re¾ô is the person who suddenly opened calabash of property Property abounds in our lineage O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a great Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a competent Awo O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a prominent Awo O®o¾re¾ô is the person who suddenly opened calabash of all Ire All the Ire of life abounds in our lineage O®o¾reô-¾ Se¾g ô i¾ is a great Awo the the the the the Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall move from grass to grace; from nothing to abundance; and from despair to boundless opportunities. Ifá enjoins this person never to lose hope. Ifá says that his/her sun shall shine and when this happens, the sun shall never set for the rest of his/her life. 366 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 11. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of a compatible spouse for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Ifá says that the woman in question is a fair skinned woman. The relationship will be beneficial to both of them and it will be blessed with children. Ifá says that it is advisable for the couple to never sleep in total darkness. Their success and child-bearing chances are more enhanced if they sleep with at least a little light present. Ifá also advises the man to offer ẹbọ with four rats, four fish, two hens and money. He also needs to feed Ifá with two rats, two fish, and one hen. On this, Ifá says: Aroô ni o¾ roô; gi¾di¾ l’a;;ja¾ Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ Ti; yo;o; sô’oôôkoô Amoô;ye¾ye¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: A cripple cannot jump up onto the ceiling of a house This was Ifá’s message for OÙ®ru;;nmi¾la¾ When going to become the husband of Amoô;ye¾ye¾ (the fair skinned woman) He was advised to offer ẹbọ OÙ®ru;;nmi¾la¾ needed a woman who would be his wife. He consulted Ifá on the matter. Ifá said that the woman that would be compatible to his life at that; point in time would be a fair skinned woman. He was also told that the woman would give birth to many fine children for him. The revelation was very pleasing to OÙ®ru;;nmi¾la¾ and he therefore decided to exercise patience for the right woman to come into his life. One day, OÙ®ru;;nmi¾la¾ met Amoô;ye¾ye¾. Her body features matched the descriptions of the woman that Ifá had earlier told him that would be compatible to his life. To make sure however, OÙ®ru;;nmi¾la¾ consulted Ifá again and Ogbe¾-Hu;n’le; was revealed. 367 OGBE® HU:N’LE: In this Odù, Ifá explained that Amo;;ôye¾ye¾ would make OÙ®ru;;nmi¾la¾ happy and fulfilled. He was also told that the woman would bear him the children of his dreams who would make him a proud father. These children would be useful to themselves, their parents, their siblings, their friends, their extended family members, their community and the larger society in general. The Awo advised OÙ®ru;;nmi¾la¾ to offer ẹbọ with four rats, four fish, two hens and money. He was also told to feed his O®ke¾-I®po¾ôri; (Ifá) with two rats, two fish and one hen. OÙ®ru;;nmi¾la¾ complied. It was after the ẹbọ and I®boô had been offered that OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s family members went to Amo;;ôye¾ye¾’s family to ask for her hand in marriage. The family also went for Ifá consultation and it was revealed that the relationship would be of mutual benefit to everyone. A short while after this, the wedding ceremony was conducted. In spite of the fact that all the necessary rites were performed, the expected gains were not realized. What went wrong? What could have caused this? Was there anything that they were expected to do which they had left undone? Was there something they were not supposed to do which they had been doing? Why was it that the joy, satisfaction, contentment, self-actualization and babies which Ifá promised had not materialized? Seven years of marriage had passed already and still no progress; no satisfaction; not even one single baby, and no achievement. What could they do now? The only option left was for them to approach Ifá and demand for an explanation as to what was amiss. They returned to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation. In the process, Ogbe¾-Hu;n’le; was revealed. Ifá repeated that the marriage would be blessed with joy, satisfaction, contentment, elevation, progress, many children and selfactualization. The Awo told them that they would have no cause for regret in any way whatsoever. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ trusted this Awo. He was one of his former students who was well trained in all the departments of Ifá pedagogy. In spite of this, his predictions on this issue had not come to pass. Why? O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ explained the situation to the Awo. They asked Ifá to 368 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 explain to them what actually was going wrong? That was when they came to realize that there was something that they ought to be doing which they had left undone. Better put, there was something which they had ought not to do which they had been doing. What was that? After much investigation, it was discovered that the delegates of Olo;du¾mare¾ and the Iru;nmoôleô¾ô who were responsible for bringing all the Ire of life that the coupled craved for could not operate in total darkness. They performed their functions in the middle of the night but some light had to be present. This was new information to them. Amo;ôye¾ye¾ was mandated by the Awo to ensure that there was light in the room they slept in every night. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ left the house of the Awo full of pride for his former student. All appropriate ẹbọ was offered. Four days after this revelation, things began to change positively for the couple. They began to feel joy and satisfaction in their lives. There was this inexplicable comfort and tranquillity that enveloped their lives. The next month, Amo;ôye¾ye¾ realized that she had become pregnant! On the tenth month, she gave birth to a baby girl. Their joy multiplied. Everything in their lives changed for the good. Their only regret was that they ought to have had light in their room since the first night of their marriage! Aroô ni¾ o¾ ro;ô gi¾di¾ l’a;ja¾ Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Ti; yo;o; sô’oôkoô Amo;ôye¾ye¾ EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’eô;boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ pe¾ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa;a; ba;’ni ba;’yoô¾ EÙ wa;a; wo’re o Nje Amoô;ye¾ye¾ tan’na; si;'le; O®ji;se ô ô; Iru;nmoôleô¾ n; bo¾ô wa o Amo;ôye¾ye¾ tan’na; si;’le; Translation: A cripple cannot jump up onto the ceiling of a house This was Ifá’s message for OÙ®ru;;nmi¾la¾ When going to become the husband of Amoô;ye¾ye¾ (the fair skinned woman) 369 OGBE® HU:N’LE: He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life Now, Amoô;ye¾ye¾ light up your room The delegates of the Iru;nmoôleô¾ are coming Amoô;ye¾ye¾ light up your room Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed will have cause to celebrate his/her achievements and good luck. The couple for whom this Odù is revealed will also live satisfied and fulfilled lives. They will also be blessed with many wonderful children who will be useful to themselves and to the society at large. The couple will live for the rest of their lives as contented and self-actualized people as long as they do not allow anything or anyone to mislead them. 12. Ifá says that a woman has separated from her husband where this Odù is revealed. The separation may lead to divorce. Ifá says that it is not in the best interest of the woman to separate from her husband let alone divorce him. If a woman is contemplating separation or divorce where this Odù is revealed, it is not advisable for her to take such steps, it is in her best overall interest to stay in her matrimonial home and find a means of resolving whatever the problems were that had brought separation or divorce into her mind. If the woman has already separated from her husband, she is urged to return back to her husband. Ifá also advises a man whose wife has left him to allow her back if the woman takes steps to return to her matrimonial home. If the woman does not return, she will undergo further physical and emotional hardship. There is the need for forgiveness, peace and to give reconciliation a chance. Ifá advises this woman to offer ẹbọ with one mature he-goat, two guinea-fowls and money. She also needs to feed Ifá with one mature she-goat. After this, there is the need for her to ensure that she does not allow anything and anyone to mislead her into taking wrong and unprofitable decisions. 370 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 On this, Ifá says: Ogbe¾ wu;n’le; Ile; la¾a; wu;n OÙ®na¾ eôni la¾a; toô¾ OÙ®na¾ ti; a o¾ toô¾ ri; O®Ùna¾ ti; a o¾ loô ri; Ni;i; sôe’ni sôi¾ba;la;-sôi¾bolo Di;a; fu;n Olu;-u-Ko;ko¾ Ti;i; sô’aya A®ba¾ta¾ l’O:do¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbè remain in your home It is preferable to stay in one’s home The path that one has ever taken before The path that one has ever trekked before Such a path usually brings confusion This was Ifa;’s message for Olu;-u-Ko;ko¾ (the Giant Cocoyam) The wife of A®ba¾ta¾ (the Swamp) She was advised to offer ẹbọ Before she got married, Olu;-u-Ko;ko¾ had many suitors. They all promised to take very good care of her. In the end, she went for Ifá consultation. Ifá advised her to marry A®ba¾ta¾ and if she did, she would be able to live her life to the fullest. She offered all the necessary ẹbọ and finally settled for A®ba¾ta¾. In a matter of 10 years after marriage, she had become a phenomenon. She had realized most of her desires in life. She was a happy and fulfilled woman. She also had several children who were well taken care of and these children all looked like her. There really was nothing that she fervently desired which Olo;du¾mare¾ would not bless her with. One day however her friends began to whisper into her ears that maybe, she would have been happier with another man. Maybe, she could have had more children for another man. Maybe, she could have been more fulfilled in the home of another man. Maybe, she 371 OGBE® HU:N’LE: could have become a more prominent woman in the home of another man. Maybe, she could have been accorded more regard and honour by another man. Maybe, their children could have been taken care of in a better way by another man. Maybe, her children could have become more prominent if she had given birth to them for another man. Maybe, maybe, maybe... At the initial stage, she took no notice of what her friends were telling her. The situation got so bad however with her friends, that almost every time her husband would caution her against doing something, her friends would scream at her and say,” If you had been married to Pa;pa; the Savannah) one of your former suitors, he would never had even thought about ever cautioning you or curtailing any action you wished to take.” They vouched that her husband was simply too jealous and envied how much prominence she had. They would also warn her that if she failed to take appropriate action, a time would come that her husband would completely cover up all her talents and potentials! Gradually, she began to think about what her friends were telling her. The more she thought about what they would tell her, the more she convinced herself that her friends were right after all. She convinced herself that she must take appropriate action. That was what she must do! She then began to view all the actions and activities of A®ba¾ta¾ with suspicion. The funny thing was that she had once admired how her husband would always look out for her and worry about her. What must she do? What was the appropriate action that she must take? How must she take the step? Her friends were handy to teach her what to do. The action that was most appropriate was to divorce A®ba¾ta¾! Divorce? Oh yes! That was the appropriate action to take! But, how do you divorce a man who has never offended you in any way? How do you separate yourself from a man simply because you suspect that he is trying to control and minimize your full potentials? How would I explain to my children that my reason for divorcing their father was based completely on suspicion? True, she had convinced herself that she would divorce A®ba¾ta¾ but how would she explain this to her children and family members? 372 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Apart from this, there were two other things to consider: How would she move out of her matrimonial home without incurring the odium of the larger society? And two, if she left, where would she go? It was obvious that her family members would never take her back because they could not see any offence that A®ba¾ta¾ had committed against her. Furthermore, she had never before gone to her family house for one day to report any misdeed perpetrated by A®ba¾ta¾. Then again, her friends were handy to tell her what to do and to give answers to all her questions. First, if there was no evidence against her husband to warrant a divorce, it could be invented. She could also provoke him into taking drastic actions against her and that would be used as evidence against him. She could push his patience to the limit and ensure that he misbehaved. All her friends promised to be nearby so that they would be her witnesses. Second, why must she be concerned about what other people say anyway? After all, none of them were experiencing the deprivation and curtailment which A®ba¾ta¾ was subjecting her to. She was the person facing the problem not them. The best all these people could be was just sympathizers. She must never allow the opinion of others to deter her from taking her decision. She could simply walk out of the relationship and that would be none of anybody’s business. As for her parents and children, they would forget their anger after sometime and they would embrace her back. After all, the children could not substitute another mother for her and her parents could not have another woman to replace her as their daughter. Third, where she would go to was obvious: to the home of Pa;pa; of course! He had promised to take better care of her. He would make her happier and more fulfilled. He had even promised that he would take responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of all her children. She would feel on top of the world if she moved into his home! With this assurance, the plan began in earnest. Her attitude changed completely. She became a stubborn, nagging and snappy woman. Nothing her husband did ever satisfied her anymore. She would constantly jump at him and rain curses and abuses on him. She would provoke him at every opportunity even for very small things. The husband was totally confused. He was however certain of one 373 OGBE® HU:N’LE: thing: this was not the natural attitude of his beloved wife. Something must be wrong. He resolved to talk it over with her. He called his wife for a talk. As soon as he called her “my darling wife”, all became pandemonium. She slapped him repeatedly. She screamed, kicked and panted. She cursed him for daring to call her his darling wife. She used her nails to cut him all over his face. Blood gushed out from the wounds. Yet, A®ba¾ta¾ remained calm. Her friends rushed in to see what was happening in order to serve as witnesses to the fact of her being abused. They were all surprised to see that A®ba¾ta¾ did not even lift one finger to defend himself; let alone raise his hand against her. He absorbed everything as if nothing had happened. This type of provocation became a common occurrence in their home but A®ba¾ta¾ would not react in any aggressive way. One day she even hit him on the head and blood gushed out. He still refused to react. This brought her more frustration. Meanwhile, she had been meeting Pa;pa; in a secret location. Pa;pa; was urging her to pack her things and move into his home as quickly as possible. He told her that he could not wait to see her in his home. He promised to do everything that she wanted for her. He also promised that he would not restrict her from doing whatever she wished to do. One day, A®ba¾ta¾ was resting outside his house. He saw his wife coming along the road with two bundles, one on her head and the other on her shoulder. He quickly rushed to meet her and help her with one of the bundles. The wife flared into an uncontrollable rage. “Who needs your help?" She screamed. She went on and on. When A®ba¾ta¾ refused to talk, she rushed at him and ripped his clothes off his body. At this particular moment, members of her own family were coming to visit her. When they saw what she had done, they all questioned her and asked her why she was humiliating her husband in public in such a manner. This made her very angry. She charged at them and told them to convert him to their own family member if they wished. She rushed in and began to pack her things. Her friends were nowhere to be seen and no one helped her pack her things. All appeals from her 374 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 husband and her own family members fell on deaf ears. She left that day. All her things were packed into the home of Pa;pa;. For three to four months, it was enjoyment for her and her new found lover. Her friends visited her every day. They brought news of the sorrow of her former husband to her. It was the rainy season. Everything was in abundance for her. She hardly thought of her children and family members. As soon as the rain stopped however, trouble began. The lack of water, coupled with intense sun and her exposure to it made her suffer and she felt uncomfortable. She grew lean and ugly steadily. Soon after, she fell seriously ill. She called on her friends but they would not come. They then began to tell her that she left her husband’s home because she was too greedy. What else could she have wanted in her life which was not already given to her? They then made jest of her. She soon realized that she was all alone. Her behaviours soon began to put Pa;pa; off. He prayed for her to go away from his home. She was alone and lonely. She had nobody to console her. That was when she decided to go to the home of the Awo stated above for Ifá consultation. Her main question was what she needed to do to get herself out of her present predicament. During Ifá consultation, Ogbe¾-Hu;nle; was revealed. The Awo blamed her for listening to bad advice and for taking a bad and unjustifiable decision. The Awo told her that her husband from heaven was A®ba¾ta¾ but she deceived herself by moving in with another man. If she had stayed with her man, she was told, she would have never faced the predicament she found herself in. The Awo told her that the only solution was for her to find a way of returning to her husband’s home. She was advised to go and look for people who would help her appeal to her husband to accept her back into his life. She was also advised to offer ẹbọ as stated above. She complied. She went to plead with her friends and family members to help her appeal to her husband to accept her back. The same friends blamed her for not listening to good advice when they were telling her not to leave her husband and she refused to listen. She could not argue at all. She was not in any position to argue. She only wanted them to help her plead with her husband. 375 OGBE® HU:N’LE: Her friends and family members went to A®ba¾ta¾. They pleaded with him to forgive Olu;-u-Ko;ko¾ and overlook all the bad decisions she had made. Surprisingly, A®ba¾ta¾ responded that he knew all along that how she was acting was not the usual character of his wife. He assured them that he had forgiven her and she was free to return to her home. When Olu;-u-Ko;ko¾ heard this news, she was overwhelmed with joy. She returned to her husband’s home that same evening. As she was going, E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ began singing, saying: Olu;-u-Ko;ko¾ de; o Aya A®ba¾ta¾ Obi¾nrin n; re’le; oôkoô reô¾ a¾ar; o¾ô o Olu;-u-Ko;ko¾ ma¾ ma¾ de; o Aya A®ba¾ta¾ Obi¾nrin ma¾ n;re’le; oôkoô reô a¾ar; oô¾ o Translation Here comes Olu;-u-Ko;ko¾ The wife of A®ba¾ta¾ The woman is returning to her first husband’s home Here come Olu;-u-Ko;ko¾ The wife of A®ba¾¾ta¾ The woman is truly returning to her first husband’s home That was how Olu;-u-Ko;ko¾ returned to the home of A®ba¾ta¾. The following day, A®ba¾ta¾ called her very early in the morning for a serious discussion. They both discussed for a long long time. She tendered her unreserved apology to him and although everything that had happened had hurt him deeply, A®ba¾ta¾ forgave her. Since that day henceforth, Olu;-u-Ko;ko¾ returned to comfort, joy and opulence. She reunited with her children and family members. She never listened to bad advice or contemplated taking any nasty steps again. 376 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ogbe¾ wu;n’le; Ile; la¾a; wu;n OÙ®na¾ eôni la¾a; toô¾ OÙ®na¾ ti; a o¾ toô¾ ri; O®Ùna¾ ti; a o¾ loô ri; Ni;i; sôe’ni sôi¾ba;la;-sôi¾bolo Di;a; fu;n Olu;-u-Ko;ko¾ Ti;i; sô’aya A®ba¾ta¾ l’O:do¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’bo;ô N®je;ô Olu;-u-Ko;ko¾ o; de; o Aya A®ba¾ta¾ Obi¾nrin n; re’le; oôkoô reô¾ a¾ar; oô o Translation: Ogbè remain in your home It is preferable to stay in one’s home The path that one has ever taken before The path that one has ever trekked before Such a path usually brings confusion This was Ifa;’s message for Olu;-u-Ko;ko¾ (the Giant Cocoyam) The wife of A®ba¾ta¾ (the Swamp) She was advised to offer ẹbọ She complied Here comes Olu;-u-Ko;ko¾ The wife of A®ba¾ta¾ The woman is returning to her first husband’s home Ifá says that if a woman is facing major tribulation, frustration, or illness where this Odù is revealed, it is because she has left her matrimonial home and it was not in her interest to do so. She needs to find the means and way to return to her matrimonial in order for normalcy to return to her life. Her man also needs to forgive her. If the couple can mend the relationship things will go very well for both of them. 377 OGBE® HU:N’LE: 13. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of many children for the person for whom Ogbe¾-Hu;nle; is revealed. Ifá says that this person will not experience the problem of child-bearing in his/her life. Ifá says that if this person is already experiencing this problem however, it will become a thing of the past in no time. Ifá says that the coming baby has come into the world with its own name. The name of the baby is Ifa;re¾ômi;le;ôku;n or Reô¾mi;le;ôku;n for short. This name means: Ifá puts an end to my crying and lamentation. Ifá says that the coming of the baby will be accompanied with prosperity, property, success, joy, contentment, sound health, longevity and all the Ire of life. This person will not lack any Ire in life, but his/her biggest asset in life will be his/her children. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with one mature she-goat and money. There is also the need for him/her to feed Ifá with another mature she-goat. On this, Ifá says: O®wu; du;du; ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ ran O®Ùna¾ i¾gba¾le¾ô ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ gi¾i¾ri¾ woô¾ f’oô;loô¾gbe¾ôri¾ Asôoô ti; a fu;n o¾ku; d’e¾gbe; Bo; ba; pe;ô ti;ti; Ika;n ni;i; fii; mu o Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ si;’hi¾¾n-i;n Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ soô;hu¾n-u;n Di;a; fu;n O®o¾re¾ô Ti;i; n;f'omi oju; su¾ngbe;re¾ oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Black thread is not easy to spin It is not easy for the uninitiated to enter the grove The cloth used to bury a corpse will waste away Sooner or later The termites will consume it 378 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Something ran across the road And swerved to this side Something ran across the road And swerved to that side These were Ifá’s messages for O®or¾ e¾ô (the Porcupine) When weeping in lamentation for her inability to beget her own baby She was advised to offer eôôboô How could she not cry? Why must she not cry? What is so amusing in seeing one’s colleagues become pregnant and carrying their own babies when one’s own womb has remained flat without any seed of the womb germinating therein? Who could ever advise her not to cry? She had the right to cry! She was tired of counting the time, the days, weeks, months and years of her wedding without having any baby to crown her marital life. One day, O®or¾ e¾ô cried and cried and cried some more. She slept off. She had a dream where someone told her that crying would never solve her problem. She needed to find a solution to her problems instead of engaging in perpetual weeping. When she woke up, she headed straight for the home of the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: Will I receive the blessing of the fruit of the womb in my life? Will my tears be wiped off and be replaced with laughter? Will I have my own babies and children to shower my love and attention on? Will I be blessed with my own children to send on errands? Will I become a mother in my own lifetime before it becomes too late for me to bear children? These and many more were the questions which O®or¾ e¾ô asked Ifá during the consultation. When Ifá was consulted, Ogbe¾-Hu;nle; was revealed. The Awo told O®or¾ e¾ô that through Ifá, Olo;du¾mare¾ was about to wipe off her tears and replace them with laughter. She was told that Olo;du¾mare¾ would give her several children to make her happy. The first baby, she was advised, should be named Reô¾mi;le;ôku;n, she was also advised to offer ẹbọ as stated above. She complied. She also propitiated Ifá as she had been advised. 379 OGBE® HU:N’LE: Two months after, O®or¾ e¾ô became pregnant. Because she had been told that her children would be her biggest blessings in life, she stopped working altogether for fear of losing the pregnancy. In spite of this, people kept bringing businesses to her at home. She was coordinating all her business from home and was making huge profit. She gave birth to the baby in opulence. The baby was named Ifa;re¾ômi;le;ôku;n- Ifá puts an end to my crying and lamentation. O®wu; du;du; ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ ran O®Ùna¾ i¾gba¾le¾ô ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ gi¾i¾ri¾ woô¾ f’oô;loô¾gbe¾ôri¾ Asôoô ti; a fu;n o¾ku; d’e¾gbe; Bo; ba; pe;ô ti;ti; Ika;n ni;i; fii; mu o Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ si;’hi¾¾n-i;n Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ soô;hu¾n-u;n Di;a; fu;n O®o¾re¾ô Ti;i; n;f'omi oju; su¾ngbe;re¾ oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba;’ni ba;’yo¾ô EÙ wa;a; wo’re o O® ba; re¾ômi; leô;ku;n n da;boô¾ O®ri¾reô¾ Re¾ô mi; le;ôku;n n da;bo¾ô O®ri¾reô¾ Re¾ômi; le;ôku;n n da;boô¾ Aje; O®ri¾reô¾ Re¾ô mi; le;ôku;n n da;bo¾ô O®ri¾reô¾ Re¾ômi; le;ôku;n n da;boô¾ aya O®ri¾reô¾ Re¾ô mi; le;ôku;n n da;bo¾ô O®ri¾reô¾ Re¾ômi; le;ôku;n n da;boô¾ oômoô O®ri¾reô¾ Re¾ô mi; le;ôku;n n da;bo¾ô 380 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 O®ri¾reô¾ Re¾ômi; le;ôku;n n da;bo¾ô ile; O®ri¾reô¾ Re¾ô mi; le;ôku;n n da;bo¾ô O®ri¾reô¾ Re¾ômi; le;ôku;n n da;boô¾ ire gbogbo O®ri¾reô¾ Re¾ômi; leôô;ku;n n da;boô¾ O®ri¾re¾ô Translation: Black thread is not easy to spin It is not easy for the uninitiated to enter the grove The cloth used to bury a corpse will waste away Sooner or later The termites will consume it Something ran across the road And swerved to this side Something ran across the road And swerved to that side These were Ifá’s messages for O®or¾ e¾ô/O®ri¾reô¾ (the Porcupine) When weeping in lamentation for her inability to beget her own baby She was advised to offer eôôboô She complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life Please replace my tears and make me happy O®ri¾reô¾ Please replace my tears and make me happy O®ri¾reô¾ Please replace my tears and make me happy with financial success O®ri¾reô¾ Please replace my tears and make me happy O®ri¾reô¾ Please replace my tears and make me happy with a compatible spouse 381 OGBE® HU:N’LE: O®ri¾reô¾ Please replace my tears O®ri¾reô¾ Please replace my tears with children O®ri¾reô¾ Please replace my tears O®ri¾reô¾ Please replace my tears happy with properties O®ri¾reô¾ Please replace my tears O®ri¾reô¾ Please replace my tears with all the Ire of life O®ri¾reô¾ Please replace my tears O®ri¾reô¾ and make me happy and make me happy and make me happy and make me and make me happy and make me happy and make me happy Ifá says that the tears of this person shall be wiped off and in their place will be the blessings of prosperity, spouse, children, properties, longevity etc. All the blessings of life shall come, one just needs to hold on to Ifá and be prayerful and dedicated. 14. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed needs to offer the ẹbọ of childbearing. This is not only for him/her to be able to beget his/her own children, but also because children are his/her biggest support and blessing in life. His/her pride and achievements are in the number of children he/she has and how well-trained the children are. The number of children that this person intends to beget in life will determine the number of hens that he/she will offer as ẹbọ. But if the number of his/her own children, together with those of his/her own grand-children and the children of his/her beloved ones are put into consideration. It is advisable for this person to offer ẹbọ with 50 hens and money. Doing this will guarantee the success and elevation of his/her own children, grand-children, loved ones and followers in his/her life time. 382 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 On this, Ifá says: O®wu; du;du; ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ ran O®Ùna¾ i¾gba¾le¾ô ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ gi¾i¾ri¾ woô¾ f’oô;loô¾gbe¾ôri¾ Asôoô ti; a fu;n o¾ku; d’e¾gbe; Bo; ba; pe;ô ti;ti; Ika;n ni;i; fii; mu o Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ si;’hi¾¾n-i;n Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ soô;hu¾n-u;n Di;a; fu;n Olo;gu;n EÙru; O®de I®bi;ni; EÙru; o¾un le¾ po¾ô si lo; n;da;fa; si; EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Black thread is not easy to spin It is not easy for the uninitiated to enter the grove The cloth used to bury a corpse will waste away Sooner or later The termites will consume it Something ran across the road And swerved to this side Something ran across the road And swerved to that side These were Ifá’s messages for the owner of the 20 servants of I®bi;ni; land When preoccupied with how the number of his servants would increase He was advised to offer ẹbọ Olo;gu;n-EÙru; the owner of 20 servants was a native of I®bi;ni; city. He was born and raised there. His own idea of wealth and success was in the accumulation of several servants who would serve him for the rest of his life. Consequent upon this, his major preoccupation was how to get more servants. It was for this reason that he went to the group of Awo stated above for Ifá consultation: Will I be able to 383 OGBE® HU:N’LE: acquire more slaves? Will I be successful in my life? During Ifá consultation, Ogbe¾-Wu;nle; was revealed. The Awo told Olo;gu;n-EÙru; that he would become a very successful person in life. He would have people to serve him on earth but he would have no person to carry on his name and lineage after his death. He was advised to offer ẹbọ with 20 hens so he could have more servants and 20 more hens so that he could have his own children and continue his lineage after his death. Olo;gu;n-EÙru; thought about this for a long time. He concluded that as long as he was able to find servants who would serve him and follow all his directives without argument or questioning there was no way they would not continue doing so after his death. He therefore offered ẹbọ for him to have more servants only. He there procured only 20 hens and the Awo offered the ẹbọ for him. O®wu; du;du; ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ ran O®Ùna¾ i¾gba¾le¾ô ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ gi¾i¾ri¾ woô¾ f’oô;loô¾gbe¾ôri¾ Asôoô ti; a fu;n o¾ku; d’e¾gbe; Bo; ba; pe;ô ti;ti; Ika;n ni;i; fii; mu o Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ si;’hi¾¾n-i;n Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ soô;hu¾n-u;n Di;a; fu;n OÙÙlo;ôgboô¾n i¾wo¾ôfa¾ O®de I®ja;moô¾ I®woô¾fa¾ o¾un le¾ po¾ô si lo; n;da';fa; si; EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Black thread is not easy to spin It is not easy for the uninitiated to enter the grove The cloth used to bury a corpse will waste away Sooner or later The termites will consume it Something ran across the road And swerved to this side Something ran across the road 384 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 And swerved to that side These were Ifá’s messages for the owner of the 30 serfs of I®ja;mo¾ô land When preoccupied with how the number of his serfs would increase He was advised to offer Just like Olo;gu;n-EÙru;, OÙloô;gbo¾ôn I®woô¾fa¾ was also preoccupied with what to do to increase the number of his serfs so that they would be able to serve him well and by so doing increase his success and prosperity. Consequent upon this, he decided to go to the home of the group of Awo stated above for Ifá consultation: Will it be possible for me to continue to multiply my wealth through the acquisition of many more serfs? Will they work for me unquestioningly? When Ifá was consulted, like Olo;gu;n-EÙru;, Ogbe¾-Wu;nle; was revealed. The Awo told OÙlo;ôgboôn I®woô¾fa¾ that he too would be very successful in his lifetime but that the success would go into ruins as soon as he died. He advised him to offer ẹbọ with 30 hens in order to succeed and with another 30 hens in order for his success not to perish as soon as he died. OÙlo;ôgboôn I®woôf¾ a¾ also thought over what the Awo said and felt that there was no point offering any ẹbọ whose manifestation would take place after his death. How would he be certain that the ẹbọ was really necessary when he would not be alive to know? He decided to procure only 30 hens and money. The Awo offered the ẹbọ for him with the 30 hens. O®wu; du;du; ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ ran O®Ùna¾ i¾gba¾le¾ô ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ gi¾i¾ri¾ woô¾ f’oô;loô¾gbe¾ôri¾ Asôoô ti; a fu;n o¾ku; d’e¾gbe; Bo; ba; pe;ô ti;ti; Ika;n ni;i; fii; mu o Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ si;’hi¾¾n-i;n Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ soô;hu¾n-u;n Di;a; fu;n Ala;aa ¾ ;do;tô a I®ya¾wo; O®de I®ra¾wo¾ô 385 OGBE® HU:N’LE: EÙku;n oômoô lo; n; sun EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Black thread is not easy to spin It is not easy for the uninitiated to enter the grove The cloth used to bury a corpse will waste away Sooner or later The termites will consume it Something ran across the road And swerved to this side Something ran across the road And swerved to that side These were Ifá’s messages for the owner of the 50 wives of I®ra¾woô¾ land When weeping in lamentation of his inability to beget his own children He was advised to offer ẹbọ His major concern was how to beget as many children as possible. He believed that children were his own prosperity. The more he had, the more prosperous he would become. For that reason, he married 50 wives. None of these women however were able to become pregnant. This made him very sad. Consequent upon this, he went to the home of the same Awo who Olo;gu;n-EÙru; of I®bi;ni; land and OÙlo;ôgboô¾n I®wo¾ôfa¾ of I®ja;moô¾ land had earlier gone to. Will I be able to have many children in my life? Will these children be able to carry on after my demise? What do I need to do to ensure that this happens? These and more were the questions at the back of his mind when he went for Ifá consultation. When Ifá was cast for him, Ogbe¾-Hu;nle; was also revealed. The Awo told him that he was preoccupied with how he would determine his success chances in life. He was told that children were truly the measure of his success. The more well-trained children he had, the more his success chances in his life. The Awo told him to offer ẹbọ with 50 hens and money so that he would beget children who would carry on his lineage after his death. He procured the materials and offered the ẹbọ that same day. 386 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Olo;gu;n-EÙru; was able to accumulate more slaves. His business thrived. He set up a massive trading enterprise. He sat on top of a big business organization. Money was not his problem. His profit-making skills were the envy and admiration of those around him. He had a firm grip on all his business ventures. As he was getting older however, problems began to rear their ugly heads up. He was no longer as active as he used to be. He found it difficult to monitor all his trading activities as he used to do. He had no child of his own to help him in coordinating all his business activities. He had earlier felt that it was not necessary. Now he knew that it was. However, he realized that it was just too late for him to begin to think of marriage and child-bearing at his old age. He began to live the rest of his life with regrets. Before he died, most of his business activities had gone into the hands of others. His profits were being enjoyed by his numerous slaves. He had no energy to effect any correction. When he died, all his slaves shared his remaining belongings and returned to their various family homes. Olo;gu;n-EÙru; died and lost everything. OÙloô;gbo¾ôn-I®woô¾fa¾ began as a farmer. Before long, his farming enterprise had become very large. In fact, they were larger than anything which anyone had ever seen before in that community. As he continued to amass more serfs, so did his farmlands expand where the serfs would work. He made more money than anybody had ever made before. He felt that he was on the very top of the world. When he began to grow older, he too started to lose grip of his command and authority. He had no child to assist him and his siblings were just after their own selfish interests. His serfs began to misbehave but he no longer had the strength to call them to order. His business enterprises began to reduce right in his lifetime. When he died, he too lost everything to other people just like Olo;gu;n-EÙru; his counterpart. On the day that Ala;aa ¾ d ; o;ôta-I®ya¾wo; went to offer his own ẹbọ, the Awo told him that the ẹbọ must be placed by the road-side in the dead of the night. He was told that he would meet a creature by the road- 387 OGBE® HU:N’LE: side but he must not entertain any fear. He was to place his ẹbọ by the side of this creature and then pray fervently for all his heart's desires. He was assured that all his prayers would be accepted and answered by Olo;du¾mare¾. That night, he went out with his ẹbọ. When he got to the spot where he was to place his ẹbọ by the road-side, he met this creature. All its body was covered with spikes. As he had earlier been told not to fear, he didn’t. He prayed for all what he wanted in his life. His prayers centred primarily on begetting children who would continue his lineage and would carry on his legacy whenever he died. As he was praying the creature approached him and asked “what are the things that you need in your life that impelled you to offer this ẹbọ?” He responded that he wanted to have well-trained and wellbehaved children who would carry on his lineage and legacy after his death. “Your prayers are answered. Go home. Please do not look back until you get home. My name is O®or¾ e¾ô, the Porcupine. I was created by Olo;du¾mare¾ to put an end to the suffering and lamentation of human beings. Go and meet your Babaláwo first thing tomorrow morning and they will tell you more about me. Good night”. Ala;a¾ad ; oô;ta I®ya¾wo; returned home totally amazed by what he had seen and heard. The next morning, he went to his group of Awo and explained to them all what he had experienced. They told him that his prayers had truly been accepted by Olo;du¾mare¾. He was told to go home and continue his business. He did. Three years after, Ala;aa ¾ d ; o;ôta I®ya¾wo; had more than 100 children. Twenty years after this, his numerous children were the ones in charge of all his business enterprises. He did not need to exert any energy in order to ensure that his various businesses moved the way he wanted. His children were the ones doing that. He was only coordinating all the activities of his children. As he grew older, he was sure that his children would not need him so much again as they were capable of handling the businesses on their own. He made his first son and his first daughter the head of his business enterprise. He lived the rest of his life a contented man. He died a fulfilled person, old in age but young at heart. 388 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 O®wu; du;du; ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ ran O®Ùna¾ i¾gba¾le¾ô ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ gi¾i¾ri¾ woô¾ f’oô;loô¾gbe¾ôri¾ Asôoô ti; a fu;n o¾ku; d’e¾gbe; Bo; ba; pe;ô ti;ti; Ika;n ni;i; fii; mu o Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ si;’hi¾¾n-i;n Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ soô;hu¾n-u;n Di;a; fu;n Olo;gu;n EÙru; O®de I®bi;ni; EÙru; o¾un le¾ po¾ô si lo; n;da;fa; si; EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O®wu; du;du; ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ ran O®Ùna¾ i¾gba¾le¾ô ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ gi¾i¾ri¾ woô¾ f’oô;loô¾gbe¾ôri¾ Asôoô ti; a fu;n o¾ku; d’e¾gbe; Bo; ba; pe;ô ti;ti; Ika;n ni;i; fii; mu o Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ si;’hi¾¾n-i;n Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ soô;hu¾n-u;n Di;a; fu;n OÙÙlo;ôgboô¾n i¾wo¾ôfa¾ O®de I®ja;moô¾ I®woôf¾ a¾ o¾un le¾ po¾ô si lo; n;da;fa; si; EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O®wu; du;du; ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ ran O®Ùna¾ i¾gba¾le¾ô ko¾ ya;a; ku¾ gi¾i¾ri¾ woô¾ f’oô;loô¾gbe¾ôri¾ Asôoô ti; a fu;n o¾ku; d’e¾gbe; Bo; ba; pe;ô ti;ti; Ika;n ni;i; fii; mu o Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ si;’hi¾¾n-i;n Nn¾kan koô ja;’na¾ O: ku¾ fi¾i¾ri¾ soô;hu¾n-u;n Di;a; fu;n Ala;aa ¾ ;do;tô a I®ya¾wo; O®de I®ra¾wo¾ô EÙku;n oômoô lo; n; sun EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Ala;aa ¾ d ; oô;ta I®ya¾wo; ni¾kan ni; n;beô leô;yi¾n to; n; sôeboô Olo;gu;n-EÙru; ku; EÙru; re’le; 389 OGBE® HU:N’LE: OÙlo;ôgboô¾n I®woô¾fa¾ ku; I®woô¾fa¾ gba ibo¾mi;ra¾n loô E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ OÙ®fa¾ EÙ®yin o¾¾ mo¾ô wi;pe;; oômoô ni i¾gbe¾ôyi¾n oôla¾ ni;pe¾ôkun N®je;ô ki;nlo; reô ni l'eô;ku;n o Ti;; mo fi d’e;ôbe¾ô o O®o¾re¾ô Lo; re¾ô mi; le;ôku;n o Ti; mo fi d’e;ôbeôô O®o¾re¾ô Translation: Black thread is not easy to spin It is not easy for the uninitiated to enter the grove The cloth used to bury a corpse will waste away Sooner or later The termites will consume it Something ran across the road And swerved to this side Something ran across the road And swerved to that side These were Ifá’s messages for the owner of the 20 servants of I®bi;ni; land When preoccupied with how the number of his servants would increase He was advised to offer ẹbọ Black thread is not easy to spin It is not easy for the uninitiated to enter the grove The cloth used to bury a corpse will waste away Sooner or later The termites will consume it Something ran across the road And swerved to this side Something ran across the road And swerved to that side These were Ifá’s messages for the owner of the 30 serfs of I®ja;mo¾ô land When preoccupied with how the number of his serfs would increase 390 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 He was advised to offer ẹbọ Black thread is not easy to spin It is not easy for the uninitiated to enter the grove The cloth used to bury a corpse will waste away Sooner or later The termites will consume it Something ran across the road And swerved to this side Something ran across the road And swerved to that side These were Ifá’s messages for the owner of the 50 wives of I®ra¾woô¾ land When weeping in lamentation for his inability to beget his own children He was advised to offer ẹbọ Only Ala;ad ¾ o;ôta I®ya¾wo; complied When Olo;gun-EÙru; died All his slaves returned to their various homes When OÙlo;ôgbo¾ôn-Iwoôfa¾ died All his serfs dispersed to different destinations Travellers to Ìpo and OÙ®fa¾ Can’t you see that it is the legacy of the owner of well-trained children that cannot go into ruin? Who was it that wiped off my tears for me to be blessed with achievement? O®o¾re¾ô He was the one that wiped off my tears And gave me the blessing of achievement O®o¾re¾ô Ifá says that this person's tears and melancholy will be wiped off and be replaced with joy, achievements and self-actualization. Ifá advises the person for whom this Odù is revealed to take the matter of childbearing, childrearing and child training very seriously because his/hers biggest blessings and profits will come from his/hers children. 15. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed is in the habit of doing good for, and pleasing, outsiders at the expense of his/her own immediate family members. Ifá says that this is a very 391 OGBE® HU:N’LE: bad and unacceptable habit. There is the need for him/her to change this habit forthwith. This is because a time is coming when he/she will suffer and receive serious punishment from outside and he/she will end up needing the assistance and support of his/her own relatives but they will never give him the support if he is not helpful to them. This is the reason why he/she needs to assist his/her relatives in order for them to rise up in his/her support whenever he/she needs them. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with one mature he-goat and money. There is also the need for him/her to have a change of attitude and render support and help for his/her immediate family more so than for strangers or outsiders. On this, Ifá says: Ile; n'ile; ire O®de l’o¾de i¾re¾ Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Baba yo;o; s’a¾se¾ boô; o¾ôka¾nle;nu; Irunmoôle¾ô l’oô;du;n Wo;ôn o; tu;n ko; pa¾sa;n ti¾i; EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Home is the place where ire of life lives And outside is where ire of life is displayed This was Ifa;’s message for O®ru;nmi¾la¾ When feasting the 401 Irunmoôleô¾ during his annual festival And would be thoroughly beaten in the process He was advised to offer ẹbọ True, O®ru;nmi¾la¾ was in the world to satisfy everybody, both his immediate family and outside. In the spiritual sense, everyone in the world is like his children. That was why he simply could not understand why the members of his immediate household and relatives were always complaining that he was making outsiders happier than them. He called them together and explained to them that he needed to be fair to all in his dealings. He stated further that he could not be seen to lean towards his own family and relatives more than others. 392 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 In their response, the family members agreed that he ought to be fair to all. At the same time however they pointed out that he should not neglect his fundamental responsibilities to his own family and relatives simply because he wanted to be seen to be fair to everyone. The discussion went back and forth for a long time. In the end, it degenerated into a heated argument where both sides stuck to their points of view. They left the meeting in anger. O®ru;nmi¾la¾ vowed not to have anything to do with his relatives again. His relatives vowed not to approach him for assistance again. They were all living in the same compound but they cut off all form of communication with each other. O®ru;nmi¾la¾ surrounded himself with outsiders and did all his things with them. His relatives were mere onlookers. This went on until the time for O®ru;nmi¾la¾ to celebrate his annual festival approached. He went for Ifá consultation in the home of one of his former students. Ogbe¾Hu;n’le; was revealed. The Awo told O®ru;nmi¾la¾ that he had leaned towards outsiders more than his own relatives in all his dealings. He told O®ru;nmi¾la¾ that the outcome of such an action would not be in his best interest. The Awo urged his former boss to have a change of attitude toward his family and relatives. He also advised him to offer ẹbọ with one mature hegoat and money. O®ru;nmi¾la¾ agreed to offer the ẹbọ and he did. He however felt that it was not yet time for him to reconcile with his relatives. What really angered him was that he perceived them hoping for his annual festival to flop! For that reason, he must prove to them that their refusal to participate would not make his festival to be unsuccessful. All the pleadings of this Awo fell on O®ru;nmi¾la¾’s deaf ears. Four days to the festival time, O®ru;nmi¾la¾ house was a beehive of activities. Everyone was doing everything to ensure the success of the festival. All the people were total strangers in the house. None of O®ru;nmi¾la¾’s relatives participated in any of the planning or activities. O®ru;nmi¾la¾ was moving up and down. He was sweating and toiling more than he had ever done before when all his relatives participated in the preparations. On the day of the festival, there was more than enough food and drinks for all the 401 invited Irunmole and their companions. He also 393 OGBE® HU:N’LE: ensured that all the taboos of each Irunmole and devotees were carefully avoided. Musicians were on the standby. The guests began to eat and drink. O®ru;nmi¾la¾'s relatives were merely looking at what was happening from afar. The musicians were the best around. It was a great occasion. Before long, most of the invited guests got drunk. Some Egu;ngu;n devotees grouped themselves together in a place and they began to beat each other with switches. This added glamour to the occasion. O®ru;nmi¾la¾ was very glad to see that his festival was a huge success. Towards the end of the festival, O®ru;nmi¾la¾ drew close to the Egu;ngu;n devotees in order to spend some money on them. In their state of drunkenness, they mistook his actions for something else. One of them grabbed O®ru;nmi¾la¾ by the neck, right in front of O®ru;nmi¾la¾’s relatives. They were just looking at what was happening. Before he could explain himself, the other Egu;ngu;n devotees descended on him. He was beaten black and blue. They rolled him on the ground. All those who rushed to the scene joined in beating O®ru;nmi¾la¾. He eventually passed out. He was kicked into consciousness. They said that he was merely pretending. They rained another set of beatings on him. He passed out again. He was kicked back into consciousness again. That was what was happening when Eṣu OÙ®da¾ra¾ went to meet his relatives. He told them that if they continued to stand aloof and watch, O®ru;nmi¾la¾ would be beaten to death. It was going to be the loss of the whole family. It was in their best interest to intervene and rescue him from further punishment. He told them that if someone in your family is so blessed to the extent of procuring a horse for his personal use, for whatever reason, if they failed to take care of the horse and the horse died, their family would cease to be known as the family of horse riders. When they heard what Eṣu OÙ®da¾ra¾ said, they rose in unison and stopped the people from inflicting further punishment on O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾. They took him inside the house. They cleaned his wounds and cuts and they dressed him up. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ could not believe that it was the same relatives whom he had ignored in all the things he was doing that eventually rallied round him and came to his rescue. Three days after the incident, Eṣu OÙ®da¾ra¾ returned to O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾’s house. He blamed O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ for his failure to heed the advice of Ifá. He resolved the problem for the family. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ readily accepted his 394 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 fault. All the family members embraced one another. They also mandated O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to prepare their own feast for them as a sign of total reconciliation. He did. As from that period henceforth, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ started to put his relatives first in all his considerations. Ile; n'ile; ire O®de l’o¾de i¾re¾ Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Baba yo;o; s’a¾se¾ bo;ô o¾ôka¾nle;nu; Irunmoôleô¾ l’oô;du;n Wo;n o; tu;n k;o pa¾sa;n ti¾i; Ebo ni won ni ko waa se O: gb’eôboô, o; ru;’boô E®ro¾ Ipo, e¾ro¾ O®fa¾ Eni¾ gb’eô;boô ni;be¾ô ko; wa;a; seôboô o Translation: Home is the place where ire of life lives And outside is where ire of life is displayed This was Ifa;’s message for O®ru;nmi¾la¾ When feasting the 401 Irunmoôleô¾ during his annual festival And would be thoroughly beaten in the process He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied Travellers to Ìpo and OÙ®fa¾ Let those advised to offer ẹbọ do so accordingly Ifá says that it is in the best interest of the person for whom this Odù is revealed to take good care of his/her household and relatives more than those who are outsiders. Ifá says that from time to time, he/she will be needing the help and support of his/her relatives. This may not be forthcoming if he has not been putting their family’s welfare at the top of his/her consideration. 16. Ifá says that the problem that the person for whom this Odù is revealed is having at the present time is caused by the Elders of the Night. There is therefore the need for him/her to appease the Elders in order for them to stop their anger against him/her. In order for the Elders to stop spoiling his/her things, there is the need for him/her to 395 OGBE® HU:N’LE: procure one mature hen. The hen is to be slaughtered and dressed. It is also to be cooked well while all necessary condiments are to be added. The soup is to be poured into a clay plate and be given as I®pe®se® to the Elders of the Night. On this, Ifá says: Ba; mi m’a;dele o¾ sô’apa; ire Di;a; fu;n Be;ôeô¾-ni;i;-sôe Ti;i; sôe’¾ ya; OÙ®fa¾fa¾ E®yi; ti; yo;o; maa fi; gbogbo owo; oôwoô; oô re¾ô f’e;leôyeô EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o Translation: Help chase my fowl is not with good intention This was Ifa's; message for Be;ôeô¾-ni;i;-sôee (That-is-the-way-she-behaves) The mother of OÙ®fa¾fa¾ (the Tree Hyrax) Who would lose all her money to the Elders of the Night She was advised to offer ẹbọ She was a very consistent woman. She never liked being advised or counselled against doing anything that was on her mind. If anyone tried to correct her, she would turn everything into a fight or serious argument. That was the way she would behave. Most people knew her by her attitude. Those who never knew her who ended up getting into trouble with her were usually told by those who already knew her that; “don’t you know that woman? That is the way she behaves”. That was where she got her nickname “that is the way she behaves”. Nobody can advise her on her attitude. Neither can she be made to accept any advice on her child OÙ®fa¾fa¾ (the Tree hyrax). It was this attitude of hers that put her into trouble with the Elders of the Night. Nothing that she laid her hands upon ever turned right. When she would go to the market to buy a bag of grain, she would ensure that she got the freshest ones, but the next day, the grains would simply turn bad and be filled with insects and rodents. Anytime she would buy fresh palm-oil for sale, two days later, the palm-oil would be filled 396 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 with dead ants, gad flies, cockroaches and maggots. Anytime she would buy clothes and dresses, it would not take three days before the clothes and dresses would be filled with holes from rodents and cockroach bites. One day she decided to travel out of her locality in order to buy things for sale. She borrowed a lot of money for the trip. She was waylaid on the trip, beaten to a pulp and the money was snatched away from her. When she returned home empty handed, all her creditors descended on her and demanded for their money. That was what dragged her to the home of the Awo stated above for Ifá consultation. During the process, Ogbe¾-hu;n’le; was revealed The Awo informed her that the Elders of the Night were responsible for all her predicaments. She was however assured that the problems would become things of the past if she could offer I®pe¾se¾ as stated above. She was also counselled to have a change of attitude. She told the Awo that she had not offended anyone. She therefore saw no reason why she should offer I®pe¾se¾ to any Elder. She also told the Babaláwo that if he was not pleased with the way she was conducting herself, he was free to jump into and drown himself inside a lagoon! She then demanded for a refund of the money she gave the Awo for Ifá consultation, and the Awo returned it to her. She then stormed out of the Awo’s house and forcefully banged the door. From that day onwards, Be;ôeô¾-ni;i;-se lived a sad and fruitless life and died an unfulfilled woman because no one could handle her attitude let alone be around her. Ba; mi m’a;dele o¾ sô’apa; ire Di;a; fu;n Be;ôeô¾-ni;i;-sôe Ti;i; sôe’¾ ya; OÙ®fa¾fa¾ E®yi; ti; yo;o; maa fi; Gbogbo owo; oôwoô; oô reô¾ f'eô;leôyeô EÙboô ni¾ wo;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o O: koôti; oôgboônyin s'eôboô Nje; Aagba fe;ef¾ e;e¾ Be;e¾ ni;i; sôe o E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ OÙ®fa¾ EÙni¾ gb’e;ôboô ni;be¾ ko; wa;a; sôeb ô oô o 397 OGBE® HU:N’LE: Translation: Help chase my fowl is not with good intention This was Ifa's; message for Be;ôeô¾-ni;i;-sôee (That-is-the-way-she-behaves) The mother of OÙ®fa¾fa¾ (the Tree Hyrax) Who would lose all her money to the Elders of the Night She was advised to offer ẹbọ She refused to comply What a pity That is the way she behaves Travellers to Ìpo and O®ôfa¾ Let those advised to offer ẹbọ comply accordingly Ifá says that it will not allow the person for whom this Odù is revealed to die a sorrowful and unfulfilled life. This person however needs to comply with the advice of Ifá, perform all specified rituals and rites, and have a change of attitude. A®boôru; A®boôye¾ 398 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 B. SIGNIFICANCE OF OGBE®-OÙW ® OÙN : RI:N FOR THOSE BORN BY THIS ODU: DURING I®KOÙSEÙ®DA:Y:E OR I®TE®ÙNI:FA:: For those born by Ogbe¾-O®Ùwoô;nri;n during I®koôseô¾da;ye; or I®te¾ôni;fa;, they normally move from obscurity to prominence, from inadequacy to surplus and from the bottom to the apex of the ladder in a very short space of time. Their progress and acceleration are always matters of surprise, admiration and even envy for those who are close to them. Before Ogbe¾-O®Ùwoô;nri;n children succeed, they will first face a lot of tribulations and hardship. The moment that any Ogbe¾-O®Ùwoô;nri;n child is facing serious hardship, there is the need for him/her to persevere and hang on, because his/her success period is very close at hand. If possible, he/she needs to roll out the drums in celebration because the progress and elevation coming is bound to come very shortly after the tribulations. Ogbe¾-O®Ùwoô;nri;n children are blessed with multiple Ire at the same time. It is therefore not a surprise to see these children celebrating several achievements together at the same time. It is in their destiny to do so. The success and elevation of all Ogbe¾-Hu;n’le; children rest on Olo;du¾mare¾, their Ori;, the Irunmoôleô¾ and their mothers. The closer they are to their mothers, the more their mothers are happy with them. The more they receive the blessings and prayers from their mothers, the more their chances of success. In the same vein, Ifá will also ensures the success and progress of Ogbe¾-Hu;n’le; children because whatever makes them sad will also make Ifá sad. In order for Ifá not to become sad, Ifá ensures that Ogbe¾-Hu;n’le; children remain happy throughout their whole lives. For Ogbe¾-Hu;n’le; male children, it is advisable for them to go for fairskinned women because their success and matrimonial life chances will be enhanced. For Ogbe¾-wu;n’le; female children, it is advisable for them to marry someone who is initiated into Ifá. The couple also needs to ensure that there is always light in the room where they sleep because the delegates of the Irunmoôleô¾ responsible for bringing 399 OGBE® HU:N’LE: Ire to them prefer to do so in the middle of the night when there is light in the room. It is forbidden for Ogbe¾-wu;n’le; male children to contemplate divorce or separation. It is also forbidden for Ogbe¾-wu;n’le; female children to do so. If however, divorce or separation has taken place, there is the need for the woman to return to her husband home. All steps must be taken to ensure that she returns without further delay. The husband too needs to accept her back and work out the problems. If the woman does seek forgiveness from her husband, she will experience continued hardship in her life. All Ogbe¾-wu;n’le; children must beware of treacherous friends who plan secretly to destroy them or who plan to make life miserable and unbearable for them. At any point in the life of Ogbe¾-wu;n’le; children, males and females, they are bound to encounter these types of friends and only Ifá and a keen sense of observation can protect them against these “friends”. Ogbe¾-wu;n’le; children, males and females are fond of taking good care of outsiders at the expense of their own family members and relatives. This is an attitude that they need to change in order for them not to be ignored by those family members who can assist them when they need the assistance the most. It is advisable for all Ogbe¾wu;n’le; children to take proper care of their relatives first, before they venture to render any assistance to outsiders. It is also noted that most Ogbe¾-wu;n’le; children do not like to be corrected when they are wrong. They do not handle instruction well. They are very recalcitrant and they do not hesitate in engaging in serious quarrels against anyone who tries to correct them or tell them what they need to do. On the whole, Ogbe¾-wu;n’le; children, males and females, live relatively peaceful lives. They move rapidly and steadily to the top. They live very contented lives and they die feeling fulfilled and selfactualized. A®boôru; A®boôye¾ 400 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 C. AFFILIATED O®RI®SÙA AND IRU:NMOÙLEÙ® OF OGBE®WU:NLE: 1. Ifá – for direction, success, elevation, victory, sanctuary, progress, contentment and overall wellbeing. 2. Orí – for fulfilment of destiny, direction, progress, success, victory, elevation, contentment and self actualization 3. E®su ô ¾-O®ôda¾ra¾-for victory, sanctuary, support, direction, protection, elevation and general success 4. EÙgbe;ô– for comradeship, leadership, support, progress, elevation and general wellbeing 5. Aje; -for financial success, leadership, elevation and general success 6. SÙan ¾ go;– for victory, progress, leadership, elevation and overall success 7. Egu;ngu;n (A®gan)– for ancestral support, progress, leadership and general success 8. OÙba¾ta;la;– for leadership, progress, success, elevation, contentment and overall success 9. O®Ùsu ô n – for compatible spouse, child-bearing, child-rearing and general success 10. O®gu;n - for victory, progress, success, protection and general wellbeing D. TABOOS OF OGBE® OÙW ® O:N Ù RI;N : 1. Must never sleep in complete darkness - to avoid unconsummated fortune, failure, regrets and sorrow 2. Must never conspire against others - to avoid failure, regrets, melancholy, crisis and disaster 3. Must never kill, maltreat, consume or use the porcupine for anything-to avoid unconsummated fortune, failure, regrets, retrogression, disaster and calamity 401 OGBE® HU:N’LE: 4. Must never lose hope over any issue - to avoid losing his/her success opportunities 5. Must never cater to outsiders more than his/her own relatives - to avoid losing the support of his/her relatives, suffering and disappointment 6. Must never fight over a woman and for a woman, must never allow two men to fight over her - to avoid crisis, tribulation, regrets, failure and calamity 7. Must never wear red caps or red head gear - to avoid unconsummated fortune, calamity, failure and shame 8. Must never contemplate separation or divorce - to avoid failure, regrets, disaster and unconsummated fortunes 9. Must never refuse to heed good advice given to them - to avoid failure, disaster, regrets and calamity 10. Must never refuse to take to good correction - to avoid negative public opinion, unconsummated fortune, failure and regrets. 11. Must never love material things at the expense of children - to avoid failure, disaster, calamity and lack of continuity. 12. Must never consume alcohol - to avoid failure, disaster, regrets and calamity 402 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 E. POSSIBLE NAMES OF OGBE® OÙW ® O:N Ù RI;N : i. MALE 1. Ifa;re¾ômi;le;ôku;n- Ifa;; puts an end to my crying and lamentation. 2. Ifa;la¾mi;- Ifa; turns me to a prosperous person 3. Ifa;to;o;yi¾nbo;- Ifa; is worthy of praising until one's lips peel off 4. Ifa;gbe¾mi;- Ifa; gives me support 5. Te¾mile;ke¾- Mine is exalted and victorious 6. Ifa;fimi;ha¾n- Ifa; brings me to the forefront 7. Ifa;se ô ô;gun -Ifa; brings me victory ii. FEMALES 1. Ifa;reô¾mi;le;ôku;n - Ifa; puts an end to my crying and lamentation 2. Mori;re - I have seen all the Ire of life 3. Ifa;to;o;yo¾s ô i; - Ifa; is worthy of rejoicing over 4. Ori;sanmi; - My Ori; supports me 5. Ifa;ko;rede; - Ifa; brings all the Ire of life 6. Ifa;gba¾mi;la¾ - Ifa; comes to my rescue A®boôru; A®boôye¾ 403 Chapter 6 Ogbè Ọ̀bàrà II II I II I II I 404 OGBE®-OÙ®BA®RA® OGBE® GBA®RA®DA: OGBE BA®A®RA®-BAARA OGBE¾® ONI:WA®A:RA: A. 1. Ifa; says that the person for whom Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; is revealed during I®koôseô¾da;ye; or I¾teô¾lo;du¾ shall perform wonders in his/her lifetime. Ifa; says that this person shall ride very high on the tide of his/her life. Life shall be very interesting and highly rewarding to him/her. All what he/she needs to do are: offer eôboô, feed his/her Ori;, live well and carefully and work really hard. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with four rats, four fish, two pigeons, two hens, two cocks, two guinea-fowls, two ducks and money. He/she also needs to feed his/her Ori; with a one pure white pigeon and one live catfish. On this aspect, Ogbe¾-Gba¾ra¾da; says: Ogbe¾ Gb'a¾ra¾ da; ta;n T'eôleô;ga¾n lo; ku¾ Ifa; sôe ohun gbogbo ta;n O:: ku t’eôleô;nu Di;a; fu;n A®ra¾ Ti;i; s'ôoômoô Olo;du¾mare¾ I®gba¾ti; o; n; t'oô¾run boô¾ wa;';ye; Eôboô ni wo;ôn ni ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbe¾ had performed wonders Only the slanderers remained to be pleased After Ifa; had successfully accomplished all things Only the foul-tongued despisers remained This was Ifa;’s message for A®ra¾ (the Marvellous Feat) The son of Olo;dumare¾ When coming from heaven to earth He was advised to offer eôboô 405 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ar®a¾, the Marvellous Feat, was one of the favourites of Olo;du¾mare¾. He was always referred to as the child of Olo;du¾mare¾ because he really and truly had space and privilege with the Almighty. While in OÙ®run, all beings there, be they Iru;nmoôleô¾, O®ri¾sôa¾, Egu;ngu;n, I®sôeô¾sôe, ancestors and so on, sought to be his friend at all times. Those who he accepted as friends and companions would automatically be given space and privilege just like him. Those beings would then be able to do marvellously wonderful things and perform highly impressive feats that would be marvelled at by all. On the other hand, those who could not perform any feat which others would marvel at were considered not to be favoured by A®ra¾. Such was the profile of A®ra¾ when he was in OÙ®run. One day however, A®ra¾ made up his mind to move from OÙ®run to Ile; -Aye; to live for some time. He went to the domain of A®ja¾la;moô¾pi;n to choose his destiny. Because he was a favourite of Olo;du¾mare¾, and because A®ra¾ had favoured A®ja¾la;moô¾pi;n on several occasions before, his destiny was a gloriously marvellous one. When A®ra¾ was about to leave OÙ®run for Aye;, all the Divinities in OÙ®run gathered together to pray for him. In their collective prayer, they declared that everyone in the world would be looking for him to be his/her friend and close associate, but only a few would be accepted and favoured. All those who were lucky to be accepted as his friends would be the ones who would end up becoming the pillars in the various families, communities, cities, groups, regions, countries or even continents that they belonged to. Those people would become the movers and shakers of their communities and they would be favoured, honoured and respected. A®ra¾ was advised to offer eôboô and feed his Ori; as stated above. He complied. As soon as these were done, A®ra¾ proceeded to Aye; to follow and fulfil his destiny. When he arrived in Aye;, only those who were favoured where the ones who ended up becoming A®ra¾’s friends. They were the lucky ones who performed marvellous feats in the world. They were the ones whose names went down in history as great men and women who were honoured and even elevated to the status of O®ri¾sôa¾ or as national heroes and heroines. 406 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® Ogbe¾-Gb'a¾ra¾ da; ta;n Teôleô;ga¾n lo; ku¾ Ifa; sôe ohun gbogbo ta;n O; ku t’eôleô;nu Di;a; fu;n A®ra¾ Ti;i; s'ôoômoô Olo;du¾mare¾ I®gba¾ti; o; n; t'oô¾run boô¾ wa;';ye; Eôboô ni wo;ôn ni ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbeô;’boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ Ire gbogbo wa; ya de; tu¾tu;ru A®ra¾ wa;a¾ de;, oômoô Olo;du¾mare¾ EÙ®yin o¾ moô¾ wi;pe; t’a;ye; ba; yeô’ni O®un la¾a; da;’ra¾ ire ni? Translation: Ogbe¾ had performed wonders Only the slanderers remained to be pleased After Ifa had successfully accomplished all things Only the foul-tongued despisers remained This was Ifa;’s message for A®ra¾, (the Marvellous feat) The son of Olo;du¾mare¾ When coming from heaven to earth He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far All the Ire of life came trooping in Here comes A®ra¾, the child of Olo;du¾mare¾ Don’t you know that it is when life is agreeable to one That one performs marvellous feats? Ifa; says that this person shall live an agreeable life and he/she will be one of the lucky and very few people who will perform marvellous feats on earth. The Ori; of this person will surely support them. He/she shall be given space and opportunity to perform and actualize his/her destiny. 407 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 2. Ifa; says that it foresees the Ire of accomplishment for the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa; says that this person shall achieve great feats on earth. Not only this, Ifa; also promises that all his/her achievements shall never be ruined or be spoilt while he/she is on this earth or even when he/she has passed on. Ifa; advises this person to offer ebo of A®ru;kore - that is, an all-encompassing eôboô with two rats, two fish, two pigeons, two hens, two cocks, two guinea-fowls, two ducks and money. Ifa; says that this person will excel in all spheres of life. He/she shall lack nothing on earth. On this, Ifa; says: Ogbe¾ gba¾ra¾ da; ta;n T’eôleô;ga¾n lo; ku¾ Ifa; sôe ohun gbogbo ta;n O: ku t’eôleô;nu Di;a; fu;n I®sôa¾ga; OÙmoô af’o¾kun sô’e¾re OÙmoô af’oô¾sa¾ sôe’yoô¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbe¾ had performed wonders Only the slanderers remained to be pleased After Ifa; had successfully accomplished all things Only the foul-tongued despisers remained This was Ifa;’s message for I®sôa¾ga; Offspring of those who worship the High Seas And get their table salt from the Lagoon He was advised to offer eôboô I®sôa¾g¾a; came from a family of ship/boat builders - from both his father’s and mother’s lineages. He was born into the business. He knew of no other trade. Well, the only other venture he could handle a little bit was fishing. Ship and boat building and fishing went together on many occasions. Farming, blacksmithery, cloth-weaving, carving, dye-making, pottery, music and so on were 408 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® definitely not for him. Not only were they not for him, he was simply not interested in them. In his innermost mind, I®sôa¾ga; planned to succeed in all spheres of life, he wanted his social, economic, family, religious, cultural and sentimental life to be a huge success. He also worked so hard toward achieving the goal. It was as a result of this fervent desire to succeed that he was pushed to go to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I live in good health throughout my life? Will I be happily married? Will I be blessed with children? Will my children become great law-abiding children who will be useful to themselves and the society in which they live? Will my business be successful? Will I be credited with new innovations and inventions in my ship-building business? Would I be able to make huge profits that I can use to develop myself, my family, my community, the whole society, and then lay a good foundation for the future generation? Will I live and be a happy and contented man? Will I die a satisfied and accomplished man? These were the questions at the back of I®sôa¾ga;’s mind when he approached his Awo for Ifa; consultation. The Awo assured I®sôa¾ga; that he had nothing to worry about. He said that I®sôa¾ga; would be blessed with sound health throughout his life; he would grow up to be a good husband to his spouses; he would be a wonderful father to his children, both biological and adopted; he would be a gentleman to his neighbours; he would be a useful and respected man among his in-laws; he would be a successful man among his business associates; he would be a genius in his work; he would be blessed with children who would live and work within the boundaries of the laws of the land and make him proud and fulfilled; he would be honoured for all his good and exemplary activities in the land; and in short, he would be a very lucky and accomplished man overall. The Awo advised I®sôa¾ga; to offer eôboô of A¾ru;kore as stated above. He complied. After this, he counselled I®sôa¾ga to be transparent in all his activities. He told him never to show anger or impatience toward anyone or anything, and must never allow anything, anybody or even any development to frustrate him at all. I®sôa¾ga; was warned that many people would attempt to pull him down because attaining success and accomplishment did not come cheap or easy; he however needed to remain focused and Ifa; would take care of the rest for him. He was assured that his detractors and despisers would be the ones to pursue him to where he would record more success and achievement than his original anticipation. With these 409 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 done, I®sôa¾ga; returned to his home, full of determination to succeed than ever before. When he returned home, I®sôa¾ga; followed the advice of his Awo to the minute details in all his dealings. He harboured no ill-feelings against anyone. Nothing that anyone thought, spoke or did against him annoyed or frustrated him in any way. He never lied, cheated or planned any evil against anyone. He never demanded for what did not belong to him. He was very hard-working and he concentrated on his ship-building work. He had no time for idle gossip. He worked with his spouses and trained his children to do the same. He was always looking for ways and means to improve the lot of himself, his immediate and extended families, and his society and community at large. He succeeded considerably. His ship-building styles were far ahead of those of all his competitors. He was regarded as the friend of the High-Seas. None of his boats and ships ever capsized, no matter how strong a storm was. Many thought he had entered into a secret covenant with Olu;weôri so that all his (I®sôa¾ga;’s) handiwork would always be respected and spared from any storm or strong weather on the high seas. All the huge successes recorded by I®sôa¾ga; made him the toast of his society. He was able to impact positively his friends and foes. He never listened to gossip or cheap talk. He worked hard all the time. He trained many people and was able to live behind a good legacy. The leaders in the community were impressed with his achievements, both morally and socially. He was accorded befitting honour and recognition. Ogbe¾ gba¾ra¾ da; ta;n T’eôleô;ga¾n lo; ku¾ Ifa; sôe ohun gbogbo ta;n O: ku t’eôleô;nu Di;a; fu;n I®sôa¾ga; OÙmoô af’o¾¾kun sô’e¾re OÙmoô af’oô¾sa¾ sôe’yoô¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbeô;’boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa;a; ba;’ni ni; je¾ôbu;tu; Ire gbogbo 410 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® A®ra¾ ti; I®sôa¾ga; n; da; ko¾ lee¾ ba¾jeô; la;i;la;i; Pi;pele lo; n;pele A®ra¾ ti; Ifa; ni; ki nda; o¾ ni;i; parun Translation: Ogbe¾ had performed wonders Only the slanderers remained to be pleased After Ifa; had successfully accomplished all things Only the foul-tongued despisers remained This was Ifa’s message for I®sôa¾ga; Offspring of those who worship the High Seas And get their table salt from the Lagoon He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of all the Ire of life The marvellous wonders that I®sôa¾ga; is performing will never be ruined They will be multiplying The marvellous wonders that Ifa; has asked me to perform will never be ruined Ifa; says that this person will surely leave a legacy that will endure from generation to generation. He/she will live and die happily and satisfactorily. He/she will have children who will also reap the benefits of their parents efforts while leaving a positive mark upon the Earth. 3. Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed shall be blessed with all the Ire of life. He/she shall lack nothing in life. It may be rough in the initial stages, but he/she needs to understand that he/she is being prepared for things to come in the future. He/she is being processed to know and appreciate the fact that success does not come cheap or easy. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô of a¾ru;kore with two rats, two fish, two pigeons, two hens, two guinea-fowls, two cocks, two ducks and money. He/she also needs to feed Ifa; with two rats, two fish and one hen. 411 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 On this, Ifa; says: Adi¾eô o¾pi¾pi¾ ye; moô ni';wo¾ôn Ko; o le¾ r’a;pa; b’eôyin Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Ifa; n; sunku;n o¾un o¾ ni;’re o EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: O®pi¾pi¾, the featherless hen, do not lay too many eggs In order to enable your wings to cover all your eggs This was Ifa;’s message for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When lamenting for his inability to acquire all the Ire of life He was advised to offer eôboô OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was living a very harsh and hard life . He had nothing to show for all his hard work. He had no money, no wife, no child, no personal property and no good health. What was all this supposed to mean? Granted, he had chosen the best destiny while coming from O®Ùrun to Aye;, if this was so, why was he facing these untold hardships and pains? Was he not supposed to have a smooth sail on earth when he had chosen a destiny to be able to accomplish all great things in life? Why must he toil and sweat before he could eat twice in a day? Why must he labour and go through suffering before he could change his garment? Why did he need to go to other people’s houses before he could get someone to send to the market? At his age, why was he the only one cooking, washing, cleaning and tidying up his environment? When would he begin to actualize his potentials and fulfil his destiny? Would he come into this world empty handed and return to OÙ®run empty-handed, without a spouse, child, legacy or a name or deed to remember by the coming generation? All these were what was on the mind of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ when he went to the home of the Awo mentioned above who incidentally was one of his ex-students, for Ifa; consultation. He asked, will I receive all the Ire of life? When Ifa; was consulted, Ogbe¾Oni;wa¾a;ra; was revealed. The Awo advised O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ not to be preoccupied with his present condition as everything would surely change for the better. He told O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ that he was the one who taught them that the same Divinities who made sweet things were 412 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® also the ones who made things bitter. They said he was tasting bitter things in his life at this point in time to prepare him in readiness for the sweet things that would surely come later. He urged OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to persevere. He assured his former teacher that joy and sweetness was just around the corner, waiting for him to come and grab them. The Awo advised O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to offer eôboô and feed his (OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ’s) personal Ifa; as stated above. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ complied. He continued to persevere and he was hopeful that he would surely taste sweetness soon. His lucky break came about three months after when the only child of the richest woman in the community fell from a velvet tamarind tree, broke his neck and went into a coma. The mother of the child rushed back home from the market when she heard of the news. They rushed the child to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. His mother nearly ran crazy. She did not know what to do. OÙ®runmi¾la¾ assured her that all would be well. The child’s mother told O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ that she would pay any amount that OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ wanted to take from her as long as her jewel survived. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ assured her once again that her son would live. He commenced the treatment instantly. He concentrated on the neck and discovered that the boy also had a fractured skull. He began to treat the two parts together. He used incantations, herbs, roots and animal parts freely. It took 11 market days (that is 42 days) for the broken bones to heal properly. In the end, the boy recovered completely. The mother of the child insisted that O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ must name his price for healing her child. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ said that there was no need for that. The woman thanked him profusely and left. Five days after, she came with many people to thank OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. They left him with food supplies that would last him for about three months. Two weeks after this, she came with another group of people to come and erect a bigger and more befitting house for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾. This was completed within nine market days. One day, this woman came to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ for a serious discussion. She told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that she did not like to sound rude or to interfere in his personal life, but she felt that it was high time that he had a wife in his house. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ told her that he would love to have one but he was not financially stable enough. In between the two of them, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ secured a wife. The wife turned out to be 413 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 an ideal wife for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. They understood each other very well. She was willing to do anything for her husband and OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was prepared to do anything for her at all times. Two months after marriage, she became pregnant. She gave birth to a bouncing baby and after that, she begot several more children for her husband. Before long, the reputation of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ as a very competent and humanitarian man spread beyond the confines of the community where he lived. He was loved, respected and sought after. At a stage, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was wealthy enough to help develop the society where he lived. He participated in many community projects. Any serious function in the community that excluded him was considered incomplete. He never disappointed anyone. One day, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ sat down to ruminate over his journey. He realized that within a few years, he had moved from a virtual nobody to a very prominent person in the community. He lacked nothing and he had several things in excess. He could not but give thanks and praises to Olo;du¾mare¾ and Ifa;. Adi¾eô o¾pi¾pi¾ ye; moô ni;'wo¾ôn Ko; o le¾ r’a;pa; b’eôyin Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Ifa; n; sunku;n o¾un o¾ ni;’re o EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'eô;boô, o; ru;’boô E®ro I®po, E®ro¾ OÙ®fa¾ EÙ wa; ba;’ni ba;’yoô¾ EÙ wa; wo’re o Translation: O®pi¾pi¾, the featherless hen, do not lay too many eggs In order to enable your wings to cover all your eggs This was Ifa;’s message for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ When lamenting for his inability to acquire all the Ire of life He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Travellers to I®po and O®Ùfa¾ Come and join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life 414 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® Ifa; says that this person shall receive all the Ire of life. He/she chose all the good things of life while in heaven and none of them shall elude him/her when they arrive on earth. 4. Ifa; foresees the Ire of prosperity for the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa; says that this person shall become honourable and respectable in his/her life. Ifa; assures this person that he/she shall become very wealthy in his/her life. He/she however needs to work hard, consult Ifa; regularly and follow all the instructions of Ifa.; It shall be well for him/her if they follow these directives. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with three pigeons and money. On this, Ogbe¾-Ba¾a¾ra¾-baara says: Ogbe¾ ba¾a¾ra¾-baara la¾a; g’e;ôti¾ SÙo;n;sôo; ori; i re¾ô l’oo¾gu¾n SÙo;n;sôo; ori; i re¾ô l’egbo¾ogi O®o¾gu¾n ti; ko¾ ni;;i; je;ô EÙ ma; gb'i;ye¾ le o Di;a; fu;n Du¾nn;ba;de; OÙmoô agbe;’ga¾nna; wo¾’ye o I®gba¾ ti; n; sunku;n oôwo;ô o¾un o¾ to;’re EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Plentifully do we pound eôôti¾ Only the tip of its head has medicinal value Only the tip of its head has herbal use Any preparation that is not going to be effective Do not rely on it These were Ifa;’s declarations to Du¾nn;ba;de; He who observes what goes on in the street from across the fence of his premises When weeping in lamentation for his inability to acquire all the Ire of life He was advised to offer eôboô 415 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Du¾nn;ba;de; was a multi-talented man. He was a good farmer. He knew how to weave clothing. He was also a very good hunter. He was an expert in boat rowing and a fantastic fisherman. He was a versatile story-teller, singer and musician of a very high degree. In spite of his vast talents however, he had a bad story to tell about himself. What was this bad story? When he went to the forest to hunt, he saw a big antelope. He shot the antelope with his arrow. It caught the animal in the chest. The animal began to take a death run with the arrow. He tried tracking it from mid-morning until evening time. He could not find the dying animal. Three days after, some women who went to the forest to cut firewood found the stinking dead body of the antelope, full of maggots and useless for consumption. He rushed there, only to see that he must have missed spotting the animal since it fell very close to where he had shot at it in the first place. A few days later he went fishing. His net caught a mighty fish. The fish, in its struggle to escape, pulled him into the water. As he tried to save himself from being dragged farther into the sea, he let go of the net. He lost the net and the big fish. But for the fact that he was a very good swimmer, he would have lost his life too. A few days after this incident, he was busy weaving clothes. He would never let any setback or disappointment weigh him down, he assured himself. That was why he went to get several bales of cotton wool on credit. He spun the wool into thread. He began to weave clothes. They came out strong and beautiful. Those who saw him at it ordered for many complete sets of asôoô o¾ke¾, agba;da;, bu¾ba;, sôo¾ko¾to¾, ge¾le¾, i¾ro; , i¾boru¾n, fi¾la¾, ke¾ômb¾ e¾ô and so on in advance. He told all of them to meet him in the market on the market day. On the eve of the market day however, fire gutted his house and everything he ever had in life, including all the clothes he had just weaved and the weaving machine, all went up in flames! He was left with the clothes that he had on him and debts from several quarters. That was when he knew that his matter was not that which he would sit by and look. He must seek spiritual assistance. That was exactly what he did. The next day, as soon as sympathizers left him, he went straight to the home of the group of Awo stated above for Ifa; consultation: Will I ever succeed in life? Will fortune ever smile on me? Will I have cause to celebrate and rejoice in 416 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® life? Those and many more were the questions he asked Ifa during the Ifa; consultation. The Awo told Du¾nn;ba;de; that even though he had been experiencing agony and hardship in recent times, joy and comfort would soon be his lot. He was urged to persevere. He was informed that when the time came to actualize his destiny, he would surely forget all the pains and agony of the past. The Awo explained to him that he could not expect life to be full of joy perpetually. He must be prepared to experience some measure of sadness every once in a while. If it was joy all through, life would be boring and there would be no challenge to make life very exciting. The Awo assured him that he would soon have cause to laugh and celebrate. Very soon! The Awo also advised Du¾nn;ba;de; to offer eôboô as stated above. Du¾nn;ba;de; gathered more debt from people and offered the eôboô. As soon as he returned home, he knew that he had his numerous creditors to contend with. He had absolutely no money to use to offset his debts. Consequent upon this, he devised a means of leaving what was left of his room and moving into the main compound. There, he had an advantage of observing everything happening on the main road from across the fence of his compound. If any of his creditors were coming into the compound, he would simply disappear from the scene by hiding himself somewhere. He would stay in his hiding place until the creditor left. The creditors would usually leave threatening words behind before leaving. Before long, Du¾nn;ba;de; was spending more time in his hiding place than in his room. One day, the woman who gave the bales of cotton wool to Du¾nn;ba;de; on credit got a contract to supply dresses to members of a very large association. The notice given to her was very short. Who could work hard enough and good enough to meet the deadline and the quality prescription of the association? Du¾nn;ba;de; of course! Only Du¾nn;ba;de; could do that! Not only this, the dresses must be delivered to the members of the association who lived across the river. They would need to use a strong boat to transport the dresses. The woman went to the owner of the boat to discuss the terms. The owner knew that someone experienced and powerful would have to be the one to do the job. Who could that be? Du¾nn;ba;de; of course! Only Du¾nn;ba;de; 417 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 could do it! E®sÙôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ kept suggesting the name of Du¾nn;ba;d;e; in the minds of everyone. The only problem that remained was how to locate Du¾nn;ba;de;. Nobody cared anymore about the debt he was owing them. They then thought to themselves that on the day of the ceremony, stories must be told and music must be played. Who could combine the two together and do it to the satisfaction of all? Again, Du¾nn;ba;de; of course! Only Du¾nn;ba;de; could do it! But how could this elusive Du¾nn;ba;de; be found? Everyone set out to look for him and fish him out. People then began to think about the food preparations! The guests must be entertained. People must wine and dine. A lot of fish must be used. Who could do this and get enough fish to satisfy the numerous guests that had been invited for the occasion? Once more, Du¾nn;ba;de; of course! Only Du¾nn;ba;de; could do it! Time was very important! Who could help locate Du¾nn;ba;de;? Time was running out! Du¾nn;ba;de;, where are you? While all these were happening, Du¾nn;ba;de; was totally unaware. He was busy planning how to hide himself from all these creditors and safe himself from their inevitable embarrassment and harassment. Meanwhile, all those who needed his services, who incidentally were the same set of people he was owing huge amount of money, gathered together to discuss how to get hold of him. In the end, they concluded that they must all troop into what remained of his house and lay siege on him. E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ urged them to move immediately. That was the day that he overslept and was totally unprepared to rush into his hiding place. The numerous creditors woke him up. When he raised up his head from his mat, he was glaring at the faces of his creditors. He wished the ground to open at that instance and swallow him up. For a long but short moment, he could not move or say a word. The ice was broken by the woman who sold the cotton wool to him on credit. She told him the reason why they came to him and told him that he needed to let them sit down and work out how to pay back all the debts he was owing people, instead of running and hiding. By the time the woman explained all the businesses that had been lined up for him, Du¾nn;ba;de; prostrated flat in gratitude to Olo;du¾mare¾. Surely, the profits he would make were not enough to offset all his debts, but at least, his good business relationship with all his creditors would resume in earnest. By that, he would have the opportunity of feeding himself regularly, pay off his numerous debts, build himself up and actualize his destiny. 418 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® They all agreed on the terms of payment of his debts and the business began immediately. The business was a huge success for both Du¾nn;ba;de; and his creditors. Six months after this, Du¾nn;ba;de; had no more debt to pay. Three years after he was one of the most successful people in the community. What was important however was that everyone knew Du¾nn;ba;de; as the person who knew how to satisfy the people’s needs most in the community. He was regarded as the utility man of the community. He was adequately honoured and respected for it. Ogbe¾ ba¾a¾ra¾-baara la¾a; g’e;ôti¾ SÙo;n;sôo; ori; i re¾ô l’oo¾gu¾n SÙo;n;sôo; ori; i re¾ô l’egbo¾ogi O®o¾gu¾n ti; ko¾ ni;;i; je;ô EÙ ma; gb'i;ye¾ le o Di;a; fu;n Du¾nn;ba;de; OÙmoô agbe;’ga¾nna; wo¾’ye o I®gba¾ ti; n; sunku;n oôwo;ô o¾un o¾ to;’re EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbe;ô’boô, o;; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni ba;’yo¾ô EÙ wa; wo’re o Translation: Plentifully do we pound eôôti¾ Only the tip of its head has medicinal value Only the tip of its head has herbal use Any preparation that is not going to be effective Do not rely on it These were Ifa;’s declarations to Du¾nn;ba;de; He who observes what goes on in the street from across the fence of his premises When weeping in lamentation for his inability to acquire all the Ire of life He was advised to offer eôboô 419 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 He complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life Ifa; says that all shall be well with the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. He/she shall certainly fulfil his/her destiny by actualizing his/her potentials and talents. 5. Ifa; says that all the Ire of life shall enter the home of the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa; says that he/she shall have cause to jubilee. Success and accomplishment shall be his/hers. He/she will be grateful to Olo;du¾mare¾ for his/her achievements in life. Ifa; advises this person to use the grass-cutter rat to feed Ifa;. As soon as this is done, all the Ire of life will enter the home of this person. On this, Ifa; says: A®da; oni;sôe¾gu¾n ni;i; m’egbo¾, ni;i; m'ewe; Di;a; fu;n I®ya; OÙmo;ôdu¾n, ni;'sa¾le¾ô A®re¾ômu; E®yi; to; ni; Ire gbogbo n;loô l'o;de OÙ®kan o¾ ya’le; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: An herbalist’s cutlass is well accustomed to both roots and herbs This was Ifa;’s message to I®ya; OÙmoô;du¾n Who lived down at A®re¾ômu; Quarters And was complaining that all the Ire of life was passing by outside And that none would enter into her home She was advised to offer eôboô I®ya; OÙmoô;du¾n was very hardworking, yet the Ire she expected did not come her way. She worked harder than most of her colleagues and contemporaries in her village, yet they seemed better off than her. Why? What was really responsible for this? What must she do to right this wrong? Would she continue her life without receiving any Ire of life? Would she live her life and die without a 420 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® husband, child, joy or accomplishment of anything or any kind? These were the thoughts at the back of her mind when she decided to approach the Awo stated above for Ifa; consultation: Will I actualize the promises of my destiny? If yes, how soon? The Awo assured I®ya; OÙmoô;du¾n that she surely would receive all the great things of life and it would not be too long before she received them. He said that many great things of life had been coming in her direction but they did not know exactly where she resided in order to come and stay with her for the rest of her life. All what she needed to do was to offer eôboô and feed Ifa; with a grass-cutter rat so as to enable all the Ire to know her home and to bring them in to stay. The Awo also made it clear to her that the children that she would give birth to would become the jewels of her life. They were the ones who would make her glow and give her all the remaining great things of life that she craved for: joy, wealth, vitality, sound health, pride, achievement, contentment and longevity. I®ya; OÙmoô;du¾n complied with the advice given to her by the Awo and offered the eôboô accordingly. When she returned home, those who had never taken notice of her began to see her as a beautiful, good-looking woman, if not outright gorgeous. Many would swear that she was a beauty. Suitors began to troop to her home. She took her time and chose her man through Ifa; consultation. Before long, the two families met and marriage was discussed. When the families agreed on the lines of action to take, the marriage ceremony was performed. It was a solemn event. That same month, I®ya; OÙmoô;du¾n became pregnant. She gave birth to a baby girl as her first child. She named the baby “OÙmo;ôdu¾n” meaning “Having one’s child is sweet”. That was how everybody started to call her “I®ya; OÙmoô;du¾n”, meaning OÙmoô;du¾n’s mother. She gave birth to many more children. These children literally worshipped her. They took care of her; they protected her; they promoted her interests; they obeyed her; they never made her unhappy for one day; and they ensured that she got anything that she demanded for. The children built a new home for the family, not because of their father or the extended family, but primarily because of her. Every member of the community considered her a very lucky woman. She lived her life happily. She was indeed a contented woman, just as Ifa; had promised. 421 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 A®da; oni;sôe¾gu¾n ni;i; m’egbo¾, ni;i; m'ewe; Di;a; fu;n I®ya; OÙmo;du¾n, ni;'sa¾le¾ô A®re¾ômu; E®yi; to; ni; Ire gbogbo n;loô l'o;de OÙ®kan o¾ ya’le; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni ni; woô¾woô; Ire gbogbo N®je;ô ki;nlo; ni;’re o; ya¾ ni';le; Awo? EÙran OÙ®ya¾ Lo; ni;'re o; ya¾ ni;'le; Awo EÙran OÙ®ya¾ Translation: An herbalist’s cutlass is well accustomed to both roots and herbs This was Ifa;’s message to I®ya; OÙmoô;du¾n Who lived down at A®re¾ômu; Quarters And was complaining that all the Ire of life was passing by outside And that none would enter into her home She was advised to offer eôboô She complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of all the Ire of life Now, what authorized all the Ire of life to enter the home of the Awo? It was grass-cutter meat That was what authorized all the Ire to enter the home of Awo It was grass-cutter meat Ifa; says that all the Ire of life shall come to the home of the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed and stay with him/her for the rest of his/her life. His/her children are his/her jewels who must be taken proper care of and be guided aright at all times. 6. Ifa; says that there is a woman where this Odu¾ is revealed who is desperately awaiting that time that Olo;du¾mare¾ will open her womb for her to become pregnant and give birth to her own baby. Ifa; says that this woman has never 422 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® menstruated in her life; and if for some reason she has, she has not seen her period in a long, long time. If she says that she is seeing her period regularly, she is just deceiving her partner to cover up her problem. Ifa; says that it foresees the Ire of a bouncing baby for this woman. Ifa; advises this woman to offer eôboô with one ram and to go and feed Erôinleô¾ with another ram and then Ileô,¾ (Mother Earth). By so doing, she will menstruate normally and become pregnant. Ifa; says that the woman in question is the third generation of women suffering from such a problem in her family, or there are three women suffering from the same problem where this Odu¾ is revealed. Whichever the case may be, Ifa; foresees the Ire of pregnancy and child-bearing for the woman or women. On these, Ogbe¾ gba¾ra¾da; says: Isôeô; n¾ sôe n¾toô;ju; O®wo¾ n¾sôe n¾be;e¾re¾ Bi; wo;ôn ba; n; gbo;ôn'do¾ l'o;do¾ Omi a ta si; woôn l'o;ju; Omi a ta si; woôn l'enô; u Omi a wo;ô si; woôn ni; po¾ro¾poro po¾ga;n Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ja;-O®Ùgboô¾ku; Ti; n;m'o;ju; su¾nra;hu¾n oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: One’s business ought to be taken care of And one’s trade ought to be handled well If one stays in the river to drain the water there in Water will splash on one’s face And splash into one’s mouth And splash all over one’s body This was Ifa;’s message for O®Ùja;-OÙ®gbo¾ôku; When lamenting for her inability to beget her own baby She was advised to offer eôboô 423 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 OÙ®ja;-O®Ùgboô¾ku; enjoyed all things in her husband’s home, but yet, she was not a happy or fulfilled woman. True, her husband and all the members of his family loved and pampered her. They looked after her and took care of her interests. They even protected her and absorbed her completely as one of the family. She was never treated as a wife; but rather, as a sister in the family. Yet she was not happy. Why, because she had no child for this loving family. Considering all the good things this family had done for her, how good would it be if she could pay such love and kindness back by her having her own children for the family? She believed that she would remain incomplete if she was not able to give birth to her own babies for this family. How then could she be happy when she remained incomplete? She asked. One day, OÙ®ja;-O®Ùgbo¾ôku; went to the home of the group of Awo stated above for Ifa; consultation. Will I ever be blessed with the fruit of the womb? That was all she asked for. That was all that mattered to her. The Awo told O®Ùja;-O®Ùgboô¾ku; to keep her mind at rest. She was told that there was no need for her to work herself up because of her childlessness. She was assured that she would be blessed with the fruit of the womb. She was advised to offer eôboô with a matured ram. She was also advised to feed Ileô¾, the Mother Earth as appropriate. She complied. Six weeks after she offered the eôboô and fed Ileô¾, she realized that she was pregnant. She was full of joy. She gave birth to her baby with relative ease. She was blessed with a female baby. The whole family had a big celebration. What would be the name of this new arrival; this bundle of joy? The family invited the Awo to come and help them find a suitable name for the baby. When the Awo arrived, they reasoned that since Ile¾,¾ô Mother Earth was propitiated before the mother could become pregnant, the baby should be considered as the egg that Ileô¾ had laid. They therefore named the baby “EÙyinle¾ô”, the egg laid by Ileô¾. Everybody knew and called the baby EÙyinleô¾ as instructed by the Awo. EÙyinleô¾ wa; da¾gba¾ ta;n O: n;m'o;mi oju; su¾ngbe;re¾ oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Woô;n ni; ko; f’aja; ru;'boô 424 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® Translation: When EÙyinleô¾ grew up She too was lamenting her inability to have a baby She was advised to offer eôboô The Awo asked her to use a dog as eôboô material When EÙyinleô¾ grew up, she got married and she was, like her mother, the beloved of her husband's family. Unfortunately, she could not beget any baby. Just like her mother, she went to the home of the same group of Awo for Ifa; consultation. The Awo told her that she would be blessed with the fruit of the womb. She was advised to offer her own eôboô with a dog. She did. After the ebo, the dog was slaughtered and some of the meat was cut into long strips, called I®ja¾n¾ja;. These I®ja¾n¾ja; were again cut into bits and cooked with are;ôyi¾ngbo;ômoôpoô¾n leaves and given to EÙyinleô¾ to consume. She did. The following month EÙyinleô¾ became pregnant. She too delivered safely. What name were they going to give this baby? E®sôu¾ responded that since it was the I®ja¾n¾ja; of dog that was cooked for the mother to eat before she became pregnant, the baby ought to be named as I®ja¾n¾ja;, the child of EÙyinleô¾. That was exactly what they did. I®ja¾n¾ja; na;a¾ wa;a; da¾gba¾ ta;n Beô;e¾ô ni ko¾ ri; o¾de re¾ô ri; O: wa; n;f'omi oju; su¾nra;hu¾n oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o Translation: When I®ja¾n¾ja; grew up to adulthood She never saw her menstrual period for a day She was weeping in lamentation for her inability to have a baby She was advised to offer eôboô Just like her mother EÙyinleô¾, I®ja¾n¾ja; had no problem getting married into a comfortable home. Everyone in her husband’s family loved and cherished her. However, she could not tell her husband or any member of his family that she had never menstruated in her life! They were both worried that she had not become pregnant after over three years of marriage. She secretly nursed the fear that she might never become pregnant in her life; but she told nobody. She 425 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 however hoped that one day, she would see her period which would help her become a true woman. A woman who has never menstruated in her life is no different from a man. This thought is what led her to go to the home of the same group of Awo that her grand-mother and mother went to for Ifa; consultation. Will I succeed in seeing my period and become pregnant and give birth to my own babies? She asked. The Awo assured her that she would certainly have her own baby. She was told to go and meet her mother by the river side and pray to her mother EÙyinleô¾ to let her beget her own child. By that time, her mother had become an O®ri¾sôa¾ after her death and she was residing inside the river. I®ja¾n¾ja; was advised to procure one matured ram, 50 bitter kolas, 50 kola nuts, plenty of beans, plenty of palm-oil, a¾ma¾la¾ and so on, for her to go to the riverside to meet her mother. She also invited Ba¾ta; drummers to accompany her to the river. With the food and drinks that she prepared, and the Ba¾ta; drummers, they all went to the river. Several other people accompanied her to the river. When they placed everything that they brought to the river with which to meet her mother for prayers and blessings at the appropriate places that they were to be placed, she began to sing: Mo ko;’ro;gbo; Mo fi wa; I®ya;a¾ mi wa; Mo wa;’ya;a¾ mi wa; Erin–j'ogu;n-oôla; OÙmoô erin ti;i; f'oôla; yan I®ja¾n¾ja; mo de; OÙmoô EÙyinleô¾ l'o;do¾ Mo ko;'bi¾ a¾ba¾ta¾ Mo fi wa;’ya;a¾ mi wa; Mo wa;’ya;a¾ mi wa; I®ja¾n¾ja; mo ko;’bi¾ mo Ka¾a;la; Mo ko;’ro;;gbo; Mo Ka;’taare Mo fi wa; I®ya;a¾ mi wa; Mo wa;’ya;a¾ mi wa; EÙyinleô¾ su;re; wa; O wa;a; gba’hun Oro¾ l'oô;do¾ô oômoô Erin–j'ogu;n-oôla; OÙmoô erin ti;i; f'oôla; yan 426 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® I®ja¾n¾ja; mo de; OÙmoô Eyinleô¾ l'o;do¾ Mo tu;n l'o;ôpoô¾ e¾ôwa¾ Mo fi wa;’ya;a¾ mi wa; Mo wa;'ya;a¾ mi wa; Erin–j'ogu;n-oôla; OÙmoô erin ti;i; f’oôla; yan I®ja¾n¾ja; mo de; OÙmoô EÙyinleô¾ l'o;do¾ Mo m'a;gbo¾ gi¾i¾sôa¾ Mo fi wa;’ya;a¾ mi wa; Mo wa;’ya;a¾ mi wa; EÙyinle¾¾ô su;re; wa; O wa; gb’ahun Oro¾ l'oô;doô¾ oômoô Erin j'ogu;n-oôla; OÙmoô erin ti;i; f’oôla; yan I®ja¾n¾ja; mo de; OÙmoô EÙyinleô¾ l'o;do¾ Translation: I have brought bitter-kolas To come and meet my mother Erin-j'ogu;n-oôla;, the Elephant has honour as its inheritance Offspring of the Elephant that marches majestically with honour I®ja¾n¾ja;, here I come The daughter of EÙyinleô¾ who resides in the river I have brought kola nuts To come and meet my mother I have really come in search of my mother I®ja¾n¾ja;, I have brought kola nuts and bitter kolas I have brought bitter kolas And have also brought alligator pepper To come and meet my mother I have come in search of my mother EÙyinleô¾, please come quickly And take all the ritual materials from your daughter Erin-j'ogu;n-oôla; Offspring of the Elephant that marches majestically with honour 427 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 I®ja¾n¾ja;, here I come Daughter of EÙyinleô¾ who resides in the river I have also brought a lot of black-eyed peas To come and meet my mother Erin-j'ogu;n-oôla; OÙmoô erin ti;i; f’oôla; yan I®ja¾n¾ja; here I come Daughter of EÙyinleô¾ who resides in the river I have also brought a matured ram To come and meet my mother I have come in search of my mother EÙyinleô¾, please come quickly And accept all ritual materials from your daughter Erin j'ogu;n-oôla; OÙmoô erin ti;i; f’oôla; yan I®ja¾n¾ja;, here I come The daughter of EÙyinleô¾ who resides in the river As soon as she said this, her mother arrived! She simply packed all the ritual materials and threw them into the river! The whole place became charged with spiritual energy! I®ja¾n¾ja; started to pray. She narrated all her problems to her mother and her mother blessed her. While she was doing this, the Ba¾ta; drummers also began to play the drums right at the river side, the drums said: EÙyinleô¾ o¾ j’aja; EÙyinleô¾ o¾ j’a¾gbo¾ Ko; sôa; bu¾n mi l’oô;moô! Ko; sôa; bu¾n mi l’oô;moô! Peô¾te¾ôpeôteô reôp¾ e;ô !! Peô¾te¾ôpeôteô pe¾ôreô;!!! Translation: Even if EÙÙyinleô¾ will not eat my dog Even if she will not consume my ram All I pray for is for her to give me my baby! All I need is for her to bless me with my baby! Peô¾te¾ôpeôteô reô¾pe;ô !! Peô¾te¾ôpeôteô pe¾ôreô;!!! 428 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® Sometime afterward everyone left the river-side, confident that I®j®a¾n¾ja;’s prayers had been given favourable consideration and had been answered. She began to dance round the town. As she was dancing about, she noticed, to her everlasting joy and surprise, that her menstruation started! With the menses, she danced round the whole town. That was the only menstruation she had before she became pregnant. She gave birth to several children in quick successions. Isôeô; n¾ sôe n¾toô;ju; O®wo¾ n¾sôe n¾be;e¾re¾ Bi; wo;ôn ba; n; gbo;ôn'do¾ l'o;do¾ Omi a ta si; woôn l'o;ju; Omi a ta si; woôn l'enô; u Omi a wo;ô si; woôn ni; po¾ro¾poro po¾ga;n Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ja;-O®Ùgboô¾ku; Ti; n;m'o;ju; su¾nra;hu¾n oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'eôboô, o; ru;’boô O: bi'moô na;a¾ ta;n Wo;ôn s'oômoô na;a¾ ni; EÙÙyinleô¾ EÙyinleô¾ wa; da¾gba¾ ta;n O: n;m'o;mi oju; su¾ngbe;re¾ oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Woô;n ni; ko; f’aja; ru;'boô O: gb'ebô; oô, o; ru;'boô O bi'mo naa tan Won s'omo naa ni Ijanja I®ja¾n¾ja; na;a¾ wa;a; da¾gba¾ ta;n Beô;e¾ô ni ko¾ ri; o¾de re¾ô ri; O: wa; n;f'omi oju; su¾nra;hu¾n oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o Ow : a; ko; oun eôboô loô s'o;do¾ loô ba; EÙyinleô¾ i¾ya; a re¾ô Mo ko;’ro;gbo; Mo fi wa; I®ya;a¾ mi wa; Mo wa;’ya;a¾ mi wa; Erin–j'ogu;n-oôla; OÙmoô erin ti;i; f'oôla; yan I®ja¾n¾ja; mo de; OÙmoô EÙyinleô¾ l'o;do¾ 429 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Mo ko;'bi¾ a¾ba¾ta¾ Mo fi wa;’ya;a¾ mi wa; Mo wa;’ya;a¾ mi wa; I®ja¾n¾ja; mo ko;’bi¾ mo Ka¾a;la; Mo ko;’ro;;gbo; Mo Ka;’taare Mo fi wa; I®ya;a¾ mi wa; Mo wa;’ya;a¾ mi wa; EÙyinleô¾ su;re; wa; O wa;a; gba’hun Oro¾ l'oô;do¾ô oômoô Erin–j'ogu;n-oôla; OÙmoô erin ti;i; f'oôla; yan I®ja¾n¾ja; mo de; OÙmoô Eyinleô¾ l'o;do¾ Mo tu;n l'o;ôpoô¾ e¾ôwa¾ Mo fi wa;’ya;a¾ mi wa; Mo wa;'ya;a¾ mi wa; Erin–j'ogu;n-oôla; OÙmoô erin ti;i; f’oôla; yan I®ja¾n¾ja; mo de; OÙmoô EÙyinleô¾ l'o;do¾ Mo m'a;gbo¾ gi¾i¾sôa¾ Mo fi wa;’ya;a¾ mi wa; Mo wa;’ya;a¾ mi wa; EÙyinle¾¾ô su;re; wa; O wa; gb’ahun Oro¾ l'oô;doô¾ oômoô Erin j'ogu;n-oôla; OÙmoô erin ti;i; f’oôla; yan I®ja¾n¾ja; mo de; OÙmoô EÙyinleô¾ l'o;do¾ Nje EÙyinleô¾ o¾ j’aja; EÙyinleô¾ o¾ j’a¾gbo¾ Ko; sôa; bu¾n mi l’oô;moô! Ko; sôa; bu¾n mi l’oô;moô! Peô¾te¾ôpeôteô reôp¾ e;ô !! Peô¾te¾ôpeôteô pe¾ôreô;!!! Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni ni; je¾ôbu;tu; oômoô Jeô¾bu;tu; oômoô la¾a; ba; ni l'e;ôseô¾ OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾ 430 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® Translation: One’s business ought to be taken care of And one’s trade ought to be handled well If one stays in the river to drain the water there in Water will splash on one’s face And splash into one’s mouth And splash all over one’s body This was Ifa;’s message for O®Ùja;-OÙ®gbo¾ôku; When lamenting for her inability to beget her own baby She was advised to offer eôboô She complied After giving birth to the baby She named the baby EÙyinleô¾ When EÙyinleô¾ grew up She too was lamenting for her inability to have a baby She was advised to offer eôboô The Awo asked her to use a dog as eôboô material She complied After giving birth to the baby She named the baby I®ja¾n¾ja; When I®ja¾n¾ja; grew up to adulthood She never saw her menstrual period for a day She was weeping in lamentation for her inability to have a baby She was advised to offer eôboô And was asked to go and meet her mother by the river-side I have brought bitter-kolas To come and meet my mother Erin-j'ogu;n-oôla;, the Elephant has honour as its inheritance Offspring of the Elephant that marches majestically with honour I®ja¾n¾ja;, here I come The daughter of EÙyinleô¾ who resides in the river I have brought kola nuts To come and meet my mother I have really come in search of my mother I®ja¾n¾ja;, I have brought kola nuts and bitter kolas I have brought bitter kolas And have also brought alligator pepper 431 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 To come and meet my mother I have come in search of my mother EÙyinleô¾, please come quickly And take all the ritual materials from your daughter Erin-j'ogu;n-oôla; Offspring of the Elephant that marches majestically with honour I®ja¾n¾ja;, here I come Daughter of EÙyinleô¾ who resides in the river I have also brought a lot of black-eyed peas To come and meet my mother Erin-j'ogu;n-oôla; OÙmoô erin ti;i; f’oôla; yan I®ja¾n¾ja; here I come Daughter of EÙyinleô¾ who resides in the river I have also brought a matured ram To come and meet my mother I have come in search of my mother EÙyinleô¾, please come quickly And accept all ritual materials from your daughter Erin j'ogu;n-oôla; OÙmoô erin ti;i; f’oôla; yan I®ja¾n¾ja;, here I come The daughter of EÙyinleô¾ who resides in the river Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of several children Several children is what Ifa; guarantees Ifa; says that this person shall be blessed with children. As a matter of fact, if any barren woman has come to Ifa; to seek solution to her barrenness and this Odu¾ is revealed (Ogbe¾-OÙ®ba¾ra¾), it is advisable to recommend that the barren woman go and feed EÙyinleô¾ with all the ritual materials listed above. 7. Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed has been subservient to someone for a long time. Ifa; is now ready to make him/her greater than his/her former boss. Ifa; says that this person shall be made a leader among leaders. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with four big mortars, four pigeons, 10 yards of velvet cloth and money. 432 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® On this, Ifa; says: Asôoô fe;ôleô;fe;lô eô; ni;i; b'oju; Egu;ngu;n Awoôô feô;e;ôreô; ni;i; b’e¾ôjeô¾ moô;’le¾ô A jeô; oôloô¾te¾ô-e¾e¾ya¾n ma;-l'e;ôgba¾a; kan-a¾a;-yoôoô;-na; Di;a; fu;n Erin du;du; igbo; I®do¾ôgoô¾ Ti; n;loô¾oô; fi gbogbo ara si¾n l'oô;do¾ô EÙtu EÙÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Light cloth covers the face of the masquerade Thin skin covers the blood in the body He who conspires-will-not-have-any-money-to-spend They were the ones who cast Ifa; for Erin dudu (the dark skinned Elephant) of I®do¾ôgoô¾ forest When going to be a servant under EÙtu (the Antelope) He was advised to offer eôboô In the beginning, Erin the elephant was not as big as a rodent. On top of that, he was frail and angular. He would fall ill today and get well tomorrow. He was also working under EÙtu, the Antelope, a very wicked and totally inconsiderate boss. EÙtu was ready to work Erin to death. Erin had no time for himself at all. One day, Erin took some time out to go to the home of the three Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I amount to anything in my life? Will I continue to work for, and die as the slave of EÙtu? Will a miracle happen in my life so that I can exert my freedom and independence? Will I ever be my own boss so that I no longer have to answer to anyone? Will there be a time in my life that I will walk majestically around in the forest without fear of reprisal from any quarter? In short, will I ever be happy, proud and contented in my life? These were the questions which Erin asked Ifa; during consultation. The Awo told Erin that he would certainly become a great person in his life. He was assured that all those who acted as his boss at that time would eventually come to bow and shiver under him. He was advised to persevere as his time to assume his destined position of glory was very close. They told Erin not to 433 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 despise his boss anymore because it was just a matter of time. Erin was told to go and prepare himself for everlasting celebration. The Awo advised Erin to offer eôboô with four large mortars, 10 yards of velvet clothing material, four pigeons and money. Erin had no money, but he was determined to offer the eôboô. When he returned to EÙtu for work, he got the beating of his life for coming late to his work. This did not deter Erin from offering the eôboô. He was determined to get another beating in order to get his freedom. He stressed himself and went to get all the eôboô materials on credit, promising that he would offset his loan very soon. When Erin got to the home of the Awo, the eôboô was offered. Towards the end of the offering process however, the Awo instructed Erin to stretch out his limbs. Erin complied. The Awo pulled the limbs and they stretched as if they were made of elastic substance! The Awo placed each limb in each one of the mortars. He covered Erin with the velvet clothing material and prayed for him. What did one see next? Lo and behold, Erin transformed into a mountain! The roof of the home of the Awo was burst open by the sheer size and might of Erin. The four mortars became his feet! He felt and looked enormous. When he forced his way out of the home of the Awo, the whole building simply collapsed! As soon as Erin noticed this transformation in his life, he made for EÙ tu’s farm immediately. When EÙtu saw the mountainous figure coming towards him, he simply took to his heels! From that day to the present, Erin has not taken a compassionate look at EÙtu. Anytime that Erin sets his eyes on EÙtu, he is ready to avenge all the ill-treatment he was subjected to by EÙtu. That was how Erin became the biggest animal in the forest. He became the Lord of the wilderness. All those who had hitherto been looking down upon him became his subjects. No one dared to look at him in the face anymore. Those who knew Erin before could not help but wonder how he became a mountainous animal within the twinkle of an eye. Asôoô fe;ôleô;fe;lô eô; ni;i; b'oju; Egu;ngu;n Awoôô feô;e;ôreô; ni;i; b’e¾ôjeô¾ moô;’le¾ô A jeô; oôloô¾te¾ô-e¾e¾ya¾n ma;-l'e;ôgba¾a; kan-a¾a;-yoôoô;-na; Di;a; fu;n Erin du;du; igbo; I®do¾ôgoô¾ 434 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® Ti; n;loô¾oô; fi gbogbo ara si¾n l'oô;do¾ô EÙtu EÙÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni ba;’yo¾ô EÙ wa; wo’re o N®je;ô ni;si¾nyi; la r’e;rin Erin ni;gba¾ wo lo wa d’o¾ke¾? Translation: Light cloth covers the face of the masquerade Thin skin covers the blood in the body He who conspires-will-not-have-any-money-to-spend They were the ones who cast Ifa; for Erin dudu (the dark skinned Elephant) of I®do¾ôgoô¾ forest When going to be a servant under EÙtu (the Antelope) He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and see all the Ire of life Now, we have just seen Erin When did you transform into a mountain Ifa; says that the transformation of the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed from grass to grace and from rubbish to royalty will happen so suddenly that he/she too will not believe his/her good luck. He/she only needs to persevere and live his/her life the Ifa; way. He/she needs to think no evil, speak no evil and do no evil. That is the Ifa; way. 8. Ifa says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed is planning to take something away from its owner. Ifa says that it is possible for him/her to do so but there may be trouble initially, but in the end, he/she will take the thing away completely and the original owner will not be able to do anything about it. Conversely, Ifa; advises the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to offer eôboô in order to prevent a situation where someone will take away from him/her 435 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 something/someone which he/she values very much. If the eôboô is not offered quickly and the thing/person is taken, it will not be possible to retrieve the item or person. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat and money. He/she also needs to feed Ifa; with one hen or she-goat, depending on which one Ifa; chooses. On this, Ifa; says: Ogbe¾ gba¾ra¾ da; ta;n T'eôleô;ga¾n lo; ku¾ Ifa; sôe ohun gbogbo ta;n O: ku ti gb'e;ônu-gb'eô;nu Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Ifa; n; lo¾ôoô; gba A®ri¾ra; Ti;i; sô'obi¾nrin SÙaÙ¾ngo; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbe¾ had performed wonders Only the slanderers remained to be pleased After Ifa; had successfully accomplished all things Only the foul-tongued despisers remained This was Ifa;’s message for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ When going to snatch away A®ri¾ra; (the Thunder) The wife of SÙa¾ngo; He was advised to offer eôboô A®ri¾ra; was the tool which SÙa¾ngo; used to employ to fight off his enemies. The weapon was being used indiscriminately by SÙa¾ngo; , this thunder-strike had destroyed the lives and homes of more innocent people than guilty ones. This was what gave O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ serious cause for concern: why must this be happening when there are better ways of employing this power? He wondered. That was what made O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to resolve within his mind that he must have a serious dialogue with SÙa¾ngo; over the matter. 436 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® One day, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ went to SÙa¾ngo;’s home very early in the morning. He explained to him what he had observed on the way that SÙa¾ngo; had been using A®ri¾ra indiscriminately; and told SÙa¾ngo; that such usage was unfair to innocent victims who had been losing their properties and even their lives when the thunder would strike their homes. He pleaded with SÙa¾ngo; to let there be a review of usage which would make only the guilty ones suffer and spare the innocent. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ pointed out to him that many of his own children who were his adherents had also been affected by the thunder strike. Some of them did not only lose their properties, they also died in the process. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declared that this was totally unacceptable to him. He pleaded with SÙa¾ngo; to spare all the children of Ifa; for his sake. In his response, SÙa¾ngo; sympathized with OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ on the loss of his followers. He however told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that A®ri¾ra; was not only his weapon, she was also considered his wife. He said that he was at liberty to employ the usage of his wife as it pleased him and he would not entertain anyone to counsel him on how to do what pleased him with A®ri¾ra;. He advised O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to inform all his followers to make the fear of A®ri¾ra; the beginning of wisdom for them. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ pleaded with SÙa¾ngo; for several moments for him to have a change of heart, but all to no avail. With the deadlock both of them departed. While OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was on his way back to his home, he heard several thunder strikes. He also heard people screaming and wailing over the loss of their properties and the lives of their loved ones. That was when OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ made up his mind that A®ri¾ra; must be taken away from SÙa¾ngo;. This decision was what took O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to the home of the Awo stated above for Ifa; consultation: Will I succeed in snatching A®ri¾ra; away from SÙa¾ngo;? Will I be able to overcome SÙa¾ngo; in the eventual confrontation? The Awo assured O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ that he would be able to do what he planned to do. He would also overcome SÙa¾ngo; if he ventured to confront him. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was advised to offer eôboô and feed Ifa as stated above. He complied. A few weeks after, the essence of A®ri¾ra; was securely in the hands of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ . This infuriated SÙa¾ngo; to the extent that he prepared himself for confrontation with O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾. As he planned this, somehow he could not make himself execute his plan. For this reason, SÙa¾ngo; decided to use the same thunder to strike down OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ and all his followers. He realized however that even though the thunder struck, the homes of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ and all his followers were 437 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 spared. That was how SÙa¾n¾go; lost the battle to retrieve the essence of A®ri¾ra; that O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ took away from him. Ogbe¾ gba¾ra¾ da; ta;n T'eôleô;ga¾n lo; ku¾ Ifa; sôe ohun gbogbo ta;n O: ku ti gbe;ônu-gbeô;nu Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Ifa; n; lo¾ôoô; gba A®ri¾ra; Ti;i; s;ô'obi¾nrin SÙa¾ngo;; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba;’ni l'a;ru¾u;sôeô; ogun N®jeô; nini ni yo;o; maa tu¾ wa; nini O®ko¾ a¾ra; o¾ ni;i; ba;'le¾ô Ko; woô'le; Ifa; Nini ni yo;o; maa tu¾ wa; nini Translation: Ogbe¾ had performed wonders Only the slanderers remained to be pleased After Ifa; had successfully accomplished all things Only the foul-tongued despisers remained This was Ifa;’s message for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ When going to snatch away A®ri¾ra; (the Thunder) The wife of SÙa¾ngo; He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far Join us where we use eôboô to ensure victory Behold, peace and comfort shall be our lot The thunder stone will not strike the ground And enter the home of Ifa; Peace and comfort shall be our lot 438 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed will overcome. He/she shall take whatever he/she plans to take away from its original owner. But it must be for the benefit of all. In this particular stanza, two things become apparent as Ifa; has stated: i. No true Ifa; priest/priestess will ever suffer from damage caused by a thunder-strike. Any Babala;wo/I®ya;ni;fa; who suffers this loss is considered to be a liar and a cheat and he/she has done something terribly wrong which has stripped him/her of the protection of Ifa;. ii. No true Babala;wo/I®ya;ni;fa; should ever find it difficult to summon rainfall. He/she will also never find it difficult to stop rainfall. This is because the very essence of A®®ri¾ra; is securely in the hands of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾. iii. No true Babala;wo/I®ya;ni;fa; must ever use thunder to strike down anyone, ruin anyone’s home or life, or bring trouble into the community. It is against the spirit for which O®Ùru;;nmi¾la¾ snatched A®ri¾ra; from SÙa¾ngo;. 9. Ifa; advises the man for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to take good care of his wife at all times. He also needs to ensure that he is not too thrifty or cheap with her. By making sure that he makes her happy, the woman will go to any length to ensure that her man get the best out of life. She will help him with all her power and protect his interests at all times. He will be happy and will enjoy marital bliss. Ifa; advises this man to offer eôboô with two pigeons, one mature he-goat and money. He also needs to be more forthcoming in his desire to satisfy his wife’s financial and emotional demands, which must be done within his capabilities. On this, Ifa; says: Obi¾nrin sô'oôwoô; ku;du;ru; O;: m’o;ôkoô reô¾ l'a;hun O: sô'ohu¾n ku;du;ru; O: ni; to;o ba; sôe fu;n mi SÙebi; o o; ba;a l'a;ra o¾hun 439 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Di;a; fu;n Ebe¾ Ti; n;loô re¾e; gbe; Ba¾ra¾ n'i;ya¾wo; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: A woman demanded for something by turning her hand into a cup She accused her husband of being too stingy She opened her mouth challengingly And declared that “if you take good care of me You will surely see the result in my being" This was Ifa;’s message for Ebe¾ (the Farm Heap) When going to take Ba¾ra¾, the Melon seed as his wife He was advised to offer eôboô When the Farm Heap, Ebe¾, met the Melon seed, Ba¾¾ra¾, it was love at first sight. They loved each other and would do many things together. When it was time for them to consummate their relationship into marriage, Ebe¾ went to the home of the Awo stated above for Ifa; consultation in order to determine how successful the marriage would be. He wanted to know if, apart from love, were they compatible and meant for each other. He also wanted to know if their love for each other would last forever. The Awo told Ebe¾ that both Ebe¾ and Ba¾ra¾ were meant for each other. He told Ebe¾ that they would live long together and they would achieve a lot together. He however advised Ebe¾ to ensure that he was not miserly with his wife as that might create problems. As long as he satisfied her needs, she would be the best wife ever and would be the envy of others. He was advised to offer eôboô as stated above and at the same time, to heed the warning and advice of the Awo. He complied. When the marriage was contracted, it of course turned out to be of benefit for both parties. Ba¾ra¾ also gave birth to several children. They were both successful and they were blessed with the children of their dreams. Obi¾nrin sô'oôwoô; ku;du;ru; O: m’o;ôkoô reô¾ l'a;hun O: sô'ohu¾n ku;du;ru; O: ni; to;o ba; sôe fu;n mi 440 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® SÙebi; o o; ba;a l'a;ra o¾hun Di;a; fu;n Ebe¾ Ti; n;loô re¾e; gbe; Ba¾ra¾ n'i;ya¾wo; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni ni; je¾ôbu;tu; Ire gbogbo Ta lo; wa; ru;'boô oôla¾ To; tu;n ru; t';oômoô? Ba¾ra¾ Lo; ru;'boô oôla¾ To; tu;n ru; t'oômoô Translation: A woman demanded for something by turning her hand into a cup She accused her husband of being too stingy She opened her mouth challengingly And declared that “if you take good care of me You will surely see the result in my being" This was Ifa;’s message for Ebe¾ (the Farm Heap) When going to take Ba¾ra¾, the Melon seed as his wife He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of all Ire Who offered the eôboô of prosperity And that of child-bearing? Of course, it was Ba¾ra¾ That had offered the eôboô of prosperity And that of child-bearing Ifa; assures this person that he shall not only be blessed with a good spouse, but that through his wife, success, prosperity and many children shall be received as blessings. A woman is also going to be blessed with a good husband who will provide her with all she needs and desires. 441 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 10. Ifa; says that people are really deriding one another and subjecting each other to unwarranted ridicule where this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa; says that these people need to put an end to this if any appreciable progress or success is to be recorded by those concerned. Ifa; advises all those involved to purge themselves of this type of uncivilized attitude and begin to mend things. They also need to offer eôboô with a mature hegoat and money. If several people are involved, each of them needs to add one mature cock and money. On this, Ifa; says: Ki;nni ohun ti; eô wi; Ti; n o¾ sôe o ? OÙ®na¾ wo leô pe; ki;; n gba¾ Ti; n o¾ gba¾? Di;a; fu;n woôn ni;;'lu¾u; E®Ùyoô Ki¾ki¾ e¾ôga¾n Ji;ji; ti; wo;ôn ji; Wo;ôn n; yoô’nu si;'raa woôn EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe Translation: What did you ask That I failed to comply with? Which road did you ask me to take That I refused to take? This was the Ifa cast for them at E®Ùyoô town When they were deriding one another When they woke up They were deriding each other They were advised to offer eôboô The inhabitants of EÙ®yoô town specialized in one thing; backbiting. They knew how to deride each other and run each other down. If anyone tried to prove himself/herself that he/she could do certain things effectively, his/her fellow inhabitants would go to town to prove to all those who cared to listen that he/she could not do that very thing. This attitude became so prevalent to the 442 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® extent that they succeeded in running the whole community to the ground. None of them succeeded. Nobody from other communities liked associating themselves or working with anyone from that community. All the inhabitants of EÙ®yoô town were regarded as a pack of incompetent fools. They could not go to other communities to stay because nobody would want them there. They began to hate each other and at the same time, they hated themselves. At a stage, they began to believe that they were indeed incompetent fools in EÙ®yoô land. One day, the OÙba of the town joined his ancestors. A new OÙba was installed. It took a very long time before this could be done because of all the deriding taking place among the candidates. They were not looking for any of the positive sides of their lives but rather, they were looking for faults, weaknesses, scandals and controversy. Where there was none, they would quickly manufacture something and the candidate would be disqualified. After so much unnecessary delay, one candidate was eventually picked and installed as OÙba. The new OÙba happened to be one of the very few people left in the land who never for one day believed that nothing good could ever come out of EÙ®yoô land. Even though he realized that nothing good had come out of the land so far, he was absolutely convinced that a lot of good things could still be achieved. Consequent upon this, the new OÙba invited the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation. His main question was: What do we in E®Ùyoô land need to do to make things better here? The Awo told the inhabitants of EÙ®yoô land that they were the architects of their own failures and misfortunes. They were told that they had all the opportunities to be great but they simply bungled them. The Awo emphasized the fact that if they wanted to be great, they must change their attitude. They must stop running each other down. They must cooperate with each other in order to achieve progress and development. If they must compete with each other at all, the competition must be healthy competition. They must also stop looking at each other’s faults and start recognizing where each individual could be an asset to the whole community and assist such individuals in actualizing his/her full potentials. The Awo also advised the community to offer ebo as stated above. He told them to imbibe the idea that their neighbours are their siblings and they must have positive contributions to their successes. They complied. 443 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 At first, it was very difficult for them to do. As time went by however, they realized that it was the best thing for them to do. Little efforts yielded great dividends. They formed cooperatives for the sole purpose of helping each other succeed. Before long, the whole community began to bubble with activities. There were opportunities and prosperity for everybody. Soon after, other communities began to trade and cooperate with them. Their cooperatives spread beyond the boundaries of their community. All the inhabitants of all the adjacent communities came to benefit from the opportunities that could be derived from the cooperatives. There was joy, contentment and self fulfilment in the land. Ki;nni ohun ti; eô wi; Ti; n o¾ sôe o? OÙ®na¾ wo leô pe; ki; n gba¾ Ti; n o¾ gba¾? Di;a; fu;n woôn ni;'lu¾u; E®Ùyoô Ki¾ki¾ e¾ôga¾n Ji;ji; ti; wo;ôn ji; Wo;ôn n; yoô’nu si;'raa woôn EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe Wo;ôn gbeô;’boô, woô;n ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba;’ni ba;’yo¾ô EÙ wa;a; wo’re o Translation: What did you ask That I failed to comply with? Which road did you ask me to take That I refused to take? This was the Ifa cast for them at E®Ùyoô town When they were deriding one another When they woke up They were deriding each other They were advised to offer eôboô They complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life 444 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® Ifa; says that there is nothing that love, cooperation and friendliness cannot achieve. Readiness to help one another to succeed goes a long way in the realization of tall dreams. Consequently, the more cooperation that exists where this Odu¾ is revealed, the greater the success chances of the people who live there will be. Ifa; says that there is going to be joy and self-fulfilment where this Odu¾ is revealed. Ifa; promises that marvellous wonders shall come out of where this Odu¾ is revealed. 11. Ifa; advises a woman where this Odu¾ is revealed to offer eôboô in order to avoid a situation where she will end up marrying more than one man in her life and giving birth to children for each of the three different men in her lifetime. Ifa; says that if for any reason she does end up going through two divorces/separations and giving birth to children for her first two partners, the child that she will beget for the third husband will actually be the most successful of all her children. To avoid all these problems however it is best that she offer appropriate ebo and follow Ifa’s advice. Ifa; also says that the woman in question is an Apeô¾te¾ôbi;. She not only needs to offer ebo but she needs to tie on the ide¾. It is also highly advisable for her to marry a man who is initiated into Ifa;. It is also a taboo for her to eat kola nuts. Ifa; advises her to offer eôboô with one mature she-goat and money. She also needs to feed Ifa with two rats, two fish and another mature she-goat. She must also be wearing and go out with the ide¾, Ifa bracelet, at all times. On these aspects, Ifa; says: Moto;o;ri;ki; Awo Mori;ke¾ôe;ô Moto;o;ri;ki¾ Awo mori;yo¾ô Mo to;o; f'obi¾ kan go¾do¾g¾ba¾-godogba ka¾n l'o;ri;; Awo ile; Oni;kewu; Di;a; fu;n Oni;;kewu;-A®sôa; OÙmoô A®wo¾di¾ ti;i; fo¾-rakin, fo¾-rakin l'o;ju; OÙloô;run O: f':ey¾ô i¾n ti¾ m'o;ju; eôku;n su¾nra;hu¾n oômoô Eôboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe 445 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: Moro;o;ri;ki;, the Awo of Mori;ke¾ôeô; Moto;o;ri;ki¾, the Awo of Mori;yo¾ô I am worthy of being propitiated with one big kola nut The resident Awo of Oni;kewu; They cast Ifa; for Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; The offspring of the hawk that flies majestically in the sky When weeping in lamentation for her inability to receive the blessing of the fruit of the womb She was advised to offer eôboô Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; was happily married but she was not living happily in her marital home. Why? She had no child for her husband. She tried all she knew but all her efforts were to no avail. She became desperate because she knew that the productive period of a woman was much shorter than that of a man. For this reason, she approached the group of Awo above for Ifa; consultation: Will I be blessed with the fruit of the womb? The three Awo told Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; that whether she offered eôboôô or not, she would be blessed with children. She however needed to offer eôboô in order to avoid a situation where she would give birth to children for three different men in her life. She also needed to impress it on her husband to be initiated into Ifa; because she was an Ape¾ôteô¾bi; from heaven. The Awo advised her to offer eôboô as stated above and to avoid eating kola nuts. Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; looked at the three Awo in utter disbelief. What could make her have children for three different men in her life? She could not picture such a thing. What could make her leave her loving and beloved husband? Such a thought was totally preposterous. Certainly, she thought in her mind, it must be these Babala;wo who are looking for ways of getting animals from her. She vowed that she would never let them have their way. They must be defrauding others in this same way as well but they would fail this time around, Oni;kewu;A®sôa; mused. She then simply stood up from the consultation mat and walked out without saying a word. On her way home, she thought over the matter and vowed that she would not go to the home of any Awo again: what for? These ones had said that she would give birth to many children, whether she offered eôboô or not. 446 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® Two months after this, Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; became pregnant. Her husband, Olu;-Igbo; was the happiest man on earth. The love they had for each other grew in several folds. She was being pampered by all. When she gave birth, it was to a bouncing baby boy. They named the baby Apa;. She diverted all her love and attention to the baby. She had been looking for this baby for a long, long time. She would allow no one to touch the baby. She treated the baby like an egg which only she knew how to carry. Her husband and all members of his family became total strangers to her. Nobody and nothing interested her any longer, except her baby. When the family could take this no longer they invited her to a meeting. They made it clear to her that even though she was the one who gave birth to the baby, nonetheless, the baby was also a part of the husband and his family. She did not allow them to finish what they were saying before she charged at them, saying that where were they when she was suffering when looking for a baby? Where were they when eventually she became pregnant? Whom among them helped her to carry the baby when he was inside her womb for the 10 lunar months? Who among them felt her pains of pregnancy and suffered with her? Where were they when she went into labour? Oh! The pains! The agony! The excruciating pain! Where were they during those crucial moments? It was only her that was left to her fate! The baby was hers and nobody else's! If any of them wanted a baby that would belong to the whole family, they might as well give birth to that one themselves! Certainly not this one which Olodumare had given her. All those present could not believe their ears: so, Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; had all along been hiding her true character? How can this woman be so rude to the elders in the family? As these thoughts were going on in their minds and to make matters worse, E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ appeared and told Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; that there was the need to put all the family members into their proper places. Why should they attempt to claim ownership of the baby she had suffered to get? Breast-feeding; who among them had ever helped her to breast feed the baby? E®sôu¾ told her that the family was planning to take the baby away from her so therefore she needed to do something dramatic to ensure that the baby stayed with her. E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ told her to rain abuses and insults on all of them and told them that only death could make her share her baby. As the head of the family was about to speak, E®sôu¾ told Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; to charge at him. Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; sprang up, spit into the face of the head of the family and made it abundantly clear to all of them that only death 447 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 would allow any of them to touch the baby or take him away from her. All those present were shocked. E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ continuously urged her on. When she was exhausted, she rushed out of the house. All the family members sat frozen to their various positions for a long time. E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ then whispered into their ears that what Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; had just done was an abomination of the highest order. They must not accept her back into their fold. She must be thrown out of the house. If this was not done, other women in the family might emulate her behaviour and do the same thing. E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ directed the proceeding of the meeting. He ensured that all her belongings were thrown out of the house that very day. Even though Oni;kewu; A®sôa; retained her baby, she was disowned by her husband’s family. Before it dawned on Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; that she could no longer be accepted into Olu-Igbo’s household, it was too late to make any amendment. All entreaties for her to return fell on deaf ears. When Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; realized that the door had been firmly slammed shut against her, she began to plan on how to live her life with her baby. Her own family members would not have any of that and encouraged her to look for someone else to marry, claiming that she was too young to stay alone without a husband. Before long, she met Olu;weôri. One thing led to another, and they became husband and wife. She was trusted by everyone in his family. They protected her and looked after her interests. Before long, she became pregnant again. She gave birth to another baby boy. The baby was named Toôpoôteôri. All the family members were very happy. This time around, Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; had learnt her lesson. She allowed her husband’s family to touch and play with the baby. One day however, as Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; was busy cleaning her husband’s room, she saw four kola nuts wrapped with leaves in the room. They were big and fresh. Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; suddenly developed a hunger for kola nuts. She took and consumed one. A few moments after, she consumed the second one. Before long, she ate the four kola nuts. When evening time arrived, the friends of her husband began to arrive one after the other. When all of them had assembled, they asked Olu;weôri to go and bring the kola nuts that they wanted to use for the ritual that they had come to 448 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® perform. Olu;weôri searched his room but could not find the kola nuts. He called his wife and asked her to show him where she had kept the kola nuts for him. She responded that she had consumed the kola nuts! Olu;;weôri could not believe his ears. All his friends who had come purposely for the kola nuts in order to perform the ritual looked at each other but said nothing. They were all waiting to see what Olu;weôri would do. Olu;weôôri spoke angrily to his wife and the wife tried to explain but he did not allow her to speak. Before long, the wife also spoke angrily back at him. A big scuffle ensued. The fight was so serious that before Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; knew it, she was back in her own families house that same day. She left Olu;weôri‘s house with her son for good. Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; thus now had two children from two different men. The two children were living with her and her parents. One day, Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; met O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾. She soon became O®Ùru;;nmi¾la¾’s wife. She was told by OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that she was an Ape¾ôteô¾bi; from heaven. She was told that she needed to tie on the Ide¾, and she did. All other necessary ceremonies were performed for her. She soon became pregnant. She gave birth to another baby boy. The boy was named Ogbe¾-Gba¾ra¾da¾. One day, Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; went to her parents’ house to bring her other children Apa; and Toôpoôteôri to live with their brother. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ trained the three children together. But as predicted by Ifa; Ogbe¾-Gba¾ra¾da¾ was the most successful among the three children. Moto;o;ri;ki; Awo Mori;ke¾ôeô; Moto;o;ri;ki¾ Awo mori;yo¾ô Mo to;o; f'obi¾ kan go¾do¾gba¾-godogba ka¾¾n l'o;ri; Awo ile; Oni;kewu; Di;a; fu;n Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; OÙmoô A®wo¾di¾ ti;i; fo¾-rakin, fo¾-rakin l'o;ju; OÙloô;run O;: f'e¾ôyi¾n ti¾ m'o;ju; eôku;n su¾nra;hu¾n oômoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: wa;a; f'eti; oô¾tu;n gb'e;ôboô O: fi t:'o¾si¾ da¾ a; nu¾ I®gba¾ ti; yo;o; bi¾i; O: bi; ;Apa; fu;n Olu;-Igbo; I®gba¾ ti; yo;o; bi¾i; O: bi; Toôpoôteôôri fu;n Olu;weôri I®gba¾¾ ti; yo;o; bi¾i; 449 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 O: bi; Ogbe¾-Gba¾ra¾da; fu;n Baba a¾ mi A®gi¾ri;-I®loô;gbo;ônô E®ro¾ ¾I®po, e¾¾ro¾ OÙ®fa¾ ¾EniÙ gb'e;ôboô ni;be¾ô, ko; wa;a; s;ô'eôboô o Translation: Moro;o;ri;ki;, the Awo of Mori;ke¾ôeô; Moto;o;ri;ki¾, the Awo of Mori;yo¾ô I am worthy of being propitiated with one big kola nut The resident Awo of Oni;kewu; They cast Ifa; for Oni;kewu;-A®sôa; The offspring of the hawk that flies majestically in the sky When weeping in lamentation for her inability to receive the blessing of the fruit of the womb She was advised to offer eôboô She heard about the eôboô with her right ear And threw the advice out with her left ear When going to give birth She gave birth to Apa;; for Olu;-Igbo; When going to give birth She gave birth to Toôpoôteôriô for Olu;weôri When going to give birth She gave birth to Ogbe¾-¾Gba¾ra¾da;; for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾, my father, the custodian of wisdom Travellers to I®po and O®ôfa¾ Let those advised to offer eôboô comply accordingly Ifa; says that the woman for whom this Odu¾ is revealed shall not be made to lose her success chances. This is the reason why she needs to heed the advice of the Awo by offering the appropriate eôboô, tie on the Ide¾, marrying someone who is initiated into Ifa;; and abstaining from consuming kola nuts. 12. Ifa; says that the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed must not engage in power abuse. If he/she is pursuing something which he/she has not been able to get, he/she must not as a result of that behave wrongly or abuse the authority given to him/her. He/she must not cheat or harm others in order to have his/her way. If he/she does so, Ifa; says that he/she will be exposed and be openly sanctioned and disgraced and will only have himself/herself to blame in the end. 450 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® Conversely, Ifa; says that a person has been cheated unjustly before or someone close to him/her has been cheated. The person who perpetuated the evil act has not been identified at this or that time. Ifa; however assures this person that the evil doer will not get away with the evil act. He/she shall surely be fished out by Ifa; and be dealt with accordingly. Ifa; advises the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to offer eôboôô with a mature she-goat and money. At the same time, he/she needs to desist from his/her evil designs. Ifa; also advises the latter to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat and money. He/she also needs to await the judgement of Ifa;. On these, Ifa; says: EÙran gbi;gbeô ab'i¾di; ta¾pa¾la¾-tapala Di;a; fu;n Bo;ju;ri; Ti;i; sôe oôba woôn ni;'lu¾u; A®sôeô¾sôe¾ôyoô-O®o¾ru¾n Ti; yo;o; f’ayo¾ô j’aye; e re¾ô da;lu EÙboô ôni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Dry meat without any oily substance He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for Bo;ju;ri; The OÙba of A®sôeô¾sôeô¾yoô-O®o¾ru¾n town Who would use excessive joy to ruin his life and reputation He was advised to offer eôboô Bo;ju;ri;, the OÙba of A®sôeô¾sôeô¾yoô-O®o¾ru¾n land, had one policy to govern his day-to-day activities; it was that he must get whatever he set his mind upon, no matter the cost. This had been his way and he had been having his way on all occasions. Those who did not want to yield to his request would have their arms twisted until they surrendered. One day, Bo;;ju;;ri;; met a young damsel whose name was 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô. He planned to add her to his group of wives. He made enquiries in order to know where she was living and also to know who her parents were. When he got all the necessary information that he needed, he summoned EÙran-gbi;gbeôô-ab'i¾di;-ta¾pa¾la¾- 451 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 tapala, his Awo to come and consult Ifa; for him; what did he need to do to have 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô as one of his wives? After Ifa; consultation, the Awo told Bo;ju;ri; that even though he loved to have his way on all occasions, there was the need, this time around, to tread softly and ensure that he did not allow excessive joy to ruin his reputation. This might make him to lose everything he had ever acquired in his life. He was cautioned not to use force on anything and allow events to take their natural course. He was equally advised to offer eôboô with a mature she-goat and money. Bo;ju;ri; had been so used to having his way that he could not imagine that a time would ever come that he would be advised not to use force on anything to his favour. He thought deeply about what the Awo told him and concluded that he would not offer the eôboô. Not only that, he vowed that he would use everything and anything within his capacity to have 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô as one of his wives. Ibi ti; Ori; da; ni si; la¾a; gbe; O®Ùna¾ ti; E®Ùda; ya¾n fu;n ni la¾a; to¾ô Di;a; fu;n 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô To; ri; OÙba ni;l' e¾ô Ti; yo;o; loô re¾e; fe;ô olu¾sôeô; l'o;ôkoô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: It is what our Ori; chooses for us that we ought to accept It is the path of our Destiny that we ought to follow These were Ifa;’s declarations to 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô Who had the choice of picking an OÙba But chose to go for a pauper to be her husband She was advised to offer eôboô 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô came from a very humble home and she was an extremely beautiful woman. She was also level-headed, honest, hardworking, unassuming and a very jovial lady. She was also very kind-hearted. She loved to help people as much as she could. It was with honesty that she chose her future partner. This man was young, handsome, hardworking, kind-hearted and honest. Both of them made a perfect match. All those who knew them together could not but comment that they were made for each other from heaven. 452 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® The day when the delegates of the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; arrived in 'Moôleô¾yo¾'ô s home to inform her parents that the OÙba was interested in having 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô as his wife was the day that fear and confusion entered into that household. 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô’s parents were the ones who trained their daughter to be truthful and honest to herself and others at all times. They knew without being told that 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô was deeply in love with her young man. They equally knew that if asked, she would tell them the truth about what she felt about the proposition made by OÙba Bo;ju;ri;; and the truth would certainly be that she was not interested in the OÙba at all! Who would ever turn down the proposition of this OÙba and get away with it? They could not even recall one incident where this had ever happened. They called on their ancestors to please help them out of the dilemma. When 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô returned to the house from where she went to deliver a message to a friend of her mother, she was informed that the OÙba had just sent a delegate to come and tell the family. Without blinking her eyes, 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô told her parents that she was not, and would not be, interested for any reason. How then would they handle this problem? 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô told her parents that whichever way they chose to handle the matter, she was already in love with someone of her choice. That was when 'Moôleô¾yo¾’ô s father suggested that they needed to go for Ifa; consultation in order to fashion a way out of the dilemma. Off they went to the home of the Awo mentioned above immediately: what was the most realistic way out? The Awo sympathized with the family. He told them that they were in a very serious state of confusion and dilemma. They did not know the path to follow. He said that it was what one’s Ori; chose for one which one ought to accept and it was the path of one’s Destiny which one ought to follow. He advised 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô to follow her heart in making her choice. He also recommended eôboô for her. The eôboô materials were one mature he-goat and money. The family complied. This made them very resolute that 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô would marry the man that she loved and nobody else. The persuasions made by the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; failed to change the mind of the family to shift ground. When the pressure was becoming very unbearable, the family of 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô and that of her suitor, organized a quiet marriage for them. 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô became the wife of the pauper. That same month, 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô became pregnant. 453 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 When the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; heard of this development, he became livid with rage. He vowed to abduct 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô by all means. The couple hid themselves away from the OÙbôa Bo;ju;ri;. One day 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô gave birth to a baby girl. This baby was even more beautiful than her mother. Those who saw this baby exclaimed that I®ya; O®Ùsôun had really done extra work on her in order to perfect her beauty. The baby was named EÙ®sanki¾i;gbe; - wickedness cannot go unrewarded. Unknown to 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô however, the OÙba had sent several spies out to look for her. When she gave birth to this baby, the OÙba was aware because one of the spies had succeeded in locating where she was living and had informed the OÙ ba. When the baby was four months old, it was agreed that the baby was strong enough for 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô to strap on her back so that she could go to the farm in search of her means of livelihood. The first day that she went to the farm to fetch leaves that she would sell in the market, the spy followed her to the farm. He went to inform the OÙba. The second time that she left her house to go to the farm, the spy quickly went to tell the OÙba. As soon as 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô arrived to the farm, she removed her baby from her back and spread her wrapper on the ground. She placed the baby on the wrapper under the shade of a big banyan tree. The baby slept peacefully. While she was doing this, the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; quietly sneaked out of the palace through the back door. He disguised his appearance and went straight to the farm where 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô was fetching the leaves. She was totally unaware of his presence until he was right behind her. He caught her in his hold and it was very difficult for her to wriggle out. She made to cry but the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; gagged her. The OÙba Bo;ju;ri; then threw ô'Moôleô¾yo¾ô down on the ground with all his might. He attempted to defile her forcefully. 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô resisted. While they were struggling, 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô got hold of one big stick and used it to hit the OÙba Bo;ju;ri;’s head. This infuriated the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; and he went berserk with rage. He twisted the stick out of her hands and hit her with it repeatedly until she was no longer in a position to help herself. The last blow that the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; gave her cracked her skull open. With a shaking hand, she pointed her fingers at the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; and declared with a shaking voice “OÙba Bo;ju;ri;, I®ta¾nsôan o¾o¾ru¾n ni yo;o; fi o;ô ha¾n” 454 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® meaning, ”OÙba Bo;ju;ri;, the sun rays shall expose you”. immediately after. She then died The OÙba Bo;ju;ri; quickly wiped off all the blood stains from his face and body and sneaked back into the palace. Nobody noticed his absence. The OÙba Bo;ju;ri; did not notice the presence of E®Ùsanki¾i;gbe; who was sleeping not too far away from where he had just murdered her mother. The OÙba Bo;ju;ri was satisfied that if he could not have 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô, then nobody could. When it was time for 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô to return home and she was not found at home, her husband became worried. When it was getting dark, he began to panic. He quickly organized a search party to go to the farm with him. The wailing of EÙ®sanki¾i;gbe; attracted them to the site where she was. Further investigation revealed the corpse of her mother who laid in a pool of her own blood. The pain and agony for her husband could only be imagined. They took the baby and the mother’s corpse back home. They gave a decent burial and handed over EÙ®sanki¾i;gbe; to one of her father's barren sisters. She grew up with the woman. When she was about nine years old, the woman travelled to live with her husband who was staying in about five villages away. Before long, E®Ùsanki¾i;gbe;’s father died. He had never remarried. Everyone in the village believed that the death of his wife and the sight of her blood-covered corpse were what damaged him beyond recovery. When E®Ùsanki¾i;gbe; became matured enough for marriage, everybody in the land wished to marry her or marry her to either their son, or brother. She was so beautiful beyond description. She took after her parents in the areas of honesty, truthfulness, level-headedness, hard work and dedication to duty. She was equally kind-hearted. That was the time that her foster mother needed to move back to A®sôeô¾sôeô¾yoô-O®o¾ru¾n land. She took E®Ùsanki¾i;gbe; along with her. Not up to two weeks after they arrived, everyone in the land had begun to talk about the unusual beauty of EÙ®sanki¾i;gbe;. The OÙba Bo;ju;ri; heard about her and decided that he must marry her. He didn’t know that she was the daughter of 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô. Not many people in the land were able to make that connection between EÙ®sanki¾¾i;gbe; and 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô either. Everyone thought that she was born by her father’s sister. She treated her as her own child and nobody knew that she really had no child of her own. 455 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 When the delegates of the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; arrived at her home, her foster parents went to this Awo. Bi; a ba; n; sôe e; Ile; aye; ni;i; gbe; A ki¾i; sôe e; I®yeôn n;beô l'a;la¾de o¾ôrun Di;a; fu;n E®Ùsanki¾i;gbe; Ti;i; sô'oômoô 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô Ti; yo;o; t'ori;i k’e;ôsan o; lee¾ ke; Ti; yo;o; loô re¾e; fe;ô OÙba l’oô;koô EÙboôô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: It is normal to do so The one that lives in Ile; Aye; It is not done The one that lives in O®Ùrun These were Ifa;’s messages for E®Ùsanki¾i;gbe; The daughter of 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô Who would in order for nemesis to take its due course Get married to the OÙba She was advised to offer eôboô EÙ®sanki¾i;gbe; and her foster mother, whom everyone considered to be her biological mother, consulted Ifa; with the Awo mentioned above. What should they do over the matter? Was it wise for E®Ùsanki¾i;gbe; to marry the OÙba? Would there be mutual benefit for the two families? The Awo told them that Ifa; said that E®Ùsanki¾i;gbe; was free to marry the OÙb a. He stated further that if she became the wife of the OÙ ba, there would be a closely kept secret that would be revealed to her which would change several people’s lives in the community for the better. She was advised to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat and money. She complied. The fact that the lives of many people in the land would be changed for the better if she agreed to marry the OÙba was what made her decide to marry the 456 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® OÙba. She had nobody in particular that she had given her heart to and she had made no promises to anyone. That was why she agreed to marry the OÙba. Before long, the marriage ceremony was performed. She moved into the palace and instantly became the eye of the OÙba. He could do nothing without her. He was so fond of her that everybody in the palace had to go through her to get anything from the OÙba. There was nothing that EÙ®sanki¾i;gbe; wanted that the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; was not ready to give her. He showered her with gifts of many kinds. He also gave her foster mother a lot of money and a large expanse of land to farm on. The arrival of EÙ®sanki¾i;gbe; in the OÙba Bo;ju;ri;’s life changed the OÙba into a very expansive person. He joked and laughed a lot. One day however he began to have strange dreams. He would see the dying body of 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô with blood all over her face and body and raising her shaking hands up and pointing her shaking fingers at him, saying: “OÙba Bo;ju;ri;, i¾ta¾nsôan o¾o¾ru¾n ni yo;o; fi o;ô ha¾n!”- OÙba Bo;ju;ri;, the sun rays shall expose you! Many times, he would wake up startled. He would be sweating and shaking all over. Why must this happen to him now, when he had just found peace and satisfaction with himself? On some occasions, he would see 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô in his dream crying and laughing at the same time. Instead of tears, blood would be coming out of her eyes. She would be making jest of the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; saying; OÙba Bo;ju;ri;, i¾ta¾nsôan o¾o¾ru¾¾n ni yo;o; fi o;ô ha¾n”! These words would reverberate in his brain over and over. Why now? Why must this come now? One day, he saw the ghost of 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô right inside his room. He moved towards the extreme corner of his room. She followed him there. She laughed, a cold spine-chilling laugh. “Leave me alone, woman please let me be. I beg you. Do not torment me anymore. Leave me alone!” He screamed. Many people rushed into his room but could not see anything or anyone beside him. He was the only one seeing things. Before long, the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; had grown very lean. He became sick and withdrawn. E®Ùsanki¾i;gbe; did everything to make him happy but it simply did not work. She pleaded with the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; to confide in her and tell her what was really eating him up. He would not say anything. One day, E®Ùsanki¾i;gbe; brought food for the OÙba. As he was about to eat the food, sun rays penetrated through a crack in the roof and shone brightly on the food. The OÙba Bo;ju;ri; started to eat and he noticed the sun rays. His mind went 457 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 straight to the statement of 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô. He saw her face as it contorted into a grimace on the day of her murder and he went berserk, just like he had on the fateful day that he killed her. He shouted aloud,” what are you looking for again? Go, woman! Go! You are dead and buried. The dead has no business with the living! You are dead, dead, dead! Go! Go! Go! Let me enjoy my life! 'Moôleô¾yo¾,ô leave me alone! Forget about me because I have also forgotten about you!” As he was saying this, EÙ®sanki¾i;gbe;, who was attracted to the scene by the shouting of the OÙba Bo;ju;ri,; heard everything he said. She moved closer and saw the man shivering. “What is the matter, my Lord”? Please tell me” she pleaded. The OÙba pointed to the ray of the sun and told his youngest wife; “Look, Look at it”. “What do you want me to look at? This is just a mere sun ray". EÙ®sanki¾i;gbe;; responded. When she looked into the face of her husband, she knew without being told that something serious had happened to him. His face no longer had a human appearance. Something strange and bizarre had gotten hold of him. He then said it is the woman. It is 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô! Please tell her to leave me alone! She has been dead for a long time! Tell her to go away from me! The dead has no business with the living! Go!” He screamed at the top of his voice. With the patience and calmness that EÙ®sanki¾i;gbe; herself did not know she had, she extracted all the information about the death and burial of 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô from the OÙba Bo;ju;ri;. She realized as a rude shock, that it was actually her husband who had killed her biological mother! So, this was the secret which Ifa; said would be revealed to her that would change the lives of many people in the community for the better. She gave the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; some comfort and left him. All the love that she had for him disappeared instantly. How could she love her mother's murderer? If not for the OÙba, her parents would still be alive! She never knew her mother; if he hadn’t killed her, she would not only had known her, she would have been raised and trained by her! This wicked being shaking and snivelling did not allow that to happen! When she returned to her room, she began to think furiously, “my name is EÙ®sanki¾i;gbe;- wickedness cannot go unrewarded. This means that the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; must be exposed and punished”. That was what kept repeating itself in her mind. 458 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® On the night of that same day, EÙ®sanki¾i;gbe; sneaked out of the palace through the same back door that the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; had used on the day that he murdered 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô her mother. She went from house to house. She visited the houses of all the high-ranking chiefs in the community. She also went to the homes of all respected elders and youth leaders to narrate her story to them. All of them asked her one thing: was she ready to confront the OÙba with these revelations? She answered in the affirmative. Lastly, she went to the house of the spy that the OÙba used to trace her mother before she was murdered. The spy was ready to corroborate her story because, unknown to the OÙba, he actually witnessed the murder but could not tell anyone for fear of reprisal. His conscience had been troubling him ever since. He felt guilty that he was the person who exposed an innocent woman to an untimely but violent and underserved death. He was prepared to reveal it all. At dawn, before anyone woke up in the palace, EÙ®sanki¾i;gbe; sneaked in through the back door. At mid-morning, the town crier went out to announce that the whole community should assemble in the market square in the evening of the same day for an important discussion. Nobody knew what the important discussion was for, except the high Chiefs, selected elders and youth leaders. The OÙba was not even aware of what the meeting would be about. In the evening, the market place was filled to the brim. The OÙba was invited out to join others in the market square. He was very angry that an important meeting like this was summoned behind his back. When all those invited had taken their various positions however, it was EÙ®sanki¾i;gbe; his wife who came out to narrate her story. At that moment it dawned on him that E®Ùsanki¾i;gbe; was actually the daughter of 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô. He realized then and there that I®ta¾nsôan O®o¾ru¾n, the sun rays, had actually exposed him. When all those who had one or two things to say had finished their speeches, including the spy he employed to trace 'Moôleô¾yo¾,ô the OÙba Bo;ju;ri; knew that the game was up. He had nothing to say. He could only beg for forgiveness. Because he had wrecked so much havoc on the lives of the people while he was the OÙba, and the fact that his reign had not brought much benefit to the community, his plea was rejected. He was appropriately sanctioned. Three days after the market place meeting, there was an announcement that the Ka;bi;e¾si;, His Royal Majesty, OÙba Bo;ju;ri; had joined his ancestors. 459 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 EÙran gbi;gbeô ab'i¾di; ta¾pa¾¾la¾-tapala Di;a; fu;n Bo;ju;ri; Ti;i; sôe OÙba woôn ni;'lu¾u; A®sôeô¾sôeô¾yoô-O®o¾ru¾n Ti; yo;o; f'ayo¾ô j’aye; e re¾ô da;lu EÙboô ni woô;n ni;; ko; wa;a; sôe O: f’eti; o¾ôtu;n gb’e;ôboô O: fi t'o¾si¾ da¾ a; nu¾ Ibi t'o;ri; da; ni si; la¾ a; gbe; O®Ùna¾ ti; eô¾d;a; ya¾n fu;n ni la¾ a; to¾ô Di;a; fu;n ;M ' oôleô¾yo¾ô To; ri; Oôba ni;l' e¾ô Ti; yo;o; loô re¾e; yan Olu¾sôeô; l'o;ôkoô EÙboô ôni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'eô;boôô, o; ;ru;'boô Bi; a ba; n; sôe e; Ile; aye; ni;i; gbe; A ki¾i; sôe e; O: n;beô l'a;la¾de O¾®Ùrun Di;a; fu;n E®Ùsanki¾i;gbe; Ti;i; sôô'oômoô 'Moôleô¾yo¾¾ô Ti; yo;o; t'ori; i k'e;ôsan lee¾ ke; Ti; yo;o; loô re¾e; fe;ô OÙba l'oô;koô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko;; wa;a; sôe O: gb'e;ôboô, o; ru;'boô EÙÙni to; n; sôe rere Ko; mu;;ra si; rere E®Ùda; to; ba; si¾ n; sôô'i¾ka¾ Ko; mu;ra s;i;'k;a¾ A®t'oore, a¾t¾'i¾ka¾ OÙ®kan ki¾i; gbe; E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ O®Ùfa¾ I®ta¾nsôan o¾o¾ru¾n lo; wa; fi wo;ôn sô'esô¾ i;n ni; gbangba N®jeô; I®ta¾nsôan o¾o¾ru¾n ni yo;o; fi o;ô ha¾n O®fi¾ri¾-fi¾ri¾ EÙ®yin o¾ ri;’na; Ifa; ka¾n n;jo; woôn o O®®fi¾¾ri¾-fi¾ri¾ 460 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® Translation: Dry meat without any oily substance He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for Bo;ju;ri; The OÙba of A®sôeô¾sôeô¾yoô-O®o¾ru¾n town Who would use excessive joy to ruin his life and reputation He was advised to offer eôboô He heard the advice with his right ear And threw it out with his left ear It is what our Ori; chooses for us that we ought to accept It is the path of our Destiny that we ought to follow These were Ifa;’s declarations to 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô Who had the choice of picking an OÙba But chose to go for a pauper to be her husband She was advised to offer eôboô She complied It is normal to do so The one that lives in Ile; Aye; It is not done The one that lives in O®Ùrun These were Ifa;’s messages for E®Ùsanki¾i;gbe; The daughter of 'Moôleô¾yo¾ô Who would in order for nemesis to take its due course Get married to the OÙba She was advised to offer eôboô She complied Those who do good at all the time Continue to do good Those who engage in wickedness Continue to be wicked Both benevolence and wickedness Neither will go in vain Travellers to I®po and O®®Ùfa¾ The sun rays were what put them to ridicule in the open The sun rays shall expose you With fierceness Can’t you see the fire of Ifa; as it burns them? With fierceness 461 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ifa; says that the fire of Ifa; shall burn all those who perpetrate evil. None of the evil doers shall go unpunished. The person is warned to not take the law into his/her own hands to make this happen. 13. If during the process of consulting Ifa;, Ogbe¾-Gba¾ra¾da; is revealed, Ifa; says that if foresees either death or affliction and there is an urgent need for the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to offer eôboô with one mature she-goat and his/her coverlet that he/she uses while sleeping. This is in order to prevent this person from experiencing untimely death. On this, Ifa; says: Ba¾a¾ra¾-baara la¾a; g’e;ôti¾ SÙo;n;sôo; ori; i re¾ô l'oo¾gu¾n SÙo;n;sôo; ori; i re¾ô l'egb¾oogi O®o¾gu¾n ti; ko¾ ni;i; je;ô EÙ ma; gb'i;ye¾ le o Di;a; fu;n A®ra;gberi; OÙmoô aka¾n'le¾ôku¾n oô¾run gbo¾ôngboô¾n ma; re¾ I®gba¾ti; o; n; sô'oô¾gbo¾ôgboô¾ a¾ru¾n To; n; ta;'ju; a¾ti di¾de EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôeô Translation: Plentifully do we pound eôôti¾ Only the tip of its head has medicinal value Only the tip of its head has herbal use Any preparation that is not going to be effective Do not rely on it These were Ifa;’s declarations to A®ra;gberi; He who knocked on the door of heaven forcefully and repeatedly without entering When he was nursing a serious ailment And was longing for the day that he would rise up and be well again He was advised to offer eôboô 462 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® They were all waiting. The ancestors were eagerly awaiting the arrival of A®ra;gberi;. An elaborate party had been organized to welcome him back to heaven. They had invited 420 agogo (gong) players and 1,460 i¾pe¾se¾ drum players to play for A®ra;gberi;. He was such an important man among the ancestors. Meanwhile, A®®ra;gberi; kept dreaming and finding himself in the midst of his dead relations, leading him into a nicely decorated room and telling him that the room had been specially made for him to stay until eternity. They were all singing and dancing. When he woke up, he could make no sense of the dream. Therefore, he went for Ifa; consultation. The Awo told him that it was a good thing that he came because the road to heaven had been paved for him and this was not the handiwork of evil people trying to kill him, or witches or wizards. It was rather the design of his numerous well-wishers in heaven who found that he would be more useful to them in O®Ùrun than in Aye;. A®ra;gberi; was asked to make up his mind on whether or not he wanted to proceed to O®Ùrun at the moment. He responded that he was not yet ready to move to OÙ®run. He had several uncompleted assignments that he must attend to and complete before he could go back to OÙ®run. The Awo advised him that if he was not yet ready to move to O®Ùrun, then he needed, as a matter of urgency, to offer eôboô with one mature she-goat, his coverlet and money. He complied. His colleagues and ancestors in OÙ®run continued to wait for him. Just when they expected him to appear, they would instead see the eôboô materials that would appear to them over there. Tired of waiting endlessly, they finally left A®ra;gberi; alone. Ba¾a¾ra¾¾-baara la¾a; g’e;ôti¾ SÙo;n;sôo; ori; i re¾ô l'oo¾gu¾n SÙo;n;sôo; ori; i re¾ô l'egbo¾ogi O®o¾gu¾n ti; ko¾ ni;i; je;ô EÙ ma; gb'i;ye¾ le o Di;a; fu;n A®ra;gberi; OÙmoô aka¾n'le¾ôku¾n o¾ôrun gboô¾ngbo¾ôn ma; re¾ I®gba¾ti; o; n; sôô'oô¾gbo¾ôgboô¾ a¾ru¾n To; n; ta'ju; a¾ti di¾de EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ 463 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 EÙ wa; ba; ni la;i¾ku; kangiri N®®je;ô Ori;; ya; 'moôleô¾ o Ori; ya; 'moôleô¾ Olo;wo;, agogo n;ro; I®pe¾se¾ n; lu¾ o o¾ Ori; ya; ‘moôleô¾ o Translation: Plentifully do we pound eôôti¾ Only the tip of its head has medicinal value Only the tip of its head has herbal use Any preparation that is not going to be effective Do not rely on it These were Ifa;’s declarations to A®ra;gberi; He who knocked on the door of heaven forcefully and repeatedly without entering When he was nursing a serious ailment And was longing for the day that he would rise up and be well again He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far Join us where we enjoy long life Ori; has rejected all entreaties Ori; has rejected all appeals The Agogo is being beaten repeatedly And the I®pe¾se¾ drums are also being beaten Ori; has rejected all entreaties Ifa; says that this person will live long and complete all his/her major assignments on earth before proceeding to heaven. All his/her ancestors and colleagues in heaven have to exercise patience because his/her time to join them over there is not going to occur for several years to come. 14. Ifa; warns that Ibi (evil) associated with after-birth has entered the womb of a pregnant woman where this Odu¾ is revealed. There is the need to quickly offer eôboô in order to forestall any complication for the woman during labour and childbirth. 464 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® Ifa; advises this person to offer eôboô with a coin and a small size clay pot of about 15cm in diameter and of about 10cm in depth. The coin will be placed inside the pot and when the eôôboôô has been completed, the pot will be covered with its lid and be buried by the Esu Shrine. If this can be done, Ibi will go and there will be no complication during labour and childbirth. On this aspect, Ogbe¾-Oni;wa¾a;ra; says: EÙyeô ke;kere;, ab';ohu¾n gogoro Di;a; fu;n Ibi To;’hun O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ joô n; sô'oô¾reô; EÙboô ni woô;n ni;; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: The tiny bird with its loud, strong voice He cast Ifa for Ibi (evil) When he and OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ were friends He was advised to offer eôboô Ibi, Evil, was OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s friend. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ chose to be his friend in order to checkmate him any time he planned to perpetrate any atrocity. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ had recorded a high degree of success in this area. The frustration caused by the success of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was what led Ibi to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Would I be able to wreck havoc into the thoughts, programmes, properties and lives of people without any hindrance? The Awo told Ibi that he had come to find out about something serious and delicate. He wanted to make innocent people grieve and suffer. He was told that it would not work. The Awo explained that if nobody offends him, he will not have the power to make anyone suffer. If he is offended however, then he is allowed to use that as an excuse to deal with the people. The Awo said that it was both Ibi and Ire that existed on earth. All those who did not wish for Ibi in their lives needed to pay their dues to Ibi so that he would move away from their lives. The Awo advised Ibi to offer eôboô as stated above. He was also advised not to strike anyone without any reason. He complied with the advice to offer eôboô but decided that he would continue to strike at anyone and everyone, whether they offend him or not. 465 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 EÙyeô ke;kere;, ab'ohu¾n gogoro Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Ti; o¾un Ibi joô n; sô'oô¾re;ô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: The tiny bird with its loud, strong voice He cast Ifa; for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ When he and Ibi were friends He was advised to offer eôboô Ibi decided to lie low in order to surprise and deal OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ a deadly blow. He knew that O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was responsible for most of his failures; those who he had tied to illness, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ had untied them; those who were supposed to meet with violent deaths, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ warned them ahead of time; those whose love relationships were supposed to end in disaster and divorce, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ would mend the relationship; the list was endless. It would be a sweet revenge if he hit OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ real hard and unexpectedly. Ibi, one day went to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ and asked him (O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾) to give him ( Ibi) eôôgba¾a;. (EÙgba¾a; is the equivalent of about five cents) but O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ did not see any reason why Ibi should be given any money. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ refused to give the money to Ibi. The demand was made repeatedly and O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ refused to give out the money. Ibi told O®Ùru;nmi¾¾la that he, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ would see what he, Ibi would do to surprise O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾. Ibi was told to get away because there was nothing he could do. O®Ùru;nmi¾¾la¾’s wife was pregnant and the pregnancy had reached an advanced stage. There was no sign of any problem at all. On the day that O¾®Ùru;nmi¾la¾’s wife went into labour, Ibi entered into her womb. While in labour, it was Ibi that came out first instead of the baby. (In this wise, what Ifa; is saying is that, as Ibi also means placenta, the placenta would threaten to come out first, leading to placenta previa, before the baby comes out). When O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ saw this, he rushed to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation. During consultation, E®sôu¾ told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that he created the problem for himself because he ought to have given the EÙgba¾a; to Ibi when the money was demanded from him, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was directed to go and do as he was told. When he got home he got the pot and placed the EÙgba¾a; into it. He told Ibi to come and take the money. 466 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® Soon after this, the baby came out, followed by Ibi, the placenta. The placenta was placed inside the pot and buried. As soon as this was done, E®sôu¾ said that any time Ibi (the placenta) is seen, it must be buried that same day. That was how O®ru;nmi¾la¾ escaped the evil plan hatched by Ibi. EÙyeô ke;kere;, ab';ohu¾n gogoro Di;a; fu;n Ibi To;’hun O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ joô n; sô'oô¾reô; EÙboô ni woô;n ni;; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô SÙu¾gboô;n ko¾ pa i¾ki¾lo¾ô moô; EÙyeô ke;kere;, ab'ohu¾n gogoro Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Ti; o¾un Ibi joô n; sô'oô¾re;ô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'e;ôboô, o; ru;;’boô Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni l'a;ru¾u;sôeô; ogun N®je;ô o¾o¾jo; a r’I:bi N'Ibi; n; woô'leô¾ Ibi woô'leô¾ l'o;ni¾i; o Ara a; da; O®o¾joô; a r'I:bi N'Ibi n; woô'leô¾ Translation: The tiny bird with its loud, strong voice He cast Ifa for Ibi When he and O®Ùru;nmi¾¾la¾ were friends He was advised to offer eôboô He offered the eôboô But did not follow the advice of the Awo The tiny bird with its loud, strong voice He cast Ifa for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ When he and Ibi were friends He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far Join us where we enjoy victory over adversity 467 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The day that we see Ibi (placenta) That is the day it must be buried in the ground Ibi (evil), has been run aground today We feel well and healthy The day that we see Ibi (placenta) That is the day it must be buried in the ground Ifa; says that complications and evil shall be driven aground in the life of the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed. The faster this eôboô is offered for this person, the better for him/her. 15. Ifa; warns the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed to keep all medicines, poisons, chemicals, acids and similar substances away from where anyone can have easy access to them. He/she also needs to keep guns, rifles, pistols, knives, swords, axes, bows, arrows, javelins cudgels and so on away from easy access. If this is not done, this person may end up using his/her own hands to bring calamity to his/her loved ones due to his/her negligence. He/she will have nobody to blame over the resultant unfortunate incident but himself/herself. Ifa; advises this person to offer eôôboô with one mature he-goat and money. He/she also needs to heed this warning because no amount of eôboô offered is higher or even equal to heeding the warning. On this, Ifa; says: Ogbe¾ Ba¾a¾ra¾¾-baara la¾a; g’e;ôti¾ SÙo;n;sôo; ori; i re¾ô l'oo¾gu¾n SÙo;n;sôo; ori; i re¾ô l'egbo¾ogi O®o¾gu¾n ti; ko¾ ni;i; je;ô EÙ ma; gb'i;ye¾ le o Di;a; fu;n A®ra;gberi; EÙboô ko; ma; f'oôwoô; ara re¾ô sôe ara reô¾ ni woô;n ni; ko;wa;a; sôe o Translation: Plentifully do we pound eôôti¾ Only the tip of its head has medicinal value Only the tip of its head has herbal use 468 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® Any preparation that is not going to be effective Do not rely on it These were Ifa;’s declarations to A®ra;gberi; Ori;je¾ni; Who was advised to offer eôboô so as not to use his own hands to cause havoc for himself A®ra;gberi; Ori;je¾ni; was a very powerful herbalist, soldier and hunter. He was well endowed in the area of charms and incantations. He had Egbe;, the medicine that transported him from one place to another whenever danger loomed; he had A®fe;ôerô¾ i;, the charm that made him disappear whenever he was surrounded by wild animals in the forest, or by enemies in the war front; he had E®Ùda¾, the charm that made it possible for him to conjure food, drinks, money, dresses and gifts from the thin air; he knew how to make and stop the rain; with ordinary incantation, he could set fire on a house or farm; and he could do many more. He was feared and respected by all his colleagues, friends and foes alike. In his house, he had many herbal herbicides, he had pesticides and mosquito killers. He also had very strong preparations for sexual virility, for strong health and vitality, and for safe delivery during labour. He was very generous in the community. He was ready to assist anyone with or without payment. One day, A®ra;gberi; Ori;je¾ni; went for Ifa; consultation in order to determine what the outcome of the hunting expedition that he was about to engage upon would look like. Will I be able to kill many game? The Awo told him that killing game had never been, and would never be, his problem. He however needed to offer eôboô against using his own hands to wreck havoc against himself. He was advised to keep all lethal weapons and strong charms away from the reach of his household members. He was also advised to offer eôboô. A®ra;gberi; Ori;je¾ni; offered the eôboô alright; but he could not see the correlation between his ability to kill many animals and keeping all the preparations in his home against the reach of the members of his household. He simply left everything in his house as they were and went on his hunting expedition. He would spend seven days in the forest. Before he left, he instructed his children to go to the farm and clear all the weeds in readiness for plantation. As soon as he left, the children began to pursue their individual agendas. They totally forgot about the assignment given to them by their father. When only two days remained for their father to arrive, they remembered their assignments. The eldest of the seven children that he gave the assignment to, remembered 469 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 that their father had a preparation which increased performance. He told his brothers that first thing the following morning, they would all use the medicine and go to the farm to work. That was exactly what they did. Unfortunately however, instead of using the performance enhancing preparation, they used the pesticide! A few moments after they used this preparation, the seven of them were rolling on the floor in pain. By the evening of the same day, the seven of them were stone dead! They vomited blood all over the room where they had died. It was a very lethal poison that they had consumed. A®ra;gberi; Ori;je¾ni; returned from his hunting expedition with a lot of animals which he had no time to attend to when he saw the calamity that befell him at home. He remembered the warning of the Awo and realized to his everlasting regret that he was the one who actually used his own hands to invite disaster into his home and life. Ogbe¾ Ba¾a¾ra¾¾-baara la¾a; g’e;ôti¾ SÙo;n;sôo; ori; i re¾ô l'oo¾gu¾n SÙo;n;sôo; ori; i re¾ô l'egbo¾ogi O®o¾gu¾n ti; ko¾ ni;i; je;ô EÙ ma; gb'i;ye¾ le o Di;a; fu;n A®ra;gberi; EÙboô ko; ma; f'oôwoô; ara re¾ô sôe ara reô¾ ni woô;n O: f'eti; o¾ôtu;n gb'e;ôboô O: fi t'o¾si¾ da¾a; nu¾ A®ra;gberi; Ori;je¾ni; o¾ I®woô lo b'eô¾we¾ô p’oômoô oô¾ reô o I®woô lo b'eô¾we¾ô E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ O®Ùfa¾ EÙni to; gb'e;ôboô ni;'be¾ô ko; wa;a; sô'eôboô o ni;ko;wa;a; sôe o Translation: Plentifully do we pound eôôti¾ Only the tip of its head has medicinal value Only the tip of its head has herbal use Any preparation that is not going to be effective Do not rely on it 470 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® These were Ifa;’s declarations to A®ra;gberi; Ori;je¾ni; Who was advised to offer eôboô so as not to use his own hands to cause havoc for himself He heard the advice with his right ear And threw it out with his left ear A®ra;gberi; Ori;je¾ni; o! You are the one who set up disaster against yourself You set up the disaster Travellers to I®po and O®Ùfa¾ Let those who are advised to offer eôboô do so Ifa; says that E®sôu¾ will consider the person who provided all the eôboô materials without heeding the warning as refusing to offer the prescribed eôboô . It is therefore advisable for this person to offer the eôboô and at the same time heed the warning of the Awo. 16. Ifa; says that some women are planning to go somewhere (especially in the hinterland) where this Odu¾ is revealed. It may be for business to trade, fulfil a contract, or even a social occasion. Ifa; warns them not to go at all. This is because a trap has been set, knowingly or unknowingly for them. It would be terrible if they should allow themselves to fall into this trap. The only way to avoid this is to ensure that they do not go on the trip. This is what Ifa; says;; I®beô;n¾beô; sôekete ye;ke; Di;a; fu;n A®da¾ba¾ SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u¾ Ti; yo;;o; sô’oôkoô Ti¾nhi;n-i¾n EÙÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o Translation: I®beô;n¾beô; SÙekete ye;ke; He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for A®da¾ba¾-SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u¾ (the Dove) The husband of Ti¾nhi;n-i¾n He was advised to offer eôboô 471 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 A®da¾ba¾-SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u¾ and Ti¾nhi;n-i¾n loved each other beyond description. Both of them loved to do things to please each other. They had respect for each other and those who lived close to them admired them and wished that they could live like them with their spouses. One day, some women planned to go to the farm, to pick melon seeds. Many of them had planned to go the next day. Very early on the day that the women prepared to go, A®da¾ba¾-SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u¾ went to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation in order to determine his success chances on his new business venture. The Awo told A®da¾ba¾-SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u¾ that he would succeed; but he needed to offer eôboô. He was told that some women planned to go to a farm to work. They must not go because a trap had been set for them on the farm. What was the eôboô material for that A®da¾ba¾ S¾Ùu¾u¾sôu¾u¾ enquired? Nothing, he was told. The only eôboô was for the women not to go. When he got back home, he met his wife preparing for the trip. He told her what the Awo said about the trip. A lot of preparations had gone into the trip and it would not be appropriate for her not to go or for her to discourage others to abandon the trip. It was just not right. In the end, A®da¾ba¾-SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u¾ and his wife concluded that the women should go and he would go into the ancestral shrine to pray for their well-being until they returned from the trip. Soon after, his wife, together with all the other women, left. A®da¾ba¾-SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u¾ went straight into the ancestral shrine and began a marathon prayer session for the safe return of the women. A®da¾ba¾-SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u¾ was still praying in the ancestral shrine when they brought the corpses of three women, Ti¾nhi;n-i¾n his wife included as one of the dead, back from the journey. What happened? Those who escaped explained that as soon as they got to the farm, they commenced working. They were not aware that the farmers had set I®yo¾,ô a trap made with strong stings in several parts of the farm. While they were working, they suddenly saw Ti¾nhi;n-i¾n and the other two women screaming at the top of their voices. They had put their necks into the strings unknowingly. As they struggled to remove the strings, it tightened round their necks. In the end, they were strangulated to death! A®da¾ba¾ SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u¾ cried in agony. 472 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® He began to scream from place to place, saying “Mi o¾ ri; Ti¾nhi;n-i¾n moô; o! Mi o¾ ri; Ti¾nhi;n-i¾n mo;ô o!!” He cried and cried! Up till today, A®da¾ba¾-SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u¾ is still mourning the loss of his beloved wife. I®beô;n¾beô; sôekete ye;ke; Di;a; fu;n A®da¾ba¾ SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u¾ Ti; yo;;o; sô’oôkoô Ti¾nhi;n-i¾n EÙÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o O: f'eti; o¾ôtu;n gb'e;ôboô O: fi t'o¾si¾ da¾a; nu¾ N®jeô; mi o¾ ri; Ti¾nhi;n-i¾n moô; o! Mi o¾ ri; Ti¾nhi;n-i¾n moô; o!! E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ OÙ®fa¾ EÙni gb'eô;boô ni;'be¾ô ko; wa;a; sô'eôboô o Translation: I®be;ôn¾be;ô SÙekete ye;ke; He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for A®da¾ba¾-SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u¾ (the Dove) The husband of Ti¾nhi;n-i¾n He was advised to offer eôboô He heard the advice with his right ear And threw it out with his left ear Behold! I do not see Ti¾nhi;n-i¾n anymore! I cannot see Ti¾nhi;n-i¾n any longer! Travellers to I®po and O®Ùfa¾ Let those advised to offer eôboô do so. Ifa; says that offering of eôboô without heeding Ifa;’s warning amounts to noncompliance to offer eôboô. That was what led A®da¾ba¾-SÙu¾us¾ ôu¾u¾ to everlasting regret. A®boôru; A®boôye¾ 473 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 B. SIGNIFICANCE OF OGBE® GBA®RA®DA: FOR THOSE BORN BY THE ODU® DURING I®KOÙSEÙD ® A:YE: OR I®TE®ÙNI:FA: For Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; children, males and females, they have come into this world in order to perform wonders. They are going to be in the company of wonderful and marvellous things. Life shall be interesting, comfortable, rewarding and exciting for them. They stand a good chance of becoming the shakers and movers of the societies they live in. Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; children achieve a lot of things on earth and most of the feats that they perform on earth usually live long after them when they have departed from the earth. Many Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; children have foundations, institutions, establishments, industries, streets, and so on named after them. Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; children are never satisfied with the normal way of doing things. The urge to do things differently and with a touch of class usually distinguishes them among the crowd and makes them excel with high recognition. Also, Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; children usually love to explore new avenues and exploit new areas and resources. They are very lucky and often come up with new inventions, new ideas, new innovations, and new useful results. The lives of Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; children have the tendency of being rough at the initial stages but they will eventually enjoy sweet rewards at the end of any exercise. It should not come as a surprise to see Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; children being more successful than most of their contemporaries. These successes usually come with accolades, honour, respect, and more opportunities to succeed. This is the reason why there is always something to jubilee over for Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; children. One of the major weaknesses of Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; children, males and females, is that they lack the ability to understand the intricacies involved in the use of power and authority. It is not uncommon to see Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; children misusing or abusing their power or authority reposed on them. This attitude usually brings negative and regrettable results for them. Another weakness of Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; is that they have the tendency of subjecting other people to public odium, humiliation and ridicule. Doing this eventually makes them the victims of ridicule, humiliation and odium in the end. 474 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; children also, more often than not, end up carrying out mischief that they plan against others. For Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; male children, there is the need for them to learn how to accept defeat in good faith and to know that in this life, you win some, you lose some. It is not those who win all the battles that are victorious. It is rather those who win the war at the end of the day that are victorious. Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; male children also need to work hard on being good husbands to their wives and good fathers to their children. For Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; female children, it is not advisable for them to contemplate separation or divorce from their husbands. Doing so may lead to a situation where they will end up in at least three matrimonial relationships and having children by three different men. This can be avoided if proper investigation is conducted before entering into any long lasting love relationship. On the overall, Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; children move from grass to grace, from nothing to surplus, from obscurity to prominence, and from the base to the apex of any socio-economic and political ladder. A®boôru; A®boôye¾. C. AFFILIATED IRU:NMOÙLEÙ®/ /O®RI®SÙA® OF OGBE® GBA®RA®DA: 1. Ifa; - For guidance, support, progress, elevation, success, victory, comfort, satisfaction, and general wellbeing 2. Ori; - For fulfilment of destiny, progress, sanctuary, victory, direction, guidance, protection, elevation, contentment, and self actualization 3. E®sôu¾-O®Ùda¾ra¾ - For sanctuary, support, victory, success, progress, leadership, and general wellbeing 4. SÙa¾ngo; - For victory, leadership, support, progress, general wellbeing and overall success 5. Aje; - For financial success, leadership, progress, elevation, honour, respect, reward and general wellbeing 6. Egu;ngu;n - For ancestral support, leadership, continuity, victory, elevation, success and general wellbeing 475 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 7. EÙyinleÙ¾ - For childbearing, childrearing, support, contentment and general wellbeing 8. EÙgbeô; - For comradeship, leadership, victory, success, acceptance, and general wellbeing 9. OÙbalu;aye; - For protection against pestilence and contagious diseases, victory, success, progress, and general wellbeing 10. O®gu;n - For victory, progress, leadership, innovation, and general wellbeing 11. O®Ùsôun - For compatible spouse, childbearing, childrearing, relevance and overall success D. TABOOS OF OGBE® GBA®RA®DA: 1. Must never use A®fo¾ôn, bread fruit for anything - To avoid unconsummated fortune, failure, disappointment and regrets 2. Must never use O®pi¾pi¾, featherless bird for anything - To avoid unconsummated fortune, dwindling progress and resources, failure, disappointment and regrets 3. Must never subject anyone to ridicule - To avoid humiliation, regrets, failure and disaster 4. Must never conspire against anyone - To avoid ridicule, humiliation, failure, and regrets 5. Must never lend anything that is precious to him/her to others. Only lend things to others if you are fine with those items never being returned - To avoid losing what is precious to him/her 6. Must never use any part of an Elephant for anything - To avoid reduction in progress, failure, melancholy and regrets 7. Must never eat the liver of any animal - To avoid unconsummated fortune, unfulfilled dreams, failure, retrogression, disappointments and regrets 8. Must never misuse power or authority - To avoid failure, ridicule, odium, regrets and disaster 9. Must never contemplate separation or divorce - To avoid being in many unsuccessful matrimonial relationships 10. Must never allow disagreement between his/her siblings - To avoid everlasting family conflict and enmity. 11. Must never keep dangerous charms or weapons within the reach of members of his/her household - To avoid the weapons being used against the household members 476 OGBE®-OÙB ® A®RA® E. POSSIBLE NAMES OF OGBE® GBA®RA®DA: i. MALE 1. Ifa;da;ra¾ - Ifa; performs wonders in my life 2. Oju;mo;ôri¾i;bi - May my eyes witness no evil 3. OÙla;be;rinjoô - Honour resembles an Elephant 4. Erinfoôla;mi; - The Elephant breaths with honour 5. Ifa;to;o;yanga¾n - Ifa; is worthy of being proud of 6. Aratu¾mi; - I feel comfortable 7. Du¾nn;ba;de; - Ifa; is easy to move along with ii FEMALE 1. Ifa;da;ra¾ - Ifa; performs wonders in my life 2. OÙmoôleô¾yo¾ô - My child is my most precious possession 3. EÙ®sanki¾i;gbe; - Vengeance will never go without manifesting 4. Aratu¾¾mi; - I feel comfortable 5. Mora;yo¾ô - I find joy in my life 6. Ifa;bu¾nmi - Ifa; present this to me A®boôru; A®boôye¾. 477 Chapter 7 Ogbè Ọ̀kànràn II I II I II I I I 478 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N OGBE® KI®RA®N OGBE® KI®RA®N MO:Ù'LEÙ® A. 1. Ifá foresees three Ire for the person for whom this Odù is revealed during I®koôseô¾da;ye; or I®te¾ôni;fa; at the same time. Ifá foresees the Ire of victory, merriment and happiness; all at the same time for this person. Ifá says that the life of the person for whom this Odù is revealed will have meaning if he/she is ready to confront challenges head-on. He/she will always return with sweet victory and will savour his/her success if he/she allows himself/herself to face the challenges of life. His/her close association with O¾®gu;n will also ensure victory for him/her. Ifá advises this person to offer ẹbọ with two pigeons, two cocks, two guinea fowls and money. He/she also needs to feed O¾®gu;n with one cock. On this Ifá says: Ogbe¾ ka¾nra¾n ki¾i; ka¾nra¾n-an tire¾ ko; ma; sôeô Di;a; fu;n O®gu;n Ti; n;gb’o;gun loô i¾lu; I®la;re; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbe¾ O®Ùka¾nra¾n will never pronounce anything for it not to come to pass This was Ifa;‟s message for O®gu;n When going to wage war on I®la;re; town (the land of Merriment) He was advised to offer ẹbọ This war must be waged and won. All necessary preparations must be made in order to ensure resounding victory and success. It is one thing to win a battle; to win a war is another. It is possible to lose a battle and still win a war. It is equally possible to win a battle but still lose the 479 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 war. These were the considerations of O®gu;n when making his preparations to wage war on I®la;re; town. Part of his preparation was to consult Ifá in the home of the Awo mentioned above to determine his success chances on the war front. He also wanted to know what he must offer as ẹbọ for him to win and be successful in his endeavour. The Awo assured O®gu;n that he would not only win, but he would also bring honour and glory to his home and life. He was advised to offer eôboô as stated above. O®gu;n complied. Shortly after, he set out on his journey to I®la;re; town. When he got to the land, what he met was totally unexpected. Instead of hostility, he was greeted with pomp and pageantry. He was welcomed very warmly. He was well accommodated. He was also given every possible opportunity in the land. The hand of friendship extended to him in this land almost made him feel ashamed of himself for ever contemplating waging war against the land in the first place. When he was returning home, he was presented with all those things that would make him call for celebration when he got back home. He returned home a contented person. Ogbe¾ ka¾nra¾n ki¾i; ka¾nra¾n-an tire¾ô ko; ma; sôeô Di;a; fu;n O®gu;n Ti; n;gb’o;gun loô i¾lu; I®la;yo¾ô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Ogbe¾ OÙ®ka¾nra¾n will never pronounce anything for it not to come to pass This was Ifa;‟s message for O®gu;n When going to wage war on I®la;yo¾ô town (the land of happiness) He was advised to offer eôboô Again, no two wars are the same. There was still the need to prepare very well for the war that O®gu;n was planning to wage on I®la;yo¾ land. His experience in I®la;re; land might be different from what he would meet in I®la;yo¾ land. That was why it was absolutely necessary for him to prepare well for the new encounter. He could not afford to lose any war. His 480 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N pride and reputation would not allow for that to happen. He therefore returned to the home of the same Awo to consult Ifá for him. What must he do to win the war? He asked. What eôboô must he offer? The Awo assured him again that he would also bring back home honour and glory. He was also advised to offer eôboô with two pigeons, two cocks, two guinea fowls and money. He was equally told to feed his O®ke¾-I®po¾ôri; with one cock. O®gu;n complied. Shortly after this, he went to I®la;yo¾ town to wage war on the land. Again, when he got to I®la;yo¾ land, he regretted ever coming with hostility. He was hailed, pampered and venerated. The inhabitants of the land satisfied him with whatever he wanted. They accorded to him his deserved honour and respect. They were even friendlier than the inhabitants of I®la;re land. They gave him everything and anything that would enhance his status. He returned home a very happy person. Ogbe¾ ka¾nra¾n ki¾i; ka¾nra¾n-an tire¾ô ko; ma; sôeô Di;a; fu;n O®gu;n Ti; n;gb’o;gun loô i¾lu; I®la;re; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô Ogbe¾ ka¾nra¾n ki¾i; ka¾nra¾n-an tire¾ô ko; ma; sôeô Di;a; fu;n O®gu;n Ti; n;gb’o;gun loô i¾lu; I®la;yo¾ô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e:ôboô, o; ru;’boô N®je;ô O®gu;n ja I®la;re; o O®gu;n ja I®la;yo¾ô Ohun rere l’O®gu;n mu; bo¾ô Translation: Ogbe¾ O®Ùka¾nra¾n will never pronounce anything for it not to come to pass This was Ifa;‟s message for O®gu;n When going to wage war on I®la;re; town (the land of Merriment) He was advised to offer ẹbọ He complied 481 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ogbe¾ OÙ®ka¾nra¾n will never pronounce anything for it not to come to pass This was Ifa;‟s message for O®gu;n When going to wage war on I®la;yo¾ô town (the land of happiness) He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Now, O®gu;n waged war on I®la;re; land O®gu;n waged war on I®la;yo¾ô land O®gu;n brought back good things Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall bring back good things from all his/her endeavours. He/she shall be elevated, honoured, respected and be given high recognitions in all what he/she sets his/her mind on. He/she however needs to fight to acquire his merriment and joy and ensure that they are kept for good. 2. Ifá advises the person for whom this Odù is revealed to exercise patience and perseverance. He/she is presently experiencing hardship and pains. He/she however needs to wait it out because only a little period remains for him/her to have his/her break through where he/she presently is. Ifá advises this person not to contemplate a change of abode, change of work, change of spouse or even change of environment at the present moment. He/she needs not be impatient or be in a hurry. All the Ire of life that he/she is yearning for are on their way to him/her. Patience and perseverance ought to be his/her watchwords at this moment. Ifá advises this person to offer his/her ẹbọ as A®ru;kore: two rats, two fish, two hens, two pigeons, two guinea-fowls, two cocks and money. A stanza in Ogbe¾-„Ka¾nra¾¾n laying emphasis on this says: O®Ùpa; ni;i; fi’bi sôo;mu;so ô ;mu; teô’leô¾ Di;a; fu;n A®®je¾ji¾ E®ro¾ Ti; Ire n; bo¾ô l’eô;yi¾n To; wa; n; bi;’nu; u; loô o EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe 482 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N Translation: A staff is it that touches the ground with its pointed tip This was Ifá’s message to A®je¾ji¾ E®ro¾ (the Travelling Passenger) When all his Ire was coming from behind He was in a furious hurry to move on He was advised to offer eôboô A®je¾ji¾ E®ro¾ left his home land out of frustration. He had nothing to point to as his own. He was nothing. All his colleagues had succeeded; but through illegal means. He had bluntly refused to join any of their groups. He had vowed that he would never be a part of any crime or any form of illegality or antisocial activity. His colleagues made jest of him. When the pressure was too much for him, A®je¾ji¾ E®ro¾ packed his things and left the land. On the day that he left his homeland however, he vowed that he would continue to move on and on until he succeeded. He was a well trained Awo but nobody seemed to recognize that in him. He had no wife. He had no child. He had only one dress remaining and a wrapper to wrap round himself. He would often wash the dress, sundry it and then wear it again. Whenever he was in the midst of other Awo in the land, nobody would seem to recognize him. When they would cast Ifá on any issue, nobody would seek his opinion on it. He remembered how his fellow Awo at home who would carry on saying what Ifá had not said and how they would recommend heavy materials which Ifá had not ask for, all in the bid to make more money. Yet, somehow through their dishonesty, these Awo were successful financially. Tired of being ignored in his new place of abode, he decided to move on. Before he did that however, he went to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation. All what he wanted to know was if in the end, he would be able to make it through the use of legitimate means. He was so convinced that the land that he was at that time had nothing to offer him. He could hardly eat two times a day. He must move on and try his luck elsewhere. He was convinced that Ifá would tell him to move forward in order to make progress in his life. 483 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The Awo told A®je¾ji¾ E®ro¾ that he was going through a very trying time. He was assured that all would be well in the end. He was also informed that he was going to succeed in the land that he was in and he must not move anywhere else. Only a bit of time remained for him to be able to cut off the shackles of poverty that had tied him for a long time. The Awo also advised him to offer ẹbọ with two rats and two fish for child bearing; two hens for a good spouse; two pigeons for prosperity; two guinea fowls for peace of mind; and two cocks for victory. He was to also add money to the ebo materials. A®je¾ji¾ E®ro¾ looked at the Awo for a long time as if he did not see him at all. What was going on in his mind? Where did this Awo expect him to get the money to procure such items? He informed the Awo that he would love to offer the eôbọ but he simply could not afford it. He had no money to do it at all. The Awo promised to assist him. In between the two of them, the eôbọ was offered. The Awo also asked A®je¾ji¾ E®ro¾ to come every day and work with him in his house. Three days after this, the group of Awo in the land wanted to go and cast Ifá for the people of the land in order to improve the economic progress of the market. A®je¾ji¾ E®ro¾ followed Op Ù® a; ni;i; fi'bi sôo;mu;sôo;mu; teô'leô¾ to the home of the I®ya;lo;ôja¾, the head of the market women where the Ifá consultation would take place. Before they got there, E®®sôuô¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ whispered into the ears of everyone that A®je¾ji¾ E®ro¾ had the right information and preparation that would make the market have progress. He told them to give him audience. When they arrived in the home of the I®ya;lo;ôja¾, all eyes were on A®je¾ji¾ E®ro¾. Seeing his appearance, they took pity on him. Instead of being disappointed, they were all determined to assist him to get out of his pathetic condition. When Ifá was consulted, Ogbe¾-O®ôka¾nra¾n was revealed. In accordance to custom, two Babaláwo recited Ifá and gave Ifá’s messages to the people who were there present. They were not impressed with what they had said. When it was the turn of A®je¾ji¾ E®ro¾ to speak, the whole place became dead silent. When he began to analyze the Odù, even his fellow Awo were all impressed. The depth of his analysis and the accuracy of his statements made everyone to look at him in amazement. 484 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N When he concluded his statements, it was obvious that nobody was keen on hearing any other person speak. That was when I®ya;lo;ôja¾ whispered into the ears of two of her Pa¾ra¾ko¾yi;, market leaders, and before long, they came back with three complete dresses for A®je¾ji¾-E®ro¾. They also gave him some personal money, apart from the one that they gave all the Awo present. Since that day, the life of A®je¾ji¾-E®ro¾ changed completely. He was the talk of the town. Everyone began to look for him for Ifá consultation and spiritual advice. When he had enough money, he went to Op ®ô a; ni;i; fi'bi sôo;mu;sôo;mu; teô'leô¾ to refund the money to the Awo who he had spent money in helping him offer his ẹbọ, but the former refused to accept the money. He told A®je¾ji¾-E®ro¾ that any problem that befell one Awo was the responsibility of all Awo present to handle and resolve. Within three months that they did Ifá consultation in the home of the I®ya;lo;ôja¾, everyone had been discussing with A®je¾ji¾-E®ro¾ that it was high time he had his own spouse. The inhabitants of the land made all necessary arrangements and a wife was found for him. The marriage ceremony was a solemn one. Two months after marriage, the woman was already carrying his baby. The baby came without incident. Within 10 years, A®je¾ji¾-E®ro¾ who came with nothing and who was in a hurry to leave the land, but for the advice of Ifá, became a wealthy man, a husband, a father, a landlord, the owner of a galloping horse, a title holder and an honourable man in the land. He got all these things without cheating, lying, stealing or defrauding anyone to do so. All he could do was to give praises and thanks to Olo;du¾mare¾, his Orí, Ifá, his fellow Awo and his numerous well-wishers. He also gave special thanks to E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra who also made everything possible in his life. O®Ùpa; ni;;i; fi’bi sôo;mu;so ô ;mu; teô’leô¾ Di;a; fu;n A®je¾ji¾ E®ro¾ Ti; Ire n; bo¾ô l’eô;yi¾n To; wa; n; bi;nu; u; loô o EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ Ire gbogbo wa;a; ya de; tu¾tu;ru N®je;ô A®je¾ji¾-E®ro¾ ma; ma¾ loô o A®je¾ji¾-E®ro¾ ma; ma¾¾ loô Ire n; bo¾ô ni;’wa;ju; o 485 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ire n; bo¾ô l’eô;yi¾n A®je¾ji¾-E®ro¾ ma; ma¾ loô o Translation: A staff is it that touches the ground with its pointed tip This was Ifá’s message to A®je¾ji¾ E®ro¾ (the Travelling Passenger) When all his Ire was coming from behind He was in a furious hurry to move on He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far All the Ire of life came trooping in Now, A®je¾ji¾-E®ro¾¾ do not go A®je¾ji¾-E®ro¾ do not move on All Ire is coming in front of you All Ire is coming from behind A®je¾ji¾-E®ro¾, please do not go Ifá says that this person will receive all the blessings of life where he/she is, if only he/she exercises a little more patience and perseverance. Moving away to another location will not solve his/her problem; but rather, it will postpone the arrival of all the Ire of life already lined up for him/her. 3. Ifá advises the person for whom this Odù is revealed to please take good care of visitors, especially strangers. Ifá says that a good stranger who will change his/her life for the better is about to visit him/her in his/her home. If this visitor is well taken care of, then he/she is assured success and accomplishment in his/her life. This person also needs to inform his/her spouse to take good care of the whole house and its vicinity. The wife must clean and tidy up everywhere because the coming visitor does not like unclean or unhealthy environments. It is also possible that the visitor is already in the house of the person for whom this Odù is revealed. If the visitor is well accommodated and given well deserved respect, success and accomplishment are 486 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N guaranteed for the person for whom this Odù is revealed and his/her spouse. Ifá advises this person to offer eôboô with two pigeons, two hens, two guinea fowls, two cocks and money. On this aspect, Ogbe¾-„Ka¾nra¾n has this to say: Koro ni faa fa;'gba; Fa¾la¾la¾ falala l’oôloô;ja¾ a; be¾ô’weô¾ Bi; wo;ôn ba; be¾ô oô; l’o;ôweô¾ Ti; o o¾ ba; je;ô O roôra pa koô;ro;ôkoô;ro;ô OÙ ma;a loô o Di;a; fu;n Olojo¾ Ti;i; sô'oômoô OÙba ni;’gbo; I®je¾ôbu; I®gba¾ to; n;loô s’a;jo¾ to; ji¾n gboôoôroô bi; oôjoô; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o Translation: Koro ni faa fa;'gba; It is with authority that a nobleman sends others on errands If you are sent on an errand And you do not perform You better move into hiding And secretly move away These were Ifá’s messages for Olojo¾ (the Stranger) A Princess from the forest of I®je¾ôbu; land When going on a very long journey that was the distance between the sun to earth She was advised to offer eôboô Olojo¾ was a princess. Her father was the Ϙba in the forest of I®je¾ôbu;-land. The name of the town was also known as I®je¾ôbu;-Igbo;. Her father was simply the wealthiest man in his town. Olojo¾ was his favourite daughter. Olojo¾ was a very neat, well-kept, small and extremely fashionable woman. She loved to see everything and everywhere around her neat and well kept. She was always prepared to do anything to compensate anyone who could tidy up where she was and ensure that the place was neat and to her taste. 487 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 One day, Olojo¾ decided that she must travel round the world in order to enrich her experiences and understanding of many cultures besides her own. She decided to go for Ifá consultation in order to make three inquiries: one, to know how the trip would be; two, to know what she needed to take along on her journey; and three, how long it would take her to complete her journey. The Awo informed Olojo¾ that her trip would be very successful. She was planning a trip around the world but she would instead take a journey into the world. That was when she would understand what life was all about and appreciate the intricacies which existed in the world, Secondly, she was informed that she needed to take along with her all those things which would make her trip comfortable; money, clothing materials, jewellery, toiletries, gift items and so on. She must also fully prepare herself to avoid her lacking anything on her journey. Thirdly, she was told that such a journey did not have a specific time period. Everything depended on how deeply she planned to delve into the world. She was advised to offer eôboô as specified above. She complied. Soon after this, she set out on her journey into the world, even though she did not really understand the full meaning of what she was about to achieve. Pa’le; mo;ô P’oô¾na¾ moô; Awo ile; O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Ni;jo;ô Olojo¾ yo;o; wo¾ô si;’le; e Baba EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o Translation: Pa‟le; mo;ô, put the house in order P‟oô¾na¾ mo;ô, arrange the surroundings neatly The resident Awo of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾‟s household They cast Ifa; for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When Olojo¾ would settle in his house He was advised to offer eôboô 488 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N It was time for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to perform his OÙ®se¾ô (five day) Ifá consultation. This would serve as guide for him for the next five days. He would be able to know what was in stock for him and how to attain any good things coming his way. He invited two of his ex-students, Pa’le; mo;ô and P’oôn ¾ a¾ moô; to come and do the consultation for him. The Awo informed OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that in the next five days, there was the need for him and every member of his household to take good care of visitors, especially strangers. He was also told that he needed to keep the whole house and its vicinity clean and spotless during the period. They said that a stranger would be coming and would stay in his house. This stranger would make him extremely successful if he could be very hospitable and if he could keep his home clean, neat, peaceful and very accommodating. He was informed to impress it upon his wife to be at her best throughout this period that the visitor would spend with them. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was equally told that keeping the home clean and tidy was the responsibility of his wife. That was why he needed to ensure that his wife was on top of the situation throughout the period that the stranger would spend with them. The whole household must also be friendly with the stranger so that this stranger would not have any cause to leave unexpectedly or before the time that he/she wished to spend with the family. The Awo laid so much emphasis on the fact that the coming stranger would make OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ and his household great. He was urged not to miss the opportunity because it was a chance of a lifetime. The Awo also advised him to offer eôboô as stated above. It was the same eôboô that Olojo¾ was advised to offer before she took off on her long, long journey. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ complied. He also had a discussion with everyone in his household and explained to them what the Awo told him about cleanliness. They were all determined to ensure that everywhere was spotlessly, clean and tidy even before the visitor arrived. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s wife became the coordinator who would ensure both cleanliness and hospitality for the stranger. Two days after this, this stranger, Olojo¾ arrived in OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s house. She came with a long retinue of maiden servants and delegates. They were all at her beck and call, just to make her happy and contented. 489 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The first thing she did was to inspect everywhere, both the whole compound and its vicinity. She found them to measure to her taste and standards. She was quite satisfied with what she had found. She was ushered to her room and she settled in. All her aides were also given befitting accommodations. When it was time for food, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ realized that everything she would eat for months was brought along with her. She told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ not to bother with her feeding. All she wanted was for her domestic servants to be given free access to the kitchen where they would prepare her food to her taste. This was quickly arranged. The following day, she settled down for real business. She told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that she found his home very accommodating. She would however love to build more rooms so that her numerous servants would have more space for themselves. She sought OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s permission to do so and she was given the permission. Her male servants were set out to work immediately. She also told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that she intended to make a trip round the world and she would like OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ to advise her on how to proceed. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ told Olojo¾ that there were two ways to make her trip. First, she could make a trip around the world; and second, she could travel into the world, she was informed that the former was exciting but the latter was more intriguing and more beneficial. How could one make a trip into the world she asked herself. She quite understood how one could travel around the world, but she had never been taught about how to travel into the world. This made her very interested in travelling into the world, like OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ had mentioned, instead of travelling around the world. She also wanted to know when they would commence the travel into the world. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ told her that they would take the trip into the world the next day, as soon as the morning devotions and breakfast was finished. Throughout the remaining part of the day and the night, Olojò was busy packing her things and making preparations for the trip. She really did not know what she needed to take along on the trip, but she packed her essential things all the same. 490 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N When everyone had taken his/her meal, Olojò ordered that two of her horses should be mantled and dressed up for the journey. When this had been done, she informed OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that she was ready for the journey. That was when she was told that the trip would be embarked upon right inside the house. She became even more confused. How? She asked. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ told her that to go into the world, they must start from her. From her? She asked, now with more curiosity and impatience than she had ever experienced in her life. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ then told her, that as a woman, she was the world. She also owned the world and that every part of her body represented every segment of the world. How? She asked. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ responded that as women populated the world, it was their feminine energy that maintained and upheld the world. If there were no women, the world would cease to exist within a mere 150 years! It was women who gave birth to men before men were able to assume various positions of responsibilities. Women also gave birth to the Ϙba and other Royalty before they would turn into O®ri¾sôa.¾ The womb of a woman is the source of the world where all ingenious designs and products are manufactured. Olojò was totally baffled. She thought about this information for a long, long time and realized that it made a lot of sense but she wanted to hear more. She raised up her two hands and bowed her head, telling OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that she had raised her two hands up and made her palms face up to confess her ignorance and readiness to learn more. She then repeated the gesture two more times. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ then told her that the journey would start with her two hands. There were two types of palms that the hands carried. There was the leprous hand and then the spotless hand. The leprous hand had five fingers; these fingers were; one, jealousy; two, envy; three, anger; four, backbiting and five, arrogance. The five fingers of the spotless hand were: one, hope; two, humility; three, benevolence; four, honesty and five, understanding. These were the fingers of those who would break or make the world. This is because almost everything we do in life is done with our hands, with our fingers constantly working on the various designs. The type of fingers one has determines the type of design one will produce. The leprous fingers will surely bring forth leprous products while the spotless fingers will produce spotless items. 491 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ asked Olojò to cast her mind back to her home land and think about those who worked for the progress as well as those who worked for the failure of the land and she would understand how they worked and why they always got the types of results they got. If ones actions cause sadness for others and one makes money from such actions, one cannot use the money to buy anything that will bring one joy. Conversely, whatever people do which make several others progress will not turn round and make the architect of that same thing sad or depressed. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ told Olojò to go and go over the information in her mind until evening time when they would meet again under the moon light. That was the way the world worked, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ told her. On her way to her room, she met OÙ®sôunfu;nnle;ôyoô¾, the wife of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ talking to two children. She stayed a while to listen to the discussions. In the end, she looked for a seat and sat beside them. When the children left, OÙ®sôunfu;nnle;ôyoô¾ told her that a child’s mother is a child’s closest confidant. The womb which carries the children for ten lunar months is deep enough to keep all their secrets. The depth of a woman’s feelings for each of her children must also be kept secret in the womb so as to avoid a situation where the woman may create jealousy, envy, and rivalry among her children. In the same vein, the secrets of her husband must be kept inside her womb so that his rivals or antagonists will not use her as bait for the downfall of her husband. OÙ®sôunfu;nnle;ôyoô¾ concluded by saying that the womb of a woman is deeper than the deepest point of the earth. She then left to think over what she had just heard from both the husband and the wife. In the evening, she was still thinking about all the information she received because some details of the information actually worried her. When she got to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾, the first thing which OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ asked her was: what is it that is worrying you so much? She explained that what she heard from his wife was worrisome to her because it is very difficult to maintain balance between all ones children, ones husband, and those associated with the husband by keeping all their secrets to avoid being instrumental in any downfall that may occur. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ said that that is what women must do at all times. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ told Olojò that women are able to keep more profound secrets than men and that many secrets often go with women to their graves. He enjoined her to cultivate the habit of keeping secrets in order to protect herself, her family, and her loved ones. She must also be careful of what comes out of her mouth 492 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N when there are quarrels because once she shares something, it will not be easy to retract what she has said once the matter has eventually settled. Olojò asked OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ how he knew that she had worries at the back of her mind which gave her concern. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ responded that the human mind is a fountain where all thoughts spring from and generate before they come out in the form of speech or action. The face is the mirror of the mind, when a person is angry, it will start in the mind before it shows on the face; if someone is happy, it will also start from the mind and then show on the face; and if someone is worried like you, it will start from your mind before it show on your face. You must learn the signs of the various gestures on the face in order to delve deeply into the world. Twice every day, Olojò and OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ had discussions on various issues, giving birth children, becoming pregnant, labour, and all the problems associated with it, raising the children, training, marriage, growing old and dying, business transactions, community development, selfdevelopment, commitments to duty, religion, love, hatred, travelling and so on. In the end, Olojò spent one full year with OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. By that time, OÙ®sôunfu;nnle;ôyoô¾ had become her best friend. She showed OÙ®sôunfu;nnle;ôyoô¾ her own little world, and OÙ®sôunfu;nnle;ôyoô¾ showed her hers. She made OÙ®sôunfu;nnle;ôyoô¾ great by transferring most of her wealth to her. She made OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ popular and honourable by singing his praises everywhere she went. When Olojò was about to return to her native I®je¾ôbu;-Igbo; land, she did not remember about her wanting to take a trip around the world anymore and those whom she had been staying with were wishing her to stay forever because her stay had benefited the family and the whole community. Koro ni faa fa;'gba; Fa¾la¾la¾ falala l’oôloô;ja¾ a; be¾ô’weô¾ Bi; wo;ôn ba; be¾ô oô; l’o;ôweô¾ Ti; o o¾ ba; je;ô O roôra pa koô;ro;ôkoô;ro;ô O ma;a loô o Di;a; fu;n Olojo¾ Ti;i; sô’oômoô OÙba niÙ;’gbo; I®je¾ôbu; 493 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 I®gba¾ to; n;loô s’a;jo¾ to; ji¾n gboôoôroô bi; oôjoô; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o O: gb'e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô Pa’le; mo;ô P’oô¾na¾ mo;ô Awo ile; O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Ni;jo;ô Olojo¾ yo;o; wo¾ô si;le; e Baba EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa;a; ba;’ni ba;’yo¾ô EôÙ wa;a; wo’re o N®jeô; pa’le; mo;ô o¾, aya Awo Pa’le; mo;ô o o¾¾, aya Awo o Pa'le; mo;ô, p’oô¾na¾¾ moô; Olojo¾ n; bo¾ô o Translation: Koro ni faa fa;'gba; It is with authority that a nobleman sends others on errands If you are sent on an errand And you do not perform You better move into hiding And secretly move away These were Ifá’s messages for Olojo¾ (the Stranger) A Princess from the forest of I®je¾ôbu; land When going on a very long journey that was the distance between the sun to earth She was advised to offer eôboô She complied Pa‟le; mo;ô, put the house in order P‟oô¾na¾ mo;ô, arrange the surroundings neatly The resident Awo of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾‟s household They cast Ifa; for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ When Olojo¾ would settle in his house He was advised to offer eôboô He complied 494 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N Before long, not too far Join us in midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life Put the house in good order, Awo’s wife Put the house in perfect order, Awo’s wife Put the house in order, and make the surroundings neat Olojò is coming Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed will have cause to celebrate his/her good fortune for the rest of his/her life. It is however important for this person to maintain good personal hygiene and to also make and maintain his/her surroundings neat and tidy. 4. Ifá says that if foresees the Ire of honour, title conferment and leadership for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Ifá says that even though this person is underestimated and discountenanced; he/she shall be placed in a position of authority and respect. Ifá advises this person to offer eôboôô with two pigeons, two guinea fowls, two hens, two cocks and money. He/she also needs to feed his/her Orí with one duck and one ram. On this, Ifá says: I®ko;ko;ro; e¾lu¾boô; ni;i; sô’odo; gba¾n¾koko-gba¾n¾koko Di;a; fu;n ‘La;bo;gunde; Ti; n;f’omi oju; su¾ngbe;re¾ Ire gbogbo EÙboô ni woô;n ni;; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: The small sun-dried yam meant to be pounded into yam flour is what rolls around inside the mortar This was the message of Ifá for „La;bo;gunde; When weeping in lamentation for his inability to secure any Ire of life He was advised to offer eôboô 495 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 OÙla;bogu;nde; was a poor farmer. He could not boast of much achievement in his life. He had no money. He had no wife. He had not been blessed with any child of his own. His health was not too sound. This accounted for his inability to do much work on the farm. His inability to work well accounted for his poverty. His poverty accounted for his inability to give himself adequate and required medical treatment. His poor health and finance accounted for his inability to secure a spouse of his own. Because he had no spouse, there was no way he could have children of his own. His inability to have a spouse and kids made him a lonely man. Being lonely increased his sorrow. His sorrow aggravated his illness. Is this the way I will continue to live my life? „La;bo;gunde; asked himself over and over. There must be a solution to this miserable life that I am living, he told himself. „La;bo;gunde; never lost hope for one day. He knew that one day, his sun would rise. How? He could not say for certain. In his search for a solution, he went to the Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: Will I ever be blessed with all the Ire of life that I have been lacking since I was born? Would I ever succeed? The Awo cast Ifá and informed „La;bo;gunde; that he was just about to be made the Ϙba of the land. He informed him that he was looking for a means of survival but the Deities were busy working on how to make him the head of the land. He would be raised from grass to grace. He would be in a position to determine the direction and future of his community. The Awo advised „La;bo;gunde; to offer eôboô and feed his Orí as stated above. He had no money to do it. The Awo assisted him, and the eôboô was offered. What was done gave eôboô the hope that the future would be well after all. Before long, his health began to show signs of improvement. He could work more on the farm. About two years after this, the Ϙba of the land joined his ancestors. „La;bo;gunde; came from a Royal family. Nobody gave him any chance of becoming the Ϙba. When the race for the occupation of the vacant stool began, „La;bo;gunde; joined the race. When people heard that „La;bo;gunde; was in the race, they all had a merry laugh at his expense. He did not give up. He pursued his quest to become the Ϙba. On the day that the next Ϙba was to be chosen, the King-Makers invited all the candidates. They also invited some prominent Babaláwo from 496 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N outside the land. After intensive Ifá consultation, Ifá picked „La;bo;gunde; as the next Ϙba of Ado; E®ki¾ti¾. His life changed instantly. He became the father of all. All the kingmakers said that it would not be wise for them to install „La;bo;gunde; without a wife of his own. A wife was chosen for him even before the installation ceremony. The whole land belonged to him. He was able to rule well and with good feelings for all. All those who thought that he stood no chance kept quiet forever and ever. I®ko;ko;ro; e¾lu¾bo;ô ni;i; sô’odo; gba¾n¾koko-gba¾n¾koko Di;a; fu;n ‘La;bo;gunde; Ti; n;f’omi oju; su¾ngbe;re¾ Ire gbogbo EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾¾ ji¾nna¾ Ire gbogbo wa;a; ya de; tu¾tu;ru A®sôe; ‘La;bo;gunde; l’OÙba ka¾n A®sôe; ‘La;bo;gunde; ni yo;o; j’oôba EÙ®wi; L’A:do; EÙ®yin o¾ gbo;ôn o EÙ®yin o¾ tile¾ô m’oô¾ra¾n EÙyin o¾ mo¾ô wi;pe; ‘La;bo;gunde; ti n;j’oôba EÙ®wi; loô o Translation: The small sun-dried yam meant to be poundedinto yam flour is what rolls around inside the mortar This was the message of Ifá for „La;bo;gunde; When weeping in lamentation for his inability to secure any Ire of life He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far All the Ire of life came trooping in So, it is „La;bo;gunde;’s turn to become the Ϙba So, it is „La;bo;gunde; who will become the next E®Ùwi; of Ado;-E®ki¾ti¾ land You are not wise And you also lack understanding Can’t see that „La;bo;gunde; is already the OÙba of Ado; E®ki¾ti¾¾ 497 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ifá says that this person shall be moved from the dregs to the apex of the society in a miraculous manner. 5. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of long life for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Ifá says that he/she will overcome all his/her enemies who wish him/her dead. Ifá says that a lot of people actually wish calamity to befall him/her but they will all fail. Ifá advises this person to offer eôboô with three cocks and money. He/she also needs to feed O®gu;n with one cock and E®sôu¾ with another cock. On this, Ogbe¾-„ka¾nra¾n says: Ogbe¾ kan OÙ®ka¾nra¾n kan Di;a; fu;n Agogo Ti; n; t’I®koô¾le; O®Ùrun boôô¾ wa\ I®ko¾ôle; aye; EÙboô a¾i¾ku; ni wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: One leg of Ogbe¾ (here on the right) One leg of OÙ®ka¾nra¾n (here on the left) This was the Ifá cast for Agogo (the Gong) When coming from heaven to earth He was advised to offer eôboô against untimely death Agogo, the Gong, was a product of O®gu;n. When he was being moulded by O®gu;n, it was with the sole intention of making him useful to human kind. He was intended to be a handy musical instrument that would be able to produce music, come rain or come shine. When the process of his creation was completed, he was asked to move from O®Ùrun to Ile;-Aye;. That was why Agogo went for Ifá consultation in order to determine how his sojourn in Ile;-Aye; would be: Will I be able to perform the task for which I was created? Will I fulfil my destiny satisfactorily? Will life and luck smile at me? 498 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N The two Awo mentioned above told Agogo that the main reason why he had come for Ifá consultation was to determine whether or not he would be able to fulfil his destiny and to know if he would be able to live long enough to do it. They assured Agogo that he would surely fulfil his destiny and he would live to his old age to enjoy the fruit of his labour and to tell his success story to others. He was told that he would have a lot of enemies and antagonists who would be waiting for him on earth, fully determined to eliminate him as soon as he arrived. They would all fail, he was assured. He was told that some of these enemies would attack him directly while others would employ the services of hired killers to eliminate him. They would all fail, the Awo told him. The Awo also advised Agogo to offer eôbọ with three cocks and money. He was also asked to feed O®gu;;n and E®sôu¾ with one cock each. He complied. Soon after this, he moved from I®ko¾ôle; O®Ùrun to I®ko¾ôle; Aye;. As predicted by the Awo, as soon as Agogo arrived in Ile;-Ayé, his enemies greeted him with serious beatings in order to kill him. They knew that he was coming, and they had gone to cut 20 strong sticks ready for him in order to use them to beat him to death. The beating was intense. When one person became tired, he would pass Agogo to another person. Instead of killing or hurting Agogo, he continued to produce music! What baffled those who planned the death of Agogo was that one after the other, the sticks collapsed and broke into pieces and Agogo would remain unhurt! Every time that Agogo was taken out, several sticks would be cut to accompany him and to beat him all the way to and from his journey. The sticks would all die and Agogo would return home unhurt. At a stage, the Du¾ndu;n drums, Ba¾ta; drums, Omele drums, I®gbi¾n drums, Ga;ngan drums and so on, employed the services of hired killers to help them beat Agogo to death because any time they would go out together and there was rainfall, only Agogo would be of use and he would be the only one playing music out of all the other musical instruments, because rainfall had no effect on him. The hired killers too would go and look for sticks to beat Agogo to death. The hired killers usually would return to report their frustrations to those who had sent them. Agogo remained unhurt, strong and healthy. He lived to his old age and savoured the fruit of his labour. 499 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ogbe¾ kan OÙ®ka¾nra¾n kan Di;a; fu;n Agogo Ti; n; t’I®ko¾ôle; O®Ùrun boô¾ wa; I®ko¾ôle; aye; EÙboô a¾i¾ku; ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni l’a;i¾ku; kangiri A®i¾ku; Ifa; du¾n, o; j’oyin loô o Translation: One leg of Ogbe¾ (here on the right) One leg of O®Ùka¾nra¾n (here on the left) This was the Ifá cast for Agogo (the Gong) When coming from heaven to earth He was advised to offer eôboô against untimely death He complied Before long, not too far Join us where we enjoy long life The longevity guaranteed by Ifá is sweeter than honey Ifá says that this person will live to his/her old age right in the midst of his/her enemies. All his/her enemies will always be frustrated. 6. Ifá foresees the Ire of victory for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. He/she has several enemies but he/she will be able to overcome them all. The enemies who Ifá refers to are mostly his/her relatives. They will try everything they have in their power but they will all fail. That is the assurance of Ifá for this person. Ifá advises him/her to offer eôbọ with one mature he-goat, one axe and money. Ifá also advises him/her to feed O®gu;n with one cock. On this aspect, Ifá says: Ogbe¾ kan OÙ®ka¾nra¾n kan Di;a; fu;n Abeyi;n-Ganngan 500 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N Ti; n; gb’o;gun loô inu; oko lo¾ôoô; sôôeô;’ô;te¾ô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: One leg of Ogbè (here on the right) One leg of O®Ùka¾nra¾n (here on the left) This was the Ifá cast for Abeyi;n-Ganngan (the one with Pointed Teeth) When going to wage war to overcome enemies on the farm He was advised to offer eôboô They bragged. They boasted. They planned. They set traps. They were all planning against Abeyi;n-Ganngan, also known as A®ak; e;, the Axe. They planned to demolish him. They saw no reason why Abeyi;nGanngan should be moving on the surface of the earth like them. He must be run aground at all costs. Who were these enemies? All the trees in the forest had ganged up against the Axe. The fact that his handle came from the same forest made no impression on their minds. They were just after one thing and one thing only A®ak; e;, the Axe must be eliminated. The news of the plans of all the trees in the forest reached the Axe. He could not believe that those who he never offended could be planning evil against him. Initially, he did not believe the story. Before long, it became so rife that he became worried and very apprehensive. These were his own relatives who he expected to protect him and promote his interest. These were the same people planning his downfall. But why? In his bid to find out why they were planning this evil against him, he went to the home of the two Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation. He wanted to know if he had in any way, overtly or covertly, offended the trees in the forest which he was unaware of. He also wanted to know whether or not he would be able to overcome these enemies. When Ifá was consulted, they found a leg of Ogbè on the right hand side of the Ifá tray and a leg of O®Ùka¾nra¾n on the left. The Awo told A®ak; e;, the Axe that he had not offended the trees in the forest in anyway. Their hatred was borne out of envy and malice. He 501 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 was however assured that he would overcome. The Awo advised A®ak; e; to carry his own war to the forest and confront all these enemies. He was urged to move, not to wait endlessly in anxiety and apprehension. A®ak; e; was assured that the best and most practical form of defence was attack. Attacking his enemies first would bring him minimal damage and would inflict maximum damage on his numerous enemies. The Awo also advised A®ak; e; to offer eôboô and feed O®gu;n as stated above. A®ak; e; complied. As soon as he did this, he prepared himself for the confrontation in the forest. On the day that he would go to the forest, E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ had been there before him. E®sôu¾ was the one showing him the trees to attack first. He followed the advice of E®sôu.¾ He began to fell all his enemies. He started with I®ro;ko¾, then Ooro, A®ra¾ba¾, Os®Ù ôun ; sôu;n, O®gu¾nber¾ô e,ô¾ Eri;mado¾ and Ka;nran. He then rested. When he resumed action, he descended on A®fon ¾ô , Ayu¾nre,ô; Ape;pe, Afa¾ra¾, Re;re;, Om ®Ù o,ô¾ Idi; and Osôe¾. By the time A®ak; e; finished for the day, over 15 trees had been reduced to mere stumps. In three months, over 1,460 trees had been felled. That was when the trees knew that they were no match for A®ak; e;, the Axe. Ogbe¾ kan OÙ®ka¾nra¾n kan Di;a; fu;n Ab’eyi;n-Ganngan Ti; n; gb’o;gun loô inu; oko loô¾oô; sôeô;’te¾ô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni l’a;ru¾u;se ô ô; ogun A®ja¾se ô ô; ogun la¾a; ba; ni l’e;ôseô¾ O®Ùpeô¾ N®jeô; Ab’eyi;n-Ganngan ni yo;o; sôeô;’te¾ô eô woôn o Gbogbo igi oko Ti; n;ba; A®ak ; e; sô’oô¾ta; A®a;ke; ni yo;o; sôeô;’te¾ôeô gbogbo woôn Igba igi ti; n;da;’ri; iku; soô A®ak ; e; Rekete Ku¾ku¾te; l’A®ak ; e; soô woô;n da¾ Rekete 502 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N Translation: One leg of Ogbè (here on the right) One leg of O®Ùka¾nra¾n (here on the left) This was the Ifá cast for Abeyi;n-Ganngan (the one with Pointed Teeth) When going to wage war to overcome enemies on the farm He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far Join us where we enjoy victory over enemies Victory over enemies is what Ifá guarantees Behold, Abeyi;n-Ganngan will overcome them all All the trees in the forest Planning the death of A®ak; e; (the Axe) The Axe will overcome them all The 200 trees planning the death of A®ak; e; Completely A®ak; e; will reduce them all to mere stumps Completely Ifá guarantees that this person shall overcome all of his/her enemies, no matter how many or powerful they may be. 7. Ifá warns this person that evil principalities are already in his/her house or are about to enter the house. There is the need for this person to offer eôboô that will enable him/her to chase all this evil away from his/her house and life. Ifá advises this person to offer eôboô with one cock, 16 six-inch nails or pincers and money. He/she also needs to feed E®sôu¾ with another cock. After the eôboô has been offered, it will be taken to E®sôu.¾ The eôboô is to be placed inside a leaf and the 16 nails will be nailed round the eôboô to grip it into the ground. When the cock for E®sôu¾ is slaughtered, the head of the cock will also be nailed to the ground at the E®sôu¾ shrine. 503 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 On this, Ifá says: E®ki;ti¾ peô;te;ô Awo eô¾ba; oô¾na¾ Di;a; fu;n Ogbe¾ Ti; yo;o; kan Iku; o¾un A®ru¾n mo;ô’leô¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: The small anthill, the Awo of the roadside He cast Ifá for Ogbè Who will nail Ikú (Death) and A®ru¾n (Affliction) to the ground He was advised to offer eôboô Ikú, Death and A®ru¾n, Affliction had successfully settled in Ogbè’s house. They were awaiting the arrival of EÙjoô; (Contention) and O®fo¾ (Loss) to join them before they began to wreck havoc in the house. When the latter was taking long in coming, A®ru¾n tied Ogbè down. He was afflicted with many ailments. He was getting weaker and sicker every day. Ogbè was being prepared in readiness for Ikú to strike. He began to have bad dreams and experience nightmares. When the pains and inconvenience had become very unbearable, he called on E®ki;ti¾ Peôt; e;ô Awo EÙb ® a; O®n ô a¾ for Ifá consultation: Would I survive? Yes. He would. The Awo assured him. The Awo told him that Ikú and A®ru¾n were in his house and that was what was responsible for his nightmares and ill health. There was the urgent need to chase away these evil principalities in order to return his life to normal. He was advised to offer eôboô as stated above. As soon as he procured all the eôboô materials, E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ went to work. He invited Ikú and A®ru¾n to come and see what Ogbè was doing. He told them that Ogbè was the most foolish person he had ever seen. Instead of preparing himself for his death, which would come very soon, he was squandering his money on eôboô materials in the home of the Awo. He asked them to follow him to witness the foolish action which Ogbè and his Awo were engaging in which was the performance of the eôbo. 504 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N As Ogbè was taking the eôbo to the E®sôu¾ shrine, E®sôu¾ asked Ikú and A®ru¾n to follow him. When Ogbè placed the eôbo on the ground, E®sôu¾ told Ikú and A®ru¾n that there was the need to investigate what Ogbè and his Awo had buried under the spot where the eôbo was placed. As Ikú and A®ru¾n squeezed themselves under the eôbo, EÙjoô; and O®fo¾ appeared on the scene. E®sôu¾ asked them to go under the eôbo too. They did. E®sôu¾ used his unbelievable power to press the four of them down under the eôbo and they were nailed down and rendered immobile and powerless! They were there under the eôbo for 17 days. On the 18th day, E®sôu¾ went to them and struck a deal with them: if they were prepared to leave Ogbè alone, they would be released. They agreed. As soon as E®sôu¾ released them, they scrambled out of Ogbè’s life and never returned. E®ki;ti¾ peô;te;ô Awo eô¾ba; oô¾na¾ Di;a; fu;n Ogbe¾ Ti; yo;o; kan Iku; o¾un A®ru¾n mo;ô’leô¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb'eô;boô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ pe;ô ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa;a; ba; ni la;i¾ku; kangiri N®jeô; Ogbe¾ lo; kan Iku; Ogbe¾ lo; kan A®ru¾n Ogbe¾ lo; ko; gbogbo Irunbi ka¾n moô;’le¾ô Translation: The small anthill, the Awo of the roadside He cast Ifá for Ogbè Who will nail Ikú (Death) and A®ru¾n (Affliction) to the ground He was advised to offer eôbo He complied Before long, not too far Join us where we enjoy longevity Behold, Ogbè has nailed down Ikú Ogbè has nailed down A®ru¾n Ogbè has nailed down all Evil Principalities 505 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed will live long and will enjoy his/her life without the threat of death or ailment. 8. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of longevity for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. Ifá says that there is a particular Deity in the lineage of this person which must not be allowed to perish. Ifá says that there is the need for this person, together with all members of his/her extended family to identify all the O®ri¾sôa¾/Iru;nmoôleô¾ in the family and resume propitiating them. Ifá warns that if this is not done, the consequence will not be favourable. Ifá advises this person to offer eôbo with monkey flesh and money. After this, all the deities in this person’s family must be fed. This must be done at regular intervals. On these, Ifá says: E:eg ; u;n ni;i; f’oôwoô; pete mu;’gba; oôti; Pa¾ak ¾ a; ni;i; sô’oôwoô; fi¾nna¾-fi¾nna¾ mu;’da¾ Bi; ba¾ta; ba; n;pe 'La;pe¾ôkun 'La;pe¾ôkun ni ba¾ta; n;pe’ri; Di;a; fu;n OÙloô;fin Ti; yo;o; da¾gba¾-da¾gba¾ Ti; yo;o; f’eôran oô¾boô ru;’boô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o Translation: The Egu;ngu;n masquerade is he who uses gloves on his hands to handle the alcohol calabash The Pa¾ra¾ka; masquerade is he who uses his stretched hands to grip a sword When the ba¾ta; drummer calls on „La;pe¾ôkun It is „La;pe¾ôkun that the drummer focuses his attention on These were Ifa;;‟s messages for OÙloô;fin Who would grow so old And use monkey meat to offer eôboô He was advised to offer eôboô 506 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N OÙloô;fin was the OÙba of Ile;-Ife¾ô. When he was installed as the Ϙba, there was progress, development and peace in the land. Gradually, the progress and development began to go down in the land. In their place came chaos and anxiety. OÙloô;fin was worried. He knew that he would soon join his ancestors, because he had grown old and feeble, but he did not want to depart only to tell the ancestors that when he assumed the position of Ϙba, the land was peaceful and there was development and progress; but by the time he left, the land had degenerated into chaos and anxiety. That was why he summoned the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation. He wanted to find a possible solution to the problems in the land. When Ifá was consulted, Ogbe¾OÙ®ka¾nra¾n revealed. The Awo told OÙloô;fin that the reason why there was chaos in the land was that all the ancestral groves in the land had been abandoned and the ancestors had been left unpropitiated. As long as this continued to happen, so would there be chaos and anxiety in the land. OÙloô;fin was advised to identify all the sites of the ancestors and begin to propitiate them immediately. They also told OÙloô;fin to procure monkey meat and money for eôboô. OÙloô;fin ordered his hunters to get monkey meat for him. On that same day, they had more than enough meat to use for the eôboô. Before the hunters returned however, OÙloô;fin had identified all the ancestral sites. When the sites were examined it was discovered that all the O®ri¾sôa¾ô who used to reside there had all gone. After the eôboô had been offered, the Awo returned to the sites and placed “Oju;-Ob ®Ù oô”, the eyes of the monkeys into the ancestral sites and summoned the spirits of the O®ri¾sôa¾ô. They returned. As soon as these processes were completed, normalcy returned to the land gradually. Once again, there was development and progress. Peace and tranquillity returned. OÙloô;fin was ready to go and meet his ancestors in order to give them the report that he assumed the throne when there was progress, development, peace and tranquillity and he when he left it there was still progress, development, peace and tranquillity. 507 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 E:eg ; u;n ni;i; f’oôwoô; pete mu;’gba; oôti; Pa¾ak ¾ a; ni;i; sô’oôwoô; fi¾nna¾-fi¾nna¾ mu;’da¾ Bi; ba¾ta; ba; n;pe 'La;pe¾ôkun 'La;pe¾ôkun ni ba¾ta; n;pe’ri; Di;a; fu;n OÙloô;fin Ti; yo;o; da¾gba¾-da¾gba¾ Ti; yo;o; f’eôran oô¾boô ru;’boô EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾ EÙ wa;a; ba; ni ba;’yo¾ô EÙÙ wa;a; wo’re o N®jeô; ko¾ si; O®o¾sôa¾ l’a;ye; mo;ô Oju;-O®Ùboô la¾ n; boô Translation: The Egu;ngu;n masquerade is he who uses gloves on his hands to handle the alcohol calabash The Pa¾ra¾ka; masquerade is he who uses his stretched hands to grip a sword When the ba¾ta; drummer calls on „La;pe¾ôkun It is „La;pe¾ôkun that the drummer focuses his attention on These were Ifa;;‟s messages for OÙloô;fin Who would grow so old And use monkey meat to offer eôboô He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all the Ire of life There are no more O®ri¾sôa¾ on earth We are only propitiating Oju;-O®b Ù oô Ifá says that this person will be able to bring his/her life back to normalcy if he/she can identify all their abandoned O®ri¾sôa¾ and ancestors and begin to propitiate them again. 508 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N (Please note the pun on the words “Oju;-O®Ùboô”, meaning “the eyes of OÙ®boô, monkey” and the word “Oju;boô” meaning “the spot in a house where the ancestors and/or O®ri¾sôa¾ are being propitiated”) 9. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of a spouse for a man looking for a compatible wife. Ifá says that he will also receive the blessing of children from the woman. Ifá says that two women will show up at the same time, or have already shown up, but he needs to pick one and marry her. One of the two women will be fair-skinned while the other one will be dark-skinned. The fair-skinned woman will be slightly prettier than the dark-skinned one. Ifá advises this person to choose the dark-skinned woman. That is the person who will add more meaning to his life. Ifá advises this person to offer eôbo ôwith two rats, two fish and money. He is also advised to feed Ifá with whatever Ifá demands for. A stanza in Ogbe¾-‟Ka¾nra¾n on this aspect says: E®ek ¾ a¾n Ka;ngun-Ka¾ngun Awo A®gboôn lo; di;a; f’A:gboôn A®gboôn n;w’o;ôkoô i¾mo¾ôra¾n-a;n ya¾n kiri EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: E®ek¾ a¾n ka;ngun-ka¾ngun The Awo of A®gboôn (the Coconut) cast Ifa; for A®gboôn When searching for an ideal spouse She was advised to offer eôboô A®gboôn, the Coconut, was a robust, tall, fair-skinned and very beautiful woman. She had attained the age that she ought to be married but she had no man of her own. All the men who had come her way were considered to be not up to her level of standard or were not compatible with her. She therefore went for Ifá consultation to determine when she would be able to find the ideal man to marry. The Awo told A®gboôn that she needed to lower her pride and arrogance and lower her standards slightly in order for her to be able to find a 509 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 serious man to marry her. She was also advised to offer eôboô as stated above. She saw no reason why she should lower her standards; and for that reason, she simply ignored the advice of the Awo for her to offer eôboô. E®ek ¾ a¾n Ka;ngun-Ka¾ngun Awo OÙ®peô lo; di;a; f’OÙ:peô O®peô n;w’o;ôkoô i¾mo¾ôra¾n-a;n ya¾n kiri EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: E®e¾ka¾n ka;ngun-ka¾ngun The Awo of O®Ùpeô (the Palm tree) cast Ifa; for O®Ùpeô When searching for an ideal spouse She was advised to offer eôboô O®Ùpeô, the Palm-tree, was a tough-looking, coarse, dark-skinned, and not so pretty woman. She too had attained the age when she was ripe for marriage but nobody seemed to notice her. She craved for an understanding husband who would appreciate the fact that it was not only physical appearance or beauty that made a woman desirable. She vowed within herself that she would try everything in her power to find a good husband and make him happy. Yet, she found nobody interested in her. Not long after this, she met OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ who was also looking for a wife. She was quick to find out that as she was interested in OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ so also was A®gboôn. She therefore went for Ifá consultation: Will I be blessed with my own man who will understand me? Will I become the wife of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾? If yes, will he take good care of me? Will I be happy in his home? Will the relationship be blessed with many children? The Awo assured O®Ùpeô that she would not only make a good wife, her man would be a good husband and make her glad and fulfilled. She was told that she was not the only one interested in the man, but with appropriate eôboô she would be the one the man would marry eventually. She would also be blessed with a peaceful home. She was assured that her man would take good care of her and make her the pearl of his 510 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N eyes. She was told that a time would come when her man would not be able to do anything in her absence. She was advised to offer eôboô as stated above. Her belief in Ifá made her offer the eôboô because she knew that if she didn’t, she would not be able to compete with A®gboôn. After the eôboô, she kept her fingers crossed and waited for the miracle guaranteed by Ifá to come to her life. E®ek ¾ a¾n ka;ngun-ka¾ngun Awo O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ lo; di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Baba n;sunku;n ala;i¾l’o;bi¾nrin EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o Translation: E®ek¾ a¾n ka;ngun-ka¾ngun The Awo of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ cast Ifa; for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ When weeping in lamentation for his inability to secure a compatible spouse He was advised to offer eôboô O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was in search of a woman who would be his companion and confidant. He was not sure of the many women who had come his way thus far. He was however giving serious consideration to two women, A®gboôn and OÙ®peô It was a difficult choice. A®gboôn was robust, fair skinned and very beautiful. OÙ®peô was tough looking, dark-skinned, and not that pretty. OÙ®peô however looked to be a very humble person. Who should he pick among the two women as his wife? That was when OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ invited E®e¾ka¾n¾ ka;ngun ka¾to come and consult Ifá for him: Who must I choose among the two women? Who among the two will make me happy and fulfilled? Who will bring me many blessings? Who is compatible with my destiny among these two women? The Awo told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that he would have a very compatible wife who would be ready to put herself on the line for him to progress and succeed in life. Both of them would complement each other fully in all aspects of life. He would live a happy and fulfilled life. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was told that the woman who would be ideal for him was OÙ®peô. 511 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 He was advised not to marry A®gboôn because they were not compatible and there would be no benefit in living a life with A®gboôn. The Awo also advised OÙ®runmi¾la¾ to offer eôboôô as stated above. He complied. Soon after this, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ got married to O®Ùpeô. As soon as O®Ùpeô entered into the home and life of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ everything changed for the better for him. He became more prosperous and his work became easier for him to perform. O®Ùpeô assisted OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ in his work with every part of her being. She produced palm oil for him; she would also tapped into to palm-wine; her fronds were used to thatch the roof and to make brooms; her stem was use for construction; the rind of her nuts were used as fuel; the shell of the nuts was made into La;gi;di;gba beads; the seeds were extracted to make palm-kernel oil. In fact, there was no part of her that was of no usefulness on its own. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ benefitted immensely from the relationship. To crown it all, she also produced a special kernel known as Ikin which represented Ifá and which was used for consultation. Because of this, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ enjoined all his children and followers that any benefit that they had the capacity of rendering must be given to O®Ùpeô because she had proved herself as a great wife. E®ek ¾ a¾n Ka;ngun-Ka¾ngun Awo A®gboôn lo; di;a; f’A:gboôn A®gboôn n;w’o;ôkoô i¾mo¾ôra¾n-a;n ya¾n kiri EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: f’eti; o¾tu;n gb’eô;boô O: fi t’o¾si¾ da¾a; nu¾ E®ek ¾ a¾n Ka;ngun-Ka¾ngun Awo O®ÙpÙeô lo; di;a; f’OÙ:peô OÙ®peô n;w’o;ôkoô i¾mo¾ôra¾n-a;n ya¾n kiri EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’eô;boô, o; ru;’boô E®ek ¾ a¾n ka;ngun-ka¾ngun Awo O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ lo; di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ Baba n;sun’ku;n ala;i¾l’o;bi¾nrin EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô N®je;ô oore ti; eô ba; ni; Ki; eô ma; mu¾u; sô’A®gboôn OÙ®peô ni¾ka¾n l’olo;ore a¾wu;ro¾ô 512 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N Translation: E®e¾ka¾n ka;ngun-ka¾ngun The Awo of A®gboôn (the Coconut) cast Ifa; for A®gboôn When searching for an ideal spouse She was advised to offer eôboô She heard the advice with her right ear And threw it out with her left ear E®e¾ka¾n ka;ngun-ka¾ngun The Awo of O®Ùpeô (the Palm tree) cast Ifa; for O®Ùpeô When searching for an ideal spouse She was advised to offer eôboô She complied E®e¾ka¾n ka;ngun-ka¾ngun The Awo of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ cast Ifa; for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ When weeping in lamentation for his inability to secure a compatible spouse He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Any benefit that you receive Do not render it to A®gboôn Only OÙ®peô deserves benefits from the beginning Ifá says that both husband and wife will live happily and both of them will affect each other’s lives positively in a symbiotic manner. 10. Ifá advises the person or group for whom this Odù is revealed to offer eôboô for victory over adversity. Only eôboô can save him/her/them where this Odù is revealed. The opposition is very formidable, but with eôboô, he/she/they shall overcome. Ifá advises the person(s) to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat, plenty of cactus plants and money. He/she/they also need to plant cactus trees round his/her/their house(s), if it is possible to do so. 513 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 On this, Ifá says: I®lu; oro; woôn o¾ ju;’gbe¾e; I®lu; a¾je¾ji¾ woôn o¾ ju;’wo¾ô I®ya¾ a; jeô a¾je¾ji¾ ta;n O: t’ara i¾lu; u re¾ô para-pa¾ra¾-para Di;a fu;n Olo;mu¾ Ape¾ôra;n I®gba¾ti; n; f’ojooju;mo;ô koô’minu; ogun EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: It is not easy living in a wicked town It is not easy entering a strange land When a stranger suffers untold hardship He will long for his native land unendingly These were Ifá’s declarations to Olo;mu¾ Ape¾ôra;n When he was in constant fear of war and uprising He was advised to offer eôboô Olo;mu¾, the OÙba of O®mu¾ land, had no rest anymore. He was also in constant fear of war. His spies had warned him that the people of I®da¾ho¾m ô i¾, the Dahomean people were planning to wage war against his land. The war machine of the I®da¾hom ¾ô i¾, people was awesome. Olo;mu¾ was objective enough to know that O®mu¾ was no match against the military might of the I®da¾ho¾m ô i¾, people. The military supremacy was simply overwhelming. Olo;mu¾ realized that unless there was Divine intervention, O®mu¾ would be levelled to the ground. Why must this happen when he was the Ϙba of the land? What bothered him more than anything else was the Cavalry battalion of the ô i¾ people. They were so ruthless and unsympathetic. Should he I®da¾ho¾m run away before the war begins? If he did so, what would happen to his subjects? What type of leader would he be if he abandoned all his subjects and went into hiding? Should he commit suicide as soon as the war gets to his town? If he did so, what benefit would that bring to his subjects? Should I just surrender myself and the town when the soldiers arrive? Would this save my domain? Truly, he needs divine intervention. That was precisely what he looked for when he summoned 514 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifá consultation: Will my land survive the impending war? If yes, how? If no, what did he need to do? The Awo told Olo;mu¾ that there was an impending war which was sure to be waged against O®mu¾ land. He said that O®mu¾ land was no match against its opponent. He told Olo;mu¾ that only eôboô could save the land from total destruction. He said that the Cavalry unit of the enemies was more than enough to crush any town five times the size and strength of O®mu¾ land. He advised Olo;mu¾ to offer eôboô as stated above. Olo;mu¾ thought about the whole situation and concluded that he had no other realistic option than to offer the eôboô. He did it that very day. I®lu; oro; woôn o¾ ju;’gbe¾e; I®lu; a¾je¾ji¾ woôn o¾ ju;’wo¾ô I®ya¾ a; jeô a¾je¾ji¾ ta;n O: t’ara i¾lu; u reô¾ para-pa¾ra¾-para Di;a; fu;n OÙroô; Ti;i; sô’oôloôtan O®mu¾ E®yi; ti; yo;o; gb’o;gun ja¾ l’O:mu¾ Ti; yo;o; gb’O®mu¾ ka’le¾ô l'o;;ôwoô; iku; EÙboô ni woô;n ni;; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: It is not easy living in a wicked town It is not easy entering a strange land When a stranger suffers untold hardship He will long for his native land unendingly These were Ifá’s declarations to OÙroô; (the Cactus) The relative and neighbour of O®mu¾ land Who would brave the war of O®mu¾ And rescue O®mu¾ land from impending doom He was advised to offer eôboô OÙroô; felt sympathy in seeing the futile moves of the inhabitants of O®mu¾ land. He could read hopelessness and resignation on their faces. The inhabitants were just awaiting the arrival of the I®da¾hom ô¾ i¾ people and they all knew that the day the I®da¾hom ô¾ i¾ people arrived in their town would be 515 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 the day that they would all die violently. That was what moved him to decide to help them. He knew that he had the power to incapacitate all ô¾ i¾ people and render both the the cavalry relied upon by the I®da¾hom horses and the riders useless and ineffective. That was exactly what he planned to do. For this reason, he went to the same group of Awo which Olo;mu¾ consulted to cast Ifá for him and advise him on what to do for his plan to work. The Awo told him that he had the good mind of helping his neighbours; and that his plan had a very good chance for working if well timed and well executed. He was advised to time everything he would do very well. He was also advised to offer the same eôboô which Olo;mu¾ was advised to offer. OÙroô; understood exactly what the Awo meant by timing his strategy very well. He also complied with the advice and offered the eôboô After this, he went to the people of O®mu¾ land and advised them to keep their minds at rest. He assured them that they would not lose the war. They all began to await the arrival of the I®da¾hom ô¾ i¾ soldiers. Shortly after this, the spies came to inform all the inhabitants that the soldiers were just a few posts to the land. OÙroô; asked all the inhabitants to dip the cactus that was in their homes into the stream that the cavalry would use cross into the land. They did. As soon as this was done, E®sôu¾ urged the soldiers to move quickly to overrun O®mu¾ land. When they got to the stream, the horses showed signs of thirst. E®sôu¾ encouraged the soldiers to allow their horses to drink water before they marched against the land. All the horses drank water from the stream that had been soaked with cactus. One by one, the horses fell and died! The soldiers became confused. E®sôu¾ told them that it would soon be their turn to die inexplicable deaths! When they heard this, they all took to their heels! The war was over before it even began. As soon as these soldiers left, E®sôu¾ came to announce to the inhabitants of O®mu¾ land that the war was over. The whole town burst into an exciting celebration. E®sôu¾ also told them to carry their bowls, trays and containers to go and cut up the horses and bring them home for consumption. That was exactly what they did. They used the horse meat to continue their festivities. 516 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N I®lu; oro; woôn o¾ ju;’gbe¾e; I®lu; a¾je¾ji¾ woôn o¾ ju;’wo¾ô I®ya¾ a; jeô a¾je¾ji¾ ta;n O: t’ara i¾lu; u re¾ô para-pa¾ra¾-para Di;a fu;n Olo;mu¾ Ape¾ôra;n I®gba¾ti; n; f’ojooju;mo;ô koô’minu; ogun EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gbe;ô’boô, o; ru;’boô I®lu; oro; woôn o¾ ju;’gbe¾e; I®lu; a¾je¾ji¾ woôn o¾ ju;’wo¾ô I®ya¾ a; jeô a¾je¾ji¾ ta;n O: t’ara i¾lu; u reô¾ para-pa¾ra¾-para Di;a; fu;n OÙroô; Ti;i; sô’oôloôtan O®mu¾ E®yi; ti; yo;o; gb’o;gun ja¾ l’O:mu¾ Ti; yo;o; gb’O®mu¾ ka’le¾ô l'o;;ôwoô; iku; EÙboô ni woô;n ni;; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’eô;boô, o; ru;’boô Peô¾le;ô Olo;mu¾ Ape¾ôra;n OÙmoô ar’oô;po;ôn n;la; j’omi-tooro eôsiô n E®yi; oômoô O®n¾seô¾gba¾ di;du¾n l’oô;na¾ O®mu Translation: It is not easy living in a wicked town It is not easy entering a strange land When a stranger suffers untold hardship He will long for his native land unendingly These were Ifá’s declarations to Olo;mu¾ Ape¾ôra;n When he was in constant fear of war and uprising He was advised to offer eôboô He complied It is not easy living in a wicked town It is not easy entering a strange land When a stranger suffers untold hardship He will long for his native land unendingly These were Ifá’s declarations to OÙroô; (the Cactus) The relative and neighbour of O®mu¾ land Who would brave the war of O®mu¾ 517 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 And rescue O®mu¾ land from impending doom He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Gently, Olo;mu¾ Ape¾ôra;n Offspring of those who have large bowls to consume soup made with horse meat Offspring of O®n¾seô¾gba¾ which is on the way to O®mu¾ land Ifá says that this person shall overcome a formidable enemy. Instead of being put to shame, the enemy shall be the one to experience shame. Conversely, the person for whom this Odù is revealed must never plan to put anyone to shame, lest his/her plan recoil on him/her. 11. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed plans to take something very useful and important from someone. Ifá says that this person will be able to take it. There will be crisis and problems at the initial stage but in the end, he/she will take it successfully. On the other hand, Ifá warns the person for whom this Odù is revealed to offer eôboô so that something useful and important which he/she has will not be taken away from him/her. If he/she allows this to happen, all is/her efforts and struggles to retrieve the thing back will be fruitless. Ifá advises this person to offer eôboô with three cocks, 200 needles and money. On this Ifá says: A®ba¾ta¾ ni;i; mu;’le¾ô rin gbi¾ngbi¾n Di;a; fu;n Eku;nku;n Ti; yo;o; gba Iri¾n Ti;i; sô’obi¾nrin Erin EÙboô ni woôô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: A marshy place is noted for its wetness This was the Ifá cast for Eku;nku;n (the needle grass) Who would snatch away Iri¾n 518 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N The wife of Erin (the Elephant) He was advised to offer eôboô Iri¾n was a maltreated woman. She was very unhappy in her husband’s house. She had no peace of mind. She was constantly abused, physically, emotionally and mentally. She was to be seen but never to be heard. She however noticed how free her friends were in their respective matrimonial homes and this made her even more depressed. One day, she went out on an errand for her husband Erin, the Elephant. She met Eku;nku;n on the way. She had many things to carry and helped Eku;nku;n her to carry them. This had never happened between her and Erin. They conversed freely until she finally arrived to where she was going. This too had never happened before between her and her husband. When she was returning from where she went to, she met Eku;nku;n again. The next two months, they continued meeting up with each other and she developed a deep affection for Eku;nku;n. When she came to know that Eku;nku;n was not yet married, she felt that he would be a nice companion to have because he was a very nice man. Before long, they developed a relationship. She would go and rest, and have long conversations with Eku;nku;n and her mind would feel free and relieved while she was with him. One day, Eku;nku;n told Iri¾n that they could not continue to be secret lovers anymore because it was totally unethical and that it was unacceptable to him. He told her that he would like her to become his wife because he felt that both of them would make a good pair. Iri¾n responded that she was ready to be his wife but the problem was Erin, her husband. She told Eku;nku;n that her husband would go after him and crush him to death if he should find out that Eku;nku;n was planning to snatch her away from him. They discussed this matter for a long time. In the end, they agreed that Eku;nku;n needed to go to A®bat¾ a¾ ni;i mu;’le¾ô rin gbi¾ngbi¾n for Ifa; consultation: Will I succeed in my bid to become the husband of Iri¾n? Will both of us live to tell the story? The Awo assured Eku;nku;n that he would not only live to tell the story, but that the woman would be a good spouse and also give birth to many 519 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 beautiful children for him. He was however informed that there would be crises and confusion, but in the end, he and Iri¾n would overcome. The Awo advised Eku;nku;n to offer eôboô with three cocks, 200 needles and money. He complied. As soon as the eôboô was offered, E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ went into action. He stuck the 200 needles all over Eku;nku;n’s body, with the pointed edge of the needles pointing upward. Two days after the eôboô was offered, Iri¾n packed her things and moved into Eku;nku;n’s house. As soon as she moved in however, trouble started. Erin considered what had happened as an insult of the highest order. He simply could not live with such an insult, he insisted. He boasted that he would not only take back his wife but he would equally punish the person who had the temerity to snatch his wife away from him. He sent several people to investigate where Iri¾n had packed to and to identify the person who had lodged her in his home. Within a week, the exact location of Iri¾n had been identified. The same day that the report of Iri¾n’s location was given to Erin, he charged. When he got there, he saw Eku;nku;n spread everywhere. He marched forward to where Eku;nku;n was, but immediately let out a loud cry of anguish and rushed out. There was blood on his four legs. The needles which Eku;nku;n offered as eôboô, which E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ stuck to his body were marched upon by Erin and they had pierced his feet. He tried a second time but cried in anguish again. He finally went home. One week after, he attempted again to get his wife back but again he went back to his home with needles and sores. For one year, Erin kept trying and for one year, he kept suffering. Nobody appealed to Erin. He finally gave up on Iri¾n and she became Eku;nku;n’s wife without any more contention. A®ba¾ta¾ ni;i; mu;’le¾ô rin gbi¾ngbi¾n Di;a; fu;n Eku;nku;n Ti; yo;o; gba Iri¾n Ti;i; sô’obi¾nrin Erin EÙboô ni woôô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô 520 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N E®ro¾ I®po, E®ro¾ O®Ùfa¾ EÙ wa; ba; ni l’a;ru¾u;se ô ô; ogun A®ja¾se ô ô; ogun la¾a; ba; ni l’e;ôseô¾ OÙba¾ri¾sa ô ¾ A®gba¾gbe; la o; maa gba¾ woô;n ni;’re loô o A®gba¾kan l'eku;nku;n gba’Ri¾n l’o;ôwoô; Erin A®gba¾gbe; la o; maa gba¾ woô;n ni;’re loô o Translation: A marshy place is noted for its wetness This was the Ifá cast for Eku;nku;n (the needle grass) Who would snatch away Iri¾n The wife of Erin (the Elephant) He was advised to offer eôboô He complied Travellers to I®po of O®Ùfa¾ Join us where we use eôbo to overcome adversity Victory over adversary is what Ifá guarantees Without adverse consequences will we take Ire away from them Without adverse consequences does Eku;nku;n snatch away Iri¾n from Erin Without adverse consequences will we take away Ire from them Ifá says that it will guarantee victory and accomplishment for the person for whom this Odù is revealed. He/she also needs to offer eôboô against others taking away something from him/her that is of inestimable value. 12. Ifá advises a woman of substance where this Odù is revealed to offer eôboô against being subjected to ridicule by her envious colleagues. This is because there is something that is really agitating her mind and her colleagues are using that to make mockery of her. Ifá says that if she offers appropriate eôboô, the mouths of her envious friends and colleagues will be permanently shut when Ifá supplies to her what has been missing in her life. 521 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ifá says that by the same period the following year, whatever is it that has been agitating her mind and has been causing her great sadness, pain and anxiety will be resolved and she will be in a position to celebrate and rejoice. Ifá advises this woman to offer eôboô with two rats, two fish, two hens, two cocks, two ducks, two guinea fowls, two pigeons and money. On this, Ifá says: Ori; ni; n; sôe woô;n ba;yi¾i;, Awo O®gu;nni;kin A®sôo¾wo¾o¾je¾er¾ e¾ bi; eôni wi;pe; eôni o¾ tile¾ô m'oôja¾a; na; ni Di;a; fu;n Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; Wo;ôn ni; ko; sô’eôboô oôla¾ Ko; si¾ sô’eôboô oômoô Translation: Their destinies directed them so, the Awo of O®gu;nni;kin If one trades and makes no profit, it is like one has no business sense These were Ifá’s declarations to Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; Who was advised to offer eôboô of prosperity And also for childbearing Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; was a relatively wealthy woman. She was blessed with the latest attire, jewellery, make-up, etc. She was also very beautiful. She was also very generous and she always made it a point of duty to contribute her quota to any community development programmes. She however was not blessed with the fruit of the womb. This was what had been giving her serious concern. She wished to have her own baby so as to stop sending other people’s children on errands. The day came for the annual event in the town. Everybody was expected to attend and dance. Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; ensured that she contributed more than others in order to make the event a huge success. 522 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N When it was time for dancing, Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; stepped into the dancing arena and began to dance and put money on the foreheads of all the women present. They collected the money. Suddenly, the music and songs changed. The women who she had just pasted money on their foreheads began to sing thus: EÙni l’aye; ire e; de; Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; ire e; de; Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; oômoôô oô¾ reô da¾ o Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; oômoô oô¾ reô da¾ l'a;gbo O l’o;wo; l’o;ôwoô;, o o¾ r’oô;moô ra¾ o Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; oômoô oô¾ reô da¾ l’a;gbo Translation: Owner of the world, here comes ire Si¾e-¾ô E®ji¾de;, here comes Ire Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de;, where is your baby? Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de;, where is your baby on this dancing floor? You are blessed with wealth but wealth cannot buy you your own baby Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de;, where is your baby on this dancing floor? When the women began to sing this song, they all quickly went to carry their babies and strap them on their backs. It was a perfectly executed coup against Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de. She burst into tears and left the dancing arena immediately. She was crying home and began to say: Ko¾ ma¾ ma¾ s’o;ômoô l’a;teô o Olo;wo; i¾ ba; ra¾ o Translation: If there were markets where babies were sold The rich would go there to buy She was singing this song repeatedly. As she was singing, so was she crying. Suddenly, from nowhere in particular, she heard a voice singing another song; It was E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ singing in reply to her song of sorrow? The voice saying: 523 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 OÙmoÙ ma¾ ma¾ n;beô l’a;teô o O: d’ile; O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ o Translation: Of course there are children in the market Go to O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾‟s home She looked around and she saw nobody singing. She tried running away from the voice she was hearing until she became tired. In the end, she decided to head for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s house instead of running away from the person whom she did not see. When she got to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s home, she burst into tears again. She narrated her tale of sorrow to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. That was when OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ assigned two of his resident Awo, Ori; ni; n;sôe won ô; ba;yi¾i;, Awo O®gu;nni;kin and A®sÙo¾wo¾o¾je¾e¾re¾ bi; eôni wi;pe; eôni o¾ tile¾ô m’oôja¾a; na; lo; ri; to attend to her. They did. They advised her to offer eôboô as stated above, so that she could continue to succeed financially and at the same time, she would be blessed with the fruit of the womb. She complied. After this, they did Ifá work for her and that same month, she became pregnant. On the day of the following annual celebration, E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ told her to carry her baby to the dance arena. He called on all her colleagues to sing and mock her as they had done the previous year. None of them would. They were all overwhelmed with shame. In the end, they began to sing thus: EÙni l’aye; e¾ ire e; de; Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de e¾ ire e; de; Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; o¾ oômoô oô¾ reô da¾ o? Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; oômoô oô¾ reô re¾e; l’a;gbo O l’o;wo; l’o;ôwoô;, o tu;n gb’o;ômoô poôn ¾ o Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; o¾, oômoôô reô re¾e; l’a;gbo L’o;o¾o;to;ô l’oômoô ma¾ma¾ n;beô l’a;teô o O: d’ile; OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ o! Translation: 524 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N Owner of the world, here comes Ire Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de, here comes Ire Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de, where is your baby? Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de, here is your baby in the dancing floor You are blessed with wealth and strap your own baby on your back Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de, here is your baby on the dance floor Truly, there are children in the market Go to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾‟s home! From that day onward, Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de was the happiest woman on earth. Until she grew to her old age and joined her ancestors, she remained grateful to Olodumare, her Orí, Ifá and her Awo. Ori; ni; n; sôe woô;n ba;yi¾i;, Awo O®gu;nni;kin A®sôo¾wo¾o¾je¾er¾ e¾ bi; eôni wi;pe; eôni o¾ tile¾ô m'oôja¾a; na; ni Di;a; fu;n Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; Wo;ôn ni; ko; sô’eôboô oôla¾ Ko; si¾ sô’eôboô oômoô O: gb'e;ôboô, o; ru;'boô EÙni l’aye; ire e; de; Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; ire e; de; Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; oômoôô oô¾ reô da¾ o Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; oômoô oô¾ reô da¾ l'a;gbo O l’o;wo; l’o;ôwoô;, o o¾ r’oô;moô ra¾ o Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; oômoô oô¾ reô da¾ l’a;gbo EÙni l’aye; e¾ ire e; de; Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de e¾ ire e; de; Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; o¾ oômoô oô¾ reô da¾ o? Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; oômoô oô¾ reô re¾e; l’a;gbo O l’o;wo; l’o;ôwoô;, o tu;n gb’o;ômoô poôn ¾ o Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; o¾, oômoôô reô re¾e; l’a;gbo L’o;o¾o;to;ô l’oômoô ma¾ma¾ n;beô l’a;teô o O: d’ile; O®Ùrunmila o! Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾¾nna¾ EÙ wa;a; ba;'ni ba;'yo¾ô EÙ wa;a; wo're o 525 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: Their destinies directed them so, the Awo of O®gu;nni;kin If one trades and makes no profit, it is like one has no business sense These were Ifá’s declarations to Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de; Who was advised to offer eôboô of prosperity And also for childbearing She complied Owner of the world, here comes ire Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de;, here comes Ire Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de;, where is your baby? Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de;, where is your baby on this dancing floor? You are blessed with wealth but wealth cannot buy you your own baby Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de;, where is your baby on this dancing floor? Owner of the world, here comes Ire Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de, here comes Ire Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de, where is your baby? Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de, here is your baby in the dancing floor You are blessed with wealth and strap your own baby on your back Si¾e¾ô-E®ji¾de, here is your baby on the dance floor Truly, there are children in the market Go to Orunmila‟s home! Before long, not too far Join us in the midst of joy Come and perceive all Ire 13. Ifá warns the person for whom this Odù is revealed to ensure that he/she offers his/her eôbo as quickly as possible. Ifá says that he/she should not postpone any eôbo especially if found that he/she has the means and space to offer the eôbo at the earliest possible time. Postponing his/her eôbo until another time may spell doom for him/her in the end. As a matter of fact, urgently offering his/her eôbo may mean the difference between life and death for him/her. Ifá advises this person to offer eôbo with four cocks, four hens, four guinea fowls and money. 526 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N On this Ogbe¾-„Ka¾nra¾n says: Gu;ru;kan lo; di;a; fu;n Egu;ngu;n F’e¾ôyi¾n-sô’oôroô¾ lo; di;a; fu;n Oro¾ Ajagunra;si¾n lo; di;a; fu;n Abiyamoô Abuke; ile; I®la;, Awo ile; I®la; O®Ùroô¾ gbe;’nu; gbe; si;, Awo woôn O®ke¾ I®jero¾ Atiro eôseô¾ ni;i; ri¾n sa;n;ge;le;-sa¾n¾ge¾le¾-sa;n;ge;le; Di;a; fu;n Ajagun-N:la; Ni;’jo;ô to; n;gb’o;gun loô I®lu; O®wu EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Gu;ru;kan was the Awo who cast Ifa; for Egu;ngu;n F‟e¾ôyi¾n-sôorô oô¾ cast Ifa; for Oro¾ Ajagunra;si¾n cast Ifa; for Abiyamoô (the Nursing Mother) Abuke; Ile; I®la;, the Awo of I®la; land O®Ùroô¾-gbe;'nu;-gbe; si;, their Awo in I®jero¾ land The limping person who walks sideways They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for Ajagun-N:la; When going on a military campaign to O®wu town He was advised to offer eôboô Ajagun-N:la; was a very brave warrior. He had engaged in several military campaigns and had returned home victorious in all. The fear of Ajagun-N:la; became the beginning of wisdom for all the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages. One day, Ajagun-N:la; heard that the inhabitants of O®wu land were boasting that they had no fear for Ajagun-N:la; and they would face him power for power, tactic for tactic and bravery for bravery. This information did not sit pretty with him at all. As soon as he heard this, he began to prepare for war. He would teach them a lesson they would not forget in a hurry. Who were they? What military experience did they have? Who was backing them that was giving them this false confidence? Did they not realize that they were rats, playing with the whiskers of a cat? 527 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 He concluded that he would move against I®lu; O®wu in three days' time and not more than that. He would make them eat dust. They would prostrate, crawl and cry at his feet after he had rubbished them. By the time he finished with them, they would have learnt never to play with fire any longer. In order to finalize his war plans he decided to go for Ifá consultation in the home of the group of Awo mentioned above: what type of punishment did he need to mete out to the inhabitants of O®wu land? The Awo consulted Ifá and advised Ajagun-N:la; that if he must wage war against the inhabitants of O®wu land at all, he needed to postpone the time that he would set out for at least one week. The time he had chosen was not auspicious for what he planned to do. He needed to offer eôboô and performed certain rituals before he could go. He was urged to complete all the rituals before he set out on his journey. Ajagun-N:la; could not believe his ears. So, these Awo would advise him to postpone his journey to O®wu where the inhabitants had been boasting and making costly jokes at his expense? No. He would not postpone the journey. He loved to offer eôboô anytime that eôboô was recommended for him. He would certainly offer this particular eôboô too. However, this eôboô would have to wait until he returned from the military campaign. It was over his dead body that a bunch of fools and inexperienced military jokers would make expensive jokes like that and get away with them. They must be dealt with decisively in order to use it as a deterrent against other loose-mouthed cheap soldiers in other areas. There was no need to wait for the three days he had earlier said. He left that evening. When he got to O®wu land, what he met there in term of resistance was totally unexpected. He realized to his chagrin that when a rat continuously challenged a cat, a hole was certainly within the reach of the rat. All his military tactics were deployed but he could make no headway. He was totally overwhelmed. In the end, the youths of O®wu land, who had never been exposed to any serious military action before were the ones who surrounded Ajagun-N:la;. They captured him. They dragged him round their town. In the evening of that day, they cut off his limbs. Three days later, Ajagun-N:la; was killed. The inhabitants began to make expensive jokes against Ajagun-N:la;, over his dead body. 528 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N Gu;ru;kan lo; di;a; fu;n Egu;ngu;n F’e¾ôyi¾n-sô’oôroô¾ lo; di;a; fu;n Oro¾ Ajagunra;si¾n lo; di;a; fu;n Abiyamoô Abuke; ile; I®la;, Awo ile; I®la; O®Ùroô¾ gbe;’nu; gbe; si;, Awo woôn O®ke¾ I®jero¾ Atiro eôseô¾ ni;i; ri¾n sa;n;ge;le;-sa¾n¾ge¾le¾-sa;n;ge;le; Di;a; fu;n Ajagun-N:la; Ni;’jo;ô to; n;gb’o;gun loô I®lu; O®wu EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: f’eti; oôôtu;n gb’e;ôboô O: fi t’o¾si¾ da¾a; nu¾ Ajagun-N:la; o¾ ba; te¾te¾ mo¾ô I® ba; wa;a; f’owo; sô’a¾ru;fi;n eôboô o E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ O®Ùfa¾ EÙni i; gb’e;ôboô ni;’be¾ô ko; wa;a; sô’eôboô o Translation: Gu;ru;kan was the Awo who cast Ifa; for Egu;ngu;n F‟e¾ôyi¾n-sôorô oô¾ cast Ifa; for Oro¾ Ajagunra;si¾n cast Ifa; for Abiyamoô (the Nursing Mother) Abuke; Ile; I®la;, the Awo of I®la; land O®Ùroô¾-gbe;'nu;-gbe; si;, their Awo in I®jero¾ land The limping person who walks sideways They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for Ajagun-N:la; When going on a military campaign to O®wu town He was advised to offer eôboô He heard the advice with his right ear And threw it out with his left ear Had Ajagun-N:la; known ahead of time He would have ensured that he offered the eôboô as prescribed Travellers to I®po and O®Ùfa¾ Let those advised to offer eôboô please comply 529 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Ifá says that it will not allow the person for whom this Odù is revealed to experience everlasting regret in his/her life. Ifá urges him/her to ensure that he/she complies with the advice to offer eôboô and the advice given before embarking on anything or taking any step. 14. Ifá warns that there is the urgent need to call a young man to order where this Odù is revealed. Ifá says that this young man is engaged in activities which could cut his life short abruptly. Ifá says that the irregular and untoward behaviour of this young man in question are on the verge of dragging him face to face with disaster and doom. If the young man is not urgently called to order, the family where he hails from will surely mourn his loss very soon. Ifá advises that eôboô should be offered with a mature he-goat and money. The man in question also needs to have a change of attitude and behaviour immediately. On these aspects, Ifá says: Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n ki¾i; ka¾nra¾n-an ti’re¾ô ko; ma; sôeô Di;a; fu;n Oni;se ô ku;se ô Ti;i; sô’oômoô OÙku¾nrin O®de E®yi; ti; woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sô’eôboô Ko; ma; pin araa re¾ô l’eô;mi¾i; Translation: Ogbe¾-'Ka¾nra¾n will never pronounce anything for it not to come to pass This was the Ifá cast for Oni;sôeku;sôe (the boy with untoward behaviour) The boy about town Who was advised to offer eôboô Lest he cut his own life short Oni;sôeku;sôe, the boy with untoward behaviour, was truly an incorrigible person. He was a thief. He was a liar. He was very promiscuous. He was a cheat. He was a conspirator. He was a hired assassin. He had a particularly foul mouth. He was also very rude and disrespectful to 530 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N constituted authority. Because he was the only son his mother had, she would always find convenient excuses for his irregular behaviour. Sometimes, the mother would tell whoever cared to listen that the boy’s father was really responsible because he had not been taking proper care of him, and that was why he started stealing other people’s things. Sometimes, she would say her son was so kind-hearted and so generous that he did not know how to say no to anyone who asked him for help. If he had nothing to give at that particular point in time, he would get the thing for the person by any means and give it to the person who asked for his assistance. Part of the means to satisfy those who asked for his help was to steal. Sometimes, when someone was killed and people suspected her son; her excuse would be that her son would never hurt anyone intentionally and if he did, it could never be without a genuine reason. The person hurt or killed probably was a wicked person in the society who deserved to go anyway in order to allow the society to breath fresh air. Instead of people condemning her son, they ought to thank him for doing their dirty work for them. That was the way he had been living his life. That was also the way his mother had been giving him backing. The neighbours were watching with horror but Oni;sôeku;sôe and his mother appeared not to take notice. One day however, Oni;sôeku;sôe went for Ifá consultation. He wanted to go on a robbery operation. He was so confident that he would come back home with lots of loot. He wanted to know what to do before he proceeded on his illegal mission. The Awo told him that he was about to embark on a journey that had a very high propensity to cut short his life. He was advised to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat and desist from this untoward behaviour. He was also advised to bring his mother along when coming to offer the ẹbọ. Oni;sôeku;sôe went home and called his mother to follow him to the home of the Awo. He procured the he-goat too. The Awo offered the eôboô for him. At the same time, the Awo told Oni;sôeku;sôe’s mother to warn her son to desist from all his untoward behaviour, lest he cut short his life. After this, they left. On their way back home, they both reasoned that as long as Oni;sôeku;sôe had offered the eôboô, nothing untoward would happen to him. 531 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 They felt that the Awo was just jealous of his economic status. Oni;sôeku;sôe promised himself that when he returned from his robbery mission, he would go and give the Awo something to make him happy. That night, Oni;sôeku;sôe sneaked out of his house as was his usual practice and went on his mission. When he got there, the hunters were waiting. E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ had gone to inform the hunters to be extra vigilant that night because hardened criminals and armed robbers might come to rob the community of its valuable items. Oni;sôeku;sôe got more than what he bargained for. He was shot with poisoned arrows in nine parts of his body. He died instantly. He died violently. Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n ki¾i; ka¾nra¾n-an ti’re¾ô ko; ma; sôeô Di;a; fu;n Oni;se ô ku;se ô Ti;i; sô’oômoô OÙku¾nrin O®de E®yi; ti; woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sô’eôboô Ko; ma; pin araa re¾ô l’eô;mi¾i; O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô SÙu¾gboô;n ko¾ pa i¾ki¾lo¾ô moô; E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ O®Ùfa¾ E®Ùyin o¾ wa;a; wo E®su ô ¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ Bo; ti wa; fi wo;ôn sô’eô¾si;n ni; gbangba Translation: Ogbe¾-'Ka¾nra¾n will never pronounce anything for it not to come to pass This was the Ifá cast for Oni;sôeku;sôe (the-boywith-untoward-behaviour) The boy about town Who was advised to offer eôboô Lest he cut his own life short He complied by offering eôboô But failed to heed the warning of the Awo Travellers to I®po and O®Ùfa¾ Can’t you see how E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ Ridicules them out in the open? 532 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N Ifá says that this person will not be subjected to ridicule. He also needs to ensure that he does not give E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ any reason to subject him to public ridicule or serious harm. 15. Ifá warns the person for whom this Odù is revealed against taking his friend to his girlfriend’s house. If he does so, it is most likely that the friend will end up becoming the husband of the woman. Ifá warns that it is a big taboo for Ogbe¾-'Ka¾nra¾n children to steal their friends’ girlfriend or spouse. It is also not advisable for this person to take their male friends or male siblings to their lover’s place. Conversely, it is not advisable for the person for whom this Odù is revealed to accompany his friend or relative to his lover’s place only for him to manoeuvre the situation he found in the place to favour himself, where he would eventually become the husband of his friend’s or relative’s lover. Ifá advises this person to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat and money. He also needs to be very careful in his dealings with others, no matter how close they may be to him. On this, Ifá has this to say: EÙ fi¾ loro EÙ fi¾ la¾ra¾ Di;a; fu;n EÙpoô¾n Ti; yo;o; mu; Oko; re’le; obi¾nrin re¾ô O®bo¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: EÙ fi¾ loro EÙ fi¾ la¾ra¾ They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for EÙpoô¾n (the Scrotum) Who planned to take Oko; (the Penis) to the home of his lover O®bo¾ (the Vagina) He was advised to offer eôboô 533 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Both Oko; (Penis) and EÙpoô¾n (the Scrotum) were close friends. They were so fond of each other that they had become almost inseparable. There was nothing that one would do outside the knowledge of the other. Because they loved to do everything in common and complimentarily, those who knew them very well preferred to refer to the two of them as the Genitals. One day, EÙpoô¾n (the Scrotum) met a woman that he was totally convinced would make him a good wife. The name of this woman was O®bo¾ (the Vagina). Before long, their love grew so deep that they soon began to consider marriage. EÙpoô¾n thought that it would be very unwise for him to take further steps without informing his bosom friend Oko; (the penis). Consequent upon this, he told Oko; everything that had been going on between O®bo¾ and himself. Oko; was extremely happy for this development. When this had been settled, he decided to go to the home of his Awo, EÙ fi¾ loro and EÙ fi¾ la¾ra¾ for Ifá consultation. All that he wished to know was whether or not the relationship between him and O®bo¾ would be fruitful. The Awo told him that his lover was a great and loving woman. She was also very considerate. She would make a good home for him. He was however warned against taking anyone along whenever he planned to visit his lover at home. He was also told never to send anyone to her or ask anyone to represent him, no matter how close the person might be to him. He was warned to always go to her alone. The Awo also advised EÙpoô¾n to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat and money. He complied. EÙ fi¾ loro EÙ fi¾ la¾ra¾ Di;a; fu;n Oko; Ti; yo;o; gba obi¾nrin EÙpoô¾n l’a;gba¾gbe; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: 534 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N EÙ fi¾ loro EÙ fi¾ la¾ra¾ They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for Oko; (the Penis) Who would snatch the woman of EÙpoô¾n and make her his wife He was advised to offer eôboô Oko; (the penis) was very happy that his bosom friend EÙpoô¾n had secured a woman that made him happy. He wished him well in all ways. He was even prepared to assist the couple in any way he could to ensure that everything went well with them. He genuinely loved his friend and wholeheartedly identified himself with all what he was doing. When he got to know that his friend was happily hooked, he went to the home of the same Babaláwo for Ifá consultation in order to determine his own chance of meeting a woman that would make him happy also and fulfilled. When the two Awo cast the Ifá, Ogbe¾ OÙ®ka¾nra¾n was also revealed. The Awo informed Oko; that he too would soon be blessed with a woman who would be compatible to him. He was told that he needed to be patient because the time for him to secure his own lover would soon come. He was however warned against snatching another man’s wife or lover or even letting another man’s woman interest him in any amorous way. He needed to get such thoughts out of his mind immediately. The Awo advised him to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat and money. He was also told not to betray the confidence reposed in him by those who trusted and loved him. Oko; looked at himself very closely and declared that nothing on earth would ever make him develop any amorous interest in the woman of his own friend. There were too many eligible women around looking for partners. Why would he be interested in those who were already taken? He asked himself. He assured the Awo that such a thing would never happen to him. He could never and would never betray the trust reposed in him by anyone. He offered the eôboô as advised. 535 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 One day, EÙpoô¾n planned to visit his woman. He was feeling shy to go there alone. Who would then accompany him to her place and help him call her out so that he could talk with her? He thought of many people and eventually settled with Oko;. As he was doing this, E®sôu¾ repeatedly whispered to him not to forget the warning of the Awo that he must never take anyone to his lover’s place. He considered this and concluded that if anyone would betray him, it could never and would never be Oko;. For every rule, there must be an exception. Oko; was the exception. He went and invited Oko; to accompany him. Being such good friends, Oko; obliged and accompanied him to the place. When they got near the place, EÙpoô¾n pointed to the house and begged his friend to go in and call his lover out for him. Oko; agreed. He entered into the house. The moment Oko; set his eyes on O®bo¾ and O®bo¾ saw Oko; everything changed. Oko; began to “transact” his own business at the expense of his friend. By the time he came out of the house, Oko; was too tired to discuss anything with EÙpoô¾n. The next day, Oko; followed EÙpoô¾n to the place. Oko; entered. EÙpoô¾n stayed outside. Oko; and O®bo¾ “transacted” business together again. The business was not unconnected with pregnancy and child-bearing. None of them remembered EÙpoô¾n. Oko; and EÙpoô¾n began to go together to the place; EÙpoô¾n would stay by the gate of the house; Oko; would enter to “transact” more business of baby making. Whenever he came out, he would tell his friend that he was being well represented. This was how everything was going on for a long time and EÙpoô¾n no longer had the chance to enter the house in order to discuss baby-making with his beloved, O®bo¾. One day, O®bo¾ became pregnant! When EÙpoô¾n heard of this, he nearly fainted. He made inquiries everywhere and found out that his bosom friend was responsible for the pregnancy! No! This was preposterous! It was totally impossible! It was unbelievable! It could not happen! He challenged his friend. All Oko; could tell his friend was for him not to worry, he (EÙpoô¾n) was well represented! EÙpoô¾n could not believe this, he decided to go and meet the parents of O®bo¾ in order to state his own case to them. When he got there, they painted a sorry picture of how his bosom friend had betrayed him; and 536 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N how Oko; was in love with their daughter; how he had asked his friend to come and help him call her out but how his friend had taken over completely and how he had left him in the cold. When he finished his story, the parents of O®bo¾ looked at him with unhidden loath and anger. They told him that as far as that family was concerned, nobody knew him and nobody was interested in knowing him. The only person they knew with their daughter whom the whole family approved of was Oko;! They then warned him never to go about assassinating the good character of their daughter and made it clear that the family would go to any length to deal with him if they ever suspected such nonsense. He was told that it was in his best interest to ensure that the couple stayed happily married and joyfully together; if not, he would blame himself for any eventuality. After this, he was thrown out of the house unceremoniously. When he got back home, he realized that the only thing that would do him a world of good was to cooperate with both Oko; and O®bo¾. He was to accept the inevitable. He regretted that he had hitherto been warned never to take anyone to his lovers place, but alas, it was too late to do anything about it now. EÙ fi¾ loro EÙ fi¾ la¾ra¾ Di;a; fu;n EÙpoô¾n Ti; yo;o; mu; Oko; re’le; obi¾nrin re¾ô O®bo¾ EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô SÙu¾gboô;n ko¾ pa i¾ki¾lo¾ô moô; EÙ fi¾ loro EÙ fi¾ la¾ra¾ Di;a; fu;n Oko; Ti; yo;o; gba obi¾nrin EÙpoô¾n l’a;gba¾gbe; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô SÙu¾gboô;n ko¾ pa i¾ki¾lo¾ô moôô; E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ O®Ùfa¾ EÙ®yin o¾ ri;’na; Ifa; ka¾n n; jo; woôn Translation: 537 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 EÙ fi¾ loro EÙ fi¾ la¾ra¾ They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for EÙpoô¾n (the Scrotum) Who planned to take Oko; (the Penis) to the home of his lover O®bo¾ (the Vagina) He was advised to offer eôboô He complied But did not heed the warning of the Awo EÙ fi¾ loro EÙ fi¾ la¾ra¾ They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for Oko; (the Penis) Who would snatch the woman of EÙpoô¾n and make her his wife He was advised to offer eôboô He complied But did not heed the warning of the Awo Travellers to I®po and O®Ùfa¾ Don’t you see how the fire of Ifá continues to burn them fiercely? Ifá warns that after offering the eôboô it is imperative to heed the warning of the Awo. Even though Oko; succeeded in taking over the woman of his friend, he lived the rest of his life with the woman feeling very guilty for what he had done and his conscience never gave him a break. Oko; was never totally happy. Also, EÙpoô¾n was blackmailed into submission and lived with regrets. 16. Ifá warns the person for whom this Odù is revealed never to see his/her friend off across a bridge, stream, river or boundary of a town, province, state or country. It is a different thing if they are all going together to another place and he is a part of them. But if he/she is only seeing the friends off and after needs to return to his/her own home, he/she must not do so. All he/she needs to do is to see them off to the edge of a bridge, stream, river, town, province, state or country and turn back from there. This is very important to follow! 538 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N Ifá advises this person to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat and money. He/she also needs to offer eôboô with the clothes he/she had on during the Ifá consultation. He/she also needs to feed O®gu;n and E®sôu¾ with one cock each. On this, Ifá says: Erin i; ra EÙfoô¾n ra A®ja¾na¾ku; ni;i; sô’oôwoô; i¾ja¾ ran¾ra s’oô;deô Di;a; fu;n Erin Ti; o¾hun O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ joô n; sô’oô¾reô; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: The elephant disappears The buffalo disappears The elephant is it that raises its trunk threateningly at the hunter These were Ifá’s messages to Erin (the Elephant) When he and O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ were friends He was advised to offer eôboô O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ and Erin, the Elephant were close friends. They loved to visit each other regularly. Whenever they met, they would discuss several issues together and find ways of proffering solutions to the problems of life. One day, Erin went to the home of the group of Awo mentioned above to find a solution to some of the issues affecting his community. The Awo consulted Ifá for him and they advised him to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat and money. He was also asked to offer eôboô with the dress that he was wearing on the day that he went for the Ifá consultation. Erin was ready to offer the eôboô quite alright. The problem however was that he was not prepared to release the dress that he was wearing, 539 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 claiming that he did not have two dresses. He argued that he could not be going about naked. Erin was also warned not to see anybody off across any bridge, stream, river, town, province, state or country. He was advised to stay close to home for about six months. He said that he was moving about in order to reduce his massive size. His movements everywhere were in the form of exercise aimed at making him fit and slim so that he would not be looking awkward and mountainous. In short, he failed to offer the eôboô or comply with the warnings of the Awo. Two days after this, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ visited him. He told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ what the Awo had told him. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ urged him to go and offer the eôboô immediately. He gave Erin some money to purchase the he-goat and another dress for himself. He warned Erin that it was in his (Erin’s) interest to heed the warning of the Awo. Soon after, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ left for his home. Erin wanted to see him off but OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ told Erin not to. He told Erin not to see anyone off and offer the eôboô as prescribed by his Awo. He promised to come back to visit Erin in two days' time. In the morning, on the second day that OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was to come and visit his friend, Erin had other friends with him. When they were about to leave, Erin decided to see them off to the spot across the stream. They went together. Unknown to Erin, so many people had been waiting in siege for him in order to kill him. They considered his crusade for people to change for the better as being irritating and disturbing. They planned to kill him. Many of these enemies did not even know him that well or at all. The only thing they knew about him was that he was always wearing velvet dresses. As soon as these enemies saw him crossing the stream with his friends, they waited for him to return alone. When he appeared, he was greeted with arrows, spears, javelins, swords, axes, batons, and so on. He died shortly after. Before his death however, he remembered that he had been warned not to see anyone off across any stream. In the evening, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ appeared at his friend’s house only to see his dead body. It was a painful spectacle. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declared to all sympathizers that Erin was a good fellow. Consequent upon that, he deserved a decent burial with all the rites of passage completed. That 540 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N was exactly what Erin was given. When the final rites were being performed, all the Awo present began to chant I®yer¾ô e,ô¾ saying: Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri¾ la¾a; sô’oro¾ Erin o o¾ Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri¾ la¾a; sô'oro¾ Erin Iku; o¾ ma¾ jeô; o, K’E:rin o; le¾ d’A:lo¾ô Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri¾ la¾a; sô’oro¾ Erin Translation: Rapidly does one perform the final rites of Erin (the Elephant) Forcefully does one perform the final rites of Erin Death was it that prevented Erin from accomplishing his purpose in life Powerfully does one perform the final rites of Erin All the rites of passage performed for Erin were supervised by OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ from the very beginning to the end. Erin i; ra EÙfoô¾n ra A®ja¾na¾ku; ni;i; sô’oôwoô; i¾ja¾ ran¾ra s’oô;deô Di;a; fu;n Erin Ti; o¾hun O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ joô n; sô’oô¾reô; EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe O: f’eôboô sô’aloô; N®je;ô gi¾ri¾gi¾ri¾ la¾a; sô’oro¾ Erin o o¾ Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri¾ la¾a; sô'oro¾ Erin Iku; o¾ ma¾ jeô; o, K’E:rin o; le¾ d’A:lo¾ô Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri¾ la¾a; sô’oro¾ Erin Translation: The elephant disappears The buffalo disappears The elephant is it that raises its trunk threateningly at the hunter 541 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 These were Ifá’s messages to Erin (the Elephant) When he and O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ were friends He was advised to offer eôboô He delayed and failed to offer the eôboô at the appropriate time Forcefully does one perform the final rites of Erin Death was it that prevented Erin from fulfilling his destiny Powerfully does one perform the final rites of Erin Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall be prevented from experiencing untimely death. That is why he/she needs to offer eôboô as quickly as possible and at the same time to follow the warnings of his/her Awo. A®boôru; A®boôye¾ 542 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N B. SIGNIFICANCE OF OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N FOR CHILDREN BORN BY THE ODU® DURING I®KOÙSEÙ®DA:YE: OR I®TE®ÙNI:FA: For the children of Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n, males and females, they are usually guaranteed with three great Ire at any given point in time in their lives. These three Ire are those of victory, merriment and happiness. These three Ire that are parts of the essential components of their destiny are the impetus that gear this person towards the achievement of great things in their lives. They give them the confidence to confront challenges, difficulties, duties, responsibilities, and assignments. At the end of the day, they come back with victory, sweet victory, which they savour for a long time. The success and accomplishment of Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n male and female children are more often than not cemented by strangers who either visit their locality or stay in their home. For these Ire to happen, there is the need for Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n children to take good care of their homes and vicinity in terms of cleanliness, hygiene, and neatness. Their success chances are directly proportional to their level of neatness and hygiene. Consequent upon this, the more hygiene conscious they are, the better for their success chances. Through hard work, determination and resourcefulness, Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n children usually return to their homes with honour, title conferment, leadership position, recognition and accolades. The more they receive, the more they push to achieve more. Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n children have the propensity to live very long even while in the midst of enemies. There is no gainsaying the fact that many people wish them dead and buried. They will however live long to the regret and agony of their enemies. Those who take active steps for them to meet with calamity will end up falling into the traps that they set for Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n children. The painful part of this aspect is that most of their enemies are within. They are the people that Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n do without relating to on a regular basis. Ifá will however make all these enemies fail in their deeds. The major weakness of Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n children is that because they are used to receiving the three major Ire of victory, happiness and 543 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 merriment, they cannot persevere in times of tribulation. They usually think of changing jobs, residence, or locality very quickly. However, their success will meet them right in their locality. They do not need to change their environment or job. They only need to persevere to make things better but that is what is difficult for them to do. For Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n male children, they have the chance and luck of picking compatible spouses that will be their partners for the rest of their lives. They however need to pick dark skinned women as opposed to fair skinned ones. Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n children however ironically love fair skinned ladies more than dark skinned ones. Their destinies however do not support them being in relationships with fair skinned women. If they are married to a dark skinned woman, they will have a great marriage and will receive the blessing of great children who will make the community great. Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n male children must never make the mistake of taking their friends to their suitors houses. If they do, the friend will most likely end up becoming the husband of the woman. Conversely, Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n children must never snatch the women of their friends because they too have the tendency to do so. For Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n female children, they make great spouses, good housewives and great mothers. Their fellow women however usually turn out to be their greatest source of concern and discomfort. Women tend to loathe and envy them with a passion. They do not wish them to succeed or beget children of their own. However, they will all fail at making the woman’s life difficult. On the overall, Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n children live long in relative peace, progress, and happiness. They enjoy their lives to the maximum and they die contented and self realized. A®boôru; A®boôye¾ 544 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N C. AFFILIATED IRU:NMOÙLEÙ/® O®RI®SÙA® OF OGBE® 'KA®NRA®N 1. Ifá - For success, elevation, victory, contentment, direction, support, guidance, and overall wellbeing 2. Orí - For fulfilment of destiny, elevation, support, sanctuary, benevolence, victory, contentment, and self actualization 3. E®sôu¾-O®Ùda¾ra¾ - For direction, support, sanctuary, protection, victory, elevation, and general wellbeing 4. O®gu;n- For victory, success, leadership, contentment, achievement and general wellbeing 5. OÙbalu;aye;- For protection against pestilence and ailments, victory, support and overall success 6. EÙgbeô; - For comradeship, leadership, elevation, support, achievement, contentment, victory, honour, and overall wellbeing 7. Aje;- For financial success, leadership, satisfaction, victory, support, and general success 8. SÙa¾ngo;- For victory, support, elevation, success, leadership, and overall success 9. Egu;ngu;n- For ancestral support, victory, continuity, elevation, achievement, and general wellbeing 10. OÙ®su ô n - For compatible spouse, childbearing, childrearing and general wellbeing D. TABOOS OF OGBE® 'KA®NRA®N 1. Must never consume chicken - to avoid the problem of unconsummated fortune, dwindling resources, health challenges and regrets 2. Must never perpetrate evil to revenge evil - to avoid facing problems and tribulations on a constant basis 3. Must never eat sweet potatoes - to avoid unconsummated fortune, dwindling resources and failure 4. Must never send negative energy against anyone - To avoid being the victim of his/her negative designs 545 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 5. Woman must never ridicule or humiliate her husband - To avoid shame, odium, and regrets 6. Man must not marry a light skinned woman - To avoid major matrimonial problems 7. Must never conspire against anyone or any group - To avoid ridicule, humiliation, disgrace, failure, regret and disaster 8. Must not eat coconut - To avoid matrimonial problems 9. Must never allow filth and uncleanliness in his/her body, home and environment - To avoid missing his success chances, unconsummated fortune, failure and regret 10. Must never take any friend to his fiancée’s home - To avoid losing the woman to his friend 11. Must never snatch his friend's woman - To avoid the heavy burden on his conscience for the rest of his life 12. Must never accompany any friend across any river, boundary of a town, a region or a country - To avoid threat to life and disaster 13. Must never change ones job, position, or locality because of challenges - To avoid missing his/her success chances, unconsummated fortune and prolonged suffering 14. Must never wear red or black dresses - To avoid being surrounded by negative aura 546 OGBE® OÙ®KA®NRA®N E. POSSIBLE NAMES OF OGBE® 'KA®NRA®N It is advisable for all Ogbe¾ 'Ka¾nra¾n children to have the prefix "OÙla;" in their names, together with any other names they answer to. i. MALES 1. OÙla;n;rewa;ju; - Honour is progressing 2. OÙla;dayo¾ô - Honour has turned to joy 3. OÙla;da;re - Honour absolves me 4. OÙla;du¾n-u;nni; - Honour is easy to acquire 5. Ifa;se ô ô;gun - Ifa; gives me victory 6. OÙla;pe¾ôkun - Honour crowns all attributes 7. OÙla;bo;gunde; - Honour comes with spoils of war ii. FEMALES 1. Ifa;ko;rede; - Ifa; brings all the Ire of life 2. OÙla;ke;ômi - Honour takes good care of me 3. OÙla;wu¾nmi; - I love honour 4. OÙla;ni;yi¾ - Honour has prestige 5. Ifa;to;o;ki; - Ifa; is worthy of salutation 6. OÙla;yeômi;; - Honour befits me 7. Ifa;se ô e;ke;ô - It is practicable to take good care of A®boôru; A®boôye¾ 547 Chapter 8 Ogbè Ògúndá II II I I II I 548 Ogbe¾ O®gu;nda; Ogbe¾ E®e¾gu¾n Ogbe¾ Su¾u;ru¾ Ogbe¾ I®yo;ônu; A. 1. Ifá says that it foresees the Ire of abundant success and prosperity for the person born by this Odù either during Ikoôse¾ôda;ye; or I®te¾ô¾ni;fa. Ifá says that this person has carried the Orí of accomplishment and fortune from heaven. Ifá says that this person has worked very hard in the past but their efforts have not yet yielded any results. He/She needs not despair all his or her fortune shall be consummated. Ifá says that this person needs to offer ẹbọ with all edible items available at the time that this Ifá is cast. This person also needs to procure some corn and guinea corn grains and give them to domestic animals to eat. If these two steps can be taken, prosperity will be guaranteed for him/her. On this, Ogbe¾-I®yo;ônu says: EÙyeô ab'apa; we EÙyeô ab'eôse¾ô we EÙyeô ab'i¾ru¾ wemu¾-wemu¾ O®ri¾sôa¾-N:la; OÙs ® e¾ôe¾ôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ Awoôn ni; woôn loô oja¾ Agu;nregej;e;ge; A wa; Awo ti;ti; A wa; o¾ r’Awo A wa; Awo de; I®li;ki; A wa; Awo de; Ij¾e¾ôsôa A wa; Awo de; I®woônra¾n Ni;bi¾ oju;mo;ô rere ti; n; mo;ô wa; A®go¾ oô Me¾si¾a¾da¾ te;mi n; mu; sô’oôdu;n n’ I:feô¾ Oo¾ye¾ Wo;ôn l’oô;moô eku lo; gbe; e loô o Mo l' o;ômoô eku ko¾ to; A®go¾ oô Me¾si¾a¾da¾ te¾mi i; lo¾ E®sôu¾ oôdeô a deô pa;n;pe;ô Ni¾ yo;o; sôe ele;ni¾ni; oômoô eku 549 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: The bird with strong wide wings The bird with powerful legs The bird with a wagging tail Ori¾sôa¾n;la; OÙsôe¾ôeôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ They were the ones that went to Agu;nregeje;ge; market We searched and searched for a competent Awo We could not find one We searched for an Awo in I®li;ki land And went to I®je¾ôsôa¾ land And we even went to I®woônra¾n Where the good day dawns My Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume which I normally used to celebrate the annual festivals in Ife¾ô Oo¾ye¾ They informed me that rats had taken it away I responded that no rat had the capability of using my Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume Those who set traps for rats Will certainly be the slanderers against the rats The Aka;po¾ was searching for a competent Awo who would cast Ifá for him in order to find out his identity and better appreciate his purpose on earth. He searched many places to locate a proficient Awo but he could not find one. When he returned home, he was looking for his Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume which he used to celebrate the annual ceremony in Ife¾ô-Oo¾ye¾, but he could not find it. He made inquiries and was told that rats were the ones responsible for his missing costume. He cursed the rats for taking what was not theirs and what was clearly beyond their capability to use. He said that they would always meet their slanderers among hunters who would set traps to kill them. 550 Ogbe¾ I®yo;ônu; EÙyeô ab'apa; we EÙyeô ab'eôse¾ô we EÙyeô abi¾ru¾ wemu¾-wemu¾ Orí¾sôa¾n¾la¾ O®Ùsôe¾ôe¾rô e¾ôma¾gbo¾ Awoôn ni¾ wo¾ôn loô oôja¾ Agu;nregeje;ge; A wa; Awo ti;ti; Awa; o¾ r’A:wo A wa; Awo de; I®li;ki; A wa; Awo de; Ij¾e¾ôsôa¾ A wa; Awo de; I®woônra¾n Ni;bi¾ oju;mo;ô rere ti; n; mo;ô o;ô wa; Ago¾ô oô Me¾si¾a¾da¾ t'e;mi¾ n; mu; sô’oôdu;n n’ Ife;ô Oo¾ye¾ Wo;ôn l'o;ômoô eôja lo; gbe; e loô Mo ni; oômoô eôja ko¾ to; Ago¾ô Me¾si¾a¾da¾ a t'e¾mi i; lo¾ E®sôu¾ oôdeô ade¾ô'ge¾re¾ Ni; yo;o; sôe ele;ni¾ni¾ oômoô eôja Translation: The bird with strong wide wings The bird with powerful legs The bird with a wagging tail Ori¾sôa¾n;la; OÙsôe¾ôeôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ They were the ones that went to Agu;nregeje;ge; market We searched and searched for a competent Awo We could not find one We searched for an Awo in I®li;ki land And went to I®je¾ôsôa¾ land And we even went to I®woônra¾n Where the good day dawns My Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume which I normally used to celebrate the annual festivals in Ife¾ô Oo¾ye¾ They informed me that the fish had taken it away I responded that no fish had the capability of using my Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume Those who set nets and hooks for fish Will certainly be the slanderers against the fish 551 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 True to the prediction of the Aka;po¾, the rats met their deaths in droves. After this, the Aka;po¾ set out on his search for a competent Awo who would give him direction in life. He could not find one. When he returned home, he could not find his A®go¾ Me¾si¾a¾da¾ again. He made inquiries to find out who had taken the costume this time around. He was informed that the fish had taken it. He said that no fish in any lake, pond, stream, river, lagoon, or sea had the capability to take and use his A®go¾ Me¾si¾a¾da¾. After this, he cursed the fish and said that those who bait hooks and those who use nets will be their slanderers and will be the ones killing them in multitudes. E®ôyeô abapa; we E®ôyeô abeôse¾ô we E®Ùyeô abi¾ru¾ wemu¾-wemu¾ Orí¾sôa¾n¾la¾ O®Ùsôe¾ôe¾rô e¾ôma¾gbo¾ Awoôn ni¾ wo¾ôn loô oôja¾ Agu;nregeje;ge; A wa; Awo ti;ti; Awa; o¾ r’Awo A wa; Awo de; I®li;ki; A wa; Awo de; Ij¾e¾ôsôa A wa; Awo de; I®woônra¾n Ni;bi¾ oju;mo;ô rere ti; n; mo;ô o;ô wa; Ago¾ô oô Me¾si¾a¾da¾ te;mi¾ n; mu; sô’oôdu;n n’ Ife;ô Oo¾ye¾ Woô;n l' oô;moô eôyeô lo; gbe; e loô o Mo l' o;ômoô eôyeô ko¾ to; A®go¾ Me¾si¾a¾da¾ a te¾mi i; lo¾ E®sôu¾ oôdeô ada¾te¾ Ni¾ yo;o; sôe ele;ni¾ni; oômoô eôyeô Translation: The bird with strong wide wings The bird with powerful legs The bird with a wagging tail Ori¾sôa¾n;la; OÙsôe¾ôeôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ They were the ones that went to Agu;nregeje;ge; market 552 Ogbe¾ I®yo;ônu; We searched and searched for a competent Awo We could not find one We searched for an Awo in I®li;ki land And went to I®je¾ôsôa¾ land And we even went to I®woônra¾n Where the good day dawns My Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume which I normally used to celebrate the annual festivals in Ife¾ô Oo¾ye¾ They informed me that the birds had taken it away I responded that no bird had the capability of using my Me¾si¾a¾da costume Those who set ropes, cages, and bird-lime to catch birds Will certainly be the slanderers against the birds As soon as the Aka;po put a curse on the fish, they began to meet their doom in the hands of hook and trap setters. After this, he retrieved his A®go¾ Me¾si¾a¾da. He kept it at home and set out again in search of an Awo who could help him find out his identity. Again, he could not find one. He returned home only to find that his A®go¾ Me¾si¾a¾da was missing again. He made inquiries as to the whereabouts of his costume and he was informed that birds were the ones who took the costume away this time around. He answered that no bird had the capability of taking or using his A®go¾ Me¾si¾a¾da. Those who took it received curses from him. He declared that the kingdom of the birds would always meet their slanderers in the hands of the bird-lime and cage trap setters. E®ôyeô abapa; we E®ôyeô abeôse¾ô we E®Ùyeô abi¾ru¾ wemu¾-wemu¾ Orí¾sôa¾n¾la¾ O®Ùsôe¾ôe¾rô e¾ôma¾gbo¾ Awoôn ni¾ wo¾ôn loô oôja¾ Agu;nregeje;ge; A wa; Awo ti;ti; Awa; o¾ r’Awo A wa; Awo de; I®li;ki; 553 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 A wa; Awo de; Ij¾e¾ôsôa A wa; Awo de; I®woônra¾n Ni;bi¾ oju;mo;ô rere ti; n; mo;ô o;ô wa; Ago¾ô oô Me¾si¾a¾da¾ te;mi¾ n; mu; sô’oôdu;n n’ Ife;ô Oo¾ye¾ Wo;ôn l' oômoô eôranô lo; gbe; e loô o Mo l' oômoô eranô o¾ to; Agoôô¾ Me¾si¾a¾da¾ a te¾mi i; lo¾ E®sôu¾ oôdeô ayi¾nla¾sa¾ Ni¾ yo;o; sôe ele;ni¾ni; oômoô eôran Translation: The bird with strong wide wings The bird with powerful legs The bird with a wagging tail Ori¾sôa¾n;la; OÙsôe¾ôeôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ They were the ones that went to Agu;nregeje;ge; market We searched and searched for a competent Awo We could not find one We searched for an Awo in I®li;ki land And went to I®je¾ôsôa¾ land And we even went to I®woônra¾n Where the good day dawns My Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume which I normally used to celebrate the annual festivals in Ife¾ô Oo¾ye¾ They informed me that the beasts had taken it away I responded that no beast had the capability of using my A®go¾ Me¾si¾a¾da Those who shoot with rifles and spears at beasts Will certainly be the slanderers against the beasts The curse that the Aka;po¾ put on the heads of the birds made them fall into the traps of bird-lime and cage setters. The Aka;po¾ retrieved his A®go¾ Me¾si¾a¾da¾ and placed it back into his home and moved on in search of a competent Awo who would guide him on the right path to find, follow, and fulfil his destiny. He searched and searched but could not find one. He returned home only to 554 Ogbe¾ I®yo;ônu; find out that his A®go¾ Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume had been taken away from where he had kept it. When he made inquiries, he was told that the beasts were responsible for taking it away. He declared that no beast had the capability of taking away or using his A®go¾ Me¾si¾a¾da¾. He cursed the kingdom of the beasts and said that they would always meet their doom in the hands of hunters who used rifles, spears, arrows, javelins, clubs, and knives and so on. E®ôyeô abapa; we E®ôyeô abeôse¾ô we E®Ùyeô abi¾ru¾ wemu¾-wemu¾ Orí¾sôa¾n¾la¾ O®Ùsôe¾ôe¾rô e¾ôma¾gbo¾ Awoôn ni¾ wo¾ôn loô oôja¾ Agu;nregeje;ge; A wa; Awo ti;ti; Awa; o¾ r’Awo A wa; Awo de; I®li;ki; A wa; Awo de; Ij¾e¾ôsôa A wa; Awo de; I®woônra¾n Ni;bi¾ oju;mo;ô rere ti; n; mo;ô o;ô wa; Ago¾ô oô Me¾si¾a¾da¾ te;mi¾ n; mu; sô’oôdu;n n’ Ife;ô Oo¾ye¾ Wo;ôn ni¾ oômoô eôni lo; gbe; e loô o Mo lo;ômoô eôni ni¾gba¾n¾te;ôyi¾n eôni sôe o Mo lo;ômoô eôni yo;o; gbo; ogbo; olu;ye;ôe;ôye;ôtuye¾ô Mo lo;ômoô eôni yo;o; gbo; ogbo; olu;ye;ôe;ôye;ôtuye¾ô Oômoô eôni yo;o; gbo;gbo;o;gbo; OÙmoô eôni yo;o; to;ôto;ôo;ôto;ô OÙmoô eôni yo;o; la¾la¾a¾la¾ OÙmoô eôni yo;o; bi;bi;i;bi; OÙmoô eôni yo;o; re¾rô e¾ôe¾ôre¾ô OÙmoô eôni yo;o; fa’ku¾n oôla¾ lale; aye; ja; gbeôreôgeôdeô A®woôn o¾ôgbe¾ôri¾ o¾ gbo;ôn o A®wonô o¾ôgbe¾ôri¾ o¾ mo¾ô A®woôn o¾ôgbe¾ôri¾ o¾ mo¾ô pe; Ifá ; OÙla; n’Ifá ; a wa o Translation: 555 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 The bird with strong wide wings The bird with powerful legs The bird with a wagging tail Ori¾sôa¾n;la; OÙsôe¾ôeôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ They were the ones that went to Agu;nregeje;ge; market We searched and searched for a competent Awo We could not find one We searched for an Awo in I®li;ki land And went to I®je¾ôsôa¾ land And we even went to I®woônra¾n Where the good day dawns My Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume which I normally used to celebrate the annual festivals in Ife¾ô Oo¾ye¾ They informed me that my children had taken it away I responded that my children are my future who will carry on when I am no more I pray for my children to live very long on earth And to grow old and feeble I pray for my children to grow very old And live very long And succeed in all departments of life And give birth to so many ideas and children And multiply in all aspects of life And spread the chain of prosperity to all parts of the world The uninitiated are not wise They also lack knowledge The uninitiated do not know that our Odù is the Odù of riches and prosperity The beasts did not fare any better than the rats, the fish, and the birds when the Aka;po¾ cursed them. The rifle shooter, the javelin thrower, the spear thrower, the arrow shooter, and so on continuously cut short their lives. The Aka;po¾ retrieved his A®go¾ Me¾si¾a¾da¾ and brought it back to his house. He left again in search 556 Ogbe¾ I®yo;ônu; of those who could help him find his destiny. He would from them know how to follow and fulfil it. This time around, he was able to find EÙyeô Ab'apa; we, EÙyeô Ab'eôseô¾ we, and EÙyeô Ab'i¾ru¾ wemu¾wemu¾. They told him that even though the uninitiated ones had been making jest of him and saying that he would never succeed in life, he would be more successful than all those who had been subjecting him to ridicule. He was told that his Odù Ogbe¾-I®yo;ônu;, was the Odù of patience and perseverance. He was also told that he would be blessed with children who would carry on after him. They told him that this was the most important of all the riches and prosperity. The Aka;po was advised to offer ẹbọ as explained above. He was equally advised to show kindness and consideration to all animals from that time onwards. He complied. When he returned home, he realized once again that his Agoôô Me¾si¾a¾da¾ had been taken away. He made inquiries and discovered to his everlasting joy, that his children were the ones who took it to Ife¾ô Oo¾ye¾ in order to represent him when he was not around to participate in the annual festival. The joy of the Aka;po¾ knew no bounds. He was certain that even if he joined his ancestors that very day, he had children who would carry on wherever he might have left off. He prayed for the children. Soon after, he discovered that most of the things which he had been doing without success, he was now being successful in. Several avenues for accomplishment opened for him and he took full advantage of these opportunities. In the end, he succeeded beyond all imagination. All those who had made jest of him turned round to bow to him. They confessed that they never knew that Ogbe¾I®yo;ônu; was an Odù that could make anyone that successful in life. EÙyeô ab'apa; we EÙyeô ab'eôse¾ô we EÙyeô ab'i¾ru¾ wemu¾-wemu¾ O®ri¾sôa¾-N:la; OÙs ® e¾ôe¾ôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ Awoôn ni; woôn loô oja¾ Agu;nregej;e;ge; 557 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 A wa; Awo ti;ti; A wa; o¾ r’Awo A wa; Awo de; I®li;ki; A wa; Awo de; Ij¾e¾ôsôa A wa; Awo de; I®woônra¾n Ni;bi¾ oju;mo;ô rere ti; n; mo;ô wa; A®go¾ oô Me¾si¾a¾da¾ te;mi n; mu; sô’oôdu;n n’ I:feô¾ Oo¾ye¾ Wo;ôn l’oô;moô eku lo; gbe; e loô o Mo l' o;ômoô eku ko¾ to; A®go¾ oô Me¾si¾a¾da¾ te¾mi i; lo¾ E®sôu¾ oôdeô a deô pa;n;pe;ô Ni¾ yo;o; sôe ele;ni¾ni; oômoô eku EÙyeô ab'apa; we EÙyeô ab'eôse¾ô we EÙyeô abi¾ru¾ wemu¾-wemu¾ Orí¾sôa¾n¾la¾ O®Ùsôe¾ôe¾rô e¾ôma¾gbo¾ Awoôn ni¾ wo¾ôn loô oôja¾ Agu;nregeje;ge; A wa; Awo ti;ti; Awa; o¾ r’A:wo A wa; Awo de; I®li;ki; A wa; Awo de; Ij¾e¾ôsôa¾ A wa; Awo de; I®woônra¾n Ni;bi¾ oju;mo;ô rere ti; n; mo;ô o;ô wa; Ago¾ô oô Me¾si¾a¾da¾ t'e;mi¾ n; mu; sô’oôdu;n n’ Ife;ô Oo¾ye¾ Wo;n ô l'o;ômoô eôja lo; gbe; e loô Mo ni; oômoô eôja ko¾ to; Ago¾ô Me¾si¾a¾da¾ a t'e¾mi i; lo¾ E®sôu¾ oôdeô ade¾ô'ge¾re¾ Ni; yo;o; sôe ele;ni¾ni¾ oômoô eôja E®ôyeô abapa; we E®ôyeô abeôse¾ô we E®Ùyeô abi¾ru¾ wemu¾-wemu¾ Orí¾sôa¾n¾la¾ O®Ùsôe¾ôe¾rô e¾ôma¾gbo¾ Awoôn ni¾ wo¾ôn loô oôja¾ Agu;nregeje;ge; A wa; Awo ti;ti; Awa; o¾ r’Awo A wa; Awo de; I®li;ki; A wa; Awo de; Ij¾e¾ôsôa A wa; Awo de; I®woônra¾n Ni;bi¾ oju;mo;ô rere ti; n; mo;ô o;ô wa; Ago¾ô oô Me¾si¾a¾da¾ te;mi¾ n; mu; sô’oôdu;n n’ Ife;ô Oo¾ye¾ 558 Ogbe¾ I®yo;ônu; Woô;n l' oô;moô eôyeô lo; gbe; e loô o Mo l' o;ômoô eôyeô ko¾ to; A®go¾ Me¾si¾a¾da¾ a te¾mi i; lo¾ E®sôu¾ oôdeô ada¾te¾ Ni¾ yo;o; sôe ele;ni¾ni; oômoô eôyeô E®ôyeô abapa; we E®ôyeô abeôse¾ô we E®Ùyeô abi¾ru¾ wemu¾-wemu¾ Orí¾sôa¾n¾la¾ O®Ùsôe¾ôe¾rô e¾ôma¾gbo¾ Awoôn ni¾ wo¾ôn loô oôja¾ Agu;nregeje;ge; A wa; Awo ti;ti; Awa; o¾ r’Awo A wa; Awo de; I®li;ki; A wa; Awo de; Ij¾e¾ôsôa A wa; Awo de; I®woônra¾n Ni;bi¾ oju;mo;ô rere ti; n; mo;ô o;ô wa; Ago¾ô oô Me¾si¾a¾da¾ te;mi¾ n; mu; sô’oôdu;n n’ Ife;ô Oo¾ye¾ Wo;ôn l' oômoô eôranô lo; gbe; e loô o Mo l' oômoô eranô o¾ to; Agoôô¾ Me¾si¾a¾da¾ a te¾mi i; lo¾ E®sôu¾ oôdeô ayi¾nla¾sa¾ Ni¾ yo;o; sôe ele;ni¾ni; oômoô eôran E®ôyeô abapa; we E®ôyeô abeôse¾ô we E®Ùyeô abi¾ru¾ wemu¾-wemu¾ Orí¾sôa¾n¾la¾ O®Ùsôe¾ôe¾rô e¾ôma¾gbo¾ Awoôn ni¾ wo¾ôn loô oôja¾ Agu;nregeje;ge; A wa; Awo ti;ti; Awa; o¾ r’Awo A wa; Awo de; I®li;ki; A wa; Awo de; Ij¾e¾ôsôa A wa; Awo de; I®woônra¾n Ni;bi¾ oju;mo;ô rere ti; n; mo;ô o;ô wa; Ago¾ô oô Me¾si¾a¾da¾ te;mi¾ n; mu; sô’oôdu;n n’ Ife;ô Oo¾ye¾ Wo;ôn ni¾ oômoô eôni lo; gbe; e loô o Mo lo;ômoô eôni ni¾gba¾n¾te;ôyi¾n eôni sôe o Mo lo;ômoô eôni yo;o; gbo; ogbo; olu;ye;ôe;ôye;ôtuye¾ô Mo lo;ômoô eôni yo;o; gbo; ogbo; olu;ye;ôe;ôye;ôtuye¾ô Oômoô eôni yo;o; gbo;gbo;o;gbo; OÙmoô eôni yo;o; to;ôto;ôo;ôto;ô OÙmoô eôni yo;o; la¾la¾a¾la¾ 559 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 OÙmoô eôni yo;o; bi;bi;i;bi; OÙmoô eôni yo;o; re¾rô e¾ôe¾ôre¾ô OÙmoô eôni yo;o; fa’ku¾n oôla¾ lale; aye; ja; gbeôreôgeôdeô A®woôn o¾ôgbe¾ôri¾ o¾ gbo;ôn o A®wonô o¾ôgbe¾ôri¾ o¾ mo¾ô A®woôn o¾ôgbe¾ôri¾ o¾ mo¾ô pe; Ifá ; OÙla; n’Ifá ; a wa o Translation: The bird with strong wide wings The bird with powerful legs The bird with a wagging tail Ori¾sôa¾n;la; OÙsôe¾ôeôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ They were the ones that went to Agu;nregeje;ge; market We searched and searched for a competent Awo We could not find one We searched for an Awo in I®li;ki land And went to I®je¾ôsôa¾ land And we even went to I®woônra¾n Where the good day dawns My Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume which I normally used to celebrate the annual festivals in Ife¾ô Oo¾ye¾ They informed me that rats had taken it away I responded that no rat had the capability of using my Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume Those who set traps for rats Will certainly be the slanderers against the rats The bird with strong wide wings The bird with powerful legs The bird with a wagging tail Ori¾sôa¾n;la; OÙsôe¾ôeôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ They were the ones that went to Agu;nregeje;ge; market We searched and searched for a competent Awo We could not find one We searched for an Awo in I®li;ki land And went to I®je¾ôsôa¾ land 560 Ogbe¾ I®yo;ônu; And we even went to I®woônra¾n Where the good day dawns My Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume which I normally used to celebrate the annual festivals in Ife¾ô Oo¾ye¾ They informed me that the fish had taken it away I responded that no fish had the capability of using my Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume Those who set nets and hooks for fish Will certainly be the slanderers against the fish The bird with strong wide wings The bird with powerful legs The bird with a wagging tail Ori¾sôa¾n;la; OÙsôe¾ôeôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ They were the ones that went to Agu;nregeje;ge; market We searched and searched for a competent Awo We could not find one We searched for an Awo in I®li;ki land And went to I®je¾ôsôa¾ land And we even went to I®woônra¾n Where the good day dawns My Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume which I normally used to celebrate the annual festivals in Ife¾ô Oo¾ye¾ They informed me that the birds had taken it away I responded that no bird had the capability of using my Me¾si¾a¾da costume Those who set ropes, cages, and bird-lime to catch birds Will certainly be the slanderers against the birds The bird with strong wide wings The bird with powerful legs The bird with a wagging tail Ori¾sôa¾n;la; OÙsôe¾ôeôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ They were the ones that went to Agu;nregeje;ge; market We searched and searched for a competent Awo We could not find one 561 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 We searched for an Awo in I®li;ki land And went to I®je¾ôsôa¾ land And we even went to I®woônra¾n Where the good day dawns My Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume which I normally used to celebrate the annual festivals in Ife¾ô Oo¾ye¾ They informed me that the beasts had taken it away I responded that no beast had the capability of using my A®go¾ Me¾si¾a¾da Those who shoot with rifles and spears at beasts Will certainly be the slanderers against the beasts The bird with strong wide wings The bird with powerful legs The bird with a wagging tail Ori¾sôa¾n;la; OÙsôe¾ôeôre¾ôma¾gbo¾ They were the ones that went to Agu;nregeje;ge; market We searched and searched for a competent Awo We could not find one We searched for an Awo in I®li;ki land And went to I®je¾ôsôa¾ land And we even went to I®woônra¾n Where the good day dawns My Me¾si¾a¾da¾ costume which I normally used to celebrate the annual festivals in Ife¾ô Oo¾ye¾ They informed me that my children had taken it away I responded that my children are my future who will carry on when I am no more I pray for my children to live very long on earth And to grow old and feeble I pray for my children to grow very old And live very long And succeed in all departments of life And give birth to so many ideas and children And multiply in all aspects of life And spread the chain of prosperity to all parts 562 Ogbe¾ I®yo;ônu; of the world The uninitiated are not wise They also lack knowledge The uninitiated do not know that our Odù is the Odù of riches and prosperity Ifá assures this person that his/her success will surely come with patience and perseverance. He/She also needs to show kindness and understanding to all animals. His/Her greatest asset however is his/her children who will carry on wherever he/she has left off. 2. Ifá says that the person for whom this Odù is revealed shall be bestowed with a great honour and recognition in life. He/She however will not be the only one considered for the honour but He/She will be the one to receive it. Ifá urges this person never to show impatience or anger. He/She must be patient at all times. His/Her success lies in His/Her ability to persevere, be kind to all people, not show anger or frustration and never contemplate vengeance. Ifá advises him/her to offer ẹbọ with two rats, two fish, two pigeons, two hens, two ducks, two guinea fowls, two roosters, and money. After this, he/she needs to display patience and perseverance. On this, Ifá says: I®bi;nu; o¾ da nn¾kan fu;n ni; o Su¾u;ru¾ ni¾ baba i¾wa¾ A®gba¾ to; ni; su¾u;ru¾ Oun gbogbo lo; ni; Di;a; fu;n Ina; To; lo;un o; j’oye¾ Olo¾n¾roro EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o 563 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Translation: Anger amounts to nothing for one Patience is the father of all good character An elder who is patient He is blessed with all the good things of life These were Ifá’s messages for Iná, the fire Who wanted to be installed as Olo;n¾roro, the illuminator He was advised to offer ẹbọ Ina, fire, was a very ambitious person and he had every reason to be. He was the eldest of those vying for the post of Olo;n¾roro, the illuminator. Even the counsellor of king makers felt that he deserved the position. He had worked his way up with hard work and determination. He felt that everyone ought to understand that it was not an easy thing to do. He was fully determined to add colour and respect to the position. Consequently, he vowed that he would not brood any form of nonsense, ignorance, stupidity, or carelessness from any of his subjects. He must be accorded his full respect and honour. He must also be given appreciable distance. He will not be in a position where his subjects will think that they are free to do whatever they liked. He simply would not tolerate such things. It was better for them to understand the type of leader he was right from the beginning. That is what he concluded to himself. How would the day of the installation look like? How would he look on that day? What type of clothing would he put on that day? The issue of his other co-contestants was a non-issue for him. Why? They were of no consequence. They did not possess the clout or personality to contest him. His decision to go to the group of Awo mentioned above was absolutely not because of them; rather it was for him to determine how grand the day of his installation would be. 564 Ogbe¾ I®yo;ônu; When the Awo consulted Ifá, Ogbe¾-I®yo;ônu was revealed. They told Ina that he was contesting for a position with other people. They told him that he would be the one to be installed into that exalted position. He was however cautioned to exercise patience and constraint in dealing with his subjects, lest he lose the opportunity. He was advised to listen to his subjects and tolerate them, even if he noticed some excesses in them. He was urged to guard, guide, and direct his subjects correctly. He was also told never to show anger or impatience while dealing with them. The Awo concluded by advising him to offer ẹbọ with two rats, two fish, two pigeons, two hens, two ducks, two guinea fowls, two roosters, and money. Iná, looked at these Awo with unhidden contempt. He felt they were trying to tie his hands behind him for his subjects to insult him. This, he vowed, would never happen. He told the Awo that they were advising him in how to be a weakling and he would not be. Whatever they liked they could say or plan, they would always meet him fully prepared. All their plans failed and he started getting angry with them. He told them to never expect him to come and offer any ẹbọ as all their recommendations were based on bias and fraud. He accused them of advising him in bad faith. He stormed out of their home. That day, he torched the farm of the Awo. Two of the king makers lost their homes. Some of this subjects-to-be lost their farms, some lost their clothing, and some lost their lives to the fire. When he was told, he retorted that they lost their things due to their carelessness and stupidity. That was the day that the king makers made up their minds to look for a more suitable candidate. They concluded that Iná would not and could not be the good, gentle, kind-hearted, and tolerant leader that they were mandated to have by the citizens to search for. I®bi;nu; o¾ da nn¾kan fu;n’ni; Su¾u;ru¾ ni¾ baba i¾wa¾ A®gba¾ to; ni; su¾u;ru¾ 565 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 Oun gbogbo lo; ni; Di;a; fu;n O®o¾ru¾n Ti; yo;o; j’oye¾ Olo;n¾roro EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o Translation: Anger amounts to nothing for one Patience is the father of all good character An elder who is patient He is blessed with all the good things of life These were Ifá’s messages to O®o¾ru¾n, the sun Who wanted to be installed as Olo;n¾roro, the illuminator He was advised to offer ẹbọ O®o¾ru¾n, the sun, considered himself eminently qualified to occupy the position of Olo;n¾roro. He even saw himself as more qualified than anyone or anything created by O:lo;du¾mare to assume the position. There was nowhere his rays could not penetrate, even the deepest part of the ocean. Who dared venture to contest the position with him, he queried. He was so certain that anyone who did would not only fail, but such a person would find himself to blame. He was convinced that the king makers should use their senses to bring the title to him and hand over all the paraphernalia of office to him quietly, if they loved themselves. This title was Olo;n¾roro, the illuminator and who illuminated better than him? Of course, nobody could. He needed to assume the position in grand style. That much he was certain of. He therefore needed to prepare fully for the coronation day. But wait a moment, if not because of insolent behaviour, what was causing their delay? Did he need to come and beg them to hand over what rightfully belonged to him? Couldn’t the king makers use the little common sense they had left in their heads? Couldn’t they apply what was left of their brains to do the right thing? They must be taught a very bitter lesson. If the king makers were a 566 Ogbe¾ I®yo;ônu; pack of fools, who selected them to their various useless positions? The inhabitants of course selected them! These fools who elected greater fools should also be dealt with in a very decisive manner. He had no patience for such people. He needed to plan well for his upcoming coronation. That was why he went for Ifá consultation. During the consultation, Ogbe¾-I®yo;ônu; was revealed. The Awo told O®o¾ru¾n that he was eminently qualified for the position. He however needed to offer ẹbọ as stated above and he would also need to exercise patience and restraint. O®o¾ru¾n was advised against being provoked into anger. When O®o¾ru¾n heard this, he got so annoyed that he lacked the correct words to describe the Awo. He simply walked out and made a loud hiss. He intensified the sun’s brightness and many crops began to fail. Many youths and adults developed fevers and other types of ailments caused by febrile conditions. Famine set in when all streams and small rivers dried up. Several evil things happened in the land. The problems were investigated and traced to O®o¾ru¾n. All the inhabitants, including the king makers decided unanimously not to give O®o¾ru¾n the position. I®bi;nu; o¾ da nn¾kan fu;n’ni; Su¾u;ru¾ ni¾ baba i¾wa¾ A®gba¾ to; ni; su¾u;ru¾ Oun gbogbo lo; ni; Di;a; fu;n Osôu¾pa; Ki¾ri¾mu¾ Ti; yo;o; j'oye¾ Olo;n¾roro EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe Translation: Anger amounts to nothing for one Patience is the father of all good character An elder who is patient He is blessed with all the good things of life 567 Ifá Dídá - An invitation to Ifá Consultation V2 These were Ifá ’s messages for O®sôu¾pa; Ki¾ri;mu, the Full Moon Who wanted to be installed as Olo;n¾roro, the illuminator He was advised to offer ẹbọ Nobody gave O®sôu¾pa; Ki¾ri;mu, the Full Moon much of a chance. He was neither as powerful nor as capable as Iná or O®o¾ru¾n. All that kept him going was the simple fact that he meant well for the people. He was sure that if he was installed as the Olo;n¾roro, the people would prosper. He knew that there would be peace and enjoyment in the land. How would he be able to prove that he was worthy of the trust and confidence of the people? Given the credentials of Iná and O®o¾ru¾n, where did he stand? If care was not taken, would Ina and O®o¾ru¾n not crush him even before the day of the installation? What did he need to be doing to avoid the wrath of his more formidable
