IFA SPEAK IN PARABLE BY BABALAWO OBANIFA

IFA SPEAK IN PARABLE BY BABALAWO OBANIFA
               

“ Owe ni ifa n pa, omonran ni mon ( ifa always speak in parable it is the wise that will be able to discern what ifa is saying”

The sacred message of Ifa during Ifa consultation require divine wisdom of a Babalawo (the father of secret and mystery) to interpret   and explained the fact of the revelations of the Odu as apply to the reality of what the prospective client is consulting about. The message for the client during Ifa consultation can be expressly or impliedly. An Ifa message is said to be expressly whenever ifa clearly stated what the client is making consultations about. Ifa may state out in the Odu that the prospective client concerns is making consultation consultation because; he or she want to attain a position or ascend a throne, gain recovery from

sickness, overcome infertility, etc. let  us briefly look into some of ifa scriptural stanza where ifa make an express messages specifically about what the client is making consultations about.

 For example  in the Odu ifa iwori ogunda that will be explain below ifa make it clear that Ori oloye is consulting ifa because he want to ascend throne when he come on earth. See how the ifa make the express statement.

Iwori wonda

Iwori wonda

Iwori wohun rere da

Eda o gboogun

A dia fun Ori Oloye ti n torun bo wale aye

O lee daa fun oun bayii

Won ni ki Ori Oloye o rubo

Won ni yoo joye laye

Yoo nipon

Okaan re o bale

Ori Oloye rubo

TRANSLATION

Iwori wonda

Iwori wonda

Iwori look for something good to create

Providence defies medicine

Cast divination for Ori Oloye coming from heaven to the earth

`Would my life be better at all’? He asked

Ori Oloye was asked to offer sacrifice

They told him that he would ascend a throne

And that he would be an important personality

He would also have peace

Ori Oloye offered the sacrifice

 This stanza of iwori ogunda is just an example where ifa can be very specific and make direct revaluation about the purpose of the consultations. It is instructive to note that  this just one of the example of the myriad of situation whee ifa do make an express prediction or statement.

 On the hand, ifa messages can be implied or indirect about the purpose of the consultation or prediction about the future. In such circumstances it will be believe that ifa is speaking in parable. A parables is usually a short story that is told to make moral or religion point. It usually teaches or explain idea for moral or religion purpose. In most case that is while an ifa practitioners or a Babalawo need to be very adept in his or her ability to blend the ifa parable with the reality that is obtainable in real life as applicable to the situation of the prospective client in question. Since most of the ifa parables is usually taking from nature, such animals , plant , topography , river etc. the client  that is making ifa consultations must also be able to identify the fact applicable to him or her whenever the  parable is been chant. He she must not think because the babalawo don’t make express statement about what he or she is making consultration about , that as result the diviner is not competent.  Example of if a scriptural stanza that point out that ifa usually speak in parable in most cases can be found in  Odu Ifa Ogbe Iwori also know as Ogbewyin where ifa make it expressly clear that it do pass out messages in parable in most cases , that it will  now be left for the  diviner to discern or decide it messages. See what this Odu have to say on this :

Orunmila lo di mo jaro

Mo jaroo mi

Oro mo ja o pati

Oro ti mo ja jaa ja

Ti mo japa aja

Mo ja fufuleelee adaba

Mo jale olofin pere

Aseta nlo sile Ado

Erinmi nrode Owo

Orunmila loun nlo sokee ‘Geti

Nnuu ‘lee baba oun

Orunmila loun ri kini kan

Won ni baba Akeyo

Won ni kin lo war ii?

O ni oun mo reni to kole tan

Ti o sun ‘nuu re

Ti nloo sun leyin re

Won lo gbesee re de o

Won niro lo to yii bayii

Eeyan ti se le kolee re tan

Ti o moo loo sun leyin ‘le naa

Njeyi ha daa bayii?

O loun o puroo

O ni e kalo

Won si te le e

Nigboo si debi ti agbon kole si

O si naka si

O ni ta lo nile ii?

Won nile agbon

O ni mbo n won wa un?

Won ni leyin ‘le

O ni se ko si yara mbe ni?

Won mbe mbe

Kin ni o je o gbebe?

Won dake, won nwo o

O ni eni to kole tan

Ti nlo seyiin gba

Orunmila lo di mo jaro

Mo jaroo mi

Oro mo ja o pati

Oro ti mo ja jaa ja

Mo japa aja

Mo si ja fufuleelee adaba

Mo jale oloun pere

Aseta nrele Ado

Erinmi nrode Owo

Orunmila loun nlo sokee ‘Geti

Ilee baba oun

Orunmila loun ri kini kan

Won ni baba Akeyo

Kin lo wa rii?

O tun de ko?

O loun ri see

Won ni bi iruu kin lo ri

O loun mo reni to lenu ti o lee soroo

Won ni ko lenu ni

O lo lenuu

O ni ko si soro

Won lo o de ko?

Won ni ta lo lenu ti o lee soro

O ni won o loo fa obiin kan wa

Ngbaa won o gbaso laraa re

O si foo kandi re

O ni kin leyi?

Won ni obo

Ko lenu?

Won lo lenuu

O lalenu mo soro nu un

Won lawon fara mo on

Orunmila lo di mo jaro

Mo jaroo mi

Oro mo ja o pati

Oro ti mo ja

Mo japa aja

Mo si ja fufuleelee adaba

Aseta nrele Ado

Erinmi nrode Owo

Orunmila loun nlo si okee ‘Geti

Ilee baba oun

Orunmila loun mo tun ri nkaan

Won ni o tun de

Won ni kin lo tun po ri

Iroo ree yi

Nje igi da ko bayi

Kin lo tun po o ri

O loun tun ri nkan see

O ni oku aja

O lo mo si jeko jaaye lo o

Won rerin lo kanrin

Won lo o waa gbe e de 

Eyi ii  yoo waa yi o lowo bayii

Ko o pe oku aja jeko jaaye lo

Oku aja, bo ha ti se jeko jaaye lo

O o ha je kawon o ri i

O ni won o loo maja nla kan wa

Ki won o toju agbon ekoo kan

Won faja kale

Won magbon eko

Aja ti o ti jeun bi atijeta

Won bere sekoo ho kale fun un

Aja gbe kiini, o gbe keji

Ngba ti e e gbe keta, nnarun

Aja o je mo

O ni won o yogi si i

Ki won o lu u pa

Won yogi si I, won pa

Hain, won nibi ti o waa gbe jeko jaaye lo

Lonii lo o riiroo re

Ngbaa won pa  a tan

O ni won o wi i

Won wi i

Won fo o nu

O loo toju epo bii saagoo kan

Won fo isaasun nu

Ni won ke e lori-nti lori-nti

Won se e

O jina

Ina dun un

Won tojuu iyan

Won toju oka

Won toju agbon eko bii meta

Orunmila leeyaan wa

O lo yaa

O ni e mo safira

Won jagbon eko keeni

Won feran aja je e

Won jagbon eko keji

Won jeketa

Won tun pari iyan

Won tun now yanyan

Pebo lonjee ku si

O ni oun ni oku aja jeko jaaye lo

E niro ni

Gbogbo onje te e gbe kale

N naa waa da

N won ho lo yee

Won ni awon gba fun o

Won ni bee ni

Orunmila lo di mo jaro

Mo jaroo mi

Oro mo ja o pati

Oro ti mo ja

Mo japa aja

Mo si ja fufuleelee adaba

Mo jale oloun pere

Aseta nrele Ado

Erinmi nrode Owo

Orunmila loun nlo sokee Geti

Ilee baba oun

Orunmila loun tun ri kini kan

Won ni baba Akeyo

Won ni kin lo ha po o ri?

Ee ti je?

Kin lo tun ri?

O ni oku ewure

O lo mo lee ke ju aaye loo

Won ni oku ewure

Ewure to ba ku ni o waa kee

Won lo o gbesee re de

O ni won o loo mewure wa

Won kogi ti i

Won lu u, lu u

O ke kee ke

Eni ti mbe lojude ko gbo daji mbe

O ni won o lu u pa

Ni won ba mewure

Won lu u pa

Awo e lo ni won o ko ho

Won howo e

Esu ti ba a gbegi

Won ti kan awo un si i

Won kaankan yi eti awo un poo

Won bere sobee se

Won tojuu iyan

Won toju oka

Won je gbogbo e tan

Won mu oti

Won yo daadaa

Ngba ti won e e pe

Awon se gbogbo won un tan

Ilu ti gbe nta

Ilu ti gbe nta

Ngbaa won jeun tan

Ki won o moo pea won nnakun

Esu boo dii ilu

Lo sopa si i

Eni ti mbe nruu Akinmoorin

Eni ti mbe nruu ‘Loraa

Won o deti ti on fi ngbo

O ni oun so pe oku ewure

O mo lee ke jaaye lo

E niro ni

O le e gbo niisiiin

A be e gbo

Eni ti mbe nruu Fiditi

Mbe naa nit i njoo bo

Oun ngburooo ‘lu kaan

Eyi nip e ki eleeyiun ni

Ko mo pee gbogbo nkan ti Ifa nso foun

Ko tete se

Iro ni npa

Ko si nkan to nso ti ko je ododo

TRANSLATION

Orunmila said that [once upon a time], he told aro tale

His own aro tale

He told his own aro tale easily and splendidly

He said that he told the aro tale to point

That he had to tear away [his] dog’s front legs

And he helped the dove to remove the dirty straw on its neck

[And he travelled a long distance until] he suddenly entered into the abode of Olofin

It was the time when Aseta was going to the city of Ado

When Erinmi was going to the city of Owo

And Orunmila himself was going to Igeti hill

The home of his fathers

Orunmila told his companions that he saw a strange thing

They [his companions] said, Father, maker of eyo marks

What have you seen?

He said that he saw someone, who after building a house

Did not sleep therein

But was sleeping outside its walls

They answered him saying, You have come again with your tricks

This must be a great lie

How can a man build a house?

And sleep outside the walls of his own house?

Does that stand to reason?

But he [Orunmila] insisted that it was not a lie

He said, ‘Alright, [if you don’t believe it], follow me

And they followed him

When he got to a place where wasps built their hive

He pointed at it

And said, who is the owner of that house

They answered; it is a house of wasps

He asked where are they now?

They answered, outside their house

He asked them again, are there no rooms inside the house?

And they answered, there are

Then, he said, Why are they not living inside [the rooms]?

But [as they could find nothing to say], they started to look at him

He then said, that is the person who built a house

And who is sleeping outside its walls

They said that they agreed with him

Orunmila said that [once upon a time], he told aro tale

His own aro tale

He told his own aro tale easily and splendidly

He told his own aro tale up to a point

That he had to tear away [his] dog’s front legs

And he helped the dove to remove the dirty straw on its neck

And he [travelled a long distance until] he suddenly entered into the abode of Oloun

It was the time when Aseta was going to the city of Ado

When Erinmi was going to the city of Owo

And Orunmila himself was going to Igeti hill

The home of his fathers

Orunmila told his companions that he saw a strange thing

They [his companions] said, Father, maker of eyo marks

What have you seen?

Have you come up with another trick?

But Orunmila insisted that he saw a strange thing

They asked him, What type of strange thing have you seen?

He said that he saw someone who had a mouth but could not speak

They said, ‘you are probably not sure that he had a mouth

But he insisted that he was sure that he had a mouth

And yet he could not speak

They said to him, ‘you have come up with another trick

They added, ‘alright, who is that person who has a mouth but who cannot speak?

He told them to go and bring one woman

When they brought her to him

He commanded them to remove her clothes

And he touched her private part

And said, ‘What is this

They answered, ‘virgina

He retorted, Has it no mouth?

They answered, it has

He said, That is the one who has a mouth but cannot speak

They all said that they agreed with him

Orunmila said that [once upon a time], he told aro tale

His own aro tale

He told his own aro tale easily and splendidly

He said that he told aro tale up to a point

That he had to tear away [his] dog’s front legs

And he helped the dove to remove the dirty straw on its neck

[He travelled a long distance until] he suddenly entered into the abode of Oloun

It was the time when Aseta was going to the city of Ado

When Erinmi was going to the city of Owo

And Orunmila himself was going to Igeti hill

The home of his fathers

Orunmila told his companions that he saw another strange thing

They said you have come again with your tricks

What strange thing have you seen this time

These your lies

Are they not a great menace?

What strange thing have you seen this time?

He insisted that he saw another strange thing

He said that a dead dog

Could eat more  wrap maize palp than a living one

They all burst into laughter for a long time

They said, You have really come up with a good joke

But this one will be very difficult for you to resolve

You say that a dead dog can eat more wrap maize palp than a living one

How can that be possible

You will make us see

Then he asked them to go and bring one big dog

And get ready one basket full of lumps of wrap maize palp

They took the dog

And the basket full of lumps of wrap maize palp to him

The dog had not eaten for three days

They started to give lumps of  wrap maize palp to the dog

The dog ate the first lump, and the second one

But before it could swallow the third lump, it sretched out its neck in great difficulty

The dog could not eat anymore

He [Orunmila] then asked them to get hold of a stick

And beat it to death

They brought out the stick and beat the dog to death

They said, Now, how it will be able to eat more lumps of wrap maize palp

Today, you will see your lies

After killing it

He asked them to burn off its hair

They burnt it

And washed its carcass

He procured about one keg full of palm oil

They washed the cooking pot

Cut the dog into large pieces

And cooked it

In time, it became well-cooked

After it had received a constant firing

They prepared  pounded yam

They prepared yam flour food

And procured about three baskets full of lumps of maize palp

Orunmila then hailed on them saying, My friends

It is time

Don’t waste time

They ate the first basket of  wrap maize palp

With dog meat

They ate the second basket of wrap maize palp

And they ate the third one as well

They also finished the  ponded yam

Yet they were still looking about the house eagerly

For more food

He [orunmila] said, When I told you that a dead dog can eat more  wrap maize palp than a living one

You said it is a lie

All the food you prepared

Where is it?

They all shouted together in a loud voice

Saying that they have agreed with him

They said that he was right

Orunmila said that ,once upon a time],he told (aro )tale

His own aro tale

He told his own aro easily and splendidly

He said that he told the aro tale up to a point

That he had to tear away [his] dog’s front legs

And he helped the dove to remove the dirty straw on its neck

[And travelled a long distance until] he suddenly entered into the abode of Oloun

It was time when Asefa was going to the city of Ado

When Erinmi was going to the city of Owo

And when Orunmila himself was going to Igeti hill

The home of his fathers

Orunmila told his companions that he saw another strange thing

They said, Father, maker of eyo marks

What is it that you say you have seen?

What is it?

What strange thing you have seen again?

He said, A dead goat

Can certainly cry louder than a living one

They said, A dead goat

How can a dead goat ever cry?

They said, You have come up with another trick

He asked them to go and bring a goat

He asked them to beat it properly with a stick

They beat it and beat it

And it cried and cried

But a man standing outside the house could hardly hear half of its cries

He asked them to beat it to death

They then got hold of the goat

And beat it to death

The first thing he asked them to do was to remove the skin

They removed its skin

Esu helped him to prepare a piece of carved wood on which they fixed the goat’s skin

They nailed small wooden pegs round the goat’s skin

They started to cook the meat

They prepared iyan

They prepared oka

They ate everything

They drank beer

And became quite satisfied

By the time they finished

Doing all those things

The drum placed outside the house had become dry

The drum placed outside the house had become dry

When they finished eating

And as they were resting their stomach after the good meal

Esu went to the drum

And applied drumstick to it

People who were as far as Akinmoorin

And those as far as away as Iloraa

Did not have to listen before they heard the drum

He said, when I told you that a dead goat

Can cry louder than a living one

You said that it was a lie

Do you hear [the drum] now

Or don’t you hear?

People as far away as Fiditi

Started from there dancing to the drum

Saying that they heard a strange drum

This story is for this client

So that he may not say that all the things that Ifa predicts for him

Do not come to pass quickly

And therefore say that they are all lies

There is nothing which he Ifa says which is not true

 From the explanation offer by odu ifa Ogbe iwori above , it is crystal clear that in most cases ifa can actually be using an indirect means to pass a messages in subtle way , so this can make it difficult for some people to appreciate the messages  that ifa release until the messages come to pass.

So versatile Babalawo  must be able to learn , and be patience enough to interprets almost all the nature substance s , contain in  certain stanza of an Odu  and ability to compare and blend it with reality of life before attempting to interprets that Odu for the client to solve it problem. So the fact that certain stanza of Odu ifa come in parable doesn’t meant it is not  applicable to a client situation.

Copyright: Babalawo Pele Obasa Obanifa, phone whatsapp contact: +2348166343145, location: Ile Ife Osun state Nigeria.

            

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