In this current work Babalawo Obanifa will
make exhaustive commentaries on Odu Ifa Odi-Meji/Edi Meji. This current work will
be useful to any practicing Babalawo and Ifa devotee who want to know about Odu
Ifa Odi Meji. The work will also be
useful for those who imprint or born by Odu Ifa Odi -Meji during
their Ikosedaye or Itelodu(Ifa initiation), Who want to have detail knowledge
and interpretations of Odu Ifa Odi-Meji. It is instructive that any information
reveals or commentaries made during the course of this work is authoritative
and can be rely on as a practicing guide by any Babalawo or Ifa devotee in
field of African Ifa spirituality. The author of this work (Babalawo Obanifa)
is an authoritative leading Ifa and Orisa theologian so any knowledge reveals
and document in this work is for actual spiritual practice. This work shall
examine among other things: What is Odu Ifa Odi- Meji? What are the
affiliated Orisa and Irunmole with Odu Ifa Odi-Meji ? What are the taboo of Odu
Ifa Odi-Meji?What are the area of Compatible profession or career for those
born under the star of Odu Ifa Odi-Meji. The likely names that can be given to
those born by Odu Ifa Odi -Meji during Ikosedaye or Itelodu ? Synopsis of
messages for those born under star of Odu Ifa Odi -Meji during Itelodu or
Ikosedaye. Some sacred messages in Odu Ifa Odi-Meji and commentaries on them.
These aforementioned and more will be the major focus of this current work
What is Odu Ifa Odi -Meji?
Odu Ifa
Odi Meji is the number four of the Oju Odu Merindinlogun(16 principal Odu. Odu
ifa Edi meji /Odi Meji is the fourth position in the arrangements of Oju odu
merindinlogun (the sixteen major odu ifa) and the whole arrangements of the
whole 256 odu ifa. In Ife and Ekiti tradition it is called Edi meji,while Oyo
Tradition prefer to call it Odi meji. Both are correct. The act of calling it
Idi meji by some babalawo or Ifa practi is not accepted because that is not
traceable to any of the established ifa tradition. Odu Ifa Edi meji is an odu
ifa that hold a lot of blessings of wealth, money, opportunities, blessings Of
children and any fortune you may think of. Albeit it has some of it
negatives. But odu ifa Edi meji is great odu ifa that holds blessings. It
belongs to Elements Ile (Mother Earth).is home town is Eju Below is depiction
of how Iwori-Meji will appear when imprint on Opon Ifa(Ifa divination board)
and Opele (Ifa divination chain).
I I
I I II
I I II
I I
Who are the affiliated Orisa and Irunmole with Odu Ifa Odi - Meji?
By this question we are referring to other divinities that have
nexus and affiliated in one way or the other with Odu Ifa Odi-Meji , that those
who were born under the star of this Odu Ifa Odi-Meji during their Itelodu or
Ikosedaye can have along with their Ifa in other to have a very successful and
problem –free life. The outstanding identifiable Orisa and Irunmonle with Odu Ifa Odi -Meji
are : Ifa,Esu Odara,Ori,Ogun,Sango,Odu Oke,
Egungun,Egbe. Each of this Orisa and Irunmonle have the important function they
perform. They are :
Ifa-
Ifa function for prosperity in general
Esu
Odara- Esu Odara function for Ire in
general, prosperity and long life
Ori-
Ori function for protection, assistance
and to ensure that they are surrounded by responsible people and to overcome
loneliness.
Ogun-
Ogun function for victory and protection against adversaries.
Sango-Sango
function for victory and protection
against adversaries.
Odu-
Odu is to have children.
Oke-
Oke for prosperity and achievement.
Egungun-
Egung to have children and ancestral
support
Egbe-
Egbe function for leadership and
achievements.
What are the taboo of Odu Ifa Odi -Meji?
By this we are referring to both animate and inanimate object or
behavior that those born under the star of Odu Ifa Odi -Meji during their
Itelodu or Ikosejaye must avoid in other to have a less problem free life.
Below are commonly Identifiable taboo for those born under this Odu
They
should never use the Oloburo bird - to avoid difficulties in obtaining victory
over their opponents.
They
should not leave their town for other places in search of fortune to
avoid disappointment and deprivation.
The
couple must avoid insincerity - so that there can be peace and harmony;
for there to be success and children.
They
should avoid using beetles for anything
- to prevent people from abandoning or going against you.
Female
daughters should desist from trying to humiliate or embarrass their men or
husbands - to avoid being visited by calamities.
They
should never eat snails - to avoid losing legal cases or being involved in
litigation matters.
They
must not eat the hyrax tree or use it for anything — to avoid difficulties in
gaining victory over their adversaries.
Women
should give up putting their children against each other - to avoid a lack of
peace of mind.
They
must not use or eat any part of the
Elephant- to avoid premature death.
They
should not eat or use any part of the
Buffalo-to avoid premature death.
They
should not use kernel-oil to avoid
pestilence.
They
should not eat or use the crab - to
avoid loss of intelligence.
Compatible Profession or career for those born under the star of
Odi-Meji?
Odi-Meji children are usually successful business
person. , However the following area have been regarded and identifies as soft
landing for people born under the star of this Odu
Diviners such as been an Ifa/ Orisa priest or priestess. They can equally be successful in every other business but they must do Ifa business.
Diviners such as been an Ifa/ Orisa priest or priestess. They can equally be successful in every other business but they must do Ifa business.
The likely names that can be given to those born by Odu Ifa – Odi -
Meji during Ikosedaye or Itelodu ?
By this question we are referring to likely names that can be given
to those born under the star of Odu Ifa Odi-Meji during Itelodu Or
Ikosedaye. The source of this name are derive from the positive
character from each stanza and story from Odu Ifa Odi - Meji. Below
are some of the names available for this purpose:
Males:
Ajigunwa-
He who makes a majestic splendor
Ifakoya-
Ifa rejects suffering for me
Ifadare-
Ifa exonerates me
Odubiyi-
Odu causes this
Mayami-
Don't leave me
Females:
Okunto-
Energy and vitality
Awojare-
Awo is sold
Mayami-
Don't leave me
Synopsis of messages for those born under star of Odu Ifa Odi
-Meji during Itelodu or Ikosedaye
Odi-meji-
Odi-meji's children are assured of Ifa's protection through the four main Odus-
Eji-Ogbe, Oyeku-Meji, Iwori-Meji and Odi-Meji. They have a tendency to
live to old age. As long as they abide by Ifa dogmas and code of conduct,
so will be the opportunities to increase long life.
Odi-Meji's
children will not only live to old age, they also have the power to be blessed
with all the good things in life - a good home, butter, good children and other
essential things in life. They however need to show gratitude to
Olodumare and to be content with his accomplishments in life; The only
thing about the success of Odi-Meji's children is that they have a tendency to
acquire all the good things in life from four to four - four children (at
least), four houses, four businesses, and so on. Consequently, they will
not lack everything Ire in life.
These
children thrive best in their local environment and not when they travel
outside the home base. Odi-Meji's sons grow better as Babalawo, doctors
or paramedics, and related fields. They will have a street, foundation,
institution or establishment named after them in recognition of their
value. And their female counterparts will have better success in the
merchandise area. They will also have recognition and honor in this
field. No matter how successful they may be, males and females, they
should be in their local environment.
Odi-Meji's
children are usually very kind and God fearing. They usually show
appreciation when someone does anything good for them. They also pay well
with well. If they are doing anything bad and they are corrected, the
tendency is for them to exchange their misdeeds for good things. This is
one of the biggest reasons why Odi-Meji's children have a tendency to be helped
and surrounded by responsible people who never abandon them in times of need.
Odi-Meji's
children who are involved in risks with others need to be transparent all the
time in order to lead the company to success. In the same vein, Odi-Meji
couples need to cooperate with each other, avoid extramarital activities in order
to succeed and make a stable home and have children. Honesty and
integrity are the keys to your successes and achievements.
These
children will succeed where others have failed. They will also defeat
their enemies. They need to be using their mouths to push their
opposition away. As long as they do not allow anyone to intimidate them,
victory will be guaranteed over their adversaries. They need to be using
their mouths to save themselves by talking and bragging out of trouble.
By doing this, their enemies will also fear to face them.
In
the area of mate selection, with Odi-Meji's sons, they are more likely to
meet two prospective couples at the same time, a beautiful lady, and the other
from a prosperous home. Both are good and if the culture in the area
where they live allows it, they can marry both. This will lead to
enormous achievement and success. For female daughters, they are great
housewives. they have a tendency to satisfy their peers but should be
advised against anything that makes them leave their marriage home at the
slightest excuse. They also have the problem of turning their children
against each other or planning to embarrass their men. They must be
protected against this attitude since this could be the cause of their total
ruin. Outside of these shortcomings, they are interesting, loving, loving
and caring companions.
Odi-Meji's
children also have the potential to see through the conspiracies and crush it
with their articulate ways of presenting their cases. If they have any
case, there is a high tendency to be victorious since they are surrounded by
spirits that make it possible for people to win the cases. Therefore it
is not advisable to participate in a legal fight with the children of Odi-Meji
since for that person or group it is little
likely
to win the case, in that they usually make sure not to be wrong in the first
place. In the event of any litigation, it is not unusually difficult for
them to explain themselves out of trouble.
When
Odi-Meji's children are in trouble they don't need anyone to help them.
This is because his help will come from Olodumare, his Ori and Ifa. With
all this; they don't need anyone for help. Olodumare's consistency
is greater than that of a million people together.
Some
Sacred Messages Inside Odu Ifa Odi -Meji
1.
Ifa says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed has the protection of
Ifa guaranteed. Ifa says that Ifa says that he or she has assured the
protection of the four major Odus. These Odus are Eji-Ogbe, Oyeku-Meji,
Iwori-Meji, and Odi-Meji. He or she will not die young. He or she
will not be abandoned by these main Odus.
Ifa
says that there is a need for the person for whom this Odu has been revealed to
hold to dogmas all the time. He or she must act, and must be seen, as a
sincere, dedicated, and faithful follower at all times. He or she needs
to offer an adult goat like ebo for longevity. He or she also needs to
feed Ifa with an adult goat. If this can be done, no matter what, he or
she will not die young. About this Odi-Meji says.
Agbinkingbinkin
inu erin
Nnkan
jobojobo lorun efon
Alamo-ede,
bi ko ba bo kiife
Dia
fun Mayami
Tii
somo odu mereerin
Igbati
o ntorun bo wale aye
Ebo
ni won ni kowaa se
Translation:
The
massive belly of the Elephant
And
the densely fleshy part of the neck of the bush cow
The
work of a guest, if not fully understood, is not satisfactory
Those
were the Ifa statements for Mayami (don't leave me)
Who
rea the son of the four main Odus
When
I came from heaven to earth
He
was advised to do ebo
Mayami
was about to leave heaven to go to earth, to know if he was going to live
happily and happily on earth, he went by Ifa's consultation. Would he live the
long time? Would he prosper on earth?
Would
he be able to achieve his heart's desires while on earth? Would he be
happy on earth?
The
Awo assured him that the insurance would be happy on earth. He was
assured that he would live a long life on earth. He was told that the
four main Odus were for his help. In fact, he was told that he had
actually obtained the Origin of his mere existence and protection from the
children of Eji-Obe, Oyeku-Meji, Iwori-Meji and Odi-Meji. He was assured
that these Odus would never abandon him while he was on earth. He was
advised to hold on to Ifa dogmas and to behave well all the time. He was
advised to offer ebo with an adult goat. The Obedecio.
While
on earth, Mayami enjoyed the protection of the four main Odus. He lived a
long time. He was blessed with all the good things in life. He was
indeed a happy man. He usually announced to people that he was the son of
the four main Odus and he was very proud of this.
Agbinkingbinkin
inu erin
Nnkan
jobojobo lorun efon
Alamo-ede,
bi ko ba bo kiife
Dia
fun Mayami
Tii
somo odu mereerin
Igbati
o ntorun bo wale aye
Ebo
ni won ni kowaa se
O
gb’ebo, o ru’bo
Eji-Ogbe
o nii fi Mayami tire fun Iku pa
Oyeku-Meji
o nii fi Mayami tire fun Iku pa
Iwori-Meji
o nii fi Mayami tire fun Iku pa
Odi-Meji
o nii fi Mayami tire fun Iku pa
Gbogbo
iworo-nsope
Translation:
The
massive belly of the Elephant
And
the densely fleshy part of the neck of the bush cow
The
work of a guest, if not fully understood, is not satisfactory
Those
were the Ifa statements for Mayami (don't leave me)
Whoever
is the son of the four main Odus
When
I came from heaven to earth
He
was advised to do ebo
He
obeyed
Eji-Ogbe
will never abandon Mayami for Death to kill him
Oyeku-Meji
will never abandon Mayami for Death to kill him
Iwori-Meji
will never abandon Mayami for Death to kill him
Odi-Meji
never abandoned Mayami to be killed by Death
All
followers of Ifa
I
am indeed Mayami from Ifa
All
the followers of Ope, the only seed
Ifa
says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed will never be abandoned or
allowed to die a premature death.
2.
Ifa says that the person for whom this Odu has been revealed will be blessed
with all the Ire of life. In fact, these ires will become for him or her
four. He or she will have no shortage of the finer things in life.
He or she will be blessed with all of those things. All he or she needs
to do is offer the appropriate ebo and be content with what Olodumare has given
him or her.
Ifa
says that the person for whom this Odu has been revealed needs to offer ebo
with 4 rats, 4 fish, 4 pigeons, 4 chickens, 4 roosters, 4 guineas and
money. He or she needs to feed Ifa with a chicken. About this Ifa
says:
Otootootoo
Oroorooroo
Ogiri
totoo hunhun
Dia
fun Orunmila
Baba
yoo nire gbogbo
Nigba
to gberin gberin
Ebo
ni won ni won ni ko se
Translation:
Otootootoo
Oroorooroo
Ogiri
totoo hunhun
They
were the Awoses who guessed Ifa for Orunmila
Who
should acquire all the Ire of life
At
the moment that they would come in four
He
was advised to offer ebo
Orunmila
went to the three Awos mentioned above to find out how he could be able to
obtain all the good things in life. What would he do to obtain them?
How many of it would he be able to obtain? When would he get them?
Through what means could he be able to obtain them?
The
Awo assured him that he would be able to get the full IRE in life. He was
also assured that he would obtain them with relative ease. He was also
told that through consistency, hard work, dedication to his duty and patience,
his success was assured. To crown all stom, the Awo assured him that all
the Ire would come to him in four, - four wives, four children, in a year, four
houses of him, four horses, four of everything that he wanted. He was
advised to offer ebo as previously prescribed. He obeyed.
Truly,
before long, he was able to acquire all the Ire he wanted as promised by
Ifa. He was full of joy. He was also full of gratitude to
Olodumare. He was singing and dancing saying:
Ile
ni mo jokoo si
Ni
gbogbo ire n wo tuurutu wa ba mi
Mo
jokoo ainaro
Mo
rire oro to now tomi wa
Dia
fun Odi
Edo
ni won ni ko waa se
Won
si ni ko ma lo
O
gb’ebo, o ru’bo
Ojokoo-feyin-tigi-akoko
Ire
Aje n da wa o
Girigiri
Nire
gbogbo a maa da wa ba mi
Girigiri
Ire
aya a maa da wa o
Girigiri
Nire
gbogbo a maa da wa ba mi
Girigiri
Ire
omo a maa da wa o
Girigiri
Nire
gbogbo a maa da wa ba mi
Girigiri
Ire
ile a maa da wa o
Girigiri
Nire
gbogbo a maa da wa ba mi
Girigiri
Ibi
a fi iyo si
Ibe
naa niyo nsomi i si
Girigiri
Nire
gbogbo a maa da wa ba mi
Girigiri
Oke
kii ye
Tii
fii gb’ebo tire
Girigiri
Nire
gbogbo a maa da wa ba mi
Girigiri
Translation:
I
sat at my house
When
all Ire came clumsy towards me
I
was sitting without trying to get up
I
saw prosperity move towards me
These
were Ifa's statements for Odi
When
I was going on a spiritual mission to Oko
He
was advised to offer ebo
And
so he wouldn't be
He
obeyed
He
sits and rests his back against the Akuko tree.
And
the wealth rushed towards me
Like
a swarm
All
Ire rushed towards me
Just
like a swarm
The
Ire of a wife was prescribed to me
Like
a swarm
All
Ire rushed towards me
The
ire of children rushed towards me
Like
a swarm
All
Ire of good home rushed towards me
Like
a swarm
All
Ire rushed towards me
Just
like a swarm
The
activity where the salt is stored
It
is where it turns into water
Like
a swarm
All
Ire rushed towards me
Just
like a swarm
The
disease did not move
Before
you are given your own ebo
Like
a swarm
All
Ire was precipitated towards me
Just
like a swarm
Ifa
says that for the children of Odi-Meji and for those for whom this Odu is
revealed, they need not travel before all the good things in life become their
possession. Your chances of success are greater in your base homes than
outside your birthplace.
4.
Ifa says that it foresees the Ire of a good wife, good children, honor,
prestige, achievements and Ire from outside the domain of the person for whom
this Odu is revealed.
Ifa
says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed or someone very close to him
or her, is seriously looking to have a child. Ifa says that with the
appropriate ebo and to feed Odu, they will have the son. The baby will be
a female. When she grows up, she must be given to Ifa because she is
Ifa's wife from heaven. If this is done, when this female grows up, she
will give birth to a male child as her first born.
There
is still another person here who needs to offer ebo and feed Ifa, so that he or
she may be able to live a long time on earth. Ifa says that the consier
person will live to be very old on earth. On this, a stanza in Odi-Meji
says:
Bi
ba ndun’ni
Ka
mo pe ndun’ni
Oro
dunni-dunni larankan eni
Oro
to ndun Babalawo
Nii
dun Ifa
Oro
to ndun Onisegun
Nii
dun Osanyin
Ohun
to ndun Aje
Nii
dun Omusu idii re
Dia
fun Orunmila
Ifa
nsawo rele Eleju
Ebo
ni won ni ko waa se
Translation:
If
you hurt yourself
We
must recognize that we hurt one
A
matter that hurts one is what one considers as an evil
A
matter that hurts a Babalawo
He
is the one who hurts Ifa (Orunmila)
A
matter that hurts Onisegun, the herbalist
He
is the one who hurts Osanyin
The
one who hurts an Aje, the witches
It
is that it hurts Omosu
These
were Ifa's statements for Orunmila
When
the king of Eju was going on a spiritual mission to the house of Eleju
He
was advised to offer ebo
Orunmila
was living in Ado-Ekiti. He had established himself as an accomplished
Ifa priest. His reputation had spanned far and wide. One day Eleju,
the king of Eju was having the problem of childlessness. He and his
council of Awos in Eju tried everything they could, all without success.
Eleju was told about Orunmila's abilities. Consequently, he summoned
Orunmila to go and help him solve his problems.
At
the moment that Orunmila received the message from Eleju, he approached the
group of Awos mentioned above for Ifa's consultation; What was the reason
behind Eleju's problem? Would the honor reside while he was there?
Would Eleju be a grateful person after he had solved his problem?
The
Awo told Orunmila that Eleju was alone suffering from childlessness. He
was told that Eleju needed to offer ebo and feed Odu so that his wife could
become pregnant. Orunmila was warned that if this problem was eventually
resolved, Eleju would show her gratitude to Orunmila. Orunmila was then
advised to offer ebo with 4 chickens, 4 fish, 4 rats and money. He was
also advised to feed Ifa with 4 rats, 4 fish and money. He did everything
and headed to Eleju's palace to answer her call.
Orunmila
Awo Eleju
Dia
fun Eleju
To
nsunkun oun o bimo
Ebo
ni won ni ko waa se
Translation:
Orunmila
the Awo of Eleju
He
was the one who guessed Ifa for Eleju
When
struck in regret at his inability to produce a child
He
was advised to offer ebo
At
Eleju's palace, Orunmila launched Ifa for Eleju and said that the reason he
summoned him was how he could make children in his life. Orunmila advised
Eleju to offer ebo with 16 chickens and money. He was also advised to
feed Odu with 16 slugs. He obeyed immediately. After this, Orunmila
assured Eleju that her first child was going to be a female and that the girl
should be given to Ifa as a wife when she grew up.
Eleju
then asked Orunmila to be his resident Babalawo to make sure Orunmila was
around when his prediction came to pass. Orunmila accepted.
Shortly
after this, Eleju's wife became pregnant. She gave birth to a beautiful
girl. The baby was named Okunto. When the girl grew up, Eleju gave
her to Orunmila as a wife. On that day, when the entire wedding ceremony
was complete, Orunmila fed Odu again with 16 slugs. Soon after this,
Okunto became pregnant by Orunmila, she gave birth to a boy baron. The
baby was named Opere-o-dagba a name given to him after Odu. The boy was
trained as Babalawo. He soon became a prominent Ifa priest.
Orunmila had returned to Ado-Ekiti anyway as soon as his wife was handed over
to him.
One
day, Eleju summoned Orunmila again to go and guess Ifa for him. Instead
of going there himself, Orunmila sent his son Apere-o-dagba who was
Eleju’s-grandson to go and guess Ifa for his grandfather. When
Apere-o-dagba was going, he went to meet.
Igbin
o pile aro ni dida
Afeebojo
o pile aran ni wiwa
Ta
nii gboju u fifo laide agada
Ko
s’eni tii gboju u yiyan le alagemo
Dia
fun Apere-o-dagba
Ti
nsawo o lo ile Eleju
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
Translation:
The
slug did not originate the art of dye making
The
Afeebojo rat did not originate the art of digging a hole in the ground
Who
dares to trust the flight of a tied hen?
No
one can ever trust a chameleon to do a quick competition
Those
were the Ifa statements for Apere-o-dagba
When
I was going on a spiritual mission to the Eleju palace
He
was advised to offer ebo
The
main reason why Apere-o-dagba was due to Ifa's consultation was not to assume
that since Eleju was his maternal grandfather he (Eleju) should have summoned him
for marriage purposes. In this way, he wanted to be very sure of the
reason behind his call. He also wanted to know if he would be successful
on his journey.
The
previously mentioned Awo, to whom he had gone for Ifa's consultation, told him
that Eleju, having acquired all the good things in life, was concerned with how
he would be able to live long and enjoy the fruit of his labor.
Apere-o-dagba was also assured that he would accomplish his mission and triumph
on his journey. He was advised to offer ebo with 4 pigeons, 4 chickens
and money. He obeyed. Soon after, he made his way to Eleju's
palace.
Apere-o-dagba,
Awo Eleju
Dia
fun Eleju
Ti
nsunkun ogbo gbuurugbu
Ebo
ni won ni ko waa se
Translation:
Apere-o-dagba,
Awo of Eleju
He
was the one who guessed Ifa for Eleju
When
I was worried about the longevity issue
He
was advised to offer ebo
When
Apere-o-dagba arrived at Eleju's house, the fortune teller Ifa for eleju.
He told Eleju that after he had been blessed with all Ire in life, he was
praying for a long life so that he could enjoy the fruit of his labor.
Eleju was assured that he would live a long life on earth. He was advised
to offer ebo with an adult goat and money. He was also advised to feed
Ifa with an adult goat. He obeyed. After this, he lived a long time
on earth. He died a very happy man.
Bi
ba ndun’ni
Ka
mo pe ndun’ni
Oro
dunni-dunni larankan eni
Oro
to ndun Babalawo
Nii
dun Ifa
Oro
to ndun Onisegun
Nii
dun Osanyin
Ohun
to ndun Aje
Nii
dun Omusu idii re
Dia
fun Orunmila
Ifa
nsawo rele Eleju
Ebo
ni won ni ko waa se
O
gbebo, o rubo
Orunmila
Awo ile Eleju
Dia
fun Eleju
Eyi
ti nsunkun alai bimo
Ebo
ni won ni ko waa se
O
gbebo, o rubo
Igbati
yoo bii
O
bi Okunto
Okunto
nfosan dagba
O
nfuru dide
Won
faa le Orunmila lowo
Won
ni ki won lo ree bo Odu
Won
gb’ebo, won ru’bo
Okunto
naa finu soyun
O
foyun re bi Okunrin
Omo
ti a bo Odu ka too bi
Kaa
maa pee ni Apere-o-dagba
Awon
igbin o pile aro ni dida
Afeebojo
o pile aran ni wiwa
Ta
nii gboju u fifo laide agada
Ko
s’eni tii gboju u yiyan le alagemo
Dia
fun Apere-o-dagba
Ti
nsawo rele Eleju
Tii
se baba iya a re
Ebo
ni won ni ko waa se
O
gbebo o rubo
Apere-o-dagba,
awon ile Eleju
Dia
fun Eleju
Ti
nsunkun ogbo gbuurugbu
Ebo
ni won ni ko waa se
O
gbebo o rubo
Ko
pe ko jinna
Ire
gbogbo waa ya de tuturu
Nje
Eleju-ni-pee
Omo
owo kunle, owo ya doko
Nba
ma ma r’ogbo Eleju ma ra
Eyin
o mo wipe
Aiku
Ifa dun, o j’oyin lo o?
Translation:
If
you hurt yourself
We
must recognize that we hurt one
A
matter that hurts one is what one considers as an evil
A
matter that hurts a Babalawo
He
is the one who hurts Ifa (Orunmila)
A
matter that hurts Onisegun, the herbalist
He
is the one who hurts Osanyin
The
one who hurts an Aje, the witches
It
is that it hurts Omosu
These
were Ifa's statements for Orunmila
When
the king of Eju was going on a spiritual mission to the house of Eleju
He
was advised to offer ebo
He
obeyed
Orunmila
the resident Awo of Eleju
He
was the one who guessed Ifa for Eleju
When
he was hit in the mentorship for his inability to produce children
He
was advised to offer ebo
He
obeyed
When
he had a son
His
wife would give birth to a female
The
girl was named Okunto
Okunto
grew by day
And
it developed quickly at night
She
was handed over to Orunmila as wife
They
were advised to feed Odu
They
fulfilled
She
became pregnant and gave birth to a baron
The
boy born after feeding Odu
That
boy must be named Apere-o-dagba
Now,
the slug did not originate the art of making the tincture
The
Afeebojo rat did not originate the art of digging a hole in the ground
Who
dares to trust the flight of a tied hen?
No
one can ever trust a chameleon to do a quick competition
Those
were the Ifa statements for Apere-o-dagba
When
I was going on a spiritual mission to the Eleju palace
His
maternal grandfather
He
was advised to offer ebo
He
obeyed
Apere-o-dagba,
the resident Awo of Eleju
He
was the one who guessed Ifa for Eleju
When
I was worried about the longevity issue
He
was advised to offer ebo
He
obeyed
Before
long, not too far
All
Ire come in abundance
Now
Eleju-ni-pee
The
one who after filling his home to the limit with money, the overflow reached
the farm
If
I could be as old as Eleju, I am prepared to pay for it
If
I could be that old, I'm ready to pay for it
You
did not know that
Is
the longevity guaranteed by Ifa sweeter than honey?
Ifa
says that for the person for whom this Odu is revealed he will have all the good
things in life in his possession. Not only this, the Ire of longevity
will be added to him or her as a bonus.
5.
Ifa says that for the person for whom this Odu is revealed he will be blessed
with responsible people around him. Ifa says that he or she will get all
the necessary support from the people. Ifa says that he or she will not
be abandoned by people. Ifa says that there is a need for him or her to
regularly feed their Ori. By doing this, all the Ire in life will be
yours and all responsible people will surround him or her and will be giving
you useful advice that will make him or her something great, says Ifa.
About this Ifa says:
Yimiyimi
abeyin paali
Dia
fun Ori
Tii
nbe logbere oun nikan soso girogiro
Ebo
ni won ni ko waa se
Translation:
Yimiyimi,
the beetle, with its hard back
He
was the Awo who made divination for Ori
When
he was alone without a partner
He
was advised to offer ebo
When
Ori was coming from heaven to Earth, he was in charge of the responsibilities
of feelings, thoughts, seeing, speaking, breathing, eating, tasting and
smelling. He discovered that the nine functions of which he was expected
to perform were demaciated to him only if he had no one to assist him.
Thus, he decided to go to the house of the Awo mentioned above by consultation
of Ifa.
The
Awo told him that he was not only going to acquire those who would assist him
anyway. He would be able to share his responsibilities with those who
would become his companions. He was advised to offer ebo with 4 pigeons,
4 chickens, 4 guneas, 4 ducks and money. The client will also be asked to
eat their Ori with kola nuts, bitter-kola, palm oil and alcohol. He
obeyed.
Before
long Eti (ears) came to adhere to Ori herself. Eti took over the
listening duties. Soon after, Oju (eyes) came to adhere to Ori herself.
Oju took the functions of seeing. Then came Enu (mouth) enu took the
functions of eating and speaking. Then Ahon (language) came to share the
functions of Enu. Ahon was charged with the responsibility of testing.
And
then came Imu (nose). Imu took on the duty to breathe and smell.
Ori herself was left with the responsibility to think and feel. Soon Ori
was also asked to coordinate other activities carried out throughout the
body. He made them pleasantly. He was just singing and dancing and
praising his Awo saying:
Yimiyimi
abeyin paali
Dia
fun Ori
Tii
nbe logbere oun nikan soso girogiro
Ebo
ni won ni ko waa se
O
gb’ebo, o ru’bo
Kerekere
Ori
mi kasai d’eleni
Kerekere
Imu
wa, Imu bori do
Ori
mi kasai d’eleni
Kerekere
Oju
wa, ujo bori do
kerekere
Ori
mi kasai d’eleni
Kerekere
Enu
wa, Enu bori do
Kerekere
Ori
mi kasai d’eleni
Kerekere
Ahon
wa, Ahon bori do
Kerekere
Ori
mi kasai d’eleni
Kerekere
Gbogbo
ara wa Gbogbo ara bori do
Kerekere
Ori
mi kasai d’eleni
Kerekere
Translation:
Yimiyimi,
the beetle, with its hard back
He
was the Awo who made divination for Ori
When
he was alone without a partner
He
was advised to offer ebo
He
obeyed
Eti,
the Ear, and kept his company to Ori
Gradually
My
Ori will gradually be blessed with companions
Gradually
Imu,
the Nose, came and kept his company to Ori
Gradually
My
Ori will gradually be blessed with companions
Gradually
Oju,
the Eyes, came and kept his company to Ori
Gradually
My
Ori will gradually be blessed with companions
Gradually
Enu,
La Boca, came and kept his company to Ori
Gradually
My
Ori will gradually be blessed with companions
Gradually
Ahon,
the Tongue came and kept his company to Ori
Gradually
My
Ori will gradually be blessed with companions
Gradually
The
whole body and kept his company to Ori
Gradually
My
Ori will gradually be blessed with companions
Gradually
Ifa
says that for the person for whom this Odu is revealed he will be blessed with
responsible companions. He or she will never be abandoned. He or
she will enlist the help of their friends and loved ones.
6.
ifa says that it foresees success for two people who are associated in a
society. Ifa says that the two need to be honest with each other, failing
to do this could cause society to experience serious backwardness.
In
the same vein, Ifa says that she anticipates the blessing of a baby for a
couple who wants to have children. There is also a need for the couple to
cooperate with themselves and to be honest with each other. If this is
not done, it may not be possible for them to have children.
Ifa
says there is a need for them to offer ebo with 4 rats, 4 fish, 2 chickens, 2
guin hens each. If this can be done, happiness will be theirs.
About this Ifa says:
Koko
aso gurukan
Ogedegede
nigede
Eyin-eyin
laa jijo Orisa si
Dia
fun won ni idi-kunrin
A
bu fun won ni Idi-binrin
Awon
mejeeji nmomi oju sungbere omo
Ebo
ni won ni ki won waa se
Translation:
Koko
aso gurukan
Ogedegede
nigede
It
makes one take the steps of Orisa's dance back and forth
Those
were the Ifa statements for them in Idi-kunrin (the male genitalia)
And
to them in Idi-kunrin
They
are both regretting their inability to have children.
They
were advised to offer ebo
The
paraja was newly married. They were eager to have children. They
tried everything they knew to no avail. They used different medications
without positive results. Tired of their lack of children they went to
Ifa's office.
The
Awo whom they went to see informed them that they were worried and sad because
they had no children. They assured them that they would have children in
their lives. They however said that the two of them were not honest with
each other, and that was why they were having problems. They were warned
that without the cooperation of each one of them, the desire to find the
pregnancy and any child was hopeless. Following this warning, they were
advised to offer ebo with 4 rats, 4 fish, 2 chickens, and 2 guineas each.
The
couple offered this ebo but they did not listen to the advice of the Awo who
asked them to be honest and cooperate with each other. As much as they
tried, it was impossible for the woman to get pregnant.
One
day, the couple sat down and decided to give the Awo's council a chance.
They began to cooperate with each other. They were honest with each
other. The couple stopped all forms of extramarital activities.
There was nothing one did without the knowledge of the other. Two months
later. the woman became pregnant. The couple could not believe it
was a viable pregnancy. They went to their Babalawo for a confirmation
test. There it was confirmed that the woman was indeed pregnant.
Soon after, she gave birth to a bouncing baby. The couple was full of
joy. Then they realized their mistakes. They will swear never to
make those mistakes again. From that moment on, getting pregnant and
giving birth to children was no longer part of her concerns. The two of
them were dancing and singing and praising Ifa.
Koko
aso gurukan
Ogedegede
nigede
Eyin-eyin
laa jijo Orisa si
Dia
fun won ni idi-kunrin
A
bu fun won ni Idi-binrin
Awon
mejeeji nmomi oju sungbere omo
Ebo
ni won ni ki won waa se
Won
gb’ebo, won ru’bo
Igba
idi ti je okan la o r’omo bi
Igba
idi di meji la to n bi’mo o
Translation:
Koko
aso gurukan
Ogedegede
nigede
It
makes one take the steps of Orisa's dance back and forth
Those
were the Ifa statements for them in Idi-kunrin (the male genitalia)
And
to them in Idi-kunrin
They
are both regretting their inability to have children.
They
were advised to offer ebo
They
obeyed
When
the genitals were unique, there were no children
But
when the genitals became a couple, we were blessed with children.
Ifa
says that for the couple for whom this Odu has been revealed they will be
blessed with children. They however must be sincere and honest with each
other. With this, having children is guaranteed.
7.
Ifa says that it foresees success for the couple that has come for consultation
from Ifa. Ifa says that the two of them must be successful in their
various fields.
Ifa
says that the woman will realize her potentials to the fullest if she applies
herself to commerce. Man has the potential to become a great industrialist.
Man will have a street or establishment or something of that nature named after
him. Ifa says that the two of them will be very popular and their
popularity should survive them.
Ifa
says that there is a need for them to offer ebo with 4 white doves each.
A stanza in Odi-Meji puts emphasis on these approaches saying:
Sokoto
laa p’ile awon
Ba
ba d’oke tan
A
gb’odo
A
gb’olo
A
gb’odu keke baba isasun
Dia
fun Akesan
Ti
nlo ree je baale oja
A
bu fun aya re
ti
nlo ree da’ja
Ebo
ni won ni ki waa se
Translation:
With
a narrow base we knit a net
When
it reaches the top
It
will be wide enough to hold a mortar
And
it contains a grinding stone
And
a calderon, the father of the soup casseroles
Those
were the Ifa statements for Akesan
When
I was going to become the head of the market
And
his wife
When
he was going to establish his merchandise
They
were advised to offer ebo
Akesan
and his wife wanted to know which of the available business fields would bring
them the highest success in their lives. Consequently on this, they went
to the Babalawos group mentioned above, by consultation of Ifa.
The
Awo assured the couple that they would not only be successful in life, but that
their success and popularity in life would survive them. They were
advised to cooperate with each other at all times and that neither of them
should ever hide anything from the other. They advised the husband to
strive to establish a business of great concern where people go to make various
types of transactions from different businesses. The wife was also
advised to get involved in negotiations and all kinds of merchandise. If
they could do this, they were assured that they would be exceedingly
successful. To ensure success in these risky ventures, they were advised
to offer ebo with 4 white pigeons each.
First,
the couple offered the ebo, second, Akesan went looking for a large piece of
land near the city of Oyo.
He
cleaned the earth and created several compartments. Many women merchants
came to rent Akesan's compartments. The place soon became known as the
Akesan Market. His wife divided the compartments into various segments
for yam vendors, pepper vendors, clothing vendors, meat vendors, goats, food
vendors, and more. Soon she became the leader of the women's
market. When they died, the market is still known as ‘The Akesan Market’
to this day.
The
couple was full of praise for their Awo for giving them the advice that later
enabled them to realize their full potentials in life which made them achieve
what their destinies had commanded them to do in the world.
Sokoto
laa p’ile awon
Ba
ba d’oke tan
A
gb’odo
A
gb’olo
A
gb’odu keke baba isasun
Dia
fun Akesan
Ti
nlo ree je baale oja
A
bu fun aya re
Ti
nlo ree da’ja
Ebo
ni won ni ki waa se
Won
gb’ebo, won ru’bo
Akesan
n d’ade
Aya
re n da’ja
Ero
Ipo ero Ofa
E
wa wo olori-ire eyi ree nda’ja
Translation:
With
a narrow base we knit a net
When
it reaches the top
It
will be wide enough to hold a mortar
And
it contains a grinding stone
And
a calderon, the father of the soup casseroles
Those
were the Ifa statements for Akesan
When
I was going to become the head of the market
And
his wife
When
he was going to establish his merchandise
They
were advised to offer ebo
They
obeyed
Akesan
was decorating a crown
And
his wife was establishing merchandise
Travelers
to Ipo and the city of Ofa
Come
and admire a lucky woman who was setting up merchandise
Ifa
says that for the couple who have prepared the following line of business and
efforts and at the same time, follow the advice of the Awo, there are no limits
to their ability to succeed in life.
8.
Ifa says that it foresees victory for the person for whom this Odu is
revealed. Ifa says that this person will defeat his enemies. There
is a need for the person for whom this Odu has been revealed to use his mouth
to be released on his own. He or she must be talking heavily all the
time. By doing this, your opponent will panic and walk away. There
is also a need to offer ebo with a goat, a machete or sword, and money.
He or she needs to serve Ogun with a rooster, palm wine, roasted yam, roasted
corn, palm oil, and more. If this can be done, then victory is
assured. On this, Odi-Meji says:
Odi
nii fenu ara re digun
Owawa
nii fohun ara re bu yeri
Eni
gbohun oloburo lokeere
A
ni bi o terin
O
po ju efon lo o
Ibi
ki oloburo ba si
Ko
ma to adie o
Dia
fun Irin-wonwon
Tii
s’omokurin Ogun
Igbati
nbe laarin ota
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
Translation:
The
cork uses its mouth as a seal against the hoist
Owawa,
the hyrax tree uses his voice as a weapon against his enemies
He
who hears the voice of the Oloburo bird from afar
He
will wonder if the bird is as big as an elephant
He
will certainly be bigger than a buffalo
Where
Oloburo rests, it's not as big as a chicken
Those
were the Ifa statements for Irin-wonwon
Ogun's
son
When
he was in the midst of enemies
He
was advised to offer ebo
Irin-wonwon,
the shotgun, was Ogun's son. He was living and sleeping amidst
enemies. He had been threatened with death, injury and persecution.
Unable to deal with all those threats, he went to Ifa's office; Would he
be able to defeat all his enemies? Would he survive them? Would he
be able to change his position from persecuted to aggressor? Would he be
able to have full control of his destinies? Would he be able to make all
his enemies fear and tremble every time they met him? These questions and
many more troubled Irin-wonwon's mind as he approached the group of Awos
mentioned above for a solution to his problem.
The
Awo assured him that he would defeat his enemies. He was told that all
his enemies would not only fear when they were in contact with him, but that
they would always keep a good distance from him. All of those enemies,
Irin-wonwon was told, would create an opportunity for him to operate. He
was assured that he would do everything his way. He was however advised
to offer ebo with a goat, a machete, a sword (wooden ones can even be used in
case of not having the originals) and a substantial amount of money. He
was also advised to feed Ogun with a rooster, palm wine, roasted yam, roasted
corn, palm oil, and a bottle of gin and more. He obeyed. After
that; He was instructed to speak his mouth all the time when his enemies
were around. He promised the Awo that he would give his council a chance.
Shortly
after this, his enemies came to him for the purpose of inflicting a death blow
on him. As these enemies approached Irin-wonwon, fear engulfed him.
Suddenly, he remembered the Awo's advice. Not being
Sure
to wait, he let out a huge scream. One of his teeth shot out and hit one of his
enemies in the throat. The enemy fell dead. He let out two more
screams and two enemies fell dead. This act enveloped him and he kept
shouting at his enemies and they continued to fall. Several were
confirmed dead, many more were fatally wounded, while all the others scattered
in the confusion.
From
this time on, all of Irin-wonwon's enemies learned how to avoid it so that it
did not cause bodily injury or even lose their lives. This was how
Irin-wonwon, The Shotgun, was able to use his mouth to defeat his
enemies. He was then dancing and singing and praising Ifa and his father
Ogun for having turned him from persecuted to persecutor. Merely seeing
your enemies tremble and apprehensive.
Odi
nii fenu ara re digun
Owawa
nii fohun ara re bu yeri
Eni
gbohun oloburo lokeere
A
ni bi o terin
O
po ju efon lo o
Ibi
ki oloburo ba si
Ko
ma to adie o
Dia
fun Irin-wonwon
Tii
s’omokurin Ogun
Igbati
nbe laarin ota
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
O
gb’ebo, o ru’bo
Igbon
l’apati
Ibon
ko l’apati
Enikan
o le je ki won d’oju ibon ko oun
Translation:
The
cork uses its mouth as a seal against the hoist
Owawa,
the hyrax tree uses his voice as a weapon against his enemies
He
who hears the voice of the Oloburo bird from afar
He
will wonder if the bird is as big as an elephant
He
will certainly be bigger than a buffalo
Where
Oloburo rests, it's not as big as a chicken
Those
were the Ifa statements for Irin-wonwon
Ogun's
son
When
he was in the midst of enemies
He
was advised to offer ebo
He
obeyed
Even
when a shotgun is loaded or without bullets
No
one will allow someone to point it in your direction.
Ifa
says that the person for whom Odi-Meji is revealed will make his enemies
tremble in his presence. Ifa says that all his enemies are afraid to
confront him or look him in the face.
9.
Ifa foresees victory over his adversaries for the person for whom this Odu is
revealed. Ifa says that his enemies tremble every time he or she speaks
or shouts at them. Ifa also says that here or he must use his mouth to
speak and defend himself. By doing this victory is certain.
Ifa
says that there is a need for the person for whom this Odu is revealed to offer
ebo with a ram and the monetary equivalent of 20,000 snails. There is
also a need to feed Sango with a rooster, 200 stones and money. If this
is done, all adversaries will be forced to fear and respect the person for whom
this Odu is revealed. On this, Odi-Meji says:
Odi
nii fenu ara re digun
Owawa
nii fohun ara re bu yeri
Eni
gbohun oloburo lokeere
A
ni bi o terin
O
po ju efon lo o
Ibi
ki oloburo ba si
Ko
ma to adie o
Dia
fun Arira-gaga
Tii
s’omokurin Orun
Igbati
nbe laarin ota
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
Translation:
The
cork uses its mouth as a seal against the hoist
Owawa,
the hyrax tree uses his voice as a weapon against his enemies
He
who hears the voice of the Oloburo bird from afar
He
will wonder if the bird is as big as an elephant
He
will certainly be bigger than a buffalo
Where
Oloburo rests, it's not as big as a chicken
Those
were the Ifa statements for Arira-gaga
The
Son of Heaven in Heaven
When
he was in the midst of enemies
He
was advised to offer ebo
Arira-gaga,
the Thunder, was the son of Heaven in Heaven. He had several enemies who
thought only evil against him. They never wished him well in anything at
all. Consequently on this, Arira-gaga went to the Babalawo group
mentioned above for Ifa's consultation. There he dropped his problems,
how he had helped facilitate the fall of the forest rain that sustained humans
here on earth and how humans only thought of nothing but bad things against
him. He pleaded with the Awo to help him defeat his enemies.
Awos's
group consulted Ifa and Odi-Meji was revealed. They informed Arira-gaga
that even though he was in the midst of enemies, he did not need to entertain
himself in fear. He was assured that he would certainly defeat his
enemies. He was advised to offer ebo with a ram and the monetary value of
20,000 snails (the client also needs to feed Sango a rooster with 200 stones
and money). He obeyed. He was also advised to always open his mouth
to defend himself. He was told that by screaming at his enemies, they
would be able to recognize the strength of his body and they would be forced to
respect and fear him. He also agreed to give the council a chance.
Soon
after, his enemies rallied to conspire against him, because of the nuisance,
Arira-gaga roared at his enemies. While doing this, jets of fire came out
of his mouth and one of the stones with which he had offered ebo fell into the
midst of his enemies. They all scattered for protection in admiration for
their new found energy.
Since
that time, nodie has dared to plan any evil against Arira-gaga for fear of
being destroyed with unknown damage. The stones with which he offered ebo
that day were soon known as Lightning Stones. This is how Arira-gaga the
son of Heaven in Heaven became victorious. Since that time, Arira-gaga
depends on no one and no other person except Sango, the Deity from whom the
power of his kingdom is derived.
Odi
nii fenu ara re digun
Owawa
nii fohun ara re bu yeri
Eni
gbohun oloburo lokeere
A
ni bi o terin
O
po ju efon lo o
Ibi
ki oloburo ba si
Ko
ma to adie o
Dia
fun Arira-gaga
Tii
s’omokurin Orun
Igbati
nbe laarin ota
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
O
gb’ebo, o ru’bo
Bi
n o l’ebo
Bi
n o l’oogun
Arira-gaga
ti mo gb’okan le tp nt’emi o
Translation:
The
cork uses its mouth as a seal against the hoist
Owawa,
the hyrax tree uses his voice as a weapon against his enemies
He
who hears the voice of the Oloburo bird from afar
He
will wonder if the bird is as big as an elephant
He
will certainly be bigger than a buffalo
Where
Oloburo rests, it's not as big as a chicken
Those
were the Ifa statements for Arira-gaga
The
Son of Heaven in Heaven
When
he was in the midst of enemies
He
was advised to offer ebo
He
obeyed
Even
if I am not sure of the efficacy of offering ebo
Or
even the power of strong enchantment
Sango
whom I trust is enough for me
Ifa
says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed must use his voice as a
defense against his enemies. In his mouth rests power and victory.
10.
Ifa says that for a man, for whom this Odu has been revealed, the question of
selecting a partner has been a cause of concern for him. He has been
concerned with how to get his own custom wife.
Ifa
says that he will meet two women; one is very beautiful, while the other
is from a very influential home. Either one is appropriate for him to
marry as both have the potential to be very rewarding for him. Ifa says
that he can marry one of the two or both depending on the values of the
society where he lives, especially about polygamy. They both have the
potential to be of benefit to him.
There
is a need for him to offer ebo with a goat, 2 chickens, 4 rats and 4 fish and
money. He also needs to feed Ifa with 4 rats, 4 fish and a chicken.
About this, Ifa says:
Oro
ta ba n dun Babalawo
Oun
naa ni n dun Ifa
Oro
ta ba n dun Onisegun
Oun
naa ni n dun Osanyin
Oro
to ba n dun Aje
Oun
naa ni n dun Omusu idi I re
Dia
fun Orunmila
Baba
n sunkun alai l’obinrin o
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
Translation:
Anything
that is causing a Babalawo to regret
It
is also causing Ifa regret
Anything
that is causing a herbalist regret
It
is equally regretful for Osanyin, the Deity of herbs and medicine
Anything
that is bringing sorrow to a witch
It
is at the same time causing pain to the tail feathers of its witch bird
These
were Ifa's statements for Orunmila
When
he was lamenting his inability to secure a wife for himself.
He
was advised to offer sacrifice
Orunmila
was always complaining that he had no wife. He was always lamenting his
inability to secure a suitable wife for him. Whenever his friends advised
him on anything essential in life, he replied that what was most important in
life for him was to secure a suitable wife for him, and all the other good
things in life would follow. Before long, all his friends and
acquaintances came to realize that his primary concern for him was to find a
wife.
One
day Orunmila decided to do more than complain by taking practical steps on how
to get her prayers answered. Therefore he went to the group of Awos
mentioned above, who had been his students; Would he be able to have his
own wife in life? Would the wife and children be his true
companions? These and many other questions were the questions he asked
during the Ifa consultation.
The
Awo assured Orunmila that his concerns would soon be over. They told them
that he would not only get a wife, but that there were two women coming his
way. He was advised to have hope and to offer ebo with a goat, 2
chickens, 4 rats, 4 fish and money (the client for whom this Odu was revealed
must feed Ifa as explained above). He obeyed.
As
he was about to leave the Awo's house, he was told that one of the women who
would come his way would be extremely beautiful while the other would come from
a highly respected family. Orunmila thanked the Awo and went home.
A
short time later, Orunmila met a beautiful maiden. The two showed
interest in each other. Soon after, all the marriage rites were
formalized and she became Orunmila's wife.
Shortly
after the first marriage, Orunmila met another woman who was a princess and
proposed to her. She accepted. The parents were contacted and all
the marriage rites were formalized.
This
is how Orunmila who was a bachelor just over 12 months ago became a proud
husband of two women in just one year. Orunmila was then singing and
dancing and praising the competition of Ifa and her ex-students.
Oro
ta ba n dun Babalawo
Oun
naa ni n dun Ifa
Oro
ta ba n dun Onisegun
Oun
naa ni n dun Osanyin
Oro
to ba n dun Aje
Oun
naa ni n dun Omusu idi I re
Dia
fun Orunmila
Baba
n sunkun alai l’obinrin o
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
O
gb’ebo, o ru’bo
Igba
ti yoo fee
O
fe Elewa l’obinrin
O
si fi Apere tii s’omo oba s’aya
Ero
Ipo, ero Ofa
E
wa ba ni ni wowo ire
Translation:
Anything
that is causing a Babalawo to regret
It
is also causing Ifa regret
Anything
that is causing a herbalist regret
It
is equally regretful for Osanyin, the Deity of herbs and medicine
Anything
that is bringing sorrow to a witch
It
is at the same time causing pain to the tail feathers of its witch bird
These
were Ifa's statements for Orunmila
When
he was lamenting his inability to secure a wife for himself.
He
was advised to offer sacrifice
He
obeyed
When
he was to get married
He
managed to marry a beautiful lady
And
when he was to marry again
He
took Apere, a princess as a wife
Travelers
from the city of Ipo and Ofa
Let's
get together in the middle of abundant Ire
Ifa
says that the main concern of the person for whom this Odu is revealed will
soon end.
Ifa
also says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed will soon be blessed
with two women prospectively. They are both good and rewarding.
Women will prove to be good, loving companions and mothers of their children.
11.
Ifa says that there is a need for a young single woman to offer ebo so that she
can be able to be in one man's house and give birth to all her children
there. This is to prevent her from moving into another man's house today,
only so that she is not carried away by ambition outside the marriage home
after the child is born. If this situation is not addressed, it could
lead to a situation where she would give birth to four or five children of
different men.
In
the same vein, Ifa says that there was a woman who has already given birth to
four children where this Odu has been revealed. This woman needs to be
counseled to bring her children together so that she can enjoy her children and
that she has peace of mind about her children.
All
these children are together under one roof, Ifa says that this woman is still
in need of being advised not to instigate him against each other. The
woman should be advised that if the boys do not cooperate with each other, the
woman is responsible for this since she is the one who has divided her
children. If she does not give up that attitude, she may not know peace
again in her life.
There
is a need for this unmarried woman with four children to offer ebo with a goat,
4 roosters, and money. There is also a need to feed Ifa with 4 rats, 4
fish, a chicken and money. About all this, Ifa says:
Fonrankun
kan owu lo so ile aye ro
Dia
fun Oniki-Ola
Ti
nw’oko imoran-an yan kiri
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
Translation:
Only
one strand of thread was used to suspend the earth
These
were Ifa's statements for Oniki-Ola
When
I was looking for an Ideal wife
She
was advised to offer ebo
When
she was young, Oniki-Ola had ambition in life. She was determined to make
a good home and be a perfect wife and a loving mother to her children.
One day, she went to the Awo mentioned above by consultation of Ifa.
Would her dream of being a perfect wife come true? Would she be able to
live happily with her partner? Would she be comfortable in her marriage
home? Would she give birth to great children?
Oniki-Ola
was assured that all of her children would be very influential in life.
They would be very popular and highly respected in their various businesses in
life. She was however advised to make sure that she had all of these children
in one household by making sure that she avoided any form of conflict or
misunderstanding which would lead her to pack her things and abruptly leave her
marriage home. The Awo warned her that this could lead her to a situation
where she could be changing spouses as if she were changing dresses.
In
order to avoid this unpleasant situation, she was advised to offer ebo with a
goat, 4 roosters and money. She was also advised to feed Ifa with 4 rats,
4 fish, a chicken and money.
Rather
than listen to the Awo's advice, Oniki-Ola felt that she was able to avoid
anything that might lead to a misunderstanding or discussion between her and
her future husband. In light of this reasoning, she felt that her scarce
resources did not need to be spent procuring all of the ebo materials.
She also felt that the Awo must be cheating by demanding all those materials
simply because they wanted to.
offer
ebo for her against a home breakdown. She therefore decided not to offer
the ebo. Any plea to make her change her decision fell on deaf ears.
Shortly
after her encounter with the Babalawo and she refused to offer ebo, Oniki-Ola
traveled to the city of Otun. There, she met a man she loved. Soon
after, they became husbands. They were living very happy. She was
known as a good cook. She was clean and made sure that everything around
her was clean at all times. She washed her husband's clothes
regularly; she was respectful to her husband and to all members of her
family. In exchange, all her neighbors loved and respected her.
They were very proud of her as the perfect example of what a homemaker should
be like.
A
few months after she was married, she became pregnant. Her husband was
very pleased and the entire neighborhood were congratulating him on his good
luck. She soon gave birth to a healthy baby boy. The boy was named
Eji-Ogbe. Happiness in their marriage home increased several times.
Otun's citizens did not view the boy as a personal gift from Oniki-Ola and his
wife; In reality they saw the boy as Eji-Ogbe, as won lode otun which
means, Eji-Ogbe the son of the city of Otun ”. This was how the situation
was in Otun city for a long time.
However
one day, her husband had some friends who had come to visit him. She was
introduced to these friends. After the introduction, she went out to the
kitchen to prepare food for her husband's visitors. The visitors and her
husband remembered some old jokes from them and they all burst out
laughing. Hearing this, something came into play inside Oniki-Ola's
head. She saw his laughs as if they were mocking her. She grew so
upset that her husband reduced her to ridicule in front of her friends whom she
had first met. She went to the kitchen and took the water she was boiling
and put it on the fire and started packing her things. Before she left
the house she went to confront her husband. She vomited all her poison
about
her husband to the chagrin of everyone present. When these friends tried
to appeal to her, she jumped on them too and left the house, leaving her son
behind. Again, all efforts to reconcile them failed. She returned
to Ile-Ife to live.
Many
people came to beg her to return to Apa, she refused. But when she was about
to return to her married home, her husband was no longer in a position to
accept her again as a wife. She also began sending people to plead with
her husband for her benefit, but her husband refused to listen.
Soon
after, she left Ile-Ife again for the city of Igodo. And again, she was
well received in this new city. she soon mated to a man and soon after
became pregnant. She gave birth to yet another baby boy. The baby
was named Iwori-Meji. And again, the baby was known as "Iwori-Meji,
omo won Igodo", which means Iwori-Mejji, the son of the city of
Igodo. She was enjoying the cooperation and help of this entire city.
Oniki-Ola
had been happily living in Igodo until one day when she went to the market in
another city to help her husband sell his agricultural products. On her
way back home, a heavy rain fell and the stream she had to cross before she
could get home became impassive due to heavy flooding. She had to wait
until the water in the stream subsided. It was dark before she got home.
To
his surprise however, there was no torrential rain in Igodo. When she
explained to her husband that she had been put up with because of the heavy
pouring rain, her husband fell silent saying that she was a liar. He
concluded that she had been unfaithful. She knelt down, pleading with her
husband to please investigate what she had told him before taking further
action. Her husband refused to listen. Then she remembered that one
of her husband's friends also went to the market to make transactions that
day. She asked her husband to go and inquire of his friend so that he
would be correct in the veracity of his statement. This only made matters
worse since her husband concluded that this friend must be her secret
lover. While she was still pleading with him, something came into play in
her head and she started throwing all her things out of the house. Every
request failed to bear fruit in the result. She therefore returned to
Ile-Ife, a very sad woman for good. She also left her son behind.
After
a while, she decided to travel outside of Ile-Ife to try her luck
elsewhere. At this time, she went to the city of Eju. As usual, she
was well loved in her new abode. Everyone respected her. Soon she
found another man who had an interest in her. She then became pregnant
and gave birth to a baby boy again. This boy was named Odi-Meji.
And yet again, the citizens of Eju considered the boy as a gift for the entire
city. they therefore named it "Odi-Meji, omo won lode Eju"
which means Odi-Meji the son of the city of Eju. This was done for
It
was made to give her honor and appreciation for exemplary character and good
qualities.
She
was living quietly in Eju. She was convinced that she had learned her
lesson and that she had put behind the bad experiences of Otun, Apa and
Igodo. She assured herself that the city of Eju. She was sure that
in the city of Eju it was where she would live the rest of her life.
Then
one day, one of her husband's relatives had been envious of Oniki-Ola's growing
profile in the city and went to gather people and told them that she had had a
dream that confirmed that Oniki-Ola was a witch who had been using his
apparent good character and enthusiasm to cover his evil. She alleged
that Oniki-Ola had been using the fates of another woman in the city to
increase her good fortune. She claimed that it was this evil power that
Oniki-Ola had been using that had not allowed her husband to see all the bad
things Oniki-Ola had done. The relative went so far as to say that Oniki-Ola
was the person who directed and controlled the mind of her husband and other
relatives.
In
the end, everyone agreed that he had felt what this relative had said.
They reasoned that no one could know Oniki-Ola better than a relative of her
husband. They therefore concluded that Oniki-Ola must leave their
city. They recruited another woman and agreed to converge on the front of
Oniki-Ola's house at dawn the other day.
Most
of them did not sleep. At the song of the first rooster, all the women began
to congregate in their predetermined place. Her screams woke everyone in
Oniki-Ola's house. They forcibly demanded that Oniki-Ola be handed over
to them to punish her since she was the mastermind behind all the misfortunes
of the city. oniki-Ola could not believe what he heard; she thought
that she was dreaming. To make matters worse, all her close friends and
acquaintances were among those demanding that she be punished. Her
husband refused to hand her over to them. In the end, a compromise was
reached; she would not be punished again but she must leave the city
immediately. This was how Oniki-Ola leaving Odi-meji and all his other
belongings left the city of Eju. She returned to Ile-Ife like a shattered
woman.
A
few days after her arrival, her relatives called her and asked her what went
wrong again? She recounted all her terrible experiences to them, starting
with the experience in Otun's city, what she found in the city of Apa, and then
in the city of Igodo and the humiliations she received in the city of
Eju. Even so, her relatives sympathized with her, but they concluded that
she was one of those who could not have a good home. They therefore
advised her not to travel outside the city of Ile-Ife again and to consent to
how to make the best use of what was left of her life. She agreed with
her relatives.
One
day when she was brooding, considering her life, she remembered the Awo's
warning and cried bitterly. It was realized that if she had offered the
ebo as prescribed, she would not have experienced everything that she had been
through. Unfortunately, it was simply too late to make arrangements.
Her
four children grew up differently. They did not have much in common,
except that they had been born to the same mother. They had different
experiences, different ways of looking at life and different approaches to
things. However, all four grew up to become great men in their varied
environments of life. Oniki-Ola regret that she was unable to participate
in her upbringing. She also regretted that they were in the same place,
born of the same person and trained on the same roof. She felt that if
she had offered a goat and 4 roosters like Ebo and would have fed Ifa with
4 rats, 4 fish and a chicken the story would have been different. And
again it was too late to make arrangements. She lived with regret for the
rest of her life.
Fonrankun
kan owu lo so ile aye ro
Dia
fun Oniki-Ola
Ti
nw’oko imoran-an yan kiri
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
O
ko’ti ogbonyin s’ebo
O
bi Eji-Ogbe fun won l’ode Otun
O
bi Oyeku-Meji fun won l’ode Apa
O
bi Iwori-Meji won l’ode Igodo
O
bi Odi-Meji won l’ode Eju
Riru
ebo nii gbe’ni
Eru
atukesu a da ladaju
Oniki-Ola
I ba tete mo
I
ba waa f’owo s’arufin ebo o
Translation:
Only
one strand of Thread was what was used to suspend the earth
These
were Ifa's statements for Oniki-Ola
When
I was looking for an Ideal wife
She
was advised to offer ebo
She
refused to obey
She
then gave birth to Eji-Ogbe for them in the city of Otun.
And
Oyeku-Meji for them in the city of Apa
And
Iwori-Meji for them in the city of Igodo
And
Odi-Meji for them in Eju city
Offering
ebo is very encouraging
Giving
eru to Esu is very rewarding
If
Oniki-Ola had known that before it was too late
She
would have spent her money to offer ebo to make her life more fruitful
Ifa
says that he will not allow the person for whom this Odu is revealed to
repent. She however, needs to offer ebo as prescribed here, so that she
too has her say in parenting and events in the lives of her children.
This is because the woman participating in the raising of her children is not,
they will all succeed and she will not be able to hit her chest in the future
as she has some important contribution to the success of her children.
12.
Ifa says that it anticipates the Ire of a new newborn for the person for whom
this Odu is revealed.
Ifa
says that this child will be influential in life. The boy will be known
to everyone. They should take proper care of this child when he arrives,
because the child will be extremely successful in life.
Ifa
says there is a need to offer ebo with a ramskin, 200 large needles, and ten
yards of white cloth and money. About this, Ifa says:
Ese
ide nii f’oju tan’na
Lobon-unbon-un
nii f’apa mejeeji lu gbedu
Ajija
gogoro, Awo ile Ajigunwa
Dia
fun Ajigunwa
Igbati
n t’Ikole orun bo wa’ye
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
Translation:
The
broken surface of the bronze shines like the breaststroke
The
large beetle uses its wings to buzz as if someone were to beat the gbedu drum
The
tall, thin scepter of Ajija, the resident Awo of Ajigunwa (the one who sits in
the royal Splendor in the morning, another name of the sun)
He
was the Awo who guessed Ifa for Ajigunwa
When
I came from Orun to Aye
He
was advised to offer ebo
Ajigunwa
was coming from heaven to the world. He wanted to know what the chances
of success would be. He therefore went to the Awo mentioned above by
consultation of Ifa.
The
two Awos assured him that he would be highly respected and honored. He
was told that he would have a very rewarding stay in Aye (Earth). He was
advised to offer ebo with a ram, 200 large needles, 10 yards of white cloth,
and money. He fulfilled.
When
he prepared for his journey, the white cloth with which he offered the ebo was
scattered in the sky, the 200 needles were smashed around him and she became
the rays of the sun, while the sheep with which he offered ebo assuring
him honor and prestige for him. He found that no force or enrgy was
greater than his. He therefore decided that it was not necessary for him
to be physically present on earth, instead, he decided to be sending his rays
and his energy was felt wherever he wanted.
Ifa
says that the child in question will be greater than all his colleagues.
He will be even greater than his parents. His reputation will be felt by
everyone. The force of the Sun is felt in every corner and corner of the
world.
Ese
ide nii f’oju tan’na
Lobon-unbon-un
nii f’apa mejeeji lu gbedu
Ajija
gogoro, Awo ile Ajigunwa
Dia
fun Ajigunwa
Igbati
n t’Ikole orun bo wa’ye
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
O
gb’ebo, o ru’bo
Ko
pe ko jinna
E
wa ba ni ni wowo ire
Wowon
ire l’ere ope n’Ife
Translation:
The
broken surface of the bronze shines like the breaststroke
The
large beetle uses its wings to buzz as if someone were to beat the gbedu drum
The
tall, thin scepter of Ajija, the resident Awo of Ajigunwa (the one who sits in
the royal Splendor in the morning, another name of the sun)
He
was the Awo who guessed Ifa for Ajigunwa
When
I came from Orun to Aye
He
was advised to offer ebo
He
obeyed
Soon
after, and not too far
Let's
get together in the middle of everything Ire
Ifa
says that for the person for whom this Odu is revealed he does not need to
travel off the coast of his homeland before he or she is successful. Ifa
says that it is in one place where he or she will get all the Ire required in
life.
13.
Ifa says that the person for whom this Odu has been revealed will be victorious
in a serious dispute with others. This dispute may or may not involve
litigation. Ifa says that in the case in question it will be very
difficult, but with the appropriate ebo, he or she or the group who has come
for consultation from Ifa will be victorious in the end. Ifa says that he
or she was on the right track but they need to offer ebo to prevent any
improvisation or even bad justice practice that could cause them to lose the
case. There is a need to offer ebo with a goat, yam with beans, corn
kernels and money. There is also a need to feed Esu with a rooster and
money. the moment all this is done, victory is assured. On this,
Ifa says:
Igbin
o p’ile aro ni dida
Afeebojo
o pile Aran ni wiwa
A
ki gb’oju u fifo l’adie agada
Tani
I gb’oju u yiyan l’alagemo
Dia
fun Afeebojo
Ti
nlo si ikunle ejo
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
Translation:
The
slug did not originate the art of dyeing
And
the Afeebojo rat did not originate burrowing
We
can't count on a hen tied up to fly
Who
dares to compete with a chameleon to drastically change
Those
were Ifa's statements for Afeebojo
When
I was going to appear in a litigation matter
He
was advised to offer ebo
Afeebojo
was a rat of real descent. He was very good looking and hard
working. The hole in where the vivie was magnificently built. One day,
out of envy, some other members of the rat family went to report it to the
Leopard king that Afeebojo had no respect for the constituted
authorities. They said that he was more of a problem than a valuable
asset to the animal kingdom. They told the leopard king that
Afeebojodebia, as a matter of emergency, appear before his majestic presence so
that he would defend himself. Hearing this, the Leopard King promptly
summoned Afeebojo to go and defend himself.
When
he received the message, he decided to consult Ifa about the possible result of
being summoned. The Awo told him that one of his colleagues had raised an
allegation against him. He was assured that the verdict would be
favorable to him. He was however advised to offer ebo as previously stated.
He obeyed and prepared to go to the Leopard King's palace.
Two
main allegations were raised against him; One, that Afeebojo was roaming
a squirrel and that squirrels lived inside nests. Therefore he should be
living in a nest and not in a hollow as he practiced; and second, that he
was the one who caused the bad attitude of digging holes and burrows to live,
so he encouraged other animals to follow his bad example. His accusers
concluded that he either stopped living inside a hole and either started living
in a nest or left the animal kingdom entirely.
Responding
to the first accusation, Afeebojo explained that living in a hole was solely a
matter of his choice. He explained that it was more convenient to live
inside a hole in the ground than inside a nest, in a tree, a rock, a crack or
any other environment. He said that as long as he did not infringe on the
freedom of any other animal or convenience, he saw no reason why he should stop
living inside a
Hole.
He gave them the example of various animals such as the cat and the
Leopard; they belong to the same family. One was living with human
beings while the other was the king of the jungle.
Some
birds choose to live in the forest, gold in the savannah while others live in
houses with humans. Some rats from the same family did not live in the
same environment. Some lived in houses with human beings while others
lived in the forest. These were not subject to litigation. Why
should he alone be changed?
In
the second allegation, he explained that he was not an exception. He said
that among the rats, the big rat, and the herb cutter and others were also
living in holes even before he was born. Among the birds, the woodpecker
was living inside a hole in a tree. Among the beasts, the leopard king,
the lion and others were living in holes. He contended that it would be
unwise to assert that it was his bad habit that the Leopard King was imitating
when he had decided to live in a hole. He further explained that if a
slug was broken, one would discover that a liquid blue ink is in its
body. This could not constitute that the slug was the originator of the
blue ink. He said that because he was living in a hole, he was not the
originator of the digging.
Igbin
o p’ile aro ni dida
Afeebojo
o pile Aran ni wiwa
A
ki gb’oju u fifo l’adie agada
Tani
I gb’oju u yiyan l’alagemo
Dia
fun Afeebojo
Ti
nlo si ikunle ejo
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
O
gb’ebo, o ru’bo
Bi
isu ba ta tan
A
gb’are re l’ori
Afeebojo
Awon
ni yoo maa j’aare won
B’eree
ba y’omo tan
A
gb’are re l’ori
Afeebojo
Awon
ni yoo maa j’aare won
B’agbado
ba y’omo tan
A
gb’are re l’ori
Afeebojo
Awon
ni yoo maa j’aare won
Translation:
The
slug did not originate the art of dyeing
And
the Afeebojo rat did not originate burrowing
We
can't count on a hen tied up to fly
Who
dares to compete with a chameleon to drastically change
Those
were Ifa's statements for Afeebojo
When
I was going to appear in a litigation matter
He
was advised to offer ebo
He
obeyed
When
the yam sprouts
It
carries with it its right to live
Afeebojo
An
Awo should always impart judgment on them
When
the bean germinates
It
carries with it the right to live
Afeebojo
An
Awo should always impart judgment on them
When
the corn sprouts
It
carries with it the right to live
All
cheer to Afeebojo
An
Awo must impart judgment on them
Ifa
says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed will be victorious in a
matter of any impediment.
14.
Ifa says that the person for whom this Odu has been revealed is a great
character or potentially a great character. The situation in the present
is such that things are too tight for him or her. He or she is presently
under someone who he or she is greater or taller. Ifa says that with the
appropriate ebo the situation will change and he or she will be able to regain
their independence.
On
the other hand, Ifa says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed has
someone below him greater than he or she. Ifa says that this subordinate
must be released so that the person holding him does not experience
deprivation, confusion or dilemma.
Ifa
says that there is a need for the person for whom this Odu has been revealed to
offer ebo with a goat, 16 coconuts, a load of firewood and money. Part of
the goat should be used to feed the Elders of the Night (witches) while a
rooster will be used to feed Esu Odara. If all this can be done, he or
she will regain their previous state of independence. This is because he
or she should not experience this type of deprivation in the first place.
About this, Ifa says:
Odi
Awo ile Olofin
Dia
fun Olofin
Tii
yoo p’aroko rannse si Ajaka
Igbati
awon ara Ile-Ife nbe nigba nraye osoko
Ebo
ni won ni ki won waa se
Translation:
Odi,
Olofin's resident Awo
He
was the one who guessed Ifa for Olofin
Who
wanted to send a coded message to Ajaka el Oba from Oyo city
When
the citizens of Ile-Ife were paying their debts with their work to the people
of the city of Oyo
He
was advised to offer ebo
Ile-Ife
was the origin of human civilization. It was there that human beings
first lived on earth. All human beings migrated from this city. the
citizens of Oyo also migrated from Ile-Ife to their premises. It could
therefore be fair to say that the city of Ile-Ife is the mother of all
communities on Earth. All the Oba were considered children of Olofin de
Ile-Ife.
How
I came to achieve a certain state in the history of the city of Oyo that
acquired political and military superiority over all the other communities around
it. She subjugated all of them and formed an empire in Oyo with her
influence reaching far and wide. She also subjugated the city of Ile-Ife
and forced her to pay Isakode (tribute) annually, during Ajaka's reign as the
Oba (Alaafin) of the Oyo empire, the power and influence of the Oyo empire was
in its climax. . Ajaka made sure that all communities paid tribute
to Oyo annually and they brought their Isakode without loss. Wherever
there was to be a military expedition, Ajaka made it mandatory for all
communities that all capable and well-trained male bodies be enlisted as
soldiers. Failure to do this was seriously viewed and the punishment was
severe. When the time to pay the annual tribute was near, Olofin and his
senior officers felt that it was abnormal and indeed an abomination for Olofin
to be paying tribute to one of his sons. They there and then decided
never to pay tribute or tax to Ajaka from that year onwards. There was an
obstacle in this resolution however; they had to contain the political
and military power of Ajaka and the empire of Oyo. As a way out of this
problem they therefore summoned Odi-Meji, Olofin's resident Awo for Ifa
consultation: how could they regain their independence from the Oyo empire
without having to confront their military force? Would it still be
possible for Ile-Ife to retain its former glory in view of the new and present
servile position?
The
Awo made it clear to Olofin that Ile-Ife would surely regain its former glory
and independence without facing any military confrontation with anyone.
He also told Olofin that respect for the father of all the other kings on earth
would be regained and no one would dare to wage war against his kingdom or
subordinate to his kingdom again. He advised Olofin to offer ebo with a
goat and money. olofin obeyed. Part of the goat was to appease the
witches. A rooster was also used to feed Esu Odara. When all of
this was done, Odi-Meji advised them to go and secure 16 palm nuts, 16 coconuts
and a load of firewood. These were then sent to Ajaka in Oyo with a
message that he should use the coconuts instead of the Ikin, to guess Ifa that
year. He should also give the load of firewood to his daughter who he had
put to sleep to make a fire by heating herself. All these items were
brought to the Ajaka Palace.
When
Ajaka took delivery of those materials, he was confused. He found it
difficult to understand what those things supposedly meant. He was
summoned by the Oyomesi, his senior leaders, to deliberate. They too
could not make sense of these materials. In the end they summoned the Awo
resident of Ajaka for Ifa consultation.
Osa
Awo ile Ajaka
Dia
fun Obaleyo Ajori
Oba
aj’olu eme gbarale
Eyi
ti yoo j’ese yo’kun l’eyo
Igbati
o gba aroko Olofin tan
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
Translation:
Osa
the Awo resident of the house of Ajaka
He
was the Awo who guessed Ifa for Oba de Oyo, the shea butter eater
The
Oba who eats the shea butter seed for energy
And
he eats his food to develop a belly
When
he received a coded message from Olofin
But
I did not understand what to do with the message
He
was advised to offer ebo
Osa
informed Ajaka and his senior officers that they were in a state of confusion
about a recent event. He explained that they subdued a group older and more
honorable than they under his command. The group however had sent them a
great warning that it was an abomination for the boys to be burning up the
elders. He warned them that it was in their best interest to stop
whatever they were doing because it did not pay to continue the situation.
When
Ajaka and his senior officers explained that they had just sent them a gift of
16 coconuts to be used to guess Ifa that year and a load of firewood to give to
Ajaka's daughter who was to be put to bed, Osa told them to them that no
matter how big the hands of a Babalawo who guesses Ifa, they could never hold
16 coconuts at the same time. What he meant essentially was that they
should use their hands beyond their capabilities. He also told them that
it was not the obligation of a father to send firewood to his daughter who had
recently given birth to a baby, but that of the husband of the house. It
was logical that it was not Ile-Ife's obligation to send Isakole (tribute) to
Oyo who was one of Ile-Ife's sons. He advised them again that they should
stop Isakole's demand for Ile-Ife from now on. They obeyed. From
that moment Ile-Ife stopped paying tribute to Oyo.
The
citizens of Ile Ife were filled with happiness that they were truly independent
at last. They were then singing and dancing and full of praise for Odi
his Babalawo.
Odi
Awo ile Olofin
Dia
fun Olofin
Tii
too p’aroko rannse si Ajaka
Igbati
awon ara Ile-Ife nbe nigba nraye osoko
Ebo
ni won ni ki won waa se
O
gb’ebo, o ru’bo
Osa
Awo ile Ajaka
Dia
fun Obaleyo Ajori
Oba
aj’olu eme gbarale
Eyi
ti yoo j’ese yo’kun l’eyo
Igbati
o gba aroko Olofin tan
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
O
gb’ebo, o ru’bo
Odi
o de o, Agbalagba Ife
Igbati
l’ebo awa a da
Translation:
I
hated Olofin's resident Awo
He
was the one who guessed Ifa for Olofin
Who
wanted to send a coded message to Ajaka el Oba from the city of Oyo
When
the citizens of Ile-Ife were paying tribute to the people of Oyo
He
was advised to offer ebo
He
obeyed
Osa
the Awo resident of the house of Ajaka
He
was the Awo who guessed Ifa for Oba de Oyo, the shea butter eater
The
Oba who eats the shea butter seed for energy
And
he eats his food to develop a belly
When
he received a coded message from Olofin
But
I did not understand what to do with the message
He
was advised to offer ebo
He
obeyed
Here
comes Odi, the old Awo of Ile-Ife
It
is now that our ebo has been accepted
Ifa
says that everything that had been stirring the mind of the person for whom
this Odu has been revealed will soon become a thing of the past. He or
she is bound to overcome all your problems.
15.
Ifa says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed is to offer ebo against
uneasiness. There is a need for him or her to offer ebo so that they can
enjoy the fruit of their work. ifa says that even though he or she is
competent in his or her chosen career of endeavors, however, there is a need to
offer ebo to avoid being pushed out and ultimately making a profit where he or
she works. In a word, there is a need for him or her to offer ebo so that
they don't work in vain for others to make a profit.
Ifa
says that there is a need for the person for whom this Odu has been revealed to
stay where he or she is and avoid going where other people operate as this can
only lead to him or her being pushed out and sent to run errands for
those who are not as competent or skillful as he or she. To make things
worse, these other people will only use their expertise and in the end, throw
it away without seeing anything for which to show the result of their effort
that I had to put into the risky company. The person for whom this Odu is
revealed must not serve other people's heads at his expense.
Ifa
says that there is a need for the person for whom this Odu is revealed to offer
ebo with 4 pigeons, 4 chickens, 4 roosters and money. He or she should
also stay where they are and not move. About this, Ifa says:
O
duro n’ipekun opopo
O
bere n’ipekun opopo
Okiti
babaaba nii pekun opopo
Dia
fun Osunwon
Ti
nlo si Ife Akelu-bebe
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
Translation:
He's
standing at the end of the road
And
crouches at the end of the main path
The
pile is the one that limits a direct public rate
These
were Ifa's statements for Osunwon, the measuring gourd
When
I was going on a business mission to Ile-Ife
He
was advised to offer ebo
Osunwon,
the measuring gourd, was an expert in determining the exact value of primary
products. All the women in the market who sold salt, beans, guinea corn,
corn kernels, garri (casava flour), yam flour and others depended on it as long
as they wanted to know with certainty the measures of their merchandise.
Because of its apparent importance, Osunwon felt that it would be very
profitable for him to go to Ile-Ife to display his skills in the Ejigbomekun
market. He then went to the Awo mentioned above for consultation from Ifa
about his chances of success. Would it be acceptable at Ile-Ife?
Would it have recognition in the market? Would people continue depending
on their abilities as they were doing? Would you be able to turn your
skills into a profitable business?
The
Awo told Osunwon that he would be accepted at Ile-Ife. They told them
that he would have recognition in the market. That people would continue
depending on their abilities. But that it was better for him to be where
he was living at that particular point in time so that people would be looking
for him in his domains, instead of looking for work. The Awo concluded
that serving others would never pay him. He was also advised to offer ebo
with 4 pigeons, 4 roosters and money. He was also told to stay home.
Osunwon
felt that he was accepted, loved and recognized and needed in the market, there
was no way he would not use his ability to make a fortune for himself.
Consequently, he refused to offer the ebo as prescribed by the Babalawo.
A few days after this, he prepared himself and set out for Ile-Ife in defiance
of the Awo's advice.
When
he arrived at the Ejigbomekun market in Ile-Ife, the salt vendor was already
looking for Osunwon. She used Osunwon to measure her salt for her
clients. She just didn't bother paying. Soon the bean vendor was
looking for Osunwon. She went looking for him for the salt vendor.
Discovering that he had just been used to measure the salt, she cleaned the
salt particles which could be Osunwon's earnings before using him to measure
his beans. Soon after, the rice seller used Osunwon, also without paying
him. And then the garri seller. And the seller of yam flour.
And the rice seller. And so the others, all without paying him
something. This is how Osunwon continued to work without being paid for
his work.
One
day Osunwon split in two and was renovated. Shortly after this he broke
in two again and was thrown away. Those who used it went looking for
another Osunwon. Osunwon died a destroyed man.
O
duro n’ipekun opopo
O
bere n’ipekun opopo
Okiti
babaaba nii pekun opopo
Dia
fun Osunwon
Ti
nlo si Ife Akelu-bebe
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
O
koti ogboyin sebo
Osunwon
o ba tete mo
I
ba waa fowo sarufin ebo o
Translation:
He's
standing at the end of the road
And
crouches at the end of the main path
The
pile is the one that limits a direct public rate
These
were Ifa's statements for Osunwon, the measuring gourd
When
I was going on a business mission to Ile-Ife
He
was advised to offer ebo
He
refused to obey
If
Osunwon had known before it was too late
He
would have spent his money to offer all the appropriate ebos
Ifa
says that he will not leave the person for whom this Odu is revealed to repent
in life.
16.
Ifa says that there is a woman where this Odu is revealed who seriously needs
to be warned against any attempt to subject her husband to ridicule, unless she
wants to meet disaster. Ifa cautions that if she refuses to fix her way
of being, she is more likely to cry and gnash her teeth for the rest of her
life.
Ifa
also says that the entire home (or the entire community) where this Odu is
revealed needs to offer ebo against an epidemic disease, especially those
transmitted by air and water.
Ifa
advises the woman in question to offer ebo with a goat and one of her
dresses. She must feed Esu with a rooster and Ifa with a goat. The
house or community needs to feed Obaluwaye with a rooster, roasted yam, roasted
beans, palm oil, and palm wine. About this Ifa says:
Winwon
edun mo ni pa
Aiwon
edun mo ni pa
Ero
Iloko lo di’ru kale
Lo
fi sonso abe gun lori
Dia
fun Orunmila
Baba
ji ni kutukutu
Baba
o lowo kan a a yo o na
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
Translation:
A
sharp ax has its impact
A
boring ax has its impact
The
traveler to Iloko was the one who after packing his cargo
I
nail the points of the knife into the load
These
were Ifa's statements for Orunmila
When
he got up early in the morning
With
no money to spend
He
was advised to offer ebo
Orunmila
is facing difficult times at this particular point in time. He had no
money to pay most of his debts. He owed those who supplied him with eko,
cornmeal, with which he offered ebo for his clients and with which he and his
students fed regularly. He owed other people too. Unfortunately, he
did not have the immediate means to pay those debts.
One
day, the woman who supplied her with eko came to her house and insisted on
collecting all her money that day, claiming that she had no money with which to
buy corn to make eko and that the amount Orunmila was owing to her had been
made by her. to her financially insolvent since she also had many people
to pay her. She reminded Orunmila that he already owed her about 10,000
snails.
While
Orunmila was considering how to get out of this problem, he suddenly remembered
that Eleju the Oba of Eju who was the father of his wife Yungba, usually
consulted Ifa and did ebo daily. The day in question was an Ifa day
meaning that Eleju would consult Ifa and offer ebo that same day.
Orunmila pleaded with the woman to exercise patience until sunset when he would
be able to pay her all the money he was owing her. When asked how he
would be able to do this, Orunmila explained that Eleju was his father-in-law
and that he was going to shoot Ifa for Eleju that same day. He said he
would add 10,000 snails as part of the ebo materials with which he would be
able to pay her. The woman was very euphoric knowing that Orunmila had
never made a promise that she would not fulfill, with this, she left, promising
to return in the afternoon.
Orunmila
unknowingly, the entire discussion with the eko vendor was overheard by
Yungba. She was furious when she learned that Orunmila trusted her father
to pay her debts. She had been searching for a way to humiliate Orunmila
for a long time without success. She was aware of all the debts her
husband was having but simply refused to assist him. She was, however,
elated to have heard this discussion. She then vowed that Orunmila would
never be able to get that money from her father. She planned to quickly
go see her father and tell him that Orunmila had planned to defraud him by
adding 10,000 snails to the ebo materials. She vowed that she was going
to dissuade her father from consulting Ifa with Orunmila anymore since he was
an unreliable and fraudulent person.
With
all of her plans in place, she went to Orunmila, asking permission to go visit
her father that morning for an important matter, she was asked to wait since
Orunmila would also be going there the same day, so that they went
together. She refused, claiming that the discussion with her father could
not wait since she was going for an urgent matter Orunmila asked her to go.
Winwon
edun mo ni pa
Aiwon
edun mo ni pa
Ero
Iloko lo di’ru kale
Lo
fi sonso abe gun lori
Dia
fun Yungba
Tii
somo Eleju-ni-pere
Eyi
to loun o f’Awo seesin
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
Translation:
A
sharp ax has its impact
A
boring ax has its impact
The
traveler to Iloko was the one who after packing his cargo
I
nail the points of the knife into the load
These
were Ifa's statements for Yungba
Eleju's
daughter, Eju's Oba
Who
I plan to humiliate an Awo
She
was redeemed to offer ebo
Knowing
that Orunmila was not an easy person to plan against, Yungba went to the Awo
mentioned above to inquire how best to attack the problem so that she would be
able to ridicule Orunmila in a way that he would not quickly forget. .
The
Babalawo however told her to be careful to embark on what she had in mind to
do, unless she wanted to repent of her actions. She was then advised to
offer ebo with a goat and the dress she was wearing that day. She was
asked to return home immediately, take off her dress, and bring it back to the
Awo to do ebo immediately. She was asked to offer a goat, to appeal to
Ifa for forgiveness; feed Esu with a rooster and feed Obaluwaye with a
rooster, palm wine, roasted yam, roasted beans, palm oil and more. She
was also advised to add 10,000 snails to the ebo materials so that her father's
house did not witness a calamity and her father's house did not witness a
calamity upon her. The Awo urged that the ebo should be offered on the
same day since delaying was very dangerous.
The
mere mention of the 10,000 snails made her completely determined never to have
anything to do with the ebo or the Awo's advice. She then concluded in
her mind that her husband must have gone to influence the Awo. For this
reason, she hastened her peace and hastened to go to her father's palace to
tell her story. She convinced her father to never sponsor Orunmila again
since he was a cheater and untrustworthy. Her father told her to be
patient and to wait for Orunmila to arrive to hear what he had to say.
By
the time Orunmila arrived at Eleju Palace, Eleju had completely made up her
mind never to offer ebo, no matter what Orunmila had to say. When
Orunmila knocked on the palace gates, Eleju asked Yungba to go and hide at a
distance where he could hear but that Orunmila could see her. Eleju asked
Orunmila to throw Ifa for him. Orunmila did so, and Odi-Meji was
revealed. Orunmila asked Eleju to offer ebo immediately so that she could
guide him against a pestilence at home and in his community. He asked
Eleju to offer ebo with a goat and 10,000 snails. He asked Eleju to feed
Esu Odara with a rooster and feed Obaluwaye with a rooster, roasted yam,
roasted beans, palm oil, and palm wine.
Eleju
asked Orunmila to go home. He promised Orunmila that he would call him to
come offer the ebo for him when he was ready. Orunmila who knew that
danger was at hand because of Ifa's revelation pleaded with Eleju to offer the
ebo immediately as was Eleju's usual practice. Eleju refused, thinking
that Orunmila's main concern was to collect the 10,000 snails with which to pay
his debts to the woman who supplied the Eko for the Orunmila left with a heavy
heart.
Meanwhile,
Obaluwaye, the Deity in charge of the pestilence had already set out on his
journey to the city of Eju to go and inflict that community with airborne and
water-transported diseases. On his way he met esu Odara. If Eleju
had offered ebo, Esu Odara would have been the one to plead, for the benefit of
the community, with Obaluwaye not to inflict pestilence on them. But it
was Esu Odara himself who urged Obaluwaye to go and perform his duty since theythey
had refused to offer ebo.
A
few moments after Orunmila left Eleju's palace, Obaluwaye attacked. The
first victim was casually Yungba. She was attacked and died of smallpox
and convulsions. Many more in the community and in the Eleju Palace were
hit with all kinds of smallpox, polio, and measles and more. All of them
flocked to the Eleju palace due to the unexpectedness and severity of the
afflictions. There were moans, cries, and gnashing of teeth. Eleju
was sad and confused.
After
a time, Eleju asked his subordinates to go and catch Orunmila for him, wherever
Orunmila was at the time. They did it. Upon arrival, Orunmila found
several corpses in front of the Eleju building, (which was an abomination in
itself, since an Oba should not look at a corpse). When he learned that
Yungba, his wife was among the dead, he became weak. But Esu Odara came
and told her that instead of crying, Orunmila Orunmila should listen to what
Eleju had to say. Eleju asked Orunmila to help offer the ebo since the
Ejelu was ready to offer the ebo. Orunmila did it. After this, Esu
Odara went to catch all the agogos (Ifa gongs) of Orunmila and his students in
their homes. They started singing Iyere songs saying:
Kin
la o sun o?
E
kun Yungba la o sun o
E
kun Yungba la o sun
Translation:
Sobe
we cry?
It
is bad luck that has fallen to Yungba
We
should cry about Yungba's passing
They
then began to sing and dance since it was, and still is, a taboo for a Babalawo
to mourn over the death of anyone, moreover, it was possible for Orunmila to
pay his debts in the end and as he had promised.
Winwon
edun mo ni pa
Aiwon
edun mo ni pa
Ero
Iloko lo di’ru kale
Lo
fi sonso abe gun lori
Dia
fun Orunmila
Baba
ji ni kutukutu
Baba
o lowo kan a a yo o na
Ebo
ni won ni ko se
O
gb’ebo,
o
ru’bo
Dia
fun Yungba
Tii
somo Eleju-ni
Pere
Tii
saya Orunmila
To
loun o f’Awo
Sesin
Ebo
ni won ni ko
Se
O
koti ogbonhin sebo
O
loun o f’Awo
Sesin
O
fira re fun Iku
Pa
Yungba,
ara a re lo
Nse
Yungba
Kin
la o sun o
Ekun
Yungba la o
Sun
o
Ekun
Yungba la o
Sun
Translation:
A
sharp ax has its
Impact
A
boring ax has its impact
The
traveler from Iloko was the one who after Haber
Packed
your cargo
He
put the point of the knife into the load
These
were Ifa's statements to Orunmila
When
he woke up in the early morning
No
money to spend
He
was advised to offer ebo
He
obeyed
The
same was stated to Yungba
Eleju's
daughter, Eju's Oba
Orunmila's
wife
When
she planned to humiliate an Awo
She
was advised to offer ebo
She
refused to obey
Yungba
who planned to humiliate an Awo
She
gave herself up to Death
Yungba
What
are we crying about
It
is the misfortune that has fallen on Yungba
We
should cry about Yungba's passing
Ifa
says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed will not be humiliated by
anyone. Those who plan to humiliate him will live to repent of such a
plan.
Ifa
says that he should never depend on anyone for help or think that someone will
get him out of any problem. Only Olodumare and Ifa can do this for him.
A
woman who is planning to humiliate her husband needs to stop as it could have a
terrible impact. The person for whom this Odu is revealed needs to offer
ebo against pestilence and other related diseases and afflictions.
Copyright :Babalawo Pele
Obasa Obanifa, phone and whatsapp contact :+2348166343145, location Ile Ife
osun state Nigeria.
IMPORTANT NOTICE :As
regards the article above no part of this article may be reproduced or
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Babalawo Obanifa, doing so will be deem unlawful and will attract legal
consequences.
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