SIXTEEN GREAT POEMS OF IFA BY WANDE ABIMBOLA UNESCO, 1975wi, Ajala and the Choice of Ori The following poem tells the story of how Ori is chosen in grun (heaven) and the consequences of this irrevocable choice on every individual. The story con- cerns three friends — Oriseéki (the son of Ogtn) Orilémeré (the son of ija) and Afinvapg (the son of Ordmmili) — who were going to the abode of Olé- dimaré to choose Ori”. The three friends were warned, probably by people who knew the problems of peo- ple going on the long journey, not to stop anywhere on the way but to go directly to the home of Ajala, “the potter who makes heads in grun’’. The two friends, Oriséékti and Ori-lééméré took the advice seriously and failed to call on their fathers despite the fact that they passed by their fathers’ homes on the way. But Afiwapé, the son of Ordmmila, insisted on seeing his father and thus left his two friends to continue on their journey while he stayed for a while with his father. Orisegkti and Orilééméré finally reached Ajala’s house after a lot of problems on the way. But they did not find him at home. They therefore asked for the store-house of heads and each one made his own choice. Unfortunately, the heads they chose were useless ones with the result that when they arrived on earth, they worked hard but they did not achieve any good results, When Afinwapé left his two friends, he went into his father’s house. His father performed divination for him and the If’ priests who performed the divination asked his father to perform sacrifice with three small bags of salt and three times nine thousand cowries. The Ifa pri- ests gave him part of the money and the salt to take with him on the journey. After travelling for a long lime, Afiwapé got to the house of a gate-keeper and he 178asked for the way to Ajala’s house but the gate-keeper insisted that he would first of all finish cooking his soup before he would show the way to Afiwwapé. While they were cooking the coup, he noticed that the gate- keeper was using ashes instead of salt to sweeten his soup. He therefore introduced salt to the gate-keeper who liked it so much that he told Afiwapé the secret about Ajala which led to his choice of a good Ori. ‘The gate-keeper told Afiwapé that Ajali was an incorrigible debtor and that he was always hiding in the ceiling of the house to avoid his creditors. He therefore advised Afiwapé to pay off the debts owed by Aja’ so that the latter could emerge from his hiding place and attend to him personally while choosing his Ori. When Afiwapé got to Ajali’s house, he paid off the creditors he met there and Ajélé emerged from hiding. The result was that Afinwapé chose a good Ori and when he got to the earth, he became a very prosperous person. There are a number of important points in this story. ‘st, we see the importance of sacrifice as a means of leading one aright all the time. It was the crifice of money and salt which Aftwapé made in his father's house which led him to make the right choice of Ori in the house of Ajala, He introduced the salt to the gate-keeper who liked it so much that he told him what to do at Ajala’s house. He used the money to pay off Ajala’s creditors thus making it possible for that in- corrigible fellow to choose the right type of Ori for him. Secondly, we sce the importance of salt as a ritual and civilizing commodity. The gate-keeper who did not know salt can be regarded as a symbol of ancient and primitive culture while Ajala’s introduction of salt to him can be regarded as a powerful civilizing influence 179for which the gate-keeper was so grateful. In the folk- lore of many cultures of the world, salt is usually re- garded as a commodity with important ritual and com- mercial significance. In this particular story, it could be regarded.as the commodity which one must have in order to have the secret and important knowledge which can affect the choice of one’s destiny in life. In other words, salt is synonymous with good, orderly and civilized life while lack of it represents primitive and useless life. This is probably why salt is used during the christening ceremony of Yoruba children. Salt is synonymous with good, happy and sweet life. Thirdly, this story clearly shows that once the choice of Ori has been made, one has made for oneself a final and irrevokable decision. The only thing that can affect this choice is hard work over a long period of time, the proceeds of which are fed into sacrifice. In other words, the person who has chosen a bad Ori in heaven cannot expect to make any progress in life until he has worked very hard and performed a Jot of sacrifice with the pro- ceeds of his hard work. But for the person who chose a good Ori there is no problem at all in achieving a good life. However, he too must work hard since Ori merely represents the potential to achieve success in life. This extremely fatalistic outlook to life so characte ristic of Yoruba belief is redeemed partially by the concept of sacrifice mentioned above. Nevertheless the Yoruba still cling tenaciously to the concept of Ori in explaining success or failure in life. It means therefore that, to a large extent, the individual is not entirely responsible for what he achieves or fails to achieve in life. Belief in Ori may be regarded as a sort of escapism but it certainly has far-reaching social and psychological consequences. 18010 15 20 Bbiti, egbake nit yédi A dia fiin Oriséékt A bil fiin Orilééméré, ome Ijaz A dia fin Aftwwapé tif seme Qrinmila, Nijg ti won frelé Olddiimaré Io réé yanri, Awon métééta tia darko wonyi, Oré ni won. Nigba t6 dojd kan ni won ba gbimd pd pé Ki awon 6 lo silé ayé, Ki awon ¢ jg méa ghébs; Boyd ibgé Ie san Awon ju grun lo. Ni w6n ba fi Ord nda lo Awon Agbalagba t6 ju $n lo. Wo6n ni bi won ba filg silé ay Won ni lati kOk¢ lo si odo Aj Lati yan ipin nibe. ‘eéw kan nda ni ¢ ni lati sd o. lg; E ko gbodd ya si otiin BEE ni ¢ kd gbodd ya si dsi, Ilé Ajala ni ki ¢ mda Io aarata.” Wo6n so fin won pé “Bi enikan ba gbtiroo baba ré 16nd, Ko gbodo yabé 0.” Won ni ilé Ajala ni ki won 6 mda Io tiara. 18120 Itis the snare which strikes suddenly Ifa divination was performed for Ori Ski,’ the son of Ogan; Ifa divination was performed for Orilééméré,? the son of Ija? If divination was performed for Afiwapé,’ the son of Ordnmila; On the day they were going to the abode of Olédiimaré to choose Ori, These three people were all friends. One day, they deliberated together, And decided that they would go to the earth, They decided that when they arrived on the earth, They would settle down there, Hoping that the earth would be better for them than heaven ‘They asked for advice from older people, And they were told that before going to the earth, They must first of all go to Ajala® To choose Ori, They were warned thus, “You must observe one prohibition. When you are going, You must not turn to the right, Neither must you turn to the left. ‘You must go straight to the house of Ajala.”” ‘They were warned thus, “Even if one of you hears his father’s voice on the way, He must not go there.” They were told to go straight to the house of Ajala. 18230 35 40 45 Wé6n ni nigba ti won ba yanpin tan 16 Ni ki won 6 t66 kori séde isdlayé. Won ni awén gb6 0. Ni won _bé mara, 6 dilé Ajalé, alam tii mori. Nigba ti w6n rin sia, Won kan Afabgrg-ginyan nibi t6 gbé figduydn pela okini. Won ni ¢ Alé 0, baba 6 ni, “hoo.” Ni dtin 166 lee jtiwe Ona fiin won. Ni Aflwapé ba gba abéré L6 ba Hifif ganydn, 6 ginyan nda fin odidi oj6 méta Ki 6 t66 gun un tan, Nigba ti 6 ginyan yii tan, Ni Afabéré-gunyan wa so fin won wi pé Ki won 6 maa lo. ni bi won ba rin dig. Ki won 6 ya si apa otin, O ni won 6 kan onibodé kan rhbé 18325 30 35 45 They were told that it was after choosing Ori from Ajata ‘That they would go to the earth They promised to heed the warning, They got themselves ready, And started off on their journey to the house of Ajala, the potter who makes heads. After walking for some distance, They got to He-who-pounds-yams-with-a-needle pounding yams with a small needle, They said, “Father, we greet you.” The old man replied, “Thank you.” They pleaded, “Please, Sir, We are going to the house of Ajala.’* ‘He-who-pounds-yams-with-a-needle said that he must first finish pounding his yams Before he showed them the way. Afiiwapé took the needle from him, And started to pound the yams with it. He pounded the yams for three days Before he finished the job. When he finished pounding the yams, He-who-pounds-yams-with-a-needle told them that They were free to continue on their journey. He told them that after travelling some distance, They should turn to the right. Where they would find a gate-keeper. 18455 60 65 Ki won 6 baer’ I6w9o ra, Y66 si jdwe gna fiin won, Nigba ti wn rin sda, Ni w6n ba dé ibikan. Ni Orisegki, omg Ogiin, ba did sii. fi gbtirddo baba ré, Bo ti ima apé, To fima of’, T6 Amt grun. Orisékii, emo Ogdn ni dun 6 lo Ba baba oun pal ogun mé o. Ni w6n ba ran an [éti pé Se bi won ti ka 8w9 fin Awon Pé awon 6 gbodd ya sf ibikan. Ni Oriseku, omo Ogiin, ba sist, O ni kd buré. Ni w6n ba illo. Nigba ti w6n rin saa, Ni won ba kan ilé Oriinmila. W6n ghd ti Oranmila fsepdn Ifs poro poro poro. Ni Afiiwapé ba duiré si Awon méji yokii ni ki 6 jé ki Awon 6 maa lo.50 55 65 They should ask from that man, And he would show them the way. After travelling some distance, They got to a certain place. Oriséékii, the son of Ogtin, stood still, When he heard his father’s movement. He heard his father taking his quiver, And taking his arrows, And taking his bow. Oriségki, the son of Ogi, then said that he would go To help his father prepare for war. But his comrades reminded him that They had been warned Not to call anywhere on the way. Then, Oriséékdi, the son of Ogiin, moved forward. He said that was alright, And they continued on their journey. After travelling some distance, They came to the house of Ordnmila, They heard QrénmilA striking his divining board loudly with his Irgk¢.s Afinwapé then stood still. ‘The other two urged him to let them go on, 18670. 15. 80. 85. 90. Afiwapé ni dun o nif Ig m6, Afi bi otin ba fojit kan baba oun. Ni w6n bé rn an lét{ tewo th won ka fin won, Afrwapé sa kd O ni dtin FEE foj Lé ba ra giiri wolé. Ni w6n ba filo. Nigba ti Ordnmila foji kan Afuwapé, 6 bii nibi to Hilo. Afnwapé ni diin tilg séde isdlayé ni, Olin si ni lati k6 Jo yanri l6dd Ajala, Ni Ordinmil: k6 Tfaa ré, O fi kan Afawapé lor gba ti yoo da Il silé, sydmi (Ogbégtinda) ni won ri. can baba dun. ti won babaldwo ilé Oranmila wo suun, Won ni, “lwo Orainmila, Ibikan ni gmo@ fe filo yi, K6mo naa 6 Ié ri ipin rere ma nibé Ebo ni ki 6 se.” Kin ni awon 6 ha rd bayii? W6n ni ki won 6 ni egbinrin iyo méta, 18770. 75. 80. 85. 90. But Afiiwapé said that he wouldn’t-go Until he had scen his father. They reminded him of the warning given them. But Afurwapé refused completely, And insisted that he must see his father. He then hurried into the house. The two others left him, And continued their journey. When QOrinmila saw Afiwapé, He asked him where he was going. Afawapé said that he was going to the earth, And he must first go to Ajalé to choose Ori. Ordmmila then took his divinatio ninstruments, And with them he touched Aftwapé’s head When he cast the instruments on the ground, Ogbaygnit (otherwise known as Oghéginda) appeared. When the priests of Ordnmila’s household studied it carefully, They said, “You, Orimmila, Your son is going on a journey to a certain place. So that he may choose a good lot there, Let him perform sacrifice”. When Ortnmila asked what they would use for sacrifice, He was told to perform sacrifice with three bags of salt, 188,K6 sini egbegebaafa ond mé Ni Ordnmild ba ké gogboo ré 95 Niwon bé sef'é fiin Afi: W6n bu dié fin un nin 4 on si finun ni egbaafa ning cgbiaasin ti 6 ro. Ni w6n ba niki Aftiwapé 6 mda lo. Nigba ti Afwapé jade nilé Qranmila, 100 Ka ri Orisééki, emo Ogun, Ati Orileéméré, ome Ija m9. Won ti lo ni ti won. Nigba ti awon méji yinl Won kan onibodé akdk9, 105 Won bééré ilé Ajala lowdo ré Onibodéé ni ilé Ajala jina sihiin. 6 ni bi kd ba jind ni, Oun iba 6 iwon 110 W6n bééré 14dg eldmiran. Ni won ba délé Aj Nigba ti won dél Ni won ba jokd6 dé & 189And three times twelve thousand cowries. QOrtnmita got all the materials ready, 95 And the sacrifice was performed for Afiwapé. Part of the salt Together with twelve thousand cowries was given to him. . They then asked Afitwapé to proceed on his journey. When Afiwap?“came out of Ordnmila’s house, 100 He saw neither Orfstékt, the son of Ogiin, Nor Oriléémérg, the son of Ija, They had gone. When these two were going, ‘They got to the keeper of the first gate, 105 And asked for the house of Ajala. But the gate-keeper said that Ajald’s house was too far, He said if it was not too far, He would have taken them there. They left him in anger, 110 And asked another person. At last, they reached When they got to the house of They did not find him at home. They decided to sit down and wait for him. 190115 Nigba t6 di oj6 ke Ni wn b: Nakan kan lawon waa ge. Wo6n ni awon waa yanri ni. Ni Awon ard ilé Ajalé ba débin pé 120 “B6 ba se pé tori ni, i thbe nile” ba ma won lo sibi ti Ajala mori si, kt } bdd sibé, 125 Nigba ti Orilééméré nda 6 b9 Ori iild kan bayii 16 ebé 6 pé 6 ti £6 sara. ‘on méjeeji ba gbé orii won bori. 130 Ni won bé fon on, O di dde ayé. 6 kit dig ki won 6 déde isalayé, Ni Ojé ba dé Ojo yi vd titi, 135 O kd, ko da mo, BEE ni 6 ipa Oriséékir Ati Orileémere. Nigba {i ojo pa Ori yii 16 bée, sib’, 191115 When, on the second day, Ajala did not return, They told the people of Ajala’s household That they had come for a certain thing. ‘They said that they had come to choose Ori, ‘The people of Ajala’s household answered thus, 120 “If that is your mission, ‘Numerous heads are available. They then took them to Ajala’s store-house of heads. When Orisegki entered, He picked a newly-made head Which Ajala had not fired at all. When Orfléméré also entered, He picked one very big head Not knowing that it had cracked. The two of them put on their clay heads, And hurried off On their way to theearth. A little distance before they reached the earth, It started to rain. Ti rained for a long time, 135 And it refused to stop. Yet it was beating Oris@éki and Oriléémére. After the rain had beaten their heads for long, 12! & 13 8 192140 145 150 155 $ if mumi y6. Bi orfi won nda ba ké yiin, Ie pos Té firi dani, Ti gbogboo ré¢ waa ki pelebe. Ni w6n ba fi bg wolé ayé. Nigba ti wn délé ayé tan, Won si Won 6 rére je. Bi won ba fi eépini sowed, Eépini nda 1e tin da gbésée k6d-kan-Abd Si won Irn, Nigba ti w6n se kini yii titi, Fin bi odin méwad, Ti won d ri ojétidu re, Ni won ba mé Won looko akénil Awon awoyerdye waa fi yé won pé Ori ti won mi ni 6 da. Won ni, “Nigba ti ¢ bd, 193140 145 150. 155 The heads became water-logged. Asa result, the heads expanded, And they started to drop off in bits. The heads expanded more and more, Until the sides were completely worn away, And started to drop off in lobes. So that what remained was flat and small. It was in that state that they entered the earth. When they got to the earth, They worked and worked, But they had no gain. If they traded with one half-penny, It might lead them To a loss of one-and-a-half-pennies. When they did this For about ten years Without any hope of improvement, They added two cowry-shells to three, And went to consult [ff priests. These wise men told them that ‘The fault was in the bad heads they had chosen. ‘They asked them, “When you were coming to the earth, 194160 Njé dj6 pa yo Won ni,“ Won ni, “ Ori burt Bi orf aba tie rhbd wa silé ayé, i le gbé. kd ba se titi, 165 A se éyi to ti £6 sara.” Won ni, “BE ¢ ti thbd 19nd un, ‘T9jo Apa yin, Ni Ori burdkti t¢ ¢ gbé siyinrin, Té tiri dani.” 170 Wén ni, “Nigba ti ¢ 6 fi délé ayé, Ori té ¢ gbé kd jit pelebe Io md. Lati ig! a, gbogbo isé ti ¢ Ase, Ori burdkti pelebe un Ie fi hdl, O sidi igba ti ¢ ba ktin un titi, 175 Ti 6 bé dé désdée byi th ¢ gbé kind léde Orun, To rin 6 kan onibod® Ak6ké. 180 O bi f lééré ilé Ajala. Eléyiun ni afi bi dtin ba se obé ti dun His’ tan. Ni Afuwapé ba jok06 ti, 195160 Were you beaten by rain 7” They answered “We were”. The Ifa priests said, “When you were coming to the earth, ‘You chose bad heads. If they were not unbaked heads, 165 They must have been broken ones. As you were coming to the earth, And you were being beaten by rain, The bad heads you chose were wearing away, And dropping off in pieces. 170 Before you arrived on the earth, Your heads had become very flat. Since then all the gains from your work, Were being used to replenish the worn-olf parts of your bad heads. And it is when you have replenished them suffi- ciently 175 So that they are restored to their original sizes, ‘That you will begin to prosper very well.” When Afawapé was coming, He walked some distance, And got to the keeper of the first gate. 180 He asked from him the way to Ajala’s house. The gate keeper said that he would first finish cooking his soup. So, Afliwapé sat patiently by him, 196thba a 4 kona. Ibi ti Aftwapé ti akond 185 Lé ti rii pée ni onibodé Thbi | sind obé. O bu iyd nibé, 190 O fi sind gbé. Lé ba ni ki onibodé 6 t6 9 wo. Nigba ti onibodé 6 fi kan enu, ni nibo 16 ti ri ohun té din t6 bayif ? O ni ij o Le bun dun nibi iydkit? 195 Afuwapé ni kd burd, i ko egbinrin iyo méjeaji fn un. Nigba ti won se gbé yi jind, ode ba dide, 200 Ni w6n ba stin m6 Ni won ba beré sii gbariwo. 197Helping him to kindle the fire. ‘As Afitwapé was helping to kindle the fire, 185 He noticed that the gate-keeper was putting ashes into the soup. He said, “Father, what you are putt soup is ordinary ashes”, But the old man said that. that was what he always ate, Afiawapé then took one of his bags of salt, And took a little salt from it, 190 And put it into the soup. He asked the gate-keeper to taste it. When he tasted it, He asked AfiwwApé whence he got such a thing. He implored Afiwapé to give him more of it. 195 The latter agreed, And gave him the two bags of salt. When they finished cooking the soup, The gate-keeper stood up. He led the way, 200 And Afiwapé followed him. ‘They walked for long. ‘They walked and walked. _ When they came close to Ajala’s house, They staried to hear a loud noise. to the 198205 Onibodé ni, “I1é Ajala ni wén ti tipariwo un.” O ni, “Ajala 0 siflé ni un, 0 Ui s pamé fan olowéo rg nui un. 6 pariwo bau © bi Afinwapg bé bai nf ows Iow6. 210 Afiwapé ni bee i ni, Nigba ti Afawap Jala © ba eni ti Ajala je lows naa 215 Tisiké, thsdydn bi gsin. Ni Afawapé ba bi ni iye gbesé naa. nj egbaafa ni. Ni Afiiwapé ba towo bapa, L6 ba san an. 220 Nigba ti 6 san ow6 nda tin, Ti oléw6 naa Io tan, Ni Ajald ba b¢ silé lati Oke & TS sd pams si. Oki Afinwapé, 225 Afiiwapé nda ki, 6 ni ijé 6 ba enikan nihiin 2 Afuwapé ni dun ba a, 199205. The gate-keeper said, “That noise is from Ajala’s house.” He said, “That shows that Ajalé is not at home. He is in hiding to avoid his creditor. The creditor is the one making that noise”. He asked Afiiwapé if he had money on him, 210 And Afawapé said he had. The gate-keeper said that if Afiwapg saw the creditor, He should help Ajald to pay up the debt. When Afawapé arrived at Ajala’s house, He found the creditor, 215 Shouting, neighing like a horse. Afuwapé then asked him the amount of money involved. The creditor said the amount was twelve thousand cowries. Aftwapé then opened his bag, Brought out the money, and paid the debt. 220 After he had paid the money, And the creditor had left, Ajala jumped down from the ceiling? Where he had hidden himself. He greeted Afiwapé, 225 And Afiiwap§ also greeted him. He asked whether Aftwapé found someone in the house, And Afiiwapé said he found someone 200T6 so wi pé o jerdun nf egbaafa. Afinwapé nf slgbon din ti san owé nda o. 230 Ni Ajala ba dapé Ibw6 Afuwapé. bi i pé kin 16 waa se. Aftwapé ni dun wa yanri ni, ‘Ni Ajalé ba ma un, O ni k6 kalo. 235 Nigba ti 6 ya, Won dé ibi ti Ajald mo ori si. Won bé dkanlérigha or nibé. Ni Ajala ba ju 9pé irin si Okan, Nie 16 bu pas. 240 Ajala ni, “O d tii, Byiun 9 daa.” 6 tin ti ekeji, ju dpé itin sti, Byiun naa tin bi pee. 245 Ajala ni éyiun nda > daa. Ni wOn ba tan kaakiri Titi ti Ajald fi ri Okan, tin ju Opa irin si dun nda, iin kang6 kangé, koro koro. 201230 240 245 Who said that you (Ajai) owed him twelve thousand cowries. Afiwapé said he had paid off the money. Ajala then thanked Afiwapé, And asked him what he wanted Afawapé said that he had come to select an Ori. Ajala then took him, And asked him to come along. 5 After some time, They got to Ajala’s store-house of Ori. ‘They found two hundred-and-one®® Ori there. Ajala threw his iron rod at one, And that one broke into pieces. Ajald said, “Don’t you see? That one is not good”. He saw another one, And threw his iron rod at it. ‘That one also broke into pieces. Ajit said, “That also is not good”. So, they went on searching, Until Ajala saw one, And he threw his iron rod at that one as well. Tt gave a loud and sonorous sound. 202250 255 260 265 270 © tin gbée, 0 jut mole, O yi gbiiri. L6 ba gbé e fin Afdwapé. Afuwapé ni sé éyi 19 daa? Ajala L6 ba Kori sna dde istilay O kit dig kd déde isdlayé ni ojo ba dé. Béé ni itad Koro koro ni ori n Nigba ti Afuwapé dél L6 ba bere sif se Ow, 6 si je Opdlopd ere. O aire nj Anité O kélé, 6 kaas 6 ni dpdlopd aya, 6 si bimo Idpdlopd pala. K6 bisse gada, Ko Ni won 4 yé nigba ti 6 délé ayé. yé tin, 4 fi joy’ Orisanmi. 203250 255 260 265 270 He then took it, ‘And threw it on the bare ground, He gave it to Afiwapé. Afuwapé asked whether that was a good one. Ajalé said it was good. Afawapé then fixed it-on the head, And started to go towards the earth, Just as he was about to get to the earth, it started to rain. ‘The rain was very heavy, And it beat Afitwapé so much that he was almost deaf. As the rain was beating Aftwapé’s Ori, The rain particles were dropping off. The Ori was quite intact when he arrivéd on the earth. When Afawapé eventually got to the earth, He started a trading business, And he made a lot of profit. He had enough of good things. He built a house, and furnished it with decorated doors. He had many wives, And he had many children as well. After some time, And in due course, He was honoured with the title of Orfsanmi, 1275 285 Nigba ti Orisééki, emo Ogun, Ati Orilééméré, ome Tja, fof kan Afiwapé, Para ni w6n bi sékiin: Won ni, “N 9 mobi oléri gbé yanri 0, Mibé Id yan témi. N 6 mobi Afwapé yanri 0, Mba Id yan t8mi.” Afuwapé ndaa si d& won Iéhin wi pé : “Q mobi oldti gbé yanri 0, O ba 1d yan tie. Q 9 mobi Afuwapé yanri o, © ba 19 yan tie. Tbikan néa la ti gbé yanri o, Kadaré 9 papd ni”. 205275 280 285, ‘kui, the son of Ogan, mere, the son of Ija, saw Afiwapé, They burst into tears. They said, “I don’t know where the lucky ones chose their Ori, T would have gone there to choose mine. I don’t know where Afinwapé chose his Ori, I would have gone there to choose mine.” Afiiwipé answered and said, “You don’t know where the lucky ones chose Oni, You would have gone there to choose your own, You don’t know where Afiwap§ chose his Ori, You would have gone there to choose your own. We chose our Ori from the same place, But our destinies are different.” 206aaa 10. i NOTES Oristéki. A personal name the meaning of which is obscure. Oril8émarz. Another personal name with obscure meaning. ja. Name of a minor Yoruba god. Afinwpg. Another personal name. Ajalé. A common Yoruba personal name. The loud noise mentioned here must have been produced by the hitting of irgké (carved ivory or wooden object of Ifa) on the divining board. The If dvination instruments were used to touch Afinwapé’s head so as to communicate the wishes of his Ori to the Ifa instruments through which Qrdnmila acting as a spokesman of Ori would reveal the latter’s wishes to the client. Ogbéyéni. One of the minor two hundred and forty Odu, Its actual name is Ogbégimda, that isa combination of Ogbé on the right and Oginda on the left. The ceiling of a traditional Yoruba building is made of mud spread over a wooden base. It is usually solid enough to hold most household implements which are kept there. It is also solid enough to hold a man repairing the roof or men- ding any part of the ceiling itself. ‘The number two hundred and one is commonly mentioned in Yoruba mythology. The number of gods in the Yoruba pantheon is variously put at two hundred and one or four hundred and one. Orisanmi. A personal name or name of a title which means Ori has rewarded meabundantly’’. 207