OULKOUMI DIVINE UNIFICATION (ODU):

MOVEMENT OF EGUN, ORISA, AND IFA, ETC.

BY;
Ayaba OshaBi Awodele Ifaseye
Ayaba Eegungbemi Ifapounka

June 16th, 2010

P.O. Box 140932

Gainesville , Fl. 32608
Copyright June 16th, 2010
All rights reserved

THE MOVEMENT FOR NEW WORLD ORDER

Two brothers become enemies, one odu properly reminds humanity that two brothers (Lukumi
and Traditionalist systems) who are born from the same womb (Yoruba), become enemies, due to
envy, greed, ego, and political dogma. This has brought division and rapture among friends,
families, and communities. The old ancient ancestors are angry and the messenger - Esu Odara is
toggling his head so fast; until now it appears to have two faces. Yet, the brothers continue to
fight over childish principles, watered-down, fragmented and created rituals.
Suddenly, one day a creed for a divorce is publicly post. Lukumi says .......devotees [but] are
incompatible with each other (Lele). As the Traditionalist draw the race card to explain the
incompatibility. Nevertheless, .the worst part of it is that those fellows who speak about false
consciousness .. are all totally preconditioned (Odeyemi). For instance the moon and sun
(two gourd halves) as a whole are the characteristics stepping out of the shadows of dogmatic
humanity into a higher dimension. While Lukumi says that they are a separate entity from their
Mother ( Africa ) by their actions; Traditionalist say something very different in thought, yet their
actions agrees with the Lukumi groups decree.
Despite the fact that the two subgroups of the Yoruba religion and culture disagree over who is
right and who is wrong; they both share a deep concern over the spread of the Orisa and Ifa
religious development in the world, as well as their practices. Nevertheless, both have failed to
bring a spiritual wholeness, ethnicity, evolution, and quantum leap for the growing pains of the
culture and its practices. The Lukumi refuse to accept the brotherly love, evolution and ideology,
while the Traditionalist perform racial cat calls with his new titles against various populations in
the world who didnt have the money for a weekend trip to Africa, just to suck the dribbling milk
that still drips from the mothers breast ( Africa ).
Few have spear-headed a new world beginning toward the spreading of Egun, Orisa, and Ifa, or
ancestral original thought and spiritual fulfillment which suggest a new outlook at the concept of
the tradition, contemporary African culture, and spiritual evolution. Further, ..they cannot see
that they have totally failed to make the leap: to take Yoruba (If) religion on the same level as
any system of belief in the world (Odeyemi).

Firstly, in reference to the odu Ejiogbe 1:36 (says), [that] the basis for understanding the
beginning and end of all things (Odeyemi) is the essence of life. It means simply that Lukumi
and Traditionalist have either forgotten the laws of creation or they have never learned it (for
say). Although[t] the rituals and consecration practiced in Lukumi religion and in the so-called
Traditional Yoruba religion share ethnic, cultural, and geographical origins, [our] practices differ
considerably (Lele). However, Lukumi states Those priests ordained in the Lukumi Religion
that for whatever reason wish or are desirous to be ordained by and/or convert to the practices of
the Traditional Yoruba Religion will abandon and renounce any and all rights hierarchical and
practical within the Lukum Religious system (Lele) has forced their now orphans to develop
a new way of life Oulkoumi Divine Unification (ODU): movement of egun, Orisa, Ifa, etc.
Meanwhile, Ayaba OshaBi Awodele Ifaseye and Ayaba L'Ade 'Orun Eegungbemi Ifapounka have
evolved to addressed the difference between Lukumi and Traditional people. We, along with
many others who are caught-up in the disparities of the two sides, are looking at the fact that
neither side has addressed the evolution of the average people who are seeking guidance from
both the Lukumi and Traditional systems. The people being referred to consist of, for instance,
the family that has an initiated Lukumi grandma and a proud son that is Yoruba initiated ... this is
a mixed family. The separation can only result in the destruction of the families who this
category of sharing cultures from both systems... Therefore, As a result of seeing such disparity,
OshaBi put forth an announcement in retrospect to the announcement of the right and left wing
religious wingers (Lukumi and Traditionalist) for a new spiritual movement (religious order) to
be wed in a marriage between the daughters of lukumi and traditionalist ancestors. Together they
have this birth called Oulkoumi Divine Unification (ODU aka American Ifa): movement of
egun, orisa, ifa, etc., established on June 16th, 2010, announcing that it is a single cell entity that
gives pride and acceptance to the average spiritual religious person who has sort to established
her/his self in both practices as well as who is a part of the evolution and religious tolerance
movement (ODU), fostering love, respect, and unity. The midwife of ODU is IyaMi who
delivered and recognized the spiritual concerns of families, children, and the evolution to the
religion at hand and who cconnects the two religious systems with understandings of the secrets
of time, space and motion with a goal of being to afford each human being the destiny of

purifying and igniting the intelligent to touch the DIVINE spirit that is infinite. In order to attain
this goal, one must begin by respecting and accepting differences and develop a spiritual protocol
sanctioned by Olodumare and not man. This will include, restoring the building of egun and orisa
egbes with unity and harmony as the forefront spirit. This witness by ALL the Mothers and
African slaves and their ancestors who were lost and forgotten at sea and now who sits with
Olokun crowned and staffed by Olodumare; whereupon, sanctioned by the Egungun sent by
Olodumare, that sat at her feet Oshun holds the foundation through divination and receiving the
odu Ose Tura as Esu open the road with ire for ODU's birth..
Oulkoumi-Divine Unification (ODU) Movement:
Oulkoumi-Divine Unification (ODU) Movement came about to set a dynamic example of divine
unification; of how many branches can occupy the same tree and flourish together, of how a bird
can fly with two wings only. ODU is here to exercise the religious freedom of the ancestors, the
captured slaves, the veins that were taken from their root, Africa. Like the ancestors who came
before us during the slave trade, ODU, practices are inclusive of several of the African religions,
which were passed on by the ancestors who came from different parts of Africa. ODU is the
reflection of the spiritual traditions that influenced the other's roots in new and foreign lands.
Each ancestral group had their own way of living and worshipping of the deities but ultimately
they worshiped a supreme being, no matter the name or the language used in that worship. ODU
is here to unify these families together again; co-existing in harmony.
ODU & Its Roots:
ODU has it roots in various ancestral groups that were brought to the new world during the slave
trade; such as, Yoruba , Congo , Dahomey , Mandinka, Takua, Kissi, Calabar and others. Of all
the groups brought over from Africa, the Yoruba, Congo and Dahomey slaves merged their
beliefs and practices so close that today many of us in the Diaspora argue over the origins of
these practices while embracing them and claiming them as our own. Some slaves adopted
and/or merged their accumulative African roots with that of the slave owners religions, resulting
in new forms of interaction with their deities mixed with that of Catholic Saints, e.g.
Santeria/Lukumi, Voodoo, Candoble; etc. On the other hand, some roots such as the Dahomean
tradition barely survived in what is today termed "Arara" due to their refusal to merge or convert

to Christianity thus being unable to openly honor their ancestor's in spiritual freedom; while the
Bantu practices became what is referred to as "Palo," "Palo Monte," or "Palo Mayombe," and the
Caraval tribe, became known as the mens secret society "Abakua."
Why ODU:
Oulkoumi-Divine Unification (ODU) is what the Ancestors want to see happen among their
descendants. In fact, Oulkoumi was a word used to describe the West Africans of Nigeria before
the colonials came and renamed the people of several West |African states "Yoruba," while they
sold many into slavery and stole the land. The name Oulkoumi which means "tribesmen/women"
(people) had been lost over time since the word Yoruba came to be. The Yoruba were not a
homogeneous people, and their religious practices varied a bit from region to region. Some
towns and guilds were dedicated to specific Orishas. Priests knew the secrets of their crowning
Orisha but not necessarily of other Orishas, because they only received that one Orisha in their
initiation. This is still the practice of the Traditional Yoruba Religion of today. In Cuba, however,
slaves from different regions of Africa were mixed together and they began sharing their
practices with each other to ensure that the secrets of specific Orishas did not disappear. So
today, in the Lukumi system, a priest is crowned to one Orisha but receives several others during
the initiation and may receive even more over time which is very expensive.
Therefore, ODU asserts the right by virtue of the ancestral practices of the motherland and those
ancestors who were captured during the slave trade, to "crown" one Orisha "direct" to a person's
head. This method wills eliminate the extensiveness and expense of the initiation while
maintaining the essence of a particular Orisha. This method of initiation will be done by the laws
of Odu divination. This method will help to ease the financial hardships associated with
receiving several Orishas at a time as done in the Lukumi religion. It will also foster mastering
the knowledge of a single orisha; the Orisha of one's head. This method insures that the person
has the secrets of the Orisha initiated to and all rights and privileges that come with it to include
giving that same Orisha to another person as is often times is not a right given when done in
Africa. Further, Orishas may also be given indirectly to a person in some cases as is mandated by
Odu-divination or during one's Ita (life reading) and as is done in both Lukumi and Traditional
Yoruba religious systems and are received by that person as "Washed Orisha" without the rights

to give what they have received to another, but to use solely for themselves with certain
restrictions.
ODU & Oral Tradition & Divination:
ODU is in some respects follows an oral tradition as well as a written one. Orally, the stories has
last for centuries upon centuries by being passed on to you by those elders who were initiated
before you and through your subsequent initiation and dictation to the deities as well as by
copied hand written information and notes given by the elders over time. However, the main
written aspect of which ODU will rely on comes in the form of Odu-divination and reference to
sacred scripts. Most learning will however take place by watching and listening during
ceremonies. It is like on-the-job-training. Those people who are identified by Odu-divination as
having an affinity to certain aspects of worship; for example, singing, drumming, the herbs or the
rituals themselvesare taken under the wing of an elder and trained as long as one is dedicated
to learning.
In conclusion, the fragmentations (separation) in our beautiful religion have allowed ignorance to
overcome bliss, resulting in outright chaos. It was like a beautiful decorated porcelain bowl or
cup which hits the ground and breaks into a thousand pieces. Each piece razor sharp just as the
next piece, to slice and cut the veins and nerves of an individual's soul, leaving no doubt that it
was not dull. Nonetheless, the Lucumi and Traditionalist - Yoruba Diaspora religious unity
outlook was looking dull as their tongues have became razor sharp, fighting over ritual practices,
rites, protocol, ranks, and creation. For unity we did not stand, so divided we all fell; as Lukumi
bled their hearts out that .All priests and devotees of the Traditional Yoruba Religion may
attend our public events and ceremonies as long as they act and carry themselves in a cordial,
civil, and ethical manner. They shall not proselytize or employ coercive or pejorative methods or
propaganda that would be considered offensive to our religious legacy, inasmuch as that would
give motive to request that they cease and discontinue such behavior or communication (Lele).
Therefore, the spirit of the sun has not been seen for a while; the spirit of the moon has been
hidden behind the dark clouds from our (their) mistakes. Yet, Olodumares eyes and ears have
not been closed from the cries of world; hence, she waits for us to awake and step out into the
light from the darkness. The air that we breathe spreads plague among the people who seeks

spiritual guidance, only to breathe the toxins of this division between the brothers. The process
continues to haunt the various caverns of the human heart and drains the core of a human soul.
Meanwhile, Olodumare still waits patiently for her children to change to gain freedom and
remove the negative force upon this religion out of the way. We now have a solid foundation and
not hollow grounds for our religion/culture houses to build on. ODU provides a new network of
priest, priestesses and devotees who are willing to learn. It provides opportunities to become
spiritually connected to Egun, Orisa and Ifa and to reach the level of purity and humility that is
necessary for human evolution.

Work cites:
1. Brennan Vickil. New Book Examine Yoruba Religion in Nigeria and the Diaspora. 2005. All
Africa Global Media. June 2010. <http://allafrica.com/stories/200506080608.html>
2. Megenney, William W. "The fate of some sub-Saharan deities in Afro-Latin American cult
groups." University of California , n.d. Web. 26 June 2010.
<http://lasa.international.pitt.edu/members/congress-papers/lasa2000/files/Megenney.PDF>.
3. Round Recorders. Afro-Cuban A Musical Anthology 1994
<http://www.ewo.com/~lucumi/history.htm>
4. Johnson James Bishop Rev. and Cole Abayomi JA. Appendix: At the Back of the Black
mans mind. July 2010. <http://www.palo.org/palo/bmm/appendix.html>
5. Lele Ochani. Accord of the Oba Oriates of South Florida RATIFIED Jun9th, 2010. June 11,
2010. Facebook notes. Florida June 11th, 2010. <http://ochanilele/.lit.org/wordpress/?p=1034>
6. Odeyemi Idowu. Ifa: What it is June 2008. , International Council For Ifa Religion. PDF
Open Letter <ochabi_whitedove@yahoo.com>