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IFISM -The Complete Works of Orunmila

was prepared to take his threat seriously, Esu withdrew from the meeting. There after
Orisa-Nia told the other divinities to be prepared for his feast at the next meeting.

On the appointed day, Orisa-Nia had prepared an elaborate feast of inexhaustible

food and drinks, and the table was set. As soon as they were all assembled, Orisa-Nia
brought out kolanuts to pray. As he was breaking the kolanuts, there was screaming,
yelling, and hysteria from Orisa-Nia's harem. Two of his young children had been
attacked by convulsion and before help could reach them, they died. The feast was
subsequently abandoned, giving way to gloom and misery.

At the next meeting, it was the turn of Ogun, and the same incident was repeated as
the host lost two children to convulsion, which subsequently disrupted the feast from
materializing. The incident was repeated in the homes of Olokun, Sango, and Osanyin
until it came to the turn of Orunmila. Before embarking on his feast,Orunmila made
divination and was told to make the sacrifice with a he-goat and the bronze images of
a man, the lead casting of a woman, and the mud images of male and female rabbits.
He was advised to deposit the images on the shrine of Esu and to shed the blood of
the he-goat on them. After making the sacrifice, he proceeded to prepare for his feast.

Once again as soon as the divinities were assembled, Orisa-Nia was splitting the
kolanuts when an uproar was heard from the backyard of Orunmila's house. Two of
his children, a boy, and a girl had developed convulsions, but as soon as the divinities
came out to see them, the children sneezed and became well. Esu had meanwhile
relieved them of the convulsion in deference to the sacrifice he made. At the same
time, they saw the bronze image of the man dancing with the lead image of the
woman while the mud images of male and female rabbits were also dancing at the
rubbish dump (Etitan or Otiku) at the back of Orunmila's house. While they were
watching the mysterious images, Esu invited fowls and goats to destroy the food
prepared for the feast which thus became a non-event

At that point, Esu reappeared to renew his boast that unless they all conceded
seniority to him by inviting him to start the feasting, none of them would succeed in
hosting one effectively There being no other option left. Esu. was invited to host the
next feast.