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14ogbe Irete Ingles
14ogbe Irete Ingles
14ogbe Irete Ingles
Ogbe-Tete
Ogbe-Ate
1. Ifa says that if this Odu is revealed during Ikosedaye or Itenifa, this
person, before coming from heaven to earth, was promised that his/her
home would never spoil on earth. He/she was assured that he/she
would be happy and contented together with all the members of his/her
household. For this to happen, Orunmila himself has promised to take
proper care of his/her life and household for him/her. He/she also needs
to be initiated into Ifa together with all his/her household.
Ifa advises this person to offer ebo with 4 rats, 4 fish, 2 hens, 2
pigeons, 2 guinea fowls, 2 roosters, and money. He/she also needs to
feed Ifa with a male pig. On these aspects, Ogbe-Ate says:
When the Akapo was coming to the world, he chose to be an Ifa devotee
for the rest of his life. Consequent upon this, Orunmila made it a point of
duty to protect the Akapo together with all the members of his family
throughout their lives. The Akapo was confronted with several problems,
both physical and spiritual, but Orunmila stood solidly behind him and
ensured that the Akapo overcame all the problems. The lives of the
Akapo and his entire household also improved tremendously. The Akapo
did not have to worry about any problem in his life or household.
Translation:
Eye nii we’ri, the Awo of Aanu
The dove does not resemble the palm-frond, the Awo of Ijero hills
Ara fidi suku, the Awo of Oloye-moyin
The man as sturdy as the metal axe-blade
And as massive as the fetus of a buffalo
The brave leopard is the one which kills the hunting dog
Right in the presence of the hunter
This was Ifa’s message for the indigenes of Ijebu-mure
Ogbonkan nida the owners of the broad sword
Those who spread iron on their Ogun shrine
Ifa declares that there is one herb on the farm
Ogbongbontileyo herbs, Olongo birds will be heavy in weight
And the uninitiated ones will undergo initiation rites
This was Ifa’s message for Orunmila
Who would never allow the home of his Akapo to turn into ruins forever
and ever
He was advised to offer ebo
He complied
Before long, not too far
Join us in the midst of joy
Come and perceive all ire of life
Ifa says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed shall be blessed
with all ire of life. He/she shall also have the protection and guidance of
Orunmila in all aspects of his/her life together with those of all the
members of his/her household.
2. Ifa says that it foresees all ire of life for the person for whom this Odu is
revealed. He/she shall become a respectful and respectable leader. He
shall be accorded his/her due honor and glory.
Ifa advises this person to offer ebo with plenty of bananas and money.
He/she is also expected to feed his/her Ifa with plenty of bananas. On
this aspect, Ifa says:
Sapata sale
Sale Sapata sairo
Sairo lo bi Oganle-ganku
Oganle-ganku to lo bi Oganlejin-Aluye
Oganlejin-Aluye lo bi Olomo Oluwowontiwo
Olomo Oluwowontiwo lo bi Olomo Oluwowontiwo
Olomo Oluwowontiwo lo bi Olomo sii-Obiliki
Olomo sii-Obiliki lo bi Ajeleti
Aje waa leti
Aje o gbodo j’eran to leegun
Akankatan lomo de n kawo ekika
Aje e wole
E waa j’eran ogede
Eran ogede lawa n jee sun l’otu-Ife rere ile
Aya
E wo’le
E waa j’eran ogede
Omo
E wo’le
E waa j’eran ogede
Ile
E wo’le
E waa j’eran ogede
Ire gbogbo e wo’le
E waa j’eran ogede
Eran ogede lawa n jee sun l’Otu-Ife rere ile
Bojumo ba mo
Oorun a la googoogo
Ogbe-Ate se mi rabate ka’de ile yii
Bale ba le
Irawo a tan san-san-san
Ogbe-Ate se ni rabata ka-de ile yii
Dia fun Akapo
Ti yoo d’eni apesin leeri aye
Ebo ni won ni ko waa se
Translation:
Sapata sale
And Sale Sapata Sairo
Sairo was the one who begot Oganle-ganku
Oganle-ganku gave birth to Oganlejin-Aluye
Oganlejin-Aluye begot Olomo Oluwowontiwo
Olomo Oluwowontiwo gave birth to Olomo Sii-Obiliki
Olomo Sii-Obiliki begot Ajeleti
Truly, Aje (the wealth divinity) has ears to hear
Aje must never eat any flesh with bones
Aje, please enter my house
Come and consume the flesh of bananas
It is banana flesh that we eat as super
At Otu-Ife, our origin
The money that a child counts with ekika leaves
Is uncountable for the child
Spouse, come to my home
Come and consume banana flesh
Children, come to my home
Come and consume banana flesh
Property, come to my home
Come and consume banana flesh
All the Ire of life come to my home
Come and consume banana flesh
When the day breaks
The sun will shine brightly
Ogbe-Ate, please make me great throughout this land
During the night time
The stars twinkle gloriously
Ogbe-Ate, please make me great throughout this land
These were Ifa’s message to the Akapo
Who would become a respected leader throughout the world
He was advised to offer ebo
The Akapo was very hard-working and at the same time very ambitious.
He had great ideas about how he wanted his life to be. He planned to be
among the highest people in his community, his region, his country, and
even on earth. He worked toward actualizing his dreams. He prayed daily
and at the same time worked diligently to actualize his dreams.
One day, the Akapo went to the home of the group of Awo mentioned
above to find out exactly how to go about actualizing his ambitions in life.
During Ifa consultation, Ogbe-Ate was revealed. The Awo told the Akapo
that even though he had a securely tall ambition, he would nonetheless
be able to actualize his dreams of becoming one of the greatest people of
his time in life. He was told to continue to work hard and pray to
Olodumare and all the divinities to answer his prayers. He was also
advised to offer ebo with plenty of ripe bananas and money. He was also
advised to feed Ifa with bananas. He complied. After this, the Awo
prepared a special soup for him with bananas, imi-ojo (sulfur), and irawo
oke (beetles). The three materials were then pounded together and mixed
with soup. The soup was given to him to bathe with.
A short while after this was done the profile of the Akapo began to shoot
up. He became known and respected from far and near. Before long, he
became a decision maker in his community. His reputation as a great Ifa
adept and decision maker spread like wild fire. Several people began to
seek his opinion and advice on many and many issues. People would
travel across several lands and languages to seek his counseling. The
world knew and recognized the Akapo as one of the best and one of the
most honorable people that ever lived.
Sapata sale
Sale Sapata sairo
Sairo lo bi Oganle-ganku
Oganle-ganku to lo bi Oganlejin-Aluye
Oganlejin-Aluye lo bi Olomo Oluwowontiwo
Olomo Oluwowontiwo lo bi Olomo Oluwowontiwo
Olomo Oluwowontiwo lo bi Olomo sii-Obi liki
Olomo sii-Obiliki lo bi Ajeleti
Aje waa leti
Aje o gbodo j’eran to leegun
Akankatan lomo de n kawo ekika
Aje e wole
E waa j’eran ogede
Eran ogede lawa n jee sun l’out-Ife rere ile
Aya
E wo’le
E waa j’eran ogede
Omo
E wo’le
E waa j’eran ogede
Ile
E wo’le
E waa j’eran ogede
Ire gbogbo e wo’le
E waa j’eran ogede
Eran ogede lawa n jee sun l’Otu-Ife rere ile
Bojumo ba mo
Oorun a la googoogo
Ogbe-Ate se mi rabate ka’de ile yii
Baile ba le
Irawo a tan san-san-san
Ogbe-Ate se ni rabata ka-de ile yii
Dia fun Akapo
Ti yoo d’eni apesin leeri aye
Ebo ni won ni ko waa se
O gb’ebo, o ru’bo
Ko pe, ko jinna
E waa ba ni ni jebutu ire gbogbo
Jebutu ire gbogbo la aba ni lese Obarisa
Translation:
Sapata sale
And Sale Sapata Sairo
Sairo was the one who begot Oganle-ganku
Oganle-ganku gave birth to Oganlejin-Aluye
Oganlejin-Aluye begot Olomo Oluwowontiwo
Olomo Oluwowontiwo gave birth to Olomo Sii-Obiliki
Olomo Sii-Obiliki begot Ajeleti
Truly, Aje (the wealth divinity) has ears to hear
Aje must never eat any flesh with bones
Aje, please enter my house
Come and consume the flesh of bananas
It is banana flesh that we eat as super
At Otu-Ife, our origin
The money that a child counts with ekika leaves
Is uncountable for the child
Spouse, come to my home
Come and consume banana flesh
Children, come to my home
Come and consume banana flesh
Property, come to my home
Come and consume banana flesh
All the Ire of life come to my home
Come and consume banana flesh
When the day breaks
The sun will shine brightly
Ogbe-Ate, please make me great throughout this land
During the night time
The stars twinkle gloriously
Ogbe-Ate, please make me great throughout this land
These were Ifa’s message to the Akapo
Who would become a respected leader throughout the world
He was advised to offer ebo
He complied
Before long, not too far
Join us in the midst of all ire of life
In the midst of all ire of life
Do we find devotees at the feet of Ifa
Ifa assures the person for whom this Odu is revealed that he/she will be
blessed with honor, respect, elevation, and all other ire of life. He/she
shall be counted among the greatest people who had ever lived in his/her
time.
3. Ifa assures the person for whom this Odu is revealed that he/she will be
so wealthy, that several people will be praying to Olodumare and all the
divinities to make them as successful as this person.
Ifa promises that the door of prosperity shall be opened wide for the
person for whom this Odu is revealed. He/she shall not lack any of the
great things of life.
Ifa advises this person to offer ebo with 4 pigeons and money. After
this, he/she needs to procure plenty of Ipin leaves, Isa grains, Esuru
pupa, emile and pound the four items together. The mixture will then be
mixed with soap. This stanza will be recited into the soap. One pigeon
will be slaughtered and blood will be mixed with soap. After this, the
soap will be handed over to the person for whom this Odu is revealed for
bathing. On this, Ifa says:
Ola ta ka
Ola ra ka
Ola takara ngbada
Ola nii mo’le Olu
Orunmila lo mo’le Oloja a takangun
Ola lo mo’le Alaafin Oyo
Ni won gbo’yin i re kale aye peregede
Orunmila o to gege
Ki won o gbo’yin temi ninu u Babalawo
Bosu ba le
Apa a re n Ka’run ni
Ipin lo ni ki won o pin’re temi fun mi
Isa lo ni ki won o sa’re temi fun mi
Akole-akale ni Oosa maa n kawo esuru
Towo-towo l’emile n so
Dia fun Akapo
Tifa o sile’kun ola a re fun kari aye
Ebo ni won ni ko waa se
Translation:
The Akapo’s ambition was not limited to his locality alone. He planned to
dominate everywhere he went. He was after two things in his life: Honor
and Prosperity. He was prepared to use all legitimate means to get both.
For this reason, he worked hard, prayed, and was hopeful. He was
convinced that he would have both. He travelled far to acquire knowledge.
It was through his acquisition of knowledge that he was able to speak
several languages and dialects. Anywhere he went, he left behind a
lasting impression and a reputation of being an adept and competent
Babalawo in the hands of the people. Yet, he was not fully satisfied that
he had done enough. This drove him to look for more and more
knowledge. It caused him to travel everywhere.
One day, he went to the home of the group of Awo mentioned above to
determine how his level of success would be in life. During Ifa
consultation, Ogbe-Ate was revealed.
The Awo told him that no matter how versatile a person he might be in
any field of life, the most important aspect was the support of the
divinities. They told the Akapo that it was only those whose efforts were
crowned with success that could only say that they had accomplished
anything in their lives. They therefore advised the Akapo to offer ebo as
stated above in order for the divinities to crown all his efforts with
success. Hearing this, the Akapo complied with the ebo immediately.
After this, a special soap was prepared for him to use.
After these had been done, that was when those who considered the
Akapo a great Awo began to consult him for Ifa assignments. They began
to patronize him to work for them. They also took along their friends,
acquaintances, and loved ones along with them to the home of the
Akapo. Before long, the door of honor and prosperity was opened for the
Akapo. That was when he was able to count his success and give thanks
and praises to Olodumare and all the divinities.
Ola ta ka
Ola ra ka
Ola takara ngbada
Ola nii mo’le Olu
Orunmila lo mo’le Oloja a takangun
Ola lo mo’le Alaafin Oyo
Ni won gbo’yin i re kale aye peregede
Orunmila o to gege
Ki won o gbo’yin temi ninu u Babalawo
Bosu ba le
Apa a re n Ka’run ni
Ipin lo ni ki won o pin’re temi fun mi
Isa lo ni ki won o sa’re temi fun mi
Akole-akale ni Oosa maa n kawo esuru
Towo-towo l’emile n so
Dia fun Akapo
Tifa o sile’kun ola a re fun laari aye
Ebo ni won ni ko waa se
O gb’ebo, o ru’bo
Ko pe, ko jinna
E waa ba’ni ba’yo
E waa wo’re o
Translation:
Honor spreads about
Honor expands itself around
Honor sells akara balls to claim a sword
Honor is it that constructs the home of leaders
Orunmila is he who constructed the home of merchandise leaders
Honor is it that built the home of the Alaafin of Oyo
And his reputation spread across the world
Ifa, it is high time
For people to hear my reputation among Babalawo
When the moon appears
Its influence is felt in heaven
Ipin is it that authorizes that my ire should be given to me
And isa authorizes that my ire should be given to me accordingly
It is with interest that Oosa counts the proceeds of Osuru
With money does emile germinate
Scarcity of wealth cannot affect emile
Ogbe-Ate, please open the door of prosperity for me
With money does emile germinate
These were Ifa’s declarations for the Akapo
Who Ifa would open the door of prosperity for all over the world
He was advised to offer ebo
He complied
Before long, not too far
Come and join us in the midst of joy
Come and see all ire of life
Ifa says that this person shall move from obscurity to prominence and
shall give thanks to Olodumare, Ifa and all the divinities.
4. Ifa says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed shall be rewarded
with two great blessings. These are the Ire of prosperity and compatible
spouse.
Ifa advises this person to offer ebo with 4 rats, 4 fish, 2 hens, 2 guinea
fowls, two roosters, and money. After this, there is the need to procure
an Osunsun tree together with a broom made with palm-fronds. The two
will be tied together to sweep the floor of the house of the person for
whom this Odu is revealed. On this, Ifa says:
Translation:
Orunmila was told that even though he was experiencing some measure
of hardship at the material point in life, such an experience would
nonetheless give way to comfort and contentment. He was told that Ifa
would reward him with two great blessings before long. He was urged to
continue to think good, speak the truth, and act properly. He was also
advised to offer ebo as stated above. Orunmila could not afford the
money. He nonetheless struggled to secure the money and ensured that
the ebo was offered accordingly.
Two months after the ebo had been offered the Oba of the land was
visited by a strange visitor. How could the Oba know that this visitor was
Esu Odara himself? Of course, he had no way of knowing. This visitor
told him that Orunmila had been performing wonderfully in the land. He
did not lay any emphasis on monetary reward. All that Orunmila was
after was the improvement of the quality of life in the land. Esu Odara
told the Oba that there was an urgent need to compensate such a person
who was ensuring success, joy, elevation, and progress in the land. He
told the Oba that Orunmila was poor and he had no wife of his own. Esu
said that it would be good if Orunmila was rewarded with a good spouse
and adequate money to take proper care of the woman. After much
deliberation, the Oba conceded to Esu Odara’s request. The Oba handed
over the hand of one of his daughters to Orunmila but not only this, he
gave him a galloping horse and a lot of money. Orunmila became rich
and successful in just one day!
Back at home, before he woke up in the morning, his water for bathing
was already in the bathroom, his food was already on the table; his
clothes were always neat and immaculate. The room was regularly swept
and tidy. His environment was always neat. Thanks to the wife that he
was blessed with, he had no problem of how to feed his wife because he
was already a wealthy person. Life changed and improved for him.
Translation:
Ifa says that the blessings of money and spouse shall come together to
stay with the person for whom this Odu is revealed. Ifa advises him/her
to continue to work hard, do good, pray well, and be hopeful.
5. Ifa advises the person for whom this Odu is revealed to do good all the
time during his/her life. He/she must think, speak, and do good all the
time and under all circumstances. He/she must never contemplate evil at
anytime. Ifa warns this person to be kind and benevolent and never do
evil because of negative repercussions.
Ifa advises this person to offer ebo with 4 hens, 4 pigeons, 4 guinea-
fowls, 4 cocks, and money. He/she also needs to feed Ifa with a male
pig. On this, Ifa says:
Translation:
Sebisebi, he who looks after the welfare and well-being of his family was
coming from Orun (Heaven) to Aye. He went to choose his destiny at the
domain of Olodumare. His major concern was the elevation of every
member of his family. That was the principle assignment he chose for
himself as his Akunleyan. The assignment was endorsed for him by
Sensentisoro and it was inculcated into his destiny and handed over to
Ajala-mopin to include in his Ori. He was however warned that the fact
that he planned to do good at all times in his life must not prevent him
from ensuring that he defended himself against internal aggression or
external attacks. He was also advised that there was the need for him to
prevent any such attacks. They told him that doing so would guarantee
his living long and comfortably on earth. After this, Sebisebi moved from
Ajala-mopin’s residence and proceeded to complete other assignments in
the domain of Olodumare before moving to Ile-Aye.
Translation:
P’egbon P’aburo
K’ekun o le to gbogbo ara ile e sun
Dia fun Sikasika
O n rele Olodumare
Ebo ni won ni ko waa se
Translation:
When Sebisebi, Sarasara, and Sikasika arrived in Ile-Aye, they were born
into the same family. Sebisebi ensured the success and elevation of every
member of his family. Everyone was very happy, progressing, and truly
ambitious. Sarasara on the other hand ensured the progress of his
neighborhood, friends, extended family members, associations,
acquaintances, loved ones, and the community as a whole. It did not
take too long before everyone recognized the two of them as progressive
elements in the society. They were highly respected, adored, loved,
admired and hailed. These were the offenses they committed against
Sikasika. How can they be making people happy? The world was not
designed for people to be too happy, he reasoned. That was why Sikasika,
decided to put a stop to the joy of the people. He reasoned that the
fastest and most effective way to do this was to eliminate the two of them
together. By so doing, the pillars of support of the family and the society
would be broken. Sikasika loved this idea and he set out to work on it.
Sebisebi slept and had a bad dream. He went to the home of the Awo for
Ifa consultation. He was told that disaster loomed. He was then advised
to offer ebo and defend himself against the incoming calamity. Sebisebi
thought over and over about what the Awo told him. He agreed that
disaster loomed. He however did not understand the reason why he
should offer ebo since he was doing good for every member of his family.
He believed that he was doing what pleased Olodumare. Consequent
upon this, he saw no reason why he should offer ebo. He therefore
refused to heed the advice of the Awo.
Two days after this, Sebisebi slept peacefully in his room. In the dead of
the night, he heard a soft knock. He opened the door and he found
Sikasika standing in front of his door. He asked Sikasika to enter the
room. He did. Sikasika told his brother how life had been difficult for him
because people did not love him. He accused Sebisebi of being the cause
of his misfortunes and pointed out that if not for Sebisebi nobody would
hate him. Sebisebi explained himself but Sikasika did not accept any of
his explanation. When Sikasika realized that his brother’s wife was not at
home, he asked about her whereabouts in order to be very sure that the
woman was indeed not in the house. He told him that she had gone on a
business trip. That was the answer that Sikasika was waiting for.
Suddenly, he hit his brother with a big club he had hidden under his
clothing. Sebisebi turned back and looked at him in utter surprise and
agony. He hit him in the face and the temple. Sebisebi dropped dead.
Sikasika felt very elated. He congratulated himself for a job well done.
Nobody in the whole compound had heard any noise. He closed the door
of his brother’s room behind him and quietly returned to his own
quarters.
In the morning of the next day, everyone woke up except Sebisebi. When
they did not see him outside, they thought nothing of it. They believed he
must have gone to the forest to check his traps to see if any of them had
caught any animals. When they did not see him by mid-morning, they
decided to check up on him in his room. They found him in his room
stone dead.
This discovery made everyone cry in agony. They screamed in pain. The
news spread like wild fire. Everyone in the whole community was thrown
into grief and melancholy. People cried. They declared a seven day
mourning for him in his honor. While all this was going on, Sikasika
assumed the role of the chief mourner. He even threatened to kill
himself. He claimed that the loss was too much for him to bear. Everyone
began to pity him. He said that he would have preferred to be the person
who had died, instead of his brother. He cried and cried. Nobody ever
suspected that he was the one responsible for the death of his brother.
Two days after this, he dreamt that he saw somebody holding his throat
in order to choke him to death. He rushed to the home of the Awo
mentioned above for Ifa consultation. The Awo also told him that he
needed to offer ebo in order to ward off the impending death. He was told
to protect himself against painful and untimely disaster.
Sarasara too could not see any reason why he should offer any ebo. He
too felt that since he was doing everything that pleased Olodumare at all
times, he did not need any ebo for protection anymore. He therefore
refused to offer any ebo.
Three days after this, when only two days still remained for the morning
period in honor of Sebisebi to end, Sikasika went to meet Sarasara in his
room. He told him what he wanted the community to do in order to give
their departed brother a lasting but deserved final burial. They discussed
this for a long time. Sarasara then brought out a keg of palm wine from
his inner room and both of them settled down to drink. Sikasika was the
one who demanded for it and he insisted that the two of them must use
the same cup to drink. As they were drinking, Sikasika put his thumb
into the palm wine. His thumb was laden with a very lethal poison. He
had however used the antidote of the poison before coming into his
brother’s room. Within a few moments, Sarasara began to sweat
profusely. He started clutching his stomach. The poison was eating away
his stomach wall. It destroyed his kidneys, liver, intestines, and pancreas.
Soon after, he died.
Sikasika made sure that his brother did not breathe anymore. To make it
double sure, he used his two hands to seal up his nose and mouth for a
long moment. After this, he quietly left his brother’s room and went into
his own quarter.
The death of Sarasara was discovered in the evening. The whole family,
neighborhood, community, and society had something to grieve over. The
whole environment was thrown into a deep sorrow. Only the culprit,
Sikasika was secretly happy. He felt himself on top of the world. He
however pretended that the two deaths equally affected him too. What
made him really happy was not the ingenious ways he had killed his
siblings, but the ways he had been able to shift the blame and suspicion
away from himself.
The whole community grieved. Sikasika was the only one who grinned. In
the end, both Sebisebi and Sarasara were given decent final burials.
After this, Sikasika went totally berserk. He began to inflict maximum
pain on people. His wife and children were not spared. Before long, his
immediate family abandoned him. They ran away to a place they could
not be traced. The fear of Sikasika was the beginning of wisdom.
Everyone feared and loathed him. In his punishments, those who died
were better off than those who were left bed-ridden. Some lost their
sight, some lost their hearing, some lost their limbs, and many more lost
their manhood and womanhood. Despite all this, Sikasika lived to his old
age. He abhorred hearing that someone was planning a wedding, a
naming ceremony, or home-warming party. The family planning such
things would surely have something to grieve over. There was no family in
the whole community who did not have one tale of woe or the other to
tell. Sikasika continued to live on earth but he had no wife, no children,
no family members, or relatives. This did not seem to bother him at all.
Eventually, old age set in. He had no more power to do most of the things
he had been doing before. He could no longer fetch water for himself. He
would go without bathing for weeks. He would remain unwashed for
months. At a stage, he would urinate and pass feces right inside his
room. The whole quarter was filthy and stinking. Anyone who dared to go
in to assist him to clean up the place would return home with something
disastrous to nurse for a long, long time.
One day, Sikasika died. He died the way he had lived; wickedly. Nobody
noticed until they began to perceive unbearable odor from his room.
When they got there, they realized that dogs had begun to feast on his
corpse. Some able-bodied men were called to dig a hole and throw his
remains into it. That was how he was buried.
One day, Sebisebi planned to return to Ile-Aye. While he was going to get
ready for his journey, he was summoned by the Irunmole in heaven. He
was blessed and was told that since he had done well in his previous life,
it would be very well with him.
Soon after, Sarasara also planned to return to Ile-Aye because he and his
brother Sebisebi had not completed their assignments in Aye in their
previous lives. The Irunmole also summoned him and blessed him. They
also told him that since he had done well in his previous life on Aye, it
would also be very well for him.
Soon after this, Sikasika called on the sentries in heaven and begged
them to let him go back to Ile-Aye. He promised them that he would go
and do good on earth because he had learnt his lesson the bitter way.
The sentries would have none of that. They told him to finish with the
narration of his stories of wickedness, callousness, heartlessness, and
meanness first. The pain he had been suffering became even more
excruciating. He then screamed aloud saying:
E wi fun Sebisebi
Ko maa t’ebi re se o
E wi fun Sarasara o o
Ko maa t’ara re se o
Ika n be ni bode
To n ro’jo
Translation:
As he was saying this, nobody in Ogba-Itero could hear him. It was not
that they did not want to hear him. It was that hearing sounds of agony
and pain were longer their portion. The only things they could hear in
Ogba-Itero were good music, good news, and discussions that would
bring joy and comfort. Those were the things they deserved because they
had all paid their dues.
Translation:
With my right hand do I receive all ire in the domain of Olodumare
In the domain of Olodumare does one find them on a new Oore mat
And benevolent pillows
These were Ifa’s declarations for Sebisebi- He who caters for the welfare
of his family
When going to the domain of Olodumare
He was advised to offer ebo
With my left hand do I receive all blessings in the domain of Olodumare
In the domain of Olodumare does one find them on new oore mats
And benevolent pillows
These were Ifa’s declarations for Sarasara, he who looks after the well-
being of his fellows
When going to the domain of Olodumare
He was advised to offer ebo
Eliminate the elder along with the younger siblings
For the whole household to have something to cry over
These were Ifa’s declarations for Sikasika, the evil doer
When going to the domain of Olodumare
He was advised to offer ebo
Please tell Sebisebi
Let him continue to take care of his family
Please inform Sarasara
Let him continue to take care of his family
The wicked one is at the boundary
Still narrating his stories of wickedness
Ifa warns the person for whom this Odu is revealed never to think,
speak, or do evil lest it recoil on him/her at the end of his/her days on
earth.
6. Ifa advises the person for whom this Odu is revealed never to allow the
Egungun in his/her family lineage to go into ruins. He/she must ensure
that the Egungun festival is celebrated regularly and that all roles are
performed at each ceremony.
Ifa says that it foresees the ire of prosperity, spouse, child-bearing, and
all ire of life for the person for whom this Odu is revealed. Ifa says that
this person shall lack nothing in his/her life. Instead of lacking things,
their things shall be multiplied by the divinities.
Ti a ba ji ni kutukutu
Ti a ba ji ni felifeli
Ka tooro ohun lowo olohun
K’olohun o baa le bun’ni
K’olohun o baa le bun’niyan
Dia fun Orunmila
Ifa n loo t’orun se Eegun wa’le Aye
Nitori Aworonke aya a re o
Ebo ni won ni ko waa se
Translation:
The Awo told Orunmila that he had come because of the problem that
his wife was facing. He was told that his wife would be soon blessed with
the fruit of the womb if he could perform the ebo that Ifa had prescribed
for him. The Awo listed all the ebo materials as stated above. Orunmila
complied with the advice that same day.
That same month, Aworonke became pregnant and about ten lunar
months later, she gave birth to a bouncing baby girl. The baby was
named Awodola. Aworonke’s joy knew no bound.
Just like her mother, Eegungbola was also developing rapidly. She was
smart and intelligent. She was equally articulate and outspoken. She
however refused to worship her lineage’s ancestral Egungun. She
declared that she would rather worship other people’s ancestral
Egungun. Before long, all her things collapsed. She lost all what she had
ever acquired in her life. Her health deteriorated and her finances
disappeared. Tired of his type of living, she was advised to go for Ifa
consultation in order to find a solution to her problems. For this reason,
she went to the house of the following Awo.
Agbe pa sa
Agbe a r’okun
Aluko pa sa
Won a r’osa
Aasee bagebage kii fihun oro sarigbon lo
Dia fun Eegungbola
Tii somo Oloba-Abedu
Omo a ja tinntin b’omo le’nu
Igba ti o n se oun gbogbo
Ti okan o yori
Ebo ni won ni ko waa se
Translation:
Agbe took off
And went to the high seas
Aluko took off
And went to the lagoons
The awkward Aasee bird does not ignore
What will bring success
These were Ifa’s messages for Eegungbola
The daughter of Oloba-Abedu
The offspring of those who put tiny food
Into the mouths of their children
When she was doing all things
Without succeeding in anything
She was advised to offer ebo
The Awo told Eegungbola that all her ancestral Egungun were angry with
her for abandoning them. They could not understand why she wanted to
leave her ancestors and embrace other people’s ancestors. They said that
the only solution left for her was to return to embrace her ancestral
Egungun and to ensure that the Egungun did not go into ruins. They
told her that she must ensure that the costume of the Egungun was
repaired or mended. She must also ensure that all Egungun rites were
performed and that the Egungun was made to dance around the town.
She was equally advised to offer ebo as stated above. All these
Eegungbola did.
As soon as she did these things, her health improved, her fortune picked
up, and she got back on the track of success and accomplishment. She
became a great advocate of those insisting that the ancestral Egungun
must not be allowed to go into ruins or be abandoned for any reason
whatsoever.
Ti a ba ji ni kutukutu
Ti a ba ji ni felifeli
Ka tooro ohun lowo olohun
K’olohun o baa le bun’ni
K’olohun o baa le bun’niyan
Dia fun Orunmila
Ifa n loo t’orun se Eegun wa’le Aye
Nitori Aworonke aya a re o
Ebo ni won ni ko waa se
Agbe pa sa
Agbe a r’okun
Aluko pa sa
Won a r’osa
Aasee bagebage kii fihun oro sarigbon lo
Dia fun Eegungbola
Tii somo Oloba-Agbedu
Omo a ja tinntin b’omo le’nu
Igba ti o n se oun gbogbo
Ti okan o yori
Ebo ni won ni ko waa se
Ti a ba ji ni kutukutu
Tii a ba ji ni felifeli
Ka too ro ohun lowo olohun
Kolohun o baa le bun’ni
Kolohun o baa le bun’ni yan
Dia fun Orunmila
Ifa n loo t’orun se Egungun wa’le aye
Nitori Awonronke aya a re o
Ebo ni won ni ko se
E gb’ebo, o ru’bo
Nigbati yoo bi
O bi Awodola
Awodola waa dagba tan
O lo fe Oloba-Abedu
Omo aja tinntin b’omo le’nu
Igbati yoo bii
O bi Eegungbola
Eegungbola lo waa dagbe tan
O fo Eegun ile e baba re sile ni o ba
Nire n bo Eegun ile e baba onibaba
Nitean re e ba d’oju ru
O waa to qwon
Agbe pa sa
Agbe a r’okun
Aluko pa sa
Won a r’osa
Aasee bagebage kii fihun oro sarigbon lo
Dia fun Eegungbola
Tii somo Oloba-Agbedu
Omo a ja tinntin b’omo le’nu
Igba ti o n se oun gbogbo
Ti okan o yori
Ebo ni won ni ko waa se
O eb’ebo, o ru’bo
Nje e ma ma je ko ra o
Egungun Oloba
E ma ma je ko ra o
Translation:
7. Ifa says that it foresees the ire of longevity for the person for whom this
Odu is revealed. Ifa says that if this person is confronted with illness,
they are assured that they will not die. Ifa assures him/her that the
illness will disappear. The ebo offered will be for the ailment to disappear.
Ifa advises this person to offer ebo with three roosters and money. He/
she also needs to feed Ifa as appropriate by asking Ifa what Ifa wants.
After this, he/she is advised to keep an Ologbo (cat) as a pet. On this, Ifa
says:
Translation:
Orunmila was very ill. He was getting weaker and weaker by the day. All
medications he administered and those which his former students
administered on him were all ineffective. His friends were seriously
worried. His foes were jubilating. His friends and family were praying for
him to recover as quickly as possible. His foes were working hard to
ensure that he did not survive the ailment. They were the cause of the
ailment in the first place. They were the ones who sent him spiritual
arrows, which ended up poisoning and disorganizing his spiritual make-
up. That was why all the medications that had been given to him up to
that time had failed to work.
Why did they attack him? What was his offence? Simple, they were
envious of all his achievements. They found it difficult to understand why
he should be the only one whom everybody would be hailing and
adoring. They felt that it would be better for him to have something
serious but undesirable to nurse for the rest of his life on earth. They
were convinced that the ailment would divert his attention away from
giving assistance to others, and by so doing, all those who were hailing
him would stop doing so. They combined all their efforts together in
order to ensure that he was brought down unfailingly. Their efforts were
working and they were getting results.
When Orunmila realized that his efforts along with those of his well
wishers were not yielding results, he went for Ifa consultation in the
house of his former students mentioned above. He was particularly
interested in what to do to ensure that he regained his health and
vitality.
The Awo told Orunmila that he would surely regain his health. He was
advised to offer ebo as stated above. He complied. He was also instructed
to keep a cat as a pet. Orunmila did so.
As soon as he did what was instructed by the Awo, all the medications he
used began to work as he expected. The cat that he kept in his home also
helped in chasing away all the negative forces that had hitherto taken
permanent residence in his home. As he began to regain his strength and
health, his numerous enemies began to panic. When he became healthy,
his enemies were in total disarray. They had no joy. They became
frustrated and disillusioned. Their negative wishes for Orunmila were not
accepted by the divinities.
Baale meta, isu oole mefa
Ki mariwo o jeun ko yo
Dia fun Orunmila
Baba n s’ogbobo arun
Ifa n nara kaka ati dide
O n yi gbin-gbiri loju ina
Ebo ni won ni ko waa se
O gb’ebo, o ru’bo
Ko pe, ko jinna
E waa ba’ni laruuse ogun
Ajase ogun laa ba’ni l’ese Obarisa
Nje gbogbo ibi ti e ni o se mi
Ko lee se mi mo o
Ekun elekun l’ologbo o maa sun
Aawe alaawe l’ologbo o ma gba
Translation:
Ifa says that all the evil plans against the person for whom this Odu is
revealed shall have no effect on him/her. All those planning the evil shall
become frustrated and disillusioned.
8. Ifa assures the person for whom this Odu is revealed that he/she shall
not die in his/her youth. Ifa says that even if death is snatching away
his/her contemporaries, he/she shall be spared from untimely death.
Ifa says that this person is facing attacks from many quarters because of
his/her truthfulness. Ifa says that there planning evil against him shall
not succeed. He/she shall live to tell his/her story.
Ifa advises this person to offer ebo with 1 mature he-goat and money.
He/she also needs to bring one of his/her clothes, one rag, and some
ragged dried leaves from the banana tree. When the ebo is to be offered,
this person will wear the banana leaves and rags. He/she will then go to
place the ebo by the Esu shrine and remove the rag and the dried
banana leaves and place them on top of the Esu shrine as well. The
complete set of clothing they are offering will also be placed by Esu before
the client returns to the Awo in order to complete the ebo riru. On this,
Ifa says:
Translation:
One day, these conspirators recruited his wife to assist them in their bid
to kill him. Surprisingly, the wife agreed to cooperate with the
conspirators when she was offered an amount she could not resist. They
gave her all the things they wanted her to use to poison her husband.
They also gave her half of the money they had promised her to do the job.
Two days after, she got the money and the poison. She put it in her
husband’s food. The husband fell seriously ill the next day. They took
him from place to place, but there was no improvement. This is what
prompted him to seek a solution from Ifa. He went to the home of the
Awo mentioned above for Ifa consultation. Will I regain my health? Will I
escape death, which my friend’s Eesa, Aro, Ojomu and others did not
escape?
When he was carrying the ebo to the Esu shrine, Esu saw the way he
dressed and took pity on him. Esu decreed that no evil would befall him
again henceforth. He also ordered that all those who had perpetrated any
form of wickedness against him must be exposed and punished.
It all happened as Esu had decreed. The most shocking party of Ooto-
Aye-o-to was that of his wife. The wife met with serious calamity. She
confessed before she died a slow but painful death. He regained his
health and was grateful to Olodumare for the rest of his life.
Translation:
Ifa says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed shall be spared
from untimely death, ailment, and problems of adversity.
9. Ifa advises a female where this Odu is revealed to offer ebo against
premature death. Ifa says that this death is not from enemies; but rather,
it is coming from her Egbe in heaven. As this person is important and
needed on earth, so also is she needed among her Egbe in heaven. Ifa
says that his person is an Elegbe and an Abiku who had chosen as part
of her Akunleyan to die young.
Ifa warns this person not to wear blue clothing, for her children not to
wear them, not to use blue coverlets to wrap her body or the body of any
of her children.
Ifa advises this person to offer ebo with 1 mature he-goat, blue
clothing, a blue scarf, blue head wear, and money. She also needs to
feed Egbe with all edible fruits, honey, food, and so on. On this, Ifa says:
Translation:
Before she moved to the world, she was the leader of her Egbe in heaven.
Her leadership was excellent. She had left a vacuum which no other
member of her Egbe in heaven could fill. They longed to have her back. At
a stage, her Egbe in heaven could not wait any longer. They wanted her
as quickly as possible. For this reason, they sent a delegate to go to the
world to bring her back. The delegate was informed that she had a blue
scarf and blue head wear. As soon as they saw her with these items, they
must not wait any moment before bringing her back to heaven.
That very day, her parents had a dream which gave them cause for
anxiety. They rushed to the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifa
consultation. The Awo told them that death was hovering over the head
of their daughter. They were instructed to offer ebo with all blue dresses,
a blue scarf, blue colored head-wear, 1 mature he-goat and money. They
did. They were also advised to feed Egbe as stated above. They also
complied.
As soon as this was done, she no longer had the capability to go and
answer her Egbe in heaven any longer, except in her dreams. She was
performing her roles on earth. The moment all the blue clothing was
removed from her, she had no way of going back to her Egbe in heaven.
One day, the Egbe in heaven came as a group to appeal to her to follow
them back to heaven. She however explained to them that she had vowed
that she would take her blue scarf and head-wear along with her to
heaven when she would return, but unfortunately she could not get these
items anymore. She began to sing in a sorrowful manner, saying:
N o ri gele epa mo o o
N o ri gele
Ere Aye, ko so f’Eree Orun
N o ri gele epa mo o
N o ri iborun epa mo o
N o ri borun
Ere Aye, ko so f’Eree Orun
N o ri’borun epa mo o
Translation:
Translation:
The bark of the idi tree resembles a pangolin
This was the Ifa cast for the Ere of the world
And also for the Ere of heaven
They were advised to offer ebo
She complied
Before long, not too far
Join us where we enjoy longevity
Longevity guaranteed by Ifa is sweater than honey
Now, I cannot find my blue head-wear anymore
I cannot find my head-wear
I cannot find my blue head-wear anymore
I cannot find my head-wear
Let the Ere of earth, tell those in heaven
I cannot find my blue head-wear anymore
I cannot find my blue scarf anymore
I cannot find my scarf
Let the Ere on earth tell those in heaven
I cannot find my blue scarf anymore
Ifa says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed shall not be
allowed to die young. She will be spared from tasting untimely and
premature death.
10. Ifa says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed will not be
made to experience any negative repercussions on all his/her
undertakings. Ifa says that people will want him/her to experience
negative consequences on his/her utterances, thoughts, and actions but
it will never happen.
Ifa advises this person to offer ebo with 3 rats, 3 fish, 3 pigeons, 3
hens, 3 guinea fowls, 3 cocks, 3 snails, 3 tortoises, and money. The
head of the tortoises will be burnt together with ahun leaves, grinded
into a fine powder and given to this person to consume with cold corn
meal. If this is done, no evil repercussions will ever be experienced by the
person for whom this Odu is revealed. On this, Ifa says:
Oniwoolo jinwolo
Igbonngbon tohun-dorohun
Ogun juuruju
Ifa ni Elenpe gb’ode
Oterere lomi Ibana-Kako
Ifa ni mo mo-un
Mo ni mo mo-un
O ni omi abe ibo mi?
Mo ni won n su moin-moin fun m’ode kekere oru
Won n su akara lebelebe fun m’ode kekere Oke Ijero
Won n pa igba eni soke ihin
Won n pa igba eni soke ohun
Orunmila ni ohun daye
O di odun Kerindinlogun
Oun l’oun lale mo
Oun fi ogbarandii oye lale
Loro ipile oro meta loun jokoo si
Owun wa n gbo yooroyaa loju ode
Ifa ni kinlo se won
Ti won fi n pariwo lode
Won ni omo won ni won n mu re’le oko
Orunmila ni iya oun niyen o
O ni iya-iya o
O kun mosi ore
Ojegi-jegi n teeri
Mori re’le oko
Ma ma m’ewa n bo
Orin ii ba’ni gbele oko
Ile oko to bag be ni laa se aaro asoosi si
O o bi osan
O o bi oro
Eyi ti o o bi o nii ni o lara
Lagbara ipile oro meta asoose
Translation:
Oniwoolo jinwolo
Igbonngbon tohun-dorohun
Ogun juuruju
Ifa ni Elenpe gb’ode
Oteere l’omi Ibana-Kako
Ifa declares that I know it
I chorus that I know it
He asked, the stream is under what substance?
I responded that they were wrapping moin-moin for the infants
They were wrapping akara for the young ones of Oke Ijero land
They were killing 200 people on this hillside
They were also killing 200 people on that hillside
Orunmila declared that he got to the world
And 16 years after
He constructed his property
He was also honored with a title
He sat on three molded heap foundations
He was then hearing different sounds outside the frontage of his house
Ifa demanded to know what was happening
That was making them to make such noise
They responded that they were performing a wedding ceremony for their
daughter
Orunmila responded that that was his mother
He declared,”Mother mother.”
Gently, whose pet-name is Mosi Ore
Whose praise name is also Ojegi-jegi n teere
Go to your matrimonial home with your destiny
Do not rely on your beauty
It takes only one day for beauty to return
But destiny accompanies one to one’s matrimonial home
The matrimonial home which is agreeable to one is where one makes a
permanent hearten stone
You will give birth to children as sweet as the star mango
And those as plump as the cherry mango
None of your births will ever bring you discomfort
By the grace of the origin of those three words which never fail to
manifest
Saying all this made Orunmila to incur the wrath of those who were
crowned at the time. They could not understand how someone could be
telling the story of his own mother, especially when considering the fact
that the mother was just a damsel who had never had any child before.
They concluded that Orunmila would face grave consequences for his
utterances. They said that nobody needed to bother with him anymore
because he would, and that the negative repercussion would enter into
his head, which he used in thinking out those blasphemous words.
By the time these people saw Orunmila again, they realized to their utter
surprise, that it was a crown filled with money and cowries that covered
his head. They were still convinced that he would face the repercussion
of his utterances. They said that nobody should bother with him
anymore and that all what he was doing would weigh heavily on his neck.
By the time they saw Orunmila again, they were all surprised to see that
he was wearing the most expensive beads round his neck. They were still
sure that he would face its repercussion. They declared that there was no
need for anyone to bother about him anymore, since all his misbehavior
would bring problems round his waist.
By the time they saw Orunmila again, they realized that he was wearing
expensive Omokun round his waist. Yet, they were convinced that
Orunmila would face negative consequences. In fact, they were praying
for him to have problems. They declared that he would soon be gripped
by serious problems.
By the time they saw him again, they realized that he had already been
gripped but by two damsels, glorious in their nudity. They declared that
there was no need for anyone to worry about Orunmila any longer
because the consequences would drag on his legs.
By the time they saw him again, they realized that he had his legs
adorned with a pair of magnificent sandals decorated with ostrich
feathers that were dragging Orunmila’s legs. The enemies refused to give
up. They were looking for everything and anything to ensure that
Orunmila entered into trouble. They all ganged up together to make sure
this happened. They went to a lengthy extent to put Orunmila in trouble.
When Orunmila realized that his enemies were bent on making him face
the repercussion of his utterances, he went to the following Awo for Ifa
consultation.
Translation:
The mat is spread on the plank bed
The sheet is spread on the mat
The pillow placed on the decorated mat
The Oba rested peacefully on the pillow
The peacock feather on the Oba’s crown
Only fools chase after the houseflies
These were the declarations of Ifa to Orunmila
When they said that we would face no repercussion
Over all what he was doing
He was advised to offer ebo
The Awo told Orunmila to offer ebo as stated above. He complied. He was
also advised to prepare the Ifa soup with the tortoise as stated above. He
also did. Since that time there was nothing that Orunmila did that gave
him any negative repercussion. He manifested his potentials to the regret
and sorrow of his antagonists. In the end, he began to sing and dance,
saying:
Mo m’ori ahun
Mo fi seriwon
Orunmila lo ni gbogbo ohun ti mo ba n se
Ko yoo le e hun ni mo o
Mo m’ori ahun
Mo fi s’eriwono
Translation:
Translation:
Oniwoolo jinwolo
Igbonngbon tohun-dorohun
Ogun juuruju
Ifa ni Elenpe gb’ode
Oteere l’omi Ibana-Kako
Ifa declares that I know it
I chorus that I know it
He asked, the stream is under what substance?
I responded that they were wrapping moin-moin for the infants
They were wrapping akara for the young ones of Oke Ijero land
They were killing 200 people on this hillside
They were also killing 200 people on that hillside
Orunmila declared that he got to the world
And 16 years after
He constructed his property
He was also honored with a title
He sat on three molded heap foundations
He was then hearing different sounds outside the frontage of his house
Ifa demanded to know what was happening
That was making them to make such noise
They responded that they were performing a wedding ceremony for their
daughter
Orunmila responded that that was his mother
He declared,”Mother mother.”
Gently, whose pet-name is Mosi Ore
Whose praise name is also Ojegi-jegi n teere
Go to your matrimonial home with your destiny
Do not rely on your beauty
It takes only one day for beauty to return
But destiny accompanies one to one’s matrimonial home
The matrimonial home which is agreeable to one is where one makes a
permanent hearten stone
You will give birth to children as sweet as the star mango
And those as plump as the cherry mango
None of your births will ever bring you discomfort
By the grace of the origin of those three words which never fail to
manifest
By the grace of the origin of those three words which never fail to
manifest
They said, “Orunmila”
You are telling the story of your own mother
He responded that he had told the story
They said, Leave Orunmila alone
They declared that all what he was doing
They would soon cover his head
And when it covered his head
It was a crown knotted with money that covered his head
They said, leave Orunmila alone
All what he was doing
It would soon weigh down on his neck
And when it weighed down on his neck
It was expensive beads that adorned his neck
They said leave Orunmila alone
All what he was doing
It would soon coil round his waist
And when it coiled round his waist
It was expensive Omokun that coiled round his waist
They said, leave Orunmila alone
All what he was doing
It would soon grip and pinned him down
And when it gripped and pinned Orunmila down
It was two damsels, glorious in their nudity who gripped Orunmila
They said leave Orunmila alone
All what he was doing
They would soon drag him in the legs
And when it dragged Orunmila in the legs
It was beautiful sandals
Decorated with peacock feathers
That dragged in the legs of Orunmila
The mat is spread on the plank bed
The sheet is spread on the mat
The pillow placed on the decorated mat
The Oba rested peacefully on the pillow
The peacock feather on the Oba’s crown
Only fools chase after the houseflies
These were the declarations of Ifa to Orunmila
When they said that we would face no repercussion
Over all what he was doing
He was advised to offer ebo
He complied
I have taken the head of the tortoise
I have taken the head of a tortoise
And have used it to prepare medicine against repercussions
Orunmila declared that all my activities
Will not bring me any repercussion
They will not bring me any repercussion anymore
I have taken the head of a tortoise
And have used it to prepare medicine against repercussions
Before long, not too far
Join us where we enjoy victory over enemies
Victory over adversary is what Ifa guarantees all its devotees
Ifa assures the person for whom this Odu is revealed that he/she shall
enjoy victory over all his/her antagonists. He/she shall not be bugged
down with the problem of repercussion over any of his/her thoughts,
utterances, and actions.
11. Ifa says that the person for whom this Ifa is revealed must never
use a she-goat to feed his/her ikin for any reason whatsoever. He/she
must not use any female beasts to feed Ifa. He/she must never eat she-
goat. This is a very serious taboo for anyone born by this Odu during
Ikosedaye or Itenifa. Eating a she-goat or using it to feed Ifa will give this
person the problem of unconsummated fortune. It will also lead to lack of
sound health and vitality. On this, Ifa says:
Translation:
The inhabitants of Ilu Osi, the land of Poverty and want and those of Ilu
Are, the land of Absolvement and Success were suffering from the same
problems those of want, illness, and poverty. They were very
hardworking, diligent, dedicated, determined, and ambitious. Yet, they
had very little to show for all their efforts. To crown it all, they were both
consulting Ifa and offering all the necessary ebo as prescribed but their
problems remained the same and unresolved.
One day, the inhabitants of Ilu-Osi went for Ifa consultation in the home
of Okara, Abeyin, and Ganranhin in order to determine what exactly
their problems were and proffer a solution for them. During consultation,
Ogbe-Ate was revealed.
The Awo told them that they were suffering from poverty, ailments, and
want. He explained further that as much as they tried to solve their
problems, they remained the same. He told them that their problems
would be resolved the moment they stopped offering any female animals,
especially she-goat, which was a taboo for them. He instead
recommended that they feed their Ifa with a male pig (Boar). He assured
them that if this could be done, their problems would become issues of
the past.
When the representatives of the inhabitants of Ilu Osi who went for the
Ifa consultation returned home and explained what the Awo had told
them to the elders, they pondered on the issue for a very long time. In
the end, they concluded that they had never seen anywhere that people
used male animals to feed their Ifa. They felt that the Awo was only
trying to complicate their problems for them. They therefore decided to
continue to feed their Ifa with she-goats as they had been doing before.
That was exactly what they had continued to do. Their problems
continued to stay with them without any solution.
The inhabitants of Ilu Are also went for Ifa consultation in the home of
the same Babalawo. The same Odu was revealed during consultation.
The Awo gave them the same recommendations as those of the
inhabitants of Ilu-Osi. When their representatives returned home and
narrated what the Awo had told them to the elders, there was a lengthy
discussion. In the end, the elders concluded that even though it was
strange for them to feed Ifa with male animals, they had not much to lose
if they gave it a try. They said that their situation had been very pathetic
already; consequently, doing as the Awo had recommended could not
make things worse than what they were already. They therefore decided
to feed Ifa with a male pig the very next day and that was exactly what
they did.
After two lunar months, luck began to smile on the inhabitants of Ilu
Are. Their various businesses began to pick up. Those suffering from
ailments started to regain their health and vitality. The more they fed Ifa
with male animals, the more success they had. The more they abstained
from consuming she-goat, the better their health conditions. Anyone of
them who went for a business transaction usually smiled on the way
back home. The farmers recorded bountiful harvests. The fishermen
among them were rewarded with big catches. Their lives in Ilu Are
changed from bad to marvelous, from being hopeless to being promising,
and from failure to resounding success.
One day, the inhabitants of Ilu-Osi and those of Ilu-Are met. The
difference was very clear when they began to compare notes. Those from
Ilu Osi had nothing to tell but tales of woe and disappointment. Those
from Ilu-Are had nothing to tell but tales of success and achievement.
Ifa says that it will not allow the person for whom this Odu is revealed to
continue to suffer. He/she however needs to stop feeding Ifa with she-
goat. He/she also needs to stop eating them.
12. Ifa says that the person for whom this odu is revealed must never
feed Ifa with a she-goat in order to stop nursing a series of ailments in
his/her life. Ifa says that as long as he continues to eat she-goat or use
them to feed their Ifa, he/she will always have their body open to contact
a series of ailments. Ifa advises this person to ensure that only male
animals are used to feed his/her Ifa on a regular basis. He/she must also
avoid eating she-goat under any circumstance whatsoever. If the animal
is cooked together with any other animal, he/she must never taste the
food. It is better for the person for whom this Odu is revealed to remain
hungry than to eat any food that a she-goat is used as part of the food
item. On this, Ifa says:
Mo ki akuwarapa
Akuwarapa n su’nu
Ete ni o se e di l’okun
Onigbidigi lo lu imu u re l’ogiridodo-ogiridodo
Dia fun won n’Ife Abure
Nibi won gbe n p’ewure bo’fa a won
Ebo ni won ni ki won waa se
Translation:
Mo ki akuwarapa
Akuwarapa n su’nu
Ete ni o se e di l’okun
Onigbidigi lo lu imu u re l’ogiridodo-ogiridodo
Dia fun won n’Ife Abure
Nibi won gbe n p’ewure bo’fa a won
Ebo ni won ni ki won waa se
Won ko’ti ogbonhin s’ebo
Orunmila loun o mo wipe owo arun leyin
N se nile yii
Mo lo o
Ero Ipo, ero Ofa
Eni gb’ebo nibe ko sebo o
Translation:
Ifa says that this person will not be allowed to suffer ailments and
incapacitation where this Odu is revealed. That is why he/she needs to
heed the warning of Ifa.
13. Ifa says that there is the urgent need to offer ebo for someone
where this Odu is revealed against pre-mature death. Ifa says that a
person is ill where this Odu is revealed but that person is not the one
who Ifa is referring to. Ifa says that the invalid will regain his/her health
but the person who is healthy and strong is the one who needs to offer
that ebo in order to ensure that he/she does not suffer from a sudden
but untimely death.
Ifa advises this person to offer ebo with a mature ram, 1 sharp knife, and
the clothing which he/she had on his/her body at the time of this Ifa
consultation and also some money. On this, Ifa says:
Ogbe kange-kange
Babalawo Igba to gbo
Lo ki fun aigbo
Won ni ki won waa sebo si lailai ara won
Translation:
Ogbe kange-kange
The Awo of the strong calabash
He also casted Ifa for the immature one
They were all advised to offer ebo against premature death
Igba-to-gbo, the ripe mature and strong calabash was the one taking
care of Aigba, the unripe immature and weak calabash. He was taking
the unripe sibling from place to place in order to find a solution to his
illness. That was when Igba-to-gbo took his sibling of Ogbe-Kange-kange.
When they got there, Ifa was consulted and Ogbe-Ate was revealed.
The Awo told them that Aigbo would surely regain his health if he could
offer ebo as stated above. The Awo stated that the person on whose head
death hanged was actually Igba-to-gbo who enjoyed sound health, was
ripe, mature, and strong. He told Igbe-to-gbo to offer the same ebo stated
above as quickly as possible in order to avert the impending death. Aigbo
who was ill, weak, and immature quietly offered the ebo. Igba-to-gbo was
totally convinced that nothing that he could see gave him any cause for
alarm. For this reason, he refused to offer to ebo.
Soon after this, human beings began looking for containers with which to
draw water, serve food, and prepare soup. Esu Odara directed them to go
for a calabash. When they got to where the calabashes were residing, Esu
Odara showed them the ones wearing light brown clothing. He told them
that whose ones were the ripe, mature, and strong calabashes that they
could use for the purposes that they had in their minds. He told them
that the unripe, immature, and weak ones were useless for their
purposes. Esu Odara also told them to use sharp knives to dissect the
strong calabashes into two. That was precisely what the human beings
did. That was how all Igba-to-gbo, the ripe, mature, and strong
calabashes me their untimely deaths while Aigbo, the unripe, immature,
and weak ones were spared and left untouched.
Ogbe kange-kange
Babalawo Igba to gbo
Lo ki fun aigbo
Won ni ki won waa sebo si lailai ara won
Aigbo nikan ni nbe leyin ti n sebo
Nje Igba to gbo niku pe o
Awa to o gbo awa la ku
Igba to gbo niku pe o
Translation:
Ogbe kange-kange
The Awo of the strong calabash
He also casted Ifa for the immature one
They were all advised to offer ebo against premature death
Only Aigbo complied
Behold, it was the ripe, mature, and strong calabashes that met their
untimely deaths
Those of us who were unripe, immature, and weak were the ones not
killed
It was Igba-to-gbo that met their untimely deaths
Ifa assures the person for whom this Odu is revealed that he/she shall
not be allowed to meet his/her untimely death as long as he/she offers
the prescribed ebo.
14. Ifa says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed has many
friends and acquaintances that move close to him/her. Out of all these
people however, only one person genuinely loves him/her with all
sincerity. Ifa says that all the other so called friends are envious of
his/her achievements. As soon as they leave his/her place, they will all
gang up to speak evil of him/her and try to shame him/her. Ifa assures
this person that all the plans of these so called friends will amount to
naught. They will end up being the ones who will be put to ridicule and
public odium.
Ifa advises this person to offer ebo with 3 pigeons, 3 hens, 3 cocks, 3
guinea fowls, and money. He/she also needs to feed Ifa as appropriate
and also feed Esu with 1 cock. On this, Ifa says:
Eeyan won
Eeyan soro
Dia fun Okookanlenu Irunmole
Won n loo ba Baba mule ni Morere Odu
Won n pejo loo s’ajo
Ebo ni won ni ki won waa se
Translation:
What was his offense? He had been too popular for their liking. He must
be put to shame for that. His profile had gone up to much for his size.
Consequent upon this, he must be reduced to his actual size. He must be
made to realize that he alone could not be higher at the expense of all
others.
He was still in this state of agitation and confusion when Esu Odara
arrived. He greeted Orunmila but his host was too preoccupied to return
his pleasantry. Orunmila simply took him to the backyard to show him
all the food and drinks that he had prepared in readiness for the
Irunmole only for none of them to arrive. Esu Odara then informed
Orunmila that all the Irunmole had only acted according to their plan.
He explained to Orunmila that they had all conspired to ensure that all
the meals and drinks prepared by Orunmila were wasted. Esu Odara
however assured him that their conspiracy would fail.
Esu Odara simply entered into Orunmila’s personal room, took his
coverlet, and turned it into a masquerade costume. He rushed out and
began to gather people to follow him. Before long, all the children and
devotees of all the Irunmole had followed Esu Odara. He took them to a
far distance. When they realized that they were all tired and exhausted,
he returned them to Orunmila’s house and began to serve them the food
and drinks which their parents had boycotted. They all began to eat with
relish.
Meanwhile, all the Irunmole were looking for their children and devotees
but they could not find them. It was getting late. Where could they have
gone to? That was when they were informed that they needed to go and
find them in Orunmila’s house where they were all eating to their
satisfaction. All the Irunmole were disappointed. What they had planned
had failed to work. Their children had foiled their coup. With shame and
regret, they too went and joined their children and devotees in eating and
drinking, one after the other.
Orunmila demanded from each and every one of them to tell him the
reason why they had failed to turn up at the time that they were suppose
to come. They all began to give a series of flimsy excuses. That was when
Orunmila began to sing saying:
Eeyan won o
Eeyan soro
Ko si eeyan mo
Mo b’Esu mule o
Mo ba Sango mule o da mi
Labambi, eran eleran lo n paa kiri
Eeyan won o
Eeyan soro
Ko si eeyan mo
Bu b’Esu mule o
Mo b’Ogun mule
O da mi
Lakaaye aja alaja lo n paa kiri
Mo b’Oosanla mule
O da mi
Baba Arugbo Igbin oni Igbin lo nje kiri
Eeyan won o
Eeyan soro
Ko si eeyan mo
Mo b’Esu mule o
Mo b’Osun mule
O da mi
Iyewa Otoro-Efon igba onigba ni n foo kiri
Eeyan won o
Eeyan soro
Ko si eeyan mo
Mo b’Esu mule o
Mo ba gbogbo Irunmole mule
Won da mi
Eeyan won o
Eeyan soro
Ko si eeyan mo
Mo b’Esu mule o
Gbogbo won taraa won ni won n see kiri
Eeyan won o
Eeyan suro
Ko s’eeyan mo
Mo b’Esu mule o
Translation:
Eeyan won
Eeyan soro
Dia fun Okan kanlenu Irunmole
Won n loo ba Orunmila mule ni morese-Odi
Won n pejo loo s’ajo
Ebo ni won ni ki won waa se
Orunmila oun Esu Odara nikan ni nbe leyin ti nsebo
Nje eeyan won o
Eeyan soro
Ko seeyan mo
Mmo b’Esu mu’le o…
Translation:
15. Ifa advises the person for whom this Odu is revealed to offer ebo
against being exasperated over what he/she has gone for Ifa
consultation. Ifa says that the issue for which this person has come to Ifa
consultation has been recurring for quite some time now, and it is in
his/her best interest to offer ebo for him/her not to be defeated by this
issue in the end.
Ifa advises this person to never plant or nurse akee tree or eat its fruit.
Ifa also advises this person to offer ebo with a mature he-goat and
money. If he/she has an akee tree in his/her home or compound, it
must be cut down immediately. On this, Ifa says:
Translation:
Lalu was a very strong, enterprising, and unassuming man. With sheer
determination, he had been able to achieve great feats where several
other people had failed woefully. He had moved from grass to grace and
from nothing to abundance. His was a typical example of someone who
had moved from the dreg of the gutter to prominence. He was ready to
face any challenge at any time. He was not afraid of failure because he
knew that he was still overcome and became triumphant.
One day Lalu went for Ifa consultation. His akee tree had produced
splendid fruits that were becoming ripe. Not many people could resist the
consumption of a ripe akee fruit. Lalu wanted to know what his success
chances would be with the sale of the akee fruits.
The Awo informed Lalu that even though the fruits had come out well,
his destiny did not support the planting, nurturing, eating, or selling the
tree and its fruits. He was therefore advised to cut down all the trees,
which he had planted in his back yard. He was also advised to offer ebo
as stated above.
Lalu could not believe his ears: Is the Awo talking to me or someone else?
Is he really telling me to cut down the trees that could fetch me a
handsome amount of money? These were the trees which he had spent
his time, money, and energy planting, tending, and nurturing until they
grew to maturity. Why must this Awo come with this retro regressive
advice where the plants had germinated and the fruits were ready for
sale and consuming? Surely, this advice is not for me? By the way, who
was this Awo to tell me what to retain and what to cut down? Anyway,
the last thing I need to do is cut down those trees. With this
determination, Lalu left the home of the Awo and promised himself not to
return to his home again.
Two days after this, Iku came to Lalu’s backyard to pluck some fruits.
Lalu’s son was overwhelmed with fright when he saw Iku. He had never
seen such a spectacle in his whole life. He didn’t know what to do.
Challenge him? Chase him out? Run away from him? Scream for help?
Call on his father? He decided to follow the last option that came to his
mind. Why not? After all, his father had told him to call on him as soon
as he noticed any trespasser. He called in a very loud voice, saying:
Baba mi abija-ofa
Baba a mi abija-ofa
Iku ma ma n K’asin
Le kunle e re o!
Baba mi abija-ofa o!
Translation:
My father abija ofa
My father the arrow fighter
Death is plucking the akee fruits
In your backyard
My father the arrow fighter
When Lalu heard this he rushed back from where he was. When he saw
Iku (Iku) he greeted him with a powerful slap. Serious fighting ensued.
The fight lasted for several hours. In the end, Lalu lifted Iku up above his
head and threw him to the ground with all his might. Iku stood up with
pain and ran away. Lalu remained unbeaten. He had never lost any fight
in his life.
The next day Arun (sickness) came to pluck fruits. His son called on him.
He came and gave Arun the fight of his life. He defeated Arun. After this,
Ejo (contention), Ofo (Loss), Egba (Paralysis), Ese (Injury), etc. came to
the farm to pluck the akee fruits. Lalu’s son summoned his father and
they were all defeated one after the other.
One day, Agara (Exasperation) came to the farm to pluck the fruits. In
the case of Agara, he looked both friendly and hostile, both simple and
complex, both powerful and fragile, and both inviting and dispelling.
Lalu’s son did not know what to make of this latest trespasser. He
however called on his father to inform him of the intruder, saying:
Baba mi abija-ofa
Baba a mi abija-ofa
Agara ma ma n ka’sin
Le kunle e re o!
Baba mi abija-ofa o!
Translation:
My father abija-ofa
My father the arrow fighter
Agara, Exasperation is plucking the akee fruits
In your backyard!
My father the arrow fighter!
When Lalu arrived, whom he saw was truly confusing. Agara looked so
fragile that Lalu fell that there was a mistake somewhere. Lalu felt that
Agara could not be a trespasser to be afraid of or be concerned about.
Maybe, just maybe, he wanted some fruits to eat in order to nourish his
frail looking body. Lalu even went all out of his way to look for ripe fruits.
He plucked about six and was about to hand them over to Agara when he
got the surprise of his life. As he stretched his hands to hand over the
fruits to Agara, he was greeted with a striking blow to his face. The blow
was so powerful that it dazed him. The most confusing part was that
Agara was just smiling routinely at Lalu. Lalu moved closer only to
receive a hurtful kick to the legs. His legs went numb. Yet, Agara kept
smiling! A serious fight ensured. It was the fiercest fight Lalu had ever
engaged in. It lasted for one full day and half of the night. Lalu was
totally exhausted but Agara looked fresh and was even smiling. In the
end, Agara raised Lalu well above his head and threw him mightily on
the ground, just the way Lalu had thrown Iku, Arun, Ofo, Egba, Ese, and
all the other oppositions. Lalu lost everything. He also lost interest in
everything.
Translation:
Ifa advises the person for whom this Odu is revealed to use diplomacy
and rationale reasoning and offering of ebo to resolve issues instead of
confrontation.
16. Ifa advises the person for whom this Odu is revealed never to
undertake any business with any of his/her siblings. He/she must not
enter into partnership with any of his blood relations. If he/she does, the
outcome will never be favorable. This is not because his/her siblings do
not wish him/her well. On the contrary, the venture will fail and collapse
because the siblings deeply love him/her.
Ifa also advises this person to offer ebo in order to prevent a situation
where he/she will experience the loss of one of his/her siblings.
Ifa advises the person for whom this Odu is revealed to offer ebo with a
mature he-goat and money. He/she also needs to feed Esu Odara with
another he-goat. On this, Ifa says:
Translation:
The parents of Iro gave birth to two male children. Iro and Obo. Both of
them were very energetic and resourceful. All their efforts did not
amount to much. They both realized that human beings were totally in
control of everything on earth. All their efforts to be on the same level as
human beings failed, and failed badly. One day, Iro came up with an
imaginative idea; he would ensure that he was turned into a human
being. He realized that the moment he became a human being, he would
have equal opportunities like other human beings.
In order to ascertain the workability of his plan, Iro went to the group of
Awo mentioned above for Ifa consulation. What do I need to do to become
a human being? After doing all what I need to do, will it be possible in
the end? Will I be able to assist other members of my family to become
human beings as well? Will I be able to raise the status of my loved ones
and make them great?
The Awo informed Iro that what he wanted was to improve the quality of
his life. He was assured that what he wanted would be possible to
achieve. He was advised to offer ebo as stated above. He was also told
that he needed to keep all what he wanted to do away from everyone,
especially his sibling and that he needed to ensure that he succeeded
first before informing or attempting to help anyone. He complied with the
advice of the Awo and offered the ebo as stated. When the ebo was
offered, Iro was informed to carry the ebo to the home of Olodumare
because that was where his prayers would be answered.
Olodumare was consulted over his request and approval was given to
make it possible for him to become a human being, provided he was
prepared to comply with the conditions that would make things possible
for him to have such a transformation. For this reason, Iro was told that
in order to move from being an Ape to a human being, he had five
conditions to fulfill. These were:
As soon as he got home, he filled the pot with fresh water. As he was
doing this, his younger sibling Obo saw him and approached him to give
him a helping hand. Initially, he refused. Upon the insistence of Obo to
assist, he gave in. The pot was filled fresh by both Iro and his younger
sibling, Obo.
As they were filling the pot with water, Obo continued to ask his elder
sibling what the agbo, herbal-tea was for. At first, Iro refused to tell him.
In the end, he told his brother that it was given to him by Olodumare and
that it would transform him from an ape to a human being. In seven
days. Obo could not believe his ears. He was overwhelmed with joy. He
was certain that if his brother could transform from ape to man, he
would surely raise his own status to that of a man also! Just as if Iro
knew what was on the mind of his younger sibling, he assured him that
as soon as he became a man, he would ensure that he (Obo), also
became a man. Obo’s joy knew no bound when he heard this. He felt that
the news called for celebration even before it happened.
On the sixth day, Obo woke up with a start. It remained only one day for
his sibling to become a man. Only one day! All his sufferings, wants,
inadequacies, and tribulations remained only one day to disappear! Just
one day! He must go and congratulate his brother in advance. He must
go there in style! That was why Obo decided to summersault to his
brother’s place. That was exactly what he did. He promised himself that
he would not stop or slow down until he reached his brother’s place. He
never did, until he felt his legs hitting something. He opened his eyes
only to discover to his chagrin, that he had just hit and broken the pot of
agbo!!!
The sound of the broken pot attracted the attention of Iro to the scene.
What!?! The pot is broken! The chance of becoming man is in only one
days time has disappeared! This is not true! This cannot be true! This
must not be true! This must be a dream! No, a nightmare! He scratched
himself to assure himself that he was merely dreaming. Alas! He realized
to his regret, that he was face-to-face with reality. Grief wracked his
whole body. He lost control of his limbs and fell on his buttocks. He
slapped the ground repeatedly with his palms. Hot tears rushed down
from his eyes. So this is what they meant when they warned him not to
let anyone know about this until he had completed his transformation.
With only one day to go! His trusted sibling ended up becoming his
regret. If not for this sibling, he would have accomplished his mission the
next day.
This reality brought only more frustration and anger. He rushed his
sibling, who had been watching every spectacle like a dazed drunkard
and dealt him terrible blows. As he was hitting his sibling, he screamed
repeatedly, saying:
N ba laya n d’eeyan
Eni a bi’ni bi o je
N ba l’aya n d’eeyan
Eni a bi’ni bi o je
Translation:
As he was hitting his sibling with all his energy, the sibling was being
driven into the ground. He went inside the ground completely and only
his eyeballs were showing. That was how people came to know of Oju-
Obo, the eyes of the monkey. This was later shortened to Ojubo, the
grove.
Translation:
The eyeballs of a monkey cannot be cast as ikin to consult Ifa
This was Ifa’s message for the 165 Orisa devotees
When going to Oju-Obo, Obarisa grove
I would have become a human being
But my siblings prevented it from happening
This was Ifa’s message for Iro, the Ape
The sibling of Obo, the monkey
He was advised to offer ebo
I would have become a human being
But my sibling prevented it from happening
I would have become a human being
But my sibling prevented it from happening
He heard of the advice with his right ear
And threw out the advice with his left ear
Behold, there is no more orisa on earth
We are only propitiating Oju-Obo, the monkey’s eyes
Let all Iworo-Oosa, Orisa devotees come to Ojubo, the shrine
Ifa says that it will not allow the person for whom this Odu is revealed to
cause the death of his/her sibling as a result of frustration, anger, or
exasperation.
Aboru Aboye….