I

STUDY OF IFA

A WORKBOOK AND STUDY GUIDE FOR INITIATES ONLY

BY

MEDAHOCHI K.

/_f'

o.
"

ZArtNO

-!_~

"

(MOGBAKIMO FARATAlSUMI)

~----===============~,,-:~.

.;)
,

.-'

i.

THIS WORK IS SINCERELY

DEDICATED TO
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS .
OSEIJEMAN ADELABU ADEFUNMI I

ARABA

",

",

IJO ORUNMlLA T'IGBO MIMO

AND

TO ALL THE DISPOSSESSED YOUTH OF AFRIKAN DESCENT IMPRISONED IN THE

CONCRETE JUNGLES OF NORTH AMERICA, "IN THE FIRM FAITH THAT THE
DEAD , THE LIVING AND THE UNBORN SHALL UNITE TO REBUILD OUR
DESTROYED SHRINES. "

ii.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
WE ARE VERY GRA TEFUL TO CHIEF ADEBOLU FATUNMISE, CHIEF EDUBI AJAMU,
HER LADYSHIP TOY/VI OMILADE ZANNU, CHIEF QMQTOLOKUN QMQKUNDE, AWO
, " ...
'FALOKUN OF ILE qRUNMILA-O$UN, AWO IFATUNJI ,ONIFADE ADENIYI SALAMI THE

, \'

OLAONIPEKUN OF ILE LAKANYE OSHOGBO, AND ALL THE QRUNMILA YOUTH

INTERNA TIONAL.

""

'\

IBA OLOJO ONI,

"

'\,

'\

IBA EY/N BABA WA

'.,

,,

, ,

IBAEYINIYA WA
IBAARAYE

,,

'\

IBAENIYAN
I

"

'\

'\

BI EKOLO BA JUBA IL~, IL~ALANU

"

I",

,"

'\

BI OMODE BA JUBA AGBALAGBA, A BAGBA JE

..

, ",

KJ EJEKJONIO YFMIO

,,

, ,

, ,

"

ADUPE! ADUPE! ADUPE LOWO GBOGBO Y/N Of.

iii.

FORWARD
ONCE AGAIN IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE FOR ME TO WRTIE A FORWARD TO THIS
BEAUTIFUL COMPILATION WORK BOOK ON IFA BY MEDAHOCm. LIKE I ALWAYS
TELL MY CLIENTS AND INTIATES, I BELIEVE TIlAT MAN WILL NOT MERELY
ENDURE, HE WILL PREVAIL. HE IS IMMORTAL, NOT BECAUSE HE ALONE AMONG
CREATURES HAS AN INEXHAUSTmLE VOICE, BUT BECAUSE HE HAS A SOUL, A SPIRIT
CAPABLE OF COMPASSION AND SACRIFICE AND ENDURANCE.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR

MEN TO FULLY REALIZE THEIR SPIRITUAL

INHERITANCE. MEDAHOCHI TOUCHES THE SPIRITUAL CENTERS OF

OU~

BODIES,

THROUGH IFA COSMOLOGY. IT REMIN

DS ME OF ONE OF THE SPIRITUAL PATHFINDERS BY A NIGERIAN WRITER. TIlAT SAYS:
"REASON BELONGS TO THE HEAD.
THE LINK BETWEEN THE HEAD AND BODY BELONGS TO THE NECK.
EMOTION BELONGS TO THE HEART.
INSTINCT BELONGS TO THE BELLY.
MOVEMENT BELONGS TO THE FEET."
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT IFA OF YORUBA, FA OF DAHOMY AND IFA OF CUBA
HAVE COME TOGETHER TO PROVE THE SAME THING. THIS BOOK IS A MUST FOR ALL
IFA STUDENTS WORLDWIDE.
FOR ALL THE READERS OF THIS BOOK:

'

.....

iv

"OGBO LO NI KE GBq IMO LO NI KI Mq EWE OLU YE-NYE, LO NI KI 0 YE YIN

POROGOOO:

. ",'

,ASEORISA
.
.
CHIEF 'BOLU FATUNMISE

ARUFIN ARUDA OF ILE-ILJ;!

ATIANTA, GEORGIA

U.s.A.

("

PREFACE
I

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF IFA: A WORKBOOK AND STUDY GUIDE

FOR INITIATES ... IS ANOTHER INSTALLMENT OF MEDAHOCHI KOFI O.
ZANNU'S ELDERSHIP INSIGHT AND PRIESTHOOD PROFIENCY.
THIS COMPILATION OF INFORMATION, WISDOM,AND PRACTICAL APPLICATION
OF THE IN-DEPTH,COMPREHENSIVE AND MEANINGFUL PARADIGM OF IFA IS
PRICELESS.

THIS MATERIAL WILL EQUATE THE IFA PRIEST OR BABALAWO WITH THE
DOCTORAL CANDIDATE IN THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY AND THE HIGH PRIEST
ON THE WORLD RELIGIOUS SCENE. AN INTENSIVE STUDY OF THE PAGES OF
THIS WORKBOOK WILL DEVELOP AND PREPARE AN ADEPT OF IFA.
,

,#

"

"

THE ANCIENT WISDOM OF IFA REVEALED THROUGH THE HOLY ONE QRUNMILA
IS PRESENTED IN THE WORKBOOK FROM A DIDACTIC AND PRACTICAL VIEW
POINT THAT WILL EVOLVE THIS LIFE ENABLING THEOLOGY INTO THE 21ST
CENTURY ON ITS RIGHTFUL PLATEAU.
IT IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE TO NOTE THAT THIS WORK WAS PRODUCED
IN THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF BABA KOFI QMQWALE ZANNU HAVING A
VIVID MEMORY CULTURE OF THE SLAVE SHIPS JESUS ... JOHN THE
BAPTIST ... INTEGRITY ... AMISTAD AND OTHERS. THIS HEROIC ELDER HAS
TRANSCENDED THE AFRlKAN "MIDDLE PASSAGE" TO AMERICA AND
TRANSCRIBED ON THESE PAGES THE GENUS OF THE AFRIKAN-AMERICAN
SPIRITUAL TECHNOLOGY.
",
"
...
,
"
9RUNMILA ELERI IPIN, IBIKEJI OLODUMARE. ABORU! ABOYE! AB9~I?~!
IJOYE 9MQTOLOKUN QMQKUNDE

vii
FOR ME. MANY OTHER WRITINGS DESCRIBE RITUAL PROCESSES, PHYSICAL
OBSERVATIONS AND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS ON "NATIVE THOUGHT AND WORLD
VIEW", BUT THROUGH MEDAHOCHI'S WRITINGS ONE CAN, ARMED ONLY WITH
HIS INNER THOUGHTS AND COMTEMPLATIONS PERPARE HIMSELF TO STAND IN
THE PRESENCE OF HIS OWN DESTINY. THESE LESSONS ARE INVALUABLE IN
THE

PROCESS OF PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION AND FORMULATION OF

WORLD

VIEW THAT ARE NECESSARY IF ONE IS TO FIND HIS POINT OF ORIGIN.

FOR THIS FOCUS AND INSTRUCTION WE ARE FOREVER rNDEBTED TO OUR
FATHER AND MENTOR.
MO YIN IBORU;MO YIN IBOYE; MO YIN IBOSISE.
BABA TOSU TOSASOLIM

1.

......

,/

WHO IS 9RUNMILA?
~

WE ARE TOLD IN IFA VERSE THAT:

,/

"
\
'
"
_."" / \ '"
, / ... , "/,,, "" ""
A-J~-JU-OGUN, OBIRITI, A-PIJQ-IKU-DA
\

O RUNMILA, ELEERI-IPIN; IBIKEJI OLODUMARE:

,,,

"
\
,/"
OLUWA MI AMOIMOTAN, A-KO MO 0 TAN KO SE

..

....
ABA MO 0 TAN IBA I;;E KE

,,,,'//\/

'" ,,\ " ... ,

/'
IKU DUDU ATEWO, ORO AJEPO MA PON-ON;
/

,/

""

'"

'"

II

'(.

II

II

",\"

AGIRI ILE-ILOGBON, A-B'OLOOWU DI WERE MA RAN

/

/ '" I

",

OLUWA MI A-TO-IBA-JAYE, ORO A-B'IKU-J'IGBO.

MEANING;
1"

","

ORUNMILA, WITNESS TO DESTINY, OLODUMARE'S DEPUTY:

, , ""

MORE-EFFECTIVE-THAN-MEDICINE, OBIRITI, AVERTER-OF-DEATH'S-DATE.

MY LORD UNFATHOMABLE.-INEFFECTIVE WHEN NOT FULLY KNOWN.
IF WE FULLY KNOW HIM, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN FULLY EFFECTIVE.

8IACK DEATH ON THE PALM, WORD\sPIRIT UNREDDENED BY OIL EATEN,

I

tf!PIOf' ."I58OM MA.~IOS.WHO PRANKS WITH COTTON HANDLER WITHOUT

?
::

. I

,!

f.

2 s,

-'P"', " ..

SP~!\L1IiG IT.

CAl.J...D)"THE WITNESS TO DES~Y"!

BE WAS WITH OWDUMAJU: WIlES HE
J ) . - . . AU. DIE IWiGS 01" EAJmI AI'liD H.A\''1:.''.
A

TAU TO al:

~,._, _
. _ . ' . ' . , . . MS..... RCAtsI:

T ,,_. . . . ..-

...! a_.

I.
__
[
'
.........
5~;:;:.~'::=:=:.2-'~~~:~':=:::""~::-~
~
C
".
.... 11
,..

'~.:",

I",

H ,

~_'m

&

A1DSAW THIS COSMOS

WIlD THE CREATOR ON

~........

1M . . . . . . . . . . . . "10 1I1JMAN1l'Y. ACCORDING TO

tp.&p TL_.ASSIIIIr_~ -.MSIE&OF'IIiE~ET~RSOFTHEINNER

" .

en-.s _

'"

"

,,_

BAVD '10 ....... TBIS . . . . . . AFIEIl IT BAD BaN DESTROYED BY A

fLOOD. ..TBAT C'nVS"R....
THIS EN"IIIIE PlANET. IN THIS VlSITATION,HE
-~-..- -z
~ ' I D AS BARA A30NMlitEGlIl'. THIS EVENT 0CCUIlRED mOUSANDS OF YEARS
8U'Oa TBE COMMON ERA.
.~.
KY~

"

ODU IFA SAYS:

"''' LO TAN, OMI KUN-KUN-KUN

, , , OMI BO IGI, OMI BO OPE, 0
" ...KETE TI ORuNMILA
..
.
..
!

"

~'"

/,

GBA 'T'ILE

...

'T'ONA OLUFE LO
KAN ~OSO NI 0 KU, ORI RE NI
.- YAN-YAN-YAN; ILE AIYE DI OML AGBON
. . . : ,
9RUNMiLA R9 SI, NIGBATI 0 PADA B9 WA TUN ILE AIYE SEe 0 NI AGBQN YI MA NlIREGDN

, .... "
O! BAYI ORUNMILA FI NJE ORIKI AGBONMIREGUN. BAYI NI QRUNMILA FI PADA WA TUN ILE
/

AIYE SE."

THE MEANING:

....

HARDLY HAD 9RUMILA GONE WHEN WATER GUSHED FROM THE BOWELS OF THE EARTH.
WATER FROM HEAVEN FELL DOWN IN TORRENTIAL RAINS; THE FLOODS ROSE, AND
COVERED ALL THE MOUNTAINS, AND AALL THE TREES, ALL THE PALM TREES: IT SWEPT
\

AWAY ALL OLUF~'S DOMAIN; SWEPT IT CLEAN AWAY; THE WHOLE EARTH BECAME
WATER. ONLY ONE COCONUT TREE REMAINED, AND IT WAS ON THIS TREE THAT

,
ORUNMILA DESCENDED WHEN HE RETURNED TO RE-ORGANIZE THINGS. HE SAID: "AGBQN
....

YI MA NI lREGUN O! (i.e. THIS COCONUT TREE MUST HAVE A LONG LIFE!)". AND SO

",.

, " "

"AGBQNMlREGUN" BECAME ONE OF QRUNMILA'S PRAISE NAMES. THIS WAS HOW

'

"" CAME TO RE-ORGANIZE THE EARTH - OGBE-FUN

,
ORUNMILA

, ".

THE BLESSED LORD 9RUNMILA HAS COME TO THIS WORLD MANY TIMES AS A DIVINE
IRUNMOLE, COMMISIONED BY THE ALMIGHTY "MASTER OF THE SECRET MASTERS OF THE
INNER COURTS OF HEAVEN".

~OWANDE SAID

THAT ORUNMILA HAS APPEARED SEVEN TIMES IF WE INCLUDE HIS

.... ....

VISITATION AS ELA-IWORI, A PURE SPIRIT, THE PERFECT BEING. THE HOLY EMBODIMENT
OF THE WISDOM OF QLQRUN.

3.

~ . . .y

I.

,,'

"

,\

'"

oamMILA BARA AGBONMIREGUN IS THE PROPHET AND VOICE OF THE

~ftES1JPREME

\..'

BEING. t:LAI<?RUNMILA IS BOTH "GOD AND MAN". THE MAJOR

I..

a .1 AI'''D DMNE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE

..,

INDIGENE FAITH OF ILU ENIA DUDU, ITS

sa. . . .AND ROOT, ITS ONLY DIVINE LINK WITH THE HOLY

"

...

9L9RUN-~LEDA-OLODUMARE

"" IS, THE PROJECTION INTO THE WORLD OF HUMANITY, OF

. ...-r "ELAOR \.9RUNMILA
Cl..,......

TllATSINGLE ESSENCE FROM WHICH, IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLDS, EVEN THE HOLY

,,'

",\

-...JNE DEITY DERIVES; LIKEWISE THE ENTIRE INDIGENE FAITH OF ILU ENIA DUDU

KIUVI:S FROM ELA..." (SEE FELA SOWANDE'S 'IFA' PAl.)

,

"

"..."

1\

...

THE SPIRITUAL LEADER AND FOUNDER OF THE -IJQ QRUNMILA NIGERIA-, BABA FAGBENRO

...

"

aYIOKU HAS POINTED OUT THE DIFFERENT ROLES OF THE HOLY ORUNMILA AS IT IS

...

REVEALED IN THE SACRED ODU RECITALS.

""

...
9RUNMILA AS KING

...,

" ... ,
ORUNMILA NI BABA WA 0 E

....

'\

...

AWA KO NI OBA MEJL

I

(FA TO OBA 0,

,...

...,

QRUNMILA NI BABA WA,

IFATO OBAO.
I
THE MEANING:

, ...

'\

ORUNMILA IS OUR FATHER

WE HAVE NO OTHER KING.
I

(FA IS SUFFICIENT TO BE OUR KING

...

'\

0RU1\~11LA IS

0 UR FATHER
'\

\,,"\.

IFA IS COMPETENT ENOUGH TO BE KING...FROM QKANRAN-QBARA

1\'

4.

SOME OF THE HOLY ATTRIBUTIVE NAMES OF THE HOLY qRUNMILA

\

1/'

'"

1. IK9 AJALAIYE IK9 AJAL9RUN---THE CHIEF MESSENGER - LINK BETWEEN

THE KING OF EARTH AND THE KING OF HEAVEN.

2.

I
,
.,
EL~RI IPIN---THE

"

, "

WITNESS TO DESTINY

3. OKITIBIRI, A-PA-OJO-IKU-DA---THE GREAT CHANGER, WHO ALTERS THE

DATE OF DEATH.
,

/...

""

"

4. IRIJU OLODUMARE---THE PRIME MINISTER OF OLODUMARE.

,

5. ALATUNSE
, AIYE---THE ONE WHOSE FUNCTION IT IS TO SET THE WORLD
RIGHT.
6. IKUFORIJI---THE BEING WHOM DEATH HONORS.
7. OLIJENI---THE MASTER OF THE SEVENTH DAY

....

8. OBA
OLOFA
ASUN L'OLA---THE
RULER WHO DRAWS BLESSINGS AND
l

PROSPERITY AFTER HIM, AND WHO SLEEPS IN THE MIDST OF HONORS.

9. ERINTUNDE---LAUGHING COMES BACK TO THE WORLD, OR THE BEING WHOSE

ADVENT INTO THE WORLD HAS BROUGHT BACK THE LAUGH OF JOY AND
GLADNESS.
I

10. 0 WA---THE BEING WHOSE ADVENT INTO THE WORLD FROM HEAVEN FILLED

HUMANITY WITH JOYFUL AND THANKFUL SURPRISE WHICH CAUSED MANY TO

I

ASK, "IS IT YOU WHO HAVE COME? IWO LI 0 WA?

11. OLUBESAN
OR OLU-LI-IBI-ESAN---THE
CHIEF AVENGER OF WRONGS.
,
,
12. EDU---THE BLACK ONE.
13. ABAKUWIJO---THE BEING WHOSE POWER IS SO GREAT THAT HE CALLS
DEATH TO ACCOUNT.

, "

....

14. ELA OMO OSIN---ELA, CHILD OF THE RULER.

...
...
,
J..
I
...
...
15. ELA OMO OYIGIYIGI OTA OMI---ELA, CHILD OF A VERY HARD STONE

"

THAT IS NOT AFFECTED BY A COLD STREAM OF WATER.

16.

"

~LA

II"

pMp OYIGIYIGI pTA

...

",

AIKU---~LA,

ROCK THAT SHALL NEVER DIE.

CHILD OF A MIGHTY IMMOVABLE

__

============-~-------------"""l

17.

. ..
OTOTO-ENIYAN---THE
PERFECT ONE.
.. .
.

5.

", ,

18. OLUWA MI AGIRI-ILOGBON---KY

LORD OF PERFECT WISDOM.
,

" ,
LOKE

19. 9M9 TI ABI

'TA~E---THE

BABE BORN ON THE HILL OF ITASE.

20. 9MQ

~NIR'---CHILD

OF ONIRE.

21. OMO EJO MEJI---CHILD OF TWO SERPENTS.

I

22. AKERE F'INO

..

~9GB9N---SMALL

PERSON WITH A MIND FULL OF WISDOM.

23. AKONI-LORAN-BI IYEKAN-ENI---HE WHO GIVES ONE WISE AND BROTHERLY

f'
I
COUNSEL LIKE ONES RELATIVES
....

\,

24. OKUKURU OKE IGETI---THE

SMALL MAN OF IGETI HILL.
,

, , ,

25. BARA AGBONNIREGUN---LORD

OF THE SACRED COCONUT PALM.
,
26. AFEDEFEYO---SPEAKER OF ALL LANGUAGES

,
,
I
v
27. GBOLAJOKO---HE WHO SITS HONOR UP.

28. OLUWA MI AMOIMOTAN---KY

LORD, THE ALL KNOWER.
, ,

6.

WHY IS "TRUTH" THE FOUNDATION OF IWARERE?

,OSA-OTURA
"
SAYS:
" ,

'\

,I

" , , '

'\

'\

"

I,

"

OSA-OTURA
I KINI OTITO?
EMI I KINI OTITO? ORUNMILA
I OTITO, NI OLUWA ORUN
TI NTO,

#
I
,
#

I'

'\

" " ,

I'"

;'

'\

"'"

...

"""

",

'"

AYE. OSA-OTURA
I KINI OTITO?
EMI I KINI OTITO?
ORUNMILA
I OnTO
LI ENI
AIR! TI NTQ
..

,
I
I

'1.'"

' ....

.1..

AYE. (JGB(JN TI OLODUMARE NLO. QGBqN-NLA. QPyLQPQ QGB<?N. 9SA-OTURA I KINI

"

1.1

"

,;'

",,,";""""

"

"

..

'\

OTIT?? EMI I KINI OTIT<l? 9RUNMILA I OTIT? NI IWA OLODUMARE. OTlT9 NI QRQ
,"

,,'\

.'
,

"

'\

'\

TIKOLESUBU. IFA LI OTITO. OTITO LI ORQ TIKOLEBAJE.

/.1

A DIFA FUN AYE. A NIKI W9N

/

-.
1,1'
'\
MAA ~E OTIT9 KI AWqN

'\

AGBARA-N~ AJULO.

"

IRE-AILOPIN
,,,,/,

9MQ ARAYE LE MAA MQ OTITp LATI

'.I'
,
Rt= NIPA TIT~ ODU

",

INU WA. KI 0 SI LE R9 W9N LC]RUN LATI MAA ~E OTIT9. A LE SA IDAB9

'"

\,.\

'\

'\

, ,\

'\

9SA-OTURA P~LU IYE-IROSUN. KIAPE OHUN IFA NAA. SII KIAFIF9

t:K9 MU TABI KIADA A

SSINU EPO FUN LILA.

'" .I\
ORIN IFA
NAA:
~'OTITO.
"

S'ODODO.

S'OTIT9 0 SI TUN S'ODODO;

...
'\

'\

;"

ENI S'OTITO NI IMALE YOO

GBE O.
.

THE MEANING:
\

"

,\

OSA-OTURA SAYS: WHAT IS TRUTH? I SAY. WHAT IS TRUTH? ORUNMILA SAYS: TRUTH IS

,\

THE LORD OF HEAVEN GUIDING THE EARTH. qSA-OTURA SAYS: WHAT IS TRUTH! I SAY:

..

'\

WHAT IS TRUTH? QRUNMILA SAYS: TRUTH IS THE UNSEEN ONE GUIDING THE EARTH. THE

" ,

'\

WISDOM OLODUMARE IS USING. BIG WISDOM. MANY WISDOM. QSA-GTURA SAYS: WHAT IS

"

'\

TRUTH? I SAY: WHAT IS WISDOM? 9RUNMILA SAYS: TRUTH IS THE CHARACTER OF

1\"

OLODUMARE. TRUTH IS THE WORD THAT CANNOT FAIL. IFA IS TRUTH. TRUTH IS THE
WORD THAT CANNOT SPOIL. MIGHTY POWER. SURPASSING ALL. EVERLASTING BLESSING
WAS WAS DIVINED FOR THE EARTH. THEY SAID THE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD SHOULD BE
TRUTHFUL. TO ENABLE THEM TO BE TRUTHFUL AND HONEST WILLINGLY AND

.'

..-:.-.-r:--..~.:"t~

7.

COMroRTABLY LET THE IDABO BE APPLIED BY MARKING ODU 9SA-OTURA ON THE

DIVINING POWDER. AFTER RECITING THE ABOVE IFA SAYING ON THE POWDER. MIX IT

wrru EKO (CORN STARCH GRUEL) AND DRINK IT. OR PUT IT IN PALM OIL AND EAT IT. SO
THAT IT WILL BE EASY FOR THEM TO BE HONEST AND TRUTHFUL. THE IFA SONG IS:
SPEAK THE TRUTH. TELL THE FACTS;
SPEAK THE TRUTH. TELL THE FACTS;
THOSE WHO SPEAK THE TRRUTH ARE THOSE
WHOM THE GODS WILL HELP.

, "

~SA-OTURA

TELLS US TO ALWAYS SPEAK THE TRUTH SA THAT WE WILL HAVE THE

SUPPORT OF THE DIVINE POWERS. WITHOUT AALWAYS SPEAKING THE TRUTH. WE WOULD

,.

"

NOT BE ABLE TO ASCEND TO THE SECOND LEVEL. "ODODO". OR SINCERITY AND

RIGHTEOUSNESS.
..

NOTE# THIS ODU RECITAL IS A QUOTATION FROM THE REV, D.pNADELE EPEGA'S "IFA

. "

."

AMONA AWON BABA WA." 1904.

"

OLUWA MI AJIKA - MY LORD WHOM WE GREET FIRST

"

,\

9RUNMILA SAYS: ALL BABALAWO(S) ON RISING IN THE MORNNG. SHOULD GREET THE

'"

,
aLESSED LORD ORUNMILA
AND THE HOLY COSMIC BEINGS. WHEN THESE PRAYERS ARE

SAID TO QRUNMILA. THE BABALAWO STANDS BEFORE THE SHRINE OF IFA AND CLAPS HIS
IlA.Jl-OS THREE TIMES AND REPEATS THE FOLLOWING:
f

,,,

"

\.,

-"

..

ILA JI. <?RUNMILA! ILA JI 9RUNMILA! ILA JI QRUNMILA!

I

'",
A~~DA.

MO JI. MO KI AK9DA. MO KI
/"

I'"

"

MO KI OKANLENRINWO IRUNMOLE.
I

, '"

Al"lDItPATING THIS. THE BABALAWO KNEELS AND RUBS HIS HANDS TO ORUNMILAAND

IID'EA'IS nn: FOLLOWING PRA YER:

,\

"

AWO AJIKI L'AWO AJIKI. AWO AJIKI L'AWO AJIKI.

AWO AJIKI L'A IPE AWO AJA-ALE-GBUN;


8.
THESE ERAYERS ARE MODELS AND EXAMPLES. ONE MAY SAY OTHER PRAYERS AND
INVOCATIONS TO THE CELESTIAL BEINGS. ONE SHOULD OFFER PRAISES TO ONE'S ASESE
AND TO HIS SPIRITUAL LINEAGE.

'\,

NOTE# THIS INVOCATION IS TAKEN FROM THE HON. E.M. LUADU'S "QRUNMILA" P. 66 -67.
1907.

'\

IWARERE
(GOOD

~RACTER)

~IWATUTUL
"\
'\

--.

(COOLNESS)

(COMMAND)

. .

'\

OMOLUWABI
(THE IDEAL HUMAN BEING)

"

OGBE-YONU SAYS:
'\

'\

"

IWA NIKAN L'O SORO 0,

\"
'\
I
'\
IWA NIKAN L'O ~ORO;

'\

,,'\

ORI KAN KI 'BORU L'OTU IFE,

,'\

'\

IWA NIKAN

MEANING:

"

, "
L'O SORO

CHARACTER IS ALL THAT IS REQUISITE,

CHARACTER IS ALL THAT IS REQUISITE;

..

THERE IS NO DESTINY TO BE CALLED UNHAPPY IN IFE CITY

CHARACTER IS ALL THAT IS REQUISITE.

9.

THE TRILOGY OF VIRTUES ADVOCATED BY ODU IFA

(THE EMBODIMENT OF GOOD CHARACTER)

OTITO

(TRUTHFUL)

,00000

I~OORE

(RIGHTEOUSNESS)

(BENEFICENCE)
I

" ,

"ENI .
SE RERE
,SE E FUN IRA RE
~E

~,

fNI

IKA

"

E FUN IRA Rf:."

~E
\

-OGBE-ATE

ANYONE WHO DOES GOOD DOES IT FOR ONESELF

_"-'-VONE ""HO DOES EVIL DOES IT FOR ONESELF.

- H-

...Da-IU),.
" "

""

GP I 8 . . . . ( GOOD CII&RAC'I"ER ) IS

."
..'A.
a a
" .
_

,,"

IS _

--:r-; .
~"AYS:

-.9&
P1

,,, ,

T'-'-I
CAT,T.EJ) 9"9~-au

AS & 1ID.L . . . . A

p~

--IS--.r & riM smI.

"
. . .'
..
. . L.,. &ID"

..

.'". .

FI. . ." 'I'I L. . . DI.

GD'I'LB CIIARAC'I'D ALLCJ8S TRIE ROPE OF LIFE

TO REMAIII OIIBROKEII III ORE S HAIID.

ya_,

(nIIn-IW
_~-

OF BAD CIIARAC'I'ER

,
'~--ETO-.......'"

10

THE LADDER THAT

EACH ADEPT MUST

IFARADA ........--.-.

ASCEND IN ORDERO
ATTAIN (wARERE (GOOD

, , ,

CHARACTER), HAS MANY RUNGS.

,,'-'-- SUURU-~

THE PRINCIPLE ONE'S ARE:

.. "

1. OTlT!>. 2. ODODO. 3. I~OORE.

\1'

..

,-'

4. SUURU. S. IFARADA. 6. ETO.

't'"

"
S'OTITO S'ODODO; SOORE MAIS'EKA.

,~-

" A B'QNA
" TOORO.
" I,9SIKA
'" A B'9NA
"
OTIT<}

ISOORE-...-....I

""

",
,
,,,
'"
~'ODODO; FNI ~'OTIT9 NI IMALt: NGBt:

GBARARA, ~'OTIT9 ~'ODODO; ~'OTIT9

- OGBl:-S~
THE MEANING:

BE TRUTHFUL, BE RIGHTEOUS, DO GOOD AND NOT

___ OTITO --.....

WICKEDNESS. TRUTH THE TRAVELER ON THE

NARROW WAY, WICKEDNESS THE TRAVELER ON THE BROAD WAY. BE TRUTHFUL BE

RIGHTEOUS;
WHOEVER IS TRUTHFUL IS AIDED BY DEITY.
\

\,,,

\..'

"

"

"

IWORI-ATt: SAYS: IWURI-TPUMP-OHUN-TI-I-~E-'NL BI 0 BA Tf 'FA, KI 0 TUN lYE INU Jq: Tt:

1

,~

"

I""

,\ "

"

AWO, MA FI ~A IGBA GUN yP~. AWO MA FI AlM9W' WC! OMI, AWO ,MA IBINU YQ 9BE,
I

"

AWO, MA FI MA SAN BANTE AWOo

THE MEANING:

" ,,,

"

IWORI-STARE-AT-WHAT-AFFECTS-US; IF YOU ARE INITIATED INTO IF", PLEASE RENEW

YOUR INNER THOUGHT. ADEPT, DO NOT USE A TATTERED ROPE TO CUMB THE PALM
TREE, ADEPT, DO NOT PULL OUT A KNIFE IN ANGER. ADEPT, DO NOT WEAR THE APRON OF
AN ADEPT.(I.E. DON'T COMMIT ADULTERY WITH AN ADEPT,s WIFL)

11.

~FARADA~
(FORTITUDE)

\ I \ ________

SUURU

(PATlL'iCE)

'WMDiCQ

'c..1 I _--------
3

Wi

,0 . . . .

~ -~- ~

......

9RUNMllA SAYS: IT SHOULD BE DONE BIT BY BIT (STEP BY STEP).

12.

O:RIXI 11'f4.
I

IFAOGBOO

. .

ASAYE SOROIY IBIIYI

OPITAIY ILE-IFE

OMOEIYIRE

..

OMOEIYIRE

'.

OMO SAKfTIAGBOIY
EWIIYLEADO

..

EESA IYI DETA

ERlIYMI LOWO

'.

OMO BOlAJOKO

OKIIYKlIY TIlMERlIY FOIY

MO KI 0 IYIKIAWOSI

.MO KI 0 IYIKIAWOSE

MO KI 0 IYI IWORAIY OLA

IBI OJOMO TIlMO WA

lFA KOO
JI'RE L 'OIYI 0

13.

EKE
. 0 TAIY'RAIY
INAIYA APEREMASON

ENI T 'OWAYENKU ARAWO AlISORUN

'-

"

ORUM/LA ELERIIPIN IBIKEJI ODaMARE

AlEJO OOGUN OBIRIKITIAll P'OJO IKU DA

OLOWA M/ AMO IMOTAIY, AKOMOTAIYKO SE

ABA MO TAIY IBA SE

.,
AGIR! lLE OGBONABOLOWODIWERE
MARAIY
.

OLUWAMJATO BAlAYE

A TOBAlA YE.MAlAYA LOLO

AYA LOLO OSUNWON LOTE ORO ABIKOJIGBO

ODIDI TI DI OR! ELEMERE

OTON OR! ElYm'OSll/ywOIY SE

ELESI OYAIY QJOGJR/ UJ GBEDlI

()'f9~ GBEDEGIlEDE BI EIYJlA 'YlIY

.81 dieIJJtJI. BII1IIIIItis/e

TIe Ant/i- An*t/IL:E-J:F4 NIGUIA

(404) 559-1920

14.

!I..
'
"
OGBE-MEJI
MIMO

'"

"

9RUNMILA NI 0 DI IHEREHERE, MO NI IlI.lREHERE LI AJ'ORI EKU, IHEREHERE NI A J'ORI

~JA,

A T'OKUN LA GB'ORI

"
. ..,

~RINLA K.I

KERE

"

N'IF~

0 D'AIYE. A K.I IGBA DU-DU T'ERIN A K.I

" . ."
..

YEKETE T'EFON. OJA K.I IT'OJA IGBALE; ELU K'ELU

~E

K.I IT'ONI; OKUN K.I IT'OKUN

,
"
YEMIDEREGBE. YEMIDEREGBE L'ORUK9 A P'OLOKUN.

. , ,,'

.
. . .
, , .
,
GBOGBOROGBO
NI MORIWO
.
. OPE YO J'OGOMO, IGBO 'DE IROKO 0 MA YO..
A
IK'ERE JO. T'AGOGO
0 MA YO,
T'EMI
YO T'EMI YQ. L'AKO. KE.
.
.
,
, ,
NJE. TI YESI NI 0 YO'RI
. JU, DEDERE.
DEDERE ORAN OPE NI 0 YO'RI JU. DEDERE.
..
B'OKAN
. YO. A JA'NA'.
""
,
DEDERE
ORAN
JU, DEDERE.
"OPE
.. NI 0 YO'RI
."

ORUNMILA NI K'A WON N'IBU K'A WON N'IRO. GBOGBOROGBO L'OWO YO J'ORI
K.I

K.I

K.I

K.I

K.I

K.I

':?

' "

B'<?GAN YQ A JA'NA;

. .... ,...
..
. '"
T'EMI YO. T'EMI YO
. L'AKO. KE;
, , ... -" ... ...
"
,
",

DEDERE ORAN OPE NI 0 YO'RI JU. DEDERE.

..

DEDERE OKAN OPE

!'~

0 YO'RI JU, DEDERE.

A K.I IK'ERE JO K.I T'AGOGO K.I 0 MA YO;

If'

. ..
....

,...

' "

DEDERE ORAN OPE NI 0 YO'RI JU, DEDERE.

TRANSLATION:

, .......

ORUNMILA SAYS IT SHOULD BE DONE BIT BY BIT; I SAY IT IS BIT BY BIT THAT WE
SHOULD EAT THE HEAD OF THE RAT; IT IS BIT BY BIT THAT WE SHOULD EAT THE HEAD OF
THE FISH. THE ONE WHO COMES FROM THE SEA, WHO COMES FROM THE LAGOON TO
RECEIVE THE HEAD OF THE COW WAS NOT UNIMPORTQNT AT IFE LONG AGO. WE ARE NOT
AS LARGE AS THE ELEPHANT NOR AS STOUT AS THE BUFFALO. THE SASH THAT IS WORN
UNDERNEATH IS NOT AS FINE AS THE SASH THAT IS TIED ON TOP. NO KING IS AS GREAT

15.

AS THE ONI. NO STRING OF COWRIES IS AS THAT OF YEMIDEREGBE. YEMIDEREGBE IS

WHAT WE CALL THE SEA GODDESS.

, '"

ORUNMILA SAYS THAT WE SHOULD MEASURE THE LENGTH AND MEASURE THE
BREADTH. THE HAND REACHES MUCH HIGHER THAN THE HEAD: YOUNG PALM FRONDS
REACH MUCH HIGHER THAN OLD PALM FRONDS. NO FOREST IS SO DENSE THAT THE IROKO
CANNOT BE SEEN: NO MUSIC SO LOUD THAT THE GONG CANNOT BE HEARD. "MINE IS
IMPORTANT. MINE IS IMPORTANT" IS THE CRY OF THE GREY HERON.
"WELL THEN. WHOSE AFFAIR IS MOST IMPORTANT?

"CLEARLY PALM TREE'S AFFAIR IS MOST IMPORTANT. CLEARLY.

"QKAN SPROUTS. IT REACHES THE ROAD.

"CLEARLY PALM TREE'S AFFAIR IS MOST IMPORTANT. CLEARLY.

"OGAN SPROUTS. IT REACHES THE ROAD;

"CLEARLY PALM TREE'S AFFAIR IS MOST IMPORTANT. CLEARLY.

"MINE IS IMPORTANT, MINE IS IMPORTANT' IS THE CRY OF THE GERY

HERON;

"CLEARLY PALM TREE'S AFFAIR IS MOST IMPORTANT, CLEARLY.

"NO MUSIC IS SO LOUD THAT THE GONG CANNOT BE HEARD;

"CLEARLY PALM TREE'S AFFAIR IS MOST IMPORTANT, CLEARLY."

NOTE# ACCORDING TO THE IFE DIVINERS WHO INFORMED WILLIAM BASCOM, THE ODU

RECITAL ABOVE IS THE FIRST VERSE OF IFA. (SEE IFA DIVINATION-COMMUNICATION

aElWEEN GODS AND MEN. IN WEST AFRICA. 1969: P. ln.

-.

16

WHAT IS IFA?
"J

BERNARD MAUPOIL, QUOTES BOKONON GEDEGBE AT ABOMEY, THE GREATEST DDIVINER

IN DAHOMEY, WHOSE REPUTATION EXTENDS FAR AND WIDE TELLS US: "BOK9NON
.J

G~DfGBE

ADVISED US WITHOUT ENTERING INTO DETAILS, 'ALL THE BOK9NON TRY TO

DEFINE FA WITH POMP. EACH ONE LOOKING FOR A DEFINITION THAT INTERESTS, AND
\

INTRIGUES. BUT I, ALTHOUGH I AM A BOKONON, SHALL NOT RISK A DEFINITION! ONLY

THE MIRACULOUS NATURE THAT CREATED FA (IFA) CAN SPEAK OF IT LEARNEDLY."

THE AUTHOR CONTINUES: WE MAINTAIN THAT FA (IFA) SPECIALIZES IN THE FUNCTION OF

INDIVIDUAL INFORMATION. IN PRINCIPAL, FA/IF..( DOES NOT CONSTITUTE FOR ANYONE AN
OFFENSIVE ARMED MAGIC ARMY THAT IS PUT AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE DIVINERS OR

THEIR CLIENTS, AND DOES NOT DO GOOD OR BAD. FA/IFA IS IMPARTIAL: HEIIT INFORMS,
AND HIS ROLE STOPS THERE.

IN PRACTICE, THE INFORMATION THAT HE GIVES PERMITS HUMAN BEINGS TO BE ON

THEIR GUARD, AND IN THAT SENSE HE DOES GOOD. IF THE ONE WHO IS CONSULTING ASKS
I

FOR ASSISTANCE AGAINST AN AGGRESSOR, VISIBLE OR NOT, FAlIFA WILL RECOMMEND

CERTAIN MEDICINES WHICH, IN SAVING THE CONSULTANT, STRIKES THE ENEMY. THUS
THE IMPARTIALITY OF FIJIFi INFORMS AND ASSISTS EQUALLY ALL THOSE WHO APPEAL
TO HIM, AND DOES NOT FAVOR ANYONE.

FAJIFX DOES NOT JUDGE. HE IS AN INSTRUMENT OF INFORMATION, ATTACHED TO THAT

WHICH IS ASKED OF HIM. HE DOES NOT CARRY JUDMENTS OF REALITY. HE IGNORES THE

" "

LEGALITY AND THE JUDMENTS OF MEN. FA/IFA IS NOT THE WAY SOME PEOPLE THINK,
AMORAL: HE IS DIVINE. HE IS NOT A NATURAL FORCE. HE IS THE SOLICITUDE OF THE

..... "

CREATOR FOR HIS CREATION, EXEMPT FROM THE BLIND PASSIONS OF THE VODUN/ORI~A
FROM:-LA GEOMANCIE A L'ANClENNE COTE DES ESCLAVE, P.lS. B. MAUPOIL.l942.

17.

IS IFA A

""

VODUN/ORI~A?

J.D. CLARKE, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA (PROVINCE OF ILORIN),

WROTE IN RESPONSE TO AN INQUIRY MADE TO HIM BY MAAUPOIL IN 1935: "YOU SAY IFA IS

NOT A VODUN," (THAT IS,

"

, ,

ORI~A

IN YORUBA, IMALE IN EKITL). I THINK THAT EPEGA WAS

RIGHT ON THAT POINT, FOR HE SUPPORTED LIJADU. THEY BOTH SAY THAT IFA IS NOT A

.....

"

'

~\

SPIRIT OR ORISA, BUT THE MESSAGES OR WORDS ORUNMILA

"

SENT

BY HIM

TO THE

ENQUIRER, THROUGH THE BABALAWO; THAT EVERY SUCH MESSAGE IS AN IFA.

THAT IS AN ATTRACTIVE EXPLANATION OF THE PROBLEM AND I BELIEVE IT IS RIGHT, BUT

/

I QUESTIONED MY BABALAWO ON THE POINT AGAIN, AND HE MAINTAINED THAT IFA WAS
AN ORISA JUST AS

\
/
E~U. ~QNGO,

AND THE OTHERS.

LEANDRE MARTIN, OF SAVALOU, HAS GIVEN THIS INTERESTING ABSTRACT DEFINITION: 'FA
PROPERLY SPEAKING, IS NOT A VODUN; IT IS A NATURAL SCIENCE WHICH ENABLES MAN
TO KNOW THE FUTURE"

"

QRUNMILA-ACCORDING TO THE EVHE.

THE EVHE PEOPLE OF TOGO ASSOCIATE THE PERSON OF AFA /IFA WITH A CHAIN OR I..INI:
OF ALL THE DEAD DIVINERS. FROM THE MASTER TO THE YOUNGFST INIDATE...JT SEEMS
/

\"

THAT ALL TIll: DEVOTEES OF 9RUNMILA WHO HAVE ELEVATED TBEIIl CONSCIOtJSNESS '10
D'S f1JLLEST ~'DAL HAVE 8COME A PART OF TIll: SPIIU11IAL . .V Of mE OU!WA

_so

""

"
'IR 'OYIGIYICI
OTA "AUar. "DIE IOGIIIY. 1MIIOVAaU: -.cIC mAT SHAll. NE'\"Dl

-BtJT AFA ISFA IS DD1WD AS 11IE tnUtU ASSEMR-Y. Of' ALL THE DEAD INITIATES,

SEPARATED FROM TBE7R DESCENDANTS

.V

A GREAT

OF GENERATIONS,

-_*'

18,

ffi('li~. SPEAKING

WITH ONE MOUTH (VOICE). THEY HAVING ACQUIRED THE GREATEST

DETACHMENT VIS-A-VIS FROM THIS WORLD AND CONSEQUENTLY THE CAPACITY TO

WATCH THE GENERAL INTEREST OF THEIR GROUP.."
I

FROM "GEOMANCIE ET LE CULTE D'AFA CHEZLES EVHE. BY ALBERT SURGY. P.37)

THE AF7AN ELDERS

0:

CUBA SPEAK:

THEO>F IFA

"IFA IS THE CREATION. KNOWLEDGE AND DESTINY OF THE LAWS IMPOSED FOR THE
RESOLUTION OF THE DIVINE POWERS OF THE TRIMONOGENIC UNIVERSAL LAW. WHICH
ARE 9L9RUN.

~L~DA

I",

AND OLODUMARE. THE ONES WHO BY MUTUAL AGREEMENT

CREATED IN CONCERT ITS PERFECT WORK THAT IS THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE.
WITHIN THIS VAST INTERSTELLAR SPACE (WITH) ITS PERFECT WORK AND SUPREME
ARCHITECTURE. IS THE PLANET THAT IS CALLED EARTH.

IT IS A GIVEN THAT THE-PERFECT CREATION DOES NOT HAVE ERRORS TO MEASURE THAT 1
v/ THEY

WERE MAKING THE MYSTERIOUS TRANSFORMATION. THIS BEGAN THE BIRTH OI(~"} '/

IFA. THAT WAS

HIS CREATION. HIS LAWS. HIS DESTINY. FINALLY A CONJUNCTION OF

HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE AND A FOUNDATON OF THESE DEITIES. BEGAN THE SCIENTIFIC

WORK OF CREATING WHAT WE CALL NATURE. A COMPENDIUM OF ALL THAT WHICH
BREATHES. MOVES. FEELS. GROWS. FINALLY. ANIMAL. VEGETABLE OR MINERAL. THAT IS

IFA.

.. ....'11"-'
~

~'Jv
,

~\;1"'"

'

, IFA IS THE MYSTERIOUS WORK OF THE DEITIE(rWHERE EACH TIME THAT THEY

'_0

"TOUCHED" OR "CREATED" SOMETHING IT WAS

"WRITTEN" OR RECORDED IN THE

MYSTERIOUS DIARY OF THE DEITIES (THE AKASHIC RECORDS). AN ORGANIZED SCRIPTURE

"

"
LEFT TO HUMAN BEINGS IN SPACE TO ITS WITNESS OF FAITH. ,-,
t;LA OR 9RUNMILA
OLUPITAN IBIKEJI OLODUMARE. WHERE THE DEITIES WANTED THEREBY TO LEAVE

19.

BEHIND AN INDELIBLE RECORD (COSMIC MEMORY)

OF THEIR WORKS AND ITS

CHARACTER AND LAWS TO HUMAN BEINGS SO THAT ALL WHO WISH TO PARTAKE OF THE
FRUIT OF THE DIVINE CONSTANCY MAY DO SO..

'/

IF..(. THREE

(~~~~L~S;~;HREE SUPREME

DEITIES. THE THREE GREAT MYSTERIES OF

,-"

THE SKY AND SPACE.

..

OLORUN:
OLORUN ALA -DEITY OF THE SKY - OLORUN
ELEWI LESE. THE ONE WHO
"
,

COMMANDS AND PERFORMS. <?L<JRUN ALA-NUN. THE COMPASSIONATE DEITY. <?L<?RUN

-AJALORUN. THE INFLUENCE OF HEAVEN.

ELEDA : ELEDA ELEMI. THE DEITY OF LIFE. ELEDA OGA-OGO. THE SUPREME BEING OF THE
DIVINE GLORY.

OLODUMARE: OLODUMARE ALAYE. THE OWNER OF EARTH AND HEAVEN. OLODUMARE

OYIGIYIGI. THE ALL POWERFUL "WHO WILL NEVER DIE. OLODUMARE AWAMARIDI.
OLODUMARE THE DEITY WHO CANNOT BE FOUND OUT BY SEARCHING.

THESE ARE THE ~CREATORS OF IFA. WHO FINAUz~t[D THEIR WORK OF THE
fOUNDATION OF THE CREATION. THEIR WORK WITH TB. WORD OF IFA. THIS IS THE
~~L'iG

Of ALL THAT "'1I1C111S

L~-roLDI:.D TO

us.. THE al:CL'1miG AJIii-. THE END 01' A.IL.

~""'RIT 1lAS1.GC]41.1G& ..-sIS IFA.

TO .an'

nus.

"IIIEY

-.w

.dlMgj ~ ~

tIlEd IS N011IING IN THIS VAST

IN1DISD:LIAR SPACE THAT BAS NOT BEEN CllEAn:D BY IFA.

1"'

:..

20.

WHO CJ\N SAY THAT THEY HAVE INVENTED ANYTHING ON EARTH, OR IN THE UNIVERSE
FOR THAT MATTER, WHEN

[FA HAS ALREADY CREATED THE ELEMENTS THAT THEY USE

FOR THE INVENTION MILLIONS OF CENTURIES BEFORE? THEY SPEAK OF THE ATOM TODAY
AS THOUGH IT IS AN AMAZ[NG OR SUPREME D[SCOVERY, WHEN IN FACT IFA HAD CREATED
[T EONS BEFORE. THE ATTEMPT TO COMPARE "WESTERN SCIENCE" WITH
COMPARING

IFA IS LIKE

SOMEONE WHO CAN COUNT THE STARS AND CONSTELLATIONS IN THE

UNIVERSE WITH SOMEONE WHO CANNOT".

..

ABORU ABOYE
ABOSISE
,

"

THE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX HOLY ODU

WHAT ARE THE HOLY ODU? THEY ARE DIVINITIES IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. THEY ARE A
JUNCTURE OF ESSENCES, A FOCI OF DIVINE AND MATERIAL ENERGIES. THEY ARE
CONJUNCTIONS OF

DE[TIES . THEY ARE THE

DIVINE CONTAINERS OF ALL EXISTENCE.

THEY ARE VORTICES OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

DR. 'WANDE ABIMBOLA SAYS:

I

"THERE ARE TWO CATEGORIES OF THE ODU. THE FIRST

,

CATEGORY CONSISTS OF OJU ODU (THE PRINCIP,AL ODU), SIXTEEN IN NUMBER.

. ..
'"

~-

\-

THE SECOND CATEGORY CONSISTS OF OMO ODU OR AMULU ODU (MINOR ODU), TWO
HUNDRED AND FORTY IN NUMBER."

,
THERE ARE 1,600 VERSES OR RECITALS ATTACHED TO EACH ODU. THERE A TOTAL OF
.UO,OOO VERSES IN ALL.

"ODU" [S THE TOTAL PACKAGE THAT SURROUNDS THE INDIVIDUAL. THE PLANETS AND

V' GALAXIES, THE TOTALITY OF ALL EXISTENCE, I!!~TS YOU. YOU STAND IN THE CENTER OF
THE STAGE, YOU ARE COMPLETE WITH ALL YOUR AILMENTS AND ALL YOUR CURES.

21.

ALL YOUR SPIRITUAL ALLIES, FRIENDS AS WELL AS EENEMIES, ALL DIVINE BEINGS BOTH

BENEVOLENT AS WELL AS MALEVALENT COMPOSE YOUR "ODU". ODU ARE DIVINE

, "

~/

RECITALS ISSUED FROM THE M~OUTH OF 9RUNMILA MIMQ HIMSELF. THE COMPLETE

, "

, ,

""

BODY OF INSTRUCTIONS FROM ORUNMILA MIMO ARE CALLED "ODU". ODU IS THE DOOR
THROUGH WHICH WE ENTER THE WORLD.

. \ ' .. ..

"

ABORU!
ABOYE! ABOSISE!
..

/'

\"

THE HOLY ODU IFA QKQNRQN-EGUNTAN

ASSIGNMENT OF THE CARDINAL POINTS
~

,\

AFTER THE CREATION OF THE EARTH, QRUNMILA SAT AT THE MIDDLE OF THE ISLAND
\

FOUNDED BY HIM AND SAID THUS TO THE SIXTEEN PRINCIPAL

ODU THAT DESCENDED

WITH HIM AS HIS DISCIPLES. OGBE! ORDER YOU THE REGION WHERE THE SUN RISES.

HENCE SIT DOWN AT THE EAST. YOU OYEKU! ORDER YOU THE REGION WHERE THE SUN

\..'

SETS. AND SIT DOWN AT THE WEST. IWURI! SIT DOWN AT THE NORTH AND IDI! YOU SIT
\

DO"'""" AT THE SOUTH. YOU OTHER ODU SIT AROUND ME DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE EACH
" "
, , ,
OIIlD Il' A CIRCLE THUS: YOU IROOSUN! SIT AT -ENE-; AND nWORIN! AT -WSW-: OBARA!
~,

, ,

AT -IINW-: A."D ,!KQNRQN! ." T -SSE: OG1JNDA! AT -NE-: AND VSA! AT -5"-: IKA! AT

II"

0 . . . - : AT -5-;

__

'"
on~

_~~i_:

.-\ND

..

""~
AT -NNE-: IRT! AT -SSE-: OS!:! AT ~,,; AND OIlAi"'GIJN! OR

..

__,"""'~OIY.'" ,.....,uro_ _ CAU..l:D lFL THE BB..L

'~"-

W-=-I All SEA. . . . .,~; .-'P"''DID-.uuNGMONTHLYTWELVE

OF

.-.uns.

SiXliIIJIOF

.~

IIAIA

DIVINATION: -AND TIll: Ll'AVES 11IEIlt:OF SHALL 8E

NATIONS."

lJSED FOR CONSULTATION IN

,+

FOR TIlE HEALING OF THE

r/'

" ,

,/.-')

BETTER- THAN ANY OTHER PLACE, THE BABALAWO(S) WILL MERE,iTHE

ODU(S). SIXTEEN
'--_./~'
\
ODU
HAVE COME WITH ME, THESE WILL HAVE CHILDREN AND SHALL LIVE AROUND YOU;

THUS WILL IFE, HAVE

HAVE A GREAT PEOPLE. BUT YOU, MY DISCIPLES, SHALL HOLD

SWAY AND TELL THE PEOPLE WHAT IS THE WILL OF THE:

I

"

ETERNAL 19LQRUN ~L~DA I OLODUMARE I THE ALMIGHTY DEITY

",.23.

TIlE HOLY aDU IFA

OKQNRQN-bGUNDA
ASSIGNMENT OF TIlE

CARDINAL POINTS

NORTtI
(IWOR!)

NNE
(0l1JRA)

NE ,

.!'M'-'

./

(OGUNDA)

(IKA)

WNW
(OSE)

..

t:NE

'

(IROSUN)

EAST"
(OGBE)

WEST,
vEKU )

(9

ESE .,
WSW
<9W QRIN)

<OFUN)

SE

ssw

~IRETE)

. .

SSE
(~

~--=--=-=---=-==============~============~

f,

24. j

I '1
I
I
I
I

I
I I
I I
I

,
ODI

'IWORI
, ,

..... 4.

9K9NR <?N

,9BARA
, '"

8.

I I
II
I
I I

OTURUPQN

,IKA,

12.

I I
I
I I
I

, ,

OFUN

, '" I
9Yro

I
I I
I I
I I

I :1
I I
I I
I

, , ,

3.

2.

, ,
OSE

OGBE

"OWORI
~

7.

I I
I
I I
I I

6.

,,,

, ,

I
I
I
I I

OSA

10.

,,

IRETE

9.

I
I I
I
I

I I
I

"
-OGUNDA

I
I

15.

5.

IROSON

I I
I
I
I
11.

1.

I
I
I: I
I I

I I
I .1
I
I

I
I I
I
I I

16.

I
I
I
I

I
I
I
I

I
I
I
I

14.

OTURA

13.

THE SIXTEEN DEHI-ODU AND THEIR ORDER OF APPEARANCE. (IN DOUBLING

\
'
EACH DEHI-ODU
ONE OBTAINS THE ORDER OF ENUMERATION OF THE 16 ODU

TWINS. )

25.

THE SIXTEEN GREAT ODO CORRELATED WITH THE FOUR METAPHYSICAL ELEKEIrrS

\,

OGBE-MEJI

"OBARA-MEJI

'" ~ ,
, "
, ,

OKONRON-MEJI

",

OTURA-MEJI

EARTH
'-

...

OYEKU-MEJI

,''''

J"

QWQRIN-MEJI

, , ,

~"

OTURUPQN-MEJI

, " ,

9SE-MEJI
o

, "

... ,

IWORI-MEJI

, "

~,

IROSUN-MEJI

"

'"

~,

OGUNDA-MEJI

"

~ \.

\'

IRETE-MEJI

WATER
\it

"

"

ODI-MEJI

OSA-MEJI
,

"

IKA-MEJI

\"

~,

OFUN-MEJI

26
....

THE UNMENTIONABLE ODU(S)

" THAT ARE PARTICULARLY UNCOMPROMISING,

THERE ARE THREE ENTITIES (ODU)
"

",

IRRECONCILABLE AND A MISFORTUNE TO THE UNTRAINED BABALAWO/BOKONON

. .
OR THE UNFORTUNATE INITIATE UNDER THE INVOCATION OF WHICH THEY.HAVE
APPEARED DURING THE CONSULTATION. THEY ARE IMPETUOUS AND FRIENDS OF
THE QUARREL. THEY ARE UNMOVABLE IN THEIR RESOLUTION. ALTHOUGH THEY
ARE OF AN EXTREME SEVERITY FOR THE LEAST OMISSION, THEY ARE HUNGRY
FOR SACRIFICES. THE WOMEN (WIVES) OF THEIR POSSESSORS WHO COMMIT
AN ACT OF DARKNESS (ADULTERY) ARE IRREMEDIABLY AND PITILESSLY
CHASTISED.
/

......

THESE TERRIBLE CHILDREN OF FA-AHIDEGUN (ORUNMILA)

DO NOT TOLERATE
,
BEING TRACED ON THE

GROUND OR HAVING THEIR NAMES PRONOUNCED BY AN

IMPIOUS OR PROFANE MOUTH.

BECAUSE OF THE INEXORABLE SEVERITY OF THIS DIVINE TRIO WHO REJECT
.

THE DEMANDS WITH THE MEANEST VIOLENCE, THAT ALL TRUE BABALAWO

BOKONON
ON WAKING UP IN THE MORNING TASTE SOKETHrNG POISON",
,
BECAUSE DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY HE MAY UNEXPECTEDLY BE ASKED
TO DO A CONSULTATION, AND MAY IN THE END, AFTER HIS INVOCATION, IF
ONE OF THESE DIVINITIES APPEAR, HE CAN ANNOUNCE

I~

WITHOUT HARM TO

HIMSELF, OR TO HIS ENTOURAGE.

IT IS CONSEQUENTLY FORBIDDEN NOT ONLY TO TRACE THEIR SYMBOLS ON THE
GROUND OR TO PRONOUNCE THEIR SACRED NAMES, BUT ALSO THOSE OF THEIR
COMBINATIONS.

27.
THESE THREE ENTITIES ARE:
I

,IRETE-MEJr
'"
/
I

, ., ,

OSE-MEJI

I
I

, "

IROSUN-MEJI
/

WHEN THESE FIGURES FIRST APPEAR THEY, 'PID5:" SHOULD BE SLIGHTLY V

SMEARED OR LIGHTLY ERASED SO THAT THEY ARE NOT READILY IDENTIFIABLE.
INSTEAD OF PRONOUNCING THEIR NAMES WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO USE A
NUMBER OF EUPHEMISMS OR "NICKNAMES".
FOR EXAMPLE:
""
' "
I'"
,,,
1. DEKPE-KUTON
FOR "
IRETE-GUNDA
/LETE -GUDA
I

2. TETE-GBA-LOLO FOR IRETE-IROSIm /LETE-LOLO

I

OR ATE-AYISUN

,'"

I,""

3. JAGLAIIEPU FOR IR~-9S~ / L~-TCHE

"

, , , ....

4. "lCIIE-FILE FOR OSE-IRE'I'E /

NOTEt: 'l'BESE 'IWO

. . '

UDU

,.

CGlBIllAftc.s.

CALLED GADBGLIDO.

.....

'I'CIIE-LETE.
,

.. .

" "AIID
"OSE-IRETE
"~"~
DtftIt-osE
ARE ALSO
,

....

.....

THE CONSTRUCTION AND SYMBOLIC MEANING OF THE HOLY ODU.

HOW IS_AN ODO CONSTRUCTED?

" IS CONSTRUCTED BY IMPOSING SINGLE AND DOUBLE MARKS ONE ABOVE

AN ODU
OTHER UNTIL WE HAVE A VERTICAL COLUMN COMPOSED OF FOUR (4) SINGLE OR
DOUBLE MARKS, WHICH IS DOUBLED TO FORM TWO COLUMNS, THUS:
I

THESE SINGLE MARKS HAVE, SYMBOLIC SIGNIFICANCE, DEPENDING ON THEIR

POSITION IN THE COLUMN. FOR EXAMPLE:
#

1.

=INQN (FIRE)

2.

=AFEEFE (AIR)

3.

= OKI

4.

=AYE (EARTH)

,, ,

MASC.

FEM.

UNDER THIS CONCEPT, THE DOUBLE MARKS INDICATE THE COMPLETE ABSENCE OF
THE "FOUR ROOTS OF THE WORLD".
THE RIGHT COLUMN IN AN ODU CONSTRUCTION REPRESENTS MALENESS AND THE
LEFT COLUMN REPRESENTS FEMALENESS.
J

FEMALE COLUMN

MALE COLUMN

THE TWO TOP MARKS REPRESENT MALE AND THE TWO BOTTOM MARKS REPRESENT_
FEMALE. THUS:

FEMALE

I
I
I
I

I
I
I
I

MALE

III

29.

HOW IS AN ODU WRITTEN OR "MARKED" ON THE OPON

IFA?
..
THE DIVINER INSCRIBES THE MARKS ON HIS OPON IFA WITH THE MIDDLE FINGER
ONLY OR WITH THE MIDDLE AND FOURTH FINGER

OF THE RIGHT HAND.

THE MARK IS INSCRIBED BY PUSHING THE IYEROSUN BEFORE HIM OR AWAY FROM
HIM,NOT BY PULLING THE FINGER TOWARDS HrMSELF. THE MARKS ARE MADE FROM
RIGHT TO LEFT. THE FIRST MARK IS MADE ON THE TOP RIGHT, THE SECOND ON
THE TOP LEFT, THE THIRD ON THE RIGHT BENEATH THE FIRST MARK. THE FOURTH
ON THE LEFT BENEATH THE SECOND MARK, AND THE FIFTH MARK BENEATH THE
THIRD MARK ON THE RIGHT. THE SIXTH MARK IS MADE ON THE LEFT BENEATH
THE FOURTH MARK. THE SEVENTH MARK IS MADE ON THE RIGHT BENEATH THE
FIFTH MARK, AND THE EIGHTH AND LAST MARK, IS MADE BENEATH THE SIXTH
MARK ON THE LEFT. THUS:

ALL ODD NUMBERS APPEAR ON THE RIGHT OR MALE SIDE. AND ALL
NUMBERS APPEAR ON THE LEFT OR FEMALE SIDE.

OGBE-MfJI
HEAD.

,,

-THE PARTS OF THE BODY CONTRILLED BY THE HOLY ODU IFA

CONTROLS THE SPINAL COLUMN, THE BLOOD VESSELS AAND THE HUMAN

ODI-M~JI

CONTROLS THE BUTTOCKS.

"IROSUN-MEJI
"
, CONTROLS THE MENSTRUAL FLOW WHEN IT LEAVES THE BODY.

,,~

<?WQRIN-M~JI

CONTROLS THE HANDS AND THE FEET OF HUMAN BEINGS AND NUMEROUS

DISEASES OF THE STOMACH.

""
OKONRuN-MEJI
. , \.... '. CONTROLS THE VOCAL CHORDS AND HUMAN SPEECH.
~

OGUNDA-MEJI CONTROLS THE MALE GENITALS, THE PENIS. THE TESTICLES, THE SPERM,

AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PENILE ERECTION.

.,

OSA-MEJI CONTROLS THE CIRCULATION OF THE BLOOD, ALL THE INTERNAL ORGANS OF
THE BODY ESPECIALLY THE HEART, THE TWO EARS, THE TWO NOSTRILS, THE TWO EYES,
THE TWO LIPS, THE TWO CHEEKS, THE TWO THIGH, THE FEMALE GENITALS, ESPECIALLY
THE LABIA MAJORUM AND THE LABIA MINORA.

IKA-MEJI CONTROLS THE THORACIC CAGE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE STERNUM.

\.

I"

OTURUPON-MEJI CONTROLS THE BREASTS, SWELLINGS OF THE BODY, IT CAUSES DROPSY,

#

. ,

FALSE LABOR AND ABORTIONS AND CREATES DIARRHEA.

OTURA-MEJI COMMANDS THE MOUTH AND RULES WORDS.

"

IRJtTf-MpI CONTROLS LONGEVITY.

"

.
I

'oSE-MEJI
CONTROLS NUMEROUS ILLNESSES, NOTABLY ABCESSES.
,

31.

,/

--THE PARTS OF THE BODY CONTROLLED BY THE HOLY ODU IFA

,/

OGBE-MEJI
~

(THE MOUTH)

(THE HEAD)

, ,

'\
/
9K<!NR9N-MfJI

(VOCAL CHORDS AND

HUMAN SPEECH)

.
I

lKA-MI;JI

OSA-MEJI

(THE THORACIC
CAGE)

\.

OGUNDA-MEJI
,
(THE HANDS)

(mE FEET)

(THE GENITALS)

32

,/

THE PARTS OF THE FEMALE BODY CONTROLLED BY THE HOLY ODU IFA

, "'

..... \

"

OTURUPON-MEJI

.....

I'

OTURUPON-MEJI

(FEMALE BREASTS)

,OSA-MEJI
" ,

..

-.

33.

,
TO EACH OF THE ODU THERE IS A CORRESPONDING SHORT INVOCATION:

, ,

1. J 10GBE (OGBE-MEJI I

M I KAN J 10GBE, KU LI MA HUN NU M 1O!

WE HAVE CONSULTED J 10GBE, THAT THE ROAD OF DEATH DOES NOT OPEN TO US OH!

",

""

2.. YEKU-MEJ I (QYEKU-MEJ I

M I KAN YEKU-MEJ I, MA KU ZAN DO M 1O!
WE HAVE CONSULTED YEKU-MEJ I, THAT NIGHT DOES NOT FALL ON US, OH!

, "

,.,

3. WOLl-MEJ I (IWORI-MEJ I)

M I KAN WOL I-MEJ I, ZUN GAN XO DO TA NU M I O!

WE HAVE CONSULTED IWORI-MEJ I, THAT YOU DO NOT MAKE A HOLE IN OUR ROOF (THAT ACCIDENTS MAY

ENTER).

, '" ,

4. DI-MEJ 1 (ODI-MEJ I)

MI KAN D 1MEJ I, MA HWE KPAKO DDO M I O!

WE HAVE CONSULTED DI-MEJ I, THAT YOU DO NOT CLOSE US IN AND CRUSH US, OH!

,\,

5. LOSO-MEJ I (IROSUN-MEJ I)

M I KAN LOSO-MEJ I, MA DO NUKUN-M IA NI E O!

WE HA~ CONSULTED LOSO-MEJ I, THAT YOU DO NOT ALLOW OUR EYES TO BECOME RED (FROM SEEING

ACCIDENTS),OH!

6. WENLEMEJ 1(Q W9RIN-MEJ I)

M I KAN WENLE-MEJ I, TA-Y I MA FO DO AKON YE O!
~

HA\ CONSULTED WENLE-MEJ I, THAT YOO 00 NOT SURPRISE US. AND ~ US FlEE (rVIDTAKE ~

""

7. A8L\_ME.)l tQ&MA-IEJ I)

MI KNt A8l.A-IlEJ L ~~A WE I'KJ't Ka't II tfWNt!

WE HA\ COI"tS(LlID A8IA-IlIEJ l

rr IS nE FN'l1K\T IWCES nE SlIEAT GO AWAY'.

8. AKlAN-MEJ 1(QKQNRQI"I-MEJ I)
M I KAN AKlAN-MEJ I. EMI SITE SIt HOI"ITOrt I'W'I.N'I DO IE DO J UOI"t [Wi8E"IE ~!

WE HAVE CONSULTED AKLAN-MEJ I, 1AM GEll1"IG <P FROM

1AM GOING TO SIT IN A BETTER PLACE!

orE IS SPEAKI'tG BAIX..YABOUT" FRENO. AND

, ,

9. GUDA-MEJ I (OGUNDA_MEJ I)

MI KAN GUDA_MEJ I, MA SA GLAGLA XA.IE O!

WE HAVE CONSULTED GUDA MEJ I, DO NOT SHOW US YOUR FORCE,OH!

, ,

10. SA-MEJ I (9SA-MEJ I)

MI KAN SA-MEJ I, XE SO AWON XE AM I DO AFO E KUN SO O!

WE HAVE CONSULTED SA-MEJ I, ALL THE THE BIRDS CAN BE CAUGHT Wffii LIME, BUT NOT THE SORCERER'S

BIRD (WHOSE FEET ARE OILED)!

., ,

11. KA-MEJ I (IKA-MEJ I)

M I KAN IKAMEJ I,EM I DO GAN TO; HUN KUN NON DO GAN TO; BO NON Sf WOo

WE HAVE CONSULTED KAMEJ I, I HAVE DROPPED THE ANCHOR IN THE RIVER;; THE BOAT HAS DROPPED ITS

ANCHOR IN THE RIVER; IT CANNOT MOVE ANYMORE.

,
12. TURUKPEN-MEJ I (OTURUPQN-MEJ I)

MI KAN TURUKPEN, TURUKPEN LELO! KAN GBETO NOGBE KO A! EM I KUN NA JE GOLO HON KPON TCHON O!

WE HAVE CONSULTED TURUKPEN! TURUKPEN LELO! THOSE WHO PLAIT TI-lRfAD <:NiNOT PLAIT SAND! THAT

I MAY NOT SUFFER FROM AN OOZING SICKNESS. (A VERNEAL DISEASE).

13. TULAMEJ I (OTURAMEJ I)

M I KAN TULA-MEJ I , NUNTCHE MA DO AlON LIN E O!

WE HAVE CONSULTED TULAMEJ I, THAT MY MOUTH (OR YOURS) DOES NOT CREATE ENEMIES!

"

14. LETEMEJ I (IRfi:T~-MEJ I)

M I KAN LETE-MEJ I, EM I KU NA KU KU VA UN O!

WE HAVE CONSULTED LETE-MEJ I, THAT I DO NOT DIE SUDDEENLY!

15. TCHE-MEJ I (9S~MEJ I)

MI KAN TCHE-MEJ I, KU KPLAKPLA , AlON KPLAKPLA, EM I GBE BI

WE HAVE CONSULTED TCHE-MEJ I, THAT SUDDEN DEATH, AND SUDDEN SICKNESS, SPARE US!

, ,

16. FU-MEJ I (OFUN-MEJ I)

XEKPA!

KU KPODO KU VI LE KPAN, GBE KPODO GBE V I LE KPAN, AlON KPODO AlON V I LE KPAN, GUDA-FLIGBE, WA

Y I SA NU M I! KLAN-SA, MA GBA HWE DO TA NU M I O! DI-FUN, KU HUN K<J KON, TCHE-TULA DO LE DO, LE

GBOGBO DO, KPOLI AGBAN-NON JE AGBAN-TON, GUDO BO JE AGBAN-TON NUKON!

II

II

35.

DUNON DUNON EM lYRa LE 0, EM I HWELE SIN YEI

WE HAVE CONSULTED FU-MEJ I, XEKPA.

; DEATH AND THE CHILDREN OF DEATH, LIFE AND THE

CHILDREN OF LIFE, SICKNESS AND THE CHILDREN OF SKJ<NESS! OGUNDAOGBE! COME GIVE YOUR ASE TO
MY SACRIFICE! OKANRAN-OSA, DON'T BREAK THE HOOSE ON MY HEAD! ODIOFUN, IF DEATH LIES IN WAIT
FOR ME; CHASE IT! OSEOTURA, ALL THIS IS FOR YOU. THIS ALSO FOR THE EARTH, IT IS NOT IMPORTANT
WHERE ON EARTH ([HE EBO IS PLACED)!
ABORU ABYE ABOSISE!

ADURA ATI IJ6BA

"ORISA
... ,
"
,
T'O WA LATI IPILESE AYE YI

.Ow~A
~, ...
~
"""
T'O WA LATI ILA OORUN
' :"i T'O WA" LATI ............

IWO
b RISA
.
. OORUN
'" T'O WA, ,"
LA"
TI ,
ARIWA
b RI~A

.OwSA
~,...
,_, '"
T'O WA LATI GUUSU
,

"':'I.
' LATI
'- ' IKOLE
. . " ORUN
...
ORISA T'O WA
,

,...

ORISA
, T'O WA LATI IKOLE AYE
,,'

.....

II

ORISA T'O WA LATI ILE-IFE MIMO

.ORISA
, " T'O WAILATI
' OKUN

..ORISA
"" T'O WA" LATI ODO
...
,
I

...

...

...

MO JUBA O! MO JUBA O! MO JUBA O!

"IBA SE!
.. "IBA SE!" IBA .SE!.
...

"

."

.."...

IBA IRUN-'MALE, OJUKOTUN;

...

IBA IGBA-'MALE OJUKQSI;

I

..

...

MO JUBA O! MO JUBA O! MO JUBA O!

'"

IBA ~~! IBA ~F;! IBA ~~!

~

BOK9NON G~D~GBE MIMO

...

....

MO JUBA O! MO JUBA O! MO JUBA O!

"

,,,

"

IBA ~~! IBA ~f! IBA ~~!

...
....
AWO OJUK~)TUN MO JUBA O!

....

....

AWO OJUKpSI MO JUBA O!

~

......

....

I . .....

AWO ILA OORUN MO JUBA O!

... .... .......
.....
AWO IWO OORUN MO JUBA O!

...

....

AWO ARIWA MO JUBA O!

1"

, "

AWO GUl1SU MO JUBA O~

I

"

-AJUBA GBOGBO

37.

TRANSLATION:
-PRAYERS AND PRAISES
SPIRITS THAT COME FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS WORLD
SPIRITS THAT COME FROM THE EAST
SPIRITS THAT COME FROM THE WEST
SPIRITS THAT COME FROM THE NORTH
SPIRITS THAT COME FROM THE SOUTH
SPIRITS THAT COME FROM THE CELESTIAL WORLD
SPIRITS THAT COME FROM THE PLANET EARTH

SPIRITS THAT COME FROM THE HOLY CITY ILE-IFE

SPIRIS THAT COME FROM THE OCEAN

SPIItrTS THAT COME FROM THE RIVERS

I PIlAJSI: YOU! I PRAISE YOU! I PRAISE YOU!

HOMAGE COIlE TO PASS! HOMAGE COME TO PASS! HOMAGE COME TO PASS!

HOMMAGE TO THE FOUR HUNDRED SPIRITS ON THE RIGHT SIDE

HOMAGE TO THE TWO HUNDRED SPIRITS ON THE LEFT SIDE

I PRAISE YOU! I PRAISE YOU! I PRAISE YOU!

THE HOLY DIVINER, GEDEGBE

I PRAISE YOU! I PRAISE YOU! I PRAISE YOU!

HOMAGE COME TO PASS! HOMAGE COME TO PASS! HOMAGE COME TO PASS!

DIVINERS ON THE RIGHT SIDE, I PRAISE YOU!

DIVINERS ON THE LEFT SIDE, I PRAISE YOU!

DIVINERS IN THE EAST, I PRAISE YOU!

DIVINERS IN THE WEST, I PRAISE YOU!

DIVINERS IN THE NORTH, I PRAISE YOU!

DIVINERS IN THE SOUTH, I PRAISE YOU!

-WE PRAISE ALL OF YOU

I ,

ADURA ATI IJUBA

IF THE DIVINER IS IN ABOMEY HE SAYS:

N'JI AVA LU MAWU!

N'JI AVA LU BOKONON CHE!

N'JI AVA LU JOGBANA!

N'JI AVA LU BOKO LEGBA!

N'JI AVA LU HOHO!

N'JI AVA LU LISA!

N'JI AVA LU HEVIOSO!

N'JI AVA LU MAWU!

N'JI AVA LU TO CHE!

N'JI AVA LU NO CHE!

N'JI AVA LU TOVODUN BI CHE!

N'JI AVA LU VODUN BI CHE!

N'JI AVA LU YE BI!

ATCHE! ATCHE! ATCHE!

THAT IS TO SAY:
THAT I MAY SPEAK, THANKS TO MAWU!
THAT I MAY SPEAK. THANKS TO MY MASTER DIVINER!
THAT I MAY SPEAK. THANKS TO MY MASTER'S ASSISTANT!
THAT I MAY SPEAK. THANKS TO THE DIVINER'S LEGBA!
THAT I MAY SPEAK. THANKS TO THE DIVINE TWINS!
THAT I MAY SPEAK. THANKS TO VODUN LISA!
THAT I MAY SPEAK. THANKS TO THE THUNDER DEITY!
THAT I MAY SPEAK. THANKS TO MAWU!
THAT I MAY SPEAK. THANKS TO MY FATHER!

39.
THAT I MAY SPEAK. THANKS TO MY MOTHER!
~

THAT I MAY SPEAK. THANKS TO ALL MY ANCESTORS!

THAT I MAY SPEAK. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!

LET IT BE SO! LET IT BE SO! LET IT BE SO!

, ,

ADURA ATI (JUBA

""
~
IBALUWO.
,

IBA JUGBANA.

"IBAAK9DA.
" , ,
,

IBA AS~DA.

"IBA
.....ARABA
" " TI MBE LODE IFE!
'

"

"IBA
" BABA.
" ,

""
" ,
IBA YEYE
.. "

"

.....

IBA YEYE BABA.

"

..

A JUBA ENlKAN KODE t:NlKAN KU!

'" THAT IS TO SAY:
INSPIRE ME. MY DIVINER OF THE SACRED FOREST.
INSPIRE ME. MY DIVINER'S ASSISTANT.
INSPIRE ME. AKODA.
INSPIRE ME. ASEDA.
INSPIRE ME. ARABA WHO RESIDES AT MYSTERIOUS IfE!
INSPIRE ML MY fA1'BEIC

INSPIR ML MY MOIIIDt!

INSPIIl ME. MY ANCESTORS.

AND ALL Of YOU WHO I HAVE NOT NAllED.IIlWOKE YOU

PLEASE DON.,. fORGET ME!

~.

AND

THE INSTRUMENTS AND ACCESSORIES OF DIVINATION

14.~

--7.

13.

4.

1.

1.

~NI

(MAT) 2.

, ,, ,

IRUK~R~

8.

(COW TAIL SWISH) 3. QPQN IFA (DIVINING TRAY

,

4. AJERE (DIVINING VESSELS CONTAINING IKIN HrMQ) 5. VODZI OR IBO

...
\

\0

6. OPELE (DIVINING CHAIN) 7. ASEN (METAL STAND. USED FOR RECEIVING

I

OFFERINGS. 8. GUBASA (MACHETE, REPRESENTING AN ASPECT OF OGUN) 9.

,.

CLIENT. 10. THE DIVINER. 11. IROKE (IFA IVORY OR WOOD TAPPER) 12.
~\o

"

DAADAA. 13. APO IFA (IFA BAG) 14.

'-....

~RE

ESU (IMAGE OF "ESU)

'I"
" I,

THE OPON IFA AS A SYMBOL OF DIVINE AND MATERIAL REALITY.

,."

-ORIGUN HEREERIN
AYE/WEKEZO ENE LE
I I
I

(THE FOUR CARDINAL POINTS)

THE FOUR CARDINAL POINTS, ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST FOUR SIGNS
\

'"

'

OR ODU OF IFA/AFA. ILA-OORUN/MAWOJI MEANS EAST, IWO-OORUN/LISAJI

,

, ""

MEANS WEST, ARIWA/VOVOLIVVO

~

(PLACE WHERE THE LOOKING IS LOST) MEANS

NORTH, AND GUUSU/XUJI, MEANS SOOTH.

",

THE HORIZONTAL EAST-WEST LrNE IS CAI.LED ONA TOBI

AYE/GBF~IGBO

MEAN

ING THE GREAT ROAD OF LIFE. THIS STATEMENT REPRESENTS ALL THAT WHICH
FALLS UNDER THE SENSES. THE PERPENDICULAR SOUTH-NORTH LINE REPRESENTS
ALL THAT WHICH MAN DOES NO'!' DroIT, THE WORLD OF MYSTERY WHERE THE
SENSES DO NOT REACH.

I~

CARRIES THE NAME LONTOME (UNKNOWN REMOTE LAND)

PLACE OF THE FAR OFF 0IdMJIIIi, OR LONDON (UNKNOWN REMOTE OVERTHERE).

IT IS THE DOHAIII OF '1'BE .-DOWABLE.

THE LINE OF 'l'BE

~IBLE

REPRESENTS THE DAY ARD ALL

" \
,
I,
OYEKU~MEJI
,

REPRESER'l'S

"

,
WORLD IS DIVIDED IN TWO PARTS: OGBE-MEJI
~~

WI~

WHICH IS SENSIBLE DURING THE DAY.

AND ALI. THAT WHICH IS SENSIBLE DURING THE

NIGHT.

,,'

"",

OGBE-MEJI REPRESENTS LrFE, OtEKU-MEJI REPRESENTS DEATH.

THE LINE OF THE INVISIBLE, U8KROWABLE WORLD INCLUDES THE COUPLE

"
','
IWORI MEJI,

,,,,,

AND ODI-KEJI. u.DER THEM OR ABOUT THEM THE INFORMATION

HAS STRONG CONTRADICTIONS,

CANNOT REACH BY INTUITION.

SINCE THEY ARE OF THE DOMAIN WHERE ONE

ARIWA

I
I
I I I I
I I I I
I
I
SPIRITUAL

'"

ILE-IFE

~
~

::c
~
~
~

>

::c

o.

1-4

<
4'<
:z:

0
:Ii:

,,

til::

IWO O~Rlm

II
II

II
II

II
II

II
II

"ILA, OOR
""

,0.

GREAT ROAD

II
II

OF LIFE

... ,

GBE "LI GBO

ONA TOBI AYE

II
II

~
~

<
~

t~
Q

t!)

:Ii:

lo.

::c
~

I I

I I

I
I

I
I

I I

I I

~,

GUUSU

I
,I

43.

1//

OPON IFA

IFA TRAY

..

OLUHORON = OMNISCIENCE

, ,

ORI OPON

, , '\
, ,

OLUMORON

'\

'\

OLUMORON

CWO OTUN

,,, ,

CWO OS:IN

...

'\

ESE
OPON
,

..
\

~S'

"ORI QPqN!
,

(INVOCATION TO THE OPON

, , IFA)

OFO

'

..

1\

9P<?N! OLUM9RQN QWQ QTUN!

"

I....

OLUMORON CWO OSIN! AGONNOMAIGBO!

/\"

,\",,1

EYIN TI E NRO ENIYAN L'OFOI OJU-ALA!

. ,

44.

THE NINE POINTS OF POWER ON THE OPON IFA

I

OJU 9P9N

" \
ALASELOSI

"FACE OF THE OPON"

,

ALABALOTUN

"THE-ONE-WHO-PROPOSES

"THE-ONE-WHO-IMPLEMENTS
WITH-THE-LEFT"

WITH-THE-RIGHT"

, ,

"OKANRAN

ONA
MUNU
I

"ONA,

"A DIRECT PATH"

STRAIGHT PATH"

AFURUKERESAYO

AJILETEPOWO

"THE-ONE-WHO-HAS-DIVIN ER' S

AR-EARLY-RISER-WHO

,IRUKERB-AND-IS-HAPPY"
\

. .

SITS-DOWN-AND-PROSPERS

..
/

ESE
, OPON
"FOOT OF THE TRAY"

45.

AFTER THE PROPER INVOCATIONS TO THE PROPER SPIRITS,

~

... "

THE DIVINER SPREADS THE IYEROSUN OVER THE SURFACE OF

,

..

THE OPON IFA. HE THEN BEGINS TO TRACE A FIGURE HAVING

FOUR LOOPS AND A VERTICAL LINE. THIS FIGURE IS CAI,LED
"TETE". TO CONSTRUCT THIS FIGURE, HE BEGINS AT THE
TOP AND TRACES A STRAIGHT LINE DOWNWARD TOWARD THE

.. ..

OPON ESE. HE THEN MAKES THE FIRST LOOP AND GOES UP

WARD UNTIL HE HAS TRACED THE FOURTH LOOP AT THE TOP.
THEN HE SAYS:

"TETE"!, TOUCHING THE LOOP AT THE BOTTOM WITH HIS IROKE. THEN SAYS:

.,

"TETE DZIDZO! TOUCHING THE SECOND LOOP. THEN HE SAYS: "TETE AMEIIOftENO!
THEN TOUCHING THE LOOP AT THE TOP HE SAYS: "TETE ADZANYIKPOKPO!

, ,
"THE IKIN MIMO (SACRED PALM-NUTS) ARE

, ,

USED IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER. THE BABA

~

LAWO (IFA PRIEST) PUTS THE SIXTEEN IKIN

" ~ IN ONE OF HIS PALMS AND HE THEN

MIMO

TRIES TO TAKE ALL OF THEM OUT AT ONCE

WITH THE OTHER HAND. IF TWO PALM-NUTS
REMAIN IN HIS HAND, HE MAKES ONE MARK

"

ON THE OPON
IFA CONTAINING THE IYEROSUN.

IF ONE PALM-NUT REMAINS, HE MAKES TWO
MARKS, BUT IF NOTHING REMAINS OR IF MORE THAN TWO

ALM-NUTS REMAIN

IN HIS HAND, HE MAKES NO MARK AT ALL. THIS PROCESS IS REPEATED UNTIL

AN ODO SIGNATURE IS OBTAINED." (SEE 'WANDE ABIHBO

of IFA Literary

C'

'S IFA, An Exposit

orpus. P.II)

", ,"',
' ,
\

~,

'

IF TWO PALM-NUTS REMAIN IN

IF ONE PALM-NUT REMAINS IN

HIS HAND, HE HAKES

IN HIS HAND, HE HAKES TWO

ONE

MARK ON THE OPON IFA.

MARKS

N THE OPON IFA.

tIIIttI

THE AGUNMAGA OR

"

"

9P'L~

(THE DIVINING CHAIN)

I
I

THE FON OF DAHOMEY CALL THIS INSTRUMENT -AGUNMAGA -,

9P~L~.

(YORUBA) CALL IT

THE AGONMAGA OR

47.

'

9P~L~

IS

A~

THE ANAGO

CONSI~RED TO

MASCULINE. HOWEVER, ITS TWO BRANCHES ARE SAID TO BE

THE MASCULINE -VOHUKAN- HAS A CONRY SHELL, A PIECE

BE

~ AND FEMALE.
OF ~ORY FROM THE

TOOTH OF AN ELEPHANT, A PIECE OF MONEY, ETC. ATTACHED

ITS END.

~TTACHED
TO ITS
!

THE OTHER ONE, THE FEMINIRE SroE HAS A PIECE OF IVORY

EXTREMITY,. OR SOMETIMES NOT AlfYTHING IS ATTACHED TO IT.I

...,

..

..

...

"

oJ

THE AGUNMAGA (OPELE) IS RESPECTED AS A VODUN, IT RECEI

THE SAME

FOOD OFFERING THAT IFA RECEYVES, BUT AFTERWARDS. THE F

YORUBA CAST THE

.....

..

"

(OPELE)
, SO THAT THE MASCULINE BRANCH FALLS

ON THE RIGH'!' SmE.

..

THE MANNER OF CASTUG '!BE AG1iiotAGA (OPELE)

,

IS AS FOLLois:

THE DIVINER RAISES TRB CRATN WITH ONE HAND, HOLDING IT IN THE MIDDLE:
1

WITH ~HE OTHER HARD BE ASSURES THE PARALLELISM AND THE SEPARATION OF
THE MALE AND FEMALE

~.

THE YORUBA DIVINERS THR04 THE OBJECT

BEFORE THEM IN A FASHIa. SO THAT THE EXTREMITIES ARE

D~RECTED

TOWARD

THEMSELVES. THE FOR CAST rr IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION ~O THAT THE

EXTREMITIES ARE POrNTIWG AWAY FROM THEM. SEE BELOW:
THE CLIENT

,,, . ,
THE YORUBA BABALAWO

THE

BOKONON

THE VOHUKAN (MALE SIDE) MUST FALL ON THE DIVINERls RIGHT. THE

LECT~I

OF THE ODU PRESENTED BY THE CHAIN IS HADE BY OBS'RVING THE TWO

FOLLOWING RULES:
THE CONVEXITY OF EACH HALF NUT CORRESPONDS TO A

OUBLE MARK (I I ),

AND EACH CONCAVITY CORRESPONDS TO A SrNGLE MARK

I); THE AGUNMAGA OR

-J

. , ,.

"

'"

THE OPELE
IS READ OR INTERPRETED FROM RIGHT TO L FT. THE ODU REVE
'.
.,J

....

. .

BY THE AGUNMAGA (OPELE)

IFA)
. , , ARE NEVER TRANSCRIBED ON THE FATE (OPON
,

.J?

,
I'

CONVEX
SIDE

f
FEMININE

CONCAVE

SIDE

SIDE

SIDE

\.

.".... . .'
.......-

\\

49.

THE

""
YOROBA
BABALAIIOS)

CAST THE

"
,
OPELE

WITH THE

EXTREMI~IES
I

TOWARD THEMSELVES.

I
I
,

II
fI:"3
'T
~,,,

COo
~Q

'\

" ,

THE DAHOMEAN BOKONON(S) CAST THE OPELE

FROM THEMSELVES.

FALLING

I
AN EXAMPLE OF A TYPICAL OAF:' (DIVINATIOrl

(USING SPECIFIC ALTERNATIVES)

AND THE

CHOICE BETWEEN TWO OR MORE SPECIFIC

ALTERNA'~IVES

EJI-OGBE
I

~ K9 MI NI DIDA 9 WQ KI NM9 DIDA QW9 OJ:

-"

... '

E KO MI NI TITO ERU KI NMO ERU TO:

"
#l1li'
,.,.,,,,
E KO MI LEKA EBO HA KI NMO EKA EBO HA

..

. ,.

,..

"TEACH ME HOW TO DIVINE SO THAT I MAY KNOW ROlf TO DIVINE:

"TEACH ME HOW TO APPEASE THE GODS SO THAT I MA

KNOW HOW

TO APPEASE THE GODS;

"TEACH ME HOW TO PRESCRIBE SACRIFICES SO THAT
HOW TO PRESCRIBE SACRIFICES."

" ,

THE AKODA INSTITUTE

MILWAUKEE, WI

MAY KNOW

50.

51.

,
AN EXAMPLE OF A TYPICAL DAFA (DIVINATION)

..

THE FIRST CAST OF THE OPELE DETERMINES THE ODU THAT IS TO BE READ,
..

.. ,

FOR EXAMPLE, IF ONE CASTS THE OPELE AND THE FOLLOWING

I
COWRIE

DU APPEARS:

I I
I

I I
I
I I

IRE

OR

BROKEN POTTERY

..OFUN-QTURA
'

INDICATING IBI

BEFORE ONE RECITES THE NAME OF THE ODO, ONE CASTS TWO
DETERMINE WHETHER THE ODO COMES WITH IRE OR IBI - FOR
\

ONE CASTS FOR THE RIGHT SIDE AND OGBE-DI APPEARS, AND
,

I,

..

TIMES TO

~XAMPLE'

IF

HEN CASTS

FOR THE LEFT SIDE AND OGBE-YEKU APPEARS, IFA DOES NOT

,
'\../,1
ODU BRINGS IBI. OGBE- VISITED uYEKU BEFORE HE VISITED
,

~ORE

CCEPT AND THE

,I

DI; THEREFORE

OGBE-YEKU IS PLACED HIGHER IN THE HIERARCHY AND IS

I
I
I
I

I
I
I
I
\

I
I
I
I

, ,

OGBE-YEKU

I
I I
I
I

"

I I
I
I I
I

I I
I I

I
I

..

OFUN-OTORA

OGBE-DI

(THE ODU OF THE DAFA)

I

WHEN IT IS DETERMINED THAT IFA DOES NOT ACCEPT THE

THE DIVINER HAS A NUMBER OF CHOICES. HE CAN AT

.. ,

NUMBER OF VERSES FROM OFUN-OTORA FROM WHICH

PROBLEM AND A SOLUTION WHICH IS SIMILAR TO HIS OWN. I

THE DIVINER WILL PRESCRIBE A SIMILAR EBO FOR THE cr.I

OTHER HAND THE DIVINER MAY RECALL A PROVERB FROM THE

WISHES"
RECITE A

rRSTANCE
ON THE

j
AND TAKE THE MORAL FROM IT AND ADVISE THE CLIENT.

~E

" '
CHOOSES INVOKE THE BABALAWO(S)
IN IKOLE ORUN TO

52.
MAY, IF HE

IN~PIRE

INSPIRAT~ON.OR SPIRI~AL

ADVISE THE CLIENT FROM PURE

DETERMI~E

IN EVENT THE DIVINER FINDS IT NECESSARY TO

HIM AND MAT

REVELATION.
THE SOURCE OF

THE lBI,HE MAY DO SO BY USING A NUMBER OF SYMBOLIC , OBJECTS CALLED

.

ARE
VODZI BY THE EYRE/FON AND lBO BY THE YORUBA. THESE/OBJECTS
I

" , ,

PLACED ON THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES AND THE OPELE

. I

TOSSED BETWEEN

THEM, SEE BELOW:

A BROKEN PIECE OF POTTERY

REPRESENTING EXTREME
DESTITUTION.

A SEED REPRESENTING SICKNESS

" "
AN OBJECT REPRESENTING THE ...ORISA

A COWRIE SHELL REPRESENTING

A LIVING PERSON.

A BONE FROM A QUADRUPED REPRESENTING THE A

BETWEEN THESE LINES OF OBJECTS, THE

"OPELE
, "

/,'
.;'
,/
SAY THAT OTURUPON-YEKU AND OSA-WONRIN COME
, .

IS CAS
OUT

ESTORS
TWICE. LET US
UCCESSlVELY:

II

53.

j
(2) SECOND THROW

I I
I I
I
I

(l)

FIR~T THROW

I I
I
I
I

III
III
III
I!I

!:

I I
I I
I.
I I.

(p)

~
//\

Q
a...

~:

'.,'

~
J.'

--,..

",

OTURUPQN-Y~KU BEIRG SUPERIOR TO ~SA-W9NRIN,

"REFUSES"THE OBJEC'r REPRESEIft"IVES THAT

INDICATES fRAT IFA

ARE PLACED ON T

LEFT SIDE,

WHICH ARE; SICKNESS, REPRESENTED BY THE SEED AND EXTRE

OR DESTITUTION, REPRESENTED BY THE PIECE OF BROKEN POT
I

SINCE

IFA "REFUSED" TO ACCEPT "I'BESE OBJECTS THEY ARE REMOVED

THE HAT.

HOWEVER, IFA "ACCEPTS- "I'BE OBJECTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE,

ARE:

THE ANCESTORS, REPRESENTED BY THE BONE OF A QUADRUPED, A LIVrNG

, ,

PERSON, REPRESENTED BY A COWRIE SHELL AND ORISA,

A DESIGNATED OBJECT.
THE DIVINER AGAIN SEPARATES THEM. THIS TIME HE PLACES

BOIfEOF

THE QUADRUPED ON THE LEFT SIDE, LEAVING THECOWRIE SHE

" " ...
SYMBOLIC OBJECT OF THE ORISA
, ON THE RIGHT SIDE. AGAIN

DIVINER

",
CASTS THE OPELE
TWICE BETWEEN THEM. THIS TIME

,
,

'.-LI

54.

SUCCESSIVELY. SEE BELOW:

LOSO~APPEAR

"J

AND IKA

OGBE-~~RA

i
i

(2) SECOND THROW

(1)

FIR~T THROW
i

I. I

I
I
I
I

I
I

I
I

I
I
I
I

I
I

T IFA "REJECTS

OGBE-TURA IS SUPERIOR TO IKA-LOSO, THIS IDICATES

THE BONE OF THE QUADRUPED, AND "ACCEPTS" THE

ON THE RIGHT;

"

THE COWRIE SHELL AND THE OBJECT REPRESENTING THE OR

THE DIVINER THEN PLACES THE COWRIE SHELL ON THE L

, , ,

~A.

SIDE, LEAVING

THE OBJECT THAT REPRESENTS THE ORISA ON THE

(2) SECOND THROW

I

I I

I
I

I
I

I
I

(1)

RST THROW
I
I
I

I
I
I
I

I
I
I

I
I
I
I

AGAIN THE DIVINER CASTS THE

THIS

""
TIME QK9NR9N-MEJI

AND

, "
9P~L~

"

55.

TWICE BETWEEN THE TWO OBJECTS.

...... ,
OGBE-BARA

APPEAR

I"
...
SUCCESSIVELr 9K9NR9N

",.
,
"
MEJI
IS SUPERIOR TO OGBE-BARA.
IFAI THEREFORE "REJECTS"

HE COWRIE

ON THE LEFT AND "ACCEPTS THE OBJECT ON THE RIGHT WHICH INDICATES
THAT AN

" " ,

ORI~A

i
:

HAS TO BE APPEASED.

HAVING DETERMINED THAT THE IBI COKES FROM

I
,
AN ORISA HEI MUST
\.'

'

NOW

FIND WHICH ONES. ONE WAY TBYS CAN BE DONE IS TO PRESEN~ A NUMBER OF

CATEGORI~
ARE:
i,

OBJECTS REPRESENTING VARIOUS SPIRIT BEINGS OR

I

TO IFA. SOME OF THE OBJECTS THAT ARE USED

OF SPIRITS

A SMALL PIECE OF IRON REPRESENTING OGUN.

A SMALL SMOOTH BLACK

sroNE

REPRESENTING THUNDER

A SMALL SPIRAI,LED SEA SHELL REPRESENTING WATER

AN IKIJI (PALM KERNEL) REPRESENTING IFA.

THESE OBJECTS ARE PLACED ON THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES A

... .......

THE OPELE

IS TOSSED BETWEEN THEM IN THE SAME .WAY THAT WAS ILLUST ATED ABOVE.

IN ORDER TO FIND THE PARTICULAR

ORI~A

THAT IS THE 4AUSE OF THE

IMBALANCE IN THE CLIENT'S LIFE, ONE PLACES THE OBJEfTS THAT HAVE
B
SELECTED TO REPRESENT THE DIFFERENT ORI~A IN TWO ROfS AND CASTS
THE
,
OPELE TWICE BETWEEN THEM, IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER: )
(2) SECOND THROW

(1)/ FIRST THROW

!

I
I
I

I
I
I

I
I

, , ,
"
ON THE FIRST TOSS OF THE OPELE
LOSO-WONRIN
,
,

..

I
I

I
I

FOLLOWEDBY

"
" " LOSO-WONRIN IS DOMINANT. IFA, "REJECTSOBARA-ATE.
I

I
I

I
I
I

I. I
I

I
I
I

THE LEFT SIDE, WHICH ARE THE SPIRALLED SEA-SHELL

TWO OBJECTS ON
RESENTING THE

WATER DEITIES AND THE IKIN REPRESENTING

REMOVED FROM THE AT. THE DIVINER PLACES
....

SIDE
\

LEAVING THE SHALL PIECE OF IRON ON THE RIGHT SIDE

THE OPELE IS

TOSSED TWICE BETWEEN THE TWO OBJECTS. LETS SAY FO

EXAMPLETHAT

...OGUNDA-GBE
" "

" , APPEAR SUCCESSIVELY.

AND "
OSA-OGUNDA

"~nrDA-GBE
'"

DOMINANT ODU. IFA "REJECTS" THE IKIN BUT "ACCEPTS

IS THE

THE IRON. THIS

INDICATES THAT THE IRON DEITY MUST BE APPEASED.

"REJECTION"

OF THE IKIN, IFA HAS CLEARLY INDICATED THAT THE

lENT'S PROBLEM CAN

.,

BE SOLVED BY COOLING OR APPEASING OGUN.

57.

ORIN ORISA

"ASE
'''-'

ORl:sA L'ENU MI 0,

"ASE .."
~
ORISA

I
I

L'ENU MI.

~~ ORISA L'ENU MI 0,

AsE
bRiSA
L'ENU MI.

ITA BA WI

IRdNMoLf:
U GBA VI 0

, ...

"

j
i

GBA O.

"-

ASE ORISA L'ENU MI

E wowo

'rosA L'ARA MI O.

..

E WOWO 'RISA L'ARA MI.

.. ,

. . ,.

E, WOWO 'RISA L'ARA MI 0,

...

....

E WOWO 'RISA
, L'ARA MI.

. BA ICE RI 0 MEBI, ARA ILODE.

TESU ODARA LOSaRO!

TESU ODARA LOSORO!

TESU ODARA LOSaRO!

rESU ODARA LOSORO!

BA KE RI 0 MEBI ARA ILODE.

TESU ODARA LaSORO!

j
I

i
j
i

I
!

58.

" /
A PRAYER
USED BY THE BABALAWO
...

(IFA OF CUBA)

/
"IBA OLOFIN
.

.
\

"
IBA
BABA"

...

,/

<I

" YEYE
IBA
I

"IBA"

.;

"

"IBA"
"IBA"
'"IBA'"
....
"IBA
,

AK9DA
A~~DA

..
" " "
ORISHABI
ORUNGAN
ARAMBO

....

\.

IBA IRUNMOLE.

, ,

" "
IBA GUAMALE (IBA

"IBA"

,
IGBA'MAL~)
.;

ILE GBOGBO ALERU OCHA TI MBt: L'~' 0

" ADECHINA OLOGUANIYO

IBA

"IBA KAIDE OLOGUANIYO

"IBA
"

FAUNI OLOGUANIYO

"IBA TANDA OLOGUANIYO

...

"IBAYEN
"

TIMOYEN AUN TONe

, "
OGBE~SE
. , GUILLERMO CASTRO
... ' \ "

...

......

BABA EJIOGBE BERNABE MENOCAL

TATA GAITAN
OSALO FORBEYO SECUNDINO CRUZE
ESTENBAN QUINONES
\

OGBE 'TURA RAMON FEBLES

"

OGBE YONO PERIQUITO PEREZ

\

"

OTURA 'ROSO ARTURO PENA

,IR~T~
'" "

TERDI BERNARDO ROJAS

JOSE ANTONIO ERISE

DUMARE

'\

"

59.

BABA EJI OGBE HILARIO BARBON

./

OGUNDA 'SE VICTOR LORITO

"

OGUNDA VELDE JOSE RAMON GUTIERREZ

OJUANI LAKENTU CHECHE

OGBE-ATE EUGENIO EL COJO

CUNDO SEVILLA
,

/"

9YEKU 'S EL CHINO POEY

IBAYEN TIMOYEN AUN TONU

IYALOCHA TERESITA ARIOSA

EWEYEMI MERCEDES CHIQUITA

OMUTOKE SUSANA CANTERO

PEPA ESHU BI

ANA MARIANA LA LUJrnHI

~BATOLA

LA CHrRA KAXYMILIANO

, I ' , ,,,,,"
TO

BABALO~A,

./

IYALO~A,

"

A~~

,/,

BABA,

OLOSA~

A~'

TI

/ ..

MB~ L~~J

" "A~'

TETE,

OLODUMARE

'"

MI OLUWO, ASE HI AYUGBONA

...

ASE ELEGUA

"ASE OGUN
, " DERE ARERE IRE BAMBA LO KUA

, .

ASE
OCHOSI ODE
KATA TESI
I

...

ASE OSUN OSUN DURE DURUBULE DURO GANGAN LA BOSE AWO

"

".
... ......

A~~ ~BATALA

.....

ASE

ORI~A

OKO AFEFE IKe ORO GADO

, ,

ASE AGRONIKA OMI TANA OLUWO POPO GEDE

ASE AGEYU CHOLA KIRINIGUA

ASE OSAIN, OSAIN CLARIVILLE OYUN URIBE AWAN SOLO MI.

....
...
,
ASE SONGO KABrYESILE ELU KO SI

..

.....

..

ASE YANSAN ORILE HERI HEPA! HEPA HERI!

---~---

_.-----------

--~------

61.

8. ODU OF THE OLOWO

...

9. THE ~DU OF THE AJUGBONA.

10. THE ODU OF THE AWO.

"

",,
II. OGBE-KANA.

EPA BURURU BODA, ERI LOLUGU AUN BARANIREGON NITORI ATE TINCHO
OBINI ERI. ORUNMILA ORUBO.
12. IRETE-YERO.
;'

IFA NI GUENO GUANTI, LODA FUN ALEYO, LODA FUR SONGO, AYE BERE
YO KO ESE OTONA, ERU TI OMA AYO BINI IGUIN KI LEBO AKARA MALO,
ADIFA FUN YERU, GBE TINCHO OHO OLODUMARE KAFERE FUN YALODE.
13. OCHE-PAURE.
OCHE PAURE EKUN, ABANA NI BEJI ORO, BOGBO AYA BABA RITO ORE-BO,

;'

BABA MA CHE ORUNMILA LORI-BO ABAMA.

14. AT THIS TIME MARK THE ODU OF SOME BABALAWO THAT ARE KNOWN,WRO ARE
TI MEE LESE OLODUHARE

. -,..,

15. 9K9NRQN-SA.
KOBIRARI BIANI GUN OYO TAN POPI IKON SE NI OCHOR CHYQUERE, GUERE,
OGUO ORUGBO OGUO OBANA LODA FUN BIRARI.
16. 9TURA-CHE.
OTA OCHE IDA FON DA, IRO GURU IRE KUTE-KUTE MO CRE OBA- -ALEYO
AYORI HI IFA, INI IDA GONDA IRU GUO OGUO.
AT THIS TIHE BEGIN THE PRAYERS FOR THE ODU MEJI. BEGrNNING WITH
;'

BABA EJIOGBE.

"
1. EJI-OGBE.
;'

ORUNMILA NI 0 DI IHEREHERE. HO NI IHEREIHERE A J'ORI EKU. IHERE

IHERE A J'ORI EJA. TI OKUN A TI OSA, LA GBA ORI ERINLA KI KERE
NI IFE 0 DAIYE.
THE SONG:

/'

"

AYE IFA TUTU J'OMI LO.

63.

7. OBARA-MEJI.
ADIFA FUN OLOMO A GBO LEND BI AGOGO TI YIO SOFIN ORAN KAN TI

GBOGBO AIYE KO GBODO YrN, IFA NI NGO LO WO, MO LOWO.

SONG:

OLOFONDE lUTE, MOTE AYE .IKATE.

8. OKANA-MEJI.
OKANA MEJI MEJI, AVO EDUN, NWON NI EDUN KO NI NIKAN RIN. ODIFA

FUN PANKERE,TI MBE LA WOJO ORE IFA NI PANKERE KO NI I TE.

SONG:

ECBDBI AGUADAKURE,
ECBUSI AGUADAKURE,
IFA KOKO HARORE
ECHUSI AGUADAKURE.

9. OGUNDA-MEJI.
TI 0 DA CRIKEJO NI OK& RO SrLE CHIKESAN. ODU YI NI OTE ODO OKO,

AWON OHO TI ON NA SE SrLE NI A NKI NI OKO BA YI AYINDE OKO.

SONG:

OTI

~.

OYI ROGUN, OYI ROGON,

on GDODON ,

11IIW ... KG JIIO POGUN OHO NI KO TOYI.

10. OSA-MEJI.
TI 0 DA CBlkElE RI 0 VA RO SILE SHIKEWA. ODU YI NI OTE ODE OTA.

OGUN NI AYIGBDIUITE. ODALUFONMAKIN-ARO, AWON NI NWON DIFA FUN

ORUNMILA.

SONG:

OURSO ORORLA LAKA LAKA LA WOSE,

OURSO ORURLA LAKA LAKA LA WO SE AWO.

11. IKA-MEJI.
ERIGI AWON NI ODE IDO, ILE MBA LOTON, AGBA ON WON NI NCRE GBO,

IJOKUN NWON CRODAN ODIFA FUN OLUMERI MOGETI.

SONG:

ACRE BOLA, EDUN FOKON CHEVOLA NIFE.

12. OTURUPON-HEJI.
OGIGI SA LEIN ARAN, ADIFA FUN WON NILE KUSA NIJOTI ILE WON NSI
LO, IFA NI IRE KO NI CHI LO NILEYI HO.
SONG:

ONIO ESE UMBO,

NI AWO,
OTUTE HA DE 0,
AWO ESE.

13. OTURA-HEJI.
ENITI BABA NIGUAJU, TO BABA ENI ICHE ADIFA FUN BABA IHALE.
SONG:

AHANDE IFA GUA IFA TIWA IHALE.

14. IRETE-HEJI.
EYELEBERE AHONIDO ADIFA FUN PORIYE, AYIWALE AVO IGUN, NI 0 KI IFA
FUN IGUN.
SONG:{IF THE PERSON HAS OCHA)
ISURO LEBO LERI ACHE WA NIKOLA.
IGUN FAKALA SORUN BO,
IGUN FAKALA SORUN BO,
AWO LAYI LE IGUN FAKALA SORUN BO.
15. OCHE-HEJI.
ODAN RAIN-RAIN NI ILE EPA. KO 51 ILE TI ERE KI IGBE, ADIFA FUN
GBOGBO OKANLE NIRI GUO, 0 WON TI NWON NTI IKOLE.
SONG:

E SARE WA EWA WO BABA

E SARE WA E WA WO BABA
E WA WEJI OCHE, BABATI NY IN DA IDE
E SARE WA EWA WO BABA

16. BABA-ORANGUN.
TUTU NI NRO IDE TUTU NI NRO OJE, TUTU NI NRO BABA OHI TI OBA TI
ENU EJA, WA NI TUTU NINI. ADIFA FUN ORUNMILA.

66.

"OFUl'l-SA
,

OTOORO AYE JA. OGBAARA AY

~

. ..

"\\

',",'"

"

LA KAN'LE. BI AYE BATI OWO ENI BAJE. AIMOWAAHU WA

,

. .

;';1. A DAA FUN WON NI AGBAYIGBO IFE FO BIIGBA. ANI TANI YOO BA'NI TUN AYE SO BI
/

,,/,

..

..

"/'

..

" " ,

...

IGBA? A RANSE PE OLOTA NI'LE ADO. KO BA'NI TUN AYE IFE SO BIIGBA. 0 DE KO LE SEt

. .
,
,,.
,
"
"
"
"
, ...
SEE.
. BEENI
. . ADO NI'LE IFA. .OWO. SI NIILE ETU. A RANSE
. . PE OGUN LODE IRE. KO WA BA'NI
TUN AYE IFE
SEE. ENIYAN
GBE SIIDURO. OJO KO RO:
. SO. BIIGBA. 0 DE KO LE .
..
. EBI DE.
1

/'

..

. .

",

" " ,

I\.

ANI Kl A RANSE PE ERlNMI LODE OWO. KO WA BA'NI TUN AYE IFE SO BIIGBA: 0 DE KO LE
/,

I"

I"

" ,

''''

"

,\

~NIYAN ATI ~RANKO N~OFO.

.....

'

,\

A NI TANI YOO BA'NI TUN AYE

IF~

I I '

S9 BIIGBA? W9N NI: 0 KU

,
' , ' LODE IYINDE. LABERRINJO LODE IDO. JIGUNRE LODE OTUNMOBA. ESEGBA
OBALUFON
.
.
..
.
.
..."
, " TlOKO WON LO SI'GBO,
\ASADA
,ODE ...IJESA.
", AKODA
AWO EGBA:
EGBA.
.
,..
."AWO
.. .' " NI'LE" IFE..
ASEDA
NI'LE
IFE. ,
WON WA BA'NI TUN AYE IFE
. ARABA BABA WON
.
.
. SO. BIIGBA.
\

"

...

,,,,

...

",

Kl

. .,

,,,

,,,

.. .

...

,,,,,

..
...

EYELE MORO ESELU.IGBIN MOJO APAKO. WON DA FUN L'AGBAYIGBO IFE. NIGBA AYE IFE

",'\

,~\

...
..
..
...
,\,
,
IMORl M IJESA.
AWO OKE IJERO.
.. OGUN AWO ODE ALARA. OGBON
. . ENITAARA
.
" "WON
, NI KETU ...AWON
AWO ESEMOWE.
BABA
.. . OBOLEBOOGUN
....
.
. .SEE

FO BIIGBA WON SEE TI WON KO LE TUN AYE IFE SO BIIGBA. A RANSE PE OLUl\lO AWO ODE

'\'"

ODUDUGBL'~UDU

~AA

'\

WON SEE TI: W9N KO LE TUN AYE

IF~

S? BIIGBA.

,..

,. , \ ,

..

/ ,

"

A TUN RANSE PE AKONILOGBON. A BE'WE PE AFONAHANNI. Kl WON WA BA'M rr~ .-\ ,P IFE

",,,

~,
.
.
, "

'"

"" ", " "

..

SO BIIGBA. AKONILOGBOON OI,;N AFO!'liAHA.'iSI DE: WON 1"1 KI A RANSE PE OTlTO-NIYAN.

TII~E

,~

...

, ... ...

,...

AWO FUN W9N LODE ARUfIN: Kl9'~~IYA.'4WA n~ IPE 51 ALUOGI,;N. ~ PE

"

"

'

9LQFIN OLUWA MI AJALA"E. Kl 0 51 PE OU.'WA III AJALOIWN. An OLUWA

"

"

~
AGIRI-ILOGBON. OMO TI ABI LOKE ""fASE. MBI OJU TlIMO WA'\'L AFt OUN

. . . .

~II

NI~:\ L'O u:
.
.
,
, .... " " " ,
,
TUN AYE IF~ S9 81 IGBA. 9T9TQ-~NIYA1'4 DE. 0 NI KlNI A PE OUN SI! A 1'41 A PE IWQ
,~>T~>T9-pHY
\' " AN KO.O NI OUN KO\FUN
, , PI:.
, W,?N, NI ~E "'"
"
,
Qaq;~ NI FUN 'PE F'QKA. 0 NI EMf KO
,,\

67

1\"

~"

"

' \

FUN PEe K9NKq Nil FUN'PE, FUN EERE. 0 NI EMI KO GBA IPE. AGBE Nil FUN PE FUN

"

,,\,

\,

, , ,

OLOKUN, ALUKO Nil FUN 'PE FUN 9LQSA, OLOBURO NlKAN NIl FUN'PE FUN J:NI-QRUN, ANI

"

. . . ..

"'~\'"
"'''''\~~
\
IWO OTOTO-ENIYAN NIl TIl FUN'PE SI ALAJOGUN. NIGBATI QTOTQ-ENIYAN WA GBA IPE

. .

"

""

FUN, NI ERIN YA W~N LC? SI 'GBO ESELU, EF9N YA. W9N LQ SI LUJU APAKO. EYE KEKEKE
YA L

1 S'ALE.

, ,

"'"

EKU W~W~Wt: YA Lp SI IT~ W9N. AW9N ARp GIGIGBA f:Wt:, WQN YA Ly

SILE ODO OML AJA YA LO SILU lLAJA, AGUTAN YA LO SILU ILAGUTAN. GBOGBO ERANKO

,,'
",
YA LO SILU ERANKO. ENIYAN YA LO SI ILENIYAN.
t

..

,
NIJO NAA NI A SIILI: YA A

SINA YA.

ODIOE FIRIFIRI SILE EGUN YA, ASO GBOGBO YA KARAKARA, BAsA NI 0 DI AYANU, MO NI 0

,. "

""

, ..."

," .
" :\~~
.

DI A YANU, 0 NI 0 DI ORAN ABULE, MO NI 0 DI ABULE, EMI BULE.IWO ABlJLt. TI KO JEKI

"

9JQ O~U KI PEe

"".
". ." . ,
" " NIBI
"
,
PMQ TI ABI LOKE
OJU TI MO WA'YE. 0 NI
PE

. ."

~"
A DA FUN
OLOFIN-AJALAYE, A DA FUN OLOFIN-AJALORUN, ATI OLUWA MI AGIRI-ILOGBON.

..

'TA~~,

BIKO~E

AR'EWI:~UWALU,A

LO WA EWE ALASUWALU WA. AMU EYI WA, ONI KII SE OUN. A MU roBUN WA 0 NI KII
S'OUN. 0 NIKI

t: Jf.WQ pBUN KI 'MI DA 'SO BO YIN.

W A. 0 T'OWOBO APO EGEDE, 0 MU EWE

A NI A JEWO OBUN.OLUWA D~Q BO

ALAL~UWALU WA,

GBOGBO WA NJO A NJO, A

NKORlN:

. .

"MO GB'EWE ALASUWALU. ALADE SU'WA LEM'OWO RlCml

NUO NAA L'OJO RO TO TUN AYE IFE SO BIIGBA...

NOTE# THIS IS A QUOTATION FROM THE HONORABLE REV. D. <]NADE.U: EPEGA'S

"

\'

"(FA AMONA AWON BABA WA", PP 150-151. 1904.

68.

"

THE HOLY ODU

, ,

OFUN-SA
OTOORO! THE EARTH HAS FLOWN OFF ITS HOOK INTO SPACE. QGBAARA!
THE EARTH IS RENT ASUNDER TO ITS VERY CORE. IF THE \VORLD BECOMES
ROTTEN IN OUR TIME. IT IS BECAUSE \VE DO NOT KNOW HOW TO BEHAVE

ANY LONGER. IFA WAS CONSULTED FOR THE ELDERS OF IFE, WHEN THE
DOMAIN OF IFE HAD BECOME LIKE A CRACKED CALABASH. WE SAID: WHO
WILL HELP US REPAIR THE DOMAIN OF IFE AS WE REPAIR A CRACKED

CALABASH? WE SENT FOR ()LQTA FROM THE CITY OF ADO. HE CAME, A

MIGHTY PRIEST, BUT COULD DO NOTHING.

. .

WE SENT FOR ERINMI FROM OWO. HE CAME, BUT COULD DO NOTHING. YET
I

. .

ADO IS THE ABODE OF IFA. AND OWO IS THE SEAT OF WISE ETV. WE SENT

"

FOR OGUN AT IRE. TO RESTORE THE DOMAIN OF

IF~.

HE CAME BUT TRIED

IN VAIN. MEN BECAME UK DRIED TREES ON THEIR FEET. RAIN REFUSED

TO FALL. HUNGER CAME. MEN AND BEASTS PERISHED. AGAIN THE
DESPAIRING CRY: \VBO WILL END OUR MISERY AND RESTORE

IF~

TO ITS

" , , "

LOST ESTATE? A VOICE SAID: YOU HAVE NOT YET SENT FOROBALUFON AT
lYINDE, LABERlNJO AT IDO. JIGUNRE AT OTUNMOBA, ESEGBA THE HIGH
PRIEST OF THE EGBAS \VHO LED THEM TO THE FOREST OF THE EGBAS. YOU
,/

"

,~

..

HAVE NOT YET SENT FOR ASADA IN IJESA, AKODA lIN ILE IFE, OR ASEDA

THE GREATEST OF THEM ALL AND THEIR FATHER IN ILE IFE TO COME AND
HELP IN RESTORING IFE TO ITS

LOST ESTATE. BUT WHEN WE SENT FOR THEM. THEY CAME. TRIED AND
FAILED, THEY STROVE AND STROVE. IT WAS IN VAIN.

THE PIGEON KNOWS THE INNERMOST SECRETS OF ESELU. TIlE SNAIL KNOWS

THE WISDOM OF APAKO. THEY DIVINED FOR THE ELDERS

OF~.

WHEN IFE WAS

LIKED A CRACKED CALABASH, WHEN NO ONE COULD BE FOUND TO STEM THE

,,,

..

TIDE OF DESTRUCTION. WE SENT FOR OLUMO, THE PRIEST OF IMORI AT IJESA,

, /
"
FOR OGUN THE PRIEST OF THE ALARA, OGBON ENIT AARA. TIlE PRIEST AT THE

. . .

HILL OF HERO. ODUDUGBUNUNDU, THE PRIEST OF ESEMOWSE. OBOLEBOGUN,

THE LEADER IN KETU. THEY CAME, THEY EXERTED ALL THEIR STRENGTH, BUT
IN VAIN. THEY WERE POWERLESS AGAINST THE FORCES OF DESTRUCTION THAT
WERE REDUCING !FE TO UTTER RUIN.

,,,

,I

THEN WE SENT FOR AKONILOGBON, WE SENT EMISSARIES TO AFONAHANNI,

AND BESOUGHT THEIR HELP. THEY CAME. AND TOLD US TO SEND FOR OTOTO

, , ,
f:NIYAN THE PRIEST AT THE TOWN OF ARUFIN, FOR HIM TO COME AND SOUND

. .,

"

THE TRUMPET TO CALL ALAJOGUN. TO CALL OLOFIN. MY LORD AJALAYE AND

~tY

LORD AJAL9RUN AND MY LORD AGIRI ILOGBQN, THE CHILD BORN ON TIjE

70.

..

HILL OF ITASE FROM WHERE DAWN EMERGES. FOR HE ALONE CAN RESTORE IFE

. . ,..... ""

...,

TO ITS LOST ESTATE. OTOTO-ENIYA.1"l (THE PERFECT MAN) CAME. HE ASKED:

WHY HAVE YOU CALLED ME INTO YOUR WORLD? WE REPLIED: THAT YOU MAY
TRUMPET TOT HE ALAJOGUN. AND THAT HE CALL THE CHIEF ONE. THE PERFECT
MAN REFUSED: I SHALL NOT BLOW HE SAID. DESPERATE, WE SOUGHT TO
CHANGE HIS MINDDD. WE SAID: DOES NOT THE SQUIRREL ANNOUNCE THE
COMING OF THE BOA? HE AGAIN REFUSED: I WILL NOT BLOW THE TRUMPET.
"DOES NOT THE TOAD PROCLAIM THE PRESENCE OF THE VIPER?" HE WOULD
NOT YIELD. STILL HE SAID: -I WILL ~OT BLOW." IT WAS THEN WE SAID TO HIM:
THE WOODCOCK ALONE PROCLAIMS THE SEA-GOD. THE ALUKO ALONE
ANNOUNCES THE RIVEIl-GODDESS. THE OLOBURO ALONE HERALDS THE
CITIZENS OF HEAVEN. Y()U ALONE. FROM THE DAWN OF TIME, HAVE ALWAYS
CALLED THE ALAJOOUN (DIE CAPTAIN OF THE MILITANT HOSTS OF HEAVEN).

NOW, THE PERFECT MAN RESPONDED. HE PICKED UP HIS TRUMPET AND

SOUNDED THE CALL. TIlE GREAT ONES OF HEAVEN DESCENDED. PANIC
GRIPPED THE EARTIfS CHILDREN. ELEPHANTS RUSHED TO THEIR HOMES IN THE
WOODS. BUFFALOES FLED TO TIlE WILDS. WINGED FOWLS SOUGHT THEIR
HABITAT, THE REPTILES. lHEIRS. THE MIGHTY WATER ANIMALS HASTENED TOT
HEIR REGIONS BY THE SEA. DOGS MADE STRAIGHT FOR DOG-LAND, SHEEP FOR
SHEEP-LAND. HUMAN BEINGS FOR THE DWELLING PLACES OF HUMANS. l: I IER
CONFUSION REIGNED. AS SOME WENT INTO THE WRONG HOUSES, OTHERS TOOK

THE WRONG DIRECTIONS. CLOTHES GOT TORN INTO SHREDS. THE ELDER SAID:
CHAOS HAS TAKEN OVER! I REJOINED: CHAOS HAS TAKEN OVER. HE SAID:
PATCHINESS IS THE ORDER OF THE DAY. I RESPONDED: PATCHINESS IS THE
ORDER OF THE DAY. YOU ARE INCOMPLETE, I AM INCOMPLETE. EVEN THE DAYS
OF THE LUNAR MONTH ARE INCOMPLETE.

THEY DIVINED FOR THE LORD OF THE POWERS OF EARTH. THEY DIVINED FOR
THE LORD OF THE POWERS OF HEAVEN, AND FOR MY LORD. THE LORD OF
PERFECT WISDOM. THE BABE BORN ON THE HILL OF ITASE. TIlE HOUSE OF
DAWN. IT WAS HE WHO SAID WHEN HE CAME, IF INDEED IFE IS TO BE HEALED
AND RESTORED: QUICKLY MUST THE LEAF

ALA~UWALU

(l1IE LEAF WHICH

RESHAPES THE CHARACTER OF MAN. CLEANSES IT AND PURIFIES IT), BE

PRODUCED, THEN AND NOT BEFORE, WILL PEACE RETURN TO EARTH.

FRANTICALLY WE SOUGHT FOR THE LEAF-ALASUWALU. WE TOOK ONE LEAF TO

HIM; HE SAYS: THIS IS NOT THE LEAF. WE TOOK

~\l'OTHER LEAF

TO HIM; HE

SAYS: THIS IS NOT THE LEAF. THEN, IN COMPASSION HE SAID TO US: CONFESS
YOUR WICKEDNESS. THAT I MAY COVER YOUR NAKEDNESS.

QUICKLY WE RESPONDED: WE CONFESS OUR WICKEDNESS, LORD COVER OUR

NAKEDNESS. THEN HE DIPPED HIS HAND INTO THE BAG OF PRIMORDIAL
WISDOM AND BROUGHT THE LEAF

ALA~UW ALU.

WE WERE BESIDE OURSELVES

WITH RELIEF AND JOY. WE DANCED. WE MADE MERRY. WE SANG:

"WE HAVE RECEIVED THE LEAF

ALA~UW ALU.

THE CHILD WITH CROWNED HEAD HAS ENDOWED US.

ENDOWED US WITH PERFECTED CHARACTER!"

~I

~.

I:

ON THAT DAY, RAIN FELL DOWN FROM HEAVEN, THE DOMAIN OF IFE WAS

,ijir

RENEWED, REGENERATED. THE CALABASH THAT WAS CRACKED HAD BEEN

RESTORED.

WHY SHOULD THE FOLLOWERS OF OLUW A MIMO ORUNMILA MAINTAIN

IWARERE AT ALL TIMES?

"
THE HOLY ODU OGBE-YONU
SAYS:

''''
" L'O, SORO
IWA NIKAN
." O.
'"IWA NIKAN
" L'O" SORO.
o

" ,

"

ORI KAN KI 'BURU ll'OTIJ JF..

'"IW A NIKAN
\
,
L' '0 ~ORO O.
\

Ii. '
I"
!

THE MEANING:

CHARACTER IS ALL THAT IS REQUISITE.

CHARACTER IS ALL THAT IS REQUISITE.
THERE IS NO DESTINY TO BE CAl I ED UNHAPPY

'i

'j,
;

-I

:I,.

,
IN

IF~CITY.

CHARACTER IS ALL THAT IS REQUISITE.

,/

THE HOLY ODU OGBE-MEJI SAYS:

"~,,,

KA MU RAGBA TA IGBA

"
""
,.... ,
IWALA NWA

,IWA'\

IWA

'"

'" / TA IGBA/
KA MU"" R AGBA

, ,

IWA

",'"
IWA LA NWA
'

,IWA"

" " " " ,I

KA MU RAGBA KA FI TA OKUTA

"IWA,
,IWALANWA
,"""
"IWA"
,

"" ,,'
" , ,
.."

B~NI

LOWO BI 0 NIWA

OWOOLOWONI
\

"

IWA

, , """

IWALA NWA"

"IWA '"

""

. ',,,"

BENI BIMO BI 0 NIWA

. .

OMOOLOMO NI

..

IWA

"
,,,, "
IWA LA NWA 0

"IWA
.....
"

\\

/,

B,ENl KqLE BI 0 NlWA

'"

",

ILE ONILE NI
\

"

IWA

"
, -""
IWALANWAO

'"

IWA

THE MEANING:

IF WE STRIKE RAGBA AGAINST CALABASH

THAT WIDCH WE ARE AFTER IS CHARACTER

GOOD CHARACTER

:j

IF WE STRIKE RAGBA AGAINST A ROPE

THAT WInCH WE ARE AFTER IS CHARACTER

GOOD CHARAClER.

IF WE STRIKE RAGBA AGAINST A ROCK

THAT WInCH WE ARE AFTER IS CHARACTER
GOOD CHARACTER
IF ONE IS RICH WITHOUT GOOD CHARACTER
THE WEALTH BELONGS TO SOMEONE ELSE

THAT WHICH WE ARE AFTER IS CHARACTER

r
I

l-

I
II

"

EVERYBODY HAS BEEN SEEKING IWA. IT IS SAID THAT IWA IS THE MOTHER OF
COUNTLESS CHILDREN.

"

...

DR. WANDE ABIMBOLA WRITING IN HIS PAPER IWAPELI= THE CONCEPT OF

;'

GOOD CHARACTER IN IFA LITERARY CORPUS QUOTES MR. MODUPE ALAnE IN HIS

"

,/

"

ADDRESS TO THE EGBE IJINLE YORUBA (YORUBA CUL'l'URAL SOCIETY) LAGOS

'I

;'

BRANCH, ON AUGUST 31. 1967 AND PUBLISHED IN THE YORUBA CULTURAL

MAGAZINE,OLOKUN, NO.8, OF AUGUST, 1969, FROM AN EXCERPT GIVEN BELOW
J"
"
I
CONCERNING THE BLESSED LORD ORUNHILA
AND "
IWAPELE=

I
,

"KA HU RAGBA TAGBA,

"IWA.
...

KA" HU RAGBA TAGBA,

"

"
"IWA.
;'

....

5. KA HU RAGBA" KA FI TAKUTA,
.....

"
IWA.
,"

'"

LO'DIFA FUN 9RUNHILA,

"

....

""

BABA N LO, GBEWA NIYAWO.

,

"

...

;1";'

',,'

NIGBA TI ORUNHILA
YOO KOOKO
GBEYAWO,
,
I
I

," ,

" LO GBE NIYAWO.

10. IWA
I

..IWA,

"
SI REE,
,
,
\ I
"
SUURU LO BI I.
,
,
, ... ... , I
I
... ,
, "IWA
"
NIGBA TI ORUNHILA FEE
GBE
NIYAWO,
, I
...

"IWA...

....

" KO BURU,
NI,
,

\0

15. OUN 0 FEE

,,'

9,
;'

SUGBON
KINI KAN NI

o.

,/

E
, KU ILE'.

.. ...,

IWA KO YOJU

"...

\."

45. BABA WAA BEERE PE IWA DA?

..

,
,

I',

..

,,,

,,'

AWON ARA ILE YOOKU NI AVON

, KO RI IWA.
'NIBO LO LO?

...

o LO OJA
, NI?

o SE KINI KAN NI?

""

'

1,/

50. TITITITI, LO BA FEEJI KUN EETA,

,

,
ALAMO
, " .

"
SILE

'/'

LO BA LO

WON
, WI FUN 011 PE IVA 1'1 SA LO NI.

,
KO"
MA.A 1IA

A LO

NIGBA '1'0 DELE

I

"'1
SILE ALARA

ALARA,

0 NI,

NO RAGBA.

55. 0
,

' 0 PI TAGBA.
'"
" , ,
IVA LA 1IA O.

...

IWA.

"
KA" NO"'..
RAGBA,
,/

"
60. KA FI 1'AGBA.

...

"IWA

" 0,
LA N VA
\

... ...
IWA.
~

KA MO RAGBA,
"

,/

"
KA FI 1'AJnJTA,
\

65. IWA LA N VA O.

IWA.
,/

ALARA 0 RIVA FUN HI?

\

\.

\.

,/

,/

IWA LA N WA 0,

.t

, ,
120. SUGBON
,
I

,. ,
,
NI KO BURU.

OHUN TQ>UN 0 SE SI
,
TUN KU.
,
,
,
\
'\
'\
o NI, 'IW9 QRUNMILA,

,.

~,

KO 0 MAA WAA PADA LO SODE AYE O

.. , ..

TO 0 BA PADA DEBE.
,

,.

KO 0 MAA SE E O.

KO 0 MAA SE DAADAA.

'\

'\

KO 0 HUWA P'L~P~L'.

, ,

K6 TOJU
AYA,
,

"

130. KO 0 T9 JU 9M9.

'\

",\,,"

/"

'\

LATONI LO,
0 0 NIl FOJU RI IWA BAYII.
e

,,,

'\,

'\

./

SUGBON
OUN 0 MAA BAA YIN GBE.
I
..

~UGB?N

"

I '

'\

BO 0 BA TI

~E

OUN SI,

'\

BEE NI AYE RE 0 SE MAA TO SII.

I

"

, ,.
IF WE TAKE RAGBA WOODEN OBJECT AND STRIKE
IT AGAINST THE CALABASH,

'\

LET US HAIL IWA.

IF WE TAKE RAGDA WOODEN OBJECT TO STRIKE

THE CALABASH,
'\

'\

LET US HAIL IWA.

, ,

5. IF WE TAKE RAGBA WOODEN OBJECT TO STRIKE

A STONE,

,,

LET US HAIL IWA.

'\'"

IFA DIVINATION WAS PERFORMED FOR 9RUNMILA

'\

...

WHEN THE FATHER WAS GOING TO MARRY rwA.

THE FIRST TIME THAT QRONMtLA
'\

'\

5. IWA WAS THE ONE HE MARRIED.

HARRIED A WIFE,

AND IWA HERSELF

.,

WAS THE DAUGHTER OF SUURU (PATIENCE).

, , "
'" ,
WHEN ORUNMILA PROPOSED TO MARRY IWA,

SHE SAID IT WAS ALRIGHT,

15. SHE SAID THAT SHE WOULD MARRY HIM.

BUT THERE WAS ONE

TO OBSERVE.

NOBODY SHOULD SEIID HER AWAY FROM HER

MATRIMONIAL HOME.
BUT SHE MUST 1101' BE USED CARELESSLY AS
ONE USES RAIII VA~.
NOBODY MUST POWYSR HER UNNECESSARILY

"

20. 9RUNMILA EXCLADIED. 'GOD WILL NOT LET

ME DO SUCH A TIIIMi.'

HE SAID 'l'RA? BE MOULD TAKE CARE OF HER.

HE SAID 'l'R&? BE MOULD TREAT HER WITH LOVE,

AND HE WOULD ftD'I' HER WITH KINDNESS.

\.

HE THEIl MADDm I1IA.

25. AFTER A YDY u.G '!'DIE,
HE BECAlm u.B&PPY VI'l'H HER

"
HE 'I'IIEREPORE S'I'AftED TO WORRY ...IWA.

IF SHE Dm a.E WING,

HE WOULD COIIPLAl::W '!'HAT SHE DID IT WRONGLY.

30. IF SHE Dm AWOfiIER 'l'HING,

HE WOULD ALSO cmlPLAIN.

" ,

WHEN IVA SAW 'l'IIAT 'l'HE TROUBLE WAS TOO MUCH

FOR HER.

IWA SAID ALRIGHT.

SHE WOULD GO TO HER FATHER'S HOUSE.

u.

'1

35. AND HER FATHER WAS THE FIRST-BORN SON

OF OL6DOORE.
... I

HIS NAME WAS SUURU, THE FATHER OF IWA.

SHE THEN GATHERED HER CALABASH UTENSILS,
AND LEFT HER HOME

...

SHE WENT TO QRUN.

,.

...

40. WHEN 9RUNHILA RETURNED, HE SAID,

'GREETINGS TO THE PEOPLE INSIDE THE HOOSE.
GREETINGS TO THE PEOPLE INSIDE THE BOOSE.
GREETING TO THE PEOPLE INSIDE THE BOUSE.

, ,

BUT IWA DID NOT SHOW UP.

"
45. THE FATHER THEN ASKED FOR ,IWA.
THE OTHER INMATES SAID THAT THEY DID

Ror

SEE HER.
'WHERE HAS SHE GONE?

DID SHE GO TO THE MARKET?

DID SHE GO SOMEWHERE?'

50. HE ASKED THESE QUESTIONS FOR A LONG TrME

UNTIL HE ADDED TWO COWRIES TO THREE,

,.

AND WENT TO THE HOUSE OF AN IFA PRIEST.

, ,

THEY TOLD HIM THAT IWA HAD RUN AWAY.

I

HE WAS TOLD TO GO AND FIND HER IN ALAIlA S

HOUSEHOLD.
,

WHEN HE GOT TO THE HOUSE OF ALARA, HE SAD>:

I

55. 'IF WE RAGBA WOODEN OBJECT,

AND STRIKE IT AGAINST THE CALABASH.

"IWA"

IS THE ONE WE ARE SEEKING.

LET US HAIL IWA.

IF WE TAKE RAGBA WOODEN OBJECT,

60. AND STRIKE IT AGAINST THE CALABASH.
IWA IS THE ONE WE ARE SEEKING.

LET US HAIL IWA.

~

IF WE TAKE RAGBA WOODEN OBJECT,

AND STRIKE IT AGAINST THE STONE.

65. IWA IS THE ONE WE ARE SEEKING.

, ,

LET US HAIL IWA.

ALARA, IF YOU SEE "IlfA, LET ME KNOW.

" IS THE ONE WE ARE SEEKING.

IWA

, ,

IWA.

, ,

70. ALARA SAID THAT HE DID NOT SEE IWA.

THE FATHER THEN WENT TO THE HOUSE OF

ORANGuN, KING OF THE CITY OF ILA,

OFFSPRING OF ONE BIRD WITH PLENTY OF FEATHERS.

..

"
HE ASKED WHETHER ORANGUN SAW IWA.
,
,
BUT ORANGUN
SAID THAT HE DID NOT SEE HER.
,

75. THERE WAS HARDLY ANY PLACE HE DIDN'T GO.

AFTER A LONG TIME,
HE TURNED BACK,
AND INQUIRED FROM HIS DIVINATION

"

~STRUhEWIS.

HE SAID THAtt; HE LOOKED FOR IVA D

HOUSE OF

ALARi.

80. HE LOOKED FOR HER D

TIlE

,
TIlE BOOSE OF AJERO.
,

HE LOOKED FOR HER D

TIlE BOUSE OF ORANGUII

HE ~OOKED FOR HEI! IN THE ABODE

IFA PRIEST OF OLOWO.

,"

OF OGBERE,

,~

HE LOOKED FOR HER IN THE ABODE OF ASEEGBA,

,.
IFA PRIEST OF ~GBA.
.

, " "" "

HE LOOKED FOR HER IN THE ABODE OF ATAKOMOSA,

IFA PRIEST OF IJESA.

, ,

BUT THEY TOLD HIM THAT IWA HAD GONE TO ORUN

HE SAID THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO GO AND TAKE

HER FROM THERE.
THEY SAID THAT WAS ALRIGHT.
PROVIDED

HE WAS PREPARED TO PERFORM SACRIFICE.

90. THEY ASKED HIM TO OFFER A NET,

AND GIVE HONEY TO ESU.

,

HE OFFERED HONEY AS SACRIFICE TO ESD

WHEN ESO TASTED THE HONEY,

HE SAID,
L __\

'WHAT IS THIS WHICH IS SO SWEE7e?

95. ,ORUN"ILA THEN ENTERED THE COSTUME OF EGUMGU.,

AND WENT TO HEAVEN.
HE STARTED TO SING AGAIN.
ESO THEN PLAYED THE GAME OF DECEIT"

" WAS.
AND WENT TO THE PLACE WHERE \IWA
100. HE SAID,
HEAVEN,

'A CERTAIN MAN HAS ARRIVED IN

IF YOU LISTEN TO HIS SONG,

HE IS SAYING SUCH AND SUCH A THING
YOO ARE THE ONE HE IS LOOKING FOR
IWA THEN LEFT (HER HIDING PLACE).
105. AND WENT TO MEET THEM WHERE THEY WERE
SINGING.
~

""

L._

ORUNMILA WAS INSIDE EGUNGUN COSTUME

ll

.. ..

HE SAW IWA FROM THE NET OF THE COSTUME,

AND HE EMBRACED HER

THOSE WHO CHANGE BAD LUCK INTO GOOD THEN

OPENED UP THE COSTUME.

. ..

110. 'IWA, WHY DID YOU BEHAVE LIKE THAT.

AND YOU LEFT ME ON EARTH AND WENT AWAY'.

tWA SAID THAT WAS TRUE.

SHE SAID THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF HOW HE
MALTREATED HER

THAT SHE RAN AWAY,

115. SO THAT SHE MIGHT HAVE REST OF MIND.

, .."

QRUNMILA THEN IMPLORED HER TO PLEASE,

HAVE PATIENCE WITH HIM,

AND FOLLOW HIM.

BUT "IWA REFUSED.

120. BUT SHE SAID THAT WAS ALRIGHT,

SHE STILL COULD DO SOM THING ELSE.

SHE SAID,

, . "

'YOU QRUNMILA,

;:
"

GO BACK TO THE EARTH.

WIlEN YOU GET THERE,

125. ALL 'l'RE 't'HIWGS VllICB I BAYE TOLD YOO

NOT 'l'O DO,

!
.

DON'T A'1"'I'DIPT '1'0 DO mEII.

BEHAVE WITH GOOD

CBARA~.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR WIFE,

130.
AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR CRXLDREN.

FROM TODAY ON, YOU WILL NOT SET YOUR

" ANY MORE.

EYES ON ..IWA

I.
~

BUT I WILL ABIDE WITH YOU.

BUT WHATEVER YOU DO TO ME,

WILL DETERMINE HOW ORDERLY yOUR LIFE

WILL BE.'

'\

ACCORDING TO THE HOLY ODU VERSE WRITTEN ABOVE, ONE CAN READILY SEE
THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD CHARACTER rR LIVING A SUCCESSFUL LIFE. ONE
MUST TREAT ONE'S CHARACTER LIKE ORE WOULD A SPOUSE. IT IS NOT EASY
TO MAINTAIN A GOOD CHARACTER

A~

ALL

TO MAINTAIN GOOD CHARACTER. SOMETIMES

NOT POPULAR, BUT WE MUST REMEMBER

SOMETIMES ITS INCONVENIENT

~.

rrs

'I'RA~

NOT PROFITABLE. SOMETIMES

IFA TEACHES THAT THERE IS A

DAY OF ACCOUNTING.

, ,
,
OYEKU-MOGBE
SAYS:
,

....

AYE LOJA
,

ORUN NILi

'"

..

A DIFA FUN OLODUMARE, AGO'nJN

..
,

OBA
ATAYE MA TUU
I

, ,

BEE DELE AYE

I
,
'
"
BEE, GBAGBE
ORUN

..

AYE LOJA

ORUN NILE

, ,

E 0 JIYIN

, "

E 0 JABO

"

OUN TI E RI
I

TRANSLATION:

THE WORLD IS A MARKET PLACE

...

IKOLE-ORUN IS OUR PERMANENT HOME

CAST DIVINATION ORACLE FOR OLODUMARE

, ..

'"
IF YOU COME TO THE WORLD AND FORGET IKOLE-ORUN
#

NOTE THAT THE WORLD IS JUST A MARKET PLACE

WHILE . IKOLE-OROIf IS OUR PERMANENT HOME

YOU WILL ACCOUNT FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE.

"

"

, ,

OVORIlf-GUNDA
I

"

/""
ORUNHlLA
NI KI EllIKENI MASE IKA

,,,

"

NITORI A 1'1 RE ORUM

"

"

, " BA DE 'BODE ORUN,

BIlKA

,
A RO PELEPELE EJO.

TRANSLATION:

'\.

ORUNHILA
SAYS NOBODY SBOOLD rRDOLGE IN PROFLIGACY OR EVIL,
I
BECAUSE OF HIS EVENtUAL DEPARTURE TO HEAVEN.
WHEN THE WICKED GE'I'S '10 'i'BEPORTALS OF HEAVEN
HE WILL FACE A SERIOUS

, ,,,

~u::tJ"tION.

(FROM 9ROMNILA MAGAZrNE. JUNE, 1987, P. 34)

006NDA-MEJI
' ,

"

OORE KII GBB

,,'

'" ,. , DAIIU
"

Bt=t=NI lltA ItII U

...
,,,' "
"

''\,

", \

ASOORE
GrREDO BI EIII PA DAND OHON GBOGBO IBI
,

"

BEENI itO PA DAIIU

, , ,"

OORE L' OPE I n itO

,
SUlfWON.

'. il

I:
I

TRANSLATION:
GOOD DEEDS NEVER GO UliREVARDED
EVIL DEEDS NEVER REMAIIi UliSANCTIONED

i :

i
i

CONSTANT t-:OOD DEEDS WImOUT VISIBLE RESULTS MAY APPEAR AS A LOSS.

GOOD DEEDS ARE BENEFICIAL, EVIL IS NOT.

, ,,,

(FROM ORUNMrLA MAGAZINE, JUNE 1987, P.14)

, iI
~ ~

,,~

THE BOKONON
/ BABALAWO / BOKn

AT THIS POINT WE SHOULD CONSIDER THE DIFFERENT NAMES THAT ARE USED
~

BY THE FON AND THE ANAGO OF DAHOMEY, THE ANLO EVHE OF TOGO, AND THE

YORUBA OF NIGERIA. HERE IS A LIST, WHICH IS UNDOUBTEDLY INCOMPLETE:

, .,

.,

BABALAWO

\_'"

(YORUBA), FATHER OF SECRETS (BABA-ALA-AWO OR BABA-NI -AWO),

AND SOMETIMES AWO:

'\

B.~BANLA

...

(YORUBA), GRAND FATHER:

AWO-NON (YORUBA I F9N), POSSESSOR OF THE SECRET:

""'w

BOKO (FQN), A SIMPLE ABREVIATION OF THE WORD BOK9NON:

BOKQWO (YORUBA / FQN) RARELY USED.

,,,
..,
BOKQAWONON(YORUBA / F9N), BOK9NON THE POSSESSOR OF THE SECRET:

..

AFAKALAWO

(EVHE)

...,

NUKANTp (FQN), THOSE WHO "EXCAVATE";

NUGBONON (FON), MASTER OF TRUTH. THIS IS

BOK9NON

G~D~GBE,

....

ONE OF THE TITLES OF THE

AND IT IS RESERVED FOR THE GREATEST DIVINERS:

...,

VAVANON (FQN), GREATER THAN US ALL;

Lbwo (YORtm~),
A

DUNO:

DUWONON (FqN) OR FALUWONON

"I,.,

(YORbaAJF~N),

POSSESSOR OF

AWOGBOGBO (YORUBA/FQN), THE BOK9NON (AWO) IS ALL. mIS NAHE IS RE

".

SERVED FOR THE GREAT BOK9NON;

'\'
"
04
"
AWOJ'OGUN
(YORUBA),
THE BOK9NON
WHO "EATS THE AMULETTES (OGUN);
~

.,

04

AWOZEGBONIGLO (YORUBA/F9N), THE BOK9NON WHO RAISES THE GOAT (AND

/

TOUCHES THE HEAD OF THE FAVI / OHO'FA FOR THE SACRIFICE, BUT CANNOT

CARRY THE BEEF;

, , ...

..,

AWOKANKUKANGBE (YORUBA F9N), THE BOK9NON DIVrRES FOR THE (DEAD) AND
FOR THE (LIVING);

ALAFQSB (YORUBA) (RARE), HE WHO SPEAKS THE TRUTH NEVER SPEAKS IN

VAIN:

./...,
..,
,
AFA NON (FON), THE POSSESSOR OF FA (IFA).

, ,.

" "

OBALUWA
OR BABALUWA (YORUBA), THE FATHER WHO COMMANDS THE FORCES.
r
THE TERN CAN ALSO MEAN THE ALMIGHTY GOD, THE BENEFACTOR, THE PRIEST

OF FA.

" ,.,

" ... "

THE TITLES OF ADUFE (YORUBA/FON) AND ARABA ARE CARRIED BY THOSE WHO
~

HAVE PIERCED THE MYSTERY OF IF~. IN DAHOMEY, BOK9NON G~D~GBE WAS THE

ONLY BOKONON WHO CARRIED THESE TITLES AND HE DID NOT HAVE A SUCCESSOR
.:

THE BOK9NON ALSO RECEIVES THE NAME

GB~-WE-DO-T9'

THOSE WHO TRANSMIT

THE MESSAGE OF LIFE (DEITY). THIS TITLE EXPLAINS HOW CERTAIN PRIESTS

:,

ARE FELT TO BE PRIESTS OF "GOD ALMIGHTY-. AT THE CONCLUSION,DIALEC

,

"

...

TICALLY, FA (IFA) IS, HAWU (OLODUMARE), AND HAWU IS FA(IFA). IS IT

SAID THAT THE MESSENGER OF THE KING IS THE KING?
~

'/

THE ANCIENT DECEASED BOKONON

, , CONSULT FA (IFA) IN KUTOME(LAND OF THE

...

,.,...,

DEAD). THESE DIVINERS ARE CALLED BOKONON-LONTON (FON), THE DIVYRERS

OF THE "OVER THERE".

.j,

. !

...

THE DREAM OF YAWOIKA

"

"'" (BABALAWO). I HAVE

"I HAVE NEVER CARRIED THE BAG OF ANOTHER BOKQNON
-

NEVER VISITED ANOTHER BOKQNON TO ASK HIM TO TEACH ME FA (IFA). IT IS

ALMIGHTY GOD HIMSELF WHO TAUGHT ME WHAT I KNOW. (This occurred in
1914.)

WE SLEPT TWENTY IN A SINGLE ROOM. TWENTY MEN OF MY FAMILY, AFTER

THE EVENING OF A DEATH. ALL OF THEM WERE OLDER THAN I.
DURING MY SLEEP, I SAW FOUR ELDERS WITH WHITE HAIR AND BEARD, WHO
WERE UNKNOWN TO ME, APPROACHING ME FROM THE NORTH. EACH ONE HAD AN
OSUN IN HIS HAND, AND A MAT MADE OF BAMBOO FIBERS UNDER HIS ARM. THE
OSUN ( S) WERE WRAPPED IN WHITE CLOTH.
WHEN THEY ARRIVED NEAR ME, THE FIRST ONE PLANTED HIS OSUN NEAR MY

'HEAD, UNROLLED HIS MAT AND STRETCHED OUT ON HIS BACK. THE SECOND
ONE PLANTED HIS OSUN All' MY RIGHT, UNROLLED HIS MAT AND STRETCHED
OUT ON HIS BACK. THE THIRD ONE PLANTED HIS OSUN BY MY FEET, UNROLLED
HIS. MAT AND STRETCHED OUT all HIS BACK. THE FOURTH ONE PLANTED HIS
OSON ON MY LEFT, UNROLLED BYS MAT AND STRETCHED OUT ON HIS BACK.
THEIR BODIES FORMED A SQUARE, THE HEAD OF THE ONE AGAINST THE FEET
OF THE OTHER.
THEN, THE FIRsr OIIE,1180 LAY DAR MY HEAD, CALLED ME:
-YAMUU&!

-AGO! I aESPONDED.

-Kai'iUl7=
AlII)

nOOBE.

8EPEATED: JIOGBE.

AT MY RIGHT THE SBCOMD a.E RAISED HIS VOICEi EACH OF THEN REPEATED

"

THE NAME OF ONE OF ftIIE FDST FOUR DU (ODU). AND THE FIRST ONE
CALLE~

ME AGAIN D

0ItDEIt 1ft) TEACH ME A FIFTH DU (ODU). AND EACH

FOLLOWED SUITE ONrLL

SYXTEENTH.

THEN THEY ROSE UP P80K THEIR MATS AND LEFT, PULLING THEIR ASEN

(OSON) FROM THE GIlOiMD, AIID ROLLING UP THEIR MATS

I WOKE UP ALL IN -rEARS. MY SOBBING AWOKE THE ELDERS WHO WERE

SLEEPING NEAR ME. -rIlEY ASKED ME WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM. I REPLIED:

I SAW FOUR ELDERS DESSED IN WHITE, EACH ONE CARRYING AN ASEN COSON)

AND A MAT. THEY PLAJrrED THEIR ASEN (OSUN), THE FIRST NEAR MY HEAD,

THE SECOND

TO MY RIGII'r, THE THIRD AT MY FEET, THE FOURTH AT MY

LEFT. AND THEY LAY DOlIN FORMING A SQUARE AROUND ME, ON THEIR MATS.

THEY SHOWED ME HOW TO REPEAT THE 16 HOLY ODO, STARTING WITH JIOOBE,
~,

THEN YEKU-MEJI TELL ME, DOES THIS NOT ANNOUNCE SOMETHING BAD

FOR ME?

THE ELDERS: NOT AT ALL! NEVER HAS ANYONE SEEN A KUVITO (DEAD SPIRIT)

....,
(BABALAWO)

DRESSED IN WHITE. THESE WERE, THEY SAID, B01{9NON

SENT

FROM HEAVEN TO TEACH YOU FA (IFA) - THESE WERE ELDERS WHO SAID THIS,
AND THEY WERE EXPERIENCED.

QUICKLY, I WENT TO LOOK FOR THE NUTS WITH WHICH lfO MAKE A GtJNMAGA

"

,o "
(OPELE),
AND I HADE IT.

..

THEN, I RETURNED TO MY HOHE, AND REPEATED mE ODU(S) mAT THE ELDERS

....

HAD TAUGHT ME. MY ACQUAINTANCES HEARING HE REPE&'rIE '!'lIE ODU( S) ,

ASKED HE HOW I HAD ACQUIRED THIS KNOWLEDGE ALL -u..a.E &lID TREY MOCKED
HE. BUT I DID NOT HAVE A CARE. I OCCUPIED MYSELF SERIOUSLY WITH MY

ODU(S), AND THEY PENETRATED MY MEMORY.

THEN I BEGIN TO DIVINE LITTLE BY LITTLE, AND I BBC3ME A DIVINER.

LATER, I MET A BOK9NON WHO WAS VERY WISE,AND I

FROM HIM.

GREAT WISDOM

HOW N.H. BECAME A BOKONON

"I DID NOT BECOME

ACQUAINTED

(PORTO-NOVO)
...

WITH IFA IN PORTO-NOVO, BUT IN NIGERIA,

I
I

I
!

IN A LOCALITY NAMED GEZE. I LIVED WITH THE HUSBAND OF ONE OF MY

MATERNAL AUNTS. THERE WERE NO BOKONON IN THAT FANILY. I OCCUPIED

MYSELF WITH WORKrNG

LAND.
I

I HAD RECEIVED MY ItPpLI (ORI) AND MY FA

(9W~'FA)

IN THE SACRED

FOREST, WHEN I WAS VERY SMALL, AND TOO YOUNG TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT
WAS ALL ABOOY.
ONE DAY, I LEFI' IIr BOllE TO GO TO THE MARKET. I MET A YORUBA WOMAN
ON THE ROAD. SHE was A SLENDER WELL SHAPED WOMAN. I DID NOT KNOW
HER. AS SHE APPJMMC'RRD FROM A DISTANCE, SHE SAID: WELL NOW! HELLO!
- AND SHE POY SCMit'iii18G III MY HAND: IT WAS A DAMI WHITE DEATH AND
DAMI RED

DEA~.

(Y.BESB WERE TWO STONES THAT ARE SACRED TO THE VODUN

I:
I

i
I

ow

DAN)
I RETURNED HOllE, AIm vrruOUT SPEAKING TO ANYONE, PUT THE TWO STONES
IN MY. VALISE.
FATHER. THIS

SOBaY1ftES LATER, I WENT TO PORTO-NOVO TO VISIT MY

-.s

THIS, I REfURaED
WAS ENTIRELY

~
~

EA~

DAYS

AFTER THE ENCOUNTER, NINE DAYS AFTER

GEZE. IT WAS THEN I DISCOVERED THAT MY VALISE

BY TERMITES. I DID NOT PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THIS,

AND DID NOT hEWtla.

,J

I~.

ON ANOTHER DAY AS I VAS GOING TO THE MARKET, I CAME ACROSS A MAN

WHO WAS SHORr AIm WELL PROPORTIONED, WHO SEEMED TO BE FON (DAHOMEAN).

HE SPOKE NAGa, ARD THE LANGUAGE OF THE "WHITES",GUN-GBE AS WELL AS

FON-GBE. HE ASltED ME: DO YOU KNOW ME? - NO, I DID NOT KNOW HIM.
THEN HE SAID: I-M GOING TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING. A BAD THING IS GOING

TO ARRIVE QUICKLY. AND HE TOOK A PENCIL FROM HIS POCKET AND A PIECE

"

""''''
,
OF PAPER. THEN HE TRACED THE SIGN AKLAN-MEJI (OKONRON-MEJI),
AND HE

.. .

.!

ASKED ME: DO YOU KNOW THIS SIGN? NO, I DID NOT KNOW IT. HE EXPLAINED

IT TO ME.

KPOB~

THAT MAN CAME FROM MAHI COUNTRY AND HAD PASSED THROUGH

(POB~).

HE ADDED: I AM CONTENT WITH YOU. I SHALL TEACH YOU MANY THINGS. THIS

FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU ARE ABOUT TO GO SOME PLACE, AND IF A BAD THING,

A SICKNESS, OR EVEN A WAR IS ABOUT TO BEGrR, YOU SHALL PRONOUNCE THE

NAME OF AKLAN-MEJI, THEN YOU WRITE IT ON THE GROUND, OR IF YOU HAVE

A DIVINER'S BOARD, YOU WRITE THIS FIGURE rR CHALK PILED ON THE BOARD.

THEN YOU EAT AN OBI (KOLA NUT) AND SWALLOW IT vrru A LI'M'LE OF THE

POWDER IN WHICH THE FIGURE OF AKLAN-MEJI

' HAS
... ,
HE ALSO GAVE ME SOME PHRASES IN THE YORUBA

TIBI TI RILE

LAYENF~

B~

rRSCRIBED.

NATURE IS GOOD AND BAD.

TO PRONOUNCE:

ALSO E JIWO AKQ NI

LUKO AKPIDA, THE NAME OF THE DAGGER IS: THE DAGGER MOST NEVER ENTER
INTO A SCABBARD.

"'"

THESE ARE TWO PROVERBS FROM THE ODU AKLAN-MEJI. AFrER BEARING ALL
THESE THINGS, I SPENT THE NIGHT VERY

AGITA~Y.

I RATURALLY FORGOT

THESE WORDS, THEY WERE NEW TO ME. BUT, THAT SAME FIRST NIGHT I HAD
A DREAM: I FOUND MYSELF FACE TO FACE WITH A All UIIDIOtIN TALL MAN, WHO
STRETCHED HIMSELF OUT ON THE GROUND, AND SUPPORtED BrMSELF ON HIS

.....

"

...........

RIGHT ELBOW. IN HIS LEFT HAND HE HELD AN AGOWMAG&(OPLE),

WHICH HE
.

MANIPULATED. HE TOSSED IT ON THE GROUND, AND THUSLY, MADE ALL THE

APPEAR ONE BY ONE, FROM JIOGBE TO FU-MEJI. AS THIS PROCEDURE

PROGRESSED HE NAMED THEM THE NEXT DAY I REMBMBERED EVERYTHING,
AS WELL AS THE PROVERBS THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE.
BUT I HAD GREAT FEAR OF THESE SUCCESSIVE
TO THE HOME OF A ONE EYED DIVINER NAMED

EVEN~

HORSU

AND I HURRIEDLY WENT

DOGIDA, IN ORDER TO

CONSULT FA (IFA). THIS WAS THE CHIEF DIVINER OF GEZE AND I TOLD HIM
~

SrMPLY: THAT FOR SOMETIME I HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO SLEEP. HE CAST IFA

'J

FOR ME, HE TOLD ME THAT I WAS BORN TO BE A DIVINER, AND IF I DID

NOT BECOME ONE, I WOULD NEVER HAVE REST IN THIS LIFE. THEN I TOOK
MY LEAVE.
THE FOLLOWING NIGHT, I DID NOT SLEEP. I RETURNED TO THE HOME OF THE
PRIEST THE NEXT DAY, AND HE DECLARED TO ME: YOU SHALL NOT DIE, GO
IN PEACE!"
ALTHOUGH N.H. NEVER APPRERTISED HIMSELF TO ANY DIVINER HE DID
OBSERVE THEM, AND

HAY~

AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS

A VERY QUICK MIND LEARNED MUCH FROM THEM.

FA~

WHO WAS VERY OLD, HE BEGAN TO DIVINE

FOR CLIENTS. THEYVERE ALL SATISFIED WITH HIS. DIVINATIONS AND THE
ADVISE HE GAVE TREK. THE COMMUNITY OF PORTO-NOVO ACCEPTED HIM AS
A BONAFIDE BOK~, AKD WEYER QUESTIONED THE SOURCE OF HIS MYSTICAL
AND SPIRI"1'OAL

JUl(MI.JrDI3.

I,

TERMINOLOGY

..,

, ,

FON (DAHOMEAN)

YORUBA

ADRA, VOSISA

EBQ

AGUNMAGA

OKPELE
. IFA

ASEN

pSAMNI

ASRO

GBAADU

AKPO

BLAVO

--

(ANAGO)

BOKONON

~,

..

OIIOLODO

DU VIKANDO
001

DUWO OR GBANA

IPA

FA

IPA, C}IIP KAN

FA ALO DOKPO

..

FAGBAJI

ODEDE-IPA
.

FAGBAN

AmPA

FABO, FAF9

FADE

~-IPA

,
FANUN

RAll-IPA

...

IP~

FANUWIWA, HUGBONU FA

,
..,....,
FASEN OR ZON-SEN
,."

(FIRST GOAT)
AKPO-KP,L,

OSU--IPA

~IPA,

FAKPO

FATE
,
FAVI

A~-IPA,

OIIO-IPA
.

9KP9N-IFA

KAN FA

DA-IPA OR DIFA

KU

1m

KUDIO

KPAJrnDA, NEKUKPADA

LEGBA AGBANUKWEN

....
L~GBA DO KO, XONNUKO
, VODON

OR AGBONUX9 SU

...

OSUAKESAN

LEKA

IGBA-IFA

...,
LONFLEN

ILOIFA, AGELE,ILOOKE

LOKPO

LQKPO, KPALAABA

NAWO OR KITI

OKITI

KPOLI

...,
SOTIN OR SOKPETIN
,

IKPOLI OR IKPONRI

...
IGIOSUN,YELOSUN

TANLUN

TANLON

VOBLAT9

ADIBO

VODE

IBO

NOTE# FROM MAUPOrL'S -LA GEOMANCIE A L"ANCIENNE COTE DES ESCLAVES.

P.P 218-219.

",..

"

THE KPOLI (IPONRI, OR ORI)

~

(ONE'S OWN HOLY GUARDIAN ANGEL)

THE WORD

., (ORI)/

KP~LI

"

IS COMPOSED OF TWO YORUBA WORDS:

..

OLI,(THE

"

SE WHO HAS CREATED THE HEAD).

~KP~

KPOLI OR ORI MEANS ON THE ONE HAND,

"

SPEAKING ABSTRACTLY, THE SIGN OR ODU THAT THE OMO IFA, DISCOVERS IN

THE FAZUN OR IGBO'DU OR THE "SOUL" OF THE PERSON. YET, SPEAKING

..

CONCRETELY, IT MEANS THE SMALL BAG OR POUCH WHERE THE FAVI/OMO'FA

GATHERS THE SOIL WHERE THE ODU OF HIS HEAD HAS BEEN INSCRIBED.

" OP9RI, IP9RI, IPIN, ETC. SEEMS TO MEAN A

KPPLI,

B~OLENT

PROTECTIVE

SPIRIT WHO RELATES TO A PERSON OR THAT IS IN SOME VAT SPIRITUALLY

CONNECTED TO THE PERSON. IT IS A SPIRIT WHICH HAs PRESrDED AT OUR
CREATION, AND AT OUR BIRTH AND HAS MADE US WHAT WE ARE.

,.,

THE FAVI (9MP'FA) COLLECTS TWO OBJECTS IN THE

SIXTEEN SACRED PALM KERNELS AND THE SOIL

, ,

F~/IGBO'DU,

THE

WHERE THE ODO WAS INSCRIBED.

~

THESE TWO OBJECTS ARE PLACED IN A SMALL BAG, THIS IS THE KPQLI

f~.

THE CONSECRATED PALM KERNELS ARE THE MALE

EL~:TRE

SOIL WHERE THE

ODU WAS INSCRIBED IS FEMALE.

IN THE HOUSE OF THE PM9'FA, THE KPQLI RESTS OR THE !FA CONTAINER.

WHEN THE INITIATE GIVES FOOD TO HIS IFA AND HIS KPOLI (ORI), HE CAN
",

EAT THAT IS PRESENTED TO HIS IFA, BUT THAT WHICH IS OFFERED TO HIS

KPOLI (ORI) MUST BE OFFERED TO HIS WIFE TO EAT OR, IF HE IS NOT

MARRIED, TO HIS LEGBA.

"
,
THE COMPOSITION OF THE KPOLI/ORI VARIES WITH THE DIVINERS. ACCORDING

TO BOKONON GEDEGBE, THE COMPOSITION OF THE -BAG- MUST CONTAIN THE

FOLLOWING:
1. EARTH WHERE THE SIGN OF THE INITIATE HAS BEEN INSCRIBED. THIS IS

'
~
THE SYMBOL OF THE SE (ASE). CERTAIN HERBS OF IFA ARE INCLUDED, THOSE

OF THE SIGN THAT WAS FOUND AND OTHERS: TEVIGAMI (pJpOKPOKPO) AND WEENA;

2. A LITTLE SAND, OR EARTH FROM THE BOTTOM OF A STREAM, LAKE POND OR

OCEAN. (THE SYMBOL OF COOLNESS).

3. EFUN (WHITE CHALK) THE CAUSE OF HAPPINESS FOR THE OMO IFA.

4. A LITTLE DANKI, EXCREMENT OF A SERPENT. (SYMBOL OF RICHES).

5. A PIECE OF WOOD, FROM THE MYSTERIOUS GILA.

THE OUTSIDE OF THE BAG IS DECORATED WITH COWRIES AND BEADS.

J~'FA

(SPIRITUAL COMMUNION)
WITH ONE'S OWN HOLY GUARDIAN ANGEL

,
THE DEVOTEE KNEELS ON THE

~NI

(MAT),

AS SHOWN IN THE ILLLUSTRAT10N.

ADURA:
~,

IFARQWAO.

IFA PLEASE DESCD...

'-"
ELAROWAOO,
. . .,

ELA PLEASE BE PRESENT.

.""

,,'

IF YOU ARE IN 1UE OCE.AN

BIO N BE LAPA OKUN

~

PLEASECOML

KORQMQWA

",

'\"

IF YOU ARE IN MID-lAGOON.

BI 0 N Bt: NILAJI 9SA

"

,
KOROMOOBO
"

PLEASECOML

""

'"

BI".,
0 N BE NI WANRAN OOJUMO

.EAST,

'"

N BI OJU TI M9 WA.

, "

.,

"",

. .

TETE NI KO RO MO WA ELA.

., .,

EVEN IF YOU ARE AT "WANRAN' IN THE

WHERE THE SUN RISES.

COME URGENTLY:):U.

HOW TO PAY HOMAGE TO ONE'S ORI

FIRST POSITION

REST THE BODY ON DEES AND ELBOWS WITH THE

"

PALMS TURNED IJPWAIlD. THEN SAY: ORI MO PE. ORI

"

MOPE.

SECOND POSITION

I.

IN THE SECOND POSmON ONE LIES FACE DOWN, WITH THE

,

"

ARMS STRETCHED FORWARD. THEN SAY: ORI MO JUBA 0, ORI

.

,"

MO JUBA O.

THIRD POSITION

ONE THEN ROLLS TO ONE'S LEFT SIDE WITH THE LEFT

, '

",

ARM EXTENDED. THEN SAY: ORII MI, LA MI O. ORII MI LA MI, O.

FOURTH POSITION

ONE THEN ROLLS TO ONE'S RIGHT SIDE WITH THE RIGHT

~,/

..

,."

..

ARM EXTENDED. THEN SAY: ORI, PELE, ORI PELE O.

",
ATARl

IWAJU

'"
IPAKO.,

THE DEVOTEE DIPS TIlE FlNGEIIS OF TBI: LEFT BAND INTO A CONTAINER OF WATER THAT

"

"
" ... TRACED IN IT. THE
OF1JN-~

HAS BEEN MIXED WITH "IYt:ROSUN THAT HAS THE fIGURE

"

",

,
DEVOTEE TOUCHES THE IWAJU. TIlE ATARLAND 1111:"
IPAK9.

.~

1
j

"1

THE DEVOTEE TOUCHES THE TIP OF HIS I HER FINGER TO THE DIVINING POWDER IN

WHICH HIS I HER ODU HAS BEEN TRACED. THEN TOUCHES IT TO HIS I HER TONGUE.

1
1

THE DEVOTD: TIIEN SAYS:

, \"

"

I",

,\

"

"

",

, "

,\

"ORI NIKAN, LO TO AlASAN BA R'OKUN. BI MO BA LOWO, ORI NI 0 RO FUN. ORII MI, IWO NL
I

..

,\,

..

ORI PELE
' . ORI PELE! om PELE!"

"

""

AFTER EATING TIR IYplOSUN THAT THE ODU HAS BEEN TRACED, HE I SHE THEN TAKES A
PINCH OF THE POWDER BElWEEN THE THUMB AND FOREFINGER AND MARKS A LINE
DOWN THE CENTER OF TIR FOREHEAD.

HOW TO HOLD COMMUNION

WITH ONE'S OWN HOLY GUARDIAN ANGEL

A WHITE SHEET
COVERING THE AWO

THE AWO SITS ON

THE ODU OF THE

A WHITE
AWO MARKED ON
~

. .

OPON IFA

THE AWO AND/OR THE

'9"9

IFA MAY LEARN TO HAVE CONVERSATION WITH HIS/HER

OWN HOLY GUARDIAN ANGEL, THE ORI APERE (THE SUPREME SELF) BY SITTING
ON A WHITE CLOTH WHILE COVERED BY ANOTHER CLOTH OR SHEET, A MARK THY.
\.

FIGURE OF THE ODU OF ONE' SHEAD. AS ONE CONCENTRATES UPON THIS FIGURE,
\,

, , ,

RECITE THE FOLLOWING INVOCATION TO ELA-IWORI SOFTLY:

"

, ,

"~LA RQ!"
DESCEND! "~LA DESCEND!

"'LA RQ! 'LA RQ!

"~LA
'I

DESCEND!

\,\

~LA

THE COMPONETS OF THE PRIMORDIAL ARCHETYPES AND THE COLLECTIVE

AFRIKAN~AHERICANS.

ANCESTRAL MEMORY OF THE

..

..

"

...

OLORON-ELEDA-OLODUMARE

...

ISESE WA

...

"

",

"

. ..

I,

(BABAIILA An ITAIiLA TI MBE LESE OLODUMARE)

OUR DrYINE ARCHETYPES

. DAMBADA HWEDO

au.

COLLECTIVE ANCESTRAL MEMORY

(THE GLORIFIED, aa.DRED DEAD AND DIVINIZED HEROES WHO DIED AS A

RESULT OF THE C87aCLYSMIC ENSLAVEMENT OF AFRIKAN PEOPLES, THOSE WHO
DIED IN AFRDA, 'ItiDSE 11110 DIED DURING THE "MIDDLE PASSAGE", AND
THOSE MHo DIED X. THE AMERICAS.)

...

,/

.,

AllQII BABA ATI AW9N-IYA WA

(OUR FAMILIAL DEAD. ALL THE DEAD IN OUR FAMILIES, THOSE WHOM WE
KNOW; AND THOSE 1IBDII WE DO NOT KNOW.

I~
.

" ,

THE NAMES OF THE DIFFERENT ESU, AND THE VARIOUS ROADS

...
~

(FROM IFA OF CUBA)

. ..
1. ISU AKUELEYE
-

,,'

,E~U"

"

2. EU QBASIN-LAYE - TInS

, "

ACCOMPANIES ODUDUWA, AND LIVES WITHIN A

CALABASH.

, AGBANUKWEN - THIS IS A SPECIAL

3. "ESU

"E~"

OP IPA~ POR AwqN AWO. HE

CONTAINS DIRT FROM AROUND THE ROOTS OP A PALH

IKIN, A PIECE OF THE SKIN OF A GOAT, THE SCRAPING FROM THE HORN OF

, ,

A GOAT, AND A SMALL BALL OP HEN FEATHERS.TBYS ESU IS ALWAYS COVERED

WITH A CLAY JAR, BECAUSE THOSE WHO SEE HIM DIREC"l"LY CAN
BLIND.
4.

..

"

E~U

(THE FIRST THREE ESU PERTAIN TO

BE RENDERED

"" , \ ' ,

\...

THE ODO BABA EJIOGBE.)

AYERU - MESSENGER OP IFA AND THE PERSONS WHO HAVE THE ROAD OF

IFA. HE CONTAINS THE

BLOOD OF ALL ANIMALS.

"

" IYELU - BOTO 9RUN, BOTO AYE. HE HAS TWO PACES. a.E BELONGS TO
5. ESU
E~U

AND THE OTHER BELONGS TO THE DEAD. WHEN PRAYERS ARE ADDRESSED ,

HE DESCENDS FROM ORUN TO AYE. HE CONTAINS A

OF A HUMAN DEAD,

"HOLY WATER", DIRT FROM THE CEMETERY, AND FRON 7BE DOOR OF A CHURCH.
THIS

'\

\.

E~U

",

. . .

" "QSA-LOPOGBE,
'~BELONGS TO THE FOLLOWING ODU:
BAHA' ORANGUN,
"
",,'
.,
.
.
\ ' '"

, "'''''

'/

OKONRON-FUN, OGUNDA-KONRON, OFUN-YEKU, OSE-oroRA, OGBE-FUN.

"
"'""
ESU ANAKI

,,,

6. ESU QBALUFE - THE OLDEST ~SU. THE ODU ODI-WORI.

7.

- CONFIDANT OF IFA. THE GATEKEEPER OF THE CEMENTERY. HE

ORDERS AND SENDS, AND DISTRIBUTES THE WORK OF

OTHER

E~U.

(HE

CONTAINS DIFFERENT KINDS OF MANURE, ONE IKIK, DIRT FROM AROUND A

PALM TREE WHICH PRODUCES THE IKIN MIM9, DIRT FROM THE ENTRANCE OF

, OGUNDA-OTURUPQN).
" "
CEMENTERY. THE ODU,
"
8.
\
EU

I
I
M~RINLAYE

- THIS

"
"
E~U

..

IS SPECIAL. HE LIVES IN THE OPON IFA (THE

DIVINING BOARD) HE IS REPRESENTED BY THE POUR FACES ENGRAVED ON

THE
I

I
9P~>N

IFA. TO CONSTRUCT THIS

..
"E~U,

"
A HOLE IS BORED IN THE OJU'
I

OPON, THE ESE OPON, THE OJU KOTON, AND THE OJU KOSI. IN EACH HOLE

ESU-JOBIONA

,
"
,
/
FU-MEJI OR OFUN-1IpL SOMETIMES ASKS FOR THE ERECTION OF A SPECIAL E~U CALLED
.

JOBIONA, wmca IS COMPOSED OF TWO LEGBA(S) OR

E~U

BACK TO BACK. THEY

REPRESENT THE lWO DIRECfIONS, EAST AND WEST, AND AT THE SAME TIME THIS IMAGE

,"

REPRESENTS MAWU AND LISA. THIS IMAGE IS PLACED AT THE SIDE OF THE OTHER LEGBA
IMAGES. THIS LEGBA PRonClS THE HOUSE FROM EVIL SPIRITS. OFFERINGS OF KOLA
NUTS ARE PRESENTED TO IT.

,
"

ESHU HERINL' AYE

"

THIS ESU IS SPECIAI.. HE LIVES IN THE OPON IFA. HE IS REPRESENTED

BY THE FOUR FACES ENGRAVED ON THE 9P9N IFA

A HOLE IS BORED HERE

A HOLE

HOLE BORED

HERE

HERE

A HOLE BORED HERE

IN EACH HOLE ONE PLACES DIRT FROM THE ROOTS OF A PALM TREE. DIRT

"

FROM THE DIFFERENT PLACES.FOOR DIFFERENT HERBS, ONE FROM EJI-OGBE,

ONE FROM '''~"
OYEKU-MEJI, ONE FROM IWORI-MEJI, AND ONE FROM ODI-MEJI, ETC

\.

""

'"

ONE PLACES DIRT FROM THE ROOTS OF AN IGI OPE, DIRT FROM FOUR DIFFERENT
PLACES, FOUR DIFFERENT HERBS. ONE FROM EJI-OGBE, ONE FROM OYEKU-MEJY,
ONE FROM IWORI-MEJI, AND ONE FROM ODI-MEJI. WATER FROM FOUR DIFFERENT
PLACES, BLOOD FROM FOUR DIFFERENT ANIMALS, ADD ERO, OBI, AND IYEROSON.
f
""
"
,
./
RECITE THE AFOCHE OF QRUNMILA
WHILE MARKING THE FOLLOWING ODU:
BABA
\.

ORANGON, OKONRON-YEKU, OTURA-LOGBE, OSA-LOGBE, AND OSE-IROSON

9. ESU OKUBORO - HE IS LIFE AND DEATH. HE IS A KING, AND WEARS A

SPHeIAL CROWN. HE KILLS OUYCKLY. HE CONTAINS SEVEN DIFFERENT

MINERALS.

10. ESU ALAYOKI - THIS SO CONTAINS THE HEAD OF A COCK AND THE HEART
AND FEET.
11. ESU ECHEN IRIKE -

~S

OF THE IGI OPE, COCOYO,

ESU WALKS WITH OSAIN. HE CONTAINS A ROOT

~

SCRAPING FROM AN IGI OPE, THE SCRAPING

FROM A CEIDA. THE ODD IS OGBE-TURUPON.

12. ESU AYE (AJE) -

~S SO

IS MADE IN A LARGE SEA SHELL. IT CONTAINS

ONE IKrN. A PIECE OF TURTLE SHELL, OBI, ERU, IROSON, PEONIA, HEAD
OF A PIGBOR, APUCBE OP ORUNMILA, A FEATHER OF A PARROT PLACED INSIDE,
THE

PEA~

OP A

TINCT PLACES,

YOL~

WA~

PLACED OUTSIDE, DIFFERENT DIRT FROM DIS

PROM DIFFERENT PLACES. THIS ESU IS OFFERED THE

BLOOD OF ONE HUNDRED ARD ONE PIGEONS, FOR THE ONE HUNDRED AND ONE
ROADS OF THIS ENTITY. THE ODU: BABA EJIOGBE, OSE-BILE, OSA-GUNDA,
AND OFON-SA.
13. ESU ILE LOYA (L'OJA) - THIS ESU IS A VENDER OR A MERCHARY. HE
CONTAINS A STONE FROM A HILL, DIRT FROM A

~,

DIRT FROM THE

FOUR CORNERS OF A MARKET, WATER FROM A RIVER, SOME RUBBISH FROM

A MARKET. THE ODU: OBARA-MEJI.
14. ESU AWERE - THIS ESU LIVES ON THE SAVANNA. HE CONTAINS A SMALL
STONE THAT IS FOUND ON LEVEL LAND, HAIR FROM A HORSE'S MANE, THREE
SMALL STONES FOUND IN THE CRAW OF A PIGEON, AND THE TONGUE OF A
GOAT.

r
A KNIFE BLADE

THE EYES ARE

COWRIES

lWENTY ONE COWRIES

AROUND THE BASE

THE MOUTH IS A COWRY

SURROUNDED BY F.SU MAlIS

ESUAWALABOMA
IN ADDmON TO A STONE fROM THE CROSSROADS IT MUST CONTAIN DIRT FROM TH

SPECIAL PlACES '11IAT D'A INSTRUCTS. THIS ESU REQUIRES THE FOLLOWING: ERU, OSUN,

oro. AGMDO. ORl, EFUN, OYIN, OTI, IIJOFA (?), LIMAYAS, OF THE METALS OF
, ,
/
BIRlU OF no: AWO_ THIS ESU IS BORN OUT THE ENERGY OF THE ODU OTURA-MEJI.,

OKU. EJA,
1111:

13. ESHU KOKOGBO - THIS ESHU CONTAINS DRY COCONUT, BONE OF A FISH, FROM A SURROUNDING WALL
OR FENCE. 000: OSE-BILE..
NOTE: THIS ESHU WEARS A RED AND WHfff ALA

14.. ESHU MALE - THIS ELEGBA IS mE ONE THAT GAVE THE SACRED PALM KERNELS TO ORUNMILA, IN
UNION WITH ORUNGAN AND 0RISHA8l HE LMS Wffif A MONKEY. HE CONTAINS ONE IKIN, DIRT FROM THE
BASE OF A PALM lREE. SCRAPPI'KiS fJK)IlI\ lliE SAME TREE., A STONE FROM THE SEA, PREFERBLY THE
GARRASPOSA OR AKORAi..AD' OOU: 8A8t\ EJIOGBE, OGBE-DI. THIS ESHU HAS TWO FORMS: ONE FOR BABA
EJIOGBE, AND lliE OntER RJR OGBE-OI.

15. ESHU ALAGBANA -

tE "'lJ(S I't 1lE lONELY PLACES. HE HAS BEEN COMPARED TO ANIMA SOLA BUT

HE IS NOT. HE IS fROIl'1l SEA 1 IS CONSTRUCTED WITH A STONE FROM THE SEA. HE CARRIES NINE
STICKS, HE IS GI\B'fllR.-:J5AO. WHEN HE IS TAKEN FROM THE SEA. HE ALSO CONTAINS SAND FROM
THE SEA AS 'M:l.l..ASSEA.al. AlI'ONOLA PRODUJIOSA, CARDO SANTO, CURUJEY, BLEDO COLORADO,
ESCOBAAMARGA, 1lWi1t8Q().0IKiUI.l.A, EWE INA, BLEDO BLANCO, CHAQUECUECUE., SEVEN ATARE,
SEVEN AGUARDO. saat Aa1II\S. ROOT OF THE CEIBA AND CAJA.

16. ESHU ~YE - A WRY aD ESHU HE IS MADE WITH A RAT. 000: OGUNDA-TURUPON.

i,!~

I.

17. ESHU BA~ -

tE ~ Ii ALl. WAYS. 000: OYEKU-RETE.

I'

'.1

i.
"I

iii

.,

P
18. ESHU Y1K1- TIE MOST a.urroNOUS, AND OF UNEXPECTED THINGS.

!',i
.!

19. ESHU ODE MAZA (MATA) - lHlS ESHU WALlKS WITH OSHOSI. HE IS A HUNTER AND CARRIES A SMALL
ARROW MADE OF IRON. SCRAPPI'KiS OF VENISON ,A PIECE OF HORN OF VENISON (ANTI.ER), , FEATHERS
FROM DIFFERENT BIRDS. BlOOD FROM VARIOUS ANIMALS, DIRT FROM A MOUNTAIN, DIRT FROM LEVEL
LAND,WATER FROM THE DEW OF lliE lEAVES THAT GROW ON A MOUNTAIN THAT WAS GATHERED IN THE
MORNING.
._~

"

~=

20. ESHU ALABONA - THIS ESHU IS OF THE ROAD, AND PATHS. O[)(J: ODI-KA.

21. ESHU LAROYE - REBELLIOUS AND MISCHIEVOUS. THE INSEPARARBL FRIEND OFOGUN. THE STONE
THAT HE CONTAINS CAN COME FROM A CORNER OR FROM MOUNTAIN OR RIVER. ETC.. HE ALSO CONTAINS
POWDERED SNAIL, POWDERED HEAD OF A DOG, OF A GOAT, OF A COCJ<, , OF A TURTLE, ONE IKIN,
POWDER OF AMAJA, ,THE EYE TOOTH OF A PIG, A PIECE OF CORRAL ORr FRON THE HOUSE OF YANSAN
(OYA),DIRT FROM A CRAB, FROM A CHURCH, FROM THE FO<JR ~ FROM lliE FOOT OF A HEN, DIRT
FROM A BULL, TWENTY ONE GRAINS OF ATARE, TWENTY ONE GRtVIS OF CORri, GIVE Tt-IREE JIIO JIIO WHEN
YOU GO TO LOOK FOR THE STONE, AND POWDER THE HEAD AND llE FEAlHERS OF A VULTURE, THREE
PEONlAS, CARRY IT TO FEED THE FOUR CORNERS. THEN MAKE <>SAn
22. ESHHU AGUANILEGBE - COMPANION OF OGUN. HE CONTAINS llE POWD:R OFlliE FOOR FEET OF A
DOG, THE HEAD AND THE HEART. TH IS ESHU IS OFFERED OI'lLYllIATVIIOt IS OFFERED TO OGUN.
23. ESHU BELEAKE - THE KING OF BADNESS. HE CAONTAINS lHE tEAl> OF A 1tIlIlE, SCRAPPINGS FROM
THE HORN OF AN ANIMAL, A RAT, A FISH, POWDERED YAM, A PECE OF ABaE FROM A BOI.l., TI-lE HEAD
OF AN AKUKO, A PIECE OF COAL, AN DIRT FROM A DISTANT PLACE. 0IXl OGIE-RMRA.
24. ESHU BI YI - THE CHIEF OF TWINS. ONE OF THE MOST MISCHIEWXIS. OIXl<Xi8E-\VORI, OKONRON-MEJII
OSE-MEJI.
25. ESHU BERKE - THIS ESHU IS MET AT TH FOUR CORNERS.
26. ESHU OLU SAMA - IT IS MADE WITH PASTURIZED CRAB.
27. ESHU OBIOKE - THIS IS A UNIQUE ESHU. IT IS MOUNTED IN A DRY COCOtIUT. HE LIVES ON A MOUNTAIN
AND BRINGS THINGS FROM THE HILLS. HE CONTAINS ROOTS OF llE StRmS FROM A HILL AND A STONE
FROM A HILL.
28. ESHU MAKO
29. ESHU BARAKENU - THIS THE YOUNGEST ESHU. HE LIVES IN lHE lHIO<ETS. HE CONTAINS SEVEN
DIFFERENT MINERALS, AND A STONE FROM THE THICKETS AND REEDS..
30. ESHU BARAINE - HE WALKS WITH OSAIN AND WITH SONGO. HE corfTAl-tS PALM REEDS, AND COCOYO,
AND THE HEAD OF A TURTLE, AND A STONE FROM A MOUNTAIN.
31. ESHU AGUNAKUE.
32. ESHU KIKENIO.

Page30

qu Ant (A.IE)

THIS
TURTLE

qu

IS MADE IN A IA.cE SA SlID' IT CONTAINS ONE IKIN, A PIECE OF

SHEL~ OBI ERU

"
' , PEONIA.IIEAD 0 .. A PIGEON. AFOCIIE OF QRUNMILA.
'"
IYplOSlJN.

FEATHER OF A PARROT, PLACED INSIDE, AND A n:ATHER OF A VULTURE PLACED OUTSIDL

DIRT OR SOIL IS COLLECTED FROM DIFFERENT PLACES, WATER FROM DIFFERENT PLACES.
THIS

E~U

\
" EJIOGBE,
"
IS BORN THE ODU(S)
DABA

"' " "

9S~-BILE, pSA-OGUNDA,

",

AND OFUN-SA.

-I

A KNIFE BLADE

~ ""
BEADS OF QRUNMILA

\
;

I!

:'l~,
, I

COWRIES

THREE COWRIES
ON THE
FOREHEAD

THE MOUTH IS A
COWRY

.. -. TEN COWRIES AROUND

-\

I~:~~" ...~ri

THE NECK

n\'"ENTY ONE COWRIES

E~U

MARIMAYE
FROM

...OYEKU-TURUPON
"
",

33. ESHU ALAEILU - HE IS VERY OLD. HE IS AN AWO. HE IS ONE OF THE BEST.

34. ESHU AKOKORIYE - HE IS FROM lliE LAND OF THE MINA.
35. ESHU OLONKI- THIS ESHU CARRIES OR CONTAINS THE HAIR OF A HORSE'S MANE, AND THE HAIR OF AN
OX HE IS FROM THE LAND OF THE ARADA. (POQUERIA DE CABALLO YDE BUEY), FISH, AGUADO, COAL ERU,
KOLA, OBI, IYEROSUN, (GUISASO DE CABALLO, DORMIDERA) ARAMU, ROSEJ\1ARY, VERBANA. ODU:
OYEKU-BARA.
36. ESHU LA BON] - ODU: OSE-SA.

37. ESHU LA META. - llflS IS OFllfREE ROADS. 000: IRETE-CHE.

38. ESHU KUALO - ESHO OF TIE P(J3lJ(: SQ(JARE. ODU: OGBE-KA.

39. ESHU ELU - lHIS ESHO IS ARARA HE CONTAINS DIRT FROM A CRAB, POWDERED YAM, SULFUR, ODU:
IRETE-YEKU.

40. ESHU LB. OR UUI- 0lXl1V\-8ARA.

41. ESHU AKI.FtO-laSESHO IS FROMlliE LAND OF THE MINA.

42. ESHU ERE - l1tIS ESHO 6 MADE FROM MUD. IT CONTAINS MAJA, RAT, FEATHERS OF A BIRD, ONE GIVES
J 10 J 10 AT ns Mml. 1lE STC>r1E IS FROM A MOUNTAIN OR SAVANNA. HE CONTAINS A PIECE OF BROKEN
CALABASH. EKO. A,BQPE OF EGON, A SlUG (A SHELL-LESS SNAIL), A PIECE OF YAM, DIRT FROM A TOMB, EKU,
FISH, AGUADO_ ODD: OG8E~DA(OGBE- YONO).

43. EstKJ A'M:RE - tE LNES Ii lliE SAVANNA HE CONTAINS A STONE FROM A LEVEL PLACE, HAIR FROM A
HORSCS MArE 1IEl'OICKE OF A GOAT, AND lliREE SJ\Wl STONES.
44. EstKJ A<:iBAI..OtKE - l1tIS ESH(J CONTAINS DIRT FROM lliE HOUSE OF VANSAN, A BONE OF EGUN. A

STONE- FROM TI EJf11WtCE TO TI HOOSE OF VANSAN, AND lliE FOLLOWING HERBS: PALO CAJA, PALO
RAMON, Al..GOIXlI"t(COTIO ClAL fUIIUt. yAtlTEN. CEEA. LALJREL VIRGEN. EKU. EJA. AGUADO. ATANA,
PEON lA, FEAlliER OFA'WLlUE tE WN.KS MIH TI E<iln.

45. ESHU AGOBARA- tEISFROMDEI.APl)OF1lE~

46. ESHU ALAKETU - HE IS A Kl"KitE ~ A aoMt- 0lXl O K ~

47. ESHU AKOKOYE - HE IS FROM TI LAtlD OF MIY..
48. ESHU BIYE - HE IS FROM TI-fE LAtlDOFll-1E ~
49. ESHU EKILEYO - HE IS FROM lHE LAND OF THE OVO.
ESHU AGOMEYO - HE IS FROM THE LAND OF lliE M1NA

- ,*.

, i

ESO AGaAN'UKWEN

A. INVERTED CLAY JAR. B. CLAY 80WL CONTAINING THE CLAY IMAGE. C. THE CLAY

f
;
I

IMAGE. D. FEATHERS. E. ASEN IOS1Jlll F. SIIAU. METAL PADDLE. G. A NEEDLE. H. A KNIFE.

THIS A SPECIAL

E~U

/"...

OF IFA I 9RUNMIIA. lit: IS THE DEFENDER OF IFA. THIS

E~U

IS THE

ANGER OF IFA HE CARRIES THE 11IINGS ONE OFFERS TO IFA TO IKOLE ORUN AND

PRESENTS THEM TO IFA.

.I

- -\

50. ESHU KETI - HE A MACHETE USER, A CCITlER. HE CARRIES A GARVATO AND A MACHETE. THE STONE IS
FROM THE SAVANNA.
51. ESHU OKIRI- 000: OBARA-WORJ.
52. ESHU BARAlAY1KI - HE IS FROM lHE LN"ID OF M1NA, AND ALSO OVO. A FRIEND OF SONGO.

53. ESHU AFRA - HE IS FROM lHE IN'tD OF MARA HE WEARS A BLACK AND WHITE CROWN.
54. ESHU MAKENO - HE IS ARARA

55. ESHU KENENO - HE IS ARARA

56. ESHU GOGORO - ODU: 0RJ't...R)S().
57. ESHU BAYI- El.A lHE ~VIOR.
58. ESHU BANKEO - tE CAARS OI"E twm OF CARACOlES.
59. ESHU ARADl

60. ESHU OLOGBt\- tECDIOM'ISmR"IWlNAHI.L ROOTS FROM A SHRUB, ANDA STONE FROM A HilL..
61. ESHU BARALIlJ(JIE
62. ESHU AOiIW AaKf _
63. ESHU MARE - 11 11M. . . OIJIl~tlJU'Ott.
64. ESHU()G(MCI -tElS~
65. ESHU ARAI1Ol.. L

66. ESHU SOAYU.

67. ESHU YEJW m..oI
68. ESHU I"fIAOE - 000: (RIC_ I SO
69. ESHU LAYIJERE _

70. ESHU RIUI"fBI.

71. ESHU TOSIN.
72. ESHU ONIBODE - 000: OGBE-M lIEa.FOFS S .... at. "DEEl<B\ IS CXlMMISIOr'tED TO
SUPERVISE THE RETURN OFlltESPRTVD rr~lO ~ l E 2'1 AM1ERIAI...BODY.HE IS
THE GATEKEEPER OF OlOAN.
SPACE WIll NOT PERMIT ACONTUAllOtI OFlHE FORMSRlDEXPRESSIOI'tSOF ESHU, BECAUSE HIS
EXPRESSIONS AND MANIFESTATIOOS ARE II"fFll"fnE

AN IFA CONCEPTION OF THE UNIVERSE

THE-JlIGUIlE

aww IS

A SCHEMATIC VERSION OF THE UNIVERSE GIVEN BY THE GREAT

aoKONON GDEGBL THE EARTH AND THE SKY ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER LIKE A CLOSED

" WHOSE COMPLETE NAME IS LIKE A CRY OF

CAlAaASB.. THAT IS CALLED "ODU",

DI'STRI:SS: ODU-WA

LA U

KPE L'ODU " (Y) ! UNKNOWABLE ONE SAVE US!

ODU IS

SYNONYMOUS WITH THE CREATOR. ALL AROUND THE EARTH IS THE SEA.

THE ATMOSPHERE

THE MOON

THE DOMAIN OF THE DEAD

THE INHABITED EARTH

......

... .... .. .

..
.. ...
.
.
.
....
... .. ... ... ....
\

..
.
..
.
..
.... ....

IFE

THE WATERS THAT ARE INVISmLE TO HUMAN BEINGS

THE FOUR ROOTS OF THE WORLD AND OF LIFE

, , ,
o Dl-MEJI

j'

... ",,,

SOIL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA

, '\, , .......
IWORI-M~JI

, ,

\'

OYEKU-MEJI

OGBE-MEJI

.\

THE SUPERIOR REGIONS OF REALITY.

. ".

IKOLEORUN

, ,

IKOLEAYE

THE INFERIOR REGIONS OF ACTUALITY.

"THE SKY AND TIlE I:ARTII ARE lWO GREAT CALABASHES, WHICH HAVING BEEN CLOSED,
CAN NEVER BE OPENED_"

NOON

-'0

THE KONGO COSMIC CONCEPTION

IIZA YAYI

SUNRISE

SUNSET

-6
"

....

(LUID OF 'IRE LIVING)

"

'

_'oJ/_

-0'
, , '
,

NSI A BAPWA

SUNRISE
(LAND OF THE DEAD)

AT THE RISING
AND SETTING OF THE
SUN THE LIVING AND THE

-'0'-,,,-

DEAD EXCHANGE DAY AND

NOON
NIGHT."

-6

" r "

"

THE KNOWABLE ASPECT OF AN

UNKNOWABL~

INfINITY

RE~ITY.

THE

THIS IS UNDER THE

,OYEKU-MEJI
"

COSMIC
INFINITE
EXISTENCE.

THE" . f}NKNOWABLE -ASPECT OF

ULTIMATE REALITY

THIS COIISISIS OF AJ.L ~....

CONSCYOOSllESS. !IDS PAIU

" ,

.. , ,

......

. . . . OR Dfr(JyftD BY HUMAN

....

AND THE BOLY ODD ~~.

ca.cKPl'

OF mE BOLY ODD ODI--JfEJI

OF . . . . . ca.SCIOOSIIESS
AIID OS

RELATIOti~P !'O COSMIC CotrSCYOUSNESS

THE_VIaIlATlONS noM IK.QLE QRUN BATHE THE ENTIRE PLANET. THERE IS NO PART OIV'
THIS PlANETTBAT IS INACCESSmLE TO mIS CELESTIAL ENERGY. THE KEY: TO KNOW

no: IUGIIT WORD, THE RIGHT LEAF, AND TO PERFORM THE RIGHT SACRIFICE.

. .

IKOLEORUN

AYE
PLANET EARTH

\
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1
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. .

IKOLEORUN
EACH PROPLE MUST SPIRITUALIZE AND SANCTIFY THE PART OF THE PLANET WHERE THEY
LIVE. ALL PLACES ARE EQUALLY HOLY, AND EQUALLY UNHOLY.

(lFA OF CUBA)

A SONG. SONG MillE MAKING AN OFFERING TO THE EARTH

GBOGBO GUANICHE. GBOGBO GCW'IIGIE EJJEUN OLODUMARE. GBOGBO GUANICHE I LE JEUN, GBOGBO
GUANICHE EJEUN OL~

A SONG. S(J1G MillE CLEANING A PERSON WITH ANIMALS OR CENSORING A HOUSE.

SARA YEN-ILE BAKURO. SARA YEN-ILE IKU NLO

SARA YEN-ILE BAKURO, SARA YEN-ILE OFO NLO

SARA YEN -ILE BAKURO, SARA YEN-ILE ARO NLO

SARA YEN-ILE BAKURO, SARA YEN-ILE EYO NLO

YEN-ILE BAKURO. SARA YEN-ILE GBOGBO OSOBO NLO

A SONG FOR THE NANGAREO

OLUWO: NANGARE. NANGARE.

CHORUS: NANGAREO.

OLUWO:ARERE,AREREO.

CHORUS: NANGAREO.

OLUWO:

CACALETO. MOFOLORUN

CHORUS: NANGAREO.

OLUWO: OYOLOKUN MOFOYO.

CHORUS: NANGAREO.

OLUWO: AGOGORICA LAGUEO.

CHORUS: NANGAREO.

OLUWO: INATUTO BELEYE.

o-tOROS: NANGAREO. INATUTO BELEYE. NANGAREO.

TH IS IS REPEAn:D UNTIL ALL THE CEREMONY HAS ENDED.

AN EBO TO THE FOUR CROSSROADS

"IBAARAIYE
,IBA\ '~YIN BABA
" WA
"IBA AWqN "IYA MI ","
,\,
OSORONGA. OLOGINNI ORU
,~

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KIIBA ~~

",

ISE TI E RAN MI NI MO WAJE

\

ETUTU MINI TI KI ~ BA MI GBM.

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"

BI EKOLO BA JUBA IRE, D.E AYANU

, "
MO JUBA KJ IBA SE.
\

BI~ RI MI ~ YQ~MI

SESE. OMQDE
ME YE .
SESE
....
.. YO..
...

: i

THE OFFERING:
HONEY
SALT
ATARE (TWO PODS OF ALLIGATOR PEPPER)
ONE BANANA, CUT INTO SEVEN SLICES
ONE ORANGE, CUT INTO SEVEN SLICES

PLACE THE OFFERING AT A CROSSROADS AT

MIDNIGHT.

THE QUALIFICATIONS OF A TRUE ADEPT OF IFA

~

"EVERY TRUE ADEPT OF IFA HAS COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT THERE IS BUT ONE
TRUE SOCIETY - THAT IS TIll: UNIVERSE - , AND BUT ONE BROTHERHOOD, COMPOSED OF
EVERYTIJING THAT MOVES OR EXISTS IN ANY OF THE PLANES OF NATURE.

THE TRUE ADEPT OWIFA HAS GIVEN UP FOREVER THE WORSHIP OF PERSONALITIES. WITH
HIS GREATER INSIGHT, HE UNDERSTANDS THAT THOSE WHO ALLOW APPEARANCES OR
EXPRSSIONS TO DETER THEM FROM THEIR SELF-APPOINTED TASKS ARE FAILURES IN THE

ESOTERICfiM OF THE TEACHINGS OF IFA. THE TRUE ADEPT OF IFA UNDERSTANDS THAT
BEHIND THESE DIVERSE FORMS THERE IS ONE CONNECTED LIFE PRINCIPLE. THE SPARK
OF TIll: "ORIGINADNG MYSTERY" IN ALL LIVING THINGS. MOST OF ALL, HE MUST LEARN
TO UNDDISTAND THAT THIS DIVINE SPARK SHINES OUT AS BRIGHTLY FROM THE BODY
~

OF A FOE AS IT IIOES FROM THE DEAREST FRIEND. THE TRUE ADEPT OF IFA HAS LEARNED
TO BE DIVINELY DlPt:RSONAL IN THOUGHT, ACTION, AND DESIRE.

,
THE TRUE ADD'T

()17

IFA ENTERS THE IGBO'DU WITH ONE THOUGHT UPPERMOST IN HIS

MIND: "BOW CAN I AS AN INDIVIDUAL, BE OF GREATER USE IN THE UNIVERSAL PLAN." THE

TRUE ADEPT OF D1A IS EXTREMELY UNSELFISH AND IN EVERY EXPRESSION AND

APPLICATION OF THE POWERS THAT HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED TO HIM, NO TRUE ADEPT OF

IFA SEEKS ANYTIIING FOR HIMSELF, BUT UNSELFISHLY LABORS FOR THE GOOD OF ALL.
NO PERSON WHO ASSU1D5 A SPIRITUAL OBLIGATION FOR WHAT HE CAN GET OUT OF IT IS
WORTHY OF APPLYING FOR THE POSITION EVEN OF WATER-CARRIER. THE TRUE LIGHT
CAN COME ONLY TO THOSE WHO, ASKING NOTHING, GLADLY GIVE ALL TO IT.

ADEPT WHO FEELS THAT HE IS "BETTER" THAN OTHER HUMAN BEINGS HAS RAISED A
~

BARRIER AROUND HIMSELF THROUGH WHICH NO LIGHT CAN PASS, FOR SURELY "THE
BEST AMONG US ARE THOSE WHO BEHAVE THE BEST."

,
SINCE THE TRUE ADEPT OF IFA IS NOT CRD:D-BOUND, HE UNDERSTANDS WITH THE
COSMIC ILLUMINATION OF HIS ADVANCE DEGRD: OF ADEPTHOOD THAT AS A TRUE ADEPT
HIS SPIRITUALITY MUST BE UNIVDlSAL: 8lJDINIA. KRISHNA. CHRIST, MUHAMMAD, ETC.
THE NAME MEANS

fOR DE DC'OGIOZIS ONLY 1111: LIGHT AND NOT THE LIGHT

BEARER. BE IS J7RE TO W08SIIIP AT EVDlY SIIIUNE D' DE SO DESIRI':S. UNDERSTANDING

THE ONENESS OJ' SPIIUIlJAL DIJ'IB.

HE ItEALIZES THAT THE

9~RUN -

....

"

ELEDA - OLODUMARE - THE SUPREME DEITY; THREE

, "

STATES OF MANWESTATION OF WHICH, IN EVERY SYSTEM LIKE THAT OF THE YORUBA, IS

FOOVER NAMELESS, THE "IT", FROM WHICH EVEN THE SUPREME

DEITY - 9L9RUN

DERIVES..

,
LET THE TRUE ADEPT OF IFA STAND FORTH AND LIVING THE DOCTRINES WHICH HE
PREACHES SHOW TO HIS BROTHER MAN AND SISTER WOMAN THE GLORY OF HIS WORK,
.

HE HOLDS THE KEY TO TRUTH; LET HIM THEN, UNLOCK THE DOOR, AND WITH HIS LIFE

'....

,
AND NOT HIS WORDS PREACH THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY AND DIVINE QRUNMILA
BARA .

'\

, ,

AGBONMIREGUN WHICH HE HAS SO LONG PROFESSED

,ABORU ABOYE
,
. " ABOSISE
.. .
~

"

THE TRUE ADEPT OF IFA HAS DISCOVERED THAT THE MOST POWERFUL FORCE WITHIN
THE REACH OF HUMANITY IS A CALM AND FOCUSED MIND. THE ADEPT REALIZES THAT
~

JUST AS THE "LIFE OF IFA IS COOLER THAN WATER", HIS LIFE TOO, CAN BECOME LIKE A
PLACID POOL OF COOL WATER.

, ,
"AYE IFAJ'OMI LO"

THE TRUE ADEPT OF IFA KNOWS INTERIORLY THAT ULTIMATE REALITY CANNOT BE
/

CIRCUMSCRIBED BY THEOLOGICAL FORMULATIONS. THE ADEPT OF IFA REALIZES THAT

~..

,/

~,

,~_.

JUST AS THE BLESSED LORD ORUNMlLA IS THE OYIGIYIGI OTA AlKU -THE MIGHTY

,,\

"

IMMOVABLE ROCK THAT SHALL NEVER DIE - HE TOO, CAN BECOME OYIGIYIGI OTA AIKU.

THE TRUE ADEPT OF IFA IS BEYOND THE LIMITING CREED OF RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY AND
DOGMATISM.

THE TRUE ABUT OF IFA DOES NOT DISPARAGE OTHER FAITH TRADITIONS, NOR CLAIM

SOLE POSSESSION OF THE TRUTH. THE TRUE ADEPT OF IFA DOES NOT ATTEMPT TO
CONVERT THE ABIlERENTS OF OTHER FAITHS.

,
THE TRUE ADI'.PT OF IFA IS AWARE THAT JUST AS THE PROVERBIAL BLIND MEN COULD
NOT ACCURAn:LY DESCRIBE AN ELEPHANT BY EACH ONE FEELING DIFFERENT PARTS OF
ITS BODY; LlKEWlSI:, SPIRITUALLY BLIND THEOLOGIANS CANNOT GIVE THEIR ADHERENTS
AN ACCDRAU AND ADEQUATE UNDERSTANDING OF ULTIMATE REALITY.

...AWON ARAAWAJU
"
,

(THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEYOND)

"

"

"THE AWON ARAAWAJU TAKE THE KERNEL OF 'RELIGION' AND REJECT THE HUSK."
TIll: SHELL OF LIMITATION

THE RELIGIOUS NEOPIIYI'E~.I11I11

IIII."'ta,.

r
!

,,
I

A DOGMATIC CREED

"WHOEVER ATTACHES HIM I HERSELF TO NAMES AND CLINGS TO CONCEPTS WITHOUT

BEING ABLE TO SEE THAT THESE DERIVATIVE THINGS ARE ARE ONLY STAGES, SOMETIMES
BARRIERS, TO UNDERSTANDING, WILL STAY AT THE STAGE OF SECONDARY THINGS. THEY
CREATE AND REMAIN IN A SUB-CULTURE OF

EMOTIONAL STIMULUS, FANTASY AND

QUASI-RELIGION." THOSE WHO BY THEIR DOGMATIC CREEDS HAVE CIRCUMSCRIBED THE

-ORIGINATING MYSTERY OR HAVE PUT LIMITATIONS ON THE ULTIMATE REALITY,
CONSEQUENTLY THEREFORE HAVE IMPRISONED THEMSELVES IN AN "EGG": AND BY THE
VERY NATURE OF THAT "IMPRISONMENT" THEY HAVE DEPRIVED THEMSELVES OF ALL

SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT, EXCEPT THAT WHICH IS FOUND IN

THE "YOLK" OF THEIR

LIMITING AND CIRCUMSCRIBING CREED.

~
" OR WON TI L9 JINA ARE
ON THE OTHER HAND. THOSE WHO ARE KNOWN AS ARAAWAJU

THOSE ADEPTS WHO HAVE STOOPED DOWN AT THE DOOR OF INFINITE WISDOM,
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING AND
CIRCUMSCRIBE THE ORIGINATING MYSTERY

HAVE

DISCOVERED

THAT ONE

CANNOT

OF THE COSMIC TOTALITY. THEY HAVE

BROKEN THROUGH THE SHELL OF THE EGG OF FINITE DOGMATISM AND HAVE BEGUN TO
ASCEND THE LADDER OR STAIRWAY THAT CONTAINS AN INFINITE NUMBER OF STEPS
TOWARD AN UNKNOWABLE ABSOLUTE

"

. ,

. -~.
\
THE ARAAWAJU OR THE WON TI LO JINA

(THE TRUE ADEPT OF IFA)

NOTE# THIS PAPER WAS INSPIRED BY-AND WAS PARTIALLY BASED ON THE

WRITINGS OF THE HON. MANLEY PALMER HALL, THE FOUNDER AND PREST~

ORI IHO
(INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER

S' OTI 'l'9

THE ABYSS
(THIS PHYSICAL WORLD)

"",I'.

IKOLE-AYE

'

ORI APERE

(THE HIGHER SELF)

I

THE TRUE ADEPT OF IFA MUST TRAVERSE THE GREAT ABYSS OF THIS WORLD
ARMED ONLY WITH TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS