Ori: The Divine Value of Self in Yoruba Cosmology

BY FAGBEMIJO AMOSUN FAKAYODE, Otun Amufawuni of Ibadan

Ori: T ! Di"in! #a$u! of S!$f in Yoruba %o&mo$o'( In Yor)b*, Or+ $it!ra$$( tran&$at!& to m!an , !ad,, ow!"!r t ! &-iritua$ &i'ni./an/! of t ! word i& far d!!-!r0 Or+ i& uman /on&/iou&n!&&0 It i& our dir!/t /onn!/tion to O$1d)mar2, t ! Su-r!m! For/!0 %on/!-tua$$(, Or+ i& /$o&!$( r!$at!d to d!&tin( or fat!0 Ea/ and !"!r( -!r&on w o i& born on Eart , A(!, w!nt t rou' t ! -ro/!&& of / oo&in' t !ir Or+ and t !ir D!&tin( b!for! 3ourn!(in' from 4!a"!n to Eart , Orun to A(!0 Ea/ uman b!in' a& t ! -!r&ona$ ta&5 of &!$!/tin' t !ir "!r( own Or+, t !ir own -arti/u$ar uman /on&/iou&n!&&0 Obata$a i& t ! Ori6a r!&-on&ib$! for mo$din' t ! uman !ad&, and t u& uman /on&/iou&n!&&0 4! mo$d& t !m b( and from /$a(0 Not a$$ Or+ ar! /r!at!d !7ua$$(0 Som! of t ! Or+8& turn out to b! mor! 9-!rf!/t: t an ot !r& on!& do, a& Obata$a ma5!& !a/ on! b( and0 On! w o / oo&!& a 'ood Or+ and d!&tin( wi$$ a"! an !a&( tim! obtainin' t ! 'ood t in'& in $if!0 T !( wi$$ .nd it !a&i!r t an not to a"! a -!a/!fu$ om!, a 3ob t !( tru$( !n3o(, a 'ood r!$ation& i- wit t !ir &-ou&!, and 'ood / i$dr!n, a$on' wit t ! w!a$t and !a$t n!!d!d to !n3o( it a$$0 Good t in'& wi$$ /om! !a&i$( to t !m0 On t ! ot !r and, on! w o / oo&!& an im-!rf!/t Or+ wi$$ !;-!ri!n/! man( ard& i-& in $if!0 T !( wi$$ .nd t at t ! 'ood t in'& in $if! ar! ard to a/ i!"! and t at tou' <tim!& ar! /ommon0 It wi$$ ta5! 'r!at / an'! to b!tt!r t in'& for t !m0 =ot!ntia$$( t !( /an / an'! t rou' t ! im-$!m!ntation of ritua$ and &a/ri./!, "! i/$!& for / an'! and tran&formation, to r!-air t !ir Or+8& and t !ir r!a$i'n d!&tini!&, t !r!b( turnin' t !ir $i"!& around for t ! b!tt!r0 Orunmi$a i& t ! on! w o r!-air& &u/ im-!rf!/t Or+0 T ! fo$$owin' i& an!;/!r-t from an an/i!nt Ori5i, -ra(!r -o!m, for Orunmi$a: Odudu ti ndu Or emere Atun Or ti ko suhan se A mo iku

Tran&$ation:> T ! on! w o &a"!& t o&! w o ar! d!&tin!d to di! (oun'> T ! on! w o r!-air& a bad Or+ ?4!ad@ >T rou' (our 5now$!d'! w! a"!rt d!at I wi$$ !nd wit t i& bri!f not!: A !n -ra(in' to Or+ it i& b!&t to b!in a /omfortab$! -o&ition, to o$d (our !ad in bot and&, a& it i&our !ad& w! ar! -rai&in'0 4o$d (our !ad and &a( 9Ormi gbe mi o!: m!anin' 9M( Or+ &u--ort& m!B: Or Wuuu! > For mor! information on Ori $oo5 for t ! boo5 Ori Mi Gbe Mi:Ori, Support Me b( Fa'b!mi3o Amo&un Fa5a(od!0