Who is a Babaláwo?

I. Ordinarily, a Babaláwo or Onífá (Ifá Devotee) refers to anyone "who have Ifá"; possessing
two or more sets of or "hands" each of 16 great and also sacred palm nuts widely known as
Ikin Ifá (Gbafá, Ṣẹ́fá and or Tẹfá) and who follow and worship Ifá (Ọ̀rúnmìlà Baraà mi
Àgbọnnìrègún) including men who inherited, accepted or are initiated into the worship of Ifá
without being Ifá Diviners, and women who are instructed by Ifá to be his Adherents or
married to Ifá Worshipers or Devotees and or (Apẹ̀tẹ̀bí aya Awo) but can "never" become a
Babaláwo. "It's only men that can become Babaláwo"!
II. Ifá Diviner is most commonly called Babaláwo (father of secrets or mysteries) or simply
Awo Ifá - man of secrets or mysteries. A typical and practising Babaláwo is also an Ifá priest
serving other Ifá Worshipers / Devotees as well as divining for those who worship other
Divinities (Irúnmọlẹ̀s / Òrìṣàs) and other members of the larger society and general public.

A Babaláwo is trained through a system of apprenticeship similar to that in the arts and crafts.
A father often prefers to have his son learn Ifá (kọ́ Ifá) from another Babaláwo, so that he will
be given sufficient displine to learn well; and if the father is dead, there is no choice but to
apprentice the child.

And no fees of any sort are required, but an Ọmọ Awo / Ọmọ Ìkọ́fá must serve (ṣìn) his Master
(Baba Awo / Olúwo) by fulfilling any task assigned to him, including running errands,
purchasing materials in the market for client's sacrifice and or rituals, searching and fetching
for spiritual, sacrificial, and medicinal materials and "leaves of Ifá" (Ewé Ifá) in the forest and
other places, and carrying his Baba Awo's divining bag (Àpò Ifá / Àpò Àbìrà / Àpò Jèrùgbé) on
his shoulder when he goes out; because he is Akọ́pò or Akápò (Akọ́ àpò) to him, while both of
them (Ọmọ Awo and Baba Awo) are Akápòs to Ifá - Ọ̀rúnmìlà Baraà mi Àgbọnnìrègún.

It's traditional and also conventional that Ọmọ Awo is fed, clothed and lodged by his Baba Awo
/ Olúwo, but
Ọmọ Awo may also sleeps and takes his evening meal at his parent or guardian home.

Individuals (particularly foreigners and scholars / researchers) who learn Ifá as adults may pay
a Babaláwo to teach them rather than serving his teacher (Baba Awo / Olúwo) as Ọmọ Awo /
apprentices; there are no fixed rates for this, but they most time pay huge sums of money.

Whether Ọmọ Awo lern as an apprentice or is taught by his father, instruction may begin as
early as six or seven years of age. The duration of the period of training to eminently qualify
for an independent practices as a Babaláwo is varied but it used to be between an average of
four and ten years; but he must not stopped learning when the duration is completed.

Any practising Babaláwo must continue to study Ifá as long as he live, either by associating
with his colleagues while they are divining, or by paying other Babaláwos to teach him specific
"Àkóṣe Ifá" (spiritual Ifá works or medicines). Ordinarily, no Babaláwo is expected to charge
for any Ifá verses or required to pay for ẹyọ Ifá (Ifá verses).
When the apprenticeship is ended and the newly independent Babaláwo begins to practice on
his own, he must give his Baba Awo / Olúwo part of whatever he receives as payment /
benefits (èrù) through divining, and this "obligation" continues as long as the Master (Baba
Awo / Olúwo) lives. He is also expected to go to the assistance of his Master whenever he is
called upon to do so.

One becomes a Babaláwo in much the same way that he becomes a worshiper of any other
Divinity (Irúnmọlẹ̀ / Òrìṣà): by following the worship (and vocation) of his father or ancestor,
by being instructed by Ifá through divination that one should become a Babaláwo, by personal
interest or conviction (particularly nowadays), or by combination of these reasons.

The language of Ifá: essential to the aesthetic appreciation of Ifá as Literature is the prior
consideration of the forms of its expression such as poetry, prose, chant litany and song and
its genres such as proverb, story, myth, allegory, and incantation.

Needless to emphasise, a knowledge of Yorùbá language is a sine qua non since translations
seldom succeed in convening the nuances and euphony of the original text.

Naturally, Babaláwo is expected to always demonstrate honest practice and professional

competence; and that his name is also always found in the same sentence with encyclopedic
knowledge of Ifá and exemplary character.

Àbọrú bọyè o

Adérẹ̀mí Ifáòleèpin Adérẹ̀mí

(Olúwo Ifákòleèpin)
Founder / Chief Coordinating Officer
Society for the Ifá Practice in Nigeria (SIPIN)