THE ISSUE OF FASTING IN IṢẸṢE: 

OUR POSITION

I think we need to further clarify this issue of fasting so as not to confuse or mislead our
teeming adherents. 

The contentious issue of fasting was one of the topical issues raised last year in Osogbo at
the maiden convention of Isokan Orúnmìlà under the able chairmanship of Àgbongbòn
Faniyi Fákáyọ̀dé. Olúwo Aderemi Ifaoleepin was the vice chairman. My humble self-served
as the general secretary. The gathering was an assemblage of erudite Ifá scholars across
Yorubaland.

Of note was the immense contributions of Oba Edu Ifasayo Àlàbí and Araba Yemi Elebuibon.
What was agreed on then was that the general fasting for everyone in a particular or
specified period is not in Ifá. That a particular month or day be set aside for the ritual of
fasting is not part of what Ifá teaches us.

Ifá can however recommend fasting for anyone on a personal note, based on what the Odù
says. Here in Ondo and Èkìtì, fasting is part of the queries we make from Ifá, through Ìbò,
for solution to human problem; especially when ẹbọ and etutu do not suffice. Our ancestors
have used this for years and it's still working till tomorrow.

We should stop pretending we do not know that our ordering of Ifá Odù's, our
methodologies of initiation and dialects are different. That's why Ọ̀rúnmìlà himself traversed
the whole universe, learning diversity of cultures and languages.

If we agree our steps are premised on the dictates of Ifá and nothing else; then we must
not only come to terms with; but also respect, our diversity as espoused by Ọ̀rúnmìlà
himself in Ogbè Ate when he said: 

Èdè Ọ̀yọ́ kò jọ t'Ẹ̀gbá

T'Ẹ̀gbá kò jọ t'Ọ̀yọ́
Dá fún Ọ̀rúnmìlà
Baba máa kọ́ èdè k'èdè
Kárí ayé ...

Òyó's patio is different from Ègbá

Egba's distinct from Oyo
Ifá's revelation for Ọ̀rúnmìlà
The Sage was to learn the diverse
Dialects of the universe...

We do not just ask someone to go on fasting, for our pleasure. It is based on what Ifa
recommends in some of the Odus. 

In Okanran Ìrẹtè, Ifa says;

Okanran Ìrẹtè awo kò jẹ

Okanran Ìrẹtè awo kò mu
Dá fún Ọ̀rúnmìlà
Bàbá nlọ bá àwọn ọmọ Irúnmọlè
Kún àjọ nílé Ọlọfin...

It's a story of betrayal when Ọ̀rúnmìlà's food was poisoned by his trusted allies. And Ifa had
forewarned him to abstain completely from eating and drinking that day. The manifestation
of this sacred Odù was narrated by my dad of blessed memory.

A pastor wanted to know if Ifá was truly real or not. He then decided to go for Ifá initiation,
knowing fully that on the seventh day, the Awos will come there to wine and dine. His Odù
was Okanran Ìrẹtè! On the seventh day, he ordered his wife to prepare food for Babaláwos
and he intentionally poisoned the food. On this seventh day, the same Odù was repeated.
On getting there my father called the new initiate and his family to come and taste the food
before serving it! The rest is as good as you guess!! 

The said Pastor confessed, that he only came for Ifá initiation just to know if Ifá will reveal
his "heinous acts!" There and then, he renounced Christianity and became babaláwo until
his death. Baba Kola Aniyeloye of Oke Imesi-Ekiti - kí Awo rere o jẹ ní Mọ̀rẹ̀rẹ̀; the world
renowned Ifa Professor, an acolyte of my father, was one of Babaláwos present at the event
that day. 

At the Assembly of Traditional Worshippers Òndó State meeting in Òkè Igbo two years ago,
this same Odù was casted. Though it came with ire, we still have to ask Ifá if we have to
take the already prepared food for the delegates. Ifa said yes, yet some of the attendees
refused to take the food saying their is no need to query Ifá again on this. Araba Araba Oso
Adewale, Araba Ifaloba of Oke Igbo, Araba Temenu of Ikale are living witnesses. 

A verse in Ejiogbe reads:

Papa nla 
N lo terin yiyan
Opopo oju ona 
Lo tesin jìrù
Da fún Òkè
Òkè nbe laarin ọta
Igba ọkọ́ 
Igba àdá 
Wọn nb'óke ṣ'ọ̀ta
Oke o jẹ
Oke o mu
Oke ni yoo reyin 
Gbogbo wọn

The deep forest is where

An Elephant takes his majestic gait
A pathway is collosal enough
For horses to wag her tail
They cast Ifa for Òkè (Hill)
Oke was surrounded by enemies
Two hundred hoes; in conjunction with
Two hundred cutlasses
Vowed to annihilate Òkè
Òkè will not eat
Neither will Òkè drink
Òkè will eventually
Be victorious over them all.

These among other verses in Ifa relates to fasting for the querent. Yet we will ask through
Ìbò, if fasting is actually to be recommended. If Ifa says yes, who are we to say no? Do we
now say because some religion practice this, we should not deliver Ifá's message as it is?

We will not accept this hoisting of a generalized idea on us. That you don't believe in
something is personal to you. But that should not make it forbidden to all adherents. This is
hasty generalization, under fallacy of irrelevant grounds. 

Where you sit, many at times, determines what you see. If we sit in opposite direction, one
may see figure 6 while the other sees 9!

The earlier we come to terms with, as well as learn to respect our differences, the better it
will be for us in Iṣẹṣe community.

Abọru abọye.