Chapter 14 IRETE ME3I a | af ab hy i MERLE wennChapter fourteen IRETE MEJI Alias: Eji- Elemere) A. 1. Ifa assures the person for whom this Odo is revealed during ‘Tkgsedaye or Tteloda that his/her life shall be blessed with profitability. He/she will never die young. He/she shall be happy and very comfortable. He/she shall also be blessed with the support of Ile, the mother-earth. Tfa advises him/her to offer ebo with one big he-goat and money. He/ she also needs to find out what Ile will take from him/her and feed her accordingly. On this, Irete-Meji says: Tyan Bémubemi Io kun inu igba Org bemabema ke kuin ikon Agbalagba Dis fun Hemajeyi Tiyoo kere ayeje Ebo niwon niko wad se Translation Abig morsel of pounded yam may fill a calabash container to the brim Buta big issue cannot fill the stomach of an elder This was Ifa's declaration for Ilemajeyt Who shall be blessed with all Ire in life He was advised to offer ebo When Ilemajeyi was coming to earth from heaven, he chose, and was blessed with, all the good things of life wealth, good spouse, nice and lovely children, peaceful family of orientation, comfortable neighbourhood, sound mind, good health etc,, When he arrived on7 earth he had all that it took to be successful in life. 948tt 4 ete Meji One day, Ilemajeyi went for Ifa consultation in order to determine what his success chances in life would be; would he succeed? Would he be able ta attain his goals in life? Would he be blessed with wealth, spouse, children, properties and alt other good things of life? Would he live a happy and fruitful life on earth? These and many more were the questions at the back of his mind when he approached the Awo mentioned above for Ifa consultation. The Awo assured him that he had the chance to succeed in life because he had chosen all the Ire in life as part of his destiny. The Awo advised him to pray for three things in his life: one, a trouble-free life; two, sound health; and three, long life. Ilemajéyi was advised never to go out of his way to court trouble so that his prayer for a trouble free life will be accepted by Olodumaré. He was also advised never to misuse, abuse or overuse himself physically, psychologically, emotionally or spiritually in order for his prayer for sound health to be accepted. He was also cautioned against being a "hero", he must also find means of saving his life when death threatened, especially where it was possible to do so. That was when his prayer for long life would be accepted. The Awo then advised him to offer ebo with a matured he-goat and money. He was also advised to feed Ile, the mother earth, because he had a very strong connection to her. The ebo recommended for Ilemajeyi, he was reminded, was not for weaith or success; but rather, it was for victory against trouble, ill-health and untimely death. Ilemajéyi complied and offered the eb as prescribed. He also took the advices of the Awo serious. He started off as a farmer. His harvests were beautiful. Before long he was a huge success. He soon took a spouse. Together they made bigger cultivation and reaped better harvest. His wife proved to be a simple, unassuming, gentle headed easy going and honest woman. They were blessed with many children whom she trained to fear Olodumare and have respect for elders. When the children grew up, the family erected a magnificent property in the family compound. They managed to stay out of trouble at all times. They did all things with moderation and were blessed with good health. They consulted their Ifa and performed all prescribed ebo regularly. They were very happy with life and life was very happy with them. They lived long and fulfilled lives. They became a model of some sort in the community. All envious people were kept at bay by the community. The whole community regarded Ilemajeyi and his family as ambassadors of the community, and as 949la Dida: An imatetion to Ifa Consultation such, they were protected and defended. Iyan Bémubemu Io kun ind igba Ore bemabemn ko kun ikun agbalagba Dia fun Iiemajeyi Tlyook'ereayeje Ebo ni won ni ko waa $e Ogb'¢bo, Oru'bo Ko pe, kojinna Ewa ba ninij¢butu Ire gbogbo Jebutd ire gbogbo laa ba ni Fésé Obarisa. Translation Abig morsel of pounded yam may fill a calabash container to the brim But a big issue cannot fill the stomach of an elder This was Ifa’s declaration for llemajeyi ‘Who shall be blessed with all Ire in life He was advised to offer ebo He complied Before long, not too far Join usin the midst of all Ire in life Ttis that which Ifa has quaranteed for us. All that remain for the person for whom this Odo is revealed are trouble free life, sound health, and long life in order to enjoy all these divine blessings. Ifa assures the person for whom this Odu is revealed that he/she will never live a chaotic life. Ifa assures him/her that if he/she can dedicate all his/her life to If4, he/she shall be made an ambassador of Olodumaré. He/she shall also be blessed with all the Ire in life. 2. Ifa advises this person to have the sign of If on his/her person at all times. He/she needs to have the Idé of Ifa round his/her wrist and neck at all times. If possible, he/she can also have it round his/her waist. With this, all negative principalities will maintain their distanc from him/her because they will know that he/she has the sign and protection of Ifa on his/her person. Ifa recommends for this person to offer ebg with two rats, two fish, two hens and money. He/she Is also advised to feed Ifa with one matured she-goat. On this, Irete- 950Tt rot at méjisays: Eeron yan nfode kete Dia fun Atoka TH se Ilan Olodumare Ebo niwon niko waa se Translation During dry season, it is possible to jump over a stream This was Ifa's message for Atoka, the lapwing The ambassador of Oloddmaré He was advised to offer ebo Atoka, the Lapwing, was born into the family of great Ifa priests and priestesses. He however took to farming as his own means of livelihood. He was quite successful as a farmer, but he was not a very happy man. He knew that something was missing in his life but he could not put his fingers into what was amiss. Much as he tried, he could not figure it out. All he knew was that the peace of mind and contentment that he fervently prayed for in his life were not there, Yes, he was financially alright. Yes, he had a good family. But yes, he was not satisfied with his life. He was however determined to do something about it. One day he went to the home of the Awo mentioned above for Ifa consultation: would he be blessed with peace of mind in his life? Would he be contented with his life? Would he live long and be protected against the vagaries of tife? The Awo advised Atoka to go and put his mind at rest. He was assured that he would not only be protected, he would also be elevated. He would be blessed with peace of mind and contentment. Atoka was told that he had been chosen as an lari, ambassador, of Olédamare. Consequent upon this, there was the need for him to devote all his life to Ifa. He must study Ifa as his religion, profession and his complete way of life. He was told that he had no need to go to the farm for farming or to the river to fish or fetch water. He was to stay in his home to serve Ifa and Olodamare. He was told that anytime he went out, it must be in the service of Olodumare. 951‘fa Dida: An invitation fo fa Conauttation Atoka was also advised to offer ebo and feed Ifa as prescribed above. Hé complied. As soon as he left the home of the Babalawa, he summoned all the members of his family and announced to them that henceforth, he was going to devote his entire life to the service of Olodumare through Ifa. At first, his family found it difficult to understand how he could do this when, according to them, he had everything going for him. He made it clear to them that what he needed most in his life was not monetary gain but rather internal peace and contentment. He told them that he had not been at peace with himself all his life. The family had no option but to respect his view; after all, what he planned todo was not strange to the family. He began his studies in earnest. The initial stage was tough and rough. Surprisingly, instead of feeling bad about the downward trend of his finances, he was in fact happy, he found out that bringing joy into the lives of others was more rewarding than all the wealth in the world. Before he finished his studies, he was already at peace with himself. His life had Meaning to him. He saw life from a different perspective entirely, His family noticed this and they were all very happy for him. Most of his friends and business partners did not easily accept the fact that Atoka had finally abandoned farming and trading in farm produce. They would go and persuade him to farm and trade, even if on part-time basis. Atoka would however respond that as an ‘lari of Olodumaré, he did not need to farm, fish or trade anymore. Eventually, all of them gave up andieft Atoka alone to chart the path of his life as it pleased him. When he finished his studies, he became an instant success. He was known far and near. He was in very high demand. This pleased him more than any other thing in his life. He was very happy assisting people. These people aiso showed him their appreciation. They were always by him to help him. He was loved and happy; he had internal peace; he was loved and respected. In addition, he gained more financial success than what he had when he was a farmer. Atoka lived and died a very contented man. Fenn yan nfode kete Dia fan Atoka TH se Tari Olodumare 9521 te mei Ebo ni won ni kowaase Ogb'¢ebo, Gru'bo Modi Llart Ikin, émior'aka Atgka di Ilarf Olodumare Mo di fart Ikin, emio r'odo Atgka di Llart Olodumare Ko pé, kd jinna Ewa ba'nib’ayo Ewawo'reo Translation During dry season, it is possible to jump overa stream This was Ifa's message for Atoka, the lapwing The ambassador of Olodumaré He was advised to offer ebo He complied Ihave become the Ilar of Ikin, Ihave na need to farm Atoka has become the flan of Olédumaré Thave become the Ilart of Ikin, have no need tofish Atoka has become the lant of Olodamaré. Before long, not too far Join usin the midst of happiness Come and perceive all Ire of Life Ifa says that the person for whom this Odo is revealed shall live a happy life. He/she shall be contented with his/her life. He shall gain respect and honour, and in addition, he/she shall not live in poverty and want. 3. Ifa says thatall the blessings in the family of the person for whom this Odu is revealed shall be divided into two; one part shall be given to him/her while the other part shall be shared by all the other members of his/her family. Ifa's says that this is so because the woman who gave birth to this person had offered a lot of ebg on his/her behalf even before he/she was born, and when he/she was young, the prayers of his/her mother had been given favourable consideration and accepted by Olodamare ever before he/she was born, For this reason, he/she is 953ia Dide: An invitation 0 fa Consultation Entitled to all the Ire in life. In order to open the door of all these Ire in life, Ifa advises the perso for whom this Odu is revealed to offer ebo with four guinea-fowl. and money. On this, Ifa says: Porobayti Aala bay! Dia fun Ladebu Ti ge Yeye Oke Ebo ni won ni ko waa se Translation Poro bayti (the crops cultivated heap this way) Aala bayii (and the farm boundary that way) They were the Awo who cast Ifa for Ladébo Who wasthe mother of Oké She was advised to offer ebo When Ladebu was newly married, her major pre-occupation was to be blessed with a child that she would be very proud of, and who would be the center of attraction in the whole community. Ever before she became Pregnant, she made several visits to the home of the groups of Awo mentioned above for Ifa consultation. All what she was begging for was for her to give birth to the most important child in the whole community. She wanted to be seen and known as the mother of the gem child of her community. She believed that if Olodamaré gave her this child, then her life was worth living. All the ebg that were prescribed for her by these Awo were performed by Ladébu. When she became pregnant, she continued to go to these Awo every seventeen days and she continued to perform all her ebo as prescribed. She never stopped this practice after the child had been born. (The child was named Oke because he was cocooned in amniotic sac when he was born). Oké grew up to become a very intelligent boy. He was well-behaved and very obedient. When he grew up, he went to the home of the same Awo whom his mother used to take him to when he was young, for Ifa 9544 rato ej consultation; would he succeed in life? During consultation, Ireté Meéji was revealed. The Awo assured Oké that all shall be well with him. They told him that ever before he was born, his mother had offered all the necessary ebo for him to be a successful man on earth. He was assured that his mother's prayers had been forwarded to Olodumare for consideration and approval by Esu Odara. After due consideration, Oké was informed, Olédumare had approved his mother's prayers. Oké was told to go home and do his best in ail the things he was doing and ensure that he stayed out of trouble. In order to ensure that all these Ire in life manifested, Oké was advised to offer ebg with four guinea fowls and money. He promptly complied. As soon as Qke did this, anything he touched became instantly successful. He was blessed with so much money that people believed that half of the wealth in his family actually belonged to him, while the remaining half belonged to all other members of his family. It was the same story with spouses, children, horses, properties and all other good things of life. Poro bayli Aala bayli Dia fun Ladebu Thige Yeye Oke Ebg niwon niko waa se Ogb'ebo, Oru'bo Ajeile ytinkgo? T'Oké nio T’Oke tokel'etu tke Aya ile ytinkoo? T'Oké nio T'dke t'oke 'etu nike Esinile yti nk o? T'Okée nio Toke t'okeI'etu nike Ire gbogbo ile yiinkg 0? T'Oke nio Toke t’okel'etu nke Translation Poro bayii (the crops cultivated heap this way) 955a Dice: An invitation to ite Consultation Aala bayii(and the farm boundary that way) They were the Awowho cast Ifa for Ladébo Who was the mother of Oke She was advised to offer ebo She complied Who owns all the wealth in this home? They belong to Oke ‘Toke t'ake' is the sound a guinea-fowl makes when it squawks And the women in this house? The belong to Oke ‘Toke t’oke' is the sound a guinea-fowl makes when it squawks And all the blessings in this house? They all belong to Oke ‘Toke t’oke’ is the sound a guinea-fowl makes when it squawks Ifa promises the person for whom this Odu is revealed that he/she shall be looked up to for guidance and assistance in all aspects of life by his/her family and community. Ifa says that because much has been given to him/her, he/she is strongly advised not to disappoint himself/herself, his/her family and his/her community. 4, Ifa says that the person for whom this Od) is revealed shall not only be blessed with all the good things of life outside where he/she was born, he/she would also have a lot to show for all these blessings. Ifa says that there are three of them who are moving together but who are not born in the same town. Ifa assures the three of them that they will all succeed in their new place of abode and they will be able to take the evidence of their success back to their home lands. Ifa advises each of these three people to offer eb with three white pigeons, three ducks, three roosters, three guinea-fowls and money. On this aspect, Ifa says: Aro-gbagede-gba Dia fun Qlaberinjo Omowon!'ode Isanlu Ebo aseyori ni won nike wad se 9561 ote Ma Translation Aré-gbagede-gba He was the Awo who cast Ifa for Qlabérinjo ‘The indigene of Isanld Land He was advised to offer ebg for success and accomplishment Qlabérinjg was an indigene of Isdénlu town. He left his home town and travelled to Ado-Ekiti to settle. When he arrived in his new home, he knew only one person in the town. This person used to visit Isanld as a trader who sold clothing materials to Qlabérinjo's relatives. It was through this trader that Olabérinjg moved to Ado-Ekiti. Soon after he got to this new town, he realized that it was not easy as a non- indigene to succeed. His host had little time to introduce him to other people because of his travelling and other busy schedules. Qlabérinjo was in a state of dilemma when he met Jegue. Jegué was an indigene of Otunmoba land. He also came to Ado-Ekiti to settle when he heard that business thrived in Add-Ekiti. He did not have much business links in his new place of abode but he decided to try his luck anyway. When he first arrived, it was difficult for him even to eat. He was determined to stay on in spite of this temporary setback. He began to fetch water and cut firewood for people in order to survive. It was during one of his trips to the stream to fetch water that he met Olabérinjo. His dialect betrayed him asa stranger in Ado-Ekiti. They talked. They became instant friends. They decided to stay and work together. Three weeks after this, the two friends met Okanlawon. Okanlawon was from Alatamgde Akoko. He also came to Ado-Ekiti to begin a new life. He had tried his hands on two business ventures in his home land and had failed woefully in both. Something kept telling him that he would succeed elsewhere. He made some enquiries and decided to move to Ado-Ekiti. The third day he arrived in his new abode was the day he met Olaberinjo and Jegde. The three of them became inseparable, They did everything together. Where you found one, be sure that the other two were close by. Before long, the whole town of Ado-Ekiti began to notice them as close friends. 957{fa Oda: An inttion tts Consuitation One day, the three of them sat together for serious discussion on how they would progress in life. During their discussion, they realized that there was the need for them to begin the ventures they knew how to do best. Qlabérinjo stated that his family specialized in hunting and he had also participated in several hunting expeditions. He was convinced that he would become a successful hunter in Ado-Ekiti. Jegué was a farmer all his life. He knew how to use manure to produce bountiful harvest. Not only this, he knew the tricks to use to keep pests, rodents and birds away from his farm. He concluded that with the fertile tand of AdoEKiti, coupled with good business climate, he was bound to succeed. Okdnlawon said that he had all along been a trader all his life. Even though he had tried selling cloths and wood carvings and had failed, he knew that he would succeed because the business environment in Ado-Ekiti was right for trading. That day, the three of them concluded that they would procure three types of locally made guns and gun powder for Olabérinjo from their collective saving so that he could start his hunting in earnest. They did. The remaining money was spent on buying cutlasses, hoes, cudgels, knives and other farming implements for Jegué. They approached the community head of their area for farming land and Jegué was given land. They told Qkanlawgn to be in charge of selling all the games killed by Qlabérinjo and all the farm products of Jegué. The three of them were in the businesses they were acquainted with which they understood very well once again. The first day, that Olabérinjg went to the forest for hunting, he came back home with two big antelopes and one grassscutter. They cooked the grass cutter for food and sold the two antelopes. The sale convinced the other two friends that Okanlawon was a fantastic trader and a hard bargainer. With this initial progress, Olabérinjg was still not totally satisfied. He decided to approach Aro-gbagede-gba, the best Babalawo in Ado-Ekiti at that period for Ifa consultation. The Awo told Olabérinjo to offer ebo as stated above. The Awo explained that to have bountiful harvest or to kill several games were not enough for success. What was more important was for these produce to meet the market at the most appropriate time and for them to strike the right chord in the minds of the consumers. This was even more important when 9581 rete Mogi considering the fact that those bringing the same products to the market were many. There was therefore the need to offer ebo so that his own Products would be the most attractive to those who would consume them anytime they reached the market. Qlabérinjo was impressed with the explanation and he offered the ebo as prescribed by the Awo accordingly. Soon after this ebo was offered, things began to change for the better for Qlabérinjg. People preferred his animals to those of others. Okanlawon used to have hard times placating aggrieved customers who could not see any animal to buy anytime he carried Olabérinjo's games to the market. Qlabérinjo began to show signs of success more than his two other friends. One day, Olabérinjo called a meeting for the three of them to have another round of serious deliberation. He made it clear to his two friends that the gap of success between him and his two friends was beginning to widen. He declared that he was convinced that if the gap continued to widen as it was going, there was bound to be envy and that was very dangerous for their friendship. He said that such development was unacceptable to him because he cherished their mutual love and respect more that all the wealth in the world. Solution? He urged his two friends to go for Ifa consultation in the home of Aro-gbagede-gba and ensure that they offered all the ebo that he prescribed for them. After much deliberation, Jequé agreed to give Qlabérinjo’s advice a trial. Aro-gbagede-gba Dia fun Jegue Qmg Ode Otunmeba Ebo aseyori ni won niko waa se Transtation Ardé-gbagede-gba He was the Awo who cast Ifa for Jegue The indigene of Otunmoba town He was advised to offer ebo for success and accomplishment. When Jegueé went to Aré-gbagede-gba, he was also assured of success, He was also advised to offer the same ebo that Qlaberinjo offered for the 959‘Mfg Dida: An invitation to ife Consultation same reason as that of Qlaberinjo. He also complied as advised. Soon after this, Jegué had not only a bountiful harvest, his produce also met the market at the most appropriate period. Again, Okdnlawon had hard times explaining to those who did not see anything to buy why this was so and to exercise patience. Jéegueé also became very successful. In all these, Okanlawon was finding it very difficult to make much profit for himself, He had not changed much from his old poor self. One day, Olabérinjo and Jegue insisted that Okanlawon must go for Ifa consultation to find out why he had not succeeded like them. He was also advised to offer all the ebo that Aré-gbagede-gba would recommend for him. They made it clear to Okanlawon that anyone who knew the three of them when they started to move together would have the impression that he was not being fairly treated. In the end, Okanlawon agreed to go for Ifa consultation in the home of Aro- gbagede-gba, to find out the way forward: Ard-gbagede-gba Dia fun Okanlawon Tlis’9m9 won ni Alatamode-Akoka Ebo aseyori ni won ni ko wid se Translation Aro-gbagede-gba He was the Awo who cast Ifa for Okanlawon The indigene of Alatamgde-Akoko land He was advised to offer ebo for success and accomplishment Aré-gbagede-gba blamed Okanlawgn for waiting for too long before coming for Ifa consultation. He was however assured that it was not too late. He recommended the same ebo for Okanlawon and he assured him that he would succeed as his two other friends. Okanlawon offered the ebo as prescribed. As soon as he did this, his situation changed for the better. He began to 960i nt te make huge profits from his sales. The more profit he made, the more his customers loved his goods. They considered the goods to be expensive because they were of superior qualities. He soon added clothing materials and wood carving products to his sales. Surprisingly, he began to make more profits in these than in the sales of animals and farm produce. That was when he knew that it was not the witches and wizards in AlatamgdeAkoke who prevented him from succeeding when he was there. To convince himself, he took his goods to his home town and he sold everything. Including the sack he used to load the goods there! The three friends got married in Ad6-EKiti. They were blessed with several children; they acquired many properties and they were highly respected in the land. When it was time for them to return to their respective home lands, the people of Ado-Ekiti threw a lavish farewell party for them. They all departed from Ado-Ekiti with tears of joy rolling down the cheeks of both indigenes and visitors. Aré-gbagede-gba Dia fan Olaberinjo Tits'omg won I'dde Isanlu Ebo aseyorl ni won ni ko waa se Ogb'ébo, Oru'bo Ard-gbagede-gba Dia fun Jegue Qmo Ode Otinmoba Ogb'ébo, Oru'bo Aro-gbagede-gba Diafun Okanlawon TH 5'9m9 won ni Alatamode-Akoko Ebo aseyori ni won ni ko waa se Ogb'ébo, Oru'boKe pe, kd finna Ewa ba nini wowo ire gbogbo Nje¢ Isantu n‘ile Olaberinjg Olaberinjola Orelsaniu Isanlun'ile Qlaberinjg Otunmgba nitiJegue Jeguela Or'ode Otanmgba Qtunmgba nile Jegue 961{fe Dida: An invitation to Ite Consuttation Qkanlawgnl'omoe won I'dde Alatamode-Akoko Okanlawonla Or'ele Akoko Ak6ko n'ile Okanlawgn 0 Translation Aré-gbagede-gba He was the Awo who cast Ifa for Olaberinjo ‘The indigene of Isania He was advised to offer ebo for success and accomplishment He complied Aré-gbagede-gba He was the Awo who cast Ifa for Jegue The indigene of Otunmoba town, He was advised to offer ebo for success and accomplishment Aro-gbagede-gba He was the Awo who cast Ifa for Okanlawon The indigene of Alatamode-Akoko land He was advised to offer ebo for success and accomplishment Hecomplied Before long, nat too far Join us in the midst of alt blessings of life ‘sania was the home of Olaberinjg Qlabérinjg succeeded And returned toTsanla ‘Isanlo was the home of Olaberinjo Jegue was an indigene of Otiimmaba After the success of Jégué He returned to Otumpba his homeland Jegue was an indigene of Otumoba Alatamode-Akoko was the home of Okanlawon Okanlawon succeeded And returned to Akoks land Akokd was the home of Qkantawon Ifa advises three friends who are from different lands to offer ebg so that the three of them will succeed together. It is also important for the three of them to offer ebo so as to prevent a situation where one or two of them succeed and the others do not. 5. Ifa says that it foresees the blessing of all ire in life for the person for 962i 4H irate ao whom this Odu is revealed. Ifa says that this person shall be blessed with honour and followership. He/she shall be respected and adored. Ifa says that right now this person is in hot pursuit of wealth at the expense of his/her spiritual elevation. Ifa warns him/her that whether he/she scrambles for wealth or not, he/she will be blessed with wealth; but if he/she loses his spiritual essence, then he/she has fost all. Ifa advises him/her to offer ebo with two pigeons, two guinea- fowls, four rats, four fish, plenty of shrimps and money. He/she needs to be eating shrimps regularly in order for his/her wealth to reach his/her hands as quickly as possible. On these, Ifa says: Apo aje ba'le, oro jinnginni Apo omo'kun ba'lé rojogbojogbo Nitori ki nléentisinmi Nimosen satsinmi Eyin ogbot’Odsa mo Are Aje len saa kiri Alagbigba nlu Kanrankanran rokun Alagbigba #10 Kanrankanran t'9sa Alagbigba nla Karankanran r'ode Oyinbo. Dia fan Yemesé Ilédo Tin sunkun ounérire Eb ni won ni kowaa se Translation Abag full of cowries landed and made a ricocheting sound And a bag full of Omo'kun beads landed and made a dull sound Tn order for me to have rest in future That is why I have refused to give myself rest now You no longer listen to the instructions of the Orisd ‘You are all in hot pursuit of wealth The Agbighba diviner chants repeatedly to the seas And chants repeatedly to the lagoons And even chants repeatedly to Oyinbo man's land These were the messages of Ifa for Yemesé Iledo Who was weeping in lamentation of her inability to secure all ire 963Ma Olde: An invitation to ita Coneutation inlife She was advised to offer ebo Yemese Iledo was a very hard-working woman. She had been trained to appreciate the value of hard work. She was told by her mother that if she wanted to rest when her hair turned grey, she must work hard when her hair was black. This lesson she took very seriously. In her bid to succeed in life, she had no time for any other thing. She totally abandoned all her ancestral Orisa and she did not remember the days for venerating any of the Orisa. However, there was no market day she did not know around her community. Anyone who wanted to go to any market would go and ask her what to expect in that market and she would supply them with the information in an accurate manner. She was a wonderful market analyst. Surprisingly however, she did not have much to show for her versatility. Much as she tried, her condition did not improve. Tired of this, she summed up courage one day and decided to go to the home of the group of Awo mentioned above for Ifa consultation. Would she succeed in life? She asked. The group of Awo assured her that she would surely succeed in life. They told her that even though it was a good thing to be hard-working, it was actually the blessing of the Orisa and approval of Olodumare which really make one to succeed. She was told that since she had abandoned the Orisa they too had closed their ears to her cries and had chosen not to assist her in her quest for success. She was advised to continue to be hard- working but at the same time, find enough time to venerate the Orisa and Olodumaré regularly. It was by so doing, she was assured, that success would come her way. After this, the Awo advised her to offer ebg as stated above. She was also advised to eat shrimps regularly and use same to feed all her Origa. She complied. She also planned her life in such a way that nothing was allowed to disturb her from worshipping her Orisa on a regular basis. Soon after this, her life began to change for the better. She was able to see that it was not only hardwork that made life worth living. She realized that organizing one's life in an orderly manner was even more important than hardwork alone. There ought to be time for work, time for leisure, time for worship, time for rest and time for all other things of life. When she 964# toto Mee realized that it was the time for a change of status, she began to plan for Marriage. She was successfully married. She had splendid children. She trained her children well. She was blessed with the wealth she had been yearning for, and her wealth had meaning to her because she had people to share her wealth with. She was able to live a contented life. Apo ajé bale, oro jinnginni Apo omo’kan ba'lero jogbojogbo Nitori kinle niisinmi Nimo sen saisinmi Eyin 0 gbot'Oosamo Are Ajéle n saa kiri Alagbigba n lu Kanrankanranr'okun Alagbigbanlu Kanrankanranr'osa Alagbigban lo Karankanranr'ode Oyinbo Dia fun Yemese Iledo Tinsunkun oun o rire Ebo ni won niko wad se Ogbebo, Orubo Ko péko jinna Ire gbogbo waa ya de tuturu Treajetiode Edé lo niko dé Owinniwinni, ede lo ni ko dé Ire okotiode Edélonikodée Owinniwinni edé lo niko de TIreomotiode Edelonikode Qwinniwinni ede ls niko dé Treiletikode Edeld nikode Owinniwinniede lo ni ko dé Tregbogbotikode Edelo niko dé Owinniwinni ede lo niko de Translation Abag full of cowries landed and made a ricocheting sound 965fa Da: An invttion to te Consutation Anda bag full of Omo9'kun beads landed and made a dull sound In order for me to have rest in future Thatis why I have refused to give myself rest now You no longer listen to the instructions of the Orisa You are all in hot pursuit of wealth The Agbigba diviner chants repeatedly to the seas And chants repeatedly to the lagoons And even chants repeatedly to Oyinbo man's land These were the messages of Ifa for Yemesé Iiédo Who was weeping and lamenting of her inability to secure all irein life She was advised to offer ebo She complied Before iong, not too far All the ire in life came in abundance The ire of wealth that had failed to come twas edé, the shrimps, which ordered it to come Owinntwinni, edé had ordered it to come The ire of spouse that had failed to come Itwas edé which ordered it to come Owinniwinnt ede had directed it to come The ire of children that had failed to come Ttwas edé which ordered it to come Owinniwinnt edé had directed it to come The ire of properties that had failed to come It was ede which ordered itto come “Qwinniwinnl edé had directed it to come The ire of all blessings that had failed to come It was edé which ordered itto come Owinniwinni edé had summoned It to come Ifa says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed shall be blessed with all ire in life. All he/she needs to do is to organize his/life in an orderly manner and try to identify his/her priorities. He/she must also be close to the Orisa and Olédumare. 6. Ifa says that the person for whom this Odo is revealed has all it takes 966Ite Dida: An Invitation to ite Cansuitation There must be a way of climbing this tree, he reasoned. When he could not think of any other trick to climb the tree of prosperity, he decided to approach the Awo mentioned above for Ifa consultation: would he succeed in climbing Ege, the tree of prosperity? The Awo assured Léigbo Ogegé that he would be able to climb Ege, the tree of prosperity. He was told that success did not come cheap or easy, That was why he needed to expect obstacles at the foot of the tree. Laigbo Ogege was counselled that whenever there appeared to be obstacle on the way to one's success, it could not be removed with force; rather the Obstacle must be overcome with wisdom and understanding. The Awo told Lélgbo Ogege that he had not succeeded in climbing Egé, the tree of Prosperity because he had failed to apply wisdom and understanding. Part of the wisdom to apply in overcoming the four obstacles was approaching Ifa for solution, The Awo explained further that the four animals were wild because there was nobody there to feed them. Itwas therefore the duty of Laigbo Ogége to go and feed the animals in order to make them positively disposed towards him. The Awo also advised Laighd Ogege to offer ebg with animal bones, yam peelings, corn, corn meal offal and money. He was also asked to go to the foot of Ege, the tree of Prosperity, and feed the animals with thesameitems. He complied. As soon as the offered the eb, he went to look for more of the items and proceeded straight to the foot of the tree. As soon as the animals sighted him, they were all ready for a big fight, Instead, he placed the bones for the dog; he gave the yam peelings fo the ram; he gave the cock the corn; and gave the éeri, corn meal offal to the he-goat. At first, the animals were looking at him with suspicion. It did not take long before their hunger decided for them. They began to eat what Laigbo Ogegé brought for them. He repeated his visit and feeding on the second, third and fourth day, On the fifth day, the animais were already waiting for him. The dog was wagging its tail when itsaw him. The ram and he-goat moved close to him and they were all playing with him. He gave them the food. The animals 968{rete to succeed in life, especially if he/she plans to Jeave his/her place of birth in search of greener pastures elsewhere. Ifa says that at the initial stage, it may not be easy because he/she may have to contend —_ with four obstacles in his/her quest for success. Ifa advises this Person not to confront these obstacles, but rather to use his/her wisdom and understanding to get round them to succeed. Ifthiscan be done, this person will surely succeed where others had failed. He/she will have course to cetebrate. Ifa recommends for this person to offer ebo with animal bones (any animal), yam peeling, corm, eer, corn meal ofal, and money. On this, a stanza in Trete Meji says: Okiti babaaba nif pekun opopo Did fun Laigbo Ogege Tinlg ree gun'gi ola n'ife Ebo niwon niko waddse Translation Okiti babaaba ri pekun opopa He was the Awo who cast Ifa for Laigbo Ogege When going to climb the tree of prosperity in Ife He was advised to offer ebo Laigbo Ogege had made several attempts to climb the tree of prosperity in He-Ifé and he did not succeed. Why? At the foot of this tree (Eg¢ tree) were four wild-looking animals which prevented anyone from climbing the tree. These animals were agbo-momo, ram; obuko, he-goat; aja, dog; and akako-otan-galanja, cock. All the people who had attempted to climb the tree were chased away. Those who tried to brave it were bitten mercilessly by the dog, hit forcefully by the ram and he-goat, and Scratched with nails by the cock, In spite of this, Laigbé Ogége was fully determined to climb the tree. He knew that anyone who climbed the tree would become prosperous, even beyond his/her wildest dreams. When he got to the foot of the tree, he saw the four animals sleeping. He quickly but stilthily stepped forward to climb the tree, only to receive a nasty bite from the dog guarding the tree. 967Ifa Did: An invitation ta ts Consuitation There must be a way of climbing this tree, he reasoned. When he coul not think of any other trick to climb the tree of prosperity, he decided te approach the Awo mentioned above for Ifé consultation: would he succeed in climbing Ege, the tree of prosperity? The Awo assured Laigbo Ogégé that he would be able to climb Ege, the tree of prosperity. He was told that success did not come cheap or easy. That was why he needed to expect obstacles at the foot of the tree. Laigbo Ogeége was counselled that whenever there appeared to be obstacle on the way to one's success, it could not be removed with force; rather the obstacle must be overcome with wisdom and understanding. The Awo told Laigbo Ogege that he had not succeeded in climbing Egé, the tree of Prosperity because he had failed to apply wisdom and understanding. Part of the wisdom to apply in overcoming the four obstacles was approaching Ifa for solution. The Awo explained further that the four animals were wild because there was nobody there to feed them. Itwas therefore the duty of Latgbo Ogege to go and feed the animals in order to make them Positively disposed towards him. The Awo also advised Laigbo Ogege to offer ebo with animal bones, yam peelings, corn, corm meal offal and money. He was also asked to go to the foot of Ege, the tree of prosperity, and feed the animals with the same items. He complied. As soon as the offered the ebg, he went to look for more of the items and proceeded straight to the foot of the tree. As soon as the animals sighted him, they were all ready for a big fight. Instead, he placed the bones for the dog; he gave the yam peelings to the ram; he gave the cock the corn; and gave the eéri, corn meal offal to the he-goat. At first, the animals were looking at him with suspicion, It did not take long before their hunger decided for them. They began to eat what Laigbo Ogege brought for them. He repeated his visit and feeding on the second, third and fourth day. On the fifth day, the animals were already waiting for him. The dog was wagging its tail when it saw him. The ram and he-goat moved close to him and they were all playing with him. He gave them the food. The animals 968H irete es were busy eating when Laigbo Ogégé went to the foot of Ege tree to climb the tree. The animals took no notice of him. He climbed the tree to the very top and the animals could not be bothered. On top of the tree, he was blessed with all the prosperity anyone could ever acquire in life. Laigbo Ogegé became the most successful person throughout his own world at that point in time. He was full of joy for his accomplishment. He returned to the Awo who made Ifa for him that he would like to offer that particular ebg once more. The Awo however told him that it was not the practice to offer one ebo twice. He only needed to praise his Awo who did the ebg for him; the Awo needed to praise Ifa for making the predictions come to pass; while Ifa needed to give thanks to Olodumare for putting Ase to the ebo Okitl babaaba nif pekun opopo Dia fun Laigbo Ogege Tinig ree gun'giglan‘ife Ebo ni won niko wad se Ogb'¢bo, 6 ru'bo Aja Idi ege kil je kiwon og'eg¢ Agbd-momoidi ege kil j¢ ki won o g'ege Akoko-otan-galanja idi ege kil j¢ ki wong g’ege Obuko Idi egé kil je ki wond g'ege Laigbo Ogege Id wa fiogbon inu m'ata Ofiimoran m'obi Owa lo ree gun égé igi Ola n'1fe Ni¢ Ogége déo, igiagunla Enito bag'ogege Igiolalogun Translation OkKiti babaaba mi pekun opopo He was the Awo who cast Ifa for Laigbo Ogege When going to climb the tree of prosperity in Ife He was advised to offer ebo He complied The dag at the foot of Ege did not allow anyone to climb Egé tree The ram at the foot of Egé did not allow anyone to climb Ege Tree The cock did not allow anyone to climb Egé tree And the he-goat did not allow anyone to climb the tree 969Ya Dida: An Invitation tifa Coneuttaion Lalgbo decided to procure alligator pepper with wisdom And procured obi, kolanut, with understanding ‘And he went to climb Egé, the tree of prosperity in Ile-Ife Behold Ogegé, thetree of success Anyone who climbs Ogegé The person has climbed the tree of prosperity Ifa assures the person for whom this Odu is revealed that in order te: succeed in life, instead of using confrontation to remove obstaclesyj he/she needs to be using wisdom and understanding. By so doings prosperity is assured. Success is guaranteed. 7. Ifa says that the person for whom this Odo is revealed may be suffering from chest and head pain. He/she may be having some dizziness or lightness in his/her head, while at the same time, he/she may be experiencing some heaviness in his/her chest or be feeling some ache therein. Ifa says that these are normal because Orunmila and Sango are protecting his/her head and chest from the attack of Ikd, Death and that is why he/she is having the sensations in his/her head and chest. Ifa says that as soon as he/she offers appropriate ebg for this, the sensation will disappear. Ifa advises the person for whom this Odo is revealed to offer eb with one matured he-goat and money. After this, he/she needs to feed Ifa and Sango. On this, Ifa says Keke b'idi meregbe Dia funQkaka Tinlog fows t'ko Ebo ni won ni ko waa se Translation Keké bidl meregbe He cast Ifa for Okaka Whowas going to stretch his hands to push death away He was advised to offer ebo Akapo had paid his dues. He had served all the 401 Irunmole diligently. He had the fear Olodumare at the back of his mind. He spoke the truth at 9704 rte Mai all times. He was humble and easily going. In spite of all these however, Ika, Death was in his hot pursuit. Akapo was not aware of this development atall. $ango, also known as Okaka, felt that it was his responsibility to protect Akapo because Akapo had served him well. Sango was well pleased with Akapo and he, Sango, was determined that Akapo must live to his old age. Consequent upon this, Sango went to Keké b'idi mérégbe to find out what he needed to do in order to protect Akapo from the threat posed by Iku. The Awo informed Sango that Akapo must be put at arms length to Iku. This, Sango was determined to do. Anytime Iki approached Akapo, Sango would place his hand on Akapo's chest and push him away from Iku. When this was being done repeatedly, Akapo began to develop some feelings of discomfort in his chest. All herbs to relieve him of this discomfort applied by Akapo proved non-effective. Keke b'Idi meregbe Dia fun Oduda Tinigg du'rl tleémere Eboni wonni ko waa se Translation Keke bidi maregbe He cast Ifa for Odudis Who was going to protect the Or! of he who is destined todie Young. He was advised to offer ebo Ika was becoming increasingly frustrated. He could not understand why Sango was standing in his way. He decided to use another strategy to kill Akapo at the slightest opportunity. When Orunmila realized that, he approached Keké b'idi méregbe for Ifa consultation on behalf of his Akapo. He was advised to try all that he knew to protect the head of his Akapo from being chopped off by Ika. As a result of this revelation, Ordnmila never left his Akapo alone. Anytime that Iku approached, Orunmila would cover the head of his Akapo with his two hands and body. This action precluded Iku from gaining access to Akapo. 971{fa Did: An invitation to tte Consultation While Sango was busy pushing Ikd and Akapo away from each othet Orunmiila was protecting the head of Akapo from any form of danger’ Akapd soon began to feel some sensations in his head. Again, no herb could cure it. One day, Akapo himself approached the Awo mentioned above for Ifa’ consultation. He was informed that the head and chest discomfort he was” feeling was not as a result of any physical problem. It was rather the Manifestation of the efforts of Sangé and Orunmila to protect him from untimely death. He was advised to offer ebo with one matured he-goat and money. He was also advised to feed Ifa and Sango as appropriate. Akapo did, as soon as he did this, the pain in his head and chest disappeared. Keke b'idi meregbe Dia fun Okaika Tino fowot'iku Ebo ni won ntkowaase Ogb'ébo, 0 ra’bo Keke b'idi meregbe Dia fan Odudu Tinleg du'rl Ylemere Ebg ni won ni ko waa ge Ogb'ebg, Oru'bo Njetani yoo du'rii mi fun mi? Odudu, Ifa ni yoo du'rti mifan mi Sangs ni kaka til fqwo t'lku Ododu Ifa nt yoo du'ril mi fan mi Qrunmila ni Odudu til du'rti Temere Odudu, Ifa nl yoo du’rti mi fan mio Oduda Translation Keke b'tdl meregbe He cast Ifa for Qkaka Who was going to stretch his hands to push death away Hewas advised to offer ebq He complied Keke bid! meragbe 972{fa Dida: An invitetion to ita Consultation While Sango was busy pushing Ika and Akapé away from each other, Oranniila was protecting the head of Akapo from any form of danger Akapo soon began to feel some sensations in his head. Again, no herb could cure it. One day, Akapo himself approached the Awo mentioned above for Ifa consultation. He was informed that the head and chest discomfort he was feeling was not as a result of any physical problem. It was rather the manifestation of the efforts of Sangé and Orunmila to protect him from untimely death. He was advised to offer ebo with one matured he-goat and money. He was also advised to feed Ifa and Sango as appropriate. Akapo did, as soon as he did this, the pain in his head and chest disappeared. Keke b'Idi meregbe Dia fun Okaka Tinleo Fewo t'iku Ebo ni won ni ko waase Ogb'éba, Oru'bo Keke b'di merégbe Dia fan Odudo Tinilog du'rl Ilemere Ebo ni won ni ko waage Ogb’ebo, 6 ru'bo Rijeé tani yoo du'rii mi fun mi? Oduda, Ifa ni yoo du'rti mi fun mi Sang ni Oka tl fowg t'iku Odudo [f4 nl yoo du'ril mi fan mi Qrunmila ni Odudo til du'rii emere Odudu, Ifa ni yoo du'ri mi fan mio Odudo Translation Keke b'idi meregbé He cast Ifa for Qkaka Who was going to stretch his hands to push death away He was advised to offer ebg He complied Keke bid! meragbe 972Ma Dida: An invitation to Ha Consuftation While Sango was busy pushing Ika and Akapo away from each other, Oranmila was protecting the head of Akapo from any form of danger. ‘Akapo soon began to feel some sensations in his head. Again, no herb could cure it. One day, Akapo himself approached the Awo Mentioned above for Ifa’ consultation. He was informed that the head and chest discomfort he was feeling was not as a result of any physical problem. It was rather the manifestation of the efforts of Sango and Ordnmila to protect him from untimely death. He was advised to offer ebo with one matured he-goat and money. He was also advised to feed Ifa and Sango as appropriate. Akapo did, as soon as he did this, the pain in his head and chest disappeared. Keke b'Idi meregbe Dia fun Okaka Tinto fowo tika Ebo ni won niko waa se Ogb'ébo, O ru'bo Keke b'ldi meregbe Dia fun Odadu Tinlog du'ri lemere Ebg ni won ni ko waa se Ogb'ebo, Oru'ba Nije tani yoo du'ril mi fun mi? Odudo, Ifa ni yoo du'ril mifan mi Sango ni Qkaka tii fowo t'lku Oduda Ifa ni yoo du'rii mi fun mi Qrunmila ni Odadn til du'ril Temere Oduda, Ifa niyoo du'ril mifanmio Oduda Translation Keke b'idi mereghe He cast Ifa for Qkaka Who was going to stretch his hands to push death away Hewas advised to offer ebq He complied Keke b’idi meregbe 9724 trete Mei! He cast Ifa for Odada When going to protect the Ori of he who was destined to die Young He was advised to offer ebo He complied Now, who will protect my Or for me Odud), Ifdis the one to protect my Ori for me ‘Sango is Okaka who pushes death away Odado, Ifa will surely protect my Orl for me Oranmila is Odudo, who protects the Onl of he who is destined to die young Oduda, Ifa will surely protect my Orl forme Odudu, Ifa will surety do it for me. Ifa says that Oranmila and Sango will not allow the person for whom this Odu is revealed ta die young. As long as he/she continues to think, say and do all those things which please Olédumaré and the Irénmole at all times, even if he/she had been destined to die young, the two Iranmolé and Olodumare will extend his/her life and make him/her live to witness his/her old age. 8. Ifa says that the person for whom this Odo is reveled shall be placed among Kings and Queens of this world. He/she shall be in the midst of shakers and movers of his/her community. Whatever he/she says will matter and will be taken seriously by all. Tfa also says that there is no condition or situation that this person will not be able to adapt himself/herself to, This is his/her own talent and it is a special blessing from Olodumaré. Ifa advises this person to put on all the dresses that he/she has in his/her life in one day - even if these dresses are more than five hundred! All he/she needs to do is to put on these dresses one after the other. He/she however needs to undress one before wearing another. By so doing, he/she will receive honour and glory from Olodumare. On this aspect, Irete Méeji says: Ede thin 0 jo t’ghun 973{fe Dida: An Invtaton to Ite Consutaton Ede ghunojotihin Dia fun Oosanila Qseeremagbo Olddumare ni ko wa ba oun s'qdun Oni Alagemol'oun yoo raniq Ebo ni won niko wad se Transiation The language in this place is different from that of the other place And the dialect of the other place in different from that of this place This was Ifa's message for Oosanta Qseeremagbo Whom Olodamare invited to come and celebrate with Him He said he would send Alagemg, Chameleon, to go and represent him He was advised to offer ebo When Oladumare created the universe, He gave Oosarila Qseeremagbo (Qbatala) an important role to play. After the creation, Obatala was given the free hand to add to, or subtract from, the qualities of some creatures. For example, Qbatala was he who made sugarcane sweeter than bamboo, even though they looked alike. Qbatala also made the banana sweeter than many fruits which looked like it. Qbatala made birds faster than butterflies and gave the parrot more intelligence than other birds, In the case of Alagemg, Chameleon, Qbatala gave him the capacity to adopt the colour, design, pattern and even complexion of whoever and whatever he got in contact with, Qbatala was so proud of Alagemo that he made him one of his right hand persons. One day, Olddumare summoned Qbatdla to come and join him in celebration in heaven. Qbatdla felt that it was time for him to showcase Alagemo to Olddumaré. He wanted Olddumaré to see his wonderful design. Consequently, he decided to send Alagemg to represent him at the ceremony. Before he did this, he went to the Awo mentioned above for Ifa consultation: would he not be disgraced in his bid to send Alagemo as his representative? The Awo assured Qbatdla that Alagemo would perform marvelously where he was being sent. For this reason, Qbatdla had no reason to fear 974Hiroto Met or be apprehensive. Obatala was advised to summon Alagemg to his presence and brief him properly on what he was going to do when he got to the abode of Olddumaré. The Awo told Qbatala that many fine and competent people failed in life, not because they could not perform, but rather because they were not properly briefed on what they were expected todo. The Awo said that after the briefing, Obatala needed to put on his entire dresses one after the other. During this process, Obatdla needed to see how Alagemo would share the same dresses so that he would be able to judge whether or not Alagemo would be able to perform up to Obatala's expectation. The Awo said that any dance that one planned to dance outside in the midst of the multitude must first be practiced and danced inside the home. That would give the onlooker the opportunity to determine how the dance would look like when danced outside. This would also give them the opportunity to make corrections and amendments if and where necessary. Qbatala thanked the Awo and left. He complied with al! the advices given to him by the Awo. After much practices, he felt satisfied that Alagemo would perform satisfactorily when he got to heaven to participate inthe ceremony of Olodumare. When Alagemg got to heaven, he went straight to Olodumare and announced that he was the representative of Obataléa. When the ceremony started, Olodumaré adorned himself with an immaculate white dress. The whole heaven was in white. Those on earth who were not aware of what was happening in heaven looked at heaven and concluded that the sky was very clear. In heaven however, all the [runmolé were dancing in procession past Olodumaré. When it got to the turn of Obatala, Alagemo came forward and adorned himself in the very same dress worn by Olodumare with the cap and shoes to match! Afl the other Irdnmole stood still in amazement. Olodumare was highly impressed. Olédamaré went to change His dress to Aso Et, the dark dress with Fila abetiaja, the dog-ear cap, and a covered shoe to match. The whole heaven turned dark and those on earth believed that it was about to rain. As soon as Olédumaré stepped out, behold, Alagemg had adorned himself in the same dress, the same colour, the same fila and the same shoes! There was tumultuous applause and those on earth believed that thunder had struck in readiness for rainfall in heaven. Olodamare put on san-anyan, Alaari, aran, dandodgd, aperé ddodo, and so on, with crowns, fila; Gobi, aketé etc. to match, and Alagemo replicated 975a Dida; An invitation to fe Consultation themall! It was a most wonderful occasion in heaven. At the end of the ceremony, Olodumare called Alagemg9. He told Alageme that it was one thing for anyone to be given the tools to perform; it was another thing for that person to know how to use the tools provided for him and perform excellently. Olodumare declared that Alagemg had performed well. He blessed Alagemo that he would lack nothing on earth. Oledumare said that there would be no dress on earth that Alagemo would not be able toreplicate. Allthe Iranmolé present chorused a resounding Asell! Edethinojot’ohan Ede ghunojotihin Dia fun Oosanla Qseeramagbo Olodumare ni ko wa ba ouns'gdun Oni Alagemol'oun yoo ran lq Ebg ni won niko waa $e Ogb'ébo, Oni'bo Ko pe, ko finna Ewa bani b'ayo, ¢ waa wo'reo Nje¢ oniruuru aso kil won I'od9 Alagemo Eyito ba wu Qganii yoolo Translation ‘The language in this place is different from that of the other place And the dialect of the other place in different from that of this place This was Ifa's message for Oosarila Oseeremagbo Whom Olodomare invited to come and celebrate with him He said he would send Alagemo, Chameleon, to go and represent him He was advised to offer ebo He complied Before long, nottoo far Come and join usin the midst of joy and celebration of all Ire Alagemo will never lack any dress Whichever pleases him will he wear Ifa also says that this person needs to work hard if being sent anywhere to represent others. The potential to succeed is there alright, but he/se must put more efforts to excel. Ifa says that if someone plans to send another person to represent him/her in any event, assignment or occasion, that person needs to put his/her mind at rest because he/she will be well represented. He/she shall be praised for 976iu H rote Maj his/her choice of representative and the representative too shall be praised and blessed for a job well done. 9. Ifa says that there is a contentious matter facing the person for whom this Odu is revealed. Ifa says that with the appropriate eba, he/she will overcome that problem. There may also be the problem involving love or matrimonial issue that this person is facing presently. Ifa says that he/she needs to offer eba so that he/she will be able to come out of the problem unhurt. Ifa advises this person to offer ebg with six big kolanuts, one plate and plenty of money. Ifa says that if this can be done as quickly as possible, this person shall not be humiliated or blamed for his/her actions. On this aspect, Ifa says: Okore Ayarg Dia fun Okere jegbe Tiyoo fe obinrin Iku tan Tiydo fobi mefa ke Ebo ni wonni kd waa se Translation Let peace be with the husband And with the wife too This was Ifa's message to Okeré Jegbé, the squirrel Who shall snatch the wife of Ika, Death And use six kolanut for appeasement He was advised to offer ebo. Ik got married to a very beautiful woman. The woman was very obedient tohim. Yet Iku treated her badly. He threatened her and her family all the time. Ata stage, Ikd locked her up in a small room and never allowed her to go out again. This woman lived in constant fear. She lost interest in life and allits meanings. She prayed every time to Olodumare to pull her out of her problem. 977Ife Disa: An invitation to ta Consutaton One day, Okéré was wandering about in the forest in search of food. He soon heard the sob of a woman. The sound was so faint that he initially thought that his ears were playing trick on him. He listened carefully and he heard the unmistakable voice of a woman moaning and weeping quietly. He moved quietly to the direction where he was hearing the voice. When he got there, he realized that where the woman was crying had been sealed up completely. Who could have done this to a human being? He queried. ‘Who is there?’ Okéré asked softly. The woman said, ‘itis me. Please help me', The deep melancholy and desperation in her voice were too much for Okeré to ignore. He tried to break down the door but he could not. ‘Do not worry. I have tried to break the door but it was firmly locked. I am coming back tomorrow to help you out of this place. I promise you', Okeré said and left. Throughout that day QOkéré was not his normal self. At night, he could not sleep. Who could do this toa human being? He continued to ask himself. The next day, he moved into the forest with a crow bar with which to break the door open. When he got there, much as he tried, he could not break down the door. He had to dig a hole on the ground where he passed Iku's wife from bondage to freedom. The woman thanked him profoundly but there was nowhere the woman could go. She told Okéré that she would prefer to follow him back to his house. She vowed that instead of returning to Ika, she would rather prefer to lose her life. On their way to Okeré's home, the woman narrated the story of her life. It was a pathetic story indeed. She told Okérée the story of constant intimidation, outright aggression and unbelievable cruelty, which sometimes bothered on sadism. She had nobody to complain to, because her entire family was also under the threat of Ikd. Now that she had escaped, nothing could make her return to her enslavement. In the evening of that day, both Okéré and Iku's wife slept on the same mat. One thing led to the other and they became man and wife. From that day however, Okéré had no peace of mind anymore. He was always in constant fear and apprehension, He knew that Ikd would not keep quiet and allow anyone to snatch his wife without a violent reaction from him. 9784H rte May Everyday, Okéré became more and more desperate to find solution to this problem, Unknown to anyone, Iku was actually in love with his wife, He thought that the only way to secure this woman for himself permanently was to scare and intimidate every one from her. He thought that if he frightened her hard enough, he would be able to secure her total commitment. He was totally unaware of the damage he had caused this woman socially, physically, psychologically, mentally and spiritually, As far as he was concerned, feeding and clothing her were more than enough requirements. He was playing his role as a husband he believed. Why then should she run away from home? He queried. After much deliberation, he concluded that a misguided person had seduced his wife. He vowed to teach that person, together with the entire members of his family, a lesson they will never forget in a hurry. He began to hunt his wife's seducer everywhere, As Iku was hunting for his wife's alleged seducer, Oker¢ was been haunted by the fear of Iku and all the possible consequences of what Ikd would do to him when caught. In his desperation, he went to Oko ré and Aya ré for Tfa consultation: would he survive this contention? He asked. The Awo told Okeré that he was living in constant fear of the repression of his action. He was told that he was involved in a contentious issue, which he was not sure whether it will end up in his favour or not. The Awo assured him that it will end up in his favour. He was then advised to offer ebg with six kolanuts and plenty of money. He complied immediately. The ebo was placed by the road side. As soon as the ebg was performed, Esa Odara took control of everything. He went straight to Ikd and asked him what his troubles were. Iku responded that his wife who was his personal property was snatched away from him by an unknown person. He said that it was totally unacceptable to him and that the culprit would be severely dealt with. Esa Odara said that Iku must teach the culprit a bitter lesson, and he promised to follow Ikd to find this illusive culprit. Esa Odara led Iku to the way where the ebg with six kolanuts was placed. He showed Iku the kolanuts and told him to consume it as Iku was fond of eating kolanuts. Iku could not resist the kolanuts because they were big and enticing. After eating three kolanuts, Esa Odara declared that there was nothing Ika could do against the person who had snatched his wife anymore. Iku asked why this should be so, and Esu Qdara stated that the person who snatched his wife was the 979{a Dida: An invitation to ta Consuttation same person who placed the kolanuts where Ika had picked them. He added that it was a taboo and totally unethical for Ika to consume a person's gifts and then go ahead and kill such person. He consoled Iku to take heart and accept the loss of his wife in good faith. There and then Ika knew that he had lost out. Oko re Ayare Dia fan Okere jegbe Ti yoo fe obinrin Iku tan Ti yoo fobi mefa ke Eboniwonnl ko wad se Ogb'ébo, 0 ru'bo Ko pe kojinna Ewa ba nilaraus¢ Ogun Ifa déalase Ope ab'ise wara Translation Let peace be with the husband And with the wife too ‘This was Ifa's message to Okere jegbe, the squirrel Who shall snatch the wife of Iku, Death And used six kolanuts for appeasement He was advised to offer ebg He complied Not too long, soon after Come and meet us where we celebrate victory Here comes Ifa The holy palm tree that manifests with efficacy 10. Ifa says that the person for whom this Odu is revealed or someone close to him/her is presently erecting a building. There is the need for him/her to offer ebo immediately in order to avert an impending disaster. This is because as this person is erecting a property on earth, his/her Egbe in heaven are also erecting another property for him/her in heaven in anticipation of his/her arrival. This is why it is necessary to offer ebg so that the house in heaven will be demolished while the one on earth will be completed. Ifa says that if this is not done in time, 980HH ete May as soon as he/she completes the construction of the property on earth, he/she runs the risk of losing his/her life under mysterious circumstances, Ifa advises this person to offer ebg with one matured ram and money. A make-shift tent will be erected with sticks and palm fronds to represent the house in heaven. The ram will be tied to the make-shift tent. Then the ram will be chased helter skelter in such a way that it will eventually pull down the make-shift tent. The demolished tent represents the property being erected for this person by his/her Egbé in heaven. After this, the ram will be slaughtered and its head buried where he/she is erecting his/her house. This is why it is advisable to do this ritual at the site where the house is being erected, Itis also advisable that this ritual is done before the completion of the house. On this, Ifa says: Pa gunnugun bo'fa Awo won nile Alara P'akalamagbo b'Ose Awo Oke Ijero. P'atioro b'Ogun, al'aya bi gbe eebo Faa-naanaa-ko-si-tu-pe¢ Odea gbon'mi nif wo'leeja Ap'ajuba ni wo'le aparo Olugbongbs tinla ni won fi nségun dgiliituy Ako esin niisa're boranyin-boranyin B'ésin ba ji Esin ako gbinrin-gbinrin ha'nu Did fun Laigbo Ogege Tinmg'lee re l'aye Tiwon np'ilée t'orun pé ko wa Ebo ni wonniko wad se Translation He-who slaughters-a-vulture to feed Ifa, the Awo of Aldra's Household He-who-slaughters-akaiamagbo to feed Ose, the resident Awo. inthe mountof Ijero He-who-slaughters-atioro to feed Ogun, he whois as bold as imported knife He-who-stresses-something forcefully until it breaks and scatter Everywhere Those who drain the stream destray the home of fishes Those who clear farmlands destroy the home of bush fowls 981{fa Dido: An inition to ffs Consutation Abig club isit that Is used to scatter a clod Astailion is it that gallivants while running When a horse wakes up Ttis gagged in the mouth with reins These were Ifa's declarations to Laigbo Ogegé When constructing his house on earth While another is being constructed in heaven for him to and reside in it He was advice to offer ebo Laigbo Ogegé was very successful in his chosen career; he made goog money in his business. As a result of this, he planned to erect his own building in his family compound, He was given all the necessary approval and support by the elders of his family. When the construction of the building began, Laigbo Ogégeé was having strange dreams and his instinct kept sounding him a note of warning that something was amiss. Much as he tried, he could not fathom what was wrong at the time. He therefore decided to approach the group of Babalawo mentioned above for Ifa consultation; what was responsible for these strange dreams? Would he be able to overcome all the negative feelings he was having? Would his dreams return to normal? These and many more questions were what were at the back of the mind of Laigbo Ogege when he consulted Ifa. He was eager to get to the root of all his problems. The Awo told Laigbo Ogege that he had been having series of strange feelings and that was why he came for Ifa consultation. The Awo assured him that he would overcome the problems. The Awo however explained to him that while he was assuming leadership positions in life, he was equally a leader among his Egbé in heaven. When he left heaven for this world, his Egbe were expecting him to return very soon in order to assume his leadership position once again. As soon as his Egbe saw him erecting a house on earth, they too were busy erecting another one for him in heaven. They were full of expectation that he would soon join them in heaven. The Awo concluded that if Laigbo Ogéaé was not ready to die and go back to heaven to join his Egbé, there was the need to offer ebo as prescribed above, Laigbo Ogégé weighed the Awo's options; dying to go and assume his leadership position in heaven, or straying behind to continue to play his 982‘fa Dido: An Invitation to fe Consutation Abig club isit that is used to scatter a clod Astallion is it that gallivants while running When a horse wakes up Itis gagged in the mouth with reins ‘These were Ifa's declarations to Lalgbo Ogege When constructing his house on earth While another is being constructed in heaven for him to come and reside init He was advice to offer ebo Laigbo Ogegé was very successful in his chosen career; he made good money in his business. As a result of this, he planned to erect his own building in his family compound. He was given ail the necessary approval and support by the elders of his family. When the construction of the building began, Laigbo Ogegé was having strange dreams and his instinct kept sounding him a note of warning that something was amiss. Much as he tried, he could not fathom what was wrong at the time. He therefore decided to approach the group of Babalawo mentioned above for Ifa consultation; what was responsible for these strange dreams? Would he be able to overcome all the negative feelings he was having? Would his dreams return to normal? These and many more questions were what were at the back of the mind of Laigbd Ogegé when he consulted Ifa. He was eager to get to the root of all his problems. The Awo told Laigbo Ogégé that he had been having series of strange feelings and that was why he came for Ifa consultation. The Awo assured him that he would overcome the problems. The Awo however explained to him that while he was assuming leadership positions in life, he was equally a leader among his Egbé in heaven. When he left heaven for this world, his Egbe were expecting him to return very soon in order to assume his leadership position once again. As soon as his Egbe saw him erecting a house on earth, they too were busy erecting another one for him in heaven. They were full of expectation that he would soon join them in heaven. The Awo concluded that if Laigbd Ogege was not ready to die and go back to heaven to join his Egbé, there was the need to offer ebo as prescribed above. Laigbo Ogegé weighed the Awo's options; dying to go and assume his leadership position in heaven, or straying behind to continue to play his 982i irate Mei leadership role on earth. He ruled in favour of the latter. Consequently, he complied and offered the ebo as advised. The day the ebg was offered was the same day the building being erected for Laigbo Ogege in heaven collapsed. This sent a strong signal to the Egbé in heaven that Laigbo Ogége was not in a hurry to join them. Asa result of this, his Egbe left him to complete his tasks on earth before returning to join them in heaven. Pa gunnugun bo'fa Awo won nile Alara P'akalamagbo b'Ose Awo Oke Tero. P'atioro b'Ogun, al’aya bi gbe eebo Faa-naanaa-kd-si-td-pee Qdeagbon'mi nt wo'leeja Ap'ajuba ni wo'le aparo Olugbongbo tinla ni won finiséegun dgdliin Akg esin nif sa'ré boranyin-boranyin B’esin baji Esina ko gbinrin-gbinrin ha‘nu Dia fun Laigbo QOgege Tinmo'leerel'aye Ti won np'ileet'orun pe kowa Ebo ni won ni ko waa se Ogb'¢bo, O ru'bo Ebawawo'leorunnu Ewatunt'ayémoo Yogun grunab'ewuorisanko Tle Awo man wol'orun Ogerere, ile Awo ma nwo l'orun Translation He-who slaughters-a-vulture to feed Ifa, the Awo of Alara’s Household He-who-slaughters-akalamagbo to feed Ose, the resident Awo in the mount of Tjero. He-who-slaughters-atioro to feed Ogun, he whois as bold as imported knife He-who-stresses-something forcefully until it breaks and scatter Everywhere 983