Tuesday 8 December 2015

Ojo is the Yoruba word for days

 The religion of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigreia is Orisa. The word "Orisa" means "those whose heads were created more superior then others." Each of these deities are the ministrers of God (Olodumare), and the word of Almighty God. They are called Orisa (Eni ti ori sa da).
In the beginning, human beings did not have names for the days. It was Obatala (arch divinity, God of Creativity) who went to Olodumare to obtain weekdays for all the rest of Orisa. it was Orunmila who established the days, hence one of the Odus recited:
Ifa loni oni
Ifa loni ola
Ifa loni ojo mereerin Oosada saye
It is Ifa who owns today
It is Ifa who owns tomorrow
It is Ifa who owns the fourth day that Orisa made on Earth
In a paragraph of oriki of Obatala one of his daughters asked- can we know the name of the days?
Obatala says:
Take a day for week of Orisaala
Pick another day for Ogun
Make another day for Jakuta (Sango)
The remaining day is for Awo (Orunmila) it was only four days that Obatala brought from heaven to the world with the 401 deities. Obatala already distributed the days among the other Orisa, Ogun, Sango and ifa, while he picked a day for himself. The rest of orisa therefore had to share days, e.g. The week day (Ose Ifa) is the same day of Osun. Obatala shares his day with Egungun, Ancestor spirits, Iyami Aje, and Also Elegbara, etc.

Five days is the traditional calendar week of the Yoruba People, not counting the first day you have four days. Twenty nine days makes a month, that is when the moon is full. The moon spends fifteen days on earth and fifteen days in heaven.

Ojo Aje (Monday)- is the day on which money joined Orisa on earth and is known as the day of money. Yoruba people use this day to start business, and to discuss economic and social programs.

Ojo Isegun (Tuesday)- is the day of victory. This is the day all evil forces are overpowered. It is a good day to start anything that leads to a better quality of life.

Ojoru (Wednesday)- is the day problem entered the world. It is the day of confusion.

Ojoba (Thursday)- is the day on which names of the days arrived. It is a day on which Ancestors visit the family. This is why every important festival begins on Thursday- Ojobo.

Ojo eti (Friday)- is the day of postponement. It is believed that whatever people have to do on this day should be postponed or else it would fail. This is why business and journeys do not begin on this day.

Abameta (Saturday)- has the same attribues as Ojo Eti. In order to avoid three types of negative incidents, the Yoruba don't use Saturday to bury a person, unless the person is an elder.

Ojo Aiku (Sunday)- Ojo Ariku otherwise know as Ojo Isinmi is the day of rest, and the day Orunmila buried Imi, the mother of Esu Odara...On this day the people of the world requested immortality (aiku) from Olodumare. Orunmila, a close confidant of Olodumare refused to make propitiation and he was unable to bring immortality (aiku) for all inhabitants of earth; hence people had to die. Fortunately, premature death can be prevented by making sarifice and using Ifa medicine. . This day people were granted long live but not immortality.


OGUNDA SERESE, ADIFAFUN SEKERE
NIJO TI SE AWO LO SI ILU I LAJE SEKERE NI MODA
ARA MI LOKUN ARA MI NI AJE,AYA,OKO,OMO,IRE GBOGBO
NGBE SO, GBOGBO ARA NI SEFUN-SEFUN FI SEFUN AJE.

NINU ODUN YI ,AJE, AYA, OKO, IRE GBOGBO A GBA WA GBE
TITI LAI LAI. ASEE!!!!!!

Saturday 5 December 2015

What is ORI?

                           What is ORI?

Ori lo da mi
Eniyan ko o
Olodumare ni
Ori lo da mi
Ori is my Creator
It is not man
It is Olodumare
Ori is my Creator


Ori: The Divine Value of Self in Yoruba Cosmology

In Yorùbá, Orí literally translates to mean “head”, however the spiritual significance of the word is far deeper. Orí is human consciousness. It is our direct connection to Olódùmarè, the Supreme Force.
Conceptually, Orí is closely related to destiny or fate. Each and every person who is born on Earth, Aye, went through the process of choosing their Orí and their Destiny before journeying from Heaven to Earth, Orun to Aye. Each human being has the personal task of selecting their very own Orí, their own particular human consciousness.

Obatala is the Oriṣa responsible for molding the human heads, and thus human consciousness. He molds them by hand from clay. Not all Orí are created equally. Some of the Orí’s turn out to be more “perfect” than others ones do, as Obatala makes each one by hand.
One who chooses a good Orí and destiny will have an easy time obtaining the good things in life. They will find it easier than not to have a peaceful home, a job they truly enjoy, a good relationship with their spouse, and good children, along with the wealth and health needed to enjoy it all. Good things will come easily to them.
On the other hand, one who chooses an imperfect Orí will experience many hardships in life. They will find that the good things in life are hard to achieve and that tough-times are common. It will take great change to better things for them. Potentially they can change through the implementation of ritual and sacrifice, vehicles for change and transformation, to repair their Orí’s and their realign destinies, thereby turning their lives around for the better.
Orunmila is the one who repairs such imperfect Orí. The following is anexcerpt from an ancient Oriki, prayer poem, for Orunmila:
Odudu ti ndu Orí emere
Atun Orí ti ko suhan se
A mo iku

Translation:
The one who saves those who are destined to die young
The one whorepairs a bad Orí (Head)
Through your knowledge we avertdeath

I will end with this brief note: When praying to Orí it is best to bein a comfortable position, to hold your head in both hands, as it isour heads we are praising. Hold your head and say “Orími gbe mi o!” meaning “My Orí supports me!”
Orí Wuuu!

For more information on Ori look for the book Ori Mi Gbe Mi:Ori, Support Me by Fagbemijo Amosun Fakayode.
May Olodumare guide us and guard us. Ase O
Sincerely,
Apènà Fágbémijó Amósùn Òsúnyemí Fákáyòdé,
The Otun Amufawuni of Ibadan Land,
Director of Oyeku Ofun Temple
PO Box 4833
Arcata, CA 95518 USA
OyekuOfun@yahoo.com
+1-707-583-9432
http://www.OyekuOfun.com/
Ile Ori, Ori Shrines at Oyeku Ofun Temple in California, USA
Ile Ori, Ori Shrines at Oyeku Ofun Temple in California, USA
— — —

Iwure To Orí
A Prayer For Good Luck and Blessings
Morning Prayer for Good Luck and Blessings

Bi o ba maa lowo
Beere lowo orii re
Bi o ba maa sowo
Beere lowo Orí re wo
Bi o ba maa kole o
Beere lowo orii re
Bi o ba maa laya o
Beere lowo orii re wo
Orí mase pekun de
Lodo re ni mi mbo
Wa sayee fun awon omo mi di rere

Translation:
If you want to have money
Inquire of your head
If you want to start trading
Inquire of your head
If you want to build a house
Inquire of your head
If you want a relationship
Inquire of your head first
Orí, my head, please do not shut the gate
It is you that I am coming to
Come and make my life prosperous

— — —

ORIKI ORI:

Ori Onise Apere Atete gbeni ju Orisa Ori atete niran Ori lokun Ori nide Ko si Orisa ti dani gbe leyin Ori eni Ori ni seni ta a fi dade owo Ori ni seni ta a fi tepa ileke woja Ori ni seni ta a fi lo mosaaji aso oba Ori gbe mi Ori la mi Ori ma pada leyin miOri, the competent Creator
Apere
He who is faster in aiding one than the Orisa
He who instantly remembers his devotee
Ori is valuable
Ori is jewelry
No Orisa can favour one without the consent of one’s Ori
It is Ori that aids one for one to be crowned of money
It is Ori that bless one for one to be using beaded walking stick even to the market
It is Ori that bless one for one to be using valuable cloths
Ori, please, support me
Ori, please, bless me
Ori, please, never turn against me.
More on ORI:
What is Ori?
Ori is the “Head”. Ori is an Orisa, and a very powerful and important one.
Odu Ifa Ogunda Meji teaches us:

Ko s’orisa ti i da ni i gbe lehin ori eni
No Orisa helps an individual without the consent of his or her Ori.
Also in Odu Ifa Ogunda Meji, IFA teaches us that Ori is the only Orisa that can be with us and accompany us through all of life’s journeys.
Odu Ifa Irete Ofun teaches us:

Ko si Orisa to to nii gbe
Leyin Ori eni
Ori gbona j’Orisa

No other Orisa can give support
Outside of one’s Ori
Ori is higher than all Orisa.

Ase
We are born with Ori, but we also can (and should) receive the physical shrine for Ori. Receiving Ori is a very powerful ceremony. Receiving Ori helps align one with their inner self (Ori Inu) and with their higher self (Iponri).

IFA also says about Ori:
Orunmila lo dohun a-dun-hun-un
Emi naa lo dohun a-dun-hun-un
Orunmila ni begbe eni ba n lowo
Ba a ba a ti i ni in
Ifa ni ka ma dun huun-huun-huun
Ori elomii mo
Ori eni ni ka maa dun huun
Orunmila ni begbe eni ba n n’ire gbogbo
Ba a ba a ti I ni in
Ori eni ni ka maa dun hun-un
Orii mi gbami
Mo dun huun aje mo o
Orii mi gbami
Mo du huun ire gbogbo mo o
Ori apere
a-sakara-moleke
eni Ori ba gbebo re
ko yo sese
Ase

Orunmila said complaint, complaint, complaint…
I said it is all complaint
Orunmila said if ones colleagues are rich
If we are not yet rich
Ifa said we should not complain
To another person’s Ori
We should complain to our own Ori
Orunmila said if one’s colleagues are getting
all the good things of life
If we have not got…
We should complain only to our Ori
My Ori, deliver me
I complain of money to you
My Ori deliver me
I complain of all the good things of life to you
Ori nicknamed apere. Nicknamed A-sakara-moleke
Whoever’s offering is accepted by their Ori
Should really rejoice.


Who Is OSHUN?


                            Who Is OSHUN?

                      Who Is OSUN / OSHUN?

The Bag of Wisdom: Osun and the Origins of the Ifa Divination


By “Ifa divination” we mean Ifa and related systems of divination based on the stories and symbols of the Odu such as dida owo (divination with the sacred divining chain called opele) and etıte-ale (divination with the sacred palm nuts), eerındınlogun (divination with the sixteen cowries), agbigba (divination with a divining chain slightly different from opele), and obi (divination with kola nuts). The purpose of this essay is to examine the intimate connection of Osun with Ifa divination both in her own right as a person, and through the instrumentality of Osetuura, her son. We will start with the popular view of the involvement of Osun in Ifa divination which states that she got to know about Ifa through Orunmıla, her husband. In the later pages of this essay, I will make the claim that Osun has much more to do with the origins of Ifa divination than the babalawo (Ifa priests) are ready to admit. I will, indeed, put forward the hypothesis that the entire divination system of Ifa started from Osun from whom it got to Orunmıla and not the other way round. I will base my claims on verses of Ifa which give us hints to that effect. We will then examine the possibility that eerındınlogun is older than dida owo and etıte-ale which are probably later developments of Ifa divinations.
Let us begin with the popular view that Osun was introduced to Ifa divination by Orunmıla. Several verses of Ifa tell us about this. For example, a verse of Ogbe”Sa states that Orunmıla created the sixteen-cowry divination system and gave it to Osun as a reward for saving his life. In this particular verse, it was after Orunmila had created the sixteen cowrie system for Osun that both of them became married. But as will be seen later from another verse of Ifa, even though they were husband and wife, they did not live together in one place because it was not the custom for couples to live together at that time.
Let me now take some time to tell the story of Osun and Orunmıla as contained in Ogbe’Sa, especially because it relates to the importance of eerındınlogun in the Ifa divination system. The story goes as follows. It happened at a time that Olodumare summoned all the four hundred-and-one Orisa to Orun. But to their greatest surprise, the Orısa encountered a group of wicked “cannibals” in heaven (probably witches known to the Yoruba as aje) who started to kill and eat up the Orısa one by one. But since Orunmıla had performed sacrifice before he left earth, he was miraculously saved by Osun who successfully hid Orunmıla from the cannibals, and substituted goat meat for the flesh of Orunmıla which the cannibals had planned to eat on that particular day.
When both Osun and Orunmıla returned to the earth, they became much closer than ever before. It was probably at this time that Orunmıla and Osun became husband and wife. Orunmila then decided to reward Osun for saving his life, and that was how he put together the sixteen-cowry system of divination and taught Osun how to use it. Let me now quote a short portion of this verse of Ogbe’Sa. It goes as follows:
This was how Orunmıla and Osun became close.
Orunmıla said that the good turn which she did for him
Was an exceptional one.
He wondered what he should do in return.
This was the most important reason why Orunmıla
Created the sixteen cowries.
He then handed them to Osun.
Of all the Orısa who use sixteen cowries,
There is none who had it before Osun.
It was Ifa who gave it to Osun.
And asked her to cast it
And use it as another form of divination.
This was what Ifa used to reward Osun.
That is why the relationship between Ifa and Osun
Is such that nobody else can know
What is between the two of them.
Orunmıla then got married to Osun.
Of the several forms of divination,
Eerındınlogun is next in rank to Ifa.
According to this particular story in Ogbe’Sa, even though Orunmıla was the one who created eerındınlogun, this system of divination later received its own ase from Olodumare. It happened as follows:
Every sixteen years
Olodumare, Olofin of Orun,used to
Subject diviners of earth to a test
To find out whether they were telling lies to the inhabitants of the earth Or whether they were telling the truth.
This test involved
Calling on Orunmıla and other diviners of the earth.
Olodumare would say that he wanted to see all of them.
When they arrived,
Olodumare would ask them to divine for him.
So, Olodumare asked Orunmıla to divine for him.
When Orunmıla finished divining,
Olodumare asked, “Who is next?”
Orunmıla said that the next person was his partner
Who was a woman.
Olodumare then answered,
“Is she also a diviner?”
To which Orunmıla replied, “That is true.”
Olodumare then asked her to divine for him.
When Osun examined Olodumare,
She hit on all those things in his mind.
But she did not say it in full.
She mentioned the gist
But she did not tell the root of the matter like Ifa.
Olodumare asked Orunmıla,
“What is this one?”
Orunmıla then explained to Olodumare
How he honored Osun with the sixteen cowries.
Olodumare said, “It is all right.”
He further said that even though she did not go into details,
He, Olodumare gave his assent to it.
He added, “From today on and forever,
Even if what eerındınlogun says may not be detailed,
Anybody who disbelieves it
Would see the consequences instantly.
It must not wait till the following day.”
This is why the predictions of eerındınlogun come to pass quickly
Even though the stories may not be impressive.
That was how eerındınlogun received ase
Directly from Olodumare.
Osetuura and Ifa Divination Sacrifice
We will now turn our attention to myths of Ifa divination which tell us about the importance of Osun in Yoruba religion generally and how Osetuura became the representative of Osun in Yoruba divination and sacrifice. The full story goes as follows:
When the Orısa first came to the earth, they must have arrived in waves—not all the four hundred-and-one Orısa arrived at once. In any case, according to this myth from the Odu Ose Otura, there were only seventeen Orısa in the first party, and Osun was the seventeenth. Olodumare gave instructions to the Orısa about what they should do as soon as they arrived on earth to make the young earth a pleasant place to live. They carried out all the instructions without involving Osun in any of their activities. The result was that things did not go well for them. .. Rain did not fall. There was illness, bitterness, and restlessness all over the earth. Let us quote a few lines from this Odu at this juncture:
When they arrived on earth,
They created a sacred forest for Oro.
They created a sacred forest for Opa.
They made a small road leading to Ife.
They sent people to make okun beads.
They sent people to make brass objects.
But nobody involved Osun in anything.
Whereas Osun was the person taking care of them
Giving them food and other things.
All the things which the Orı.a were doing, none was successful.
They prayed for rain, but it did not rain.
Bitterness engulfed the earth.
Restlessness took over the streets of the city.
They exclaimed “Did Olodumare tell us a lie?
What is this?
We are doing everything according to his instructions.”
The Orısa then decided to send Orunmıla to Olodumare to find out what actually happened. When Orunmıla got to Olodumare, he stated the problem. He said that they were living on earth in accordance with the instructions of Olodumare, but to their greatest surprise nothing they did on earth was good. Olodumare then asked whether they involved the only woman among them in all they were doing. But Orunmıla replied that since she was a woman, they did not involve her. To which Olodumare replied as follows:
Olodumare said that he was a creator
But he would never create any person or thing twice.
He told Orunmıla to go back to his colleagues
And that all of them should go and beg Osun.
So that she could agree to be involved in their affairs.
He assured them that their affairs would then be good.
When Orunmıla got to the earth, he reported back to his colleagues, and all of them started to beg Osun, but Osun did not yield until Orunmıla appealed to her. She said:
Begin to beg your ori and your creator
So that the fetus which was in her womb
Would be delivered as a male child.
She assured them that if it was a male child,
Their matters would from then on be straight.
But if it was born as a female child,
War would begin in earnest.
Orunmıla reported back to his colleagues what Osun told him. When Obatala looked at Osun’s womb with his awo, he found a baby girl there. He then pointed his ado asure to Osun’s womb, and commanded that fetus to change into male with immediate effect. When Osun delivered the baby, it was born as a male child. Obatala was the first person to carry the baby. He petted the baby and coddled it. Then Orunmıla, the father, also carried the baby and named him Osetuura. He, Orunmıla, carried the baby with him wherever he went. Whenever anybody was to be initiated as an Ifa priest, Osetuura must be involved. Whenever anybody was making a sacrifice, Osetuura, the son of Osun, must be invoked last before the sacrifice was delivered to Esu. If any person was suffering from illness, as soon as Osetuura touched the person that person would be well instantaneously. Ose’Tura today is a minor Odu of Ifa, but he governs all sacrifices and rituals of Ifa. Osun then became happy since her son was deeply involved in the affairs of the male Orısa. She then made the following pronouncement:
From today on, all women without any exception,
They must not know Oro,
And they must not enter the shrine of Eegun.
Eegun must not come out in their presence.
This must be observed as a taboo.
But all other things you are doing,
You must involve Osun in them.
Their lives then became smooth.
They said, “If someone is pounding yams
Without the knowledge of Osun, .
His/her pounded yam will not be smooth.
If someone is preparing oka food .
Without involving Osun in it,
His/her food will not come out fine.
We will involve Osun in whatever we do.
We will involve Osun in all our deliberations.
Our great mother (Iyee wa),
Who must be present at every important deliberation.
We will involve Osun in all our deliberations.
Agberegede ajuba,
Ajuba agberegede
Divined for Osun Sengesi,
Owner of a hair comb decorated with iyun.
When she was in a secret place,
She spoiled the sacrifice of other divinities.
Who is performing a sacrifice
Without involving the owner of sacrifice?
Osun, whose other name is Ewujı,
We are all on our knees.
We are all begging you.
Let us all kneel and prostrate before women.
We are all borne by women
Before we become recognized as human beings.
The Bag of Wisdom: Did Osun Originate the Ifa Divination System?
Our next story from the Ifa literary corpus about Osun is taken from Okanransode. It was recorded from Babalawo Ifatoogun, a famous Ifa priest from Ilobuu, near Osogbo. The story is about a bag of wisdom which Olodumare threw down from the sky and asked all the Orısa to look for. Olodumare assured the Orısa that anyone who found it would be the wisest of them all. Olodumare showed the bag to the Orısa so that they would be able to recognize it as soon as they saw it. Since Osun and Orunmıla were a very intimate couple, both of them decided to search for the bag together. I will now quote this interesting story in full.
A wise person tied ide,but it disintegrated.
A sage tied ide, it became loose.
Only a person who leans his back on Ope
Will tie ide which will last for long.
Ifa divination was performed for Orunmıla
When he and Osun were searching for wisdom.
It was Olodumare who called the four hundred divinities (of the right) And the two hundred divinities (of the left).
Olodumare summoned them to orun.
When they arrived there,
He told them that he wanted to give them deep wisdom and power.
He told the Orısa that anybody who had
What he was planning to give them
Would be the source of wisdom,
And that person would be the wisest person on earth.
He told them that nineteen days hence
He would throw down a bag of wisdom onto the earth.
But whether he would throw it into a forest,
Or into a grassland,
Or into a river,
Or into a town,
Or on a road,
He would not tell them exactly where.
Olodumare showed them the bag of wisdom.
He said, “This is it.”
Look at it well
And note its distinctive features.
When they arrived on earth,
Some of them started to perform sacrifice.
Some were making medicine.
Some were planning their own strategies.
They were saying, “This thing, I will be the one to find it.”
Orunmıla and Osun used to do things together.
They were always going about in company of each other.
Both of them added two cowries to three, And went to divine.
They asked the diviners to check both of them out.
“The thing which all the Orısa are looking for
Could both of them be the persons who would find it?”
The diviners asked Orunmıla and Osun to perform sacrifice
With the big garments which they were wearing.
Each should offer a goat,
And a house rat
As well as two hundred-and-one oke full of cowries for each person. Orunmıla counseled that they should make the sacrifice.
But Osun said, “Please, let me rest.
Go make sacrifice with your garment,
Go make sacrifice with other things,
How does that relate to what we are searching for?”
Osun refused to perform sacrifice.
Orunmıla, whose other name is Ajana,
Took his own garment, and surrendered it for sacrifice.
He also used a house rat and money for the sacrifice.
They looked for the bag of wisdom,
They did not see it.
All the other Orısa
Did not see it either.
They searched for it up to Egba aja
They went as far as Esa adie
Some went as far as Iko Awusı
Others searched for it in Idoromu Awuse
While some looked for it in Iwonran
From where the day breaks
But they did not see it.
One day a house rat went to the garment
Which Osun hung up in her house.
The rat ate up its chest pocket underneath.
The next day, they got themselves ready
And started to search for the bag of wisdom once again
Then, Osun found it.
She exclaimed, “Han-in! This is the bag of wisdom!”
She threw it into the chest pocket of her garment.
She started to go in a hurry.
As she was crossing dead woods
And scaling climbing stems,
Suddenly the bag of wisdom dropped down
From where the rat had eaten her garment’s pocket.
Osun was calling on Orunmıla,
Saying, “Orunmıla, whose other name is Ajana,
Come quickly, come quickly.
I have seen the bag of wisdom.”
As Orunmıla was going,
He saw the bag of wisdom on the ground.
He then put it inside the pocket of his own garment.
When they arrived home,
Orunmıla said, “Osun let me see the bag.”
Osun said that she would never show it to a man.
But if a man must see it,
He would give her two hundred rats,
Two hundred fishes,
Two hundred birds,
Two hundred animals,
And plenty of money.
Orunmıla begged her for long,
But she did not yield.
He then returned to his own house.
When Osun tried to take out the bag from her pocket,
So that she could look at it once again,
As she put her hands inside the pockets,
Her hands entered into a hole,
And came out on the bottom part of the pocket.
So, Osun went to meet Orunmıla in his own house.
She started to beg him.
She started to please Orunmıla (with good things).
That was how Osun went to Orunmıla’s house
To live there with her husband
So that he would teach her a little bit of the wisdom.
In ancient times, when people got married,
It was not compulsory for the wife to go to her husband’s home to live with him.
That was how couples started to live together.
When Osun removed the big garment from her body,
She put ase into her mouth,
She said that from then on, no woman
Must wear the agbada dress.
She then went and threw the garment into the bush.
After a lot of pleading from Osun,
Orunmıla took a little bit of the wisdom .
And gave it to Osun.
That is the eerındınlogun
Which Osun is casting.
The bag of wisdom of that day is Odu Ifa,
Medicines and all other profound wisdom of the Yoruba people.
In the Ifa verse quoted above, Osun was the first person to find the bag of wisdom, but when the bag slipped through the broken pocket of her big garment, Orunmıla accidentally stumbled on it and kept it. One can speculate as to the morality of Orunmıla keeping for himself what should belong to his wife. But we must remember that before she discovered that she had lost the bag, Osun herself had boasted that she would take so many hundred of things as well as plenty of money from anybody who would see the bag of wisdom.
One can further speculate that this myth is telling us that Osun was perhaps the first person to make use of Ifa — the bag of wisdom— before it was passed on to her husband, and not the other way round. Let us now turn our attention to two other matters which confirm our suspicion.
The first one relates to iyerosun, the sacred yellow powder of divination on which Ifa priests print the marks of Ifa inside a divining board. Why is this powder yellowish like the color which is sacred to Osun? Did Orunmıla use this powder as a mark of honor to his wife? We may never know for certain the answer to these questions; but given the intimate connection between Osun and Ifa, especially in respect to the origin of Ifa as a bag of wisdom first found by Osun, it may not be far-fetched to say that the yellow powder has something to do with Osun.
The second issue which I would like to mention here is the simple fact that when one takes a look at the Odu of eerındınlogun and those of Ifa, it would seem that the Odu of Ifa are based on those of eerındınlogun, and not the other way round. Eerındınlogun is based on sixteen single signs of Ifa such as Odı, Irosun, Owonrın, etc.; except Ejı Ogbe which is coupled as in the case of Ifa. Ifa, however, does not make use of single signs (even though Ifa literature refers to it). All the signs are coupled either as oju odu (major odu) or as omo odu (minor odu). It stands to reason to say that a single sign such as Odı
I
II
II
I
must exist in reality or at least in the mind before it is coupled to become Odi Meji (two odi).
We can go further to speculate that the apparent simplicity of the signs of eerındınlogun and even the short nature of some of its literature are indications of its antiquity upon which the more elaborate signs and wider frame of reference of Ifa were based. Whatever the case may be, there is no doubt at all that eerındınlogun has not been given its rightful place as a part and parcel of the Ifa literary and divinatory system. In one of the verses quoted above, Olodumare, while giving ase to eerındınlogun stated thus,
From today on and forever
Even if what eerındınlogun says may not be detailed,
Anybody who disbelieves it
Would see the consequences instantly.
It must not wait till the following day.
Conclusion
It is customary for researchers to refer to Osun simply as an Orısa of fertility. This is true. In fact, a recent chanter of Osun’s literature refers to her as
Iya abobınrin gbato
Mother who helps women to collect semen
Ladekoju, abokunrin gbase
Wearer of a veiled crown, who helps men to collect menstrual flow.
There are many verses of Ifa which relate to Osun as a mother of many children both in the biological and religious sense. The city of Ooro (now simply called Oro) was where Osun had so many children that she did not have any more space to sit down in her own house. Since her children had taken up all available space, Osun was always found standing up.
Ifa also speaks of Osun as a benevolent mother. She has the habit of bestowing wealth, fame, and honor on her adherents. A verse of Irete Oba tells us how Osun rewarded a poor priest of Ifa who had divined for her when she was childless and made it possible for her to have children. The name of the Ifa priest is Ojıyaomegun; he had two apprentices: Ifon, Ifa priest of Ido, and Duuru, Ifa priest of Lıkı. When Osun eventually had children, she rewarded the three of them with costly clothes, beads, and plenty of money. She brought all the presents personally to her Ifa priests, but Ojıyaomegun had traveled out to a far place. Osun gave the two apprentices a horse each. She also gave them their own share of the rest of the presents. She waited for a long time for Ojıyaomegun. When he did not arrive, she ordered her servants to dig a very deep pit inside which she carefully kept Ojıyaomegun’s presents. But she first covered the pit with sand before she dumped the money and the presents there, and then covered it up again with earth. That is why Osun is saluted as
Oore yeye Osun.
Hail the benevolent mother Osun
O wa yanrın, wa yanrın,
She who digs up sand, digs up sand,
Kowo sı
And keeps money there (for her own people)
The benevolence of Osun goes beyond bestowing money and riches on people. She nourishes her own just as she nourished the original sixteen Orısa who first arrived on earth with Osun as the seventeenth. She nourishes people with with different kinds of vegetables, such as yanrin and tete (special vegetables of Osun) which are still her favorite foods today. She also likes different kinds of fruit such as pumpkins, bananas, oranges, etc. But she does not like guinea-corn beer. She drinks maize beer instead. Above all, she nourishes with the sweet waters of the sacred Osun River.
We must not make the mistake of thinking that Osun is always meek, quiet, and long-suffering. Sometimes she can be a fierce warrior. A verse of Ogunda Iworı (Ogunda araa Do) tells us how Osun Apara (otherwise known as Yemese) delivered the people of Ido32 when their town was conquered and the people were being taken away as slaves. She beheaded their enemies and freed the people of Ido. When her people said that they did not know the way back to Ido, she fell down on the spot, became a river and flowed back to Ido carrying her people along with her. That is why Yemese is celebrated in Ido with the following song:
Yemese ile Ido pagun ra o
Osun Apara pagun ra lonıı
O pagun ra
Yemese of Ido annihilated war.
Osun Apara annihilated war today
She annihilated war
Space will not allow us to go into other areas of the contributions of Osun to the religion and culture of the Yoruba people as a loyal wife of Sango, her second husband; as a physician who cures with her own water; as a founder of the Ogboni society to maintain truth and justice in the land; or even as the only Orısa who knows how to deceive the “cannibals” of heaven (see first story, above). All these and more are contained in the stories of Osun as enshrined in the Ifa corpus, a body of knowledge which she probably founded or at least helped to establish together with Orunmıla. Her role in this regard is often not deeply appreciated.
To understand this ancient Orısa is to know the intelligence, vitality, caring, and nourishing abilities of womankind—long-suffering, cheated, overlooked, and overworked, but always committed to the survival of humanity. In this sense, Osun is the icon not only of women, but of all creation. ..
Omi o!
Ota o!
Edan o!
Ekore Yeye Osun O!!!

What is EGUNGUN?


                                      What is EGUNGUN?




Egungun festival in Ola, Osun State
According to the myth, EGUNGUN becomes a known deity in two different ways. In the beginning, EGUNGUN was among the great divinities (IRUNMOLES) that came directly from the heaven beyond. The history made us aware that there was once lived a great man whose name was called LAPANPA , he was the one that started the cult of EGUNGUN. According to IFA verse
ONA NI KO TO
TARARA NI MO YA
LODIFA FUN LAPANPA
TI O TI ALADE ORUN
LO RE E MEGUNGUN WAYE
OLODUMARE WA FUN UN LEGUNGUN
EGUNGUN TI ELEDUMARE FUN LAPANPA
KII SE EYI TI O DA ASO BORI
SUGBON O DABI ORI
BI LAPANPA TI GBA KINNI TI O DABI ORI YII
O NPADA BO WA SAYE
OORUN MIMU SI NYO ORI TI LAPANPA MU LOWO
TRANSLATION
The path is not straight
I branch and follow the path
This divine IFA oracle for LAPANPA
That started his journey from the heaven above
To bring the cult of EGUNGUN to the physical world
The believe that, GOD gave him EGUNGUN
The type of EGUNGUN given to LAPANPA by great GOD
Was not the type that covered head with long cloth?
But looks like a Shea-butter
He returned to the physical world
The sun heated the Shea -butter brought by LAPANPA
He thought of what he could do to protect the Shea-butter from melting away, he later hid the remaining ORI (Shea- butter) in his mouth to prevent it from total melting and wasting away. On getting to the physical plain of existence. He wanted to alter a word saying ‘’MO DE TI ,’’O FE KE NI OHUN RE BA YI PADA’’ translating ‘’ I have, before he could altered such a powerful word, his voice change because the Shea-butter had melted and slipped into his throat . His voice changed and resembled not the voice of his contemporaries. He was ashamed of his voice, his character and his life. He was planning what to do to prevent the shame. He decided to cover his own head with cloth. Whenever he wanted to speak out, he noticed a strange voice, completely different from the normal voice of his generation of his days, thus, people became exceedingly grip with fear. People started to revere him that consequently resulted into ‘’EGUNGUN CULT’’. Meaning ‘’ORACLE FROM HEAVEN OR DEITY FROM UNKOWN THAT REPRESENT SPIRITUAL PAST OF THE PEOPLE
The second myth was, there was a great grandchild of ODUDUWA whose name was called OBONBA. This man had three children. The first child was called ALARA, the second was called AJERO , while the third was called ELEKOLE . On reaching adulthood, they lived in different cities far away from IFE. They later, became the king of three different cities in Yoruba land . It was believed that their grand- mother killed their father -0BONBA – because she was a witch , however , as these three children become advanced in age, and they wanted to inherit the exalted position of their father .They were gripped with fear of their grand-mother who had previously killed their father with her witchery . This made them sought spiritual advice in the house of IFA priest, which according to IFA verse came out
PAAFA TEERE NII LEKE OMI
LO DIFA FUN OBONBA TO
TORUN RO WA YE
BABALAWO NI KI WON RU EBO YII

ASO OYEPE MEJI ATI ASO GOGOWU OKUNRIN
ALAWE MERINDINLOGUN
NIGBA TI AWON BABALAWO DE IGBO IGBALE
ENI TI YOO SE ETUTU SO FUN WON PE
OUN RI BABA WON LORUN
O SI SO FUN OUN PE KI OUN KI WON LAYA
ATI WIPE KI WON O MAA RU EBO SI OUN LODOODUN
EYIN TOO JE AMI ATI APEERE IRANTI OUN ATI PE IPA IYA
WON AGBA TABI AJEKAJE KO SI NI KA WON
TRANSLATION
PAAFA TEERE NII LEKE OMI— PAAFA TEERE IS ALWAYS ON THE SURFACE OF THE RIVER
This divine IFA oracle for OBONBA
Who was coming from the heaven above to the physical world
IFA priest advised them to offer sacrifice
OYEPE cloth two yards
GOGOWU – men cloth sixteen yard
When IFA priest reached the forest of secret (IGBO IGBALE
The man who wanted to offer the sacrifice
Said he saw their father in heaven
Telling him he should helped the three
Children to be brave , strong and vehement
And that they should always offer annual sacrifice to him
As a sign and pact toward ancestral support
As a remembrance of his continue existence
And their grandmother, who was his (OBONBA) mother
Or any other witch would not have influence on their blessing or overcome them
According to the tradition the name of this IFA priest was called BABATUNDE ESA OGBIN, he was the first ,ALAPINNI , the head chief of EGUNGUN cult in the land of Yoruba. These children got all the sacrificial materials, took then to the forest of deities (IGBO-IGBALE) . On getting to the forest of deities, they tailored OYEPE cloth similar to EGUNGUN cloth , they sewed GOGOWU cloth to cover the head of image that look like human structure, and , they did the same with shoes and the socks , BABATUNDE , the first priest of EGUNGUN cult wore the cloth and he went to the house of the grand – mother. On seeing her , that is, their grandmother , she was gripped with fear because she had not seen EGUNGUN in her life . The rumour in the cities was that the dead father of the children came to visit his children on earth. The rumour also reached their grand-mother , and she was filled with awe.
According to the myth, anybody under the attack of the witches and the wizards , IFA priest will invoke the spirit of EGUNGUN to deter such a negative vibration . The children claimed their inheritance and they were installed as the king of three different cities in Yoruba-land . That was how EGUNGUN cult sprouted up in land of Yoruba , from there , the cult gained prominent significant among Yoruba in Diasporas and devotees of IFA all over the world. EGUNGUN becomes a special divinity to be worshipped annually among devotees and also as a sign and pact with the spirit of dead to bring into manifestation the blessing of heaven upon the people of the earth. It is also a remembrance to the spirit and the soul of the dead. It teaches people that their beloved one who has departed to the world beyond should not be totally forgotten but constantly be in their memory through the cult of EGUNGUN
THE WORSHIPPERS OF EGUNGUN
ALAPINNI — The head priest of EGUNGUN cult

ALAGBAA— is the head of the OJE, —second in command to ALAPINNI
ALARAN— it is the third in command in the hierarchy of EGUNGUN cult . It is second in command and important to ALAGBAA
EESORUN— mostly women, they are fourth, most important title , and revered position in the cult of EGUNGUN
AKEERE— it is the least most important position in the cult of EGUNGUN
OJE—- this is the name given to all EGUNGUN worshippers
EGUNGUN SIGN
ATORI , EYI TI AFIN TI A SI DIPO NI AMIN EGUNGUN, THAT IS ATORI ( GLYPHAEA BREVIS (SPRENG) MONACH,TILIACEAE) remove parts of outer-coat , heated with fire and bind it together is the sign of EGUNGUN

SACRIFICIAL MATERIALS
ORUKO -MALE GOAT (HE –GOAT)

AKUK O- COCK (MALE HEN )
OBI – KOLANUTS EITHER WITH THREE, FOUR , FIVE, SIX LOBES
OOLE OR OLELE— THAT IS , A BEAN FLOUR , MIXED WITH INGREDIENTS( PEPPER , ONION , TOMATOES AND OTHER FLAVOR ( WRAPPED INSIDE A LEAVE OR NYLON AND COOKED IN THE EXTREMELY HOT WATER
DIE NINU ORIKI EGUNGUN, – PARTS OF EGUNGUN ADORATION
AJE OLELE MA LE E SARE

EATING OLELE TO THE STATE OF RUNNING LESS
AJE MOIN -MOIN SU SASO

EATING COOKED BEAN FLOUR TO THE EXTENT OF EXCRETING ON THE OWN BODY
EGUNGUN ARA OKO
EGUNGUN FROM THE TRIBE OF OKO
ANOTHER ORIKI EGUNGUN — ADORATION OF EGUNGUN
ODUN PE AWO ELEJIO

THE YEAR COMES , THE SECRET OF THE OWNER OF EJIO
OSUN OMO ARINNAKO
MONTH, THE CHILDREN OF ARINNAKO
AJODUN WE RO DE AWO AROSINKO
THE CELEBRATION GOES BEYOND IMAGINATION, THE SECRET OF AROSINKO
ODUN LA RA TA, ODUN LA ROBI
EVERY YEAR , WE SEE PEPPER, YEARLY WE SEE KOLANUTS FRUITS
ODUN WADI PEREGUN
YEAR BECOME PEREGUN( DRACAENA ARBOREA)
ODUN NI PEREGUN YE
YEARLY PEREGUN IS ALIVE
AJODUN WA RO DE AWO AROSINKO
OUR CELEBRATION GOES BEYOND IMAGINATION, AND THE SECRET OF AWOSINKA
EGUNGUN OJE YAWA JIYO, WA JEPO
ALL EGUNGUN’S DEVOTEES AND ITS WORSHIPPER COMES AND EAT THE SALT AND THE PALM OIL

ADUDAMADA BI ENI PORI
ADUDAMADA LIKE MELTING THE SHEA BUTTER
OYO FUN SARA RE LO YIN
MELTING ITSELF LIKE THE SHEA-BUTTER
YAGBO-YAAJU BI OSUN IWERI
LIVING IN THE FOREST AND IN THE JUNGLE LIKE FEMALE DIVINITIES OF IWERU
AGBALAGBA YA WA JIYO WA JEPO

THE ELDER COMES AND EATS THE SALT AND THE OIL
ODU WA DA PEREGUN
OUR YEAR IS LIKE THAT OF PEREGUN
ODUN NI PEREGUN YE
EVERY YEAR PEREGUN LIVES
EMI SESE TI KOWE DUN
WITH CALMNESS AND MYSTERIOUS VOICE WAS THE SOUND OF KOWEE (A SPECIAL BIRD THAT INFORM US OF FUTURE DEATH , OR IMMINENT DEATH OF A FAMILY , OR BELOVED ONES)
SONGS OF EGUNGUN CULT
IYA UN O FE LEGUN O JARE

FELEGUN (2TIMES)
BABA UN O FE LEGUN O JARE
FELEGUN( 2 TIMES)
BODUN BA DE MA ME GBA DANI
FELEGUN
BOSUN BA DE MA KERO LEYIN
FELEGUN
ORO YI A DARI WO BE JE FELEGUN
TRANSLATION
MOTHER , I WILL LIKE TO MARRY A MEMBER OF EGUNGUN CULT
LET ME MARRY ONE OF THEM( 2 TIMES)
FATHER, LET ME MARRY ONE OF THE DEVOTEES OF EGUNGUN SECT
LET ME MARRY ONE OF THEM
EVERY YEAR , I WILL TAKE UP MY WHIPING STICK
THAT GIVE ME THE STRENGTH TO CARRY OUT MY EGUNGUN RITE
EVERY MONTH , I WILL GATHER PEOPLE FOR EGUNGUN FEAST
TO DISCHARGE MY EGUNGUN DUTIES
IT WILL BE A TOTAL CHAOS , IF YOU SHOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO CARRY OUT MY EGUNGUN RITE
ANOTHER SONGS
OLOBI MAJE NBI KO WU MI OOO

OLOBI MAJE NBI KO WU MI
OMO BII OLUMOKO OOO
OLOBI MA JE NBI KO WU MI
TRANSLATION
NEVER ALLOW EVIL DOERS TO AFFLICT EVIL UPON ME
NEVER ALLOW EVIL ONES TO DESTROY ME WITH EVIL
LIKE THE CHILDREN OF OLUMOKO
NEVER ALLOW EVIL TO BEFALL ME
ANOTHER MYTH SORROUNDS THE CULT OF EGUNGUN
EGUNGUN ARA ORUN KIN-KIN? EGUNGUN, THE HEAVENLY HOST FROM ABOVE
It is a deity with a colourful dress , it is one of the greatest divinities in the land of Yoruba. Among oral traditions, there are lot of stories about EGUNGUN cult and how it sprouted up among Yoruba race
IFA told us about a man called KUJENRA who turned the cloth of ORO to EGUNGUN , which attract people’s adoration of this said cloth and consequently led to the object of worship. While other myths made us to know that EGUNGUN and ORO are of the same family that is brothers. The myth went further that both ORO and EGUNGUN were good merchants . They took their trade to neighbouring cities . ORO was a spendthrift , squandered and a compulsive shopper. He had no reserve ,while EGUNGUN was found of pleasing himself with various cloths and meticulously dressing himself to taste. When it was a time to go back to their town , EGUNGUN put on beautiful , elegant and flamboyant dresses while ORO could not have a good wear on his body because he was a wastrel. This brought shame , dishonour and indignity to him. In disgrace , he was forced to enter into forest very close to their city, while his brother EGUNGUN entered the city with exotic and ostentatious dresses that befitted the glory of OLODUMARE and his statues as a revered deity.

ORO , lived in the forest nearby , but designed a mean to intimidate people in the market place whenever he wanted to buy food with his strange noise of ‘’NO MU UN , NO MU UN’’ . This unusual attitude was to bully and frighten the people in the market to run and leave their good behind. When people ran helter-skelter for their lives , ORO would cease the opportunity to take all what he wanted and the food to support his continues stay in the forest. That was how ORO became a fearful being that eventually turned to a deity ,worshipped by men, while his brother EGUNGUN also become an attractive deity among Yoruba and the cult later spread to the other part of the world.
To arrange for EGUNGUN festival
In the first place , the chief priest of the cult of EGUNGUN will take a lead after a due consultation with EGUNGUN devotees, on the spiritual direction of IFA oracle to give light to every step toward achieving a successful festival . One of the highly placed priests of EGUNGUN cult , most especially ALAGBA would ask IFA oracle again about the duration of the festival that can be either three, fifteen or seventeen days. After IFA has spoken and days chosen , the priest of EGUNGUN would go and report to the king to sanction and sanctify the days of the festival. Hence both the priest of EGUNGUN and the town crier of the king would announce the days to both the devotees and the populace in general. The announcement precedes the commencement of the festival . While all worshippers both in the city and in the neighbouring villages would really prepare for the festival , and they would bring fire –sticks to prepare the food , beans, pepper , chicken , maize , cassava flour and other materials for EGUNGUN festivals

The first day is always fall on the day of EGUNGUN according to IFA verse ‘’OJO NI I BO ESE AWO’’ meaning ‘the first day always fall on the day of secret and its ritual’
EGUNGUN represent in reality ancestral divinities that shows the belief of IFA devotee in the life after death and the resurrection of every soul in the universe. The remembrance signifies that every soul in the universe must ensure that he works toward making a universe , most especially the physical world a place of learning , and for the redemption of soul to attract the wisdom and light of ODU , the vibration from OLODUMARE. IFA teaches us to learn and to turn our learning into meaningful step to shape our life on the daily basis,
ORI BABA RE AGBE OOO
ORI IYA RE AGBE OOO
ASEYI SAMODUN
OJO AJI NA SI ARA WON
EGUNGUN A GBE WA OOOO
TRANSLATION
The soul and the spirit of your father will lift you
The soul and the spirit of your mother will lift you
Annually, we shall all be blessed
We shall live long to attract the blessing of GOD
EGUNGUN will bless us
Ase