₦airaland Forum

It will be recalled that for a millennia, Orunmila was the only divinity left by God to continue corporeal existence on earth, after recalling all the other divinities to heaven. That was because, he was the only divinity adjudge by God to abhor evil and champion the cause of ethical objectivity. Anyone who practices evil cannot be an adherent of Orunmila.

Orunmila traveled far and wide from his base at Oke-Mesi now called lle-lfe in Western Nigeria to places beyond the mass of sand as distant as Mecca and Medina, where he taught the art of divination and beyond the sea to the land of the albinos where they could not recognize the importance of sacrifice.

He found In those places that man had abandoned the heavenly law which decrees the supremacy of the elders. They had come to give pride of place to position, possession and knowledge, thus: subverting the wisdom that goes with age.

From there, he traveled to the land of the albinos where people were only interested in divination but not In sacrifice because they did not recognize the subversive Influence of Esu. He saw in the land beyond the seas, the manifestation of the curse which Esu pronounced on the albinos In heaven, that for failing to recognize him (Esu), they would always live to be the scavenger of the earth without having final satisfaction.

And that in the process of providing for others, they would have no peace because since they come to heaven to seek the unknown, they would continue to wonder from one discovery to another, forever and ever.

Thank you for reading, leave a comment

Babalawo

Thank you

iPopAlomo:
You're good!!!

You're really good...

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha..............

Raintaker:
But baba, why some orishas no dey fine?
Just like the one you posted
Is thay how they were when they were alive?

You are welcome

iPopAlomo:
Following you and reading your threads... I've always wanted someone to convert the songs of Orunmila from Yoruba to English...

I love those stories behind everything...

Baba... more of it... I can't thank you enough...

When the divinities inhabited the world, people were still generally afraid of doing evil because they did their best to observe the laws of heaven on earth.

They were final authorities within the jurisdiction allotted to each of them by God In heaven. Any matter which defied the authority of any single one or a group of them was referred to the Earthly Council of the Divinities under the Chairmanship or Orisa-Nla that is: "God's own representative on earth".

While on earth, they kept the tradition of meeting every five days during which no one went for any outside chores, be it to the farm, forest or market. That day was generally observed as the Sabbath day (ljo iyasi mimo in Yorubo or Eken in Bini).

It was universally forbidden under pain of mysterious death or sickness to perform any chore outside the house on that day. The Earthly Council of the Divinities (which was the final court of appeal on all matters affecting mankind on earth) decided the fate of each human being on earth.

Most of the activities of the divinities, however, transcends the common sense comprehension of lay mortals because, the Divinities themselves were endowed by God with the perceptive vision of simultaneously knowing and seeing what transpired in heaven and on earth which power was denied to man when he was created to serve the divinities before the advent of the earth.

When the mortal population of the world began to increase however, the divinities discovered that their mortal servants were gradually beginning to stray away from the paths ot their destiny to uncharted terrain.

They were falling easy preys to the machinations of Esu who had vowed to mutilate and bastardize whatever being was created by God.

As long as the authority of the divinities held sway on earth, little was heard of divinity's indivinity to divinity. As soon as the earth became totally mortalized however, man's inhumality to man became rife to the point of ringing discordant gongs in heaven.

Men began to cannibalize, rob, scandalise, brutalise, enslave, torment, dehumanise, rape, etc themselves in the name of one cause or the other.

That period coincided with the time when the divinities began to return to base in heaven. The children and priests of the departed divinities thought that law and order could be maintained by introducing the concepts of swearing, cursing and oath taking in the name of their departed divinities. That was how oath taking and corporate and mutual cursing became universal practice on earth.

But now civilization, modernization, Christianity and Islam has taking away such Orisa practices. They call such practices barbaric and uncivilized. Evil, corruption, murder, robbery, assassinations, terrorism, rape...... etc has increased in our society.

Thank you for reading, leave a comment

Babalawo

Thank you

mcseun1:
Nice piece

Thank you

eleshin:
I love this thread.

Àború, àboyè, àbosise Hanny042

Odo to ba gbagbe orison o ma gbe ni: "The spring that forgets its origin will run dry."

Ẹni t'ó bá f'ẹyin t'ọ̀pẹ̀ ní gbọ́ ohun Olodumare: “Those who rest their backs against the palm tree (symbolizing Ifa) will hear the voice of Olodumare.”

Bi owe, bi owe nIfa sọrọ: “Like proverbs, like proverbs is how Ifa speaks.”

“I will practise the custom of my house (ọrọ ile mi). Christianity will not stop me, Islam will not stop me from practising my traditional rites.”

Ifa philosophy is one of the oldest forms of knowledge revealed to mankind.

Unfortunately, the revelations of Orunmila have since the beginning of time been shrouded in utter secrecy and those who could afford the time and leisure to acquire it had no means of leaving any records behind them. Whatever we know of Ifa today has been handed down from generation to generation.

Alot of what people know about Ifa is also revealed even to this day by Orunmila himself because he constantly appears to his adherents in dreams to teach them what they ought to know about him and his works.

Knowledge of Ifa has mainly survived by Oral tradition from one Ifa priest to another and even the Ifa priests themselves are often reluctant to part with their knowledge for fear that if the knowledge becomes public property, the mystical facade behind which they operate will be destroyed.

This is not entirely their fault because it takes at least 21 years of indentured servitude to produce a proficient Ifa priest.

The body of knowledge called Ifa is endless, ageless and eternal.

Orunmila although the youngest of all the divinities created by God was actually Gods own witness when he began to create other organic and inorganic substances.

That is why he is referred to as "Eleri Upin." He alone knows the true nature and origin of all animate and inanimate objects created by God.

This knowledge has given him such unparalleled powers that make him the most effective of all divinities.

His followers like myself who are able to acquire some of the knowledge therefore wield tremendous powers which have often baffled many into calling it magick or juju.

Ifa encompasses the revelations, ways of life and religion taught by Orunmila.

That is why it is often said that Orunmila is the divinity but Ifa is his word.

The Ifa priest is the mouth piece of Orunmila and until recently, he was the axis around which daily life revolved in the community.

Babalawo

Hanny042:
Is IFA a religion or tradition and where does christianity stand in IFA .??

Permission granted

IranjeIdita:
Babalawos, permit me to share unrelated odu texts in order that we keep the thread alive.


How tortoise became sacrificial requirement for Osanyin, the god of medicine/herbs.


“When the palm kernel oil maker is not at home, crows live in his work shop” was the one who cast Ifa for Tortoise, the Miser, when he was trading at Toku.

Two pigeons, seven pence two oninis, and a cock was the sacrifice so that his secret would not be disclosed. Tortoise offered the two pigeons and the seven pence two oninis, but he did not offer the cock with the rest of the sacrifice.

Long, long ago there was a famine on earth and in heaven. Tortoise sought a way to get something to eat, and he tried to find a clever trick. He got ready and went to the edge of the market where there was a hollow palm tree, and he hid inside it.

When market day‘ arrived and people came to market, Tortoise began to sing:

“The palm tree dances, the one that has palm leaves; Dance, I dance; “The palm tree staggers about, oh; Dance, I dance; “The palm tree staggers about; Dance, I dance. “The palm tree flits about the market; Dance, I dance; “The palm tree twists and turns through the market; Dance, I dance." When Tortoise began to sing in this way, and the people in the market heard him and saw the palm tree walking about the market, the whole market broke up.

Then Tortoise came out from the hollow of the palm tree and began to gather the traders’ goods and things to eat. Tortoise was doing this every market day and gathering all the food that came to his hand each market day.

When the people saw what was happening, they told the king, and the king sent the God of Iron to the market to bring him whatever was doing this kind of a thing. But when the God of Iron heard the song and saw the palm tree walking, he ran into the forest.

Thus the king sent all the Four Hundred Deities, and they went there but were not able to capture the thing that was breaking up the market.

Then Eshu said that he would capture it. When he went he tied 200 small medicine calabashes on his body, but when he reached the market and the market people assembled, and he heard the song and saw the palm tree walking, he ran into the forest with the others. The calabashes of medicine that he had tied on his body fell off, except for two, and these two began to say: “Pekelepe, gbagidari" “What is this? gbagidari”

When Eshu could not capture the thing, the king sent the God of Medicine to go and bring it to him. When the God of Medicine went, he took a burning iron with him, and he sat down next to the fire of those who sold bean fritters, and he put the, burning iron into the fire.

After a little while he began to hear the song and to see the palm tree walking. When the market people scattered, the God of Medicine remained seated and did not leave the market; he did not run away with the market people. When Tortoise saw that the market had scattered, he came out and began to gather up the goods, but when he came to the place where bean fritters were sold, he wanted to eat bean fritters. And as he reached out his hand to take a bean fritter, the God of Medicine pulled the burning iron out of the fire and pressed it against Tortoise's body. Tortoise cried out, promising that both Tortoise and Snail would become slaves of the God of Medicine. The God of Medicine said he would take only Tortoise as his slave and that he would not take Snail.

From that day on, we have been using Tortoise to sacrifice to the God of Medicine until this very day.

When this odu is cast for someone, Ifa says someone should make a sacrifice lest the thing he wants to do in secret be revealed and cover him with shame. Ifa says someone wants to do something, but shame will come to him if he does not make a very fine sacrifice.

Permission granted

Adek15:
OP, can I share this story on my Facebook page please?

Permission granted

Canme4u:
God bless you sir.



Permission to share it on my blog sir with your profile and a link pointing to this thread as a source?

Thank you

UyiIredia:
I'm loving this story.

You are welcome and I hope you learnt somethings from this esoteric story?

TheShopKeeper:
Hmmm....very interesting story...thanks OP

Ogun Vs Orunmila {Part Two}

Continued

God immediately realized what had happened and used Divine Telephonic Telepathy to invite Ogun and Orunmila to His Divine Chamber be recalled that the telephonic Communication brought to this world is a replica of the means of communication used between God and the Divinities and between the Divinities. Guardian spirits and their wards. It was revealed to this earth by the cult of witchcraft.

In no time, Ogun and Orunmlla were present in God's palace. God asked Ogun: "who sent the arsonists that tried to set His house ablaze?" He was speechless.

When he was finally able to collect himself together, he giggled that they did not go to where he sent them. Asked where he sent them? He replied that he directed them to destroy Orunmila's house.

By this time. the Houses of God and Orunmila had assumed their usual features and characteristics from what Esu had transformed them to be.

God settled back to His throne and recalled the predictions of Orunmila. The Divine Father admonished Ogun for not having the magnanimity to present a few of his spoils from war to his benefactor as a gesture of appreciation for what Orunmila did for him.

Rather he thought that the best way of demonstrating his gratitude was by eliminating his benefactor from the face of heaven. That was the first demonstration of anger that God was ever associated with.

He quickly convened an emergency meeting of the Divine Council to make a proclamation. When all the Divinities were assembled, God recalled what transpired on the day He ordered Orunmila to prepare lfa for Ogun and how Ogun and his followers tried to set His own house on fire when in fact he told them to set Orunmila's house ablaze and to kill him and to kill him and members of his household.

He briefed them on how Orunmila's good turn to Ogun manifested in his success in the war between llokporo and Aminikun. Instead of sharing his loot with Orunmila, he decided under the influence of Esu to eliminate him from the face of heaven.

God commanded Ogun to stand in the middle of the conference chamber and proclaimed:

"Ogun, I had earlier on at creation ordained that you would for all time be the indispensable complement of all divinities and mortals created by Me.

That will continue to be so without fail because no divinity or mortal will be able to do without you on the account of your engineering industry and inventiveness.

Now that you have demonstrated that you are not only an arsonist but also an ingrate, I will add another proclamation because your mind has been taken over by Esu."

God then brought out his wand of authority (ASE in Yoruba and Akhase or Sosomaye in Bini) and further proclaimed:

"From today to eternity, you Ogun will become the servant of all my divinities and mortals. You will assist them in all their chores, be it in the home, in the farm, moving from one place to another and in moments of strife. As the metal divinity, you will continue to be endowed with the authority to produce all kinds of Instruments and ornamentation.

However, before you are able to perform any transformation, the fire with which you tried to burn My house and the house of Orunmila your benefactor and mentor will always be used to burn your head, chest, hands and feet before you assume the shape in which you are required for service.

After working for my creatures night and day, no one will ever remember to express gratitude to you in any shape or form. That will be your everlasting punishment for the ingratitude you have shown to your benefactor.

God then turned to Orunmila and proclaimed that as the Divinity of Wisdom and the wisdom diviner of Heaven and Earth, anyone who repays your good deeds with ingratitude will also become the victim of ingratitude for all the good turn they may do to others. But I will always repay you ten fold for any act of Ingratitude demonstrated to you for your good deeds."

The manifestation of God's curse on Ogun is reflected in the following living facts we all take for granted:

(1) Before iron ore is melted into malleable steel or cast iron, it is heated with fire and beaten up with manual or mechanical instruments before assuming the required design. Examples are matchets, hoes, ploughs, knives, guns, metal beds, tables, bicycles, motor vehicles, aeroplanes. factory machinery, all domestic and institutional metal appliances and so on.

(2) After using any of them for the required purposes, they are cast aside until they are required for use again. No one ever bothers to thank the matchets, hoes, ploughs with which the farmer feeds the world nor does any one express any form of gratitudes to the bicycle, motor bike, car, helicopter or aeroplanes that transport them to and from the places they fetch their means of livelihood.

That is Ogun, the metal divinity, performing all the chores but no one stops to show him any form of recognition or appreciation.

With that final proclamation, the meeting of the Divine Council dispersed just before the crow of the cock. That is why anyone for whom lwori-Ogunda comes out at Ugbodu can rightly be described as an ingrate and hence all his good deeds are also bound to be repaid with ingratitude.

NOTE

This goes to illustrate that we do not really have anything to do for God except to the extent to which we live in harmony among ourselves. As long as we are supportive of one another's effort, assist and cooperate with one another, God will be happy that His objective for creation is manifesting.

If on the other hand, we are at odds and war with one another, no matter the ostensible justification for it, it is a reflection of the success of Esu, which provokes the lamentation of God.

Make no mistake about it, whenever you hove to play God or assume the authority of the Divine Council by killing, maiming, dehumonising, plotting against people, seducing the wife, bearing false witness, subverting, conspiring, robbing and meting out all unwholesome acts against your fellow men, supposedly in the name of God and the punishment will await you at the pinnacle of your life not in hell but here on earth.

It Is true that the Institutionalization of religion has given rise to universal enlightenment, stopped slavery, human sacrifice and enhanced moral virtues, all of which culminated in making the world more livable.

At the same time, it has enhanced universal corruption, wars, factional hatred, schisms, nepotism, divisiveness, factional discrimination and all forms of human denigration. Religious Institutionalization has always been the precursor and midwife of any diaspora among the civilized and the barbarians, believers and unbelievers, saints and villains.

Thank you for reading, leave a comment and you are permitted to share this esoteric story

Babalawo => https://www.facebook.com/IfaPriests

OGUN VS ORUNMILA
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According to lwori-Ogunda, God admonished Ogun when he fell from grace otter contriving the assassination of Orunmila.
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Ogun was very poor and his guardian spirit advised him to request Orunmila to prepare lfa for him. Orunmila refused on the ground that Ogun would try to kill him in an ultimate show of ingratitude.
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Ogun begged Orunmila several times but on each occasion, the latter refused to oblige.
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Eventually, Ogun reported the matter to the Divine Council of God where all present accused Orunmila of being uncharacteristically hard-hearted.
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In his verdict, God Commanded Orunmila to prepare Ifa for Ogun.
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Orunmila agreed to carry out the injunction but predicted that God would Himself be a witness to the ultimate manifestation of Ogun's ingratitude.
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Orunmila proceeded to perform the ceremony which lasted seven days. Before finalizing the ceremonies, war broke out between llakporo (Hadlmand Aminikun (Ere bus) on the sixth day and being the divinity of war, Ogun had to leave for battle before completing his lfa ceremonies.
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He fought both sides into submission and returned home with over 600 prisoners of war, all carrying the spoils and loots of war.

On getting home, Ogun began to ponder over the hidden powers that Orunmila wielded.
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He thought to himself that if the ceremony performed by Orunmila could so efficaciously transform his lot from penury to affluence, what would such a fellow-divinity do to him the day he decided to dare him.
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Ogun then contrived a strategy for the elimination of Orunmila.
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He invited his soldiers and gave them detailed instructions to go to Orunmila' s house in the night not only to set it on fire but also to kill anyone trying to escape from the blazing inferno.
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Traditionally, Orunmila's house is next to God's in heaven, which-is why he Is called Ajiborisha Kpero - meaning: "the divinity who goes to greet God first thing in the morning."
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God's house is all white with a white flag in front of it. On the other hand, Orunmila' s house Is painted with black dyestuff with a palm frond In front of it.
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Ogun told his followers to bum the dark coloured house without telling them who owned or lived in it.
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Meanwhile at his usual morning divination, Ifa revealed to orunmlla that war was imminent and that he should without delay offer a he-goat, white native chalk, charcoal, white cloth and palm-frond to Esu.
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He quickly sent Akpetebi to the market to fetch the materials and he made the sacrifice without any delay.
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Late in the night. when everyone had Slept. Esu got to do the work for which food had been given to him. He turned the colour of Orunmila's house to white and inserted a white flag in front of it. At the same time, he turned the colour of God's house from white to black and Inserted a palm-frond in front of it.
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At this point, it is important to recall the proclamation of Esu that although he has no creative powers, he can nonetheless mutilate whatever God has created or designed.
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After everyone had slept. Ogun's soldiers moved in to attack. They had no difficulty in locating the black house with the palm frond In front of it. They instantly set it on fire and took position to attack whoever would come out of it.
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When God saw that His house was on fire, He commanded the fire to extinguish because. "it is forbidden to do any damage in the house of God - "Aikoro lule Orisa." The fire was instantly extinguished.
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God then asked Ogun 's soldiers what it was all about and they explained that they were acting on Ogun's instructions. He asked which house they were instructed to set on fire and they further explained that it was the dark-coloured house with palm-frond in front of it.
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God immediately realized what had happened and used Divine Telephonic Telepathy to invite Ogun and Orunmila to His Divine Chamber.............. to be continued
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Babalawo

That-which-made-for-the-success-of-those-who-went-before- must-be-noted-by-those-who-come-afterward cast the shells for Yemoja Atalamagba, Moashogbogbogbayo.

She asked what she could do to have a good life. Sacrifice 26,000 cowries, 1 rooster, 1 pigeon, mashed corn and boiled corn to divination set.

The sacrifice was done, Yemoja had a good life.

ORIKI IRE;

Yemoja b'o r'agbo a yo Yemoja.
Yemoja if she sees a ram, she will rejoice, Yemoja.

TRANSLATION

Ogunda cast Ifa for Yemoja who wanted to have children. She was advised to sacrifice 26,000 cowries, a piece of white cloth, cold water and 13 snails. The sacrifice was made.

Orisha says a blessing of children.

Famous-heads-are-not-useless-they-are-acclaimed-at-home-they-are-acclaimed-in-battle cast shells for Title-becomes-two who asked what is to be done to receive blessings on earth?

Sacrifice 26,000 cowries, 3 pigeons, boiled corn, corn porridge and fritters to Shango and Oya. Title made the sacrifice and became chief.

If a couple is in dispute both parties should made an offering to Shango and Oya.

Ogunda says that where there are problems in the bedroom both parties should sacrifice 26,000 cowries, a knife, a rope, 3 chickens, 3 pigeons and a piece of meat. One pigeon is to be released in the woods. The sacrifice was made.

Orisha says there will be a blessing in the relationship.

Panther-gallops-through-the-farm-civet-cat-softly-climbsthe-path-up-the-hill cast the shells for Crocodile Waaka who asked how to overcome enemies. Sacrifice 26,000 cowries, 3 rats, 3 pigeons, palm nutshells, snail shells and 3 iron pegs to Ogun and Esu. The sacrifice was made. The enemies were defeated.

ORIKI IRE:

Oni ma ma de omo omibu
Tani o gb'odo l'owo Oni?
Tani gba'le baba omo l'owo omo?

TRANSLATION

Crocodile is coming, a child of the chief of deep waters,
Who can take the river away from the Crocodile?
Who can take his father's house away from a child?

Things-are-difficult-at-Morgun-there-are-many-innocent-people-there cast the shells for Ogunda who was concerned for the people who were being treated unfairly by the chief.

Sacrifice 26,000, cloths to the poor, 3 chickens, 3 pigeons, and a pot of beans to Ogun. Orisha says a blessing of fair treatment, fair trial and the speaking of truth so that no one will be accused of something that they did not do.

Ogunda says there will be a blessing of good fortune and abundance.

Ogunda says there will be a blessing of good fortune, children and a long life for those who embrace patience.

Ogunda says there is a taboo against anger, and a taboo against harsh judgments.

Ogunda says that the successful child will be praised by the mother.

Orisha says that patience brings a blessing of appreciation.

Ogunda says that the mother will have successful children.

A sacrifice should be made to the head of the children.

Orisha says that the three children took the position of the elders and became chiefs.

Ogunda says that this person must maintain all of their taboos and honor the taboos of others. Doing so will bring good fortune.

OGUNDA INCANTATION AND TRANSLATION

Ogunda, Ogunda, Ogunda,

The Creator, the Creator, the Creator,

Mo be yin,

I beg you,

Kiedai ni'de arun iku ejo,

Release me from the tie of death,

Egbese ati beebee,

Release me from misfortune,

Ki e da're ire owo,

Direct the benefits of money to me,

Ise oro omo ola ola emigigin,

Direct the benefits of responsible children to me,

Aralile ati beebee sodo mi,

Direct honor, prosperity, long life and health to me,

Ki e da mi ni tiyoo bimo rere ti won.

Let me be known as a parent who produces good children.

Yoo gb'ehin si-sinu aye ati beebee?

Who will be behind me, follow me and bury me?

Ogunda.

The Creator.

Ase.

So be it.

Thank you for reading, leave a comment

Babalawo

You are welcome

delishpot:
Wow, It would be an honour to learn . Looking forward to the moment. Thank you for your generous explanation.

Aboru Aboye

Here's the meaning of your dream:

Your hunger for spirituality will lead you to a man who will initiate you and share his knowledge of spirituality with you but you will be sad to discovered that what you had read and heard of spirituality is not the way spirituality actually is as you practice spirituality.

Thank you for reading, leave a comment

Babalawos

delishpot:
Thank you for responding. In fact, just this morning I thought that if you do not respond to peoples queries, then no need to follow your topics
Okay, I have been having dreams that I can not categorically say where they fall. The last one was, I was hungry in my dream, an old man told me to come eat, he had inside a white plate , 2 pieces of boiled yam white like paper, and 2 boiled eggs. This was his meal but he was willing to share with me.
I asked him for oil, he said there was non, I said okay give me some chilli pepper he said there was none then he sprinkled some salt on the eggs and said I should come partake of the meal with him. Everything was white. The plate, boiled yam, the boiled eggs and the salt sprinkled on the eggs.
I was not happy that there was no palm oil to eat the yam as it felt strange eating plain white yam without oil ,sauce or stew. Besides, I am never a fan of Yam. Never liked it. I can go 10 years without eating yam no kidding) so I grumbled. But before I ate, I switched to another dream which means, I can not tell if I ate the meal at last or not. But I accepted the offer in my dream mind.

PRAYER {INCANTATION} AND TRANSLATION

Eji Oko, Eji Oko, Eji Oko

The Averter of Death, the Averter of Death, the Averter of Death

Mo beyin,

I beg you

Bi iku ba sunmo itosi ki e bami ye ojo iku fun

If Death is coming please help me to avert it

Si ehin ogun tabi ogorun odun

For all the years that I have been in the world

Tabi bi iku ba nbo kie bami yee si ehin ogofa

You have averted Death, continue to avert Death for me

Odun tiatibi mi sinu aye ki e bami ye ojo iku fun ara mi ati awon omo mi ti mo bi.

Avert Death for all of my children and avert Death for all whom I pray for

Kiamaku ni kekere

That they not die young

kiamaku iku ina

That they not die in fire

kiamaku iku oro

That they not die in tragedy

Kiamaku iku ejo

That they not die in shame

Ki a ma ku sinu omi

That they not die in water

Ase

So be it.

Thank you for reading and leave a comment

Babalawo

The Gods are wise !!!

Seun:
Can the gods produce dollars? If they produce naira, that will lead to inflation and hurt our economy. It is better for them to produce dollars.

How is this relevant to this post?

sholay2011:
John 3:16

Àború, àboyè, àbosise

You will get money like that on the picture when this Odu appears for you during Ifa divination

Babalawo

kaja4real:
So how i fit get the money for dat picture

Bi owe, bi owe nIfa sọrọ: “Like proverbs, like proverbs is how Ifa speaks.”

delishpot:
This story is not clear, why did they make him their king? Because they couldn't climb to get the money themselves or ?

Aboru Aboye

I have three questions for you before giving you the interpretation of your dream. Here are my three questions:

(1) Did you take alcohol or drugs before falling asleep?
(2) What did you eat before you slept?
(3) Did you think of any of this before falling asleep?

Babalawos

delishpot:
Thank you for responding. In fact, just this morning I thought that if you do not respond to peoples queries, then no need to follow your topics
Okay, I have been having dreams that I can not categorically say where they fall. The last one was, I was hungry in my dream, an old man told me to come eat, he had inside a white plate , 2 pieces of boiled yam, and 2 boiled eggs. This was his meal but he was willing to share with me.
I asked him for oil, he said there was non, I said okay give me some chilli pepper he said there was none then he sprinkled some salt on the eggs and said I should come partake of the meal with him.
I was not happy that there was no palm oil to eat the yam as it felt strange besides, I was never a fan of Yam. Never liked it. I can go 10 years without eating yam no kidding) so I grumbled. But before I ate, I switched to another dream which means, I can not tell if I ate the meal at last or not. But I accepted the offer in my dream mind.

Before the advent of the Catholic missionaries and the Jihadist of Uthman dan Fodio, the Yoruba had a religion. They had their faith and believe. The Yoruba believe in Olodumare. We have our scriptures.

Despite the humongous pressure hatred and animosity of the Yoruba converts against their own religion but some of us still embrace, it because of the tremendous wisdom in it.

In the Yoruba churches and mosques today the tradition believe is always the center of the preaching. The Yoruba Christians and Muslims see the Traditional practices as evil and demonic. This attitude has created so much set back in the lives of the Yoruba people.

The Christians and the Muslims see themselves so godly while they deem the traditional believers as children of the devil. If we pay enough attention we can see the damages that this attitude has done to our development in all aspects of our lives compare to the Chinese people who embrace their culture and believes. Now the Chinese are leading the world because they believe in themselves and their traditions.

The Yoruba could be the same if only we will look back and regain our position as one of the greatest cultures of the world. Today the Yoruba that was taking and sold into slavery several hundred years ago are now reintroducing the Ifa and Orisa religion back to the indigenous Yorubas at home.

Even the Europeans and former Catholic followers did help build some of the ancient Yoruba shrine. Such example is the case of Suzzana Wenger when she dedicated her life to building the Osun shrine at Oshogbo back in the early 1970s; before it now become an international monument that our Yoruba Kings and Chiefs are now happy to reclaim.

The reason why Christianity and Islam gained ground among the ancient Yoruba traditionalists was because the Yorubas were very tolerant and accommodating group of people. The Yorubas do not like confrontations and destructions; Yoruba proverb says “Ati da ileke sodo oju laro” meaning “that we are reluctant to throw jewelries in the blender”.

For those reasons Yorubas assimilated the two foreign religions into their culture that’s why we can see the various styles and ways how they practice the foreign religions.

For example among the Christian Yorubas, we can find the Cherubim & Seraphim, the Pentecostals, the Celestial churches etc. Among the Muslims you can the Ansarudeen, Hammadiya, Isabatudeen, the Teblic Muslims etc.

Yorubas embraced the foreign religion and adjust them to their cultural ways. Now history seems to be repeating itself with the emergence of the Boko-Haram groups who are new Islamic sects that are committing the present atrocities in the Northern part of Nigeria in the name of Allah.

While the Fulani Nomads Cattle rearers are letting their cattle’s destroy farm lands of the farmers in some Yoruba land and are also rapping their women.

The people are being told to keep calm that the government will resolved them. As at yet no permanent solution to the problem. Yoruba should not go into another war we need peace and religion, tolerant and respect of other people faith among ourselves.

The reason that the Yoruba says “Aye laba fa Aye la bamole” was because Islam is called “Imole” by the Yorubas was as a result of the forceful attitude of the Jihad and the raiding of the Northern part of Africa by the Muslim Arabs in the 1700s and by Uthman dan Fodio in the 1800s.

The activities of Uthman and the Jihadist movement increased slavery and slave trade of the 1800’s. The Arabs had raided Northern Africa and captured the people as slaves since 1400s A.D. They later setup and have markets in Western and Eastern parts of African cities.

According to history prophet Mohammed the founder of Islamic Religion was born in the year 570Ads. In 1804 A.D. a Fulani scholar by the name of Uthman Dan Fodio declared a Jihad (holy war) against the Hausa State named the (Hausa Bokkoi), whose rulers he condemned for allowing Islamic practices to deteriorate.

Some of the local leaders of the Fulani received Uthman blessings and support and cleverly overthrew the Hausa rulers. The Fulani with their superior cavalries and well-organized armed forces, easily defeated the untrained and poorly equipped Hausa warriors.

They overthrew the Hausa rulers and they also conquered areas beyond the Hausa states, including Adamawa to the East and Nupe and Ilorin to the south.

Uthman Dan Fodio and his men raided most of the Northern parts of what is now Nigeria down to Ilorin. Many of the people were captured, and their belongings were looted and their homes destroyed.

Thankfully the warriors of ibadan in conjunction with the other warriors of the Yoruba land pushed the Fulani back to the place they now occupy. Many of those captured were later sold to the Portuguese and other Europeans as slaves.

Most of those slaves were transported to the Americans to work on their plantations. Also, the Christian missionaries brought Christianity to the Yoruba and systematically imposed their beliefs in Jesus Christ on the Yorubas.

They come with the philosophy and ideology of the three in one: ― the father, the son and the holy spirit. They condemned the Yorubas for their belief in idols. The Yoruba were told that their belief was wrong and evil.

They were told that they were worshiping idols although the catholic christians themselves kneel before the cross and various other images of lesser divinities such st. James st. Michael st. Mary and st. Peters just as the Yoruba do before their Orisa like Ogun, Olokun, Sango, Yemoja and so on to pray.

The Muslims face the east, where the sun rises for daily prayers and also use the half moon and the stars as their icon even though they do not have images. Every culture has its focus and beliefs.

Just like in the Christian faith as they used the cross and some of the status of the saints as icon their churches for worship to help them get closer to God; the sculpture Muslims also faces the East when the sun uses to worship. Muslims also uses the quarter moon and the stars as icon in their worship to get closer to God.

The Yorubas well uses the status of Sango’s axe, staff of Orunmilas icon in their worship to get close to God. The notion that Yoruba are idol worshippers was just a way for the converted to other foreign religion to tarnish the traditional faith so they can convert people. The Yoruba know the difference between idol and God called Olodumare.

The Yoruba called Islam Imole meaning faith believe by force and called Christianity (Igbagbo) faith by believe. Although the Yoruba received many benefit from the introduction of these new religions such as education and awareness.

Bishop Ajayi Crowther was an example of how the African converts learn to read and write. He later translated the English bible to Yoruba. Rev. Lijada was another example of one the Yoruba converted to Christianity who was also taught to read and write.

Today in many Yoruba homes the religions concept is 3 in 1 which Yoruba sometimes call (Metalokan). It is the combination of the three belief systems, Namely Traditional practice, Islamic practice and Christianity.

The idea that we were born sinners according to the Biblical stories is foreign to the Yoruba. It is also foreign to the Yorubas that human were created by God as slave or servant of God only to worship God as the Quran stated. The revelation and the notion of Ten Commandments is also a foreign concept to the Yorubas.

In Ifa, the Odus teaches that human should learn from their mistakes and pay the price or be rewarded for their deeds both here on earth and in after life. That is a reality. We must leave by the order of native.

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Babalawos

Aboru Aboye

Dreams play an important role in African Tradition Religion.

Havent you heard of scientists, musicians, babalawos...... etc that got their inspirations from a dream they had?

Dream is communication between humans and the spiritual world when the human is asleep.

The Orisas or your guardian spirits or ancestors....... etc can communicate with you through dreams.

There is no particular blue print for interpreting dreams. It all depends on the state of the dreamer because dreams have various meaning depending on the context and some dreams have no meanings. Dreams under the influence of alcohol and drugs fall under this category.

Babalawo

delishpot:
Babalawo, what role do dreams play In your religion? Does Ifa translate them literarily using symbolism or does he have to cast divination to be able to understand them?

Orunmila ni oshe oshe;
Emi na mo ni oshe oshe;
Ashe ashe kpikpo lo kpo.
Oni igi kan.oun sho aje leyin enkule, Alara.
Orunmila ni ofe lo ka aje na.
Ki Orunmila to de be won ti-ika.
Orunmila otun kpada wa ile.
Orunmila ni oshe oshe mi pipo lo po.
Oni igi kan oun so aje leyin enkule Ajero.
Ko nto de se,
oni won ti'ka.
Otun pada wa ile.
Orunmila ni oshe oshe,
mi pipo lo po, Igi kan onu so aje Ieyin enkule Ajero.
Ko nto de so,
oni won ti;ka.
Otun pada wa ile.
Orunmila ni oshe oshe,
mi pipo lo po, Igi kan nso aje l'eyi enkule orongun ni le ila.
Orunmila mura,
oba tun lo si 'be.
Orunmila hebe,
oba gun ori igi na.
Oba here si aje kika.
Gbogbo ara ulu ba mu ro rna uka.
Oba ni to so kale;
Won ba mu Orunmila bo wale,
won mu joko;
ni gbogbo won ba na,
won ba we,
won ba mu eku meji oni were,
won ba eja rneji,
apo sese lo odo.
Won mu abo adiye meji,
eyele meji,
ewure abo nu rede rede.
Won ba mu ade gbe de Orunmila Iori.
Won ba kunle,
won ba ni ko joko mu ori oto lu,
kojo mosi akamba, won ba mu Orunmila j'oba.

MEANING

One tree produced money at the backyard of Alara's palace. Orunmila went to pluck money out of the tree, but before he got there, the people had finished plucking it. There was another tree which produced money at the backyard of Ajero's palace.

By the time Orunmila got there to pluck money, the people had finished plucking all the money on the tree. He then returned home.

There was yet another money producing tree at the backyard of Orangun-llla's palace. Orunmila again went there to pluck out of it.

On getting there he climbed. the tree, as he was plucking money from the tree, he was surrounded by the people of the town of llla.

He was told to come down from: the tree. When he got down, he was apprehended and brought inside the palace. They made him to sit down. After sitting down the people fetched two rats, two fishes, two hens, two pigeons and one goat.

They brought the crown and placed it on his head. All the people knelt down before him and begged him to become their king.

He was crowned as the Oba of Ila-Orangun and everyone come to pay obeisance him.

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Babalawo

Ifa

OgundeyiBey:
Happiness! For the Enlightened!

What is the origin and science behind the fire divination? What is used for fire divination?

How old do you think AFRICA TRADITION RELIGION is?

Carry out research on Iwori-Obara and comment your findings here

OgundeyiBey:
Happiness! For the Enlightened!

Do you have a time frame for when this Odu Ifa was brought forth? Because all indications in the history of Islam indicates it is an ancient religion as well, more ancient than 1400 years ago with the advent of the aspect of Islam that Prophet Mohammed united his people back under. There is only one science that has propelled mankind, and that is the path of Peace. I personally view Ifa and Islam as one and the same.
So I respectfully ask, what is the time frame of this Odu ifa.

Thanks for your compliment

Pdizzle:
I like this story. I use to read the book by Wande Abimbola. The yoruba mythology is interesting.

Eziza used to farm in alligator pepper. Paradoxically, he was friendly with Oka, who forbade to see the seeds of alligator pepper. Eziza and Oka used to visit each other.

One day, they went to Orunmila for divination and they were advised never to go out at night.

They were both out one day when they became benighted. Oka reminded Eziza that they were advised not to move out at night, but Eziza insisted that a single night's accidental outing was not going to make any difference.

As they were returning home, they met the elders of the night (A won Iyami Osoronga) holding a meeting. Not knowing what to do, they both ran into the bush where they remain to this day.

PLS NOTE

When the Odu appears at U gbodu, the person should be told to serve his Ifa with a boa and to serve Eziza. He should be advised to refrain fro in night outing. At ordinary divination, the person should be advised to avoid travelling with a friend at night.·

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Babalawo

Àború, àboyè, àbosise

Some problems are blessings in disguise, some problems are meant to straighten you and some problems will make you better and stronger

So when these kinds of problems are spotted during Ifa divination, we dont do anything about it because it is for our client good

It is not everything we see during Ifa divination that we tell our clients

Babalawos

Ahmed711:
Thanks for quick response.you mean theres a problem that cannot be solve spiritually like what and what? the ones i know is a curse or offend ancestors.pls can you explain more?