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| Pic: (L - R) Abayomi Ogedengbe, Oluwo Akomolafe Wande, Awo Olusegun Daramola |
Thinking that it is inferior or invalid because modern science has not been able to find explanation for it is a manifestation of grade A folly.
What Eku, Ẹja, Ẹyẹ, Ẹran, Ẹ̀kọ and Àkàrà do (in the universal system) as contained/prescribed in Ifá cannot yet be explained by modern science, might never be explainable, but those who want to try can try.
I'm a Microbiologist by academic qualification, also a rational and logical thinker, but when I came across Ifá, I doffed my cap for the wisdom of Yoruba ancestors. Ifá is cosmology in Yoruba poems. An encyclopedia of mythology, history, philosophy and medicine told as folktale poems and music. It is highly rich in Proverbs and metaphysical incantations. All stored in a 256 pulse information retrieval system called Odus. Babaláwos should be graded with B. Sc, H. ND, M. Sc, Ph. D and other academic equivalence EVEN if they don't know how to read or write the English Language. It is totally appropriate. Ifá is an Institution where you matriculate as an Awo and graduate as a Babaláwo and continue to learn until you become Àràbà - The Highest position in Ifá institutional hierarchy.
The validity of Ifá for me is not because it makes common sense, if it does, the custodians of it will not be regarded as Awo which means mystery or secret. The validity of Ifá is that what Ifá says IS.
You can take Ifa's word to the bank, it will BE what it says.
By Abayomi Ogedengbe
Copyright: © 2021
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