Any One would think that the Yoruba people live far away from the ocean to observe much about waves and tides the myth of Yoruba creation story as reveal in odu ifa eji ogbe is about their geological experience of what happened in the upper cretaceous when the Atlantic ocean reached up to toothy sea and covered the whole southern Nigeria except the Yoruba hills and Cameroon range. The appearance of the large expanse of water around suggested to their humble maids that the whole world was covered with water and that the little place where they were occupying was the spot of the creation the worship of olokun started when the use of money replaced trade by barter. Cowry ,shells called aje [a type of molusc living in the sea ] was used then olokun was associated with the gift of money (Aje )orisa aje is till worship in oja ife the tradition identified olokun as a very rich woman but barren she works in beads –called “segi”a very expensive neck-lace. 16 cowry shells represent olokun it is the commonest divination instrument of women the system is often referred to as “olokun asoro dayo”.
In odu Osa Meji, it was said that before the first river Oba flew across the land where the Orisa were living, there was no water anywhere. The information correlates much with the geological records given by Talbot (1926) According to him:
The western hydrographical system was only formed in recent geological age. The awba (oba) used to be the main river, until the Aashun (Oshun) which gradually corroded its way back to Oshogbo captured the head waters of the Shasha (Isasa River).
Oba and Osun in yoruba mythology were wives of Sango. The other wife which deserted Ogun to marry Sango was Oya.Talbot’s (1926) geological evidence stated that the middle Niger known as Oya by the Yoruba penetrated to the sea through Oyo and Abeookuta provinces. The site of the old Oyo is now in Kwara state at northern back of the middle Niger. The Odu Osa Meji continues that when Obatala was sent to Aiye to fashion man, he had clay but no water to mix the clay. He had to interact with women, the witches to comply with Olodumare’s instruction to him.
Idunkudun Oyo ni nwon fi’so Oyo n’igi
Ifokufo ogbigbo ni awon fi’so ogbigbo l’oko
Ijekuje adan ni fi t’enu po ni f’enu su
Awon l’o difa fun Osala Oseremagbo
Nilo tin lo ree pon omi eleiye l’odo.
Meaning:
It is a frightening cry of the Owl that makes people throw clubs at the owl
It is the unpleasant cry of florin bill that makes people throw stones at it.
It is because the bat is a glotten that makes it vomit and defecate through its mouth.
All perform ifa divination for Orisala Oseremagbo on the day he was going to fetch water from the river belonging to the witches.
The Odu Osa meji continues:
Awon lo d’ifa fun eleye
Nijo tin won niki ma ji owu mo
Nigbati Oya nu un Orisanla l’ogbin Owu
L’oba so awon l’ofun pe ki nwon ma yo Owu naa je mo
Meaning:
Ifa divination for the whites
The day they decided to go and harvest cotton
That was planted by Orisanla
Orisanla met them committing the crime of stealing his cotton
He warned them to stop stealing
They promises to stop stealing one another’s properties
The two section points to moral interaction. Osanla went to steal water from the river of the witches and he is also caught them stealing his cotton. The beginning section of the Odu showed that good character (iwa) is important.
The yorubas believe that Iwa l’esin
One’s character depicts one’s religion.
In smart’s (1966) wards, the sense of sacred has always been closely bound up with the moral value and structure of society. Thief was a great moral issue among the ancient Yoruba.
Osa meji continues:
Osa meji became rich
And form many pieces
The sound of Aaja (Rattle bell) reaches Orun (Sky world)
Ifa divination was performed for Odu
To that Aye
Ifa divination was also performed for ogun also descending
It was also performed for obatala descending
Odu was the only women among the three
Odu inquired from Olodumare the purpose of sending them to Aye
Olodumare told them to go to Aiye to put things in order
Ogun was in the front
Obatala was following him
Odu was coming behind
Odu went back to Olodumare
To ask for power, because the men were given specific power
Olodumare told her that her power lies in the fact that she is the mother of all of them.
Olodumare then gave her a bird
Because of this she became the mother of all mankind
It was from that time that olodumare gave women power
And he said whatever may happen
Men should not leave women out of any plan to do anything
All the grove existing was exclusive for women
There was no taboo for women then, that they should not enter any grove or shrine
If they want to worship any Orisa
Women were to propitiate to the Orisa
Odu Osa Meji continues:
An elder who misbehaved has to be disgraced
It was divined for Odu
When she arrived on earth
She was advised to rule the passion
Odu did not heed the advice
She was asked to sacrifice but she refused to do so
She sacrifice to appeal to Olodumare to grant her power instead
She wished to will the power for a long time
But did not sacrifice to prevent people from knowing her secret
She came out as a masquerade one day
Obarisa was surprised and said
Ha! So it is Odu that Olodumare gave the power over all the world
Obarisa then when to Orunmila to consult ifa
Orunmila asked him to sacrifice and be obeyed
Orunmila gave him the necessary remedy
But warned that he had to be patient
One day Odu called Obarisa to a discussion
She said as neighbours they had to be familiar with each other. Then they move closer, living together
Obarisa gave Odu the snail’s fluid and Odu liked it and promised to always drink it
Odu then invited Obarisa to come along
And he follower her to the Eegun grove
She put her Eku and became a masquerader
They then came out the sacred grove
When they return to the grove and Odu removed the Eku, Obarisa move closer and inspected the Eku
He renovated it by putting a net to cover the face
Any masquerader’s outfit without a net is an ordinary costume.
After reaching home Obarisa entered the Eegun shrine and turned into a masquerader
He held a whip
He change his voice to that of an Eegun
To disguise himself
Odu was afraid
This was how men cunningly over powered woman
The power used by masquerader belonged to woman
To put on Eku and become a masquerader
But a woman could dance to welcome a masquerader
To her home, or dance with him round the town
She proclaimed than henceforth only men
Should be masquerade
But all young and old men should always respect women
Osa meji continues:
When coming from sky to the Aye
Women were endowed with no power by Olodumare
When they arrived at Aye
Women asked themselves as to what special power they
Were endowed with
Men were cheating the women
They treated as slaves and cruelly too
The women they went back to Olodumare to report to him
Olodumare was moved and pitied them
He promised them a power that would be greater than
That of men
Olodumare thus gave women power
He instructed the witches not use the power indiscriminately.
Olodumare endowed women with the power called
Witchcraft which many of them now use.
Odu Osa Meji continues:
It is a frightening cry of the Owl that makes people throw clubs at the owl
It is the unpleasant cry of florin bill that makes people throw stones at it.
It is because the bat is a glotten that makes it vomit and defecate through its mouth.
All perform ifa divination for Orisala Oseremagbo on the day he was going to fetch water from the river belonging to the witches.
He was caught and they pursued him
He entered the Eegun house
They told Eegun that if he should interfere
All his properties would be destroyed
Eegun therefore appealed to him to leave his house
The same thing happened when he sought refuse in Ogun house
Then he went to Orunmila
The witches threatened they would destroyed his
Divination instruments
He, despites that, asked them to come in
He then entertained with animals and food stuff
They because of this left Orisanla alone.
Orisanla showed his gratitude by
Presenting Adasa (A short Sword) to Orunmila
Myth of the origin of Odu
Oseyeku (Igbadu) (Oyeku 1111 Ose 1010)
A wrongdoer is sure to die
Oh! Oseyeku
Ifa divination was performed for Odu
That wanted to sit on Apere
She was asked to sacrifice
And she did sacrifice
The sacrifice was used to prepare medicine for her
She then sat on Apere
She was told she would live long and grow old
She lived long and grew old
One day she called all her children together
She was telling them of her departure from earth to join the ancestors
Her colleagues appealed unto her not to live longer
As they were discussing, the four of them saw
A calabash tree bearing fruit that with nodes
Obarisa told Ogun to be baring four of the fruits
Ogun cut the fruits into calabash
He then gave each of them a calabash
Obarisa filled his own with calcium carbonate (Efun) and gave it to Odu
Ogun filled his own with charcoal and presented it to Odu
Oduduwa filled his own with mud and presented it
Obaluaye filled his own with cam wood and presented it
Odu then told them that showed the calabashes from that day
She said all the requests made by her children to these
Calabashes placed in this Apere should be granted
If the child should call on to her in prayer
She would always answer them
She instruct them to also pray to the four
Orisa that contributed the calabashes in the Apere
Since that time people have been using white and red cola to worship odu
Nobody must see the odu except he has
Washed his face with a special concotion
Woman social interaction
Iretengbe (Ogbe 0000 Irete 0100)
You divine Ogbe
I also divine ogbe
We all divine Ogbe
Ifa divination was performed for Odu Awe Sakun ni
When she was descending to Aye
Olodumare gave a bird called Aragamago
Which she brought to Aye
Odu did not want many people to see her
She use the power of the bird to make people blind
At last she came to the home of Orunmila
Orunmila called all his Babalawo
And they divined....
Iretegbe continues:
If one is taught to become wise one should be wise
If one is taught to be foolish one is bound to become a fool.
The ifa priest at the home of Orunmila
Who divined for Òrúnmìlà when he was going to marry Odu
The priest informed him that the bride was more powerful than him the bridegroom.
They asked him to sacrifice
He did so and put the sacrifice outside
When Odu arrived she saw the sacrifice
She exclaimed ha! Who has the sacrifice?
Esu told her that Orunmila had it
He made it to woo you, Odu
Odu said alright, and asked the followers to eat it
Odu then called Orunmila
And told him about her great power
She however promised not to use it to harm him
But if anybody tried to make trouble with him
She would revenge
But Orunmila said don’t.
Which also means is that no other of women in his household try to look at her [Odu’s] face.
Orunmila agreed.
Olodumare and the Orisas
At the root of the witch craft is a mystic of cosmology derived from an unknown supreme Deity. Olodumare, through the intermediary of His incarnates and Orisa who had come to the world to live exemplary lives. To the Yoruba Olodumare is an invisible and immortal God (Oba airi, Oba aiku). He is omnipresent. Olodumare is the God that Pharaoh Akhenaton recognized as the only supreme God. He was acknowledged by the people of Athens (Act 17: 23 - 24). To Him the people of Athens built an alter on which it was written “To an unknown God”.
In the beginning Olodumare (Olorun Eleda) created Orun (Sky world) and sat on His Throne Orun was created to serve as the home for all beings to return after their existence on earth. It was where these beings are to be sent out to go and live exemplary life for which Olodumare created them.
Olodumare proclaimed the characteristic of exemplary life mandatory on every being on earth. They are honesty, righteousness, wisdom. Justice, creativity, holiness, chastity, tolerance and love. The first set of incarnates of Olodumare are :
Esu, Orere, Orunmila, Obatala, Ogun, and Odu
Who were never born but descended to earth from Orun. Those who lived exemplary life and returned to Orun to remain with Olodumare are called Orisa
Again second time, when the people on earth were acting contrary to the purpose of their creation, Olodumare had to send the Orisa. Olodumare told them that they had to live in Aye to accomplish each individual’s duty according to his or her ipori (the choice made among the attributes of exemplary life). Since that time they were called Orisa (That is those that lived exemplary life and judged to be so by Olodumare).
They that ascended as Orisa that time were: Obatala, Oduduwa, Ogun, Obaluaye, Olorogbo, Oreluere, Elesije, Orisateko, and Lajansan. Osun was the only woman that first descended as an Orisa she came in company of Obatala and Ogun. The Odu ifa Igbadu relates how she became established as an Orisa known as Odu.
In Odu Ifa Oseyeku (igbadu) Odu established the Orisa system-she asked for contributions from her neighbors, Obatala, Ogun, Obaluaye and Oduduwa to establish the Orisa which people will be consulting after her death. She said that anybody who worship this orisa (known as odu) has worshipped all the orisa.
In Odu Osa Meji, Odu was given the power to practice “Witch Craft” and to authority to use “Ase” (to make things possible). The four calabashes in Odu represent holiness (Obatala) , Creativity (Ogun), Chastity (Obaluaye) and Justice (Oduduwa). The Apere (the woden cylinder) containing the calabashes represents love (Osun)
When the people on earth forget that they were sent from Orun to Aye Olodumare, Orunmila was asked to remain them of their duties to Olodumare. He told them that the Orisa they were worshipping were created by Olodumare just to help them to appeal to God for whatever they want on earth. While Orisa have shrine, Olodumare has none. Orunmila organized the cult of Olodumare. He instructed that a temple, not a shrine should be built for Olodumare. White calabash should be used to worship Him.
Very clean fresh water from spring or a deep, drawn by a virgin has to be used in His Temple. White kolanut (Obi Ifin) to be used later some. Later some devotees of Orunmila introduced the use of table salt as a sign of purification. The similarity between the belief system of the cult of Olodumare and Christian doctrine made it very easy for the ancient Yoruba to accept Christianity as a religion.
All the Orisa were corporate personality (i.e. they are not single person) they represent the errand of Yoruba physical and industrial development. Yorubas make them look like single person born by people and live, but they were just a model. They were not born. They were never born by anybody except Sango that we have his background and we know his parent, he was made King in Oyo Kingdom/Empire.
Production of Ogbeate House
By Dr S M Opeola (Founder: Ifa Yoruba Kabbalah Temple (Ogbeate House)
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