The origin of the present race called Yorubas is shrouded in the legends and myths. These sacred legends and myths are what are used in the building of the cosmogony on the “yoruba” . Until today the progenitor of the Yoruba is supposed to be Oduduwa. Oduduwa is not identified as a person as such, he is a legend consisting of many controversies. To the Yoruba of the northern part “He” is a woman, a great mother of the people , whereas in the south He is a father, who founded the place now occupied by the Yoruba people – he is therefore referred to as Onile (speculating the Onile = Onimole).
Man's understanding of the cosmos has developed many centuries, yet it has been very difficult to know the purpose of creation. There have been as many traditions as there are human races with each race holding to her peculiar myths, legends, tales and cosmogony.
Early rational opinions were expressed by William Boyd (1969). He suggests that gods and goddesses originated in the east but in spreading out underwent many changes. It is not merely a guess like the creation stories.
Mother Goddesses were more human than heavenly beings. They were made to be representatives of the great natural forces that affect man’s life and are responsible for all experiences of relationship. With all beings seen and unseen in his environment one such goddesses is “ILE” (the Mother Earth).
In the beginning the earth (ile) the mother earth formed a single body. When there was a quarrel between Orun and Ile over a small rat (Eku Emo) Orun became angry, separated and moved up.
Ile operated differently from the activities of Orun. Ile became a goddess known as ILE Great Mother – iya, the being from whom all living things grow: plants and animals. The devotees of Iya (Ile) created the religious society called Imule, in short called MOLE and the believers and devotees of MOLE are called Onimole.
When an individual reaches a point of development when he or she knows that there is a quite definitely more to life than the games people play and wish to participate in, they begin the true work of understanding and bringing their lives in harmony with the higher spiritual worlds. Such a remarkable event changes the course of their life. In due time such spiritually awakened people look for an organization that could help, that is the reason for formation of religion-socio-political institutions. This seems to be the origin of cults among Yoruba.
Members of the spiritual group or society are known to be enthusiastic. They propagate specific doctrine with articles of faith to which every member agrees to uphold.
The whole life is regulated by the principles and leadership of the society. Most Yoruba, both in Nigeria and diaspora still identify themselves with specialized religious societies. They often tend to romanticize the past story-history that forms the basis of the society which are used to cement the allegories, fables, legends, myths, etc used in giving the spiritual society socio-economic and spiritual significance.
For example the imole cults claims the possession of sacred and special spiritual knowledge. The imole recognizes Olódúmáre as the supreme being who created the world. He (Olódùmarè) is available to members of mysteries.
Hence the imole claim:
“The secret things which are revealed belong into us and our children forever.”
The cosmology of the Yoruba recognizes Ile/Aye (Earth) and Orun (Heaven). Oduduwa donated soil in the formation of Orisa Odu (igbadu) and is recognized as the progenitor of the Yoruba for that purpose.
“Ile” (soil), because it gives rises to plants upon which animals lives and is recognized as the womb that procreates all living beings.
As Oduduwa is recognized as an Orissa so also is Ile (earth/soil) recognized as Orisa Onile which is the Orisa of Ile, at Ile-Ife.
The original sacred society of Onile was called Imole / Mole. After the struggle between Obàtálá and Oduduwa about the kingship of Ile Ife, different cults were formed. Òrúnmìlà created ignodu, while followers of Oduduwa created ogboni. The Obàtálá group created oni mole. Both Obàtálá and Oduduwa groups refers to Mother Earth (Ile) as their goddess (Iya), hence the saying “Omo Iya” meaning: Children belonging to the same mother.
Let us back up the above information with Odu Ifá.
One of the myths about the creation of earth which can be find in Odu Ifá Okanran Meji talks about how Oduduwa descended to form the earth. The earth was filled with water before Oduduwa formed the earth. The following were the materials used to form the earth: snail shell filled with soil, a five finger roaster, and a chameleon.
The creation history states that when Oduduwa was descending with a chain from heaven to the earth, he first poured the soil in the snail shell on the surface on the water, then he threw the roaster to spread it and later gave out the chameleon to walk on it before Oduduwa finally descended to the earth.
Another Odu Ifá Ose Oyeku (Igbadu) gives analysis on how Oduduwa donated soil when ODU called on her neighbors to make an apere, Obàtálá contributed calcium, Ogun gave out charcoal, while Obaluaye provided calm wood. The combination of all these materials form Orissa Odu known as Igbadu. These sacred materials become empowered to house and receive the àse of Odu. Orisa Odu becomes one with these sacred materials once the sacred Ifá rite of consecration is performed.
These two Odu-Ifá confirmed that Oduduwa is the progenitor of Yoruba. No wonder why the Yoruba all claimed to be Omo Oduduwa. Meaning as explained above, the soil is the Mother Earth that reproduces.
Let us also take a look at Odu Ifá Osa Meji to explain how important the soil is:
In Odu-Ifá Osa-Meji, Olódùmarè assigned Obàtálá the task of moulding human beings but Obàtálá was not provided with the needed water to mould human beings.
Having failed with the first task assigned to him by Olódùmarè to create the earth Obàtálá didn’t want to complain, so he decided to find water by all means to accomplished the task given to him. Which as a result Obàtálá took and used the water which belonged to the witches to mould human beings and to this day the witches see and consider human blood as the water that Obàtálá took from them to mould human beings.
The point I'm trying to prove here is to show how the soil reproduced to become human beings.
All of these Odu-Ifá proved Oduduwa is the owner of the soil.
Having known how Ile was formed, then we need to further our discussion to imole or mole.
Every compound in Yoruba have a male and female leader as the head of the compound known as Bale and Iyale.
These positions are given to the oldest in the compound. The main duty is to rule the affairs of the compound. The Bale meets with other old members or each head of the family to discuss and solve important matters or issues such as misunderstandings, crisis, trouble, problem, epidemic, distribution of priorities, money sharing, allowances, land, farm, farm produces allocation etc.
After a while the members of the council that rules with the Bale or assists the Bale in the administration decided to keep the soil called ile pa oku whenever any Bale passes away. The “ile pa” is the last soil dug before the corpse is laid to rest and such soil will be kept and passed down to the next Bale.
Here is the question to ask: What is the purpose of this ile pa?
Ile ipa isn’t for initiating the next Bale because appointment of Bale isn’t by initiation but only by age because if a Bale passes away the next oldest in the compound will be given the authority to be the next Bale.
It is the duty of the Bale to create peace and solve most of the problems arising in the compound in times of calamity, epidemic, crisis, disputes, problems or trouble. If some members were suspected of wrongdoing from the family or compound, it is the responsibility of the Bale to put the soil (ile pa) of the previous Bale that has been stored in the water for all members of the compound to swear, making an oath to prove their innocence by drinking the water that has the soil (ile pa) of the previous Bale(s). Whosoever is found guilty will face the riot of the souls of the previous Bale(s). Whatever happens to such person is the result of the oath taken before drinking such water. According to the penalty included in the oath so will be the reward of such person be if such a person is in fact guilty.
Now let’s relate how the soil later advanced to be a means of initiation and later turned to become the sacred society imole or mole.
After seeing the great result or success in swearing with the soil (ile pa) of the previous bale(s) a lot of people developed interest and trust in this proceeding which later led them to make it one of the means of initiation. When the success became the talk of the town, or a problem needed to be solved or a secret was kept from the members of the public which needed to be revealed this process of taking the oath with the sacred soil was made use of. Whenever a betrayer was seen to be put to death in public with the power of the oath or the swearing such person made this occurrence will amaze the public and this action warrant them to ask questions and the answer to such question is imule or amule which has undergone modern pronunciation as imole or mole.
What is imule?
The ile (soil) whenever it is been put in the water for people to drink is called imule which can further broken down to be “Imu” which means to drink and “Ile” means soil while combining both means to drink the soil that that been put in water.
Thanks for reading.
My next article will explain the ancient practices of ogboni, the difference between the real and few ogboni societies that have true power, and the fake societies that call themselves ogboni but are not and have no spiritual power. I will also explain some of their spiritual-political duties and functions down to the old Oyo empire and colonialism in Nigeria which led to the creation of the reformed ogboni society which was formed by elites who protested against colonial rule and oppression of the indigenous clergy within churches.
I promise to post it soon, I want to give reasons why ogboni shouldn't be seen as a society because it was only used to checkmate the power of Alafia in the old Oyo empire, till today here in ile ife, there is imole's house called iledi Ooni along iremo road, where all Ooni of ife must be a member and the Oluwo of the house is Obalogun, Ooni is just a floor member whereby Oluwo (Obalogun) has supreme power on Ooni of ife, he can control Ooni of ife in decision making.
By Olu-Awo Ifanla-Ogbeate Temple
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