ODU IFA OTURA IRETE

Otura Irete © Olalekan Oduntan

If my father says Ese Kan Ola when sharing a drink, no doubt you are taking half of seaman cup.

But where did we got it wrong, I have seen people claiming this Odu turned them to a drunkard, why?:

If Ifa instructed you to take alcohol, I know ifa won't say take it in excess or turn to a drunkard.

Can you share your own experience, if you have come across people abusing things and claiming they were instructed by Ifa?

2019, my Ifa festival Odu Ifa was Ogbeate, the next thing I heard from one of the babalawos was that: Ifanla, you that you don't smoke, your Ifa has asked you to be smoking now.  I replied, can't you see the Odu Ifa is Ogbeate not Ofunmutaba, Ogberikusa or Osalufogbe etc.

I asked him to give me a verse where Ifa has instructed whosoever Ogbeate is divined to be smoking. The diviner can only point out the alcohol aspect to back up his claim. He said whosoever takes alcohol will smoke too, just to balance his claim up. 

I laughed because even in Odu Ifa Ogbeate, Ifa only says that there are two steps that can lead to taking of alcoholic drinks. Before the steps, as an Awo, we all know that the Orisas need dry gin, so there is a verse that says once is day break Awo start to take alcoholic drinks and the drinks are not for bad mood but for success. It further says Awo will continue to drink for more success and not to wipe away bad mood. I wonder the kind of Babalawo we are producing nowadays, they are misleading people, all those drug addicts you see out there are misled by some spiritualists.

Imagine if I don't have the knowledge of Ifa today, I will start smoking and destroy my life. Yet i will be claiming I am following Ifa instructions.

I will share the moderation verse of this Odu Ifa. Please I won't be able to type the Yoruba verse.

Otura-Rete: Ifa ni Odi idi won

Iwontu iwonosi ni ohun gbogbo

Otuta-Rete:  Amunwon, Amunwon

"He who knows moderation will never fall into disgrace".

I say: Who knows this moderation?

Orunmila says: He who is working.

I say: Who knows this moderation?

Orunmila says: He who will not squander his money.

I say: Who knows this moderation?

Orunmila says: He who will not steal.

I say: Who knows this moderation?

Orunmila says: He who does not owe debts.

I say: Who knows this moderation?

Orunmila says: One who never drinks alcohol, one who never breaks an oath with friends. 

Otura-Rete, one who wakes up early in the morning and meditates within himself.

Joworo will never use up all his money, Jokole will never be a debtor.

 If Eesan owes a great deal of money, he will pay the debt. 

Amuwon is the Ameso (one who has a good sense of what is right).