Money Ritual Is An Illusion

Guaranteeing and promising others that they will become rich by doing some kind of money ritual is a lie.

My late father Dr. S. M. Opeola founder of Ifá Yoruba Kabbalah Temple wrote this quotations in front of his temple:

“No charm for money making without your sweat and hard work, which means no money ritual.”

Another one below:

“No money ritual but there is charm for money making.”

I asked him the reason for these two quotations. He said he discovered that some people were being deceived with the word money ritual. He also said these kind of people does not want to work before getting rich. Such kind of people would come to disturb him every day, so he decided to put the two quotations in front of his temple written in both Yoruba and English, so that by reading this, it will reduce the stress. Some will turn back after reading these quotations, while some will have to rethink and change their mind before meeting him for consultation.

I later asked the meaning of the two quotations. He said, the first quotation says your hard work is enough to get you rich. Some people that are rich today started from where what people call the ground level. In fact people tired to discourage them but they were focused and determined and that is how they got to where they are today.

I inquired some more from my father regarding the quotations. He said they are some environmental factors like spiritual attack affecting ones progress of making money. There are solutions for that, and that is why he said that there is charm for money making.

I asked him, why did he says no money ritual. He asked me how many babalawos are using private jets. He said no money ritual can make some one rich or richer than his or her destiny. He also said no charm can make a babalawo rich as dangote (the richest man in Africa) because we are not into business like Dangote. The kind of work you do will determine how rich you will be.

Many churches are business centres. Many church organizations deceive their followers and use the money to buy private jets. He said, my son you can see how poor pastors with lmultitudes of followers are. If babalawo can have followers like these big pastors that use private jets, no doubt babalawos would use private jets too.

If there were really a money ritual then you wouldn’t meet and see any babalawo working for anybody, not to talk of having clients, in fact babalawo will be limited in number or scarce because the babalawo wouldn’t  need to work for again. All he would do is schedule plans to enjoy his wealth since he doesn't need any clients to work for again since he has everything he seek. The rest is to enjoy his money. If money ritual was real then this is how many babalawo would be living today.

There is an adage that says:

"Eni to ba ma da Aso fun ni, ti orun e ni a koko wo.”

Meaning:

If someone promises to make you a designer cloth, first look at what he or she is wearing.

I discovered that Araba Ifayemi Elebuibon also said te same thing, “there is no money ritual” but the Nollywood representation of tradition is our problem, sincerely, read my article on Traditional Religion, that has already answered that question.

I think the truth must be spoken. I don't know why some babalawo will be giving some ridiculous verses or story allegedly of Ose-Otura about Òrúnmìlà raping Osun?! If you say that in front of this new generation now they will think rape is good or that rape isn't a crime. Is that a good way to portray Òrúnmìlà the curator of Ifá, that he raped someone?! Will the bible record it or add to their verses that Jesus who came after Òrúnmìlà raped someone, or will Islam do or say the same about their revered leaders? The answer is no, such thing never happened.

Presenting Ifá as a way of life doesn't mean we should introduce it in a wrong way. Some babalawos will give verses of where Òrúnmìlà alledgeley promised to turn the color of albinos back to black in Odu-Ifá Irosun-Afin [Irosun-Ofun]. According to them Òrúnmìlà painted them black and asked them not to go out in the rain because he knew that the rain would wash away the paint?! Then what's the moral in this verse or story?! If you believe this nonsense story then you are claiming that Òrúnmìlà was a scammer because the albinos came out in the rain and the rain washed away the black paint.

Another aspect is how many fabricate stories to justify their wrongdoing and falsely attribute it to Odu-Ifá Ogundabede which speaks about the head or leader of thieves. They create false stories where a thief and being a thief is portrayed in a positive way! In that spurious, alleged and clearly fabricated so called Ifá people use it to today to pray that Ogundabede should go and steal money for them! Some babalawos will even say that whosoever has this Odu-Ifá should go out and engage in criminality!

Funny one is Odu-Ifá Irete-Alariya, where stealing has a reward for Ako Ariya [male monkey] while Abo Ariya [female monkey] that wasn't happy about knowing the secret that her husband Ako Ariya was a thief who was stealing the farmer's corn. Ako Ariya was stealing the farmer's corn and praying for him to have long life, make enough of profit and never have the feelings of loss due to the corn he stole! Ako Ariya even prayed so that the farmer would plant even more corn next time! The farmer was on the tree watching and listening to everything while Abo Ariya was cursing the farmer because the farmer was a fool and stupid. How come the farmer doesn't know that her husband has been stealing his corn?She kept cursing the farmer and wished that the farmer would die. The farmer decided to shoot Abo Ariya [the female monkey] who wasnt stealing his corn and left Ako Ariya [the male monkey] the real thief to escape. Some babalawo will wrongly use and apply this story to justify, encourage and promote wrongdoing and theft!

In Odu-Ifá Irete-meji  talks about Poye and Olomo,  [who were falsely claiming that] Òrúnmìlà was using human beings to feed Ifá and that it was not until  Òrúnmìlà’s own son was captured and was almost sacrificed by someone else that from that moment he allegedly cancelled his practice of feeding Ifá with human beings tand replaced the sacrifices with hen, goat, pig, snail, rat etc.  Is that a good way to portray Òrúnmìlà?! Is is right to misrepresent Òrúnmìlà and present him of being a greedy, wicked and selfish person because he was falsely misrepresented and had allegedly been using other people's children to feed Ifá before but when it was his turn to have his son sacrificed then he came up with the convenient rule, "won ki fi omo ire bo ire.”

Meaning:

All animals are not equal any more. Some are much more superior than the others. 

Is it right to portray Òrúnmìlà as someone who practiced wicked things and who then changed or circumvented the rules if they were not to his liking when someone else was about to do something hurtful to him?! Not at all! These stories are not true and legitimate accounts but spurious fabrications made up by backward, perverted and scheming people. It is shameful how some people misapply Ifá verses or attribute to Ifá made up verses and corruption.

Another one is in Odu-Ifá Eji Ogbe. If you want to see my father laugh and drink, just ask him why he doesn't like to chant or recite some alleged odu-ifá  verses. He will tell you that we kabbalist do not believe in many so-called Ifá verses because many are clearly nothing but spurious  fabrications and insertions.  We know is that there are flaws and that these spurious verses ascribed or attributed to Ifá are not real. Some verses have been corrupted and interpolated. Odu-Ifá are garnered wisdom, combinations of stories to teach spirituality and morals, but it is clear that many chapter and verses of Ifá were amendment, adjusted and corrupted to suit the aims of some scrupulous and corrupt individuals, and this has led us to the sad state of affairs where we are today.

Is just like saying there are many custodian of Ifá. If Òrúnmìlà is the creator of Ifá, who were the people consulted Ifá for Òrúnmìlà and have Òrúnmìlà messages from odu-ifa. Many ifá verses will say Adifafun Orunmila. Who are these awon lodifa fun Òrúnmìlà. Some names are mentioned but who were these people? We all know that Òrúnmìlà did not create Ifá. Ifá comes from Olódùmarè and Olódùmarè bestowed Ifá upon Òrúnmìlà and entrusted it to his care. Olódùmarè gave Òrúnmìlà the mission to disseminate Ifá and the blessings of Ifá for the benefit, uplift and wellbeing of humanity.

Another erroneous thing is to bring or place Òrúnmìlà to the setting of a recent century, like mentioning Òrúnmìlà’s name in recent history that is seemingly but not actually documented, for example like saying, Òrúnmìlà is going to take a wife in Iwo land,  "Iya ti Orunmila je ni ilu iwo ounje iyawo.”  The question is when was iwo land created, is in history, how many kings have ruled Iwo land etc. We know that Òrúnmìlà existed and ascended back to the realm of the irunmole, long before the existence and founding of Iwo land. So you see how many people shamelessly fabricate many things to achieve their objectives?

My late father said he was shocked on the day he heard about Olódùmarè allegedly performing sacrifice in Odu-Ifá Eji-Ogbe because his son was sick! He said he asked the babalawo, “To whom did Olódùmarè present the sacrifice? Don’t all sacrifices go before Olódùmarè for acceptance and approval?! Who is greater than Olódùmarè?”

My father told the babalawo that he didn’t  know Olódùmarè to have a superior and that the babalawo should explain, what need does the almighty Oódùmarè have to offer sacrifice.

We know that Esu carries all sacrifice for acceptance and approval before Olódùmarè. Will Olódùmarè now perform sacrifice?!  To whom will Olódùmarè performed sacrifice?! Will He be the one to accept his own sacrifice? Where was the Ifá  consultation for Olódùmarè made, in heaven or on earth?

Olódùmarè does not need to consult anyone. Olódùmarè does not need anyone to consult anything or anyone on His behalf. Ifá is the wisdom, knowledge, understanding and power that flows, streams and emanates from Olódùmarè. Ifá is the power, virtue and manifest intelligence of Olódùmarè. Olódùmarè Himself is the answer giving and problem remedying oracle. Ifá ni oro Olódùmarè. Ifá is the word, guidance, counsels, recommendation and instruction that comes from Olódùmarè. When certain Ifá verses say that Olódùmarè consulted Ifá it was be known and understood that those verses have a very special and specific meaning, significance and purpose. They cannot be taken literally, but the meaning has to be explained to you by someone who knows and understands the spiritual language and intent of Ifá. If someone does not know and understand the spiritual language and intent of Ifá they will commit an error in their interpretation and application and end up causing harm instead of helping. There are certain modes of expression used in Ifá that if you aren’t taught the true meaning, intent and purpose of certain cryptic and mystical verses then you will completely misunderstand the point and objective of the verses

So, do you see how many people misuse, misapply and misunderstand the verses of Ifá and the true intentions of Ifá. Please let’s think well before giving these kind of Ifá verses. This is one of the reason why some babalawos will never like us because we are ifá-kabbalist. Ifá-kabbalist are the mysterious and sacred people that will guide the world. The true knowledge of Ifá is sacred and it should not be considered a secretive or hidden thing. Sacred yes but secretive, no. Anyone who desires to receive the true knowledge and understanding of Ifá can acquire it if they qualify and prepare themselves to receive it. Now is time to give true guidance and understanding to the world. That is the reason why my father give out a lot of information that other people regarded as secret. People like to accumulate secrets to control people and keep them in the dark. People like to amass and keep to themselves what they call or consider secrets so that they can feel special or good about themselves. The mysteries of Ifá should be made clear to all, that is, to all who are eligible to receive it and who are sincere, discreet, serious and persevering.

Our motto is if you want to live happily and enjoy a meaningful life, join ifa Yoruba Kabbalah Temple today. We are sharing light on new, true and progressive face of Ifá..

So let's continue with the main topic of money ritual.  In Odu-Ifá Irete-Ose [Iru Ekun] there is a verse that talks about Egbin and Ohunyagbe, meaning the beautiful lady and the farmer. It was in this odu-ifá  that the lady used the farmer for money ritual. Is that a good odu-ifá that we must chant? Why can't we remove the clearly fabricated or interpolated sections of this odu-ifa even though there is a good and wise warning of not marrying a lady or a guy by force, and there is also a warning to not marry guy or gal on road side meaning some one you don't have his or her full details or family background. Let’s continue with this story from odu-Ifá irete-ose, Egbin had been rejecting the proposal of the ohunyagbe but ohunyagbe refused to give up and kept trying. Egbin was looking for how to get rich without any stress, she was asked to provide a human being for sacrifice. The next day she accepted ohunyagbe’s proposal and invited him to her house and gave him vegetable soup to eat, and ohunyagbe slept off and then when Ohunyagbe woke up, he woke up at the location where he was used for ritual! The point of this story is not to say that human sacrifice is authorized. The point of this story is that you shouldn’t ardently pursue and you shouldn’t entrust yourself to someone whom you do not know no matter how attractive they may seek to you. But some people will wrongly misinterpret this story to justify unauthorized rituals and prohibited sacrifices for the sake of becoming rich!

The last aspect is to answer the question of Our dear mother Mrs. kemi Ilori. In odu-Ifá ose-meji it talks about how ibadan was established for the second time. Ibadan is the only town that has two odu-ifá that are said to be the odu-ifá that established the town. It was their wrong doing of unmasking Egungun that made Sango to destroy the first ibadan. It was after the reign of Sango that they decided to establish ibadan back. Then the babalawo was called on to consult Ifá oracle. The odu-ifá that came out was ose-meji.  The babalawo  mistakenly got himself included himself as a part of the materials of the sacrifice because he was a hunchback, and he told them to get some animals that has a hunchback, although he specified things like cow, camel etc, but due to the people's wickedness, their wickedness made them to see the babalawo as the best material for the sacrifice, they went to dig a big hole as instructed by the babalawo, they came with other materials except the materials of hunchback animals. The babalawo asked them where are the materials or animals with the hunchback. They told him that they wanted him to see how deep the hole is so then they pushed him inside the hole. He asked why did they push him in the hole. They told him that they knew he has hunchback, so why go looking for hunchback material again since they already have one. He then realised he has mistakenly added himself to the materials of the sacrifice. He cursed them and told them that Ifá will never say anything that won't come to pass. Though they have performed the sacrifice as required by offering a hunchback sacrifice, in this case the babalawo was a hunchback and therefore the sacrifice will be accepted because a hunchback was offered but they would never know peace because they wrongly understood and applied the requirements of Ifá!

This wicked act of sacrificing the babalawo who happened to be a hunchback, turned out to be the reason that makes some believe that the sacrifice of the hunchback babalawo was the reason why Ibadan was the largest city in Africa because of the human sacrifice offered!! And this has led to human rituals and money ritual by some babalawos!!

In kabbalah practices we discovered that if you use pigeon for sacrifice you have betrayed Ifá in Odu-Ifá Ejiogbe. Any babalawo that use pigeon should please remember how pigeon that was formerly Eiye oko [bush bird]  went to consult Ifá from babalawo Ejiogbe when she was barren and she was asked to perform sacrifice and she did she laid eggs and hatch two from a single egg, that is in Ejiogbe, how history of how identical twins came into existence. Then Eiye oko decided to show appreciation by packing up her children and decided to live in babalawo Ejiogbe’s house. That was how Eiye oko became Eiyele [pigeon] meaning a bird that left the busy life to live with people. If you use pigeon to mix with any any spiritual soap, pls note this, it will work so fast, well, rapidly but the end result will be that once the work stopped, you are in trouble,  it may be difficult for you to get any other materials that will work like the pigeon. In Ifá Yoruba kabbalah Temple, despite we don't offer blood to our Orisas, it is a taboo to eat pigeon, kill pigeon, or use the body of a pigeon for any spiritual work. What we do is to remove the feather from the right and left wings, we pound it with soap and with other materials, pray [recite] special verses to the pigeon and let it go free and allow it to fly away to help you, and to go and fly back and bring your wealth with both its wings like it is destined to be.

My conclusion is that  human beings are not always satisfied. It is like just Oliver Twist always ask for more after using root and herbs for spiritual work. I will share with you an article from my late father that explained this very well. He said in the article that when Olódùmarè gave human beings authority over the birds and animals they were all living together peacefully and happily until human beings started using the birds for sacrifice. In fear the birds all flew away,and in the absence of the birds, humans decided to pounce on the remaining animals. The animals ran away too. So as I was saying, from using roots and herbs for ritual work to offering birds, reptiles to animal and having seen how it works, each stage produced different results. The higher the materials the higher the result, this led to the use of human beings, which I never knew if the result was more productive than roots, herbs, birds, reptiles and animals because I have never seen any one that claimed to have done money ritual become  rich as Dangote or richer more than Dangote (the richest man in Africa), after all of their prohibited and unauthorized sacrifices. For all the alleged sacrifice they have they are not rich at all. They are just living an ordinary and comfortable that did not require any of those that they have done or have been said that they have done.

If people make the effort and try to know what Ifá Yoruba Kabbalah Temple is all about then they will not make grievous, regrettable and lamentable mistakes in their life.

That is why our motto is:

Happiness: For the Enlightened.

Growth: Out of the Mind [True growth, happiness, prosperity and fulfillment comes from developing one’s thinking and understanding, and correctly using one’s mind].

And our pledge is:

Do not let the non-essential kill your true existence. 

I, Opeola Ojeniyi Oyeleke, am not rich but I live in peace and comfort. I wear whatever I like any time I want. I eat what I want to eat and not what I see. I have done and achieved many things, that I believe people pray for, in this world. I have built a house, bought a car, have children, have travelled out of the country, acquired a standard and basic education, gotten [earned] several chieftaincy titles etc.

What else could I ask for? I appreciate Olódùmarè for what life has it made possible for me to have and enjoy. The question to ask is why the killings, why using human beings for money making or rituals? Success isn’t limited to finances and savings. True success is having, living and leaving behind a good legacy. My late father may not have been financially  rich like others but he was the best. He lived a meaningful and happy life. He always told us he was born poor but he struggled to be whom he was and told us that he needed nothing from any of children no matter how rich we were or could become.

We should extend the good legacy by providing everything to our own children too because he believed the Nigeria that we are in nowadays, parent should force, expect or demand from their children because of the dire situation of Nigeria now like unemployment, insecurity, terrorism etc.  while he advised all parents no to put pressure on their children because of the resources spent on them. If they do, they will only lead their children into crime, stress, depression, despair and turned them into criminals, internet fraudsters, bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, thieves or terrorists.

Right up to my father's death he still made sure he served us one way or the other. He was and is a great man. He is a mysterious person as he used to call himself. I miss him so much. Everything thing I have acquired today is because of his good legacy. If not for my father's good name I would not be so sure sure that I would be successful in this traditional practice, as I am today. I have a lot of backup that is the engine behind my father's legacy. I constantly remember and I remind my people of my late father's song, saying and desire which expressed his acts of charity and generous disposition which says:

Tori Omo ni lasehun se ore 

Ti ba ku e ma fi ija je omo mi lehin oo

Meaning:

Do good because your children will be rewarded.

My African Director has done much to let us know if is good to be good. He is another father,"Bi Baba ba ku, Baba lo nku."

Meaning:

If one’s father is gone, there are good people that won’t let you feel the financial and the spiritual impact of your father being gone.

I have a lot of sponsors too, people like Awo Mark Casillas, Anthony Turner, Alan, Gabriel Fernando Tarazona, Brenda Hudson, Roger Ogundeyi Bey, Chief Africas Lawal, Maria Telly, Yetunde Adenike Oyinkansola, Jose Padilla etc. These people gave me the chance because of my father's touch. Some didn't even see or meet my dad before he joined his ancestors but his good name, legacy, articles and books reached them. and they all gave me a chance because I am Dr. S. M. Opeola's son. I also have friends like Babalawo Malaika, Prophet Olatunde Isaiah and lastly fellow kabbalists, Abore Elerin Ajibola Adegboya, Omoladun Ogundele [Iya Kabbalah] Woli Ajiboye Ape etutu, my Ojugbona ti o ju ba ilu bo mi lo, my one and only Ismail Bakare. I also want to express gratitude to those who I have not mentioned or may have forgotten to mention by name who have blessed me, helped me and have been there for me. I don’t want to leave anyone out.

I'm saying a big thank you to all of you for all your support.

I am happy that I am extending the good  legacy of my father as per his wish.

Rest on Dr. S. M. Opeola, founder of Ifá Yoruba Kabbalah Temple.

There is an adage that says:

"Aiye ti Esin o je, iru idi e je ti o pa ni suru.”

Meaning:

The horse may not really visit or see some important people or get much honor during his life time, but if his tail is patient, it will always live in the kings hand.

Patience is the answer. Let us be patient.

Odu-Ifá Ogbeyonu says:

Agoro inu o se nikan fun ni

Suru ni Baba iwa

Agba Toni suru

Ohun gbogbo loni

Adifafun ori inu

Abufun tode

Nje ori inu mi

Obadakun bado ko mo ba to de mi je......

Translation:

Hot temper can’t be given out as a gift.

Gentleness and being patient is the best behavior and character.

An elderly person that is patient lacks nothing in life.

Ifá divination was performed for the inner-head [the spiritual, divine and marvelous power within us that illuminates].

And the same divination was made for the physical-head [the physical head and brain which is the material anchor and support for one’s intelligence while living in this physical world.]

I will appease and beg of my inner-head [the source and root of my character and behavior] not to destroy my physical-head [my destiny, my existence and my life in this world] due to bad character and bad behavior.

By Olu-Awo Ifanla-Ogbeate Temple