Òrúnmìlà Put A Stop to Human Sacrifice

Let me start with the history we are all familiar with. There was a time when human sacrifice was common in Yoruba land, and in fact around the world until the emergence of government which ended it. After, the human sacrifices disappeared because no one wanted to be caught doing it. An alternative was introduced, and animal sacrifices were adopted, and that led to the end of Oro cult which was popular then. Because Oro is for execution, Oro is used to find people to sacrifice, which means women can't join Oro cult simply because women can't keep secrets.

If the orisas demand human blood, then animal blood won't work as they are supposed to reject it. Since the Orisas were fed with human blood before accepting animal blood, this proves that the orisas do not request anything from us.

Let's go into Odu Ifa irete meji, there is a verse there peculiar to ile Ife Babalawos only which they even derived a song from it popularly call irosukun, pls permit me to only extract the lines needed. 

" Òrúnmìlà gba ori eku je 

Ori eku ni kogba ma ma gba ori eni 

Òrúnmìlà gba ori eja je

Ori eja ni kogba ma ma gba ori eni 

Òrúnmìlà gba ori eye je 

Ori eye ni kogba ma ma gba ori eni 

Òrúnmìlà gba ori eran je 

Ori eran ni kogba ma ma gba ori eni....

Translation:

Òrúnmìlà takes the head of rat to replace human head.

Òrúnmìlà takes the head of fish to replace human head.

Òrúnmìlà takes the head of bird(hen) to replace human head.

Òrúnmìlà takes the head of goat, pig or cow to replace human head.

Let's discuss the story behind this song, this verse talks about Olomo as the mother of Poye, Òrúnmìlà impregnated Olomo who was from another village, Òrúnmìlà told Olomo to name the child Poye whenever she delivered the baby. Olomo gave birth to a boy and name the child Poye. After some years, Poye demanded of knowing his father. He went to his mother to ask about his father's identity, details, and information on how to meet him. Olomo told Poye his father is a well-known Awo in ile ife, in fact he was the head of all the Awos. She told him that whenever he gets to ile ife, he should just tell anybody he sees or meets that he is going to Òrúnmìlà's house. They will take him there and tell Òrúnmìlà you are Poye his son.

Poye left his mother's village in search of his father Òrúnmìlà, during this period, Òrúnmìlà always used human beings to feed his Oke Ipori, Poye was captured by Oro and was kept till the time he would be used to feed Oke Ipori. He keeps shouting they shouldn't kill him and that Òrúnmìlà is his father. His name is Poye, they should go and tell Òrúnmìlà that He has come a long way to meet him. The information reached Òrúnmìlà, and Òrúnmìlà went to see Poye, asking for his mother's name, to which Poye replied Olomo, but Òrúnmìlà was not convinced. He ordered them to put water on the fire and let it boil, after that they should throw Poye inside the boiled water, and if truly Poye is his son, he will be shouting about getting freezing instead of hot. They did as instructed by Òrúnmìlà and Poye was complaining of coldness. Then Òrúnmìlà asked them to bring Poye Out from the boiled water and told them truly Poye is his son. Òrúnmìlà then said you can’t use the child of Orisa to feed Orisa "Won ki fi omo ire bo ire".

Òrúnmìlà then substituted his son with a rat, fish, goat, pig, cow, and snail to feed his Oke Ipori.

If Oke Ipori of Òrúnmìlà demanded human sacrifice, Òrúnmìlà surely couldn't come up with an alternative. Substituting animals for his son means that the orisas will accept whatever you give them. Why can't we the descendants and followers of Òrúnmìlà amend and change our odd ways of practicing Ifa to something that does not involve bloodshed, such as snail sacrifice?

We haven't got the answer yet!

We will continue the awareness.