Efufu Lele Awo Ode Orun - Afefe Lege-Lege Awo Agbaye – Kuku Teku Awo Aiye Divined for Iki. (Ogbe Osa)
They said: Someone as huge as a Ram was friendly with Iki; Iki should therefore offer a sacrifice so that a deceitful friend would not be able to harm him. Kola-pods, pawa, 22,000 cowries and a big wooden bowl with cover. Iki heeded the advice and made the sacrifice. Sometime after this, Ram went to Olofin’s house and noticed that his Egungun shrine was clean. He inquired with what Olofin used to worship his Egungun. He was told that it was kola nut. Ram there and then promised to produce Iki for the next sacrifice. Olofin was very pleased at this promise. Ram left straight away for Iki’s house and asked him this question: “Did your father ever tell you that we had an amusing game we used to play ?” Iki said, “No, but can you tell me what it was?” “Certainly”, Ram said. Then he proceeded to tell Iki how they used to carry each other in a closed wooden bowl for a distance of about 40 feet. Iki said even though he was never told of such game he considered it a really amusing one. Ram produced a big wooden bowl and jumped into it and was covered up by Iki who carried him for the stipulated distance and put him down. Ram got out and Iki got in. Ram in turn carried him through the same distance.
Having exchanged about two or three rides with Iki, Ram refused to put Iki down at the end of 40 feet distance. Iki complained to be put down, but Ram refused to put him down. Then Iki started to sing thus: “Afefelegelege, diviner of the earth. Efufulele, diviner of heaven. Kukuteku, diviner of the underground. Ram is taking me to Olofin for sacrifice, I did not know he had the intention of killing me. In response to this song, Afefelegelege and Efufulele came, blew, and rescued Iki from the bowl. Ram continued his journey towards Olofin’s house with the hope to fulfill his promise quite unaware of what had happened.
On his arrival he was offered help to put down his load outside in front of the house, he refused to do this but to take the load right through to the backyard where the bowl was put down and opened and to Ram’s surprise Iki was not in the bowl. Olofin was so enraged at Ram’s deception that he took him in place of Iki whom Ram promised for the sacrifice and killed him. Ever since, Ram has been the animal used in any sacrifice connected with the worship of Egungun.
Ram (Agbo) Sacrificial Animal For Sango
“Thunder does not crash during the harmattan; Lighting does not flash secretly; Male and Female partridges do not have upright combs on their heads” (Okanran Meji)
Cast Ifa for black Ereje, mother of Ram, she who gave birth to Elephant and Buffalo, and whose third child was Ram. These three children planted Okra, and the God of Thunder came from the sky to steal it; when their mother saw that Okra was being stolen, she said she did not know what was picking it. Elephant began to watch the field, and one day the God of Thunder came back to pick Okra; when he saw Elephant, he roared at him, and Elephant fled into the forest. Buffalo also went to watch the farm; when the God of Thunder saw Buffalo, he roared at him, and he, too, fled into the forest. When it came Ram’s turn, he took She-goat along with him because she was his servant; and when the God of Thunder was coming, he brought Dog along.
When the God of Thunder reached the Farm and saw Ram, he roared at him, but Ram roared back; and when he began stabbing Ram with his knife, Ram began butting him. When they had been fighting a while, the God of Thunder’s knife broke, and Ram’s horn broke also. The God of Thunder sent Dog to bring him another knife, but when Dog reached the road, he found a bone and lay down to eat it. Ram likewise sent She-goat to bring him another horn; and when humans held out yam rinds to her, She-goat replied, “Today is no day for rinds, ‘bekeke bekekerike.’” So, She-goat brought another horn to Ram; and when Ram had fastened the horn to his head, he chased the God of Thunder away. Since that time, the God of Thunder has remained in the sky, and when thunder crashes and lightning flashes, Ram paws the ground with his feet, saying. “Our fight is not yet finished.”
This verse explains why the God of Thunder lives in the sky and explains the behavior of Rams during thunderstorms. It differs somewhat from the explanation sometimes offered that the sound of thunder is caused by the God of Thunder’s Ram pawing the ground in the heavens. Rams are the main sacrificial animals for the God of Thunder, Okra is another of his favorite foods, and Dogs, though not used as sacrifices, are sacred to him.
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