A very long time ago, long in the days of my forefathers, there
used to be this masquerade called Amuludun meaning the one that enlivens the
village. This masquerade was a magician known throughout the village and
beyond. The art of magic was his discipline even though he was a good dancer
too. Whenever or wherever Amuludun was performing, the crowd would gather
around him to see his magic and dance. And he was a good performer. While
performing the art of his magic, good drumming would be going on by the talking
drummers and he would be chanting and singing simultaneously. Amuludun would
trill the audience by transforming himself to all sorts of animals and
transformed back to the real masquerade that he was in the end.
Masquerade Chiefs & Olalekan Oduntan
And the crowd
would not only be applauding, they would be giving out money too in
appreciation. After finishing a performance in his village, he and his drummers
would move on to the neighboring villages to perform again. And this is what they
would be doing for a period of six months or more touring and performing within
the villages that were far and near.
After the tour, Amuludun and his crew would
come back home with their proceeds to plan ahead for another tour. Meaning, he
would learn a new set of magic, new songs and chants, drumming and dances
against the next tour. This is where the travelling
Chief of Masquerades & Olalekan Oduntan
theatre groups emanated
from in those days. They all copied what the travelling masquerades like Amuludun were doing to make their business successful. But unfortunately today,
some of the practitioners in the movie and theatre industry do not know this
brief history. Where am I going? Our culture and tradition should be flaunted
at all time to show that we are a people with lineage and direction.
Preservation
and documentation of our ancestral tradition and culture will give our children
yet unborn the history and information that they so deserve. No nation becomes
great when its cultural norms and values are confronted with extinction. Even
though, Amuludun was a masquerade but it is our history and it is where we are
coming from. Let us learn something from there to be able to set our cultural values and goals right so that our children and children's children will learn from our history.
If we do not where you are culturally coming from, we can never know where we are going as a people. The story of Amuludun should be an eye opener for us a people.
Masquerades are regarded as the beings from
heaven and their presence does not only cleanse the land, it also banishes the
evil spirits from taking over the entire community which they visit. The
masquerade is a deity and a certain time of the year is set aside for its
arrival and celebration. Masqueraders are known to be the ones welcoming the
masquerades from heaven to the world and they are also behind giving them a
good hosting as well as a successful departure. But before the arrival of
masquerades, a lot of preparation must have been put in place concerning eating
and drinking because of the invited people who will join in the celebration. People
normally come from far and near to attend the festival. Ifa priests are
consulted and the instructions from the divination are followed and adhered to strictly. On
the celebration's day the masqueraders and the acolytes are ready to escort
their different masquerades out.
Other Eegun's
And these masquerades are already given names
by which they are identified. Seeing the masquerades displaying is an
interesting sight to behold and it is always filled with glamour and
aesthetics. Some masquerades are good dancers and their clothes are very colorful.
One important thing which the masquerade is good at is visiting people in their
homes and praying for them. And people give out their money willingly to
appreciate them. Masquerade is appeased with kolanut, Schnapps, a cockerel, bean
cake and pap. And women are barred from entering the shrine of the masquerades.
Miss Toyin Serifat Gbadamosi [HEALER & HERBS SELLER]
Herbalism is an art
of applying roots, backs and leaves of trees to cure all sorts of diseases and
ailments. And this art has been the ancestral heritage of Yoruba people for
ages. Before civilization from the west, Yoruba people were curing their
diseases and
Different powdery herbs in plastics.
ailments effectively with roots, backs and leaves from different
trees. The deity of herbs is called OLUBIKIN and he was the first to use leaves
to make medicine for mankind. History has it that Orunmila had been hearing
about some wonderful things that Olubikin was doing with leaves. Likewise,
Olubikin too, hearing about the adventure of Orunmila on IFA. So they decided
to meet and exchange their different knowledge and at this point occultism and
herbalism merged. Olubikin learned IFA from Orunmila while Orunmila in turn
learned the art of medicine making from Olubikin. This brief history is the
origin of medicine making all over the world today. There are so many ailments
and diseases that orthodox medicine has failed in proffering solutions to but
which alternative medicines are travailing in today. Herbs seller like my guest
Miss Toyin Serifat Gbadamosi has been in the business for the past
Beads of Ifa
twelve
years. And she has been assisting people to cure a lot of ailments and
diseases. Diseases like low sperm count, diabetes, sexually transmitted
diseases, barrenness, infertility in men etc. are easy to cure for her. In fact
people come from far and near to patronize her. According to her, she normally
refers her clients to first of all do the proper diagnosis of their ailments or
diseases as the case may be at the hospital before applying the traditional
cure on them. And many of such clients become healed or cured of their
different diseases and ailments after going back to the hospital to check. Miss
Toyin Gbadamosi said government should stop seeing the practitioners of
alternative medicine as the clogs in the wheel of the progress of the health
sector. She said ever since realizing that treating people of their ailments
and diseases with herbs is her calling, there has been no looking back because
orthodox
Different leaves from trees
Powdery substances from herbs
Live electric fish
treatment is very expensive in comparison to alternative medicine. She
even went further to say that the traditional medicine is cheap and affordable.
And the government should allow it to partner side by side with the orthodox
treatment. A lot of people are suffering from one ailment or the other today
because they do not have money for cure or treatment. But with the assistance
and affordability of the herbs, this problem will be a thing of the past. There
is a school of thought that says a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. Miss
Toyin Serifat Gbadamosi says that she enjoys healing people and this is an art
that she learned from her grandmother many years ago.
Drums are seen and
said to be the bringers of happiness or sadness. It all depends on the mood and perspective from which the drum message comes whether during celebration time
or sorrowful period. The deity of drums is called Agalu and he is one of two
hundred and one (201) deities like Egungun (The Masquerades), Orisa Oko (The Twins),
Aje (The Witches) etc. In Yoruba land, Yoruba people are situated in the Western
part of Nigeria, Agalu or deity of drums is appeased just like other deities by the drummers known as Ayan to clear their ways and open up business deals for
them.
The significance of Agalu to other deities is that he is in charge of the
entertainment. Just like Orunmila divines to know the sacrifices meant for each of the deities, Agalu provides music while appeasement is going on. So, spiritually
speaking, there is a strong musical connection between Agalu and other deities. The
story has it that once upon a time there was a man
MR NOFIO THE DRUMMER FROM AJASHE BENIN REPUBLIC
called Agalu who was very
powerful and nice to all. And anywhere there was an event, his contributions
were always on point. This made everyone in the community to like him because
of his way of enlivening any event. After a while the man called Agalu died and
they buried him in the bush. The tree that grew on the spot he was buried was
used to make the first drum. While making the talking drums, the Omo tree is used
to carve the frame while the antelope skin is used to make the strings (Osan)
that make the drums to produce different sounds. White skin made from goat is
used in covering the two faces or one face of the drum. Drum making is
hereditary or learned through apprenticeship and the art of drum making demands a lot of patience from
the makers. Drum
making business booms today because young men and old are
participating in the art. The ensemble of Yoruba talking drums is four in number, and they are as follows: Gudugudu, Iya Ilu or Gangan, Kerikeri and Kannango. Gudugudu is the first drum because it is holding the
rhythm and it is the pivot on which three other drums rest. Gangan or Iya Ilu makes
the loudest of noise and it is used in talking while playing. It is even used
in talking proverbs. The next
THE ART OF DRUM MAKING
in line is Kerikeri which is another drum
accompanying while the next to that is called Kannango which accompanies like
Kerikeri. These four are the ensemble of drums that can be used to perform at any
event anywhere. And the sound is very rhythmic and unique. In the olden days, drum
was used as a medium of communication between the king and the people. It was
used to announce the death of someone, to pass the messages across to the people, to
know the where about of someone, to appease the deities etc.
And the impact of
drums is still felt in our lives today because nobody can do without them. The
deity of drums or Agalu is appeased with Gudugudu drum put down as his shrine while
the appeaser gives Kolanut, Alligator-pepper, Schnapps, Bean-cake and a
cockerel as offerings to pave ways for him. The significance of drums cannot be
overemphasized because it replaces sadness with joy, dullness with life and
hatred with love.
In conclusion, drums provide joy and happiness in social events like naming ceremony, coronation, house warming, chieftaincy titles etc. And it equally renders services to events like burials, rituals, appeasement of deities etc. So, whichever way we look at it, drums are the instruments of all purposes. Thank you!!!
IFA has been with the world from the time immemorial and has
been rendering its services to both mankind and some other kinds. And the
actuality and accuracy with which IFA divines is unimaginable and
extraordinary. A custodian of IFA like my guest Chief Mufu Awoseyi Akinpelu is
not only gifted with the knowledge of IFA but vast in divining and fortelling
things to come with his cowries known as Eerindinlogun meaning the sixteen
cowries.
This is a mouth to mouth knowledge and the priest must be skilled with
the signs and symbols of IFA to divine accurately and effectively. IFA could either be divined by palm kennels known
in Yoruba as IKIN or Divining chain known as OPELE. The third one according to history
was given to the wife of ORUNMILA to divine for his customers while not around
on his behalf.
So the cowries are the oracle for woman while IKIN or OPELE is the
oracle for man. But all in all, they give the same messages to the people. My
research even digs out that the Cowries talk more than the Palm kennels and it
all depends on the deep knowledge of the Priest.
According to Chief Mufu
Akinpelu, Orunmila is the custodian or the mouthpiece of IFA while IFA itself is the pathfinder. An
individual Priest must have gone through apprenticeship with different seasoned
priests to acquint himself with the
knowledge properly. Chief Akinpelu said he acquired his own knowledge from his
house because his lineage has always been an IFA Priest (BABALAWO).
He was initiated to the
lineage by his late father who was the head (Baale of Orile Shomolu) of entire
Shomolu community. Chief Mufu Awoseyi Akinpelu said since the demise of
ORUNMILA, the IFA PRIESTS have been representing him because ORUNMILA is the
secretary general to all other 200 deities. Meaning Orunmila as a deity proffers solution to the
problems of other 200 deities. And this is exactly what the BABALAWOS (The
Priests) are doing today in the world.
They are prophets and problem solvers for
the people of the world. They proffer solutions to problems like
barrenness, bewitchment, sickness, madness, disillusionment etc. It is the Ifa
Priest just like Orunmila that divines to appease either OGUN (the god of iron)
SANGO (the god of thunder and lightening) OBATALA (the god of creation) ESU
(the god of war) etc. The corpuses of IFA are sixteen and they are the symbols or
indications followed by an IFA PRIEST to divine.
They are his rules and regulations which he must
abide by. Under each corpus of IFA are other sixteen corpuses with other
different symbols or indications. The different corpuses are called ODUS in
Yoruba. And the meanings and the symbols of the corpuses go thus:
The Cowries for Divination known as EERINDINLOGUN.
The first corpus of
IFA and is called EJI-OGBE. Meaning progress, success in everything, becoming a
leader or king, favourable marriage, richness, good health and success in
business endeavors.
The second corpus of
IFA known as OYEKU MEJI. It means loss in undertaking, loss of property, Hatred
from everywhere but a while things will change.
The third corpus of
IFA is IWORI-MEJI. This means that the success of whoever that this comes out
for remains in his domain. He or she must not travel out of his or her domain.
The fourth corpus of
IFA is called ODI-MEJI. It means carefulness, vigilance, family problems, good
children and progress afterwards.
The fifth corpus of
IFA is called IROSUN-MEJI. Meaning peace of mind,God's protection, successful
marriage, good job opportunity, control of temper.
The sixth corpus of
IFA is called OWONRIN-MEJI. Meaning no more loss, travelling abroad, for pregnant
woman, stomach troubled and success in general.
The seventh corpus of
IFA is called OBARA-MEJI. Meaning receiving visitor or travelling rewarding,
successful marriage and happiness.
The eighth corpus of
IFA is called OKANRAN-MEJI. Meaning suit in law court, patience in all things,
avoid quarrels,don't hurt or harm nobody.
The nineth corpus of
IFA is called OGUNDA-MEJI. Meaning unexpected journey abroad and may not come
back home,successful business, good luck, good children and enjoyment of life.
The tenth corpus of
IFA and is called OSA-MEJI. Meaning success in everything, victory over the
enemies, winning lawsuit, lots of children, kindness to others, be aware of
being bewitched.
This is the eleventh
corpus of IFA and is called IKA-MEJI. Meaning do not travel in order not be
afflicted. Do not embark on anything good. If you do by force will not be
successful. Patience in everything.
This is the twelveth
corpus of IFA and is called OTURUPON-MEJI. Meaning assistance from your lover,
small loss and after unexpected gains,some gains from abroad. But you will be
meeting small disappointment. Be careful.
The thirteenth corpus
of IFA is called OTURA-MEJI. Meaning be careful of being blackmailed, be careful
of thieves and fraudster, be careful of divorce and be secretive so that
enemies will not get you. After there will peace in your life.
The fourteenth corpus
of IFA is called IRETE-MEJI. Meaning suffering and sadness, be prayerful to
avert danger, be careful of shame because there is no assistance from nowhere.
The fifteenth corpus
of IFA is called OSE-MEJI. Meaning sit at home and success will be with yours,
progress in everything, victory over enemies, good health, travelling,
happiness, gains in everything.
The sixteenth corpus
of IFA is called OFUN-MEJI. Meaning beware of mistakes, if care is not taken,
you will be stagnant, sickness, bewitchment, bereavement, stillbirth, Love.
These corpuses of IFA have other sixteen corpuses under each
of them. And they all have different meanings and interpretations. These symbols
were given to ORUNMILA to solve problems for mankind. And this lineage is what
the IFA Priests all over the world are following today. Thank you!!!
Olalekan
Azeez Oduntan was born 26 of May 1964 in Owu Totoro Abeokuta Ogun State of
Nigeria. He attended African Church Primary School Owu Totoro Abeokuta. He
proceeded to National College Of Commerce in Gbagada Lagos. He is a musician, poet, percussionist, a song writer, playwright and an author. He is
also a producer and a researcher. He is a researcher of Apala music, a genre of
music known to Yoruba people from South West of Nigeria. Right from his school
days in the university, he was taking part in a lot of stage productions with
Professors Laz Ekweme, Akin Euba, Joy Nwozu Lo Bamijoko, Bode Osanyin, Uwa Hunwick
and Alaja Brown. He plays an African wooden xylophone. He has written two
stage plays ODUN IFA and ODARA. He has written three books namely ODARA, VENGEANCE and REVELATION OF OUR DREAMS. He has done soundtracks for a lot of stage productions and films, like SANGO (The legendary
African King) THE MASK OF MULUMBA, THE AMAZONS OF AFRICA and a host of others. He
has participated in stage plays like Chartered Bridge, Omo Odo, The Trials Of
Brother Jero, The Link, Comrade and Voltage, Obaseki, Lion and the Jewel, The gods
are not to blame, Ogbanje etc. He took part in
recording some albums for Decca Records with Professor Joy Nwozu's band in those days. He was a
member of THE ELEKOTOS, a group by
Professor Akin Euba that did a lot of shows for television stations and even some recorded albums in Lagos, Nigeria. He was a member of a group of percussionists called RUB with people like
Late Ede Nwigwe, Daniel Koranteng, Akeem Anishere and Abu Lo Bamijoko.
And
the group called RUB was entertaining the people within Nigeria and abroad. He also took part in
the JAZZHOLE PROJECT involving Ras Kimono and Kayode Olajide and he contributed
a track entitled BABAWA to the project. He has traveled within Nigeria and
abroad. He took part in Femi Lasode's movie entitled "The Treasure Map" and he played the role of Sharman in the film. Olalekan Azeez Oduntan is a multi-talented individual. Some years back, he did an
album entitled LET US DANCE with Afrika 'N Vogue Music Recording Company and the album consists of tracks
like Okiki, Aye, Nigeria, Neo-colonialism, Enu, Abeokuta, Oya Oriri, Let Us Dance and
Obafemi Lasode. He has on his own done four albums namely Abracadabra, Mama Afrika, Afrikan Jazz and The Message. All the songs on the four albums are being streamed internationally today across the world.
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