I PLAYED PERCUSSIONS FOR THE LEGENDARY FELA KUTI (PART TWO) BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN.

Q : So, what happened after this encounter? 

A : He promised to take us to meet with Victor Olaiya who was a very popular highlife musician that time. And we were first auditioned at Western Hotel that had a nite club at Apongbon. At that time, the Daily Express newspaper was adjacent to the hotel. Our performance at the Nite club was superb and from there we were taken again to Victor Olaiya's nite club to perform which was also successful because we stole the show there too. From there, we moved to Bobby Benson's nite club at Kabam bamboo along Ikorodu road, and we played with Bobby Benson's Kabam Bamboo Resident Band on a Saturday night. We were given one whole hour to perform, and our performances were very successful there too. At Bobby's place, I was given about fifteen minutes to do my solo floor show which i danced to the music of James Brown. I performed so well to the extent that the audience was asking for more. This was how Alhaji got very interested with the group and he bought us musical instruments to go on tour to the Northern part of Nigeria. We were in Zaria doing shows when we heard that President Busian government in Ghana was repatriating all foreigners from the country, and Nigerians were among them. Before the civilian regime of President Busia in Ghana, there had been the military regime of Major General Ankara and the civilian regime of President Kwamme Nkuruma. So, in Zaria, we started thinking of what to do being foreigners in Nigeria too. We decided to change the name of the group from the TRIFIX to the BIG BEAT FROM GHANA. 

Q : Meaning the group TRIFIX metamorphosed to the BIG BEAT FROM GHANA? 

A : We made them assume that we were among the repatriated Nigerians from Ghana. So, the BIG BEAT FROM GHANA started touring the North. We performed in Zaria, Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, Maiduguri and so many other beautiful places in the North. And at that time, there was no state called Abuja. After our successful tour in the North, we came back to Lagos where Alhaji Shehu Zaria again got us a flat to stay in, and we started doing shows in all the Nite clubs of Lagos. One day, Fela Anikulapo Kuti had just come back from America and our band was to rehearse at KAKADU night club owned by him. I had gone there with the technicians to balance the musical equipments when we saw him in the club. 

Q : When did KAKADU Nite club become AFROSPOT nite club? And where was it situated that time? 

A : It was when Fela came back from the U.S. that he changed the name of the club to AFRO SPOT and it was situated at Alagomeji bus stop. I met Fela in the night club with Sandra Daniel. He asked me, 'J B, what are you doing here'? I said that I came with a group from Ghana and that we have been performing at the club for a while but the group is no more because all other members have gone back home and that i was the only one left in the country. We discussed a lot on that day and i started going there regularly to participate in shows. One day, he asked me, 'can you join my band'? I said, 'why not' because he already knows what I can do and he has watched my performance before in Ghana. He asked me to pair with Dele who used to do a floor dance show called "Comprehensive Show" every Saturday and I was placed on a salary of five Nigerian pounds per week. One day, some black Americans came to perform at the Nite club, after their shows, the two American congarists of the American band had a jam session with Fela's band, he noticed how unique the music was. After the Americans left, he asked me to get a conga drum player for him and i told him that i used to play konga myself for the Panlogo group back in Ghana then. He asked me to get one more person and i got Friday Jumbo who was playing with Peter King to pair with me on the konga. He gave us money to buy two traditional konga drums which we introduced to the band on a Tuesday night sitting beside Fela Anikulapo Kuti himself performing, on the memorable night that he introduced first Ladies Night to the AFRO SPOT nite club which was 9th of April 1971. When Fela came back from America, the name of his band was still FELA AND THE NIGERIAN 70, after changing from COOLER LOBITOS to that name. But he was still not satisfied with the name because of the involvement of a few Ghanaians in his band like myself and two guitarists in the band whom were half Nigerian and half Ghanian. So, we decided to change the name again to FELA AND THE AFRICAN 70, and that was when the real Afro beat music started. 

Q : How many albums did you record with the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti? And what were your experiences with him like? 

A : We recorded about twenty singles at EMI 36 Tracks Studio Abbey Road in London. EMI had 3, 6, 8, 12, 24 and 36 Tracks Studios, and Fela and African 70 Band had all our recordings in the 36 Tracks Studio of EMI. Firstly, we recorded Fela and the African 70 songs before a live studio audience. 

Copyrights: © 2015

Join us in the concluding part of the interview.

I PLAYED PERCUSSIONS FOR THE LEGENDARY FELA KUTI (CONCLUDING PART) BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN.

Secondly, we recorded Ginger Baker, Tony Allen with Fela before a live studio audience. And thirdly, we recorded Ginger Baker, Fela with the Beatles live before an audience that comprised the great musicians like Paul Macartney, Jimmy Hendrix's drummer, the Beatles, Linda and other world great musicians. After the recordings, we went on tour within England to South Pole, Wales and Kessinton where we had successful shows. After the tour, we came back to London where we had a show strictly for all the blacks in London at a nite club called Speak Easy where all Africans in London came to watch Fela perform. We moved from there to African nite club where we also performed for the blacks and got a standing ovation for successful shows.

 
Q : What was that great moment in the profession that you will never forget? 

A : It was in London at the Rolling Twenty nite club which was an underground nite club where i was singlehandedly asked to do a floor show for everybody in the club. I danced to James Brown music from seven in the evening till five in the morning. My performance was very good to the extent that the manager of the club declared free drinks for everybody in the club on my behalf. It was a night I will always remember till I die. We came back to Nigeria and we toured a few African countries before i left the band to work with Center for cultural studies, University of Lagos, Akoka Yaba Lagos.

Q : Apart from Fela Kuti, have you played with other musicians? 

A : Yes, I played with Sunny Okosun, Christy Essien Igbokwe and Bob Aladeniyi. I participated in the album project "Fire in Soweto" of Sunny Okosun, and I took part in the tour with Christy Essien to a few African countries. Before retiring at the Center for Cultural Studies, University of Lagos, the troupe of which i was a member travelled to Germany, Mexico, Venezuela, Jamaica and Italy. And after retiring, I have taken my own group DZENBII DANCE GROUP in Ghana to America, Belgium, Holland, England and France. One of my children has taken after me already, and he is currently playing with some bands in London.

Copyrights: © 2015

The End.

I PLAYED PERCUSSIONS FOR THE LEGENDARY FELA KUTI (PART ONE) BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN.

Just of recent, a colleague of mine in the Arts visited Nigeria from Ghana. This is a man we have done so much together musically all round the country. He is a musician, a percussionist, a teacher and the leader of a group known as DZENBII INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL GROUP in Ghana. He is no other person than Mr Daniel Koranteng Crentsil, a Ghanaian who has lived all his life here in Nigeria before retiring with the Center for cultural studies, University of Lagos as a senior cultural officer some years ago. He is here to share his sojourn into musical world over the years with us and his musical association with the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti. These are the excerpts of the interviews i had with him before he travelled back to GhastuckQ : Good evening sir, Can we meet you Sir? 

A : My name is Daniel Koranteng Crentsil.

Q : I know that you are a guru in the music industry. Can you shed more light on this for us? 

A : Yes, i am a dancer, a percussionist and an actor.

Q : How long ago did it start? Where did you start? When did you start? Can you share your past experiences with us? 

A : It has been long. Right from 1965 when i joined the Ghana Young Pioneers while in secondary school in Accra, Ghana. At that time i joined a cultural group in the school where i learned how to dance to Panlogo music. Because that was the kind of dance in vogue at that time in Accra, Ghana. 

Q : By the way, what is Panlogo music?

A: Panlogo is a kind of dance that was created by a few of Ghanian boys in Accra back then. It is a moonlight dance. When some fishermen travelled from Accra to Badagry in those days, they decided to rest under a tree telling stories to themselves using sticks to strike empty can to make music and dancing to their sound. So a few Yoruba fishermen amongst them who saw what they were doing to the empty cans said "Panu yi rogo", meaning "Empty cans are suffering". It is the term "Panu yi rogo" that becomes Panlogo music today all over the world. So, when the Ghanian fishermen went back to Accra bearing in mind that they already had some dances like Ogeh and Numashi, they added some songs and decided to tag their dance and songs as Panlogo music. And that is how Panlogo music came to be. Then, the idea scattered all over the world and I was one of the best dancers of Panlogo music that time. It is a five beat rhythm, and it is this same five beat rhythm I learned, which guided me in playing the konga drums till today. 

Q : I know that you were with the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Can you share the memories of your association with Fela with us?

A : Yes, i was with Fela. We were friends. He used to come to Accra, Ghana occasionally. He was there 1965, 67, 68 and 69 before he travelled to U.S.A. We got to know ourselves by going to watch his musical shows whenever he and his band came to perform in Accra, and I was always participating in the dance on the floor. He had a lady dancer called Dele in the group doing the floor show for him while playing. 

I and Dele became friends. When they were not playing, we used to visit them in the hotel they were lodged then, and the hotel is called Pan African Hotel at Nimma in Accra. And whenever Fela was performing, we were always there to partake in the dance floor show, that is how I and Fela became friends. There was a time that a group of Ghanian musicians like the AIRPOLOS, the BARBEQUE, the SAINTS and the TRIFIX were having some shows and I was always going there to watch their shows and sometimes danced with them even though I had my own group called the Bugelu Dance Group comprising of five dancers back then. 

Because of my style of dancing that one of the groups called the TRIFIX saw, I was persuaded to join them which i later did. And i became a dancer and percussionist for the group. The promoter of the group was a Nigerian called Alhaji Shehu Zaria while Alhaji Ahmed his friend was the manager. So, as time went on, Alhaji Zaria said to the group one day, that most of all the pop and soul groups in Accra, Ghana had already gone on tour to Nigeria, and that he wanted to sponsor the group too to go on tour to Nigeria, and my name was added to the list go on the trip in 1969. 

So, we planned, we played some gigs and bought a volts wagon bus for the journey. And the group came on tour from Ghana to Nigeria. But there were problems on the road coming into Lagos because of the civil war still going on then. We eventually made it to Lagos amidst all odds on the roads. When we got to Lagos, we were staying at Agarawu street in Tinubu. The group became stuck in Lagos because of the war and all the members of the group became jobless. 

One day Alhaji Shehu Zaria saw us and we complained of our predicaments to him. He asked us of what kind of music could our group play. We responded by letting him know that we could play Highlife, Soul, Rock, Shashasha, Funk e.t.c .

Copyrights: © 2016

Join us in the second part of the interview.

KING MAKING IN YORUBA LAND BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN.

No king is made in Yoruba land without consulting Ifa oracle for a way out. The names of worthy nominees from the different royal houses are submitted to the king makers who will in turn submit such names to Ifa oracle priest for clarification. It should be noted that no other king can be chosen when the current one is not yet dead. While the priest is busy searching for who will be chosen by Ifa oracle as the next king, the king makers will patiently wait for the priest to arrive at a decision. The members of the council of chiefs to the deceased king will also have an input into the new arrangement and will also be interested in who becomes their king. Once a name has been chosen by Ifa as the person to be crowned as the king, all the necessary traditional rites will be put in place to appease the deities so as to make the reign of the new king to be successful. After the Ifa oracle priest has given the direction to follow, the king makers are now set for the coronation of their new king. The whole town will be agog with celebration of eating, drinking and merry making for ushering in their king. The people will also be happy that their king is being crowned and the development of their town must be paramount on his mind. The people's prayer is that during the reign of their king the rats shall cry like rats, the birds shall cry like birds and human beings shall talk like human beings. And all the people at the coronation will greet their king " Kabiyesi". After the coronation, he resumes to his palace for his duty to the people. The people expect so much from him in terms of development in the town. The king has his chiefs to assist him in running the affairs of the town because he cannot do it alone. The people and palace chiefs will pray that the crown shall stay long on the king's head, the shoes stay long on his feet, the horsetail stays long in his hands and words to his subjects stay long in his mouth. The king's chiefs and the people will prostrate again to their king and say "Kabiyesi". But the women amongst them do not prostrate for the king, they kneel in greeting too.

THE MAN FEMI LASODE, MUSIC PRODUCER AND FILM MAKER (PART TWO)

A : I am satisfied that I have been able to bring out my entertainment ability. But as a producer, I won't say that I am satisfied with my talent. And in any case, I think the best is yet to come.

Q : Take you on the best is yet to come. What should we be expecting next from you in terms of production?

A : In terms of production, it is a passion for me and I love doing it. Whether producing music or films, documentary, radio and television programmes, advertisement e.t.c , I love doing them all because personally that is my passion. As long as I am still alive I will make sure that I give them my best shot but the issue is that, can what I produce earn me good money? That is the struggle that I am on with now. How can I get maximum income from my ability? And that is the big challenge that i am facing now.

Q : And that is the big challenge which almost all the film makers in the country are facing today. I know that after Sango you did another big production called Afrika's Stolen Treasures involving so many big actors in the country. How far is with that production?

A : Afrika's Stolen Treasure is an extension of my creative energy. Like I said earlier on, first and foremost, it was to satisfy my production interest. My own problem generally in the area of production is that I am very critical when it comes to the area of quality. And if something does not reach or surpass the standard I believe that I have set for myself, I will rather take my time and improve on what I have to get to the level of quality that I want, till I am satisfied. I have to be satisfied first before satisfying my audience. That is the stage I am at right now. Afrika's Stolen Treasure has been produced. And we are still polishing it and the next thing is to get it out there after polishing. Primarily, it is to entertain people and give them a good quality movie to watch.

Q : Where do you see yourself in the next five years in terms of producing movies and music?

A : I have my dream. I will be relaxing somewhere very nice drinking coconut juice and being surrounded with my grand children. When I have the opportunity of relaxing, I don't have to face the hustle and bustle of life of going to the bus stop to board buses to work at my old age. And that is what I intend to do.

Q : How do you advise government to assist independent producers like you to back you up with financial assistance?

A : I really don't have any advice for government because so many people are already advising the government. All I am saying is that individuals can support the young film makers who need help in the country today. It doesn't have to be government alone. My own is to do the best that I can to support the industry as well. Give financial support to young talented film makers, support their visions and dreams and impart the knowledge you have gathered over the years into them. And it is only the individuals that can do that for them, not the government. We have to invest in our young talented film makers today because they are the continuity of all our efforts tomorrow.

Q : It has been my pleasure chatting with you Sir. Thank you very much!

A : You are welcome!!!

The End.

•BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN  Copyright: © 2015

THE MAN FEMI LASODE, MUSIC PRODUCER AND FILM MAKER

The Custodian of Yoruba culture and tradition paid a visit to Mr Femi Lasode, a movie maker and music producer to have a chit chat conversation with him concerning what he has been doing in the movie world, what he is presently doing and what he is hoping to be doing very soon. And the following dialogue ensued between us in form of question and answer session which my readers will find very interesting. Let us go:

Q : Can we meet you Sir?

A : My name is Femi Lasode, former P.M.A.N. president, music producer and a movie maker.

Q : I know that you have contributed a lot of your quota towards promoting our tradition and culture internationally. How has the journey been like so far and what has it earned you.

A : What I have earned from all of that is satisfaction. Satisfaction in the sense that there was a story I came across many many years ago when I was a child when I had an opportunity of watching a stage performance by Late Duro Ladipo on WNTV before a live audience and I did not really understand what it was all about. But when I went to the United States of America, I met with a lot of people who are Afro Americans and who were fascinated with Yoruba culture, just as they are today. They saw my name as a Yoruba descent and they started asking me a lot of questions about Yoruba mythology and story which i did not know anything about because that was not my background per say. I grew up watching movies of Aladin, Magic lamp, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet e.t.c. So, I did not know much about Yoruba mythology. I decided to investigate and I came across the Sango story which I felt was very fascinating. And I said to myself that if I had a privilege and opportunity, I will like to put it on a film so that more people will have a better idea about the story and it will educate them. So, I do not see myself as a cultural icon but a film maker and music producer. I just saw the need and opportunity to do a film on a Nigerian cultural heritage which is a Yoruba deity that a lot of people like and appreciate, that's all.

Q : If you go out there, a lot of artistes believe that you have paid your dues just like the late Duro Ladipo met some theatre practitioners on the ground before he came on board. And they are saying kudos to you for that. But aside from Sango, how much efforts have made again to document some other Nigerian historical legends on films?

A : First and foremost, I don't see that as my own responsibility. My own interest is to look for nice Yoruba history with a very good cultural philosophy of life and do a movie on it so that more people can understand and appreciate what is all about. Osun for instance, has a fascinating story attached to her. People don't know who she was but they go and worship the deity. Who was she? What was she all about? What was her essence? And that is what I find very fascinating. I find her story very interesting and I feel that one should make a movie of it. My own objective is to document our history in films. And that is my own goal.

Q : That is a beautiful goal. But before turning a movie maker, a lot of musicians have passed through your music production to be stars today. There are so many of them because the list is endless. I want to ask you sir; which do you enjoy better, is it making movies or making music?

A : First of all, the reason why of being of assistance to these artistes at all was because I had the equipments to provide for their use. My dream has always been to be a facilitator. If I did not have the equipments then, nobody would have come my way, I can assure you! They all came my way because I had the facilities for them to utilize and bring out their talents. It is not that purposely I am good star maker as it were, but my equipments were there to utilize to bring out their talents. And that is all. To summarize everything, I had the good recording equipments on ground to back up their talents.

Q : Meaning if you had your way again; would you repeat the sane thing?

A : My own point is that, it was fun and exciting to be able to do that. Where they go after using my equipments to bring out their talents is up to them. If I had my way again, I would definitely do the same thing because it is always good to be a facilitator in area of talents discovery.

Q : Talk about talent, I know that you are a musician yourself and a very good bassist. Have you been able to make use of all your talents to the best maximum of your satisfaction?

A : First of all, no one can ever use all his or her talents to the best maximum of his or her satisfaction. And I keep on saying that the best money that I have ever earned in my life till date has been from sales of properties, not from my talent. Although you can say that my talent has assisted me in looking for buyers for the sales of the properties. My talent has not really earned me an income up to that point and I will not really say that I am satisfied with it. 

Thank you!!!

Read on in part two of the interview.

•BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN Copyright: © 2015

THE SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS

Some of The Sayings of Our Elders

• A healthy person who begs for food is an insult to a generous farmer.
• It requires a lot of carefulness to kill the fly that perches on the scrotum.
• The goat thought it was dirtying its owner's wall till it realized its coat was peeling.
• A strong man is remembered on the day of the fight, and a glutton on the day pounded yam is surplus.

By Olalekan Oduntan Copyrights: © 2015

PIGEONS, THE ANGELIC BIRDS BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN.

One of Yoruba sayings says a pigeon will not eat and drink with its owner and abandon him on the day of his death. This cliche talks about so many good relationship and potentials that the pigeons have towards human beings spiritually. Pigeons are our friends when they live with us in our homes because they give us protection against evil forces and negativity. There is no home that pigeons are reared that suffers hunger, hardship or lack of money because they are bringers of good luck and positivity. There is even another Yoruba proverb that says pigeons bring good luck to the home from all corners of the world. This cliche again proves that pigeons are birds worth having around us at our homes because of their spiritual importance and value. Pigeons stay with their owners till the end no matter what happens to them. They are faithful, loyal and honest at all time to the persons rearing them. If the house that pigeons are being reared is burnt down, they will still go there after the inferno to sympathize with the people. They are trust worthy birds and they are the angels of our world. They fly by travelling very far to bring good luck and good tidings to their owners and they are very good at doing just that. Before ending, there is another Yoruba proverb concerning the pigeons again and it says that the life of pigeon is always good. May it be good with all of us. May pigeons bring good luck to all our homes. And may we find favours in whatever we are doing and wherever we are going...amen! Pigeons are respected in the spiritual and traditional circles because they are regarded as angels of the world.

THE SAYING OF OUR ELDERS

•A good wife is easy to find, but suitable in-laws are rare.

•BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN Copyrights: © 2015

THE SAYING OF OUR ELDERS

•It is impossible for a man to have everything, but it is possible to find one who enjoys the things that he has.

•BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN Copyrights: © 2015

NATURAL HONEY: GOD'S GIFT TO MANKIND

Honeybees in different bottles. © Olalekan Oduntan

I went to a local herbs seller not quite long ago and i came across this multi purpose cures for our different ailments called natural honey. The natural honey made from the bees is a wonderful gift for mankind. There are two other types of honey sold at the market, and they are sugarcane honey and sugar honey. These two are made into honey to deceive the buyer who does not know the original one to purchase theIIugarcane honey which is the fake one. 

Sugar or sugarcane honey is easily and usually invaded by the ants and it is always in watery form. The natural honey cannot be easily invaded by ants and it is always very thick. In fact, while in bottle, if turned upside down, it does not spill out like the other afore mentioned one. Honey, if taken regularly takes care of our skin making it to glow. 

Honey fights sicknesses like malaria, diabetics, jaundice, eyesight problems e.t.c. In the traditional circles, honey plays a lot of important roles during prayers because it is always put in the mouth to taste before and after praying. Honey is made use of during marriage ceremony as it is used to pray for the husband and wife to have a sweet and enjoyable life, and the couple are asked to have a taste of it too. 

It is also used during naming ceremony to pray for the new born baby to have a blissful life, and it is put in the baby's mouth as a sign of the aforementioned wish. Honey is also sometimes prescribed to add and to be taken with certain traditional medicine or herbs for efficacy in the traditional and spiritual circles. 

Honey is used during all sorts of celebration because it is a demanding item to grace or sweeten beautiful events. Whoever that says the honey is not sweet should have his head examined!  In conclusion, I pray that all our lives will be filled with sweetness and joy like the life of the honey bees!

Aye wa a ma a dun bi aye oyin,

Nitori didun didun la a b'Oyin,

Aye wa o ni koro,

A ma a dun yungba yungba

Nitori eni ba poyin o dun,

Nkan lo n so luwae.

Aye wa a dun,

Bi aye Oyin..... Amin!! Ase!!!

Copyrights: © Olalekan Oduntan 2015

THE SAYING OF OUR ELDERS

•What an old man will see while seated, a small child cannot see even standing on top of a high mountain!

•BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN Copyrights: © 2015

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN IFA ORACLE AND NUMEROLOGY BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN.

Numerological meanings and numbers end up in numbers one to nine except with the master numbers which are numbers eleven, twenty two and thirty three which meanings of their life paths have been explained already. But like IIsaid from the beginning of this writeup that the corpuses of Ifa Oracle are sixteen, and I have already ecplained the meanings and functions of twelve corpuses in my previous teachings to my readers. 

Today, I want to explain the meanings of the four remaining corpuses of Ifa Oracle to us and they go as follows: Number thirteen corpus of Ifa Oracle is called OTURA MEJI and the meanings go thus: Carefulness in everything because of lied against, be careful with unfaithful friend, do not tell your secrets to your friends, be careful not to be betrayed by your lover and after a long struggle, everything will be alright. Number fourteen corpus of Ifa Oracle is called IRETE MEJI, and the meanings are as follows: Unhappiness, disappointment, none progress and backwardness. 

But after a while, progress will come. Number fifteen corpus of Ifa Oracle is called OSE MEJI, and the meanings are as follows: Progress wherever you are, happiness, victory over your enemies, travelling, a lo of rewards from business ventures and you will overcome all your problems. Number sixteen corpus of Ifa Oracle is called OFUN MEJI, and the meanings are as follows: Be careful not to make mistakes, if not everything will be upside down, be careful not get sick, sudden death, be careful not to be attacked by the witches. 

These are the meanings and functions of sixteen corpuses of Ifa Oracle with their illustrations in the pictures. There are other two hundred and forty other corpuses of Ifa Oracle which I shall go into their meanings and explanations later on in my subsequent write ups on this blog. 

Likewise other meanings and attributes of Numerology such as expression, destiny number, pinnacle, karmic number regarding numbers one to nine and the master numbers like numbers 11, 22 and 33.

All Rights Reserved Copyrights: © 2015

THE SAYING OF OUR ELDERS

•Many words do not fill a basket.

•BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN Copyrights: © 2015

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN IFA ORACLE AND NUMEROLOGY BY OLALEKAN ODUTAN.

Positive Characteristics: The 33 is a humanitarian. It is understanding and knowledgeable, a mover and a shaker.

Negative Characteristics: As a Master number, when the positive potential of this number is not used properly, one tends to become preachy and care less about others, putting too much focus on one's personal agenda. 

In my next write up, I will explain the remaining four corpuses of Ifa Oracle and their meanings as compared to the meanings in Numerology.

© Olalekan Oduntan 2015.

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN IFA ORACLE AND NUMEROLOGY BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN.

Like I said in my previous write up while comparing the meanings of numbers one to six corpuses of Ifa Oracle with the meanings of numbers one to six life paths in Numerology that both Ifa Oracle and Numerology deal with numbers. No Ifa Oracle priest or Numerologist can look into the future successfully for anybody without knowing the meanings of those numbers before applying them into use. 

And the rules and regulations guiding them must also be put into use. Today, I want to show us the meanings of another six corpuses of Ifa Oracle as related to the meanings of another six number in Numerology. The number seven corpus of Ifa Oracle is called OBARA MEJI. And the meanings are as follows: Expecting a visitor, travelling, progress and happiness, marriage in the offing and patience generally in everything. 

But in Numerology, the meanings of number 7's life path are as follows: Positive Characteristics: 7 isn't just a lucky number. It is also spiritual, intelligent, analytical, focused, introspective, studious, intuitive, knowledgeable, contemplative, serious, persevering, refined, gracious and displays much inner wisdom.

Negative Characteristics: 7s can be aloof, distant, sarcastic, socially awkward, melancholic, cowardly and, when they're at their worst, back-stabbers.

The next in number of Ifa Oracle is the corpus called OKANRAN MEJI. And the meanings are as follows: Be aware of court case, be careful not to fight and drag issues with anybody because the controversy can be fatal. Remember to appease your dead parents at all times and after a long struggle, progress and happiness will follow. 

But in numerology, the meanings of number 8's life path are as follows: Positive Characteristics: 8s are authoritative, business-minded leaders. They value control and tend to be powerful, but are also balanced, materially detached, successful and realistic. They end up in management positions, are efficient, capable, street-smart and good judges of character.

Negative Characteristics: The dark side of the 8 can be cruel, insensitive, violent, bullish or greedy. At their worst, 8s can become intolerant religious zealots. 

Number nine corpus of Ifa Oracle is called OGUNDA MEJI and the meanings are as follows: Journeying abroad and one may not come back home again, progress in everything, a lot of riches and happiness. 

While the meanings of number 9's life path in Numerology go thus: Positive Characteristics: 9s are helpful, compassionate, aristocratic, sophisticated, charitable, generous, humanitarian, romantic, cooperative, creative, self-sufficient, proud and self-sacrificing.

Negative Characteristics: 9s can end up being egocentric, arrogant, self-pitying, sentimental, discontent, fickle, cold or mentally unstable. 

The number ten corpus of Ifa Oracle is called OSA MEJI, the meanings are as follows: Goodness in everything in life, Be aware of being spiritually attacked by the enemies; victory over the enemies, victory over lawsuit and giving birth to a lot of children in life. 

But in Numerology, the number that is next in line to number nine is not ten but number eleven which is being referred to as the master number. And the meanings of number 11's life path which is a master number in Numerology are as follows: Positive Characteristics: A Master number, the 11 is the most intuitive of all numbers. It is instinctual, charismatic, dynamic and capable when its sights are set on a concrete goal. The 11 is the number associated with faith and psychics.

Negative Characteristics: The 11 can be anxious, shy, stressed, conflicted and scattered. When focus is not applied toward a goal, the 11 can be extremely self-sabotaging. As a Master number, the positive characteristics will turn into obstacles when not understood or used properly. 

Number eleven of Ifa Oracle corpus is called EKA MEJI, and the meanings are as follows: Do not travel at the moment, be careful not to get sick, be careful of the enemies and progress in whatever that you do afterwards. But in Numerology, the next in line in its counting is number twenty two which is another master number. 

And the meanings of number 22's life path are as follows; Positive Characteristics: The 22 is the most powerful of all numbers, able to turn lofty dreams into realities. It is confident, pragmatic, ambitious and disciplined.

Negative Characteristics: Impracticality and self-imposed pressure can get the better of the 22. When unaware of its own potential, the 22 will miss out on or shy away from necessary opportunities. 

The last number I am looking into is the number twelve corpus of Ifa Oracle called OTURUPON MEJI, and the meanings are as follows: Expectancy of goodness from a lover, after a loss, some profitable ventures are on the way, monetary gains from abroad and giving birth to good children. 

While in Numerology, next in line in its counting of numbers is number thirty three which is the last number. But number thirty three is another master number and the meanings of its life path go thus:

© Olalekan Oduntan 2015.

THE SAYING OF OUR ELDERS

•The wrong-headed fool who refuses counsel, will come to grief.

•BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN Copyrights: © 2015

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN IFA ORACLE AND NUMEROLOGY BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN.

In my earlier comparison between Ifa Oracle and Numerology, I mentioned the meanings of about three corpuses of Ifa Oracle namely EJIOGBE, OYEKU MEJI and IWORI MEJI and I compared them with the meanings of numbers 1 to 3's life paths in Numerology. 

But today, I am stepping it further a bit by showing you the meanings of about three corpuses more from Ifa Oracle and three numbers more from Numerology. The fourth number of Ifa Corpus is called ODI MEJI. It says whatever you want in life you will get, but be careful of fraudulent people around you so as not to loose your properties to them. Also, be aware of trouble within the family. 

The meanings of number four's life path are as follows: Positive Characteristics: 4s are disciplined, strong, stable, pragmatic, down-to-earth, reliable, dependable, hard-working, extracting, precise, methodical, conscientious, frugal, devoted, patriotic and trustworthy!

Negative Characteristics: 4s pay for their stability and pragmatism by tending toward the boring side. This may express itself with a lack of imagination, emotions, empathy. 4s may not bother to put much care into their appearance, and their social awkwardness can make them seem vulgar, crude or jealous. 

The next corpus of Ifa Oracle is called IROSUN MEJI and the meanings are as follows: Put your mind at rest because all that you are looking for will be granted unto you. Marriage, good job, little problems, victory over your problems and enemies. 

The meanings of number 5's life path in Numerology are as follows: Positive Characteristics: 5s are energetic, adventurous, daring and freedom-loving. They also tend to be versatile, flexible, adaptable, curious, social, sensual, quick-thinking, witty, courageous and worldly.

Negative Characteristics: On the flip side, 5s can be unstable, chaotic, self-indulgent, irresponsible or careless. They should beware the consequences of drug abuse and unhealthy sexual tendencies. 

The next corpus of Ifa Oracle is called OWORIN MEJI and the meanings are as follows: A lot of gains from business ventures, travelling abroad or locally and remembering the dead. 

While the meanings of number 6's life path in Numerology are as follows: Positive Characteristics: 6s are responsible, loving, self-sacrificing, protective, sympathetic and compassionate. These loyal, maternal figures are domestic, fair and idealistic healers or teachers.

Negative Characteristics: A 6 can overdo its inherent protectiveness and become anxious, worrisome, suspicious, paranoid, emotionally unstable, cynical or jealous. They tend toward the conventional side. 

So, in my next write up, I will look into the meanings of another six corpuses of Ifa Oracle in comparison with the meanings of another six numbers in Numerology. Thank you!

© Olalekan Oduntan 2015.

COCKS, THE BIRDS KEEPING OUR TIME BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN.

Ifa Oracle, the master of the past, present and future knowledge tells us in the corpus of EJIOGBE that before the invention of the Pendulum clock, this bird called the cock had been the keeper of our time. The Corpus says that if someone sleeps alone in a room, God is the only Being that can wake him up at dawn. 

And the person whom has been woken up is asked of who wakes him up from sleep at dawn? And he says it is the crowing of the cock. The crowing of cocks at dawn signifies the time to wake up from sleep and prepare ourselves for the works ahead for the day. 

At noon too, this bird still crows to tell us what the time is. Cocks do not make the mistakes of not knowing when to crow to indicate the certain time. They are birds destined to keep the time for mankind. Cocks crow very early in the morning to get the farmers to head for their farms to work and crow in the evening to indicate that they should start heading home because the day is going to get dusky very soon. 

Whichever way we look at it, the Cocks are master time keepers of the world. Just like the cocks, the Sun was equally observed in those days to know what the time was saying by our forefathers. When the Sun is shining, its apparent position in the sky moves during a day, reflecting the rotation of the Earth. Shadows cast by stationary objects move correspondingly, so their positions can be used to indicate the time of day.

A sundial shows the time by displaying the position of a shadow on a (usually) flat surface, which has the markings that correspond to the hours. Sundials can be horizontal, vertical, or in other orientations. Sundials were widely used in the ancient times. With the knowledge of latitude, a well constructed sundial can measure local solar time with reasonable accuracy, within a minute or two. 

Sundials are continued to be used to monitor the performance of clocks until the modern era. However, practical limitations, such as that sundials work only when the sun shines, and never during the night, encouraged the use of other techniques for measuring and displaying time.

© Olalekan Oduntan 2015.

THE HEALTH VALUES OF AFRAMOMUM MELEGUETA OR ALLIGATOR PEPPER BY OLALEKAN ODUNTAN.

Aframomum Melegueta Zingiberaceae which is also known in the alternative medicine circles as Alligator pepper is not only very useful to appease our deities, it also serves as a gift for welcoming the guests to our homes when they come visiting. Despite the fact that Aframomum Meleguata Zingiberaceae seeds give many health benefits to human bodies, they are also often chewed before offering prayers in the spiritual traditional circles. The leaves are cooked for drinking to serve the same various health benefits and values in our bodies. Aframomum Meleguata or Alligator pepper seeds or leaves are good in curing a lot of ailments like smallpox, chickenpox, measles and malaria. The seeds are also good in fighting anaemic situation in human. Aframomum Meleguata is good in healing wounds and it acts as a stimulant in the body to enhance appetite. The seeds or leaves also fight against rheumatism and toothache in human. Whichever way we look at it, Aframomum Meleguata Zingiberaceae or Alligator pepper is indeed our great friend with both great health and spiritual values for the benefits of mankind.