OLOOLU: THE FATHER OF ALL MASQUERADES IN YORUBA LAND

Oloolu Masquerade.

Recalling the history and importance of one of the greatest masquerades in Ibadan and Yorubaland as a whole, the head of Aje family where the Oloolu masquerade originated, Chief Raheem Oyerinde, disclosed that their great fore father, Ayorinde Aje, who was a warrior along with Ogunmola, Ogbori-efon, Ibikunle, Oderinde, Oderinlo went to fight in Ogbagi in Akoko, Ondo State and Oloolu was a great war masquerade in that town and was so powerful such that no one could confront him during the war.

”Nobody could defeat Oloolu during that war but it was our father, Ayorinde Aje that fought him and removed his regalia and costumes, before he was brought to Ibadan as a slave.

His eyes caught the Egungun’s outfit and were attracted towards it. But as he moved towards the shrine where the outfit was kept, the war captive warned Aje Ayorinde not to go near it because it could put his life in jeopardy.

Hence the name Oloolu, that is, O-LU-NKAN, meaning ‘you will put your life in peril. Ayorinde took the advice but ordered his captive to take the outfit along with him back to Ibadan. He also ordered the wife of the captive to accompany her husband to Ibadan. The woman refused. In his annoyance, Ayorinde beheaded her and ordered the captured husband to carry the woman’s head along to Ibadan in addition to the Oloolu outfit.

That woman’s head is what is permanently placed on the masquerade. It is the original one. It is because of the head that every woman is barred from setting eyes on the Oloolu. Any woman who sees the real Oloolu – not his pictures – will surely die. It is also true that the first person the Ololu sees on his first day will die. The Olubadan usually warns the populace to take precautions.

During his stay in Ibadan, there was famine, ill-health and crisis in the land and all the elders and chiefs were looking for a way out, that was how Ayorinde Aje suggested that Oloolu should be used to carry the ritual to appease the gods, so immediately he carried the ritual, there was rain and everything got back to normal in Ibadan. 

Oloolu helped Ibadan to be what it is today. Since then anybody that is the head of the Aje family becomes the custodian of Oloolu masquerade.

No other Egungun must be seen on the streets whenever the Oloolu is out. That Egungun will certainly perish. During the reign of Olubadan Dada, and Egungun called Iponri-Iku tried it. I was then a small boy. Iponri-Iku came out on the same day the Oloolu was out. He challenged the Oloolu to do his worst. Oloolu then dropped a special cowry on the ground and challenged Iponri-Iku to pick it up. Iponri-Iku bent down to pick the cowry. He could not. His backbone was broken instantly. Iponri-Iku could no longer stand up. His followers had to carry him home. Iponri-Iku died on the same day. Since that day, no other Egungun has dared to challenge the Oloolu.

According to Chief Oyerinde, ”any area in Ibadan where the people try to fight the Oloolu anytime he is out, such areas will continue to experience bloodshed, and that is what is happening in Opopo Yeosa area till date, because they tried to beat Oloolu there sometimes ago. Oloolu is so great that he gives the barren children, he provides for the needy, he prospers business among other good things he can give to an individual who is ready to serve him”.

The Oloolu masquerade is an individual masquerade. It has its unique attire which looks like an elongated pyramid made from different pieces of clothes and a net. The most bizarre piece of the Oloolu masquerade is that it has the skull of a woman as its crown. As the Oloolu dances round the city in its strange rhythm with a female skull dangling on its head, the bearer proudly displays the human bone while accompanying the dreaded cult figure.

The bearer of Oloolu must not wear shoes nor carry any kind of load on his head. Also, he must not go to bed with any of his wives 30 days before coming out. In fact, a few days before the festival opens, all females must vacate his compound and return after the Oloolu festival is over. Besides, he must not carry a child on his shoulders with his feet slung round his neck.‎

Of all the egunguns worshipped in Ibadan and probably in all of Yorubaland, none is as dreaded as the Egungun Oloolu (Oloolu Masquerade). 

This cult figure is believed to have immense supernatural powers and one of these is the ability to mysteriously kill the first person man or woman who sets his or her eyes on the Oloolu (in his weird costume which is usually kept inside its own special shrine.

SOURCE: Yoruba Cultural Heritage Centre

African Music

Bamboo flute, Rwanda

Performing music and making African musical instruments is an integral part of most communities and it varies not only from country to country but from village to village.

There are common features though and much like the other forms of African art, most traditional African music is more than just aesthetic expression.

African music is a total art form closely linked to dance, gesture and dramatization. It permeates African life and has a function, a role to play in society; songs are used for religious ceremonies and rituals, to teach and give guidance, to tell stories, to mark the stages of life and death and to provide political guidance or express discontent.

Child playing a Balafon in the Gambia

It also serves to entertain and is used in ceremonial festivals and masquerades to work up fervor from the spectators and participants alike. Singing, dancing and playing African musical instruments ensure a dynamic event transpires.

The impact of the music is tantamount; the beauty of it, like African sculpture, is secondary to the primary function. Performances may be long and often involve the participation of the audience and much of it is associated with a particular dance. 

African Musical Instruments:

There are some African musical instruments that cross boundaries and are found in varying shapes in the different countries but still have the same basic form. Some instruments have changed very little in 800 years since they were first recorded.

Fulani flute

Africans have strong beliefs about the status associated with particular instruments and with the spirit of an instrument. The carver of the instrument is held in high regard in the community.

This is especially true with drums.

Arched harp (kundi), Mangbetu, DRC, late 19th C

1. The following are some of the African musical          instruments used throughout the continent, primarily  sub-Saharan:

2. Membranophones (Drums):cylindrical, semi-cylindrical, barrel, hourglass, pressure, goblet, kettle, clay-pot, Djembe, West Africa.

3. Chordophones (Stringed instruments):harps (koras), musical bows, fiddles, lyres, zithers, lutes.

4. Aerophones (Wind instruments):flutes: bamboo, millet, reed, animal horn tips, gourds, trumpets: wood, gourd, metal tubes pipes; single, double reed, panpipes, horns: tusks and animal horns.

5. Idiophones (Resonant solids):mbira, xylophone and lamellophone rattles and shakers: gourds, woven, wooden, stick, bells: ankle, cluster, double, single, pod, tubular, clapperless.

6. Percussion:rainsticks, woodsticks, clapsticks bells, rattles, slit gongs, struck gourds and claypots, stamping tubes, body: foot stamping and hand clapping.

African musical instruments also serve as works of art, carved into surprising shapes, covered with patterns and decorated with beads, feathers, paint or cloth. Figures are sculpted into the instrument as spiritual tokens empowering the musician to filter the godly or ancestral messages.

Saharan 'green' cultures left a legacy of rock art describing some are the earliest scenes of African music such as in the painting below. It is probably one of the oldest existing testimonies to music and dance in Africa and is attributed to the 'Saharan' period of the Neolithic hunters.

Tassili-n-Ajjer, Rock painting of a dance performance, Tassili-n-Ajjer, Algeria, 6000-4000 BC

Traditionally, African musicians were not concerned with the impact of the music, nor its 'beauty', it had a specific function with dance being an integral partner to music and was used to entertain as well as to mark occasions and provide moral guidance.

African singers use a large number of sounds, not all of them appealing to the ear; some are confronting or emotionally and spiritually charged. Singing style can be loud and resonant but can also be constricted and accompanying sounds can be added.

African traditions also emphasize dance and all the mime and props that go with it because movement is a significant form of communication.

Body percussion; clapping and foot stamping is also utilized. Improvisation is a fundamental element in African music. The musician's capabilities are measured by the community and his listeners, they must reflect his inventiveness... his creativity... his inspiration... and his technical prowess.

African music history:

From the 15th C onwards, our history of music making in Africa is mainly derived from studying representations of dances and making music with African musical instruments and scenes depicted in terracotta, stone or metal.

In Ife, Yorubaland we see footed cylindrical drums dating from the 10th to 14th century on terracotta artefacts.

In Benin, pressure drums appear on brass plaques from the 15th C onwards. These plaques have proven to be a never-ending supply of information on the use of instruments like horns, bells, drums and bow lutes in ceremonial occasions. In real form, the iron bells excavated in Katanga province, Congo and the Zambezi Valley of Zimbabwe are some of the earliest actual African musical instruments found, also dating around mid/late 15th C.

Migrations of tribes, movement of slaves and colonial porters and servants have all contributed to the wide dispersement of African musical instruments.

For example, lamellaphones with metal keys were a prominent feature in ancient Zimbabwe and spread through neighbouring kingdoms to Katanga and Angolan cultures, all the while becoming smaller and smaller for travelling purposes. Zimbabwean 'mbiras' (lamellaphone) and 'ngomas' (drums) were first written about by Father Joao dos Santos La Portuguese who travelled through the lower Zambezi in 1586 and recorded his impressions of the sounds these instruments made and the effects they had on their combined audience.

Historically, Africa has contributed hugely to music-making in many other areas of the world most notably the Americas and most significantly in genres such as jazz, rock and roll, blues, salsa and samba. Music once considered "primitive" by Westerners is now highly respected for its rhythmic sophistication and complexity.

African music:

Singing is as basic a function as talking for most African people; mothers sing to their babies on their backs as they walk, work and dance, building an inherent sense of rhythm.

There are a great variety of sounds produced but generally singing is loud and resonant but it can also be shrill and piercing or it can include ululating, clicks and grunts. It can also be extremely melodious, using acapella and creating deeply harmonious songs.

Bakisimba dance. Saharan vibe

Personally, some years ago, I had the privilege to listen to an extraordinary group of performers from the Zambesi Valley in Zimbabwe: Tongas, whose haunting music blown from their horns and beaten off their drums made such amazing sounds that, if one closed one's eyes, one could believe one was in New York or London hearing the very latest contemporary jazz.

Dinka Tuich horn trumpet

If anyone has heard the ground hornbill calling to his mates in the African bush in the early mornings then you will know the sound of Africa and it is echoed in their fantastic evocative notes.

If anyone has watched an African woman hoeing in the field with a baby strapped tight to her back and the thud of her hoe is harmonised with the song she is singing while she toils, then this too is the resonance of Africa and is intrinsically lodged in their genetic memory.

Contemporary African music:

Contemporary African music is immense in every respect and is possibly the most dynamic and vibrant form of cultural expression on the continent.

The music industry is huge with most countries supporting wonderful musicians who still use traditional African musical instruments but overlay them with contemporary rhythms and lyrics. This is a hugely exciting form of expression for modern day Africans and what they produce is loved and admired and danced to, the world over.

African musicians represent the collective memory of their continent and their instruments reflect their history, their culture and their ancestry.

Fela Kuti, Nigeria

Culture Musical Club, Zanzibar

While being hugely creative, what is consistent throughout this huge continent is that it has become, like art, a vehicle with which all participants can make a social, political and sometimes spiritual comment. New forms are constantly being created in response to new social, economic and political contexts. Many African states have experienced very hard times in recent history and in the face of this, music has demonstrated itself to be a successful manifestation of emotion in the face of heartbreak and suffering.

With poetry, dance and prayer the experience becomes a dual expression of inner freedom and possession, radiant happiness and anguish, loss and emotive expressiveness.

Mamadou Diabaté, balafon, percussion mania

Mamadou Diabate was born in 1973 into a traditional 'Jeli' musical family in Burkina Faso, W Africa. They had a long history of story-telling and music-making. From a very young age he learnt from the Balofonist masters in neighbouring countries around him.

Today he lives in Austria where he performs his own compositions on the Balafon and other percussion instruments as well as singing. He sometimes joins up with his brother Seydou Diabate.

Aziza Brahim was born in a Sawrawi refugee camp in 1976 in Western Sahara.

She has risen above her formidably challenging background to become a major star on the African continent and in Spain where she currently resides. She says "I am as African as I am Arabian' and that music and her voice can be a powerful weapon, a tool for change, social comment and advancement.

Aziza Brahim

Her music is an enchanting, heady mix of Latin, Spanish, African, Hassaniya and desert blues (Ali Farka Toure). She recognises Mali as the cradle of African music. 

World music:

Contemporary African music is a huge industry with most countries supporting wonderful musicians who still use traditional African musical instruments like the kora (harp), djembe (drum) and mbira but overlay them with contemporary rhythms and lyrics. This has expanded to musical forms such as techno-funk and DJ culture that are way beyond their original context.

Tribal techno-funk fuses world dance rhythms with centuries old instruments and melodies creating haunting, trance-like sounds that contemporary belly dancers like Sharon Kihara are using in their performances. Hip-hop has its own language in Africa, different from the Americas where it emerged. Congolese rumba takes on powerful rhythms and narratives just as contemporary art does in this country.

Wenge music, Congo:

The aim of this music is to give Congolese subjects a form of release from their daily hardships. The force of this music compels the body to escape from itself, either by using the body itself, the buttocks and the hips swinging like a pendulum, or by simply listening to all the complexities the music presents; its rhythms, lyrics, tensions and melodies.

Either way a state of serenity is achieved.

Jimmy Omonga (DRC)

Jimmy Omonga was born in Kinshasa, Congo and taught himself to play guitar, singing in a choir and writing his own songs by sixteen. He moved to Angola and then Cape Town where he combined his beautiful Congolese ballads with Afro-pop and the South African choir and writing his own songs by sixteen. He moved to Angola and then Cape Town where he combined his beautiful Congolese ballads with Afro-pop and the South African choir tradition.

The catchy sounds produced were so original that he was labelled the 'Best Newcomer in World Music' by Beat Int, UK in 2008. He continues to astonish and delight both abroad and in Africa, playing at festivals like Sauti za Busara in Zanzibar.

Toubab Crewe, Essekane, Mali

Another music festival that attracts large crowds and musicians to Africa is 'Festival au Desert' in Essekane, Mali. Below is Toubab Crewe, a band which fuses rock and roll and W African music blending Mali, and America's 'dirty south'.

They are usually to be found in the blues and jazz clubs of New York.

Source: www.contemporary-african-art.com

Generational Development of Human Beings

Humans advance by building on what a previous generation has built before them. 

There is no generation that stands without a root. So advancement must be seen for what it is - improvement in the understanding (and functionality) of existing knowledge and concepts based on new (unique) experiences and challenges.

What that simple truth above is saying is that humanity must evolve (develop, advance) by working and improving (continuing from) on where its previous generation left the work in the cycle of time,  and using such improvement to answer contemporary questions (challenges) for the betterment of human race. 

This is how it happens wherever humanity records advancement.

But here is the gist; some people neglect the wisdom/work of their past generations and are seeking to improve on the knowledge of the ancestors of their captors. 

They contribute so greatly to the promotion of their captors ancestral wisdom and some of them are even very active in bastardizing their own original ancestral wisdom. Yet, these sort of people want to advance in what they do and be on equal level with their captors whose house they are helping to build but pulling down their own very house. 

What a wonderfulness!

One interesting thing about this scenario is that the captors use the wisdom of their captives' forefathers to build what fascinates them (the captives) today, and the government of the captors send representatives to buy and learn the knowledge of their captives' ancestors while majority of the captives are in suits and ties considering their ancestors wisdom barbaric, evil and dispenser of unimaginable darkness with nothing to offer than the destruction of the soul of its adherents and custodians.

So, they concern themselves with trying to convert themselves from their root to be planted in the root of the tribe of Israel or Saudi Arabia - a language and culture that they do not understand. They want to escape the hell fire that the culture of their captors say would befall those who don't believe. 

But the result is that they now exist in the hell that those who abandon their culture have been prophesied will be; they are in the hell of those who abandon the tradition and wisdom of their own forefathers. That is why they want do everything they can to compete for Visa to run abroad. The foreigners therefore reap from them their best minds and their land is left desolate while they themselves remain second class citizens forever in another man's land.

This is the story of a people who sell themselves to slavery. They have rejected the truth and they will continue to trail behind. 

But blessed be Olódùmarè who will not allow the truthful ones extinguish from the face of the earth.

Ayobami Ogedengbe

Copyrights: © 2020

What is Sikidy?

Sikidy is a geomancy, which is like one aspect of Ifá corpus, a base 16 computational system of the Malagasy people of Madagascar. In Sikidy, the Babalawo (geomancer) is called Mpisikidy or Ombiasy (diviner) and the sixteen principal Odu are sixteen figures known as volon-tsikidy.

The Sikidy have 16 figures also with same signs Odù Ifá, for example,

Alahijana

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•  •

•  •

•  •

The above sign is the same with Òbàrà Meji in odù ifá.

Karija have the exact same sign of Ògúndá Méjì.

  •

  •

  •

•  •

Perhaps the structural details of volon-tsikidy is not the same as we have it in odù ifá because it is strictly a divinatory tool like a tableau geomancy.

Ifá Corpus is BEYOND geomancy and Babalawo is not a geomancer or diviner alone.

Ombiasy in Sikidy is strictly a diviner.

Ifá doesn't just have a diviner (priests) that handles the divinatory aspect of it but also teachers, guardians, psychologists, esoterists,  scientist, healers, etcetera that handle other aspects of it.

A priest of Ifá alone can not handle the totality of Ifá, a gigantic knowledge of cosmos. Babalawo is beyond a diviner. An Odu Ifa is equal to 4 bits (4 gold coins). The sixteen principal Odu are equal to 64 gold coins (4 bits × 16). And the 256 Odu in Ifa literary corpus are 1,024 gold coins (4 bits × 256).

There are infinite number of stars in the sky. An Odu Ifa (4 bits) is equal to four stars (4 gold coins), such that the infinite number of stars in the universe is the uncountable Ese (odù verses)

Meanwhile, The term uncountable Ese means that the gold coins in the treasure vault (the sky) are limitless or inexhaustible.

Copyrights: © 2020

Top 6 Famous Festivals in Japan

There are bags of different festivals in Japan, and big or small – the Japanese love a celebration or two! You’ll always find an event happening somewhere, or so they say in Japan. Festivals in Japan are based on one main celebration theme at a time and are complete with food, games and all-around entertainment. They can be found all over the shop, from parks with fireworks or temples and shrines.

We’ve put together a list of our favourite festivals in Japan, so if you’re there – why not visit?!

Yuki Matsuri – January/February:

Yuki Matsuri, also known as “Sapporo snow festival”, is held for about a week in Hokkaido. This festivity is one of Japan’s most popular winter events, starting out in 1950 when a group of high-school students built snow statues in the local park. It has since developed into a huge, cultural event featuring snow and ice sculptures which people compete in by making their own, it attracts more than two million visitors from Japan and across the world every year.

Omizutori – March:

The Omizutori festival, also known as the “sacred water-drawing” festival, takes place over 2 weeks in March, in the city of Nara. The Buddhist festival is a ceremony to cleanse people of their sins and bring spring to the new year; once the festival is over the cherry blossom season blooms. There are many different events that happen during this festival – but the most famous is Otaminatsu. During the Otaminsatsu, giant fire torches that are up to 8 meters long are walked to the top of a balcony and shower down to the crowd, which is thought to bestow people with a safe, healthy and happy year. Who knew fire could be a blessing of safety?!

Kanamara Matsuri – April:

This is a bit of a strange one… Japan’s infamous *cough* “penis festival”. Japan is a unique country, and they like to do things differently, and Kanamara Matsuri – set in Kawasaki, Tokyo – is no different! This festival has gained international recognition, with wide coverage on all sorts of social platforms and news worldwide. The festival takes place annually on the first Sunday of April and has a few different stories about where this festival originated from. One tale involves a woman who had a demon living in her… *ahem*vagina, who bit off the penises of her newlywed husbands (that’s right, she did it twice!). After a visit to the blacksmith, she was made a steel penis which the demon broke its teeth on, letting her return to live a normal, demon-free, life. Another tale is about a goddess giving birth to a fire god, leaving her suffering with injuries on the lower half of her body. Two kind gods helped heal her from the injuries, leading to people today seeking help with venereal diseases, fertility and safe childbirth praying to these gods for their blessing, who knew?! With a visit to this festival, you’ll see a parade of giant penises in the streets, and vendors/stores selling phallic-shaped sweets and goods – oh, and lots of fun and booze (hurrah!)!

Gion Matsuri – July:

Arguably, this is known as the mother of all Japanese celebrations. This festival began as part of a purification ritual to appease the godsthought to cause fire, floods and earthquakes… Eeps. The event itself is so popular, that it gets celebrated for the whole month of July with something different happening nearly every day. It’s a huge event in Kyoto culture and loved by locals and tourists alike, with the favourite events held on 17th and 24th July. For visitors, the most enjoyable part of the festival is the “Yoi-yama” events held on the three evenings preceding the main float processions. This is when Kyoto really lets loose! If you can lay your hands on a yukata, why not get dressed up and enjoy the fun?

Aomori Nebuta Matsuri – August:

Japan’s most colourful festival takes place in August, featuring stunning floats shaped as mythological creatures and famous Japanese characters. Nebuta refers to the float of a brave warrior-figure which gets carried through the centre of the city. The festival uses these creature-inspired floats that replicate armies in the 800’s to scare away the enemy. The floats are normally made from cotton, cloth and bamboo. The highlight of the festival is the daily parade of enormous lantern floats, surrounded by large drums, musicians and dancers. As a tourist, you can enjoy the food, soak up the live music, cultural dances and the mesmerising light-up floats.

Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri – September:

The Danjiri Matsuri is essentially a harvest festival to pray for a good autumn bounty! It takes place in Kishiwada, South Osaka, is a fun, powerful celebration and the most famous danjiri matsuri in Japan. A danjiri is a traditional Japanese wooden float decorated with carvings and lots of ornaments. The wooden floats are made in the shape of a shrine or temple and are pulled through the streets on festival days. Today, the festival is considered to be Osaka’s wildest party, that’s celebrated in mid-September. The majority of the floats weigh over 3000 kg and are pulled by an enthusiastic team of up to 1,000 people. All the floats represent a different district of the city with each districts pride being at stake as each team is competing for the victory.

By Scarlet

Source: rickshawtravel.co.uk

YORUBA MIND AND CONCEPT OF TIME

For the Yoruba mind, time falls into two separate epochs.  IGBA or Time as in measurement of seasons and periods. But ASIKO or Time in terms of measurement of awareness.  The linear time which is Igba is just a calculative idea of what is meant to be. And the season as it comes is unregulated by man.  It is something outside our spheres of control and we are subjected to it. 

Every life is stretched before us in terms of time. As a matter of fact, we are helpless about it. ‘Igba Ibi' is the Time of birth and ‘Igba Iku' is the Time of death. And those two times are already predestined. 

Asiko however is what we have and control. The realm through which we achieve it is up to us. It is a cumulative now! Tmore to itis why the Yoruba mind always prays that ‘Asiko wa koni koja wa'. May our time not pass us by. What you achieve in life is justifiably linked to how you spend your time or asiko. It may be at night. Normally a period or ‘Igba’ that you are meant to rest.  

But you can make it an ‘Asiko’ to do other things. From carnal to spiritual, and by so doing, not only have you changed time but you have recreated it as well. 

Be aware of what you do with your ‘Asiko' as your consciousness bearer. When I talk about relating with the inner man, it is all about linking your ‘Ori’ with your ‘Asiko’. Asiko is the only thing we can change but Igba is out of our reach.  Let us dig deeper, there is more to it that the culture has to offer that is not well defined in other languages. Yoruba People have been bending time before time. Ire ooo. 

-----Apataki

Copyrights: © 2020

Ifa Literary Corpus

Ifa literary corpus is a tesseract with sixteen vertices known as Odu Ifa. The book is divided into sixteen chapters known as the sixteen principal Odu. Each chapter has sixteen verses, such that there are 256 (16x16) Odu in the Ifa literary corpus.

An Odu is a tesseract, which means that Ifa literary corpus is equal to 256 tesseracts or 512 cubes.

Ifa literary corpus is a fractal in which there are sixteen successive Odu in every Odu. This means that there is a tesseract in every vertex of a tesseract, such that the 256 Odu contain infinite number of Odu known as the uncountable Ese.

The book of life is structurally Ifa literary corpus. But unlike the Yoruba Ifa literary corpus, the book of life is not a religious book and is not influenced by Eshu and the other so-called Orisha. No one and nothing stands between humans and the book of life.

An Odu is called a basket of wisdom because each Odu is a spacetime curvature. The tree of life is a tesseract in which each vertex is a branch of the tree and the Odu in every branch is a nest described as a basket in Ifa cosmology. The nest is called Namkha in Buddhism and Endless knot in Hinduism.

The nest is made up of repeating monomeric 3x3 square grid called Lo Shu square, such that the uncountable Ese is the world Wide Web (WWW) of network of square grids called spacetime continuum.

There is a terrestrial Israel and there is a celestial Israel. Citizenship of the terrestrial Israel is restricted to some people. The celestial Israel, on the other hand, belongs to the whole world.

Just as every human being is a citizen of the world so every person is a citizen of the celestial Israel.

Fundamentally, Ifa literary corpus is the celestial Israel represented by a bright six-pointed star. The star is the tesseract called the holy city or the new Jerusalem. The city is the cosmos called Christ.

Therefore, the holy city descending from heaven to earth is Christ suddenly appearing online, dominating and spreading across the internet like a wildfire.

Christ is the tesseract called Ifa literary corpus.

In Ifa, Almighty God is called Olodumare, and Christ is called Orunmila.

Israel is a blue hexagram called the Star of David. The coming of Christ is a change in the colour of the hexagram from blue to gold. The golden hexagram is Christ. The change from blue to gold implies that royal power has been transferred from David to Jesus (Orunmila).

Hexagram = Israel

Blue Hexagram = David

Golden Hexagram = Christ

Blue stands for word or sound. Gold stands for vision or light. The change from blue to gold is a transition from word to light or from sound to vision. The things written down by the Hebrew prophets are now visible to the naked eyes.

The tree of life is a tesseract comprised of two cubes  like two intersecting hexagons. Ten out of the sixteen vertices of the tesseract are called the ten sefirot. And the remaining six vertices are represented by the six wings of the six-pointed star surrounding the ten sefirot. As a tesseract, the tree of life is four-dimensional space comprised of infinite number of dimensions.

Each vertex is an Odu, each Odu is a new dimension, and there are infinite number of Odu called the uncountable Ese.

An Odu is itself the tree of life, which means that the uncountable Ese is infinite number of trees. Since Ifa literary corpus is a six-pointed star, the infinite number of trees are infinite number of stars.

Therefore, Ifa literary corpus in which the uncountable Ese is infinite number of stars is the cosmic tree made up of infinite number of trees.

This fulfills God's promise to Abraham that he will give him descendants as numerous as the uncountable number of stars in the sky.

The stars are people of every tribe, nation, race and language. They are people from all parts of the world.

Ifa literary corpus is the book of life,  and the stars are the people whose names are written in the book of the living. The book is the cosmos, and the people whose names are in the book are the stars of the cosmos.

Copyrights: © 2020

Iraq Culture, People, Food and Festivals

Culture:

Iraq has long reflected cultural diversity. Although Iraqis generally are a religious and conservative people, there are strong secular tendencies in the country.

Iraq is a Muslim nation with Arabic and Kurdish as its official languages. As such, Islamic holidays are celebrated. Other holidays include the Newroz, the Iraqi Army Day, and the International Workers’ holiday. Weekends in Iraq are Friday and Saturday, as opposed to the Western version of Saturday and Sunday.

There are many values that are honored in the Iraqi culture, including generosity and humility. Men commonly hold hands or kiss when greeting each other, but this is typically not the case for men and women. Respect is given to the elderly and women, especially those with children.

Many markets reflect local culture and economy such as the famous Al-Safafeer market in Baghdad which is one of the oldest markets in the city established during the Abbasid Caliphate and remains famous for various copper collectables and exhibits.

History of Iraq:

Mesopotamia – the core of modern Iraq – was at the heart of the Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian empires between the 7th century BC and 100 AD. After brief spells under the rule of the Romans and the Sassanids, Iraq was subject to the Arab conquest in 633 AD.

Later, the Arab Caliphate took control of the territory during the late 12th and early 13th centuries before being dislodged by the Mongols. At the end of the 14th century, Iraq was conquered and subsumed into the empire ruled by Timur (also known as Tamerlane). The Turks were the next imperial invaders, ruling from the early 16th century until the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.

In 1920, Iraq was placed under a League of Nations mandate administered by the UK, whose forces had occupied most of the country. The country achieved independence in 1932, but British forces intervened once again in 1941 to combat a pro-Nazi coup.

In 1958, the ruling Hashemite Dynasty was overthrown by a group of radical army officers inspired by the example of Gamal Abdel Nasser in Egypt, and led by Brigadier Abdul al-Karim Kassem. The new regime failed to consolidate its position, however, and relied on a precarious coalition of forces, which quickly disintegrated. Kassem was killed in 1963 during another coup.

Cuisine:

Iraqi cuisine mirrors that of Syria and Lebanon, with strong influences from the culinary traditions of Turkey and Iran. Popular dishes include kebab (skewered meat, typically beef), falafel (fried chickpea balls), kofta (Iraqi meatballs) and masgouf (open-air-grilled carp). Meals typically begin with mezza, appetizers or salads similar to Spanish tapas. Mezza includes dips like baba ghanoush (baked eggplant) and hummus (chickpea) as well as small portions like dolma (grape leaves stuffed with vegetables, rice and sometimes meat). Long-grain rice is a staple in Iraq and is served with most dishes.

Music:

Renowned Iraqi composers include Abbas Jamil, NazimNaeem, Mohammed Noshi, Reza Ali, Kamal Al Sayid, Kawkab Hamza, Talib Ghali, Hameed Al Basri, Tariq Al Shibli, Mufeed Al Nasih, Jaffer Al Khafaf, Talib Al Qaraghouli and many others.Iraqi music has its historic roots in ancient traditions but has continued to evolve through various eras. From creation of the oldest guitar in the world and the invention of the lute, to adding a fifth string to the rhythms and the various Iraqi maqams, Iraqi music proves to be an important part of the country's culture.

Popular Iraqi singers in the twentieth century include Nazem Al-Ghazali, Dakhil Hassan, Zohoor Hussein, Fuad Salem, Hussein Nema, Riaz Ahmed, Qahtan Al Attar, Maida Nuzhat, Anwar Abdul Wahab, SattarJabbar, Kazem Al Saher amongst others.

Religion:

The majority of Iraqis are Muslims regardless of ethnicity. Its position in Iraq went through a transition during Saddam Hussein’s regime as the state moved from a secular one to one needing Islam to prop up their actions. At this stage the words “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest) was added to the flag. During Saddam’s regime only Sunnis held real power.

With the overthrow of Saddam’s regime the Shia majority now hold more power and influence than in the past. As well as the power shift people have also been able to express their religious identities a lot more freely.

The Shia and Sunnis are similar in over 95% of ways. The differences are not as acute as one would think.

Essentially the split occurred to the political question of who should succeed the Prophet Muhammad as the leader of the community. Major differences between the two occur in jurisprudence (i.e. how to pray, how to marry, inheritance) and minor elements of faith.

Regardless of orientation Islam prescribes a way of life and it governs political, legal, and social behaviour. It organises one’s daily life and provides moral guidance for both society and the individual. The rules of Islam come from the Quran and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (known as “hadith”.

Source: worldculturepeople.blogspot.com

QUEEN MOREMI AJASORO

Did you know the Moremi Ajasoro Statue of Liberty is the tallest single statue of a woman in Africa at 42 feet tall?

Moremi Ajasoro, Princess of the Yoruba was a figure of high significance in the history of the Yoruba people of West Africa. Born a princess, Queen Moremi was a courageous queen who is fabled to have contributed to the deliverance of the Yoruba tribe from oppression.

At a time in ancient Yoruba land, the people of Ile-Ife people were enslaved by a neighbouring tribe called the Ìgbò (forest) people. These Ìgbò were considered to be as powerful as demi-gods because they conducted regular raids on the people of Ife.

Upon devising a strategy, Moremi visited the Spirit of the river Esimirin and vowed to make the greatest sacrifice possible if she could discover the strength of the Forest people and save her kinsmen.

She went to a place that was raided frequently, and allowed herself to be captured. Eventually, her beauty attracted the Ìgbò ruler who made her his anointed queen.

She was also very confident and skillful so it was not long before she won the trust and affection of the King and people in Ìgbò land.

This gave her the access she needed to familiarise herself with the secrets of their army — in preparation for battle, the Ìgbò would cover themselves from head to toe with Ekan grass and bamboo fibers.

If someone were to pass amongst the Ìgbò warriors with a torch, they would be defeated.

After she discovered their secrets, she escaped to Ile-Ife to reveal them to the Yoruba army. The Yoruba people used Moremi’s privileged information to finally defeat the Ìgbò people in battle. Queen Moremi is recognised by the Yoruba people because of this bravery and celebrate her selflessness with the Edi Festival because she gave up her son, Olurogbo, to the Esimirin deity in order to fulfil her end of the bargain.

To this day, the Yoruba people mourn with her and hold her in the highest esteem of any women in the Kingdom.

Queen Moremi has been immortalized in several ways with books about her, public places named after her, and a statue of her erected in 2016 by Oba Ogunwusi in the Ife palace.

The 42 feet statue which is the tallest statue in Nigeria, and the fourth tallest in Africa was unveiled by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi in the Ife palace in Osun State, Nigeria in 2016.

Source – Pulse Nigeria

The Culture, Traditions, and Heritage of Comoros

Comoros is officially referred to as the Union of Comoros and it is an independent archipelago island country in the Indian Ocean situated at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel. It is located off Africa’s eastern coast between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar. Neighboring countries to Comoros are Seychelles to the northeast and Tanzania to the northwest. The country’s capital city is Moroni, located in Grande Comore. The country’s official languages are French, Arabic, and Comorian, and Islam is the main religion.

Comoros has diverse culture from its religion, food, fashion, music and even architecture. All these aspects of culture portray a mixture of diverse cultures that were brought into the country by French, Portuguese, and Arab traders. Some of these aspects will be discussed in brief below.

Architecture in Comoros:

Traditional dance in Comoros

All Comorians live in cities and villages, most of which are fortified. Some of the stone-built monuments in the country include public squares, palaces, Mosques, tombs adorned with pillars and domes, and coral and stone archways referred to as the doors of peace are some of the stone-built monuments in the country. Other architectural aspects include sculpted coral and wood decorative niches used on doors and ceilings, and they feature floral or geometric patterns and Koranic calligraphy. Their houses are built from dark ballast plastered with cob, which is a mixture of mud and straws from rice plants. The houses are also built from coral lime and braided coconut leaves. Stone is slowly being replaced by cement, while braided coconut fronds are being replaced by sheet metal.

Comorian houses have two rooms. One is private and the other is for receiving and entertaining visitors, and can at times be used as the living room. The courtyard is normally used for domestic activities. Comorian women dominate more in alleys, houses and indoor courtyards while the men dominate in public squares and mosques. Comorian boys sleep in the bachelor quarters.

Religion in Comoros:

The dominant religion in the country is Islam, especially Sunni Islam of the Chafeite rite. Most of the locals have faith in the power of the djinn and other earthly spirits. Such beliefs have been derived from Madagascan, African, and Arabic traditions. The locals also have faith in the notion of cosmic balance that developed from the Arab astrology.

Islam is practiced in several ways in the country and the religious responsibilities can at times overlap. Some practices and roles are institutionalized and defined clearly, for instance, muezzin and preachers who carry out community prayers at the mosque, conducting holy prayers on Fridays and so on. Walimumasters, who are quite many in the countryside can be healers, Koranic instructors, masters of the Muslim djinn, and astrologists. It is also a common experience for the locals to communicate with the unseen.

Comorians celebrate all Sunni Islam’s religious holidays. They also celebrate the birth of the Prophet and those of the local saints. The majority of the prayer services are carried out at the Friday and neighborhood mosques, but the special devotions of the rifayya, kadiriyya, and shadhuliyya brotherhoods are conducted in the orders ‘mosques’ courtyards, referred to as zawiya. Local saints are buried in tombs in these courtyards, and the locals come here to pray.   

The dead are normally buried as per the Islamic rites that exclude women. Special prayers are organized for the third, ninth, and fortieth days of mourning. When a person sees his or her dead parent in a dream, it informs him or her of the relative’s happiness, thus facilitating prayer.

Marriage, Family, and Kinship in Comoros:

Both Comorian men and women marry two to four times on average but sometimes much more frequently. A small population of the men are polygamous but they do not have more than two wives at a time. The great wedding is normally held in the village and within the community. This is to make sure that the wealth being swapped remains in the community. This has to be a woman’s first wedding even if it will be celebrated years after the religious marriage was carried out. It is the husband only who can renounce his partner, but the wife can at times provoke him to make that choice.

The domestic unit is usually dominated by the wife’s relatives. These include children from previous marriages, and other people that she is responsible for. Transfers of young ones within the family take place quite often. If the husband is from the same village, he is free to visit his mother’s and sisters’ homes.  When a woman marries, she is given a piece of arable land and a house. Land that is owned jointly matrilineally, and inherited through women, can only be sold so as to run away from dishonor. Individual property is often handed down via a testament or declaration, and Islamic law is seldom used.

On Ngazidja Island, a person belongs to his or her mother’s lineage, referred to as “house” or “belly” and it has its own name. Matrilineal transmission is not that formal on the other islands. A person, however, still resides with his or her maternal family. Patrilineal transmission is of Arab origin and is present on Ndzuani Island. Three sharif lineages are also present in the islands.

Language in Comoros:

The dominant language in the country is Comorian. This is a Bantu language that is similar but not related to Swahili, and every island has its own style of speaking it. Comorian is made up of many words of French and Arabic origin. All locals go through a Koranic education where they learn how to write the language in the Arabic language. French is the language for instruction when it comes to formal education. 

Fashion in Comoros:

French has had a lot of influence on Comoros, but this has not influenced how the locals dress. This is because they still dress in their traditional clothes. Women clothes are made up of Shiromeni; these are lively colored long skirts and dresses. Comorian women also use coral and sandalwood paste as a beauty mask on their faces. For the men, their traditional clothes are made up of a long white shirt, a colorful long skirt, and a Koffia, which is an expensive skull cap that is of high value to the locals.

Food in Comoros:

Rice is the staple food for Comorians day-to-day diet. This is usually accompanied by dried and fresh fish, plantains, manioc and other root vegetables, and milk from grated coconut.

French bread for sale on the street, Moroni,Source

Music and the Arts in Comoros:

Comoros is historically connected to France and East Africa, and it presently has a h2 Malagasy influence. This has, therefore, influenced the kind of music Comorians listen to. As of now Zanzibar’s taarab music is the most listened to genre in the country, and twarab, a Comorian version is also popular. Some of the local musical instruments are the violin and ud, mostly used as accompaniment for twarab, the ndzendze; this is a box zither, and a gabusi (a form of lute) among other instruments. Sega music from Réunion and Mauritius is also popular.

Traditional music in Comoros

The locals have customary celebrations referred to as ada. These are occasions for both male and female dancing, recitation of significant texts, and violin concerts.

Some of the locals also engage in graphics art where they get to make day-to-day objects such as jewelry, embroidery (openwork curtains, Islamic bonnets, ceremonial coats, etc), pottery, basketry, makeup tables in carved coral, abacus-style number games, and sculpted wood coconut graters.

Literature in Comoros:

The country’s oral literature is made up of stories about the formation of the villages, philosophical poetry, proverbs, war epics, riddles ,and tales. Poetry and novels in French are also available.

Gender roles and statuses in Comoros:

Labor is usually divided by gender. Men work to provide for the home and meet the family’s needs. Men fear ridicule and this keeps them away from housework and a teenage boy who spends the nights in his mother’s house is termed a “girl.”  Women group themselves together and they use their power to influence affairs in the village via their associations. Women are also included in modern political life and one cabinet post is normally occupied by a woman. In the Islamic religious setting, women are usually restricted to operating as Koranic instructors.

As mentioned earlier on, men get to practice polygamy and also enjoy a monopoly in religious offices. Despite these factors, women are the ones who have a comfortable social status since they are the ones who own the conjugal house. On Ngazidja Island, the eldest daughter and her brother are the head of their mother’s lineage and the household. Women also possess a degree of material independence, they receive respect in the organization of traditional celebrations, and their role as mothers is always praised.

Etiquette in Comoros:

With regards to etiquette, one has to greet and respect his or her elders regardless of their social standing. A woman cannot go out if she does not have a head veil. The wife and the children eat their meals in the kitchen, while the husband eats in the living room or at the dining table, where he can invite a friend or a parent.

Source: Studycountry.Com

Tribute To Chief Aina Onabolu

Chief Aina Onabolu

Chief Aina Onabolu was the first Nigerian artist and he had no formal training in art at the beginning of his career. He was born in Ijebu-Ode in 1882.  He started painting at the early age of 12, inspired by the cheap re-produced illustrations of Western arts which were prominent in many Nigerian magazines and religious books. By the age of 32, he was able to exhibit his own works and was quite popular as a knowledgeable and skilled artist. He later travelled abroad to study art at Académie Julian in Paris and at a school in London; before his sojourn abroad, he was already a competent and self-taught draftsman. He completed his studies with a diploma in fine arts and a teacher's certificate from St. John Woods College, London in 1922. 

In 1909, when the colonial government in Nigeria took control of formal education, the curriculum in the schools was geared towards the provision of suitable education to train clerk position clerks for the colonial Administration government administration. Little was thought of arts education in secondary education until a report recommended the teaching of native indigenous hand craft. Prior to the report, Onabolu had formally presented requests for the introduction of modern arts education in secondary schools but his option was rejected by the colonial education officers  During the time, there were implicit suggestions by the colonial officers that the natural limits of Africans was in pottery and craft.

Onabolu's return from St John Woods, London, in 1922 and Julians academy in paris and his acquired knowledge of the European technique of painting, anatomy and the characteristics of European art education coincided with a new perspective on introducing indigenous art education in the country. Onabolu, who had taught informally to enthusiastic students began teaching in a few top schools in Lagos such as King's College, Lagos and CMS Grammar School, Lagos. 

Onabolu also encouraged the adoption of European teachers in art instruction in the country. His effort led to the hiring of a foreign art teacher named Kenneth Murray. Murray led a gradual re-awakening of traditional handicraft and arts. Odiboh etal (1990)   The new approach of promoting indigenous African arts and staying within the native repository of knowledge in traditional African arts was introduced into the curriculum of various secondary schools in the country. The efforts of the new instructor yielded early dividends, as the number of Nigerian art instructors increased and knowledge of traditional works such as the Uli body and wall became more pronounced. However, Murray's effort meant little in the long run as the country was in the midst of a colonial and Western government which introduced its own way or life, leading to a gradual shift in the society from traditional to a Western culture.

Source: http://emmyartworld.blogspot.com/

IFÁ PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE: THE LAUNCHPAD TO AFRICA'S RISING

There is an Ifá Story that told us of when Ọ̀rúnmìlà sent his wife, Ìwà, packing out of the house, accusing her of untidiness. 

Ìwà left and went back to her father's house but things did not remain the same again for Ọ̀rúnmìlà. Negative things started happening to him and he found out that it was because he had lost Ìwà. 

He searched everywhere on earth for Ìwà but couldn't find her, then he went to heaven to look for her. He found ìwà in heaven in the house of her father, Sùúrù. 

He pleaded strongly for Ìwà to return with him to earth but ìwà refused and said henceforth humans will be the ones responsible for shaping their character, hence the saying, Ọwọ́ ẹni la fi ń tún ìwà ara ẹni ṣe.

(ìwà is the Yoruba word for character)

Now, this Ifá verse might be applicable in the society in the two following ways:

1. As a social philosophy (larger society).

It can be used as a story for moral instruction on the importance of good character in man's life.

2. In Divination (individual)

The enquirer could be told that his wife is a very strong pillar to his success and that negative things have started happening in his life because he had divorced the woman. It might also be coming out as a warning for him not to divorce his wife. 

Ifá was/is used both as a means of teaching morals to the larger society in Africa and used as a means of helping individuals maintain order in their lives considering that life is deeper than what their five physical senses alone can perceive/fathom.

For our African society to revive it's cultural values of chastity and Ọmọlúwàbí, the teachings of Ifá must be developed by the academia and used as a means of teaching the native wisdom to native African people in order for Africans to be able to live according to their values which we will all agree is nothing short of absolute, perfect holiness - being in unity with nature. 

The African esoteric philosophy of life must also be a part of the African educational system because Africa knows that there are forces beyond human forces that influence human experiences. These forces are mentioned in their different names in the Ifá Corpus and the interfacing interactions that man must have with them to create a order in their personal lives and in the entire universe are well detailed, though in crude oral form. There should be absolutely no reason why there can't be a budget from African governments for the development of indegenous philosophical knowledge.

What about the Osanyin traditional herbal medicine knowledge which is also contained in Ifá? Are we going to neglect such multitrillion whatever currency potential market because the priest of a certain St. George's Cathedral or St. Mary's Church said that herbal medicine by Osanyin followers are demonic? 

Many of the clergies patronize these herbalists in their personal lives. 

We all Africans must know that the African Christian priest is simply doing the job his employer pays him to do in order for him to make ends meet, but he doesn't neglect his root. Those of them who know the truth never ignore their root. But their job description tells them to discourage such things. It is now left for you to use your sense.

But I think it is high time we stopped that hypocrisy. It is time we stopped it. 

Government SHOULD fund Ifá knowledge, especially the Philosophical and Medical Part.

Ayobami Ogedengbe

KING JAJA OF OPOBO

King Jaja Opobo statue. Photo: Wikipedia

King Jaja of Opobo (1821-1891), the wealthiest and most powerful monarch in the Niger Delta and sole founder of Opobo, was Igbo.

Born in his native Umuduruoha, Amaigbo, present-day, Imo State, and named Mbanaso Okwaraozurumbaa at birth, he was captured by slave traders and sold into captivity in Bonny at the age of 12, where he earned his way out of slavery haven't also adopted the Ijaw-Ibani culture.

Though he generated astounding wealth for Bonny, when that kingdom’s throne became vacant, his quest to vie for it was politically checkmated by a fellow wealthy slave (wealth was a deciding factor in monarchy). Thus, he left with his supporters to found a new town, Opobo, near Andoni. Bonny and it’s affiliated British merchants would come to regret that day.

The new development Jaja (aka Jubo Jubogha) relocated to in 1869, was named Opobo, and the location was strategically positioned that he could transact first hand with both national and international merchants, effectively becoming a monopolist in oil palm trade.

Trade and the resultant wealth exploded so much that his former British trading partners lost £100,000 (in 1870), and Bonny pleaded with him to return (which he refused). He then came to the attention of Queen Victoria who, impressed by his influence, recognized him as King of Opobo in 1873 and also personally presented him with a sword in Buckingham Palace in 1875 after he sent troops to assist Britain in the Ashante war.

The scramble for Africa began in the 19th century. Jaja was infamous for resisting foreign political and economic influence and he kept taxing the British merchants much to their indignation.

Greed and the fear of Jaja’s influence led the new Consul-General, to invite Jaja out of his kingdom and onboard a ship, ”The Goshawk”, for trade discussions.

Once onboard, a deportation order was served on him. He was illegally tried and convicted in Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, in 1887 and exiled to Saint Vincent in the distant West Indies and to be later relocated to Barbados.

His pleas to return to his kingdom were granted in 1891. Unfortunately, he died in Tenerife, en route Opobo, after allegedly poisoned with a cup of tea. After his death, the influence of Opobo died with him.

His body was received with much sorrow by his people who gave him a full, honourable royal burial. He was 70.

Adapted From Chiedu Beluchi

Eji-Ogbe: The Significance of Ifa in Human Development

Prologue:

Iba o,                                            Obeisance and homage

Awa juba o,                                 to the elders,

Omode e lo se'ba agba o!         Because a child must pay

                                                      homege to the elders.

Refrain:  Iba o, Iba agba o!

Opening Glee:

Iba Akoda aye;                           Homage to the first man 

                                                      of creation;

Iba Aseda aye:                            Also homage to the first

                                                      woman of creation;

Iba Araba awo ode Oyo;          Homage to the Araba of

                                                      Oyo;

Megba awo Remo;                    Courtesy to Megba of 

                                                      Remo;

Tedimole awo Ilare;                 Homage to Tedimole

                                                      courtesy of Ilare;

Kinrindin  awo ode Idesa;      Homage to Kinrindin 

                                                     courtesy of Idesa;

Obakin awo Orisa;                   Also to Obakin of all 

                                                     deities;

Awo ode Imodu de;                  courtesy of Imodude de;

Orinsesese awo Elegbudu;     Homage to Orinsesese of

                                                     Elegbudu;

Agamurara awo ile                  Homage to Agamurara 

Olodumare;                               courtesy of Olodumare;

Iba Alaja 'toun ogboro;           Homage to the hunters 

                                                    and their dog;

Ajogede 'toun agbagba;          Also to the eaters of 

                                                    bananas and plantains;

Alogidigbo to nfidi kodi;        Homage to the 

                                                    drummers in the shrines;

Eegun aye e seba Orun;          Homage to masquerades 

                                                     alive and beyond;

Iba atiyo ojo, iba atiwo             Homage to the sunrise

Oorun;                                            and the sunset;

Ikorita neta oseere magbo;        Homage to the cross 

                                                         roads;

Igba imole won o ju kotun;         Homage to the 

                                                          200 spirits;

Orisa imole won o ju kosi;           Homage to the

                                                          spirits and deities;

Olu igbo inu igbo, Olugbohun    Homage to the genies

ile odan;                                           of the jungles.

Iba Oko to dorikodo ti o somi;     Homage to the 

                                                            manhood;

Iba obo to dorikodo to o seje;      Homage to the 

                                                           womanhood;

Omode e lo seba agba o!

Refrain: Iba o, iba agba o!

Chants: Oodua ni mi (3ce)

It is a great opportunity to be in your midst to celebrate the Ifa festival 2011. I equally thank the Chief Promoter of the Festival, Otunba (Dr.) Gani Adams for the interest he has in uplifting the Yoruba breaths --- our deities. The spirits of our forebears will lift you up too.

Introduction

I like to begin this lecture with a question. And the question is ---- "What Is Ifa? The question to so many people, has no answer because they do not believe in it ---- not that they do not know what it is. Ifa, in a simple sentence, is a way of life. Even some people refer to it as a myth, but factually speaking, Ifa is relevant to all the creatures of Olodumare ---- be it the mother earth (Ile Ogere afoko yeri, alapo ika), the water (Iya arin masun), the air (Afefe) which is believed to be controlled by Iya and the fire (Ina), which of course, is also believed to be controlled by Sango who is also in charge of Thunder and Lighting. Those four elements make up the entity called human being ---- and some other kinds of creatures. That is why Eji-Ogbe says:

Odan in nsawo ninu ile;

Iki ni nsawo ode;

Kekere in won to npile awon;

To ba done tan;

A gba odo;

A gba olo;

A gba Odu baba ikoko.

Looking at this corpus of Ifa, the fishermen's nets you see everyday started with a knot. And when you cast it in the sea, it catches many fish. This is the way Ifa started our life. Eji Ogbe divines for mother-earth when the whole world was empty ---- when there was no one to live in it. From this corpus of Ifa, you will see how Ifa verses are the right words from Olodumare, the creator of all things.

Eji-Ogbe difa fun aye

Nigbati aye nsunkun alailenikan

Ifa ni ki aye wa a san.

That is, if the empty world ---- called AYE ----- wanted to enjoy usage, that it should pay homage and obeisance to Olodumare. That time, like I said earlier on, there were only four elements created alongside life: "mother-earth" gave birth to "water", water spurred "the air" and the air inspired "the fire". All these elements were present in life then.

Ifa ni ki aye san eku meji oluwere

Ko san eja meji abiru gbede

Ko san obidiye meji abedolukeluke

Kaye to ma a jaye

Aye san an

O san eku meji Oluwere

Eja meji abiru gbede

O san obidiye meji abedolukeluke

Atijo naa wa nile aye to nbe

In this verse, you can see how Olodumare made existence possible through Eji-Ogbe. That, the mother-earth was asked to sacrifice to Olodumare ---- two rats, two hens and two fish before the world could be what it is today. And of course, the mother-earth did it. 

After all these sacrifices, the mother-earth was given the sand (Erupe) on which we all stand today. Aye (the mother-earth) is part of the verses of Ifa. " She san! Tani aye san fun? To whom did mother-earth pay? Olodumare. That is why the verse says ---- Aye san f"Olodumare"---- that is, the mother-earth paid (homage, honours, sacrifices, praises etc) to Olodumare. Ever since, the mother-earth started existing. That is why we say Ifa has the knowledge of the birth of the world. As a matter of Ifa gave birth to the world. And it does not stop there.

-----------To be continued

Copyrights: © Olalekan Oduntan 2020