Omoluabi English

Omoluabi
OÙMOÙLU:A®BI:
The Description Of A Complete Being
Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc.
Cover Design by Adeboye Adegbenro

and Marco Rios
Illustrations by Marco Rios
ISBN 978-9903566-3-9
IfaWorks, LLC 2014
Phoenix, AZ USA
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Table of Contents
Chapter One: Who is an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; ? Pg.5

Chapter Two: The Rope of Life Pg.15
Chapter Three: Truthfulness Pg.27
Chapter Four: Honesty Pg.50
Chapter Five: Benevolence Pg.63
Chapter Six: Understanding Pg.84
Chapter Seven: Hopefulness Pg.112
Chapter Eight: Patience Pg.136
Chapter Nine: Dedication Pg.163
Chapter Ten: Humility Pg.184
Chapter Eleven: Anger Pg.201
Chapter Twelve: Hatred Pg.217
Chapter Thirteen: Envy Pg.234
Chapter Fourteen: Wickedness Pg.247
Chapter Fifteen: Pride Pg.281
Chapter Sixteen: Intolerance Pg.304
Chapter Seventeen: Selfishness Pg.316
Chapter Eighteen: Greed Pg.336
Chapter Nineteen: The 40 Qualities of an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; Pg.354
Bibliography Pg.451
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
OÙMOÙLU:A®BI:
The Description Of A Complete Being
Who is an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;?
A lot has been written on who an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is by various scholars and decision
makers. Some look at OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; from a sociological perspective; some look at it from
a political angle; while some others see it from an epistimological
point of view. Some of the views of these scholars will be highlighted here.
Akeem Jamiu1 in his article in daily independent of November 14, 2007 entitled
“Yoru¾ba; Politics and the concept of OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;” states that:
When somebody is referred to as OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; in Yoru¾ba;land, he is an epitome of a

“thorough bred” such that he or she is regarded as worthy of being entrusted with
positions of responsibility. Such a person, if he is a man, parents would want their
daughter to marry him and if she is a lady ripe for marriage, parents would want
their son to have her as a wife. On the other hand, when an expression is made in
Yoru¾ba;land saying that “Ko¾ si; OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; Kankan la;ra e¾ô”, (he possesses no single
attribute of a thorough bred) such a person has lost all. Nobody will want to
associate with such a person except those of his own likes.
The concept of OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; encompasses all the good attributes an individual must
possess before he/she can be regarded as a good person and the lack of these
qualities mean that the person will be described as a bad person.
The attributes include honesty, decency, hard work, contentment with what is yours,
integrity and selflessness. These attributes are the core values very much cherished
in Yoru¾ba;land. (ibid)
He also gave his definition of OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; a political connotation when he stated that: “the core
values as exemplified by the concept of OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; were elevated to state policy in the Western
region in the first republic especially under the leadership of Chief OÙbafe;mi Awolo;ôwoô¾. Because
Awolo;ôwoô¾ himself was an ‘OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;’ he succeeded in garnering the fellowship of many ‘ OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;’
and this impacted positively on the people of the Western Region as they enjoyed the good
government at that time”.
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Fa;yeômi;2 in his paper Human Personality and the Yoru¾ba; Worldview: an Ethico-Sociological
Interpretations says:
The concept OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is an adjectival Yoru¾ba; phrase, which has the word “OÙmoô+ti;+Olu;-
I®wa¾+bi;” as its components. Literally translated and separately oômoô means ‘child’, ti; means
‘that or which’ Olu;-i¾wa¾ means the chief or master of I®wa¾ (Character), bi; means ‘born’.
When combined, OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; translates as “the baby begotten by the chief of i¾wa¾”. Such a
child is thought of as a paragon of excellence in character.
Sophie Olu;woôle; (2007)3 introduced semantic connotations to the concept of OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. In her
contribution, she explained and expanded on OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; as OÙmoô ti; o; ni; i¾wa¾ bi;... (a child whose
character takes after …). Her argument is that “OÙmoô-ti;-o;-ni;-i¾wa¾-bi;” is an incomplete statement
because it raises a question which is “ OÙmoô ti; o; ni; i¾wa¾ bi; tani?” a child whose character takes
after…..who?” (Olu;woôle;, 2007: 12).
In order to complete the interrogative phrase, Olu;woôle; explains OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to be OÙmoô ti; o; ni; i¾wa¾ bi;
eôni ti; a ko;ô, ti; o; si¾ gba e¾ôkoô;” (A person that behaves like someone who is well nurtured and lives by
the precepts of the education she/he has been given). Consequent upon this, the word
OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;, according to Olu;woôle;, can be appropriately rendered as a conflation of three
interrelated descriptions. These are:
OÙmoô yi; o; ni;’wa¾ bi; (A person who behaves like…..)

EÙni ti; a ko;ô (Someone properly nurtured)
Ti; o; si¾ gba eô¾koô; (And who behaves accordingly) (Olu;wo¾ôle;, 2007: 13)
This combination thus gives us a good picture of an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; in Yoru¾ba; culture wherein a person
is given a deep knowledge, wisdom, and is trained to be self disciplined and to develop a sense of
responsibility that shows in private and public actions which earns individuals social integrity, and
personality in Yoru¾ba; society. And in contrast with e¾ni¾ya¾n-ke;ni¾ya¾n or e¾ni¾ya¾n-la;sa;n, which means
‘caricature person’, and oômoôkoô;moô (a worthless child). An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; can also be defined as a ‘good
and cultured person’. Hence, it is common among the Yoru¾ba; to use the adjectival e¾ni¾ya¾n-gidi
meaning ‘an ideal person’ as a synonym to OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;, a ‘good person’.
Ola;koju;4 in his article the OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; terminology in daily independent newspaper of 29, March
2011 states that “The OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; concept signifies courage, hard work, humility and respect”.
Rowland Abiodun5 in his discussion on “Identity and the Artistic Process in the Yoru¾ba; Aesthetic
Concept of I®wa¾”, describes OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; as “someone who has been well brought up or a person who
is highly cultured” (1983: 14).
Dolapo Adeniji-Neil6 in his article entitled OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;: The way of human beings: An African
Philosophy’s impact on Nigerian Voluntary Immigrants Educational and other life aspirations,
states that “an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; (Yoruba origin can serve as a noun as well as an adjective) connotes
respect for self and others. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is a person of honor who believes in hard work, respects
the rights of others, and gives to the community in deeds and in action. Above all, an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;
is a person of personal integrity. We can also define an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; as one who is dedicated to the
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service of a just community and its self-actualization”.
More importantly, the concept of OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; encapsulates or distills the Yoru¾ba; sense of the critical
elements in the positive essences of a total/holistic self and being. A paragon of existence that is
measurable across a wide spectrum in the unlimited dimensions of life and existence.
Wande Abimbola7 describes OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; as a function of exhibiting and demonstrating the inherent
virtue and value of i¾wa¾ pe¾ôleô; (1975: 389). Thus, I®wa¾ pe¾ôleô; according to Abimbola is “good or gentle
character” and it is ultimately the basis of moral conduct in Yoruba culture and a core defining
attribute of OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;, set as a conglomeration of principles of moral conduct demonstrated by an
OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; with the most fundamental of these principles which include: oô¾ro¾ô si;soô, (spoken word),
i¾teôri;ba (respect), inu; rere (having good mind to others), o¾ti;to;ô (truth), i¾wa¾ (character), aki;nkanju;
(bravery), isôeô; (hard work) and oôpoôloô pi;pe; (intelligence).
According to Segun Gbadegesin8, “OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; means a child begotten of the chief of I®wa¾. I®wa¾ in
Yoru¾ba; means character. She was the wife of the god OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ and OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ is the god of
wisdom”. He stated further that ”it was said O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ mistreated I®wa¾ which led to her leaving
him. As I®wa¾ left him, so did the good fortunes of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. Thus, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ had to seek I®wa¾ in
order for his good fortunes to return. In this sense, I think it is right to say that OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;, being
a child begotten of the chief of I®wa¾, is a good person. If the name OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is broken down in
Yoru¾ba; culture it becomes ‘OÙMOÙ (child) – Ti :(that) – OLU:-I®WA® (god of character) – BI: (bore)’.
Therefore being the child of I®wa¾, he/she is thought of as ‘a paragon of excellence in character’ ”
(journal of pan-African studies vol.2 no.9)
From all the definitions and descriptions above, an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;, to me, is that person, male or
female, who has come into the world to make the world better than he/she has met it. In other
words, an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is a person who has come to maintain, sustain and improve upon the quality
of anything, be it society, relationships, and/or organizations that he/she has become a part of.
The term OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; means OÙmoô–ti;-Olu;-i¾wa¾-bi;, which was later shortened to OÙmoôlu;wa¾bi; and
shortened further to OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; means a child begotten by the Lord of I®wa¾.
The question that readily comes to mind is this: who is the Lord of I®wa¾? Segun Gbadegesin says
that I®wa¾ was the wife of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. Granted, it does not explain who the Lord of I®wa¾ is.
In order to know who Olu;-I®wa¾ is, there is the need for us to go into Ifa; corpus. Ifa; is the library
and Safe House where all the treasure of the Yoru¾ba; people and of life in general are kept. Before
doing that however, there is the need to examine the name Odu¾duwa¾. Odu¾duwa¾ can be
expanded as Odu¾-to;-da;-I®wa¾, meaning the Odu¾ that creates I®wa¾. I®wa¾ here means more than
character. It also means destiny, human destiny. From this, it is clear that Odu¾duwa¾ is the Lord,
nay, the Creator of I®wa¾, character. Ifa; states categorically that Odu¾duwa¾ is the progenitor of the
human race. As a matter of fact, Odu¾duwa¾ is the character known as E®ni¾ya¾n. E®ni¾ya¾n can be
expanded to mean EÙni-E®mi-Ya¾n, which means “the person that I have specially chosen” or “the
person that I have personally chosen”. It was Olo;du¾mare¾ Himself who had personally chosen
Odu¾duwa¾ to be the progenitor of the human race. This name was later shortened to E®ni¾ya¾n.
Human beings on earth are known as OÙmoô E®ni¾ya¾n, meaning “the children of the person who has
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been specially chosen” by Olo;du¾mare¾.
In order to understand this concept very well, we need to go into the history of the creation of
OÙmoô E®ni¾ya¾n. Olo;du¾mare¾ gave the assignment of populating the planet earth to Odu¾duwa¾.
Odu¾duwa¾¾ was one of the 401 Iru;nmoôleô¾ who used to visit the planet earth from heaven. In order
to make this assignment possible, Olo;du¾mare¾ personally created a woman called Ninibi;nini or
EÙnibi;eôni, meaning “the One in our likeness”, and personally transported the woman into the planet
in order to be the wife of Odu¾duwa¾. The intention of Olo;du¾mare¾ was for Odu¾duwa¾ to populate
the planet earth through Ninibi;nini. In O®Ùyeô¾ku; Logbe¾ (OÙ®ye¾ôku; Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
Pa¾a; l’a¾ki;sa¾ n; gbo;

O®Ùoô¾du¾n o¾ôgeô¾de¾ô ni o¾ fa¾ ya pa¾a¾ra¾-paara bi; asôoô
Di;a; fu;n Olo;du¾mare¾
Ni;’jo; to; n; gbe; Ninibi;nini bo¾ô wa;’ye;
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe
O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boôô
Ko¾ pe;ô, ko¾ ji¾nna¾
EÙ wa;a; ba;’ni ba;’yo¾ô
EÙ wa;a; wo’re o
N®je;ô bo; ba; k’e¾ni;-k’o¾ôla deô¾de¾ôeô¾de¾ô
K’a;ye; Olu;fe¾ô o; ba¾je;ô
OÙmoôôni;yorogbo a si¾ t’a;ye; Olu;fe¾ô sôe
N®je;ô t’a;ye; sôe o
OÙmoôni;yorogbo t’a;ye; sôe o
K’a;ye; ma; ba¾jeô; o¾
OÙmoôni;yorogbo t’a;ye; sôe o
Translation:
A rag tears with ease

A fresh banana leaf does not tear like cloth
These were the declarations of Ifa; to Olo;du¾mare¾
When transporting Nini-bi;-Nini into the world
He was advised to offer eôboô
He complied
Before long, not too far
Join us in the midst of happiness
Come and perceive all the Ire of life
If it remains only one day
For the world of Olu;fe¾ô to spoil
OÙmoôni;yorogbo will mend the world of Olu;feô
Mend the world
OÙmoôni;yorogbo please mend the world
For the world not to spoil
OÙmoôni;yorogbo please mend the world
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In this Odu¾, Ifa; states that Ninibi;nini was the first human being created by Olo;du¾mare¾. This
means that the first human being on this planet earth was a woman which is against the popular
belief in some other scriptures that the first human being on earth was a man.
Olo;du¾mare¾ personally passed Ninibi;nini through Odo¾ Aro; and Odo¾ EÙ®je¾ô, the rivers of Dye and
Blood, before she arrived on the planet. On her arrival, she was between 14 and 15 years of age
and was ready for procreation.
Nini-bi;-Nini gave birth to sets of twins eight times and all the children survived. In all, she had 16
children for Odu¾duwa¾. After the birth of these children, Olo;du¾mare¾ sent one Iru;nmoôleô¾ called
OÙmoôni;yorogbo to stay with Odu¾duwa¾ and his family on earth in order to ensure that the children
did not engage in any form of forbidden acts on earth.
All the instructions of Olo;du¾mare¾ were complied with until the children of Odu¾duwa¾ reached the
stage of puberty and began wanting to engage in incestuous relationships with one another. This
prompted OÙmoôni;yorogbo to go and report the development to Olo;du¾mare¾. He told Olo;du¾mare¾
that if this should happen, the human race would be destroyed because the children begotten
through such sexual relations would have a high degree of developing health issues, deformities,
disabilities, and other such physical, mental, and biological problems. He also told Olo;du¾mare¾ that
this would create a lot of sexual competition and rivalry among the children of the same parents
and only chaos would ensue.
This development was what prompted Olo;du¾mare¾ to order OÙba¾ta;la;, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾, O®gu;n and E®sôu¾
OÙ®da¾ra¾ to create 2,000 human beings to join the children of Odu¾duwa¾ on earth. When this was
completed, another set of 2,000 human beings was also created. The first set of 2,000 human
beings was molded with clay, while the second set was created from carved images, animal
bones, roots, etc. These newly created humans were a mix of males and females and were all
around 15 years of age. It was therefore easier for Odu¾duwa¾’s children to pick and choose their
partners without engaging in any incestuous relationship.
Odu¾duwa¾ was eternally grateful to OÙmoôni;yorogbo for assisting in ensuring that the world that he,
Odu¾duwa¾, had just founded was not destroyed by taboo.
The first 16 children of Odu¾duwa¾ were the ones known as OÙmoô Olu;-i¾wa¾, meaning “the children of
Olu;’-i¾wa¾”. They are also known as OÙmoô Odu¾duwa¾, meaning “the children of Odu¾duwa¾”. This is
because Odu¾duwa¾ is Olu;-i¾wa¾ the Lord of human character or the Lord of human destiny.
The conduct of the 16 children were the embodiment of good character. When it was discovered
that there was the need to create more human beings on earth as stated above, 4,000 other
human beings were created with clay and carved images, animal bones, roots, etc. This is also an
indication to us that for every 16 OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;, there will be 4,000 others who do not meet the good
character levels of the first 16 children of Odu¾duwa¾. The information stated above also provides
clear evidence that the Olu;-i¾wa¾ being referred to is not I®wa¾ the wife of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ but Odu¾duwa¾.
Also in E®ji¾-Oni;le¾ô (E®ji¾-Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
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I®gba¾ n;la; la¾a; pe O®Ùrun

A®ya¾nmo¾ô la¾a; pe Ile¾ô
Olo;ni¾i;moro; la¾a; pe O®ri¾sôa¾n;la;
O®o¾joô; ti; O®ri¾sôa¾n;la; da; EÙgba¾a; OÙmoô E®ni¾ya¾n
O®o¾joô; na;a¾ lo; da; EÙgba¾a; OÙmoô Igi...
Translation:
I®gba¾ n;la; is the name of the Heavens

A®ya¾nmo¾ô is the name of the Mother Earth
Olo;ni¾i;moro; is the name of O®ri¾sôa¾n;la;
The day that O®ri¾sôa¾n;la; created 2,000 human beings (from clay)
The same day he created 2,000 human beings (from wood)…
In this stanza of E®®ji¾-Ogbe¾ stated above, Ifa; explains that the 4,000 human beings created by
OÙba¾ta;la; are different from the 16 children who are the product of procreation between Odu¾duwa¾
and Ninibi;nini. The children of Odu¾duwa¾ and Ninibi;nini are considered to be the quintessence of
good character. This is because they were half human and half Iru;nmoôleô¾. They were of a superior
breed. The traits of the Iru;nmoôleô¾ however were later transfered to all other human beings born
through the process of procreation. This transfer of traits was made possible by OÙba¾ta;la; when
human creation was replaced with human procreation. In Ogbe¾ -Funfun (Ogbe¾¾-O®fu;n), Ifa; says:
A fu;n yeôn-eôn
A keô¾n yeôn-eôn
OÙ®yeônyeôn a keô¾n bi; a¾¾la¾
Di;a; fu;n O®o¾sôa¾n;la; O®Ùsôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾
Ti; yo;o; maa ba; obi¾nrin olo;bi¾nrin su¾n
Ti; yo;o; si¾ d’oyu;n
O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô
OÙbalu;fo;ôn ba; mi ba; t'e¾mi su¾n
Ko; d’oyu;n
O®o¾sôa¾ ba; mi ba; t’e¾mi su¾n
Ko; si¾ d’oômoô
Translation:
That which is sparkling white

That which expands
That which sparkles brightly like snow
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®o¾sôa¾n;la; O®Ùsôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾
The one who would be assisting other people’s wives to become pregnant
And shall also assist other people’s wives to produce and deliver babies safely
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He complied
OÙbalu;fo;ôn, please help me make love to my wife
For her to become pregnant
O®o¾sôa¾ help me make love to my wife
For it to turn to babies
When OÙba¾ta;la; and the others were molding the second set of 2,000 OÙmoô E®ni¾ya¾n¾, Olo;du¾mare¾
instructed that as soon as the assignment was completed, the process of creating humans must
be changed to that of a procreation process as was the case with Odu¾duwa¾ and Ninibi;nini. This
was in order to facilitate the production of human beings without the need of going into the
creation process every time more humans needed to be created. It would also make it possible for
the new 4,000 OÙmoô E®ni¾ya¾n¾ to co-habitate with the 16 biological children of Odu¾duwa¾.
It was for these two reasons that OÙba¾ta;la; prepared two whitish liquid substances; one for the
males and the other for the females. The male substance was in the form of sperm while the
female substance was in the form of eggs. The two were to be mixed together during sexual
intercourse. The resultant coming together of these two substances would then be given A®sôeô by
OÙba¾ta;la; and the result of the mixing would turn to pregnancy and the pregnancy would lead to
the birth of babies. That was how the input of the Iru;nmoôleô¾, which the original children of
Odu¾duwa¾ and Ninibi;nini possessed, was also made available to all the other human beings born
through the process of procreation.
It is important to note that the coming together of these two liquid substances is not enough to
make it turn to pregnancy. This process must also receive the A®sôeô of OÙba¾ta;la; before it can
become pregnancy. Ifa; states that the liquid substances that come from the bodies of males and
females who engage in sexual intercourse, need to be “incorporated” by the spirit of OÙba¾ta;la; for
pregnancy to occur. Ifa; also states that the man and woman’s body make-up will change during
this period and remain changed until the liquid substances have been completely released from
their bodies. This release of substances is what is known as orgasm. After this, OÙba¾ta;la; will decide
whether to stamp the act and approve it with his A®sôeô to become pregnancy or not.
This is why those whose wives find it difficult to become pregnant after all examinations have
shown that there is nothing wrong with the couple usually go to OÙba¾ta;la; to assist them in making
their wives pregnant in order for them to receive the blessings of the fruit of the womb.
Why did Olo;du¾mare¾ create human beings? What function did Olo;du¾mare¾ expect the created
human beings to come and perform on earth? The answer can be found in this Odu¾ stanza of
OÙ®ra¾ngu;n Me;ji¾ (O®fu;n-Me;ji¾) where Ifa; says:
A ji; tu;u; gb’aye;

A ri¾n gi¾nni¾gi¾nni¾ gba’yi¾
O® ji; ni; ku¾tu¾ku¾tu¾ r’o;hun oôroô¾ sô’a¾ri; gbo¾ôn loô oô¾run
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
Baba n;t’o¾ôrun boô¾ w’a;ye;
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Di;a; fu;n oômoô E®ni¾ya¾n

Woô;n ma;a pi;n si; e¾ro¾ meô;ta l’a;ye;
A®woôn ti; wo;ôn wa; s’a;ye;
A®woôn ti; wo;ôn si¾n wo;ôn wa; s’a;ye;
A®woôn ti; wo;ôn ya¾ wa; wo¾’ran l’a;ye;
Gbogbo woôn n;bo¾ô wa; sôe ohun meô;ta l’a;ye;
Wo;ôn n;bo¾ô wa; hu¾’wa¾ ire
Wo;ôn n;bo¾ô wa; hu¾’wa¾ ibi
Woô;n n;boô¾ wa; sôe ko¾sôebi-ko¾sôere
A:a;se¾ôeô; mo¾ôga¾mo¾ôga¾ ki¾i; ri; ohun oôroô sôôe a¾ri;gbo¾ônloô o
Awo A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
Di;a; fu;n A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
O: n;ti i¾ko¾ôle; aye; loô si; i¾ko¾ôle; o¾ôrun
O: n;loô s’oô;do¾ô Olo;du¾mare¾ loô be¾e¾re¾ o¾ôroô¾
E®e;tiri; ti; Olo;du¾mare¾ fi da; e¾ro¾ me;ôta
A®ti ohun meô;ta si;’le; aye; l’e;ôeô¾kan sôosôo
O: ni; a ki¾i; da; akoôni meô;ta si;’le; aye;
Ki; wo;ôn ma; fi apa; gu;n ara woôn
Ni;tori; bi; aga ba; f’aga gba;‘ga
OÙ®kan a; te¾ô
Olo;du¾mare¾ ni; o¾un feô; fi moô bi;’nu; oômoô ara;ye; ti ri; ni
Translation:
He who wakes up quietly to occupy the world

He who walks gently to be accorded prestige
He who wakes up early in the morning in search of elements of prosperity to heaven
They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When coming from heaven to earth
They also cast Ifa; for the human race
Who were to divide into three groups:
The achievers
Those who follow the achievers
The bystanders
They all were coming to do three things on earth:
They were coming to do good
They were coming to do evil
They were coming to do neither good nor evil
A:a;se¾ôeô; mo¾ôga¾mo¾ôga¾ ki¾i; ri; ohun oôroô¾ sôe a¾ri;gbo¾ônloô, the Awo of A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
He cast Ifa; for A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
When going to Olo;du¾mare¾ to make inquiries
About why Olo;du¾mare¾ created three groups with three distinct characters at the same time
Three groups exhibiting different traits cannot live together without friction
With friction, one is bound to be hurt
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Omoluabi
Olo;du¾mare¾ responded: it is a way of knowing human attitudes
From the Ifa; stanza above, it shows clearly that while on earth, there will be three groups of
people: one, those who make things happen (good or bad); two, those who assist in making
things happen (good or bad); and three, those who watch things happen (good or bad). The first
group is very rare, the second group contains many people, while those who fall within the third
group are in the majority.
It must be known that humans come into the world to exhibit their various attitudes and
characters independently. Consequently, individuals are responsible for all of their actions, good or
bad. Generally, all those attitudes that are socially acceptable, approved of, balanced in nature,
and backed up by Ifa; are rewarded and categorized as good. Examples of these kinds of attitudes
are humility, godliness, honesty, hard work, forgiveness, patriotism, respect, and so on. These are
the attributes that distinguish those known as OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. The types of rewards or good
consequences attached to these kinds of attitudes include praise, encouragement, blessings of
many types, a better life in the hereafter and so on.
Also, all those attitudes that are socially unacceptable, disapproved of, imbalanced in nature, and
are not backed up by Ifa;, but which are backed up by negative sanctions are categorized as evil.
Examples include: lawlessness, stealing, meanness, snobbishness, pride and so on. These are the
attributes of OÙmoô-la;;sa;n. Sanctions or negative consequences attached to these attitudes include
social frowning, rebuke, jail, banishment, execution, or experiencing challenges and difficulties
while here on earth and/or in the hereafter.
The third category of attitudes and characters are those that constitute neither good nor bad. For
instance, sleeping or waking up at normal times is neither good nor bad. But if one constitutes the
habit of deliberately disturbing others while they are asleep or awake either by occupying their
space or deliberately marching by them while they are asleep, it becomes evil. Also, eating and
drinking is neither evil nor good, but if a person who has got the means of affording his daily
meals makes it look as if those who have got no such means are either criminals or social
excrements, it becomes evil. Poverty or affluence is neither good nor evil. However, the way a
person exhibits his state of financial well-being or acquires it may constitute evil or good.
On the whole, certain things become clear from the Ifa; stanza of O®fu;n-Me;ji¾, which states: the
most important purpose of a person on earth is to come and exhibit good character and attitude.
These characters and attitudes are not instilled in a person’s destiny. In other words, although a
person’s destiny may speak of possible character and attitude traits, the person still has the free
will to choose to behave in those ways or not, and decide between good and evil. This freedom of
choice makes man distinct from any other being on earth. Nobody ‘pushes’ a man to do evil or
good. Man’s purpose of being on earth is not religion. Religion is only a means to an end, while
the end itself is the way man exhibits his attitude and character. Other beings behaviors’ on earth
such as plants and animals need to be studied in order to help man prolong his stay on earth
through the exhibiting of better choices in attitude and character. Also, all forces of nature are to
be studied and understood so as to be able to adapt and abide by their rules in order to live
longer while here on earth. In the same stanza of O®fu;n Me;ji¾, two things also become obvious:
13
One, not all those who come into the world to perform certain roles and play active parts in the
activities of life are OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. Some of the people who play leading roles in this world exhibit
negative conduct and character. No matter how highly placed these people may be, they are
known as OÙmoô-la;sa;n (worthless children) or OÙmoôkoô;moô (valueless children). It is only those who
are part of the movers and shakers of the various communities that they belong to and who show
positive and balanced conduct and character that are regarded as OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; (children of the Lord
of good character).
Two, although the name OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; means children begotten by the Lord of good character, it is
nonetheless a name that is earned through good and balanced character and not a name that is
inherited through any known lineage or clan. Consequent upon this, to be an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;, one must
be seen and recognized as someone who is an embodiment of good and balanced character,
which includes: honesty, patience, truthfulness, tolerance, understanding, perseverance,
benevolence, and so on.
14
Omoluabi
CHAPTER TWO
In the previous chapter we state that all human beings are divided into three groups:
1. Those who make things happen

2. Those who assist others in making things happen
3. Those who watch others make things happen
These three groups also come into the world to perform three major functions:
1. To do good
2. To do bad
3. To do that which is neither good nor bad
Ifa; says that in all our activities on earth, what is important is character, good and balanced
character. It is the exhibition of one’s character that determines whether one is an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; or
OÙmoôla;sa;n. In Ogbe¾ Ala;ra; (Ogbe¾ O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
Ka; mu; ra;gba; ta igba;

I®wa®
I®wa¾ la¾ n;wa;
I®wa¾
Ka; mu; ra¾gba¾ ta igba¾
I®wa¾
I®wa¾ la¾ n;wa;
I®wa¾
Ka; mu; ragba-ra;gba¾ ka; fi ta o¾kuta
I®wa¾
I®wa¾ la¾ n;wa;
I®wa¾
Baba n;loô feô; I®wa¾
Ti;i; sô’oômoô OÙbaleô;yo¾ô Ajo¾ri;
Ala;ra; eô ri;’wa¾ n; mi dan
I®wa¾
I®wa¾ la¾ n; wa;
I®wa¾
Ajero¾ eô ri;’wa¾ n; mi dan
I®wa¾
I®wa¾ la¾ n;wa;
I®wa¾
OÙwa;ra¾ngu¾n eô ri;’wa¾ n; mi dan
15
I®wa¾
I®wa¾ la¾ n; wa;
I®wa¾
B’eô;ni l’o;wo; bi; o¾ ni;’wa¾
Owo; olo;wo; ni
I®wa¾
I®wa¾ la¾ n; wa;
I®wa¾
B’eô;ni l’a;ya bi; o¾ ni;’wa¾
Aya ala;ya ni
I®wa¾
I®wa¾ la¾ n; wa;
I®wa¾¾
B’eô;ni bi;’moô ti; o¾ ni;’wa¾
OÙmoô oôloô;moô ni
I®wa¾
I®wa¾ la¾ n; wa;
I®wa¾
B’eô;ni ko;ô’le; ti; o¾ ni;’wa¾¾
Ile; oni;le; ni
I®wa¾
I®wa¾ la¾¾ n; wa;
I®wa¾
B’eô;ni ni;’re gbogbo ti; o¾ ni;’wa¾
Ire oni;re ni
I®wa¾
I®wa¾ la¾ n; wa;
I®wa¾
Translation:
If we strike a ra;gba; gong against a calabash

That which we are after is character
Good character
If we strike a ra;gba; gong against a rope
Good character
If we strike a ragba-ra;gba¾ against a rock
Good character
These were the declarations of Ifa; to O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When going to marry I®wa¾
The daughter of OÙbaleô;yo¾ô Ajo¾ri;
16
Omoluabi
Ala;ra;, were you able to find I®wa¾ for me?

I®wa¾ (character)
What we seek is character
Good character
Ajero¾, were you able to find I®wa¾ for me?
I¾®wa¾ (character)
Good character
OÙwa;ra¾ngu;n, were you able to find I®wa¾ for me?
I®wa¾ (character)
Good character
If one becomes rich without good character
The wealth belongs to someone else
Good character
If one is blessed with a good spouse without good character
The spouse belongs to someone else
Good character
If one is blessed with children without good character
The children belong to someone else
Good character
If one is blessed with houses without good character
The houses belong to someone else
Good character
If one is blessed with all the Ire of life without good character
All that Ire of life belongs to someone else
Good character
This stanza teaches that whatever we do in life, whatever our position, whatever our perception
of life, what is most important is to strive to do good at all times. That is when we can lay claim
to being OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. This stanza goes further to state that whatever a person possesses in life
without good character will eventually become worthless to the person because anything achieved
without good character really does not belong to that person.
In the Odu¾ above, Ifa; makes it clear that the only acceptable character is good and balanced
character. That is the only character that will qualify one to be called an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;.
Now, there are two meanings to the word I®wa¾. One is character. The other meaning is destiny.
Olo;du¾mare¾ says in several Odu¾ stanzas that human beings shall be judged on the account of their
character. Olo;du¾mare¾ is not interested in what the person acquires through their destiny while on
17
earth. Olo;du¾mare¾ is interested in how we acquire those things and how we use them. The
implication of this is that rewards (positive consequences) and punishments (negative
consequences) shall be meted out based on how we use our I®wa¾ (Destiny) to influence our I®wa¾
(Character).
There are certainly rewards and punishments for those who either exhibit good and balanced
character or choose to exhibit bad and unbalanced character. Ifa; is full of parables. Ifa; says that
no character (good or bad) shall exist without receiving some type of reward or punishment. Ifa;
however uses parables to elucidate certain aspects of life. In O®Ùwoô;nri;n Me;ji¾, Ifa; uses the five
fingers and the five toes as a parable to describe good and bad character and their concomitant
rewards and punishments. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
O®kuta peô;te;ô a la¾ ma; sô’eô¾je¾ô

Di;a; fu;n OÙwoô;
OÙmoô a bi; ma;ru¾n-un; j’e¾e¾re¾ a¾ru;n
O®kuta peô;te;ô a la¾ ma; sô’eô¾je¾ô
Di;a; fu;n EÙseô¾
OÙmoô a bi; ma;ru¾n-u;n j’e¾e¾re¾ a¾ru;n
EÙboô ni woôô;n ni; ki; wo;n wa;;a; sôôe
OÙmoô oôwoô; ki¾i; ku; l’o;ju; oôwoô;
OÙmoô eôseô¾ ki¾i; ku; l’o;ju; eôseô¾
I®wa¾¾ ki¾i; t’oju; oni;’wa¾ a; ba¾jeô;
Translation:
The flat stone that is cracked without bleeding

This was the declaration of Ifa;; for the Palm of the hand
She who gave birth to five children and made profit from the five children
The flat stone that is cracked without bleeding
This was the declaration of Ifa;; for the Flat part of the Foot
She who gave birth to five children and made profit from the five children
They were advised to offer eôboô
The children (fingers) of the hand will not die while the hand is still alive
The children (toes) of the foot will not die while the foot is still alive
One’s character will not spoil while one is still alive
In this stanza, Ifa;; says that for those who exhibit good character, the smallest finger of the hand
represents Aje;, Prosperity; the finger next to it, represents Aya/OÙkoô, Spouse; the middle finger
represents OÙmoô, Children; the fore finger represents A®i¾ku;, Longevity; while the thumb represents
Ire Gbogbo, All the Ire of Life. These are the rewards for those who exhibit good character. These
are the people who are known as OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;.
18
Omoluabi
Ifa;; also analyzes this further to mean that it is with wealth that one seeks and acquires a spouse.
Without a spouse, one cannot aim to have children. With wealth, compatible spouse and well
behaved children, one stands the chance of living long on earth. When one is blessed with wealth,
compatible spouse, well behaved children, and longevity, one has acquired all the Ire of life.
These are what the five fingers on the palm of the hands signify.
Ifa;; also says that one should know that the second and the third fingers are next to each other on
the hand in order to show their connection and how without a spouse, children cannot be
achieved. It also signifies how men and women were designed to be with one another not only to
be able to achieve the next Ire of children but in order for life to continue on this planet.
Conversely, Ifa; says that for those who exhibit bad character, the smallest finger represents O®fo®,
Loss; the next finger represents EÙjoô;, Contention; the middle finger represents A®ru¾n, Affliction; the
fore finger represents Iku;, Death; while the thumb represents Gbogbo Ajogun, All evil
Principalities.
19
The reason for this specific order is that when one encounters loss (of wealth, spouse, or any area
of life), one will certainly encounter contention from those whose Ire was lost. This means that
the loss will hold the person down for contention to set in. Contention will then hold the person
down for affliction to set in. This is because when the person begins to accommodate sorrow into
his/her life, ailments will eventually set in. The combination of loss, contention, and ailments will
then lead to the death of the person. Loss, contention, ailments, and death will make the person
then lose everything that he/she has worked for in his/her life.
The implication of the message of this Odu¾¾ in OÙ®woô;nri;n Me;ji is that someone who exhibits good
and balanced character will not only gain all the Ire of life, he/she will also gain the appelation of
being an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. Hence, receiving respect, honor, rewards, wealth, a compatible spouse, well
behaved children, and long life. Conversely, those who exhibit bad character will not only be
known as OÙmoôla;sa;n, they will equally encounter loss, contention, ailments, and death. In the end,
the person exhibiting bad character stands losing everything. In I®rosu¾n Me;ji¾, Ifa;; says:
Fo;ônra;nku¾n kan sôosôo awo Aye;

Di;a; fu;n Aye;
Aye; n;t’o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;’le; Aye;
O; gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô
20
Omoluabi
EÙ o¾ jeô; ka; fa’ku¾n Aye; ire o

B’a;ye; ba; ja;
Oni;so o¾ si;
EÙ o¾ fa’ku¾n Aye; ire
Translation:
One strand of thread, the Awo of Aye;

He cast Ifa; for Aye;
She was advised to offer eôboô
She complied
Let us handle the thread of life carefully
If the world breaks
There is no mender
Let us pull the thread of life carefully
In this Odu¾, Ifa; makes it clear to us that if the world degenerates into chaos and catastrophe, it
will be the result of mismanagement, mishandling, and lack of consideration on the part of the
human beings living on earth. We therefore need to ensure that the world is handled with care
and consideration. Also in OÙ®ba¾ra¾¾ Tu;ya¾la¾ya¾la¾ (OÙ®ba¾ra¾ O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
OÙmoÙ Olo;ye¾ eô to¾ o; ge;ôgeô;

Ko; ba a¾ le¾ gu;n ge;ôgeô;
OÙmoô Olo;ye¾ eô to¾ o; rere
Ko; ba a¾ le¾ gu;n rere
EÙyeô we;re;;ke
EÙyeô we¾re¾ke
O®un ni;i; f’i¾ru¾ f’eô;yin ara a re¾ô
Di;a; fu;n SÙubu;lade;
OÙmoô obi¾nrin O®de I®wo;
E®yi; to; ji;, ti; n;koôô’nu; ogun
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko;; wa;a; sôe
OÙro;ô ma; a ro;ô’gun loô o
OÙroô; ma; a ro;ô’gun loô o
A®to¾ri¾ le¾ôbeô¾le¾ôbeô¾ ma;a le;’gun ni¾sôo;
O:Ùroô; ma; a ro;ô’gun loô o
Translation:
Children of title owners, please arrange it orderly

So as to get an orderly result
Children of title owners, please arrange it properly
21
So that you will get a well deserved result

The impatient bird
The restless bird
It flew and used it’s tail plumes to break its own eggs
These were Ifa;‘s declarations for SÙubu;lade;
Their daughter in I®wo; land
She was advised offer eôboô
She complied
The cactus, please chase crisis away
A®to¾ri¾ (the switch), please continue to chase confrontation away
The cactus, please chase crisis away
In this Odu¾, we can see that Ifa; says that if we do things in a well thought out way and
thoroughly, we will get good results; and if we do things without planning and in a rushed way,
we will get unwelcomed results. An example is given in this stanza of a restless bird who ends up
breaking it’s own eggs with its tail feathers because of it’s impatience and restlessness. In O®Ùyeô¾ku;
‘Logbe¾, Ifa; says:
A o; ma;a ba; a loô peô¾u;

Awo I®re¾ôleô¾
Ni;’jo;ô ti; woôn o; ko;’ku¾n Aye; le; Baba l’o;ôwoô;
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o
N®je;ô eô o¾ fa’ku¾n Aye; ire o
EÙ o¾ fa’ku¾n Aye; ire
B’a;ye; ba; ja;
Oni;’so o¾¾ si; o
EÙ sôa; je¾ôeô; ka; fa’ku¾n Aye; deôndeôreô
Translation:
We shall continue to handle it with caution

The Awo of meekness (gentleness)
This was the declaration of Ifa; for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When the rope of life was to be handed over to him
He complied
Now, let us pull the rope of life carefully
Let us pull the rope of life gently
If the world breaks
There is no mender
Let us handle the rope of life carefully
22
Omoluabi
In this Odu¾, Ifa; describes the rope of life to mean the O®Ùpeô¾le¾ô that the Awo uses in his/her day to
day Ifa; consultations. Ifa; says that there are four pairs of character traits that make one an
OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;; and at the same time, there are four pairs of character traits that make one an
OÙmoôla;sa;n. Those character traits that make one an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; are the following:
Truthfulness: The ability to speak all those words which, after verification, are found to be as
they were spoken. It is the speaking of those words which are constant without changing.
Honesty: The ability to do things with sincerity of purpose, without cheating, lies or deceit. It
means doing things with purity of purpose without blemish or ulterior motive.
Benevolence: The act of generosity and the desire to do good at all times, without any selfish
motive.
Understanding: The elder sibling of intelligence and wisdom. It is the ability to know and
appreciate how others feel under any circumstance. It is the ability and willingness to put others’
feelings into consideration before ones’ own feelings at any given point in time and under any
situation.
Hopefulness: The ability and courage to feel that what one wants will eventually happen. It is
the belief that tomorrow will be better than today; and that yesterday will not be as good or as
rewarding as today.
Patience: The ability or willingness to wait or defer gratification or result, ability or willingness to
wait it out. It is also the willingness or ability to suffer pain, delay, irritation, frustration,
disappointment and so on without complaint or protest; the ability or willingness to persevere.
Dedication: The ability to be totally devoted to any course without looking back. To give oneself
completely to a course or belief or project.
Humility: The ability and willingness to form moderate opinions of oneself or one’s worth. The
ability to present oneself below one’s actual capability or one’s real worth in an effort to not
appear arrogant in front of others.
These eight principles represent the seeds attached to the rope or chain of the O®Ùpeô¾le¾ô, which is
used during consultation. They are in pairs. Truthfulness and Honesty are the first pair.
Benevolence and Understanding are the second pair. Hopefulness and Patience are the third pair
and Dedication and Humility are the fourth pair.
If all these are observed, the rope or chain of the OÙ®pe¾ôleô¾, representing the rope of the world and
life, will not break. If they are not observed, then it will take no time before the rope of life
breaks. If it is allowed to break, nobody will be able to tie it back together.
23
Conversely, the eight principles which can easily break the rope of the world in such a way that
nobody will be able to tie it back together and of which, no Ifa or Orisa practitioner or follower
should exhibit are the following:
Anger: This is a bitter and violent feeling against others and/or what they represent. This is a
negative and unproductive feeling against other people based on real or imaginary reasons.
Hatred: Having a great dislike for others and/or what they represent. It is a very bad or
unpleasant dislike for others.
Envy: The inability or refusal to accept another person’s good fortune or success. It is the feeling
of discontent at other people’s luck or success.
Wickedness: The art of thinking, speaking and doing evil and/or wicked things against other
people based on real or imaginary reasons.
Pride: This is a vain or personal dignity. This is an exaggerated feeling of pleasure and subjective
24
Omoluabi
satisfaction at one’s possessions or achievements often times at the expense of other people’s
feelings or disposition.
Intolerance: This is the inability or refusal to bear or endure other people or certain situations or
attitudes. It is the unwillingness to allow others to air their views or express their feelings in any
way and/or on any issue because of those views or feelings being different from one’s own views
or opinions.
Selfishness: The thinking and planning of one’s own personal pleasure, satisfaction,
achievement, aspiration, etc without any consideration for other people.
Greed: The desire for all the good things of life for oneself often at the expense of others. It is
the desire to convert what belongs to many to one’s own alone without any consideration for the
feelings or needs of the others.
Anger and Hatred are the first pair. Envy and Wickedness are the second pair. Pride and
Intolerance are the third pair, while Selfishness and Greed are the fourth pair. Wherever these
negative attributes are allowed to operate, the rope of life will take no time before it brakes and
nobody will be able to mend it.
25
In the following 16 chapters, we shall take each of these attributes one by one and explain them
vis-à-vis the role that an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is expected to play and is not expected play in order to make
the world better than how he/she has found it.
26
Omoluabi
CHAPTER THREE
I®roô;ke;ô mi ni i¾roô;ke;ô ideô
I®ru¾ke¾ôreô¾ mi ni i¾ru¾ke¾ôreô¾ oye¾
I®bo¾n¾bo¾ju; mi ni I®bo¾ju; o¾je;
Ajere ti; mo fi n;da;’fa; Olo;du¾mare¾ lo; fi le; mi l’o;ôwoô;
Di;a; fu;n O®kun
To; l’o;un yo;o; j’olo;ri; omi
A bu¾ f’OÙ:sa¾
To; l’o;un yo;o; j’olo;ri; odo¾
To; l’o;un yo;o; jeô Baba I®sa¾le¾ô woôn
N®je;ô O®kun n; ho; yee
O®Ùsa¾ n; mi¾ gba¾da¾
EÙ®yin o¾ mo¾ô pe; ile; Barapetu la¾a; gb’o;ôsi¾n rere
I®rosu¾n-I®reôteô¾
Translation:
My i¾roô;ke;ô is fashioned with bronze

My i¾ru¾ke¾ôreô¾ is the i¾ru¾ke¾ôreô¾ of title holders
My covering implement is fashioned with lead
My Ifa; consultation Ajere was handed over to me by Olo;du¾mare¾
These were the declarations of Ifa; to O®kun (the Ocean)
When going to become the head of the waters
And to O®Ùsa¾ (the Lagoon)
When going to become the head of the rivers
And to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
When going to become their Godfather
They complied
The Ocean is roaring with merriment
And the Lagoon is moving sideways with joy
Don’t you know that it is in the home of Barapetu that we hear good news?
TRUTHFULNESS
Truthfulness is the ability to speak all those words which, after verification, are found to be as
they were spoken. The speaking of those words which are constant without changing is
thruthfulness. According to a stanza from OÙ®sa; Ala;wo (O®Ùsa;-O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
27
O®Ùsa; Ala;wo ni; ki;nni; n;je;ô O®ti;to;ô?

Mo ni; ki;nni; n;je;ô O®ti;to;ô
O®ti;to;ô ni Olu;wo o¾ôrun ti;i; da;a¾bo¾ bo ile; aye;
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ ni; O®ti;to;ô ni eô¾mi; a¾i¾ri; ti;i; da;a¾bo¾ bo ile; aye;
O®un ni OÙgboô;n ti; Olo;du¾mare¾ n;lo¾
OÙ®sa;-Ala;wo ni; ki;nni; n;je;ô O®ti;to;ô?
Mo ni; ki;nni; n;je;ô O®ti;to;ô?
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; O®ti;to;ô ni i¾wa¾ Olo;du¾mare¾
OÙ®ti;to;ô ni oô¾ro¾ô ti; ki¾i; ye¾ô
Ifa; ni O®ti;to;ô
O®ti;to;ô ni o¾ôroô¾ ti; ki¾i; ba¾jeô;
O®ti;to;ô ni agba;ra to; ju gbogbo agba;ra loô
Ire aye;raye;
Di;a; fu;n Ile; Aye;
Wo;ôn ni; ki; wo;ôn ma;a s’o¾ti;to;ô
S'o¾ti;to;ô sô’o¾dodo
EÙni ba; s’o¾ti;to;ô ni 'Moôleô¾ n;gbe¾
Translation:
O®Ùsa; Ala;wo asks, what is O®ti;to;ô (Truth)?

I also ask what is O®ti;to;ô (Truth)?
Truth is the hierophant in heaven that protects the world
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declares that O®ti;to;ô is the unseen force that protects the world
Truth is the wisdom which O:lo;du¾mare¾ applies
OÙ®sa; Ala;wo asked again, what is O®ti;to;ô (Truth)?
I also asked what is O®ti;to;ô (Truth)?
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declared that O®ti;to;ô is the character of Olo;du¾mare¾
O®ti;to;ô, is the unchanging word
Ifa; is O®ti;to;ô (the Truth)
O®ti;toô; is the indestructible word
O®ti;to;ô is the power above all powers
Everlasting blessings
These were the declarations of Ifa; to the inhabitants of the earth
They were advised to be truthful at all times
Be truthful, be honest
He who is truthful, the Deity will support
In the first stanza of O®Ùsa; Ala;wo above, Ifa; gives nine definitions of Truth. These are:
1. Truth is the hierophant in heaven that protects the world

2. Truth is the unseen force that protects the world
3. Truth is the wisdom which Olo;du¾mare¾ applies
4. Truth is the character of Olo;du¾mare¾
28
Omoluabi
5. O®ti;to;ô (Truth) is the unchanging word

6. Ifa; is O®ti;to;ô (the Truth)
7. O®ti;to;ô (Truth) is the indestructible word
8. O®ti;to;ô (Truth) is the power above all powers
9. Truth is everlasting blessing
In the above stanza, Ifa; says that anyone who is truthful is emulating Olo;du¾mare¾ in his/her
attitude. This is because truth is the character of Olo;du¾mare¾. In O®tu;ru; Gba¾n¾teôteô¾ (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn I®reôteô¾),
Ifa; says:
O®tu;ru;po¾ôn teô¾te¾ô awo to¾o;to;ô-to¾o;to;ô

O®tu;ru;po¾ôn teô¾te¾ô awo to¾dodo-to¾dodo
Yo;o; maa s'o¾ôroô¾ gbogbo
Woô;n o; maa pe¾e; ni;'ro;ô
OÙ®roôô¾ o¾ti;to;ô ni'fa; ma¾ n;soô o
Translation:
O®tu;;ru;po¾ôn I®reôteô¾, the Awo of truth

O®tu;ru;po¾ôn I®reôteô¾, the Awo of honesty
When he was saying everything (sharing the truth on all matters)
And they were saying that he was telling lies
He complied
It is the truth that Ifa; speaks
In the above Odu¾, Ifa; also says that all what Ifa; says is the truth. Anyone speaking the truth is
also emulating Ifa; because Ifa; is the truth and the truth is Ifa;. Ifa; is the direct speech of
Olo;du¾mare¾. In Ogbe¾ Ate¾ô (Ogbe¾ I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
E®yi; wi;nni;wi;nni; l'awo e¾yi; wi;nni;wi;nni;

E®yi; wi¾nni¾wi¾nni¾ l'awo e¾yi; wi¾nni¾wi¾nni¾
Aho;ôn ni;i; pa eôleô;pa¾
Ahoô;n ni;i; pa Iku;n
A®ba¾jo;ko¾o; o¾ j’oômoô eôni
A®di¾n obi¾nrin o¾ ju;’mo¾ô
Di;a; fu;n O®o;to;ô-Aye;-o¾-to;
To; d'eôru¾ ka'le¾ô
Ti; wo;ôn ni; ko; ma;a ba;’ku; loô o
29
Iku; wa; pa; Oo;sa¾,
O: pa A®ro;
Iku; pa EÙjÙeômu teô;e;ôreô; ile; e woôn
O®o;to;ô-aye; ni¾kan n’iku; o¾ lee¾ pa o
Translation:
The striped one is the Awo of the striped one

The spotted one is the Awo of the spotted one
The tongue (greed) leads to the death the peanut seller
The tongue (greed) leads to the death of the squirrel
One’s companion (surrogate child) is not the same as one’s child (biological child)
A woman’s trick is not easily understood
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®o;to;ô-Aye;-o¾-to;; (there is insufficient truth on earth)
When packing his belongings
And when asked to follow death
He complied
Death killed Oo;sa¾
Death killed A®ro;
Death also killed; the slender EÙjeômu living in the same house with them
Only O®o;t;oô;-Aye;; was not killed
In the above Odu¾, Ifa; says that the truth can never be destroyed. Anyone speaking the truth is
emulating Olo;du¾mare¾ and the Iru;nmoôleô¾. Ifá also warns the truthful one to be vigilant with those
who do not value the truth. In OÙ®ye¾ôku; OÙjoô;o¾ôoô;da; (O®Ùyeô¾ku; O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
E®Ùyoô fu¾u; ma¾ri¾wo¾

Di;a; fu;n O®o;to;ô
Ti; n;t’o¾ôrun boô¾ w’a;ye;
EÙ®yoô fu¾u; ma¾ri¾wo¾
A ti mu; O®o;to;ô j’oye¾ Aye; o!
Translation:
E®Ùyoô fu¾u; ma¾ri¾wo¾

This was Ifa;’s declaration for O®o;to;ô (Truth)
He complied
EÙ®yoô fu¾u; ma¾ri¾wo¾
30
Omoluabi
We have installed O®ti;to;ô with a title in this world
In the above Odu¾, Ifa; says that the truth has been given the honor of being the leader of the
world. Consequently, it goes without saying that anyone speaking the truth at all times will also
become a leader in the world and will acquire one of the major attributes of an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. In
O®tu;ra; Rera; (O®tu;ra; O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
E®ke; o¾ kun’ni
I®ka¾ o¾ kun’moô e¾e¾ya¾n
Bi; e¾ke; ba; n; yo;ô ileô¾e;ô da¾
Oun we;ôreô;we;ôreô; abe;ô'nu; a; ma;a yo;ô woôn ni; sôi;sôe
Di;a; fu;n SÙa¾gba¾gi¾ri¾ya¾n
Ti; n;loô re¾e; jeô Baa;le¾ô asôo¾ti;to;ô
O® ba; sô'o¾ti;to;ô sôô'o¾dodo
EÙni to; sô'o¾ti;to;ô
Ni Imoôleô¾ n;gbe¾
Translation:
Lying benefits no one

Wickedness is of no use for human beings
When a liar breaks an oath
His conscience will worry him continuously
These were Ifa;’s declarations for SÙa¾gba¾gi¾ri¾ya¾¾n
When going to become the head of the truthful ones
He complied
He who is truthful
The Deity will support
In the above Odu¾, two things become very clear; one, if one engages in falsehood, one's
conscience will worry one incessantly; and two, if one is truthful and honest, one will enjoy the
support of the Deities. In O®fu;n Eko¾ (O®fu;n O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
EÙni;; i; ba; pu’ro;ô

Iroô; ni;i; roô
EÙni i; ba; sô’e¾ke;
E®ke; ni;i; ke
E®mi o¾ te¾te¾ mo¾ô
N®ba; ma;a sô’o¾o;to;ô
Ki; nba; woôn na;’ja¾ eko¾ d’aleô; gbeôreôgeôdeô
31
Di;a; fu;n SÙ'o¾o;to;ô-sô'o¾o;to;ô Ile;-Ife¾ô

Ti; yo;o; bi; Eri;wo-OÙsôi¾n fu;n A®ja¾la;
ôO: sô’o¾o;to;ô ni;’le; Ala;ra;
Ala;ra; weô’moô fun
O: sô’o¾o;to;ô ni;’le; Ajero¾
Ajer¾o weô’moô fun
O: sô'o¾o;to;ô ni;’le; OÙwa;ra¾ngu;n
OÙwa;ra¾ngu;n weô’moô fun
Eri;wo OÙsôi¾n oômoô ire ni
EÙ®yin o¾ mo¾ô wi;pe; SÙ'o¾o;to;ô-sô'o¾o;to;ô Ile;-Ife¾ô
Lo; bi; Eri;wo-OÙsôi¾n f’A:ja¾la;
Translation:
He who tells lies

The lies will destroy him
He who engages in falsehood
The falsehood will cut him down
If I had known ahead of time
I would have accompanied SÙÙ'o¾o;to;ô-sô'o¾o;to;ô (the Truth Speaker)
To transact business in Eko¾ market till night time
These were Ifa;’s delclarations for the Truth Speaker of Ile;-Ifeô¾
Who would give birth to Eri;wo-OÙsôi¾n for A®ja¾la;
She complied
She spoke the truth in Ala;ra;’s home
Ala;ra; gave her a baby
She spoke the truth in Ajero¾’s home
Ajero¾ gave her a baby
She spoke the truth in OÙwa;ra¾ngu;n’s home
OÙwa;ra¾ngu;n gave her a baby
Eri;wo-OÙsôi¾n is a well behaved child
Don’t you know that the truth speaker of Ile;-Ife¾ô
Was the one who gave birth to Eri;wo-OÙsôi¾n for A®ja¾la;?
In the above Odu¾, Ifa; says that the liar and the cheat will meet inglorious ends. This is the reason
why one must speak the truth at all times. The truth speaker of Eri;wo OÙsôi¾n who gave birth to
A®ja¾la; was regarded as a woman of good conduct who gave birth to a well behaved child. It is
therefore the responsiblity of all those who strive to become OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to speak the truth at all
times. In E®ji¾ Ogbe¾, Ifa; says:
Olo;o¾o;to;ô ti; n;beô l’a;ye; o¾ p’o;gu;n
32
Omoluabi
SÙi¾ka¾sôi¾ka¾ ibe¾ô woôn o¾ moô ni;’wo¾ôn eôgbeô¾fa¾

OÙjoô; loô ti;ti;, ko¾ j’oô;ro¾ô o; dun’ni
OÙ®ro¾ô n; dun Aka;po¾
Beô;e¾ô ni o¾ dun’Fa;
N®je;ô Ala;su¾wa¾da¾ parada¾
Oju;mo;ô Oni;fe¾ô moô; o
Ala;su¾wa¾da¾ parada¾
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ parada¾ ki; o fu;n mi l’a;je;;
Ewe; a¾pada¾ lo; ni; ki; o parada¾
Ki; o fu;n mi ni; gbogbo ire ti; mo¾ n; wa;
Ala;su¾wa¾da¾ parada¾
Translation:
The truthful ones in the world are not up to 20

The wicked ones are not less than 1,200
Because the time of the event had long since past, it did not allow the matter to be too painful
When a particular matter was paining his Aka;po¾
But it was not paining Ifa;
He complied
Now, Ala;su¾wa¾da¾ please transform
The day of Oni;fe¾ô has dawned
Ala;su¾wa¾da¾ please transform
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ please transform and bless me with wealth
It is a¾pada¾ leaves that authorize you to transform
And bless me with all the Ire of life that I seek
Ala;su¾wa¾da¾ please transform
In the above Odu¾, Ifa; explains that it is difficult to find truthful people. It says that for every 19
truthful persons or less, there are at least 1,200 wicked people or more. It is however imperative
for anyone who wishes to be called OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to be truthful at all times. In O®gu;n d’a;keôteô¾ (O®gu;nda;
I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
Oju; o¾pu¾roô; mu; sôo;ro;sôo;ro;

EÙnu e¾ke; gbo; jejeeje
Pe¾ôseô¾, ni ara asôo¾ti;to;ô n; ba’le¾ô
Mo sô’o¾ti;to;ô o
Ara a; ro¾ô mi; pe¾ôseô¾-peôseô
Oju;-ko¾ro; ki¾i; ri; oju; oju;-ko¾ro; puro;ô moô;
33
Di;a; fu;n O®gu;n

Ti; yo;o; de; a¾keôteô¾ sô’awo I®ya;lo;de ni; po;po;
Wo;ôn ni; ko; sa;ka;ale¾ô eôboô ni; sôi;sôe
EÙ wa;a; ba; 'ni ba; je¾ôbu;tu; ire
Translation:
The face of a liar is full of confrontation and determination

The mouth of a tale bearer is strong and convincing
The truthful person is endowed with peace and comfort
I speak the truth
And I have peace and comfort
The person who maintains a confrontational stance will find it difficult to lie against another
person with an equal confrontational stance
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®gu;n
When wearing a hat with a brim and performing rites for the I®ya;lo;de on the main road
He complied
Join us in the midst of all the Ire of life
In the above Odu¾, Ifa; says that a liar will never know peace. On the other hand, a truthful person
will be endowed with peace of mind and comfort. A truthful person has no reason to be
apprehensive. The only way one can never make a mistake on any matter is by speaking the truth
at all times. In I®rosu¾n N:g’e;ôda; (I®rosu¾n O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
Ku;nku;nn¾du¾nku;n ab'ewe; ge¾ôrugeô¾ru

OÙ®po¾ôloôpoô¾ o¾o¾gu¾n agun'moô ga¾le¾
Bi; wo;ôn l'oô;po¾ô o¾o¾gu¾n
Bi; wo;ôn l'e;ke¾e; ki¾i; je;ô
Ori; eôni i; je;ô o; ju ewe; loô o
Di;a; fu;n Adi¾bo¾ O®Ùpeô¾
Ti; wo;ôn n;fi oôjoô iku; u re¾ô da; a¾a;do;ôfa¾ oôjoôô
Adi¾bo¾ O®Ùpeô¾
Ifa; ri; oô r'a;i¾ku; kangiri
I®woô Adi¾bo¾ O®Ùpeô¾
Translation:
The sweet potato with its splendid leaves
34
Omoluabi
Excessive charms can make one act irrationally

If one possesses several potent charms
But has no honesty, they will not be effective
One’s Ori; is more effective than 200 different charms
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Adi¾bo¾¾-O®Ùpeô¾ (He who holds the Ifa; determinants during
consultation)
When they declared that he only had 110 more days to live
He complied
Adi¾bo¾¾-OÙ®pe¾ô
Ifa; sees you with longevity
Adi¾bo¾-OÙ®pe¾ô
In the above Odu¾, Ifa; says that no matter how strong the medicinal preparation (charm) of a
deceitful person may be, lack of honesty will preclude it from being efficacious. In order for this
person to progress and succeed in anything that they lay their hands upon, this person needs to
be truthful at all times. This message holds true for all people in general but especially for the
person who receives this Odu¾. In O®ba¾ra¾ I®ka;, Ifa; says:
EÙni i; ba; n;pu'ro;ô, iro;ô a roô; oô

EÙni i; ba; n;sô'e¾ke;, e¾ke; a ke; e
Di;;a; fu;n A®ja¾gu¾nma¾le¾
Ti; n;loô re¾e; teô Agu;n-agba-moô;gba ni;'fa;
EÙni ti; a joô j'eku
EÙni ti; a joô j'eôja
EÙni ti; a joô j'eôyeô
EÙni ti; a joô j'eôran
Ti; a joô su¾n l'o;r'e;we;
Ti; a joô su¾n l'o;ri;'mo¾ô
Ti; a joô n;f 'asôoô olo;we¾re¾we;re; bo'ra
Ti; oni;to¾ôhu;n ba; n;sô'e¾ke; si; mi
A®ja¾gu¾nma¾le¾, Ifa; ni yo;o; pa'lu;waare¾ô dandan
Translation:
Anyone lying will be reduced by his lies

Anyone cheating will be cut down by his cheating
These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®ja¾gu¾nma¾le¾
When going to initiate Agu;n-agba-moô;gba into Ifa;
He complied
The person that we ate rats with
The person that we ate fish with
The person that we ate birds with
35
The person that we ate beasts with

The person that we slept on top of leaves with
The person that we slept on top of palm fronds with
The person that we covered our body with Olo;we¾re¾we;re; clothes with
If this person betrays me
A®ja¾gu¾nma¾le¾, Ifa; will eliminate this person unfailingly
In the above Odu¾, it is clear that liars, tale bearers, and wicked people will have nothing but tales
of woe to tell if they do not change their behavior. This is the reason why anyone striving to be an
OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must never be one of these types of people or join their group. In Ogbe¾ Ate¾ô (Ogbe¾
Oni;wo¾o;lo; ji¾nwo;lo;
I®gbo¾ônn¾gbo¾ôn t’ohu¾n d’o;ro;hu¾n
O®gu;n ju¾u;ru;ju¾
Ifa; ni; Ele;n¾pe gb’o¾de
OÙ®teô;re;ôreô; l’omi I®bana¾-ka;ko¾
Ifa; ni; mo mo¾ô oô;n
Mo ni; mo mo¾ô oô;n
O: ni; omi abe;;ô ibo ni?
Mo ni; wo;ôn n; sôu moô;i;n-mo;ôi;n fu;n ‘moôde; ke;ke;re; oôwoô;
Woô;n n; sôu a¾ka¾ra¾ le¾ôbeô¾le¾ôbeô¾ fu;n ‘moôde; ke;kere; O®ke¾ I®jero¾
Woô;n n; pa igba eôni s’o;ke¾ i¾hi;n
Wo;ôn n; pa igba eôni s’o;ke¾ oô¾hu;n
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ ni; o¾un d’a;ye; o; di oôdu;n keôri¾ndi;nlo;gu;n ni o¾un la’le¾ô ile; moô
O®un fi o¾ôgba¾a¾ra¾du¾ oye¾ ba’le¾ô
L’o;ri; i¾pi¾le¾ô oô¾ro¾ô meô;ta l’o¾un jo;ko¾o; si;
O®un wa; n;gbo;ô yooroya;a¾ l’o;ju; o¾de
Ifa; ni; ki;nlo; sôe woô;n ti; wo;ôn fi n; pa'riwo l’o;de
Wo;ôn ni oômoô woôn ni woô;n n; mu; re’le; oôkoô
O®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; I®ya; o¾un n’i¾yeôn
O; ni; I®ya;-i¾ya; o, o ku;n o Mo¾si; O®re
O®Ùjeô¾gi¾-jeôgi n t'e¾ôeô¾ri¾
M’o;ri; re'le; oôkoô
Ma; ma¾ m’eô;wa¾ loô o
O®o¾jo;ô l’eôwa¾ n;bo¾ô wa;
Ori; eôni ni;i; ba;’ni gbe;’le; oôkoô
Ile; oôkoô to; ba; gbe’ni la¾a; sôe a¾a¾ro¾ a¾soôoô¾sôi; si;
O o; bi; oôsa¾n
O o; bi; o¾ro
E®yi; ti; o o; bi¾i; o¾ ni;i; ni o;ô l’a;ra
L'a;gba;ra i¾pi¾le¾ô oô¾ro¾ô meô;ta a¾soôoô¾se;
Wo;ôn ni; O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
I®ta¾n i¾ya; reô lo¾ n;pa yi¾i;
36
Omoluabi
O: ni; t’o;un ba; pa a; n;ko;ô

Woô;n ni; eô ju’fa; si;’le¾ô
Woô;n ni; gbogbo ele;yi¾i; ti; n; sôe nni¾
Woô;n ni; ni;si¾nyi; ni yo;o; de; e l’o;ri; yi¾i;
I®gba¾ ti; yo;o; de;’fa; l’o;ri;
Ade; owo; lo; de; e l’o;ri;
Wo;ôn ni; eô ju’fa; si;’le¾ô
Woô;n ni; gbogbo ele;yi¾i; ti; n; sôe nni¾
Woô;n ni; ni;si¾nyi; ni yo;o; wo¾ô oô; l’o;ôru¾n yi¾i;
I®gba¾ ti; yo;o; woô’fa; l’o;ôru¾n
E®ji¾gba¾ra¾ i¾le¾ôkeô¾ o¾un oômoô’ku¾n lo; woô¾ oô; l’o;ôru¾n
Woô;n ni; eô ju’fa; si;’le¾ô
Woô;n ni; e¾yi; ti; n; sôe nni¾¾
Woô;n ni; ni;si¾n-i;n yi¾i; ni yo;o; da¾ si; i ni;’di¾i; yi¾i;
I®gba¾ ti; yo;o; da¾ si; i ni;’di¾i;
OÙmoô’ku¾n me;ji¾ poônroôn-poô¾nro¾ôn-poônroôn lo; da¾ si; i ni;’di¾i;
Wo;ôn ni; eô ju’fa; si;’le¾ô
Woô;n ni; gbogbo e¾yi; ti; n; sôe nni¾
Woô;n ni; n;si¾n-i;n yi¾i; ni yo;o; ki¾i; mo;ô’leô¾ yi¾i;
I®gba¾ ti; yo;o; ki Ifa; mo;ô’leô¾
Omidan me;ji¾ abi¾-ho¾o¾ho¾ pori¾pori¾ lo; ki’fa; mo;ô’leô¾
Woô;n ni; eô joô¾ o;ô reô¾
Woô;n ni; gbogbo e¾yi; ti; n;sôe nni¾
Woô;n ni; ni;;si¾n-i;n yi¾i; ni yo;o; su;n un l’e;ôseô¾ yi¾i;
I®gba¾ti; yo;o; su;n‘fa; l’e;ôseô¾
Sa;lu;ba¾ta¾ me;ji¾ keôreô-keô¾re¾ô-keôreô ti; wo;ôn f’i¾yeô; o¾go¾mu¾-gomu¾ bo¾ô oô; na;a¾ lo; su;n’fa; l’e;ôseô¾
EÙni; te;e; ori; i pe¾pe;
O®ru¾le; ba te;e; l’o;ri; eôni;
Ti¾mu¾ti¾mu¾ te;e; l’o;;ri; eôni; o¾re;ba
OÙba te;e; l’o;ri; i ti¾mu¾ti¾mu®®¾
I®ye;ô oô¾ki;n ni¾ni¾-i¾nni¾ te;e; l’o;ri; ade; ori; OÙba
E®ni¾ya¾n wi¾sôi¾wi¾sôi¾ l’eô;yi¾n esôinsôin
Woô;n ni; gbogob oun ti;’fa; ba; n;sôe
OÙ®kan o¾ ni; le e¾ hun u;n
O: ni; mo m’o;ri; ahun
Mo fi sôe¾’ri¾woôn
Mo m’o;ri; ahun
Mo fi sôe¾’ri¾woôn
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ lo; ni; gbogbo oun ti; mo ba; n; sôe
Ko¾ ni; lee¾ hun mi; mo;ô
Mo m’o;ri; ahun
Mo fi sô'e¾ri¾woôôn
Ko¾ peô;, ko¾ ji¾nna¾
37
EÙ wa;a; ba;’ni l’a;ru¾u;sôeô; ogun

A®ja¾sôeô; ogun la¾ a; ba;’ni l’e;ôseô¾ OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾
Translation:
Oni;wo¾o;lo; ji¾nwo;lo;
I®gbo¾ônn¾gbo¾ôn t’ohu¾n d’o;ro;hu¾n
O®gu;n ju¾u;ru;ju¾
Ifa; ni; Ele;n¾pe gb’o¾de
OÙ®teô;re;ôreô; l’omi I®bana¾-ka;ko¾
Ifa declares that I know it
I chorus that I know it
He asked, under what substance is the stream?
I responded that they were wrapping mo;iôn-moô;i;n for infants
And wrapping a¾ka¾ra¾ for the young ones of O®ke¾ I®jero¾ land
They were killing 200 people on this hillside
And killing 200 people on that hillside
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declared that when he got to the world
After 16 years
He constructed his property
He was honored with a title
He sat on three molded heap foundations
He was hearing different sounds from people outside the frontage of his house
Ifa; demanded to know what was happening
That was causing them to make such noise
They responded that they were performing a wedding ceremony for their daughter
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ responded that that was his mother
He (Orunmila) declared, ”Mother, mother
Gently, she whose pet-name is Mo¾si; O¾re
She whose praise name is O®Ùjeô¾gi¾-jeôgi n¾ te¾ôeô¾re¾ô
Go to your matrimonial home with your destiny
Do not rely on your beauty
It takes only one day for one’s beauty to return
One’s destiny accompanies one to one’s matrimonial home
The matrimonial home which is agreeable to one is where one makes a permanent hearten stone
You will give birth to children as sweet as the star mango
And those as plump as the cherry mango
None of your births will ever bring you discomfort
By the grace of the origin of those three esoteric words which never fail to manifest things
They responded, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾, you are telling the story of your own mother
He responded, what can happen by telling the story?
They said, Leave OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ alone
They declared that all what he was doing
The repercusions would soon cover his head
When they covered his head
38
Omoluabi
A crown knotted with money was what covered his head

They said, leave OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ alone
It would soon weigh down on his neck
When it weighed down on his neck
It was expensive beads that weighed down on his neck
It would soon coil round his waist
When it coiled round his waist
It was expensive OÙmoô’ku¾n beads that coiled round his waist
It would soon grip and pin him down
When it gripped and pinned O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ down
It was two damsels, glorious in their nudity who gripped and pinned O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ down
It would cause his legs to drag
When it caused OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s legs to drag
It was beautiful sandals, decorated with peacock feathers that caused OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾‘s legs to drag
The mat is spread on the plank of the bed
The sheet is spread on the mat
The pillow is placed on the decorated mat
The OÙba rested peacefully on the pillow
The peacock feather on the OÙba’s crown
Only fools chase after houseflies
When they said that he would face no repercussion
Over all what he was doing
He complied
I have taken the head of the tortoise
And I have used it to prepare medicine against repercussions
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declares that all my activities
Will not bring me any repercussion
They will not bring me any repercussion in any way whatsoever
I have taken the head of a tortoise
And I have used it to prepare medicine against repercussions
Join us where we enjoy victory over enemies
Victory over adversary is what one enjoys at the feet of OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾
As can be seen in the above Odu¾, as long as one speaks the truth and nothing but the truth, all
39
the evil designs created by antagonists will amount to nothing. Those who feel uncomfortable
with the truth may plan all the evil they wish, but they will surely fail in manifesting their plans.
Even though Ifa; says that one needs to speak the truth at all times, Ifa; however cautions that at
times we must be mindful of not becoming too incessant with the truth and sharing everything
that one sees. In Ogbe¾ OÙ®ye¾ôku;, Ifa; says:
Bi; a ba; ri; a¾a; wi;

A®bi; a ki¾ i; wi;
A®i¾wi; n’i¾ka¾
Bi; a ba; wi; i l’a;wi¾i;ju¾
A® maa d’a¾wo¾ko
Di;a; fu;n o¾ôkoô¾o¾ôka¾nle;ni;ru;n Iru;nmoôleô¾
Woô;n n; loô ba; Olo;kun p;'e¾ôsa;n oôdu;n
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni¾kan ni; n;beô l’eô;yi¾n to; n; sô’eôboô
N®je;ô yo;o; d’i¾ro¾nu; Aka;po¾
Ka; to;o; le¾ maa p’oômoô eôni l'o;ju; eôni
Yo;o; d’i¾ba¾nu;je;ô Aka;po¾
E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ O®Ùfa¾
EÙni gb’eô;boô ni;be¾ô ko; wa;a; sô’eôboô o
Translation:
To see is to say (to reveal everything)

Or should one not say anything at all?
Refusal to speak amounts to wickedness
But if one says too much
One will be turned into a parrot
These were Ifa’s declarations for the 401 Iru;nmoôleô¾
When going to celebrate the annual festival with Olo;kun
They were all advised to offer eôboô
Only OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ offered the eôboô
Behold, it has become a matter of sorrow for the Aka;po¾
If one’s child is killed in one’s presence
It will become a matter of agony for the Aka;po¾
Travelers to I®po and O®Ùfa¾
Let those advised to offer eôboô comply with the advice
There are some occasions that when one speaks the truth to those who do not want to hear the
truth or to those who feel very uncomfortable hearing the truth, the truthful person may end up
putting himself or herself into serious trouble. Consequent upon this, it is advisable for those who
speak the truth to always use their discretion and know when it is appropriate to share things and
when it is not, even though the person may be in the right and are speaking the truth about what
40
Omoluabi
they have seen, heard or know about. An example of where discretion is necessary when
speaking the truth can be taken from OÙ®ye¾ô O®go¾su¾n (O®Ùye¾ôku; I®rosu¾n) where Ifa; says:
SÙi;ba¾ le; mi
Ki; n sôi;ba¾ le; oô
E®e¾su¾u; sôi;ba¾ le; ye¾e¾pe¾
Ye¾e¾pe¾ sôi;ba¾ le; e¾e¾su¾u;
Di;a; fu;n I®sôi;ba¾lo;lu;
Ti;i; sô’a¾le¾ O®o¾sôa¾
EÙboô oô ko; ma; fi a¾gbe¾re¾ p’oômoô oô reô¾ ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe
O: koô’ti; o¾ôgboônyin s’eô;boô
Mo ri; n o;; wi¾i;
Awo OÙdeô lo; di;a; f’O:Ùdeô
EÙboô e¾te ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe
EÙni oju; u re¾ô o¾ r’oô;ra¾n ri; o¾
EÙ jeô; ko; wi;
Di;a; fu;n 'SÙi;ba¾lo;lu;
A®le¾ O®o¾sôa¾
N®je;ô eô jeô; o; wi; o o¾
EÙ jeô; o; wi; o;
EÙni oju; u reô¾ o¾ r’oô;ra¾n ri; o¾
EÙ jeô o; wi¾
Translation:
Cover me and serve as my sanctuary

And I will cover you and serve as your sanctuary
E®e¾su¾u; (the blade grass) covers and serves as the sanctuary of Ye¾e¾pe¾ (sand/dirt)
Ye¾e¾pe¾ covers and serves as the sanctuary of E®e¾su¾u;
These were the declarations of Ifa; to I®sôi;ba¾lo;lu;
The secret lover of O®o¾sôa¾
She was advised to offer eôboô in order not to allow her promiscuity to lead to the death of her
child
I will say what I have witnessed
The Awo of OÙdeô (the Hunter), He cast Ifa; for OÙdeô
When he was advised to offer eôboô against intrigue that could lead to disgrace and humiliation
He complied
He who has never witnessed trouble before
Let him speak out
This was Ifa;’s declaration for 'SÙi;ba¾lo;lu;
The secret lover of O®o¾sôa¾
Let him talk
41
Let him speak out

Anyone who has never witnessed trouble before
Let him open his mouth to talk
I®sôi;ba¾lo;lu; was by every standard a very attractive woman. Anywhere she went, she was always the
focus of attention of several men. She was also acutely aware of her natural endowments. Once
in a while, she would decide to use them beyond the socially accepted limits in order for her to
gain advantage over her colleagues and other contemporaries.
When she got married, she felt that it would not be a bad idea to patronize her old lovers once in
a while and that was exactly what she was did. She enjoyed herself to the maximum with her old
lovers. She also prided herself on her extreme caution and discreet moves. Nobody was aware of
her secret affairs. To her, her secrets remained secrets. One year after marriage, she gave birth to
a baby girl. The baby looked very much like her but her baby was more beautiful than her.
Everyone in the community loved the baby and she herself worshipped the baby.
One day, I®sôi;ba¾lo;lu; who was popularly called ‘SÙi;ba¾lo;lu; or 'SÙi;ba¾ for short, met O®o¾sôa¾. The very
moment that she met him, she instantly regretted ever getting married. Where was this man
before she got married to her man? She saw O®o¾sôa¾ as a man, a complete gentleman who had
more charm, more charisma, more gait, more clout, and more intelligence than her dull looking
and dull acting husband. She felt that she could not do without O®o¾sôa¾. She also knew that O®o¾sôa¾
would be her secret lover for life because no man could resist her. But, how would she be able to
keep this a secret? She felt she even loved O®o¾sôa¾. But was this really love or just pure infatuation?
She asked herself this several times. She debated this in her mind and finally reasoned that it was
not love, she just lusted for him. So what? Even if it was infatuation, so be it. She just could not
stop thinking about being with O®o¾sôa¾ so her decision was final!
One thing that nobody knew about I®sôi;ba¾lo;lu; was that she could not stand scandal of any kind.
That was why she was prepared to go to any length to cover her tracks but that was before she
had met O®o¾sôa¾. Although she still hated scandal, her major problem and challenge after she had
met O®o¾sôa¾ was how she would cover her tracks.
As soon as she started her illicit love affair with O®o¾sôa¾, the first thing she noticed was that her
baby began to grow weak, lean and ugly. The baby became limp and colourless. It was as if
something was draining the life out of her baby. This worried 'SÙi;ba¾lo;lu; very much. She therefore
invited O®o¾sôa¾ to meet her in their secret rendezvous place in the forest for a serious discussion.
When the two lovers got there, she explained what was happening to her baby to O®o¾sôa¾. She was
assured that something would be done about it. With this assurance, she removed the worry from
her mind and it was back to business as usual. They stayed together for a long time afterward. In
the evening, both of them finally departed and took different routes back home. Nobody saw
them or so they thought.
On top of a tall I®ro;ko¾ tree was a hunter who witnessed all what transpired between the two lovers
from the beginning to the end. The hunter was worried. Not because they were lovers; not
because they made love right in the forest while he was watching them; but because the life of an
42
Omoluabi
innocent baby was involved and they were not taking the adequate measures to resolve the
problem. The other major concern however that the hunter had was that 'SÙi;ba¾lo;lu;’s husband was
his bossom friend! What was he to do? What must he do? Common sense and logic told him to
tarry a little before taking any step.
Five days later, the two secret lovers met again. The condition of the baby had gotten worse.
'SÙi;ba¾lo;lu; panicked over her baby. O®o¾sôa¾ advised her this time to go for Ifa; consultation. He
promised to pay for the cost that would be incurred in purchasing the eôboô materials and in
preparing any medication for the baby. After this, it was once again, business as usual. On this
day again, OÙdeô (the hunter) was at his usual hunting spot. He witnessed and heard everything
that they did and discussed. He was visibly angry. Still, common sense told him to be patient.
Something kept telling him that there was more to this than he had seen or heard. For this
reason, he stayed in his hiding place. The two lovers departed as they usually did, in different
directions. They agreed to meet again in five days' time.
The following morning, 'SÙi;ba¾lo;lu; went to the home of the group of Awo stated above for Ifa;
consultation. She went with her daughter. By that time, the daughter was hardly breathing
anymore. During the consultation, she asked: what was responsible for her daughter’s infirmity?
Would she survive the illness? If yes, what did she need to do? During the Ifa ; consultation, O®Ùyeô¾ku;
I®rosu¾n was revealed.
The Awo told 'SÙi;ba¾lo;lu; that she came for Ifa;; consultation because her baby was very ill. She was
told that she was the cause of her daughter’s illness and that the baby had fallen ill because of
her promiscuous behavior. They told her that there was no medication on earth that would make
the baby to regain her health. The only two things that could make her baby survive were: one,
for her to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat and money, and then feed E®sôu¾ with a different he-
goat; and two, for her to confess all her promiscuous activities to her husband and ask for his
forgiveness. They warned her that if these were not done as urgently as possible, she would lose
her baby.
Right in the presence of 'SÙi;ba¾lo;lu;, her carefully kept secret world collapsed. She never believed
that a time would come in her life that she would face such a dilemma. She loved her baby
deeply, with all her heart but she also hated scandal of any kind. This particular scandal was of a
gargantuan proportion. How could she confess this? How many men would she mention, she had
slept with? How would she mention all these names? The list was truly long. If she refused to
mention the names of her secret lovers, the Awo said that she would lose her daughter. She did
not want to lose her daughter. What was she to do now? She instantly broke into a cold sweat. A
decision must be taken, and fast too! She was not scheduled to see O®o¾sôa¾ until four days' time.
What would she tell the Awo who were looking at her now.
In the end, she told the Awo that she would bring all the eôboô materials in five days' time for them
to offer the eôboô for her daughter. She looked at her baby and she felt pain, pity, and concern for
her. She burst into tears. The Awo consoled her but none of them knew the depth of her concern
or agitation.
43
When she returned home, she began to count every moment. On the appointed date with O®o¾sôa¾,
she was the first to arrive; which was unusual. When O®o¾sôa¾ eventually arrived, she narrated all
what the Awo had told her and sought her lover’s advise.
O®o¾sôa¾ told her that nothing would happen to her baby as long as the eôboô was offered. But her
lover knew that it was not true, and that the baby would die if the two advices of the Awo were
not complied with. They deliberated further on the matter. In the end, both secret lovers
concluded that it was better for the baby to die than for them to face such scandal. After all, they
both reasoned, she could still beget another baby whenever she was ready to do so.
The two then began to make love. OÙdeô (the Hunter) then jumped down from the tree livid with
rage. He had had enough from these heartless people. He could not withstand their insensitivity
any longer. He was disgusted and appauled. He threw caution into the wind. He looked down at
the two lovers that were completely naked. He screamed and stamped his feet on the ground. He
made them to understand that he had seen and heard all what they had been doing. He told
them that he would reveal all what he had seen and heard. He told them not to bother to appeal
to him because he would not listen. He would talk. He had to talk. It was his responsibility to
report their anti-social activity to the elders of the land.
The lovers jumped up and covered their bodies with their dresses. They hurriedly dressed up.
O®o¾sôa¾ begged OÙdeô not to reveal their secret. OÙÙdeô refused to listen. After much appeal from O®o¾sôa¾,
'SÙi;ba¾lo;lu; told OÙdeô to go and tell anyone who he cared to tell. She said that OÙdeô had never seen
trouble before in his life and this would teach him a great lesson that it was not everything that
one sees that one should say or speak about. She told O®o¾sôa¾ to let them go away and to leave
OÙdeô to go to talk to whoever he cared to tell.
The two lovers left the scene and left OÙdeô to ruminate over what had happened. Something in the
eyes of 'SÙi;ba¾lo;lu; warned him to be careful. He thought of what to do for a long time. How could
one witness something so disgusting as this and at the same time keep quiet over it? Why must
he allow this woman to intimidate or scare him into silence after perpetrating such an atrocity?
No! He must tell. But to who and how? The determination in that woman’s face showed that she
had something sinister at the back of her mind. But what was it? Again, that something which had
been warning him all along came again and warned him once more to be very careful with the
way he would handle the matter. One thing was very sure in his mind though, that what is wrong
is wrong. Whatever was wrong must be rectified. He must report the duo. That was when a
thought occurred to him: Should I go for Ifa; consultation over this matter? This would help him to
take the appropriate steps in order to right the wrong that the two lovers had committed against
his friend, his friend's baby and the society. He decided to take this step. That was when he went
to the home of:
Mo ri; n o; wi¾i;
Awo OÙdeô lo; di;a; f’O:Ùdeô
EÙboô e¾te ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe…
Translation:
44
Omoluabi
I will say what I have witnessed

The Awo of OÙÙdeô (the Hunter), He cast Ifa; for OÙdeô
When he was advised to offer eôboô against intrigue that could lead to disgrace and humiliation…
The Awo told OÙdeô to be very careful with whatever information he had which he intended to
reveal. He was told that he had come across some vital information and he felt that it was his
responsibility to reveal the secret. It is not everything that one sees or hears that one must say,
the Awo warned him. The Awo also told him to offer eôboô with one mature he-goat and money.
After this, he was asked to feed E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ with another he-goat. He complied with the eôboô
immediately. While going home, the Awo warned him again to be careful and to ensure that he
maintained reticence over the issue. He promised that he would do just that.
The following day, 'SÙi;ba¾lo;lu;’s baby died. It was a loss to the whole community. Everyone in the
community loved the baby. Only three people knew the exact cause of the baby’s death. This
made OÙdeô to be more disgusted with the two heartless and insensitive secret lovers. He moaned
that they had taken away the life of the innocent baby in order to continue their love affair and
that certainly this woman was not fit and good enough for his bosom friend. She must be sent
away from his friend’s home. But how? He planned to call his friend aside and advise him to let
the woman go away from his life. He planned to explain to his friend that the woman was not
appropriate for him. But how would he do that? Somehow, he planned to do it.
Unknown to him, his friend’s wife was fully prepared for him. She had planned to put him in a
very serious problem from which he would not be able to extricate himself for the rest of his life.
She had engaged the services of her former and current lovers to plan a big conspiracy against
OÙÙdeô and to tell lies against him. They were going to lie that OÙdeô had been making love advances
toward 'SÙi;ba¾lo;lu; for a long time; how she had turned down his overtures; how she had refused to
inform her husband because they were friends and she did not want to create any friction
between the two friends; how she had instead reported him to more than 25 other people in the
land to warn him (all her lovers); how he had thought that she had told her husband and he had
planned to get rid of her in order to cover himself and how OÙdeô was responsible for the death of
the baby!
Everyone trooped into 'SÙi;ba¾lo;lu;’s home to sympathize with her over the loss of her baby. All the
lovers were there to ensure that they descended on OÙdeô if he ventured to come and open his
talkative and loose mouth to say anything about what he had witnessed or heard. When OÙdeô
arrived, all eyes were on him. They waited with determination. As he entered the house, he heard
some people singing outside saying:
EÙ je;ô o; wi; o o¾
EÙ je;ô o; wi; o
EÙni oju; u re¾ô o¾ r’oô;ra¾n ri; o¾
EÙ jeô; o; wi; o…
Translation:
45
Let him talk

Let him speak out
Anyone who has never witnessed trouble before
Let him open his mouth to talk…
As he was going into the room where 'SÙi;ba¾lo;lu; was, he knew without being told that he was not
welcome by anyone. He quickly entered the room, said one or two things and rushed out without
ever contemplating saying anything to his friend about 'SÙi;ba¾lo;lu;’s conduct again.
The story above is a classical example of how speaking the truth can sometimes put one into
serious unavoidable trouble. The lesson from this story is that sometimes, we must act with
reticence and discretion. Also in O®gu;nda; Be¾de; (O®gu;nda;-Ogbe¾), a stanza in this Odu¾ says:
E®ke; ni;i; pa Ele;ke¾e;

Ile¾ô di;da¾ a si¾ maa pa a¾woôn OÙ®da¾le¾ô
Baba n;sôawo re¾'lu; E®ke;
Baba n;sôawo re¾'l¾u; O®Ùda¾le¾ô
Woô;n ni;; ki; Baba sa;ka;ale¾ô eôboô ni; sôi;sôe
EÙ®yin ti; n;fi su;u;ru; pe su¾u¾ru¾
Olo;du¾mare¾
Yo;o; maa wo¾ yi;n l'o;ôrun o
Olo;du¾mare¾ ada;ke;ô da;'jo;ô
EÙ®yin ti; n; fi ewe; I®ro;ko¾ p'ewe; oriro
Olo;;du¾mare¾
Yo;o; maa wo¾ yi;n l'o;ôrun o
Olo;du¾mare¾ oôba ada;ke;ô da;'jo;ô
Translation:
Lying will kill the liars

Oath breaking will kill the oath breakers
These were Ifa;’s declarations to O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When going on an Ifa; mission to the land of the liars
And also to the land of the oath breakers
He complied
Those who call black white
Olo;du¾mare¾ is looking at you in heaven
Olo;du¾mare¾ the silent judge
Those who call I®ro;ko¾ leaves Oriro leaves
Olo;du¾mare¾ is looking at you in heaven
Olo;du¾mare¾ the silent judge
46
Omoluabi
In the Odu¾ above, two things are clear: one, no liar will go unpunished and people must not
engage in self-deceit or lies; and two, all liars shall face the wrath of Olo;du¾mare¾ and their prayers
shall not be accepted. Also in another stanza of O®gu;nda; Be¾de;, Ifa; says:
E®ke; re i¾da;le¾ô ogu;n oôdu;n

Ko¾ de;
O®pu¾roô; re i¾da;le¾ô osôu¾ meô;fa¾
Ko¾ bo¾ô
O®ti;to;ô inu; ni;i; la’ni
E®ke; ki¾i; la¾’ni¾ya¾n
Di;a; fu;n Baba Ala;sôoô, ab’eô¾wu¾ ge¾ôreô¾je¾ô
E®yi; to; ni; iro;ô l’o¾un o; maa pa fi j’eôun l’a;ye;
O®ti;to;ô inu; ki¾lo¾ô fun wi;pe;
N®jeô; bi; a ba; n; pu’ro;ô
Iroô; a pa’ni k’e;ôyi¾n
O: pu’ro;ô ti;ti;
O: kan eôjoô;
O®Ùroô¾ oô reô¾ e;ô di pi;pa
O: wa; wi;pe; o¾un n; gb’a¾a¾we¾ô fu;n Olo;du¾mare¾
Beô;e¾ô ni eôni¾kan ki¾i; gb’a¾a¾we¾ô fu;n Olo;du¾mare¾¾
A®ya¾a¾fi Ori; ara eôni
EÙni oô¾ro¾ô oô; ba; ba; ni;i; gb’a¾a¾we¾ô
Translation:
A cheat went on a journey for 20 years

And never returned
A liar went on a journey for six months
And he too never returned
Only truthfulness will save the truthful
Lying and cheating will never save anyone
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the man with the flowing garment
When he declared that he would engage in lying as his means of livelihood
Truthfulness warned him and said:
If we continue to tell lies
Falsehood will kill us in the end
He continued to tell lies
And he entered into serious contention
And he was sentenced to death
He retorted that he was fasting for Olo;du¾mare¾
But nobody fasts for Olo;du¾mare¾
Accept your Orí (Destiny)
It is only those who are in trouble who engage in fasting
47
In the above stanza, we can also see that telling lies will certainly lead the liar into terrible
problems such as contention and possibly death. All those willing to be known as OÙmoÙlu;a¾bi; must
never tell lies. In another stanza from O®gu;nda; Be¾de;, Ifa; says:
OÙ®to;ôoô;toôoôtoô;o;ô
OÙ®ro;ôoô;roôoôroô;o;ô
O®Ùtoô¾o¾ôtoô¾ la¾a; j;'e¾ôpa¾
OÙ®to¾ôoô¾to¾ô la¾a; j'o¾o¾mu
Oun t'ori; ni t'ori;
Oun t'oo¾ri¾ ni t'oo¾ri¾
Oun t'ori; t'oo¾ri¾ la¾a; fii; toôoôroô fu;n OÙbamakin l'o;de I®ra¾nje;
Ko; baa¾ le¾ f'oun tori;-too¾ri¾ ta'ni l'oô;reô
Di;a; fu;n A®ti;o¾ro ba¾ge¾ôba¾ge¾ô
Ti; n;sô'awo re'le; Oni;ko¾yi;
Ibi ori; i¾ mi ra;n mi re¾ ni mo loô
A®ti;o¾ro ba¾ge¾ôba¾ge¾ô ti; n;sô'awo re'le; Oni;ko¾yi;;
Ibi ori; ra;n mi re¾ ni mo loô o
Translation:
OÙ®to;ôoô;toôoôtoô;o;ô
OÙ®ro;ôoô;roôoôroô;o;ô
Separately do we consume peanuts
Separately do we consume tamarind
What belongs to Ori; is for Ori;
What belongs O®o¾ri¾ is for O®o¾ri¾
But what belongs to Ori; and O®o¾ri¾
Is what is given to OÙbamakin in I®ra¾nje; Land
So that he will give us gifts that are for Ori; and O®o¾ri¾
These were the declarations of Ifa; to A®ti;o¾ro Ba¾geô¾ba¾ge¾ô
When going on an Ifa; mission to the palace of Oni;ko¾yi;
He complied
It is where my Ori; has sent me to that I have gone
Here comes A®ti;o¾ro Ba¾ge¾ôba¾geô¾
Who is going on an Ifa; mission to the palace of Oni;ko¾yi;
It is where my Ori; has sent me to that I have gone
As one can see in the above stanza, truthfulness has its own profit and benefits. If one is truthful,
Ifa; guarantees the following as rewards for such a person:
48
Omoluabi
i. Self confidence
ii. Peace of mind
iii. Harmony with the divinities
iv. Absence of offfenses
v. Blessings from Olo;du¾mare¾
vi. Respect and honor from the community
vii. Conferment with the title OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;
49
CHAPTER FOUR
A®fi;nti; ni;i; p’eôru;
Ile¾ô di;da¾ ni;i; p’o¾ôreô;
E®pe¾ ni;i; p’ole¾
A®joôbi; ni;i; pa iye¾kan to; ba; sôe’bi
B’oô;ja¾ ba; tu; pe¾ôeô;
A k’e¾ro¾ ka;taka¾ta
A ku na;'ja¾-na;'ja¾
A ku i¾pa¾teô
Di;a; fu;n o¾ôkoô¾o¾ôka¾nle;nu; Iru;nmoôleô¾
Ti; Olo;du¾mare¾ n; ra;nn;sôeô; iku; pe¾ woô;n ni;’gba¾ ogu;n
O: n; ra;nn;sôeô; iku; pe¾ woô;n ni;;'gba¾ oôgboô¾n…
O®fu;n Me;ji¾
Translation:
Overworking leads to the untimely death of a slave

Oath breaking will cause the death of a treacherous friend
Curses will kill the bandit
The A¾sôeô of consanguinity will kill a wicked sibling
If the market disperses suddenly
Only scanty people will remain
Only a few will remain transacting business
Only the market stalls will remain
These were the declarations of Ifa; to the 401 Iru;nmoôleô¾
When Olo;du¾mare¾ was sending death messages to them 20 times
And was sending death messages to them 30 times…
HONESTY
Honesty: The ability to do things with sincerity of purpose, without cheating, lies, or deceit. It
means doing things with purity of purpose, without blemish or alterior motive.
Honesty is the twin sibling of truthfulness. Just as Ifa; says with truthfulness, honest people are
very rare. We however need to understand that honesty and truthfulness are not exactly the same
thing. A person can be truthful without being honest and a person can be honest without being
truthful. Truthfulness has to do with what one says while honesty has to do with what one does.
For example, a person may steal another person’s property and when asked if he/she stole it,
he/she may admit that he/she is the culprit. Stealing other people’s property is not an honest act.
Admitting that he or she is the culprit however is a truthful statement. A person must be both
truthful and honest to be on his/her way in becoming an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. In OÙ®ye¾ôku; Ya¾ f’o;ku¾u; (OÙ®ye¾ôku;
O®fu;n), Ifa;; says:
50
Omoluabi
O®ti;to;ô inu; sô’oô¾wo;ôn

E®e¾ya¾n rere sô’oô¾wo;ôn boô¾ro¾ôboô¾ro¾ô
Ni;gba¾ti¾ mi o¾ ri; e¾e¾ya¾n ba; s’o¾ôroô¾ moô;
Mo ko; o¾ôroô¾ o¾ô mi da¾ si;’ku¾n
Di;a; fu;n OÙbalu;waye;;
Ni;gba¾ti; o; n; j’i¾ya¾ a¾i¾ri; eôni ba; s’o¾ôroô¾
O: gb’e;;ôboô, o; ru;’boô
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ ni; be;ôeô¾ ni l’o;o¾o;to;ô
Olo;du¾mare¾ ri;’nu;
Ile¾ô eô; ri;’ka¾
EÙni ti; n; ba; n;; sôe rere
OÙloô¾run mo¾ô
Translation:
Honesty of thought is very rare

A benevolent person is rare to come by
When I have no one to discuss things with
I keep all my thoughts within
These were Ifa;’s declarations for OÙbalu;aye;
When he was suffering from the inability to have confidants to speak with
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ responded that it is true
Olo;du¾mare¾ sees our thoughts
And Ile¾ô (the mother earth) recognizes the wicked
Those who do good
The heavens know who they are
In the above stanza, Ifa; makes it clear that it is very difficult to find an honest person and
OÙÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ also confirms that honest people are rare to find. In conclusion, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ says that
Olo;du¾mare¾ knows our minds, Ile¾ô (the mother earth) recognizes the wicked and heaven identifies
those who do good. Also in I®wo¾ri¾ Wo¾tu (I®wo¾ri¾ O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
Akoô ala;n¾gba; ni;i; sa;'re; wara-wara l'o;ri; a¾pa;ta

Di;a; fu;n Baba Oni;nu;-ire
Ti; woô;n n;fi o¾ôroô¾ i¾ka¾ bi
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;;a; sôe
OÙlo¾ôrun ri;nu; o
E®e¾ya¾n ti; n;sôe rere
OÙloô¾ru;n moô¾
Translation:
51
A male lizard is it that runs noisely on top of a rock

This was Ifa;’s declaration for the Benevolent Man
Who people would be accusing of doing wickedness
He complied
The heavens know our intentions
The mother earth recognizes the wicked
Those who do good
The heavens know who they are
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that even if the whole world is pointing accusing fingers and raining curses
on an honest and benevolent person, Olo;du¾mare¾ himself will continue to bless and multiply the
person. This is because the heavens know our intentions and the Mother Earth recognizes the
wicked, while those who do good are well known to Olo;du¾mare¾. In O®gu;nda; Be¾de; (O®gu;nda; Ogbe¾),
Ifa; says:
EÙnu woôn l'oô¾fa¾

EÙnu woôn l’o¾je
Woô;n pe ole¾ ko;; wa;a; ja¾
Woô;n pe olo;ko ko; wa;a; sôoô; oô
EÙnu woôn l'oô¾fa¾
EÙnu woôn l’o¾je o
Ni;jo;ô a¾woôn ara; Ile;-Ife¾ô Oo¾ye¾lagbo¾ n;si;n ara woôn jeô
Ti; eônu woôn ko¾ gbe; ibi¾kan o
Ti; wo;ôn o¾ fi'nu; han’raa woôn
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe:
Woô;n koô'ti; oô¾gboônyin s'eô;boô
I®pi;n a¾i¾sôeôboô
EÙ®gba¾ woôn a¾i¾t'e¾ru¾
EÙ o¾ ri;'fa; Awo ki¾
Ifa; sôeô o
Translation:
As they say that it is six

They also pronounce that it is seven
They invited the thief to raid the farm
They also invited the owner of the farm to watch over his farm
As they say that it is six
They also pronounce that it is seven
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When the inhabitants of Ife¾ô Oo¾da;ye; were making jest of one another
When they did not have concensus over anything
52
Omoluabi
And they were not sharing with each other what was on their minds
They refused to comply
Refusal to offer eôboô
And failure to heed warnings
Can't you see the prediction of Ifa;
As it comes to pass?
In the above Odu¾, Ifa; says that lack of honesty leads to lack of concensus. Lack of concensus
leads to disunity. Disunity leads to confusion. Confusion leads to lack of progress. Lack of progress
leads to retrogression. A person who wants to be an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must not participate in any type of
dishonesty. In O®tu;ru;po¾ôn Yeô;n;ku;tu; (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn OÙ®ye¾ôku;), Ifa; says:
O®tu;ru;po¾ôn ayeô¾ku;
Ifo¾ô ni balu¾we¾ô
Di;a; fu;n Ire
A bu¾ fu;n Ibi
Ire ni¾kan ni; n;beô l'eô;yi¾n ti; n;sôeôboô
Ire ma;a bo¾ô
Ibi pada¾ s'eô;yi¾¾n
Translation:
O®tu;ru;po¾ôn who chases away death

The bathroom is noted for it’s wetness
This was Ifa;’s message for Ire (Goodness)
And also for Ibi (Evil)
Only Ire complied
Ire, please come
Ibi, please go away
In the above stanza, Ifa; says that for those who are honest, Ire will always come and Ibi will
always run away. The reason for this is that a truthful and honest person will always be
surrounded by benevolent spirits, while a dishonest and untruthful person, will always be
surrounded by malevolent spirits.
In O®Ùka¾nra¾n Me;ji¾, Ifa; enjoins us to be honest and straight forward in any business that we do. Ifa;
says that if we are representing any one in any business transaction, we must be implicitly honest
in all what we do. We must not think of our own selfish gain at the expense of those who send us
to transact the business. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
EÙni to; ra;n’ni ni;'sôeô;
53
O®un la¾a; f'a¾bo¾ô oô; fu;n

Di;a; fu;n E®ji¾ OÙ®ka¾nra¾n
Ti; yo;o; fi irinwo; sô'o¾wo¾
Ti; yo;o; j'e¾e¾re¾ eôgbeô¾rin o¾ôkeô;
EÙ wa;a; ba; 'ni ni; je¾ôbu;tu; ire
Translation:
He who sends one on an errand

Is the person one needs to render account to
This was Ifa;’s declaration for E®ji¾ OÙ®ka¾nra¾n
Who would transact business with 400 cowries
And make a profit of 8,000 cowries
He complied
In the above Odu¾, Ifa; says that no matter what happens, honesty is what anybody who aspires to
be called an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; should uphold. In the stanza above, nothing was able to stop E®ji¾-OÙ®ka¾nra¾n
from making the profit that he had made in his business transactions because of his honesty. That
is the reason why this incident is recorded in Ifa; for all devotees to emulate. Let us compare what
happens in OÙ®ka¾nra¾n-Me;ji¾ that is stated above with the following incident in OÙ®ye¾ôku;-Logbe¾ (O®Ùyeô¾ku;-
Ogbe¾). In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
A ni; ki; O®Ùyeô¾ku; o; ma; l’Ogbe¾

OÙ®ye¾ôku; l’Ogbe¾
Epi;nri;n n; sôubu; l’epi;nri;n
O®Ùyeôô¾ku; l’Ogbe¾
Epo¾ro¾ n; sôubu; l’epo¾ro¾
O®Ùyeô¾ku; l’Ogbe¾
A®ba¾ ri¾gi¾di¾ n; sôubu; l’Oo¾¾mu
Di;a; fu;n O®ri¾sôa¾n;la; O®Ùsôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾
Ti; n; ra;n Ala;geômoô loô¾o;ô b’O:lo;kun p’e¾ôsa;n oôdu;n
Gbogbo I®sôo¾ro¾ O®Ùpeô¾
EÙni i; gb’e;ôboô ni;’be¾ô ko; ru;’boô o
OÙba¾ta;la; i¾ ba; te¾te¾ mo¾ô
I® ba; wa;a; f’owo; sô’a¾ru;fi;n eôboô o
54
Omoluabi
I® ba; te¾te¾ mo¾ô
Translation:
We asked OÙ®ye¾ôku; not to hit Ogbe¾

But O®Ùyeô¾ku; hit Ogbe¾
Epi;nri;n leaves began to fall upon other Epi;nri;n leaves
We asked O®Ùye¾ôku; not to hit Ogbe¾
But OÙ®ye¾ôku; hit Ogbe¾
Epo¾ro¾ leaves began to fall upon other Epo¾ro¾ leaves
We asked O®Ùyeô¾ku; not to hit Ogbe¾
But OÙ®ye¾ôku; hit Ogbe¾
The big mighty A®ba¾ tree fell upon the Oo¾mu tree
These were Ifa;’s declarations to O®ri¾sôa¾n;la; O®Ùsôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾
When sending Ala;geômoô (the chameleon) to celebrate with Olo;kun on her annual festival
He refused to comply
All followers of Ifa;
Let those advised to offer eôôboô do so
Had OÙba¾ta;la; known before it was too late
He would have spent his money to offer all appropriate eôboô
Had he known before it was too late
Every year, Olo;kun would celebrate her festival in an elaborate way. She would invite all the
Iru;nmoôleô¾ and O®ri¾sôa¾ to her annual celebration. The festival normally pulled the largest crowd ever.
Every year, OÙba¾ta;la; would send his trusted aide, Ala;geômoô (the Chameleon) to represent him at
the festival. During the ceremony, all the Iru;nmoôleô¾ and O®ri¾sôa¾ would be invited to the dance floor.
Every year, Ala;geômoô would return home as the best dancer. There was no dress that any of the
Iru;nmoôôleô¾ and O®ri¾sôa¾ would put on that Ala;geômoô would not change his color to imitate, including
the dress which Olo;;kun herself would put on. All those present would cheer and applaud him for
being a worthy ambassador of O®Ùba¾ta;la;. He would also be showered with gifts and presents. When
he would return home, he would explain everything that had transpired to OÙba¾ta;la; without leaving
any information or gift behind. That was how it had been happening every year.
As usual, the period of Olo;kun’s annual festival celebration was approaching. Preparations were in
top gear. Ala;geômoô was busy practicing his dancing steps for the festival. Unknown to him
however, some elements had come to OÙba¾ta;la; to report to him that Ala;geômoô had been cheating
him. They claimed that Ala;geômoô had not been delivering all the gifts to OÙba¾ta;la;. They said that
Ala;geômoô had been depositing some of the very precious gifts he received during the festival into
the house of his secret lover before returning to OÙba¾ta;la;’s house to hand over the other gifts.
They claimed that the very valuable gifts were never given to OÙba¾ta;la;. These elements claimed
that they initially felt that it was none of their business but when they realized that Ala;ge¾ômoô kept
repeating this year after year, they decided to finally tell OÙba¾ta;la;.
55
Not only this, they also claimed that Ala;geômoô had been carrying himself in an arrogant manner in
recent times. They said that they met Ala;geômoô where he was boasting that if not for him, OÙba¾ta;la;
would have been forgotten a long time ago, because he could not do anything without him. They
urged OÙba¾ta;la; to take a decisive step against Ala;geômoô before it was too late. They said that
OÙba¾ta;la; needed to put Ala;geômoô in his place. This would make Ala;geômoô to know that he was
nothing and a nonentity. They urged OÙba¾ta;la; to cut off all the privileges extended to Ala;geômoô
forthwith. With this, they left.
OÙba¾ta;la; thought about the information he had just been given over and over. He felt pained that
his aide could be cheating him. Anger overtook his sense of reasoning. He resolved to teach
Ala;geômoô a lesson which he, Ala;geômoô would never forget in a hurry but which he would wish
never to remember. He resolved that henceforth, he would never send Ala;geômoô on any errand
anymore.
Not only that, he would ensure that all the rights and privileges extended to Ala;geômoô were
removed with impunity. Ala;geômoô must be made to suffer and regret his actions, OÙba¾ta;la; vowed.
Ala;geômoô must cry and rub his mouth in the dirt. For cheating the mighty OÙba¾ta;la;, Ala;geômoô must
pay dearly for it. He must suffer! He must be reduced to nothing!
As a result of this development, OÙba¾ta;la; decided that he would personally attend Olo;kun’s Annual
festival celebration. He vowed that he would never allow Ala;geômoô to be close to him anymore. He
began to practice for the ceremony. Soon after this, he approached the group of Awo stated
above for Ifa; consultation: will I be given greater prestige and recognition during the festival
ceremony of Olo;;kun? Will I be able to excel and put Ala;geômoô to shame? During Ifa; consultation,
O®Ùyeô¾ku;-L’Ogbe¾ was revealed.
The Awo told OÙba¾ta;la; that he was preparing himself to go and perform a task that he had hitherto
been sending one of his subordinates on. Because the latter had been representing him well with
utmost diligence, honesty and dedication, OÙba¾ta;la; was cautioned not to pay his subordinate’s
good deeds with ingratitude. He was also advised to allow the subordinate to continue doing the
marvelous job he had been doing on his behalf. The Awo made it clear to OÙba¾ta;la; that anything
short of this would bring him disgrace and disappointment. He was also advised to offer eôboô
against humiliation.
OÙba¾ta;la; had made up his mind before coming for Ifa; consultation. He would take none of the
advice of the Awo. He told them that what he had come for was not what they were telling him.
He said that he wanted to know what he needed to do in order to achieve more prestige and
honor than his subordinate and not for him to allow his subordinate to continue to steal the show
away from him all the time. He charged the Awo to prescribe for him what to do to make this
happen. They however told him that he had just been told what Ifa; said about the situation.
OÙba¾ta;la; then became furious. He stormed out of the house of the Awo, promising himself not to
return to them until he had completely reduced Ala;geômoô to nothing.
Back at home, anything that Ala;geômoô did irritated OÙba¾ta;la;. He snapped at Ala;geômoô at every
56
Omoluabi
opportunity. Ala;geômoô noticed this change but could not understand why. He approached OÙba¾ta;la;
to find out the reason and he was chased out of OÙba¾ta;la;’s presence. He felt that OÙba¾ta;la; was in a
bad mood at the moment and that he needed to wait a little longer before approaching him again.
Ala;geômoô searched his mind many times and realized that he had done nothing to warrant the way
he was being treated. He felt that with time, everything would return to normal.
When the time to go for Olo;kun’s annual ceremony arrived, Ala;geômoô went to OÙba¾ta;la; to inform
him that he was ready for the journey. OÙba¾ta;la; simply told him that he had no permission to go
and that he, OÙba¾ta;la;, would personally go to attend the festival.
OÙba¾ta;la; spotted his most immaculate white attire which he procured in I®ra¾da¾ Land and left for the
ceremony. When he got there, everybody was very happy. They were so sure that they were
going to witness a grand spectacle that year. They based their assumption on the fact that
Ala;geômoô who was a mere subordinate had always been stealing the show every time he came to
represent OÙba¾ta;la;. Now that OÙba¾ta;la; himself had decided to personally grace the occasion, it was
going to be a spectacular event. Everyone could not wait to see OÙba¾ta;la; display his dancing steps
on the dancing stage.
When it was eventually time for OÙba¾ta;la; to dance, the whole arena went dead silent. Everyone
present counted himself/herself lucky to witness that day. OÙba¾ta;la; stepped onto the stage and
began to dance. All the steps and tricks for which Ala;geômoô was reknowned, hailed, and respected
were absent in OÙba¾ta;la;’s dance. Those present thought that he was reserving all his best
performances for the end. The way that Ala;geômoô used to change colors and imitate the dress
colors of all those present, including that of Olo;kun herself was also absent. It did not take long
before all those present began to express their disappointment. It showed on their faces.
Seeing that the spectators were not impressed with his dancing, OÙba¾ta;la; began to think of what
to do to salvage the situation. Something told him that he needed to add some acrobatic displays
to his dancing in order to impress those watching him. He quickly realized that he did not practice
any acrobatic performances and that his old age would not permit him to twist, coil, and
summersault the way he would have wanted. However when he saw the spectators hissing on
him for poor display and performance, he decided to do a summersault. He did and fell down
heavily on his back!
As if that was not bad enough, a maiden who was serving food missed her step when OÙba¾ta;la; fell
down and she threw all the food containing palm oil, soup, pounded yam, a¾ma¾la¾ and so on, on
OÙba¾ta;la;’s body. The spectators went crazy with laughter. The white dress which OÙba¾ta;la; wore was
soiled with palm oil and soup. His immaculate white dress became a soiled dress! OÙba¾ta;la; was
helped out of the dancing stage in shame and disgrace. He also had a sprained back and a
twisted ankle to nurse! This is when he remembered the statements and cautions of his Awo but
it was simply too late for that.
In this Odu¾, OÙba¾ta;la; suffered because he doubted the honesty of his servant Ala;geômoô. In the
same vain, those who doubt the sincerity of an honest person stand to suffer at the end of the
57
exercise. Ifa; warns that it is not advisable for anyone to doubt the sincerity of another person.
Before one can doubt the sincerity of anyone, there is the need to conduct a proper investigation
and find out without a doubt that the person lacks honesty before one can doubt his or her
intergrity. Ifa; says that for an honest person, there is no doubt of any reprisal. Only the cheat, the
dishonest, the oath breaker, and the wicked need to fear and be apprehensive. In O®gu;nda; ‘Di¾i;
(O®gu;nda; O®di;), Ifa; says:
E®ke; n; re'le; a¾woôn e¾ke;

A®woôn ara a woôn ni woô;n n;re'le; ara a woôn
OÙ®da¾le¾ô n; re'le; a¾woôn oô¾da¾le¾ô
A®woôn ara a woôn ni woô;n n; re'le; ara a woôn
Soô¾ro¾ôsoô¾ro¾ô o¾ ri;'bi a¾ a; re¾ moô;
Ab'eônu u; di;ba¾ba¾, di;bobo
Bi; i¾gba¾do o; y'oômoô l'eô;ga¾n
Ifa; n; sô'awo loô s’I:fe¾ô-Asôo¾o;to;ô
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ bi; mo ba; sô'e¾ke; o
Ifa; o ri;'nu; u¾ mi o
O®Ùroô¾ o¾ô mi wa;a; d'oôwoô; ile¾ô, dandan ni o
Translation:
The liar is going to the home of other liars

Birds of a feather flock together
The oath breaker is going to the home of other oath breakers
Birds of a feather flock together
There is no where for gossip to go
He who speaks in many unreliable ways
When going to Ife; of the Truthful
He complied
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ if I tell any lie
Ifa; you have seen my intention
My matter is surely in the hands of Ile¾ô (the Mother Earth) for sure
In the Odu¾ above, one can see that an honest person will feel confident in making Ifa; his/her
witness and will feel confident that he/she has never engaged in any falsehood or cheating. In
O®Ùka¾nra¾n I®jeôeô¾e;ôdoô;gbo¾ôn (OÙ®ka¾nra¾n-O®tu;ru;po¾ôn), Ifa; says:
E®ke; o¾ kun 'ni
58
Omoluabi
I®ka¾ o¾ kun'moô reô¾ si;'le¾ô

Bi; wo;ôn ba; n; yo;ô'leô¾ eô; da¾
Oun abe;ô'nu; a; ma;a yo;ô woôn sôe
Di;a; fu;n A®mu¾re¾gu;n
Ti;i; sô'awo OÙba l'a;la¾de OÙ®yo;ô
O: koô'ti; o¾ôgboônyin s'eô;boô
A®mu¾re¾gu;n, o¾ ya'le; wa; mo;ô
A®mu¾re¾gu;n Awo OÙba lo¾ o; sôe
Translation:
Lying is not good for one to engage in

Wickedness is not befitting for anyone
If a person secretly breaks an oath
Evil things will secretly continue to torment that person
These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®mu¾re¾gu;n
The Awo of the OÙba of O®Ùyoô;
A®mu¾re¾gu;n you can’t come inside the palace anymore
A®mu¾re¾gu;n you were supposed to be the Awo of the OÙba of OÙ®yo;ô
In the stanza above, one can see how Amu¾re¾gu;n who had once been the Awo of the OÙba of OÙ®yoô;
was disgraced out of the palace on account of his dishonesty and wickedness. The message of
this stanza shows that a dishonest person, a cheat, a liar, and a wicked person shall only meet
with disgrace and public odium at the end of the day. Anyone who wishes to be called an
OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must do away with all these negative attitudes. In I®din-Ami¾le¾ôkeô¾, (O®di; I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
Woô;n n; sôe ko; ba¾jeô; Awo Aye;

Ko¾ lee¾ ba¾jeô; Awo O®de O®Ùrun
Baba n; sôe oun gbogbo
Ti; o¾ôkan o¾ yoô'ri;
Wo;ôn ni; ko; sa;ka;ale¾ô eôboô ni; sôi;sôe
N®je;ô woô;n n; sôe ko; ba¾je;ô o
Ki; wo;ôn le¾ ma;a yo¾ô o
Ko¾ lee¾ ba¾je;ô o
Ara; eô du;pe;ô o¾
EÙ f'iyi¾ f’EÙ:le;ôda¾a; o
Ko¾ lee¾ ba¾je;ô o
Translation:
59
They planned for it to get spoiled, the Awo of the world

It will never get spoiled, the Awo of the heavens
When he was doing many things
Without succeeding in any
He complied
Now, they are planning for it to be spoiled
In order for them to jubilate
It will never be spoiled
Please give thanks
And give praises to the Creator
It will never be spoiled
In the Odu¾ above, Ifa; explains that while cheats, dishonest persons and wicked ones may try to
destroy what truthful and honest people have put together, Olo;du¾mare¾ will send divine
interventions to stop them from realizing their evil designs. No matter what happens, truthful and
honest people will always prevail in the end. In another stanza of I®din Ami¾le¾ôkeô¾, Ifa; says:
Pa;ra; ni o¾ gbin'na;
I®po¾ôn ni o¾ gba fi¾ti;la¾
Di;a; fu;n Te¾mil;e;ke¾
Ti;i; sô'oômoô bi;bi; inu; A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;'boô
T'e¾mi ni o; le;'ke¾ ju gbogbo woôn loô o
T’I:fa; o¾ ba; mi ja¾
T’O:o¾sôa¾ o¾ ba; mi wi;
T'e¾mi ni o; le;'ke¾ ju ti woôn loô o
T'e¾mi ni o; le;'ke¾ ju t'e¾ke;
T'e¾mi ni o; le;'ke¾ ju ti woôn loô o
Translation:
Pa;ra; ni o¾ gbin'na;
I®po¾ôn ni o¾ gba fi¾ti;la¾
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Te¾mi;le;ke¾ (Mine Is More Successful)
The true child of A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
He complied
Mine will be more successful than those of all others
If Ifa; does not fight with me
If O®ri¾sôa¾ is not angry with me
60
Omoluabi

Mine will be more successful than those of all liars and cheats
In the stanza above, Ifa; urges the truthful and honest person to always ensure the continuity of
his or her truthfulness and honesty. By so doing, he or she will never face the wrath of Ifa ; and
O®ri¾sôa¾. If he or she is in the good books of Ifa; and O®ri¾sôa¾, he/she will always be more successful
than liars and cheats.
In Aro;su¾n Ta Ke¾ôleô¾ Ku; (I®rosu¾n O®Ùyeô¾ku;), Ifa; assures a dishonest person of Ifa;’s protection for him or
her together with all the members of his/her family. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Funfun ni iyi¾ eyi;n

Ga¾a¾ga¾a¾ ni iyi¾ oôya¾n
Di;a; fu;n OÙloômoô Adi;gbo-wa';ye;
Ti; wo;ôn ni; ko; ru;'boô si; lai¾ku; ara a reô
O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;'boô
Ifa; ma; je¾ôe; n ku;, t'e¾mi t'aya a¾ mi o
A ki¾i; gbo;ô iku; oômoô'ri; oôloô l'a;a¾rin i¾lu; Ifa;
Ifa; ma; je¾ôeô; n ku;, t'e¾mi t'oômoô oô¾ mi o
A ki¾i; gbo;ô iku; oômoô'ri; oôloô l'a;a¾rin i¾lu; Ifa;
Translation:
Whiteness is the prestige of the teeth

Roundness and firmness are the prestige of the breast
These were Ifa;’s declarations for OÙloômoô Adi;gbo-Wa;'ye;
He was advised to offer eôôboô against untimely death
He complied
Ifa;, please don’t let me experience untimely death, together with my wife
Ifa;, nobody will hear of the death of a grinding stone in any town
Ifa;, please don’t let me experience untimely death, together with my children
Ifa;, nobody will hear of the death of a grinding stone in any town
In the Odu¾ above, Ifa; assures the protection of the honest person, his wife and all his children.
They will never face grief or untimely death. In I®wo¾ri¾ Wo¾tu, (I®wo¾ri¾ O®tu;ra;), Ifa; warns cheats, liars
and dishonest people against their attitudes. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Ewu;re;ô ni;i; fi'bi mi;;mi; sô'oôla;

A®gu¾nta¾n ni;i; fi'bi jo¾ôboô¾jo¾ôboô¾ sôa’yoô¾
I®gbi;n ni; n; ri¾n ni;'le¾ô taratara
Di;a; fu;n Ara; O®de O®Ùfa¾
Ni;'bi wo;ôn gbe; n; f'aja; I®ro;ko¾ boô Ooro
EÙ®yin Awo asô'e¾ke;
61
E®Ùyin leô¾ n; f'Ifa; mi¾i;ra¾n ki ra a woôn

EÙ®yin Awo ak'e¾ru;
E®Ùyin le¾ô n; f'aja; I®ro;ko¾ boô Ooro
Translation:
The goat is it that breaths with honor

The ewe uses its hairy neck to rejoice
The land snail crawls on the ground with effort
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the inhabitants of O®Ùfa¾ land
When using the dog meant for the I®ro;ko¾ tree to propitiate the Ooro tree
All of you dishonest Awo
You are the ones reciting another Odu¾ instead of the Odu¾ that was cast for the client
All of you dishonest Awo
You are the ones using the dog meant for the I®ro;ko¾ tree to propitiate the Ooro tree
In the Odu¾ above, Ifa; lashes out at the cheating and dubious Awo for giving wrong
interpretations, wrong messages, and inappropriate recommendations to their clients. Continuing
to do this will make such an Awo to encounter the wrath of Ifa;. In O®Ùyeô¾ku; Bi¾ka; (O®Ùyeô¾ku; I®ka;), Ifa;
warns that an Awo must never break an oath made to another Awo. If an Awo fails to heed this
warning, such an oath breaker will definitely receive the full weight of the wrath of the divinities.
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
O®Ùyeô¾ku; bi¾ka;
Di;a; fu;n La;mu¾re¾
Ti; n; ;sô'oô¾reô; eô SÙa¾ngo;
Ki; Awo ma; da'le¾ô Awo
La;mu¾re¾ lo; ko;ôkoô; da'le¾ô si; SÙa¾ngo;
K'A:wo ma; da'le¾ Awo
Translation:
O®Ùyeô¾ku; bi¾ka;
This was the Ifa; cast for La;mu¾re¾
Who was the friend of SÙa¾ngo;
Let no Awo break the oath made to another Awo
La;mu¾re¾ was the first to break the oath sworn between him and SÙa¾ngo;
Let no Awo break the oath between him and another Awo
62
Omoluabi
CHAPTER FIVE
Oore ki¾ i; gbe;
I®ka¾ ki¾ i; re¾ô da¾nu¾
A®sô'oore i¾j’e¾e¾re¾ e¾ôdoô¾
Bi; eôni i; p’a¾da;nu¾ oun gbogbo ni
Di;a; fu;n A®ga¾nna;
Ti; yo;o; jeô Olo;ko¾ l’e;ôyi¾n iku; OÙba
Ki;nlo; f’A®ga¾nna; j’Olo;ko¾
Orire
Lo; f’A®ga¾nna; j’olo;ko¾
Orire
O®gu;nda; Me;ji¾
Translation:
No benevolence shall go unrewarded

No wickedness shall wither away without sanction
To do good without reaping the benefits
It is as if one has lost all
These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®ga¾nna;
When going to be installed as the Olo;ko¾ after the death of the OÙba
He complied
What allowed A®ga¾nna; to be installed as the Olo;ko¾?
Benevolence
Is what allowed A®ga¾nna¾ to be installed as the Olo;ko¾
Benevolence
BENEVOLENCE
Benevolence: the act of being generous and the desire to do good at all times, without any
selfish consideration.
In Ifá, if you give another person what you don’t really need, even if it benefits the receiver, this
is not viewed as true benevolence. True benevolence is giving another person what you truly
value and need, and which really helps the receiver. This is when a true sacrifice is made. True
benevolence is also when the benevolent person does it in such a way that the receiver is seen as
doing the benevolent person a great favor by accepting the benevolence. The person who does
this is a true child of Olo;du¾mare¾. Such a person also deserves being called an OÙmoôôlu;a¾bi;. In O®gu;n
D’a;i¾ku; (O®gu;nda; O®Ùyeô¾ku;), Ifa; says:
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EÙni¾kan o¾ ni;i; sô’oore ko; gbe;

E®e¾ya¾n o¾ ni;i; sô’i¾ka¾ k’o;lu;wa a re¾ô o; j’e¾e¾re¾
I®ka¾ o¾ ni;i; f’oni;ka¾ si;’le¾ô
Awo ile; Oni;kimoô
Di;a; fu;n Oni;kimoô, A®jeôti¾ Aye;
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe...
Translation:
Nobody can be benevolent without receiving a reward
Nobody can display wickedness without receiving a consequence
Wickedness will never depart from the wicked
The resident Awo of Oni;kimoô
He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for Oni;kimoô
When going to be blessed with everlasting enjoyment
He was advised to offer eôboô…
In this Odu¾, one can see that Olo;du¾mare¾ will always reward both the benevolent and the wicked
according to their behaviors. It is therefore in the best interest of anyone who wishes to be called
an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to be benevolent at all times in order to receive the blessing of everlasting
enjoyment. In Ogbe¾ I®yoô;nu; (Ogbe¾ O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
Aru;gbo; odo; la fi n; g’e;ôlu¾u;

A®gba¾lagba¾ oô¾na¾ ni;i; g’e;jo¾ me;ji¾ gbeôreôgeôdeô
Di;a; fu;n baba ti; n; tu;n’le; oni;le; sôe
E®yi; ti; A®ja¾gu¾nma¾le¾ yo;o; maa wo’le; de¾ e;
I®ya; n; bu; mi l’o;ôleô
Ba¾ba; n; bu; mi l’o;ôleô
OÙmoô ti; mo bi; n; bu; mi l’o;ôleô
Aya ti; mo fe;ô n; bu; mi l’o;ôleô
OÙ®ro¾ô o¾ ka¾n yi;n o
L’o;ôwoô; EÙleô;da;a¾ mi ni o
A®sôeô wa; d’oôwoô; Ogbe¾ o¾un O®gu;nda;
Translation:
An old worn out mortar is usually used to pound indigo

A well trekked footpath is it that breaks the back of a snake
These were the declarations of Ifa; to He Who Mends Other People’s Homes
And whom A®ja¾gu¾nma¾le¾ would take care of his home in his absence
He complied
64
Omoluabi
My mother abuses me by saying that I am lazy

My father abuses me by saying that I am lazy
My children abuse me by saying that I am lazy
My wife abuses me by saying that I am lazy
It is none of your concern
It is in the hands of my Creator
I draw my
The important thing here to note is that Ifá will assure all those who do good for others that
A®ja¾gu¾nma¾le¾, the Olu;wo in Heaven, will take care of their homes when they are away or absent.
The benefits of being benevolent are without limit.
In Ogbe¾ SÙeôeôreô Ni¾sôeô¾ke¾ô (Ogbe¾ O®Ùsôeô;), Ifa; says all human beings, particularly those who wish to be
called OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must be benevolent at all times. They must never stop doing good for any
reason whatsoever. Ifa; advises all human beings on earth to do good things for each other in
order for life to improve and to bring progress and development to all living beings on earth. In a
stanza in this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Aga;ba ni;ye¾ôeô;
Aga¾ba ni¾yeô;
E®semo¾ôwe; o¾ t’ori; O®Ùpeô¾ re ‘Mo¾gu;n
Di;a; fu;n O®sôo¾nnu; O®ke¾-A®pa¾
To; l’o;un o¾ ni;i; sô’oore moô;
I®ka¾ lo; ku¾ t’o;un o; maa sôe
Yo;o; l’a;je; a;a; te;ô’ru¾n
Asôe-rere
Ka¾sôa¾i¾ l’a;je;; a;a; te;ô’ru¾n
Asôe-rere
Yo;o; l’a;;ya a;a; te;ô’ru¾n
Asôe-rere
Ka¾sôa¾i¾ l’a;ya a;a; te;ô’ru¾n
Asôe-rere
Yo;o; bi;'moô a;a; te;ô’ru¾n
Asôe-rere
Ka¾sôa¾i¾ bi;'moô a;a; te;ô’ru¾n
Asôe-rere
Yo;o; koô;'le; a;a; te;ô’ru¾n
Asôe-rere
Ka¾sôa¾i¾ koô;'le;; a;a; te;ô’ru¾n
Asôe-rere
Yo;o; ni;’re gbogbo a;a; te;ô’ru¾n
Asôe-rere
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Ka¾sôa¾i¾ ni;’re gbogbo a;a; te;ô’ru¾n

Asôe-rere
Translation:
Aga;ba ni;ye¾ôeô;
Aga¾ba ni¾yeô;
E®semo¾ôwe; did not because of O®Ùpeô¾ travel to ‘Mo¾gu;n
They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for O®sôo¾nnu; of O®ke¾-A®pa¾ Land
When he declared that he would never be benevolent again
And that he would henceforth be doing evil
He complied
He will be blessed with prosperity to his satisfaction
The benevolent
He cannot but receive the blessing of prosperity to his satisfaction
The benevolent
He will be blessed with compatible spouse to his satisfaction
The benevolent
He cannot but receive the blessing of compatible spouse to his satisfaction
The benevolent
He will be blessed with good children to his satisfaction
The benevolent
He cannot but receive the blessing of good children to his satisfaction
The benevolent
He will be blessed with magnificent properties to his satisfaction
The benevolent
He cannot but receive the blessing of magnificent properties to his satisfaction
The benevolent
He will be blessed with all Ire of life to his satisfaction
The benevolent
He cannot but receive the blessing of all Ire of life to his satisfaction
The benevolent
In the stanza above, it is clear that there is nothing that a benevolent person is looking for that
he/she will not achieve. Not only this, this person will also enjoy the protection of Ifa; and
Olo;du¾mare¾. In a stanza in OÙ®woô;nri;n OÙloô;je¾ôeô; (O®Ùwoô;nri;n Ogbe¾), Ifa; has this to say:
Ori; ee;ku;n ab’ara yi;yi

A®lu¾foô; l’oôru¾n ake¾re¾gbe¾
Di;a; fu;n Olu;ko¾si¾-O®Ùpeô¾
Ti;i; sô’oômoô OÙloô;run a¾sa;di
Bi; Iku; ba; n; le; mi i; bo¾ô wa;
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Omoluabi
Awi;moôloô;gbo;ôn gba¾ mi;

O®Ùpe¾ô a¾si¾nla¾ gba¾ mi;
I®woô ma¾ l’oômoô OÙloô;run a¾sa;di o
Bi; A®ru¾n ba; n; le; mi i; bo¾ô wa;
Bi; EÙjoôô; ba; n; le; mi i; bo¾ô wa;
Bi; O®fo¾¾ ba; n; le; mi i; bo¾ô wa;
Translation:
The knee cap with its thick skin

The neck of a gourd is to be broken to accomodate contents
They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for Olu;ko¾si¾ OÙ®pe¾ô
The child of God the Sanctuary
He complied
If death is approaching and looking for me
Awi;moôloô;gbo;ôn (He who teaches one wisdom), please come to my rescue
OÙ®pe¾ôa¾si¾nla¾, please protect me
You are the child of God the Sanctuary
If Affliction is approching and looking for me
Awi;moôloô;gbo;ôn, please come to my rescue
If Contention is approaching and looking for me
If Loss is approaching and looking for me
In this stanza, it is clear that a benevolent person will automatically be given protection against all
evil principalities. In I®rosu¾n Ateô;e;ôreô; (I®rosu¾n O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
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I®rosu¾n te;ôeô;re;ô
I®rosu¾n gboôoôroô
Di;a; fu;n Ja¾gi;nni;
Ti; n; t’i¾ko¾ôle; o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;’ye;
EÙboô ire gbogbo ni woô;n ni; ko; sôe
Aje; tu;n ku¾ ‘kan o¾, Aje; tu;n ku¾ ‘kan
Ja¾gi;nni; ja¾gi;nni; o¾, Aje; tu;n ku¾ ‘kan
OÙmoô tu;n ku¾ ‘kan o¾, oômoô tu;n ku¾ ‘kan
Ja¾gi;nni; ja¾gi;nni; o¾, oômoô tu;n ku¾ ‘kan
Ile; tu;n ku¾ ‘kan o¾, Ile; tu;n ku¾ ‘kan
Ja¾gi;nni; ja¾gi;nni; o¾, Ile; tu;n ku¾ ‘kan
Ire gbogbo tu;n ku¾ ‘kan o¾, Ire gbogbo tu;n ku¾ ‘kan
Ja¾gi;nni; ja¾gi;nni; o¾, Ire gbogbo tu;n ku¾ ‘kan
Translation:
The slender I®rosu¾n

And the long I®rosu¾n
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ja¾gi;nni; (Celebration)
For her to receive all the Ire of life
She complied
Wealth still remains, wealth still remains
Ja¾gi;nni;, ja¾gi;nni; wealth still remains
Children still remain, children still remain
Ja¾gi;nni;, ja¾gi;nni; children still remain
Property still remains, property still remains
Ja¾gi;nni;, ja¾gi;nni; property still remains
All the Ire of life still remains, all the Ire of life still remains
Ja¾gi;nni;, ja¾gi;nni; all the Ire of life still remains
In the Odu¾ above, Ifa; explains that a benevolent person will be blessed with all the Ire of life in
abundance. Not only that, when this person dies and goes to the next stage of existence, he/she
will be loaded with all the Ire of life if or when he/she returns to the world. In another stanza of
the same Odu¾ (I®rosu¾n O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
O®Ùpa; te;ôeô;re;ô jeô¾le;ô

Di;a; fu;n Olu;we;
OÙmoô ar’a;gbo¾ôn obi¾ boô’ri;
Ni;tori; ire gbogbo
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Omoluabi
Ol’o;gu;n eôru; ni ke;ô eô fi t’e¾mi we;

Olu;we;, eô o; fi t’e¾mi we; ti’woôn o
OÙl’oô;gbo¾ôn i¾woô¾fa¾ ni keô; eô fi t’e¾mi we;
Al’a;a¾a;do;ôta omidan ni keô; eô fi t’e¾mi we;
Translation:
The thin long staff

This was Ifa;’s declaration for Olu;we;
When going to offer eôboô with a basket filled with kola nuts
In order to attain all the Ire of life
He complied
Please compare me with those who own 20 slaves
Olu;we;, compare me among successful people
Please compare me with those who own 30 servants
Please compare me with those who own 50 damsels
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that all the Ire that a benevolent person will receive will make him/her
the envy of his contemporaries. This is the reason why it is in the best interest of all human
beings to show benevolence to others. Doing so will give them more than what they give out.
There are also occasions when one becomes the recipient of the benevolence of Olo;du¾mare¾, the
Iru;nmoôleô¾ or one’s fellow human beings. When this occurs, it is this person’s responsibility to show
gratitude to Olo;du¾mare¾, the Iru;nmoôleô¾ and/or the human being showing him/her the benevolence.
In OÙ®ba¾ra¾ I®reôteô¾, Ifa; says:
Igu;n j’eôboô ta;n

Igu;n o¾ k’e;ôleô;boô ku; a¾na;
EÙ ku; a¾na; l’e¾re¾ oore
Di;a; fu;n A®i¾na; ke¾ôkeô¾e¾ôkeô¾
Ti;i; sô’oômoô oni;’bi a¾gbe;le;
Ifa; mo du;’pe;ô owo; to; o fu;n mi l’a;na¾ a;n o
OÙ®ba¾ra¾-I®reôteô¾ o o¾
Ifa; o sôeun-sôeun
Ifa; mo du;’pe;ô oômoô to; o fu;n mi l’a;na¾ a;n o
Ifa; mo du;’pe;ô aya to; o fu;n mi l’a;na¾ a;n o
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Ifa; mo du;’pe;ô ile; to; o fu;n mi l’a;na¾ a;n o
Ifa; mo du;’pe;ô ire gbogbo to; o fu;n mi l’a;na¾ a;n o
Translation:
After consuming the eôboô

The vulture refused to thank the owner of the eôboô
Thank you for yesterday’s favor is the profit one gains from being benevolent
These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®i¾na;; ke¾ôkeô¾e¾ôkeô¾
The offspring of the large extended lineage
She complied
Ifa;, I am grateful for the wealth you gave me yesterday
O®Ùba¾ra¾ I®reôteô¾ o
Ifa;, I thank you very much
Ifa;, I am grateful for the spouse you gave me yesterday
Ifa;, I am grateful for the children you gave me yesterday
Ifa;, I am grateful for the property you gave me yesterday
Ifa;, I am grateful for all the Ire of life you gave me yesterday
No matter how little the benelovence may seem to the receiver it takes a huge effort on the part
of the benevolent person to extend it to another person. This is the reason why all those aspiring
to be known as OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must show gratitude at all times. In O®Ùba¾ra¾ I®to¾ku; (O®Ùba¾ra¾ O®tu;ru;po¾ôn), Ifa;
says:
A®gbo¾ni¾se¾ôgi¾ri¾ Awo ile; Olo;ru¾u;du;

Di;a; fu;n Olo;ru¾u;du;
Ti;i; sôe A®re¾ômoô Oni;to¾ku;
Mo sôe yi;n sôe yi;n, eô l’o;wo;
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Omoluabi
Mo sôe yi;n sôe yi;n, eô l’a;ya

Mo sôe yi;n sôe yi;n, eô bi;'moô
Mo sôe yi;n sôe yi;n, eô ni're gbogbo
EÙ wa;a; sôe ta;n
EÙ ni; A®gbo¾ sôe imu; ku¾nku;ndun
A®gbo¾ni¾se¾ôgi¾ri¾ Awo ile; Olo;ru¾u;du;
Ina; Ifa; n; bo¾ô wa;a; jo; woôn o
A®gbo¾ni¾sôeôgi¾ri¾
Translation:
A®gbo¾ni¾sôeôgi¾ri¾, the resident Awo of Olo;ru¾u;du;

He cast Ifa; for Olo;ru¾u;du;
The first child of Oni;to¾ku;
I helped you
And you were blessed with financial success
I helped you
And you were blessed with compatible spouse
I helped you
And you were blessed with great children
I helped you
And you were blessed with all the Ire of life
After all this,
You then declared that A®gbo¾ni¾sôeô¾gi¾ri¾ has a disproportionately large nose
A®gbo¾ni¾sôeôgi¾ri¾, the resident Awo of Olo;ru¾u;du;
The fire of Ifa; is coming to burn them fiercely
A®gbo¾ni¾sôeôgi¾ri¾
In the Odu¾ above, Ifa; says that it is not advisable for us to pay any good deed with ingratitude,
we therefore need to show gratitude at all times. That is when Olo;;du¾mare¾ will cast his loving and
sympathetic glance at us. In E®ji¾ Ogbe¾, Ifa; says:
Iwa;ju;-iwa;ju; o, l’o¾ôpa; e¾ôbi¾ti¾ n; re; si;

Ifa; n; sô'awo loô si; Ife¾ô Asô’o¾o;to;ô
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn sôe
N®je;ô ka; sô’o¾ti;to;ô o
Ka; sô’o¾dodo
A®gba¾ to; sô’o¾ti;to;ô ni ‘Moôleô¾ n; gbe¾
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Translation:
It is in front that the staff used to bait a deadfall trap springs to

This was Ifa;'s declaration to O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When going on an Ifa; mission to Ife¾ô Asô’o¾o;to;ô (the truthful)
Be truthful
Be righteous
The elders who are truthful are supported and blessed by the Deities
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was going to Ife¾ô Asô'o¾o;to;ô, (the truthful) together with all 16 principal Odu¾ and O®Ùsôeô;
'Tu¾u;ra;. On their way they arrived at the city of the blind. All the inhabitants of this city were
blind. On reaching there, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ expressed his desire to take some tobacco. The blind people
said that if they could only see, the village where they sell tobacco and snuff was very close to
them and they could take O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ there. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ then said, "what if we help you to regain your
eye sight? Will you get the tobacco for us?" They responded in the affirmative. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ then
said, "I hope you are not lying to us.” They all responded that they could never lie over such an
important issue.
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾, having secured the promise from them, hit his staff of truth on the ground. He then
asked them all to hold onto the staff. Those who could not hold onto the staff of truth were asked
to hold onto the blind person next to them. When they all had done so, the 16 principal Odu ¾ and
O®Ùsôe;ô-Tu¾u;ra; began to sing, saying:
A ki¾ i; sôe e; ba;hun

E®e¾wo¾ô
A ki¾ i; sôe e; ba;hun
E®e¾wo¾ô
Translation:
It is not right to do such a thing (to lie)

It is taboo
It is not right to do such a thing (to lie)
It is a taboo
Suddenly, they all regained their sight. As soon as they could see, they all immediately began to
go to transact their respective businesses. When OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ noticed this, he called all of them and
asked them, "what about your promise to us?” They responded by asking, “which promise?"
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ responded, "The promise you made that you would procure tobacco and snuff for us.
Are you deaf or something?” They then responded, “what sort of restless man is this? If you must
take tobacco or snuff, go and buy it yourself. We have explained to you where to get it and that is
all we will do". After hearing this, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ told the 16 principal Odu¾ and OÙ®sôeô;–Tu¾u;ra;: "let us go.
They have lied to us and have insulted us in the process" They then left disappointed.
72
Omoluabi
Their next port of call was the city of cripples. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ also expressed his desire to use tobacco
to them. They too said that if they could only walk, they would go and secure plenty of tobacco
and snuff for him. He asked if they would give the snuff to him if they promised to help them to
regain the use of their limbs. They promised that they would. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ then asked them to hold
onto the staff of Truth. They did. The 16 principal Odu¾ and OÙ®sôeô;-Tu¾u;ra; then began to sing for them
as they had done for the Blind people. They immediately regained the use of their limbs. All of
them then decided to go about their respective businesses. When O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ asked them to fulfill
their promise to him, they told him that instead of drinking the herbs prepared for him to bathe
with, he should have gone out to go and buy the tobacco himself. Afterall, they were not his
slaves. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ then told the 17 disciples that it was time to leave and to let them be. He said
that they had lied to them and had passed insults on them.
They also went to the city of those who had hunchbacks. All the citizens of this town had
hunchbacks. They behaved just like the blind and crippled people had done when their ailments
were cured. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ and his disciples left with disappointment yet again because of being
deceived and receiving insults. Their next port of call was the city of the Albinos. All of the
inhabitants there were Albino. They also treated OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ and his disciples exactly the same way
that those in the cities of the blind, crippled, and Hunchbacks had done. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ and his
disciples left this town as well.
Soon after this, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ and his disciples arrived at Ife¾ô Asôo¾o;to;ô. He expressed his desire to take
tobacco yet again. The inhabitants of Ife¾ô Asôo¾o;to;ô asked him to wait a little bit for them. Before
long, they returned with two rats, two fish, two hens, two matured she goats, two big
kolanuts, two big bitterkolas, two kegs of wine, a tobacco plant, and snuff. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
was so impressed that it was still possible to find a town where people were that hospitable.
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ then asked OÙ®sôeô;-O®tu;ra; to go back to Olo;du¾mare¾ to bring the calabash of Destiny. He told
OÙ®sôeô;-O®tu;ra; to pass through the cities of the Albinos, the Hunchbacks, the Crippled and the Blind
and ask them to hold onto the staff of Truth and return to them their previous ailments. The
Albinos who had gained a black complexion returned to their original white skin color, the
Hunchbacks whose backs had straightened out also developed hunchbacks again, the crippled
whom were walking freely lossed their abilty to walk, and the blind who had regained their sight
became blind again. They all lived and died miserably.
The inhabitants of Ife¾ô Asôo¾o;to;ô were given the calabash of Destiny; they were blessed abundantly
for their truthfulness and their sense of appreciation. They were assured and given the full
blessings of the Deities.
Ifa; says that as long as the person for whom this Odu¾ is revealed is truthful and honest and as
long as he/she is appreciative of the good gestures done to him/her, they will continue receiving
the blessing and support of the Deities.
In this Odu¾, one can see that if one refuses to show gratitude or if one pays benevolence with
ingratitude, one may lose all what he/she has gained in life. It is therefore in the interest of
everyone to pay good with good and pay benevolence with gratitude.
73
In the following Odu¾ of I®ka; A®paro¾ (I®ka; O®tu;ra;), Ifa; explains that benevolence does not kill, only
wickedness does. It is therefore imperative for us to be benevolent at all times. In this Odu ,¾ Ifa;
says:
Inu; ire ki¾i; pa’ni

I®wa¾ i¾ka¾ ni o¾ sunwo¾ôn
Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
Ti; yo;o; teô Oni;nu;-ire ni;’fa;
Yo;o; teô I®ka¾ ni;’fa; pe¾ôlu;
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe…
Translation:
Benevolence never kills

Wickedness is undesirable
These were the declarations of Ifa; for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
When he was going to initiate a benevolent person
And initiate a wicked person at the same time
From what Ifa; says above, it is certain that a benevolent person will never live or die wretchedly.
Also in OÙ®ye¾ôku; Pa¾la¾ba¾ (OÙ®ye¾ôku; O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
O®Ùye¾ôku; pa¾la¾ba¾ ipa¾bo;

Di;a; fu;n La;a;ri;
Ti;i; sô’oômoô O®ri¾sôa¾
EÙni¾kan ki¾i; sô’oômoô O®ri¾sôa¾
Ko; ma; ni¾i; La;a;ri;
La;a;ri; o de; o,
I®woô l’oômoô O®ri¾sôa¾
Translation:
O®Ùyeô¾ku; pa¾la¾ba¾ ipa¾bo;

This was the Ifa; cast for La;a;ri;, (the person of worth)
Who was the child of O®ri¾sôa¾
He complied
No one can be a child of O®ri¾sôa¾
For that person not to become a person of worth
Here comes La;a;ri;
You are the child of O®ri¾sôa¾
74
Omoluabi
In this instance, to become a child of O®ri¾sôa¾ is to become an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. To be an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; will

give one automatic access to all the desirable priviledges of this world. That is why Ifa; declares
that if a person becomes a child of O®ri¾sôa¾, that person will become an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; and by extension
the person will become a worthy person. Also in O®Ùwoô;nri;n SÙogbe¾ (O®Ùwoô;nri;n Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
Ifa; lo; fu;ye;ô

Mo lo; wu;wo
E®Ùgboô¾n o¾wu; ko¾ t’eô;ru¾
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùka¾nka¾nle;nu; Iru;nmoôleô¾
Woô;n n; lo¾ôoô; gbe; eôru¾ to; sôo¾ro ni;’le; OÙloô;fin
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni¾kan ni; beô l’eô;yi¾n to; n; tu’boô
N: yo;ô loô, n; yo;ô loô o
Bara n; yo;ô loô koô;ro;ô
N: yo;ô loô o
Bara n; yo;ô loô koô;ro;ô
Translation:
Ifa; declares that it is very light

I respond that it is very heavy
A pack of cotton wool is not a heavy burden
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the 401 Iru;nmoôleô¾
When carrying a difficult burden in OÙloô;fin’s palace
Only OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ complied
Behold, he is moving quietly
Bara (OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾) is moving silently with the load
He is moving quietly
Bara (OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾) is moving quietly with the load
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that the burden of a benevolent person will be lightened by Ifa; and the life
of this person will become interesting. Ifa; however warns that it is only possible to know those
whom we love. It is extremely difficult for us to know with any degree of certainty those who
authentically love us in return. We will only see people with their smiling faces and it will be
difficult to know if they are concealing any evil within. In O®Ùpoô¾ku; 'Reôteô¾ (O®Ùyeô¾ku; I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
EÙni a feô; la mo¾ô

A o¾ m’eôni to; fe;ô ’ni
Di;a; fu;n Iru¾ngbo¾ôn
T’o;un Ina; joô n; sô’oô¾re;ô ara a woôn
E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ OÙ®fa¾
75
EÙni gb’eô;boô ni;’be¾ô

EÙ pe; o; ru;’boô o
Translation:
We can only know those whom we love

We are not sure of those who love us
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Iru¾ngbo¾ôn (the beard)
When he and Ina; (the fire) were lovers
When you are advised to offer eôboô
Please comply
In this Odu¾, Ifa; reinforces the fact that we only know for certain those whom we love and we do
not know for certain who really loves us. As we can see the relationship between Iru¾ngbo¾ôn (the
beard) and Ina; (the fire) only led to disaster for the beard. Ifa; however says that it is the duty of
all those who aspire to be OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to mend whatever anyone or any group has spoiled. We must
continue to do this until we have cause to celebrate the triumph of good over evil. In O®tu;ra; Reôka¾
(O®tu;ra; I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
Ki; ba¾a;je;ô-ba¾a;je;ô o; ma;a ba¾a; je;ô ni¾sôo;

Ki; a¾wa o; ma;a tu;n-un sôe boô¾ l’eô;yi¾n
Di;a; fu;n Abe;ôreô;
A bu¾ fu;n O®Ùbeô
A®woôn me;je¾e¾ji¾ joô n; j’i¾ja¾ a¾gba¾
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ki; woô;n wa;a; sôe…
Translation:
Let the spoilers continue to spoil things in front

We shall continue to mend them from behind
These were Ifa;'s declarations for Abe;ôreô; (the needle)
The same was also declared for OÙ®beô (the knife)
When they were both fighting for supremacy
They were advised to offer eôboô…
When Abeô;re;ô (the Needle) had not exhibited his potentials, he was well loved by all. One day, OÙ®beô
(the Knife) called Abeô;re;ô and asserted that Abeô;re;ô was too small, too inexperienced, and too frail to
stay in the same place as him, or to be moving in the same group with him. Abeô;re;ô then said,
“What is the meaning of this? We had been moving together without any problems for a long
time. Why are you telling me this now?” OÙ®beô answered, “That was before. Now, I hate your face.
I can no longer bear to have you around me any more. You are worthless and useless!”
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Omoluabi
Abeô;re;ô could not believe his ears. The development made him very sad indeed. He however made
it clear to OÙ®beô that Olo;du¾mare¾ had given him his own unique talents and potentials, which were
quite different from those of OÙ®beô. This only annoyed OÙ®beô the more so OÙ®beô set aside a date to
exhibit his potentials so as to show Abeô;re;ô that he did not belong to the same class as him (OÙ®beô).
On the appointed day, bundles of cloth were rolled out. OÙ®beô set out to cut them into pieces.
Before long, he finished. All the various cloth was now in bits and pieces. After this, those present
demanded to know of what use the rags, bits, and pieces could be used for. OÙ®beô was at a loss on
what to do next. He then simply left the scene in a state of confusion. Those present packed all
the pieces and dumped them into a refuse site.
When Abeô;re;ô saw all these rags and bits and pieces of cloth, he was strongly convinced that those
materials should not and must not be left to waste. He knew that they could still be made into
something useful. He looked for thread and began to knit the rags together. He made Da¾n;sôi;ki;,
shirts, trousers, agba;da;, bu¾ba;, ke¾ôm¾be¾ô, fi¾la¾, da¾n;do;o;go;, etc for men and he made ge¾le¾, head-gear,
i¾ro;, wrapper, bu¾ba;, scarves, blouses, underwear, stockings, etc for the women. What had hitherto
been considered a waste was turned into useful commodities. What was thought to be useless
was made to be valuable by Abeô;re;ô. When people saw this, they concluded unanimously that
Abeô;re;ô was by far superior to OÙ®beô. They then said:
Abeô;re;ô o wa;a¾ de; o, e¾ôgboô;n O®Ùbeô

B’oô;moôde; ke;kere; ba; gbo;ô’fa;
A d’eôru¾ f’a;gba¾
Abeô;re;ô o¾, e¾ôgboô;n O®Ùbeô
Translation:
Here comes Abeô;re;ô, the elder brother of O®Ùbeô

If a youth is well versed in Ifa;
He will be dreaded but respected by the Elders
All hail Abeô;re;ô, the Elder brother of OÙ®beô
As from that moment henceforth, the potentials of Abeô;re;ô (the Needle) became well known to all.
In the stanza of O®tu;ra; I®reôteô¾ narrated above, it is clear that those who engage in anger, hatred,
envy, wickedness, pride, selfishness, greed and intolerance will never triumph over those who are
benevolent in their conduct and action. It is because of this that Ifa; warns us never to be tight
fisted. The consequence of being miserly is better imagined than experienced. In OÙ®wo;ônri;n I®reôteô¾,
Ifa; says:
B’o;ri; eôni o; ba¾a; gbe’ni

Ni;’le; ala;gba;ra ni;;i; gbe;’nii; loô
Di;a; fu;n Towu;
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Ti;i; sô’awo OÙba Ala;a¾fin OÙ®yo;ô

Ti; Babala;wo ba; d’e;ôboô fu;n woôn
Ti; woôôn o¾ ba; ru;
A ma;a d’o¾ôra¾n si; woôn l’oô;ru¾n
Di;a; fu;n Adi;gbo;ônna;n;ku;
Ti;i; sô’awo re’le; Ala;a¾fin O®Ùyoô;
Woô;n gb’e;ôboô woô;n ru;’boô
Adi;gbo;ônna;n;ku;;, ma; sôe ba;yi¾i; r’o¾ôrun
Gbogbo eku ti; o ya¾n
Eku ti pe;
Gbogbo eôja ti; o ya¾n
EÙja ti pe;
Gbogbo eôyeô ti; o ya¾n
EÙyeô ti pe;
Gbogbo eôran ti; o ya¾n
EÙran ti pe;
E®mi Adi;gbo;ônna;n;ku;,
N o¾ jeô; fi ba;yi¾i; r’o¾ôrun o
A®wa¾da¾
N l’awo n; fi iku; sôe
A®wa¾da¾
Translation:
If one’s Ori; is to give one support

It will take one to the home of the mighty
This was Ifa;’s declaration for Towu;
The Awo of the Ala;a¾fin of O®Ùyoô;
If a Babala;wo advises them to offer eôboô and they refuse to comply
Things will become troublesome for them
This was Ifa;’s declaration for Adi;gbo;ônna;n;ku;
When he was going on an Ifa; mission to the home of the Ala;a¾fin of OÙ®yoô;
They were both advised to offer eôboô
They both complied
Adi;gbo;ônna;n;ku;, please don’t go to heaven this way
All the rats that you recommended
They have all been procured
All the fish that you recommended
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Omoluabi

All the birds that you recommended
All the beasts that you recommended
I Adi;gbo;ônna;n;ku;
Will not go to heaven this way
Merely joke
That is what an Awo does with death
Merely joke
In this Odu¾, Ifa; states that Towu; was a prominent Babala;wo who used to consult Ifa; for the
Ala;a¾fin of OÙ®yo;ô every five days. No matter what work Towu; did for the Ala;a¾fin, Towu;’s efforts were
never appreciated. Towu; was going about hungry and in tattered dresses. One day, Towu; planned
to commit suicide but met Adi;gbo;ônna;n;ku; on the way. Towu; explained his ordeal to Adi;gbo;ônna;n;ku;.
Adi;gbo;ônna;n;ku; advised him not to commit suicide and Towu; listened to him. The next day,
Adi;gbo;ônna;n;ku; accompanied Towu; to the Ala;a¾fin’s palace for consultation. Ifa; was casted for the
Ala;a¾fin. Adi;gbo;ônna;n;ku; told the Ala;a¾fin to procure 200 rats, 200 fish, 200 birds, 200 beasts, 200
bundles of clothes, and 200 bags of money.
As usual, the Ala;a¾fin ignored all what Adi;gbo;ônna;n;ku; had said and produced only one cowry shell
and ordered Adi;gbo;ônna;n;ku; to offer the eôboô for him. All of sudden, something came over
Adi;gbo;ônna;n;ku; and he fell down and died. It was a taboo for a Babala;wo to die inside the palace
of an OÙba so the Ala;a¾fin felt compelled to procure all the eôboô materials as prescribed by
Adi;gbo;ônna;n;ku. He was worried that he would rise up from the dead. The Ala;a¾fin was made to
suffer untold humiliation and financial hardship as a result of his misdeed. This is the reason why
it is not good for anyone who plans to become an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to be miserly in nature.
Even though Ifa; says that one should be benevolent at all times, Ifa; warns that any assistance
that one wishes to render to another person must be done in such a way that it will benefit the
recipient of such help. Ifa; says that one should not render assistance in half measure because in
the end such assistance will not be useful to both the giver and the receiver and may even lead
the giver into trouble. An example of this can be found in O®fu;n Me;ji¾, where Ifa; says:
A®sô'oore i¾sôeta;n ni;i; je;ô me;lo¾o;ri;yi¾n

Di;a; fu;n A®la¾de; Oni;wa¾ta;-Me¾tu;
Ni;’jo;ô ti; n; loô re¾e; da;’ko e¾ôba; oô¾na¾
A®la¾de; i¾ ba; te¾te¾ mo¾ô
I® ba; wa;a; f’owo; sôô’a¾ru;fi;n eôboô
Translation:
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Doing good in half measure usually leads to failure to receive gratitude from those whom one
assists
This was Ifa;’s declaration for A®la¾de; Oni;wa¾ta;-Me¾tu;
When going to cultivate the farm by the road-side
Had A®la¾de; known before it was too late
He would have spent his money to offer all the prescribed eôboô
A®la¾de; Oni;wa¾ta;-Me¾tu; was a kind-hearted man. All the days of his life, he planned to assist people
and give out to the needy. He was known to be a benevolent man. As a result of his benevolence,
many people would often troop to his home to seek one favor or the other.
They were never dissappointed. The only time A®la¾de; could say ‘no’ to anyone was when he did
not have what the person came for. He sometimes however, would borrow money from others in
order to give out to those who needed the money. He was also in the habit of giving out his own
dresses to others if he felt that those who approached him for assistance needed the dresses
more than him. This was the lifestyle of A®la¾de; Oni;wa¾ta;-Me¾tu;.
One day, A®la¾de; planned to start the cultivation of another farm by the roadside. By so doing, he
felt that those who needed his assistance would have easier access to him and he would be able
to be of help to many more people. For this reason, he approached the Awo mentioned above for
Ifa; consultation: Will I have a bountiful harvest on the farm that I’m planning to cultivate? Will I
be able to assist more people in this new location? These were the two questions at the back of
A®la¾de;’s mind when he approached the Awo for Ifa; consultation. He knew that with a bountiful
harvest, he would have more capability to reach out to many more people.
The Awo assured A®la¾de; Oni;wa¾ta;-Me¾tu; that he would certainly have a bountiful harvest. The Awo
however warned him that even though he loved to assist people, he however needed to ensure
that whoever he wished to assist must be given complete help and not partial help. He was told
that helping people partially would only lead him into trouble. For example, if he planned to give
someone a dress, it would be good for him to give the person a complete dress: trousers,
underwear, shirt and a cap to match. It would not be good for him to give the person a trouser
and ask the person to go and look for a shirt, underwear, and cap elsewhere. If he planned to
feed someone, he must be ready to give the person food, drink, snuff, etc in order to completely
satisfy the person. If this could not be done, A®la¾de; was warned, that it would be better for him
not to offer the assistance at all.
He accused the Awo of planning to twist his arms in order to render more help to the Awo. After
all, the Awo was one of the recipients of his good gestures. He told the Awo to go and drop
himself into the lagoon if he (the Awo) was not satisfied with the help he had received thus far
from him. A®la¾de; told him that the eôboô would not be offered and that if the Awo was not pleased,
then he should go and do whatever else pleased him. A®la¾de; then stood up and left. The Awo
however told him that there was no problem in him doing the eôboô or not. He, A®la¾de;, was free to
accept or reject the advice of the Awo. With this, A®la¾de; left.
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Omoluabi
When A®la¾de; started the farm cultivation, he realized that many more people had access to him.
For this, he was very happy. He also had a good harvest that season and this made him even
happier.
He soon realized that with many more passer-bys coming to his farm, he needed to do more to
assist them to lessen their burdens and fatigue from their trips. For this reason, A®la¾de; began
roasting yams and fetching water for all to take on their way to and from their various
destinations. When many people knew that A®la¾de; was doing this, they were very grateful to him.
It however reached a stage that no matter the number of yams roasted or the volume of water
fetched, everything would be exhausted in no time at all. For this reason, A®la¾de; designed a means
of ensuring that everyone was helped. He decreed that whoever came to his farm had to choose
between drinking cool water and eating roasted yam. Nobody was allowed to take both together
any longer. The following soon became a popular slogan among the people: ‘eôni¾kan ki¾i; jeô me;ji¾
l’a;ba¾ A®la¾de;; bi; oba; jeô’sôu o o¾ ni;i; mu’mi, bi; o si¾ mu’mi o o¾ ni;i; jeô’sôu’ meaning: “nobody can enjoy two
things in A®la¾de;’s farm shed. If you eat yams, you cannot drink water and if you drink water, you
cannot eat yams.” Before long, every traveller knew that if they got to A®la¾de;’s farm, they would
have something to take, but that they could never enjoy two things at the same time. This had
become an unwritten law on his farm.
One day however, a man came to A®la¾de; for help. This man had gotten lost in the forest. He had
been wandering for five days without food and water. As soon as he got to A®la¾de;’s farm, he began
to plead to be given food and drink because he was very hungry and thirsty. He pleaded with
A®la¾de; to have pity for him. A®la¾de; told him that he needed to choose between eating yams to his
satisfaction or drinking water to quell his thirst. The man pleaded that he would need both. A®la¾de;
said that such was not allowed on my farm. After much pleading and refusal, the man chose to
eat yams. A®la¾de; gave him two medium size tubers of yam to eat. The man had not eaten one
yam when his throat became really dry and the yam got stuck in his throat. He begged and
begged for water but A®la¾de; refused to give him water claiming that he had told the man that he
could not enjoy two things together in his farm. The man fell down and the yam began to
suffocate him. A®la¾de; felt that it was dishonorable for him to change his decree so he refused to
yield any ground. A few moments later, the man died.
As soon as the man breathed his last, people began to troop into A®la¾de;’s farm. How they came to
know about the incident was very strange to him. The story on the lips of all the people was that
A®la¾de; had lured a stranger into his farm with yams and then strangulated him to death. A®la¾de;
pleaded and explained his own side of this story but nobody would believe him. A®la¾de; was
slapped and kicked by the people. He was yelled at and abused. He was then ordered to carry the
corpse of the dead man to the OÙba’s palace. On his way to the palace, he fell down four times.
Every time he would fall, the people would slap and kick him viciously and order him to continue
to carry the corpse again.
To his chargrin, he realized that all those who were kicking and slapping him had been regular
visitors to his farm that would eat or drink there frequently. He saw all of them thanking
81
Olo;du¾mare¾ that they had not fallen into A®la¾de;’s trap and become one of his victims as the dead
man had become.
In the OÙba’s palace the question A®la¾de; was repeatedly asked after he had finished his story was
that when the man had been pleading for water, why was he not given water? When A®la¾de; told
them that it was his policy that nobody could enjoy two things in his farmshed at the same time,
A®la¾de; was abused and declared a callous man and a murderer. A®la¾de; was arraigned for murder.
When he was about to be sentenced A®la¾de; Oni;wa¾ta;-Me¾tu; remembered the advice and warning of
his Awo but it was too late to make any ammendment.
In the story above one can see that even though A®la¾de; Oni;wa¾ta;-Me¾tu; was benevolent to many
people, he did not complete his sense of benevolence and for that reason his benevolence was of
no use to him and to the receiver of his good gesture. Instead of being praised A®la¾de; was cursed
and abused, he was also convicted for killing someone who he originally intended to help.
In the following stanza, even though Ifa; enjoins everyone to show benevolence to others, Ifa;
cautions that one must not render any assistance that may jeopardize one’s personal interest,
health, wellbeing, safety, or security. In I®reôteô¾ Ogbe¾, Ifa; says:
Gba¾bu; l’o;mi
Pa¾sôa¾ l’o;ke¾
SÙa;a¾a ka¾nn¾ka¾n
Ti; Baba o; fi tire¾ô si;'le¾ô
Ti; yo;o; maa gbo;ô t’eôni eôl’eô;ni
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; o; wa;a; sôe
EÙ wi; fu;n Ala;ra;,
Wi;pe; mo¾ n; gbo;ô t’ara a¾ mi l’oô;wo;ô
T’ara eôni lo; ju¾
T’ara eôni lo; to;ô
EÙ wi; fu;n Ajero¾
EÙ wi; fu;n OÙwa;ra¾ngu;n
Translation:
To jump into the stream
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Omoluabi
And move akwardly up to the bank of the stream

To drain out water from the sponge
The one who abandoned his own concerns
And was taking care of other people’s concerns
He complied
Please tell Ala;ra;
That I’m taking care of my concerns first
One’s personal concerns are important
One’s personal concerns are necessary
Please tell Ajero¾
Please tell Owa;ra¾ngu;n
In the Odu¾ above, Ifa; enjoins us to ensure that any benevolent deed for another should not bring
discomfort or anguish to one and/or ones loved ones. This stanza also enjoins us to ensure that
our own needs and necessities are taken care of before rendering assistance to others.
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CHAPTER SIX
Woô;n l’oô;gbo;ôn ta;n n;le¾ô
Mo l’oô;gbo;ôn m;beô
EÙ l’oô;gbo;ôn o¾ si; mo;ô
A®gba¾ lo; ku¾
Baba n; sunku;n o¾un o¾ l’a;je;
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; sôe…
OÙ®ba¾ra¾ I®rosu¾n
Translation:
They declared that there is no more wisdom

I responded that there is still wisdom
You retorted that there is no more wisdom
Only the elders remain
When he was lamenting his inability to receive the blessing of wealth
UNDERSTANDING
Understanding: The elder sibling of intelligence and wisdom. It is the ability to know and
appreciate how others feel under any circumstance. It is the ability and willingness to put others’
feelings into consideration at any given point in time and under any circumstance.
Understanding is the twin sibling of benevolence. It is when one understands where the shoe is
itching other people that one knows the appropriate assistance to render. If one does not
understand the feeling of other people it is difficult if not impossible to know how to assist.
Understanding is also the elder sibling of brilliance, intelligence and wisdom. Those who are
brilliant are more than those who are intelligent. Those who are intelligent are more than those
who are wise. Those who are wise are far more than those who are endowed with deep
understanding. There are certain things that one needs to understand before one has a deep
knowledge of the reason why one needs to be benevolent:
One, one needs to know that there is no protection against death, those who are wise and those
who are foolish, those who are wealthy and those who are poor, those who are benevolent and
those who are wicked will die one day. The fear of death and the aftermath of facing Olo;du¾mare¾
one day to give an account of all our deeds on earth is more than enough understanding for one
to know that it is in one’s best interest to do good at all times. In I®reôteô¾ A®la¾o; (I®reôteô¾ O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa;
says that there is no protection against death. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
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Omoluabi
Aja; l’o;yu;n, a b’oôpa l’o;yu;n Aja;

A®i¾si; iku; la¾ n; so a¾ja¾ m’oô;ru¾n
B’i;ku; ba; de;, a gbe; a¾ja¾ soônu¾
A w’eôni rere, a mu; loô
Di;a; fu;n I®bo¾ôkoô;-Ade;
OÙmoô eôni rere poô¾ l’o;ôrun
OÙmoô Ala;ra; loô
A o¾ ri; woôn moô;
I®bo¾ôkoô;-Ade;, oômoô eôni rere poô¾ l’oô;run
OÙmoô Ajero¾ loô
OÙmoô OÙwa;ra¾ngu;n loô
Translation:
When the dog became pregnant we used special means to prevent it from losing its pregnancy
When it is not time for death to strike
We cherish using charms
When it is time for death to strike
Death will remove all strong charms and snatch away the benevolent ones in the community
These were Ifa;’s declarations for I®bo¾ôkoô;-Ade;
Offspring of the benevolent people that are plenty in heaven
The child of Ala;ra; is gone
We cannot see him anymore
I®bo¾ôkoô;-Ade;, offspring of the benevolent people that are plenty in heaven
The child of Ajero¾ is gone
The child of OÙwa;ra¾ngu;n is gone
In the above Odu¾, Ifa; states that no protective device can stop death from snatching away
anyone. It does not matter to death whether the victim is rich or poor, nice or wicked, or wise or
foolish.
Two, Ifa; says that those who die out of folly are far more than those who die as a result of their
wisdom. In O®gu;nda; Be¾de; (O®gu;nda; Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
Ebi pi;pa ni;i; ba’nu; u; je;ô
85
Inu; a¾i¾du¾n ni;i; m’e;ôseô¾ eô; sôi¾’na¾

EÙni a¾i¾gboô;n pa lo; po¾ô
EÙni oôgboô;n pa o¾ to; nn¾kan
Di;a; fu;n Aje;
Ni;'jo;ô Aje; n; t’o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;’ye;
Wo;ôn ni; ko; ru;’boô
Ti; a ba; l’a;ya
Ti; a o¾ ba; l’o;wo; l’o;ôwoô;
Aya ala;ya ni
Olo;wo; ni La;bomo¾ô ti;i; bo’le; aye;
Ti; a ba; bi;’moô
OÙmoô oôloô;moô ni o
Ti; a ba; l’o;ôgboô;n
OÙgboô;n oôloô;gbo;ôn ni o
Translation:
Hunger makes one sad

Unhappiness leads one to derail from one’s path
Those who die foolish deaths are in multitude
Those who lose their lives despite their wisdom are few in number
These were Ifa;’s declarations to Aje; (wealth)
She complied
Behold, if we have children, a spouse and wisdom
But we have no money
The children, the spouse and the wisdom belong to someone else
The rich person is the one who influences and controls the world
In the above Odu¾, Ifa;; states that when one experiences excessive hunger and deprevation, one is
eventually bound to lose one’s direction in life and make foolish and immoral decisions in an
attempt to remedy one’s problems. This stanza also emphasizes that foolishness kills more than
wisdom.
Three, if there is any mistake made or set back experienced in life, Ifa; says that there is the need
for the person experiencing such a setback to investigate things properly both within and without
in order to identify where exactly he/she has missed the way, rather than just concentrating on
the outcome of such a setback. In other words, it is more preferable to examine the root cause of
86
Omoluabi
one’s failure or setback to ruminating over such failures or setbacks and not making any moves to
change one’s situation. In Ate¾ô Ni;nu; I®rosu¾n (I®reôteô¾ I®rosu¾n), Ifa; says:
Ni;’bi ta;a gbe; koô’seô¾ n la¾ a; wo¾

A ki¾ i; wo’bi a gbe; sôubu; si;
‘Moôde; ke;kere; o¾ wo’bi to; gbe; koô’seô¾
O: n; lo¾ô oô; wo’bi to; gbe; sôubu; si;
Di;a; fu;n I®ma¾do¾-sôi¾gi¾
Ti; n; lo¾ô oô; gb’awo ni;’le; Ele;si¾eô;-O®Ùwoô
OÙmoÙ I®ga¾re¾-O®gu¾n l'o;do¾…
Translation:
It is where we skip and miss our step that we need to investigate

We do not need to investigate where we land after we fall
A youth failed to investigate where he had skipped and missed his step
He instead investigated where he had landed after falling
These were Ifa;’s declarations for I®ma¾do¾-sôi¾gi¾
When going on an Ifa; mission to the palace of Ele;si¾e;ô-OÙ®woô
Offspring of I®ga¾re¾-O®gu¾n by the river side…
Four, one needs to understand that it is very difficult if not impossible to know the place where
one will die. One may know where he/she was born and where he/she intends to travel to, but it
is extremely difficult to know where one will breathe one’s last breath. A stanza in O®tu;ru;poôn’gbe¾
says:
A da;’sôoô n;la;n;la;, a mu; b’erin

A f’e¾yi; wi¾nni¾wi¾nni¾, a fi b’eôku¾n l’eô;yi¾n
O®jo¾ o¾¾ôga¾njoô; ni;i; pa i¾kooko¾ t’oju;-t’imu;
Di;a; fu;n Ibi-ti;-a-gbe;-bi;’ni
Di;a; fu;n Ibi-ti;-a-gbe;-n;-re¾
Di;a; fu;n Ibi-ti;-a-o;-ku¾u;-si;
Di;a; fu;n Ibi-ti;-a-o;-gbe;-su¾n
A®ta¾ri; o¾ moô ibu¾su¾n
Ori; o¾ moô ibi a¾a; gbe;
A® ba; moô ibi ti; a o; ku¾u; si;
Ogu;n oôdu;n la¾ ba; ma;a fi tu;n’le¾ô ibeô¾ sôe
Translation:
We sowed a big clothing to cover the elephant

We used wool cloth to cover the back of the leopard
The rain that falls in the middle of the night is it that drenches the hyena
This were the declarations of Ifa; to Where We Are Born
87
And also to Where We Are Going

And also to Where We Are Going To Die
And also to Where We Will Be For Our Final Burial Site
Ori; does not know the final burial site of anyone
Ori; does not even know where it is comfortable to live and succeed
If Ori; was capable of knowing where one’s final burial site would be
For 20 years, we would have have been taking proper care of the place
Five, there is the need for one to understand that if there is no threat to one’s life coming from
those who are very close to one, it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for enemies from
outside to have access to take one’s life. In O®tu;ra; Olo;n¾wo¾ (O®®tu;ra; I®wo¾ri¾), Ifa; says:
O®tu;ra; n; wo’le;
I®wo¾ri¾ n; w’o¾de
Di;a; fu;n Ile;-ni’ku;-wa¾
Ti;i; sô’a¾re¾ômoô A®je;ô
Bi; o¾ ba; si;’ku; ile;
T’o¾de o¾ lee¾ pa’ni
EÙ®yin o¾ gboô;n o
E®Ùyin o¾ m’o¾ôra¾n
EÙ®yin o¾ mo¾ô wi;pe; Ile;-ni'ku;-wa¾
Ti; n; pa’ni
Translation:
O®tu;ra; is looking inside the house

And I®wo¾ri¾ is looking outside
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ile;-ni'ku;-wa¾ (death resides inside the house)
The first son of Aje;ô (the witch)
If there is no death inside the house
No death from outside can cause one’s death
You lack wisdom
You also have no understanding
Don’t you know that it is Ile;-ni'ku;-wa¾
That kills people
Six, there is the need for one to know that whatever brings success can also bring failure. We
need to understand that whatever brings progress can also bring retrogression. What elevates
one can also cause one’s downfall. It is the responsibility of everyone to understand this in order
for people not to be overly disappointed or excessively joyous when either of the two comes their
way. In Ateô¾ N:nu; I®rosu¾n, Ifa; says:
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Omoluabi
O®o¾sôa¾ to; gba; woôn de; I®lo;ôroô¾

O: le¾ gba; woôn de; I®lo;sôi¾, ile; ahun
Di;a; fu;n Ala;bahun-A®ja¾pa;
Ti; wo;ôn o; fi de;’du¾ OÙoô¾ni
O: koô’ti; oô¾gboônyin s’eô;boô
Gbogbo i¾wo¾ro¾ O®Ùpeô¾
EÙni gb’eô;boô ni;’be¾ô ko; wa;a; sô’eôboô o
Translation:
The O®ri¾sôa¾ that brings them success

This same O®ri¾sôa¾ can also draw them into poverty, the home of the miserly
These were Ifa;’s declarations to Ala;bahun A®ja¾pa;
When going to be installed as the OÙoô¾ni
He was advised to offer eôboôô
All followers of O®Ùpeô¾ (Ifa;)
Let those advised to offer eôboôô do so
Seven, as an adjoint to number six above, it is imperative for people of understanding to know
that the same O®ri¾sôa¾ that can bring one joy can also bring sadness. Whenever there is sadness
however, every follower needs to learn and understand that joy will soon come to replace it so
there is no need for eternal dispair. In O®tu;ru;po¾ôn Di; (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn O®di;), Ifa; says:
O®o¾sôa¾ to; sôe di;du¾n

Lo; sôe a¾i¾du¾n
Woô;n ni; ki; Baba o; sô’eôboô ayoô¾
Ko; si¾ sô’eôboô i¾ba¾nu;je;ô
O: gb’e;ôboô o; ru;’boô
A®t’awo, a¾t’i¾sôe¾gu¾n,
EÙ wa;a; ba; 'ni le; i¾ba¾nu;je;ô loô o
A®t’awo, a¾t’i¾sôe¾gu¾n
Translation:
The O®ri¾sôa¾ who created sweetness

Is the same O®ri¾sôa¾ who created bitterness
When he was advised to offer the eôboô of joy (to have joy)
And the eôboô of sadness (to disperse sadness)
He complied
Both Awo and Herbalists
89
Come and help us chase sadness away

Both Awo and Herbalists
In the Odu¾ above, Ifa; states that it is imperative for us to make concerted efforts to chase
sadness and grief away from our lives. The easiest and best way to do this is to do good at all
times. The simple act of doing goodness attracts goodness to one and helps one to heal.
Eight, we must understand that when someone is older in age, it does not necessarily mean that
such a person is wiser, more influential, more honorable, or more resourceful than his/her
younger contemporaries. It is our Ori; that determines who occupies any leadership position while
here in the world. In O®tu;ra; Ori;ire (O®tu;ra; Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
A®te¾te¾ de;’le; aye; o¾ p’a;gba¾ l’eôni¾kan

EÙni Ori; ba; gbe¾ fu;n ni wo;ôn n; pe¾ l’a;gba¾
Di;a; fu;n O:o;kan
Ti; n; lo¾ô oô; gb’a¾gba¾ l’oô;wo;ô oô gbogbo owo;
O:o;kan ma¾ l’a¾gba¾
Gbogbo owo; o, eô f’a¾gba¾ f’O:o;kan
O:o;kan ma¾ l’a¾gba¾
Translation:
Early arrival on earth does not automatically bestow leadership on anyone

It is only those whose Ori; support them who shall be called leaders
These were Ifa’s declarations for O:o;kan (the one cowry shell)
When going to claim leadership over all the monentary denominations
O:o;kan is the leader
All monies please concede leadership to O:o;kan
O:o;kan is the leader
Nine, there is also the need for us to understand that the world supports the wicked more than
the benevolent. Understanding this will help one to adjust properly when one is faced with such
problems. In I®ka;gbe¾mi; (I®ka; Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
I®ka¾ l’aye; n; gbe¾

Aye; o¾ gbe olo¾o;to;ô
Di;a; fu;n woôn ni; I®sôeô¾sôe A®ge;re;
Wo;ôn ji; wo;ôn n; sa;’re; owo; ju t’oômoô loô o
EÙ®yin ara; I®sôeô¾sôe-A®ge;re;
Owo; leô moô¾, eô o¾ m’oômoô o
Translation:
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Omoluabi
The world supports the wicked

The world no longer support the righteous
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the inhabitants of I®sôeô¾sôe A®ge;re;
When they woke up and were pursuing financial wealth at the expense of their children
The inhabitants of I®sôeô¾sôe A®ge;re;
You are only taking care of your money, but not your children
Ten, there is the need for us to remember at all times that human beings are very difficult to
work with, especially when one holds a position of leadership or of senority. In O®Ùsôeô; Me;ji¾, Ifa; says:
Omi sôeô;
Gbo¾n¾gbo¾ sôeô;
Omi f’e¾ôsoô¾ sôeô; ni; gbo¾n¾gbo¾
Ki; o; ma; f’eôseô¾ sôeô; o
Di;a; fu;n Ajagu¾nna¾
Ti;i; sô’olo;ri; I®lu; I®ba¾da¾n
N®je;ô Ajagu¾nna¾ gba¾ mi; o
Olo;ri; I®lu; sôo¾ro
Ifa; gba¾ mi;
OÙmoô e¾ni¾ya¾n sôo¾ro o
Translation:
Let the water spill out and flow

And let the roots crack
Let the water gently cross over the roots
So that a passersby will not break their legs
These were Ifa;’s declarations to Ajagu¾nna¾
The leader of I®ba¾da¾n Land
He complied
Ajagu¾nna¾, please come to my rescue
Leadership has its high price and is very difficult
Ifa;, please come to my rescue
Human beings are very difficult
The story goes thus:
When I®ba¾da¾n was founded, it was designed as a military base. Most of the inhabitants of this
town were soldiers who had members of their families there with them. Ajagu¾nna¾, a Military
General, later became the leader of the town.
91
During his period, there was no war or external aggression that he could not contain. Sometimes,
he would be engaged in battle from several fronts at the same time. In the end, he would always
come out of the battle triumphant. He never lost any battle. He was regarded as a great tactician
and strategist.
In the home front (In the community) however, the story was totally different. On several
occasions, he would be consumed by the conspiracies of his own people. There was hardly any
step that he would take which did not attract opposition from his own people. Many times, even
his own wives and children were involved! Ajagu¾nna¾ could not understand why this should be so.
He decided to involve everyone in the decision-making process. During deliberations, they would
all agree on a line of action to be taken. As soon as the decision would be put into action, the
same set of people would begin to criticize Ajagu¾nna¾. They would accuse him of being high-
handed, callous, wicked and inconsiderate. There was nothing that he could do to satisfy those in
I®ba¾da¾n.
Tired of all these developments, he decided to approach the Awo stated above for Ifa
consultation: Will I be able to overcome the internal crises I am facing?
The Awo explained to him that winning battles that he engaged in with enemies outside was
nothing compared to the ability to contain crisis internally generated by conspirators. The Awo
made it clear to him that enemies usually stay outside one’s home while conspirators usually live
inside with their intended victims. The Awo said that the internal war against the conspirators was
a war he could not win and at the same time, it was a war he must not lose. He was advised to
offer eôboô frequently to be able to contain all their conspiracies. Ajagu¾nna¾ said that what baffled
him the most was that even many of his own blood relations were involved in all the plans against
him. The Awo responded that it was not a surprising phenomenon. That was only to show him
how difficult human beings are. He was advised to offer eôboô and feed Ifa; and E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ as
prescribed above. He complied. The Awo told him to remember at all times that he was paying
the price of being a leader. He was told that this price was very heavy as he could see.
Ajagu¾nna¾ returned home with the full determination to succeed in life. He had no full confidence
in anyone. He decided to move himself away from all traitors and betrayers. He cleared a bush far
away from his home and cut down an I®ro;ko¾ tree he found there. He decided to erect his new
home there. When people saw him doing this, they called his attention to the fact that the site he
had chosen was where the Elders of the Night would have their meetings and that the I®ro;ko¾ tree
he had just cut down was the spot where people would place the I®pe¾se¾ meant for these Elders.
They concluded that his choice was not appropriate for a residential home. Why should he believe
these people? Ajagu¾nna¾ queried. He had been betrayed over and over by them. What assurance
had he that this was not just another plot against him? He felt that he had no reason why he
should trust anyone again. He concluded that his instinct should guide him in all things he
planned to do. He announced to these people that he had decided to live in the new site whether
they liked it or not.
Before long, he completed the building and moved in together with some members of his family.
The Elders of the Night considered this the greatest insult and affront that anyone could
92
Omoluabi
perpetrate against them. They summoned an emergency meeting in order to decide the fate of
Ajagu¾nna¾. In this meeting, it was unanimously decided that Ajagu¾nna¾ must be made to suffer a
slow and painful death in order to serve as a deterrent to others. Not only this, his family
members must also be made to suffer the same fate. If the remaining relations refused to leave
the site, they would be made to suffer from generation to generation.
As soon as these decisions were taken, Ajagu¾nna¾ fell ill. They carried him from one healer to the
other without avail. One day, he remembered that he had earlier been warned against erecting his
home on that site. He realized to his regret that he could only be sure of those whom he loved
but had no way of knowing those who really loved him. Before he could inform others in his
household, Iku; (Death) arrived. He prayed to be given another chance to return to earth at a later
date. He promised that if his request was granted, he would rely on nobody except Ifa;; and E®sôu¾
OÙ®da¾ra¾. He would no longer be disappointed whenever anyone misbehaved. He would be ready for
any surprise at any time. He had accepted the fact that human beings could never be satisfied, no
matter how hard one tried.
As we can see from the above story, human beings are extremely difficult to satisfy and
leadership is very time consuming, thankless, and an unpredictable job. Only Olo;du¾mare¾ and
one’s Ori; can make one succeed.
From the ten cardinal points above, it becomes the duty of any undersanding person to pray and
beseech Ifa; and Olo;du¾mare¾ for protection against all the vagaries of life. In a stanza of Olo;su¾n
N:wo¾ye, (I®rosu¾n I®wo¾ri¾), we can find an example of the type of prayer that one needs to offer on a
daily basis. In this stanza, Ifa; says:
Ol’o;ko lo; ji; lo; ru;’na; tu;u;

Beô; e¾ô ni o¾ gboôdoô¾ sun ala;geômoô jeô o
Ti; yo;o; r’a¾ta¾ bo oômoô reô¾
Ni;tori; iku;
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ r’a¾ta¾ bo¾ mi;
Iku; po¾ô l’o;de o
Oju; oro; ni;i; r’a¾ta¾ b’omi o
O®sôi;ba¾ta¾ ni;i; r’a¾ta¾ b’odo¾ moô;’le¾ô
A®ta¾ ni;i; r’a¾ta¾ b’o¾ru¾le;
Fi¾la¾ ni;i; r’a¾ta¾ b’Ori;
93

Translation:
The farmer woke up and made a fire

But he could not use the fire to roast a chameleon for consumption
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®ru;nmi¾la¾
When going to provide a protective umbrella for his children
Because of untimely death
He complied
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾, please provide me with sanctuary
Death abounds out there
Oju;oro; acts as a protective umbrella for the stream
O®sôi;ba¾ta¾ acts as a protective umbrella for the river
The roof acts as a protective umbrella for the house
The cap acts as a protective umbrella for the head
The big body of water acts as a protective umbrella for the river sand
In the Odu¾ above, anyone who is truthful, honest, benevolent and understanding deserves to be
called a child of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾. All children of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ deserve protection. It is therefore the
responsibility of anyone who wishes to be called an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to be truthful, honest, benevolent
and understanding. If he/she has these traits, he/she will automatically be protected against
untimely death by OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾.
Anyone who combines wisdom with understanding has come to the world where he or she will
enjoy peace and happiness. In O®Ùsa; Adi;joô (OÙ®sa; I®wo¾ri¾), Ifa; says:
OÙ®sa; wo¾o;
I®wo¾ri¾ wo¾o;
Oun a ba; joô wo¾, gi;gu;n ni; i; gu;n
Di;a; fu;n OÙloôgboô;n
A bu¾ fu;n I®mo¾ôra¾n
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Omoluabi

A®t’oôgboô;n, a¾t’i¾mo¾ôra¾n
Ti; wo;ôn ba; pa¾de; ara a woôn
OÙ®ro¾ô oô woôn a du¾n bi; iyo¾ô
Translation:
OÙ®sa; take a look

I®wo¾ri¾ take a look
Whatever we look at together, will be perfect
These were Ifa’s declarations for OÙloôgboô;n (the wise)
The same was also declared for I®mo¾ôra¾n (the Knowledgeable)
They complied
Both the wise and the knowledgeable
When they meet each other
Their matter will be as sweet as honey
In the Odu¾ above, we can see the value of combining wisdom and understanding. Such an
endowment gives one a better overview of life.
There is also the need for us to help others who need our help. Doing this will qualify us to
receive assistance from Olo;;du¾mare¾ whenever we ask for help. Ifa; says that when the help of
Olo;;du¾mare¾ comes, it will cover every member of the family. In O®Ùwoô;nri;n SÙogbe¾ (O®Ùwoô;nri;n Ogbe¾),
Ifa; says:
EÙja to; da;n ni wo;ôn fi n; boô’ri; Olu;

E®yi; ya¾ngi¾ya¾ngi¾ l’E®sôu¾ n; gba¾
A®gbo¾ôn i¾sa¾le¾ô ni woô;n fi n; ke; gba¾mi;-gba¾mi;
Ara; yo¾o; to; ‘ni i; gba¾ ni;i; gba’ni o
EÙni o; pe; ka; gba¾’un la¾a; gba¾
Di;a; fu;n OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾
Ti; yo;o; gba Aka;po¾ o re¾ô ka’leô¾ t’aya-t’oômoô
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ ni O®gi¾ri¾-I®ya¾nda¾
Ifa; lo; to; ni i; gba¾, ti;i; gba’ni o
Translation:
A fish without scales is what is appropriate for feeding one’s Ori;

A scaly one is for E®sôu¾
It is the lower jaw that is used to shout: come to my rescue
95
It is those who are capable of rescuing one that we do that to

It is those who beg to be rescued that one rescues
These were Ifa;’s declarations for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾
When going to rescue his Aka;po¾
Together with his spouse and children
He complied
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ is the O®gi¾ri¾-I®ya¾nda¾ (the divine provider of all Ire)
Ifa; is who is capable of rescuing one and rescuing his devotees.
In the stanza above, Ifa; enjoins all people aspiring to be OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to ensure that they seek their
assistance from those who are competent to render the required help. Also in I®rosu¾n Ake¾re¾gbe¾
(I®rosu¾n Ogbe¾), Ifa; says that the greatest help comes from one’s Ori; and Olo;du¾mare¾. No matter
how highly placed a person may be, such a person does not have the wherewithal to give all the
required assistance and support. Only Ori; and Olo;du¾mare¾ have such power. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
A®fo¾ôoô;’le¾ô l’ohu¾n e¾ro¾

Awo ile; Oni;ke¾ôeô;re;ô-Mo¾kun
Di;a; fu;n Ori; ni;i; ro; ’ni
A bu¾ fu;n OÙba ni;i; ro; ’ni
A®woôn me;je¾e¾ji¾ n; j’i¾ja¾ a¾gba¾ re¾’lu; Olu;fe¾ô Akeô¾lu;be;ôbeô;
Ori; ni;i; ro; ’ni ni¾kan ni; n; beô l’eô;yi¾n ti; n; sô’eôboô
A®sôe; Ori; ni;i; ro; ’ni to; j’OÙba loôôo
Ori; l’oni;ro¾o; eôni
OÙba kan o¾ le¾ da; ’ni ro; o
Ori; l’oni;ro¾o; eôni
Translation:
Concensus is the voice of the travelers

The resident Awo of Oni;ke¾ôeô;re;ô-Mo¾kun
He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for Ori; ni;i; ro; ’ni (only Ori; gives one comprehensive support)
He also cast for OÙba ni;i; ro; ’ni (only an OÙba can give comprehensive support)
When both of them were fighting for supremacy and going to the land of Olu;fe¾ô Akeô¾lu;be;ôbeô;
Only Ori; ni;i; ro; ’ni complied
So it is only one’s Ori; that can give comprehensive support better than that of any OÙba
Ori; is one’s greatest supporter
No OÙba can single handedly give one comprehensive support
Only one’s Ori; can give comprehensive support
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Omoluabi
It is clear that only Ori; and Olo;du¾mare¾ can give one the type of support that will enable one to
wade through all the evil principalities and unforeseen contingencies of life. By extension, when
Olo;du¾mare¾ lays His mighty hand on any person, group, community or nation for protection, no
person or group will be able to scatter such a person, group, community or nation. In I®wo¾ri¾ Wo;wo;
(I®wo¾ri¾ O®Ùsôeô;), Ifa; says:
OÙ®sôu;nsôu;n we;ôreô;we;ôreô; Awo inu; Igbo;

Di;a; fu;n Olo;du¾mare¾ Ago¾ôtu;n
OÙba ate¾ô’lu; ma; tu¾u;
I®lu; ti; Olo;du¾mare¾ ba; ti te¾ô
Beô;e¾ô ni o¾ ni;i; tu;
Translation:
The tiny O®Ùsôu;nsôu;n tree the Awo of the forest

He cast Ifa; for Olo;du¾mare¾ Ago¾ôtu;n
The OÙba who founded the land that can never be destroyed
He complied
The land founded by Olo;du¾mare¾
Can never destroyed
It is also better for anyone who wishes to be known as OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to understand that those
endowed with wisdom are becoming rare commodities in the world today. He/she therefore
needs to choose his or her advisers and mentors carefully so that he or she will not end up
choosing foolish people as advisers or mentors. This is very important because foolishness is very
infectious. Wisdom however can also be very infectious. In a stanza of O®tu;ra; Rera; (O®tu;ra;
O®®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
EÙ®ba¾ wo¾ôroô¾ko¾ô
Di;a; fu;n gbogbo igi
Ti; o; to;ô ni;’nu; Igbo;
A bu¾ fu;n e¾yi; wo¾ôroô¾ko¾ô ibeô¾
Di;a; fu;n gbogbo EÙni
To; gbo;ôn ni;’nu; ile;
A bu¾ fu;n e¾yi; da¾ni¾da¾ni¾ ibe¾ô
Igi to; to;ô igbo; yi¾i; n;ko;ô o?
Iku; ti pa wo;ôn
Iku; ti mu; woôn loô
97
O: wa;a; ku a¾woôn eô¾ba¾ wo¾ôroô¾ko¾ô ibeô¾

Gbogbo eôni ti; o; gbo;ôn ni;’nu; ile; yi¾i; n;ko;ô?
Iku; ti pa wo;ôn
Iku; ti mu; woôn loô
A®woôn e¾e¾ya¾n da¾ni¾da¾ni¾ lo; ku¾
Translation:
He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for all the straight trees in the forest
And also for all the crooked ones
He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for all the wise people in the household
And also for all the foolish ones
Where are the straight trees in the forest?
Death has struck them down
Death has taken them away
Only the crooked ones remain
Where are the wise people in the household?
Death has struck them down
Death has taken them away
Only the foolish ones remain
In the stanza above, Ifa; likens wise people with straight trees and foolish people with crooked
trees. Ifa; also mentions how all the straight trees were struck down by death while the crooked
trees remained standing. This is to show the consequence of what can occur when a wise person
decides to follow foolish people. This is the reason why those who are endowed with wisdom and
understanding urged to use their skills always to examine carefully everything before making
anyone their confidant and adviser, lest they choose foolish people to confide and follow.
Ifa; also states that whenever we are in need of anything we must understand that keeping quiet
will not bring to us that which we lack. What will bring it is our ability to speak out. In O®tu;ra;
Me¾ôeô;le;ô (O®tu;ra; O®Ùwoô;nri;n), Ifa; states that if one has a problem and one keeps quiet without telling
anyone about it, the problem will stay with such a person forever. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Ti; a ba; da;ke;ô

T’ara eôni ni;i; ba;’ni da;ke;ô
Di;a; fu;n Ee;gu;n
Ti; n; loô ibi o¾ku; o¾ôleô loô¾ o;ô jo;
N o¾ le r’a¾jo¾, ki; n ma; m’e;ôni¾keji¾ da;ni;
Di;a; fu;n Aluba¾ta;
Ti; n; ba; Ee;gu;n loô ibi o¾ku; o¾ôleô
Ti; a ba; r’a¾jo¾ ka; bo¾ô, emi ni;i; sôe
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Omoluabi
Di;a; fu;n Ato O®fo¾ri;i pa;a¾ oku¾n

Ato ke;kere; ti; n; ba; Ee;gu;n loô ibi o¾ku; o¾ôleô
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe…
Translation:
If we keep quiet
Our problems will remain with us
This was the Ifa; cast for Egu;ngu;n
When going to dance at the burial ceremony of the lazy man
I cannot go on a journey without taking my partner along
This was Ifa;’s declaration for the Ba¾ta; drummer
When accompanying Egu;ngu;n to the burial ceremony of the lazy man
If we go on a journey and return safely
What harm does that cause?
This was Ifa;’s declaration for the little Ato O®fo¾ri;
When accompanying Egu;ngu;n to the burial ceremony of the lazy man
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that when the lazy man died everybody was relieved that a human
parasite had gone for good. Nobody bothered to prepare any food for the guests. However,
Egu;ngu;n, the Ba¾ta; Drummer and the Ato O®fo¾ri; planned to go and demonstrate their skills at the
burial ceremony of the lazy man. They went for Ifa; consultation beforehand and Ifa; assured that
even though nobody would be interested in making any preparation at the burial ceremony of this
lazy man, they would nonetheless be able to make good money if they did not keep quiet.
When they got to the venue of the burial ceremony, they kept quiet and they were just parading
the venue. Nobody took notice of them. For hours, they were moving up and down. Out of
frustration they finally returned back to the home of the Babala;wo to complain that they did not
make any money at the ceremony. The Awo told them to return to the venue of the ceremony
and open their mouths to talk and that was what they exactly did.
When they got to the scene of the ceremony, the Ba¾ta; drummer was playing good drums,
Egu;ngu;n was praying and dancing, and Ato O®fo¾ri; was also dancing. Those who passed by the
venue began to give them a lot of food and money on the account that they were praying for
them and to show appreciation of their prayers, they showered them with gifts and money.
Ifa; also makes it clear that most human beings prefer what is made by other people to what is
indigenous to their own communities. People often prefer to buy commodities that come from
outside of their own community to the ones that are locally made, even if the locally made
products are far more superior than the ones brought to the community. It is the responsibility of
all who have the blessing of wisdom and understanding to look for the best in all things and avoid
the sentiment of always thinking that whatever comes from outside must be better than the one’s
within. As a matter of fact, what comes from outside may be harmful to those who consume
them. An example can be found in I®reôte¾ô A®da;n (I®reôteô¾ Ogbe¾) where Ifa; says:
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EÙni a bi;’ni bi; ki¾i; wu¾ woô;n

EÙni eôl’eô;ni ni;i; ya; woôn l’a;ra
Di;a; fu;n I®wo¾ô-deô¾e¾ôreô¾
Ti; yo;o; sôe ala;ba¾a;ri¾n eôja
Woô;n ni; ko; sa;ka;ale¾ô, eôboô ni; sôi;sôe
N®jeô; ire gbogbo ti; oôwoô; mi o¾ to;
I®wo¾ô-deô¾e¾ôreô¾
Peô¾lu; ori; i¾ mi o fa¾ a; fu;n mi
I®wo¾ô-deô¾e¾ôreô¾
Translation:
They are never fascinated by their own kinsmen

They are easily fascinated by people from other lands
These were Ifa;’s declarations to I®wo¾ô-deô¾e¾ôreô¾ (the hook)
When going to become the fish’s companion
He complied
Now, all the Ire that we have not yet achieved
I®wo¾ô-deô¾e¾ôreô¾ (the hook)
My Ori;, please make it possible for me
I®wo¾ô-deô¾e¾ôreô¾ (the hook)
In the Odu¾ above, Ifa; explains that all what the fish need have been prepared for the fish inside
the water. But unfortunately, the fish are never satisfied with what Olo;du¾mare¾ has supplied for
them in the form of sustenance that abounds in the water. Because of this, the fish will many a
times prefer the food brought by the hook. It is however the gift brought by the hook that usually
leads to the untimely death of the fish.
All those who are truthful, honest, benevolent and understanding, anything that causes him/her
grief shall be converted to joy by Ifa; and Olo;du¾mare¾. The reason for this is not far fetched.
Anyone who demonstrates the four attributes stated above is automatically considered a child of
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ and a child of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ is automatically an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. It is obvious therefore from all
what we have been stating previously, that Ifa; will convert one’s grief to grace and turn one’s
pains to pleasure. In Ate¾ô N: J’e¾e¾ru¾ (I®reôteô¾ I®wo¾ri¾), Ifa; states:
Beru;-beru; Awo I®lu; Beru;

So¾ôdu¾nkoô;-So¾ôdu¾ngba¾ Awo I®lu;ka¾
Af’omidan weô;re;ôweô;re;ô sôeô’le; Awo ile; Ala;ko¾ôle;-Meô¾si;n
Ifa; n; sô’awo loô si; Ife¾ô Aj’a¾teô;
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Omoluabi
Ifa; ni yo;o; bu’yo¾ô si o

OÙ®pe¾ô ni yo;o; bu’yo¾ô si o
Gbogbo oô¾ro¾ô ti; ko¾ l’a;du¾n
Ifa; ni yo;o; bu’yo¾ô si o
Translation:
Beru;-beru;, the Awo of Beru; town

So¾ôdu¾nkoô;-So¾ôdu¾ngba¾, the Awo of I®lu;ka¾ town
He who decorates his home with beautiful damsels, the Awo of Ala;ko¾ôle; Me¾ôsi;n
They cast Ifa; for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When going to Ife¾ô where they were eating tasteless meals
He complied
Ifa; will season them with salt
O®Ùpeô¾ (the holy palm tree) will season them with salt
All tasteless matters
Ifa; will season them with salt
In the Odu¾ above, Ifa; promises to season all tasteless matters with salt and make them very
tasty. In the same vain, Ifa; promises all those who are truthful, honest, benevolent and
understanding assistance in whatever they are doing and when they have problems, Ifa; will
ensure that the problems are resolved. In I®rosu¾n A®boôla¾ (I®rosu¾n OÙ®sôeô;), Ifa; says:
OÙfeôôreô geô;e¾ôgeô;e¾ô oôfeôreô

Di;a; fu;n E®e¾ra¾
Ti; yo;;o; gb’e;ôru¾ to; ju¾ u;
Oun ti; o gbe; ju¾ oô; loô, oôfeôreô
OÙfeôreô geô;e¾ôgeô;e¾ô oôfeôreô
Ifa;, i¾woô ni o; ba; mi gbe; e o
Translation:

This was Ifa;’s declaration for E®e¾ra¾ (the Ant)
When going to carry a load that is bigger than himself
He complied
What you are carrying is bigger than yourself?
Become light and easy to carry
Ifa; you are the one who will help me carry it
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In this Odu¾, Ifa; assures us that any burden bigger than ourselves will be lifted with ease through
Ifa;’s assistance.
A person endowed with wisdom and understanding needs to know that all the material things of
this world are often connected to some type of vanity. There is nothing in this world that is either
enjoyable, sweet, or interesting that will not eventually be exhausted. Only the grace of
Olo;du¾mare¾ and Ifa; is inexaustible. Consequently, all those yearning to be called OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; need to
strive for the grace of Olo;du¾mare¾ and Ifa;, and not the attainment of excessive material gain. In a
stanza of O®gu;nda; Be¾de; (O®gu;nda; Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
Awo;ônyi;nwo;ônyi;n awo Oko

Di;a; fu;n A®do¾-mo¾¾ômoô¾
Ti;i; sô’oômoô Olo;du¾mare¾
A®do¾-mo¾ômoô¾ ti;i; sô’oômoô Olo;du¾mare¾
¾Ko¾ si; oun to; du¾n ti; ki¾i; ta;n
A®fi oôla; Ikin
A®do¾-mo¾ômoô¾ ti;i; sô’oômoô Olo;du¾mare¾
Ko¾ si; oun to; du¾n ti; ki¾i; ta;n
A®fi oôla; OÙloô;run
Translation:
The Iguana, the Awo of the farm land

He cast Ifa; for A®do¾-mo¾¾ômoô¾ (the Honey)
The child of Olo;du¾mare¾
A®do¾-mo¾¾ômoô¾, the child of Olo;du¾mare¾
There is nothing enjoyable that is inexausitible
Except the grace of the Ikin (Ifa;)
There is nothing enjoyable that is inexausitible
Except the grace of OÙloô;run (God)
From the stanza above it becomes clear that only the grace of Ifa; and Olo;du¾mare¾ is what we
should be pursuing in life, not excessive material gain.
Ifa; says that there is no one on earth who has not erred one time or the other against Ifa;, the
Iru;nmoôleô¾ and Olo;du¾mare¾. Because of this, we must always be praying for forgiveness of our
offenses from Ifa;, Iru;nmoôleô¾ and Olo;du¾mare¾. In the same vain, if someone offends us, it is our
responsibility to always forgive those who offend us. In a stanza in E®ji¾ Oni;le¾ô (E®ji¾-Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ lo; di o¾ôroô¾ a¾fi’ra-eôni beô’ra eôni

Ifa; mo lo; di o¾ôroô¾ a¾fi’ra-eôni beô’ra eôni
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾, mo fi ee;san oômoô i¾ya; a¾ reô beô¾ oô;
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; ki¾i; sô’oômoô i¾ya; o¾hun
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Omoluabi
SÙe; b’o;ju; oômoô i¾ya; eôni ti i; ri; si;’ni ni¾-ini¾

OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ mo fi i¾gba;go; oômoô i¾ya; a¾ reô beô¾ oô;
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ mo fi a¾di; oômoô i¾ya; a¾ reô beô¾ oô;
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ mo je;ô’woô; o¾ôbu¾n
Ko;o d’a;sôoôro; mi, Mo¾ôpo; EÙleô;je¾ôlu;
Mo sa; d’oku¾n oôkoô Iyewa
Ee;gu;n Ala;go¾ôtu;n, oômoô al’a¾gba; lu¾gbu¾lu¾gbu¾ sô’oro¾
Ee;gu;n Ala;go¾ôtu;n, oômoô aka¾n’gba; lu¾ gburugudu n’i;tori; oômoô
Ifa; i¾woô l’¾ara; iwa;ju;
E®mi ni e¾ro¾ eô¾yi¾n
Ara; iwa;ju; ni;i; ko;ô e¾ro¾ e¾ôyi¾n to; ku¾ l’oô;gbo;ôn
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; epo l’oômoô i¾ya; o¾un o…
Translation:
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la declares that it is time to use one’s relative to appeal to one

I chorus that it is time to use one’s relative to appeal to one
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la I use Ee;san your sibling to beg you
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la responded that Ee;san was not his sibling
Is that the way one’s sibling contemptuously looks at one?
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la I use I®®gba;;go;; your sibling to beg you
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la responded that I®®gba;;go;; was not his sibling
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la I use A®di; your sibling to beg you
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la responded that A®di; was not his sibling
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la I admit my ignorance
Please educate me, the holder of the title of Mo¾ôpo;-EÙleô;je¾ôlu;
I come for your induction, the husband of Iyewa, also known as O®Ùsuôn
The Ala;go¾ôtu;n masquerade who beats the A®gba; drum to celebrate his rites
The Ala;go¾ôtu;n masquerade who beats the A®gba; drum repeatedly because of children
Ifa;, you are the leader
I am the follower
It is the leader who teaches the followers wisdom
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la declares that epo is his sibling…
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In the Odu¾ above, Ifa; explains that it is always good to use something or someone whom the
person that was offended has respect and regard for in order to facilitate our being forgiven by
the person whom we have offended.
Ifa; enjoins all those who are seeking to be known as OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to take proper care of their
children. Ifa; says that there is nothing sweeter or more rewarding than one’s child. In this Odu¾
ofO®gu;nda; A®i¾ku; (O®gu;nda; O®Ùyeô¾ku;), Ifa; says:
Ifa; lo; di mo;ôi;n-mo;ôi;n jojo

Mo lo; di fe¾ôeô¾re¾ô nti¾ji;
Ifa; lo; du¾n bi;i ki;nni o?
Mo lo; du¾n bi; a¾mu; oômoô eku
Ifa; ni; i¾yeôn o¾ tie¾ô tu;n du¾n ra;ra;a;ra;
Mo lo; du¾n bi; a¾mu; oômoô eôja
Mo lo; du¾n bi; a¾mu; oômoô eôyeô
Ifa; ni; i¾yeôn o¾ tie¾ô tu;n du¾n ra;ra;a;ra
Mo lo; du¾n bi; a¾mu; oômoô eku
Mo je;ô’woôô; o¾ôbu¾n
Da;’sôoô ro; mi Mo¾ôtu¾n O®Ùba¾, Mo¾ôpo; EÙleô;je¾ôlu;
Mosa;doku¾n oôkoô ‘Yewa
Ifa; i¾woô l’¾ara; iwa;ju;
E®mi ni e¾ro¾ eô¾yi¾n
Ara; iwa;ju; ni;i; ko;ô e¾ro¾ e¾ôyi¾n to; ku¾ l’oô;gbo;ôn
Ifa; ni; ko¾ si; oun to; ti du¾n to; j’oômoô loô o
Ko¾ si; oun to; ti du¾n to; ju a¾moô;
Ko¾ si; oun to; ti du¾n to; j’oômoô loô o
Translation:
Ifa; declares that it is very delicious and satisfying

I respond that it is also rewarding
Ifa; asked, what is it as delicious as?
I responded that it is as delicious as the breast of a rat
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Omoluabi
Ifa; said that that is not delicious at all

I responded that it is as delicious as the breast of a fish
I responded that it is as delicious as the breast of a bird
I responded that it is as delicious as the breast of a beast
I admit my ignorance
Please educate me
Ifa;, the husband of O®Ùsôun, also known as ‘Yewa
You are the leader
I am the follower
The leader is the one who teaches the followers wisdom
Ifa; says that there is nothing more delicious and more satisfying than one’s children
There is nothing more delicious than breast milk
There is nothing more delicious and more satisfying than one’s children
There are many people in this world whose major plans and intentions are to spoil the world. It is
however assuring to know that Ifa;, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ and Olo;du¾mare¾ will continue to protect the world
from complete ruin. In Aro;su¾n Ta ke¾ôleô¾ ku; (I®rosu¾n O®Ùyeô¾ku;), Ifa; says:
Ke;ôleô;ke;ôleô; ni mo ta
Ke¾ôleô¾ke¾ôleô¾ ni mo ri¾n
A®gba¾ra; ni;i; wo;ô wu¾u¾ru¾ woô’do¾
Di;a; fu;n OÙloômoô
Ti; n; t’i¾ko¾ôle; o¾ôrun boô¾ wa; ‘ko¾ôle; aye;
To; n; lo¾ôoô; t’o;ri; eôni ti; o¾ sunwo¾ôn sôe
OÙloômoô t’o;ri; sôe o
Afe¾de¾fe¾ôyoô¾ t’o;ri; sôe ni;’gba¾yi; o¾
K’o;ri; ma; da¾ru; o¾
OÙloômoô t’o;ri; sôe o
OÙloômoô t’a;ye; sôe o
Afe¾de¾fe¾ôyoô¾ t’a;ye; sôe ni;’gba¾yi; o¾
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K’a;ye; ma; ba¾je;ô o¾

OÙloômoô t’a;ye; sôe o
OÙloômoô tu;n’le; sôe o
Afe¾de¾fe¾ôyoô¾ tu;n’le; sôe
Ki;’le; ma; ba¾je;ô
OÙloômoô tu;n'le; sôe o
Translation:
Quietly do I move
And gently do I walk
The flood is it that rushes into the stream
These were Ifa;’s declarations for OÙloômoô
Also known as Ifa;
He was coming to change bad destinies to good destinies
He complied
OÙloômoô, please mend our destiny
Please mend our destiny
Please improve the quality of our destiny now
OÙloômoô, please mend our world
Afe¾de¾fe¾ôyoô¾, mend the world this time
For the world not to spoil
OÙloômoô, mend our homes
Afe¾de¾fe¾ôyoô¾, mend our homes this time
For our homes not to go into ruins
OÙloômoô, mend our homes
There is the need for those who are endowed with wisdom and understanding, and who are at
the same time truthful, honest and benevolent to also learn how to present all issues in a tactful
manner in order to prevent major conflicts, confusion, and frustration with those who they
present the story to. Ifa; followers must never be the type to speak in a way that will inflame a
situation more than it may already be. When an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; speaks, he/she must do so in a way
that will keep the situation cool yet bring about clarity and justice. In O®Ùsôeô; I®wo¾ri¾, Ifa; says:
Bo; o ba; moô’sôeô; e;ô jeô;

Ko; o ma; a j’o;ni;sôeô;
A®i¾mo¾ôoô;je;ô, ma; a j’o;lu¾sôeô;
Oni;sôeô; lo; yeô’ni
Olu¾sôeô; o¾ yeô’ni o
OÙ®gbo¾ôoô¾gba¾ l’eôru; n; j’iyo¾ô l’oô;be¾ô
T’o¾un olu;wa a reô o
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Omoluabi
Yo;o; ra;n EÙja ni;’sôeô;

Yo;o; ra;n Ala;ka¾n ni;’sôeô;
Isôeô; ti; a ra;n EÙja
Aka¾n lo; n; j’i;sôeô; ire o
E®mi o¾ jeô; f’isôeô; Aka¾n si;’le¾ô
Ki; n j’i;sôeô; EÙja
OÙ®ro¾ô mi a¾na;
EÙja nba;’ka¾n?
Translation:
If you know how to relay a message properly

You will be known as a tactful diplomatic delegate
If you don’t know how to relay a message properly
You will be known as a foolish tactless delegate
To be known as a tactful diplomatic delegate is befitting
To be known as a foolish tactless delegate is not
The slave and his master consume equal amounts of salt in their soup
These were the declarations of Ifa; for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When he sent the Fish on an errand
And sent the Crab on the same errand
The errand that we originally sent the Fish on
It was the Crab that was tactful and diplomatic when relaying the message
I will never fail to use the tactfulness of the Crab
I will never relay a message in the foolish tactless way of the Fish
The matter of yesterday
Was it relayed the Fish or the Crab way?
In this particular stanza, Ifa; tells the story of when Olo;kun was owing O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ a huge sum of
money. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ needed his money back in order to take care of some pressing domestic needs.
He decided to send the Fish to go to Olo;kun’s house in order to ask for his money. When the Fish
got to Olo;kun’s palace in the ocean, he shouted at the top of his voice and said,” Why is it so
difficult for you Olo;kun to pay the debt that you are owing my master O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾?” He then added
that such ungrateful people do not deserve anyone to assist them during their period of need. He
then stood solidly and yelled at Olo;kun and insisted that she let him enter her room and bring out
the money that she was owing O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ or else he would personally drag Olo;kun to her own
room and ransack everything in order to retrieve O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ ’s money from her. The shame and
anger caused by the words and actions of the Fish were too much for Olo;kun to bear or let go
unpunished. She then ordered six able bodied men to grab the Fish and cut off his arms and legs.
They did so immediately. Since that time period, the fish was not able to go on land anymore. He
was then sentenced to living inside water for the rest of his life.
After waiting for several days and not seeing the Fish, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ decided to send the Crab to go
and find out what had happened to the Fish and at the same time, have the crab ask for the
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money that Olo;kun was owing him. When the Crab got to Olo;kun’s palace, he met several people
there. He greeted Olo;kun in genuflection and told Olo;kun that he had brought the greetings and
well wishes of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to her. Olo;kun asked him if there was any other message from O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾.
The Crab said that there was none. Olo;kun then ordered that the Crab must be made comfortable
and be given food that was meant for royalty. In the evening of that day, Olo;kun invited the Crab
to come and meet her in her private chamber. When the two of them were alone in the chamber,
the Crab explained to Olo;kun that O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ had asked him to come and appeal to her to please
pay the money that she was owing him because he O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was desperately needing the money
to solve some domestic problems that he was having. Olo;kun instantly gave the Crab 10 times the
money she was owing O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ and also gave the Crab a huge amount of money in appreciation
of his wisdom and tact in relaying the message.
This story was what became a proverb today. If something was successfully executed, it would
be known as a Crab. If it was unsuccessful, it would be considered to be a Fish. It is therefore
the duty of those who are blessed with wisdom and understanding to ensure that all assignments
are executed in the Crab way.
For those who are truthful, honest, benevolent and understanding, Ifa; assures them that they will
never be victims of natural or human made disasters. They will also never be victims of the
aggression of vicious people or enemies. This is because before any disaster happens to such a
person, three things would have taken place: One, Ifa; would have given the truthful, honest,
benevolent and understanding person warning ahead of time before such a disaster could take
place; Two, Ifa; would have told the person the reason why the disaster was about to happen
(whether it was natural or designed by human beings, and whether it was advertent or
inadvertent); and Three, Ifa; would have recommended an escape route for the truthful, honest,
benevolent and understanding person. We can also find an example of this type of instance in a
stanza from OÙlo¾ôka¾nra¾n o o¾ r’oô;te¾ô Nle (O®Ùka¾nra¾n I®reôteô¾) where Ifa; says:
Ka; du;ro; bi; odo;

Ka; be¾ôreô¾ bi; oôloô
Di;a; fu;n Ade;sôoôpeô; A®ja¾o;
EÙni OÙloô¾run mo¾ô
I®gba¾ti; o; n; loô s’o;de a¾jo¾ôdu;n
N o¾ ri; e¾e¾ya¾n ti; n; re’le; Ade;sôoôpeô; A®ja¾o;
A®ga to; n; beô ni;’be¾ô nni¾
Ko; ma; fi jo;ko¾o;
A®ga ko;ô
Iwoô lo; n; beô ni;’beô o
OÙlo¾ôka¾nra¾n o o¾ r’oô;te¾ô
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Omoluabi
EÙni; to; n; beô ni;’be¾ô nni¾

Ko; ma; fi jo;ko¾o;
EÙni; ko;ô
O:n;jeô to; n; beô ni;’be¾ô nni¾
Ko; ma; sôe ba; woôn jeô eô;
O:n;jeô ko;ô
OÙti; to; n; beô ni;’be¾ô nni¾
Ko; ma; sôe ba; woôn mu u;
OÙti; ko;ô
Translation:
Let us stand endlessly like a mortar

Let us bend down perpetually like a grinding stone
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ade;sôoôpeô; A®ja¾o;
He who has the recognition of the heavens
When going to the annual celebration
He complied
Anyone going to the home of Ade;sôoôpeô; A®ja¾o;
The chair that is there, please do not sit on it
It is not just a chair, it is laden with poison
OÙloô¾ka¾nra¾n, can’t you see that there is a conspiracy occurring?
The mat that is there, please do not sit on it
It is not just a mat, it is laden with poison
The food that is there, please do not eat it
It is not just food, it is laden with poison
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The liquor that is there, please do not drink it
It is not just liquor, it is laden with poison
As can be seen in this Odu¾, there was a warning that conspiracy had been planned against
Ade;sôoôpeô; A®ja¾o;. The reason why the conspirators planned against him was because he had the
recognition of the heavens and they were envious of that fact. Ifa; however exposed all their plans
to poison the stool that he would sit upon, the mat that he would sit upon, the food that he would
eat and the drink that he would consume. That was how Ade;sôoôpeô; A®ja¾o escaped untimely death in
the hands of his enemies.
It is part of the responsibilities of all those who wish to be called OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to strive for the best
possible situations in all their undertakings. They however need to be realistic of the fact that
there is no such thing as a perfect situation. What they need to always do is strive for realistic and
pragmatic situations. In a stanza in O®gu;n d’e;ôri¾n-i;n (O®gu;nda; O®Ùwoô;nri;n), Ifa; says:
O®gu;n da; woôn l’eôjo;ô, mo ri;n woôn ri;n woôn

Di;a; fu;n Bo;-ti-to;ô
Ti;i; sô’awo I®sa;lu; Aye;
O®gu;n da; woôn l’eô;jo;ô, mo ri;n woôn ri;n woôn
Di;a; fu;n Bo;-ti-gba¾
Ti;i; sô’awo I®sa;lu; OÙ®run
O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’;boô
Bo; ti to;ô o¾ si; mo;ô o
Bo; ti gba¾ lo; ku¾
A®t’e¾we, a¾t’a¾gba¾
EÙ sôa; je;ô a; ma;a roôra sôe
A®t’e¾we, a¾t’a¾gba¾
Translation:
O®gu;;n pronounced judgment on them and I laughed and laughed

This was Ifa;’s declaration for Bo;tito;ô (what is proper)
The Awo of the world
O®gu;;n pronounced judgment on them and I laughed and laughed
This was Ifa;’s declaration for Bo;tigba¾ (what is appropriate)
The Awo of the heaven
What is proper is no more
What is appropriate is the only one remaining
Both youths and elders
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Omoluabi
Let us all be very careful

Both youths and elders
It is clear in the stanza above that what is proper no longer exists and only what is appropriate
remains on earth. In another stanza in the same Odu¾ of O®gu;nda; O®Ùwoô;nri;n, Ifa; says:
Aye; koô ipa;

E®Ùsoô¾ lo; gba¾
Di;a; fu;n Aragban¾du¾
Ti; n; loô¾ o;ô ja;’ku¾n iku;
Mo ja;’ku;, mo ja;’ru¾n , mo ja; sôasôara
Aragban¾du¾
Translation:
The world rejects force

Meekness/Gentleness is the accepted character
These were Ifa;’s delcarations for Aragban¾du¾
When going to break the shackles of death
He complied
I have broken the shackles of death
And affliction and all evil
Aragban¾du¾
It is a part of our duty to act with meekness/gentleness because the world rejects force, and in its
place, entrenches meekness/gentility.
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CHAPTER SEVEN
Ge¾ge¾le;te; sôa¾n¾ge¾le;
Di;a; fu;n SÙi;ji
Ti; n; loô oko oôdeô
Di;a; fu;n Boônna¾
Boônna¾ n; loô oko oôdeô
E®yi; ti; yo;o; maa lo¾ô oô; sô’eôru; u SÙi;ji
Boô;nna ni¾kan lo; n; beô l’eô;yi¾n to; n; sô’eôboô
B’eô;ru; l’o;wo;, b’eô;ru; l’o;wo;
A sô’oro¾, a j’oômoô loô
I®reôteô¾ O®Ùka¾nra¾n
Translation:
He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for SÙi;ji
When going on a hunting expedition
He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for Boônna¾
And was acting as SÙi;ji’s slave
Only Boônna¾ complied
Behold, if a slave is wealthy
He will perform better than any freeborn person
HOPEFULNESS
Hopefulness: The ability and courage to feel and know that what one wants will eventually
happen. The belief that tomorrow will be better than today and that yesterday will not be as good
or as rewarding as today.
In order to understand what Hopefulness entails according to Ifa;, the following are the views of
Ifa; on the subject:
One, According to Ifa;, hopefulness is the fervent belief that tomorrow will be better than today. It
is a belief that indicates and affirms that the present situation is not favorable but that although
the situation is not favorable, he/she will maintain hope that tomorrow will be better than today.
Ifa; also supports this view but further states that suffering, poverty, inconvenience or
retrogression bring contempt. In OÙ®ba¾ra¾ Me;ji¾, Ifa; says:
A®i¾l’o;wo; l’o;ôwoô; ni;i; je;ô’ni o; l’o;wo; l’o;ôwoô; o; gbe;’raga si; ‘ni
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Omoluabi
B’e;ôgba¾a; ba; so l’o;ko;

EÙgba¾a; ni wo;ôn fi n; ka; a
Ifa; ji;, Baba o¾ l’o;wo; kan a¾ a; yoô oô; na;
Ri;ru; eôboô, e¾ru¾ a¾tu¾k’E®sôu¾ a da¾ l’a;da¾ju¾
EÙ wa;a; ba; ‘ni ni; je¾ôbu;tu; ire o
Translation:
Poverty is the reason why rich people show arrogance towards the poor
If money is invested into the farm
Money is what will be used to harvest it
When he was waking up without any money of his own
He complied
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that those who are blessed with wealth often times will look at the poor
with disdain. This is one of the reasons why the poor hold unto the hope that one day they will
leave that uncomfortable position and climb the ladder of financial success. It is the hope that
tomorrow will be better than today that sustains most poor people and helps him/her to keep
his/her sanity intact. In another stanza of OÙ®ba¾ra¾ Me;ji¾, Ifa; says:
I®sôeô; o¾ sôe oun a¾mu;-sô’ere;

O®sôi¾ o¾ sôe oun a¾mu;-sô’a¾wa¾da¾
Di;a; fu;n E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾
Ti; n; hun agbo¾ôn oôla¾
Ti; wo;ôn ni; agbo¾ôn firifiri lo; n; hun
Ti;’fa; oôjoô;un ni¾ fi n; sôeô o
Translation:
Want is not something to play with

And poverty is not something to joke about
These were the declarations of Ifa; for E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾
When he was knitting a basket of prosperity
But people were saying it was a basket of deprevation
He complied
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The prediction of Ifa; has come to pass
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that the pain and deprevation involved in poverty is not something that
one would feel comfortable about. This is just one of the many reasons why one needs prayer and
hardwork to strive to change ones status from being poor to becoming wealthy. It must be stated
that wealth in Ifa; is not just about money. A wealthy person is someone who has sound health, a
good compatible spouse, good children, a comfortable home, peace of mind, etc.
Two, Ifa; explains further that poverty and suffering should not be occurring in the life of any
human being. In O®tu;ra; O®Ùsôeô;, Ifa; says:
I®sôeô; o¾ sôe e; fe;ô

I®ya¾ o¾ sôe e; gba¾
Bi;’sôeô¾e; ba; sôeô; woôn l’a;sôeô¾e;ôju¾
Ara; ile; eôni ni;i; f’oju; di ‘ni
Di;a; fu;n La;bomo¾ô
Ti;i; b’ori; aye;
Ee;gu;n-un ki;nni?
O®o¾gu¾n un ki;nni?
O®o¾sôa¾ a ki;nni?
E®e¾ya¾n an ki;nni
A®t'Ee;gu;n, a¾t’O®o¾gu¾n, a¾t’O®o¾sôa¾. a¾t’E®e¾ya¾n
Tani o¾ mo¾ô wi;pe; Aje; ju¾ wo;ôn loô?
Aje; ni La;bomo¾ô ti;i; b’ori; aye;
Bi; o¾ si; Aje;
O®ri¾sôa¾ ko¾ le¾ gba¾
Aje; l’a¾gba¾ O®o¾sôa¾
EÙ ba; mi k’i;bo¾si; owo; o
Owo; lo; s’e¾we d’a¾gba¾ o
Translation:
Poverty is not desirable

Suffering is not acceptable
If one is experiencing excessive poverty
One’s household members will view one with contempt
These were Ifa;’s messages for ‘La;bomo¾ô
When going to be on top of the world
Now, what Egu;ngu;n?
Which O®o¾gu¾n? (Special Medicine)
Which O®ri¾sôa¾?
And what human being?
All Egu;ngu;n, O®o¾gu¾n, O®ri¾sôa¾, and human beings
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Omoluabi
Who doesn’t know that Aje; is higher than them all?

Aje; is the ‘La;bomoô¾ who is on top of the world
Without Aje;, no O®ri¾sôa¾ can be accepted
Aje; is the most superior among all the O®ri¾sôa¾
Join me in shouting the name of Aje;
Aje; is the one who converts a youth into an elder
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that suffering and want are totally unacceptable and one needs to strive
to ensure that all unwanted developments in ones life are banished.
Three, Ifa; says that in order to banish deprevation, poverty, want, misfortune and all other
negativities in ones life, there is the need for one to continue to strive and work hard until one
attains the desirable goals in ones life. In E®ji¾-Ogbe¾, Ifa; says:
Bi; a ba; de;’bi isôeô;

SÙi;sôe la¾ a; sôe e;
Di;a; fu;n Akila;pa; kira; kira;
Ti;i; sô’oômoô Ala;a¾fin O®Ùyoô;
Di;a; fu;n Awa¾la;a¾ye¾ A®ja¾ Kori¾ kori¾
Ti;i; sô’oômoô OÙsôoô¾run O®Ùko¾ômi; i D’a;gba¾a;
Di;a; fu;n E®e¾ya¾n e¾ e; gbe¾ e; gba¾gbe; E®e¾ya¾n
Ti;i; sô’oômoô EÙni¾kan La;sa;n
E®e¾ya¾n e¾ e; gbe¾ e; gba¾gbe; E®e¾ya¾n
Ifa; ma; je¾ô eô; ki; woô;n gba¾gbe; e¾ mi ni;’nu; Awo
Translation:
When we get to work, we need to perform our tasks

This was Ifa;’s message for Akila;pa; kira; kira;
The child of the Ala;a¾fin of O®Ùyoô;
This was Ifa;’s message for Awa¾la;a¾ye¾ A®ja¾ Kori¾ kori¾
The child of OÙsôoô¾run OÙ®ko¾ômi; i D’a;gba¾a;
This was Ifa;’s declaration for “it doesn’t take long for someone to be forgotten”
The child of the ordinary insignificant person
It doesn’t take long for one to be forgotten
Ifa;, please do not let me be forgotten among the committee of Awo
In this stanza, Ifa; explains that if one remains insignificant for too long, such a person will be
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forgotten and all his/her deeds will be wiped from the memories of the people. This is the reason
why this person needs to continue to strive to work hard and remain involved in order to achieve
success.
Four, Ifa; says that no matter what we are hoping to achieve in life, there exists the need for us
to be realistic in what we aim to achieve. Pursuing unrealistic goals will turn hopefulness into
hopelessness. This is not advisable for anyone striving to become an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. In another stanza
of E®ji¾-Ogbe¾, Ifa; says:
A ki¾i; yi; gbirigidi ka; fi t’e;rin

A ki¾i; ni; ja¾ba¾ja¾ba¾ ka; fi t’e;ôfoô¾n
Olu;-ko;lu; kan ko¾ t’O:Ùoô¾ni
O®ke¾ kan o¾ sunwo¾ôn bi; O®ke¾ I®gba¾di¾
O®ke¾ I®gba¾di¾ lo; pa¾ta¾ki¾
Lo; ga¾n¾ga¾
Lo; gbe; o¾mi;ra¾n l'o;ri;
Lo; sô’eônu boômboô bi; Erin–gbi’wo;
Di;a; fu;n OÙba Ala;de; A®ji;to¾ro¾o-Se¾ôgi
O: le¾ yeô o¾un lo; n; da;’fa; si;
N®je;ô omi ti; mo da;ji; poôn
Ti; mo f’a¾a;ro¾ô poôn
I®wa¾ a¾ mi ka¾ sôa¾i¾ to¾ro¾
Omi ti; mo da;ji; poôn o
I®wa¾ mi ka¾ sôa¾i¾ to¾ro¾
Translation:
We cannot be as massive as an Elephant

We cannot be as sturdy as a Buffalo
No leader is as revered and as important as the OÙo¾ôni
No hill is as impressive as the I®gba¾di¾ hill
The I®gba¾di¾ hill is so important
And so impressive
That it carries another hill on top of its head
And points its mouth like an Elephant tusk
These were the declarations of Ifa; for OÙba Ala;de; A®ji;to¾ro¾o Se¾ôgi
He consulted Ifa; in order to find out if life would be aggreable for him
He complied
Now, the water that I fetched at dawn
The water that I fetched early in the morning
My destiny cannot but be cool and calm
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Omoluabi
The water that I fetched at dawn

My destiny cannot but be cool and calm
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that it is very unrealistic for anyone to think that he/she can be as massive
as an Elephant or as sturdy as a Buffalo. Anyone thinking in this type of way is certainly wasting
his/her hope and time. The person must not attempt to be something they are not. They must
come to terms with their God given abilities, faculties, strengths, physicality, weaknesses, and not
engage in self-deception. To give an example, a person who abhors partisan politics but has
hopes to become either the governor of a state or the president of a country is having misplaced
and misguided hope. Without being told, such hope will remain hope forever. It will never be
realized.
Five, Ifa; enjoins anyone wishing to be called an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to place all his/her hopes on
Olo;du¾mare¾ and the Iru;nmoôleô¾/O®ri¾sôa no more no less. A person who relys solely on his/her fellow
human beings for the realization of his/her dreams is in for a bitter disappointment. Again in E®ji¾-
Ogbe¾, Ifa; says:
Gbogbo eô, gbo¾gbo¾ e¾ô lo; di t’i¾reô

Di;a; fu;n Aka;po¾
Ti; n; sun'ku;n o¾un o¾ ni;’re gbogbo
N®jeô; gbogbo eô, gbo¾gbo¾ e¾¾ô o; di t’i¾reô
Bi; mo wa;’ye; bi; n o; l’o;wo;
Gbogbo eô, gbo¾gbo¾ e¾¾ô o; di t’i¾reô
Bi; mo wa;’ye; bi; n o; l’a;ya
Bi; mo wa;’ye; bi; n o; bi;’moô
Bi; mo wa;’ye; bi; n o; koô;’le;
Bi; mo wa;’ye; bi; n o; ni;’re gbogbo
Gbogbo eô, gbo¾gbo¾ e¾ô o; di t’i¾reô
Translation:
Everything is in your hands

This was the Ifa; cast for the Aka;po¾
When lamenting for his inability to secure any Ire in life
He complied
Now, everything is in your hands
If I come into the world, I will be blessed with wealth
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If I come into the world, I will be blessed with a compatible spouse

If I come into the world, I will be blessed with good children
If I come into the world, I will be blessed with a magnificent property
If I come into the world, I will be blessed with all the Ire of life
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that anyone who is realistic in his or her dreams and places his/her hopes
on Olo;du¾mare¾ will never fail or be disappointed. Whatever such a person wants in life shall surely
be realized. Also in I®din Ata¾go¾ (O®di; O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ wi; o; lo; di o¾ôgeô¾re¾ôreô¾

Ifa; mo lo; di al’a;su¾nle;
Ifa; ni; tani eôni to; to; eôni ti; a¾ a; su¾n le; l’o;ri;?
Mo ni; baba eôni lo; to; eôni ti; a¾ a; su¾n le; l’o;ri;
A®sôe; baba eôni ko¾ to;o; su¾n le; ra;ra;a;ra;
Mo ni; i¾ya; eôni lo; to; eôni ti; a¾ a; su¾n le; l’o;ri;
A®sôe; i¾ya; eôni ko¾ to;o; su¾n le; ra;ra;a;ra;
Mo ni; aya/oôkoô eôni lo; to; eôni ti; a¾ a; su¾n le; l’o;ri;
A®sôe; aya/oôkoô eôni ko¾ to;o; su¾n le; ra;ra;a;ra;
Mo ni; oôômoô eôni lo; to; eôni ti; a¾ a; su¾n le; l’o;ri;
A®sôe; oômoô eôni ko¾ to;o; su¾n le; ra;ra;a;ra;
Aka;po¾ ni; o¾un o¾ moô eôni to; t’e;ôni ti; a¾ a; su¾n le; l’o;ri;
Ifa; ni; o¾un ni¾kan l’o¾un t’eô;ni ti; a¾ a; su¾n le; l’o;ri;
Ifa; ti; o ba; sôe mi; sôe mi;, ti; mo fi l’a;je;
O®Ùpeô¾ a¾gu¾nka; n o; si¾ maa su¾n le; oô ni
Ifa; ti; o ba; sôe mi; sôe mi;, ti; mo fi l’a;ya
Ifa; ti; o ba; sôe mi; sôe mi;, ti; mo fi bi;'moô
Ifa; ti; o ba; sôe mi; sôe mi;, ti; mo fi koô;'le;
Ifa; ti; o ba; sôe mi; sôe mi;, ti; mo fi ni;'re gbogbo
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Omoluabi
Translation:
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declares that it is time to rest

I respond that it is time to sleep on top of someone
Ifa; asked, who is dependable enough to sleep upon?
I responded that our father is dependable enough to sleep upon
A®sôe;, I never knew that our father was not worthy of sleeping upon at all
I responded that our mother is dependable enough to sleep upon
A®sôe;, I never knew that our mother was not worthy of sleeping upon at all
I responded that our spouse is dependable enough for us to sleep upon
A®sôe;, I never knew that our spouse was not worthy of sleeping upon at all
I respond that our children are dependable enough to sleep upon
A®sôe;, I never knew that our children were not worthy of sleeping upon at all
I declare my ignorance of who is dependable enough to sleep upon
Ifa;, if you program me to become wealthy
O®Ùpeô¾ a¾gu¾nka;, forever will I continue to sleep upon you
Ifa;, if you program me to be blessed with a compatible spouse
Ifa;, if you program me to be blessed with good children
Ifa;, if you program me to be blessed with a magnificent property
Ifa;, if you program me to be blessed with all the good things of life
(Note: In Yoruba land, sometimes the word “A®sôe;” is used when you experiment something and
find out that what you did or what you thought was wrong. It is used as a way of admitting ones
mistake. In the above stanza, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ allowed the Aka;po¾ to experiment with his beliefs. When
the Aka;po¾ realized that his beliefs were wrong, he said A®sôe; and admitted his error)
In this Odu¾, anyone who relys on Ifa; will certainly receive all the blessings of life without trouble
but those who depend solely on their fellow human beings will experience much suffering. This is
the reason why Ifa; enlists all those planning to be known and addressed as OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to have
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absolute faith in Olo;du¾mare¾, Ifa; and the Iru;nmoôleô¾/O®ri¾sôa¾.
Six, It is a taboo for anyone aspiring to become an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to underestimate anyone, devalue
anyone, or think that someone will never succeed or amount to anything in life. Such thinking and
action is tantamount to denigrating the handiwork of Olo;du¾mare¾. In Ogbe¾ WeÙÙ¾yi¾n (Ogbe¾ I®wo¾ri¾), Ifa;
says:
Da;sôa; Awo eti; omi

Gba¾gba¾gi¾a¾ Awo ale¾ô Ifeô¾
Di;a; fu;n E®ni;
A bu¾ f’EÙ:yi¾nwa¾
Owo; ni n o; ni¾i; o¾, ta lo; mo¾ô?
Ta lo; m’e¾ôyi¾nwa¾
Ta lo; r’o;ôla
OÙmoô ni n o; ni¾i; o¾, ta lo; mo¾ô?
Ta lo; r’o;ôla
Ile; ni n o; ko;ô o¾, ta lo; mo¾ô?
Ta lo; r’o;ôla
Ire gbogbo ni n o; ni¾i; o¾, ta lo; mo¾ô
Ta lo; r’o;ôla
Translation:
Da;sa;, the Awo of the river side

Gba¾gba¾gi¾a¾, the Awo of Ife¾ô land
They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for E®ni; (today)
They also cast for E®Ùyi¾nwa¾ (the future)
If I am to be blessed with wealth, who knows?
Who can predict the future?
Who knows tomorrow?
If I am to be blessed with a spouse, who knows?
Who knows tomorrow?
If I am to be blessed with children, who knows?
Who knows tomorrow?
If I am to be blessed with property, who knows?
Who knows tomorrow?
If I am to be blessed with all the Ire of life, who knows?
Who knows tomorrow?
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Omoluabi
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that nobody should ever think that another person will not succeed
because we are not aware of what the future awaits another. The success or otherwise of anyone
is in the hands of Olo;du¾mare¾, Ifa; and the Iru;nmoôleô¾/O®ri¾sôa¾.
Seven, Ifa; says that when one has faith in Ifa;, when one is hardworking, when one is prayerful,
and when one is hopeful, it shall be well in the end. In another stanza of Ogbe¾ We¾ôyi¾n (Ogbe¾
I®wo¾ri¾), Ifa; says:
Bi; wo;ôn ba; j’e¾ru¾ du¾n yi;n

EÙ ma; sôe jeô; ko; du¾n yi;n o
Oun ti; Awo o; jeô
Ki¾ i; wo;ôn l’oô;do¾ô Ikin
Di;a; fu;n Yo;o;-du¾n-gbe¾ôyi¾n
Ti;i; sôe a¾re¾ômoô Ewu;ro
Bo; ba; wu oôla; OÙlo;ôrun
OÙ®ro¾ô mi ka¾sôa¾i¾ du¾n gbe¾ôyi¾n
Bo; ba; wu oôla; Ori; mi
Bo; ba; wu oôla; Ifa; mi
EÙ wa;a; ba; ‘ni ni; je¾ôbu;tu; ire
Translation:
If you are denied of your rightful share

Do not let it perturb you at all
Whatever an Awo consumes
Will never be scarce at the feet of Ifa;
This was the declaration of Ifa; to Yo;o;-du¾n-gbe¾ôyi¾n (It shall be sweet in
the end)
The first child of Ewu;ro (the Bitter-leaf/Vernonia Amygdalina)
When in the midst of misery and want
He complied
By the special grace of God
My matter shall be sweet in the end
By the special grace of my Ori;
My situation shall improve in the end
By the special grace of Ifa;
My condition shall be better in the end
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Come and see all the Ire of life
In this stanza, Ifa; enjoins all those aspiring to be OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to place his/her hope on Olo;du¾mare¾,
his/her Ori; and also Ifa;. Also in O®Ùba¾ra¾ E®gu;nta;n (O®b
Ù a¾ra¾ O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
Ile; san mi;

Oko o; san mi;
Di;;a; fu;n Aki;nsanmi;
Ti;i; sô’oômoô I®ko;ri;-Aga
E®yi; to; d’e¾ôbi¾ti¾ si;’le¾ô
A®-re;-si;’wa;ju; p’ogu;n
A®-re;-s’e;ôyi¾n p’oôgboô¾n
A®-re;-s’a;a¾rin gu¾ngu¾n p’a¾a;do;ôta
O: na’wo;ô fa i¾ti; gbu¾ngbu¾n
I®gbi;n me;ôri¾ndi;nlo;gu;n tu;n ja;bo;ô
I®gba¾ti; o; la’nu re¾ô ha¾a¾
Oyin tu;n n; ka;n si; i l’e;ônu
Yo;o; pada¾ de;’le;
I®ya¾wo; to; l’o;yu;n ti bi; i¾beji¾
O: ni; aye; o¾un du¾n bi; aye; Ala;a¾fin
EÙ wa;a; ba; ‘ni ni; je¾ôbu;tu; ire gbogbo
Translation:
I wreap benefits at home

And I also wreap benefits in the farm
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Aki;nsanmi;
The offspring of I®ko;ri;-Aga
When he set up a trap
And the front stroke of the trap killed 20 animals
The back stroke killed 30 animals
The middle stroke killed 50 animals
He pulled down a creeper plant in order to use it as rope
Sixteen land snails fell down
When he opened his mouth in exclamation
Honey dropped into his mouth
When he returned home
His pregnant wife delivered a set of twins
He declared that his life was as fufilled as that of the Ala;a¾fin
Here is how the story goes: Aki;nsanmi;, the offspring of I®ko;ri; Aga was a very unsuccessful animal
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Omoluabi
trap setter. For several years he had been working without seeing anything to show for it. He
went many times to go for Ifa; consultation and Ifa; consistently would tell him to continue with his
profession. He was assured that he would soon have cause to celebrate his good luck and
success.
One day, Aki;nsanmi; went to the forest to check his trap and to his surprise the trap that fell in
front had killed 20 animals, the one at the back had killed 30 animals and the one in the middle
had killed 50 animals. Aki;nsanmi; gathered all the animals together and realized that he needed
rope to tie them together for easy carriage. He then saw a creeper plant very close by and pulled
it down in order to use it to tie the animals together. Again, to his surprise and unlimited joy, 16
land snails fell down from the tree. When he shouted in exclamation of his good luck, pure honey
dropped into his open mouth. When he got back home his pregnant wife had delievered a set of
twins. He exclaimed that his life was as fulfilled as that of the Ala;a¾fin of O®Ùyoô; land.
When those who would become envious of Aki;nsanmi;’s sudden rise from grass to grace heard of
this comment from him, they rushed to O®Ùyoô; to complain that Aki;nsanmi; was abusing and
ridiculing the Ala;a¾fin. Hearing this, the Ala;a¾fin ordered Aki;nsanmi;’s immediate arrest and added
that he should be brought to his presence immediately. Aki;nsanmi; was dragged and beaten
mercilessly and was brought before his royal majesty. They asked him to explain his temerity for
abusing the Ala;a¾fin. He explained what had happened and said that it was his utmost joy that
made him say that his life was as fulfilled as that of the Ala;a¾fin. He pleaded that he never
intended to abuse his royal majesty.
When the Ala;a¾fin heard his story, he concluded that Aki;nsanmi;’s life was indeed fulfilled and that
what had happened to him was multiple miracles that only Olo;du¾mare¾ could have provided. He
asked Aki;nsanmi; if he had a personal house of his own and Aki;nsanmi; responded that he did not.
He also asked him if he had land that was suitable for a erecting a house. Aki;nsanmi; responded
that he did. That was when the Ala;a¾fin ordered that building workers must follow Aki;nsanmi; to his
home and they must erect 16 rooms on the right and 16 rooms on the left for Aki;nsanmi;. That
was how Aki;nsanmi; added property ownership to all the other miracles that had happened to him
in just one day.
According to this story, no one should be underestimated. Anyone can receive the miracle of
Olo;du¾mare¾ at any time. Aki;nsanmi; received the miracle of Olo;du¾mare¾ and in just one day, he
moved from being one of the dregs of society to one of those on the very top. He began to dine
and wine with many great people in his community. This is what hopefulness is all about. Also, in
the I®din Iwinlara; (O®di; Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
Awo o; ke;re; Awo o¾ni;

Awo o; da¾gba¾ Awo o¾ôla
OÙ®ge¾ôdeô¾ ni;i; gb’o;do¾ sô’oôsôi¾n sô’oôra¾
Awo OÙla;me¾ni;-mo¾ôla
Di;a; fu;n O®ni;-l’oju;-po;ôn-mi-moô
Ti;i; sô’oômoô bi;bi; inu; A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
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L’o;ôjoô; to; n; t’o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;’ye;

N®je;ô o¾ni; l’oju; po;ôn mi moô o
Bo; ba; d’o¾ôla a di i¾ro¾ôru¾n
Bi; o¾ôpa; kan ba; woô du¾ndu;n
Igba woroworo ni;i; lu¾ fu;n jo;
O®ni; l’oju; po;ôn mi moô o
Bo; ba; d’o¾ôla a di i¾ro¾ôru¾n
Translation:
The insignificance of an Awo is for today

Tomorrow the Awo shall grow up and become great
The banana stays by the river and enjoys comfort and regale
The Awo of OÙla;me¾ni;-mo¾ôla
These were Ifa;’s declarations for “My-suffering-ends-today”
The child of A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
He complied
Today, my suffering ends
Tomorrow, it shall turn to comfort
When the Dundun drum is struck with a stick
200 jingles will dance and shake in response
Today, my suffering ends
Tomorrow, it shall turn to comfort
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that the moment one places all ones hope on Olo;du¾mare¾, Ori;, Ifa; and the
Iru;nmoôleô¾/O®ri¾sôa, the person is bound to move from obscurity to prominence. Also in OÙ®sa; Adi;joô
(OÙ®sa; I®wo¾ri¾), Ifa; says:
OÙ®sa; wo¾ o;
I®wo¾ri¾ ma;a k’i;ye¾ si;’le¾ô
Di;a; fu;n Olo;kun E®e¾pe¾ô
Ti; yo;o; wa; d’Olo;kun A®ji;ki;
E®mi Olo;kun Eru¾pe¾ô
Mo wa;a; d’Olo;kun A®ji;ki;
Mo ko;ô’le; Aje;
Mo ko;ô’le; Aya
Mo ko;ô’le; OÙmoô
Mo koô;’le; A®i¾ku;
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Omoluabi
Mo ko;ô’le; Ire gbogbo
Translation:
OÙ®sa;, please take a look at it

I®wo¾ri¾, please observe everything carefully
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the OÙloô;fin of the bare floor
Who will later transform into the OÙloô;fin worthy of daily veneration
He complied
This is me, the OÙloô;fin of the bare floor
I have now transformed into the OÙloô;fin who is being venerated daily
I erect a home of prosperity
I erect a home of spouses
I erect a home of children
I erect a home of longevity
And I erect a home of all the Ire of life
With the statement of Ifa; in the Odu¾ above, it becomes clear that anyone who places his/her
hope on Olo;du¾mare¾, Ori;, Ifa; and the Iru;nmoôleô¾/O®ri¾sôa¾ such hope is not misplaced.
Eight, Ifa; says that hope and perseverance are the two solutions for success. If one perseveres
and places his/her hope on Olo;du¾mare¾, Ori;, Ifa; and the Iru;nmoôleô¾/O®ri¾sôa¾, the person will end up
rolling out the drums for celebration. In O®tu;ru;po¾ôn n;gbo¾ôn’wu; (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn O®fu;n), Ifa; says:
A®do;o¾sôi; l’o¾o¾gu¾n oôroô¾

Di;a; fu;n A®ba¾ja¾
Ti;i; sôe OÙloôtan EÙ®re¾ôkeô;
O®sôi¾ o¾ ta A®ba¾ja¾
Ko; sôi; loô l’EÙ:e¾ôkeô; moôreô o
Translation:
Perseverance is the pancea for prosperity

This was Ifa;’s declaration for the A®ba¾ja¾ (the tribal mark)
The companion of EÙ®re¾ôkeô; (the cheek)
He complied
No tribulation shall befall the A®ba¾ja¾ (the tribal mark)
For him to disappear from the cheek
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that with perseverance success is bound to follow. Also in OÙ®ka¾nra¾n Roro
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(O®Ùka¾nra¾n I®rosu¾n), Ifa; says:
EÙni a¾a¾ye¾ o¾ gba¾ ni;i; sun’ku;n

O®un o¾ le¾ la¾ moô;
EÙni Ori; ba; da; ni; i; ni;’re gbogbo
Ifa; n; sun’ku;n oôwoô; o¾un o¾ ba’re gbogbo
Baba gb’eô;boô ni;’be¾ô o; si¾ sô’eôboô o
N®jeô; ero I®po, a¾ti t’O®Ùfa¾
EÙ wa;a; ba; ’ni ni; je¾ôbu;tu; ire
Translation:
He who lacks the space to operate is the one who cries and laments that he will never succeed
again
He who is in harmony with his Ori; is the one who will receive the blessing of all the Ire of life
When lamenting his inability to receive the blessing of all the Ire of life
He complied
The story goes thus, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was suffering from want, deprevation and poverty. He went for Ifa;
consultation. He was advised to offer eôboô. He was also assured that he would soon receive all the
Ire of life that he was looking for. The Awo advised O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to take good care of any visitors and
strangers. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ complied with all the advice of the Awo.
One day, Ire, the favorite child of Olo;du¾mare¾ was coming from heaven to earth. Olo;du¾mare¾ gave
Ire all the good things of life that anyone could aspire for and wrapped it in a tattered sack.
Olo;du¾mare¾ instructed Ire that when she arrived on earth she should give all these good things to
whoever took very good care of her. Ire put on some wragged clothing and headed for the planet
earth. When she arrived on earth, all those whom she met chased her away. Only O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
welcomed her into his home. He gave her water to bathe and gave her a new dress to wear. He
also prepared food for her to eat. It was after this that Ire revealed her true personality to
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ then received the blessings that were over and above his wildest imagination.
In this Odu¾, for one to move from failure, poverty and deprevation to success and
accomplishment certain things must happen:
a. The person must be experiencing severe deprevation
b. There is bound to be a defined test to determine the level of this person’s faith in
126
Omoluabi
himself/herself, Olo;du¾mare¾, and¾ in his/her Ori;.
c. The person must have hope that he/she will not die in wretchedness, poverty, deprevation,
discomfort or agony. It is the hope that tomorrow will be better than today that actually will
prepare him/her psychologically and emotionally for all the Ire of life that he/she will eventually
be blessed with.
In Ifa;, believing that tomorrow will be better than today is not only in the area of financial gain or
success. The person must also have this type of belief in the areas of matrimonial relationships
and all areas of life. Perseverance and hope are the panacea for matrimonial peace and harmony.
In O®fu;n Oni;gba¾di¾ (O®fu;n O®di;), Ifa; says:
O fu;n’di¾i; o so;
O sô’oô¾ra¾n o o¾ be¾ôeô¾be¾ô
O o¾ be¾ôeô¾be¾ô, o¾ n; gb'oni;ko¾ju; feôeôreôfeô
Emi lo wa wa; de;’bi oko Ajere ni; mi;mu
Di;a; fu;n I®ya¾wo;
Ti; yo;o; b’e;ôku;n re’le; oôkoô
Ti; yo;o; ba;’yo¾ô wa;’le;
EÙ wa;a; ba; ‘ni ba; je¾ôbu;tu; oômoôô
Translation:
You tightened your anus and farted

You acted wrongly and refused to apologize
You refused to apologize and insisted that you were waiting for whomever
could confront you
What led you to where you had to swear by ordeal
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the new bride
When going to her husband’s home with cries and lamentation
But who would return with joy
She complied
Join us in the midst of abundant children
Here in this Odu¾, the newly wedded wife got to her matrimonial home with regrets, pain, anguish
and disappointment. With perseverance and hope however, she returned home with joy,
accomplishment and many children. It is the duty of all Ifa; devotees to have the hope that those
who rely on Olo;du¾mare¾ for all there needs shall never go away empty handed.
Nine, Ifa; says that success becomes sweeter and better cherished if one has labored, toiled and
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suffered before it is achieved. In I®rosu¾n O®Ùpeô¾me;ô (I®rosu¾n I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
Ka; ji;, ka; da;’na; lo; yeô oômoô olo;ko

Mo t’a¾ku¾ro¾ô de; lo; yeô oômoô o¾n¾yagbe¾ô
O®ni; l’a¾se¾ yo;o; ka¾n mi; lo; yeô obi¾nrin go¾go; ni;’le; oôkoô
Bi; o¾ tie¾ô le¾ loô ata ku;nna;
Ifa; n; loô aye; a¾yeôn¾yeô tu;n yeô
Bo; ba; yeô’fa; a; yeô mi;
Yeôyeô ni ma¾ri¾wo¾ n; yeô ‘Moôleô¾
Bo; ba; yeô mi; a; yeô’fa;
Yeôyeô ni ma¾ri¾wo¾ n; yeô ‘Moôleô¾
Translation:
Waking up and setting the fire for food is what befits the child of a farmer
Returning from the swamp plantation is what befits the child of a farm owner
Today is my turn to prepare food is the statement that befits the woman in her matrimonial home
Even if she cannot grind pepper properly into a fine paste
When going into the world of befitting honor and suitability
He complied
If it befits Ifa;, it will also befit me
That is the way that a palm frond befits ‘Moôleô¾
If it befits me, it will also befit Ifa;
That is the way that a palm frond befits ‘Moôleô¾
Also in OÙ®wo;ônri;n Weôsôeô-weô;sôeô¾ (OÙ®wo;ônri;n O®Ùsôeô;), Ifa; says:
O®gbo;lo;gbo¾o; ala;ka¾n ni;i; ri¾n fangafanga

L’o;ri; afa;ra;
Di;a; fu;n SÙa¾po¾de¾ôeô¾re¾ô
Ti; n; sô’awo loô ileô¾ Hau;sa;
SÙa¾po¾de¾ôeô¾re¾ô ma; rin’se¾ô loô o
Awo o¾ le¾ gboô;’fa; to; ‘yi¾i;
Ko; tu;n rin’le¾ô-i;le¾ô
SÙa¾po¾de¾ôeô¾re¾ô ma; rin’se¾ô loô
Translation:
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Omoluabi
A giant crab is it that walks haphazardly on top of a bridge

This was the message of Ifa; for SÙa¾po¾de¾ôeô¾re¾ô
When going on an Ifa;’s mission to Hau;sa; land
He complied
SÙa¾po¾de¾ôeô¾re¾ô please don’t trek back to your home town
An Awo cannot be this knowledgeable
For him to be trekking about
SÙa¾po¾de¾ôeô¾re¾ô please don’t trek back to your land
In this Odu¾, the story goes thus: SÙa¾po¾de¾ôeô¾re¾ô was a prominent Awo. He went to Hau;sa; land on an
Ifa; mission and trekked there because he did not have enough money to purchase a horse. When
he got to Hau;sa; land, he proved being a fantastic Ifa; priest. It did not take long before everyone
in the land knew that SÙa¾po¾de¾ôeô¾re¾ô was a very competent Babala;wo.
When he was returning from Hau;sa; land, all the inhabitants of the land whom he had helped in
elevating the quality of their lives gathered money together and bought him a horse. Instead of
trekking back home, he galloped on a horse back to his home land.
One can now realize that no matter how tough a situation may be, as long as one has faith,
perseverance, hope, and one is prayerful, suffering shall turn to satisfaction, pain shall turn to
pleasure, grief shall turn to grace, and despair shall turn to assurance and comfort. In Ogbe¾ SÙo¾o;to;ô
(Ogbe¾ O®Ùsa;), Ifa; says:
A®ro¾ye; Awo A®gbi®¾gbo¾

Di;a; fu;n A®gbi¾g¾bo¾ni¾wo¾ônra¾n
Ti; wo;ôn ni; ko¾ le la¾ moô; la;i;la;i;
O: gb’e;ôbôoô, o; ru;’boô
A®ro¾ye; o de; o, Awo A®gbi¾gbo¾
Woô;n ni; t’e¾mi i; ta;n
Ifa; ni; t’e¾mi i; ku¾
A®ro¾ye; o¾, Awo A®gbi¾gbo¾
Translation:
A®ro¾¾ye;, the Awo of A®gbi¾gbo¾ (the hoopoe)

He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for the Hoopoe
When he was condemned to never succeed in life
He complied
Here comes A®ro¾ye;, the Awo of the Hoopoe
They declare that mine is completely finished
But Ifa; declares that mine remains
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All hail A®ro¾ye, the Awo of the Hoopoe
When the situation of someone is about to improve, it is not uncommon to find that person in an
extremely tough and intolerable situation. This is the time that such a person needs to understand
that hardship, deprevation, grief, pain and discomfort are in their last struggle. They are about to
die and vanish in that person’s life. After this is when joy, accomplishment, success, self
actualization and overall wellbeing will follow. In I®wo¾ri¾ Wo;wo; (I®wo¾ri¾ OÙ®sôeô;), Ifa; says:
Ti; yo;o; ba¾a; de¾ô

Kokooko ni;i; le o
Ti; baba jeô gbe¾se¾ EÙgba¾a; ogu;n
Ti; wo;ôn ni; ko; fi eôgôba¾a;-‘gbo¾ôn ru;’boô
EÙ ba; 'ni ni; je¾ôbu;tu; aje; gbuurugbu
I®wo¾ri¾ o o¾ wo’wo; ni
Translation:
When there is going to be peace and comfort

It will first be tough and unbearable
When he owed 2,000 cowries in 20 places
He was advised to offer eôboô with 2,000 cowries in 30 places
He complied
Join us in the midst of abundant Ire
I®wo¾ri¾, come and look at money
Also in I®wo¾ri¾ O®jawu¾sa; (I®wo¾ri¾ OÙ®sa;), Ifa; says that happiness will be falling upon accomplishment in
the home of he/she who perseveres. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Gba;ruru gba;ruru bi; oôyeô;

A®fo¾moô; ni;i; di’raa re¾ô bi; e¾e¾ya¾n
Di;a; fu;n Du¾nn;ni;
Ti;i; sô’oômoô i¾ya; Oyin
I®du¾nnu; wa;a; sôubu; l’oyin ni;’le; e wa o
Translation:
As cloudy as the harmattan
The parasite behaves like a human being
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Omoluabi
This was Ifa;’s declarations for Du¾nn;ni; (the salt)

The sibling of Oyin (the honey)
They (Du¾nn;ni; and Oyin) were advised to offer eôboô
They both complied
Happiness has joined sweetness that is like honey in our home
In I®rosu¾n Agu;nbi;ade;, (I®rosu¾n O®di;), Ifa; says:
O®ni;-lo;-ni-mi; Awo O®ni;-lo;-ni-mi;

Bo; ba; d’o¾ôla, ka¾sôa¾i¾ roô Awo gbeô¾yi¾nwa¾
Woô;n ni; ki; baba f’iya;n ka¾si¾ boô’kin reô¾
Ni;tori; ire gbogbo
L’o;ni¾i; l’oju; n; po;ôn Awo
Bo; ba; d’o¾ôla, ka¾sôa¾i¾ r’Awo gbe¾ôyi¾nwa¾
Translation:
Today is my period of inconvenience, the Awo of O®ni;lo;nimi;

By tomorrow I shall have peace and comfort
When he was advised to feed his Ifa; with stale pounded yam
In order to receive all the Ire of life
He complied
Today is the period of inconvenience for the Awo
Tomorrow there will be peace and comfort for the Awo
As can be seen, hope is a great catalyst that catapults things from obscurity to prominence, from
failure to success, and from desperation to assurance. In I®din A®a;ri;n (O®di; O®Ùwoô;nri;n), Ifa; has this to
say on hopefulness:
Oju; to; n; po;ôn Awo, a¾poô;nku; ko;ô

O®sôi¾ to; n; ta Awo, a¾tala¾ ni
O®tu;tu¾ e¾e¾ya¾n mu; 'ni
O: ju o¾tu;tu¾ asôoô loô
Di;a; fu;n I®di;
I®di; n; loô oko oôdeô
O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô…
Translation:
The suffering of an Awo is not forever
The wants of an Awo shall soon give way to surplus
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The desire for fellow human beings is more compelling than the desire for dresses
These were Ifa;’s declarations for I®di;
He complied…
In this Odu¾, Ifa; assures anyone striving to become an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; that suffering and want will not
last forever, they are but transient experiences that will soon fade away and give way to joy and
surplus. Also in I®din Iwinlara; (O®di; Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
Bi; a ba; pe;ô l’a;ye;, a o; l’o;wo;

Bi; a ba; da¾gba¾da¾gba¾, a o; l’o;ôroô¾
A o¾ le¾ ji; ni; ku¾tu¾ku¾tu¾
Ka; moô bi; a ti ya¾n’pi;n eôni o
Iwinlara; ni wo;ôn sôe’fa; fu;n
Ti;i; sô’oômoô Ikin l’O:ke¾ A®pa¾
E®yi; ti; n; loô re¾e; fe;ô e¾ni¾ya¾n
Ti;i; sô’oômoô Awu¾jale¾ô
Fu;nfu;n l’owo; fu;n
Owo; o¾ t’E:e¾ya¾n
E®e¾ya¾n l’oômoô Awu¾jale¾ô
Translation:
If we live long, we shall become rich

If we grow old, we shall become wealthy
We cannot wake up early in the morning
And know exactly how our destinies were chosen
These were Ifa;’s declarations to Iwinlara;
The child of the Ikin at A®pa¾ land
When going to marry E®ni¾ya¾n
The child of Awu¾jale¾ô
He complied
As important as money is
It is not as valuable as a human being
A human being is the child of Awu¾jale¾ô
In the Odu¾ above, three important things were mentioned by Ifa;: one, with perseverance we shall
become successful; two, nobody can predict how exactly our destinies were chosen; and three, as
important and sought after as money is, it is far less valuable than one’s fellow human beings. In
I®wo¾ri¾ A®sôo;ri;n (I®wo¾ri¾ O®gu;nda;), Ifa; has this to say:
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Omoluabi
Ka; f’e¾su;ru; boô’po

Ka; f’o¾ôgeô¾de¾ô boô’yoô¾
Di;a; fu;n Aboômoôji¾ngi;n
Ti; n; sun’ku;n ire t’o¾un pe;ô l'o;;ôrun
Ji¾gi¾di;ri¾ndi;n o¾ gbeôdeômukeô
A o; f’o¾ôroô¾ yi¾i; r’e;ôri¾n-i;n o¾
Gbeôdeômukeô
Ji¾gi¾di;nri¾ngi;n o¾ gbeôdeômukeô
Translation:
Let’s dip e¾su;ru; (Pennisetum purpureums) into palm oil

And dip O®Ùgeô¾de¾ô (banana) into salt
These were Ifa;‘s declarations for Aboômoôji¾gi;;n (the one who has many lively children)
When she was lamenting because her Ire had over stayed in heaven
She was advised to offer eôôboô
Ji¾gi¾di;nri¾ngi;n o¾ gbeôdeômukeô (relax and rejoice)
We shall all rejoice over this issue in the nearest future
Ji¾gi¾di;nri¾ngi;n o¾ gbeôdeômukeô
In this Odu¾, Ifa; assures us that no matter how tough or late the situation may be, we are bound
to celebrate in the end. In O®Ùye¾ôku; Paki;no¾ôsôeô; (O®Ùyeô¾ku; O®Ùsôeô;), Ifa; says:
O®Ùyeô¾ ku;sôeô;-ku¾sôeô¾-ku;sôeô;
Awo ile; Olo;mu¾-Ape¾ôra;n
Di;a; fu;n Olo;mu¾ Ape¾ôra;n
Ni;'jo;ô ire ile; e woôn ti sôi; loô
Ire aje; to; ti sôi loô l’O:mu¾ n; boô¾ wa; Ifa;
OÙ®ye¾ô ku;sôeô;-ku¾sôeô¾-ku;sôeô; o
I®woô ma¾ l’awo ile; Olo;mu¾
Ire aya to; ti sôi loô l’O:mu¾ n; boô¾ wa; Ifa;
Ire oômoô to; ti sôi loô l’O:mu¾ n; boô¾ wa; Ifa;
Ire gbogbo to; ti sôi loô l’O:mu¾ n; boô¾ wa; Ifa;
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Translation:
The resident Awo of Olo;mu¾’s household
He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for Olo;mu¾ Ape¾ôra;n
When all the blessings of his household had moved away
He complied
The Ire of prosperity that had gone away in Olo;mu¾’s household is coming
Back
The resident Awo of Olo;mu¾
The Ire of spouse that had gone away in Olo;mu¾’s household is coming back
You are the resident Awo of Olo;mu¾
The Ire of children that had gone away in Olo;mu¾’s household is coming back
All the Ire of life that had gone away in Olo;mu¾’s household is coming back
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains another scenario where the person involved had achieved great success
but the success had disappeared. Ifa; assures even in this type of scenario, that as long as the
person involved has hope, perseverance, self confidence, and he/she has faith that Olo;;du¾mare¾,
Ori;, Ifa; and the Iru;nmoôleô¾/O®ri¾sôa¾ will perform wonders in his/her life once again, all what had
disappeared will return again. In OÙ®ye¾ôku; Teôku; A®sôa; (OÙ®ye¾ôku; O®Ùsa;), Ifa; says:
E®Ùeô¾kan o¾ku;’na¾ ab’i¾ta pa¾ra¾pa¾ra¾ ja;’na¾

Ifa; n; lo¾ôoô; tu;n ahoro baba re¾ô sôe
Ifa; ni yo;o; soô ahoro di’le;
O®o¾sôa¾ ni yo;o; soô oô¾de¾ôdeô¾ d’oôja¾
Ifa; ni yo;o; soô ahoro di’le;
Translation:
The E®Ùeô¾kan grass of the abandoned path grows and expands

This was Ifa;’s declaration for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When going to repair his deserted ancestral home
He complied
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Omoluabi
Ifa; will turn a deserted site into a living home

O®ri¾sôa¾ will turn a sitting room into a market
Ifa; will turn a deserted site into a living home
It is clear from all the evidence sighted above that hopefulness is one of the strongest weapons
of anyone who wishes to become an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;, which can be used to turn bad to good in one’s
life.
135
CHAPTER EIGHT
O®kiko¾ igi a su¾n ma; pa¾’ha¾ da¾
Di;a; fu;n Ire
Ti;i; sô’oômoô Oni;wa¾ni¾
EÙni to; ba; fe;ô Ire e; ni;
Ko; na su¾u;ru¾ si
Bi;’nu; ba; le l’a;leju¾
Ire yo;o; koôja;
O®di; O®gu;nda;
Translation:
A fallen tree lays without changing sides

This was Ifa;’s declaration for Ire (Overall Wellbeing)
The offspring of Oni;wa¾ni¾
Those who plan to have Ire in life
Let them exercise restraint
If one is excessively obstinate
All the Ire of life will pass one by
PATIENCE
Patience: The ability or willingness to wait or defer gratification or result, the ability or
willingness to wait it out. Willingness or ability to suffer pain, delay, irritation, disappointments and
so on without complaint or protest; ability or willingness to persevere. In order to understand
what Ifa; says about patience, we need to note the following cardinal points about what Ifa; says.
These are:
One, Ifa; expects a certain type of behavior from all the people who aspire to become OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;.
In O¾®Ùka¾nra¾n So'de¾ (O®Ùka¾nra¾n Ogbe¾), Ifa; gives the following instructions.
A ki¾i; sô’oômoô Babala;wo ka; bi;’nu;

A ki¾i; sô’oômoô Oni;sôe¾gu¾n ka; sô’a¾i¾gboôdoô¾ra¾n
A ki¾i; sô’oômoô Baa;le¾ô ka; ba¾’lu; je;ô
Di;a; fu;n Ade;ka¾nm;bi;
Ti;i; sô’oômoô OÙ®ka¾nra¾n-so'de¾
Ade;ka¾nm;bi; oômoô OÙ®ka¾nra¾n-so'de¾
Mo gboô; wi;pe; Awo n; so’de¾
Mo ba; woôn so o
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Omoluabi
Translation:
We cannot be the child of a Babala;wo and exhibit anger

We cannot be the child of an Herbalist and display recalcitrance
We cannot be the child of a community leader and spoil the community
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ade;ka¾nm;bi;;
The child of O®Ùka¾nra¾n so'de¾
He complied
Now, Ade;ka¾nm;bi;;
The child of O®Ùka¾nra¾n so'de¾
I’ve discovered that the Awo are tying Ifa beads
And I’ve decided to join them in tying mine
In this Odu¾, Ifa; mentions three important things:
A. The child of a Babala;wo must not ever be seen displaying anger anywhere. The reason for this
is that the profession of the father is such that it gives the father a lot of spiritual, psychological,
and social power over many people in the community, even the power over life and death. For this
reason, if the child of a Babala;wo displays anger, it will automatically be seen as a threat to the
life and wellbeing of those who such a child is angry with. It will cause fear among the people and
many will think that the father will automatically do something toward them in order to defend his
child. The child’s behavior can also give the father and the rest of the family a bad name.
B. The child of an Herbalist must not ever show recalcitrance in the community. The reason for
this is the same as that of a Babala;wo’s child. The community members will begin to think bad of
the family and/or fear that the Herbalist will do works against them.
C. The child of a community leader must never do anything to bring problems to the community.
This is because the parents of such a child control the whole community and if their child is the
one bringing problems into the community, it will be difficult for the subjects of that leader to
have any respect for the community head. If there is no respect it will be difficult to maintain law
and order in the community. If the maintenance of law and order is difficult to maintain in the
community, progress and development will be strangers of such a community.
Two, what we need to understand about patience is that on no condition must anyone be
expecting to be known as or be called an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. This must be something that occurs naturally.
Also, no one must be in a hurry to succeed or achieve any goal through the back door or through
cutting corners. Slow and steady should be the motto of all those seeking to be OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. In OÙ¾®sôeô;
Oro;gbe¾ (O®Ùsôeô; Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
E®ji¾ka; ni;i; m’o;ôru¾n p’eôga¾

Di;a; fu;n Ma;ka;nju;oôla;
Ti;i; sô’oômoô bi;bi; inu; A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
E®yi; to; n; t’o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;’le; aye;
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Ifa; o¾ ni;i; ku; run l’o;gu;n oôdu;n
E®ro¾ ti; yo;o; sô’oômoô Ikin
Ki; eô ma; ma¾ ka;n’ju;
Ifa; o¾ ni;i; ku; run l’o;ôgboô¾n osôu¾
E®ro¾ ti; yo;o; sô’oômoô Ikin
Ki; eô ma; ma¾ ka;n’ju;
Translation:
The shoulders are the branches of the neck

This was Ifa;’s declaration to Ma;ka;nju;oôla; (Do not be in a hurry to attain honor)
He complied
Ifa; will not perish in twenty years
Those aspiring to be children of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
Ifa; cautions you never to be in a hurry
Ifa; will not perish in thirty months
Those aspiring to be children of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
Ifa; cautions you never to be in a hurry
In the Odu¾ above, Ifa; says that as long as Ifa; is still alive, all children of Ifa; need NOT be in
excessive haste. This is because being in a hurry will never bring them any good result.
Three, Ifa; specifies the type of pace that anyone aspiring to be known as an Ifa; child, and by
extension, an; OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must take. In I®reôteô¾ OÙloôta¾ (I®reôteô¾ O®Ùwoô;nri;n), says:
Ile; e wa a¾jo
O®Ùna¾ ni o¾ sô’oô¾ka¾n
OÙ®na¾ i¾ ba; sô’oô¾ka¾n
Ma ba; oô ri¾n
Ma ba; oô de;’le; kokooko
Di;a; fu;n ‘Bi;a¾la¾
Ti; yo;o; k’a;po¾ Iwi;n
I®ri¾n i Baba a wa, i¾ri¾n e¾e¾ra¾ ni o
I®ri¾n i Baba a wa, i¾ri¾n e¾e¾ra¾ ni
EÙni i; ba; le¾ gba; t'e¾e¾ra¾¾
Lo; le¾ gba; t'EÙ®du;
I®ri¾n i Baba a wa, i¾ri¾n e¾e¾ra¾ ni o
138
Omoluabi
Translation:
Our houses are far apart from each other

Our routes are not the same
Had it been that we were to take the same route
I would have followed you
And I would have accompanied you to your house
These were Ifa;’s declarations for ‘Bi;a¾la¾
When planning to become a student of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
The movement of our father is like that of an ant
It is only those who can follow an ant
Those are the ones who can follow EÙ®du; (OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾)
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that only those who have the patience to follow the movement of an ant
will have the patience to be his own students. The meaning of this is that an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must be
someone who is patient enough to follow the movement of an ant, which also implies not being
impatient and wishing things to manifiest or be given to you quickly.
Four, to live long has no special medicine. Only meekness/gentility are the panacea for longevity.
In O®tu;ru;po¾ôn N:gbo¾ôn’wu; (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn O®fu;n), Ifa; says:
EÙ ku; i¾ru; Awo O®de E®Ùgba;

EÙ ku; e¾ru¾ ni; tu;;tu¾ Awo O®de I®je¾ôsôa¾
Ara o¾wu; ni wo;ôn n; bu¾ u; sô’e¾ni¾ o¾wu;
O®tu;ru;po¾ôn n; gbo¾ôn’wu; le¾ôbeô¾-le¾ôbeô¾ ma; lee¾ ran
Di;a; fu;n A®gba¾a¾gba¾¾ meô;fa¾
Woô;n n; loô si;’le; Olu;-Ife¾ô
Woô;n n; lo¾ôoô; toôoôroô ogbo;
A®sôe; ogbo; o¾ l’o;o¾gu¾n
Jeô;e;ôjeô;e;ô l’o¾o¾gu¾n ogbo;
Bo;o ri; ja¾m¾ba; ma; ra¾a; lu¾u;
A®sôe; ogbo; o¾ l’o;o¾gu¾n
Jeô;e;ôjeô;e;ô l’o¾o¾gu¾n ogbo;
Translation:
Well done for the way you have offered the eôboô, the Awo of EÙ®gba; land
Your performance of the E®tu¾tu¾¾ is commendable, the Awo of I®je¾ôsôa¾ land
We give a piece of cotton wool to the customer as an incentive for buying the cotton wool
O®tu;ru;po¾ôn is spinning the cotton wool without turning it into thread
These were the declarations of Ifa; to the six elders
139
When going to the land of O®tu Ife¾ô

In order to plead for longevity
So, longevity has no special charm
Meekness is the panacea for longevity
If you see danger don’t go into it
So, longevity has no special charm
Meekness is the panacea for longevity
In this Odu¾, it is clear that it is unadvisable for anyone to rush into danger head on, it will only
lead the person who does that into grief and regret. In O®tu;ra; Amo;su¾ (O®tu;ra; I®rosu¾n), Ifa; says:
A®woôn Awo ni;i; sôe bi; ojo, bi; ojo

A®woôn A®gba¾ i¾sôe¾gu¾n ni;i; sôe bi; a¾i¾gboôdoô¾ra¾n
A®i¾gboôdoô¾ra¾n A®gba¾ i¾sôe¾gu¾n ni o¾ mo¾ô p’o;gun o;; ja¾’lu;
Babala;wo to; gbo;ô’fa; ni;i; soô fu;n woôn o
Di;a; fu;n E®de¾-o¾-mo¾ôna¾
Ti; n; sô’awo loô si;’le; Olu;po A®la;elu;
O: ni; ko; ru;’boô ni;tori; ogun…
Translation:
All Babala;wo are noted for behaving like cowards

All proficient herbalists are noted for their stubbornness
The stubbornness of a proficient herbalist precludes them from knowing that war is at hand
Only a prominent Babala;wo will be able to inform them
These were the declarations of Ifa; to E®de¾-o¾-mo¾ôna¾
When going on Ifa’s mission to the palace of Olu;po A®la;elu;
He was advised to offer eôboô against an uprising…
In this Odu¾, Ifa; advises especifically all Babala;wo but also all people in general to “act like
cowards” in order for them to live long. The word coward actually refers to the importance of
behaving with gentility. It is this quality that all Babala;wo are expected to possess in order for
them to live long. The Babala;wo or any person for that matter, who behaves like nothing can
harm him or her will only end up living a short life.
Five, Ifa; insists that before any child of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾, and by extension any OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;, seeks to inflict
punishment for any infringement on his/her person, property or loved one, 16 years must have
passed by. Anything short of this is not acceptable and the person will be considered an impatient
person. In Ifa;, there is no such thing as having too much patience; Insufficient patience however
is a problem. In Olo;su¾n N: W’o¾ye (I®rosu¾n I®wo¾ri) Ifa; says:
To; ba; to;’je, a¾a; sôe¾’je ni

To; ba; t’e;ôfa¾, a¾ maa sô’eô¾fa¾
To; ba; d’oôdu;n keôri¾ndi;nlo;gu;n
140
Omoluabi
OÙloô;ro¾ô a¾ sôa¾i¾ be;e¾re¾ o¾ôroô¾ oô reô

Baba n; ra;n Gu;nnugu;n oômoô oô reô¾ loô s’a;la¾de I®wo¾ye¾
Ti; wo;ôn o; na Igu;n wa;’le;
I®gba¾ ti; e¾ô n; jeô’gu;n ni;’ya¾ n’I:wo¾ye¾
Ifa; e¾mi o¾ si; ni;’be¾ô o
Translation:
When it is seven days

We will perform the seventh day ceremony
When it is six days
We will perform the sixth day ceremony
In 16 years time
An aggrieved person will then ask for redress of his matter
When going to send Gu;nnugu;n his child to the land of I®wo¾ye¾
When you were punishing and humiliating people in I®wo¾ye¾ land
Ifa;, I was not there
The story goes thus, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ sent Gu;nnugu;n, his spiritual son, to I®wo¾ye¾ town to deliver a
message for the inhabitants of the town. Instead of welcoming Gu;nnugu;n to the land, they beat
him mercilessly and stripped him naked. He bled profusely from the wounds and cuts he
sustained. He returned to O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ in Ado; E®ki¾ti¾ and narrated the whole ordeal to him. He was
expecting O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to rise up in arms against all the inhabitants of I®wo¾ye¾ land and destroy them
for laying their hands on his beloved child. Therefore, it was a surprise and disappointment for
Igu;n when O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ advocated patience for him. He could not believe that O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ would allow
those who had beaten him mercilessly to go unpunished immediately and ask him to keep quiet.
He nonetheless decided to nurse his disappointment and grudge against O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ then
decided to send several messages to I®wo¾ye¾ in order to know what had occurred for them to
decide to humiliate and beat his delegate. Instead of explanations however, they sent back insults
to O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾. O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ waited for 16 long years before he finally decided to punish those who had
disgraced his child. When the punishment came however, the whole land of I®wo¾ye¾ shook to its
very foundation. Those who managed to escape came rushing to O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to plead their
innocence on the matter and those who were not involved at all were spared.
As one can see before one can take any step there must be at least 16 years of patience exhibited
by the person. The significance of Ifa; stating 16 years is that Ifa; is emphasizing WAITING
THINGS OUT for a LONG TIME and examining the facts from all directions well before taking
any action. Anything short of this is considered to be impatience by Ifa;. In Ogbe¾ I®yoô;nu; (Ogbe
O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
Oni;nu;-fu¾fu¾ ni;i; be;e¾re¾ i¾ja¾ oôdu;n me;ôta

141
Ni;jo;ô ti; baba ra;n Igu;n oômoô oô reô¾ loô sô’awo l’o;de I®wo;
Ti; wo;ôn na¾a; wa;’le;
EÙ wa;a; ba;’ni ni; je¾ôbu;tu; ire
Translation:
A quick tempered person is the one who takes revenge over something that happened three years
previous
This was the Ifa; cast for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When sending Igu;n his child on an Ifa; mission to I®wo;
He was beaten mercilessly
He complied
The story is the same as in I®rosu¾n I®wo¾ri¾ above. This time however, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ sent Igu;n to I®wo;
land on an Ifa; mission. Upon getting there, Igu;n was mercilessly beaten. O®Ùru;nmi¾la advised Igu;n
to exercise patience. Three years after the incident, Igu;n told O®Ùru;nmi¾la that it was time to go and
demand for justice. O®Ùru;nmi¾la responded that Igu;n was being too quick tempered. He told Igu;n
that anything less than 16 years was unacceptable to Ifa. Before the time reached 16 years
however, the inhabitants of I®wo; realized their folly and they decided to apologize to both Igu;n and
O®Ùru;nmi¾la for what had occurred three years ago. Igu;n was handsomely compensated and the
matter was amicably resolved to the satisfaction of Igu;n and O®Ùru;nmi¾la.
Six, the way a person appears may not necessarily tell one his or her true character. It is the
responsibility of all those who strive to be known and called OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to investigate properly all
things before forming an opinion on anyone or anything. Giving a bad and incorrect opinion on
someone is a great offense against a person and Olo;du¾mare¾. Giving a wrong and bloated opinion
about someone may lead to pain and regret. In I®wo¾ri¾ W’eôreô¾ (I®wo¾ri¾ I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
I®ri; aye; ri; 'ni

Ko¾ kan a¾i¾mo¾ôwa¾ a; hu¾
Ti; Baba o; k’a;po;
Ti; yo;o; la’de¾ b’oôru¾n
Ti; yo;o; la’tan m’o;do; iya;n danyindanyin
N®jeô; I®wo¾ri¾ o o¾ w’eôreô¾
O o¾ r’o;gun l’o;re¾e;re; OÙba
142
Omoluabi
I®wo¾ri¾ o o¾ w’eôreô¾
Translation:
The way the world perceives one

Does not automatically imply that one does not know how to behave
These were Ifa;’s declaration for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When he gathered all his materials by himself
And put an Ide¾ around his neck
And began preparing his own food by himself
He complied
Now, I®wo¾ri¾, can’t you see tribulation?
Can’t you see crisis in the home of an OÙba?
I®wo¾ri¾, can’t you see terrible tribulation?
In this Odu¾¾, Ifa; explains that the behavior of this person may be the result of tribulation and
misfortune that that person is suffering from and is not as a result of his/her own misconduct or
bad attitude. In other words, the person’s misfortune and/or tribulations are causing them to act
badly but this is not their usual behavior.
Seven, everyone seeking to be known as an OÙÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must be prepared to suffer before

enjoyment. In I®rosu¾n A®fi;n (I®rosu¾n O®fu;n), Ifa; says:
Bi; a o¾ ba; j’i¾ya to; k’a;gbo¾ôn

A ki¾ i; j’oore to; k’a;ha;
Ti;; yo;o; f’Amo;su¾n oômoô oô reô¾ sô’oôfa¾
Ti; yo;o; loô re¾e; teô A®fi;n ni;’fa;
N®je;ô Ifa; kan ti; mo te¾ô, mo he’re
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ lo; lo¾ôoô; teô A®fi;n ni;’fa;
Ifa; kan ti; mo te¾ô, mo he’re
Translation:
If we do not experience a basketfull of suffering and tribulation

We will not be able to experience a cupful of enjoyment
When going to put his child Amo;su¾n into servitude
And when going to initiate an Albino into Ifa;
He complied
143
Now, I reaped a huge profit from the one Ifa; initiation that I performed
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was the one who initiated the Albino into Ifa;
I reaped a huge profit from the one Ifa; initiation that I performed
Also in Ogbe¾ Do¾su¾nmu; (Ogbe¾ I®rosu¾n), Ifa; says:
I®ya¾ la¾a; jeô teô;’le¾ô iku¾n

Ka; to;o; j’oore
Di;a; fu;n ko;ko; Irin
Ti; n; sô’awo loô o¾de I®ra¾wo¾ô
E®yi; ti; yo;o; loô s’o;de I®ra¾wo¾ô
Ti; yo;o; loô k’oô;ro¾ô wa;’le;
Ti; yo;o; j’oye¾ Olo;ri; Iwin
O: gb’e;ôboô,ô o; ru;’boô
O®o¾sôa¾-Oko pe¾ôleô; o, A®gba¾ I®ra¾wo¾ô
O wa;a; d’eôni a¾pe;si¾n
Translation:
We need to experience suffering first

Before we reap any benefits
This was the declaration of Ifa; for Ko;ko; Irin (the Iron Pieces)
When going on a spiritual mission the land of I®ra¾wo¾ô
And who would arrive at I®ra¾wo¾ô land
And return with prosperity
And who would become the head of all O®ri¾sôa¾ Oko devotees known as Olo;ri; Iwin
He complied
Gently, O®ri¾sôa¾ Oko, the elder in I®ra¾wo¾ô land
You have now become a great leader worthy of veneration
Another example can be found in Ogbe¾ Hu;nle; (Ogbe¾ O®Ùwoô;nri;n), where Ifa; says:
Bi; Ifa; eôni o¾ ba; gbe’ni

I®sôeku;sôe ni;i; ko;o; sôe’ni
Di;a; fu;n O®o¾reô-Seô¾gi¾
Ti; n; re’le; Oni;ju¾mu; loô¾o;ô sôu’ti;
EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe
O®o¾reô-Seô¾gi¾, Awo ile; Oni;ju¾mu;
Di;a; fu;n Oni;ju¾mu;
To; f'eô¾yi¾nti¾ mo;ju; eôku;n su¾nra;hu¾n oômoô
EÙboô ni woô;n ni;; ko; wa;a; sôe
144
Omoluabi
O: gb’eô;boô, o; ru;’boô
EÙ wa; ba;’ni ba;’yo¾ô
EÙ wa;a; wo’re o
Translation:
When one’s Ifa; is about to support one

It will first make one go through tribulation
This was the declaration of Ifa; for O®o¾reô-Seô¾gi¾
When going to Oni;ju¾mu;’s house to purchase liquor on credit
He complied
O®o¾reô-Seô¾gi¾, the resident Awo of Oni;ju¾mu;
He cast Ifa; for Oni;ju¾mu;
When she was weeping in lamentation of her inability to beget her own babies
She complied
Come and see all the Ire of life
In this Odu¾, Ifa; makes it clear that the life of the person is going to be tough and painful at first
before it becomes easy and pleasurable. Ifa; advises us also to pray for good at all times and
never to be in a hurry. In doing this, all will be well at the end of the day. In E®ji¾ Ogbe¾, Ifa; assures
us that with patience all will become successful. In this particular stanza, Ifa; says:
Ifa; lo; di le;ôeô;le;ô

Mo lo; di le;ôeô;le;ô
OÙmoô Eku leô;e;ôleô; ale;ô a¾na; n;ko;ô Ifa;
OÙmoô Eku leô;e;ôleô; ale;ô a¾na; n; beô o
Ko; sôa; sôi¾ maa j’i¾ya¾-ji¾ya¾
Ko; sôa; sôi¾ maa j’i¾sôeô;-j’i¾sôeô;
O: n; bo¾ô wa;a; do¾’yi;;-bo¾’yi;
O: n; bo¾ô wa;a; d’o¾ôta¾ta¾-bata¾
O: n; bo¾ô wa;a; di To¾ro¾fi;nni;,
Ti; n; sô’oôloô;ja¾ l’a;wu¾joô oômoô Eku
A mu; To¾ro¾fi;nni; j’oôloô;ja¾ Ifa;
Gbogbo oômoô Eku
EÙ ya¾¾ wa; eô wa;a; si¾n
Gbogbo oômoô Eku
OÙmoô EÙja leô;e;ôleô; ale;ô a¾na; n;ko;ô Ifa;
145
OÙmoô EÙja leô;e;ôleô; ale;ô a¾na; n; beô o

O: n; bo¾ô wa;a; di A®ka;a;gba;
Ti; n; sô’oôloô;ja¾ l’a;wu¾joô oômoô EÙja
A mu; A®ka;a;gba; j’oôloô;ja¾ Ifa;
Gbogbo oômoô EÙja
Gbogbo oômoô EÙja
OÙmoô EÙyeô leô;e;ôleô; ale;ô a¾na; n;ko;ô Ifa;
OÙmoô EÙyeô leô;e;ôleô; ale;ô a¾na; n; beô o
O: n; bo¾ô wa;a; di OÙ®ki;n Ni¾ni¾i¾ni¾
Ti; n; sô’oôloô;ja¾ l’a;wu¾joô oômoô EÙyeô
A mu; OÙ®ki;n j’oôloô;ja¾ Ifa;
Gbogbo oômoô EÙyeô
Gbogbo oômoô EÙyeô
OÙmoô EÙran leô;e;ôleô; ale;ô a¾na; n;ko;ô Ifa;
OÙmoô EÙran leô;e;ôleô; ale;ô a¾na; n; beô o
O: n; bo¾ô wa;a; di Ki¾ni¾u;n Ni¾ni¾i¾ni¾
Ti; n; sô’oôloô;ja¾ l’a;wu¾joô oômoô EÙran
A mu; Ki¾ni¾u;n j’oôloô;ja¾ Ifa;
Gbogbo oômoô EÙran
Gbogbo oômoô EÙran
OÙmoô EÙni leô;e;ôleô; ale;ô a¾na; n;ko;ô Ifa;
OÙmoô EÙni leô;e;ôleô; ale;ô a¾na; n; beô o
146
Omoluabi

O: n; bo¾ô wa;a; di O®Ùka¾nm¾bi;
Ti; n; sô’oôloô;ja¾ l’a;wu¾joô oômoô EÙni
A mu; OÙ®ka¾nm¾bi; j’oôloô;ja¾ Ifa;
Gbogbo oômoô EÙni
Gbogbo oômoô EÙni
Translation:
Ifa; says that it is a gradual process

I say that it is a gradual process
Where is the poor rat of yesternight
The poor rat of yesternight is still alive
Let her continue to suffer
Let her continue to experience want
She will soon become great
She will soon become prominent
She will soon become To¾ro¾fi;nni;
The leader among all rats
We have made To¾ro¾fi;nni; the leader now
All rats
Come and pay your tribute
All rats
Where is the poor fish of yesternight
The poor fish of yesternight is still alive
She will soon become A®ka;a;gba;
The leader among all fish
We have made A®ka;a;gba; the leader now
All fish
All Fish
Where is the poor bird of yesternight
The poor bird of yesternight is still alive
147

She will soon become O®Ùki;nNi¾ni¾i¾ni¾
The leader among all birds
We have made O®Ùki;n the leader now
All birds
All birds
Where is the poor beast of yesternight
The poor beast of yesternight is still alive
She will soon become Ki¾ni¾u;nNi¾ni¾i¾ni¾
The leader among all Beasts
We have made Ki¾ni¾u;n the leader now
All beasts
All beasts
Ifa; says that it is gradual process
Where is the poor man of yesternight
The poor man of yesternight is still alive
Let him continue to suffer
Let him continue to experience want
He will soon become great
He will soon become prominent
He will soon become O®Ùka¾nm¾bi;
The leader among all humans
We have made O®Ùka¾nm¾bi; the leader now
All humans
All humans
In the Odu¾ above, Ifa; says that even though there may be suffering at the initial stages, with
perseverance such a person is bound to move from grass to grace and from want to surplus. In
another stanza in I®wo¾ri¾ A®sôo;ri;n (I®wo¾ri¾ O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says that all shall be well in the end. In this
stanza, Ifa; says:
Ka; t’e¾su;ru; boô’po

ô eô¾de¾ô boô’yoô¾
Ka; t’o¾g
148
Omoluabi
Di;a; fu;n Aboômoô Ji¾ngi;n

Ti; n; sun’ku;n pe; ire t’o¾un peô; l’o;ôrun o
N®jeô; Ji¾ngi;n-Ji¾ngi;n o¾ gbeôdeômukeô o
A o; f’o¾ôroô¾ yi¾i; r'eô;ri¾n-i;n o¾ gbeôdeômukeô
Translation:
Let us dip e¾su;ru; (Pennisetum purpureums) into palm oil

And let us dip O®Ùge¾ôdeô¾ (banana) into salt
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Aboômoô-ji¾ngi;n
(One who has many lively children)
When lamenting that her Ire over stayed in heaven
Now, Ji¾ngi;n-Ji¾ngi;n o¾ (relax and rejoice)
Gbeôdeômukeô o
We shall rejoice over this matter in the nearest future
Also in I®rosu¾n Oni;ja¾ye¾ (I®rosu¾n O®Ùwoô;nri;n), Ifa; says:
Agogo o¾ ni;i; du;n l’o;ôrun

Ka; gb’o;hu¾n-un re¾ô ni;’le; aye;
Agogo o¾ ni;i; du;n ni;’le; aye;
Ka; gb’o;hu¾n-un re¾ô l’o;de o¾ôrun
Di;a fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
Ti; n; loô ogun peô¾lu; o¾ôkoô¾o¾ôka¾nle;ru;n Iru;nmoôleô¾
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ f’iye¾ de;’nu; o
Ifa; ko; o mu; su¾u;ru¾
EÙni to; ba; ni; su¾u;ru¾ ni;i; l’a;je;
EÙni to; ba; ni; su¾u;ru¾ ni;i; l’a;ya
EÙni to; ba; ni; su¾u;ru¾ ni;i; bi;’moô
EÙni to; ba; ni; su¾u;ru¾ ni;i; koô;’le;
EÙni to; ba; ni; su¾u;ru¾ ni;i; n’i;re gbogbo
EÙni to; ba; ni; su¾u;ru¾ ni;i; ja’gun a¾ja¾sôeô;’gun
Translation:
A gong cannot be sounded off in heaven

For the sound to be heard on earth
A gong cannot be sounded off on earth
For the sound to be heard in heaven
149
When going to war along with the 401 Iru;nmoôleô¾

He complied
Ifa;, please be patient
EÙ®du;, patience is the watchword
Whoever is patient is guaranteed financial success
Whoever is patient is guaranteed a good spouse
Whoever is patient is guaranteed children
Whoever is patient is guaranteed all the Ire of life
Whoever is patient is guaranteed a victorious battle
In the stanza above, all the 401 Iru;nmoôleô¾ decided to go to war. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ went for Ifa; consultation
and was advised to be patient and not go along with the other Iru;nmoôleô¾ on the same day.
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ complied.
When he finally decided to go to the war, all the other Iru;nmoôleô¾ had already acquired victory and
had taken all the spoils of the war. Hardly anything was left. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ wondered what on earth
would be his own loot since he had arrived so late. Suddenly, he saw an old woman sitting under
a tree.This old woman had been left behind because the Iru;nmoôleô believed that she was of no
value or use to them being very old.
While OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ kept pondering about the situation, E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ appeared and advised him to take
the old woman home as his own spoils of war. He agreed and when he got back home, he took
care of the old woman and gave her plenty of food, clothing, and wonderful accomodations.
Once some time had passed, the woman asked OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ whether he knew her name or not.
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ never having bothered to ask her name replied that he did not know her name. She told
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that her name was Su¾u;ru¾, (Patience) and that all her children had been captured by the
Iru;nmoôleô during the war. She stated that her children were named: Aje;, (wealth), Oku¾n, (beads),
Ideô, (brass), OÙloô;gi¾nni¾nginni¾asôoô I®ra¾da¾, (valuable clothing materials from I®ra¾da¾ land), etc. She then
told OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ that all of them would soon be coming back to her.
One day, O®gu;n’s household broke into chaos. Everything had turned upside down. He went to
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s house for Ifa; consultation and he was advised to offer his wealth from the war as eôboô.
O®gu;n brought Aje; as eôboô material which he had captured during the war. When Aje; saw her
mother in OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s house, she immediately decided to stay with her. Other Iru;nmoôleô too had
one form of problem or the other that led them to consult Ifa; at OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s house. They too were
advised to bring their loot from the war as eôboô if ever they wanted peace and calm in their
households. They complied and all their loot automatically became OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s. This was how the
children of the old woman came back to live with OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ and he became prosperous thereafter.
From the story above, it is clear that with patience, all the Ire of life is guaranteed. Patience and
success work and live together. Patience particularly is important for all practitioners to cultivate
and exhibit.
150
Omoluabi
Eight, nobody seeking to become an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must rely on one’s legacy, inheritance, or any
other short cut to success. In I®ka; EÙleôja (I®ka; I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
Awu;ru;ku; sô’eô;yi¾n
O®Ùna¾ ko¾ koô eôni¾kan
O®Ùna¾ o¾ koô eôni buru;ku;
O®Ùna¾ o¾ koô eôni rere
Di;a; fu;n Agb’o;ju;-l’o;gu;n
Ti;i; sôe A®re¾ômoô Oni;gbori;
EÙ®yin o¾ ri; Agb’o;ju;-l’o;gu;n
To; wa;a; fi ara a re¾ô f’o;sôi¾ ta?
Translation:
Awu;ru;ku; has broken his back

The path does not discriminate against anyone
It will not discriminate against a wicked person
It will also not discriminate against a benevolent person
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Agb'o;ju;-lo;gu;n (he who relies on inheritance)
The first child of Oni;gbori;
Can’t you see Agb'o;ju;-lo;gu;n (he who relies on inheritance)
As he opens himself up to suffering and want?
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that those who rely on benefiting from other people’s sweat to succeed,
will live every moment of their life with regrets, suffering, and wants. Anybody striving to become
an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must work very hard. He/she must also rely on his/her own sweat to climb the
ladder of success that will eventually take him/her to the zenith of his/her chosen career.
Nine, there are certain aspects of our lives that have been predestined through our A®ya¾nmoô;.
These aspects, no matter how hard we may attempt to change them, cannot be changed. Of
course, we can always fool ourselves into thinking we’ve changed them but this is not a wise
thing to do. Only working hard with what one was given, good or bad, and being prayerful and
hopeful in Olo;du¾mare¾ will bring improvement into our lives. In yet another stanza from I®wo¾ri¾
A®sôo;ri;n (I®wo¾ri¾ O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
A ku;n'le a yan E®Ùda;

A d’a;ye; ta;n, oju; n; ka;n ‘ni
A®sôi¾ya¾n EÙ®da; o¾ l’a;ko¾ôoô;le¾ô
151
Di;a; fu;n Ileô¾mu;da¾ a ya¾n 'pi;n

Ni;gba¾ ti; o; de;’le; aye; ta;n
O: n; sun’ku;n ire gbogbo
N®je;ô oô¾ro¾ô yi¾i; o¾ kan Ee;gu;n
Be;ôeô¾ ni ko¾ kan O®o¾sôa¾
EÙleô;da¾a; eôni l’oô¾ro¾ô oô; ka¾n
Translation:
We knelt and chose our destiny

On reaching the earth, we became impatient
There is no rejection of any mischoosen destiny
These were the declarations of Ifa; for Ile¾ômuda¾ a ya¾n 'pin
When coming into the world and weeping in lamentation for his inability to acquire all the Ire of
life
He complied
The matter is not for any Ee;gu;n
Neither is it for any O®ri¾sôa¾
It is a matter of one’s Ori; and destiny
Ten, nobody must because of suffering, tribulation or want take away his/her own life. The same
punishment that Olo;du¾mare¾ will give anyone who takes away someone else’s life, awaits the
person who takes away his/her own life. Suicide is self murder. Ifa; explains further that it may be
at the exact time that this person is planning to take away his/her own life that all the Ire of life
which he/she has lacked will come tumbling his or her way. In I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ Pa¾ju¾ba¾ (I®wo¾ri¾ OÙ®ba¾ra¾), Ifa
says:
Aj’a¾ka¾sôu¾ to; l’o;un o; t’oku¾n b’oôru¾n

E®wo ni at’ori-jeô yo;o; wa sôe
Di;a; fu;n I®wo¾ri¾-O®-p'a¾ju¾ba¾
Ti; n; re’nu; i¾gbe;ô loô¾oô; so do;gbo;do;gbo;
I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ p’a¾ju¾ba¾ ma; ma¾ bi;’nu;
I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ p’a¾ju¾ba¾ ma; ma¾ so
Ire n; bo¾ô ni;’wa;ju;
Ire n; bo¾ô l’eô;yi¾n
I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ p’a¾ju¾ba¾ ma; ma¾ so
Translation:
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Omoluabi
He who consumes an entire corn meal and plans on committing suicide by hanging himself
What does he expect the person who eats the leftovers in the cornmeal wrapper to do?
This was the declaration of Ifa; to I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ p’a¾ju¾ba¾
When going into the forest to hang himself
He complied
I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ p’a¾ju¾ba¾, don’t give into anger and frustration
I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ p’a¾ju¾ba¾, don’t hang yourself
All Ire of life is coming from the front
All benefit of life is coming from behind
As we can see in the ten cardinal points of patience, Ifa; warns everyone who wishes to become
an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to persevere and to pray for the good things of life to come their way. Without
patience, nothing good can come because whatever one achieves in a hurry will not stay with one
for long. All those seeking to be OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must learn to be patient and continue working hard
until the thing they are seeking becomes ripe or mature enough to enter that person’s life. Forcing
things into one’s life, unripe things, will only bring one frustration and chaos. In I®rosu¾n O®Ùke¾ôeô¾re
(I®rosu¾n O®Ùka¾nra¾n), Ifa; says:
O: sa;’re; geregere, o; fi de; SÙaki;

O: f’i¾ri¾n gbe¾ôreô¾ gb’oye¾ Ife¾ô
Di;a; fu;n Ab’i¾ri¾n-gbe¾ôreô¾
Ti; n; lo¾ôoô; gb’oye¾ l’oô;wo;ô Oni;sôaki;
Asu;re;-gere o¾ m’o;ye¾ de;’le;
Ari¾n’ri¾n-gbe¾ôreô¾ ni yo;o; gb’oye¾ na;a¾ jeô l’oô;wo;ô oô woôn
Translation:
He ran rapidly until he got to SÙaki;

He trekked leisurely and majestically to get a title in Ife¾ô
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ab'i¾ri¾n-gbe¾ôreô¾ (he who walks majestically)
When going to take a title from Oni;sôaki;
He complied
He who runs rapidly
Will not get any title
It is he who walks leisurely that will be given a title
In most aspects of life, those who rush, usually end up being the losers. What Ifa; advocates is
perseverance. In Ogbe¾ I®yoô;nu; (Ogbe¾ O®gu;nda;), Ifa; has this to say:
Ka; ma; fi ka;n’ju; ka;n’ju; sô’aye;, Awo OÙloô;fin
153
Ka; ma; fi wa¾ra¾wa¾ra¾ m’o;ku¾n oôroô¾

Oun ti; a o¾ ba; fi sô’a¾gba¾
Ka; ma; fi sôe i¾bi;nu;
Bi; a ba; de;’bi to; tutu¾
Ka; sinmi-sinmi o
Ka; wo iwa;ju; eôjoô; loô ti;ti;i;ti;
Ka; wo e¾ôyi¾n o¾ôroô¾ loô wo¾ su¾n
Ni;tori; a¾ti su¾n eôni ni o
Di;a; fu;n OÙla;bo¾ôde;
Ti; gbogbo aye; n; bu¾ ku¾
Ti; Olo;du¾mare¾ ni¾kan sôosôôo n; bu¾ ku;n
Ti; yo;o; si¾ wa; ju gbogbo aye; loô
Translation:
Do not let us live our lives in a hurry, the Awo of OÙloô;fin

Do not let us hold the rope of prosperity with desperation
Whatever we ought to use maturity on
Do not let us use anger
If we get to a comfortable place
Let us take a much deserved rest
Let us consider the beginning of any matter deeply
And let us take a deep consideration on the possible outcome of the matter
In order not to have impediments on the day of judgement in heaven
These were the declarations of Ifa; for OÙla;bo¾ôde;
He who the whole world was denigrating
But who only Olo;du¾mare¾ was elevating
He will eventually become greater than the whole world…
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that whoever is with God is in the majority and nobody on earth will be
able to rubbish anyone who has Olo;du¾mare¾ as his or her pillar of support. In another stanza of
Ogbe¾ I®yoô;nu; (Ogbe¾ O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
O®ni; le¾ô n; wo¾

I®gbe¾ôyi¾n mi ka¾sôa¾i¾ to¾ro¾
Di;a; fu;n Ma;ka;nju;oôla;
Ti;i; sô’oômoô EÙleô;ri¾n-in Sôa¾je;je;
E®yi; to; n; f’omi oju; su¾ngbe;re¾ ire gbogbo
N®je;ô Ma;ka;nju;oôla;, oômoô EÙleô;ri¾n-in SÙa¾je;je;
I®woô si¾ tu;n pada¾, o d’olo;wo;
Aye; e¾ reô tutu¾ j’omi loô
N o; ba; oô d’EÙ:ri¾n-in SÙa¾je;je;
154
Omoluabi
Ma;ka;nju;oôla;, oômoô EÙleô;ri¾n-in SÙa¾je;je;

I®woô si¾ tu;n pada¾, o d’ala;ya
N o; ba; oô d’EÙ:ri¾n-in SÙa¾je;je
I®woô si¾ tu;n pada¾, o d’oôlo;;ômoô
I®woô si¾ tu;n pada¾, o d’oni;re gbogbo
Translation:
You are considering my condition today

My life shall not but end in success
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ma;ka;nju;oôla;
The offspring of EÙleô;ri¾n-in SÙa¾je;je;
When weeping in lamentation for his inability to receive all the Ire of life
He complied
Ma;ka;nju;oôla;, the offspring of EÙleô;ri¾n-in SÙa¾je;je;
You have now transformed and become a rich person
Your life has become cooler than water
I will follow you to EÙleô;ri¾n-in SÙa¾je;je;
You have now transformed and become a married man
You have now transformed and become a father of many children
You have now transformed and acquired all the Ire of life
In this Odu¾, Ifa; assures us that with patience and perseverance, there is nothing that we will not
be able to achieve. In OÙ®ye¾ôku; L’ogbe¾ (OÙ®ye¾ôku; Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
Ka;nju;ka;nju; ko¾ sôe e fi sôe aye;

Wa¾ra¾wa¾ra¾ ko¾ sôe e; ta’ku¾n oôroô¾
155
Oun ti; a o¾ ba; fi sôe a¾gba¾

Ka; ma; fi sôôe i¾ka;nju;
Di;a; fu;n Ma;ka;nju;oôroô¾
Ti; yo;o; fi Ma;ka;nju;oôla; sô’aya
O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’bo…ô
Translation:
Hastiness should not be applied in the world

Hurriedness will not bring prosperity
What we are supposed to use maturity for
We must not use haste
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ma;ka;nju;oôroô¾ (don’t be in a hurry for prosperity)
When going to take Ma;ka;nju;oôla; (don’t be in a hurry for honor) as a wife
He complied…
Also in OÙ®ye¾ôku; Ba¾tu;ru;po¾ôn (O®Ùyeô¾ku; O®tu;ru;po¾ôn), Ifa; says:
Afe;ôfeô; n; fe;ô, mo ri; yee

Ga¾nga¾nmu; t’igbo; ga¾nn;ga¾n wa;
Ifa; n; f’eyi;n m’e;ôkeô;
O: n; f’eôseô¾ m’o;ku¾n
O: n; f’agbede me;ji¾ t’ile¾ôku¾n a¾i¾ku; pi¾ri¾pi¾ri¾
OÙ®ro¾ô EÙ®du; n; san-a;n bo¾ô wa;
SÙingindin,
OÙ®ye¾ôku; Ba¾tu;ru;po¾ôn
SÙingindin
Translation:
The wind blew

And there was dust everywhere
The dropped leaves were carried from the forest to the city
When Ifa; was using his teeth to hold onto the rafters
And using his feet to hold onto the ropes
And using the trunk of his body to block the door against death
He complied
156
Omoluabi
The matter of Ifa; is improving

SÙingindin
OÙ®ye¾ôku; Ba¾tu;ru;po¾ôn
SÙingindin
In the two stanzas above, Ifa; explains that with patience, prayers, perserverance, eôboô ri;ru; and
reliance in Olo;du¾mare¾, any difficult situation is bound to improve for the better and there is going
to be cause for celebration. In Ogbe¾ O®gu;nda;, Ifa; says:
Igbo; eti;’le; o¾un e¾ôgbin

Ya¾ra; a¾ju¾mo¾ôsu¾n o¾un i¾ya¾
Ya¾ra; a¾ju¾mo¾ôsu¾n, i¾tale¾ô ni;i; je;ô
Di;a; fu;n Ma;ko¾ôsôeô;
A bu¾ fu;n Ma;ko¾ôya¾
Woô;n gb’e;ôboô, woô;n ru;’boô
Ma; ko¾'ôsôeô; o, ko; o si¾ ma; ko¾ô'ya¾
Ma; ko¾ô'sôeô;-ko¾ô'ya¾ ko; o ma; da’re wo¾ônyi; nu¾
Translation:
The forest close to the town is filled with filth

The common room which many sleep in is full of afflictions
The common room is known for harboring many grubs
These were Ifa;’s declarations to Ma;ko¾ôsôeô; (do not challenge your tribulations)
The same was also declared to Ma;ko¾ôya¾ (do not challenge your suffering)
When weeping in lamentation for their inability to acquire all the Ire of life
They complied
Please do not challenge your tribulations
Please do not challenge your suffering
Do not challenge both your tribulations and suffering
So as not to lose all the Ire of life
On patience and perseverance, a stanza in I®rosu¾n Ake¾re¾gbe¾ (I®rosu¾n Ogbe¾) says:
Su;n mo;ô mi peô;ki; pe;ôki;

Ki; n ko;ô oô l’oô;gbo;ôn
F’i¾ja¾ a; le¾ô ko; o mu; su¾u;ru¾
Bi;’nu; o¾ ba; bi; ’ni l’a;a¾a;ro¾ô
O: sôe e; bi; ’ni l’o;ôjoô; ale;ô
Di;a; fu;n Igu;n
157
Ti;i; sôe oômoô Olo;jo¾gbo¾n¾lo;ro¾

Ti; n; loô ba; woôn gba;’ja¾ I®la;fun
OÙja¾ t’a;woôn da; yi¾i; ko¾ le¾ ba¾je¾ô ni Igu;n da;’fa; si;
O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;;’boô,
O: gb’e;ru¾ o; tu¾
N®je;ô n o; ba; woôn gb’oô;ja¾ aje;
Keôgeôreô
N ka¾ sôa¾i¾ ba; woôn gb'oô;ja¾
N o; ba; woôn gb’oô;ja¾ aya
Keôgeôreô
N o; ba; woôn gb’oô;ja¾ ire gbogbo
Keôgeôreô
Igu;n ni mi;
N o¾ l’o;lo;di¾ kankan
Keôgeôreô
N o¾ sôa¾i¾ ba; woôn gb’oô;ja¾
Keôgeôreô
Translation:
Move very close to me

Let me teach you wisdom
Drop your confrontations and embrace patience
If there is no anger in the morning
Why should there be anger in the evening time?
These were the declarations of Ifa; for Igu;n
The child of Olo;jo¾gbo¾n¾lo;ro¾
When going to establish a market at I®la;fun
Igu;n consulted Ifa; in order to know if this market would spoil or not
He complied
He also perform E®tu¾tu¾
I will join them in opening the market of prosperity
Keôgeôreô
I will join them in establishing the market
I will join them in opening the market of compatible spouses
Keôgeôreô
I will join them in opening the market of all the Ire of life
Keôgeôreô
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Omoluabi
I am Igu;n
I hold no grudge against anyone
Keôgeôreô
Keôgeôreô
In the Odu¾ above, this Ifa; says that one of the major wisdoms to learn is for one to drop all
confrontation and embrace peace and patience. The moment one does not think that one has any
perceived or real enemy, one will be free to approach everyone in order to make progress. That
was exactly what Igu;n did in the Odu¾. In I®wo¾ri¾ A®sôo;ri;n (I®wo¾ri¾ O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
Su;n mo;ô oô¾hu;n

Ara; o¾ôrun o¾ dun’ra a woôn ni;’le;
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùka¾nm¾bi;
Ti; baba re¾ô o; ku¾u;
Ti; woô;n o; fi i; 'le¾ô la;i¾ pi;n l’o;gu;n
Ti; yo;o; si¾ wa;a; fi gbogbo oômoô ara;ye; sô’ogu;n jeô
OÙ®ka¾nm¾bi; l’Ala;a¾fin OÙ®yo;ô n; je;ô
Translation:
Move to the other side

The inhabitants of heaven will not deny each other accommodation
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®Ùka¾nm¾bi;
When his father died
They installed him as the next OÙba without sharing any of his father’s legacy with him
But he ended up inheriting the whole world as his legacy
He complied
O®Ùka¾nm¾bi; is the name of the Ala;a¾fin of OÙ®yo;ô
Also in I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ P'a¾ju¾ba¾ (I®wo¾ri¾ O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
O®yi;bo¾yi¾i; Awo Isôin lo; sôe’fa; fu;n Isôin

A®ta¾bata¾ Awo O®go¾do¾ lo; sôe’fa; fu;n O®go¾do¾
O®Ùna¾ toô; ta¾a¾ra¾ ma; ya¾
Baba n; loô rin o¾gbe¾re; kiri
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôôe
O: ni; bo; pe;ô ti;ti;
Ori; eku a; gb’e;ku d’o;po¾o;
159
Ori; Awo, ka¾sôa¾i¾ gb’A:wo ja;’na¾

Bo; pe;ô ti;ti;
Ori; eôja a; gb'e;ôja d'o;po¾o;
Ori; Awo, ka¾sôa¾i¾ gb’A:wo ja;’na¾
Ki;nni yo;o; gb’A:wo ja;'na¾
Ori; Awo
Translation:
O®yi;bo;yi¾i; the Awo of Isôin (the akee seed) cast Ifa; for Isôin
A®ta¾bata¾ the Awo of O®go¾do¾ (the silk cotton) cast Ifa; for O®go¾do¾
The straight unbending road
He cast Ifa; for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When he was wandering aimlessly
He complied
He declared: sooner or later
The Ori; of the rat will lead the rat to the correct path
The Ori; of the Awo will lead the Awo to the path of success
Sooner or later, the Ori; of the fish will lead the fish to the correct path
The Ori; of the Awo will lead the Awo to the path of accomplishment
What will lead the Awo to success?
It is the Ori; of the Awo
In the two Odu¾ above, it is clear that with perseverance, patience and prayer one is bound to
move from nothing to abundance, from failure to accomplishment, and from anxiety to peace of
mind. In OÙ®wo;ônri;n SÙogbe¾, Ifa;; says:
Bi; a ba; da;ke;ô

Gbogbo ara eôni ni;i; ba;’ni i; da;ke;ô
Di;a; fu;n Ee;gu;n
Ti; n; r’o¾de OÙ®je¾ô
Ti; yo;o; ba; t’o¾de O®Ùjeô; woô’le;
Bi; a o¾ ba; sôi¾’na¾
A ki¾i; mo¾ô’na¾
Di;a; fu;n Ee;gu;n
Ti; yo;o; r’o¾de O®Ùjeô¾
Ti; yo;o; ba; t’o¾de O®Ùjeô; woô’le;
EÙ®yin oômoôde; wo¾ônyi; eô o; mu; mi de; ko¾to¾
Ni; ko;o;to;, ni;'bi ta; a ti wa;
E®Ùyin leôô o; mu; mi de; ko¾to¾
Ni; ko;o;to;
160
Omoluabi
Ni;'bi ta; a ti wa;

‘Moôde; wo¾ônyi; eô o; mu; mi de; ko¾to¾
Ni; ko;o;to;
Ni;'bi ta; a ti wa;
Translation:
If we keep quiet
Our problems will continue to stay with us
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Egu;ngu;n
When going to the land of O®Ùjeô¾
And when passing through O®Ùjeô¾ to get to his home
He complied
If we do not miss the road
We will not know the road
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Egu;ngu;n
When going to the land of O®Ùjeô¾
And when passing through O®Ùjeô¾ to get to his home
He complied
You children are the ones who will lead me to Ko¾to¾
At Ko;o;to; where we have come from
You are the ones who will lead me to Ko¾to¾
At Ko;o;to; were we have come from
You children are the ones who will lead me to Ko¾to¾
At Ko;o;to; were we have come from
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that even if we miss our way, with patience, perseverance, and prayer, we
will be able to get back on the correct path. Also in OÙ®ye¾ôku; Te’ôku; a¾sa; (O®Ùyeô¾ku; O®Ùsa;), Ifa; says:
O®Ùyeô¾ku; teô’ku; a¾sa;

O: na¾ peregede
Di;a; fu;n Ayi;tale¾ô
Ti; n; j’aye; i¾le;bu;tu;
T’oô¾sa;n t’o¾ôsa;n ni;i; po;ôn Ayi;tale¾ô l’o;ju;
Ti;ti; ale;ô
A di ol’o;n;jeô
T’oô¾sa;n t’o¾ôsa;n l’oju; n; poôn Awo
Bo; ba; d’i¾ro¾ôleô;
A si¾ d’e¾ôroô¾
161
Translation:
O®Ùyeô¾ku; pressed on the nest of the Eagle

And it straightened completely
This was Ifa;’s declarations for Ayi;tale¾ô (the grub)
When living inside the dust
He complied
It is only in the afternoon time that Ayi;tale¾ô will experience want and deprevation
By evening time, he will have abundant food to eat
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains again that with patience, perseverance and prayer all tribulations shall
turn into success and all suffering will be replaced with pleasure. In I®rosu¾n O®Ùpeô¾nmeô; (I®rosu¾n
O®Ùpe¾ô seô¾gi¾se¾ôgi¾ Awo eô¾ba; o¾ôna¾

Ti; yo;o; j’e¾ôgbin-jeô¾’ya¾
Ti; yo;o; le;'ke¾ Aye;
Translation:
The robust palm tree the Awo of the road side

He cast Ifa; for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
Who would experience suffering and tribulation
And would end up rising to the top of the world
He complied…
From this Odu¾, one can see that there is tremendous benefit in exercising patience. The benefits
of demonstrating it are certainly uncountable. It is therefore incumbent on all those who strive to
be OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to exercise patience at all times.
162
Omoluabi
CHAPTER NINE
Afeô;fe;ô n; fe;ô l’o;ke¾ i¾hi;n
Afe;ôfeô; n; fe;ô l’o;ke¾ o¾ôhu;n
O®Ùrun n; mi¾ ti¾ti¾i¾ti¾
Woôn o¾ moô ibi ti; o; soô’leô¾ si;
Gbogbo woôn n; sa; ki;joki;jo
O®Ùrun i¾ha¾-i¾hi;n ki¾i; wo;
Ko; loô si; i¾ha¾-o¾ôhu;n
O®Ùrun i¾ha¾-o¾ôhu;n ki¾i; wo;
Ko; loô si; i¾ha¾-i¾hi;n
Di;a; fu;n Aka;po¾-O®Ùpeô¾
Ti; yo;o; maa j'i;sôeô; E®Ùdu; kiri aye; ka;
Ifa; o o¾ r’oô;wo;ô oô¾ mi
I®sôeô; e¾ô reô ni mo¾ n; sôeô; e;ô kiri
A®teô;leôwoô; o¾ô mi re¾ e; Ifa;
E®mi o¾ jeôun
Ti; mo fi de;’le; Olu;
E®mi o¾ mu
Ti; mo fi d’O:ke¾ O®Ùra
E®mi o¾ jeô
E®mi o¾ mu
Ti; mo fi de; O®ke¾-I®ge¾ôti;, ile; A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
Ifa; mo gbo;ô wi;pe;
Tu;tu¾ lo¾ o; sôe e; f’A:wo
Ifa; wa;a; sôe tu;tu¾ s’a;ye; e¾ mi o
Ifa; mo gbo;ô wi;pe;
A®ku;foôwoô;roôri; lo¾¾ o; sôe fu;n OÙwa;-OÙ®ga;
OÙwa;-Ogi;ri¾ i gbe¾ôdu
OÙmoô okun ye;ye¾
A ja¾ f’ibi ko¾ôroô¾ko¾ôroô¾ la’le¾ô
Ifa; wa;a; sôe A®ku;foôwoô;roôri; si; i¾gbe¾ôyi¾n aye; e¾ mi
L’oô;jo;ô ti; mo ba; ku;
163
OÙmoô ni ki; o je;ô ko; f’eôsôin roô¾ mi; l’o;ri;

I®ka; Me;ji¾
Translation:
There is a high wind blowing from this side

There is a serious storm blowing from that side
Heaven is in great turbulence
No one knows where the rain will fall
Everyone is running helter-skelter
Rainfall cannot start here
For one to suddenly shift to the other side
Rainfall cannot start from the other side
For one to suddenly shift to this side
These were the declarations of Ifa; to Aka;po¾-O®Ùpeô¾
When performing various Ifa; assignments the world over
Ifa;, don’t you see my hands?
I have been suffering everywhere because of you
Here are my two palms Ifa;
I do not eat
Until I reach the home of Olu;
I do not drink
Until I reached O®ke¾ O®Ùra
I do not eat
Or drink
Until I reach O®ke¾-I®ge¾ôti;, the home of A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
Ifa;, I have been reliably informed that
You put peace and harmony into the life of an Awo
Ifa;, I have been reliably informed that
You ensured a peaceful death for OÙwa;-O®Ùga;
Who is also known as OÙwa;-Ogi;ri¾-i-gbe¾ôdu
Offspring of those who greet each other with“Okun ye;e;ye”
He who fights and strikes the base of a sword against the ground
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Omoluabi
Ifa;, please ensure a peaceful end for me too

On the day of my death
Ensure that good children are available to ride on horses after my
departure
DEDICATION
Dedication: The ability to be totally devoted to any course without looking back. To give oneself
completely to a course or belief or project.
Dedication also means committing oneself to certain beliefs, options, assignments, or projects in a
selfless manner without doubt and without looking back. To be an OÙmoÙlu;a¾bi;, this is very
important to have. There is the need for anyone striving to become an OÙmoÙlu;a¾bi; to listen to and
comply with all the instructions of Ifa;, knowing fully well that at the end of the exercise joy,
elevation, peace, and accomplishment shall be realized. There are certain steps that Ifa;
recommends for anyone wishing to dedicate his/her life and actions to the recommendations of
Ifa;. These steps are:
One, there is the need to follow all of Ifa;’s instructions without question. Doing this will give one
the necessary lead on the way to becoming an OÙmoÙlu;a¾bi;. In A®be;ô Reô;’di¾i; (I®reôteô¾ O®di;), Ifa; says:
O®ni; n¾’ wa’ri;n

OÙ®la n¾’ wa’ri;n
Ku¾tu¾ku¾tu¾ n¾’ t’ori;n boô’nu
SÙu¾ku¾sôu¾ku¾ n¾’ gbe; e mi¾
Di;a; fu;n Ani;gaga¾-ni;go¾go
Awo O®Ùga¾ga¾-n¾-gon¾go
E®yi; Ifa; wi; la o; sôe o
Awo Ani;gaga¾-ni;go¾go
E®yi;; Ori; wi; la o; sôe o
Awo OÙ®ga¾ga¾-n¾-gon¾go
Translation:
Today is for searching for the chewing stick

Tomorrow is for searching for the chewing stick
Early in the morning is for chewing the stick to clean one’s mouth
Afterward is for gargling and drinking water
These were Ifa¾’s declarations for Ani;gaga¾-N;i;go¾go
The Awo of O®Ùga¾ga¾-N®-gon¾¾go
It is whatever Ifa; dictates that we shall do
The Awo of Ani;gaga¾-Ni;go¾go
It is whatever Ori; dictates that we shall do
The Awo of O®Ùga¾ga¾-N®-gon¾¾go
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In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that to be an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;, and to achieve success where others have failed, it
is better for one to listen to and comply with what Ifa; and Ori; dictates. By so doing, success is
guaranteed. In another stanza of I®reôteô¾ O®di;, Ifa; says that there is the need for one to follow what
ones Ori; had chosen and was given from heaven. In doing this, one will never make a mistake.
The easiest way to know what one has chosen and what one was given from heaven is to have
regular Ifa; consultation and/or to go for Ifa; initiation. In this stanza, Ifa; says:
O®ni; n¾’ wa’ri;n

OÙÙ®la n¾’ wa’ri;n
Ku¾tu¾ku¾tu¾ n¾’ t’ori;n boô’nu
SÙu¾ku¾sôu¾ku¾ n¾’ gbe; e mi¾
Di;a; fu;n Ani;gaga¾-ni;go¾go
I®gba¾ti; o; n; ti o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;’le; aye;
Owo; la¾a; ni; o, ni;’gaga¾-ni;’go¾go
Oun Ori; ya¾n l’Ori; n; sôe o
Aya la¾a; ni; o, ni;’gaga¾-ni;’go¾go
OÙmoô la¾a; ni; o, ni;’gaga¾-ni;’go¾go
Ile; la¾a; koô; o, ni;’gaga¾-ni;’go¾go
Ire gbogbo la¾a; ni; o, ni;’gaga¾-ni;’go¾go
Translation:
Today is for searching for the chewing stick

Tomorrow is for searching for the chewing stick
Early in the morning is for chewing the stick to clean one’s mouth
Afterward is for gargling and drinking water
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ani;gaga¾-Ni;go¾go
It is wealth that one possesses I®gaga¾ and I®go¾go
What one’s Ori; chooses is what one’s Ori; is doing
It is spouse that one possesses I®gaga¾ and I®go¾go
It is children that one possesses I®gaga¾ and I®go¾go
It is all the Ire of life that one possesses I®gaga¾ and I®go¾go
In this stanza, it is obvious that doing what one’s Ori; had chosen from heaven is a sure ticket to
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Omoluabi
abundant success and self actualization. It is once again the responsibility of anyone aspiring to
become an OÙmoÙlu;a¾bi; to do what his/her Ori; had chosen and also received from heaven.
Two, dedication means complete submission to the will of Olo;du¾mare¾. It means that one has
recognized the fact that it takes more than one’s competence or capability to achieve success. At
all times, one needs divine intervention. In OÙ®sôeô; Bi¾i;le¾ô (OÙ®sôeô; I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
I®hi;n ni n¾ ba; ya¾ si;

O®Ùhu;n ni n¾ ba; ya¾ si;
I®ro¾na¾-i¾ro¾na¾ la¾a; si¾n’ku; o¾ôreô; eôni
Baba n; sôe oun gbogbo
Ti; o¾ôkan o¾ yoô’ri;
Wo;ôn ni; ko; loô fi OÙloô;run re¾ô sôe Baba
Gba¾ mi; o!
OÙloô;run mi gba¾ mi; o
I®woô ni mo gb’i;ye¾ mi le; o
Gba¾ mi; o!
I®woô ni mo f’eô¾yi¾n ti¾
Gba¾ mi; o!
EÙni¾kan ki¾i; f’e¾ôyi¾n ti Olo;du¾mare¾
Ko; d’o;ju; ti ni
Gba¾ mi; o!
Translation:
I would have taken this path

And I would have taken that path
In stages does one bury one’s dear friend
When he was doing all things without succeeding in any
He was advised to take Olo;du¾mare¾ has his Father
Please come to my rescue
My God, please come to my rescue
You are the one I rely upon
You are my pillar of support
Nobody relies on Olo;du¾mare¾
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For that person to be subjected to humiliation

In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that making Olo;du¾mare¾ one’s pillar of support is a venture that will never
fail. To be an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;, making Olo;du¾mare¾ one’s umbrella of protection and achievement is a
decision in the right direction.
Three, after making Olo;du¾mare¾ one’s pillar of support, there is the need to ensure that one goes
to Ifa;, to receive the direct speech of Olo;du¾mare¾, for all of one’s needs. Doing so is a way of
reminding one of what one should be doing. In O®Ùsôeô; o¾ teô Ka¾nn¾ka¾n (O®Ùsôeô; O®Ùka¾nra¾n), Ifa; says:
O®Ùsôeô; lo; na oôwoô; gogoogo

Ni yo;o; fi gu;n OÙloô;ko¾ô oômoô ye¾ye; re¾ô l’o;ju;
Be;ôeô¾ ni o¾ le e¾ fi gu;n OÙloô;ko¾ô oômoô ye¾ye; re¾ô l’o;ju;
Di;a; fu;n Sunku;nba;
Ti; n; m’o;ju; eôku;n su¾nra;hu¾n ire gbogbo
Sunku;nba; mo wa;a; sunku;n ba; oô ni;tori; Aje;
O®o¾joô; ti; a ba; da; e¾ôgeô; ni e¾ôgeô; n; ru;
O®o¾joô; ti; a ba; da yangan si;’na; ni yangan n; ta
Sunku;nba; mo wa;a; sunku;n ba; oô ni;tori; Aya
Sunku;nba; mo wa;a; sunku;n ba; oô ni;tori; OÙmoô
Sunku;nba; mo wa;a; sunku;n ba; oô ni;tori; Ire gbogbo
Translation:
OÙ®sôeô; is the one who pointed his hand

As if he would use it to hit the eye of OÙloô;ko¾ô his siblings
But he cannot use it to hit the eye of OÙloô;ko¾ô his sibling
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Sunku;nba; (I have come to you with tears)
When weeping in lamentation for her inability to receive all the Ire of life
She complied
Sunku;nba;, I have come to you in tears because of wealth
The day that we cut the cassava is the day that it will grow another
The day that we put the corn on the fire is the day it will roast and bubble
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Omoluabi
Sunku;nba;, I have come to you in tears because of a compatible spouse

Sunku;nba;, I have come to you in tears because of children
Sunku;nba;, I have come to you in tears because of all the Ire of life
If we rely on Ifa; to provide all our needs there is the need for us to make it known to everyone in
our speeches and actions. That is when we live by what we say. If we are doing this, we will be
able to put confrontations, oppositions, antangonists, malevolent forces and all other evil
principalities at bay. In OÙ®sa; O®fu;n, Ifa; says:
Igbo; n;la; woôn o¾ sôi;’di¾i;

A®woôn o¾ke¾ n;la; woôn o¾ pa’po¾ da¾
OÙjoô; ala;ye; ti d’a;ye;
OÙmoô Olu;weôri o¾ pa’po¾ da¾ ri;
Di;a; fu;n Ifa;-ni-mo-gb’o;ju;-le;, oômoô woôn l’O:tu Ife¾ô re;re;
OÙmoô asôe Ifa; bi; eôni n; sôe beôbeô
O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’;boô
N®je;ô ji¾ngi¾ndi¾n ri;ngi;n o¾ Ala;boôla¾
Ifa; i¾woô ni mo gb’o;j;u; le;
O®Ùpeô¾ i¾woô ni mo f’eô¾yi¾n ti¾
B¾abala;wo sa’fa; sa’fa;
Ipa; a woôn o¾ le¾ ka; mi
Ji¾ngi¾ndi¾n ri;ngi;n o¾ Ala;boôla¾
O®Ùpeô¾ i¾woô ni mo f’eô¾yi¾n ti
Oni;sôe¾gu¾n sôe sôe
Ipa; a woôn o¾ ka; mi
Osôo; sôe sôe
A®je;ô sôe sôôe
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Translation:
Big forests are not known to shift their base

And high mountains are not known to move to other places
From time immemorial
Small rivers and streams have not been known to change their routes
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ifa;-ni-mo-gb'o;ju;-le; (it is Ifa; I rely upon)
Their child in O®tu Ife¾ô re;re;
He who propitiates Ifa in a wonderful way
He complied
Now, ji¾ngi¾ndi¾n ri;ngi;n o¾ Ala;boôla¾
Ifa;, it is you I rely upon
O®Ùpeô¾, it is you I rest my back upon
B¾abala;wos sent negative Ifa; preparations
But they did not affect me
Herbalists sent negative charms
Wizards tried endlessly (to attack me)
Witches tried endlessly (to attack me)
In this Odu¾, it is clear that total reliance on Ifa; guarantees safety and security. But why must we
rely on Ifa;, the answer can be found in Ate¾ô N:je¾ru¾ (I®reôteô¾ I®wo¾ri¾) where Ifa; says:
Gi;nn;gi;n la¾a; j’aye;

Fa¾a¾-faa la¾a; j’i¾fa¾
OÙdu;n kan la¾a; j’e¾e¾re¾ oko o¾ku;
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Omoluabi
Di;a; fu;n O®di¾de¾ô fi¾¾ri¾fi¾ri¾

Ti;;i; sô’a;la;ba¾a;ri¾n Ikin
I®woô o¾di¾de¾ô fi¾ri¾fi¾ri¾
A ki¾i; ba;’kin-i;n ri¾n
K’o;ju; o; ti’ni
O®di¾de¾ô fi¾ri¾fi¾ri¾
Translation:
It is with pleasure that we enjoy life

It is with reckless abandon that we enjoy free gifts
It is one full year that we profit from the farm of a deceased person
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®di¾de¾ô fi¾ri¾fi¾ri¾
The companion of the Ikin (the holy palm kernel)
He complied
Now, O®di¾de¾ô fi¾ri¾fi¾ri¾
We cannot move with the Ikin
For us to face shame and humiliation
O®di¾de¾ô fi¾ri¾fi¾ri¾
In this Odu¾, one of the major reasons why we need to be dedicated to Ifa; is because doing that
will remove us from among those who face shame and humiliation.
Four, it is important for all followers to know that complete dedication to Ifa; in all our deeds does
not guarantee that we will not face opposition. It only guarantees the person that oppositions will
be overcome with the support of Ifa;. Many a time oppositions come to us due to lack of
knowledge and understanding of our life situations. Ifa; says that we need to continue being
dedicated to Ifa; and doing good deeds and by doing these things, Ifa; will take care of the rest.
Those who attack us out of ignorance will eventually realize their mistakes. In a stanza of
O®tu;ru;po¾ôn N:t'e;wu;re;ô (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
I®ta; ja¾¾re
I®re¾ôleô¾ ja¾re
Baba n; sô'oore l'O:tu Ife¾ô
Woô;n ni; ibi lo; n; sôe
N®je;ô I®ta; ja¾re,
K'O:tu Ife¾ô o; r'o;ju;
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I®ta; ja¾re,
K'O;:tu Ife¾ô o; r'a;a¾ye¾
I®ta; ja¾re,
K'a;boyu;n Ile;-Ife¾ô o; bi; tibi-tire
I®ta; ja¾re,
K'a;ga¾n Ife¾ô o; t’oôwoô; a¾la¾ b’osu¾n
I®ta; ja¾re,
Translation:
I®ta; ja¾re (Oro¾ icon we beseech you)

I®re¾ôleô¾ ja¾re (Oro¾ icon we plead with you)
When he was doing good deeds in the land of Ife¾ô
And it was misconstrued for evil
He complied
Now, I®ta; ja¾re
Let there be peace in O®tu Ife¾
I®ta; ja¾re
Let there be comfort in O®tu Ife¾
I®ta; ja¾re
Let pregnant women have safe deliveries
I®ta; ja¾re
Let barren women receive the blessing of the fruit of the womb
I®ta; ja¾re
In this Odu¾, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was going out every night at the dead of the night to perform Oro¾ rituals in
order to bring peace and harmony into the land. This action however was misconstrued and
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was believed to be sending evil forces to the land. The reason why the inhabitants of
O®tu Ife¾ô believed this was because they could not hear what OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was saying as be performed
his rituals. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ went for Ifa; consultation to determine what he needed to do in order to
absolve himself of all the blames. Ifa; told him to continue with his good deeds but to raise his
voice so that the people would have the opportunity of hearing what he was saying as he
performed his rituals. That was exactly what OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ did. In the end, the inhabitants of O®tu Ife¾ô
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Omoluabi
came to apologize to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ for accusing him wrongly.
Five: on no condition must we refuse to answer the call of our Ori;. Refusing to do what our Ori;
has chose and received from heaven is tantamount to our blocking all the avenues of
opportunities in our lives. We must follow what was incorporated into our destinies. In O®tu;ra;
Ori;ko¾ô, Ifa; says:
Isôeô; ti; a beô’ni la¾a; je;ô

OÙ®we¾ô ti; a beô’ni a ki¾i; ko¾ô
A ki¾i; ji; ni; ku¾tu¾ku¾tu¾
Ka; koô isôeô; EÙ®da; eôni
Di;a; fu;n O®yi;
Ti; n; loô s’a;la¾de o¾ôrun
O: ra;n Ikin loô si;’le; Ado;
O: ra;n Ata¾kaaka¾-di;'fa; loô s’O:ke¾ I®jero¾
O: ra;n O®Ùpeô¾-ji¾ngi;nji¾ngi;n-ab’imo¾ô roôjoôroôjoô loô si; O®ke¾ I®ge¾ôti; ile; e Baba a re¾ô
O: ni; ki; wo;ôn ma;a loô ba; o¾un tu;n ibe¾ô sôe…
Translation:
It is the particular errand they send someone on that one delivers

One must not refuse to do the work someone gives you to do
One does not wake up in the morning
And refuse the errands of ones creator
These were Ifa;’s declarations to O®yi;
When going to heaven
He sent Ikin to Ado; land
He sent OÙ®pe¾ô (the Palm tree) to I®ge¾ôti;, the home of his father
He said they should go and help him take care of the place…
There must be a good reason for our creator to decide to give us any assignment. Refusal to do
the assignment amounts to disobedience to our Ori; (destiny) and Olo;du¾mare¾. Anyone who
disobeys Olo;du¾mare¾ will find it difficult if not impossible to find peace and progress in his/her life.
That is why we need to follow the dictates of our Ori; in all our activities. We must complete our
assignments with total submission to the will of Olo;du¾mare¾. Performing ones assignments with
reluctance, holding a grudge, or without interest does not amount to following the dictates of
Olo;du¾mare¾, Ori;, Ifa; and the Iru;nmoôleô¾/O®ri¾sôa¾. In O®gu;nda; A®ko¾ô (O®gu;nda; O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
A®woôn omi lo;; n; wo;ô reôreô lo; n; wo;ô reôreô r’o¾kun

A®woôn omi lo; n; wo;ô reôreô lo; n; wo;ô reôreô r’oô¾sa¾
Ala;pa;n¾de¾ôdeô¾ lo; fo¾
Ni ko¾ f’ara ba omi
Beô;e¾ô ni ko¾ f’ara ba o¾ke¾
Di;a fu;n I®gbo¾
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Ti;i; sôe Olu;wo I®sa;lu; aye;

Di;a fu;n I®gbo¾
Ti;i; sôe Olu;wo I®sa;lu; o¾ôrun
I®gbo¾
Ifa; mo d’eôru; u¾ reô
I®gbo¾
A®woôn omi lo;; n; wo;ô reôreô lo; n; wo;ô reôreô r’o¾kun
I®gbo¾
I®gbo¾
A®woôn omi lo; n; wo;ô reôreô lo; n; wo;ô reôreô r’oô¾sa¾
I®gbo¾
I®gbo¾
'La;pa¾a;n¾de¾ôdeô¾ lo; fo¾¾
Ni ko¾ f’ara b’omi
Beô;e¾ô ni ko¾ f’ara b’o¾ke¾
I®gbo¾
I®gbo¾
Di;a fu;n I®gbo¾
Ti;i; sôe Olu;wo I®sa;lu; aye;
I®gbo¾
I®gbo¾
Di;a fu;n I®gbo¾
Ti;i; sôe Olu;wo I®sa;lu; o¾ôrun
I®gbo¾
I®gbo¾
Translation:
The body of water is flowing towards the sea

The body of water is flowing towards the lagoon
Ala;pa¾a;n¾de¾ôdeô¾ (the Ethiopian swallow) flew
But did not touch the water
And did not touch the ceiling
These were Ifa;’s declarations for I®gbo¾
The Olu;wo of I®sa;lu; Aye;
The Olu;wo of I®sa¾lu; O®Ùrun
I®gbo¾
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Omoluabi
Ifa;, I have become your slave

I®gbo¾
The body of water is flowing towards the sea
I®gbo¾
I®gbo¾
The body of water is flowing towards the lagoon
I®gbo¾
I®gbo¾
Ala;pa¾a;n¾de¾ôdeô¾ flew
But did not touch the water
I®gbo¾
I®gbo¾
He also did not touch the ceiling
I®gbo¾
I®gbo¾
I®gbo¾
I®gbo¾
The Olu;wo of I®sa;lu; Aye;
I®gbo¾
I®gbo¾
I®gbo¾
I®gbo¾
The Olu;;wo of I®sa;lu; O®Ùrun
I®gbo¾
I®gbo¾
Six, if one is doing good and one is totally dedicated to Ifa;, one is bound to have enemies and ill
wishers. Ifa; says that one does not need to worry over such people because whoever is with
Olo;du¾mare¾ is already in the majority. Olo;du¾mare¾ will cover such a person with invinsibility and no
harm will touch the person. In OÙ®sa; OÙloô;ya¾n-a;n (O®Ùsa; I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
Ge;n¾ge; oômoô-oôloô
OÙmoô-oôloô ge;n¾ge;
Oyu;n ni;i; m’o;ôya¾n yoô ta¾ra¾ta¾ra¾
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Di;a; fu;n EÙni-a¾-n;-bu¾-ku¾

Ti; OÙloô;run OÙba n; bu¾ ku;n
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; sôe
B’eô;ni¾kan ko¾ ki; mi
Ko; jo;ko¾o; o
Ki;ki; OÙloô;run ju igba e¾ni¾ya¾n loô o
Ko; jo;ko¾o; o
Ki;ki; Ori; mi ju igba e¾ni¾ya¾n loô o
Ko; jo;ko¾o; o
Ki;ki; Ifa; mi ju igba e¾ni¾ya¾n loô o
Translation:
The working of the grinding stone

The functioning of the grinding-stone
Pregnancy makes the breast’s enlargement visible
These were Ifa;’s declarations for He-who-they-are-discrediting
But whom God is supplementing
He complied
If someone refuses to greet me
Let the person sit down
The greeting of God is more than those of 200 people
If someone refuses to salute me
The greeting of my Ori; is more than those of 200 people
If someone refuses to compliment me
The greeting of my Ifa; is more than those of 200 people
It is obvious in this Odu¾ that Ifa;, Ori; and Olo;du¾mare¾ should be considered to be more important
than the whole world put together. Why must one worry over those who see nothing good in what
we do? As long as Olo;du¾mare¾ Ori; and Ifa;; are pleased with what we are doing, there is no need
for us to worry about those who are uncomfortable with our activities. In O®tu;ru;po¾ôn OÙ®da¾ra¾
(O®tu;ru;po¾ôn OÙ®ba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
O®ro¾re;ô woôn o¾ l'a;gba¾

Gbogbo woôn ni woô;n da;rada;ra
Wo;ôn ri; we;sewe;se
I®sôoju; asôeni la sôe n; la¾'na¾ gboôn-anrangboôn fu¾'ta
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Omoluabi
Woô;n ni; Baba o¾ ni;i; boô Ikin reô¾ ka;'du;n

Ogu;n oôdu;n l'o;ni¾i;
E®mi n; boô'kin t'e¾mi
A®gbi¾gbo¾ni¾wo¾ônra¾n
E®mi ka¾sôa¾i¾ boô’kin t'e¾mi gbo;
OÙgboô¾n oôdu;n l'o;ni¾i;
A®a;do;ôta oôdu;n l'o;ni¾i;
Mo wa;a; d’ewe; agidimagboô;nyin
I®sôi¾nku; o¾ôrun eô p'eô¾yi¾nda¾
Translation:
O®ro¾reô; birds have no apparent elder among them

They are all beautiful to look at
And they all look youthful
It is in the presence of one’s slanderers that one succeeds in life
When they declared that he would not live to propitiate his Ikin the following year
He complied
In 20 years time
I am still propitiating my Ikin
I cannot but propitiate my Ikin till my old age
In 30 years time
In 50 years time
177

I have taken up the identity of Agidimagboô;nyin leaves
Let all wandering ghosts depart from me
Apart from the fact that no evil design will have any negative effect on anyone who is striving
genuinely to become an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;, whatever that person does will always be better than what any
evil designer has done. In I®din Ra¾nyi¾n (O®di; O®Ùka¾nra¾n), Ifa; says:
Ewe; oôkoô; ni;i; ba'le¾ô

Ni;i; ro; gbinrin bi; oôkoô; titun
Di;a; fu;n Te¾mi-O:-Sunwo¾ôn
Ti;i; sô'oômoô bi;bi; inu; A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
T'e¾mi ni yo;o; sunwo¾ôn ju tiwoôn loô o
T'e¾mi o; sunwo¾ôn ju t’e¾ke;
T'e¾mi ni yo;o; sunwo¾ôn ju tiwoôn loô o
Translation:
When an OÙkoô; leaf lands on the ground

It will sound like a new hoe
This was Ifa;’s declaration for T'e¾mi-O:-Sunwoô¾n (mine shall come out successfully)
He complied
Mine shall be more successful than theirs
Mine shall be more successful than those of the liars
Mine shall be more successful than theirs
This is the assurance of Ifa; to those who declare their dedication to Ifa; in everything that they do.
These people will never be disappointed.
Siete, dedication to Olo;du¾mare¾, Ori; and Ifa; must be complemented with hardwork, discipline,
consideration of others time, and devotion to duty. Without hardwork, dedication means nothing.
Ifa; does not support dedication if one simply expects blessings to come to him/her by putting
minimal effort in all what one does. Dedication is demonstrating the above attributes while in the
process of completing the assignments his/her Ori; has placed on the person. In O®Ùsôeô; Me;ji¾, Ifa;
says:
SÙeôku;beô, Awo o¾de I®ba¾da¾n

Di;a; fu;n woôn l’o;de I®ba¾da¾n
Woô;n n; f’omi oju; su¾ngbe;re¾ ire gbogbo
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Omoluabi

Woô;n gbe;ô’boô, woô;n ru;’boô
SÙeôku;beô ma¾ ma¾ de; o
Awo o¾de I®ba¾da¾n
A®sôe; b’e;ôni ko¾ ba; sô’isôeô;
EÙni ki¾i; la¾
Translation:
SÙeôku;be, the Awo of I®ba¾da¾n land

He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for the inhabitants of I®ba¾da¾n land
When they were lamenting their inability to succeed in life
They complied
Here comes SÙeôku;be
The Awo of I®ba¾da¾n land
Can’t you see that without hard-work there can never be success?
In another stanza in E®ji¾-Ogbe¾, Ifa; says:
SÙ'isôeô;
Mi o¾ ni;i; sô'isôeô;
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùleô
Ari;sôeô; ma; sôe
A su¾n l'a;le;ô ba; o¾o¾ru¾n la¾
A gb'o;ju; le; ogu;n fi ara a re¾ô f'o;sôi¾ ta
Bi; a ko¾ ba; sô'isôeô;
Ka; ka;n o¾o;gu¾n sôa¾sôa¾a¾sôa¾ l'o;ni¾i;
A ki¾i; di oôloô;ro¾ô bo; ba; d'o¾ôla
Fi eôseô¾ teô eôreô¾
Mi o¾¾ fi eôseô¾ t'eôreô¾
EÙnu eôni ko¾ lee¾ sô'epo
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùleô
Al'a;pa; ma; sô'isôeô;
EÙni ti; n; fi o¾wu;ro¾ô sô'o¾leô
Olu;waare¾ô n; sinmi si;'le¾ô de i¾ya¾ l'a;le;ô
Isôeô; sôi;sôe ni;i; gbe'ni
OÙ®leô ki¾i; gb'e¾e¾ya¾n
EÙni ti; ko¾ ba; sôisôeô;
Olu;waare¾ô ko¾ yeô ko; jeôun
B'e;;bi ba; n; p'ole¾
EÙ je;ô ko; ku;
O: ku; t'a¾i¾ku;
O®Ùleô o¾ wu;lo¾
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B'e;bi ba; n; p'o¾ôleô

EÙ jeô; ko; ku;
Translation:
Do your work
I am not working
This was the Ifa; cast for the lazy person
Who sees work but chooses to remain idle
He who sleeps until the sun is overhead
He who relies on that which is possessed through inheritance exposes himself to suffering
If we do not toil
And sweat profusely today
We cannot become wealthy tomorrow
March through the mud
I will not march through the mud
If we do not march through the mud
Our mouths cannot eat good food
These were the declarations of Ifa; for the lazy person
He who possesses strong limbs but refuses to work
He who chooses to be idle in the morning
He is only resting for suffering in the evening
Only toiling can support one
Idleness cannot bring dividend
Whoever refuses to work
Such a person does not deserve to eat
If a lazy person is hungry
Please let him die
Dead or alive
A lazy person is a useless person
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that a lazy person does not deserve to eat because he/she is not contributing
anything to the growth and development of the community. He/she is more of a parasite and
more of a liability than an asset. This is the reason why all those who wish to be known as
OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; need to be people that hold true to their tasks and ensure the growth and
development of the community in which he/she finds himself/herself. In saying this however,
those that govern the community must ensure that equal opportunites are given to community
members to work and demonstrate their skills and abilities, and develop themselves in general.
Eight, Ifa; says that there is the need for all those who wish to be OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to also have
confidence in themselves and know that as a result of his/her dedication to Ifa;, Ifa; will never stop
supporting or reject him or her. Anyone who is not rejected, and is supported by Ifa; will enjoy all
the priviledges of being called a child of Olo;du¾mare¾. In Ogbe¾ We¾ôyi¾n (Ogbe¾ I®wo¾ri¾), Ifa; says:
O®Ùpeô¾ i¾ha;ha; abi¾ji re¾ôreô¾e¾ôreô¾
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Omoluabi
Di;a; fu;n A®ja¾sa;, oômoô Odu¾duwa¾

Woô;n ni; ko; ru;'boô si; lai¾ku; ara a reô
Abeô o¾ koô’ri; o
A®gbo¾¾ o¾ ko¾ô’ja¾
Ifa; o¾ ko¾ô mi; ‘Moôdeô I®reôsa¾
Translation:
The holy palm tree with its wide shade

This was Ifa;’s declaration for A®ja¾sa;, the child of Odu¾duwa¾
He was advised to offer eôboô against untimely death
The blade does not refuse to shave the hair on the head
The ram does not refuse to fight
Ifa; does not reject me ‘Moôdeô I®reôsa¾
Ifa; demonstrates the confidence and assurance that those who are dedicated to Ifa; should have.
With dedication to Ifa;, one should feel confident in all one does as long as they are in accordance
to the teachings of Ifa; and disappointment will become a foreign language.
Nine, there is the need for everyone to specialize in something that he/she knows very well
about. Trying to do a job or an assignment that one is not very conversant or knowledgeable on;
amounts to attempting to do another man’s assignment. This will never favor the person. Also,
anyone willing to be dedicated to the course of Ifa; must not allow others to lure, persuade or
intimidate him/her into doing any job or assignment that he/she is not very good at. People often,
especially parents, push their children into certain fields simply because of the high profile
sounding names of those jobs and they insist that their children or loved ones must do that even
when they do not have any interest in that type of job. Anyone who strives to be an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;
must resist being lured into this type of situation and must also not be that type of person who
insists that others perform certain tasks that may not fit their talents and gifts. In O®Ùyeô¾ku;
OÙjoô;mo¾ôoô;da; (O®Ùyeô¾ku; O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
O®wo¾ ti; eôni i; mo¾ô

O®un ni eôni n; sôôe
Di;a; fu;n Baba;ri¾nde;
OÙmoô ad'eô¾bi¾ti¾ sô'oôla¾
Oun ti; mo mo¾ô
Ni eô jeô; n sôe
Baba;ri¾nde; o de; o
OÙmoô ad'eô¾bi¾ti¾ sô'oôla¾
Translation:
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The business that one understands

That is what one needs to do
This was Ifa;’s message for Baba;ri¾nde;
He who sets traps and becomes prosperous
He complied
The business that I understand
That is what you need to allow me to do
Here comes Baba;ri¾nde;
He who sets traps and becomes prosperous
In this Odu¾, Baba;ri¾nde; insisted on doing the profession that he was good at and he became
prosperous in the process. With dedication and truth in Olo;du¾mare¾ there can never be regret.
Ten, the moment we are fully dedicated in whatever we are doing, that is when progress will
certainly come. It is very rare to find any child of Olo;du¾mare¾ dying young and because they will
not die young, it will be easier for them to achieve their aims in life. In Ogbe¾ Ate¾ô (Ogbe¾ I®reôteô¾), Ifa;
says:
OÙmoô boô;o;ô koô¾o;ô'fa;, oô koô;'fa;

OÙmoô boô;o;ô t'e¾ru¾ oô t'e¾ru¾
OÙ®do;ômoôde; to; ko;ô'fa;
To; l'o;hun o¾ ni;i; fi sin a¾gba¾lagba¾
Ko¾ ni;i; ri; Ifa; i¾bu;le¾ô koô;
Di;a; fu;n Akiri-t'oju;le;
E®yi; ti;i; sô'a¾re¾ômoô OÙ®ka;nju;a¾
E®mi o¾ pe; n o; pi;n'wo; o
Ifa; ni eô koô; mi o
Bi; mi o¾ ba; te¾te¾ ku;
Ma la¾, sôe ma l'o;wo;
Translation:
Child, if you want to study Ifa;, concentrate on your studies

Child, if you want to concentrate on Ifa; proceeds, go ahead and do so
The child who studies Ifa;
But who insists that he will never use it to benefit any elder
He will never be taught those Ifa;’s stanzas that distinguish a competent Awo from a mediocre one
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Akiri-t'oju;le; (he who goes about from house to house)
The first child of O®Ùka;nju;a¾ (avarice)
He complied
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Omoluabi
I am not interested in sharing money (making money is not the priority)

Please teach me good Ifa;
If I do not die young
I will succeed, certainly I will become wealthy
In this Odu¾ it is clear that if one dedicates himself/herself to ones studies, makes sacrifices to
learn, and aligns oneself properly to ones given professional line, that person will become the best
at their trade or occupation and have great success in the end because of their skills. What this
person should be seeking is knowledge and making themselves the best in their chosen
profession. Making money should not be part of this person’s priority. All those striving to become
an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; need to think in this manner.
Ifa; also says that those who become an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; today, things will always be better than
tomorrow and yesterday will be better than today. This is not a prayer: rather, it is a guarantee
from Olo;du¾mare¾. In Ogbe¾ We¾ôyi¾n (Ogbe¾ I®wo¾ri¾), Ifa; says:
Ke¾e;ke¾e; ni;i; sôe e; san

Ge¾ôeô¾ge¾ôeô¾ ni;i; sôe e; de¾ô
Di;a; fu;n Ala¾wo¾ro¾ O®ri¾sôa¾
Ti; n; re 'gbo;du¾
Ti; n; lo¾ôoô; boô baba reô¾ l'oô;du;n pe;
OÙdu;n oôdu;n‘ni¾i; yo; san mi; ju t'e¾sôi;n loô o
Gbo¾do¾gbo;do; l'enini n; s'e¾ru¾wa¾
Translation:
Gradually does it become easy

Systematically does it change from hardship to comfort
This was the Ifa; cast for Ala¾wo¾ro¾ O®ri¾sôa¾ (the officiating O®ri¾sôa¾ priest)
When going to the Ifa; grove to propitiate his father’s spirit at the end of the year
He complied
This year will be more agreeable to me than the previous year
Comfortably does the morning dew benefit the shrubs
This Odu¾ shows that this year will be better than last year and next year will be better than this
year and so on and so forth.
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CHAPTER TEN
E®si¾si¾ d'asôoô oô¾ro¾ô bo'leô¾
Di;a; fu;n 'La;kannge;ô
Ti;i; sô'oômoô oôloô;ro¾ô l'o;yi¾nbo;
'La;kannge;ô i¾gba¾ wo lo di Olo;wo;
O: ni; l'a;gba;ra Ifa;, l'a;gba;ra Ifa;
'La;kannge;ô i¾gba¾ wo lo di Al'a;ya
'La;kannge;ô i¾gba¾ wo lo di OÙl'oô;moô
'La;kannge;ô i¾gba¾ wo lo di Onire gbogbo
O®Ùka¾nra¾n I®ka;
Translation:
E®si¾si¾ d'asôoô oô¾ro¾ô bo'leô¾

This was Ifa;’s declaration for 'La;kannge;ô
Offspring of the successful man across the sea
He complied
'La;kannge;ô, when did you become blessed with wealth?
He responded, by the grace of Ifa;, by the power of Ifa;
'La;kannge;ô, when did you become blessed with spouse?
'La;kannge;ô, when did you become blessed with children?
'La;kannge;ô, when did you become blessed with properties?
'La;kannge;ô, when did you become blessed with all the Ire of life?
HUMILITY
Humility: is the ability and willingness to form moderate opinions of oneself or one’s worth. It is
the ability to present oneself below one’s actual capability or one’s real worth.
There are several aspects of humility mentioned by Ifa;. In order to be an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;, one needs to
understand all of these aspects of humility. Some of them are included here:
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Omoluabi
One, for any achievement accomplished in life, praise needs to be given to Olo;du¾mare¾. When we
get Olo;du¾mare¾ involved in every achievement, Olo;du¾mare¾ will reward us with even greater
achievements. By so doing, the sky will be the beginning of our success. In I®wo¾ri¾ Bogbe¾ (I®wo¾ri¾
Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
Bi; adi¾eô ba; mu'mi

A ji;'ya¾n OÙloô¾run
Di;a; fu;n A®da¾ba¾ sôu¾sôu¾
Ti; n; m'o;mi oju; su¾nra;hu¾n t'oômoô
Bi; adi¾eô ba; mu'mi
A ji;'ya¾n OÙloô¾run
Di;a; fu;n O®n¾yagbe¾ô
Ti; n; loô s'o;ko a¾lero¾ l'oô;du;n
Bi; a ba; n; s'o¾ôroô¾
Ka; mu; ti OÙloô;run OÙba peô¾lu;
Di;a; fu;n OÙloô;ba¾ OÙka¾
OÙmoô ar'oko f'eô;yeô jeô
O: koô'ti; o¾ôgboônyin s'e;;ôboô
Gbogbo i¾sôo¾wo¾ o¾ôpeô¾
EÙÙni i; gb’e;ôboô ni;'be¾ô
EÙ pe; o; wa;a; sô'eôboô o
Translation:
When a fowl drinks water

It will give praise to God
This was Ifa;’s declaration for A®da¾ba¾ sôu¾sôu¾ (the dove)
When lamenting for her inability to give birth to a baby
She complied
When a fowl drinks water
It will give praise to God
This was Ifa;’s declaration for O®n¾yagbe¾ô (the farmer)
When going to the annual cultivation
Whenever we speak, let us put God into consideration
This was Ifa;’s declaration for OÙloô;ba¾ OÙka¾ (the owner of the barn full of grain)
He who cultivates his farm only for birds to consume it
All followers of o¾ôpeô¾ (Ifa;)
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Let those advised to offer eôboô

Do so accordingly
The story goes thus: A®®da¾ba¾ SÙu¾sôu¾ (the dove) found it difficult to beget a baby. She went to cry in
the domain of Olo;du¾mare¾ for help. Olo;du¾mare¾ instructed her to go back to the earth and told her
that she would be blessed with her own babies. A®®da¾ba¾ SÙu¾sôu¾ returned to earth and shortly after
this, she laid two eggs and hatched the two eggs. She took very good care of the two baby doves
with all her heart.
One day, the farmer went to the farm and saw the dove together with her two young ones. The
farmer said outloud that on the following day he would come back to catch the three birds for
food. Upon hearing this, the Dove cried out to Olo;du¾mare¾ again. She told Olo;du¾mare¾ that after
suffering so much to beget these babies and after succeeding in begetting them, she was now
being threatened with death together with her babies. Olo;du¾mare¾ asked her to narrate exactly
what had happened. She told Olo;du¾mare¾ that the farmer saw her and her young ones and that
the farmer had promised himself that on the next day, he would come back to catch the three of
them for food. She said that the farmer even mentioned that he was going to eat them with
pounded yam in the evening of the next day! Olo;du¾mare¾ asked A®®da¾ba¾ SÙu¾sôu¾ if the farmer had
mentioned his (Olo;du¾mare¾’s name) when declaring to eat them. A®®da¾ba¾ SÙu¾sôu¾ responded that the
farmer did not mention his (Olo;du¾mare¾’s name) in any way whatsoever. Olo;du¾mare¾ told A®®da¾ba¾
SÙu¾sôu¾ to go back and entertain no fear because nothing was going to happen to them.
Very early the next day, the farmer told his wife to go and fetch pepper, okra, and other
condiments and to have them prepared for when he comes back from the farm because they
were going to eat their pounded yam in the evening along with the meat of three doves.The wife
complied as instructed.
As soon as the farmer stepped out of his house, a delegate came from his mother’s place of
abode. The delegate told the farmer that his attention was urgently needed because his mother
was on the verge of death. The farmer pleaded with the delegate to let him go to the farm first in
order to catch the three doves which his wife was going to use to prepare food for him that very
evening. The delegate told him that any second of delay might make it impossible for him to meet
his mother alive. The farmer was told that everyone was sure that his mother would join her
ancestors in the great beyond at any moment from that time. The farmer then hurriedly got
himself prepared and he followed the delegates.
When they got to his mother’s village her situation was very severe. He looked for herbs and roots
to cure his mother. To the surprise of everyone, the farmer’s mother put up a great battle with
death, she refused to die as everyone expected. For three long months the farmer continued to
treat his mother. In the end, the mother woke up one fine morning and went about her daily
chores as if nothing had ever happened! Immediately after the recovery of the mother, the farmer
then fell ill, seriously ill. Everybody in the village began to take care of the farmer. For nine
months the farmer was on bed rest. One day, he decided to go for Ifa; consultation in order to
determine what went wrong with him. During the consultation, the Awo told him that he had put
himself into all the troubles he was experiencing because he never bothered to put Olo;du¾mare¾’s
186
Omoluabi
name into any of his affairs. The Awo told him to change his attitude and place all his
undertakings in the able hands of Olo;du¾mare¾. That was exactly what he did. As soon as he did
this, the farmer regained his health. He had proclaimed by the grace of Olo;du¾mare¾, please let me
get well. He eventually got well. He then proclaimed by the grace of Olo;du¾mare¾, please let me
return to my farm for which I have been absent from for one year. He eventually was able to
return to his farm.
On the first day that he arrived in his farm, he saw the three doves. They had become much
bigger than how he had left them the previous year. Upon seeing them, the farmer declared that
by the grace of Olo;du¾mare¾ he would come and catch the three doves the next day. He even said
that he would use them to eat pounded yam. As soon as he left, the mother dove rushed to
Olo;du¾mare¾ again in order to complain against the farmer. The dove told Olo;du¾mare¾ that the
farmer had mentioned his name (Olo;du¾mare¾’s name) this time around. Olo;du¾mare¾ told the dove
that because he had done so, she needed to quickly move away from the farm together with her
two children. That was exactly what the dove did.
Two, youths need to have respect for elders. The youths of today will surely become the elders of
tomorrow. If youths respect elders, when they become elders one day, they too will be respected.
Teaching youths to respect elders is of utmost importance within the Ifa; tradition. In O®fu;n Aji;teôna¾
(O®fu;n O®Ùye¾ôku;), Ifa; says:
T'oô;moô ke;kere; ba; l'o;ôgboô;n ni;'nu;

Yo;o; fi ta a¾gba¾lagba¾ l'oô;reô
Di;a; fu;n O®fu;n
Ti; yo;o; teô'na¾ f'OÙ:ye¾ôku;
O®fu;n Aji;teôna¾, Awo Ire ni o
O®fu;n lo; teô'na¾ f’OÙ:ye¾ôku;
O®fu;n Aji;teôna¾, Awo rere ni o
Translation:
If a youth is endowed with intelligence

His wisdom will benefit the elders
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®fu;;n
When going to imprint the Odu¾ for O®Ùye¾ôku;;
He complied
O®fu;n Aji;teôna is a great Awo
O®fu;n is the one who imprinted the Odu¾ for O®Ùyeô¾ku;
O®fu;n Aji;teôna is a great Awo
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that if a youth has wisdom there is nothing wrong with him/her sharing it
187
with his/her elders. Doing so will uplift the youth’s profile more than he/she could ever imagine.
In O®Ùka¾nra¾¾n I®reôteô¾, Ifa; says that many benefits can be gained by a youth giving respect to his/her
elders. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Afe;ôfeô; ni;i; teô'ri; oko ba

EÙ®fu;u¾fu¾ le¾ôleô¾ ni;i; teô'ri; e¾ru¾wa¾¾ o¾ôdôa¾n ba'le¾ô ni; a¾ro¾ôku;ro¾¾ o¾jo¾
Bi oômoôde; ba; teô'ri; ba fu;n ba¾ba;;
Bi; oômoôde; ba; teô'ri; ba fu;n ye¾ye;
Ohun gbogbo to; da;'wo;ô le; a ma;a gu;n ge;ôgeô;
I®wa¾ a re¾ô a si¾ tutu¾ pe¾ôseô¾
Bi; aya ba; teô'ri; ba fu;n OÙkoô
A j'e¾e¾re¾ bo¾ô oôja¾
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ Awo ile; OÙba¾ta;la; O®Ùsôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾
Di;a; fu;n O®ri¾sôa¾n;la; O®Ùsôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾¾gbo¾¾
Ni;jo;ô ti; a¾woôn oômoô l'eô;yi¾n reô¾ koô i¾si¾n re¾ô si;le¾¾ô
Woô;n ni; ki; ni o; le¾ sôe?
Woô;n ni; o; ti di aru;gbo;
Translation:
The breeze bends the heads of the farm trees

The gentle wind bends the head of the shrubs in the savannah after rainfall
If a youth bows his head for his father
If a youth bows his head for his mother
All what he lays his hands upon shall come out successfully
His destiny will become cool and sure
If a wife bows her head for her husband
She will make profit in her market transactions
OÙ®ru;nmi¾l¾a¾ the resident Awo of OÙba¾ta;la; O®Ùsôeô¾e¾ôreôô¾ma¾g¾bo¾¾
He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for OÙba¾ta;la; O®Ùsôeô¾e¾ôreôô¾ma¾g¾bo¾¾
When all his devotees stopped venerating him
They taunted him by saying, what are you going to do about it?
They jeered at him by saying that he had become very old
In this particular Odu¾¾, three important messages are stated:
a. If a child respects his/her parents, all what he/she lays his/her hands upon shall have a
successful outcome
b. A wife is advised to respect her husband in order for her business enterprises to improve
c. Those whom choose to abandon the veneration of their spiritual mentor(s) will live to regret
such an action
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Omoluabi
Children who do not pay appropriate respect to their parents will suffer. Those who are rude to
their elders in general will also suffer. Those who physically abuse their elders will suffer the most.
Such actions may preclude a person from seeing the mercy of Olo;du¾mare¾ for the rest of his/her
life. In O®Ùyeô¾ku; Logbe¾, Ifa; says:
O®Ùpa; a gi;la; Awo ni

O®Ùpa; a gi;la¾ Awo ni
O®Ùpa®; a gila-gi;la¾ na;a¾ igi a¾ja¾ ni;i; sôe o
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùyeô¾ku;
Ti; yo;o; gb’O;:gbe¾ l’o;ju;
N®je;ô t’a¾lu¾gbe; ko; o
T’a¾lu¾san ni o
OÙmoô to; lu I®ya; a re¾ôeô¾; da;ra¾n
T’a¾lu¾san ni o
OÙmoô to; lu Ba¾ba; a re¾ôeô¾; da;ra¾n
T’a¾lu¾san ni o
OÙmoô to; lu E®Ùgboô;n oôn re¾ôeô¾; da;ra¾n
T’a¾lu¾gbe; ko; o
T’a¾lu¾san ni o
Translation:
The Gi;la; staff is an Awo

The Gi¾la¾ staff is also an Awo
The Gila-gi;la¾ is a good wood for making rafters
These were Ifa;’s declarations to O®Ùyeô¾ku;
When going to slap Ogbe¾ his elder sibling in the face
Behold, an elder cannot be beaten without grave repercussions
It has terrible consequences
A child who beats his/her mother is cursed
An elder cannot be beaten without grave repercussions
A child who beats his/her father is cursed
A child who beats his/her elder is cursed
Three, all devotees need to respect Olo;du¾mare¾ and all his representatives. There is everlasting
189
gain in respect to Olo;du¾mare¾ and his representatives. In OÙ®ba¾ra¾ Reô;teô Reô¾teô (OÙ®ba¾ra¾ I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
Po¾mu¾sôeô;re; Awo ile; A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
Di;a fu;n A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n oôloô;ja¾ Ori¾bojo
Ni;'jo;ô ti; wo;ôn ji;
Ti; wo;ôn l'a;woôn o¾¾ ni;i; f'ori; ba'le¾ô fu;n Ikin
EÙni i; ba; f'ori; ba'le¾ô n; l'a;je;;
EÙni i; ba; f'ori; ba'le¾ô n; l'a;ya
EÙni i; ba; f;'ori; ba'le¾ô n; bi;'moô
EÙni i; ba; f'ori;; ba'le¾ô n; l'o;gbo;
Abe;ôreô; ni;i; fi t'oju; t;'imu; sôôisôeô;
Di;a; fu;n f'ori;-ba'le¾ô-ki;-o-ri;;'re
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôeô
O:: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’bo
A®wa wa;a; f'ori; ba'le¾ô
A®wa o¾ ku;; mo;ô
OÙ®ba¾ra¾-I®reôôteôô¾, Ori; Awo gbo; kee
Translation:
Po¾mu¾sôeô;re;ô the resident Awo of A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n

He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n, the OÙloô;ja¾ Ori¾bojo
When they woke up
And declared that they would never pay reverence to Ifa;
It is those who pay reverence who are blessed with wealth
It is those who pay reverence who are blessed with compatible spouse
It is those who pay reverence who are blessed with good children
It is those who pay reverence who are blessed with longevity
The needle is it that walks with both eyes and nose
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Fori;-bale¾ô-ki;-o-ri;'re (bow down your head and receive all the Ire
of life)
We have used our head to touch the ground
And we die no more
OÙ®ba¾ra¾ I®reôteô¾ the Ori; of the Awo has been blessed with longevity
In this particular Odu¾, two facts are discernible:
a. Those who bow down their heads (show respect) for the Ikin (Ifa;) will be blessed with
prosperity, compatible spouse, good children, longevity and all the Ire of life
b. Those who do not bow their heads (show respect) for the Ikin (Ifa;) will be deprived of
prosperity, compatible spouse, good children, longevity and all the Ire of life.
Four, there is the need for elders to cooperate and work with youths and respect their views.
Doing this will make life interesting for everyone in the community. This is because youths carry
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Omoluabi
their own wisdom that they can share with elders. When the two groups work together, there is
nothing that cannot be attained. In I®wo¾ri¾ Me;ji¾, Ifa; says:
OÙwoô; e¾we o¾ to; peôpeô

T'a¾woôn a¾gba¾lagba¾ o¾ woô ke¾re¾gbe¾
Isôeô; e¾we beô a¾gba¾ ko; ma; sôe koô¾
O: ni;'sôeô; ti; baba n; sôe e; f'o;ômoô
Ni;'jo;ô Aka;po¾ o re¾ô e;ô pe¾ e; l'e;ôjoô; l'o;ôdoô¾ Olo;du¾mare¾…
Translation:
The hands of a youth cannot reach a palm tree

Those of the elders cannot enter into a bottle-shaped calabash
The assignment which a youth gives to an elder, let him refuse not
There are duties which elders need to perform for their children
These were the declarations of Ifa; for O®Ùru;;nmi¾la¾
When his Aka;po¾ went to complain against him in the presence of Olo;du¾mare¾…
As long as elders perform their duties over their young ones, there is no reason why the youths
will not reciprocate with respect and honor for their elders. All elders are expected to inculcate the
idea of moving close to the youths and being their mentors and working closely with them. In
I®wo¾ri¾ Wo¾din (I®wo¾ri¾ O®di;), Ifa;; says:
Kogo;kogo; ni;i; l’agogo fu;n Iku;

Kango¾kango¾ ni;i; lu¾’pe¾se¾ f’A:ru¾n
A®wo¾di¾ o¾ ra¾ ba¾ba¾ l’o;ke¾
Ko; lu ki;ti; aje; ka¾nga-ka¾ngo
Ti; yo;o; lo¾ô oô; ba;; oômoô-eô¾yi¾n j’aye; po¾ô
Ifa; ni;; n; sôe mi; ka¾nga;
O: ni; n; sôe mi; ka¾ngo
OÙpa, n o¾ sôa¾i¾ b’o;ômoô eô¾yi¾n j’aye; po¾ô
Translation:
Kogo;kogo; is the agogo player for Death

Ka¾ngoka¾ngo is the i¾pe¾se¾ drum player for Affliction
The eagle does not hover overhead
For it to beat the drum of Aje; to make the ka¾nga;-ka¾ngo sound
When going to live in the company of youths
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He complied
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declared that it was as if I was old
And it was as if I was young
Certainly, i will live in the company of youths
What the above stanza shares is that elders who work and connect with the youth become youths
at heart and they will have the tendency of living long on earth. Also in I®wo¾ri¾ OÙ®re¾ôku; (I®wo¾ri¾
O®Ùyeô¾ku;), Ifa; says:
B'eô;gbe;ô a¾gba¾ o¾ du¾n moô;

EÙgbeô; e¾we la¾ a; ko;
Ti;'fa; yo;o; sô'eôgbeô; e¾we wo¾ônyi;
EÙ ma; ma¾ j'a;wo o;ô ba¾je;ô o
T'ori; ewe; e ko;ko¾ la fi s'a¾mi¾ OÙ®pe¾ô
Translation:
If an association of elders is no longer interesting

One needs to join with an association of youths
When he was going to be friends with the youths
He complied
Do not allow our Awo to get spoiled
We have used cocoyam leaves to mark the authority of OÙ®pe¾ô
Five, there is the need to show respect and humility for our contemporaries. When one is in the
midst of a group of people, more often than not, the attitudes and ideas of every person in the
group are not taken seriously when they should be. Ifa; says that when working in groups, we
need to take the time to understand all the people we are moving with and give them their
respect accordingly. Not taking these precautions seriously can bring us terrible trouble. In OÙ®sa;
Me;ji¾, Ifa; says:
Mo gbe;'le;, mo f'oju; si¾n oô;

Ni;i; sôe iku; pa Babala;wo
A®ni;ya¾n ni mo fi si¾n oô;
Ni;i; sôe’ku; pa a¾woôn a¾gba¾ i¾sôe¾gu¾n
'Moôde; ke;re;-ke¾re¾-ke;re; ko¾ jeô; n r'a;a¾ye¾ gboô; ti¾eô
Lo; mu; mi i; sôe ala;'a si; oô
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Omoluabi
Woô;n ni; oju; oôdu;n 'ni¾i; l'oôla¾ a Baba a; to;

Ifa; wi;, o; ni; n o; la¾ ni; t'e¾mi o
SÙaworo epo, oô¾se¾ôgeô¾se¾ôgeô¾
Oju; ki¾ i; po;ôn isôin a¾i¾ ma; la¾
Translation:
I stay at home and see you off with my eyes

This is what causes the death of a prominent Babala;wo
I was my intention to see you off
This is what causes the death of a great herbalist
These children did not allow me to give you proper attention
This is why I am not able to give you your deserved hospitality
These were the declarations of Ifa; for O®Ùru;nmi¾l¾a¾
When they said that his prosperity was due this year
Ifa; says that I will surely succeed
SÙaworo epo, oô¾se¾ôgeô¾se¾ôgeô¾
No hardship will prevent Isôin seeds from breaking open when they become fully ripe
In this Odu¾, one can see that even failing to see someone off properly may lead to death. Those
who do not give proper welcome to visitors may also find themselves in trouble. This is because
such actions may be misconstrued as arrogance and not many people will be able to tolerate an
arrogant person. This Odu¾ stresses hospitality and respect for all people regardless of gender,
race, social status, age, etc.
Six, there must be respect for strangers. It is very important to give respect to strangers because
one does not know who a stranger may really be. Refusal to accord strangers necessary respect
may lead to grief, pain, agony and disaster. In O®Ùka¾nra¾n I®reôteô¾, Ifa; says:
Ifa; lo; to;

Mo ni; ko¾ yi¾ ti; i¾ to;
Ifa; ni; eô wi; fu;n pekupeku Ile;-Ife¾ô
Ko; da;kun eku ni; pi;pa
Pekupeku Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ gba¾
Pekupeku Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ fe;ô
Woôn pa To¾ro¾fi;nni; ni¾ka¾n
Ti; yo;o; jeô OÙloô;ja¾ l'a;wu¾joô oômoô eku
Woô;n pa a; ta;n
Ni wo;ôn n; wa; sôi¾ga¾sôi¾ga¾
Woô;n n; wa; sôi¾gosôi¾go
Ifa; lo; to;
Ifa; ni; eô wi; fu;n peôjapeôja Ile;-Ife¾ô
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Ko; da;kun eôja ni; pi;pa

Peôjapeôja Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ gba¾
Peôjapeôja Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ fe;ô
Woôn pa A®ka;a;gba; ni¾ka¾n
Ti; yo;o; jeô OÙloô;ja¾ l'a;wu¾joô oômoô eôja
Woô;n pa a; ta;n
Ifa; lo; to;
Ifa; ni; eô wi; fu;n peôyeôpeôyeô Ile;-Ife¾ô
Ko; da;kun eôyeô ni; pi;pa
Peôyeôpeôyeô Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ gba¾
Peôyeôpeôyeô Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ fe;ô
Woôn pa OÙ®ki;n lo¾ôloô¾o¾ôloô¾ ni¾ka¾n
Ti; yo;o; jeô OÙloô;ja¾ l'a;wu¾joô oômoô eôyeô
Woô;n pa a; ta;n
Ifa; lo; to;
Ifa; ni; eô wi; fu;n peôranpeôraôn Ile;-Ife¾ô
Ko; da;kun eôran ni; pi;pa
Peôranpeôran Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ gba¾
Woôn pa Erin O®gbo¾ya; ni¾ka¾n
Ti; yo;o; jeô OÙloô;ja¾ l'a;wu¾joô oômoô eôran
Woô;n pa a; ta;n
Ifa; lo; to;
Ifa; ni; eô wi; fu;n panipani Ile;-Ife¾ô
Ko; da;kun eôni ni; pi;pa
Panipani Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ gba¾
Panipani Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ fe;ô
Ti;i; sô'oômoô OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
EÙ ma; pa a;
EÙran ab'o¾ôhun ni o
Aja; to; pa Agbe
Woôn o¾ ka;’du;n
EÙ ma; pa a;
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Omoluabi
Aja; to; pa¾’lu¾ko¾

Woôn o¾ p'o;sôu
EÙ ma; pa a;
Aja; to; pa Odi;deôreô;
Woôn o¾ ni;i; k'i¾je
EÙ ma; pa a;
EÙ ma; p’O®Ùka¾nm¾bi; oômoô OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
EÙ ma; pa a;
Translation:
Ifa; declares that it is enough

I respond that it is not
Ifa; says that you need to inform the rat hunters of Ile;-Ife¾ô
To stop killing rats
The rat hunters did not agree
The rat killers did not accept
They killed To¾ro¾fi;nni;
The leader among the rats
After killing the rat
They began to shake uncontrollably
They began to shiver endlessly
Ifa; says that you need to inform the fish hunters of Ile;-Ife¾ô
To stop killing fish
The fish hunters did not agree
The fish killers did not accept
They killed A®ka;a;gba;
The leader among the fish
After killing the fish
Ifa; says that you need to inform the bird hunters of Ile;-Ife¾ô
To stop killing birds
The bird hunters did not agree
The bird killers did not accept
They killed OÙ®ki;n-Lo¾ôloô¾o¾ôloô¾ (the peacock)
The leader among the birds
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After killing the bird

Ifa; says that you need to inform the beast hunters of Ile;-Ife¾ô
To stop killing beasts
The beast hunters did not agree
The beast killers did not accept
They killed Erin O®gbo¾ya; (the elephant)
The leader among the beasts
After killing the beast
Ifa; says that you need to inform the assassins of Ile;-Ife¾ô
To stop killing human beings
The assassins did not agree
The assassins did not accept
These were Ifa;’s declarations to O®Ùka¾nm¾bi;
The child of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
Do not kill him
It is a taboo to do so
The dog that kills Agbe
Will not live up to a month
Do not kill him
The dog that kills A®lu¾ko¾
Do not kill him
The dog that kills Odi;deôreô;
Will not live up to a seven days
Do not kill him
Do not kill O®Ùka¾nm¾bi;, the child of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
Do not kill him
In this stanza, Ifa; warns that not everybody can be easily maltreated. Some people hold very
important positions and have high authority which one may not realize by simply looking at their
faces. If one attempts to maltreat such a person, one may live to regret such an action for the
rest of his/her life.
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Omoluabi
Seven, humility entails meekness, gentility and calmness. Those who have these qualities stand
the chance of living long on earth and of dying peacefully. Those who believe in living the fast and
violent life will end up dying violently. In I®rosu¾n A®boôla¾ (I®rosu¾n O®Ùsôeô;), Ifa; says:
EÙni i; sôe e; jeô;e;ôjeô; a ba; je;ôeô;je;ô ku;
EÙni i; sôe e;; kunkun ni;i; ba; kunkun loô
I®wa¾ pe¾ôleô; la¾ a; hu¾
K'o;ômoô eôni o; ba a¾ le¾ f'oôwoô; le';ni sin
Di;a; fu;n Aloôla;
A bu¾ fu;n A®ro¾ôni¾
Translation:
He who behaves gently will die gently

He who behaves violently will die violently
There is the need for us to display meekness in our character
So that our children will be able to lay us to our final resting place
These were the declarations of Ifa; for Aloôla;
The same was also declared for A®ro¾ôni¾…
In this stanza, Ifa; makes two important statements:
a. if one lives violently one is bound to die violently
b. if one lives gently one will die gently
Eight, humility entails avoiding situations where one may be tempted to overestimate oneself,
brag, or show off. If one overestimates oneself, brags, or shows off one can no longer claim to
have humility. One must never display pomposity and pride ever. In OÙ®ba¾ra¾ SÙeô;ke¾ô (OÙ®ba¾ra¾ OÙ®sôeô;), Ifa;
says:
ÒÙbàrà sôéôkùn sôéô pèôpéô

Díá fún Aáyán
Ti n; lòô óô gba ologò adìeô
Wóôn ní kó má sôe é
Kò gboô;
Ó loô ra adìeô ní ologò
Ó dé e móô ínú àgò
Ó wá ní òun n; loô wo eôrú òun
Ni adìeô bá gbé Aáyán jeô
N®jéô adìeô gbe; Ologo¾ o rèô jeô
Ara á da; o
Translation:
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ÒÙbàrà sôéôkùn sôéô pèôpéô

He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for the cockroach
When going to buy the cock as his slave
He was advised not to do so
He simply ignored the warning
The cockroach bought the cock as his slave
And put the cock in a cage
The cockroach then went into the cage to inspect his newly acquired slave
The cock then swallowed the cockroach
The cock ate his master
The cock’s slavery period has now ended
In this stanza, for a cockroach to ever dream of making a cock his servant is tantamount to
placing onself beyond his/her ability or capability. The outcome of such an action is well expected,
death. Arrogance under any circumstance is not acceptable for those striving to become
OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;.
There are also occasions when someone may be asked to occupy a position that is either beyond
his/her capability or which may expose him/her to danger. It is in the best interest of such a
person to humbly decline such an assignment or favor. Doing this will make the person to avoid
grief and agony. In I®rosu¾n A®fi;n (I®rosu¾n O®fu;n), Ifa; says:
Akoô amoô¾mo¾ô l'a;le¾ô

Abo amoô¾mo¾ô l'a;le¾ô
Ifa; n; loô j'oye¾ Ile;sanmi;
EÙ®yin o¾ gbo;ôn o
EÙ®yin o¾ mo¾ôra¾n
EÙ®yin o¾ mo¾ô wi;pe;
Ile;sanmi; du¾n j'oye¾ loô ni?
Translation:
A male lizard is on the ground

A female lizard is also on the ground
When going to accept the title of Ile;sanmi; (my home is more rewarding for me)
He complied
You lack wisdom
And you lack understanding
Don’t you know that having peace and comfort in one’s home is more rewarding than any title?
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Omoluabi
Nine, one should never reduce or humiliate oneself. Some people reduce themselves in ridiculous
ways. Where they are supposed to be praised, they will end up being ridiculed. Where they are
supposed to be feared and respected, they will be looked down upon with disdain. An example of
this can be found in OÙ®woô;nri;n Weôsôeôweô;sôeô¾ (OÙ®wo;ônri;n O®Ùsôeô;), where Ifa; says:
O®Ùwoô;nri;n weôsôeô
OÙ®woô;nri;n o¾ weôsôeô o
E®wo ni t'a¾woôn a¾gba¾a¾gba¾ me;ôfa¾ sôa¾nn¾ko¾-sôa¾nn¾ko¾ ti; wo;ôn n; p'a;pe¾e;ro¾ o; si;
Di;a; fu;n OÙloô;fin o¾-ri;-b'e¾ôeô¾ru¾
Ti; yo;o; si¾ pada¾ wa;a; di OÙloô;fin O®-ri;-sô-a¾f 'oju;di
O: koô'ti; o¾ôgboônyin s'eô;boô...
Translation:
OÙ®wo;ônri;n took his bath with soap

OÙ®wo;ônri;n did not take his bath with soap
What is the concern of the six elders in this matter?
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the OÙloô;fin
Who people would see and begin to tremble
But who would end up becoming the OÙloô;fin that people would see and look at with contempt
He refused to comply…
Another example can be found in I®rosu¾n A®boôla¾ (I®rosu¾n OÙ®sôeô;), where Ifa; says:
O: se;ô peô;re;ô
O: mi¾ pe;ôreô;
Di;a; fu;n Ko;ôkoô;ro;ô
Ti; yo;o; di oômoôleô;yi¾n Ile¾ôku¾n
O: koô'ti; o¾ôgboônyin s'eô;boô…
Translation:
It is a bit fair
It is not too bad
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ko;ôkoô;ro;ô (the key)
Who would eventually reduce himself to a subordinate behind the door
As can be seen in the two examples above, what reduces and rubbishes a person more than any
other thing is the way one carries oneself, especially how one relates and works with other
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people. If one has self respect one will definitely be given respect in return by others. Humility
does not rob one of one’s self dignity because being humble does not imply allowing oneself to be
humiliated or abused by others. Conversely, if one reduces one’s self, one should not expect
others to enhance or respect you.
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Omoluabi
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Inu;; u woôn ni o¾ da;ra
I®wa¾ a woôn ni o¾ sunwo¾ôn
Ifa; a woôn ni o¾ sunwo¾ôn
Ni o¾ jeô; ki; wo;ôn o; pe¾ wo;ôn loô ile;
Ki; wo;ôn o; loô re¾e; j’e¾ru¾ wa;
Di;a; fu;n Ye¾re¾pe¾
Ti;i; sô’oômoô Oni;ka;a¾ Meô;ri¾ndi;nlo;gu;n
E®yi; to; l'o;un o; j’oye¾ la;a¾rin i¾gbe;ô
O: koô'ti; o¾ôgboônyin s'eôô;boô
Ye¾re¾pe¾ i¾woô lo o¾ sô’eôni
Ye¾re¾pe¾ i¾woô lo o¾ sô’e¾¾e¾ya¾n
I®gba¾ti; wo;ôn fi oô; le;’du¾ oye¾
Lo soô gbogbo ile; d’ahoro
O®Ùsôeô; Me;ji¾
Translation:
Their hearts are impure

And their character is nasty
Even their Ifa; knowledge is unacceptable
That is why they are not invited to people’s homes
For them to cast Ifa; and perform eôboô for others
These were Ifa;’s declarations to Ye¾re¾pe¾, the Nettle
The offspring of the owner of the 16 rooms with big backyards
When planning to assume a position of authority in the forest
Now Ye¾re¾pe¾, you lack manners
Ye¾re¾pe¾, you are not a decent being
When you were installed into a position of authority
You turned the whole community into a desert
ANGER
Anger: This is a bitter and violent feeling against others and/or what they represent. This is a
negative and unproductive feeling against other people based on real or imaginary reasons.
One, Anger is one of the eight principles which can easily break the rope of the world in such a
way that would be totally impossible for anyone to tie it back together. Ifa; says that anger is a
feeling of the mind. To be angry, the mind must have registered something violent, and a
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negative feeling toward another person(s) or event(s). This feeling may be real and/or it may be
imaginary. The important thing to keep in mind is that the person who is angry has allowed that
negative feeling to overcome him/her in his/her activities and conducts. In OÙ®ye¾ôku; Ya¾fo;ku¾u;
(OÙ®ye¾ôku; O®fu;n), Ifa; says:
Isôu u; gb’o;ôjoô; oôdu;n

Isôu n; ta
Ko;ko¾ l’awo egbi¾ra¾ ile¾ô
Bi;’nu; o¾ ba; du¾n moô;
Oju; ni eô jeô; a; bi
Ti; n; loô ba; O®fu;n sô’oôdu;n
I®gba¾ O®Ùye¾ôku; re’le; O®fu;n loô¾ oô; sô’oôdu;n
La gbe; igba; OÙla¾
La gbe; igba; oômoô
Translation:
The yam heard of the date of the annual celebration

And the yam germinated
The cocoyam is the Awo of the fertile land
If there is no more internal joy
It is the face one needs to ask
These were Ifá’s declarations for O®Ùye¾ôku;
When going to celebrate the annual festival with O®fu;n
He complied
When OÙ®ye¾ôku; went to celebrate the annual festival with O®fu;n
That was when we were able to carry the calabash of prosperity
And the calabash of childbearing
In this particular stanza, Ifa; says that whenever any ill-feeling is registered in anyone’s mind, what
betrays whatever is in the person's mind is his/her face. It is very difficult for someone to have
ill-feelings towards other people and not show it on his/her face, no matter how hard the person
tries to conceal this feeling.
Two, the second thing that Ifa; says is that after this person who allows anger into his/her life is
in the presence of the person who he/she is angry with, what will follow normally is bad language
that will come from the mouth. The thought of a person will sooner or later transform itself into
the person's speech. If a person harbors good thoughts toward something or someone, his/her
speech on such a thing or person will be good. Conversely, if the thought is bad, then a bad
utterance is what will usually follow toward such a thing or person. Ifa; says that using bad
language will only destroy the destiny of the person uttering the bad language. In I®din A®ga;da;,
(O®di; O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
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Omoluabi
Ina; f'i¾ko¾ko¾ ga;'wa¾

Ina; n; gba; geôreôgeôreô s'o;mi
Ti; Baba o; sô'oôkoô B'EÙ:da¾a; o¾ gbo;
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ a¾sôe; b'E:Ùda¾a; o¾ gbo;
EÙnu ni;i; yoô'ni
B'EÙ:da¾a; o¾ gbo;
EÙnu ni;i; yoô 'ni o
Translation:
The fire used the pot as a cover

And moved very close to the water
When he was going to become the husband of the woman with a very fragile destiny
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾, if someone’s destiny is too fragile
It is their mouth that causes them to slip and fall
If someone’s destiny is too fragile
It is their mouth that causes them to slip and fall
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that many people who have misfortune in life are many times driven to
such a pitiful situation due to their bad utterances. Many people who would have become great
personalities in life had used their mouths to destroy their chances due to uncontrolled anger and
by often times saying very offensive or disrespectful things.
Three, Ifa;; cautions that the tongue of a human being has the capability of not only destroying a
person’s destiny, but also has the potential of killing the person altogether. In O®Ùka¾nra¾n Tu;ra si;'le¾ô
(OÙ®ka¾nra¾n O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
O®Ùka¾nra¾n tu;a;-tu¾a¾-tu;a;
Awo EÙnu lo; di;a; f’EÙ:nu
EÙnu n; lo¾ôoô; sôe’ku; p’Ori;
E®Ùyin o¾ gboô;n o
E®Ùyin o¾ m’oô¾ra¾n
EÙ®yin o¾ mo¾ô ‘pe; EÙnu na;a¾ ni;i; sôe’ku; p’Ori; ni?
Translation:
O®Ùka¾nra¾n tu;a;-tu¾a¾-tu;a;
The Awo of EÙnu, the Mouth, He was the one who cast Ifa; for EÙnu
When going to cause the death of Ori;, Destiny
You have no knowledge
203
And you lack understanding

Don’t you know that it is the mouth that causes the death of Ori;@
In this Odu¾, Ifa; states how violent utterances from the mouth can destroy one's Ori; completely.
For this reason, everyone is advised to always speak only positive things or utterances that will
only bring about growth and positive change, not negativity and destruction. It is our
responsibility to ensure that anger is not given any place in our lives.
Four, Ifa; says that anger amounts to nothing. There is nothing good that can be derived through
excessive anger, only patience and understanding can bring good dividends to those who embrace
them. In Ogbe¾ I®yoô;nu; (Ogbe¾ O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
K'e;ôni ma; bi¾i';nu; ki;'nu;

K'eô;ni ma; baa¾ j'i¾ja¾ ku;'ja¾
K'eô;ni ma; j'i¾ja¾ ku;'ja¾
K'eô;ni ma; baa¾ j'eô¾bi-k'eô;bi
Di;a; fu;n Ra¾n¾da¾wu;
Ti; wo;ôn j'ogu;n du¾n
Ti; woôn o¾ pi;n ra;ra;
EÙ®yin-i;n sôe bi; mo go¾ô t'eônu-t'eônu
EÙ®yin-i;n sôe bi; mo go¾ô beô;e¾ô de;'nu;
EÙ®yin-i;n sôe bi; mo go¾ô t'eônu-t'eônu
Translation:
Let no one display unnecessary and avoidable anger

For one not to engage in unnecessary and avoidable confrontation
Let no one engage in unnecessary and avoidable confrontation
For one not to be given unnecessary and avoidable blame
These were the declarations of Ifa; for Ra¾n¾da¾wu;
Who was excluded from his father’s legacy
And was not given any share
He complied
You all see me as a big fool
You all see me as an unintelligent fellow
You all see me as a big fool
In this Odu¾, Ifa; makes three points:
i.Do not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by unguided anger
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Omoluabi
ii.Unguided anger can lead to avoidable confrontation. Do not allow yourself to give in to
avoidable confrontation.
iii.Avoidable confrontation can lead to being blamed for taking the wrong steps or making unwise
decisions, and showing inadequate maturity. Do not allow yourself to be blamed unnecessarily
over the display of avoidable confrontation.
In another stanza of Ogbe¾ I®yoô;nu; (Ogbe¾ O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
I®bi;nu; o¾ da nn¾kan fu;n ni; o

Su¾u;ru¾ ni¾ baba i¾wa¾
A®gba¾ to; ni; su¾u;ru¾
Oun gbogbo lo; ni;
Di;a; fu;n Ina;
To; l'o;un o; j’oye¾ Olo¾n¾roro
EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o…
Translation:
Anger amounts to nothing for one

Patience is the father of all good character
The elder who is patient
He will be blessed with all the good things of life
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ina;, the Fire
Who wanted to be installed as the Olo;n¾roro, the illuminator
He was advised to offer eôboô...
Ina;, the Fire, was a very ambitious person and he had every reason to be. He was the eldest of
those vying for the post of Olo;n¾roro, the Illuminator. Even the Council of King Makers felt that he
deserved the position. He had worked his way up with hard work and determination. He felt that
everyone ought to understand that it was not an easy thing to do. He was fully determined to add
color and respect to the position. Consequently, he vowed that he would not brood any form of
nonsense, ignorance, stupidity, or carelessness from any of his subjects. He must be accorded his
full respect and honor. He must also be given appreciable distance. He would not be in a position
where his subjects would think that they were free to do whatever they liked. He simply would
not tolerate such things. It was better for them to understand the type of leader he would be,
right from the beginning. That was what he concluded to himself.
How would the day of the installation look like? How would he look on that day? What type of
clothing would he put on that day? The issue of his other co-contestants was a non-issue for him.
Why? They were of no consequence. They did not possess the clout or personality to contest with
him. His decision to go to the group of Awo mentioned above was absolutely not because of
them; rather it was for him to determine how grand the day of his installation would be.
When the Awo consulted Ifa;, Ogbe¾-I®yo;ônu was revealed. They told Ina; that he was contesting for
a position with other people. They told him that he would be the one to be installed into that
205
exalted position. He was however cautioned to exercise patience and constraint in dealing with his
subjects, lest he lose this opportunity. He was advised to listen to his subjects and demonstrate
tolerance toward them, even if he noticed some excesses in them. He was urged to guard, guide,
and direct his subjects correctly. He was also told never to show anger or impatience while
dealing with them.
The group of Awo concluded by advising him to offer eôboô. Ina;, looked at these Awo with
unhidden contempt. He felt they were trying to tie his hands behind him for his subjects to insult
him. This, he vowed, would never happen. He told the Awo that they were advising him in how to
be a weakling and he would not be. Whatever they liked they could say or plan, they would
always meet him fully prepared. All their advice fell on deaf ears and he started getting angry with
them. He then told them to never expect him to come and offer any eôboô as all their
recommendations were based on bias and fraud. He accused them of advising him in bad faith.
He stormed out of their home. That day, he torched the farm of the Awo. Two of the King Makers
lost their homes to the fire. Some of these subjects-to-be lost their farms, some lost their
clothing, and some lost their lives to the inferno. When he was told what had occurred, he
retorted that they lost their things due to their carelessness and stupidity. That was the day that
the King Makers made up their minds to look for a more suitable candidate. They concluded that
Ina; could not, and would not be the good, gentle, kind-hearted, and tolerant leader that they
were mandated to choose for the citizens.
I®bi;nu; o¾ da nn¾kan fu;n’ni;

Oun gbogbo lo; ni;
Di;a; fu;n O®o¾ru¾n
Ti; yo;o; j’oye¾ Olo;n¾roro
EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe o…
Translation:

These were Ifa;’s declarations to O®o¾ru¾n, the Sun
Who wanted to be installed as the Olo;n¾roro, the Illuminator
O®o¾ru¾n, the Sun, considered himself eminently qualified to occupy the position of Olo;n¾roro. He
even saw himself as more qualified than anyone or anything created by O:lo;du¾mare¾ to assume the
position. There was nowhere his rays could not penetrate, even the deepest part of the ocean.
Who dared venture to contest the position with him, he queried. He was so certain that anyone
who did would not only fail, but such a person would find himself to blame. He was convinced
that the King Makers should use their senses to bring the title to him and hand over all the
206
Omoluabi
paraphernalia of office to him quietly, if they loved themselves. This title was Olo;n¾roro, the
Illuminator; and who illuminated better than him? Of course, nobody did. He needed to assume
the position in grand style. That much he was certain of. He therefore needed to prepare fully for
the coronation day.
But wait a moment, if not because of insolent behavior, what was causing their delay? Did he
need to come and beg them to hand over what rightfully belonged to him? Couldn’t the King
Makers use the little common sense they had in their worthless heads? Couldn’t they apply what
was left of their leaking brains to do the right thing? They must be taught a very bitter lesson. If
the King Makers were a pack of fools, who selected them to their various useless and totally inept
positions in the first place? The inhabitants, of course, selected them! These fools who elected
greater fools should also be dealt with in a very decisive manner. He had no patience for such
people. He needed to plan well for his upcoming coronation. That was why he went for Ifa;
consultation. During the consultation, Ogbe¾-I®yo;ônu; was revealed.
The Awo told O®o¾ru¾n that he was eminently qualified for the position. He however needed to offer
eôboô and he would also need to exercise patience and restraint. O®o¾ru¾n was advised against being
provoked into anger. When O®o¾ru¾n heard this, he got so annoyed that he lacked the correct words
that he wanted to use to describe the Awo. He simply walked out and made a loud hiss. He
intensified the sun’s brightness and many crops began to fail. Many youths and adults developed
different types of fever and other types of ailments caused by febrile conditions. Famine set in
when all streams and small rivers dried up. Several evil things happened in the land. The
problems were investigated and traced to O®o¾ru¾n. All the inhabitants, including the King Makers,
decided unanimously not to give O®o¾ru¾n the position.
I®bi;nu; o¾ da nn¾kan fu;n’ni;

Oun gbogbo lo; ni;
Di;a; fu;n Osôu¾pa; Ki¾ri¾mu¾
Ti; yo;o; j'oye¾ Olo;n¾roro
EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe…
Translation:

These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®sôu¾pa; Ki¾ri¾mu¾, the Full Moon
Who wanted to be installed as the Olo;n¾roro, the illuminator
Nobody gave O®sôu¾pa; Ki¾ri¾mu¾, the Full Moon any chance. He was neither as powerful nor as capable
207
as Ina; or O®o¾ru¾n. All that kept him going was the simple fact that he meant well for the people. He
was sure that if he was installed as the Olo;n¾roro, the people would prosper. He knew that there
would be peace and enjoyment in the land. How would he be able to prove that he was worthy of
the trust and confidence of the people? Given the credentials of Ina; and O®o¾ru¾n, where did he
stand? If care was not taken, would Ina; and O®o¾ru¾n not crush him even before the day of the
installation? What did he need to do to avoid the wrath of his more formidable co-contestants?
These were the questions at the back of his mind when he went for Ifa; consultation. During
consultation, Ogbe¾-Su¾u;ru¾ was revealed.
The Awo informed O®sôu¾pa; that he was contesting for a position of honor and respect and that his
co-contestants were more capable than him. He was told that he needed to exercise patience and
perseverance in order to be installed into the royal position. He was advised never to allow
frustration or provocation to push him into avoidable anger. They told him that there was no time
that patience could be too much; it was only if it was not enough. He must continue to exhibit
real love and understanding at all times, and if this was done, having patience would become
easier for him to exercise. The Awo told him that it was one thing to have the capability of doing
something for someone but it was another thing for people to put their trust in one for one to do
it on their behalf. The Awo said that his co-contestants were more capable than him; but the
people did not trust or love them enough to hand over the mandate to either of them.
The Awo advised him to offer eôboô and the same materials that were prescribed for Ina; and O®o¾ru¾n
were also prescribed for O®sôu¾pa;. Emphasis was also laid on having patience and self restraint.
O®sôu¾pa; offered the eôboô that same day. As soon as he returned home in the evening, he decided to
show himself to the people. When the moon appeared, all those who had found shelter under big
trees, under the roof of their homes, and beside the shadows of big hills and so on decided to
move out. They found the moon’s illumination enough for them to see and at the same time,
found it very cool and comforting. E®sôu¾ O®ôda¾ra¾ advised them to bring out their children to play
outside in the moon light. They did. The children greeted the moon with joy and enthusiasm. E®sôu¾
OÙÙ®da¾ra¾ told the King Makers and the other elders in the land that it seemed to him that O®sôu¾pa;
Ki¾ri¾mu¾ had the credentials to be installed as the Olo;n¾roro. Granted, he had no power of
illumination that was as great as Ina; and O®o¾ru¾n, but his force and power were very soothing, and
it did not bring problems to anyone and it allowed for relaxation. E®sôu¾ O®da¾ra¾ urged the elders to
ensure that the installation was done right away before the two trouble makers returned to cause
chaos and confusion.
That same evening, O®sôu¾pa; Ki¾ri¾mu¾ was installed to the exalted position of Olo;n¾roro. It was a
spontaneous but unanimous decision. Nobody complained, except Ina; and O®o¾ru¾n, because
nobody had any cause to do so. The ceremony was peaceful and without any untoward event.
I®bi;nu; ko¾ da nn¾kan fu;n’ni o

Oun gbogbo lo; ni;
Di;a; fu;n Ina;
208
Omoluabi
Ti yo;o; j’oye¾ Olo;n¾roro

EÙboô ni¾ wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe
Oun gbogbo lo; ni;
Ti; yo;o; j’oye¾ Olo;n¾roro
EÙboô ni¾ woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe
Oun gbogbo lo; ni;
Di;a; fu;n O®sôu¾pa; Ki¾ri¾mu¾
Ti; yo;o; joye¾ Olo;n¾roro
EÙboô ni¾ woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe
O®sôu¾pa; ni¾ka¾n ni¾ n;beô le;ôyin ti; n;sôeôboô
A m’O®sôu¾pa; j’oye¾ ire de;
A m’O®sôu¾pa; j’oye¾ Olo;n¾roro
A m’O®sôu¾pa; j’oye¾ aye; gu;n
La;sa;n n’Ina; gbo;ju;
Ina; o¾ ni;wa¾ ni;nu;
La;sa;n l’O®o¾ru¾n gbo;ju;
O®o¾ru¾n o¾ ni;wa¾ ni;nu;
A m’O®sôu¾pa; j’oye¾ ire de;
A m’O®sôu¾pa; j’oye¾ aye; gu;n
Translation:

These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ina;, the Fire
209

These were Ifa;’s declarations to O®o¾ru¾n, the Sun
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®sôu¾pa; Ki¾ri¾mu¾, the Full Moon
Only O®sôu¾pa; complied with the advice of the Awo
We have installed O®sôu¾pa; and all Ire has arrived
We have installed O®sôu¾pa; as the Olo;n¾roro
We have installed O®sôu¾pa; and the world has become peaceful
In vain was the competence of Ina;
Ina; does not have good character
Of no purpose was the capacity of O®o¾ru¾n
O®o¾ru¾n does not have good character
We have installed O®sôu¾pa; as the Olo;n¾roro, the Illuminator
Five, Ifa; says that those who allow excessive anger into their lives also fail to heed useful advice
and warning most of the time until it is too late to make amends. Ifa; says that a person who is in
the habit of exhibiting excessive anger does not need any enemy or assassin to eliminate him/her.
Such a person is his/her own greatest enemy. He/she is the witch, wizard, assassin, and
conspirator against himself/herself. He/she will sooner or later commit self murder due to his/her
bad utterances. Remember that Ifa; says that the mouth has the capability of destroying one's
destiny and life. In O®Ùwoô;nri;n Ele;ji¾gbo¾ (OÙ®wo;ônri;n O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
Aja; ta;a ba; wi; fu;n ti; ko¾ gbo;ô

Ni;i; d’aja; EÙleô;gba;ra
A®gbo¾ ta;a ba; wi; fu;n ti; ko¾ gba¾
Ni;i; d’a¾gbo¾ 'Moôleô¾
OÙ®to¾ôoô¾to¾ô e¾e¾ya¾n ta;a wi; fu;n ti; ko¾ gboô;
Ni;i; f'oôwoô; a¾ja;ri¾ b'omi
Di;a; fu;n Ala;wi;i¾gboô;
Ni;'jo;ô to; n; loô koô oko a ki¾i; koô
210
Omoluabi
Woô;n ni; ko; ma; koô oô;

O: ni; o¾un o; koô oô;
E®ro¾ I®po a¾ti t'O®Ùfa¾
EÙni i; gb'e;ôboô ni;'be¾ô ko; ru;'boô
Translation:
The dog that was warned but which refused to heed warning
Will become the dog of E¾Ùleô;gba;ra
The ram that was advised but which refused to heed warning
Will become the ram of the Imoôleô¾
The human being that was advised but which refused to heed warning
Will live to regret his actions
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the self conceited person
When he was going to cultivate the farm that was a taboo to cultivate
He was advised not to cultivate it
He insisted on cultivating it
Travelers to I®po and OÙ®fa¾
Let those advised to offer eôboô do so accordingly
In this Odu¾, the self conceited man was advised against cultivating the land of the spirits, but
anger and pride did not allow him to take to the advice of the Awo. He went ahead and cultivated
the land. One day, the spirits were having their periodic meeting and they were deliberating on
what to do in order to teach the self conceited man a lesson which he would not forget in a hurry
for having the temerity to cultivate their land. As they were deliberating, the self conceited man
appeared. It did not take them long before they ensured that the self conceited man was no
longer among the living. In another example in the same Odu¾ of OÙ®woô;nri;n Ele;ji¾gbo¾, Ifa; says:
A®a; sôe e; ile; aye; ni;i; gbe;

A ki¾i; sôe e;, ile; aye; ni;i; gbe;
Ta;a ba; sôe e;, ki;n ni; i; t'i¾di; i re¾ô eô; da¾
O: n; beô ni;'de¾na¾ O®Ùrun
Di;a; fu;n A®re¾ômoô Ele;ji¾gbo¾
To; ni; o¾un o; sôu; i¾ya; o¾un l'o;po;
Woô;n ni; ko; ma; su; u
O: ni; o¾un o; su; u
N®jeô; o ti moô¾ o;ô o sôe e;
OÙ®woô;nri;n Ele;ji¾gbo¾
211
O ti mo¾ô oô; o sôe e;

Translation:
It can be done, it is in this world that he lives

It is not to be done, it is in this world that he lives
If we do it, what are the possible consequences?
That are at the boundary of heaven
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the first son of Ele;ji¾gbo¾¾
When he insisted on entering into a levirate marriage with his mother
He was advised not to do it (enter into levirate marriage with this mother)
He insisted on doing it
Now, Why did you engage in this wrong act?
OÙ®woô;nri;n Ele;ji¾gbo¾
Why did you engage in this wrong act?
In this particular stanza, the story goes thus:
When Ele;ji¾gbo¾ died, his first child was enthroned as the next Ele;ji¾gbo¾. He inherited all his father’s
properties, he also decided to inherit his mother and convert her into his wife. He was warned
against doing so. He became angry that his subjects would give him such advice. He saw himself
as the most important person in the community. It was his anger and pride that prevented him
from seeing the reason and common sense in what his subjects were telling him. The subjects
decided to confront him, saying that they could never allow such a taboo to be broken in their
land. They went for Ifa; consultation to determine what to do. Ifa; advised them not to take any
step; adding that nobody should fight for taboo because taboo was capable of fighting for itself.
Any taboo being broken, the taboo itself would bring the person the appropriate consequence.
The subjects heeded the advice of Ifa; and they waited patiently for what the outcome of the
action of A®re¾ômoô Ele;ji¾gbo¾ would be.
A®re¾ômoô Ele;ji¾gbo¾’s mother gave birth to three children for him in quick succession. The children
developed normally and grew up rapidly with no difficulties. One day, the first child was sent to
the stream to fetch water. While he was fetching the water, the Lord of the stream pulled him
into the water and he died from drowning. After waiting for sometime for the first child and he did
not show up, the second child was sent to go get his sibling. He too met the same fate. The
third child was then sent and the same fate befell him. Their mother finally decided to go and see
for herself what was happening. She too met the same fate. The father, who was A®re¾ômoô
Ele;ji¾gbo¾, whose mother gave birth to the three children for him, also went to the stream. When
he arrived, he saw the Lord of the stream. He was then told that nobody need fight for taboo
because taboo would fight for itself. The Lord of the stream then added that whoever has chosen
to do what no one has ever done before, he/she must be ready to experience what others have
never experienced before as a consequence. After this, he then gave A®re¾ômoô Ele;ji¾gbo¾ a big blow
in the head and he fell into the stream face down. He died a few moments after.
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Omoluabi
Ifa; also says that when people allow anger, hatred and pride to rule their lives, when the problem
arises, tears or curses will never solve such problem. In OÙ®woô;nri;n Po¾ka¾n (O®Ùwoô;nri;n O®Ùka¾nra¾n), Ifa;
says:
O®Ùwoô;nri;n p'o¾ôka¾nra¾n iwo¾ôjoô;

Di;a; fu;n EÙku;n-o¾-de;'be¾ô
Di;a; fu;n OÙla;-eôku;n oômoô oô reô o
EÙku;n o¾ de;'bi oô¾ro¾ô oô; gbe; n; du¾n woô;n la;i;la;i;...
Translation:
O®Ùwoô;nri;n p'o¾ôka¾nra¾n iwo¾ôjoô;

This was Ifa;’s declaration for EÙku;n-o¾-de;'be¾ô, no amount of tears will bring succor
This was Ifa;’s declaration for OÙla;-eôku;n, the Honor of Lacrimation her child
No amount of weeping will bring comfort where this pain comes from…
Six, Ifa; says that with negative feelings, one is bound to say things that one may regret for the
rest of one's life. That is the reason why one must never allow anger to dominate one’s thoughts
or feelings, let alone what comes out of one’s mouth. In O®tu;ru;po¾ôn OÙ®na¾ I®sôoku¾n (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn I®rosu¾n),
Ifa; says:
I®ta¾n a¾mo¾ôju¾ ni;i; m'e;ôyeô oko o; su¾n’gbeô;

Di;a; fu;n A®da¾ba¾ sôu¾u¾sôu¾u¾
Ti; n; lo¾ôoô; bu; ara; I®sôoku¾n l'eô;ru;
Woô;n koô'ti; o¾ôgboônyin s'eô;boô
OÙ®tu;n I®sôoku¾n eôru;
O®si¾ I®sôoku¾n eôru;
Ni woô;n ba; le; A®da¾ba¾ SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u¾ ku;ro¾ ni;'lu¾u;
Lo; wa; n; soô wi;pe;
O®Ùtu;n I®sôoku¾n
Gbogbo woôn ni woô;n n; sôe bi; OÙba bi; OÙba
O®si¾ I®sôoku¾n
Gbogbo woôn ni woô;n n; sôe bi; OÙba bi; OÙba
Woô;n ni; o; ti pe a¾woôn l'eô;ru; na;
Ko; ma; a gbe; ni;nu; i¾gbeô; e¾ô
Gbogbo i¾sôo¾wo¾ O®Ùpe¾ô
EÙni i; gb'e;ôboô ni;'be¾ô ko; sô'eôboô o
Translation:
Excessive knowledge of history is it that leads a bird to sleep inside the forest
This was Ifa;’s declaration for A®da¾¾ba¾ SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u¾, the Dove
When going to abuse the inhabitants of I®sôoku¾n as slaves
213

She refused to comply
O®Ùtu;n I®sôoku¾n is a slave
And O®si¾ I®sôoku¾n is also a slave
She was then driven out of the town
After this, she was saying:
O®Ùtu;n I®sôoku¾n they were all behaving like kings
And O®si¾ I®sôoku¾n they too were all behaving like kings
They said that she had called them slaves
She must remain in the forest where was
All followers of O®Ùpe¾ô
Here is the story:
A®da¾ba¾ SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u¾, the Dove knew the story of the inhabitants of I®sôoku¾n land very well. She also
knew that the inhabitants of I®sôoku¾n land were ex-slaves. Because she had this personal hatred
for the citizens of I®sôoku¾n land, she was looking for any opportunity to disgrace them. It got to
the stage that her anger took the better part of her. She decided to fly to the heart of I®sôoku¾n
land and when she arrived, she began to shout: "O®Ùtu;n I®sôoku¾n EÙru;, O®si¾ I®sôoku¾n EÙru;": meaning The
second in command in I®sôoku¾n land is a slave, The third in command in I®sôoku¾n land is a slave".
When the inhabitants of I®sôoku¾n land heard of this statement from A®da¾ba¾ SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u, they found it
impossible to stomach the insult. They summoned an emergency meeting of the elders. They
tabled the matter for discussion. In the end, A®da¾ba¾ SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u was banished from the land and sent
to the forest.
Before A®da¾ba¾ SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u spent three months in the foreset, she had really regretted all her actions
because of the fact that she faced the problem of extreme hardship and untold deprivation. She
decided to look for a way to placate the citizens of I®sôoku¾n land. She therefore flew to a nearby
forest outside the boundary of I®sôoku¾n land and changed her tune. She then began saying: "O®Ùtu;n
I®sôoku¾n, Gbogbo woôn ni woô;n n; sôe bi; OÙba bi; OÙba. O®si¾ I®sôoku¾n, Gbogbo woôn ni woô;n n; sôe bi; OÙba bi;
OÙba", meaning: O®Ùtu;n I®sôoku¾n, they were all behaving like kings, O®si¾ I®sôoku¾n, they too are all
behaving like kings".
When the elders heard what A®da¾ba¾ SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u was saying, they summoned another meeting to
deliberate over the new development. After many discussions, they concluded that it was better
for A®da¾ba¾ SÙu¾u¾sôu¾u to remain in the forest because what she had originally said about them being
slaves still remained indelible in their minds.
Seven, Ifa; warns us to watch our utterances in whatever we say in order for us not to destroy
ourselves or our loved ones with our own utterances. In I®rosu¾n E®Ùga¾, (I®rosu¾n O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
EÙ®ga¾ ko;ô'le;
E®Ùga¾ f'eônu tu; u
Di;a; f’E:Ùga¾ sôeô¾sôeô¾e¾ôsôeô¾
214
Omoluabi
To; bi;'moô me;ji¾

To; ni; ile; o¾un ti ku;n te;ôteô;
Woô;n ni; o; ka;'ra n;le¾ô, eôboô ni; sôi;sôe…
Translation:
EÙ®ga¾ (the Palm Bird) built her home

EÙ®ga¾ (the palm bird) used her mouth to scatter her home
This was the Ifa; cast for E®®Ùga¾ sôeô¾sôeô¾e¾ôsôeô
Who gave birth to two children
And announced that her home was completely filled with children
She was advised to offer eôboô...
In this Odu¾, EÙ®ga¾ (the Palm Bird) was fond of using superlative terms to qualify her activities in order
to make her colleagues angry, jealous and/or feel inadequate. She was warned against this type of
behavior several times but she refused to listen. One day, E®Ùga¾ laid two eggs and hatched the two.
This gave her the perfect opportunity that she was looking for in order to give her colleagues
something to be sad over. She announced to her colleagues that her home was filled up with
several children. For that reason, the colleagues of E:Ùga¾ sôeô¾sôeô¾e¾ôsôeô planned with hunters to go and
ransack the home of E:Ùga¾ sôeô¾sôeô¾e¾ôsôeô and capture her together with her children. When the hunters
arrived, they simply set the house on fire. The two baby birds died and E:Ùga¾ sôeô¾sôeô¾e¾ôsôeô just barely
escaped. Ever since that time, E:Ùga¾ sôeô¾sôeô¾e¾ôsôeô has been living her life with sorrow and regrets.
In another example, Ifa; says that whatever we say out of anger will eventually come to haunt us.
In O®Ùba¾ra¾ Moôn
; a;mo;ôna; (O®Ùba¾ra¾ OÙ®woô;nri;n), Ifa; says:
OÙ®ba¾¾ra¾ OÙ®wo;Ùnri;nô sôe bi; o ni; o ki¾i; j’e¾e;pa;

Di;a; fu;n Ala;gba;a¾
OÙmoô asô’oôpa ta;n o to;o; jeôun
Gbogbo i¾wo¾ro¾ O®Ùpe¾ô
EÙni i; gb’e;ôboô ni;'be¾ô ko; sô’eôboôô
Translation:
OÙ®ba¾¾ra¾ OÙ®wo;Ùnri;n I thought that you said you cannot eat stale pounded yam
This was Ifa;’s declaration for Ala;gba;a¾
He who swore before eating
All followers of O®Ùpe¾ô
215
Ala;gba;a¾ was the head of the Egu;ngu;n masquerade cult. He had a wife who he considered to be
someone who could never do anything correctly. This was what usually made him to feel angry.
One day, he asked his wife to prepare pounded yam for him to eat. It took the wife several hours
before she finished the preparation. Ala;gba;a¾ thought within himself that he was not wrong. He
was sure that anything that the woman did correctly had to be a mistake. Her normal way of
doing things was to bungle everything that she touched. This annoyed him the more. When the
woman brought the food, he swore that he would not eat the food. He added that if for any
reason he ate the food, may his ancestors call him back to heaven on that very day.
After saying this, he stumbled out of the house. The woman felt very bitter about the situation,
but she did not say anything. The woman simply threw the pounded yam up on top of the roof of
the house.
A few weeks after, Ala;gba;a¾ returned home feeling very hungry, there was no food in the house
and Ala;gba;a¾'s hunger was unbearable. The woman told her husband not to worry; she said that
there was still some stale pounded yam which she would help him to warm up to eat since he was
complaining of unbearable hunger. Ala;gba;a¾ thanked his wife and thought to himself that this had
to be the first thing that she had ever done right since he got married to her. The woman then
quietly climbed to the top of the roof and removed the stale pounded yam. She warmed it up and
gave it to her husband to eat. The food was not the best, but Ala;gba;a¾ ate it nonetheless because
of his hunger.
As soon as Ala;gba;a¾ finished eating, his wife came to him and reminded him of the vow he had
made earlier. She told him that he had sworn that if he should eat that particular food (the
pounded yam she had made a few weeks ago), may his ancestors summon him to heaven. She
told him that what he had just eaten was the pounded yam that he had sworn he would never
consume. He told him to ask his ancestors to summon him forthwith. The man opened his
mouth and did not know what to do. Before he could decide on any action to take, his ancestors
came and helped him to fulfill his vow.
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CHAPTER TWELVE
Mo du¾n l’a;wo
Mo du¾n ni;’mu¾le¾ô
Mo du¾n ni; ka; b’a;ra eôni mu’leô¾
Ka; ma; da’ra eôni
O: n; loô b’EÙ:leôyeô mu’leô¾ ni; po¾ôroô¾po¾ôroô¾ odo¾
Mo ba; a yi;n mu’le¾ô
A j’eku
A j’eôja
A j’eôyeô
A j’eôran
A j’e¾wo;
Bi; o gb’o;ri; Ile¾ô
To; o da¾ mi;
A®sôeô wa;a; d’oôwoô; ile¾ô ta a joô mu
OÙ®sôeô; I®wo¾ri¾
Translation:
I am good at keeping secrets

I am good at honoring covenants
I am good at entering into convenant with friends
Without betraying the friends
When going to enter into convenant with the Elders of the Night
At the bank of the river
He complied
We entered into convenant
And we ate rats together
And we ate fish together
And we ate birds together
And we ate beasts together
217

And we ate mashed yams together
If you stay on the Mother Earth
And you betray me
We will leave all A®sôeô in the hands of the covenant that we all entered into
HATRED
Hatred: Having a great dislike for others or/and what they represent. It is a very bad or
unpleasant dislike for others.
According to Ifa;, there are certain principles that all those aspiring to become OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; need to
understand. These principles include the following:
One, the most important and the most difficult aspect to maintain for all human beings is their
character, which happens to be the only aspect of human beings that Olo;du¾mare¾ is interested in,
and which He will judge. This is the reason why all those who strive to be known as, and be
called OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; need to ensure that their character is acceptable in the eyes of Olo;du¾mare¾, Ori;,
Ifa; and the Iru;nmoôleô¾/O®ri¾sôa¾. In OÙ®ka¾nra¾n Du¾u¾ru¾ (OÙ®ka¾nra¾n O®fu;n), Ifa; says:
Kuru-te;te;
Ku¾ru¾ te;te;
Di;a; fu;n I®wa¾ ni¾kan sôosôo
Ti;i; sôe a¾bu;ro¾ l'e;ôyi¾n Ori;
EÙboô ni wo;ôn ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe
Woô;n gbe;ô’boô, woô;n ru;'boô
I®wa¾ ni¾kan lo; sôo¾ro
Ori; kan o¾ ni;i; buru;
To; fi d'a;le¾ô Ifeô¾
Translation:
Kuru-te;te;
Ku¾ru¾ te;te;
These were Ifa;’s declarations for I®wa¾, Character
The younger sibling of Ori;, Destiny
It is good character that is most important
No destiny will be plagued with misfortune
For it not to be mendable in Ifeô¾ land
It is good character that is most important
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that if one has brought a bad or challenging destiny from heaven but the
218
Omoluabi
person has good character, the good character will mend the bad/challenging destiny and convert
it to good.
Two, Ifa; says that confrontation, contention, quarreling, malice, swearing and jeering are all
products of hatred and they are not accepted for all those aspiring to become OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. Instead
of hatred, there must be love; in the place of confrontation, there must be cooperation; instead of
malice, there must be geniality. In O®Ùsôeô; Ma;sa¾a; (O®Ùsôeô; O®Ùsa;), Ifa; says:
Ere; lo; to;ô,

I®ja¾ ko¾ toô;
Bi; a ba; ja¾ ta;n, ere; a ba¾je;ô
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùsôoô;
Ti;i; sô'oômoô woôn ni;'le; Ake;
I®fe;ô l'a¾ju¾loôô
EÙ jeô; ka; ma;a fe;ô’raa wa o
Translation:
Friendship is good
Quarreling is not
After quarrelling, the friendship will be destroyed
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®Ùsôoô;
Their offspring in the land of Ake;
He complied
Love is the most important
Let us show love to each other
In this Odu¾, Ifa; approves friendship and disapproves quarrel. The reason that Ifa; gives is that is
there is quarrel, friendship will be destroyed.
Three, Ifa; says that even if people refuse to show appreciation for the good deeds that we
render to them, we have no right to hate them or be wicked to them. In I®wo¾ri¾ O®Ùda;;nri;n (I®wo¾ri¾
O®Ùwoô;nri;n), Ifa; says:
EÙni ti; a ba; sôe l’o;ore ti; ko¾ mo¾ô oô;

Ki; a ma; fi i¾ka¾ da;n-an wo¾
Ti; a ba; sôe e; ni;’ka¾ wo¾
I®ka¾ yo;o; du¾n-u;n
Oore ni ko¾ ni;i; ra;nti;
Di;a; fu;n I®wo¾ri¾
Ni;'jo;ô to; n; loôô re¾ e; na;’ja¾ EÙleô;ri;n
219

O: gb’e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô...
Translation:
He who one does a favor for

But who does not appreciate it
Do not display any wickedness towards such a person
If we are wicked to this person
The wickedness will pain him
And the goodness that we have done for him will not be remembered
These were Ifa;’s declarations for I®wo¾ri¾
When going to transact business in EÙleô;ri;n Market
He complied…
In this Odu, Ifa says that we must not be wicked to those who are not appreciative of our good
gestures. The reason given by Ifa is that if we show wickedness to those who do not appreciate
our good deeds, it will not make them remember or appreciate the good deeds we’ve done for
them. The wickeness we display toward them will pain them and they will never forget it. The
good deeds will then never be remembered.
Four, when there is hatred or malice towards us, there is the need for self-examination to see
whether or not we are culpable in any way in deserving such hatred or malice. Ifá always
recommends us to check our own character and actions before blaming others for things
occurring to us. In OÙ®sôeô; I®mu¾le¾ô (O®Ùsôeô; I®®wo¾ri¾), Ifa; says:
OÙ®sôeô; ni; n; sôeô; le;n;je-le;n;je o

I®wo¾ri¾ ni; n; sôeô; lo¾n¾jo-lo¾n¾jo
Di;a; fu;n OÙmoô’ku¾nrin pupa-ro¾ro¾ O®ke¾ A®pa¾
Ti; wo;ôn n; ba; ro’jo;ôoô pi;pa l’o;de O®Ùrun
Ifa; ni; e¾wo ni mo sôe
Ti; mo fi gb’odi¾ i woôn o
E®mi o¾ 'pe; k’o;lo;wo; Ife¾ô o; ma; ma¾ ni;;
E®mi o¾ pe; Ala;ya Ife¾ô o; ma; ma¾ ni;
E®mi o¾ pe; k'O:Ùloô;la;; Ife¾ô o; ma; ma¾ ni;
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Omoluabi
E®mi o¾ ni; k’a;boyu;n Ife¾ o; ma; ma¾ bi;

EÙni¾kan o¾ s’o¾ôroô¾
Ki; n re’le; le¾e; wi;
Ifa; ni; l'a;la;i¾ ni; ki;nni;-ki;nni; oômoôde;
L'a;la;i¾ ni; i¾ra¾do¾ô a¾gba¾lagba¾
EÙ®so¾ô-eô¾so¾ô
L’o¾un o; fi sôeô;’gun eôni ti; n; pe’ri; o¾un
EÙ®so¾ô-eô¾so¾ô
Translation:
OÙ®sôeô; is it that moves sideways

I®wo¾ri¾ is it that swivels on both sides
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the light skinned man of the A®pa¾ Hills
When they were planning to eliminate him right from heaven
He complied
Ifá, what was my offense
To deserve such malice?
I have never stopped the wealthy from progressing
I have never stopped anyone from enjoying their spouse
I have never prevented a pregnant woman from having a safe delivery
I have never stopped anyone from completing his property
Nobody has ever kept any secret with me
For me to expose it to others
Ifa; declares that since I harbor no malice against any youth
And show no hatred against any elder
Gradually
I will surely overcome all those who are against me
Gradually
221
Ifa; says that objective self-examination or being criticial of one’s behavior is very good for the
following reasons:
i.it allows one to see one’s true self without bias or excuses
ii.it gives one the opportunity to make amends, if any, without other people telling one to do so
iii.it assures one that one is on the right track, if one realizes that one is not lacking in any major
area of good character
iv.it doubles one’s conviction that evil will never triumph over good
v.it gives one the impetus to continue to do good for two reasons:
a.one will continue to witness the collapse and fall of evil
b.one will also see what causes the fall
Five, Ifa; warns all those aspiring to be OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to always put it at the back of their minds that
those who hate other people’s progress abound in this world. They do not wish other people well
in any endeavor in life. Most people love to hear stories of grief, pain, disaster and misfortune
about other people than to hear that someone is making progress. In Mo Sa; Fu;n ‘SÙeô¾e;ô (OÙ®sa; O®Ùsôeô;),
Ifa; says:
A®sôa; ra;ja;;ra;ja; Awo e¾ôba; o¾kun

Lo; ki’fa; fu;n A®wo¾di¾ ra¾jara¾ja e¾ôyi¾n o¾ôsa¾
A®wo¾di¾ ra¾jara¾ja e¾ôyi¾n o¾ôsa¾
Di;a; fu;n E®sôu¾ u Pa¾na¾da¾
Ti; n; sun'ku;n 'pe; o¾un o¾ r’e;ru¾ jeô
E®sôu¾ u Pa¾na¾da¾, ti; n; sun'ku;n pe; o¾un o¾ r’e;ru¾ jeô
Di;a; fu;n O®ko¾ko; I®ye¾ôleô¾
Ti; n; sô’oômoô OÙba l’o;de I®sa;;lu;; Aye;
O: wa;a; wu Adi¾eô O®ko¾ko;
Bi;i ko; k’o;ômoô loô¾ oô; m’o¾kun
Abi;nu; eôni ni ki¾i; je;ô ni;’gbe¾ôyi¾¾n O®Ùsa¾
Translation:
The swift hawk by the ocean side

He cast Ifa; for the agile Eagle by the end of the lagoon
The agile Eagle by the end of the lagoon
He cast Ifa; for E®sôu¾ u Pa¾na¾da¾
When lamenting for his inability to procure Ifa; proceeds
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Omoluabi

E®sôu¾ u Pa¾na¾da¾ who was lamenting for his inability to procure Ifa; proceeds
He cast Ifa; for Adi¾eô O®ko¾ko;, the Fowl
The offspring of the OÙba of I®sa;lu; Aye;
She complied
The Fowl would have loved to take her chicks to the ocean to play
But envious ones who are full of hatred will not allow her by the end of the lagoon
In this particular stanza, one can see that nothing is beyond someone full of hatred displaying
his/her hatred. In the same vein, nothing is too little for him/her to show hatred over. This is the
reason why all potential OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; need to be very careful when dealing with those who show
hatred. We do not need to wait for them to show their hatred towards us. As long as we see
them showing hatred toward other people, it is only a question of time before they will decide to
descend on us too. In I®ka; O® L’o;su¾n (I®ka; I®rosu¾n), Ifa; says:
A® n; ri¾n l’eô;se¾ô
Inu; n; bi; eôl’eô;sôin
A® n; l’a¾ki;sa¾
Inu; n; bi; al’a;sôoô
A® n; j’e¾ôfoô; su¾n
Inu; n; bi; eôl’eô;ran
Di;a; fu;n OÙdeôô-Te;e;le;
Ti; n; sô’oôdeô r’o¾de I®ra¾wo¾¾ô
Yo;o; lo¾ô oô; gb’oôsi¾n-gb’oôra¾ wa;’le;
Yo;o; lo¾ô ô;o j’oye¾ Olo;ri; Iwin
I®ya; a¾ mi ni; n ma; re¾’ra¾wo¾ô
Mo re¾’ra¾wo¾ô
EÙ®yin o¾ r’O:ri; i¾ mi
O: di poro o
E®mi o¾ tu;n’ra¾wo¾ô de; mo;ô
Baba mi ni; n ma; re¾’ra¾wo¾
Mo re¾’ra¾wo¾ô
EÙ®yin o¾ r’O:ri; i¾ mi
O: di poro o
E®mi o¾ tu;n’ra¾wo¾ô de; mo;ô
Translation
We are trekking
The horse rider is angry
We are wearing rags
223
The one wearing new dresses is annoyed

We are eating plain vegetables for dinner
The one who has meat on his dinner plate is angry
These were Ifa;’s declarations for OÙdeÙ-Te;e;le;
When going on a hunting expedition to I®ra¾wo¾ô land
And who would become a prominent personality
And who would be conferred with the title of Olo;ri;-Iwin
He complied
My mother asked me not to go to I®ra¾wo¾ô
I went all the same
Can’t you see my destiny?
Forever and ever
I will stay in I®ra¾wo¾ô
My father asked me not to go to I®ra¾wo¾ô
I went all the same
Can’t you see my destiny?
Forever and ever
I will stay in I®ra¾wo¾ô
In the story above, we can see that the person showing hatred had more prosperity than the
person he was hating, and yet the hatred went unabated. It is a serious lesson for us to
understand that it does not matter whether or not we have more achievements than our
distractors. People will hate others even if they themselves are more prosperous.
Six, Ifa; says that the enemies within are more than enemies outside. If there are no enemies
who have inside information, it will be difficult for enemies outside to strike with any measure of
accuracy. In O®fu;n Oni;gba¾di¾ (O®fu;n Odi;), Ifa; says:
O: fu;n 'moô ni;'di¾i; i¾la;peô

Di;a; fu;n EÙni ti; wo;ôn n; sôe ni;'le;
To; l’o;de l’a¾ru¾n ti n; sôe¾'un
N®je;ô eô¾yin o¾ gboô;n o
E®Ùyin o¾ m’o¾ôra¾n
E®Ùyin o¾ mo¾ô ‘pe; ile; l’ogun-u;n wa¾
Ti; n; pa’ni
Translation:
It blocked the child’s anus

This was Ifa;’s declaration for the person who was being attacked from within his home
But who assumed that his attackers were outsiders
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Omoluabi

He complied
Now, you lack wisdom
And you have no understanding
Don’t you realize that it is the war within the home
That kills one?
Truly, it is not uncommon for one to feel that one is loved by one’s household; therefore, one will
natural think that no threat could come from there. This however is far from the truth. One needs
to put it at the back of one’s mind that while keeping an open mind towards everyone, there is
nobody excluded from showing hatred against other people. In another stanza in O®fu;n Oni;;gba¾di¾,
Ifa; says:
O: sa; we;jewe;je
O: gbo¾ôn we;jewe;je
Di;a; fu;n SÙa¾ko;ro;
Ti;i; sô’oômoôku¾nrin I®gba¾di¾
Ifa; lo; foô’re
EÙ®gbo;ôn o¾ foô’re
Ifa; lo; foô're leô¾ n; yo¾ô
Translation:
He ran helter skelter

And he trembled from one place to the other
These were Ifa;’s declarations for SÙa¾ko;ro;
The young man of I®gba¾di¾ land
He complied
Only Ifa; said that it was Ire
The elder sibling did not foresee Ire
When it was only Ifa; that said that it was Ire
Why were you rejoicing?
In this Odu¾, we can see a situation where the client’s elder sibling was the main problem in the
life of this person. Also in I®rosu¾n E®Ùga¾ (I®rosu¾n O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
Iku;n Awo Ma¾gba;

O®Ùwa¾sa¾ go¾ôlo¾ôto¾ô oômoô Oye¾ O®ki;ti¾
Di;a; fu;n E®Ùga¾ SÙeô¾sôeô¾e¾ôsôeô¾
Ti; n; sô'oômoô i¾keôyi¾n woôn le;n;jele;n;je
A®woôn meô;te¾ôeô¾ta ni; n; sô'oômoô i¾ko;ôfa; ile; O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
Ifa; ko;ô woôn ni; di;da; oôwoô;
225
Wo;ôn moô¾oô; da;

O: ko;ô woôn ni; o¾n¾te¾ô aleô¾
Woô;n mo¾ôoô; te¾ô
O: ko;ô woôn ni; o¾ôkarara eôboô
Woô;n mo¾ôoô; ha korokoro ja;ko
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ wa; sô'awo r’a¾pa; o¾kun
O®un I¾®la¾me;ji¾ o¾ôsa¾
Ni;'le; OÙloô;ja¾ meô;ri¾ndi;nlo;gu;n
O®Ùsôunfu;nnle;ôyoô¾ ni;i; sô'aya OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
Iku;n Awo Ma¾gba; ni; O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ o¾ ni;i; de; mo;ô
OÙ®wa¾sa¾ go¾ôloôô¾to¾ô oômôoô Oye¾ O®ki;t;i¾ ni; O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ o¾ ni;i; de; mo;ô
EÙ®ga¾ SÙeô¾sôeô¾e¾ôsôeô¾ ti; n; sô'oômoô i¾keôyi¾n woôn le;n;jele;n;je ni; O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ yo;o; de¾e;
N®je;ô iku;n Awo Ma¾gba;
O®Ùwa¾sa¾ go¾ôloô¾to¾ô oômoô Oye¾ O®ki;ti
EÙ®ga¾ SÙe¾ôsôeô¾e¾ôsôeô¾ ti; n;¾ sô'oômoô i¾keôyi¾n woôn le;n;jele;n;je
OÙwoô; ma¾ n; wa; o
EÙseô¾ n; gbo¾ôn
A®ti woô'le; toô’kin
EôÙ®ru¾ n; ba¾
K’oô;wo;ô ma; ma¾ wa; o
K’e;ôseô¾ ma; gbo¾ôn
A®ti woô'le; toô’kin
Ko¾ l'eô;ru¾
Translation:
The squirrel, the Awo of Ma¾gba; land

The big rat, the Awo of the Ant Hill
They cast Ifa; for E®Ùga¾ SÙe¾ôsôeô¾e¾ôsôeô¾
The youngest among the three of them
The three of them were students in OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾‘s household
He taught them how to cast Ifa;
And they knew how to do it
He taught them how to imprint the Odu¾
And they mastered it
He taught them how to offer eôboô
And they were good at it
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ traveled far and wide
He traveled for a long long time
OÙ®sôu;nfu;nnle;ôyoô¾ was O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾’s wife
Iku;n, the Awo of Ma¾gba; land, said that O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ would never return
OÙ®wa¾sa¾, the big rat, said O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ would never return
It was only E®Ùga¾ SÙe¾ôsôeô¾e¾ôsôeô¾ who said OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ would return
When OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ returned
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Omoluabi
Iku;n the Awo of Ma¾gba; land

And O®Ùwa¾sa¾, the big rat of the Ant hill
And EÙ®ga¾¾ SÙ¾e¾ôsôeô¾e¾ôsôeô¾, the youngest of them all
They declared that their hands were trembling
And their legs were shaking
To go and meet OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ made them have fear
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ responded that “let your hands tremble not
And let your legs shake not
There is no reason to have fear”
In this situation, it was OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾’s actual subordinates planning against him, their master. This is
to show that Hatred can come from anyone, in any shape or form, even from one’s own trusted
students. In another story in I®rosu¾n E®Ùga¾, Ifa; says:
Esôinsôin wiriwiri ni;'le; oôloô;ti;

A®wo¾ônyi¾n wiriwiri l'o;de O®Ùtu¾nmo¾ôba¾
EÙ®ga¾ sôeô¾sôeô¾ ni;i; sô'awo a¾ta;le¾ôde
Di;a; fu;n EÙti-wa-b'ori; si;
Ti;i; sô'oômoô woôn l'eô;se¾ô OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾
O: gb'e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô
Olo;wo; n; l'o;wo;
E®Ùyin si¾ wa; n; bi;'nu;
EÙ ti wa b'ori; si; o
OÙmoô woôn l'eô;se¾ô OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾
OÙloô;moô n; bi;'moô
OÙloô;koô n; l'o;ôkoô
Ala;ya n; l'a;ya
Ire gbogbo n; woô'le; o
Translation:
227
A lot of gadflies in the alcohol distillery

A lot of insects in O®Ùtu¾nmo¾ôba¾ land
EÙ®ga¾ sôeô¾sôeô¾, the Palm Bird is the Awo of the frontage of the house
They were the ones who cast Ifa; for EÙ-ti-wa-b'ori;-si;, Consider my Ori;
Their offspring at the feet of OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾
When I became wealthy
You were angry
Do you consider my Ori;?
I am a child at the feet of OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾
When I started having children
You were angry
When I had the Ire of a compatible spouse
You were angry
When all the Ire of life became mine
You were angry
In this situation, the person’s neighbors were against the progress and achievements of their co-
neighbor. The examples are inexhaustible.
Seven, no matter the situation, those who show hatred for others for no justifiable reason will
never win. In Ogbe¾ OÙ®sa;, Ifa; says:
A®ro¾ye; Awo A®gbi¾gbo¾

Di;a; fu;n A®gbi¾gbo¾ni¾wo¾ônra¾n
Ti; wo;ôn ni; ko¾ le¾ la¾ moô; la;i;la;i;
A®ro¾ye; o de; o, Awo A®gbi¾gbo¾
Woô;n ni; t'e¾mi ta;n
Ifa; ni; t'e¾mi ku¾
A®ro¾ye; o¾, Awo A®gbi¾gbo¾
Translation:
A®ro¾ye;, the Awo of A®gbi¾gbo¾, the Hoopoe

He cast Ifa; for the Hoopoe
When they declared that he would never succeed in life
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Omoluabi
He complied
Here comes A®ro¾ye;, the Awo of A®gbi¾gbo¾
They said that mine was finished
Ifa¾ declared that mine would still remain
Here comes A®ro¾ye;, the Awo of A®gbi¾gbo¾
In this Odu¾, enemies were rejoicing that A®gbi¾gbo¾ would never amount to anything in life, simply
because he was passing through difficult times. They were celebrating the downfall of A®gbi¾gbo¾.
They however forgot that the ways of men are totally different from those of Ifa; and Olo;du¾mare¾.
Ifa; then interceded on behalf of A®gbi¾gbo¾ and declared that the success and achievements of
A®gbi¾gbo¾ would still remain. That was exactly what happened. A®gbi¾gbo¾ later succeeded more than
all of his distracters put together.
Eight, shame shall be the lot of all evil planners. Ifa; says that the profit of all haters and other
evil planners are shame, grief, regrets and catastrophe. In Ogbe¾ SÙeô;wo; Si';le; (Ogbe¾ O®Ùsôeô;), Ifa; says:
A®la¾we;ô eô¾koô, ab’eô¾yi¾n gu¾n-u¾nru¾n

Di;a; fu;n A®ra¾ba¾ Pa¾ta¾ko¾
Ti; wo;ôn o; mu¾u; j’oye¾ e Ko;wo;-ko;wo;
O: gb’e;ôboôô, o; ru;’boô
N®jeô; Ko;wo;-ko;wo;
A®ra¾ba¾ o¾ wo; mo;ô
Oju; ti I®ro;ko¾
Ko;wo;-ko;wo;
Oju; ti OÙba ni;’nu; igi
Ko;wo;-ko;wo;
A®ra¾ba¾ o¾ wo; mo;
Oju; ti I®ro;ko¾
Ko;wo;-ko;wo;
Translation:
A slice of eô¾koô, corn meal, with an uneven back

That was the Ifa; cast for the Mighty A®ra¾ba¾
Who was being slated to fall
He complied
Now, Ko;wo;-ko;wo;, may he fall by all means
A®ra¾ba¾ has refused to fall
It is a big shame on I®ro;ko¾
Ko;wo;-ko;wo;
It is a big shame on the king of the forest trees
Ko;wo;-ko;wo;
A®ra¾ba¾ has proven to be unfallable
229
It is a big shame on I®ro;ko¾

Ko;wo;-ko;wo;
In this Odu¾, I®ro;ko¾ was the king of all the forest trees, despite the fact that A®ra¾ba¾ was by far
mightier than I®ro;ko¾. A®ra¾ba¾ was however contented with his situation in life. I®ro;ko¾ was not. I®ro;ko¾
began to plot against A®ra¾ba¾ simply because A®ra¾ba¾ was bigger than him. He employed the services
of the wood cutters to come and help him cut down the A®ra¾ba¾ tree. The wood cutters saw it as
double gain for them. This was because some people had earlier asked the wood cutters to help
them cut some wood for them to make the roof of their newly constructed house. They deposited
money for the wood cutters. I®ro;ko¾ also gave them money to help fell A®ra¾ba¾. I®ro;ko¾ rolled out the
drums in celebration of the anticipated death of A®ra¾ba¾.
That was the plan of I®ro;ko¾. This however was not the plan of Olo;du¾mare¾. On the day of the
anticipated death of A®ra¾ba¾, E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ was summoned to go and convert death to longevity for
A®ra¾ba¾. At the same time, E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ was mandated to turn undeserved celebration to grief for
I®ro;ko¾. That is what Olo;du¾mare¾ planned and which hatred did not allow I®ro;ko¾ to foresee.
When the wood cutters got to the forest to cut down A®ra¾ba¾, E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ told them that A®ra¾ba¾ tree
is totally useless for house construction. He made them to understand that the wood is just too
soft and too weak. He told them that I®ro;ko¾ was the appropriate tree for house construction. They
tried A®ra¾ba¾ and found it to be truly soft. They tried I®ro;ko¾ and found it very hard and very strong.
That was how they descended on I®ro;ko¾¾. All his protests that he was the one who contracted them
to fell A®ra¾ba¾ fell on deaf ears.
As they cut down I®ro;ko¾, they realized that it would not be sufficient for the house construction.
E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ assured them that it was not a problem. He took them to the site where I®ro;ko¾’s wife
was located. They descended on her and brought her down. Still, the wood was not enough. E®sôu¾
O®Ùda¾ra¾ took them to where the children were. They were all cut down without mercy or
consideration. Instead of a victory song, I®ro;ko¾ and his family sang funeral dirges. Conversely,
instead of melancholic songs, A®ra¾ba¾ and his family sang celebration songs.
Nine, we must never plan evil, hatred, wickedness and/or conspire against anyone. It is a taboo
for anyone planning to become OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. In I®din Ata¾go¾, (O®di; O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
Ka; ma; fi eôfeô;re;ô si; Mo bi;

Ka; ma; hu¾’wa¾ i¾ka¾ si; ibooji¾
Ka; ma; sô’e¾ke; i¾mu¾le¾ô
Ni;tori; a¾ti su¾n eôni
Di;a; fu;n Ala;ke;
Yo;o; fi O®o¾sôa¾-I®le;;ôro¾ô oômoô reô¾ fu;n Oni;sôeri
Bi; a ba; ta ka;nka;n
Ka;nka;n n; bo¾ wa;’le;
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Omoluabi
EÙleô;ro¾ô o, ElÙe;ôroô¾ o
Bi; a ba; ta wa¾ra¾
Wa¾ra¾ n; bo¾ô wa;’le;
EÙleô;ro¾ô o, EÙleô;ro¾ô o
Ti; a ba; d’omi s’o;ri;
A w’e;ôseô¾ wa; o
Ori; eômoô; ki¾i; se;’po¾ o;
B’oô;ka;n ba; yoô
A w’oô;na¾ wa;
B’o;ôga¾n-a;n ba; yoô
A w’oô;na¾ wa; o
Ede; lo; ni; k’oômoôô oôô¾ mi o; de;
Ti; a ba; d’omi s’o;ri;
A w’e;ôseô¾ wa; o
Translation:
Do not be lacking in socializing your child

Do not wickedly cut down the tree that provides shade for the people
Do not betray your covenant
Because of the day when we will sleep without waking forever
These were the declarations of Ifa; for Ala;ke;
When going to hand over his daughter, O®ri¾sôa¾-I®leô¾ro¾ô to Oni;sôeôri
He complied
They paid his good deeds with evil
Now, if you receive any gain in a hurry
The gain will collapse and be ruined
EÙleô;ro¾ô o, Oh EÙleô;ro¾ô
If you acquire any development without due process
The development will collapse and be ruined
If we pour water on our head
The water will come in search of the feet
The head of eômoô;, the brown rat will never miss its path
If oôka;n, the creeper plant grows in the forest
231
It will come in search of the foot path

If oôô¾ga¾n, the vine grows in the forest
It will come in search of the foot path
It is ede;, the shrimp that authorizes that my daughter should return to me
If we pour water on our head
The water will come in search of the feet
In this Odu¾, Ifa; states that if a person fails to take proper care of his/her child, or cuts down the
tree that gives shade to people, or breaks the covenant entered into between him/her and others,
he/she will never die well. Cutting down the tree that provides shade includes killing or
incapacitating someone who many people rely upon for sustenance, ensuring that a project that
provides support and sustenance for many is stopped or destroyed, and/or making it impossible
for something good and progressive to enter the community where he/she lives. Anyone who
does that will never see the mercy of Olo;du¾mare¾, Ifa; and the Iru;nmoôleô¾/O®ri¾sôa¾.
Ten, displaying hatred will reduce the person who is fond of this habit. The person who loves to
show hatred towards other people will never receive the respect of the people. He/she will always
receive what he/she deserves, odium. In O®Ùwoô;nri;n Weô’sôeô (OÙ®woô;nri;n O®Ùsôeô;), Ifa; says:
O®Ùwo;ônri;n weô’sôeô
OÙ®woô;nri;n o¾ weô’sôeô o
E®wo ni t’a¾woôn a¾gba¾a¾gba¾ me;ôfa¾ sôa¾nn¾ko¾-sôa¾nn¾ko¾ ti; wo;ôn n; p’a;pe¾e;ro¾ o; si;
Di;a; fu;n OÙloô;fin O®-ri;-b'e¾ôeô¾ru¾
Ti; yo;o; si¾ pada¾ wa;a; di OÙloô;fin O®-ri;-sô’a¾f’oju;-di
O: koô’ti oô¾gboônyin s’eô;boô...
Translation:
OÙ®woô;nri;n took his bath with soap

O®Ùwoô;nri;n took his bath without soap
What is the concern of the six elders in this?
Who people would see and tremble
And who would end up becoming the OÙloô;fin that people would see and look at with contempt
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains how the OÙloô;fin began as an OÙba who his subjects would shake and
tremble at the mere mention of his name, but who ended up becoming the O Ùloô;fin who his
subjects would hiss and spit on in disgust and contempt at the mention of his name, due to his
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Omoluabi
bad attitude. Another example can be found in I®rosu¾n A®boôla¾ (I®rosu¾n O®Ùsôeô;), where Ifa; says:
O: sôeô; pe;ôreô;
O: mi¾ pe;ôreô;
Di;a; fu;n Ko;ôkoô;ro;ô
Ti; yo;o; di oômoô l'eô;yi¾n Ile¾ôku¾n
E®ro¾ I®®po, e¾ro¾ O®Ùfa¾
EÙ wa;a; ba;'ni ni; je¾ôbu;tu; ire
Translation:
It spills gradually
And shakes gently
Ifa;’s message for Ko;ôkoô;ro;ô, the Key
Who will turn himself to the subject behind the door
Travelers to I®po and O®Ùfa¾ lands
Tell those who are advised to offer eôboô to comply accordingly
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that the key is actually the more important part of the door. Without the
key, the door cannot be securely locked. But as a result of the misconduct of the key, it was
relegated to the background. What we normally hear today is for people to go and lock the door,
but it is not the door that people really lock but the key behind the door. Nobody remembers the
key because of its misconduct.
233
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
OÙ®sôeô; ba¾ra¾
Awo asôoô funfun lo; di;a; fu;n Asôoô funfun
To; n; loô s'o;de e¾ôyeô
E®yi; ti; yo;o; ba; woôn k'eô;yeô boô¾ wa; 'nu; ile;
EÙ wa;a; sôe ta;n
Ni woô;n lo; d'ori; asôoô funfun
Gbogbo i¾sôo¾wo¾ O®Ùpeô¾
EÙni i; gb'eô;boô ni;'be¾ô ko; sô'eôboô o
Gbogbo i¾sôo¾wo¾ O®Ùpe¾ô
OÙ®sôeô; O®Ùba¾ra¾
Translation:
OÙ®sôeô; O®Ùba¾ra¾
The Awo of the white cloth, He cast Ifa; for the white cloth
When going to attend a social engagement
And would come back home with honor
Consequently, they plotted against white cloth
When you are advised to offer eôboô
Please comply
All followers of O®Ùpeô¾
ENVY
Envy: The inability to accept another person’s good fortune or success. It is the feeling of
discontent at another person’s luck or success.
Envy is, like anger and hatred, a feeling of the mind that makes it look like anyone who has
achieved something to rejoice over does not deserve it. An envious person may not necessarily
want to achieve any greatness in life, his/her major concern is for other people not to achieve
greatness. This is the reason why envious people preoccupy themselves with plotting evil against
anyone who has the potential to succeed. Their major mode of operation is to set stumbling
blocks in the way of anyone who wishes and plans to succeed in any endeavor in life. There is
the need to note the following cardinal principles of Ifá:
One, envy is bad. Envy does not lead anyone to anywhere good, instead envy leads those who
are in the habit of feeling envious of other people’s achievements to the harbor of melancholy.
The most only thing that envious people will achieve in their lives are pain, regrets, sadness and
retrogression. In I®rosu¾n E®Ùga¾, (I®rosu¾n OÙ®ba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
Esôinsôin wiriwiri ni;'le; oôloô;ti;
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Omoluabi
A®wo¾ônyi¾n wiriwiri l'o;de O®Ùtu¾nmo¾ôba¾

EÙ®ga¾ sôeô¾sôeô¾ ni;i; sô'awo a¾ta;le¾ôde
Di;a; fu;n EÙti-wa-b'ori; si;
Ti;i; sô'oômoô woôn l'eô;se¾ô OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾
O: gb'e;ôboô, o; ru;’boô
Olo;wo; n; l'o;wo;
EÙ®yin si¾ wa; n; bi;'nu;
OÙloô;moôô n; bi;'moô
OÙloô¾koô n; l'o;ôkoô
Ala;ya n; l'a;ya
Ire gbogbo n; woô'le;
Translation:
A lot of gadflies in the alcohol distillery

A lot of insects in OÙ®tu¾nmo¾ôba¾ land
EÙ®ga¾ sôeô¾sôeô¾, the Palm Bird is the Awo of the frontage of the house
They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for EÙ-ti-wa-b'ori;-si;, Do you consider my Ori;
Their offspring at the feet of OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾
When I became wealthy
You were angry
Do you consider my Ori;
When I started having children
You were angry
When I had the Ire of compatible spouse
You were angry
235

When all the Ire of life became mine
You were angry
In this Odù, Ifa; says that envious people give no consideration to the destiny of those who they
envy. All what they want to see is the downfall of the person that they envy. The obvious thing
about envy is that it is like a cankerworm which eats the very soul of the person who is envious of
another person’s achievement. Envy does not give the envious person any time to plan their own
lives. That is why they remain at the very bottom of the socio-economic ladder in their
communities. Displaying envy is simply a waste of time and energy and serves no good to
anyone.
Two, envious people end up using their bad character to upturn all good opportunities that may
end up coming their way and that could bring them success. A stanza in O®fu;n B'a¾la¾ Jeô; (O®fu;n
O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifá says:
Aja; ni o¾ hu;'ko;ô
A®ku¾koô adi¾eô n o¾ ha ke¾ôleô¾be¾ô ja;'le¾ô
Di;a; fu;n EÙdun o¾un I®wa¾
WoÙ;n joô n; t'o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;'ye;
Wo;ôn ni; ki; wo;ôn ru;'boô
I®wa¾ lo; ru;'boô
EÙdun du;ro; s'o;ôna¾ odi i¾lu;
EÙdun sôe¾bi; i¾woô lo soô I®wa¾ nu¾
EÙdun o¾un I®wa¾ ni woô;n joô n; t'o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;'ye;
EÙdun sôebi; i¾woô lo soô¾’wa¾ nu¾
Translation:
A dog does not cough

And the rooster does not cough out phlegm
These were Ifa;’s declarations for EÙdun and I®wa¾, Character
Only I®wa¾ complied with the eôboô
EÙdun stayed at the boundary of the town
EÙdun you are the one who missed good character
It was EÙdun and I®wa¾, Character that were coming from heaven to earth
EÙdun you are one who missed good character
In this Odù, it is clear that EÙdun would have succeeded but no thanks to his bad character which
he displayed at the expense of his progress. Also in OÙ®wo;ônri;n Ele;ji¾gbo¾ (O®Ùwoô;nri;n O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
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Omoluabi
A ki¾i; sôe e;, ile; aye; ni;i; gbe;

N o¾ ni;i; sôe e;, ile; aye; ni;i; gbe;
Bi; i; ba; a; bi’ni ni¾kan ni; n; beô l'a;la¾de o¾ôrun
Di;a; fu;n SÙebi;-i¾woô-moô¾
Ti;i; sô'a¾re¾ômoô OÙba Ele;ji¾gbo¾
N®je;ô sôebi; i¾woô moô¾ o;ô
O ti sôe sô'e¾yi;
O be;ô aru;gbo; l'o;ri;
O kun'le; O®o¾sôa¾n;la;
O koô'seô¾ l'o;ri; EÙleô;gba;ra
O pa'kin jeô l'e;ku¾ro;ô
O gb'asôoô l'o;ri; Ee;gu;n
SÙebi; i¾woô moô¾ o
Translation:
It is a forbidden act, the person who respects this lives on earth

I will not do it, the person who respects this stays on earth
He who dares to receive the consequences of doing the forbidden thing is in heaven
These were the declarations of Ifa; to SÙebi;-i¾woô-moô¾, Afterall, you know the consequences
Who was the first son of Ele;ji¾gbo¾
Afterall, you know it is forbidden
Why did you do this?
You beheaded an old woman
You set the OÙba¾ta;la; shrine on fire
You kicked the latarite icon of EÙleô;gba;ra
You broke the Ikin palmnuts on the legs of someone
You stripped an Egu;ngu;n naked
Afterall, you know it is forbidden
237
In this Odu¾, one can see the length which anger, hatred and envy can lead someone to. In the
end, SÙebi;-i¾woô-moô¾ lost his life in an inglorious manner.
Three, Ifa; enjoins us to take good care of our character. If we do well, goodness shall follow us.
If we do bad, evil shall follow us. In OÙ®woô;nri;n Oni;gbo¾ (O®Ùwoô;nri;n O®Ùyeô¾ku;), Ifa; says:
Ile; sunwo¾ôn, o; ku o¾te

E®ni¾ya¾n sunwo¾ôn o; ku i¾wa¾
OÙ®gbo¾ôoô¾gbo¾ô i¾ya¾wo; sunwo¾ôn l'a;re¾e;koôja;
Bi; wo;ôn ba; de;'le; ta;n
Woôn a di akoô EÙleô;gba;ra
Woôn a di o¾ku; o¾ôpoô¾loô; ti; n; w'oju; o¾ôbeô ti¾nri;ngi;n
Woôn a di pa-mi;-n-ku;
Ti;i; sô'ori; leôleôeôleô s'oô;koô
Di;a; fu;n OÙmoô;sunwo¾ôn-ta;n
OÙmoô Ajori;-Iwin l'o;de I®ra¾wo¾ô
M'o;ri; loô
Ma; mu¾u; eôwa¾ loô
O®o¾joô; l'eôwa¾ n; bo¾ô
Ori; ni;i; ba;'ni de;'le; oôkoô
Ori; inu; mi pe¾ôleô;
Ma; ba t'o¾de e¾ mi jeô;
Translation:
The house is beautiful, but only the roof remains

Human beings are beautiful but only their character remains
A newly wedded wife is good when seen passing along the road
As soon as she settles into her matrimonial home
She will become a devil
She will turn herself into a dead toad that fears no knife
She will become a relcacitarant woman
Who dares her husband to kill her if he can
These were the declarations of Ifa; for OÙmoô;sunwo¾ôn-ta;n
The daughter of Ajori; Iwin in I®ra¾wo¾ô land
Go with your Ori;, Destiny
Do not lay any emphasis on physical beauty or attraction
It takes only one day for beauty to fade
It is one's Ori; that assists one in maintaining ones matrimonial home
My Ori; Inu;, Character, I beseech you
Do not spoil my destiny
In this Odu¾, there are three major points that Ifa; makes here.
i.No matter how beautiful someone may be, the person's character is more important than
238
Omoluabi
his/her physical beauty or attraction

ii.Physical attraction must not be a major consideration in any relationship
iii.Good fortune can be completely destroyed by bad character
Four, envy can take place in many dimensions. In whatever dimension that envy may come
from, the important thing is that envy is unproductive. It will never lead to anything good so no
one should be engaging in it. In I®®wo¾ri¾ O®-pa¾'ju¾ba¾ (I®wo¾ri¾ O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
O®Ùsôinsôin eôboô ni;i; pa'gu;n l'e;ôri¾n-i;n

Di;a; fu;n Se¾ôhi¾ndo¾do¾
OÙmoô Ra¾ra; o¾jo, oômoô a ra¾ra¾ geôjeô¾geôjeô¾
OÙmoô ar'a;keôteô¾ pe;n;pe; pa'ri; a¾ku;n
OÙjoô; to; n; sôe ohun gbogbo t'oô;kan o¾ l'o;ju;
N®je;ô oômoô sôe e; la¾
Ti'nu; n; bi; baba
I®wo¾ri¾ o o¾ be¾ôreô¾
Translation:
A giant fresh eôboô makes the vulture smile contentedly

This was Ifa;’s declaration for Se¾ôhi¾ndo¾do¾
The offspring of the lineage of peace and contentment
He who has a broad cap to place on his A®ku;n, decorated head
When he was doing any things
Without succeeding in any
He complied
Now, how can a child succeed
For a father to be overwhelmed with envy?
I®wo¾ri¾¾ you better bend down
In this particular Odu¾, Ifa; shows us the example of a father who was envious of the achievement
of his son. The father tried everything he knew to bring down his son but he failed woefully. In
the end, he was exposed as the culprit behind his son’s tribulations. He was subsequently given
the award that he deserved; and that was odium and punishment. Also in I®rosu¾n Ala;wo¾ye¾
(I®rosu¾n I®wo¾ri¾), Ifa; says:
Eyi;n funfun l'eyi;n e¾ôri;n

Di;a; fu;n oômoô i¾ya; Me;ji¾
Ti; wo;ôn o¾ f'inu; han’raa woôn
239
Woô;n koô'ti; o¾ôgboônyin s'eô;boô...
Translation:
Only white teeth are fit for laughing

This was the declaration of Ifa; for two siblings
When they refused to confide in each other
They refused to comply…
This is the story of two siblings who refused to cooperate with each other out of envy. One did
not want the other to be more successful than him. In the end, the two siblings inflicted mortal
physical injuries on each other and they died in the forest where they could not be given a proper
and decent burial. Both of them became the food of the vultures.
Five, envy and selfishness are siblings. Ifa; says that those who are envious of other people’s
achievements and those who are selfish who do not want others to succeed, should be viewed as
one in the same. Both types of people will eventually find themselves at the receiving end of
public odium and disgrace. In Ogbe¾ I®yoô;nu;, (Ogbe¾ O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
EÙni ti; n; bi;'nu; eôni ni;i; taari; nn¾kan eôni si;'nu; omi
EÙni ti; o¾ bi;'nu; ni;i; taari; nn¾kan eôni s’o;ke¾
Di;a; fu;n Mogba;ri;mu; oômoô O®ri¾sôa¾
Bi; eô ba; ji; l’o;wuro¾ô
EÙ di EÙ®da; mu;
Ori; eôni l’a¾wu;re eôni
Translation:
Those who are envious of one’s achievements are also those who throw one’s belongings into the
water
Those who are not envious are those who remove one’s belongings from the water
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Mogba;ri;mu;, I hold unto my Ori;, the child of O®ri¾sôa¾
When you wake up early in the morning
Hold onto your Ori;
One’s Ori; is one’s panacea for success
Six, nothing on earth can stop an envious person from making negative comments. Even if one
has done something that is considered to be perfect by those with objective minds, an envious
person will still find some fault in order to condemn what the person who is being envied has
done. In Ogbe¾ Gba¾ra¾da; (Ogbe¾ OÙ®ba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
Ogbe¾ gba¾ra¾da; ta;n teôleô;ga¾n lo; ku¾

Ifa; sôe oun gbogbo ta;n, o; ku t'eôleô;nu
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Omoluabi
Di;a; fu;n A®ra¾, ti;i; sô'oômoô Olo;du¾mare¾

A®ra¾ wa;a¾ de;, oômoô Olo;du¾mare¾
EÙ®yin o¾ mo¾ô wi;pe; ori; eôni ni;i; gbe'ni
N la¾¾ a; da;'ra¾ ire
Translation:
Ogbe¾ performed wonders

Only the envious ones remained unsatisfied
Ifa; accomplished all things
Only the maligners remained to show acknowledgement
These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®ra¾, Wonder
The child of Olo;du¾mare¾
Here comes A®ra¾, the child of Olo;du¾mare¾
Don’t you know that it is when one’s Ori; gives one the required support
That we perform marvelous wonders?
Seven, the evil designs of envious people will amount to naught in the lives of good people. Ifa ;
says that as envious people place curses on good people, their curses will turn to blessings.
Olo;du¾mare¾ will ensure that good people will be given more blessings to justify and be paid for
their righteousness. In Ogbe¾ Ate¾ô (Ogbe¾ I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
Igbo; ni yo;o; ku¾ u; si;

Ile; n;la;n;la; ni;i; ma n; ko;ô
O®ke¾ e ye¾ôpeô¾ ni yo;o; su¾n
A®ka¾npo¾ô eô¾wu¾ ji¾m¾ba¾-ji¾m¾ba¾ ni;i; ma a; wo¾ô
Ko¾ ni;i; r'e;ôni¾kan a¾ a; ra;n ni;'sôeô;
La;t'ori; akoô eôsôin ni; i; ti i; bo;ô s'o;ri; abo eôsôin
Ifa; n; beô ni;'ro¾ôgun oô¾ta;
O®Ùta; Awo d'e¾wu; isôu o
Pu¾ke¾ô, ni'fa; o; maa bu¾ wo;ôn jeô, pu¾ke¾ô
OÙ®ta; Awo wa;a; d'e¾ôfoô; oô ya;nrin
Wo¾ôwoô¾, ni'fa; o; maa bo¾ô woô;n jeô, woô¾wo¾ô
Translation:
May he die in the forest

He ends up erecting several mansions
He will not receive a decent burial
He ends up being blessed with several expensive dresses
He will die a lonely person who has nobody to send on errands
He ends up jumping from male horses to female horses
When in the midst of enemies
241
And when contemplating crises on a daily basis

He complied
Now, the enemy of an Awo has turned into a yam
With relish shall we boil them for consumption
The enemy of an Awo has turned into a Ya;nrin vegetable
With relish shall we cook them for consumption
In this Odu¾, Olo;du¾mare¾ will not only multiply the righteous person positively; but those who show
anger, hatred, envy, wickedness and so on shall be reduced to nothing. In O®di; Me;ji¾, Ifa; says that
the plans of envious people will never work against righteous ones. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
I®gbi;n o¾ p'ile¾ô aro; ni; di;da;

A®fe¾e¾mo¾jo¾ o¾ p'ile¾ô a¾ra¾n ni; wi;wa¾
A ki¾i; gb'o;ju; u fi;fo¾ le; adi¾eô a¾ga;da;
Tani i; gb'o;ju; u yi;yan le; ala;geômoô
Di;a; fu;n A®fe¾e¾mo¾jo¾
Ti; n; loô si; i¾ku;nle¾ô eôjoô;
Bi;'sôu ba; ta ta;n
A gb'are e re¾ô l'o;ri;
A®fe¾e¾mo¾jo¾, Awo ni yo;o; maa j'a¾a¾re e woôn o
B'e;re¾e; ba; so ta;n
B'a;gba¾do ba; y'oômoô ta;n
Translation:
The snail is not the originator of the art of dye-making

And the A®fe¾e¾mo¾jo¾ rat is not originator of the art of digging holes
We dares rely on a tied hen to fly?
Who dares rely on a chameleon to do a quick match?
These were the declarations of Ifa; to A®fe¾e¾mo¾jo¾
When going to appear in a litigious matter
He complied
When the yam germinates
It carries along its right to live
A®fe¾e¾mo¾jo¾, an Awo shall always be given judgement over others
When the bean germinates
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Omoluabi
When the maize germinates

In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that righteous people shall always be absolved when envious, wicked,
and intolerant people plan against them.
Eight, those who display envy stand the chance of losing their lives. When nemesis catches up
with evil people, sometimes they pay for it with their lives. A stanza in O®tu;ra; Ga¾sa; (O®tu;ra; O®Ùsa;),
says:
I®ba;ba; ni i¾moô;mo;ô
I®moô;mo;ô ni i¾ba;ba;
O®Ùroô¾ o¾ ba; eôni bi;i ko; yo¾ô
Bi;i ko; ma; le e¾ ta;n mo;ô la;i;la;i;
Di;a; fu;n 'Wi;nnla;we¾ô
Ti;i; sôe obi¾nrin A®ja¾gu¾nma¾le¾
E®yi; to; f'e¾ôyi¾n ti¾ m'o;ju; eôku;n su¾nra;hu¾n oômoô
I®gba¾ti; yo;o; bi¾i;
O: bi; Ala;pan¾sôi;ki;
Ala;pan¾sôi;ki; lo; teô Agbe ni;'fa;
Ala;pan¾sôi;ki; lo; teô A®lu¾ko¾ l'o;du¾
Ala;pan¾sôi;ki; lo; teô Odi;deôreôô; ni;'fa;
O: wa;a; d'i¾ka¾ro¾ f’A:wo¾di¾-O®Ùsa¾ o
Translation:
Secrecy is like a crevice

A crevice is like a secret place
When a good thing happens to someone
The person will be full of joy
And it will seem to him like the joy will never end
These were the declarations of Ifa; for 'Wi;nnla;we¾ô
The wife of A®ja¾gu¾nma¾le¾
When she was lamenting for her inability to beget a baby
She was advised to offer eôboôô
She complied
When her prayer was to be answered
She gave birth to Ala;pan¾sôi;ki;
Ala;pan¾sôi;ki; was the one who initiated Agbe into Ifa;
He also initiated A®lu¾ko¾ into Ifa;
He initiated Odi;deôreô; into Ifa;
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And he gave I®ka¾ro¾ to A®wo¾di¾ O®Ùsa¾
'Wi;nnla;we¾ô was the wife of A®ja¾gu¾nma¾le¾. For several years after marriage, 'Wi;nnla;we did not
receive the blessing of the fruit of the womb. That was what led her to go to the home of the
group of Babala;wo stated above for Ifa; consultation. The Awo assured her that she would beget a
son and that this son would be a Babala;wo from heaven. They advised 'Wi;nnla;we to offer eôboô,
and she did. Two months after this, 'Wi;nnla;we became pregnant. True to the prediction of Ifa;,
'Wi;nnla;we gave birth to a bouncing baby boy.
Instead of doing the I®koôseô¾da;ye; ceremony for the young baby, he was initiated into Ifa; on the
third day of birth. After initiation, the baby was named Ala;pan¾sôi;ki;.
By the time that this baby became 17 years of age, he had become the most proficient Babala;wo
in his community. He also had four students that he was training. These students were Agbe,
A®lu¾ko¾, Odi;deôreô; and A®wo¾di¾ O®Ùsa¾. Ala;pan¾sôi;ki; trained the four students in all the areas of Ifa; and
they too became proficient. As part of the graduation ceremony, Ala;pan¾sôi;ki; initiated Agbe into Ifa;.
A few months after, Ala;pan¾sôi;ki; initiated A®lu¾ko¾ into Ifa;. Soon after this, he initiated Odi;deôreô; into
Ifa;. Unfortunately for A®wo¾di¾ O®Ùsa¾, he had no money to undergo Ifa; initiation. This led Ala;pan¾sôi;ki;
to give A®wo¾di¾ O®Ùsa¾ the I®ka¾ro¾ of Ifa; (which was one hand of Ifa;, together with the symbolic
counters of the initiation materials ). He advised A®wo¾di¾ O®Ùsa¾ to go out on an Ifa; mission in order
for him to raise enough money for his Ifa; initiation. A®wo¾di¾ O®Ùsa¾ left as Ala;pan¾sôi;ki; had advised.
For three years, nobody knew the whereabouts of A®wo¾di¾ OÙ®sa¾. This prompted Ala;pan¾sôi;ki; to ask
Agbe, the eldest of his four students and his first graduate, to go out in search of A®wo¾di¾ O®Ùsa¾. He
left in order to perform the assignment given to him by his master.
In his search, Agbe heard that A®wo¾di¾ OÙ®sa¾ was around the southern part of the world and was
very close to the sea. He headed in that direction. When he got to the sea, he asked someone if
he knew of any Babala;wo called A®wo¾di¾ OÙ®sa¾. The person asked him to shut his mouth because he
had no right to mention the name of the Olu;wo of Olo;kun without due respect. Agbe asked again
if what he heard was correct: that A®wo¾di¾ OÙ®sa¾ was the Olu;wo of Olo;kun. The person who he
asked responded in the affirmative. That brought envy of a gargantuan dimension into the mind
of Agbe. He started to deride A®wo¾di¾ O®Ùsa¾ right in the presence of the person that he asked the
question from. He also asked the person to take him to the presence of A®wo¾di¾ O®Ùsa¾. He assured
the stranger that he was going to give A®wo¾di¾ O®Ùsa¾ the disgrace of his life for proclaiming himself
as Olu;wo when he was yet to be initiated into Ifa;.
When they got to Olo;kun’s palace, he went straight to where A®wo¾di¾ OÙ®sa¾ was located. When he
saw the majestic splendor and serenity of the palace where A®wo¾¾di¾ O®sa¾ was given to stay, the
envy multiplied in several folds. There and then he demanded, in the presence of all those who
were in the palace of A®wo¾di¾ OÙ®sa¾, an explanation as to why he chose to call himself an Olu;wo
when he was yet to be initiated into Ifa;!
Hearing this, the whole palace went dead silent. For several long moments¾ that seemed like an
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Omoluabi
eternity, A®wo¾di¾ OÙ®sa¾ did not utter a word. Agbe took the silence of A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾ to mean that he,
A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾ had been humiliated, defeated and put in his proper place.
When A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾ raised his head up, he ordered two palace guards to grab Agbe and take him to
the 'Mo¾gu;n shrine. He ordered them to behead him unceremoniously. It did not take long before
Agbe became the latest dweller in heaven.
When Ala;npan¾sôi;ki; waited for Agbe for so long and he did not return, he sent A®lu¾ko¾ to go and
search for Agbe and A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾. A®lu¾ko¾ went on the journey and also found out that A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾
was in Olo;kun’s palace as her Olu;wo. Envy gripped A®lu¾ko¾ too. He went to the palace with the
intention of disgracing A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾ and proving himself to be more competent than A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾.
When he got there, he met the same fate as that of Agbe. He too became a heaven dweller due
to his bad character.
When Ala;pan¾sôi;ki; waited for both Agbe and A®lu¾ko¾ without seeing their return, he decided to send
Odi;deôreô; to go and look for A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾. Before Odi;deôreô; left his home for the search however, he
went to the following Awo:
Bi; a ba; ra;n 'ni ni;'sôeô; eôru;

A® fi t'oômoô jeô; eô
Di;a; fu;n Odi;deôreô;
Ti; n; loô si;'le; Olo;kun Se¾ôni;ade;
Translation:
If one is sent on an errand like a slave

One needs to relay the message like a free born
This was the declaration of Ifa; for Odi;deôreô;
When going on an Ifa; mission to the palace of Olo;kun Se¾ôni;ade;
He complied…
When Odi;deôreô; left, he was told that A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾ was in Olo;kun Se¾ôni;ade;’s domain. He went
towards that direction. When he got to Olo;kun Se¾ôni;ade;’s palace he asked for A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾ in a
respectful manner. The respect that he showed was almost that of fear and anxiety. When he
got to the palace of A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾, on seeing A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾ face to face, he threw himself on the ground
and began shouting:
A®wo¾di¾ OÙ®sa¾ mo ki; oô pu;po¾ô

Olu; Awo he; e¾
A®wo¾di¾ O®Ùsa¾ mo ki; oô pu;po¾ô
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Olu; Awo
Translation:
A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾, I pay my reverance

The Olu; Awo
A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾, I pay my respect
For the head of all Awo
When A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾ saw this attitude from Odi;deôreô;, he jumped up and ordered everyone present to
prostrate for Odi;deôreô;. He told them that Odi;deôreô; was his senior and superior officer. Everyone
present at the palace of A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾ was surprised that A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾ could acknowledge anyone as
being his superior. This was because with the level of the competence of A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾, everyone
thought that no Babala;wo on earth could match him intellectually.
A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾ also ordered for water to be placed in the bathroom for Odi;deôreô; to take his bath. He
equally ordered food for him. He kept praising Odi;deôreô; as the best Babalawo that Ala;pan¾sôi;ki; had
ever produced.
After bathing and eating, Odi;deôreô; was given a room to stay in and relax. After the relaxation,
A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾ went into the room to give Odi;deôreô his proper greeting. That was when Odi;deôreô; got
very angry with A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾ and lashed out at him for not sending any message of his
whereabouts and for not honoring the pledge to come and undergo his Ifa; initiation. Because
there was no other person in the room besides the two of them, A®wo¾di¾ OÙsa¾ took no offence. He
accepted everything that Odi;deôreô; said and begged for forgiveness. He however told Odi;deôreô; that
he would have loved to undergo his initiation as soon as possible but the work load in Olo ;kun’s
palace did not allow him to travel back to Ala;pan¾sôi;ki; for initiation.
He took Odi;deôreô; to the O®gu;n shrine and showed him the skulls of Agbe and A®lu¾ko¾. He explained
to Odi;deôreô; that they met their fate because of their envy and hatred. He gave Odi;deôreô; several
gift items for Ala;pan¾sôi;ki; and for himself. Odi;deôreô; returned to Ala;pan¾sôi;ki; a very happy man.
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Omoluabi
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
O®ti;to;ô ba’leô¾ o; di omi
I®ka¾ ba’le¾ô di yangi;
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùwoô;nri;n
Ni;'jo;ô to; n; lo¾ôoô; ya a¾po¾ i¾ka¾ da¾nu¾
Ka; ya a¾po¾ i¾ka¾ da¾nu¾
Ka; mu; o¾ti;to;ô sôe
Oore lo; pe;
I®ka¾ ko¾ yeô oômoô e¾ni¾ya¾n
OÙ®woô;nri;n I®ka;
Translation:
Truth landed and turned into water

Wickedness landed and turned into laterite
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®Ùwoô;nri;n
When going to tear the bag of wickedness into pieces
He complied
Let us tear the bag of wickedness
And uphold truthfulness
Benevolence is profitable
Wickedness has no profit for human beings
WICKEDNESS
Wickedness: The art of thinking, speaking and doing evil and/or sinful things against other
person(s) based on real or imaginary reasons.
Wickedness also means deriving pleasure in other people’s misfortune. When people suffer due to
no fault of theirs, a wicked person rejoices and thinks that he/she is winning. When people feel
pain, the wicked feel pleasure. When others grief, the wicked grin. A wicked person sees no
reason why he/she should render any helping hand in ameliorating the suffering of others.
Instead, he/she will find ways of prolonging the suffering.
Ifa; says that there are many things that we need to note on wickedness. Knowing these things
will help us understand more about wickedness and will prevent us from making the mistake of
falling into the temptation of displaying wickedness to others, no matter what the circumstance
may be.
One, the profit of wickedness is grief and regrets for the perpetrator. Ifa; explains that it is
247
whatever one sows that one will eventually reap. If one sows benevolence, one is sure to reap
benevolence. Conversely, if one sows wickedness, that is what one will sow in the end. An
example of this can be found in O®Ùwoô;nri;n Me;ji¾, where Ifa; says:
A®te;ôleôwoô; ni o¾ hu’run he¾ôu¾heô¾u¾

Di;a; fu;n Mofe;ôeô;ni;
Ti; n; beô l’a;a¾rin o¾sôi¾i¾ri¾
Ti; n; beô l’a;a¾rin i¾poô;nju;
To; wa; n; loô re¾e; k’o;wo; l’o;ôdoô¾oô Ki¾i;feô;a;ni;
Ire gbogbo wa; a; woô'le; de; tu¾tu;ru
N®jeô; aronipin o¾ m’o¾ôla o
Bi; a o¾ ku;, i¾sôe o¾ ta;n
Aronipin o¾ m’o¾ôla o
Translation:
The palm of the hand does not grow hair

This was the Ifa; cast for Mofe;ôeô;ni;
Who was in the midst of poverty
And in the midst of suffering
Who went to borrow money in the house of Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni;
He complied
All the good things of life came in abundance
Those who write others off, you know not tomorrow
When there is life, there is hope
Those who write others off, you know not tomorrow
Mofe;ôeô;ni;; was suffering. Nothing he did seemed to work. He tried all things and failed. He had no
money, no good clothes, no wife and no child of his own. In fact, he was living in abject poverty.
Ironically however, Mofe;ôeô;ni;; was a very strong, able-bodied man. He was very ambitious. He had
big dreams about his future. He prayed to become a very successful man. Unfortunately for him,
all his dreams remained what they were; mere dreams.
One day, his mother died. As a first son of his mother, culture demanded certain responsibilities
from him. He had no money to meet these responsibilities. He was threrfore left with no
alternative but to go and borrow money from a pawnbroker. Consequently upon this, he went to
ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni; to borrow money. He was given the money with the understanding that he would move to
Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni;'s house immediately after the burial ceremony and begin to work in the pawnbroker's
farm until the day he would be able to refund this the money.
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Omoluabi
Before he went to borrow this money however, he had gone to the Awo mentioned above. He had
been told that his pawnbroker would like to keep him in perpetual servitude. He had been advised
to offer eôboô. He had been advised to feed E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ and he had been advised to feed his Orí. All
these he complied with. The Awo also advised him to be rearing hens. He therefore bought one
hen for the purpose of rearing it. When going to Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni;'s house, Mofe;ôeô;ni; went with his hen. He
was feeding the hen daily. At the same time, he was working on the farm of Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni;, tilling the
soil and making heaps for yam, cassava and maize.
Mofe;ôeô;ni;; soon proved to be a very hard working pawn. He used to work from sunrise to sunset
nonstop. Before long, he had cleared all the farm, planted maize, cassava and yam. He was
attending to the farm daily. When he got home in the evening, he would wash the dresses of
Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni;, his wife and children. He would do this until late in the night. Very early in the morning of
the following day, he would sweep the ground, wash dirty plates and calabashes before heading
for the farm to do the farm work.
Meanwhile, Mofe;ôeô;ni;;’s hen began to lay eggs. The first time, she laid 12 eggs and hatched 10. All
the 10 chicks survived. Soon after this, the hen began to lay another set of eggs. This time
around, she laid 11 eggs and hatched 10. Again, all the 10 chicks survived. The third time, the
hen laid 11 eggs and again she hatched 10. And yet again, the 10 chicks survived. Mofe ;ôeô;ni;; who
came into the house of Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni; with one fowl, now had 31 fowls.
One day, Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni; saw Mofe;ôeô;ni;; feeding his fowls and asked him what he (Mofe;ôeô;ni;;) intended to do
with all the fowls. Mofe;ôeô;ni;; responded that he intended to sell off the fowls in three days' time.
That time was the market day of their town. Mofe;ôeô;ni;; explained further that he intended to pay off
his debt that day since he was sure to realize more money from the sale than the amount he was
owing Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni;. When he finished feeding the fowls, Mofe;ôeô;ni;; went to the farm.
Throughout that day, Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni; was not a normal person. He was just preoccupied with one thing:
how to prevent Mofe;ôeô;ni;; from leaving his house. He knew that truly, the amount he would realize
from the sale of the fowls would be more than enough to pay for his freedom. This was what
Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni; was determined to ensure that Mofe;ôeô;ni;; was not able to do. He was bent on keeping
Mofe;ôeô;ni; perpetually under his servitude. It would be a great loss to him if he should open his eyes
and allow Mofe;ôeô;ni;; to buy his freedom.
Consequently, Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni; came up with an ingenious plan of eliminating all the fowls at one fell
swoop, and at the same time escape exposure as the culprit. That day, he perfected his evil
design. He waited for night to fall. He watched where the fowls went to sleep and noted the spot
very well.
In the dead of the night, Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni; sneaked out of the house. He went to where the fowls laid
asleep. He simply fell the fence on them, and the 31 fowls died instantly without sparing a single
one for Mofe;ôeô;ni;;.
In the morning of the following day, Mofe;ôeô;ni;; went to feed his fowls, only to discover that they
were all dead. He burst into tears. He wept and wept. He felt that the fence that collapsed did not
only collapse on his fowls, but also on his freedom and independence. He went to sleep dreeming
that in just three days' time, he would be a free man only to see that his servidude would
249
continue indefinitely.
While he was weeping, everyone passing by took pity on him. They prayed for him to be able to
overcome his problem. E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ also came in the form of man. He asked Mofe;ôeô;ni;; to explain to
him exactly what had happened. Mofe;ôeô;ni;; narrated everything to him amid sobs. E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾
however told him that his present predicament might in fact turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ then advised Mofe;ôeô;ni;; to pick up the dead fowls, roast them and preserve them.
Mofe;ôeô;ni;;, in his state of confusion, began to pick up the dead fowls. Those who were present
helped him to remove the rubbles on top of the dead fowls. He roasted the 31 fowls and kept
them in a safe place.
Soon after this incident, the heir apparent to the stool of Ala;ra; became seriously ill. All known
medications proved ineffective. A Babala;wo was subsequently invited. The Awo assured them
that Ala;ra;’s first son would be well. He advised them to go and look for 10 dead fowls hatched on
the same day by the same mother hen and which died on the same day. He stressed that those
fowls were the materials to use to prepare the remedy to Alara’s son's ailment. Failure to procure
the dead fowls that night could lead to the death of Ala;ra;’s son. Ala;ra; quickly dispatched every
able bodied youth in his palace to go in search of the dead fowls.
While they were in search of these materials, E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ approached them and directed them to
the home of Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni;. He told them that Mofe;ôeô;ni;;, Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni;`s pawn had what they were looking for.
At the same time, E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ approached Mofe;ôeô;ni;;, and told him that some people were searching
for 10 dead fowls hatched on the same day by the same mother-hen and which died on the same
day. He said that the people who were coming were sent by Ala;ra; of I®la;ra;-E®ki¾ti¾ land. E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra
stressed that they were very rich people. He asked Mofe;ôeô;ni;; to charge them four million cowries
for each dead fowl. He assured Mofe;ôeô;ni;; that they could afford the amount and that they would be
willing to pay.
When the delegates of Ala;ra; arrived at Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni;'s home, they asked for Mofe;ôeô;ni;;. Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni; wanted to
know why they were looking for his pawn. They responded that they learnt that he had some
fowls in the house. Before they finished their statement, Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni; responded that he had no more
fowls to sell as they all died the same day. The delegates stated that they had come to buy the
dead fowls which died the same day and not live ones. They went to Mofe;ôeô;ni;;. He insisted that
each dead fowl would cost them four million cowries. They gladly paid.
Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni;, who knew that Mofe;ôeô;ni;; owed him only fifty thousand cowries, was indeed a very sad
man. He was full of envy when he saw the delegates paying money to his pawn. He went to a
corner and wept bitterly.
That same day, the first son of Ajero¾ took ill. A Babala;wo was invited. The same recommendation
was made. They rushed to Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni;'s house. E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ told Mofe;ôeô;ni;; to insist on six million cowries
for each dead fowl. The delegates paid.
In the afternoon of the same day, the first son of OÙwa;ra¾ngu;n-A®ga took ill. They consulted Ifa;.
The same recommendations were made. They came in search of Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni;'s house. E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ told
Mofe;ôeô;ni;; to insist on eight million cowries for each of the dead fowls because OÙwa;ra¾ngu;n-A®ga was
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Omoluabi
richer than both Ala;ra; and Ajero¾. The delegates gladly paid.
In the evening of the same day, the OÙo¾ôni of Ife¾ô himself took ill. They went for Ifa; consultation.
The Awo told them to go and look for a mother-hen which had given birth to 10 chicks three
consecutive times before and had died together with all the 30 chicks in one day, E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾
directed them to Mofe;ôeô;ni;;. The same E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ advised Mofe;ôeô;ni;; to insist on 100 million cowries
for the dead mother-hen. The delegates gladly paid.
Mofe;ôeô;ni;;, who was without a single cowry in the morning of that day became a proud owner of
280 million cowries in the evening.
On the other hand, Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni; who woke up in the morning of that day feeling that he had
successfully aborted the plan of Mofe;ôeô;ni;; to buy his freedom ended up realizing that Olo;du¾mare¾
had performed a great miracle in the life of his pawn. Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni; was a disgraced, humiliated and
subdued man in the evening of that same day.
In the end, Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni; became one of those working in one of the several farms of Mofe;ôeô;ni;;. Mofe;ôeô;ni
became richer, happier, more influential and more honorable than every body living in his
community. He was thus singing, dancing and giving praises to Olo;du¾mare¾ and Ifa; for making
him such a happy man in his life. Many people benefitted from his wealth and influence. He was
richer far beyond his wildest dreams.
In this stanza, we can see how the presumed gains of Ki¾i;fe;ôa;ni; eventually turned to pains. It
shows how the presumed victories of the wicked turn to defeat right before their own eyes. This
story also teaches us never to pay evil with evil. Certainly, the life of the wicked is the life of self-
inflicted grief. Also in O®fu;n O®Ùsa;, Ifa; says:
O®fu;n sa¾ a; l'e;ôfun

O®fu;n sa¾ a; l'o;su¾n
O®fu;n sa¾ a; ni; ma¾ri¾wo¾ o¾ôpeô¾ yeôeô yeô¾e¾ô yeôeô
Di;a; fu;n OÙba I®gbi¾mo¾ô
To; l'o;un o; p’Oôba EÙ®ku;re;ô
OÙba I®gbi¾mo¾ô to; l'o;un o; p'OÙba E®Ùku;re;ô
Oun to; o mo¾, ara a¾ reô lo fi sôe
Translation:
O®fu;n marks it with chalk

O®fu;n marks it with camwood
O®fu;n marks it with palm-fronds
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the OÙba of I®gbi¾mo¾ô land
When planning to eliminate the OÙba of A®ku;re;ô land
251
The OÙba of I®gbi¾mo¾ô land that is planning to eliminate the OÙba of E®Ùku;re;ô land
What you know is what you have used to harm yourself
In this Odu¾, it can be seen that the person planning to kill another person ended up inflicting the
pain on himself. In I®reôteô¾ O®pe¾re; (I®reôteô¾ O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
O®Ùna¾ e¾ôbu¾ru; lo; n; ba¾ mi; l'e;ôru¾

Ahoro ile; lo; ru; mi l'o;ju;
Di;a; fu;n Ile;-Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri¾
Ti; n; loô re¾ e; ra A®ro;o¾jo l'eô;ru;
E®Ùyin o¾ ri;'le; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri¾
Bo; sôe wa;a; di ile; A®ro;o¾jo
Translation:
Clandestine moves scare me

And an abandoned house confuses me
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri¾
When going to buy A®ro;o¾jo as a slave
Can’t you see what belongs to Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾¾ri¾
As it ends up becoming that of A®ro;o¾jo?
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri¾ was the wife of the OÙloô;fin. For several years she could
not have any child for OÙloô;fin. She later went to buy a slave called A®ro;o¾jo and presented her to
the OÙloô;fin to marry as his second wife. The OÙloô;fin was very happy with the move of Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri¾ and
gladly accepted the offer. Within three months, A®ro;o¾jo became pregnant, the OÙba was very happy.
That was the turning point in the life of Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri. She began to plan evil against A®ro;o¾jo. When it
was time for A®ro;o¾jo to deliver her baby, Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri, in the company of two other women, took
A®ro;o¾jo to the forest and told her that it was the custom in the palace for women of lowly birth to
deliver their babies in the forest. The three women covered the face of A®ro;o¾jo when the baby
was due to arrive. As soon as she delivered the baby, Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri covered the mouth of the baby
with a cloth and put the baby inside a calabash. She took the baby to the bank of a brook and
placed it there.
Ifa; kan a¾da;sôeô

OÙ®pe¾ô kan a¾gu¾nla¾
Di;a; fu;n Ak'o¾ôpeô EÙ®lu¾ju¾
Woô;n ni; oôdu;n oôdu;nni¾i; l'oôla¾ a reô¾ eô; pe;
Translation:
252
Omoluabi
An Ifa; prediction is bound to come to pass

The palm tree has proven to be the one that one climbs to have success
These were the declarations of Ifa; for the Palm Wine tapper of the wilderness
When he was told that this year would be his year of success
He complied…
While the wicked act of Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri was being perpetuated, unknown to her, the palm wine tapper
was on top of a palm tree watching everything that she was doing. As soon as Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri left the
scene, the palm wine tapper climbed down in order to inspect what Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri placed by the bank
of the brook. To his surprise, he saw the baby and saw that the mouth of the baby had been tied
with a cloth. He removed the cloth and took the baby home. He gave the baby to his wife to
take care of.
Meanwhile, Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri told A®ro;o¾jo that instead of a baby, she had given birth to a grinding stone!
The four women cried back home. When they told OÙloô;fin that A®ro;o¾jo had given birth to a
grinding stone, he ordered her to be locked up in a dungeon. He vowed that she would spend
the rest of her life inside the dungeon.
In the evening of that day however, the palm wine tapper took a keg of palm wine and headed for
OÙloô;fin’s palace. He knew that Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri was OÙloô;fin’s wife. What made him to know this was the
hairdo style of Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri which only OÙloô;fin’s wives were allowed to have.
When he got to the palace, he told the palace guards that he had brought a keg of palm wine for
OÙloô;fin. They refused to let him in, saying that the OÙloô;fin had his own personal palm wine tapper.
The palm wine tapper insisted that OÙloô;fin must take his own palm wine because the palm wine
had a special message for him.
The commotion was what attracted the attention of OÙloô;fin. OÙloô;fin ordered that the palm wine
tapper should be brought to his presence. One thing led to the other; O Ùloô;fin and the palm wine
tapper discussed in private. He told OÙloô;fin everything that he saw on that day. OÙloô;fin told him to
keep the child with him and to start coming to the palace with his keg of palm wine every week
so that he, OÙloô;fin would use that opportunity to give him money and materials for the upkeep of
the baby.
OÙloô;fin continued to keep A®ro;o¾jo inside the dungeon.
For 16 years, the palm wine tapper was taking care of OÙloô;fin’s son. The child proved to be a
promising and highly intelligent boy.
That year was the year that OÙloô;fin decided to take action. He invited all the citizens to come to
the market place very early in the morning. The palm wine tapper and the boy were also invited.
That day, the atrocities of Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri were revealed to the world.
253
That same day, A®ro;o¾jo was removed from the dungeon and was installed as the official wife of the
OÙba.
That same day, Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri lost everything that she had ever gained to A®ro;o¾jo.
That same day, Ile; Gi¾ri¾gi¾ri was appropriately sanctioned for her wickedness.
In this Odu¾, Ifa shows that falsehood may hold sway for several years, but it will take only one
day for the truth to meet up with it and overtake it. In O®Ùye¾ôku; SÙi¾din (O®Ùyeô¾ku; O®di;), Ifa; says:
E®ni¾ya¾n sôe'ni-sôe'ni yo;o; sôe’raa reô¾

Di;a; fu;n E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾
Ti; n; sôe ara a reô¾
To; ni; o¾un n; sôe EÙ®du;
E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ OÙ®fa¾
EÙni i; gb’e;ôboô ni;’be¾ô ko; ru;’boô o
Translation:
Those who plan evil against others will inflict pain upon themselves
This was Ifa;’s declaration for E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾
When planning against himself
And thought that he was planning against E®Ùdu;, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that when wicked people are planning against others, they are inadvertently
planning against themselves. That is the reason why it is advisable for all those who strive to be
OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to turn their backs on wickedness.
Two, just as there is a reward for benevolence, there is also a reward for wickedness. The
reward for wickedness is condemnation. In OÙ®yeô¾ku; Teôku; a¾sa; (O®¾yeôk¾ u; OÙ®sa;), Ifa; says:
Olu;wo a¾sôa; o¾ gb’a;ja;

A®wo¾di¾ o¾ pa sôa¾a¾ gb’eô;yin ni;’ku¾n adi¾eô
A®gba¾ to; n; fi’nu; sô’i¾ka¾
To; n; f’i¾ta sô’o¾ti;to;ô
Bo; ba; pe;ô ti;ti;
Oun ti; yo;o; bi’ni o¾ gb’a;la;i¾ bi’ni
Di;a; fu;n Asôe¾ke;
254
Omoluabi
Ti;i; sô’obi¾nrin O®ri¾sôa¾

EÙ®yin o¾ ri; Asôe¾ke; o
Bo; ti da; isôeô; si;’le¾ô fu;n O®o¾sôa¾
Translation:
The hawk cannot snatch a dog

The eagle cannot snatch an egg from the stomach of a fowl.
An elder who is internally wicked but who displays righteousness outwardly
Sooner or later, nemesis will catch up with him
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Asôe¾ke;, the Liar
The wife of O®ri¾sôa¾
Can’t you see how Asôe¾ke;
Has created a problem for O®ri¾sôa¾?
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that no pretence to be righteous will stop the punishment of Olo;du¾mare¾ from
coming to the head of the wicked. Also in E®ro¾ Ma; su¾n'ka; (I®rosu¾n I®ka;), Ifa; says:
EÙni to; ku;n'le¾ô to; gb'e¾bu¾ i¾ka¾

Ori; oni;'ka¾ ni;i; hu¾ le;
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùruô;nmi¾la¾
Baba n; loô re¾ e; teô O®gu;n ni;'fa;
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;;a; sôe
Translation:
Whoever plants the yam of wickedness

It is the head of the evil perpetrator that the evil will grow on
When going to initiate O®gu;n into Ifa;
He complied…
This Ifa; stanza shows that anybody planning against others is inadvertently planning against
himself/herself. While the wicked plans to destroy another person, he/she will find destruction at
his/her own door step. In I®rosu¾n Ateô;e;ôreôô; (I®rosu¾n O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
Agboô;n'mi ko;to; ori; ara a re¾ô ni yo;o; gboôn le;

A®gba¾ to; wu¾ ko; gb'e¾buô i¾ka¾
255
Bo; pe;ô ti;ti;, ori; oômoô oô reô¾ ni yo;o; hu¾

O®ke;te; to; t'o¾ôna¾ i¾pe¾ju;
Lo; f'ori; ara re¾ô han Iku;
Di;a; fu;n O®o¾sôa¾n;la;; O®Ùsôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾
Ti; n; gb'o;gun r'o¾de O®Ùwoô¾
O: koô'ti; o¾ôgboônyin sô'eô;boô
N®jeô; I®ranje; l'ogun loô o
Ogun o¾ ma ja OÙ®wo¾ô
Translation:
He who drains water from a well

Will wet his head in the process
If an elder likes, let him show wickedness
Before long, his children will reap the fruit from the wickedness
The giant rat that walks into a trap
It has just exposed itself to untimely death
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®ri¾sôa¾n;la; O®Ùsôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾
When going to wage war against OÙ®wo¾ô land
The war has gone to I®ra¾nje;
No war will ever be waged against O®Ùwoô¾ land
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that wickedness and its implications do not affect the evil perpetrator
alone. The family of the wicked person will share in the aftermath of the parent’s wickedness.
The implication of this is that the children of a wicked person stand to receive the punishment of
a crime or offense that they never committed. For this reason, all parents and elders are advised
to always do good, especially for their children and future generations. In another stanza of the
same Odu¾, I®rosu¾n Ateô;e;ôreô; (I®rosu¾n O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
O®Ùpeô-EÙ®lu¾ju¾ ab'imo¾ô rabata

Di;a; fu;n Atinu;ke;ô
Ti; n; f'omi oju; su¾ngbe;re¾ oômoô
A®woôn af'igba; gburugbu gboô;n'mi
Ti; wo;ôn ba; gboôn
Ti; woôn o¾ ba; mo¾ô oô; gbo;ôn
Woôn a ma;a gboôn s'o;ri; ara a woôn
Di;a; fu;n O®gu;n
Ni;'jo;ô to; ni; o¾un o; gb'o;gun ja oômoô i¾ya; o¾un
256
Omoluabi
Ma; gb'e¾bu¾ i¾ka¾

EÙni to; ba; gb'e¾bu¾ i¾ka¾
L'o;ri; oômoô oô reô¾ ni yo;o; hu¾
Ni;'jo;ô to; l'o;un o; gb'o;gun ja oômoô i¾ya; o¾un
Di yangi; ru¾ mi
EÙni to; ba; di yangi; ru¾ mi;
Ki; n ya;ra di a¾la¾pa¾ ru oômoô oô reô¾ l'ô;ola
Ni;'jo;ô ti; a¾woôn oômoô i¾ya; a re¾ô l'a;won yo;o; gb'o;gun ti¾ i;
B'O:gu¾¾n-u;n o¾ ba; ri¾n o
EÙ f'aagba fa¾ a;
B’O:gu¾n-u;n o¾ ba; ri¾n o
EÙ f’aagba fa¾ a;
Translation:
The palm tree of the wilderness with plenty of palm fronds

This was the Ifa; cast for Atinu;ke;ô
When lamenting for her inability to beget a baby
Those who use broad calabashes to fetch water
If they fetch the water
And they do not know how to fetch or carry it
They will end up spilling it on their own heads
This were the declarations of Ifa; for O®gu;n
When he declared that he would wage war against his sibling
Do not plant the seedling of wickedness
Whoever plants the seedling of wickedness
It is on the head of his child that it will germinate
This were the declarations of Ifa; for O®ri¾sôa¾n;la;-O®Ùsôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾
When he declared that he would wage war against his sibling
Add laterite to my load
Whoever adds laterite to my load
I will quickly add a wall to the load of his child tomorrow
257
When his siblings declared that they would wage war against him
He complied
If O®gu;n fails to walk
Use Aagba climber to drag him along
If O®gu;n refuses to trek
Use Aagba climber to pull him along
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says three things:
i.The wicked will receive their punishment

ii.The children of the wicked will receive their punishment
iii.The children of the wicked will also be exposed to vengenance from the victims of their parents
In O®gu;nda; Ba¾tu;ru;po¾ôn (O®gu;nda; O®tu;ru;po¾ôn), Ifa; says:
Igba; oro; woôn ki¾i; fo;ô
O®su¾nwo¾ôn oro; woôn ki¾i; fa¾ ya
Gb’o;do; ru¾ mi;
Ki; n gbe; a¾la¾pa¾ ru oômoô oô¾ reô l’oô;la
A®gba¾ to; ni; oômoô ni;’le¾ô
Woôn ki¾ i; hu¾'wa¾ i¾ka¾
Di;a; fu;n Olo;jo¾du;
Wo;ôn ni; ko; sô'eôboô ni;tori; ogun t'eô¾e¾ômi; i¾
O; koô'ti; o¾ôgboônyin s'eô;boô
Gbogbo i¾sôo¾wo¾ OÙ®pe¾ô
EÙni to; gb'e;ôboô n;be¾ô ko; sô'eôboô o
Translation:
The calabash of wickedness does not break

The measuring container of wickedness does not tear apart
Place a mortar on my head
For me to place a wall on your child’s head tomorrow
Elders who have children
They do not behave wickedly
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Olo;jo¾du;
When he was advised to offer eôboô in order to live up to the following year
All followers of OÙ®pe¾ô
258
Omoluabi
In this Odu¾, Ifa; advises us never to display wickedness because our children may be the ones who
will suffer more for our iniquities than ourselves.
Three, wicked people bring problems to others. This is because the wickedness perpetrated will
have chains of reactions that may affect more people than envisioned. In O®Ùba¾ra¾ I®na¾ki; (O®Ùba¾ra¾
O®Ùyeô¾ku;), Ifa; says:
E®e¾ya¾n ra;nhunra¾nhun, e¾e¾ya¾n ni; i; fi i; ra¾n

Di;a; fu;n Ala;bahun I®ja¾pa;
To; l'o;un o; jeô Oju¾gbo¾ôna¾ l'e;ôyi¾n Olu;wo
OÙba i¾lu; eô ba; mi gbe;'tan eôran-a¾n mi
I®jo¾ye¾ i¾lu; eô ba; mi gb'a;pa; eôran-a¾n mi
I®ya;lo;de i¾lu; eô ba; mi gb'e;ôyi¾n eôran-a¾n mi
Translation:
A useless person will always implicate other people

This was Ifa;’s declaration for Ala;bahun I®ja¾pa;, the Land Tortoise
When planning to become the Oju¾gbo¾ôna¾ under the Olu;wo
Now, a useless person will always implicate other people
The OÙba of the land, please return the hind leg of the goat that I gave to you
The chiefs of the land, please return the foreleg of the goat that I gave to you
The I®ya;lo;de of the land, please return the back of the goat that I gave to you
In this Odu¾¾, we can see how Ala;bahun A®ja¾pa; ended up implicating many prominent people. In
the Odu¾, Ala;bahun went out to steal another person’s she goat and used it to celebrate his being
conferred with the title of Oju¾gbo¾ôna¾. He shared the goat among prominent people in the land: he
gave the OÙba of the land one of the hind legs of the goat; he gave the chiefs the foreleg; he gave
the I®ya;lo;de the back of the goat. During investigation, it was discovered that Ala;bahun I®ja¾pa; was
the culprit. He was promptly arrested. During interrogation, he declared in the presence of the
whole community that he was not the only one who stole the she goat. He mentioned the names
of the OÙba, the I®ya;lo;de and several prominent chiefs in the land as partners in crime. Also in I®ka;
A®paro¾ (I®ka; O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
259
Tooro to¾ki;
Di;a; fu;n A®paro¾ O®Ùye¾ôyeô¾
T’o;un Aka¾n joô n; sô’oô¾re;ô
Gbogbo EÙyeô, eô ma¾ ma¾ g’e;ti; eô k’a;gbo¾ôn
Gbogbo EÙyeô
A®paro¾ g’e;ti;
E®mi na;a¾ n; lo¾ô oô; ge; t’e¾mi o
Gbogbo EÙyeô
EÙ ma¾ ma¾ g’e;ti;, eô k’a;gbo¾ôn
Gbogbo Eôyeô
Translation:
Tooro to¾ki;
He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for A®paro¾ O®Ùye¾ôyeô¾, the Patridge
When he and Ala;ka¾n, the Crab were friends
All Birds
Come and cut off your ears
All Birds
A®paro¾ has cut off his own ears
I am going to cut off mine
All Birds
Come and cut off your ears
All Birds
A®paro¾, the Patridge and Ala;ka¾n the Crab were bossom friends. There was a time that there was
drought in the land. There was neither food nor drink for the people. The Crab had water
because he was living inside the stream, but he had no food to eat. Surprisingly, everyday the
Patrigde would come to beg for water from the Crab. Being good friends, the Crab would oblige
him. The Patridge was looking and feeling well fed and contented. The Crab asked the Patridge
to give him what he had been eating that made him to come to him for water all the time. The
Patridge denied having anything to eat. He insisted that he was drinking the water that his friend
was gracious enough to give him only.
When the Patridge was going to the house of his friend (the crab) one day, the friend saw him
using sand to rub his mouth so that the he (the crab) would not find any trace of food that he had
eaten. The Crab pretended that he did not see the Patridge. He gave his friend water to drink,
but resolved that he was going to teach the Patrigde a big lesson.
The next time that the Patridge came for water, the Crab pulled him inside and cut off his two
ears.
260
Omoluabi
When Patridge realized that he had lost his two ears, he was overwhelmed with grief. There and
then, he resolved that all the other birds in the forest must lose their own ears too. He
summoned an emergency meeting of all birds. He told them that he had just gotten a pardon
from all human beings that as from that day henceforth, he would never be killed by human
beings again. The sign that showed that he had respect from human beings and immunity from
attack was his two ears that were cut off by the head of the human race. He told all the birds
that whoever among them who wanted the same immunity must come to him to help them
remove their ears. He sounded so convincing that all the birds in the forest scabbled to him to
help them cut off their ears! That was how the Patridge extended his problem to other birds in the
forest.
In this Odu¾, we can see how the Patridge converted his own misfortune to the misfortune of all
animals, due to his lack of consideration for others and wickedness. In O®tu;ra; Amo;su¾n (O®tu;ra
I®rosu¾n), Ifa; says:
Bo; ba; ba; oju;, a ba; imu;

Bo; ba; ba; imu;, a ba; eônu
Bo; ba; ba; eônu, a ba; eôseô¾
Bo; ba; ba; eôseô¾, a sôi¾'na¾
B'eô;se¾ô ba; sôi¾'na¾, a wo¾ô’gbeô;
Bo; ba; wo¾ô’gbeô;, a fi ra; iwi;n l’o;ri;
Bo; ba;; fi ra; iwi;n l'o;ri;, a fi ra; ko;o;ko l’o;ri;
A fi ra; ko;o;ko l’a;ra
Di;a; fu;n Ele;re¾se;
OÙmoô a-ko;-tiwoôn-ba;-tiwoôn
EÙni i; gb’e;ôboô ni;'be¾ô ko; sô’eôboô o
Translation:
If trouble comes to the eyes, it will affect the nose

If trouble comes to the nose, it will affect the mouth
If trouble comes to the mouth, it will affect the legs
If trouble comes to the legs, they will miss the footpath
If the legs miss the footpath, they will stray into the forest
If they stray into the forest, they will step on feces
If they step on feces, they will rub it on grasses
They will also rub it on the body of the weeds in the forest
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ele;re¾se;
He who used his own trouble to affect many others
261

In this Odu¾, what affects the eye ended up affecting the nose, the mouth and the legs. As one
can see, It is a chain of reaction. For this reason, every person is advised to be mindful of their
character and choices because he/she can easily implicate others into their own problems. Also in
O®fu;n Ba¾la¾¾jeô; (O®fu;;n O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
O®sôeô;’gi ni;'gbo; ru¾ u; ni;'bu¾u; f'eôseô¾ gu;n

Oni;'gi n; ke; oro;-oro; aya¾-aya¾
Wo;ôn ni; ki; oni;'gi ma; ke¾e; oro;-oro; mo;ô
Ma; ke¾e; aya¾-aya¾ moô;
Wo;ôn ni; a¾woôn ti; n; yan e¾ôgu;n fu;n 'ni n; beô l'O:tu Ife¾ô
O: ni; a¾woôn taani
Woô;n ni; a¾woôn Ala;beô
O: ni; ki; wo;ôn o; loô re¾e; pe¾ woô;n wa;
Ala;beô eô; de;
Ala;beô n; ya¾n’gu;n
Abeô eô; ru;n l'eô;nu
Ala;beô n; ke; oro;-oro;, aya¾-aya¾
Wo;ôn ni; Ala;beô ma; ke¾e; Oro;-oro; mo;ô
Ma; ke¾e; aya¾-aya¾ mo;ô
A®woôn ti; n; t'a;beô eô; sôe fu;n 'ni n; beô l'O:tu Ife¾ô
Woô;n ni; a¾woôn Ala;roôô;
O: ni; ki; wo;ôn loô re¾e; pe¾ woô;n wa;
Ala;roôô; de;
Ala;ro;ô n; t'a;beô eô; sôe
Ina; ta, ina; mo;ô’le; aro;ô
Ala;ro;ô n; ke; oro;-oro;, aya¾-aya¾
Woô;n ni; Ala;ro;ô ma; ke¾e; oro;-oro; mo;ô
A®woôn ti; n; ko;ô'le; aro;ô fu;n 'ni n; beô l'O:tu Ife¾ô
O: l'a;woôn taani
Woô;n ni; a¾woôôn O®ru¾mo¾ô-n¾rumo¾ô
O®ru¾mo¾¾ô-n¾ru;mo;ô n; ru'mo¾ô oôô; bo¾ô wa;
Imo¾ô gu;n ele;po l'o;ju;
Ele;po n; ke; oro;-oro;, aya¾-aya¾
Wo;ôn ni; Ele;po ma; ke¾e; oro;-oro; mo;ô
A®woôn ti; n; tu;n oju; ele;po sôe fu;n 'ni n; beô l'O:tu Ife¾ô
Woô;n ni; a¾woôn O®o¾sôa¾n;la;
262
Omoluabi

O®o¾sôa¾n;la; de;
O: n; to;ô'ju; Ele;;po o; sôe
Epo o; ta m’a;la¾ O®o¾sôa¾
O®o¾sôa¾n;la; n; ke; oro;-oro;, aya¾-aya¾
Woô;n ni; O®o¾sôa¾n;la; ma; ke¾e; oro;-oro; mo;ô
A®woôn ti; n; foô a¾la¾ fu;n 'ni n; beô l'O:tu Ife¾ô
Wo;ôn ni; a¾woôn Iye-mi foô¾'ki;n-foô¾'ki;n
A®woôn Iye-mi f'a¾la¾-f'a¾la¾
O o¾ le e¾ foô¾'ki;n-f'a¾la¾
Ko; o s'aro;-d'osu¾n di funfun
Di;a; fu;n Epo
Ti; n; sô'oô¾reô; A®la¾
EÙ®yin o¾ r'e;po to; ta s'a;la¾
To; b'a¾la¾ jeô;
Translation:
He who cut wood in the forest and carried it breadth-wise

And stepped on a thorn
The wood carrier was shouting poison and pain
They told the wood carrier not to shout about poison anymore
They told him not to shout about pain again
They said that those who remove thorns for others are in O®tu Ife¾ô
He asked, who are these people?
They responded that they were people who work with knives
He asked them to call them for him
The knife dealer came
And he began to work on removing the thorn
The knife blade got damaged
The knife dealer was crying poison and pain
They asked the knife dealer not to cry poison anymore
And not to cry pain again
Those who repair damaged knife blades abound in O®tu Ife¾ô
They said it was the blacksmith
He asked that they should be called for him
The blacksmith arrived
He began to repair the blade of the knife
Fire sparked and gutted the blacksmith's chamber
The blacksmith began to cry poison and pain
They told the blacksmith not to cry poison again
263
And not to cry pain anymore

The said that those who repair damaged blacksmith chambers abound in O®tu Ife¾ô
They replied that they were the palm frond users
He asked them to go and bring them
When the palm frond dealers were carrying the palm fronds along
The palm fronds plucked out the eye of a palm oil dealer
The palm oil dealer was crying poison and pain
They asked the palm oil dealer not to cry poison anymore
Those who mend the eyes of palm oil dealers abound in O®tu Ife¾ô
They responded that they were OÙba¾ta;la; and his group
He asked them to invite OÙba¾ta;la;
When OÙba¾ta;la; arrived
He began to mend the eye of the palm oil dealer
As he was doing so
Palm oil stained OÙba¾ta;la;’s white clothes
OÙba¾ta;la; began to cry poison and pain
They asked OÙba¾ta;la; not to cry poison anymore
They said that those who wash stains off white clothes abound in O®tu Ife¾ô
They responded that it is my mother who washes the whiteness of the peacock
They responded that it is my mother who cleans clothes and turns them snow white
You cannot wash the peacock whiteness and snow white clothes
And turn a cloth dyed with both indigo and camwood to sparkling white
These were the declarations of Ifa; for Epo, the Palm Oil
Who was the friend of A®la¾, Purity and Whiteness
Can’t you see the Palm Oil that stained the purity of Whiteness
And spoilt the white dress?
In this stanza, we can see how the iniquity of one person caused a chain of negative reactions
which affected several people in the community. That is why it is advisable for us to maintain
social distance from known wicked people. An innocent person can easily be caught up in the
wickeness others do when being around such people. In I®reôteô¾ Ogbe¾, Ifa; says:
Ba¾se¾je;ô woô’nu; oôbeô¾ o; ba¾ a; je;ô

Di;a; fu;n Ki;nni-o;-sôe
Ti;i; sôe Olo;ri; A®joô
Ti; n; loô re¾ e; ba A®joô jeô;...
Translation:
The meal spoiling insect dropped into the soup and spoiled it
264
Omoluabi
This was the declaration of Ifa; for Ki;nni-o;-sôe, what can he do

Who was the head of thrift contribution
When going to spoil the monetary contribution of the group…
In this stanza, Ifa; explains how one person spoiled the financial contribution of over 50 people
just to prove a point. Those who are wicked can go to any length in order to achieve their
diabolical and sadistic satisfaction, even if it affects many other innocent people.
Four, wicked people, like all bad people, move together. Ifa; says that if somebody is a wicked
person, it is most likely that one will meet such a person in the midst of other wicked people. In
I®ka; Me;ji¾, Ifa; says:
E®e¾ya¾n we;rewe¾re a ta i¾yere

E®e¾ya¾n ra;dira¾di a si¾ maa t’a¾di;
E®e¾ya¾n bi;i we¾re¾ ni;i; ba; asi;nwi;n pa¾de;
Di;a; fu;n Oni;we¾e;re;
Wo;ôn ni; ko; wa;a; sô'eôboô
Ko; ma; baa¾ sôe de;e;de; iku; oju;; o¾ôna¾
Oni;we¾e;re; f’eôboô sô’aloô;
A®sôe; ko¾ si; i¾ya¾to¾ô ni;'nu; u woôn
EÙni to; fi eti; o¾ôtu;n gb’e;ôboô, to; fi t’o¾si¾ da¾a; nu¾
A®ti eôni ti; ko¾ ba; te¾te¾ ru;
Ko¾ si; i¾ya¾to¾ô ni;'nu; u woôn
Oni;we¾e;re; wa;a; sôe beô;e¾ô, o; ba;’ku; loô
EÙni i; gb’e;ôboô ni;'be¾ô ko; ru;’boô o
Translation:
It is an akward person that sells i¾yere, locust beans

It is a queer (odd person) that sells a¾di;, palm-kernel oil
It is only a mad man that meets with a lunatic
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Oni;we¾e;re;
Who was advised to offer eôboô
So that he would not encounter death on the road
He postponed the eôboô indefinitely
Can’t you see that there is no difference between the two?
Those who refuse to offer eôboô
Those who failed to do so at the appropriate time
There is no difference between the two
That was how Oni;we¾e;re; met his untimely death
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In the stanza above, we can see the comparison of Ifa; to show that bad people move together,
useless people move together and people with low intelligence also move together. Also in O®tu;ra
Me;ji¾, Ifa; says:
Bi; o sôe e; ire

O sôe e; fu;n ara a¾ reô
Bi; o si¾ sô'i¾ka¾
O sôe e; fu;n ara a¾ reô
Di;a; fu;n Afo;ôju;
Ti; n; sô'agbe loô ileô¾ Hausa
EÙboô ni woôn ni; ko; wa;a; sôe
O: gb'e;ôboô, o; ru;'boô
Ko¾ peô;, o¾ôna¾ o¾ ji¾n
EÙ wa;a; ba; 'ni l'a;ru¾u;sôeô;'gun
A®ru;sôeô;'gun la¾a; ba; 'ni l'e;ôseô¾ OÙ®pe¾ô
Translation:
If you do good
You do so for yourself
If you do wickedness
These were the declarations of Ifa; for the Blind Man
When going to beg for alms in Hausa land
He complied
Not too long, soon after
Join us where we enjoy victory over adversary
Victory over adversary is what one enjoys at the feet of the holy palm tree
The Blind Man was popular for his style of begging for alms. He would never beg anyone to give
him alms. He would simply tell anyone he met, ‘If you do good, you do so for yourself; and if you
do wickedness, you do so for yourself’. He used to trek from one village to the other, from one
town to the other and from one house to the next, begging for alms. Many people used to render
their assistance to the Blind Man because they considered his style of begging as a great
challenge to their individual and collective character.
Unknown to the Blind Man however was the fact that the OÙba of Hausa land considered the Blind
Man's style of begging very irritating and preposterous. The reason being nursed by the O Ùba was
that what the blind man was saying was highly philosophical and that such wise saying had no
business coming out from the mouth of a beggar and a blind man for that matter! The OÙba felt
that it was only him, his royal home and his Council of Chiefs who had the right and the priviledge
to make philosophical statements like the one the blind man was saying. He therefore concluded
that the blind man should be taught a bitter lesson that other people would learn from.
One day, the OÙba summoned his best hunter to get a live cobra for him. Within two days, this
266
Omoluabi
item was procured. The live cobra that the hunter got was very big and wild. The OÙba ordered
him to put the cobra in a bag. This was done. In the afternoon of that day, the blind man came
as usual and the OÙba presented this ‘gift’ to the bling man. When the blind man touched the bag,
he thought it was a pangolin. He was very happy and in order to show his appreciation, the blind
man declared:
Bo; o sôe e; ‘re

O sôe e; fu;n’ra eô
Bo; o si¾ sôe¾‘ka¾
O sôe e; fu;n 'ra eô
Translation:
If you do good
If you do wickedness
You do so for your self
The blind man put the ‘gift’ on his shoulder and continued to beg for alms. While he was going
from home to home begging, he met the A®re¾ômoô, heir apparent. The A®re¾ômoô was angry that the
blind man had been given a gift by his father. Because evil begets evil, the wickedness of the
father was also in the son, the A®re¾ômoô could see no reason why the blind man should retain this
gift. Out of anger, wickedness and greed, he moved close to the blind man, gave him three heavy
slaps on the face and snatched the ‘gift’ away from him.
In his reaction, the blind man declared: ‘Bo; o sôe e; 're, o sôe eô; fu;n 'ra eô, Bo; o si¾ sôe¾’ka¾, o sôe e; fu;n 'ra
eô’, and he left.
As soon as the blind man was out of sight, the A®re¾ômoô decided to examine the gift that the blind
man was carrying about. He dipped his hand inside the bag and behold, the cobra struck him and
poured all the venom that it had accumulated for three days during the time it had been held
captive into the hand of the A®re¾ômoô.
The A®re¾ômoô screamed uncontrollably. Passer-bys rushed to the spot. They saw the cobra and
killed it. But before assistance could be given to the A®re¾ômoô, he had died. His lifeless body was
then taken back to the palace. When the OÙba heard of what had happened, he remembered the
saying of the blind man. The OÙba’s guilty conscience could not allow him to raise his hand
against the blind man.
As we can see in the stanza above, both the OÙba and his first son, who were close to one another,
were affected because of their wickedness. This is another classic example of bad people moving
together and how it can affect all those involved. In yet another example, in O®fu;n Roju; (O®fu;n
I®rosu¾n), Ifa; says:
O®fu;n r’oju; kokooko
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Di;a; fu;n A®gba¾a¾gba¾ meô;fa¾

Ti; wo;ôn n; re¾’lu; i¾ba¾nu;je;ô
E®yi; ti; wo;ôn o f’owo; ra i¾ba¾nu;je;ô wa;’le;
Di;a; fu;n I®ba¾nu;je;ô
Ti; yo;o; d’ori; a¾gba¾ k’odo¾
EÙ wa;a; ba; ‘ni le; I®ba¾nu;je;ô loô o
A®tawo, a¾ti¾sôe¾gu¾n
Translation:
O®fu;n wore a frown on his face

This was Ifa;’s declaration for the six elders
When going to the land of melancholy
They were going to use their money to purchase sadness into their homes
The same declaration was also given to I®ba¾nu;je;ô, Melancholy
Who would press down the head of the elders
They were advised to offer eôboôô
Both Awo and herbalists
Please help us chase melancholy away
Both Awo and herbalists
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains how six elders in a community went on a journey in order to bring
melancholy into the land. Unfortunately for them, they ended up bringing the melancholy on their
own heads. Ifa; advises us not to be a party to anything that will destroy one or any group. In
I®din Ade;joôkeô; (O®di; O®Ùsôeô;), Ifa; says:
Ma¾ri¾wo¾ ja; sôu¾u¾ru¾ kan'le¾ô

Di;a; fu;n woôn ni; Mo¾ôba¾-E®ko;
Ee;gu;n ile; e woôn ki¾i; pe; ki; wo;;ôn o; ku; ni; Mo¾ôba¾ E®ko;
O®o¾sôa¾ ile; e woôn ki¾i; pe; ki;; wo;ôn o; ku; ni; Mo¾ôba¾ E®ko;
A®woôn a¾gba¾a¾gba¾ a Mo¾ôba¾ E®ko; ni wo;ôn d'ori; kodo
Ni woô;n n; p'ara a woôn o
Translation:
The palm-frond drops straight to the ground

This was Ifa;’s declaration for them at Mo¾ôba¾¾-E®ko;
The Egu;ngu;n in Mo¾ôba¾ –E®ko; does not wish anyone dead
The O®ri¾sôa¾ in Mo¾ôba¾-E®ko; does not wish anyone dead
It is the Elders of Mo¾ôba¾-E®ko; who grouped together
And were eliminating one another
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Omoluabi
In this Odu¾, Ifa; states that in the land called Mo¾ôba¾-E®ko;, there were groups of wicked elders who
were planning evil against the community. In the end, they were the ones who began to kill each
other. This is because evil begets evil. Ones wickedness begets a more severe wickedness.
Five, wicked people have no fear of Olo;du¾mare¾. Ifa: says that when someone is very wicked,
his/her assumption is that he/she will own the world while Olo;du¾mare¾ owns heaven. He/she feels
that whenever the punishment of Olo;du¾mare¾ arrives, his/her victims will not be around to witness
his/her punishment. Ifa; says that they are totally wrong. In most occasions, the judgement of
Olo;du¾mare¾ against the wicked happens right in the presence of the victims. In a stanza in O®tu;ra;
Me;ji¾, Ifa; says:
I®gbo¾ônwoô; me;je¾e¾ji¾ ni o¾ sôe e; gb'a;gbo¾ôn s'a;ja¾

Di;a; fu;n A®lu¾ka;n;di;
Ti;i; sô’eôru; Olo;du¾mare¾ Ago¾ôtu;n
OÙba at’e;ôni; oôla; le;ôgeô;le;ôgeô; f`ori; sô'apeji omi
I®gba¾ ti; o; n; t’o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;’le; aye;
O: koô’ti; o¾ôgboônyin s'eô;boô
E®mi A®lu¾ka;n;di;, A®lu¾ka;n;di;
E®yi; to; ba; wu¾ mi; ni n; o; pa
A®lu¾ka;n;di;!
I®woô A®lu¾ka;n;di;;, A®lu¾ka;n;di;
I®woô ki¾i; be¾ôeô¾ru¾ OÙloô;run
A®lu¾ka;n;di;!
Translation:
The elbows cannot be used to place a basket onto the ceiling

This was Ifa;’s declaration for A®lu¾ka;n;di;
The messenger of Olo;du¾mare¾ Ago¾ôtu;n
The OÙba who spreads the mat of honor that splendidly touches the deep sea
Here I come, A®lu¾ka;n;di;, A®lu¾ka;n;di;
I will kill whoever I like
A®lu¾ka;n;di;!
Behold, you A®lu¾ka;n;di;, A®lu¾ka;n;di;
You have no fear of God in your heart
A®lu¾¾ka;n;di;!
A®lu¾¾ka;n;di; was one of the very many messengers of Olo;du¾mare¾. He was usually sent by Him to
269
deliver special messages to the human race at regular intervals. All these messages he had
delivered without any fault and also without questioning the rationale behind them. The attitude
of A®lu¾¾ka;n;di; had endeared him to many Iru;nmoôleô¾ in Heaven. Whenever there was any message to
be delivered, the Iru;nmoôleô¾ would quickly suggest the name of A®lu¾¾ka;n;di; to Olo;du¾mare¾. He would
then be sent, and the message would be delivered as quickly as possible.
During the course of delivering Divine messages to human beings, A®lu¾¾ka;n;di; came to realize that
there was great love and affection for human beings who live on earth by both Olo;du¾mare¾ and
the Iru;nmoôleô¾. A®lu¾¾ka;n;di; could not understand why this should be so; was it not the same human
beings who kill, maim, hurt and destroy each other at the slightest opportunity? Why should
Olo;du¾mare¾ be in love with those who destroy the environment; pollute the air and water; kill
insects, rats, fish, birds and beasts at will; wage war on each other for no justifiable reason than
to show supremacy over one another? Why should Olo;du¾mare¾ be in love with those who were
not in love with Him; who disrespect Him and His Iru;nmoôleô¾; and who have not shown any
remorse?
Initially, all these baffled A®lu¾¾ka;n;di;. They later turned to confusion for him. In his confused state
of mind, he was determined to punish them for all what he perceived to be the misbehavior of the
human race.
When the time came for A®lu¾¾ka;n;di; to come down to earth to deliver Olo;du¾mare¾'s message, he saw
this as the opportunity he needed to take advantage of to deal a deadly blow on all the ungrateful
human beings. When he was coming on his assignment, he asked for special powers and his
request was granted.
On his way, he decided that he would show no mercy to anyone; why should he show compassion
to those who destroy Mother Nature at will? He concluded within himself that they did not
deserve his pity or mercy.
The day he arrived on earth was a market day. As soon as he set his feet on the earth, he
declared:
I®gbo¾ônwoô; me;je¾e¾ji¾ ni o¾ sôe e; gb'a;gbo¾ôn s'a;ja¾

Di;a; fu;n o¾un A®lu¾ka;n;di;
Ti;i; sô’eôru; Olo;du¾mare¾ Ago¾ôtu;n
OÙba at’e;ôni; oôla; le;ôgeô;le;ôgeô; f`ori; sô'apeji omi
I®gba¾ ti; o; n; t’o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;’le; aye;
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe¾
O: koô’ti; o¾ôgboônyin s'eô;boô
A®lu¾ka;n;di;!
Translation:
The two elbows cannot be used to place a basket on the ceiling
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Omoluabi
This was Ifa;'s declaration for me A®lu¾ka;n;di;

The messenger of Olo;du¾mare¾ Ago¾ôtu;n
The OÙba who spreads the mat of honor that splendidly touches the deep sea
When coming from O®Ùrun to Aye;
He was advised to offer ebo
Here I come A®lu¾ka;n;di;, A®lu¾ka;n;di;
A®lu¾ka;n;di;!
Before anyone could realize what was happening, A®lu¾ka;n;di; released the special power given to
him in heaven and began to kill anybody and everybody in the market. There was pandemonium
everywhere! Everyone ran for dear life! Nobody could really explain what went wrong. The next
day, people came to pick the corpses of their loved ones for burial. Uncertainty enveloped the
world. They all gathered in small groups to make meaning of what had just taken place. They
could not. At last, they approached the OÙba who in turn fixed a general meeting to take place in
the market on the next market day.
On the appointed day, the whole market place was filled to the brim. Those who lost their loved
ones were first given the opportunity to speak. While they were expressing their ordeal and
agony, A®lu¾ka;n;di; arrived and declared:

A®lu¾ka;n;di;!
Translation:

A®lu¾ka;n;di;!
The whole market scattered instantly. Everybody was running helter-skelter. Many were killed by
A®lu¾ka;n;di; himself, many more were trampled to death. In all, more than a quarter of the
population died.
From that time, it became a regular occurrence every market day. Nobody dared to go to the
market anymore. Chaos and anarchy took over completely. Nobody wished to go out in the day
time, talk less of night time. Anyone who wished to live long needed to fear A®lu¾ka;n;di;.
One day, some elders gathered themselves together and went for Ifa; consultation in order to
determine exactly what was going on and at the same time, find a permanent solution to it.
The Awo told the elders that what was going on was misuse of power and opportunity. They
were told that A®lu¾ka;n;di; thought that he could fight for Olo;du¾mare¾ and the Iru;nmoôleô¾. The Awo
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assured the elders that nobody could fight for them but rather, Olo;du¾mare¾ and Iru;nmoôleô¾ do their
fighting when the time is right and appropriate. He assured them further that A®lu¾ka;n;di; would
surely fail because he was not sent on the assignment he was carrying out. He advised the elders
to offer eôboô. After this, he told them to feed E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾. The elders complied immediately.
As soon as the eôboô was offered, E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ petitioned heaven and complained that A®lu¾ka;n;di; had
been misusing the special powers given to him. He said that he had wrecked untold havoc on
earth. He insisted that only the withdrawal of that power would do. Olo;du¾mare¾ sent other
Iru;nmoôleô¾ to go and investigate what E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ had said. They confirmed all his reports and the
special powers given to A®lu¾ka;n;di; were withdrawn.
Unknown to A®lu¾ka;n;di; that he had lost his special powers, he was busy planning his adventure on
the next market day. E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ was equally busy gathering people together to confront A®lu¾ka;n;di;
on the next market day. E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ assured the people that their arch enemy had no more power
to wreck any havoc on them. He told them to stand firm.
On the market day, A®lu¾ka;n;di; came as expected. As soon as he came he declared:

A®lu¾ka;n;di;!
Translation:

A®lu¾ka;n;di;!
Instead of panic, A®lu¾ka;n;di; met resolute determination. Instead of fear, he met courage. They all
responded in unison, saying:
I®woô A®lu¾ka;n;di;, A®lu¾ka;n;di;

I®woô ki¾i; be¾ôeô¾ru¾ OÙloô;run
A®®lu¾ka;n;di;!
Translation:
Behold, you A®lu¾ka;n;di;, A®lu¾ka;n;di;

You have no fear of God in your heart
A®lu¾ka;n;di;!
A®lu¾ka;n;di; was shocked and surprised. He planned to rush at them but instead, he realized that he
had no power to do anything. The next thing he saw was the people tying his hands and legs
together. He was unceremoniously sent back to where he came from – heaven. When he
arrived, he was not allowed to return to earth again, ever.
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Omoluabi
In the story above, A®lu¾ka;n;di was trying to play the role of Olo;du¾mare¾, by punishing all human
beings for the offences he believed they had committed. He wanted to punish everyone for their
offenses. He began to kill anyone at sight. He ended up creating mass hysteria and panic. He
was so wicked in the execution of his own brand of justice that nobody wished to go to the
market again. He did not fear God in anyway whatsoever. When E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ came to confront
him, it was in the presence of his victims. When he was sanctioned as appropriate, it was also in
the presence of his victims.
Six, the wicked will never know peace. No matter how much a wicked person may try, he/she
will find peace an unattainable commodity in his/her life. In I®ka; 'Ba¾ra¾ (I®ka; O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
Ki; Babala;wo o; ko;ô’fa;-ko;ô’fa;

De;’bi ti; yo;o; fi l’o;wo; l’o;ôwoô;
Ki; Oni;sôe¾gu¾n o; k’o;o¾gu¾n-k’o;o¾gu¾n
De;’bi ti; yo;o; fi l’o;ôroô¾-l’o;ôroô¾
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùru;;nmi¾la¾
Ti; wo;ôn ni; ki; Baba o; ko;ô’fa; oôla¾
Ko; ko;ô’fa; ire
EÙni to; sô’i¾ka¾
O®un na;a¾ yo;o; ba;’ka¾ ku;
Ifa; oôla¾ ni’fa; a¾ mi o
Translation:
Let a Babala;wo study Ifa; extensively

To the point where he will be wealthy
Let an Herbalist study medicine extensively
To the point where he will be prosperous
When he was advised to study the Ifa; which brings prosperity
And those which bring all the Ire of life
He complied
Those who are wicked
They will die a wicked and painful death
Mine is the Ifa; which brings prosperity
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that all the efforts of a wicked person will certainly amount to nothing.
They will die in the position of wickedness. They too will experience the wickedness that they had
meted out to others. All actions will be given their due consequence. In O®Ùsa; O®di;, Ifa; says:
O®Ùbe¾ôleô¾n¾keô; a bi’nu; jooro
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Di;a; fu;n Oni;nu; ire i¾gba¾ i¾wa;sôeô¾

Bi; e¾e¾ya¾n ba; l'o;ri; ire
Ti; ko¾ ni;'wa¾ ire
A®i¾si; i¾wa¾ ire ni; o; ba Ori; o¾ôu;n je;ô ni; Moôreô
Translation:
The mature she-goat with its massive stomach

This was the Ifa; cast for the Righteous man of yore
He complied
If a person has a good destiny
And does not compliment it with good character
Lack of good character will ruin the good destiny
In this Odu¾, the good luck of a wicked person amounts to nothing because his/her wickedness will
certainly mitigate against the good fortune.
Seven, no wicked person will die well. Ifa;; says that no matter how long a wicked person may
live on earth, he/she will die eventually and the death will not be a pleasant one. In Ogbe¾ Te¾ôteô¾
(Ogbe¾ I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
Bi; iwa;ju; i¾ka¾ ba; da;ra la;'ye;

E®Ùyi¾n i¾ka¾ ko¾ ni;i; sunwo¾ôn
A ki¾¾i; fi i¾ka¾ d'eôru¾ ko; gu;n ge;ôgeô;
Di;a; fu;n O®ti;to;ô Inu;
OÙmoô o¾ti¾te¾ô afi¾te¾ôleô¾ teô'leô¾
Olo;du¾mare¾ lo; ni ile¾ô lo; ni i¾da;jo;ô
EÙ®san ni ti Olo;du¾mare¾
OÙba yo;o; san-a;n fu;n Oni;ka;luku;
Ge;ôgeô; bi; isôeô; oôwoô; oô woôn o
Translation:
If the beginning of the wicked is good and comfortable

The end of the wicked will never be good
We can never apply wickedness to gather anything together for such a thing to be comfortable
These were the declarations of Ifa; for O®ti;to;ô Inu;, the Righteous Person
He who lays his foundation on truth and honesty
Olo;du¾mare¾ is the owner of the land and the owner of judgement
Retaliation is for Olo;du¾mare¾
The Mighty King will pay everybody
According to their deeds on earth
274
Omoluabi
This stanza states that no matter how good a person is at being wicked and even if they never
get caught, he/she will die one day and he/she will face the judgement of Olo ;du¾mare¾ where
everyone will be judged according to their handiwork on earth. In O®fu;n Ba¾la¾ jeô; (O®fu;n O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa;
says:
O®fu;n ba;la
O®fu;n ba¾la
Ba¾la¾-bala ba¾fo;
Di;a; fu;n A®gu¾nta¾n bo¾ôloô¾jo¾ô
Ti;i; sô'oômoô Ala;a¾a;gba;
I®gba¾ ti; n; beô l'a;a¾rin o¾ôta;
O: ni; e¾ôyin apa'ni boô¾'giri
EÙ®yin apa¾a¾'ya¾n boô ‘yeô¾pe¾ô
EÙ®yin na;a¾ wa;a; ku;
A r'e;ôyi¾n in yi;n na;
Translation:
O®fu;n ba;la
O®fu;n ba¾la
Ba¾la¾-bala ba¾fo;
These were the Awo who cast Ifa; for the giant Ewe
The Offspring of Ala;a¾a;gba;
When she was in the midst of enemies
She complied
Those who kill others to propitiate the wall
Those who kill fellow human beings just to propitiate the dust
You too have died now
We have all witnessed your end
Why is it possible for Olo;du¾mare¾ to determine who is good and who is wicked? The answer is in
I®rosu¾n E®tu¾tu¾ (I®rosu¾n O®tu;ru;po¾ôn) where Ifa; says:
Ifa; wi;, o; lo; sôe

E®mi na;a¾, mo lo; sôe
SÙi;sôe lo; sôe eôtu ti;i; sô'oômoôye¾ Olu;-Igbo;
Ifa; wi;, o; lo; poô¾
E®mi na;a¾, mo lo; po¾ô
Pi;po¾ô lo; po¾ô fu;n E®Ùku¾lu¾ ti;i; sô'oômoôye¾ Olu;-OÙ®da¾n
OÙ®ro¾ô o¾ po¾ô bi;i ka; f'oô¾beô bu¾u;
Di;a; fu;n Oni;nu;-Ire
275
Ti; wo;ôn o; maa f'o¾ôroô¾ i¾ka¾ lo¾ô oô;

Ifa; wa;a; ri;’nu;
EÙni to; n; sôe rere, OÙloô¾run mo¾ô
Translation:
Ifa; says that it is a pity

I chorus that it is a pity
It is a pity for the Antelope, the child of Olu;-Igbo;, the Lord of the Forest
Ifa; says that it is unfortunate
I chorus that it is unfortunate
It is unfortunate for the bush ram, the child of Olu;-O®Ùda¾n, the Lord of the Savannah
No matter how big an issue may be
It cannot be divided with a knife
These were the declarations of Ifa; to Oni;nu; Ire, the Righteous Person
Who was being accused of wickedness
Ifa; sees the mind
Ile¾ô, the Mother Earth sees the wicked
Those who do good, the heavens know
Eight, it is advisable for the wicked to remember heaven. If the wicked ones remember heaven,
maybe they will change from being wicked to being righteous. If the wicked know how
excruciating the pain of Olo;du¾mare¾’s retaliation will be, maybe they will stop doing evil and start
being benevolent. In O®Ùyeô¾ku; Bi¾si; (O®Ùyeô¾ku; I®wo¾ri¾), Ifa; says:
Ko;ko; igi ni o¾ be¾ôeô¾ru¾ o¾jo¾

Di;a; fu;n Olo;du¾mare¾ Ago¾ôtu;n
OÙba at’aye; ma; tu¾u;
I®gba¾ ti; n; lo¾ôoô; sôe¾’wa¾ si;’le; aye;
Bi; eô ba; de;’le; aye; ta;n
EÙ ma; sôe gba¾gbe; o¾ôrun o
Aye; l’oôja¾
OÙ®run n’ile; e gbogbo o wa o
Translation:
A tree knot fears no rain

This was the Ifa; cast for Olo;du¾mare¾ Ago¾ôtu;n
The OÙba who founded the world that would never disintegrate
When He was going to formulate destiny and direction into the world
If you arrive in the world
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Omoluabi
Please do not forget about OÙ®run, heaven

The world is but a market place
And O®Ùrun, heaven is our home
Nine, for the wicked, A®da¾bi; (Unless I have ever wronged you before) is more potent than curses.
If a wicked person perpetrates his/her wickedness against others, Ifa; says that the victim needs
not curse or swear on the wicked person. All what the victim needs to do is to hand the wicked
over to Olo;du¾mare¾. The wrath of Olo;du¾mare¾ will certainly descend on the wicked. It is important
to know however that this will not happen if the victim is also a perpetrator of wickedness. In
O®tu;ru;poôn Ogbe¾ (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
O®tu;ru;-poôngba;-poôngbe¾
OÙ®poôngbe¾ poôngba;
A® n; poôn moô;gbe¾-moô;gbe¾
Mo;ôgbe¾-moô;gbe¾ n; poôngba;
A®ka¾ra¾ l'o;ôjoô; wo lo de;'le; aye; na;
To; o ti n; bi;'moô
Di;a; fu;n A®da¾bi
Ti;i; sô'e¾¾ôgboô;n E®pe¾
EÙ®yin o¾ mo¾ô 'pe; A®da¾bi ja¾
O: ju E®pe¾ loô ni
Translation:
O®tu;ru; strapped a calabash on his back

And strapped a keg on his back
As we were strapping Mo;ôgbe¾-mo;ôgbe¾
So also was Mo;ôgbe¾-moô;gbe¾¾ strapping a calabash
A®ka¾ra¾ when did you come into the world
Before you began to give birth to children
These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®da¾bi, Reproach
The elder sibling of E®pe¾, Curses
Can’t you see that A®da¾bi;, Reproach is more profound
And more powerful than Curses?
Also in I®ka; funfun (I®ka; O®fu;n), Ifa; enjoins us never to wish anyone who displays wickedness
against us any evil. Olo;du¾mare¾ knows how to mete out justice to both the wicked and the
righteous so it is better not to take justice into your own hands. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Ki; iku; ma; pa eôni to; ji; to; n; da;’ni l'o;ro;

Bi; a ba; ji;, ka; joô ma;a ri;’ra eôni
K'a;ru¾n ma; sôe eôni to; ji; to; n; gbi¾mo¾ôra¾n i¾ka¾ si;'ku¾n
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Bi; a ba; ji;, ka; joô ma;a ri;'ra eôni

B’O:ri; kan ba; ti pe;ô ni;'le¾ô
Bo; pe;ô ti;ti; yo;o; d'ori; ire
Di;a; fu;n Olu;weômoô
Ti; a bi; ni; I®koô A®wu;si;
Ti; a gbe; loô si; I®do¾ro¾-Ma¾wu;se¾ô loô re¾e; wo¾
O: to; ge;ôgeô; k'O:ri; mi ra¾n mi; sôe o
Irannran, I®ra¾nn¾ra¾n
EÙ®da; mi ra¾n mi; sôe o, I®ra¾nn¾ra¾n
EÙ wa;a; ba; 'ni ni; wo¾ôwoô; ire gbogbo
Translation:
May death not strike down those who wake up in the morning to inflict pain on one
Whenever we wake up let us continue to see each other
May affliction not strike those who wake up in the morning and harbor evil thoughts against
one
Whenever we wake up let us continue to see each other
If one Ori; rolls on the ground for a long time
In the end it shall become the head of success
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Olu;weômoô
Who was born at I®koô A®wu;si;
And who was taken to I®do¾ro¾ Ma¾wu;se¾ô to be raised
He complied
It is high time for my Ori; to support me
Iranran i¾ra¾nn¾ra¾n
My Maker, please support me to succeed
Iranran i¾ra¾nn¾ra¾n
Come and join us in the midst of all the Ire of life
Ten, it is better for us to invite a wicked person to pray openly. Ifa; says that when we are in a
gathering of people, it is better to invite a known wicked person to pray for the gathering. This
will compel the wicked person to pray for good things for the group once you place the person in
front of others. It will also make the wicked to keep his/her wickedness within. It is that
wickedness that he/she keeps within that will be following him/her for the rest of his/her life. In
O®tu;ra; Me¾ôeô;le;ô (O®tu;ra; O®Ùwoô;nri;n), Ifa; says:
EÙ jeô; ka; pa’bi¾ fu;n O®sôi¾ka¾

Ko; ba a¾ le e¾ wu;’re o¾o;to;ô
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Omoluabi
Ki; ibi i woôn ko; ba a¾ le¾ yoô si; woôn l’eô;nu

Di;a; fu;n O®Ùtoô;n¾ro;ôkoô;
Ti; n; lo¾ôoô; pa’bi¾ fu;n O®o¾sôa¾
SÙe i¾ka¾ ke;kere; fu;n mi
Ki; n baa¾ le¾ sôe n;n;la; fu;n oô
Di;a; fu;n I®ja¾pa; o¾ôgoô¾go¾ôma¾le¾
Ti;i; sôe woôle;-wo¾ôde O®ri¾sôa¾
O: ko;'ti; o¾ôgboônyin s'eô;boô
EÙ wa;a; ba;’ni l'a;ru¾u;sôeô; ogun
A®ja¾sôeô; ogun la¾a; ba; 'ni l’e;ôseô¾ OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾
Translation:
Let us break the kolanut for the wicked

For him to pray truthfully
So that their wickedness will go back into their mouth
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®Ùtoô;n¾ro;ôkoô;
When going to break the kola nut for O®o¾sôa¾
Inflict a little wickedness on me
For me to inflict bigger ones on you
These were Ifa;’s declarations for I®ja¾pa; O®Ùgoô¾go¾ôma¾le¾, the Land Tortoise
Who was the close associate of O®ri¾sôa¾
Join us where we offer eôboô to achieve victory
Victory over adversary is what one enjoys at the feet of OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾
Finally, in this life, the wicked and oath breaker will never succeed in any good thing they lay their
hands upon. In O®fu;n Oni;to¾ôoô;la; (O®fu;n O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
E®ke; pa'bi¾ obi¾ i; di;

O®Ùda¾le¾ô pa'bi¾ a sôi¾go¾ôgoô¾o¾ôgoô¾
Oni;nu;-Ire pa'bi¾ o; ya¾n peregede
Di;a; fu;n O®jo¾du;
Ti;i; sô'oômoô A®ri¾ra¾ ni;'fe¾ô
Ni;'jo;ô ti; wo;ôn n; loô re¾e; pa'bi¾ l'o;ôgba¾ Awo
Ni;gba¾ ti; o; sôe ta;n to; l'o;un o; j'oye¾ ile; e baba re¾ô
N®je;ô O®jo¾du; de; o, oômoô A®ri¾ra¾ n’I:feô¾
A®wa ma¾ du;pe; l'o;ôwo;ô obi¾ to; ya¾n o
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Translation:
The liar broke the kola nut and it was not accepted
The oath breaker broke the kola nut and it was rejected
The righteous person broke the kola nut and it was wholeheartedly accepted
These were the declarations of Ifa; for O®jo¾du;
The child of A®ri¾¾ra¾ in Ile;-Ife¾ô
When they were going to break the kola nut in the gathering of Awo
When after he showed his intention to assume the title of his paternal lineage
Now, here comes O®jo¾du;, the child of A®ri¾ra¾ in Ife¾ô
We are all grateful for the kola nut that was accepted
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Omoluabi
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Al'a;teô i¾le¾ôkeô¾, o; wa;a; d’ala;teô oô¾ru;nla;
Eyi;n-in j'eôran j'eôran, o; d'eyi;n-in fo;ôoô'gun-foô;oô'gun
Di;a; fu;n Ina;
O: l'o;un o; j'oye¾ Olo;n¾roro
Di;a; fu;n O®sôu¾pa; Ki¾ri¾mu¾
O®sôu¾pa; ni¾kan ni; n; beô l’eô;yi¾n to; n; sô’eôboô
N®jeô; a m’O:sôu¾pa; j'oye¾ l’aye; gu;n
A m’O:sôu;pa; j'oye¾ Olo;n¾roro
A m’O:sôu¾pa; j'oye¾ ire e; de;
L’a;sa;n n’Ina; gb’o;ju;
Ina; o¾ n’i;wa¾ ni;'nu;
L’a;sa;n l’O®o¾ru¾n gb’o;ju;
O®o¾ru¾n o¾ n’i;wa¾ ni;'nu;
A m’O:sôu¾pa; j’oye¾ Olo;n¾roro
A m’O:sôu¾pa; j’oye¾ l’aye; gu;n
A m’O:sôu¾pa; j’oye¾ ire e; de;
N®jeô; O®sôu¾pa; yi¾i; du¾n-u;n b’o;ôkoô loô
N®ba; loô l’a;a¾wu;ro¾ô ma de; l’a;le;ô o
OÙ®sa; I®reôteô¾
Translation:
The owner of the tray filled with beads has now become the owner of the tray filled with dried
okra
The teeth that were accustomed to eating flesh are now breaking bones
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ina;, the fire
Who declared his intention to be installed to the position of Olo;n¾roro, the Illuminator
okra
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These were Ifa’s declarations for O®o¾ru¾n, the sun
okra
These were Ifa’s declarations for O®sôu¾pa;, the Moon
Only O®sôu¾pa; complied
We have now installed O®sôu¾pa; as the Illuminator
We have installed O®sôu¾pa; as the Illuminator
It was in vain that Ina; was tough
Ina; does not have good character
We have installedO®sôu¾pa; as the Illuminator
It was in vain that O®o¾ru¾n was tough
O®o¾ru¾n does not have good character
O®sôu¾pa; is what is appropriate to flirt with my man
If I go in the morning
I will return late in the evening
PRIDE
Pride: Vain or personal dignity. This is an exaggerated feeling of pleasure and subjective
satisfaction at one’s possessions or achievements at the expense of other people’s feelings or
disposition.
Pride makes people to look at things or situations that affect them in an exaggerated manner,
especially when they feel that such situations or things are in their favor. There are certain
principles that all those who aspire to be OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; need to understand about pride. Here are
those principles.
One, pride leads to the exercise of self-deceit. Ifa; warns that we must not engage in self-deceit
ever. Engaging in self-deceit leads to error in judgment and the thought that others are not as
intelligent, wise, or experienced as one. In OÙ®sa; OÙloô;ya¾n-a;n (O®Ùsa; I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
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Omoluabi
B'eô;ni o¾ l'oô;la;
K'e;ôni o; ma; foô'hu¾n oôla;
B'e;e¾ya¾n o¾ to; oôloô¾to¾ô
Ko; ma; foô'hu¾n oôloô¾to¾ô
EÙni ti; o¾ to; ge¾le¾te¾
Ki¾i; mi; fi¾n-i¾n
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùpo¾ôloô;
To; l'o;un o; j'oye¾ Olu;weôri
O: koô'ti; o¾ôgboônyin s’eô;bo…ô
Translation:
If you are not an honorable person

Do not act like an honorable person
If you are not capable of being independent
Do not claim to be independent
Anyone who is not big and mighty
Do not breathe like someone who is (big and mighty)
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®Ùpo¾ôloô;, the Toad
Who said that he wanted to become the Lord of the river
The toad planned to become the Lord of the river. He was warned against wanting to be the lord
because he had no strength or grace to be the Lord of the river. Unfortunately for the toad, he
saw himself as the mightiest creature in the river. He decided to install himself as the Lord of the
river and began croaking as a mighty animal. This attracted the attention of the crocodile and
other river creatures to the scene of the noise. In the end, the toad became the meal of the big
river creatures. This is an example of the reason why one must not over value one’s worth and
feel that one can do what one is not capable of doing. Also in I®reôteô¾ A®la¾o; (I®reôteô¾ OÙ®ba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
A®gba;-I®na¾mu¾ sôuku we;le

O®Ùra¾n o¾ ta;n ni;'le¾ô yi¾i; bo¾ôroô¾bo¾ôroô¾
Di;a; fu;n A®la¾o;
To; k'oku¾n b'oôru¾n
Ti; n; f'eônu ke; meômeô bi; ewu;re;ô
Ara a yi;n leô ta¾n
EÙ o¾ tan’fa; jeô o
A®la¾o; lo; k'oku¾n b'oôru¾n
Ni; n; f'eônu ke; meômeô bi; ewu;re;ô
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Ara a yi;n leô ta¾n jeô ba;'yeôn
Translation:
A®gba;-I®na¾mu¾ sôuku we;le

O®Ùra¾n o¾ ta;n ni;'le¾ô yi¾i; bo¾ôroô¾bo¾ôroô
These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®la¾o;
Who put a rope round his neck
And began bleating like a she-goat
You are only deceiving yourself
You are not deceiving Ifa;
A®la¾o; who put a rope round his neck
And used his mouth to bleat like a she-goat
You are only deceiving yourself that way
A®la¾o; went to the Babala;wo for Ifa; consultation. The Babala;wo advised him to feed Ifa; with one
she-goat. A®la¾o; felt that Ifa; would not know whether he used a she-goat or not. For that reason,
A®la¾o; got a rope and tied it round his own neck. He went to Ifa; and told Ifa; that he had brought
the she-goat that Ifa; had asked him to bring. He even began to bleat like a goat in the presence
of Ifa; and he was telling Ifa; that it was the goat that he had brought to give Ifa; that was bleating.
When A®la¾o; left the Ifa; room, something happen to his brain. He began to bleat everywhere. He
was taken to the home of the healers. When they found out what A®la¾o; had done, they concluded
that A®la¾o; had engaged in self-deceit and he had suffered the consequence for his behavior.
In OÙ®ye¾ôku; pa¾la¾ba¾, (O®Ùyeô¾ku; O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
E®ku;te; ile; o¾ ni;i; mu oje o¾gi¾ri¾ ko; ye¾ e;

Di;a; fu;n 'La;sôi;loô
To; da; egbo¾ si; eôseô¾ o¾si¾
Ti; loô n; mo;ô ti oô¾tu;n
O: koô’ti; o¾ôgboônyin s’eô;bo;
E®e¾ya¾n to; da; egbo¾ si; eôseô¾ o¾si¾
To; loô n; mo;ô ti oô¾tu;n
Ara a re¾ô lo; n; ta¾n jeô o
Translation:
A mouse can never drink the fermented juice of a locust bean and survive it
This was Ifa;’s declaration for 'La;sôi;loô
Who had a festering sour on his left leg
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Omoluabi
And was using hot compresses on his right leg

He who has a sour on his left leg
And who is applying medication on his right leg
That person deceives no one but himself
This is a situation where 'La;sôi;loô did not want people to know that he had a problem on his left leg.
He was treating the right leg in order to confuse the people who were close to him. He ended up
causing more harm to his left leg in the process. Those who he did not want to know ended up
turning him into the laughing stock of the community.
Two, pride and arrogance go together. When someone is proud, in most cases the person is also
arrogant. Arrogance is the situation where such a person has an overestimated impression of
himself/herself. In O®Ùsa; 'Ba¾ra¾ (O®Ùsa; O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
We¾re¾ e¾e¾ya¾n o¾ mo¾ô 'pe; eôni¾keji¾ n; gbo;ôn moô;

Di;a; fu;n A®ri¾ra; ga¾ga¾
Ti; n;sôoômoô 'ku¾nrin o¾ôrun
I®®gba¾ ti; n; beô l'a;a¾rin o¾ôta;;
EÙÙboôôni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe
O: gb’e;ôboô, O: ru;’boô...
Translation:
Only a mad person thinks that others are not wise

This was Ifa;’s declaration for A®ri¾ra; ga¾ga¾
Their son in heaven
When in the midst of the enemies
He complied…
In this Odu¾, Ifa; likens those who think that they are the only wise ones with those who are crazy
people. This is one of the reasons why one must not have an exaggerated impression of oneself.
In O®fu;n Na'ra (O®fu;n Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
E®ke; ni Olo;ri¾sôa¾ to; ni; iru; o¾un o¾ si;

Ti; n; y'oôwoô; asôoô funfun lala
Di;a; fun A®sôi¾sôe
Ti;i; sô'eô¾gboô;n O®ri¾sôa¾
O: gb’e;;ôboô, o; ru;’boô
E:e;gu;n kan ki¾i; sôe'ni
O®o¾sôa¾ kan ki¾i; ro¾’ni¾ya¾¾n
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A®sôi¾sôe ni¾kan lo; le l'o;ro¾

Lo; ju gbogbo eôboô loô o
Translation:
Only a deceitful O®ri¾sôa¾ devotee will claim that his competence has no rival
And will be dangling his white clothes about
These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®sôi¾sôe, Misconduct
The elder sibling of all O®ri¾sôa¾
He complied
No Egu;ngu;n makes life difficult for anyone
No O®ri¾sôa¾ makes life unbearable for anyone
It is only Misconduct that is the most difficult
And more grievous than them all
In this Odu¾, Ifa; considers anyone thinking that he/she has no rival or that he/she is the best in
any endeavor as someone who engages in misconduct. Anyone who wishes to be an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;
must avoid this type of behavior and attitude by all means. In OÙ®ka¾nra¾n Me;ji¾, Ifa; says:
O®Ù-roô'mi-si;'wa;ju;-f'eôseô¾ teô’reô¾
Di;a; fu;n Ina;
Ti; n; loô re¾e; j'oye¾ e Ma¾le;te;
I®pi;n a¾i¾tu'boô, eô¾gba¾ a¾i¾t'e¾ru¾
EÙ®yin o¾ ri;'fa; ijoô;hun'ni¾ bi;i; ti n; sôeô o
OÙlo¾ôka¾nra¾n to; j'oye¾ e Ma¾le;te;
E®e¾ya¾n to; fi o;ô j'oye¾ lo; fe;ô oô pa o
Translation:
He who wets the ground with water then steps on mashy ground
This was Ifa;’s declaration for Ina;, the Fire
When going to be installed as the Ma¾le;te;, the Light Generator
Refusal to offer eôboô and heed the warning
Can’t you see the prediction of Ifa; as it comes to pass?
OÙloô¾ka¾nra¾n who planned to be installed as the Light Generator
Those who installed you were the same people who killed you
This story goes thus:
The Fire wanted to displace the sun as the light generator. He was warned about doing so, but he
refused to heed the warning. He went to employ the services of the wind, the breeze and the
tempest. The three of them worked together and converted him into the Light Generator. They
assisted the Fire in burning and producing light. In the end, the same wind, breeze and tempest
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Omoluabi
where the ones who blew the Fire out of existence. In O®Ùye¾ôku; Ya¾f 'o;ku¾u; (O®Ùyeô¾ku; O®fu;n), Ifa; says:
Ehoro ab'oôwoô; bo;n;bo;

Di;a; fu;n A®sôeô¾sôeô¾-l'oô;ro¾ô oômoôde;
Ti; yo;o; g'eôsôin la oôja¾
Ti; yo;o; pa o¾ôtoô¾o¾ôtoô¾ e¾e¾ya¾n meô;fa¾
T'o;un na;a¾ yo;o; de;'le; lo¾ôoô; ku; t'eôsôin-t'eôsôin
EÙÙni i; gb'e;ôboô n;be¾ô eô pe; o; sô'eôboô o
Translation:
The rabbit with its small hand

This was Ifa;’s declaration for the newly rich youth
When going to ride on a horse to the market
And who would kill six people with his horse
And who would return home only to die together with his horse
In this Odu¾, we can see how an arrogant young person ended up killing others, including himself.
Also in I®rosu¾n Ate;ôeô;re;ô (I®rosu¾n O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
Ewu;re;ô sa;'re; ti;ti;,

O: l'o;un o; t'e;ôsôin
Beô;e¾ô ni ko¾ lee¾ t'e;ôsôin
EÙ ma; b'e;ôran ja¾
EÙran ni; n; tan eôran jeô
A®gu¾nta¾n sa;'re; ti;ti;
O: l'o;un o; t'e;ôsôin
Beô;e¾ô ni ko¾ lee¾ t'e;ôsôin
EÙ ma; b'e;ôran ja¾
EÙran ni; n; tan eôran jeô
A®t'ewu;re;ô
A®t'a¾gu¾nta¾n
Woôn o¾ to; o¾ôkan sôosôo eôsôin
Di;a; fu;n Ge;ôgeô; lo; sôe
I®gba¾ti; n; sô'awo loô so;'de I®gba;joô
287
Translation:
The she-goat ran endlessly

She wanted to be as big as a horse
But she can never be as big as a horse
Do not quarrel with the animal
It is simply a beast deceiving another beast
The Ewe ran endlessly
She wanted to be as big as a horse
But she can never be as big as a horse
Do not quarrel with the animal
It is simply a beast deceiving another beast
Both the she-goat
And the Ewe
They are not as big as one horse
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ge;ôgeô;-lo;-sôe
When going on an Ifa; mission to I®gba;joôô land
Ifa; explains how the she goat and the ewe were deceiving each other by telling each other that
they would be as big as a horse. Such a plan is certainly an exercise in futility and self-deceit. It
is best for all people to be realistic with themselves, who they are, and not have a blown sense of
their abilities or themselves in general. In OÙ®ba¾ra¾ O®Ùsa;, Ifa; says:
O®Ùba¾ra¾ sa;'ku¾n sa; pe¾ôpeô;

Di;a; fu;n Aa;ya;n
Ti; n; loô re¾ e; ra A®ku¾koô l'eô;ru;
A®ku¾koô gbe; olo;wo; o re¾ô jeô o
Oju; mo;ô fee!!!
Translation:
OÙ®ba¾ra¾ who knitted the rope and raffia palm frond

He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for A:a;ya;n, the Cockroach
When going to purchase A®ku¾koô the Rooster as a slave
The rooster has swallowed his master
All has ended completely!!!
In this Odu¾, it was arrogance and over-estimation of the highest order for the cockroach to ever
contemplate having a rooster as a slave. The cockroach because of her arrogance ended up
paying dearly for that arrogant act.
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Omoluabi
Three, pride can kill. A proud person is just one step away from untimely death. The reason for
this is that, the pride of such a person will not allow him/her to heed advice or warning when
given. They end up falling into calamity. In I®wo¾ri¾ W'o;wo; (I®wo¾ri¾ O®Ùsôeô;), Ifa; says:
A®sôi;lu¾ moô; pi¾ki;, ile¾ôku¾n a¾¾a¾se¾ô

Di;a; fu;n Aji;weô¾'kun-weô¾'sa¾
Woô;n ni; omi ti; yo;o; gbe; e loô o¾ ni;i; ku;n aha;
EÙ o¾ ri; Ifa; n; sôeô l'o;o¾ro; gangan o
Translation:
A®sôi;lu¾ moô; pi¾ki;, ile¾ôku¾n a¾¾a¾se¾ô

This was Ifa;’s declaration for he who swims in the sea and the lagoon on a daily basis
He was warned that the water that would sweep him away would not fill a cup
Can’t you see how the prediction of Ifa; has come to pass?
In another stanza of the same Odu¾ (I®wo¾ri¾ OÙ®sôeô;), Ifa; says:
Bi; Ifa; o¾ ba; sôeô bi; a¾la;

E®Ùru¾ ki¾i; ba O®Ùgbeô¾ri¾
Di;a; fu;n OÙloô;fin
Ti; yo;o; soônu¾ t'ade;;-t'ade;
EÙni i; gb'e;ôboô n;be¾ô ko; sô'eôboô
Translation:
If the prediction of Ifa; does not manifest like a dream

Fear will not grip the uninitiated person
Who would get lost together with his crown on his head
In the two stanzas above, it was over-confidence that killed both OÙloô;fin and Aji;we¾ô'kun weô¾'sa¾. No
289
matter how good we may be at anything we must always heed advice. In O®tu;ru;po¾ôn I®ka;, Ifa; says:
O®tu;ru; po¾ôn'ka;
O: po¾ôn-oô;n ti;ti;
O: po¾ôn-oô;n de;'le; Ala;ra;
O: po¾ôn-oô;n de;'le; Ajero¾
O: po¾ôn-oô;n de;'le; OÙwa;ra¾ngu;n A®ga o
O: po¾ôn-oô;n de;'le; O®ki¾ti¾ EÙ®fo¾ôn
O: po¾ôn-oô;n de;'le; OÙloô;ja¾ Meô;ri¾ndi;nlo;gu;n
A o; wo ibi O®tu;ru; yo;o; gbe; poôn I®ka; de;
Di;a; fu;n Ala;wi¾i;fu;n-i¾fe;ô
Di;a; fu;n Ala;so¾ôroôfu;n-i¾gba¾
Woô;n koô'ti; oô¾gboônyin s'eô;boô
Iku; pa A®wi;fu;n-i¾fe;ô o
Iku; pa A®so¾ôroô¾fu;n-i¾gba¾
Translation:
O®tu;ru; carried I®ka; on her back

She carried I®ka; for a long time
She carried him to Ala;ra;’s house
She carried him to Ajero¾’s house
She carried him to OÙwa;ra¾ngu;n A®ga’s house
She carried him to the house of the leader of the 16 markets
We shall all see where O®tu;ru; will carry I®ka; to
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the person who never heeds counseling
And also for the person who never accepts advice
290
Omoluabi
Death killed the person who never heeded counseling

Death killed the person who never accepted advice
In this Odu¾, those who refuse to heed advice will only end up losing their lives if they do not have
a shift in attitude and seek wise counseling or assistance. If one is not sure of what to do or what
action to take, it is always best to ask for help from those more experienced or wiser than one.
Also in I®ka; Oni;bara¾ (I®ka; O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
I®ka; ba
O®Ùba¾ra¾ ba
O®Ùba¾ra¾ n¾ ba ku¾nmo¾ô
Di;a; fu;n EÙni-ti;-a-wi;–l'o;ôra¾n-ti;-o¾-gboô;
Ti; yo;o; maa du;n hun-hu¾n-hun l’a;be;ô asôoô
EÙ o¾ ri;’fa; n; sôeô l’o;o¾ro; gangan!
Translation:
I®ka; ba
O®Ùba¾ra¾ ba
These were Ifa;’s declarations for he who rejects wise counseling
And who would end up speaking under a Masquerade costume (after he has died)
Can’t you see how the prediction of Ifa; has come to pass?
In this Odu¾, the person was warned against doing certain things but he refused to listen to
advice. After dying, he was converted into a masquerade. In OÙ®ba¾ra¾ O®fu;n, Ifa; says that those who
refuse to listen to good advice have ears but they do not use their ears to hear good advice.
They only hear what they want to hear and this type of behavior will never favor them. In this
particular stanza, Ifa; says:
EÙ m’eô;fo;ôn eô fi n; ta'moô O®gu;n l'o;ju;

EÙ mu; ke¾ôkeôô; eô fi n; ti'moô O®o¾sôa¾ l'a;ya¾
EÙ®ru¾ ara a¾ reô o¾ ba¾ eô; ndan
Di;a; fu;n La;fia;nu¾
Ti; n; sô'a¾re¾ômoô Eti;
O: ni; o l'e;ti;
O o¾ ni; La;fia;nu¾
O l'e;ti;, o o¾ ni; La;fia;nu¾
Translation:
291
You took an arrow and used it to hit the eyes of a child of O®gu;n
You took a spinner and used it to hit the chest of a child of OÙba¾ta;la;
Do you not fear for you life?
These were Ifa;’s declarations for La;fia;nu¾, Willingness to take good advice
The first child of Eti;, the Ear
You have ears
But you refuse to heed good advice
You have ears, but you refuse to heed good advice
Ifa; says that those who do not heed advice will certainly suffer. This is the reason why it is
advisable for all those willing to become OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; learn to be people who are humble enough to
ask for help when they don’t know about something or what action to take in life. Two good
heads are better than one. In I®wo¾ri¾ I®reôteô¾, Ifa; says:
Aja; ti; a ko;ô l'e;de¾ ti; ko¾ gbo;ô

Aja; d’aja; EÙleô;gba;ra
A®gbo¾ ti; a ko;ô l'e;de¾ ti; o¾ gba¾
A®gbo¾ o; d’a¾gbo¾ Imoôleô¾
OÙ®to¾ôoô¾to¾ô e¾e¾ya¾n ti; a ko;ô l'e;de¾ ti; o¾ gbo;;ô
Yo;o; f'oôwoô; a¾ja;ye¾ b'omi mu
Ifa; n; lo¾ôoô; f'omi o¾kun sôe i¾koôweô¾
N®je;ô OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ pe¾ôleô;, ako¾ko l'o;kun
O®kun n'i¾koôweô¾
Aro;'ni bi; oôba
Translation:
The dog that we teach wisdom to but who refuses to learn it

That dog will become the dog of EÙleô;gba;ra
The ram that we teach wisdom to but who refuses to accept it
That ram will become the ram of the Imoôleô¾
The human being that we teach wisdom and understanding to but who refuses to accept them
He shall live with regrets for the rest of his life
When going to start taking swimming lessons in the ocean
He complied
Gently OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
The Ako¾ko of the high seas
292
Omoluabi
He who takes swimming lessons in the ocean

He who provides for one as an OÙba
In the Odu; it is clear that refusal to heed warning or take to useful advice can only lead to regrets
and disaster. In OÙ®ka¾nra¾n I®reôteô¾, Ifa; says:
Ifa; lo; to;

Mo ni; ko¾ yi¾ ti;i¾ to;
Ifa; ni; eô wi; fu;n pekupeku Ile;-Ife¾ô
Ko; d'e;ôkun eku ni; pi;pa
Pekupeku Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ gba¾
Woô;n pa To¾ro¾fi;nni; ni¾ka¾n
Ti; yo;o; jeô OÙloô;ja¾ l'a;wu¾¾joô oômoô eku
Woô;n pa a; ta;n
Ifa; lo; to;
Ifa; ni; eô wi; fu;n peôjapeôja Ile;-Ife¾ô
Ko; d'e;ôkun eôja ni; pi;pa
Peôjapeôja Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ gba¾
Peôôjapeôja Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ fe;ô
Woô;n pa A®ka;a;gba; ni¾ka¾n
Ti; yo;o; jeô OÙloô;ja¾ l'a;wu¾¾joô oômoô eôôja
Woô;n pa a; ta;n
Ifa; lo; to;
Ifa; ni; eô wi; fu;n peôyeôpeôyeô Ile;-Ife¾ô
Ko; d'e;ôkun eôyeô ni; pi;pa
Peôyeôpeôyeô Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ gba¾
Peôyeôpeôye Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ fe;ô
Woô;n pa OÙ®ki;n Lo¾ôloô¾o¾ôloôô¾ ni¾ka¾n
Ti; yo;o; jeô OÙloô;ja¾ l'a;wu¾¾joô oômoô eôyeô
Woô;n pa a; ta;n
Ifa; lo; to;
Ifa; ni; eô wi; fu;n peôranpeôran Ile;-Ife¾ô
Ko; d'e;ôkun eôran ni; pi;pa
Peôranpeôran Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ gba¾
293
Peôranpeôran Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ fe;ô

Woô;n pa Erin O®gbo¾ya; ni¾ka¾n
Ti; yo;o; jeô OÙloô;ja¾ l'a;wu¾¾joô oômoô eôran
Woô;n pa a; ta;n
Ifa; lo; to;
Ifa; ni; eô wi; fu;n panipani Ile;-Ife¾ô
Ko; d'e;ôkun eôni ni; pi;pa
Panipani Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ gba¾
Panipani Ile;-Ife¾ô woôn o¾ fe;ô
Ti;i; sô'oômoô OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
EÙ ma; pa a;
Aja; to; pa Agbe
Woôn o¾ ka;’du;n
EÙ ma; pa a;
EÙran ab'oô¾hun ni o
Aja; to; pa¾’lu¾ko¾
Woôn o¾ p'o;sôu¾
EÙ ma; pa a;
Aja; to; pa Odi;deôreô;
Woôn o¾ ni;i; k'i¾je
EÙ ma; pa a;
EÙran ab'oô¾hun ni o
EÙ ma; p’O®Ùka¾nm¾bi; oômoô OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
EÙ ma; pa a;
EÙran ab'o¾ôhun ni i¾
Translation:

I responded that it is not
Ifa; said that you need to inform the rat hunters of Ile;-Ife¾ô
To stop killing rats
The rat hunters of Ile;-Ife¾ô did not agree
The rat killers of Ile;-Ife¾ô did not accept
They then killed To¾ro¾fi;nni;
The leader among the rats
After killing the rat
294
Omoluabi

Ifa; said that you need to inform the fish hunters of Ile;-Ife¾ô
To stop killing fish
The fish hunters of Ile;-Ife¾ô did not agree
The fish killers of Ile;-Ife¾ô did not accept
They then killed A®ka;a;gba;
The leader among the fish
After killing the fish
Ifa; said that you need to inform the bird hunters of Ile;-Ife¾ô
To stop killing birds
The bird hunters of Ile;-Ife¾ô did not agree
The bird killers of Ile;-Ife¾ô did not accept
They then killed OÙ®ki;n-Lo¾ôloô¾o¾ôloô¾, the Peacock
The leader among the birds
After killing the bird
Ifa; said that you need to inform the beast hunters of Ile;-Ife¾ô
To stop killing beasts
The beast hunters of Ile;-Ife¾ô did not agree
The beast killers of Ile;-Ife¾ô did not accept
They then killed Erin O®gbo¾ya;, the Elephant
The leader among the beasts
After killing the beast
Ifa; said that you need to inform the assassins of Ile;-Ife¾ô
To stop killing human beings
The assassins of Ile;-Ife¾ô did not agree
The assassins of Ile;-Ife¾ô did not accept
These were Ifa;’s declarations to O®Ùka¾nm¾bi;
The child of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
Do not kill him
295
The dog which kills Agbe

Will not live up to one year after
Do not kill him
The dog which kills A®lu¾ko¾
Do not kill him
The dog which kills Odi;deôreô;
Will not live up to seven days
Do not kill him
Do not kill OÙ®ka¾nm¾bi;, the child of O®Ùru;nmi¾¾la¾
Do not kill him
In the stanza above, we can see how those who were advised against taking certain steps refused
to listen to the advice and they ended up having inconveniencies, regrets and disaster as their
profits.
Four, proud people tend to look down upon others. It is a common occurrence to see proud
people discriminating against others, especially when they feel that they are superior to other
people in one way or the other. Ifa; considers those who feel superior to all other as worthless
people. In Ateô¾ N:je¾ru¾ (I®reôteô¾ I®wo¾ri¾), Ifa; says:
E:e;gu;n woô'le;,
O: l'o;un o¾ ri; Go¾ôn¾to¾ô
Goô¾n¾to¾ô na;a¾ ni; o¾un o¾ ri; E:e;gu;n ra;ra;
EÙni to; 'pe; e¾e¾ya¾n o¾ si;
Olu;waa re¾ô ni o¾ si;
Baba n; sô’awo loô s’O:ke¾ Asa¾
Bi; eô ba; ri; woôn l’o;de
EÙ wo¾ woô;n ire
A®sôe; e¾e¾ya¾n la;sa;n l’ara; O®ke¾ Asa¾
Translation:
The masquerade entered the house

And pretended that he did not see Goô¾n¾to¾ô
Goô¾n¾to¾ô too pretended that he did not see the masquerade
He who says that someone does not exist (ignores another person)
296
Omoluabi
That person is the one who does not exist

These were the declarations of Ifa; for OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
When he was going on an Ifa; mission to O®ke¾ Asa¾
He complied
If you meet them in the town
Look at them very well
The inhabitants of O®ke¾ Asa¾ are worthless people
It is the responsibility of all those willing to become OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to associate with all, irrespective of
their social status. In I®rosu¾n O®di;, Ifa; says:
Oni;ki¾i; o¾ wo;ôn
EÙni a ki; ko; tara je;ô’ni
Aso¾ôroô¾ eôni l'eô;yi¾n o; ma;; sôe'ni peô¾le;ô moô;
Di;a; fu;n Fa;je;we;
Ti;i; sô'oômoô O®ri¾sôa¾ Gbo¾wu;ji¾
Translation:
Those who greet others are not scarce to find

Let those greeted answer accordingly
Those who speak evil behind one’s back need not sympathize with one anymore
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Fa;je;we;
The child of O®ri¾sôa¾ Gbo¾wu;ji¾
Also in OÙ®ka¾nra¾n Me;ji¾, Ifa; emphasizes the fact that we must not avoid anyone not matter what the
reeason. In this particular stanza, Ifa; says:
Oju; moô'ni I®po

A®i¾moô'ni OÙ®fa¾
Oju; ki¾ i; re;ô’ni tireô¾ ko; ma; ki; i
Di;a; fu;n Ni¾ni¾, oômoô Ere¾ l’A:pa;…
Translation:
To have acquaintances at I®po

And lack acquaintances at O®Ùfa¾
On must not see one’s acquaintances and refuse to extend one’s greetings to them
This were the declarations of Ifa; for Ni¾ni¾, the child of the Boa Constrictor of A®pa¾ land…
Five, pride leads to terrible misconduct against elders and those who are superior to one. Ifa;
297
says that when someone is full of pride, there is nothing that the person will not do; and such will
lead to nothing but everlasting regret for the proud person. In O®Ùba¾ra¾ E®gu;nta;n (O®Ùba¾ra¾ O®gu;nda;),
Ifa; says:
Bi; aye; ba; yeô woô;n ta;n

I®wa¾ i¾ba¾jeô; ni wo;ôn n; hu¾
Di;a; fu;n On;jeômi A®ko;ko;
To; moô Awo ta;n
To; ni; o; ku obi¾nrin o¾un
Bi; eô ba; ta a; wo¾ bi; o¾ ba; jo; o
EÙ loô sôi a¾pe¾re¾ OÙba wo¾
Translation:
Even when they meet with the favor of the world

They continue to engage in misconduct
These were Ifa;’s declarations for On;jeômi; A®ko;ko;
He who was shown the secret of Oro¾
And insisted that his wife must also be shown the secret
If the Oro¾ icon refuses to function
Go and check the seat of the OÙba
In this story, On;jeômi; A®ko;ko; insisted that his wife must be allowed to know the secret of Oro¾ which
is a taboo for women to know. He was in the exhausted position of an OÙba and he was doing
anything and everything that was against tradition. In O®tu;tu¾ n; p'O®Ùka¾nra¾n (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn OÙ®ka¾nra¾n),
Ifa; says:
B’o;tu;tu¾ ba; n; sôe i¾wo¾ôfa¾

Woô;n a; ni; o; gbe; i¾sôe e reô¾ de;
Bo; ba; sô'olo;wo;
Wo;ôn a; ni; ko; ro;ô'ju;
Ko; j'ata se;ô'nu
Di;a; fu;n Otu;tu¾
Ti; yo;o; maa loô ra gbogbo aye; l'eô;ru;
Ti; yo;o; ja'gun i¾gboro mu; woôn
Translation:
When cold and fever attacks someone in servitude

People will say that he had started again with his troubles and pretenses
298
Omoluabi
But when the same ailments attack a rich person

They will ask him to take some hot soup for relief
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®tu;tu¾, the Cold
When going to acquire the whole world as his slave
And when going to the streets to wage war on everybody…
In this stanza, Ifa; explains how human beings often discriminate between the rich and the poor.
The poor person may even be older in age than the rich person, but because of the bias, the rich
person will be treated better than the poor person. Discrimination is not the behavior of an
OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. In OÙ®ba¾ra¾ Tu;ya¾la¾ya¾la¾ (OÙ®ba¾ra¾ O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
Pa;pa; I®ko
Ida¾ I®ko
OÙfeôeôreô I®ko
Di;a; fu;n Yi;mi;yi;mi;
Ti; n; beô l'a;a¾rin i¾poô;nju;
Wo;ôn ni; oôdu;n-ni¾i; l'oôdu;n oôla¾ a reô pe;
Ko; ma; si¾ sôe i¾gbe;raga
EÙboô oôla¾ ni¾kan lo; ru;
N®je;ô Yi;mi;yi;mi; i¾woô lo o¾ sôeun
Yi;mi;yi;mi; i¾woô lo o¾ sô'e¾ni¾ya¾n
I®woô lo gb'o;ri; eôsôin yi¾n'boôru; s'a;la;wo
Translation:
Pa;pa; I®ko
Ida¾ I®ko
OÙfeôeôreô I®ko
They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for Yi;mi;yi;mi;, the Beetle
When he was in the midst of suffering
He was assured that this year would be his year of prosperity
He was also warned not to show arrogance
He only offered the eôboô of prosperity
Yi;mi;yi;mi, you have not done the right thing
Yi;mi;yi;mi, you are not a decent human being
Why did you greet your Olu;wo while on top of your horse?
In this Odu¾, it shows how it is a sign of disrespect for anyone to greet one’s mentor or senior
while still on top of a horse. The decent and respectful thing to do is to dismount and prostrate
for one’s mentor or senior. Refusal to do this on the part of Yi;mi;yi;mi cost him his social status
and wealth and afterward returned to a life of poverty and want. In a stanza in O®Ùyeô¾ku; Ya¾fo;ku¾u;
(O®Ùyeô¾ku; O®fu;n), Ifa; says:
299
SÙeô;gu¾n o¾ m’eôni OÙba

O®jo¾ o¾ m’eôni oô¾wo¾ô
O®jo¾ i¾ ba; ti; m’eôni oô¾wo¾ô
Ko¾ ba; ti; ma;a pa Oni;’SÙa¾ngo; a¾ti OÙl’OÙ:ya
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùdoô;moôde; ke;kere;
A®te¾te¾ l’o;wo;
To; ni; ti; o¾un ba; ti l’o;wo; l’o;ôwoô; ta;n
O®un a; ma;a gun eôsôin fi teô a¾gba¾lagba¾ pa ni
E®sôu¾ ni; eô ma;a ya¾¾
EÙ ma;a ya¾ fu;n o¾ku;
Translation:
A thorn does not recognize a king

Rainfall does not recognize a respectable person
Had the rain been able to recognize someone worthy of respect
It would have never fallen on both SÙa¾ngo; and OÙya devotees
These were the declarations of Ifa; for the youth
Who was being blessed with financial success in his early age
And who declared that he would use his horse to march over his elders to death
E®sôu¾ asked them to give him the right of passage
Because he was a walking dead person
The important message to understand in this stanza is that any young person planning to
eliminate all elders in the community will not reach his/her old age. To live to one’s old age
requires meekness/gentility, humility and respect for one’s elders. Also in O®Ùka¾nra¾n N:ka¾ndin
(O®Ùka¾nra¾n O®di;), Ifa; says:
Ka; di'ri; we;ôleô;we;ôleô; ka; mu; re'gbo; OÙwa;

EÙle¾ôgbeô¾ri¾ i; sôo¾ro o; te¾ô l'o;du¾
Di;a; fu;n A®bu;ro¾
To; l'o;un o¾ ni;i; gbo;ô'roô¾ e¾ôgboô;n
A®bu;ro¾ o¾ ba; gbo;ô'roô¾ e¾ôgboô;n ni
Ki¾ ba; du¾n
Gbogbo oun ti; e¾ôgboô;n ba; ni;
A ya;a di t'a¾bu;ro¾
OÙloô¾ka¾nra¾n o o¾ sô'oju; si¾ndin
Translation:
300
Omoluabi
To plait one’s hair and go to the OÙwa; forest

A novice is difficult to initiate into Ifa;
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the younger sibling
When he insisted that he would never listen to his elder sibling
Had the younger sibling listened to his elder
It would have been profitable
All what belonged to the elder
Would have become the property of the younger sibling
OÙloô¾ka¾nra¾n, please make an effort to listen to your elder
In this stanza, Ifá says that any younger sibling who refuses to listen to his elders will only end up
losing out completely on anything that was supposed to be given to them. In a stanza in O®tu;ra;
Ala;ra¾ba¾ (O®tu;ra; O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
Asôiwe¾re¾ e¾e¾ya¾n ni;i; 'pe; ti e¾ôgboô;n o¾ si;
EÙni a ba; ni;'wa;ju; ti to; baba eôni i; sôe o
Di;a; fu;n A®ra¾ba¾ Pa¾ta¾ki¾
Ti; yo;o; di baba Olu;wo
A®ra¾ba¾ Pa¾ta¾ki¾ ma¾¾ di baba Olu;wo
A®ra¾ba¾ Pa¾ta¾ki¾ i¾woô ma¾ ni baba Olu;wo
Translation:
Only a lunatic will say that his elders amount to nothing

Those who are ahead of us in age are capable of acting as our fathers
This was the declaration of Ifa; to the mighty A®ra¾ba¾
Who would end up becoming the father of Olu;wo
A®ra¾ba¾ Pa¾ta¾ki¾ has become the father of Olu;wo
A®ra¾ba¾ Pa¾ta¾ki¾ you are indeed the father of Olu;wo
Six, cooperation is better than acting with pride and trying to do everything by yourself. Ifa; says
that when people cooperate and associate with one another, progress, development and peace
are surely what will be accomplished. Refusal to cooperate will only lead to more problems. In
another stanza of O®tu;ra; Ala;ra¾ba¾ (O®tu;ra; O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
OÙwo;ô oômoôde; ko¾ to; peôpeô

T'a¾woôn a¾gba¾lagba¾ woôn o¾ woô 'ke¾re¾gbe¾
Isôeô; oômoôde; beô a¾gba¾
Ko; ma; sôe koô¾
O: ni; oun ti; baba n; sôe f'oô;moô o
Di;a; fu;n O®tu;ra; o¾un A®ra¾ba¾
Ti; wo;ôn n; sô'awo loô si; i¾lu; u SÙaki;
EÙni to; gb'e;ôboô ni;'be¾ô ko; ru;'boô
301
Translation:
The hand of a child does not reach the altar

While that of an elder does not enter a gourd
Whatever errand a child sends an elder on
Let the elder refuse not
There are assignments which every father needs to carry out for his child
These were the declarations of Ifa; for O:tu;ra; and O®Ùba¾ra¾
When they were going on Ifa; business to Ki¾sôi;
Travelers to I®po and OÙ®fa¾
This stanza lays emphasis on cooperation between elders and youths. It is easy to get progress
and development when there is cooperation, especially when there is cooperation between the
younger and older generations. In OÙ®sôeô; Oni;woô (OÙ®sôeô; O®Ùwoô;nri;n), Ifa; says:
Ko;ô mi ni;'fa;
Ki; n ko;ô oô l'o;o¾gu¾n
Koô; mi l'o;o¾gu¾n
Ki; n ko;ô oô ni;'fa;
T'o;un O®Ùsa;nyi¾n joô n; sô'awo loô a¾jo¾ to; ji¾n gbungbun-ungbun bi; oôjoô;
Translation:
Teach me Ifa;
For me to teach you herbal preparations
Teach me herbal preparations
For me to teach you Ifa;
When he and OÙ®sa;nyi¾n were going on a business trip to a place as far as the distance between the
earth and the sun
This Ifa; says that cooperation will bring progress and development in all activities, particularly
when we specialize in different fields. Each person’s specialization will be used to bring success for
everyone. In I®reôteô¾ Ala;je;, Ifa; says:
EÙni ni; i; mu;’ni i; moô’ni o

E®e¾ya¾n ni;i; mu;’ni i; mo¾ô’ni¾ya¾n
EÙni to; ba; mo¾ô'ni¾ya¾n
Ko; ma; 'pe; o¾un o¾ l'o;wo; l'o;ôwoô; mo;ô
Adu;u;ru; owo; ko;ô la fi n; moô’ni o
302
Omoluabi
Di;a; fu;n woôn ni; i¾reôteô¾-Ala;je;

Ni;'bi oju; owo; gbe; n; po;ôn woôn bi; i ro;ro
Ko¾ ma¾ ma¾ s’eô;ni to; la¾la¾a¾la¾
Bi; ara; I®reôteô¾ Ala;je;
EÙ wa;a; wo bi; aje; sôe n; sôeô; bi; eôgbeôleô
Translation:
One person makes one to become acquainted with another person

People will introduce one person to another person
Those who know many people
Let them not say that they do not have any more money
It does not take huge amounts of money to get to know many people
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the inhabitants of I®reôteô¾ Ala;je;
Where they were suffering from lack of financial success
They complied
There is no group that is as successful
As the inhabitants of I®reôteô¾ Ala;je;
Come and see how money is flowing like water
Ifa; shows us that with cooperation and with good public relations, there is bound to be success
and prosperity in such a community.
303
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
A®wo¾ro¾-ko;sôo; f’o¾ru wo¾ô'lu;
O: n; ta'ju; roro o; di;'fa;
Ifa; n; sô'awo re¾'lu; a¾i¾mo¾ô'wa¾ a; hu¾
Woô;n koô'ti; o¾ôgboônyin s'eô;boô
Woôn o¾ ba; ti l'o;wo;
I® ba; ti pe;ô o
E®sôu¾ a¾i¾mo¾ô'wa¾ a; hu¾ u woôn ni
Woôn o¾ ba; ti l'a;ya
I® ba; ti pe;ô o
Woôn o¾ ba; ti bi;'moô
I® ba; ti pe;ô o
Woôn o¾ ba; ti ni;'re gbogbo
I® ba; ti pe;ô o
O®tu;ru;po¾ôn I®wo¾ri¾
Translation:
The A®wo¾ro¾ Ko;sôo; bird entered the land in the middle of the night
And was consulting Ifa; in a hurry
When going to the land of misconduct
They would have been blessed with financial success a long time ago
It was precluded by their improper conduct
They would have been blessed with a spouse a long time ago
They would have been blessed with children a long time ago
They would have been blessed with property a long time ago
They would have been blessed with all the ire of life a long time ago
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Omoluabi
INTOLERANCE
Intolerance: The inability to bear or endure other people. It is the unwillingness to allow others
to air their views or express their feelings in any way and/or on any issue because it is different
from one’s own view or opinion.
Ifa; says that intolerance is one of the eight qualities that can easily break the rope of life that all
those aspiring to become OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must make it a point of duty to protect. Intolerance is the
twin sister of Pride. Ifa; says that there are certain things that all OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must take note on
when speaking about the matter of intolerance. Among them are:
One, an intolerant person, man or woman, will certainly deny himself/herself of the grace and
bounty of Olo;du¾mare¾. In O®fu;n Aji;teôna¾ (O®fu;n O®Ùye¾ôku;), Ifa; says:
N:sôeô; ni oômoôde; ke;kere; n; sôe oôwoô; ri;gi;di; soô ko;o;ko s'o;ri; ile;
Lo¾ôoô¾lo¾ô sôi¾o¾ôsôi¾o¾ô ni t’a¾gba¾
T’I:fa; o; ro¾ô si;’le; Aka;po¾ o re¾ô sô’oôdu;n
A®fi a¾i¾mo¾ô'wa¾ a; hu¾ u woôn ni o
Ifa; ki¾ i; ma¾ ma¾ a; gbe Aka;po¾ o re¾ô eô; ti¾
A®fi a¾i¾mo¾ô'wa¾ a; hu¾ u woôn ni o
Translation:
A youth uses strong arms to throw the grass used for roofing onto the roof of the house
An elder uses weak and clumsy arms
When Ifa; would settle in the home of his Aka;po¾ to participate in the celebration of his Akapo's
annual festival
He complied
It is only if there is misconduct
That Ifa; will not give support to his Aka;po¾
It is only if there is misconduct
Anyone planning to receive the grace and blessings of Olo;du¾mare¾ must do away with all forms of
misconduct. Anger, hatred, wickedness, intolerance, greed and so on are all parts of what can
block the way of the grace and blessings of Olo;du¾mare¾ from entering a person’s life.
Two, having good conduct is far better than having physical beauty. No matter how beautiful a
person may be, without good conduct, the beauty amounts to nothing, absolutely nothing. In
Ogbe¾ Ala;ra; (Ogbe¾ O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
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Eyi;n funfun l'e¾ôsôoô; e¾ôri;n

I®wa¾ rere l'e¾ôsôoô; e¾e¾ya¾n
Bi; e¾e¾ya¾n ba; da;rada;ra bi; o¾ ni;'wa¾
Igi oko ni woô;n n; fi i; we;
Di;a; fu;n Gu;nnugu;n
A bu¾ f'eô;yeô oko
Igu;n ni¾kan ni; n; beô ni;’be¾ô to; n; sô’eôboô
Igu;n o¾ sôe¾ke;, Igu;n o¾ da'le¾ô
A®wa ara a wa, ka; ma; da'le¾ô ara a wa o
Translation:
Whiteness is the adorning quality of laughter

Good character is the adorning quality of human beings
If a person is very beautiful but lacks good character
Such a person will be compared with a tree in the forest
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Gu;nnugu;n, the Vulture
And also for other Birds in the forest
Only Gu;nnugu;n complied
Igu;n never lies
Igu;n never breaks any oath
Let all of us refrain from breaking covenants
In the stanza above, Ifa; compares a beautiful person who has no good character to any other tree
in the forest. In other words, there is nothing special or unique about the person if they do not
have good character. That is why it is in our best interest to avoid any form of misconduct.
Three, people of bad character often move and work together. Ifa; says that people of like minds
tend to move with one another in general. This means that those who are given to anger, hatred,
wickedness, intolerance, pride, arrogance and so on often move together. People of good
character however also move together. Let’s be in the group of good character that work together.
In Olo;su¾n N: Wo¾ye, (I®rosu¾n I®wo¾ri¾), Ifa; says:
Tani-tani ni; n; di;'fa;

SÙi¾ka¾-sôi¾ka¾ ni; n; gba¾’bo¾
Keô;ni-ma;ni¾i; ni; n; wa; nn¾kan eôboô kiri
Di;a; fu;n La;dobo o¾un Awe¾re¾me¾gu;n
Ti; wo;ôn joô n; j'i¾ja¾ du oye¾
EÙboô ni woôn ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe…
Translation:
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Omoluabi
He who shoots at innocent people was the one casting Ifa;

He who perpetrates evil against innocent people was the one holding the i¾bo¾¾ (determinants)
He who wishes others no good was the one looking for the eôboô materials
They were the Awo that cast Ifa; for La;dobo and Awe¾re¾me¾ôgu;n
When the two of them were vying for a chieftancy position
In a situation like the one above, one can imagine what the outcome of such an Ifa; consultation
would be.
Four, intolerance leads to breakdown in cooperation. Without cooperation, progress is difficult to

attain. Ifa; says that those who cooperate in all they do stand the chance of developing faster than
those who refuse to cooperate. Cooperation is thinking, speaking and acting as one unit. It is
having one goal and working as a team to achieve that goal. In a stanza O ®Ùyeô¾ Wo;ônrin Mi¾ (OÙ®ye¾ôku;
O®Ùwoô;nri;n), Ifa; says:
Sa;yi; mo¾gbo;
OÙ®ro¾ô e¾e¾wo¾ô ni mo koô¾
Di;a; fu;n woôn n’I:gbo¾-O®ke¾
A bu¾ fu;n woôn n’I:gbo¾-I®sa¾le¾ô
A®woôn me;je¾e¾ji¾ joô n; yi;’lu¾ u; po
Wo;ôn wa;a; ko¾ô, woô;n o¾ joô yi;’lu¾u; po mo;ô
Aye; e woôn wa; n; loô l’o;di¾-l’o;di¾
Aye; e; woôn wa; n; loô l’eô;koôroô-l’eô;koôroô
N®jeô; a¾wa ara a wa
Ka; ma; sôe’ra a wa ba;wo¾ônyi; mo;ô o
A®wa ara a wa
EÙ wa;a; ba;’ni ni; je¾ôbu;tu; ire gbogbo
Translation:
Sa;yi; mo¾gbo;
What I reject are all matters of forbidden things
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the inhabitants of I®gbo O®ke¾
And for the inhabitants of I®gbo I®sa¾le¾ô
The two groups were celebrating their festivals together
They later refused to do so anymore
Their lives then turned upside down
And their lives began to go downwards
They complied
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Now, both of us
Do not let us inflict this type of pain on each other again
Both of us
Do not let us inflict this type of suffering on each other again
Both of us
This is the story of two communities that had once been managing their affairs as one. They
witnessed progress and development. They later separated and went their different ways. They
witnessed pains and sufferings. They joined hands together once more and peace, progress and
development returned to the two communities.
Five, intolerance leads to discrimination. When one has imbibed the habit of intolerance, one will
not see the reason why others should be given a fair chance to express themselves. As a result of
intolerance, one will find reason to cast out others in a certain group that one belongs to. Ifa; is
against this type of behavior. Everyone should be allowed to have their thoughts and ideas heard.
Ifa; enjoins us never to discriminate against anybody. In Ate¾ôyeô¾la¾ (I®reôteô¾ O®Ùyeô¾ku;), Ifa; says:
Ewu;re;ô o¾ l’o;un o¾ sô’oômoô i¾ya; a¾gu¾nta¾n

A®gu¾nta¾n lo; l’o;un o¾ sô’oômoô i¾ya; ewu;re;ô
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùpeô¾ Se¾ôgi¾se¾ôgi¾
Ti; n; sun’ku;n o¾un o¾ r’oô;moô bi;
Translation:
The she goat does not mind being the sibling of the ewe
The ewe however is not ready to be the sibling of the she goat
These were the declarations of Ifa; for the Robust Palm-Tree
She was advised to offer eôboô…
In this Odu¾, the ewe found it impossible to tolerate the she goat. If someone has a tendency or
behavior that one does not agree with, nothing stops one from correcting such a person. If the
person fails to heed such correction, one should at least learn to accommodate the person as long
as his/her character or tendencies are not potentially dangerous or can bring imbalance to
himself/herself, others, the group or the community that this person belongs to. A stanza in
OÙ®ye¾ôku; SÙi¾din (O®Ùyeô¾ku; O®di;) on the same subject says:
O: fe;ôreô¾eô; ka¾n oô; na;

Awo EÙtu lo; di;a; f'E:Ùtu
E®yi; to; n; loô oko i¾wa;jeô
Woô;n ni; ki; gbogbo a¾woôn eôbi; i re¾ô eô; ba; a ru;’boô
Ki; wo;ôn si¾ ki;'ye¾ si; o¾ôroô¾ oô reô¾
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Omoluabi
Woô;n koô’ti; o¾ôgboônyin s’eô;boô

E®ro¾ I®po e¾ro¾ O®Ùfa¾
EÙ o¾ ri;’Fa; Awo o; ki¾ bi;i; ti n; sôeô o
Translation:
It will soon be your turn

The Awo of EÙtu, the Antelope, He cast Ifa; for EÙtu
When going in search of his daily meal
His people were advised to help him offer eôboô
And to take proper care of him
They all refused to comply
Can’t you see how the prediction of the Awo has come to pass?
EÙtu, the Antelope had no one that he harbored any grudge against. He hated nobody. He thought
of no evil against anyone. As a matter of fact, he did not believe that he had any enemy in his life.
He considered everyone as a friend. He treated everyone with respect and honor. He believed that
everyone loved him the way he loved them. He used to go from place to place in the forest in
order to secure his daily meal. Outside of that, he did not consider anything as important.
It was therefore for this reason that EÙtu went to the home of the Awo stated above for Ifa;
consultation in order to find out what he needed to do for him to ensure that his daily meal did
not pose any problem for him to secure. He did not want to just eat anything that he saw. Rather,
he wanted to eating something that he really liked. During Ifa; consultation, O:Ùye¾ôku; SÙi¾din was
revealed.
The Awo assured EÙtu that he would always be blessed by Olu;-Igbo;, The Lord of the forest with
the meals that he liked. He was told that he would never have the problem of searching endlessly
for his daily meal. He was however told that danger loomed precariously over his head. For this
reason, he needed to offer eôboô as urgently as practicable. Not only this, he needed to summon all
his brethren in the wilderness to join hands with him in offering the eôboô. As soon as EÙtu heard
this, he returned home and called all his brethren to come for a meeting. The venue of the
meeting was in the domain of the Mighty Lion. The meeting was attended by 165 different beasts.
By daybreak the following day, the meeting commenced. It was an extra-ordinary meeting. All the
beasts who attended the meeting were the ones who EÙtu was totally convinced would all resolve
to assist him, and why wouldn’t they? He loved all the beasts and he had helped each and every
one of them at one time or the other. There was no reason why he should have any fear or doubt
whatsoever. Of course the only wise step to take was for them to resolve to assist him by making
arrangements to offer the eôboô that would help protect him and preserve his life.
And so, the meeting commenced. It did not take EÙtu very long for him to realize that he had been
entirely wrong. He found out, to his consternation, that the love he was laying so much emphasis
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upon had been one-sided. None of them loved him the way he had loved them. One after the
other, they made EÙtu realize that they would not be of any assistance to him. They all told him
that they too had their own individual problems which they needed to take care of. They then
said, “If fire burns one and burns one’s child at the same time, the wise thing to do is to put off
one’s fire first before attempting to douse that of one’s child.” Consequent upon this, they would
go and find a solution to their individual problems instead of assisting EÙtu to solve his own urgent
problem.
EÙtu left the meeting a totally disappointed and disillusioned being. He cried and lamented until he
got back to his domain. The other animals simply saw no way or reason why the life or death of
EÙtu would ever affect them. That was the bitter lesson.
Four days after this fateful meeting, EÙtu went out in search of his daily meal. A few moments after
he set out from his home to look for what he would eat, a hunter saw him. The hunter hid himself
somewhere. EÙtu was not aware that the hunter was around watching his movements. He moved
closer to where the hunter hid himself in order to eat some fresh grasses. EÙtu did not see him. He
had no inkling that danger was lurking around. The hunter jumped out of his hiding place with a
spiked baton. He hit EÙtu in the skull with the baton with all his energy. The blow scattered the
skull of EÙtu. He was dead before he could express his surprise and even before he dropped to the
ground. The jubilant hunter carried the dead body of EÙtu and he settled down to skin it. As he
was skinning the beast, he realized that the skin was very thick and tough. He knew instantly that
he could use the skin as string to make a very strong bow. That was exactly what he did. He also
fashioned several arrows. At the end of the exercise he was happy that the flesh of EÙtu served as
a good meal. EÙtu set out from his domain looking for what he would eat, only to meet what would
eventually consume him. The hunter was also happy that he now had a reliable hunting weapon,
in terms of his new bow and arrow, to use in killing other game in the forest.
The next day, the hunter went out to hunt animals. He was very eager to test the efficacy of his
new weapon. The first animal he encountered was a deer. He put his arrow between the strings of
the bow, between the skin of EÙtu which all the animals had refused to help. He shot the arrow. It
was a perfect shot. The arrow penetrated the right side of the deer’s neck and came out of the
other side of her neck. She died on the spot.
The next day, the hunter was luckier. He shot and killed three beasts with his arrow. They were
the Ape, Hyena and the Grasscutter. The string of the bow from where the arrow was shot was
the skin of EÙtu which the entire beasts refused to help to protect and preserve his life.
Two days after, the hunter shot and killed two beasts, the Fox and the Monkey. The third day he
shot and killed the Baboon, the Leopard, the Giraffe and the Bush Goat. Within three months, all
the remaining animals in the forest were in a state of panic and anxiety. Within this period, the
Elephant had lost four of his children. The Hippopotamus lost his wife and two children. The
Lioness lost her husband and children. The Leopard lost her husband and two sons. The Zebra
and Giraffe lost all their younger ones, all to the hunter’s arrows which were shot from the skin of
EÙtu, the Antelope whom they had all refused to help.
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Omoluabi
The beasts finally summoned another meeting to discuss the calamity that had befallen them. It
was an equally extra-ordinary meeting. Panic was everywhere. Whose turn was it to die? What
could they do to stop these painful but untimely deaths? All of them could not find any solution.
In the end, they decided to go to the home of the same Awo who cast Ifa for EÙtu in order to help
them find a solution to their problems. The Awo told them that they had all missed the only
opportunity they had when they were all advised to help EÙtu to offer eôboô in order to protect and
prolong his life and they all refused. They were therefore the architects of their misfortune. What
they needed to do now was to learn how to live with their anxiety and agony. There was nothing
they could do to change the situation. From that time till this day, the death of EÙtu continues to
bring death (through hunting) to all the animals in the forest. In this story, if the animals had
taken the time to help EÙtu out of his problem, their story might have been different today.
Six, intolerance often leads to misconduct. Misconduct then often leads to problems and self-
inflicted pains. There are several ways that someone who is intolerant of others can end up
landing himself/herself into serious trouble. For example, an intolerant person may find
himself/herself confronting many difficulties that could have been averted. Averted how? Often
times, those around us may be privy to certain danger coming our way. If one displays intolerance
to others, those who were victims of the intolerance, may decide not to warn the person of what
dangers are coming his/her way. If one respects others, many will be willing to give forewarning
of dangers or challenges coming to the person.
Some people display intolerance with their subordinates and in the end, they often have bitter
tales to tell. In Ogbe¾ I®ka;, Ifa; says:
Ogbe¾ ka;
Ogbe¾ ko
E®gbe¾ n¾ koko l'e¾gbe¾ oôwoô¾
Di;a; fu;n Li;i¾li;
OÙmoô oôloô;ro¾ô l'eô;se¾ô o¾ke¾
Aja; to; l'o;un o; pa Li;i¾li;
EÙnu re¾ô a; be;ô'jeô¾ gbuurugbu
Li;i¾li; o; de; o
OÙmoô oôloô;ro¾ô l'eô;se¾ô o¾ke¾
Translation:
Ogbe¾ ka;
Ogbe¾ ko
E®gbe¾ n¾ koko l'e¾gbe¾ oôwoô¾
They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for Li;i¾li;, The Hedge hog
The offspring of the wealthy man by the hillside
311
He complied
Any dog that plans on killing Li;i¾li;
Will have his mouth filled with blood
Here comes Li;i¾li;
The offspring of the wealthy man by the hillside
The dog hated Li;i¾li; and only saw the hedgehog as being good for only one thing; consumption.
The dog attempted to kill Li;i¾li; but he only had bitter tales to tell after his attempt. For this reason,
we must not think less of anyone, mistreat anyone, and/or abuse our position or power because
of how we feel toward another person. Now, in O®Ùba¾ra¾ I®ka; where they wished each other well,
what was the outcome? In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Bi; mo ti fe;ô ki; o¾ôroô¾ mi o; ri;

Ni mo fe;ô ki; t’o¾ôreô; e¾ô mi o; ri;
Di;a; fu;n OÙlo¾ôba¾ra¾
Ti; n; re’le; I®ka; re¾ e; ka’wo; eôyoô
OÙloôô¾ba¾ra¾ lo; re’le; I®ka; re¾e; ka’wo; eôyoô
EÙsôin ni n o; maa gu¾n sô’awo
Translation:
The way I want to become in life

That is the way I want my friend to also become
These were Ifa;’s declarations for OÙlo¾ôba¾ra¾
When going to I®ka;’s house to count cowrie shells
He complied
OÙloô¾ba¾ra¾ was he who went to I®ka;’s house to count cowrie shells
We shall all be riding horses during the course of our Ifa; practice
In this Odu¾, OÙloô¾ba¾ra¾ wished his friend well. The friend also wished him well. When both of them
joined hands together, they became very successful. This is how we true follower of Ifá should be
behaving with others.
Seven, no matter how hard we may try to ensure that there are many good people in the world,
bad people will continue to outnumber the good ones. The reason for this is that human beings
find it more convenient to do evil than good. Why this is so difficult to fathom? In Ogbe¾ Ate¾ô (Ogbe
E®ni¾ya¾¾n la;sa;n po¾ô, o; ju i¾gbeô;

EÙni ire e; woô;n, o; ju owo; loô
Ka; to; o; r'e;ôni rere, oô¾na¾ a; ji¾n
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Omoluabi

Ifa; n; loô re¾ e; sô'oôkoô Aye;
O: n; loô re¾ e; ba; Olo;du¾mare¾ p’a;ye; l'o;ôgboôoôgba…
Translation:
There are more worthless people than the leaves in the forest
It is more difficult to find decent people than it is to find money
When he was going to become the Master of the world
And when going to share the world into two equal parts with Olo;du¾mare¾…
Even though Ifa; says that decent people are more difficult to find than money, it is the
responsibility of all those aspiring to be OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to maintain their decency, ethics, and principles
at all costs, not matter what the situation.
Eight, one can never display too much tolerance. There is only a problem when tolerance is not
enough. Some people complain that because they had tolerated others for so long, they were now
being looked down upon or being given contemptuous looks. This cannot be farther from the
truth. The fact is that cooperating with all people can never be too much. The key is
“Cooperation” despite differences. Let us examine what Ifa; says in O®Ùsa; Ala;su¾wa¾da¾ (O®Ùsa; O®gu;nda;).
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
A®pa¾la¾n¾po;lo; Awo EÙnu

Di;a; fu;n EÙnu
Ni;gba¾ti; o¾un pe¾ôlu; Ara joô n; j'i¾ja¾ a¾gba¾ l'a;le¾ô Ifeô¾
EÙnu ni; ti; a ba; le¾ ru; ogu;n akoô isôu
Ti; a ru; oôgboô¾n ewu¾ra¾
Ti; a ru; a¾a;do;ôta e¾e;ko;ko;ro;
Ka; ri; oun mu; sô’eôboô
Ki; ara o; tu¾ wa; nini
E®ro¾ I®po a¾ti O®Ùfa¾
Translation:
A®pa¾la¾n¾po;lo;, the Awo of Enu, the Mouth

He was the Awo who cast Ifa for the mouth
When he and the rest of the body were fighting for supremacy in Ile; Ife¾ô
EÙnu said that if they could offer eôboô with 20 yams
And 30 water yams
And 50 mini yams
We would have comfort
And return to sound health
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This story goes thus:
All the body parts were fed up with the Mouth. They complained that he was the only one
enjoying all the works that all the other body parts were doing. The legs complained that they
were the ones who carried the other body parts to search for food. The eyes complained that they
were the ones who made it possible for the other body parts to see the food. The nose said that it
smelled the food to ensure that rotten food was not eaten. The hands said that they worked to
ensure that the food was well prepared for consumption. All the body parts had one complaint or
the other against the Mouth. Their complaint was that the Mouth did nothing except to eat the
food that all the other body parts had labored to procure. To make matters worse, the Mouth had
never for once thanked them in appreciation of all their efforts. In the end, they decided that they
would never give the Mouth any food to eat again. That was precisely what they did.
Three days after the execution of their plan, all the body parts experienced a discomfort that they
never experienced in their lives before. The legs became weak. The hands began shaking. The
eyes could no longer see properly. The nose was filled with mucus. The ears could no longer hear
properly. The stomach began to rumble. The brain could no longer coordinate things properly. In
the end, they all went to beg the Mouth for forgiveness. The Mouth the demanded for 20 yams,
30 water yams and 50 mini yams. They looked for them and everything returned to normal.
Nine, at all times, all those who aspire to become OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must engage in objective self-
examination. As long as their conscience remains clear that they have never wronged anyone, Ifa;,
the Iru;nmoôleô¾/O®ri¾sôa¾ and Olo;du¾mare¾ will always vindicate them. In O®gu;nda; Ma;sa¾a; (O®gu;nda; O®Ùsa;),
Ifa; says:
OÙjoô; ti; mo ti de;’le; aye;

Mi o¾ ni; ki;nni;-ki;nni; oômoô'ni¾keji¾ mi ni;'nu;
Di;a; fu;n A®fe¾re¾mo¾jo¾
Ti; yo;o; du¾bu;le¾ô eôjoô;
N®jeô;, bi; isôu ba; ta ta;;n
A gbe; a¾a¾re e re¾ô l’o;ri;;
A®fe¾re¾mo¾jo¾, Awo ni yo;o; maa j’a¾a¾re woôn
Bi; a¾gba¾do ba; y’oômoô ta;;n
Bi; ere¾e; ba; so ta;n
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Omoluabi
Translation:
Since the time I was born into the world

I have never kept malice toward anyone
These were the declarations of Ifa; for A®fe¾re¾mo¾jo¾
The one who would face contention
He complied
Behold, when a yam is mature for harvest
It will display its evidence of vindication
A®fe¾re¾mo¾jo¾, an Awo will always be vindicated
When maize is mature for harvest
It will display its evidence of vindication
A®fe¾re¾mo¾jo¾, an Awo will always be vindicated
When beans are mature for harvest
They will display their evidence of vindication
A®fe¾re¾mo¾jo¾, Awo shall always be vindicated
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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Ki;ti;ki;ti; la¾a; le; eômoô;
Ka¾ta¾ka¾ta¾ la¾a; le; ejo¾
A®i¾f’o¾ôwoô;-l’o;ôwoô¾o;ô ejo¾ n’iku; fi n; pa wo;ôn l’oô;ko¾ôoô¾kan
Di;a; fu;n Ade;ju¾mo¾ôbi;
Ti;i; sô’oômoô’ye¾ Ala;ke;tu
N®jeô; ki; oôka; o; sô’a;a;ju;
Ki; paramo;ôleô¾ o; te¾ô le; e
Ki; ere¾ baba a woôn o; ma;a wo;ô boô¾ l’eô;yi¾n
Tani;i; koô’ju; i¾ja¾ d’oômoô ejo¾?
O®tu;ra; O®Ùwoô;nri;n
Translation:
Haphazardly does one pursue a brown rat

Awkwardly does one pursue a snake
It was the lack of cooperation between the snakes that made it possible for death to strike them
dead one by one
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ade;ju¾mo¾ôbi;
The child of Ala;ke;tu
He was advised to offer eôôboô
He complied
Now, if a cobra is coming in front
And a Paramoô;le¾ô, green snake is following
And the boa conscrictor their father is coming from behind
Who will dare confront the committee of snakes?
SELFISHNESS
Selfishness: The thinking of one’s own personal pleasure, satisfaction, achievement, aspiration
etc… without any consideration for other people.
A selfish person is a self conceited person. A self conceited person is someone who acts in a very
callous way and has no consideration for the feelings of his/her fellow human beings. As long as
everything belongs to him/her, a selfish person does not care about others at all. There are
certain principles that must be put into consideration in all the things that we do in life.
One, selfishness leads to trouble. A selfish person is someone who drives help away from
himself/herself. Those who would have assisted a person would certainly find no reason to do so
if the person is selfish. Selfish people usually end up living in isolation and this is not a good way
316
Omoluabi
to live according to Ifá. One must keep in mind that there are many things in life that one cannot
do alone. This is the reason why one must shun selfishness and embrace being giving and
cooperative. In Ogbe¾ O®Ùyeô¾ku;, Ifa; says:
O®gbo;ju; o¾ teô'raa reô¾ ni;'fa;

I®mo¾ôra¾n o¾ fi'raa re¾ô j'oye¾
OÙ®beô to; mu; ki¾i; gbe;ô e¾e¾ku¾ ara a re¾ô
Di;a; fu;n Ogbe¾-'Ye¾ôku;
Ti; yo;o; ko; gbogbo a¾mu;lu¾ joô
Translation:
The courageous cannot initiate himself into Ifa;

The wise cannot award himself a chieftaincy title
A sharp knife cannot fashion its own handle
These were Ifa’s declarations to Ogbe;-O®Ùyeô¾ku;
Who shall organize all the A®mu;lu¾ in a systematic manner
He complied
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains certain aspects of life that cannot be completed by any individual alone.
We need other people to join us to be able to accomplish certain tasks. Also in I®wo¾ri¾ O®ni¾ka¾nri¾n
(I®wo¾ri¾ O®Ùka¾nra¾n), Ifa; says:
I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ ri¾n'ka¾n
EÙni¾kan sôe e; da; sôe¾'lu;
O®Ùpoô¾ e¾e¾ya¾n ni;i; je;ô a¾wa a; de;
EÙni¾¾kan ki¾ i; ri¾n l'o;un ni¾kan sôosôo gi;rogi;ro
Di;a; fu;n E®Ùri¾ndi;nlo;gu;n Oro;du¾
Ti; wo;ôn n; t'o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;'ye;
Ti; n; t'o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;'ye;
OÙ®ru;nmi¾l¾a¾ si¾ gb'eô;boôô ni;'be¾ô o; sôô'eôboô
N®je;ô I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ ri¾n'ka¾n
EÙni¾kan sôe e; da; gbe;
EÙni¾k¾an sôe e; da; ri¾n
Ifa; ma; je¾ôeô; ki; n gbe; e¾mi ni¾kan sôosôo gi;rogi;ro
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Translation:
I®wo¾ri¾ does not walk alone

How can one person single handedly administer a town?
Only a group of people can say, “we have arrived”
A person should not be walking alone
These were the declarations of Ifa; for the 16 principal Odu¾
The same was also declared to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
Only OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ offered the eôboô and complied with the advice
Behold, I®wo¾ri¾ does not walk alone
How can someone live all by himself?
How can someone walk all by himself?
Ifa;, please do not make me a lone ranger
According to this Ifá, living a lonely life is tantamount to living a brutish, difficult, and nasty life.
That is just one of the consequences of selfishness. Also in I®rosu¾n EÙleô;ri;n, (I®rosu¾n OÙ®woô;nri;n), Ifa;
says:
Gu;nnugu;n ni o¾ g'ori; arira da;'fa;

A®ka¾la¾ma¾gbo¾ ni o¾ g'ori; a¾ba¾ ya;a¾ru¾n
Te¾ôn¾te¾ônreô;n abi¾ye;ô apa; gbo;ônhoô¾nra;n-gbo;ônhoô¾nra;n
Ti;; a¾woôn oômoô oô reô¾ n; loô re¾e; j’o¾ro su¾n ni;'le; EÙleô;ri;n
O: ni; eô gu;n'ya;n le;ôbeô; l'a;le;ô a¾na;
OÙmoô t'e¾mi j'o¾ro
O®ro bi;i ba;wo a ni?
O: ni; eô ro'ka¾ le¾ôbeô¾ l'a;le;ô a¾na;
O: ni: e ro¾'koô leô¾be¾ô l'a;le;ô a¾na;
Translation:
The Gu;nnugu;n vulture does not stay on top of the Arira tree to cast Ifa;
The A®ka¾la¾ma¾gbo¾ vulture does not stay on top of the A®ba¾ tree to enjoy the sun
The Te¾ôn¾te¾ônreô;n bird with its wide clumsy wings
318
Omoluabi
When his children went to eat African cherry mangos as supper in the OÙloô;fin’s house
They advised the OÙloô;fin to offer eôboô
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ said you prepared pounded yam last night
But my own children ate African cherry mangos
Why did you do that?
You prepared yam flour meal last night
You prepared corn meal last night
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ had sent his children to the OÙloô;fin’s house to perform an assignment for the OÙloô;fin.
Instead of showing his gratitude, the OÙloô;fin decided to show how selfish he could be. He
prepared sumptuous meals for his own children and excluded all the children of O®Ùru;nmi¾¾la¾. He
gave the children of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ only African cherry mangos to eat. The following day, the life of
the OÙloô;fin collapsed right before his own eyes. His children who had eaten all the food began to
stool and vomit profusely. There was pandemonium everywhere. This prompted the OÙloô;fin to call
for help from OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. When he came, he was shocked to hear that his own children had only
eaten cherry mangos while the OÙloô;fin’s children were treated to a sumptuous meal. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
showed OÙloô;fin his disappointment for being so inconsiderate. In the end, OÙloô;fin paid dearly for
his selfishness.
Two, cooperation is strength. The more people cooperate to undertake a task, the stronger they
will be at achieving the expected result. There is strength in numbers. A stanza in I®rosu¾n EÙ®ga¾
(I®rosu¾n O®Ùba¾ra¾) says:
Bu¾ fu;n mi
Ki; n bu¾ fu;n oô
O®un ni;i m'a;ye; e; gu;n ige;ôgeô;-i¾ge;ôgeô;
Baba n; loô s’O:tu Ife¾ô
Yo;o; loô¾oô; koôô; woôn ni; isôeô; ile;
Yo;o; loô¾oô; ko;ô woôn ni; isôeô; oko
O: gb’eô;boô, o; ru;’boô...
Translation:
The principle of giving and taking

Is what makes the world peaceful and habitable
319
When he was going to Ile;-Ife¾ô

To teach people home conduct (proper behavior for the home)
And teach farm and work conduct (proper behavior for the farm and work environment)
He complied…
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that cooperation is what will make the world more beautiful, more
progressive and develop properly. In another stanza in the same Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Bi; eôkeô; ba; pa'nu po¾ô

EÙke;ô a di’le;
Bi; a¾ta¾ ba; pa'nu po¾ô
Woôn a di o¾ru¾le;
Di;a; fu;n E®Ùga¾ sôeô¾sôeô¾
Ti; n; loô oko a¾lero¾ l'oô;du;n
N®je;ô EÙ®ga¾ n; w'e;ôna¾
E®Ùga¾ n; w'e;ôna¾ o
Odi;deôreô; lo; moô ohun EÙ®ga¾ n; fo¾ô
Translation:
When beams are put together

They will become a house
When rafters are put together
They will become the roof of a house
This were Ifa;’s declarations for EÙga¾ sôeô¾sôeô¾, the Palm Bird
When going to the newyear cultivation
She complied
EÙ®ga¾ is talking in parables
EÙ®ga¾ is speaking in proverbs
Only Odi;deôreô;, the Parrot, knows what EÙ®ga¾ is saying
In the above verse, Ifa; demonstrates the importance of the beams and the rafters in the
construction of a house in order to show how important it is to cooperate with one another in
order to create something stable and sustainable. Ifa; says that it is the cooperation between the
beams that make the house and it is the cooperation between the rafters that make the roof of
the house. In OÙ®ka¾nra¾n A®di¾sa; (O®Ùka¾nra¾n O®Ùsa;), Ifa; says:
A®woôn oôkoô;, bi; wo;ôn ti gb'o;ju; to;

Woôn o¾ lee¾ da; oko ro
A®da;, bi; wo;ôn ti mu; to;
320
Omoluabi
Woôôn o¾ lee¾ da; igbo; sôa;n

Amu;'sôu-wa;'le; ko¾ lee¾ da; iya;n gu;n
E®e¾ya¾n ni; n; sôe ele;gbe¾ l'eô;yi¾n-i woôn o
Di;a; fu;n OÙmoôô E®ni¾ya¾n
Woô;n n; t'o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;'ye;
N®je;ô tani n; sôe ele;gbe¾ l'eô;yi¾n E®ni¾ya¾n
A®ya¾a¾fi A®ja¾l¾oô;run
A®ya¾a¾fi Ori;
A®ya¾a¾fi Olo;du¾mare¾
Translation:
As bold as the hoe is

It cannot till the land by itself
As sharp as the cutlass may be
It cannot cut down the forest by itself
A person who brings yam tubers to the house will not be able to pound all the yams by
himself/herself
Other human beings will be their supporters
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the human beings
They complied
Now, who are the supporters of human beings?
It is A®ja¾loô;run
It is Ori;;
And it is Olo;du¾mare¾
This Odu¾ shows that it is cooperation, not selfishness or ego in thinking that one can do
everything or accomplish everything without the help of others that will bring progress and
development to the person. In O®Ùwoô;nri;n Weô'sôeô (OÙ®woô;nri;n O®sÙ ôeô;), Ifa; says:
Ka; f'o¾ôtu;n w'o¾si¾

Ka; f'o¾si¾ w'o¾ôtu;n
Ka; f'oôwoô; me;je¾e¾ji¾ weô'raa woôn
K'oô;wo;ô o; le¾ baa¾ moô; ye;ye;e;ye;
Di;a; fu;n La;i¾gbo¾ O®Ùgeô¾ge;ô
Ti; wo;ôn ni; ko; sô'oô¾run re¾ô ni; gbangba
N®je;ô mo wa;a; sô'oô¾run mi ni; gbangba
Mo l'a;je;
E®mi La;i¾gbo¾ O®Ùgeô¾geô;
321
Mo wa; sô'oô¾run-un mi ni; gbangba

Ori; wa; d'ori; ala;ya
Mo l'a;ya
Ori; wa; d'ori; oôloô;moô
Mo bi;'moô
Ori; wa; d'ori; oni;'re
Mo ni;;'re gbogbo
Mo ni;;'re gbogbo
Translation:
Let us use the right hand to wash the left hand

Let us use the left hand to wash the right hand
Let both hands wash each other
So that the hands will be perfectly clean
These were Ifa;’s declarations for La;i¾gbo¾ O®Ùge¾ôgeô;
When he was advised to propitiate his Ori; in the open
He complied
Now, I have propitiated my Ori; in the open
I am blessed with wealth
I La;i¾gbo¾ O®Ùge¾ôgeô;
I have propitiated my Ori; in the open
My Ori; is has become the Ori; blessed with a spouse
I am blessed with a spouse
My Ori; is has become the Ori; blessed with children
I am blessed with children
My Ori; is has become the Ori; blessed with all the Ire of life
I am blessed with all the Ire of life
I am blessed with all the Ire of life
Ifa; explains that it is when we use each hand to wash the other that they will be perfectly clean.
The implication of this is that cooperation and joint assignments are better handled and carried
322
Omoluabi
out by a group than through individual effort. Also in I®wo¾ri¾ A®yo¾ôka; (I®wo¾ri¾ I®ka;), Ifa; says:
EÙni; pa'ra woôn poô¾
O: di ti;ke;ô
E®e¾ya¾n pa'ra woôn poô¾
Woô;n d'o¾ôkan sôosôoosôo
I®ko;ô o¾wu; papo¾ô
O: d'a¾ko¾di¾ ara a woôn
Ti; n; sô'awo loô s’o;de I®je¾ôbu;
I®wo¾ri¾ A®yo¾ôka;,
Owo; po¾ô ni;’je¾ôbu;
Olo;wo; eôyoô
Translation:
Mat strands gather together

And become a sleeping mat
Human beings gather together
And become one (a group)
Cotton wool threads gather together
And give strength to one another
These were the declarations of Ifa; for I®wo¾ri¾
When going on an Ifa; mission to I®je¾ôbu; land
He complied
I®wo¾ri¾ A®yo¾ôka;
There is a lot of money in I®je¾ôbu;
Owner of the cowrie shells
This Odu¾ shares that genuine cooperation will allow several people to think as one, to speak as
one and to act as one body. Certainly, there is strength in cooperation and in working as a group.
In O®Ùwoô;nri;n Me;ji¾, Ifa; says:
Ade;-Olu;;-ke;ô n; sô'awo r'o¾de A®ji;ke;ô-Olu;

Ade;tutu¾ n; sô'awo r'o¾de A®ji;f 'o¾ôroô¾-rere-lo¾ô
Woô;n ni; ko; ru;'boô
Ki; oô¾na¾ a¾jo¾ o re¾ô o; le¾ da;ra
N®je;ô ni;'bo l'owo; wa¾?
Ara e¾ni¾ya¾n l'owo; wa¾
Ni;'bo n'ire gbogbo o; wa¾
Ara e¾ni¾ya¾n n'ire gbogbo o; wa¾
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Translation:
Ade;-Olu;-Ke;ô was going on an Ifa; mission to A®ji;ke;ô-Olu; land

Ade;tutu¾ was going on an Ifa; mission to the land of A®ji;fo¾ôroô¾-rere-lo¾ô
When he was advised to offer eôboô
So that his trip would be rewarding
Now, where can we find money?
Money resides among the people
Where can we find all the ire of life?
All the Ire of life resides among people
This Ifa; stanza says that being in the midst of people amounts to being in the midst of financial
success, prosperity, and all ire of life.
Three, stop selfishness, have consideration for others. Ifa; says that selfishness makes people be
inconsiderate toward other people. To succeed in life, we need to have consideration for other
people at all times so that other people will have consideration for us. In O®Ùyeô¾ku; Bi¾ka;, (OÙ®ye¾ôku;
I®ka;), Ifa; says:
SÙe e; je;ôeô;je;¾, sôe e; je;ôeô;je;ô

Babala;wo to; ba; sôe e; je;ôeô;je;ô
A ma;a j'e¾ru¾ eôgbeôeôgba¾a;
SÙe e; je;ôeô;je;¾, sôe e; je;ôeô;je;ô
Babala;wo ti; o¾ ba; sôe e; je;ôeô;je;ô
A ma;a j'e¾ru¾ eôgbeôeôgba¾awa¾a;
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùye¾ôku; o¾un I®ka;
Wo;ôn n; sô'awo loô a¾pa; o¾kun o¾un i¾la¾meji¾ o¾ôsa¾
Woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn sa;ka;ale¾ô, eôboô ni; sôi;sôe
I®ka; ni¾kan ni; n; beô l'eô;yi¾n ti; n; tu'boô
E®ro¾ I®po, e¾ro¾ OÙ®fa¾¾
EÙ®yin o¾ w’O®Ùyeô¾ku; to; taari I®ka; s'o;mi
I®ka; ni; o¾un koô;
A®wo¾ra;n oru;ru¾ l'omi i; gbe; loô o
Translation:
Do it carefully with consideration

A Babala;wo who is careful and considerate
Will make 2,000 cowries as proceeds regularly
Do it carefully with consideration
A Babala;wo who is not careful and considerate
Will make 20,000 cowries once
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®Ùyeô¾ku; and I®ka;
324
Omoluabi
When going on an Ifa; mission to one side of the sea and the other side of the lagoon
Only I®ka; complied with the advice
Can’t you see O®Ùyeô¾ku; who pushed I®ka; into the river?
I®ka; responded that it was not him (not him in the river)
It was a doll made of Oru;ru¾ tree that was carried away by the river
In this Odu¾, OÙ®ye¾ôku; did not have any consideration for I®ka;. That was why he pushed I®ka; into the
river with the intention of drowning I®ka; in the river. The main consideration of O®Ùyeô¾ku; was to
convert all the money that they had made on their journey to his own alone. He failed and ending
up living the rest of his life with shame and regret. Also in O®Ùka¾nra¾n A®de;hu¾n (O®Ùka¾nra¾n O®di;), Ifa
says:
I®jin gba¾a;
I®jin gbo¾o;
Di;a; fu;n Ko¾ôn¾ko¾ô
Ti; yo;o; gb'o;do¾ foô'hu¾n oôloô;la;
O: ni; e¾ôyin oômoôde; wo¾ônyi; o tal'o; ku¾
A®f 'i¾woô, a¾f 'i¾wo¾ô
O: ni; e¾ôyin oômoôde; wo¾ônyi; eô ku;to¾ô
Translation:
I®jin gba¾a;
I®jin gbo¾o;
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ko¾ôn¾ko¾ô, the bull frog
Who would be sounding like an important person by the riverside
He then said, "you kids, who among you remains?"
They responded, "it is only you that remains"
He said, "you kids, you are all in trouble"
They then hit him on his back with a strong staff
The Bull Frog had no consideration for others. He was thinking of himself alone. He was so
blinded by his selfish thoughts that he proposed and installed himself as the Lord of the riverside.
One evening he began to shout at the top of his voice that he was the only one who was worthy
of praising. The young children passing by saw this and decided to hit him with a strong staff on
his back. The Bull Frog became part of the youths' supper in the evening of the day of the
incident.
Four, do not be selfish. Help each other. Ifa; says that the person who helps others is by
325
extension helping himself/herself. This is because when the time comes that the person needs
help, those who he had assisted will easily come to his aid. If anyone needs financial assistance or
any other form of help and we are in the position to do so, let us do it. If we refuse to help other
people out of selfishness, the people will not be in any position to assist us whenever the times
comes that we will need the help. In I®wo¾ri¾¾ O® j'awu¾sa; (I®wo¾ri¾ OÙ®sa;), Ifa; says:
A®gba¾ra; ori; o¾ke¾

Ni;i; sôa¾n geregere wo¾ô'lu;
Di;a; fu;n A®ra¾ni¾sa¾n
Ti;i; sôe olo;ri; ahun ni;'lu¾u;
Ni;'joô; to; n; sôoô¾gbo¾ôgboô¾ a¾ru¾n
To; n; na'ju; a¾ti di¾de
Ni;'joô; oô mo ti d’a;ye;
E®mi o¾ j'eku u¾ reô ri; o
A®ra¾ni¾sa¾n, i¾woô l’olo;ri; ahun ni;'lu¾u;
A®ra¾ni¾sa¾n
E®mi o¾ j'eôja a¾ reô ri; o
A¾ra¾ni¾sa¾n
E®mi o¾ j'eôyeô eôô¾ reô ri; o
A®ra¾ni¾sa¾n
E®mi o¾ j'eôran a¾n reô ri; o
A®ra¾ni¾sa¾n
Translation:
The flood from the hillside moves rapidly down to the town
This was the Ifa; cast for A®ra¾ni¾sa¾n
The head of the tight fisted people in the land
When he was suffering from a serious ailment
And was longing for the period that he would regain his health
He complied
Since the time I was born
I have not once ever eaten your rat
A®ra¾ni¾sa¾n, you are the head of the tight fisted people in the land
326
Omoluabi
I have not once ever eaten your fish

I have not once ever eaten your bird
I have not once ever eaten your beast
A®ra¾ni¾sa¾n occupied a very important position in the community. Unfortunately, he never thought of
using his position to assist anyone in the community. Instead, he was busy accumulating all the
available resources for himself only. One day, A®ra¾ni¾sa¾n fell into serious trouble, and he needed
help. Instead of helping him, everyone he approached would simply make jest of him. In the end
he lost is position and lived the rest of his life a miserable man. Also in I®wo¾ri¾ A®yo¾ôka; (I®wo¾ri¾ I®ka;),
Ifa; says:
Igbo; tuulu
O®Ùda¾n tuulu
Di;a; fu;n A®ja¾o;
Ti; yo;o; t'ori; eôgbeô¾e;ôdoô;gbo¾ôn yoô'ra reô¾ ni;'nu; eôgbeô;
I®pi;n ala;i¾sô'eôboô woôn
EÙ®gba¾ a woôn o¾ t'e¾ru¾
Ifa; wa; n; sôeô l'o;o¾ro; gangan
Translation:
The thick forest

And the plain savannah
These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®ja¾o;
Who would because of 5,000 cowries remove himself from the society
Come and see how the prediction of Ifa; has come to pass with alacrity
A®ja¾o; belonged to a specific society in his community. One day he decided to refuse to pay his
own subscription and opted to get out of the society. Afterward, no other society in the
community would accept him. A®ja¾o; lived the rest of his life a lonely man.
Five, selfishness leads to fraudulent acts, lies, deceit, greed, and lack of consideration for others.
A selfish person wants everything for himself/herself. Sometimes in order to acquire what he/she
327
wants, there will be occasions when he/she will need to lie; on some occasions, he/she will need
to deceive others while on some other occasions he/she will need to falsefy information and other
evidences in order to make his/her would be victims accept what he/she had told them without
question. In the end, the selfish person will suffer greatly for these behaviors. In OÙ®ba¾ra¾ Me;ji¾, Ifa;
says:
O: sa;n pe¾ôeô;, o; sa;n pe¾ôeô;

O: yoô to;ro;ro;, o; yoô to;ro;ro;
Fi;kanfi;kan gba’le; Aye;
Du¾gbe¾ôdu¾gbe¾ô eô; gb’o¾de O®Ùrun kan
Ako;rinle;pa; ni;i; sô’oômoô O®gu;n
O®gu;n lo;; ji; ni; ku¾tu¾ku¾tu¾
Lo; na’wo;ô i¾ja¾ a re¾ô lalaala
La;i¾ jeô
La;i¾ mu
La;i¾ m'o¾o¾ku¾n
La;i¾ sôe le¾ ku;ro¾ l’a;wu¾joô
K'o;lo;n;jeô o; ri;'bi jeôu;njeô eô reô o
A®woôn ke;te;ke;te;-n¾-be;le;
A®ta¾ri; po¾ônna¾ ni ti du¾u¾ru¾
Igbo; n;la; ni mo ya¾
Mo ba; woôn gb'o;hu¾n Ala;jogun
Yi;ya¾ ni mo ya¾
Mo ba; woôn pi;n eôran a¾i¾ku;
E®yi; we;sewe;se wo;ôn n; da;’fa;
E®yi; we¾sewe¾se woô;n n; d’i¾bo¾
A®ri¾ra; o¾ôrun o¾ sôa¾n
Awo ile; OÙloô;ye;ô-moyin
A®wu;re e¾ mi; je;ô
O: mu; ina; l'o;ôwoô;
A®wu;re e¾ mi; je;ô
O: m’o;o¾ru¾n l’eô;se¾ô
A®wu;re e¾ mi; bi; pe¾ôreô¾re¾ô
O: bi; pe¾ôeô;pe¾ôeô;
O: bi; Aga-du;du;
Woô;n fi j’oye¾ Olu;-Igbo;
O: bi; OÙloô;pa¾pa¾n¾ra¾ga¾
Woôô;n fi j'oye¾¾ Olu;-O®ÙdÙa¾n
O: bi; Aki;nbe;ôku¾n
Wo;ôn fi j’oôba ni; SÙa¾we;we;-Ile;
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ lo; di gboôgboôoôgboô
Ifa; mo lo; di gboôgboôoôgboô
EÙ®la¾ bara a¾ mi A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
Gboôgboôoôgboô l’oôwoô; n; yoô oô; j’ori;
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Omoluabi
Gboôgboôoôgboô l’eôseô¾ n; yoô oô; j’oô¾na¾

Gboôgboôoôgôboô l’e¾gungun o¾ke¾e¾re¾ n; yoô ju i¾lu;
A®woôn lo; d’i;fa; fu;n oômoôde; ke;re;ke¾re¾ke;re; Ile;-Ife¾ô
Woô;n n; sô’awo loô si; Ife¾ô Akeô¾lu;be;ôbeô;e;ôbeô;
Wo;ôn ni; ki; wo;ôn gba akoô aja;
Ki; wo;ôn fi fu;n O®gu;n
Ki; wo;ôn gba a¾ku¾koô oô¾ta¾n ga¾la¾n¾ja¾
Ki; woô;n fi fu;n O®su¾
Ki; wo;ôn gba i¾gbi;n me;ji¾ aji;ra
Ki; wo;ôn fi fu;n O®Ùsôun-Sôeô¾n¾ge¾ôsôeô; Olo;o¾ya¾ Iyu¾n
Afideô reô’moô
Ki; wo;ôn gba eôyeôle; me;ji¾ sôi¾sôi¾woôwoô-sôi¾sôi¾woôwoô
Ki; wo;ôn fi fu;n Odu¾-lo;gbo¾o;-o¾je¾
EÙleô;yinju; eôgeô;
Ki; wo;ôn gba apata o¾ke;te;
E®Ùgi¾ aaka
O®ko¾ro¾-koro obi¾
A®la;gba;lagba¾ epo
Ki; wo;ôn fi fu;n i¾ya; a¾ mi o¾ôka¾nra¾n-ni;ye¾ôeô;
Ti;; n; je;ô apa’ni ma; gba¾a;gu;n
Ki; wo;ôn gba i¾go¾ oôti; ma¾le; ga¾nra¾¾nhu¾n-ganranhun
Ki; wo;ôn fi fu;n oômoô-Awo
Ki; oômoô-Awo o; ri;hun jeô
Ki; oômoô-Awo o; ri;hun mu
Ki; wo;ôn gba ewu;re;ô me;ji¾ aba¾mu; reôdeôreôdeô la;be;ô
Ki; wo;ôn fi fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾, bara a¾ mi A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
Wo;ôn wa; gba akoô aja;
Woôn o¾ fu;n O®gu;n
Wo;ôn gba a¾ku¾koô oô¾ta¾n ga¾la¾n¾ja¾
Woôn o¾ f’O:su¾
Woô;n gba i¾gbi;n me;ji¾ aji;ra
Woôn o¾ fu;n O®Ùsôun-sôeô¾n¾ge¾ôsôeô;, Olo;o¾ya¾-Iyu¾n
Afideô reô’moô
Woô;n gba eôyeôle;; me;ji¾ sôi¾sôi¾woôwoô-sôi¾sôi¾woôwoô
Woôn o¾ fu;n Odu¾ lo;gbo¾o¾;-o¾je;
Woô;n gba apata o¾ke;te;
EÙ®gi¾ aaka
O®ko¾ro¾-koro obi¾
Woôn o¾ fi fu;n i¾ya; a¾ mi o¾ôka¾nra¾n ni;-ye¾ôeô;
Ti; n; je;ô apa’ni ma; gba¾a;gu;n
Wo;ôn gba i¾go¾ oôti; ma¾le; ga¾nra¾nhu¾n-ganranhun
Woôn o¾ fu;n oômoô-Awo
329
Ki; oômoô Awo o; ri;hun jeô

Ki; oômoô Awo o; ri;hun mu
Wo;ôn gba ewu;re;ô me;ji¾ aba¾mu; reôdeôreôdeô la;be;ô
Woôn o¾ fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ bara a¾ mi A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ ni; ki; ba;a;ba;a; ja;
Ko; bo’le¾ô ni;wa;ju;
Ba;a;ba;a; ja;;
O: bo’le¾ô ni;wa;ju;
E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ ni; ki; ba¾a¾ba¾a¾ o; ja;
Ko; bo’le¾ô leô;yi¾n
Ba¾a¾ba¾a¾ ja;
O: bo’le¾ô leô;yi¾n
O®Ùro¾ô o¾ku¾nku¾n be;ôeô¾ ni o
OÙ®ro¾ô o¾ku¾nku¾n l’E®sôu¾ fi n;’bo¾ woô;n lo;ju; birikiti
A®®woôn EÙku;n l’awo oju; eô ma¾ sôeun o
EÙku;n l’awo oju;
I®we¾ô l’awo ara
OÙta ro;do;-ro¾do¾-ro;do; inu; omi
Woôn o¾ mo¾ô wi;pe; o¾o¾ru¾n n; pa i¾yi; o¾de
A®woôn ni woô;n tu;n d’i;fa; fu;n OÙmoôde; ke;re;-ke¾re¾-ke;re; Ile;-Ife¾ô
Woô;n tu;n n; sô’awo loô si; Ife¾ô Akeô¾lu; be;ôbeô;e;ôbeô;
Woô;n wa; gba akoô aja;
Woô;n fi fu;n O®gu;;n
Wo;ôn wa; gba a¾ku¾koô oô¾ta¾n ga¾la¾n¾ja¾
Woô;n fi fu;n O®su¾
Woô;n wa; gba i¾gbi;n me;ji¾ aji;ra
Wo;ôn fi fu;n O®Ùsôun sôeô¾n¾ge¾ôsôeô;, Olo;o¾ya¾ iyu¾n
Afideô reô’moô
Woô;n gba eôyeôle; me;ji¾ sôi¾sôi¾woôwoô-sôi¾sôi¾woôwoô
Woô;n wa; fi fu;n Odu¾ lo;gbo¾o;-o¾je;
Wo;ôn wa; gba apata o¾ke;te;
E®Ùgi¾ aaka
O®ko¾ro¾koro obi¾
Wo;ôn wa; fi fu;n I®ya; a¾ mi O®Ùka¾nra¾n-ni;ye¾ôeô;
Ti; n; je;ô apa’ni ma; gba¾a;gu;n
Wo;ôn wa; gba i¾go¾ oôti; ma¾le ga¾nra¾nhu¾n-ganranhun
Woô;n fi fu;n oômoô-Awo
K’oô;moô Awo o; ri;hun jeô
K’oô;moô Awo o; ri;hun mu
Wo;ôn wa; gba ewu;re;ô me;ji¾ aba¾mu; reôdeôreôdeô la;be;ô
Woô;n fi fu;n O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ bara a¾ mi A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ ni; ba;a;ba;a; to; ja;
330
Omoluabi
To; bo’le¾ô ni;wa;ju;

O: ni; ko; sôi;
Ko; loô re¾e; bo’gi oko
Ba¾a¾ba¾a¾ to; ja;
To; bo’le¾ô leô;yi¾¾n
O: ni; ko; sôi;
Ko; loô re¾e; bo o¾ke¾ moô;le¾ô o
O®Ùroô¾ o¾o¾ya¾ beô;e¾ô ni o
OÙ®ro¾ô o¾o¾ya¾ l’E®sôu¾ fi n; ya¾ woô;n l'o;ju; peregede
A®wa ki¾i; sô’awo i¾ko¾ôkoô¾
A®wa ki¾i; sô’awo i¾ba;ba;
Ya¾ mi; l’o;ju; n ri;'na¾ o
O®ri¾ya¾
Ya¾ mi; ;l’o;ju; n ri;'na¾
O®ri¾ya¾
Translation:
It cracked suddenly
It appeared faintly
Crises has enveloped the whole world
And pandemonium engulfed the skies
He who carries iron about is the offspring of O®gu;n
Ogun is he who wakes up early in the morning
And raises his hands threateningly (for war)
Without eating
Without drinking
Without hiding anywhere
Without giving way in the assembly
For those who wish to eat to do so
The short person called Ke;te;ke;te;n¾be;le;
And the big-headed man
It was a big forest I branched to while on my way
And I heard the voice of Ala;jogun
And because I branched
I partook in the consumption of the flesh of immortality
The tiny ones are casting Ifa;;
And the small ones are holding the I®bo¾
The thunder did not strike
The resident Awo of OÙloô;ye;ô-moyin
My good-luck charm was very effective
It carried fire in its hands
My good-luck charm was very effective
It carried sunshine in its legs
331
My good-luck charm gave birth to several children

It gave birth to Aga-du;du;
And it was made the head of the forest
It gave birth to OÙloô;pa¾pa¾n¾ra¾ga¾
And it was made the head of the savannah
It gave birth to Aki;nbe;ôku¾n
And he was made the OÙba of SÙa¾we;we;-Ile;
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declares that up it goes in its tallness
I respond that up it goes in its tallness
EÙ®la¾, my father, also known as A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
Clearly do the hands appear taller than the head
And clearly do the legs appear longer than the foot path
And clearly does the A®ra¾ba¾ tree from afar appear taller than the buildings in a town
These were the declarations of Ifa; to the youths of Ile;-Ife¾ô
When going on spiritual mission to Ifeô¾ Ake¾ôlu;-be;ôbeô;e;ôbeô;
They were told to take a male dog
And give it to O®gu;n
And a big mature cock
And give it to O®su¾
And two big snails
And give them to O®Ùsôun SÙeô¾n¾ge¾ôsôeô;, the owner of the comb made of coral beads
She who uses brass ornaments to placate a baby
And two healthy pigeons
And give them to Odu¾ lo;gbo¾o;-o¾je;
The owner of the delicate eye balls
And two big rats
And two hedgehogs
And big mature kola-nuts
And plenty of palm-oil
And give them to my mothers (the witches), the owners of the strong plumes
Also known as those who kill without confiscating a victims’ belongings
And several bottles of alcohol
And give them to the Awo
For the Awo to have something to eat
And drink
And two she goats with big breasts
And give them to my father O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾, A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
They collected a male dog
But did not give it to O®gu;n
They collected a big mature cock
But did not give it to O®su¾
They collected two big snails
But did not give them to O®Ùsôun sôeô¾n¾geô¾sôeô;, owner of the comb made of coral beads
They collected two pigeons
332
Omoluabi
But did not give them to Odu¾ lo;gbo¾o;-o¾je;

The owner of the delicate eye-balls
They collected two big rats
And two hedgehogs
But did not give them to my mothers, the owners of the strong plumes
They collected several bottles of alcohol
But did not give them to the Awo
For the Awo to have something to eat
And drink
They collected two she goats with big breasts
But did not give them to my father O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾, A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ ordered that darkness of misfortune to cover their lives from the front
The darkness of misfortune covered their lives from the front
He ordered the cloud of disaster to cover their lives from behind
The cloud of disaster covered their lives from behind
E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ declared that it was now a matter of darkness
It was darkness that E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾¾ used to cover their lives
We are however grateful to ‘the tear is the Awo of the eyes’
And ’Bathing is the Awo of the body’
‘The small pebbles inside the river bed
Are not aware how the sunshine affects the pebbles outside the river’
They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for the youths of Ile;-Ife¾ô the second time
When going again on spiritual mission to Ifeô¾ Ake¾ôlu;-be;ôbeô;e;ôbeô;
This time they collected a male dog
And gave it to O®gu;n
They collected a big mature cock
And gave it to O®su¾
They collected two big snails
And gave them to O®Ùsôun sôeô¾n¾ge¾ôsôeô, owner of the comb made of coral beads
They collected two healthy pigeons
And gave them to Odu¾ lo;gbo¾o;-o¾je;
The owner of the delicate eye-balls
They collected two big rats
And two hedgehogs
And gave them to my mothers, the owners of the strong plumes
They collected several bottles of alcohol
And gave them to the Awo
For the Awo to have something eat
333
And drink
They collected two mature she goats with big breasts
And gave them to my father OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾, A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ ordered the darkness of misfortune which had covered their lives from the front
Darkness move and go and cover the hills in the forest
He ordered the cloud of disaster which had covered their lives from behind
Cloud move and go and cover the hills in the savannah
E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ then declared that it was now a matter of brightness
It was brightness that E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ used to open their eyes
We never practice Ifa; in the dark
Neither do we practice Ifa; in a secret place
Open my eyes for me to see
Brightness
Open my eyes for me to see
Brightness
When the youths of Ile;-Ife¾ô were going on a spiritual mission, the elders gave to them the
followings materials: a male dog to give to O®gu;n, a big cock to give to O®su¾, two snails to give to
OÙ®sôun, two pigeons to give to Odu¾, two big rats, two hedgehogs, kola-nuts and palm-oil to give to
the witches, several bottles of alcohol to give to the council of Awo present, and two mature she
goats to give to O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾. The youths decided to convert all of these materials into their own
personal belongings for their own personal use.
When E®sôu¾-O®Ùda¾ra¾ heard about this, he considered the action of the youths to be greedy, indolent,
disrespectful, dishonest and unbecoming of those aspiring to be leaders in the future. E®sôu¾-O®Ùda¾ra¾
then ordered the darkness of misfortune to cover their lives from the front and the cloud of
disaster to cover their lives from behind. By so doing, crises enveloped the world and
pandemonium engulfed the skies. A series of accidents master minded by O®gu;n began to occur
in the community. There was chaos; there was upheaval; there was restlessness; there was
uncertainty and there was untimely death everywhere. As a result of these, nobody was sure of
what to expect next. There was panic everywhere.
When these misfortunes continued to occur without abating, the youths knew that they were in
serious trouble. In order to get out of these problems, they now approached the following
Babala;wo for Ifa; consultation.
EÙku;n l’awo oju;

I®we¾ô l’awo ara
OÙta ro;do;-ro¾do¾-ro;do; inu; omi
Woôn o¾ mo¾ô wi;pe; o¾o¾ru¾n n; pa i¾yi; o¾¾de
A®woôn ni woô;n d’i;fa; fu;n oômoô ke;re;ke¾re¾ke;re; Ile;-Ife¾ô l’eô;e¾ôkeji¾
Woô;n n; sô’awo loô si; Ife¾ô Akeô¾lu;be;ôbeô;e;ôbeô;...
Translation:
334
Omoluabi
Lacrimation (the tear) is the Awo of the eyes

And bathing is the Awo of the body
The small pebbles inside the river
Are not aware how the sunshine affects the pebbles outside the river
They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for the youths of Ile;-Ife¾ô the second time
When going again on a spiritual mission to Ile;-Ife¾ô…
The second time around they were given all the same materials they had been given before but
they ensured that everything would be done as they were told to do. Noticing that the youths had
repented, E®sôu¾-OÙ®da¾ra¾ ordered the darkness of misfortune which had hitherto covered their lives
from the front to shift base and go and cover the trees in the forest. He also ordered the cloud of
disaster which had covered their lives from behind to go and cover the hills in the grassland. That
was how normalcy finally returned and the youths were able to enjoy their lives.
335
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
OÙ®ka;nju;a¾ e¾ e; bo¾ô’ri¾sôa¾
K’O::ri¾sôa¾ o; gbo;ô
E®yi; ti; i¾ ba; fi ya;n’le¾ô
Ni; i; fi ya;n’nu
Di;a; fu;n Koôkoôgu;n
E®yi; ti; yo;o; t'ori; eôran eôleô;ran
Loô¾ o;ô k’a¾ya¾ si;’na;
I®sôi; ala;i¾tu’boô, i¾gba¾ o¾un o¾ t’e¾ru¾
EÙ®yin o¾ ri; Koôkoôgu;n
Bo; ti n; gbeô t’o¾jo¾ t’e¾ôeô¾ru¾n
I®rosu¾n Ogbe¾
Translation:
A greedy person can never propitiate any O®ri¾sôa¾

For it to be accepted
The ones that he is supposed to place on the ground for the Mother Earth
Those are the ones that he will prefer to use to propitiate his own mouth
These were the declarations of Ifa; for Koôkoôgu;;n, the Meat Dryer
Who would because of the meat belonging to other people
Place his own chest under the direct heat of the fire
Refusal to offer eôboô and heed the warning
Can’t you see Koôkoôgu;n
As he is always looking dried up during both the rainy and dry seasons?
GREED
Greed: The desire to have all the good things of life for oneself even at the expense of others.
The desire to convert what belongs to others to one’s own alone without any consideration for the
feelings or needs of other people.
Greed is impatience coupled with unscrupulous activities. It is the act of seeking wealth and/or
glory in a hurry without having consideration for others. It is also the act of looking for
achievement or gratification through the back door, through short cuts, or applying socially
unaccepted means to achieving one’s goal.
The following are the principles to note about Greed:
One, greed is dangerous. A greedy person wishes to convert everything that belongs to a group
336
Omoluabi
to his/her own personal belonging. In O®gu;nda; I®rosu¾n, Ifa; says:
EÙni to; pe; e¾yi; o¾ po¾ô

EÙni to; pe; e¾yi; o¾ to;
Ka; ku;ku; gba gbogbo re¾ô lo; ya; woôn l’a;ra o
O®Ùka;nju;wa¾ ki¾i; mu e¾ôjeô¾ e¾e¾ya¾n me;ji¾
Di;a; fu;n woôn ni;'lu¾u; I®perin
E®yi; ti; yo;o; gbe; erin l'o;ri;
Ti; yo;o; maa f'eôseô¾ deô isôa¾ I®re¾ô
Translation:
Whoever says this is not adequate enough

Whoever says this is not sufficient enough
Coveting everything to themselves is the only thing that will make them happy
Avarice cannot suck the blood of two people together (at the same time)
These were Ifa;’s declarations to the inhabitants of I®perin, the land of elephant hunters
Those who carry elephants on their heads
And use their toes to hunt in the hole of I®re¾ô (the cricket)
They were advised to offer eôboôô...
Can one imagine someone carrying an elephant on his/her head and still having the time to hunt
for crickets? In this particular stanza, the man ended up disturbing a dangerous snake while it
was sleeping inside its hole. The snake angrily gave him his well deserved bite.
The following is a parable that this writer’s uncle used to narrate to the writer when the uncle was
still alive. He used to say that a greedy person can be compared to a piglet among other piglets.
It is customary to find one piglet among many other piglets born on the same day driving its
contemporaries away from eating their own share of the food that was supplied for them. This
particular piglet will even drive away the others from sucking their mother’s breast milk. In the
end, the piglet will become bigger and stronger than all its siblings. The story however does not
end here. The lesson is that when those who want to buy a pig for consumption arrive, it is the
big piglet that will be given out for sale. The big piglet will then become food for others while its
siblings which had been denied their fair share of food will remain alive. That is what avarice does
to those who have this type of character. Also in OÙ®ka¾nra¾n O®fu;n, Ifa; says:
J'oju;-j'oju; Awo woôn l'o;de E®Ùgba;

J'oôka¾n-j'oôka¾n Awo woôn l'o;de I®je¾ôsôa¾
Oni;gba; i¾soô-n¾soôpi;n
Di;a; fu;n I®ya;-le;ôweôn
E®yi; ti; yo;o; t'oôwoô; b'oôbeô¾
Ti; yo;o; y'eôran Iku; s'eô;nu o
337

EÙni i; gb'e;ôboô ni;'be¾ô ko; wa;a; sô'eôboô o
Translation:
The eye eater, the Awo of E®Ùgba; land

The heart eater, the Awo of I®je¾ôsôa¾ land
Oni;gba; I®soô-n¾soôpi;n
They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for I®ya;-Le;ôweôn
Who dipped her hand into the soup pot
And dropped the meat belonging to Iku;, Death into her mouth
Two, avarice brings disgrace. A greedy person will face shame and condemnation when exposed.
He/she will then be disgraced and be subjected to public odium. In OÙ®ka¾nra¾n El’E:e;gu;n (O®Ùka¾nra¾¾n
O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
Oju; o¾ ti¾ woô;n

Ara o¾ fa; woôn
I®ri¾n eôseôô¾ eô woôn o¾ pada¾
Oju; o¾ ti e¾¾ôgboô;n
O: n; j’ogu;n a¾bu;ro¾
Oju; o¾ ti baba
O: n; j’ogu;n oômoô
Adi¾eô o¾ ni;i; ku;
Ka; d’eôyin reô¾ si;’ta
Di;a; fu;n OÙloô¾ka¾nra¾n
Ti; yo;o; j’ogu;n O®gu;nda;
OÙloô¾ka¾nra¾n lo; j’ogu;n O®gu;nda;
Aye; wa;a; di ru;duru¾du o
Translation:
They lack shame

They do not feel bothered
Their movements remain the same
The elder brother has no shame
He inherits the younger brother’s possessions
338
Omoluabi
The father too is shameless

He inherits his son’s possessions
A fowl will not die
For one to throw away its eggs
These were the declarations of Ifa; for OÙloô¾ka¾nra¾n
The one who took over O®gu;nda;’s inheritance
It was when OÙloô¾ka¾nra¾n inherited O®gu;nda;’s possessions
That the world turned upside down
In any situation where elders convert their younger ones’ possessions to their own personal
belongings, the world is sure to be filled with strife and crises. This is an example of what can
make the world ungovernable. Also in I®wo¾ri¾ Wo¾din (I®wo¾ri¾ O®di;), Ifa; says:
Igi gbi;gbeô ab’i¾di; bu¾te¾ôbu¾te¾ô

Ti;i; sô’oômoô i¾ya; I®din
EÙ wi; fu;n I®wo¾ri¾ ko; wo¾’din o
Oju; o¾ t’e¾ôgboô;n,
O: n; j’ogu;n a¾bu;ro¾
EÙ wi; fu;n I®wo¾ri¾ ko; wo¾’din o
Translation:
A dry piece of wood with a weak base

This was Ifá’s declaration for I®wo¾ri¾
The sibling of I®din
Please tell I®wo¾ri¾ to take care of I®din
The elder lacks shame and decorum
He is busy inheriting the belongings of his younger sibling
Please tell I®wo¾ri¾ to take care of I®din
Three, greed sets people back. Anyone who aspires to be great in life must never be greedy.
Greed reduces the worth and value of a person. In O®Ùsôeô; Olu;ba¾da¾n (O®Ùsôeô; Me;ji¾), Ifa; says:
Inu; u woôn ni o¾ da;ra

I®wa¾ a woôn ni o¾ sunwo¾ôn
Ifa; a woôn ni o¾ sunwo¾ô
Ni o¾ jeô; ki; wo;ôn o; pe¾ woô;n loô ile;
Ki; woôn o; loô re¾ e; j'e¾ru¾ wa;
Di;a; fu;n Ye¾re¾pe¾
Ti;i; sô'oômoô Oni;ka;a¾ meô;ri¾ndi;nlo;gu;n
E®yi; to; l'o;un o; j'oye¾ l'a;a¾rin i¾gbe;ô
339

O: koô'ti; o¾ôgboônyin s’eô;boô
Ye¾re¾pe¾ i¾woô lo o¾ sô’eôni
Ye¾re¾pe¾ i¾woô lo o¾ sô’e¾e¾ya¾n
I®gba¾ ti; wo;ôn fi oô; le;’du¾ oye¾
Lo soô gbogbo ile; d’ahoro
Translation:
Their hearts are impure

And their character is nasty
Even their Ifa; is unacceptable
That is why they are not invited to people’s homes
To cast Ifa; and perform eôboô for others
These were Ifa;’s declarations to Ye¾re¾pe¾, the Nettle
Offspring of the owner of the 16 rooms with big backyards
When planning to assume a position of authority in the forest
Now Ye¾re¾pe¾, you lack manners
Ye¾re¾pe¾ you are not a decent being
When you were installed into a position of authority
You turned the whole community into a deserted area
In this stanza, Ifa; explains the situation of a very important personality who ended up receiving
public odium as a result of his misconduct. He was later removed from office. Another example
can be found in E®ji¾ O®Ùra¾ngu;n (O®fu;n Me;ji¾), where Ifa; says:
O®n¾pa’bi¾ ni;i; j’e¾ji¾

A®gba¾ o¾ôka;nju;wa¾ a j’e¾ôta
To; ba; j’e¾ôta ta;n
A gb’e;ôru¾ u re¾ô, a moô; ya;a loô
Di;a; fu;n eôni iwa;ju;
Ti; yo;o; d’eôni i¾keôyi¾n
N®je;ô a¾i¾mo¾ô’wa¾ a; hu¾ u woôn ni o
A®i¾m’e¾de¾ e; pe¾ e woôn ni
Ara; iwa;ju; o, lo; d’eôni i¾keôyi¾n
A®i¾mo¾ô’wa¾ a; hu¾ u woôn ni o
Translation:
A kola-nut breaker is expected to consume two lobes
340
Omoluabi
An avaricious elder will consume three

After consuming three lobes, he will carry his load by himself and move away
These were the declarations of Ifa; for the Leader
Who would eventually become a Follower
Now, it was their inability to act properly
And their refusal to speak the right words at the appropriate time
These were what turned the Leader into a Follower
It was their inability to act properly
When coming from OÙ®run to Aye;, the 16 major Odu¾ occupied the following positions of Authority
and Seniority, O®fu;n-Me;ji¾, Number One; OÙ®sôeô;-Me;ji¾, Number Two; I®wo¾ri¾ Me;ji¾, Number Three;
O®di;-Me;ji¾, Number Four; I®rosu¾n-Me;ji¾, Number Five; O®Ùwoô;nri;n Me;ji¾, Number Six; OÙ®ba¾ra¾-Me;ji¾,
Number Seven; O®Ùka¾nra¾n-Me;ji¾, Number Eight; O®gu;nda;-Me;ji¾, Number Nine; O®Ùsa;-Me;ji¾, Number 10;
I®ka;-Me;ji¾, Number 11; O®tu;ru;po¾ôn Me;ji¾, Number 12; O®tu;ra;-Me;ji¾, Number 13; I®reôteô¾-Me;ji¾, Number 14;
O®Ùye¾ôku; Me;ji¾, Number 15; and E®ji¾-Ogbe¾, Number 16. When they arrived on earth, they maintained
these positions. O®fu;n-Me;ji¾ and O®Ùsôeô;-Me;ji¾ were accorded full respect and recognition as the
leaders. None of the remaining principal Odu¾ dared question their authority. They did all things
together. Whenever someone would go for Ifa; consultation, O®fu;n-Me;ji¾ would preside over the
event. Whatever he said was final. Whenever they were to break kola nut for their clients, O®fu;n
Meji would be the one to break it. They normally broke kola nut with four lobes. After breaking
the kola nut, O®fu;n-Me;ji¾ would consume three lobes, leaving only one lobe for the remaining 15
principal Odu¾ to eat! OÙ®sôeô; Me;ji¾ would then take that remaining lobe for himself, leaving nothing
behind for the remaining 14 Odu¾! Despite this behavior, nobody was expected to query them for
whatever they did! If their clients offered a she goat as eôboô, O®fu;n Me;ji¾ would take for himself the
two thighs and one arm of the she goat; OÙ®sôeô; Me;ji¾ would take the remaining arm, intestines,
organs and the chest, leaving whatever remained for the remaining 14 Oju;-Odu¾ to share.
While this was going on, it was badly affecting the 14 remaining Oju;-Odu¾. To eat became a
serious problem for them. Before long, they began to grumble against O®fu;n-Me;ji¾ and OÙ®sôeô;-Me;ji¾.
They complained against their style of leadership. They accused them of avarice.
In order to placate the frustrated Oju;-Odu¾, E®ji¾-Ogbe¾, the last in the order of seniority would invite
the Oju;-Odu¾ to his home and entertain them with the little that he had. He would appeal to them
to maintain peace and be patient. He said that O®fu;n-Me;ji¾ would soon see reason to why he
needed to have a change of attitude and approach. While doing this, O®Ùyeô¾ku; Me;ji¾, the second to
the last in the order of seniority, would also assist E®ji¾-Ogbe¾ in entertaining the other Oju;-Odu¾, just
to ensure that peace was maintained.
This went on for several years but O®fu;n-Me;ji¾ saw no reason why he should change his style of
administration and leadership. O®Ùsôeô; Me;ji¾ also kept urging O®fu;n-Me;ji¾ on, telling the others to go and
drop into the lagoon if they were not satisfied.
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Tired of all what was happening, 12 of the remaining 14 Oju;-Odu¾ (they excluded E®ji¾-Ogbe¾,
O®Ùyeô¾ku;-Me;ji¾, O®fu;n-Me;ji¾ and O®Ùsôeô;-Me;ji¾) met secretly and decided that they could no longer accept
O®fu;n-Me;ji¾ and O®Ùsôeô;-Me;ji¾ as their leaders. On that same day, they decided to make E®ji¾-Ogbe¾, the
least in seniority the leader and O®Ùye¾ôku;-Me;ji¾ the deputy. They then moved O®fu;n-Me;ji¾ to the 16th
position and moved O®Ùsôeô;-Me;ji¾ to the 15th position. Before summoning E®ji¾-Ogbe¾, OÙye¾ôku; Me;ji¾, O®fu;n-
Me;ji¾ and O®Ùsôeô;-Me;ji¾, they invited E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ to come and sanction all their deliberation with A®sôeô.
When E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ arrived, he asked them to tell him exactly what had happened. They narrated
the story to him. E®sôu¾ then invited the remaining four Oju;-Odu¾ (principal Odu¾) to explain their
own side of the story. They did.
O®fu;n-Meji was found guilty of avarice and conduct unbecoming of a good leader. He was
therefore moved from the first to the 16 th position as the other Oju; Odu¾ wanted. O®Ùsôeô;-Me;ji¾ was
also found guilty of aiding and abetting what was wrong and unacceptable. He was moved from
the second to the 15th position. On the other hand, E®ji¾-Ogbe¾ was praised for exhibiting exceptional
leadership qualities and was moved from the 16th to the first position. OÙ®ye¾ôku;-Me;ji¾ was also
commended for supporting what was righteous and was moved from the 15 th to the second
position, and this is the way it has been from that day up till today. All was sanctioned by E ®sôu¾-
OÙ®da¾ra¾ and accepted by Olo;du¾mare¾.
Four, greed is very dangerous. Ifa says that avarice kills more people than those who die from
natural deaths. Many people who succumb to greed end up being killed by the same greed.
These people far outnumber those who die naturally. In Ogbe¾ F'ohun F'o;lo;hun (Ogbe¾ O®fu;n), Ifa
says:
Al'e;po ni'ko¾o;lo;
Ke¾ôkeô¾e¾ôkeô¾ la¾a; gb’o;du¾
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùka;nju;a¾
Ti;;i; sôe aka;po¾ Iku;
A®sôe;; O®Ùka;nju;a¾ ni; n; pa¾a¾’ya¾n
Iku; ko;ô!!
Translation:
He who has palm-oil in a small container

He needs to carry the large pot with caution
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®Ùka;nju;a¾, Avarice
The sack carrier for Iku;, Death
He complied
Can’t you see that it is really Avarice that kills?
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Omoluabi
It is not Death!!
OÙ®ka;nju;a¾, Avarice was a subordinate of Iku;, Death. They used to work together. Whenever they
went on hunting expeditions, O®Ùka;nju;a¾ would be the one to carry the sack containing the heads of
all their victims back to the house. Sometimes, they would kill up to 200 people; O Ù®ka;nju;a would
carry all the heads inside the sack. When they would return back to the house, Iku ; would hand
over two heads to O®Ùka;nju;a¾ and he would keep the rest. On other occasions, they would even kill
up to 500 victims in one day. Even when this would occur, Iku; would still not increase the share of
O®Ùka;nju;a¾. This had been going on for a long time and OÙ®ka;nju;a¾ would never utter any complaint.
It got to a stage, however, when what O®Ùka;nju;a¾ was being given, as his own share of their work,
was no longer sufficient for him to maintain his family. He pleaded with Iku; to increase it, and his
plea fell on deaf ears.
Tired of his inability to provide for his family, O®Ùka;nju;a¾ decided to go for Ifa; consultation in order
to determine how to improve the living standard of his beloved ones. He went to the home of the
group of the Awo stated above. During consultation, Ogbe¾-Funfun was revealed.
The Awo told O®Ùka;nju;a¾ that it was an established fact that his own victims far outnumbered the
ones that Iku;, his boss could ever get. It therefore went without saying that his own meat and
heads were supposed to be far more than those of Iku;. The Awo therefore advised him to
separate his business from that of his boss. He was told to carry his own bag and let Iku; carry a
separate one. He was to keep the heads of his own victims inside his own bag and let Iku; do the
same. He was advised to offer eôboô. He complied.
The next day, he went to Iku; and told him that they needed to carry separate sacks as from that
day henceforth. Iku; looked at his subordinate with surprise. He told him that he O®Ùka;nju;a¾ was
complaining of hunger before, the action that he was about to take would be a sure ticket to
starvation. He asked OÙ®ka;nju;a¾ to mention anyone that he had ever killed by himself before. He
told OÙ®ka;nju;a¾ that he would not have pity for him or any member of his household. All the threats
of Iku; failed to change the mind of O®Ùka;nju;a¾. In the end, they set out on their hunting expedition,
each of them carrying separate hunting bags.
As they were going in search of victims, they came across some people who were gathered
together in a small group and were deep in conversation. Upon inquiry, they found out that
someone had just died. They were discussing burial arrangements since the corpse must be
buried on that very day. They decided to make further inquiries in order to determine who was
responsible for the demise of the person, Iku; or O®Ùka;nju;a¾.
The person that they asked questions from told them that the dead person was a very old man.
“What killed him then?" Iku; asked. The man responded thus: “Before Iku; could take this old
man away, he had really accomplished all his heart’s desires in life. He had a compatible spouse,
lovely children and lived a reasonably comfortable life”. The man paused a little, then added; “I
pray to all the O®ri¾sôa¾ and Iru;nmoôleô¾ to make it possible for me to live the type of life that this man
had lived before Iku; came to take him home".
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When the man finished his speech, both Iku; and O®Ùka;nju;a¾ looked at each other knowingly.
O®Ùka;nju;a¾ told Iku; that, “this is your own meat because of the way the man had died. You are the
one responsible for this man’s death. You are therefore free to cut off his head and put it in your
bag”. Iku; looked at O®Ùka;nju;a¾ and said that O®Ùka;nju;a¾ would return home empty-handed that day.
O®Ùka;nju;a¾ on the other hand was totally confident of the prediction of Ifa;. He simply told Iku; that if
he returned home empty-handed, so be it.
They continued on their search. They arrived at a home where an old woman had just died. The
burial arrangement was being discussed with pomp and pageantry. They called someone aside in
order to enquire about what was responsible for the woman’s death. The man that they called
aside said with excitement; “This woman had nothing to regret for being taken home by Iku;.
Why should she complain? She had lived to her old age. She was the oldest woman in the whole
community. She was properly taken care of by her children and neigbors alike. She was a kind-
hearted and humorous woman. She always told us that anytime that Iku; was ready to take her
away, she was fully prepared for him. She was never afraid of Iku; at all. When Iku; came to take
her away, she died a happy woman. She even died in the hands of all her children and loved
ones!”. The man paused a little and then concluded; “I am one of the friends of her children. We
are going to bury her as our own mother. She had extended her love and care to all of us before
Iku; took her away. She was the mother of the whole community”.
Once again, Iku; and O®Ùka;nju;a¾ looked at each other. When the man who gave them the information
left to join his colleagues, OÙ®ka;nju;a¾ told Iku; again to go and cut off the head of the woman since it
was certain that the meat belonged to him because of the way she had died. Again, Iku ; made
jest of OÙ®ka;nju;a¾. As they were going, Iku; told O®Ùka;nju;a¾, “I am in an expansive mood today. Now
that it is clear to you that you cannot kill anyone outside of me, I am prepared to take a
compassionate look at you and accept you back as my subordinate but only if you tender an
unreserved apology to me now for having the temerity to force your independence from me. You
must however promise that you will never exhibit such silly misbehavior again in your life”.
OÙ®ka;nju;a¾ looked at Iku; and smiled. He told Iku; that, "There comes a time in the life of anyone
when he has to take a solemn appraisal of his life and face the reality of his destiny. It is clear to
me that my existence as your subordinate will never give me the self-realization that I crave for in
my life. Let me be. If I cannot find any food and I starve, so be it. I will search for other
assignments and continue on my way. I am convinced that I need to be independent at this
moment“.
As soon as they ended this discussion, they continued in their search. They soon got to the
frontage of a compound where everybody present was screaming, wailing, crying and rolling
themselves on the ground. They were shouting that the demise of a young man should not have
come at that time at all. He was the only son of the family. He was the only one taking care of
his two parents who were very ill. Why must he die at that moment? His demise, they screamed,
would lead to the abandonment of his parents. This would surely lead to the suffering and painful
but regrettable demise of his parents. Oh! What a pity!
Iku; and O®Ùka;nju;a¾ called someone aside and asked; “friend, please tell us what is really responsible
344
Omoluabi
for this man’s death at this prime age”. The lady they called aside asked them to let them go a
little further from the crowd. They did. She then looked from side to side to ensure that nobody
was within hearing distance of whatever she was about to say. When she was sure that nobody
was within earshot, she whispered, “Do not mind those weeping. All of us know that it was not
Iku; who killed him. It was O®Ùka;nju;a¾”. How? They asked her to explain further. The woman said;
“This young man had everything that anyone could pray for in life. He married the most beautiful
woman in the land. He gave birth to two lovely kids. He had a big farm where many people
worked for him. He also had a successful trading business. What else did he want? He was
never satisfied with all these. He thus became the head of a dangerous armed robbery gang.
They had been robbing everyone in the neighborhood. Tired of experiencing these losses, the
neighbors organized together and employed the services of three hunters from I®da¾ho¾ômeô¾ land.
These robbers were totally unaware of this. They sent messages to the neighborhood that they
would come yesterday night to rob. True to their words, they came. This is how daring they
were. Unfortunately for them, they met more than their match when they arrived. The dead man
was shot with a poisonous arrow. The arrow pierced his throat and came out from the back of his
skull. He died instantly. His comrades in robbery brought his corpse home in the dead of the
night”. This is what she shared and she then rested. She concluded her lengthy speech by
saying; "Please do not mind them, O®Ùka;nju;a¾ killed him, I must return and pretend that his death
pained me or I may face reprisal from his relatives”. The woman left and began to cry and wail
and roll herself on the ground as the others were doing. Her own cries were even more piteous
than those of the others.
As soon as they were alone, OÙ®ka;nju;a¾ told Iku; that the meat belonged to him since he O®Ùka;nju;a¾
was responsible for the man’s death. He then proceeded to cut off the victim’s head and deposit
it in his bag.
They moved again. They soon got to the frontage of a compound where people wore melancholic
looks. Why? A young man had just died. They called someone aside in order to determine what
was responsible for the man’s death. They were informed that as soon as the man died,
everybody was blaming Iku; for snatching the man away at a premature age. Their informant
however told them that Iku; was not responsible for the man’s death. Rather, it was O®Ùka;nju;a;¾ who
killed the man. How? The man explained that the dead man and his friend started a joint trading
business. They contributed equal amounts of money to start the business. However, the moment
the business commenced, the dead man never participated in the business again. He abandoned
everything in the hands of his friend. The friend complained several times but he did not
respond. For seven months, the friend was toiling and suffering alone. The friend encountered
and overcame all the teething problems that were usually associated with any new enterprise
alone. At the end of the day, the business succeeded. There was profit to be shared. The friend
then called upon the dead man and accounted everything to him. The problems started however
when the man told his absentee friend that he would deduct all the expenses from the profit
before they shared the rest. The friend also told his absentee friend that the profit would not be
shared equally since he did not participate in nurturing the business to success. The absentee
friend did not accept any of what he was saying. He did not want to know anything about
running expenses and he insisted that the gross profit must be shared equally. This led to a
serious argument. In the end, the absentee friend left his partner in anger. He did not agree to
345
the sharing formula.
As soon as the absentee partner got home, he began to tell everyone who cared to listen that his
friend had cheated him. He organized some wild-looking people to go and attack his friend and
take all the profits from him. He led them to the friend’s house. A serious fight ensued. Those
who knew about the business situation came to the friend’s rescue when he was about to be
beaten to death. In the melee, the absentee partner was hit on the head with a club. His skull
cracked and he died in the evening of that day. The informant laid emphasis on the fact that it
was O®Ùka;nju;a¾, Avarice that had killed him. Hearing this explanation, OÙ®ka;nju;a¾ cut off the victims
head and deposited it in his bag.
They moved on again. They got to the frontage of yet another compound, it was a pitiful
spectacle. Everyone was weeping. The air of grief was almost touchable. Why? A young lady
had just died. They called a friend of hers aside to ask her what led to the death of her friend.
The lady said,”she died of a terrible contagious disease caused by her Avarice. It was O®Ùka;nju;a¾
that killed her. If I must say, it served her right". Why must she say a thing like that against her
dead friend? She responded that the dead friend had three men that she was sleeping with at
the same time and even these were not enough for her. She then went and snatched her friend’s
only man away from her and slept with him also. This woman remained unmarried because she
was enjoying sleeping with many men. She never married any of the four men. She kept jumping
from one man to the other. In the end, she ended up contracting a terrible disease from one of
her many sexual partners that eventually caused her death. It was not Iku; that killed her; it was
OÙ®ka;nju;a¾.
They then went to another compound. Another youth had just died. This time, it was a male
youth in his 40s. What killed him? The person that they asked responded that it was Avarice,
OÙ®ka;nju;a¾. How? The response was: He had five wives and he was still not satisfied with the wives
he had. He then planned to snatch the only wife of his fellow neighbor. The neighbor approached
him and told him to leave his wife alone. He told the neighbor that there was nothing he could do
to stop him. The neighbor then arranged for vigilante groups to keep tabs on him and report any
time the man was with his wife. It did not take up to three days before he was caught with the
neighbor’s wife right inside the neighbor’s house! When he was about to be caught, he jumped
out through the window and fell into a well head first and broke his neck. Before any help could
be arranged for him, he had drowned in the well. It was OÙ®ka;nju;a¾ that killed him.
On and on they went, and repeatedly they heard almost similar stories. Business was a little dull
that day for Iku; and O®Ùka;nju;a¾. They returned home and counted 97 heads. Out of these however,
eight belonged to Iku; and the remaining 89 belonged to O®Ùka;nju;a¾.
The next day and all other subsequent days were not different at all. Most of the time, while Iku;
would be taking two people’s heads home, O®Ùka;nju;a¾ would be taking the heads of several others.
O®Ùka;nju;a¾ definitely proved to be more responsible for the death of people, then Iku; himself
because many more people seemed to die from avarice than natural means.
From the story above, it is clear that people destroy their own lives through avarice. Avarice is
346
Omoluabi
something that happens when one is too much in a hurry to achieve something. An avaricious
person is like someone who cooks a very delicious soup and who is in a hurry to consume the
soup when it is still too hot to eat. Doing so will damage this person's tongue, mouth, and
alimentary canal. But if he/she had waited a little more, he/she would have enjoyed the soup.
There is another stanza in I®rosu¾n Ake¾re¾gbe¾ (I®rosu¾n Ogbe¾), which supports the fact that greed kills
more than death. In this stanza, Ifa; says:
Oni;kolo ni;'gbu¾u;nwo;ô
A®ku¾koôdi¾eô f'eôseô¾ me;je¾e¾ji¾ da'po nu¾
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùka;nju;a¾
Ti;i; sôe Ikoô¾ Iku;
Iku; kan ki¾i; pa'ni o
O®Ùka;nju;a¾ ni;i; pa¾a¾'ya¾n
Translation:
Oni;kolo ni;'gbu¾u;nwo;ô
The rooster uses his two legs to turn the container of palm oil upside down
This was Ifa;'s declaration for O®Ùka;nju;a¾, Avarice
The delegate of Iku;, Death
He complied
Death does not kill anyone
It is avarice that kills
In OÙ®ye¾ôku; Paki;no¾ôsôeô; (OÙ®ye¾ôku; O®Ùsôeô;), Ifa; says:
O®Ùka;nju;a¾ ki¾i; m'e¾ôjeô¾ eôleô;je¾ô

EÙ®je¾ô ara eô¾ ni;i; ma n; mu
Di;a; fu;n Ri;ro¾
Ti; n; loô re¾e; gb'awo ni;'le; OÙloô;fin
Translation:
Avarice does not suck another person’s blood

It is the blood of the avaricious person that it sucks
This was the declaration of Ifá for Ri;ro¾
When going on an Ifa mission to the OÙloô;fin’s domain
Five, greed makes people to act beyond their capability. A greedy person finds it difficult to know
his/her true worth. The reason for this is that the greedy person believes in converting other
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people’s belongings to his/her own. The moment he/she finds it difficult to find and convert other
people’s hard earned belongings to his/her own, then trouble arises. In I®wo¾ri¾ OÙ®da;nri;n (I®wo¾ri¾
O®Ùwoô;nri;n), Ifa; advises us never to act more than what is our true worth (our capabilities). In this
Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Bi; a ti moô la¾a; sôe

Bi; a o¾ ba; l'e;ôsôin
A ki¾i; ro; we¾ônweô¾n
Di;a; fu;n E®e¾po E®Ùpa¾
Ti; yo;o; je;ô po;si; i¾ya; E®Ùli;ri;
Translation:
We must always act according to our worth (our capabilities)

If we have no horse
We must not go about with reins
This was the declaration of Ifa; for the Peanut Shell
Which would become the coffin of the mother of the mini rat
She complied
Six, avoid the temptation of greed. Instead simply plan for today and the future. Ifa; says that it
is the responsibility of all those striving to become OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to plan for now and the future. With
a good plan from now, the future will be secured more effectively. In another stanza of I®wo¾ri¾
O®Ùda;nri;n (I®wo¾¾ri¾ O®Ùwoô;nri;n), Ifa; says:
Ka; tu'boô fa;’le;ô
Ka; t’e¾ru¾ f'a;a¾a;ro¾ô
Ba; o¾ ba; tu'boô f'a;le;ô
Ba; o¾ ba; t'e¾ru¾ f'a;a¾a;ro¾ô
Gi;jangi;yan ni;i; mu;'le; aye;
Du¾gbe¾ôdu¾gbe¾ô a si¾ m'o;de o¾ôrun
A®bi¾wa;
A®b®i¾yu;n
A®si¾ba¾ ile¾ôku¾n
Di;a; fu;n SÙa¾we¾ôlo;lo;
Ti; n; m'e;ônu su¾nrahu¾n oômoô
348
Omoluabi
Translation:
Let us make provisions for the evening time

Let us make preparations for the morning time
If we fail to make provisions for the evening time
If we fail to make preparations for the morning time
Anxiety will envelope the world
And crises will greet the heavens
The comings
And the goings
Even the securing of the doors
These were the declarations of Ifa; for SÙa¾we¾ôlo;lo;
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that anyone who fails to make proper and adequate provisions for the
present and the future he/she will end up living his/her life in a state of anxiety, confusion,
insecurity and hopelessness. In another stanza of the same Odu¾ I®wo¾ri¾ OÙ®woô;nri;n, Ifa; says:
Ti; a ba; ti ji; tu;u;

Ka; wa; ji;jeô, ka; wa; mi;mu f'e;ônu
EÙni ti; o; ji;, to; l'o;un o¾ le¾ wa; ohun ji;jeô mi;mu f'e;ônu
Fi;kan fi;kan a ma;a gba'le; aye;
Du¾gbe¾ô-du¾gbe¾ô a si¾ maa gb'o¾de o¾ôrun
Di;a; fu;n EÙboôyoômi;
Ti;i; sôe oômoô OÙloô;fin
Translation:
As soon as we wake up early in the morning

Let us look for food and drink for our mouth
He who wakes up, and declares that he cannot look for food and drink for his mouth
Anxiety will envelope his world
And crises will envelope his heaven
Ifa;’s message for EÙboôyoômi;, EÙboô rescues me
The child of OÙloô;fin
Seven, remember that whatever you do, Olo;du¾mare¾ is looking at you. Ifa; says that when you do
anything in secret, even if nobody in this world sees you, Olo;du¾mare¾ is seeing you. What we
need to be conscious of more than any other thing in the world is the inevitable and inexcapable
judgement of Olo;du¾mare¾. For this reason, we must always be demonstrating good character
100% of the time. In O®Ùka¾nra¾n I®jeôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n (OÙ®ka¾nra¾n O®tu;ru;po¾ôn), Ifa; says:
349
O® mu; ohun l'a;ja¾

Fi boô eô¾yi¾n
Bi; OÙba aye; o¾ ri; i
OÙba o¾ôrun n; wo¾ o;
Di;;a; fu;n OÙloô¾ka¾nra¾n
Ti; n; loô re¾e; f’e;ôbi¾nrin Olu;wo
Ifa; a ki;n ni eô da;
Ti; e¾ô n; ko; ye¾ôtuyeô¾tu
OÙlo¾ôka¾nra¾n lo; n; tu; l'e;ôpoô¾n
Translation:
He who steals something from the pantry

And hides it behind him
If the leaders of the world do not see him
The leader of heaven is surely seeing him
These were Ifa;’s declarations for OÙloô¾ka¾nra¾n
Who was having an illicit love affair with the wife of Olu;wo
What Ifa; did you cast
That is making you run helter skelter?
It is OÙloô¾ka¾nra¾¾n who has a sexually transmitted disease that is destroying his scrotum
In this Odu¾, OÙloô¾ka¾nra¾n had his own wife at home, but he was not satisfied with the woman who
Olo;du¾mare¾ had blessed him with. Because of this he began having an illicit love relationship with
the wife of the Olu;wo. He ended up contracting a sexually transmitted disease which perforated
and destroyed his scrotum. This made it totally impossible for him to make love to any one again,
even his own wife. In O®tu;ra; Amo;su¾n (O®tu;ra; I®rosu¾n), Ifa; says:
O®Ùka;nju;a¾ o¾un ole¾ ni;i; keô'ju; kokooko mo;ô’un oni;hun

Di;a; fu;n I®woô
Ti;i; sô’oômoô Ele;si¾eô; I®go
E®yi; ti; yo;o; sô’oôkoô ya¾n
Ti; yo;o; f’eôseô¾ me;je¾e¾ji¾ ko; si;’le; Iku; ko;ro;
Ti; yo;o; si¾ ti’be¾ô boô; si;’le; A®ru¾n gi¾ja¾
I®woô lo; wa;a; sô’oôkoô ya¾n
O: wa; n; ko; sôi¾go-si¾go
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Omoluabi
Translation:
The avaricious one and the thief are the ones glancing longingly at other people’s belongings
These were Ifa;’s declarations for I®woô
The daughter of Ele;si¾eô; I®go
Who would pick the wrong person as her husband
And would jump with her two legs into the home of Death
And would jump from there to the home of Affliction
You were the one who picked the wrong person as your husband
And you are now running helter-skelter
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that greed and lack of satisfaction made I®woô,ô the daughter Ele;se I®go to
continuously choose the wrong spouse. As she moved from the home of Death, she landed in the
home of Affliction. Also, in I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ p’a¾ju¾ba¾ (I®wo¾ri¾ O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
Bo; ba; le¾ ba¾’ya;

Ko; ba¾’ya;
Bi; o¾ ba¾’ya;
EÙya; n; re'le; lo¾ôoô; te;ô'fa;
Awo Ata lo; di;a; f'A:ta
Ata n; loô yan Obi¾ l'a;le¾
O®ro¾joô; a gbo;ô’ku; Obi¾¾
La gboô;'ku; Ata
Translation:
If it wants to tear to pieces

Let it tear to pieces
If it does not tear to pieces
Let us go home for Ifa; consultation
The Awo of Ata, the Alligator Pepper
He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for the Alligator pepper
When he wanted to become the secret lover of the Obi¾, the Kola nut
On the day that we heard of the death of Obi¾
It was that same day that we heard of the death of Ata
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that Ata, the Alligator pepper had his own wife and Obi¾, the Kola nut had
a successful and good marriage. Both of them however were not satisfied with what God had
351
given them. They wanted more so they decided to start an illicit love affair with one another.
Unfortunately for the two of them, the day that Obi¾ was killed was the same day that Ata also lost
his life.
Eight, do not break your own laws, pronouncements, or rules around things because in doing so
people will lose their trust in you. Ifa; says that many people in positions of authority usually
break the law that they had promulgated as a result of greed. An example of this fact can be
found in I®wo¾ri¾ Me;ji¾, where Ifa; says:
A®gba¾ to; sô’o¾fin yo¾ônmoô¾ti;

Ki; wo;ôn ma; sôe ka; o¾ôkan moô; a¾po¾ o re¾ô la;i;la;i;
Baba n; loô re¾e; da;’ko eti;le;
N®je;ô mo r’o;ju; ole¾ l’o;ko o¾ mi o
E®mi ma¾ ma¾ r’o;ju; ole¾
E®mi o¾ jeô; wi; o
Mo r’o;ju; ole¾ l’o;ko o¾ mi o
Translation:
The elder who has placed a ban on benniseed

One seed of it must never be found in his pocket
This was Ifa;’s declaration to O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When going to cultivate farm on the outskirts of the village
He was advised to offer eôboô.
He compied
I have found thieves stealing on my farm
I have been able to identify the thieves
But I dare not say who they are
I have found thieves stealing on my farm
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ went to I®go;do; land as a Babala;wo. While in I®go;do;, he discovered that the inhabitants
of this town knew nothing about benniseed and its medicinal values. He therefore approached
the OÙba of the town to encourage his people to grow the seed. They all showed lack of interest
in the venture. He explained again that oil could be extracted from the seeds and that the seeds
had great medicinal value. Yet they showed no interest.
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾, in order to prove to the inhabitants of I®go;do; that they were about to throw away a
golden chance, decided to cultivate the benniseed farm by himself. He therefore approached the
OÙba once again to seek a parcel of land in the outskirts of the town. The land was granted to
him. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ asked for paid laborers to help him clear the farm and plant the seeds. He also
had workers who were wetting the farm when required.
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Omoluabi
Soon after, the seeds began to germinate. When it was about time to begin to harvest the seeds,
he discovered that others had been harvesting behind his back. He went to report his findings to
the OÙba. The OÙba advised him to be vigilant and to be on the look-out for those who might want
to sell the seeds in the market. When this measure did not solve the problem, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
approached the OÙba again for a better solution to the problem. The OÙba then informed the town
criers to announce that all the inhabitants should assemble in front of the OÙba’s palace the
following morning. When they had all assembled, the OÙÙba informed them of what had been
happening to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. He then decreed that nobody should be found with a single seed of
benniseed since nobody was cultivating its plantation except OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. Everybody agreed and
dispersed.
The following day, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ went to his farm, only to discover that more of the seeds had been
removed by these unknown hoodlums. Consequent upon this, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ went to the home of the
Awo mentioned above for Ifa; consultation: Will I be able to catch the thieves stealing his farm
products? Will I be able to make any profit from this experiment of mine with the benniseed
plantation?
The Awo assured him that the thieves who were stealing his things would be exposed. He was
however warned that he should not raise an alarm whenever they were caught. Instead, he
should make sure that an all-abiding oath was sworn to so that the culprit or culprits would desist
from their nefarious acts. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was warned that exposing the culprits might tear the town
apart because of the fear and distrust that it would create. He was told to offer eôboô. He was also
advised to feed E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ did all these things immediately.
About three days later, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was fast asleep at night when he suddenly woke up with the
feeling that some people were in his farm and that he needed to go there urgently. He set out for
the farm. Right inside the farm, he caught the OÙba and many of his highly placed chiefs with
benniseeds in their pockets, hands, mouths and filled inside several bags that they had brought to
cart the product away as they were about to leave the farm with their loot.
Immediately they saw OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾, they knew that it would be fruitless to bolt away. They also
knew that they could not harm or kill him in order to hide their misdeed. They all took the next
available option open to them; they all prostrated to him and began to beg him. When he saw
this, he first had the urge to raise an alarm in order to attract people to the scene. He however
remembered the warning of his Awo. He therefore made them swear an oath that they would
never steal or get themselves involved in any act unbecoming of highly placed individuals of their
caliber again. They did. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ then swore on them that any of them who went against the
oath they had sworn to would die a shameful and unceremonious death. They all said A®sôeô, may it
be so. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ then let them go, but took back his belongings from them. As from that time,
nobody stole anything from his farm again. The community too did not report any serious
incident of stolen items any more.
As we can see in this Odu, the culprit was the most unsuspectable person in the community.
Social status does not stop a person for being greedy. All those who are working towards
becoming OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; in life must shun greed and embrace uprightness.
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CHAPTER NINETEEN
OÙÙ®ba¾ra¾ O®Ùsa; ke¾ôeô;ke¾ôeô;
O®Ùba¾ra¾ OÙ®sa; ku¾u;ku¾u;
OÙ®ba¾ra¾ OÙ®sa; ku¾n¾duru-ku¾n¾duru
Di;a; fu;n Oni;bi¾i;yo¾ô
Di;a; fu;n Bi;bi;-Ire
N®je;ô eô w’oômoô bi;bi;-ire o
EÙ o¾ w’oômoô oni;bi¾i; o
Bo; ti n; yo¾ô l’a;yo¾ô ju¾
EÙ w’oômoô bi;bi; ire o
OÙ®ba¾ra¾ O®Ùsa;
Translation:
OÙÙ®ba¾ra¾ O®Ùsa; ke¾ôeô;ke¾ôeô;

O®Ùba¾ra¾ OÙ®sa; ku¾u;ku¾u;
OÙ®ba¾ra¾ OÙ®sa; ku¾n¾duru-ku¾n¾duru
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Oni;bi¾i;yo¾ô
And also for Bi;bi;-ire
They complied
Can’t you see the thoroughbred child?
Can’t you see the child who has a responsible family who is celebrating his joy?
Can’t you see the thoroughbred child?
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Omoluabi
THE 40 QUALITIES OF AN OÙMOÙLU:A®BI:
Based on the various information given by Ifa; on the thoughts, speeches and actions that are
capable of strengthening the rope of life and those capable of threatening it, the following are the
qualities and characteristics of an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. If a person can follow these qualities as stipulated by
Ifa;, that person is an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;, a complete human being and a role model, worthy of emulation:
1. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is a person who recognizes the fact that nobody is perfect, and by extention,
he/she is not perfect. He/she is someone who admits that as a human being, he/she has his/her
areas of inadequacies and imperfection. Based on this admission, he/she tries to work on his/her
areas of weaknesses in order to eliminate them or reduce them to the barest minimum. In I®din O
Be¾ôeô¾ru¾ I®ja¾ (O®di; O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
Bo¾¾ôroô¾ki¾nni; o¾ ko; i¾wa¾ ja;

EÙni¾kan ki¾i; sôeun-sôeun
Ko; ma; ku¾ si; 'bi¾kan
Di;a; fu;n Oni;keda;
OÙmoô ab'o¾ro bi;'moô
Translation:
A resprected personality is not perfect in all areas

Nobody is so good
For him not to be lacking in one area
These were the declarations of Ifa; for Oni;keda;
He who propitiated the O®ro tree before receiving the blessing of a baby
He complied
2An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; recognizes the fact that no matter how hard anyone tries, he/she cannot satisfy
everyone. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; needs to do his/her best in anything that he/she lays his/her hands upon
but the fact that some people may not be satisfied must not deter an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; from trying
his/her best. As long as he/she satisfies himself/herself that he/she has put in his/her best effort,
the rest should be left in the hands of Olo;du¾mare¾. In E®ji¾ OÙ®ra¾ngu;n (O®fu;n Me;ji¾), Ifa; says:
Aye; l’o¾kun
E®ni¾ya¾n l’o¾ôsa¾
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A ki¾i; mo¾ô oô; we¾ô ka; fi ka;’le; aye; ja;

Di;a; fu;n A®be
To; l’o;hun o; j’oye¾ Olo;ore
Translation:
The sea represents the world

The lagoon represents human beings there-in
No expert swimmer can swim the length and breadth of the sea, which represents the world
These were Ifa;’s declarations to A®be
Who wanted to take the title of the Benefactor
Also in OÙ®ba¾ra¾ O®Ùka¾nra¾n, Ifa; says:
Aye; l'o¾kun
E®e¾ya¾n l'o¾ôsa¾
A ki¾i; mo¾ôoô; we¾ô ka; ko;'le; aye; ja;
Di;a; fu;n Be¾ôm¾beô;
Ti; n; beô l’a;gbate¾ômoô; ogun oômoô ara;ye;
EÙ wa;a; ba;’ni l’a;ru¾u;sôeô; ogun
Translation:
The sea represents the world

The lagoon represents human beings there-in
No expert swimmer can swim the length and breadth of the sea, which represents the world
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the Be¾ôm¾beô; drum
When in the midst of conspiracy
He complied
Come and join us were we overcome enemies
3. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; knows that nobody has a monopoly on knowledge. What is strange to one person
may be a common occurrence to another person. What is difficult for one person may be easy for
another person. Nobody can lay claim to any exclusiveness in knowledge. In OÙloôgboô;n Me;ji¾
(O®tu;ru;po¾ôn Me;ji¾), Ifa; says:
OÙloô;gbo;ôn o¾ ta ko;ko; omi s’e;ti; asôoô
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Omoluabi
Moô¾ra¾n-mo¾ôra¾n kan o¾ moô iye eru¾pe¾ô ileô¾

Ari¾nna¾ka; o¾ de;’bi ile¾ô gbe; p'e¾ôkun
Gungi-gungi o¾ gun’gi re; koôja; ewe;
Baba n; sô’awo loô I®lu; A®a;nu;
Translation:
The wise cannot tie water into a knot with cloth

The knowledgeable cannot know the number of sand grains on the ground
A traveler cannot walk and reach the end of a road
A tree climber cannot climb a tree beyond its leaves
When going to the land of A®a;nu;, Compassion
4. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is a realistic person. He/she knows what he/she can do successfully and what
he/she cannot. He/she does not pursue unrealistic goals or try to accomplish a task he/she knows
nothing about. Not only this, he/she knows when to give up on something that cannot be
realized. In I®rosu¾n Me;ji¾ for instance, OÙ®sôun was asked to come and help use her power to catch a
hovering eagle. She responded that that was not her area of competence. Her competence was in
the area of turning barren women into proud mothers and that was exactly what she did. In this
stanza, Ifa; says:
Ba; a ti wu¾ ka; ri¾n to;

E®Ùyi¾n la¾a; fi e¾ki¾ti¾ i¾di; si;
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùsôun EÙ®wu¾ji;
Ti; n; loô re¾e; ra 'La;ba;nde; l'e;ôru;
OÙ®sôun o¾ le¾ m'a;wo¾di¾ o¾ke¾ moô;
'La;ba;nde; l’O®Ùsôun le¾ m'eô;je¾ô si; ni;;'nu;
Translation:
No matter how far we may go

We shall surely leave behind the ant hill
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®Ùsôun EÙ®wu¾ji;
When going to purchase 'La;ba;nde; as her slave
She complied
OÙ®sôun could not catch the hovering eagle
O®Ùsôun however put blood into the womb of 'La;ba;nde; (helped her become pregnant)
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Another example can be found in O®Ùye¾ôku; B’e¾tu¾ la; (O®Ùyeô¾ku; O®tu;ra;), where Ifa; says that a realistic
person must not carry a burden that will eventually destroy or kill him/her for another person. In
this stanza, Ifa; explains that the wall was seriously ill, and the support plank was placed against
the wall to give it strength. It got to a stage however that both the wall and the support plank lost
their lives. Ifa; says that an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must not put himself/herself in the position of the support
plank. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Oni;’le; moô’le;
Woôn o¾ ba; amo¾ômoô¾ wi;
Emi l’ala;re¾e;koôja;’na¾ n; pe; amo¾ômoô¾ oô; sôe
O®ko¾ fi¾ri¾ po¾ôoô¾ l’eô;yi¾n amo¾ômoô¾
Di;a; fu;n O®giri
A bu¾ fu;n pa¾la¾ka¾
Woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn ru;’boô si; l’ai¾ku; ara a woôn
Woô;n koô’ti; o¾ôgboônyin s’eô;boô
A®ti o¾giri
A®ti pa¾la¾ka¾¾
Ipa; ma¾ ma¾ n; ku;n woôn oô; bo¾ô wa; l’o;ôla o
Translation:
When the owner of the house constructed his house

He had no problem with the lizard
I don’t know what the passer-by said was the reptile’s offense
A heavy stone was pelted against the reptile and it hit him on the back
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®giri, the Wall
And also for Pa¾la¾ka¾¾, the Support Plank
They were both advised to offer eôboô against untimely death
O®giri, the wall
And Pa¾la¾ka¾, the supporting pillará
Tomorrow they will soon be tired and exasperated
5. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is original in all his/her thoughts, speeches and actions. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is someone
who shapes his/her own path in life without necessarily copying others. He/she however will be
thinking, speaking and acting in ways that are consistent with his/her capabilities and in
consonance with his/her chosen path in life/destiny. One will not engage in activities that are not
within ones abilities or that are not in consonance with one’s destiny. In I®wo¾ri¾ O® R’e¾ôku; (I®wo¾ri¾
OÙ®ye¾ôku;), Ifa; says:
O®Ùsôoô; oôloôs; oô ô¾oô; o¾ yeô‘ni

A®gba¾wo¾ô oô sôok¾ o¾to¾ o¾ yeô oômoô e¾ni¾ya¾n
A®gba¾bo¾ô oô sôok¾ o¾to¾, ti; o¾ ba; fu;n woôn l‘eôs; e¾ô
A sôo¾ woôn;
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Omoluabi
Di;a; fu;n Pe;ôpeôy; eô

Ti; yo;o; maa sô‘o¾wo¾ e¾ôku; ni; ri;ru¾
EÙboôô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe...
Translation:
Borrowed jewelry does not befit the user

Borrowing trousers to wear is not a beffiting act for humans
Borrowed trousers, if they are not too tight around the thighs
They will jump above the ankles (be well above the ankles)
These were the declarations of Ifá for the Duck
When going to make the art of wearing Egúngún costumes his profession
Also in O®tu;ra; EÙleô;fu¾u;nde¾re (O®tu;ra; O®fu;n), Ifa; says:
Koôkoôroôgu;n-u¾n mi O®sôe;mu;sôe;mu;
Di;a; fu;n Me;ee;ye¾
Ti; n; ba; woôn loô s’o;ko e¾bu¾ro;
Olo;gu;n n; he ogu;n
OÙloô;gbo¾ôn n; he oôgboô¾n
Ala;a¾a;do;ôta n; he a¾a;do;ôta o
OÙ®kan sôosôo pe;re; ni Me;e¾e;ye¾ he o
Translation:
My Koôkoôroôgu;n shrub with sharp thorns

This was the declaration of Ifa; for Me;e¾e;ye¾
When going to the farm to pick e¾bu¾ro; seeds
She complied
Some picked 20 seeds (e¾bu¾ro; seeds)
Me;e¾e;ye¾ was able to pick only one seed
Me;e¾e;ye¾ and her colleagues went to the farm in search of E®bu¾ro; seeds. Some of her colleagues
found and picked 20, some picked 30, others picked 50, but Me;e¾e;ye¾ found and picked only one.
They were making jest of her that she would not be able to sell only one in the market, and if she
did, the money she would make from it would be nothing compared to what they would make.
When they were about to cross the makeshift bridge on their way back home, Me;e¾e;ye¾ fell into the
359
stream and her e¾bu¾ro; seed washed off her hand. She pursued it, until she found herself in a big
city. Some of the people from the big city pulled her out of the stream and inquired from her
what her mission was. She explained her ordeal. She was given three small gourds and asked to
return to her home. She was asked to hit the gourds on the floor of her room when she got
home. She did. In the first gourd she found expensive beads, in the second gourd was gold and
diamonds, and in the third gourd was expensive clothing materials. Me;e¾e;ye¾ became an instant
success.
She shared part of her success with her bosom friend. This friend however was not satisfied with
what she had been given. She asked Me;e¾e;ye¾ to explain to her exactly how she made her
success. Me;e¾e;ye¾ told her. The friend then quietly returned all what Me;e¾e;ye¾ had given to her.
The next time that they went in search of the e¾bu¾ro; seeds, this friend went with them. She saw
many seeds but picked only one. On their way back home, she threw her e¾bu¾ro; seed into the
stream and jumped into the stream to pursue it. She followed the seed until she got to the same
big city that Me;e¾e;ye¾ saw the last time. They pulled her out of the stream. She told them that
she had come for them to make her as successful as Me;e¾e;ye¾. They gave her three gourds and
asked her to hit them on the floor of her room when she got home. She could not wait to get to
her home however and because of her impatience, she decided to break one of the gourds on the
ground on the way home. When she broke the first gourd bees flew out and stung her
mercilessly. She ran all the way home. When she got to her home, she then threw the second
and third gourds down at the same time in her room and ants and snakes came out and bit her to
death.
This is why it is one of the wise sayings of elders today that: “EÙni¾kan ki¾i; f'ori; w’o;ri; i Me;e¾e;ye¾ loô oko
e¾bu¾ro;” meaning “nobody can compare his luck to that of Me;e¾e;ye¾ when going to the farm in
search of e¾bu¾ro; seeds”.
6. In a bid to maintain originality, an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must recognize the fact that “different” does not
necessarily mean ”wrong”. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must not deceive himself/herself into thinking that it is
only how he/she does things that are the correct way. There are several ways that lead to the
market and there is not only one route that leads to solutions to problems or to accomplishment
of any goal. There are usually several effective ways of solving issues or achieving things. The
point to keep in mind however is ensuring that your method or the methods of others are actually
efficacious. In OÙloôgboô;n Me;ji¾ (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn Me;ji¾), Ifa; says:
EÙmoô; gbo;ôn
EÙmoô; n; sun ori; i¾te;ô
A®fe¾ e; gbo;ôn
A®fe¾ n; sun ile¾ôeô;le¾ô
Di;a; fu;n Ala;pinni, o¾fo¾ri; i pa;a¾ oku¾n
OÙmoô a-mu;-pasôan teô;e;ôreô; l'o;ôwoô; sôa;a;ju; Egu;ngu;n
EÙku;n oômoô lo; n; sun o
I®gba¾ to; te¾te¾ gb'eô;boô ni;'be¾ô
Ni; n; bi;'moô weôeôreô o
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Omoluabi
Translation:
EÙmo;;ô, the Brown Rat is wise
It sleeps in a nest
A®fe¾, the Striped Rat is wise
It sleeps on the ground
These were the declarations of Ifa; for Ala;pinni also known as “O®fo¾ri; i pa;a¾ oku¾n”
Offspring of those who carry a slender switch in front of Egu;ngu;n
When he was weeping in lamentation for his inability to beget a baby
Because he was quick in offering the prescribed eôboô
He begot several children
7An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must recognize the level of his/her competence and limitations. It is this
knowledge that usually guides an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; and prevents him/her from pursuing unrealistic goals
and/or attempting to engage in activities that are not meant for him/her to engage in. In I®wo¾ri¾ o¾
Pa¾ju¾ba¾ (I®wo¾ri¾ OÙ®ba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
OÙgboô;n inu; o¾ôleô l'oô¾leô fi n; jeôun

Asôiwe¾re¾ e¾ni¾ya¾n ni¾kan ni o¾ mo¾ô’woô¾n ara re¾ô
Baba n; loô gba'leô¾ la;i¾ sôa;n'gbo;
I®wo¾ri¾ O® be¾ôreô¾ ma; ma¾ r'oko
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ ni¾kan lo; gba'le¾ô la;i¾ sôa;n'gbo;
I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ be¾ôreô¾ ma; ma¾ r'oko
Translation:
It is the internal wisdom of a lazy person that he applies to find his daily bread
It is only a foolish person who does not know his worth and capability
When going to take farm land without clearing the bush
He complied
I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ be¾ôreô¾, please do not engage in farm clearing
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ knows how to acquire farm land without clearing the bush
I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ be¾ôreô¾, please do not engage in farm clearing
Also in I®ka; Gbe¾mi;, Ifa; says:
Ba; a ti l'o;wo; l'o;;ôwoô; moô la¾a; ya¾n’koô moô

I®wo¾ôn ta;a moô la¾a; j’a¾bu¾la¾
E®e¾po e¾ôpa¾ o; joô po;si; e¾¾ôli;ri;
Adi;gbo;ônna;ku; o; f'ara joô i¾mumu
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Di;a; fu;n A®gbi¾gbo¾ni¾wo¾ônra¾n

Yo;o; sun'ku;n a¾na wo¾ô'gbeô; loô
N®jeô; A®gbi¾gbo¾ni¾wo¾ônra¾n o o¾ sôeun
A®gbi¾gbo¾ni¾wo¾ônra¾n o o¾ sô'e¾e¾ya¾n
I®woô wa;a; ti sôe ti; o fi wa;a; sun'ku;n a¾na wo¾ô'gbeô; loô.
Translation:
How much money we have determines the quantity of cornmeal we can purchase
Our size determines the size of the A®ma¾la¾ meal that we can consume
The peanut shell resembles the coffin of the EÙ®li;ri; rat
The Adi;gbo;ônna;ku; insect resembles a tamarind fruit
These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®gbi¾gbo¾ni¾woô¾ra¾n
Who would lament the death of an in-law into the deepest part of the forest
Now, A®gbi¾gbo¾ni¾woô¾ra¾n, you have not done well
A®gbi¾gbo¾ni¾woô¾ra¾n, you have behaved improperly
Why are you lamenting the death of your in-law into the deepest part of the forest?
8An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; studies extensively in his/her chosen career or profession. This is the hallmark of
all OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. It is their ability to persevere and defer pleasure and gratification that makes them
excel and distinquishes them among their contemporaries in their chosen profession. Laziness or
because an activity is boring or not as stimulating will never deter an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; from excelling in
that area. He/she will continue with hard work and study because they know that the end result
will be most gratifying. All those who strive to be OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must as a matter of course study
extensively in their chosen careers. In O®tu;ru;po¾ôn OÙba¾lu¾fo¾ôn (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn OÙ®woô;nri;n), Ifa; says:
Ifa; ni; bi; a ba; ji;

OÙgboô;n ni ka; ma;a ko;ô 'raa wa
Ka; ma; ji¾i; ni; ku¾tu¾ku¾tu¾ p'ile¾ô eô we¾re¾
O®Ùro¾ô ti; a ba; ro¾ ti; o¾ ba; gu;n
Ikin eôni la¾ a; ke; si;
Di;a; fu;n Pa¾ra¾ka;, ala;go¾ôoô wi¾nni¾wi¾nni¾
Ni;'jo;ô to; n; loô re¾e; j'i;jo; ala;ra¾n¾bara¾ l'abe;ô oôda;n
Ike; ya ni;'wa;ju;
I®sôeô;be¾ôyi¾n ya l'eô;ka¾ oôru¾n
OÙ®ro¾ô oô pa¾ra¾ka; d’ohun a¾pe;ro¾ o gbogbo mari;wo
N®j®e;ô eri;wo e e¾ he;e¾
A®gan e e e¾ he;e¾
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Omoluabi
Eri;wo tu; ye;ôri;-ye;ôri;

A®gan tu; ye;ôri;-ye;ôri;
EÙ ba; 'ni ni; wo¾ôwoô; ire o
Translation:
Ifa; declares that whenever we wake up

We must share wisdom with one another
We must not wake up at dawn and lay down a foundation of foolishness
Whatever we deliberate upon that is not satisfactory
Let us consult our Ikin
These were Ifa’s declarations for Pa¾ra¾ka;
Owner of the multi-colored Egu;ngu;n costume
When going to take wonderful steps under the Banyan tree
He complied
The face of the costume tore in front
The back flap of the costume tore at the back of the neck
The case of Pa¾ra¾ka; has called for the deliberation of all Mari;wo
Now, Eri;wo he¾e;e¾e¾
A®gan he¾e;e¾e¾e
Eri;wo, move round
A®gan, move round
Eri;wo, come and watch this spectacle
A®gan, come and watch this spectacle
In I®din SÙu¾ku; (O®di; O®Ùyeô¾ku;), Ifa; says:
SÙa;ka;sôa;ka; l'oômoôde; ke;kere; fi n; ko;ô’fa;

OÙÙmoô ke;kere; ki¾i; ba; a¾gba¾lagba¾ ji¾ja¾-gu¾du¾ e¾ru¾
Ko; le¾ ba a¾ ri;’le¾ô Ifa; ta;n ni o
Di;a; fu;n woôn ni; I®din-'Ye¾ôku;
Ni;'jo;ô ire ile; e woôn ti sôi; loô o
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; ki; wo;ôn wa;a; sôe o
I®ya¾ kan, i¾ya¾ ka¾n ti; OÙmoô Awo o; ti jeô
Ifa; n; bo¾ô wa;a; san e¾ôsan
A®sôi;lu¾, a¾sôi;lu¾ ni t'e¾e¾si;n, Ifa;.
Translation:
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It is with enthusiasm that a youth studies Ifa;

A youth should not struggle with elders over sharing eôboô materials
So that he may be vast in his training
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the people of I®din-'Ye¾ôku;
When they were suffering from want
They complied
All the tribulations of the OÙmoô Awo (Ifa; student)
Ifa;; is coming to repay him abundantly
It is in multiples that Ifa; repays one for their hard work
Also in O®gu;n D'e;ôri¾n-i;n (O®gu;nda; O®Ùwoô;nri;n), Ifa; says:
EÙ jeô; ka; ko;ô'fa; mo;ô'fa;

Ka; baa¾ lee¾ moô'fa;
Ka; ko;ô o¾o¾gu¾n moô; o¾o¾gu¾n
Ka; baa¾ lee¾ l'o;o¾gu¾n
Di;a; fu;n O®gu;n, OÙla;ju¾ju¾ winrinrin
Ti;i; sô'oni;bode¾ OÙloô¾run
Ti; n; t'o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;'ye;
O®gu;n o de; o, OÙla;ju¾ winrinrin
O® ba; b'o¾ôwoô¾ fu;n wa ni;'jo;ô kan i¾po;ônju;
Translation:
Let us study Ifa; extensively

In order for us to be versatile in Ifa;
Let us study herbs extensively
In order for us to be versatile in herbs
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®gu;n
Also known as OÙla;ju¾ Winrinrin
The sentry at the gate of heaven
The same was also declared for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
They complied
Here comes O®gu;n, Oôla;ju¾ winrinrin
Please give me protection and respect on the day of tribulation
In another stanza in support of the need for OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to defer gratification, work hard, have
discipline, and study extensively, O®tu;ra; Ori;ko¾¾ô (O®tu;ra; Ogbe¾), says:
364
Omoluabi
OÙmoô Awo ti; a j'e¾ru¾ du¾

Ko; ma; fi sôe i¾bi;nu;
La;i;la;i; n'ire Ifa; ti i; to;'ni i; jeô o
Di;a; fu;n Ewu;ro E®Ùlu¾ju¾
Ti; n; sun'ku;n ala;i¾roô;moô bi;
Translation:
The Ifa; student who is excluded from receiving the proceeds of Ifa;
Let him not be angry
It is forever that the Ire of Ifa; will be sufficient for one
These were the declarations of Ifa; for the Bitter leaf of the wilderness
When lamenting for her inability to beget her own baby
She was advised to offer eôboô...
Ifa; says that anyone who studies extensively and acquires a wide-range of knowledge in his/her
chosen field has been blessed with the greatest treasure on earth. In I®rosu¾n Agu;nbi;ade; (I®rosu¾n
O®di;), Ifa; says:
SÙi;npi;nsôi;npi;n n la¾ a; ro¾¾’foô;

L'o;ôsi¾n-l'oô;ra¾ n la¾ a; p'a¾teô i¾le¾ôkeô¾
Ifa; n; loô re¾e; gbe; Wu;ra¾ ni;'ya¾wo;
N®je;ô Babala;wo to; ko;ô'fa;
A bi wu;ra¾ ni;'ku¾n
Translation:
Deliciously do we prepare vegetable soup

With extensive varieties do we display beads
When going to have Wu;ra¾, Pure Gold, as his wife
He complied
Any Babala;wo who has extensive knowledge of Ifa;
Such a Babalawo is blessed with Pure Gold in his stomach
9An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is someone who specializes in a chosen career but who also has general
knowledge in all other careers and professions. In O®gu;n d'a;keôteô¾ (O®gu;nda; I®reôteô¾), Ifa; describes
someone who specializes in wood carving in a superlative manner. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
365
O o¾ ri; baba oni;ka;luku;

Ti; wo;ôn ba; n; gbe;ô'na¾-a;n r’O®Ùyoô;
Woôn a ma;a gbe;ô'gi l'eô;gboôroô-l'eô;gboôroô
Beô;e¾ô ni baba oni¾kalu¾ku¾
Ti; wo;ôn ba; n; gbe;ô'na¾ a;n r’O®Ùyoô;
Woôn a ma;a gbe;ô'gi l'eô;gboôroô-l'eô;gboôroô
O: t'ori;-t'o¾ri¾-t'o;ri;
O: t'ori; i Ku;je;ônra;
OÙmoô agbeô;'gi re;be;te; sô'oôpoô;n Awo
A®re¾ômoô a p'agi da¾, eô s'oôgi d'oô¾to¾ôoô¾to¾ô e¾e¾ya¾n
Ni;gba¾ ti; yo;o; gb'e;ôna¾ r’O®Ùyoô;
O: sôa keô;ke;ô igi we;lewe;le
O: d'a¾ba¾ja¾ igi pe¾ôn¾te¾ôpo¾n¾to¾
O: wo;ô goô¾m¾boô; fu;n’gi
O: da¾bi; e¾e¾ya¾n
O: we; la;wa¾ni; fu;n’gi
O: da¾bi; I®ma¾le
Di;a; fu;n O®gu;nda;
Ti; n; lo¾ôoô; teô I®reôteô¾ ni;'fa;
Aye; e re¾ô eô; le¾ tutu¾ lo; n; da;'fa; si;
O: ru;'boô, o; teô'fa;
I®gba¾ O®gu;nda; teô I®reôteô¾ ni;'fa; ta;n
L'ara a; to;o; roô'ni
Translation:
Can’t you see the father of each individual (each individual’s father)
When they were going for sculptural art work in OÙ®yo;ô land
They carved their wood like logs
Can’t you see the father of each person (each person’s father)
When they were going for sculptural art work in OÙ®yo;ô land
They carved their wood like logs
The story went on and on (this kept occurring over and over)
Until it became the story of Ku;;je;ônra;
He who carves a small elegant piece of wood into an Ifa; tray
Offspring of those who convert wood into human beings
When he was taking his sculptural work to O®Ùyoô; land
He designed the Keô;ke;ô tribal mark on the face of the wood in an elegant manner
He designed the A®ba¾ja¾ tribal mark on the face of another piece of wood in a befitting manner
He inscribed the Go¾ôm¾boô; facial mark on a piece of wood
And the wood took the exact likeness of a human being
He carved a turban on the head of another piece of wood
And the wood resembled a Malian
These were the declarations of Ifa; for O®gu;nda;
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Omoluabi
When going to initiate I®reôteô¾ into Ifa;

He complied, and initiated I®reôteô¾
The period after O®gu;nda;
We all witnessed peace of mind
Also in O®gu;n Da; Awo M‘a;be;ô A®ka; (O®gu;nda; I®ka;), Ifa; says:
O: ji; o; w'e¾ôwu¾ u to¾ki;

O: de; fi¾la¾ a to¾ki;
O: woô sôo¾ko¾to¾ o to¾ki;
O: n; f'oju; u to¾ki; wo¾'ran
Wo;ôn ni; O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾, o¾ji;sôeô; Olo;du¾mare¾ e; de;
O: ni; ki;n lo; mu; de;
Wo;ôn ni; o; mu; igba eku s'o;ôwoô; o¾ôtu;n
Igba eôja s'oô;wo;ô o¾si¾
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; o¾ji;sôeô; Olo;du¾mare¾ ko¾ i¾ ti;i¾ de;
Wo;ôn ni; o; mu; igba eôyeô s'o;ôwoô; o¾ôtu;n
Igba eôran s'oô;wo;ô o¾si¾
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; o¾ji;sôeô; Olo;du¾mare¾ ko¾ i¾ ti;i¾ de;
Wo;ôn ni; o; mu; igba oômoô oôku¾nrin s'o;ôwoô; o¾ôtu;n
Igba oômoô obi¾nrin s'oô;wo;ô o¾si¾
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; o¾ji;sôeô; Olo;du¾mare¾ wa;a; de; gba¾yi; o
O: ni; ni;'nu; igba oômoô oôku¾nrin oôwoô; o¾ôtu;n
Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa sô'oôdeô
Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa sô'a¾gbe¾ô
Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa sô'o¾wo¾
Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa hun'sôoô
Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa koô'rin
Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa gbeô;’gi l'e;re
Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa sô’a¾gbe¾ôdeô
Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa k'a;po¾ fu;n o¾un E®Ùdu;
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O: ni; ni;'nu; igba oômoô obi¾nrin oôwo;ô o¾si¾

Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa sô'o¾wo¾
Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa t'a¾teô
Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa p'asôoô l'a;ro;
Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa r’oko
Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa koô'rin
Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa hun'sôoô
Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa sô'epo
Me;ôeô¾eô;do;ôgboô¾n yo;o; maa s’a¾se¾ fu;n o¾un EÙ®du; A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
N®je;ô ori; oômoô l'oôla¾ ni;'pe¾ôkun o
O® ba;a¾ na;’gbo;-na;’gbo; o
Ki; o na;’da¾n-na;’da¾n
Ori; oômoô l'oôla¾ ni;'pe¾ôkun
Translation:
He woke up and put on a befitting dress

He adorned his head with a befitting cap
He also wore befitting trousers
He cast a befitting glance at all things
They said “OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾, the emissary of Olo;du¾mare¾ has arrived”
He asked, “what has he brought along with him”?
They said he had brought along 200 rats on his right hand side
And 200 fish on his left hand side
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declared that the emissary of Olo;du¾mare¾ had not yet arrived
They said “OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾, the emissary of Olo;du¾mare¾¾ has arrived”
They said he had brought along 200 birds on his right hand side
And 200 beasts on his left hand side
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declared that the emissary of Olo;du¾mare¾ had not yet arrived
They said “O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾, the emissary of Olo;du¾mare¾ has arrived”
They said he had brought along 200 male children on his right hand side
And 200 female children on his left hand side
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declared that the emissary of Olo;du¾mare¾ had now truly arrived
He said that out of the 200 male children on his right hand side
368
Omoluabi
Let 25 become hunters

Let 25 become farmers
Let 25 become merchants
Let 25 become cloth weavers
Let 25 become musicians
Let 25 become sculptors
Let 25 become blacksmiths
And let the remaining 25 become his Aka;po¾
He said that out of the 200 female children on his left hand side
Let 25 become merchants
Let 25 become traders
Let 25 become cloth dyers
Let 25 become singers
Let 25 become weavers
Let 25 become palm oil and palm kernel oil processors
Let 25 become farmers
And let the remaining 25 become the cooks for EÙ®du; A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
Now, children are our prosperity in the end
Whether we travel into the forest
Or travel into the plain
Children are our prosperity in the end
10An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is someone who faces the challenges of his/her assignments and destiny in life
without questioning or refusing to carry out his/her duty. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is someone who recognizes
the fact that everyone in this world has his/her own assignment that he/she has come into the
world to perform. Refusal to perform one’s assignment and face the challenges connected to it is
nothing but refusal to fulfill ones destiny. Anyone who refuses to fulfill his/her destiny is only
wasting their time in the world and will only end up returning until they complete their tasks and
face their challenges. In O®Ùsa; Ade;tutu¾ (O®Ùsa; Ogbe¾),Ifa; says:
Isôeô; Ori; i¾ mi ra;n mi ni mo¾ n; je;ô

O®wo¾ ti; Ori; i¾ mi ra;n mi, ni mo¾ n; to¾ô l'eô;yi¾n
Isôeô; Ori; i¾ mi ra;n mi, mi o¾ gb’a;i¾jeô
Di;a; fu;n A®ja¾o;
OÙmoô agboô;n'bu;; o¾kun la¾
OÙmoô agboô;n'bu; n;la; sô'owo;
Isôeô; Ori; ra;n mi o
O®kun je;ô n jeô; o
O®kun jeô; n je;ô fu;n oô
O®kun je;ô n jeô; o
Translation:
It is the assignment given to me by my Ori; that I am pursuing

It is the business that my Ori; has sent me on that I am following
369
The assignment that my Ori; has given to me, I cannot but perform
These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®ja¾o;
He who explores the Ocean to have success
And explores the deep sea to become prosperous
He complied
The assignment that my Ori; has sent me on
O®kun, the Sea please let me fulfill it
O®kun the Sea, please let me relay it to you
O®kun the Sea, please let me fulfill it
Also in O®tu;ra; Ori;ko¾ô (O®tu;ra; Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
Isôeô; ti; a beô'ni la¾a; je;ô

OÙ®we¾ô ti; a beô'ni a ki¾i; ko¾ô
A ki¾i; ji; ni; ku¾tu¾ku¾tu¾
Ka; koô isôeô; E®Ùda; eôni
Di;a; fu;n O®yi;
Ti; n; loô s'a;la¾de o¾ôrun
O: ra;n Ikin loô si;'le; Ado;
O: ra;n Ata¾kaaka¾-di;'fa; loô s'o;ke¾ I®jero¾
O: ra;n O®Ùpe¾ô-ji¾ngi;nji¾ngi;n-ab’oômoô¾ roôjoôroôjoô loô si; O®ke¾ I®ge¾ôti; ile; e Ba¾ba; a re¾ô
O: ni; ki; wo;ôn ma; a loô ba; o¾un tu;n ibe¾ô sôe
Translation:
It is the particular errand they send one on that one must deliver
One must not refuse to do the work someone gives one to do
One must not wake up in the morning
And refuse the errands of one's creator
These were Ifa;’s declarations to O®yi;
When going to heaven
He sent Ikin to Ado; land
He sent he who casts Ifa; while laying on his back to O®ke¾ I®jero¾
He sent O®Ùpeôô¾, the Palm tree, to I®ge¾ôti; the home of his father
He asked them to go and help him take care of these places
11. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is someone who takes good care of his/her health and personal hygiene. Before
anyone can perform any assignment effectively and successfully, that person must have strong
health: physically, mentally, psychologically, emotionally, and socially. That person must also take
care of his/her personal hygiene. Anything that we do that threatens our health, security and
safety must either be reduced or abandoned completely. If we do something that threatens our
health but which is essential to the community and to us, there is the need to find an alternative
way of doing it.
370
Omoluabi
Even if what we are doing is in the service of Olo;du¾mare¾, Ori;, Ifa;, Iru;nmoôleô¾ or O®ri¾sôa¾, as long as
our health or the communities health is at risk, we must find an alternative way of doing it or find
an alternative assignment. In OÙ®ye¾ôku; Be¾tu¾la; (O®Ùye¾ôku; O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
Funfun ni t’eôfun
Yoô¾yo¾ô ni ti iyo¾ô
Olo;o¾sôa¾ o¾ toô;'ju; ara a re¾ô
O: n; sôe¾’boô sôurusôuru
Di;a; fu;n Olu;
Olu; n;gb’o;gun loô i¾lu; A®ja¾n¾tiiri o
Olu; ku¾’ka¾n go;go;ro;
Olu; ku¾’ka¾n gogoro
Translation:
Whiteness is for the chalk

And sweetness is for the sugar
The O®ri¾sôa¾ devotee failed to take proper care of himself
He was busy propitiating the divinities
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Olu;
When going on a military expedition to A®ja¾n¾tiiri land
Olu; ended up being as lean as a poll
Olu; became emaciated and worn out
As we can see in this Odu¾, Ifa; expects all O®ri¾sôa¾ devotees to take care of him/herself first before
® oô;nri;n Pa;ro (O®Ùwoô;nri;n O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
propitiating any O®ri¾sôa¾. Also in OÙw
O®Ùwoô;nri;n Awo ale¾ô inu; Omi

O®Ùba¾ra¾ Awo ale¾ô Odo¾
A®ti O®Ùwoô;nri;n Awo Ale¾ô inu; Omi
A®ti O®Ùba¾ra¾ Awo Ale¾ô Odo¾
Di;a; fu;n Olu;n;ka¾n
OÙmoô nn¾kan du¾n l'eô;yo¾ô
To; ju oyin loô o
Ko¾ ma¾ si; oun to; du¾n l'eô;yo¾ô
Bi; i ka; ji; k'a;ra o; le o
Ara li;le l'o¾o¾gu¾n oôroô¾ eôni
Ko¾ ma¾ si; oun to; du¾n l'eô;yo¾ô
371
Bi; i ki; a¾ji;n¾de o; ma; a je;ô 'ni o

Ara li;le l'o¾o¾gu¾n oôroô¾ eôni o
Translation:
OÙ®woô;nri;n, the Awo of the river bed

O®Ùba¾ra¾, the Awo of the stream bed
Both OÙ®woô;nri;n, the Awo of the river bed
And O®Ùba¾ra¾, the Awo of the stream bed
They cast Ifa; for Olu;n;ka¾n
The offspring of that which is more delicious
And sweeter than honey
He complied
There is nothing that is more delicious
Than for us to wake up with sound health
Vitality is the panacea for prosperity
There is nothing that is more delicious
Than for one to be blessed with vitality
Vitality is the panacea for prosperity
Also in Aro;su¾n Ta Ke¾ôleô¾ Ku; (I®rosu¾n O®Ùyeô¾ku;), Ifa; says:
Oju;mo;ô moô; oômoô oni;ye ri;ye

Ku¾tu¾ku¾tu¾ oômoô oni;wa¾-ri;wa¾
Di;a; fu;n A®ku¾koô ga¾ga¾ra¾
Ti; n; sô’eôboô a¾ji;n¾de
B’o;ju;mo;ô ba; mo;ô
A®ku¾koô a ni mo sô’eôboô a¾ji;n¾de o¾
Translation:
When the day dawned, there was contentment

Very early in the morning, there was fulfillment of destiny
Early in the morning four days after
We shall meet with joy
These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®ku¾koô Ga¾ga¾ra¾, the giant rooster
He was advised to offer eôboô for perpetual wellbeing
He complied
Whenever the day breaks
A®ku¾koô, the rooster will declare that he offered the eôboô of perpetual well being
372
Omoluabi
In I®rosu¾n O®Ùke¾ôeô¾re¾ô (I®rosu¾n O®Ùka¾nra¾n), this Odù equally supports the fact that health is wealth. In a
stanza in this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Mo gbo;ô se¾ôgeô¾segeô¾ i¾lu¾

Be;ôeô¾ ni mi o¾ gb'o;mele o
Di;a; fu;n OÙbaleô;yo¾ô Ajo¾ri;
Ni;'jo;ô OÙba a; ji;, t'a;ra OÙba n; le o
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ ni; ko¾ si; oun to; du¾n l'e;ôyoô¾
Bi;i ka; ji;, k'a;ra eôni o; le
I®rosu¾n a l'O®Ùke¾ôreô¾
Translation:
I heard the sound of the drum

But I did not hear the sound of the Omele
These were Ifa’s declarations for OÙbaleô;yo¾ô Ajo¾ri;
When the OÙba woke up and he was full of vitality
He complied
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declares that there is nothing as sweet in O®Ùyoô¾ land
Than for one to wake up full of vitality
I®rosu¾n will go and strike OÙ®ka¾nra¾n
In O®Ùba¾ra¾ O®gu;nda;, Ifa; considers those who neglect their health and allow avoidable ill health to
destroy their lives as bad people. In a stanza in this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Ayi;ki;ti; l'e;ôfoô¾o;ô O®du;

O®pa-sôa¾a¾sôa¾ l'oô;be¾ô eôô gbeô¾gi¾ri¾
EÙ®koô gbi;gbo;na; ni;i; y'ekuru ti¾mo;ôti¾moô;
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùsôoô;lake;
Ti;i; ti n; sôe Olo;ri; EÙgbeô;
A®ru¾n kan a¾ru¾n ka¾n ba;yi¾i;
Lo; wa;a; ba¾'sôe OÙ®sôoô;kale;; je;ô
OÙ®sôoô;lake; o ki¾¾i; sô'e¾e¾ya¾n ire
Translation:
He who rolls inside a well prepared O®du; vegetable soup

He who concentrates all his efforts on a well prepared bean soup
Hot corn meal is it that produces vapor from the heat
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These were the declarations of Ifa; for O®Ùsôoô;lake;

Who was a group leader
It was just a mere ailment that destroyed the life and activities of OÙ®sôoô;lake;
O®Ùsôoô;lake; you are not a good person
In this Odu¾, it appears that the mere ailment that destroyed O®Ùsôoô;lake;’s life and activities among his
group was caused by his failure to eat at the right time. He was eating irregularly.
An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; also needs to take very good care of his/her hygiene. Someone who is not a neat
person will find it difficult to move close to people or associate with any decent group. Every
person must learn to be well organized, neat, and clean. I®reôteô¾ I®ka;, Ifa; says:
B'A:wo ba; ri¾n 'do¾ôti;

Awo a di i¾re;gbe¾
Di;a; fu;n A®te¾ôka;
Ti;i; sô'awo loô s'o;de I®ba¾da¾n
A®te¾ôka; o wa;a¾ de; o, Awo o¾de I®ba¾da¾n
B’A:wo ba; rin i¾do¾ôti;
Awo a di i¾re;gbe¾
Translation:
If an Awo goes about in a dirty manner

Such an Awo will reduce himself (lower his/her status)
These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®te¾ôka;
When going to I®ba¾da¾n on an Ifa; mission
Here comes A®te¾ôka;
The Awo of I®ba¾da¾n land
If an Awo is dirty in appearance
He will surely reduce himself in worth and value
Also in OÙ®sôeô; Oni;we¾e;re; (O®Ùsôeô; Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
Bi; wo;ôn ba; rin i¾ri¾n i¾ya¾

Bi; wo;ôn ba; m'o;ju; i¾sôeô; wo¾ô'lu;
Oju; k'o;ju; ni wo;ôn n; mu; wo¾ wo;ôn
EÙni; k'e;ôni; ni wo;ôn n; te;ô fu;n woôn
Igba; k'i;gba; ni wo;ôn fi n; b'omi fu;n woôn
Di;a; fu;n OÙloômoô-mi¾mi¾
Ti; n; sô'awo loô s'o;de I®we;re;
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Omoluabi
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; o; sôe

N®jeô; OÙloômoô-mi¾mi¾ jo¾ôwoô; o
OÙloômoô-mi¾mi¾
I®ri; to;o ri; la fi ru;'boô oô¾ reô o
OÙloômoô-mi¾mi¾ jo¾ôwoô; o
Translation:
If they move shabbily

And appear like a poor person in the community
They will be looked upon with disdain
People will spread a raggedy mat for them to sit on
And offer them water in a useless container (a container of poor quality)
These were Ifa;’s declarations to OÙloômoô-mi¾mi¾
When going on a spiritual mission to I®we;re; Land
He complied
OÙloômoô-mi¾mi¾, please accept our apologies
The way you appeared was the way you were treated
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that more often than not, people react to others according to how they
meet them. So if you appear neat and responsible, you shall be treated with respect. Conversely if
you appear dirty and haggard, people will treat you with disdain. There is a song in this Ifa; stanza
that goes thus:
OÙloômoô-mi¾mi¾
I®ri; to;o ri; la ru;'boô oô¾ reô o
Translation:

The way you appeared was the way you were treated
OÙloômoô-mi¾mi¾ was a Babala;wo who wanted to go on a spiritual mission to I®we;re; land. He was
advised to always dress neatly, but he failed to heed this advice because he thought that people
would run away from him if he dressed; gorgeously because he would appear to be too expensive
for them. By so doing, he was not accorded the necessary respect and honor that he deserved.
He was in I®we;re; for one year and could not make any headway. He had to go back to his home
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town to asked his Babala;wo the reason for his failure. He was reminded of the advice he was
initially given that he should always appear neat and he would not make any headway until this
advice was heeded.
He then went back to I®we;re; land and started dressing neatly and elegantly. There and then he
was accorded much respect and was able to succeed financially. Eventually, when the people of
I®we;re; land realized that he was the same Babala;wo that was earlier treated with disdain, they
apologized to him that his appearance was what determined the kind of treatment he received.
In I®wo¾ri¾ Wo¾din, Ifa; enjoins us never to take up any major assignment on an empty stomach. In
this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Ale;ôleô; le;ô
A o¾ gboô; poroporo odo;
O®Ùga¾njo;ô ga¾n du¾ndu¾n-u¾ndu¾n
A o¾ gbo;ô woô¾yo¾ôwoô¾yo¾ô koô¾n¾ko¾ôsôoô¾
O: wa;a; di i¾ro¾ôleô; de¾ôdeô¾e¾ôdeô¾,
A o¾ gboô; sôinringu;nsôi¾n oôbeô¾ ni;’nu; a¾wo
Ti; n; loô re¾e; wo¾’di; l’e;bi
I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ jeô
I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ mu
I®wo¾ri¾ sôe n; wo¾’di; l’e;bi?
Translation:
In the evening time

We did not hear the sound of pounded yam being prepared
In the dead of the night
We did not hear the sound of yam flour meal being prepared
Even during the mid afternoon time, we did not see any soup being prepared
These were Ifa;’s declarations to I®wo¾ri¾
When going to make love to I®di; on an empty stomach
I®wo¾ri¾ did not eat
I®wo¾ri¾ did not drink
How can I®wo¾ri¾ make love to I®di; on empty stomach?
12An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must be someone who has the care and welfare of his/her relatives in mind. To
be in very good terms with our siblings and relatives is the greatest asset that is inestimable until
we see the other side of the situation. In O®tu;tu¾ N: p'O®Ùka¾nra¾n (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn OÙ®ka¾nra¾n), Ifa; says:
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Omoluabi
Igi to; du;ro;, eô ku; i¾du;ro; o

Odo¾ o ku; a¾wo;ôtoô¾na¾
O®tu;tu¾ e¾e¾ya¾n-a;n mu; ni
O: j’o¾tu;tu¾ asôoô loô
Baba n; lo¾ôoô; ba; woôn n’oô;ja¾ a ko¾l'a;ra;
O: ni; eôni o; ba; l'a;ra;
EÙ ma;a k'a;ra; a yi;n joô
Ko¾ si; ohun to; sunwo¾ôn bi; ara;
EÙni o; ba; l'e;ôbi;
EÙ ma;a t'e;ôbi; i yi;n sôe
Ko¾ si; ohun to; roô'ru¾n bi; eôbi;
Translation:
We recognize the trees that stand without moving

The recognize the stream flowing across the foot path
The cold resulting because of the lack of a companion
Is known to be greater and fiercer than the cold resulting from the lack of a blanket
When going to transact business in the market where he has no relative
He complied
Those who have relatives
Please gather your relatives together
There is nothing more satisfying than having relatives
Those who have family members
Please take good care of your family members
There is nothing more comforting than family relationships
Also in Ateô¾ye¾ôla¾, (I®reôteô¾ O®Ùye¾ôku;), Ifa; says:
To;ôju; ara;, oni;ye¾kan

O®Ùpoô¾ e¾e¾ya¾n ni;i; m’o;ôja¾ a; to¾ro¾
O®sôo;nu; e¾e¾ya¾n ni;i; sôe’re; o¾un ni¾kan sôosôo
Di;a; fu;n O®go¾n¾go¾
Ti;i; sô’olori; eôyeô l'a;a¾rin i¾gbeô;
O®go¾n¾go¾, baba eôyeô
Olo;ri; i wa ma¾ ma¾ re¾e; o
377
Translation:
Take proper care of your relatives, those who have siblings

Plenty of people make the market enterprising
He who shares his mind with nobody plays alone
These were Ifa;’s declarations to O®go¾n¾go¾, the Ostrich
The head of all the birds in the forest
He complied
O®go¾n¾go¾, the father of all the birds
This is our leader!
From the two stanzas above, it is obvious that taking good care of one’s family members and
relatives is tantamount to taking good care of oneself. They are viewed as being one in the same.
Whoever is in the midst of his/her family members and relatives, all other things being equal is in
safe hands.
13An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is someone who maintains good neighborliness. In most occasions, an

OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; may not be where his/her siblings and relatives are located. Maintaining good
neighborliness refers to the act of converting our neighbors into our relatives and treating them as
such. Where there are no relatives, it is the duty of an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to have neighbors who can be
trusted and loved as one’s siblings. In OÙ®ka¾nra¾n O®tu;ra;, Ifa; places a very high premium on good
and harmonious neighborliness. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Apa;ri; Awo o woôn l'o;de E®Ùgba;

Api¾je¾ôgi¾ Awo o¾de I®je¾ôsôa¾
OÙ®ro¾ô ti; o¾ l'o;hu¾n-u;n fo¾ô
Ka; da;ke;ô lo; to;ô
Di;a; fu;n Mo;ôri¾n-eô;wa¾
Ti; n; re'le; o¾ôreô; lo¾ôoô; la¾ bi; OÙba eôreô;keô
N®jeô; ko¾ s'a;ra; o
Ko¾ si; iye¾kan o
EÙ sôa; je¾ôeô; ka; sô'eôboô a¾joôôgbe;
Translation:
The bald headed man, the Awo of E®Ùgba; land

The man with side burns, the Awo of I®je¾ôsôa¾ land
Any matter that defies a response
It is better to keep quiet
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Mo;ôri¾n-e;ôwa¾
When going to the house of his friend to succeed in a splendid manner
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Omoluabi
He complied
There is no relative
Neither is there any sibling
Let us offer the eôboô of good neighborliness
In this particular Odu¾, we can see that Ifa; places good neighborliness at a higher place than
having good relationships with one’s relatives. That is the reason why anyone aspiring to be an
OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must as a matter of course maintain good neighborliness at all times. Also, in I®wo¾ri¾
Bogbe¾ (I®wo¾ri¾ Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
SÙeô¾ mi; n bi o;ô

L’o¾o¾gu¾n o¾ôreô;
Ti; yo;o; bi Ogbe¾ l’e;e¾re¾ o¾ôroô¾
Translation:
Offend me and let me call your attention to it

That is the panacea of a good friendship
Who will call the attention of Ogbe¾ to a particular issue
He complied…
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that in order to maintain a cordial relationship, there is the need to operate
with an open mind with one another instead of keeping malice. If one has an issue with someone,
it is always best to discuss the issue directly but respectfully with the person. Doing this will help
cement good relationships and make neighborliness an interesting and rewarding experience.
14An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; maintains constant contact with, and seeks to enhance the welfare of both
relatives and neighbors. The more an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; does this, the better the social engineering in the
community will become. In I®rosu¾¾n A®wo¾ye¾, (I®rosu¾n I®wo¾ri¾), Ifa; says:
O® fi tire¾ô si;'le¾ô gboô; t'eôni eôleô;ni

OÙloô;run OÙba ni;i; ba; a gbo;ô tireô¾
Di;a; fu;n E®Ùmi¾-le;ôn;ge;ô
Ti; n; sô'awo r'o¾de A®wo¾ye¾
EÙ®mi¾-leô;n;ge;ô o de; o, Awo A®wo¾ye¾
Ijo; d'ijo; awo o¾ôleô;si¾n o
Ire e; ti de;'le; Awo o¾ôna¾ a;n ji¾n
379
Translation:
He who leaves his own problem in order to solve other people's problems
God almighty will solve his own problem for him
This was Ifa;’s declaration for E®Ùmi¾-leô;n;ge;ô
When going on an Ifa; mission to I®wo¾ye¾ land
Here comes EÙ®mi¾-leô;n;ge;ô, the Awo of I®wo¾ye¾ land
We have received joy that makes us sing and dance
All the Ire of life has gone to settle in our homes
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that if someone goes all out of his/her way to look after the welfare of
others, Olo;du¾mare¾ Himself will take care of this person’s own affairs. In I®din E®sôu¾ N: bi¾ (O®di;
O®tu;ru;po¾ôn), Ifa; says:
Ta;n;po¾o¾po;o¾ ab'e¾so wi¾nni¾wi¾nni¾

Ti; n; wa; O®Ùsôun OÙ®po¾ônda; loô s'a;joô EÙ®gba;
A®te¾te¾ji; l'a¾joô EÙ®gba;
Ifa; ni; ti; a ba; ji;
Ka; ma;a wa;'ra a wa o
Translation:
The Ta;n;po¾o¾po;o¾ tree with its succulent but tiny fruits

This was the Ifa;’s cast for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When going in search of OÙ®sôun OÙ®poô¾nda; in the E®Ùgba; community
He complied
To rise early and travel to the EÙ®gba; community
Ifa; instructs that whenever we wake up
Let us look for each other
Another stanza that supports the fact that the more we look for each other, the more we will
receive the blessings of Olo;du¾mare¾ can be found in I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ jeô Awu¾sa; (I®wo¾ri¾ O®Ùsa;), where Ifa; says:
EÙni i; ran ni ni;’sôeô;

N'ni;i; wo’le; de’ni
Ti; yo;o; wo’le; d’O®Ùsa;
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Omoluabi
N®je;ô I®wo¾ri¾ wo’le; mi de¾ mi;

Mo sô’awo loô
Ifa; ni yo;o; wo’le; de¾
I®wo¾ri¾ wo’le; mi de¾ mi;
Mo sô’awo loô o!
Translation:
The person who sends one on an errand

Will take care of one’s home behind one’s back
When going to take care of O®Ùsa;’s home in his absence
He complied
Now, I®wo¾ri please take care of my home in my absence
I have gone on an Ifa; mission
Ifa; will take care of my home for me
I®wo¾ri¾, please take care of my home
I have gone on an Ifa; mission
In I®din Iwinlara; (O®di; Ogbe¾), Ifa; says that looking for each other usually rekindles joy, love and
mutual respect. It also brings back old memories that give one the opportunity of reliving the
experiences of old times. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
OÙjoô; loô ti;ti;, oôjoô; di ke;se

O®Ùroô¾ ki¾i; gbe¾-e; d'o¾ôroô¾ i¾ta¾n
Bi; a ba; ti ri;’ra eôni o; pe;ô
EÙ ku; a¾ti la¾ a; ku;ku; u; ki; 'ra eôni
Di;a; fu;n Eku-Ile;
A bu¾ fu;n Eku-Oko
Eku Ile; o o¾, Eku Oko
A®wa a; ti ri;’ra a wa
A®wa a; yo¾ô
Translation:
Time flies, it has been quite a long time

Events easily become history
If we havn’t seen each other in a long time
The usual greeting is ‘quite a long time’
These were the declarations of Ifa; to Eku-Ile;, the domestic rat (mouse)
The same was also declared for Eku-Oko, the forest rat
Eku-Ile;, the domestic rat and Eku Oko, the forest rat
We have seen each other again
381
And we are very happy
Also in I®reôteô¾ O®pe¾re; (I®reôteô¾ O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says that extending greetings to one another makes the
society grow. This is because everyone in the society will work with one another without bias or
ill-feeling. If everyone in the community rejoices with one another over their achievements in life,
the world will be a better place to live in. People will not be afraid of evil people cutting them
down over their achievements in life. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Aye; ni re;re
A®wo¾ô ni jo¾jo¾
A®woôn ni woô;n di;a; fu;n O®Ùrun-u¾n-mi-O®Ùrun
Woô;n di;a; fu;n E®Ùla¾-mi-E®Ùla¾
E®Ùyin ara; O®Ùrun-u¾n–mi–OÙ®run
EÙ®yin ara; E®Ùla¾-a¾–mi–E®Ùla¾
Ifa; ni; t'e;ôni ba; ji;
K'e;ôni o; sôa; maa ki;'ni
Ala;i¾ ki;'ni sôa; l'odi¾ eôni
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ mo ji;, mo ki; oô l'o;ni¾i;
OÙmoô Olo;ku¾n-un ra¾n-mi;-l'o;ôwoô;
O® ba; ra¾n mi; l'o;ôwoô;
Ki; n gb'o;ôru¾n le; se¾ôgi o
EÙni to; ba; te¾te¾ ka;’la;
Ni yo;o; ka; se¾ôgi
Ifa; se¾ôgi l'e¾mi i; ka;
E®mi o¾ ka;’ka¾n ni;'le; I®sôo;fi;n
Yo;o; tu;n Ori; Aka;po¾ o re¾ô sôe o
Ifa; je; ki; n l'o;wo;
Ifa; je; ki; n l'a;ya
Ifa; je; ki; n bi;'moô
Ifa; je; ki; n koô;'le;
Ifa; je; ki; n ni;'re gbogbo
Ki; wo;ôn ki; mi ku; ori;-ire
EÙ ku; ori;–ire ni wo;ôn n; ki; eôni to; ba; l'o;wo;
EÙ ku; ori;–ire ni wo;ôn n; ki; eôni to; ba; l'a;ya
EÙ ku; ori;–ire ni wo;ôn n; ki; eôni to; ba; bi;'moô
EÙ ku; ori;–ire ni wo;ôn n; ki; eôni to; ba; koô;'le;
EÙ ku; ori;–ire ni wo;ôn n; ki; eôni to; ba; ni;'re gbogbo
Ifa; je;ô ki; wo;ôn o; f'i¾lu; ji¾n mi; o
Gbogbo o¾ôtoô¾oô¾o¾ôku¾lu; ni;i; f'i¾lu; jin ori;ji¾n
Translation:
Aye; ni re;re
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Omoluabi
A®wo¾ô ni jo¾jo¾
They cast Ifa; for O®Ùrun-u¾n-mi-O®Ùrun
They also cast Ifa; for E®Ùla¾-a¾-mi-E®Ùla¾
The inhabitants of OÙ®run-u¾n-mi-O®Ùrun
And those of EÙ®la¾-a¾-mi-E®Ùla¾
Ifa; says that when we wake up in the morning
Let us extend greetings to one another
Failure to greet each other amounts to keeping malice
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾, I wake up and greet you today
Owner of the Oku¾n beads meant to render help
Please help me
Let me adorn my neck with Se¾gi beads
Those who pluck okra early enough
Will be able to pluck Se¾ôgi beads
Ifa;, what I pluck is Seô¾gi beads
I do not pluck garden eggs in the home of I®sôo;ôfi;n
Who would mend the destiny of his Aka;po¾
Ifa;, please bless me with wealth
Ifa;, please bless me with a compatible spouse
Ifa;, please bless me with beautiful children
Ifa;, please bless me with my own property
Ifa;, please bless me with all the Ire of life
Let people congratulate me on my good luck
With congratulations is how we greet those blessed with wealth
With congratulations is how we greet those blessed with a compatible spouse
With congratulations is how we greet those blessed with beautiful children
With congratulations is how we greet those blessed with their own property
With congratulations is how we greet those blessed with all the Ire of life
Ifa;, please let me be given authority in this land
All noblemen give authority to Ori;ji¾¾n leaves
15An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;; is someone who knows and respects his/her relatives and neighbors likes and
dislikes. Anyone who fails to know and respect his/her neighbors' likes and dislikes cannot lay
claim to be a good friend or neighbor. In O®gu;nda; Ma;sa¾a;, Ifa; says:
Pasôan woô;nja;n-wo;ônja;n
Di;a; fu;n E®re¾e;tu;nde;
Ti; n; sun'ku;n oômoô r’o¾de I®do;
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾¾ gba¾ mi;, Atu;nwa¾sôe I®bi;ni;
Ifa; ni yo;o; ba; mi tu;n i¾wa¾ a t’e¾mi sôe o
383
Translation:
Pasôan woô;nja;n-wo;ônja;n (alias of an Awo)

He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for E®re¾e;tu;nde;
When going to the land of I®do; and weeping in lamentation of her inability to beget a child
She complied
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾, please come to my rescue, the destiny modifier in the land of I®bi;ni;
Ifa; is the one who will help me modify my destiny
Also in O®Ùba¾ra¾ OÙ®sôeô;, Ifa; advises us to avoid doing what our neighbors, friends, partners, or relatives
dislike. Anything that our neighbors, friends, relatives, and patners do not like us to do to them is
considered to be a taboo that must be recognized and respected. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Alábahun níí jí, níí foôpóôn Ifá b'orí

Ìgbín níí ràjò, níí filé e rèô sô'eôrù
Ee;gún Ìkamùdù níí já'de t'òun t'ìyéô
Díá fún Olódùmarè Agòôtún
Ó dá'lé Ayé tán
Ó fi Èèwòô j'oôba a woôn
Bí a bá teô'fá
A ó kùú
Bí a ò sì teô'fá
A ó kùú
EÙ sôá jéô ká moô Èèwòô
Èèwòô nìkan ló le lô'órò
Ló ju gbogbo woôn loô o
Èèwò ló n; pa oômoô aráyé
Ti; wóôn n; soô ‘pé ikú ló n; pa wo;ôn
Translation:
It is the tortoise that wakes up and places the Ifa; tray on its head
The snail is it that travels and uses its house as its load
The masquerade of the black ant is it that comes out in its flying costume
These were the declarations of Ifa; to Olo;du¾mare¾
After creating the world
He made taboo its king (the world’s king)
If we undergo Ifa; initiation
We shall later die
If we do not undergo Ifá initiation
We shall later die
Please let us recognize taboo
Taboo is the most difficult
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Omoluabi
The most delicate of them all

It is taboo that really kills people in the world
Death is merely being falsely accused
16An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;; is someone who does the right thing at the right time. Doing the right thing at
the right time is one of the most important achievements anyone can have in this world. This
shows that those who need such service or result will be able to get them at the right time. That
makes life much easier for everyone if everybody tries to perform their own roles at the right
time. In I®rosu¾n O®Ùkeô¾e¾ôreô¾ (I®rosu¾n OÙ®ka¾nra¾n), Ifa; says:
E®sôu¾ u; ti¾ ko¾ôkoô¾o¾ôkoô¾ ja;'na¾

O: n; r'eti; apo;ônrin geô;ge;ô
Di;a; fu;n Ato;ye¾bi;, oômoô I®ya;maso;
E®yi; ti; o¾ mo¾ô'si¾n OÙ®pe¾ô
Ti; n; f'oôjoô; E®du; r'oko
Bi;'fa; ja¾ bi; o¾ ja¾
B'O:o;sôa¾ a; ja¾ bi; o¾ ja¾
B’E:sôu¾ u; ja¾ bi; o¾ ja¾
Bi;rosu¾n k'e¾ôyi¾n bi; o¾ k'e¾ôyi¾n
E®Ùyin o¾ w'oju; Ato;ye¾bi; to; po;ôn Kankan
Translation:
EÙ®sôu¾ stood rigid on the main road

He was anticipating those who would come with a machete
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ato;ye¾bi;, the child of I®ya;maso;
He who didn’t give any regard to worshipping Ifa;
And was cultivating land on Ifa; day
Whether Ifa; is in contention or not
Whether O®ri¾sôa¾ is angry or not
Whether E®sôu¾ is annoyed or not
Whether I®rosu¾n has turn his back or not
Can’t you see Ato;ye¾bi;'s eyes that are as red as ember?
In this Odu¾¾, Ifa; explains a situation where Ato;ye¾bi; was doing the wrong thing at the wrong time
and he found out to his regret that his life was moving from good to bad and from bad to worse.
We must all learn to do things at their appropriate time in order to have success in life. In I ®rosu¾n
O®gu;nda; however, Ifa; explains a situation where someone was doing the right thing at the right
time and by so doing, he was able to escape untimely death. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Gboôoôroô la¾ a; gbe;ô’leô¾ al’a;sôoô o
385
Ki¾ri¾mu¾ kirimu la¾ a; si¾n’ku; eme¾re¾

Di;a; fu;n Olu; a¾be¾ôbeô¾-bi; igbo;du¾
Ki;ni o¾ jeô; n r’a;a¾ye¾ ba;’ku; loô o
I®bo¾ OÙ®pe¾ô ni mo¾ n; di¾
Ni o¾ jeô; n r’a;a¾ye¾ ba;’ku; loô o
Translation:
We dig the grave of a wealthy person straight and long

We dig the grave of a child who has died young without any ceremony
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Olu; A®be¾ôbeô¾ Bi; Igbo;du¾
He was advised to offer eôboô against untimely death
He complied
What prevented me from being taken away by death?
Casting Ifa; and holding the I®bo¾ determinants
That was what prevented me from being taken away by death
17An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;; is someone who moves with the right set of people. Birds of a feather, people
say, flock together. Show me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are is another wise
saying in this part of the world. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;; needs to be in the midst of those who are decent
and good people, and who can impact positively into his/her life. To be found in this midst of
fools, people without ethics, and unproductive people is to reduce one’s worth and value. In
OÙloô;gbo;ôn Me;ji¾ (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn Me;ji¾), Ifa; says:
OÙgboô;n ni;i; pe;ô ko; to;o; ran’ni

We¾re¾ ki¾ i; gbe¾ e; ran oômoô e¾ni¾ya¾n
Di;a; fu;n O®to¾n¾po¾ro¾
Ti;i; sô’oômoô i¾ya; E®re
O®to¾n¾po¾ro¾ pa¾’wa¾ da¾
Ki; o le¾ l’eô;ni l’e;ôyi¾n bi; E®re
Translation:
It takes wisdom awhile to impact others

It does not take long for foolishness to be imbibed
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®to¾n¾po¾ro¾
The sibling of E®re
O®to¾n¾po¾ro¾, please change your ways
For you to have followers like E®re
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that to become a fool does not take a long time at all and it will make
one to lose respect and followers. It is difficult however to acquire sufficient intelligence, wisdom
386
Omoluabi
and understanding. For one to be recognized as a wise person takes time and effort. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;;
must however spare no time in acquiring knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. In another
stanza of the same Odu¾ (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn Me;ji¾), Ifa; says:
Asi;nwi;n ni;i; pe’fa; ko¾ro;

Koye¾e¾ko ni;i; w’e¾ôwu¾ sôeô¾e¾ôsôeô¾e¾ô ja;'na¾
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;ku¾n
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;deô
OÙ®sôoô;-Oro;ku¾n o o¾ roôra o ma; d’oôbeô¾ si;’na;
O: ni; mo ri, mo ri ogbo
O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;ku¾n roôra ma; ji¾n si; ka¾nga
O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;ku¾n roôra ma; koô lu I®ya;-A®fin
O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;ku¾n roôra o ma; woô’le; toô I®baaka
Mo ri, mo ri ogbo
O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;ku¾n da’be¾ô si;’na;
Mo ri, mo ri ogbo
O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;ku¾n ji¾¾n si; ka¾nga
Mo ri, mo ri ogbo
OÙ®sôoô;-Oro;kun koô lu I®ya;-A®fin
Mo ri, mo ri ogbo
OÙÙ®sôoô;-Oro;ku¾n woô’le; to; I®baaka
E®Ùyin e¾we i¾wo¾yi;
A sôe n; ko;ôoô yi;n l’o;ôroô¾
Ti; eô sôe n; gbo;ôn ju’ni loô?!
Translation:
Only a fool gives Ifa; messages without prior deliberation

Koye¾e¾ko ni;i; w'e¾ôwu¾ u sôeô¾e¾ôsôeô¾e¾ô ja;'na¾
They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;ku¾n
They also cast for OÙ®sôoô;-Oro;deô
O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;ku¾n, beware so that you don’t spill soup into the fire
He responded that he already knew what they were trying to convey
O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;ku¾n, beware so that you don’t fall into the well
O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;ku¾n, beware so that you don’t confront I®ya;-A®fin
O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;ku¾n, beware so that you don’t ride on ponies
O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;ku¾n then spilled soup on the fire
387
Despite already knowing what they were trying to convey

O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;ku¾n indavertently fell inside a well
O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;ku¾n, also confronted I®ya;-A®fin
O®Ùsôoô;-Oro;ku¾n entered and rode on ponies
All youths of today
How is it that you are being taught a lesson
But claim to know more than elders
In this particular stanza, we can see a youth who felt that he had all the knowledge needed to live
his life successfully. He refused to heed the warnings and advice of elders that were based on
experience. He lived to regret his foolishness. Also in I®din Ma¾lu¾ko¾ (O®di; I®wo¾ri¾), Ifa; says:
Bi; a l'o;ôgboô;n ni;'nu;

Bi; a ko¾ lo¾ o;
A o; di O®Ùgbe¾ôri¾
Bi; a l’a;gba;ra ni;'nu;
Bi; a ko¾ lo¾ o;
A o; di o¾ôleô
Di;a; fu;n a¾woôn E®ni¾ya¾n ma; b’o;ôloô;gbo;ôn ri¾n ma; b’o;sôi¾sôeô; sô’oô¾reô;
Ti; woôn yo;o; sôô’oô¾re;ô e¾ro¾ i¾sa¾le¾ô aye;
Ifa; n; ba; woôn wi;, o; ni;
“I®woô ko¾ ba; eôni rere sô’oô¾reô;
Ori; buru;ku; ni;i; mu; ba; e¾ni¾ya¾n
Translation:
If we have inner wisdom

And fail to apply it
We become ignoramuses
If we have strength
And fail to utilize it
We become like drones
These were Ifa;’s declarations for those who fail to associate with the wise and move with the
workers
And who become friends of the dregs of the world
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ reprimanded them as follows:
“He who refuses to move with the wise
And fails to befriend good people
It is only misfortune that such an attitude will bring"
An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; also needs to ensure that he/she does not move with those who can implicate
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Omoluabi
him/her into their own troubles or tarnish his/her good image. An example of this can be found in
I®wo¾ri¾ A®sôo;ri;n (I®wo¾ri¾ O®gu;nda;) where Ifa; says:
Ol’o;ri; buru;ku; mu’mi o; pa; a l’o;ri;
O®ku;u¾gbe;ô j’oô¾ge¾ôdeô¾, o; ha; a l’o;ôru¾n
Woô;n ni; ki; O®ku;u¾gbe;ô f’eô¾hi¾nti¾ ka; yoô oô¾ge¾ôdeô¾
I®ko;ti; sôeô; mo;ô oô l’oô;fun
Di;a; fu;n Ol’o;ri; buru;ku;
Ti; n; t’o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;’le; aye;;
Olo;ri; buru;ku; ni; o¾un o¾ l’eô;boô oô; ru;
N®je;ô ki; Olo;ri; buru;ku; ma; ko¾o; ba; mi
Mo ti ya;a su;n si;’wa;ju;
Translation:
An unfortunate person drank water and it went straight into his wind pipe
A controversial person ate a banana and it got stuck in his throat
He was asked to lean backward so that the banana could be removed
The needle broke inside his throat
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Olo;ri;; buru;ku; (He who is destined to be unfortunate)
When he was coming to the world
He said he was not interested in offering any eôboô
Now, the unfortunate, do not inflict your misfortunes on me
I have moved far away from you
Anyone who does not want an unfortunate person to drag him/her down with misfortune is the
one who needs to offer eôboô and move away from the Olo;ri; buru;ku;. Also, in O®Ùwoô;nri;n OÙloô;je¾ôeô;
(O®Ùwoô;nri;n Ogbe¾), Ifa; has this to say on the type of friends one needs to move away from. In this
stanza, Ifa; says:
Ala;gbe¾ôdeô ni o¾ m’e¾ôroô¾ oô gboô¾n¾ga¾n

Di;a; fu;n 'La;yi¾bo¾ O®jo¾oô¾ra¾
Ti; Ko¾ôn¾ko¾ô oô¾re;ô eô reô¾ o; maa ba¾ a; l’o;ri; je;ô
N®je;ô 'La;yi¾bo¾ o; j’oye¾ l’o;ôla o
A o; ma a sô’a¾ni; eôôdi¾¾de
A o; ma a sô’a¾ni; eô ku;n
Translation:
A blacksmith does not know how to mold a hall

This was the Ifa;’s cast for 'La;yi¾¾bo¾ O®jo¾o¾ôra¾, The Toad
Whose friend Ko¾n¾ko¾ô, The Bull Frog would destroy his fortune
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Behold, 'La;yi¾bo¾ will be installed tomorrow
We shall all be welcoming you while you pay your respect
And welcome you while you pay your homage
The story goes that 'La;yi¾bo¾ O®jo¾o¾ôra¾, the Toad was a Prince. Ko¾ôn¾ko¾ô, the Bull Frog was his
trumpeter. When the Toad’s father died, the citizens agreed to install the Toad as the next O Ùba.
He went for Ifa; consultation. He was advised to beware of his friend. He refused to listen. On the
eve of his installation, his friend brought out his trumpet and was saying that the Toad would be
installed the next day. All of them would be around to welcome visitors who had come to pay
their homage to the new OÙba. It did not take long for the citizens to arrive at the conclusion that
someone who has not yet been installed and is praising himself in this manner would only be
interested in pursuing vain glory when installed. Before daybreak of the next day, another person
was installed as the OÙba. Also in O®Ùka¾nra¾n O®gu;nda;, Ifa; says:
Bo; le¾ kan'gu;n, ko; kan'gu;n

Bo; le¾ kan'gbo¾ôn, ko; kan'gbo¾ôn
I® ba;a¾ k'odi, ko; k'a¾a;do;ôta
OÙ®re;ô ni;i; ya'le; o¾ôreô;
Awo ni;i; ya'le; Awo
A®gba¾ i¾sôe¾gu¾n ni;i; ya'le; a¾woôn a¾gba¾ i¾sôe¾gu¾n
O®ku;u¾gbe;ô ni;i; ya'le; o¾ku;u¾-tara
A®woôn ara a woôn ni woô;n n; ya'le; ara a woôn
Ti; n; lo¾ôoô; fe; E®re¾-A®jo¾
Ti;i; sô’oômoô La;yeôôle; l’O:mu¾
E®re¾-A®jo¾ bo; o de;'le; o ki;'le;
O ki; SÙa¾lo;mu¾
O ki; OÙjoômoô Olu;wanran
O ki; A®gbi¾gbo¾ni¾wo¾ônra¾n ti;i; j'eôyi¾n ni; SÙeôki-Ile;
Gbogbo woôn wa;a; di l'e;po
OÙmoôdeô n¾leô; o, ye¾ye; A®jo¾
Translation:
If it reaches twenty, let it reach twenty

If it reaches thirty, let it reach thirty
Even if it turns around and reaches fifty, let it be so
A friend visits a friend at home
An Awo visits a fellow Awo
An adept in the medical practice visits his colleagues
A stupid person will visit his kind at home
All these people will visit their own kind
When going to marry E®re¾-A®jo¾ (reward of my journey abroad)
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Omoluabi
The offspring of La;yeôle; in O®mu¾ land

E®re¾-A®jo¾, when you get home, greet them well
Extend my greetings to SÙa¾lo;mu¾
Extend my greetings to OÙjoômoô Olu;woônran
Extend my greetings to A®gbi¾gbo¾ni¾wo¾ônra¾n that consumes the palm-kernel in SÙe¾ôki¾ land
All of them are palm-oil consumers
Gently child, Ye¾ye; A®jo¾
In this stanza, Ifa; says that it is advisable to let birds of a feather flock together.
18An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is someone who studies under good elders. What people should be learning in
life are wisdom, knowledge, experience and character. According to the Late Baba Awo
Ifa;mu;yi¾i;wa; O®ke¾mu;yi¾i;wa; Aki;nyo;ômiloô, the first A®pe;si¾n Awo of E®Ùgba;land, under whom this writer was
priviledged to study extensively, there are four types/groups of elders among Awo. These elders
are:
i. Those who have extensive knowledge of Ifa; but who have bad character. We need to
study their Ifa; and ignore their bad character.
ii. Those who have poor knowledge of Ifa; but who have good character. We need to
study their good character and ignore their poor Ifa; knowledge.
iii. Those who have extensive knowledge of Ifa; and at the same time have good character.
We must become their slaves and disciples.
iv. Those who have poor knowledge of Ifa; and at the same time have bad character. We
must give them their due respect as A®gba¾ Awo but maintain our social distance from
them.
In OÙ®sôeô;'di¾i; (O®Ùsôeô; O®di;), Ifa; says:
Isa;n re¾e;, areôwa¾ ejo¾ ni

O®Ùsôeô;’di¾i;-a¾gbe; areôwa¾ Ifa;
Babala;wo rere ni;i; ko;ô’ni ni;’fa; rere
Di;a; fu;n A®gbo¾-sôa¾di¾
Ti; n; loô ra;n’sôoô f’EÙ:gbe¾ôdi;
N®je;ô A®gbo¾-sôa¾di¾, to; o ba; ra;n’sôoô f’EÙ:gbe¾ôdi;
Ibi lo sôe o
Translation:
Here is Isa;n, the beautiful snake

OÙ®sôe;ô’di¾i;-a¾gbe; is a beautiful Odu¾ Ifa;
A benevolent Awo is the one who teaches one benevolent Ifa; stanzas
391
These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®gbo¾-sôa¾di¾

When going to sew clothes for E®Ùgbe¾ôdi;
Now A®gbo¾-sôa¾di¾ if you sew clothes for EÙ®gbe¾ôdi;
You have behaved in an unethical manner
19An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is a good child to his/her parents and those older than him/her in the community
where he/she resides. In Eji Ogbe, Ifa says:
Ifa; lo; d’E®Ùpeôji;, Awo ile; e ko;ôroô¾ lo; de;

Ifa; mo la;a sô’awo ti;ti; d’o;de ile¾ô yi¾i;
Mo la;a r’a;wo sôe
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; ki;ni eô mu; boô¾ ibe¾ô?
Ti; eô fi r’a;wo sôe
Mo ni; eku me;ji¾ olu¾we;re;
La mu; bo¾ô ibeô¾
O®un la fi r’a;wo sôe o
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni; ko¾ s’A:wo ni;’be¾ô nni¾
Awo ka; j’eku la;sa;n ni
Mo ni; eôja me;ji¾ ab’i¾we¾ô gba¾da¾
Orunmila ni ko s’A:wo ni;’be¾ô nni¾
Awo ka; j’eôja la;sa;n ni
Mo ni; eôyeô me;ji¾ ab’i¾fo¾ fa;nga;
OÙru;nmi¾la¾ ni; ko¾ s’A:wo nibe nni
Awo ka; j’eôyeô la;sa;n ni
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Omoluabi

Mo ni; eôran me;ji¾ ab’eô¾doô¾ gbeô;ke;ô
OÙru;nmi¾la¾ ni; ko¾ s’A:wo ni;’be¾ô nni¾
Awo ka; j’eôran la;sa;n ni
Mo ni; omidan me;ji¾ ab’o¾ôya¾n ga¾ga¾ra¾
OÙru;nmi¾la¾ ni; ni;gba¾yi; leô to;o; r’A:wo sôe
Wo;ôn ni; e¾e;tiri; to; fi jeô; ni;gba¾yi; la to;o; r’A:wo sôe?
OÙru;nmi¾la¾ ni; ti; wo;ôn ba; bi; Amo;su¾ ta;n
Wo;ôn a; tu;n bi; Amo;ôreô¾
OÙmoô eôni ni¾gba¾ n¾t’eô;yi¾n eôni sôôe
Translation:
Ifa; declares that here comes E®Ùpeô¾ji;, the Awo in the household of Ko;ôroô¾, the wealth accumulator
Ifa;, I state that we transacted Ifa; business extensively and arrived at this land
I declare that we were very successful indeed
OÙru;nmi¾la¾ asked, what did you all bring back
That made you all feel that you were all successful?
I responded that it was two rats, swift in running
Which we brought back
This made us have a successful enterprise
OÙru;nmi¾la¾ asserted that it was not a successful enterprise
It was just a rat eating venture
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ asked, what did you all bring back
I responded that it was two fish, graceful in swimming
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾ asserted that it was not a successful enterprise
It was just a fish eating venture
393

I responded that it was two birds, swift in flight
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ asserted that it was not a successful enterprise
It was just a bird eating venture
I responded that it was two goats with massive livers
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ asserted that it was not a successful enterprise
It was just a beast eating venture
I responded that it was two maids with pointed breasts
Whom we brought back
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ asserted that it is now that you have engaged in successful enterprise
The Aka;po¾ asked why this was so
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ responded that when the maids give birth to Amo;su¾
They will also give birth to Amo;ôreô¾
Children are the ones who preserve our names when we are gone
In this stanza, Ifa; says that it is only one’s child that one possesses that is greater than all other
possessions. Why are one’s children the greatest possession that one can have in life? When a
baby is born, the baby is helpless and totally dependent on its parents. The parents will see the
baby as a precious gift from Olo;du¾mare¾ to the household. The baby is not yet capable of making
choices for itself; the parents must think and make choices on behalf of the baby in order to
determine its needs and provide them accordingly. The baby can not use its limbs effectively; the
parents will be using their own limbs to support the baby. The baby has eyes but cannot use them
effectively; the parents must use their own eyes to act on behalf of the baby. The baby has ears
but cannot use them to hear effectively; the parents must use their own ears to support those of
the baby in order to make life comfortable for the baby. The baby has a mouth but cannot speak
or eat effectively with it; the parents will use their own mouths to do all of the speaking for the
baby. During the initial stage, the baby will have no teeth at all; the parents must use their own
teeth to do things for the baby. The parents will perform all these functions for the baby in a
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Omoluabi
selfless manner. This is the greatest show of love and affection anyone can ever receive in life.
As the baby grows into adulthood, the roles will begin to reverse themselves. As the parents
begin to grow older; the baby of yesterday will begin to grow stronger. As the limbs of the
parents begin to grow weaker; it is expected that the baby of yesterday will be able to provide
support for the limbs. As the eyes of the parents begin to blur and become weaker; it is expected
that the baby who had turned into an adult will use his/her eyes to help the parents. As the teeth
of the parents begin to fall off one after the other; the baby who is now an adult is expected to
use his/her own teeth for the parents the way the parents had done when he/she was a helpless
baby. As the limbs of the parents become very weak; it is expected for the baby of yesterday to
give support in dressing the parents, in feeding the parents, in clothing the parents, in removing
mucus from the nose of the parents just like the parents had done for this same person when
he/she was a baby. When this person was a baby, the parents made it a point of responsibility to
personally train it and guide, guard and protect it.
Unfortunately, many times, when it is time to pay back all the affection and love that was given
initially, that is the time when the baby of yesterday (now an adult) will remember that his/her
work load will not allow him/her to take care of his/her parents. That they just don’t have the
time to be taking care of his/her parents. The next thing that will happen is for these parents to
find themselves in an old folks home being taken care of by strangers. Ifa; says that one of the
main reasons we are given children in life is for them to be our greatest possession during the
later part of our lives so that they will be able to pay back all the love and affection that had
hitherto been showered on them. Those who find it convenient to take their parents to an old
folks home, especially when one’s parents took very good care of one by showing one love and
affection right inside their homes, cannot claim to be good children to their parents.
Ifa; says that a child must make his/her parents comfortable. If a child is in a position of comfort,
such comfort must also reflect in the lifestyle of his/her own parents. They must be seen as the
parents' of a responsible child. This is the right thing to do for one’s parents who had once
suffered and sacrificed much to make the child who he/she has become today. In EÙseô¾ kan OÙla¾
(I®reôteô¾ O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
OÙmoô ke;kere; ni;i; j'eegun

A®gba¾lagba¾ ni;i; j’eôran
Di;a; fu;n Iye-OÙmoô
Ti; yo;o; ru;'boô oôla¾ si;'le¾ô d’oômoô oô reô
Di;a; fu;n Baba-OÙmoô
Ti; yo;o; ru;'boô oôla¾ si;'le¾ô d’oômoô oô reô
N®je;ô Iye oômoô l’oôloô;la¾ oômoô
I®ya; mi lo; ma¾ ma¾ ru; o
Ni mo sôe la¾ beô;e¾ô
Iye oômoô l’oôloô;la¾ oômoô
Baba oômoô l’oôloô;la¾ oômoô
Ba¾ba; mi lo; ma¾ ma¾ ru; o
Ni mo sôe la¾ be;ôeô¾
395
Baba oômoô l’oôloô;la¾ oômoô

Translation:
While youths will eat the bones (during their training period)
The Elders will eat the fleshy part (after graduating)
This was the Ifa; cast for the Child’s mother
Who would offer the eôboô of prosperity for her child ahead of time
This was also the Ifa; cast for the Child’s father
Who would offer the eôboô of wealth for his child ahead of time
Truly, a child’s mother is the harbinger of prosperity for the child
It is my mother who offered the appropriate eôboô which made me have success
A child’s mother is the harbinger of prosperity for the child
A child’s father is the source of wealth for the child
It is my father who offered the appropriate eôboô which made me have prosperity
A child’s father is the source of wealth for the child
In this particular stanza, Ifa; explains that the very foundation of a child’s success is laid primarily
by the child’s parents. If not for the parents, it might have been very difficult if not impossible for
the child to succeed. It is therefore imperative on the child to show appreciation for all the love,
care and affection that the parents have given the child in a selfless manner, especially when
he/she was totally dependent on them. There is no excuse for any child not to take care of
his/her parents, especially when they were loving parents. Any child who succeeds and refuses to
cater for his/her parents cannot be said to be a good child to his/her parents. In OÙ®ba¾ra¾¾
Tu;ya¾la¾ya¾la¾ (OÙ®ba¾ra¾ O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
Baba n; rin'le¾ô, oômoô n; g'eôsôin o

Di;a; fu;n O®Ùba¾ra¾
Ti; n; re'le; O®tu;ra;
Aye; wa;a; di ru;duru¾du
Baba n; rin'le¾ô
OÙÙmoô n; g'eôsôin o!
Translation:
The father is trekking about, but the child is riding on horses

This was the Ifa; cast for O®Ùba¾ra¾
When going to the home of O®tu;ra;
The world has turned upside down
When the father is trekking about
And the child is riding on horses
In this stanza, Ifa; says that it is a matter of regret, pain and sadness for parents to see their child
in luxury while they are subjected to abject poverty and want.
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Omoluabi
Ifa; also does not support rudeness by a younger sibling to his/her elder sibling. If Ifa; does not
support that, one can imagine the position of Ifa; on a child being rude to his/her parents. In
O®Ùyeô¾ku; Ogbe¾, Ifa; says:
Kori;ko to; t’o¾ke¾e¾re¾ wa;a; gu;n odo¾ l'o;ju;

T'o¾un t'omi lo; joô n; loôô o
Ti; n; lo¾ôoô; na Ogbe¾ l'o;ôna¾ oko
I®gba¾ a¾bu;ro¾ n; na e¾ôgboô;n
L'ariwo o; ta o
Translation:
The grass that plans on slapping the stream in the face

Will end up being taken away by the stream
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®Ùyeô¾ku;
When going to the farm and when going to beat Ogbe¾
If a younger sibling chooses to beat his elder
There will be pandemonium everywhere
In the same Odu¾, Ifa; says that a child who beats his/her parents has condemned himself/herself
to everlasting damnation. Beating one’s parents, according to Ifa;, includes frowning at one’s
parents, refusing to answer one’s parents when one is being called, failure to go on errands for
the parents, shouting at the parents, humiliating the parents, giving the parents dirty looks, and
subjecting the parents to any type of ridicule. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
O®Ùpa; a gi;la; Awo ni

O®Ùpa; a gi;la¾ Awo ni
OÙ®pa; a gila-gi;la¾ na;a¾ igi a¾ja¾ ni;i; sôe o
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùye¾ôku;
Ti; yo;o; gb’O:gbe¾ l’o;ju;
N®je;ô t’a¾lu¾gbe; ko;ô o
T’a¾lu¾san ni o
OÙmoô to; lu i¾ya; a re¾ôeô; da;'ra¾n
T’a¾lu¾gbe; ko;ô o
T’a¾lu¾san ni o
OÙmoô to; lu baba re¾ô eô; da;'ra¾n
T’a¾lu¾san ni o
397
OÙmoô to; lu e¾ôgboô;n e¾ô da;'ra¾n

T’a¾lu¾san ni o
Translation:
The Gi;la; staff is an Awo

The Gi;la¾ staff is also an Awo
The Gila-gi;la¾ is the wood used for making rafters
These were Ifa;’s declarations to O®Ùyeô¾ku;
Who would slap Ogbe¾ his elder sibling in the face
Behold, elders cannot be beaten without a repercussion
A child who beats his/her mother is cursed
It is not without a negative repercussion
A child who beats his/her father will attract divine wrath upon himself/herself
A child who beats his/her elder is in trouble
20An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; needs to be a good partner to his/her spouse. The reasons why people should
get married according to Ifá are many. Here are a few examples:
i. To stop promiscuity and sexual rivalry

ii. To legitimize or make permissible sexual relationships between two partners
iii. To allow everyone to have a close companion, friend and confidant during life
iv. To have people become permanent friends and supporters for one another
v. To have an enduring relationship that will last beyond the gestation period and the
birth of children
In this type of relationship, there are certain expected roles each partner needs to play. The most
important role in any relationship is mutual respect. Even though Ifa; states that the man should
be the head of the matrimonial relationship, Ifa; warns that neither the husband nor the wife, has
the right to abuse or disgrace the other. Anyone doing this is not considered to be a responsible
partner. In Ogbe¾ Ate¾ô, Ifa; gives examples of the type of conduct that a wife must not display
toward her husband and the type of conduct that a wife should display toward her husband that
will bring blessings to the woman. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Gbo;ô t’oôkoô
T’oôkoô la¾ a; gbo;ô
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Omoluabi
Obi¾nrin ti; yo;o; b’o;sôi¾ ku;

Ni; i; r’oju; koko s’o;ôkoô
A m’oô;koô l’o;ju; ite;ôki;-ite;ôki;
A p'o¾sôe; sôa¾a¾ra¾sôa¾
OÙkoô a si¾¾ gba; a l’o;ju;
A si¾ k’eô;ru¾ u re¾ô boô; si;’ta
Obi¾nrin ti; yo;o; b’o;ôroô¾ ku;
Ni;i; sô’oôwoô; wele-wele s’o;ôkoô
A ni; oôkoô oô¾ mi ki; lo wi;
A ni; ki; lo fe;ô jeô o?
A®bi; o fe;ô weô¾ ni
A®bi; o fe;ô su¾n ni?
A r’eô;ri¾n-i;n mu;se;ô
A teô;’wo;ô me;je¾¾e¾ji¾ gbeôreôgeôdeô
OÙkoô a si¾ wu;'re fu;n-un
Di;a; fu;n O®ge;
Ti; n; sô’aya Ogbe¾-Ate¾ô
O®ge; o de; o
Aya Ogbe¾ Ate¾ô
EÙ wo’le; rere
EÙ f’O®ge; si; o
Translation:
Listen to your husband

Listening to one’s husband is the conjugal responsibility of a woman
The woman who will die wretchedly (in emotional poverty)
Is the woman who frowns at her husband
She will look at her husband with disdain
She will hiss at her husband (in a contemptuous manner)
This will cause the husband to slap her face (in retaliation)
And throw out her things
The woman who will die in prospect (in emotional prosperity)
Is the woman who listens to her husband
She will ask, my husband, what did you say?
What will you like to eat?
Would you like to take a bath?
Would you like to sleep?
She will smile affectionately at her husband
And spread her hands in genuflection
And her husband will shower her with blessings
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®ge;
The wife of Ogbe¾ Ate¾ô
Here comes O®ge;
399
The wife of Ogbe¾ Ate¾ô

Please look for a comfortable home
For O®ge; to reside in
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that a man needs to show appreciation for all the good gestures given by
his wife. Ifa; also says that a man needs to support, appreciate and promote his wife at all times.
Doing so will give the wife the much needed assurance that she is truly loved and adored by her
husband. This will also renew and multiply her determination to make her husband happy more
than ever before. In O®Ùye¾ôku; Bi¾ka; (O®Ùye¾ôku; I®ka;), Ifa; says:
O®Ùye¾ôku; bi¾ka; ba¾a¾ra¾ba¾

Di;a; fu;n Lo;milo;do¾ aya O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
Lo;milo;do¾ aya a¾ mi
I®gba¾ ti; o woô’le; de;
Ni’re e¾ mi i; so¾ôka’leô¾ de; po¾o¾ro¾po¾
Translation:
O®Ùyeô¾ku; bi¾ka; ba¾a¾ra¾ba¾

This was Ifa;’s declarations for Lo;milo;do¾, the wife of OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
She complied
Lo;milo;do¾ my darling wife
From the moment that you came into my home
All my Ire came trooping toward me
In this Odu¾, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ sang praises toward Lo;milo;do¾ his wife to the hearing of everyone who
cared to listen. This gesture made Lo;milo;do¾ to continue to be dutiful, loving and loyal to
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾. In O®Ùyeôku; Be¾tu¾la; (O®Ùyeô¾ku; O®tu;ra;), Ifa; gives the example of a woman who taught her
husband what to do in order to increase his worth in the presence of her parents' household. At
the end of the exercise, the husband was eternally greatful to his wife for showing him how to
increase his worth and always showing him love, care and concern. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Gbirigbiri ni;i; yi; toro;ke¾ e; bo¾ô wa;

Ifa; yo;o; fe;ô Ba;wi¾nni¾
Ti;i; sô'oôômoô Olo;kun Se¾ôni;ade;
I®sôi;n n; beô l'o;do¾
To; d'a;de; owo;
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ o o¾ gboôdoô¾ ki o
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Omoluabi
Ni;tori; eôru; u ba¾ba; a¾ mi ni; n; sôe o

I®ko;ro¾ n; beô l'o;do¾
To; gba¾'ja; i¾le¾ôkeô¾
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ o o¾ gboôdoô¾ ki o
Abori;-ipoô;n n; beô l'o;do¾
To; da¾'bora o¾je;
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ o o¾ gboôdoô¾ ki o
Translation:
The big thing rapidly rolling down from the hill

That was the Ifa; cast for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When going to marry Ba;wi¾nni¾
The daughter of Olo;kun Se¾ôni;ade;
He complied
I®sôi;n, the Akee tree is in the river
He is wearing a crown of money
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ do not greet him with too much respect
He is my father’s slave
I®ro;ko¾ is in the river
His waist is surrounded by expensive beads
O®Ùru;nmi¾la do not greet him with too much respect
Abori; Ipo;ôn is in the river
He is using a decorated lead coverlet to cover himself
O®Ùru;nmi¾la do not greet him with too much respect
In this stanza, Ifa; shows how Ba;wi¾nni¾ made OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ feel comfortable in the presence of
extravagant luxury which ordinarily O®Ùru;nmi¾la would have felt uncomfortable being around and in
the presence of the people whom Ba;wi¾nni¾ told O®Ùru;nmi¾la were her father’s slaves.
21An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is a good parent to his/her children. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; recognizes the fact that
he/she was raised up and trained with care, love and affection. He/she admits that part of his/her
responsibilities is to raise and trained his/her own children in the same manner when the day
comes. To be a good parent is not an easy task in any way whatsoever. A responsible parent
must train his/her child in such a way that the child will be useful to himself/herself to his/her
parents, to his/her group, to his/her community, to his/her country, and to humanity at large.
Doing this will give such a child the opportunity and equipment with which to inherit the world.
In O®Ùka¾nra¾n A®ja¾gbule¾ô (OÙ®ka¾nra¾n O®Ùwoô;nri;n), Ifa; says:
401
O®ti;to;ô Awo Aye;

Di;a; fu;n Aye;
Aye; n; sun'ku;n o¾un o¾ bi;'moô
Ni; I®woônra¾n oôla¾, ni;'bi oju;mo;ô ti i; mo;ô
I®gba¾ti; yo;o; bi¾ i;
O: bi; Ayi;n
EÙni to; bi;'moô to; gbo;;ôn
Lo; r'o;ômoô bi;
E®e¾ya¾n to; bi; asôiwe¾re¾
Lo; p'a¾da;nu¾ oômoô
Di;a; fu;n Ayi;n
Ti; yo;o; ta'le¾ô fu;n Oo¾dua¾
Ni;tori; akokoro ori; eôran gbi;gbeô
EÙ®yin o¾ mo¾ô 'pe; Ayi;ntale¾ô oômoô la;sa;n ni?
Translation:
Honesty, the Awo of Aye;

He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for Aye;
When weeping in lamentation for her inability to have a child
At I®woônra¾n OÙla¾ where the day dawns
She complied
After this,
She gave birth to Ayi;n
Those who have wise children
They are the ones who have children (truly have children)
Those who give birth to foolish children
They are the ones who have lost any claim to parenthood
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ayi;n
When going to sell the land to O®du;du;wa¾
All for the dry skull of an animal
Can’t you see that Ayi;n who sold the land is a worthless child?
Training a child correctly gives the child wisdom. Ifa; also says that what is good for one goose
should be good for other geese. Ifa; says that there must not be any discrimination in the training
of all children. All children must receive the same treatment, discipline, care, education, training,
etc. All the children that Olo;du¾mare¾ blesses the parents with must be given equal opportunities to
imbibe the best of training. In the same Odu¾ of O®Ùka¾nra¾n A®ja¾gbule¾ô, a stanza says:
Erin lo; n'igbo;, erin lo; n'igbo;

EÙfo¾ôn lo;; l'o¾ôda¾n, eôfoô¾n lo; l'o¾ôda¾n
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Omoluabi
Oun to; sôe erin to; n'igbo;

Oun to; sôe eôfoô¾n to; l'o¾ôda¾n
Nna;a¾ lo; sôe a¾gbo¾ônri;n gi¾ro¾ôdoô¾
Ni ko¾ je;ô o; ni;'bu¾do
Ti; n; re'bi
To; mu; oju; oômoô reô¾ l'o;ôwoô;
To; fi E®Ùyi¾n oômoô reô¾ si;'le¾ô
EÙÙboô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe
EÙ®yi¾n o¾ si; mo;ô o
E®ku;te; ile; f’awoô i¾di; e¾se jeô
Aja; ma¾ ma¾ n; f'awoô eôku¾n teô; su¾n o
Translation:
The elephant is the owner of the forest

The buffalo is the owner of the plain
What befell the elephant who owned the forest
That made him lose ownership of the forest?
What befell the buffalo who owned the plain
That made him lose ownership of the plain?
It was the same thing that befell the deer
That made him become homeless
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®ri¾sôa¾n;la; O®Ùsôeô¾e¾ôreô¾ma¾gbo¾
When going on a journey
He took Oju; his child along
And left E®Ùyi¾n his other child behind
EÙ®yi¾n is no more
The mouse is eating the skin of the cat
And the dog is sleeping on the skin of the leopard
Obàtálá had two children. He showed everything he knew and possessed to ÈÙyìn but failed to
draw Ojú close to himself. Consequent upon this, Ojú was ignorant of all the things that his
father was doing and even all the things that his father loved or hated. He also did not know
for certain what really belonged to his father. That was the way the situation was for a very
long time. OÙbàtálá saw nothing wrong with this situation at all. His belief was that if Ojú
needed to know anything at all, all he needed to do was to contact ÈÙÙyìn, his blood brother and
he would be briefed accordingly.
One day, OÙbàtálá planned to go on a long journey. He decided to take Ojú along with him, just
for a change. On their way, OÙbàtálá got a divine message that he must appear in the presence
of Olódùmarè in order to go and prepare for another divine assignment. He was told that he
403
must leave immediately. OÙbàtálá was told that he needed to prepare for 16 years in order to
succeed in this mission. He knew that there was no time to waste. He told Ojú to return
home. He assured Ojú that everything he needed to learn had been taught to ÈÙÙyìn. Ojú was
told that he would lack nothing since ÈÙyìn would teach him all he needed to know and take
care of all his needs. With these assurances, Ojú returned home, full of hope and
expectations.
On getting home, he went straight to ÈÙyìn’s house. When he got there, nobody told him
anything before he knew that something was amiss. Everyone he met in the house was
wearing a sorrowful look on his/her face. When they saw him, they all burst into tears,
weeping uncontrollably. In the end, they explained to him that ÈÙyìn, his only brother, was
attacked by a wild animal that morning and was torn to pieces. They informed him that the
animal had dragged his corpse away for consumption! Ojú found it difficult to believe that he
was hearing them correctly. Maybe this disaster had happened to someone else and not his
brother. Maybe, just maybe, there was a mistake somehow, somewhere. Maybe he was just
having a bad dream and someone would soon wake him up from this nightmare. Maybe…
In the end, he came to accept the cold fact that he was on his own, in the deep sea of life,
rudderless, and without compass. He went to the elders in his community to assist him. To his
chagrin, they were the ones who instigated others to appropriate his father’s properties.
Whenever he complained, they would ask him to show them the evidence that it really
belonged to his father. Of course, he had no evidence. That was how everything which
hitherto was his father’s belongings was taken over by those who were once his father’s
subordinates. He cried and cried.
One day, Ojú sat quietly in his father’s room, thinking about his condition. He was totally
convinced that if ÈÙyìn had been alive, all the injustice meted out to him would never have
happened. On the other hand, if his father had shown him all the things that he had shown
Èyìn his brother, he certainly would have been able to defend himself. He was thinking about
all this until he slept off. In his sleep, he had a dream. In this dream, he saw a big cat walking
majestically to and fro. Suddenly, the cat dropped dead. Two people came and skinned the
cat. The skin was spread in the sun to dry. He then saw a tiny mouse. The mouse moved close
to where the cat’s skin was being dried in the sun. The mouse began to nibble at the skin of
the cat with relish!
He also saw a big leopard parading restlessly in the four corners of the forest. All the animals
in the vicinity were watching with awe and respect from a distance. And just as in the case of
the cat, the leopard dropped dead. The same people who skinned the cat came and skinned
the leopard. They also spread the skin in the sun to dry. Soon after this, he saw a dog which
walked in and quietly slept on the leopard’s skin!
After this, Ojú woke up and understood his predicaments fully. He made his cry the cry of
shouting and made his ìyèôrèô the ìyèôôrèô of lamentation, saying:
ÈÙyìn ò sí mò;ô
Èkúté ilé f’awoô ìdí èse jeô
404
Omoluabi
Ajá mà mà n; f’awoô EÙkùn té sùn o
Translation:
Èyìn is no more
Èkúté ilé, The Mouse is eating the cat’s skin
And a dog is sleeping on the leopard’s skin!
Finally, Ifá says that Olódùmarè has specifically given parents assignments to carry out for
their children. It is the duty of parents to take care of the personal hygiene of a child while
he/she is growing up. They are also to feed, cloth, shelter, train, and guide in whatever steps
they take in life until the children grow into adulthood. Parents need to direct them towards
living the way of Olódùmarè and the Irúnmoôlèô by showing a good moral and ethical upbringing
and leading by good example, as children learn fast by imitating every action of their parents.
Keep in mind that children adopt more what they see being done then what is told to them.
All these are regarded by Ifá as special assignments or duties, which parents must carry out
for their God-given children. In a stanza of Òtúrá-Aláràbà (Òtúrá-ÒÙbàrà), Ifá says:
OÙwóô oômoôdé ò tó peôpeô

T’àgbàlagbà ò woô kèrègbè
Ìsôéô èwe beô àgbà kó má sôe kòô
Ó ní isôéô tí baba nsôe é fún oômoô
Díá fún Òtúrá òun ÒÙbàrà
Ní’jóô tí wóôn n;sô’awo loô sí’lèô Kìsôí
Wóôn ní kí wóôn rú’boô
Kí wóôn ní’fèôéô ara won…
Translation:
The hand of a child cannot reach a shelf

The hand of an elder cannot enter into a gourd
The task which a youth asks from an elder
Let the elder refuse not
There are duties, which a father must carry out for his child
These were Ifa;’s declarations to Òtúrá and Òôbàrà
When going on a spiritual mission to Kìsôôí land
And to love each other…
It is clear from this Odù that as we expect our children to perform certain errands for us, so
also are they expecting us to be of use to them. Olódùmarè also expects us as parents to be
the first to go on errands for our children. By so doing, we will be justified to expect them to
go on errands for us when they are up to the age of doing so.
Ifa; however warns that in the bid to instill discipline and knowledge into the mind and brain of a
child, we must avoid being too high handed. Many people push their children against the wall
405
and thereby turn them into either dissident children or children who cannot make decisions on
their own. These children either totally go against the teachings of their parents or they imbibe
them without questioning but only because of the fear of being punished if they fail to comply. In
O®tu;ra; Reôka¾ (O®tu;ra; I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
O®Ùrun deô¾de¾ôeô¾de¾ô l’a;pa; a ba;wo¾ônyi;
Di;a; fu;n Olu;koyin
Ti;i; sôe Ye¾ye; Agbe
Ti;i; sôe Ye¾ye; A®lu¾ko¾
Ti;i; sôe Ye¾¾ye; Odi;;deôreô;
Ti;i; sôe Ye¾ye; A®ku¾koô
Ko; ma; si¾ roro¾ m’oô;moô
A®woôn oômoô wa;a; sa; loô fu;n-un
N®je;ô Agbe wa;'le; o moko¾
Iye e wa o¾ ja¾
Iye e wa o¾ ja¾
A®lu¾ko¾ wa;'le; o moko¾
Iye e wa o¾¾ ja¾¾
Iye e wa o¾ ja¾
Odi;deôreô; wa;;'le; o moko¾
Iye e wa o¾ ja¾ wa;'le; o
Agbe ni; o; d’igbo; ko ko ko
A®lu¾ko¾ ni; o; d’o¾ôda¾n kiji¾kiji¾
Odi;deôreô; ni; o;; d’ile Iwo
EÙni i; gb'e;ôboô ni;'be¾ô ko; wa;a; sô'eôboô o
Translation:
Impending doom by the side of this vicinity

This was Ifá’s declaration to Olúkorí
The mother of Agbe, the Blue Touraco
The mother of Àlùkò, the Maroon Touraco,
The mother of Odídeôréô, the Parrot
And the mother of Àkùkoô, the Rooster who was the last child of the family
“Agbe, please come back home
Àlùkò, please come back home
Odídeôréôô, please come back home
Our mother is no longer angry
Our mother is not quarrelling, please come back home”
406
Omoluabi
Agbe responded, “I’m heading into the deep forest”

Àlùkò responded, “I’m heading into the plain”
Odídeôréô responded, “I’m headed toward Iwo Land”
In this Odù, Olúkorí was the mother of Agbe, Àlùkò, Odídeôréô and Àkùkoô. This woman was too
harsh in meting out discipline to her children and could see no reason why she should spare
the children whenever they erred, even though she was fully conscious that they were very
young. Every little mistake was always visited with severe punishment. One day, she went out
and before she came back, the children mistakenly broke her palm oil earthen pot. Realizing
what they had done and the kind of punishment their mother would visit on them, they all
decided to flee, except Àkùkoô who chose to hide himself somewhere in order to watch his
mother’s reaction whenever she returned.
When Olúkorí came back, she saw what the children had done and inquired from her
neighbors on their whereabouts. They told her that the children had all fled for the fear of
being beaten mercilessly by her. Consequently, she became worried and regretted that her
high handedness had caused the children to flee. She wept and searched everywhere for
them. When Àkùkoô saw their mother’s reaction, he called on his elder brothers, Agbe, A®lu¾ko¾
and Odi;deôreô; to come back home, stating that their mother was not angry with them after all.
Unfortunately, Agbe replied that he was not coming back any longer, that he was already on
his way to the deep forest. Àlùkò also replied that he was heading for the plains, while
Odídeôréô replied that he had also decided to go to the land of Ìwó. That was how Olúkorí
through her harshness and high-handedness lost three of her children, remaining only Àkùkoô
who decided to stay back. It is therefore advisable for mothers to discipline with moderation
-not too soft and not too harsh either. This message also applies to fathers.
Ifa; also says that there is the need for us not to be too condescending to all the whims and
caprices of our children. Children love to skip work and play pranks if they are allowed to do
so. This must not be allowed. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is someone who knows how to moderate
between high handedness and laxity. In I®reôteô¾ O®pe¾re; (I®reôteô¾ O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
Ire ní’wájú
Ayòô l’éôyìn
Dìá fún Ìyá Olókosôéô
A bù fún Ìyá ÒÙkín
Àwoôn méjèèjì níí SÙ’obì¾nrin OÙlóôfin
Wóôn ní kí wóôn wáá rú’boô àsôeyoôrí fún oômoô woôn
Ìyá ÒÙkín nìkàn ní n;beô l’éôyìn tí n; s'ôeôboô o
Àwoôn ojú dá ojú ro
Dìá fún ÒÙkín
Tíí sôe àbúrò Olókosôéô
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Níjóô tí Olókosôéô yóó ran ní egbè tó sôòro

EÙboô ni wóôn ní ó wáá sôe o
Ó gb’éôboô, ó rú’boôô
N®jéô ojú dá ojú ro
A m’ÓÙkìn-ì;n j’oyè ojú dá
Àsôé iye oômoô l’oôlóôròô oômoô
Ìyá ÒÙkín rú o oômoô d’oôlóôròô
Iye oômoô l’oôlóôròôôoômoô
Iye oômoô l’olósôì oômoô
Ìyá Olókosôéô ò rú o, oômoô d’oôlósôôì
Iye oômoô l’olósôì oômoô
Translation:
Ire in the front

Happiness from the rear
This was Ifá’s declaration to Olókosôeô;’s mother
The same was also declared to ÒÙkín’s mother
The two of them were the OÙlóôfin’s wives
So that their children would succeed in life
Only ÒÙkín’s mother complied
Ojú dá, Ojú ro
They were the Awo who cast Ifá for ÒÙkín
The younger brother of Olókosôéô
When Olókosôôéô was going to send him on a difficult mission
He complied
It is painful, it is regrettable
We have installed ÒÙkín as the next OÙÙba
It is indeed very painful
So a child’s mother is the architect of a child’s prosperity
ÒÙkín’s mother offered the prescribed eôboô
And her child became prosperous
A child’s mother is truly the architect of a child’s prosperity
A child’s mother is equally the architect of a child’s wretchedness
Olókosôôéô’s mother failed to offer the prescribed eôboô
And her child became wretched
A child’s mother is truly the architect of a child’s wretchedness.
In this Odù, Ifá explains that Olókosôéô’s mother was the first wife while OÙ®ki;n’s mother was the
second. They were both the OÙlóôfin’s wives. Olókosôéô was the elder while ÒÙkín was the younger
brother. Both of them were children of the OÙlóôfin. One day, the two wives went to consult Ifá
on behalf of their children and were both advised to offer eôboô so that their children would
408
Omoluabi
succeed in life. Olókosôéô’s mother knew that as a matter of course, when the OÙlóôfin died, her
son would succeed him. Consequent upon this, she saw no reason why she should offer the
eôboô as prescribed by the Babaláwo.
On the other hand, ÒÙkín’s mother offered the eôboô and began to give her child intensive
training as recommended by the Babaláwo. Before the cock would crow everyday, she would
wake ÒÙkín up and send him to do farm work together with the palace workers in the farm. All
these, ÒÙkín endured without complaint. There was no day that ÒÙkín did not wake up before
the first cockcrow and there was no day that Olókosôéô wake up before midday. With daily
practice, there was no work ÒÙkín could not perform on the farm and at home. He had
adapted himself to all situations. Seeing ÒÙkín for the first time, nobody could ever believe that
he had royal blood flowing in his veins. In the case of Olókosôéô however, as he was enjoying
the life of royalty, there was nothing he could do on his own. His mother ensured that all his
domestic servants were at his beck and call.
One day the OÙlóôfin died! True to prediction, all the kingmakers knew that Olókosôéô would be
the next OÙlóôfin. All arrangements were in top gear to install him as the new OÙba. He was told
by the kingmakers to meet them at a grove about five kilometers away from the town
promptly before the cockcrow in seven days’ time. Olókosôéô knew that he had never woken up
before the first cockcrow in his life. He told his mother what the kingmakers had said. His
mother knew that it would be very difficult if not impossible for her son to arrive there on
schedule. They discussed it at length and decided to practise the wake-up time so that
Olókosôéô would be able to arrive at the destination on schedule. After four days of practice,
they knew that the exercise was fruitless because they had always slept off since it was not
their habit to wake up so early.
On the fifth day, Olókosôéô’s mother came up with an ingenious idea. She told Olókosôéô to send
ÒÙkín, his younger brother to go and collect whatever the kingmakers wanted to give him; after
all, Olókosôéô was the elder brother and had the right to send his younger brother anywhere he
liked. Olókosôéô called ÒÙkín and told him what he needed to do as his mother had instructed
him to do. When ÒÙkín heard this, he immediately went to his mother and told her what his
elder brother had instructed him to do. ÒÙÙkín’s mother advised him to go and consult Ifá
before he set out on the journey.
ÒÙkín went to ‘Oju; da;, Oju; ro’ for Ifá consultation. The two Awo told him that his elder brother
had sent him on an errand that had proven difficult for the elder brother and his mother to
accomplish. They advised ÒÙkín to offer eôboô and to go on the errand. They then assured him
that he would not only succeed on the mission, but that his elder brother would live to regret
his decision for the rest of his life for ever sending him on that errand.
ÒÙkín returned home and narrated to his mother what the Awo had told him. The mother
offered all the eôboô and asked him to wake up at least two hours before cockcrow on the fixed
date.
On that day, ÒÙkín woke up as planned and headed for the location that Olókosôéô had told him
409
the kingmakers would be. By the time ÒÙkín got to the grove, the kingmakers had gathered all
the ritual materials and were waiting for Olókosôéô (the OÙba elect) to be installed. Instead of
Olókosôéô, it was ÒÙkín who appeared. The kingmakers were taken aback. When they asked
ÒÙkín why Olókosôéô failed to come, he explained that it was Olókosôéô who sent him to come and
collect what the kingmakers wanted to give Olókosôéô. The kingmakers, having realized that
anybody who arrived at that grove on that day must be installed as the new OÙba, and moreso
when all the ritual materials had been completed, decided to have a quick deliberation. They
eventually decided to install ÒÙkín as the new OÙba. Afterall, they argued, ÒÙkín was also a prince
from the same royal house. They had no option other than to perform all the rituals for Ò Ùkín
and make him the new OÙba.
From the grove, they danced and sang until they arrived in town around midday. It was the
noise of the crowd hailing ÒÙkín as the new OÙba that woke Olókosôéô and his mother up.
ÒÙkín thanked everybody for their support and gave a special thanks to his mother who he
called the architect of his success. He said that if not for the training she had given him, he
would never have become the OÙlóôfin.
Olókosôéô also informed the crowd that his mother was the architect of his misfortune, that if his
mother had given him adequate and appropriate training as ÒÙkín’s mother had done, he would
never have missed the crown as he had done. Olókosôéô regretted this for the rest of his life.
Lastly, irrespective of the kind of training we give our children, our children are like our
replicas, our image and color. In O®tu;ra; Rera; (O®tu;ra; O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
Mo;ôna;mo;ôna; ni;i; f'ori; joô oôka;

I®gbo¾ôn¾terô a f'i¾ru¾ j’ejo¾
O®jo¾ p'eôku¾n ma; r’a¾a¾fi;n
Di;a; fu;n OÙloômoô Aji;ba;wo¾ô
O: n; t'o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;'ye;
OÙmoô eôni l'a¾wo¾ô eôni
B’e;mi o¾ ba; te¾te¾ ku;
Ma b'a;wo¾ô si;'le¾ô
OÙmoô eôni l'a¾wo¾ô eôni
Translation:
The Moô;na;mo;ôna; snake’s head looks like that of a cobra

The monitor’s tail looks like that of a snake
The rain fell on the leopard without affecting the palace
These were Ifa;’s declarations for OÙloômoô Aji;ba;wo¾ô
She complied
410
Omoluabi
One’s child is one’s color and complexion

If I do not die young
I will give birth to a child who has my complexion
One’s child is one’s color and complexion
22.An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is someone who thinks, speaks and acts in moderation. They are never extreme
in anything they do. Ifa; says that in everything that we do, we must moderate it so that we will
not be seen as someone who lacks discipline or control over our thoughts, feelings, and actions
and at the same time not be seen as someone who is too harsh, aggressive, or highhanded. In
I®rosu¾n O®Ùsa;, Ifa; says:
Ka; wi; fu;n 'ni ka; fe;ô

Ka; so¾ôroô¾ fu;n 'ni ka; gba¾
A®wi;fu;n a¾i¾feô;, a¾fo¾ô a¾i¾gba¾
Ni;i; mu;'ni de; fi¾la¾ o¾di¾ la¾'de
Di;a; fu;n Mo;ôfo;ye¾wa;
OÙmoô Olori¾ l'a;a¾fin
I®gba¾ti; n; bo¾ô wa; s'o;de i¾sa;lu; aye;
Moô;fo;ye¾wa; Olori¾ l'a;a¾fin
I®wa¾ a¾ reô eô; wu¾ wa;
O roro¾ l'o;ye¾
Moô;fo;ye¾wa; Olori¾ l'a;a¾fin
I®wa¾ a¾ reô eô; wu¾ wa;
O tutu¾ l'o;ye¾
Translation:
To heed advice
To accept counseling
Refusal to heed advice and accept counseling
Is what makes one put on one’s cap the wrong way across the land
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Mo;ôfo;ye¾wa;
The Queen in the palace
She complied
Mo;ôfo;ye¾wa; the Queen in the palace
We love your character
Because you are stern in your discipline
Mo;ôfo;ye¾wa; the Queen in the palace
We love your character
Because you are gentle in your discipline
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The message of this verse is to show us how it is important to know when it is the appropriate
time to be stern and when it is the right time to be soft and gentle. Both characteristics are
necessary depending on the situation and context one finds oneself.
23. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is someone who appreciates kind gestures, and is grateful to those who show
him/her benevolence. All human beings need to show gratitude to Olo;du¾mare¾, Ori;, Ifa;, the
Iru;nmoôleô¾/O®ri¾sôa¾ and fellow human beings who have done them one favor or the other. Showing
gratitude for favors is a way of multiplying the grace and bounty of Olo;du¾mare¾. In O®Ùyeô¾ku;
Paki;no¾ôsôeô; (OÙ®yeô¾ku; O®Ùsôeô;), Ifa; says:
Ka; ma; te¾te¾ ku; Awo ile; Ala;yo¾ô

A®i¾te¾te¾ ku; i¾sôeô; Awo I®ba¾nu;je;ô
Bi; iku; ba; de;, ka; yin OÙloô;run l’o;go Awo Olo;o¾o;to;ô
A®woôn ni woô;n di;a; fu;n a¾woôn A®gba¾ sôa¾nn¾ko-sôa¾nn¾ko¾ ma;ru¾n-u;n
Ni;'jo;ô ti; wo;ôn loô re¾e; da;’fa; Iku; wo¾ l’oô;do¾ô OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
E®e;sôe ti; oômoô Ara;aye; fi n; ku;
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ ni; oore ni Olo;du¾mare¾ fi Iku; sôe f’oô;moô ara;aye;
Odo¾¾ ti;; ko¾ sôa¾n s’i;wa;
Ti; ko¾ sôa¾n s’eô;yi¾n
I®yeôn ti di O®Ùgoôô¾doôô¾
OÙ®goÙ¾do¾ô re¾e;, omi e¾ôgbin
Omi n; gbe; woôn oôô loô reôreô
Omi n; gbe; woôn oô; boô¾ reôreô
Olo;ku¾nru¾¾n wa; ka; loô re¾e; gb’a¾ôwoô¾ tuntun pada¾ wa; s’a;ye;
Translation:
If we do not die young we will be happy

If we live long in poverty we will be sad
Anytime death comes let us be grateful to God
This is the policy of a truthful person
These were the declarations of Ifa; to the six elders
When they were going to Ife¾ô to ask questions from OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
Why should human beings be dying?
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ responded that Olo;du¾mare¾¾ uses death to show benevolence toward human beings
Any river that does not flow forward
And does not flow backward
Such a river has now become a pond
A pond is full of filth
The river is carrying them forward
The river is carrying them backward
Let the invalid go and bring back a new body into the world
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that in all things, we must show gratitude to Olo;du¾mare, even if whatever
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Omoluabi
happens to us falls short of our expectations. Doing this, will make Olo;du¾mare¾ to give us more.
In I®wo¾ri¾ O®Ùda;nri;n (I®wo¾ri¾ OÙ®woô;nri;n), Ifa; says:
EÙni ti; a ba; sôe l’o;ore ti; ko¾ mo¾ôoô;

Ki; a ma; fi i¾ka¾ da;n-an wo¾
Ti; a ba; sôe e; ni;’ka¾ wo¾
I®ka¾ yo;o; du¾n-u;n
Oore ni ko¾ ni;i; ra;nti;
Ni;'jo;ô to; n; loô re¾e; na;’ja¾ EÙleô;ri;n
Translation:
He who one does a favor for

But does not appreciate it
Do not let us do any wickedness towards such a person
If we are wicked to such a person
The wickedness will pain him
And the goodness that we did for him, he will no longer remember
When going to transact business in EÙleô;ri;n Market
He complied…
Also in I®wo¾ri¾ O® j'awu¾sa;, Ifa; warns us never to pay kindness with evil. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
I®wo¾ri¾ o¾ j’awu¾sa;
Di;a; fu;n woôn l’o;de O®Ùtan
Ni;'bi ti; wo;ôn n; ji;
Ti; wo;ôn n; f’ibi s’o;lo;ore
Woô;n koô'ti; o¾ôgboônyin sô'eô;boô
E®ro¾ I®po a¾ti t'O®Ùfa¾
E®Ùyin o¾ ri;'na; Ifa; ka¾n n; jo; woôn
Translation:
I®wo¾ri¾ does not consume walnuts

This was the declaration of Ifa; for the inhabitants of O®®Ùtan land
Where they were waking up
And paying their benefactors back with evil
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Can’t you see the fire of Ifa; as it is burns them mercilessly?
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that those who pay good gestures with evil ones, shall live to regret their
actions. In O®Ùba¾ra¾-I®reôteô¾, Ifa; says:
Igu;n j'eôboô
Igu;n o¾ k'eô;le;ôboô ku; a¾na;
EÙ ku; a¾na; l'e¾re¾ oore
Di;a; fu;n A®i¾na; ke¾ôkeô¾e¾ôkeô¾
Ti;i; sô'oômoô oni;'bi a¾gbe;le;
Ifa; mo du;pe;ô owo; to; o fu;n mi l'a;na¾a; o
O®Ùba¾ra¾-I®reôteô¾ o o¾
Ifa; mo du;pe;ô oômoô to; o fu;n mi l'a;na¾a; o
Ifa; mo du;pe;ô aya; to; o fu;n mi l'a;na¾a; o
Ifa; mo du;pe;ô ile; to; o fu;n mi l'a;na¾a; o
Ifa; mo du;pe;ô ire gbogbo to; o fu;n mi l'a;na¾a; o
Translation:
After consuming the eôboô

The vulture refused to thank the owner of the eôboô
Thank you for yesterday’s favor is the profit one gains from being benevolent
These were Ifa;’s declarations for A®i¾na; ke¾ôke¾ôeô¾keô¾
The offspring of the large extended lineage
She complied
Ifa;, I am grateful for the wealth you gave me yesterday
Ifa;, I thank you very much (I am very grateful)
Ifa;, I am grateful for the spouse you gave me yesterday
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Omoluabi
Ifa;, I am grateful for the children you gave me yesterday

Ifa;, I am grateful for the property you gave me yesterday
Ifa;, I am grateful for the all the Ire of life you gave me yesterday
Also in O®tu;ra; Reôka¾ (O®tu;ra; I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says that we must show gratitude in order to receive more
gratitude. We must especially be showing gratitude to Olo;du¾mare¾, Ori;, and Ifa; in order to receive
more gratitude in our lives. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Ala;yo;ôn¾be;ôreô; abi¾ru¾ gbo¾ôoô¾ro¾ô

Di;a; fu;n Modu;pe;ôoôla;
Ti;i; sô’a¾re¾ômoô Olo;du¾mare¾
Mo du;pe;ô o¾, l'oô;wo;ô OÙloô;run o
O®tu;ra; ‘Reôteô¾, mo du;pe;ô
Mo du;pe;ô o¾, l'o;ôwoô; Ori; mi o
O®tu;ra; ‘Reôteô¾, mo du;;pe;ô
Mo du;pe;ô o¾, l'o;ôwoô; Ifa; mi o
O®tu;ra; ‘Reôteô¾, mo du;pe;ô
Translation:
The monitor reptile with its long tail

This was Ifa;’s declaration for Modu;pe;ôoôla;
The first child of Olo;du¾mare¾
He complied
I am grateful to God
O®tu;ra; ‘Reôteô¾, Ifa; I express my gratitude
I am grateful to my Ori
I am grateful to my Ifa;
In another stanza of the same Odu¾, Ifa; says:
A®du;pe;ô-moô;pe;ô l'awo A®du;pe;ô-moô;pe;ô
415
A®do;ore mo;ore l'awo A®do;ore mo;ore

EÙni ti; o¾ du;pe;ô oore a¾na;
Ko¾ lee¾ gb'oôreô o¾ni; bo¾ô
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùka¾nka¾nle; Iru;nmoôleô¾
Woô;n n; loô re¾ e; fe;ô OÙpeô;
Ti;;i; sô'oômoô O®ri¾sôa¾ Gbo¾wu;ji¾
Baba n; loô re¾ e; fe;ô OÙpeô;
Ti;i; sô'oômoô O®ri¾sôa¾ Gbo¾wu;ji¾
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni¾kan ni; n; beô l'eô;yi¾n ti; n; sô'eôboô
Mo du;pe;ô, mo gb'oôoôreô
Mo du;pe;ô a¾na;
Mo gb'oôoôreô t'o¾¾ni; bo¾ô
O®tu;ra;-'Reôteô¾, mo du;pe;
Translation:
Gratitude upon gratitude begets gratitude upon gratitude

Favor upon favor begets favor upon favor
Whoever fails to show gratitude for favor done to him yesterday
That person will not receive the favor of today
These were Ifa;’s declarations to the 401 Iru;nmoôleô¾
When going to marry OÙpe;ô, Gratitude
The child of O®ri¾sôa¾ Gbo¾wu;ji¾, OÙba¾ta;la;
The same was also declared to OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
The child of O®ri¾sôa¾ Gbo¾wu;ji¾
Only OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ complied with the advice
I express my gratitude and I receive my gifts
I express my gratitude for the favor done to me yesterday
And I receive the gifts of today
O®tu;ra; ‘Reôteô¾, I am very grateful
In the last two stanzas of O®tu;ra; I®reôteô¾, Ifa; says that anyone who fails to show gratitude for the
benevolence of yesterday does not deserve benevolence for today. To be known and called an
OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;, one must show gratitude at all times for even the smallest of favors.
24.An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is someone who cares for all people and things. It is the responsibility of anyone
who aspires to an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to have sympathy, compassion, love, care and concern for everybody
in his/her household, his/her group, his/her community, his/her country and in the whole world.
It is this love that pushes an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to ensure that he/she leaves the world better than he/she
found it. In I®wo¾ri¾ A®yo¾ôka; (I®wo¾ri¾ I®ka;), Ifa; says:
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Omoluabi
Ki;'na; o; ma; ku¾ u;

Ki;'ya¾ o; ma; ba a¾ jeô e;e;ru;
K'a;a¾ro¾ o; ma; ye¾ô geô¾re¾ô
K’oô;be¾ô o; ma; ba a¾ da¾nu¾
K'o;lo;ko o; ma; ku¾ u;
K’o;ko o¾ôhu;n o; ma; ba a¾ d’i¾gbo¾¾ro¾
Ki; baa;le; ile; o; ma; ku¾ u;
Ki;le; o¾ôhu;n o; ma; ba a¾ d'ahoro
Ori; A®yo¾ôka; oômoô I®sôeô; lo; du¾n ba;yi¾i;
OÙmoô I®sôeô; ti d’olo;hun
B'a;ye; ba; du¾n
Bi; o¾ du¾n
E®Ùyin o¾ w’e¾ôyi¾n A®yo¾ôka;
Translation:
Let the fire not be extinguished

For the ashes not to suffer
Let the furnace not collapse
For the soup not to spill onto the ground
Let the owner of the farm not suffer premature death
For the farm not to turn into a wilderness
Let the head of the family not die unexpectedly
For the household not to turn into a deserted home
See how fortunate A®yo¾ôka; now is who was once suffering from poverty
The child suffering from want now has surplus
If the world is interesting
Or not
Look at how the life of A®yo¾ôka; eventually turned out
An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is a highly diplomatic person. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; knows how to present delicate and/or
controvertial matters and assignments with sweet and soft language. It is this character of
OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; that distinguishes him/her among his/her contemporaries. In E®ji¾ O®n¾ko¾ (O®gu;nda; Me;ji¾),
Ifa; says:
Bi; a ba; ra;n’ni ni;'sôeô; eôru;

A® fi t'oômoô jeô; eô
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùga;
Ti; n; sô'awo r'o¾de O®n¾ko¾
N®je;ô OÙ®pe¾ôleô¾ pe¾ôleô;
Ara; o¾de O®n¾ko¾
Agbe;'le; moô’ku; eôran o
417
Translation:
If we are given the assignment of a slave to carry out

We must execute the assignment like a free born
This was the declaration of Ifa; for O®Ùga¾, the O®Ùpeô¾le¾ô Seed
When going on an Ifa; mission to O®n¾ko¾ land
He complied
Gently OÙ®pe¾ôleô¾
The inhabitants of O®n¾ko¾ land
He who stays at home and knows which animals turn it is to die
Also in O®tu;ra; Abe;jiwa;ye;, (O®®tu;ra; Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
Bi; a ba; ra;n 'ni ni;'sôeô eôru;

T'oômoô la¾ a; fi i; je;ô eô
Di;a; fu;n Iko¾ô
O: n; t'o¾ôrun boô¾ wa;'ye;
Olo;du¾mare¾ ni; ko; loô mu; Aka;po¾ wa; l'o;ôrun…
Translation:
If we are given the assignment of a slave to carry out

We must execute the assignment like a free born
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Iko¾ô, the Delegate
Olo;du¾mare¾ ordered them to go and bring the Aka;po¾ back to heaven…
25.An OÙmoôôlu;a¾bi; is someone who has a forgiving mind. He is someone who believes that in order
to get the forgiveness of Olo;du¾mare¾, one needs to genuinely forgive those who have wronged
one in one way or the other. In I®rosu¾n I®ja¾a;sôeô¾ (I®rosu¾n O®tu;ru;po¾ôn), Ifa; says:
Iya;n ti; o¾ l'o;ôbeô¾ ni;i; sôe la;n;ka;-la;n;ka;

Di;a; fu;n E®tu¾tu¾
Ti;i; sô'oômoô A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n
I®wa¾ E®tu¾¾tu¾ ko¾ da;ra
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ wa;a; le; e ja;de ni;'le;
I®pe¾ô E®tu¾tu¾ la wa;a; sôe o
I®pe¾ô E®tu¾tu¾ la wa;a; sôe o
Baba mu;'ye¾ de;’nu; o
Ko; o mu; su¾¾u;ru¾
I®pe¾ô E®tu¾tu¾ la wa;a; sôe
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Omoluabi
I®pe¾ô E®tu¾tu¾ teô leô; eô wa;a; sôe o

I®pe¾ô E®tu¾tu¾ teô leô; eô wa;a; sôe o
OÙmoô me;lo¾o; l’E®Ùdu; bi; o
Ti; yo;o; ya¾n’kan nu¾
I®pe¾ô E®tu¾tu¾ teô leô; eô wa;a; sôe
Translation:
Pounded yam without soup can be difficult to consume

This was the Ifa;’s cast for E®tu¾tu¾, Propitiation
The character of E®tu¾tu¾ was not good
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ chased him out of the house
He complied
We have come to solicit on behave of E®tu¾tu¾
We have come to beg on behalf of E®tu¾tu¾
Father, please calm down
And exercise patience
We have come to intercede on behalf of E®tu¾tu¾
We have come to appeal on behalf of E®tu¾tu¾
How many children does E®Ùdu; have
That he would cast one out?
26.An OÙmoôôlu;a¾bi; is an astute social engineer. An OÙmoôôlu;a¾bi; has the capability to manage many
people and materials in order to produce goods and services in a satisfactory way. He/she is an
administrator per excellence. As a good manager, an OÙmoôôlu;a¾bi; should be doing the following:
i. Seeing to the welfare of all those under his/her administration
ii. Settling all issues amicably
iii. Avoiding confrontation with anyone
iv. Investigates all sides of any issue before taking any decision
v. Maintains his/her cool and calm and is not easily swayed by emotions
vi. Stands resolute after deliberating fully and coming to a decision, and will not
succumb to pressures to change
vii. Consults with all groups, both youths and elders, and alligns with everyone
viii. Manages crisis and success
419
ix. Applies good business acumen to make profit for himself/herself, his/her group,
his/her community and the society at large.
x. Knows when to, and when not to, deligate authority.
These are parts of the qualities that make an OÙmoôôlu;a¾bi; stand out in the crowd. These qualities
earn him/her accolades, respect, honor and even envy from others in the community. In I®reôte
O®pe¾re; (I®reôteô¾ O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
Owo; la¾ a; fi i; p’ee;na; owo;
Bi; a o¾ ba; f’owo; p’ee;na; owo;
Owo; ol’o;wo; o¾ le e¾ di t’eôni
Baba n; f’omi oju; su¾ngbe;re¾ oômoô…
Translation:
We need to use money to pursue money

If we don’t use money to chase after money
Other people’s money cannot become ours
When lamenting for his inability to beget a baby…
In this Odu¾, Ifa; explains that it is only when we establish a legitimate and ethical business
concern that we can attract other people to transact business with us. In the process, we will
have the potential to make money and be successful in the business.
In I®rosu¾n Me;ji¾, Ifa; says:
K’o;lo;wo; o; wa;
K’a;la;wi¾n o; wa;
A®ya;a¾san ni o¾ sunwo¾ôn
OÙba to; sô’o¾fin a¾¾wi¾n
Lo; fe;ô i¾lu; u re¾ô eô; fo;ô
Di;a; fu;n EÙleô;koô I®de¾re¾
Ti; yo;o; l’o;ôroô¾ k’ale;ô-k’aleôô;
Translation:
Let those who will buy and pay with cash come
Let those who will buy and pay with credit come
Buying on credit without paying back the credit is unethical
A ruler who legislates against transacting business on credit
Will turn his land into a deserted area
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Omoluabi
These were the declarations of Ifa; for EÙleôkoô I®de¾re¾, the Corn meal seller of I®de¾re¾ Land
Who would become very successful before evening time
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that transacting business on both cash and credit needs to be encouraged as
long as those who buy on credit are prepared to honor the redemption of the credit. Also in
another stanza of I®rosu¾n Me;ji¾, Ifa; says that for any business to thrive, there is the need to apply
wisdom and understanding. In this stanza, Ifa; says:
OÙgboô;n inu; ni Baa;le¾ô o¾wo¾

Di;a; fu;n EÙleô;koô I®de¾re¾
Ti; yo;o; l’o;ôroô¾ k’a;le;ô o; to; o; le;ô
Translation:
Inner wisdom is the anchor for business success

This was the declaration of Ifa; for EÙle;ôkoô I®de¾re¾
Who would succeed before evening time
In I®rosu¾n Oku¾n I®wa¾ (I®rosu¾n O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says that whenever we enter into any agreement, we
must keep to our own side of the agreement even if the other party is not around. In this Odu¾,
Ifa; says:
B’o;ju; ba; yeô’ju;

K’o;hu¾n ma; yeô’raa woôn o
Di;a; fu;n Wa;a;wa;a; OÙdeô Aye;
B’o;ju; ba; yeô’ju;
K’o;hu¾n ma; yeô’raa woôn o
Di;a; fu;n Gu;e¾de¾ OÙdeô OÙ®run
A®ta¾pa; sôo¾o; Awo Olu;weôri
Di;a; fu;n Olu;weôri
E®yi; ti; yo;o; ji¾i; ni; ku¾tu¾ku¾tu¾
Ti; yo;o; ko;’fa;a re¾ô da;
Ko¾ pe;ô ko¾ ji¾nna¾
Translation:
If we depart from each other

Do not change our agreement
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These were Ifa;’s declarations for Wa;a;wa;a;, the hunter of the world
If we depart from each other
Do not change our agreement
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Gu;e¾de¾, the hunter in heaven
A®ta¾pa; SÙo¾o;, the Awo of Olu;weôri
He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for Olu;weôri
Who woke up early in the morning
And consulted his Ifa;
He complied
Join us in the midst of victory
In O®tu;ra; Ga¾sa; (O®tu;ra; O®Ùsa;), Ifa; says that it is not on all occasions that a leader needs to delegate
authority. There are occasions when a leader needs to take up certain assignments personally in
order to achieve the desired result. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
A ki¾ i; mo¾ô’wa¾ e¾e¾ya¾n ka; sôeô¾ eô;

Di;a; fu;n Ke;ôteô;ke;ôteô;
A bu¾ fu;n A®ku¾koô
Ti; wo;ôn o; pa owo; po¾ô
Ti; wo;ôn o; loô re¾ e; ra oko;
Ni;’le; Olo;du¾mare¾
Translation:
We cannot understand a person’s character and still offend him

This was the declaration of Ifa; for Ke;ôteô;ke;ôteô;, the Donkey
The same was also declared for A®ku¾koô, the Rooster
When the two of them put their money together
To go and purchase their penises
In the domain of Olo;du¾mare¾
Keô;te;ôkeô;te;ô, The Donkey and A®ku¾koô, The Rooster were bossom friends. They were doing everything
together. One day, Keô;te;ôkeô;te;ô wanted to go to the domain of Olo;du¾mare¾ to purchase his own penis.
He informed A®ku¾koô of his intention. A®ku¾koô too had been planning to go and do the same. A®ku¾koô
had six bags of cowries while Keô;te;ôkeô;te;ô had only one bag. They agreed that they would put the
money together and send Keô;te;ôkeô;te;ô to go purchase the two penises. Keô;te;ôkeô;te;ô was asked to
represent A®ku¾koô. Keô;te;ôkeô;te;ô went with seven bags of cowries.
When Keô;te;ôkeô;te got to the domain of Olo;du¾mare¾, he explained that he wanted to buy two penises,
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Omoluabi
one for himself and the other one for his friend, A®ku¾koô. He stated further that he wanted one that
was worth one bag of cowries and the other that was worth six bags. They brought out the two.
He told them that the one of six bags of cowries was for him and the one of one bag was for his
friend. He also instructed them to attach the one of six bags to his body. They wrapped that of
one bag in a leaf and asked him to give it to his friend.
When he got back to his friend, the friend saw Keô;te;ôkeô;te’s penis dangling sideways on his body.
He thought within himself that if a penis of one bag of cowries could be that large, his own must
be very enomous indeed. When Keô;te;ôkeô;te brought out his friend’s penis, the friend could not
believe his eyes. How could this tiny thing be given to him for six bags of cowries?! Ke ô;te;ôkeô;te told
him to swallow it. He did. Nothing came out! He realized that his bossom friend had duped him.
Every morning, A®ku¾koô would wake up with the cry of lamentation, saying: oko; ke;kere; lo; f’e;mi i¾!!!
meaning: it is a tiny penis that he gave me!!! He realized with everlasting regret that had he
gone to the domain of Olo;du¾mare¾ by himself, he would not have become a victim of fraud.
This shows that it is not everything that one should delegate to others. Anything that affects one
personally or one’s future must be personally attended to.
In O®gu;nda; I®rosu¾n, Ifa; stresses the fact that the whole essence of going into any business venture
is to make good profit. In this Odu¾, Ifa; ays:
Ogu;n l’ewe; ina;

O®ji¾ ni ti i¾ro;ko¾
A®a;do;ôta ni ti mi¾mi¾ro
Di;a; fu;n OÙloÙmoÙ
Ti; yo;o; sô'o¾wo¾-sô'o¾wo¾
Ti; yo;o; j'e¾e¾re¾-j'e¾e¾re¾
Ti; yo;o; f’ori; ara a re¾ô k’e;re¾ de;’le;
E®re¾¾ ma¾ l’oôja¾
Ifa; je;ô ki; n k’e;re¾ de;’le; e wa o
Translation:
The leaves of Ina; are in twenties

Those of I®ro;ko¾ are in forties
Those of Mi¾¾mi¾roô are in fifties
This was the Ifa; cast for OÙloômoô
The one who will engage in extensive business transactions
This was the Ifa; cast for OÙloômoô
The one who will be blessed with huge profit
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This was the Ifá cast for OÙloômoô

The one who will carry his profit on his head to his house
He complied
Making profit is good business
Ifa;, let me bring huge profit into our home
An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; knows how to transact good business and make good profit in the business. To
make good profit is not enough. According to Ifa;, to be able to bring the profit back home is when
one can say for sure that he/she has made good profit from the business that he/she has
transacted.
Ifa; says that in order to achieve great results, an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; needs to make himself/herself
comfortable in all social groups, especially those after the progress of the community. In I®wo¾ri
Wo¾din (I®wo¾ri¾ O®di;), Ifa; says:
Kogo;kogo; ni;i; l’agogo fu;n Iku;

Kango¾kango¾ ni;i; lu¾’pe¾se¾ f’A:ru¾n
A®wo¾di¾ o¾ ra¾ ba¾ba¾ l’o;ke¾
Ko; lu ki;ti; aje; ka¾nga;-ka¾ngo
Ti; yo;o; lo¾ôoô; ba; oômoô-eô¾yi¾n j’aye; po¾ô
Ifa; ni; n; sôe mi; ka¾nga;
O: ni; n; sôe mi; ka¾ngo
OÙpa, n o¾ sôa¾i¾ b’o;ômoô eô¾yi¾n j’aye; po¾ô
Translation:
Kogo;kogo; is the Agogo player for Death

Kango¾kango¾ is the i¾pe¾se¾ player for Affliction
The eagle does not hover overhead
For it to beat the drum of aje; to make the ka¾nga;-ka¾ngo sound
Who would live in the company of youths
He complied
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declares that it is as if I am old
And as if I am young
Certainly, I will live in the company of youths
In any business enterprise, what destroys success chances more than anything else is reckless
and unguided business speculation. An example of reckless business speculation can be found in
424
Omoluabi
O®fu;n On;le¾ôeô;sôeô; (O®fu;n O®Ùsôeô;) where Ifa; says:

Abe;ôreô; poônpoôn-oônpoôn l’oô;wo;ô ara;n’sôoô
A®keeke¾e; ki¾i; sôe oju;gba¾ a ko¾ko¾ro¾ kan
OÙ®ro¾ô kan n; beô ni;’ku¾n mi
N o¾ ni;i; wi;
Di;a; fu;n SÙoô;ja¾
Di;a; fu;n OÙloô;ti; ile; e reô
Translation:
The needle is held firmly in the hand of the tailor

The scorpion has no peer among all the insects
There is something in my mind
I will tell no one
These were Ifa;’s declarations for SÙoô;ja¾
The same was also declared for the alcohol distiller in his house
They were advised to offer eôboô...
The Story goes thus:
SÙoô;ja¾ was a very popular man in his community. He was loved by all. One day however, SÙo;ôja fell
ill and the illness was very serious. Most of his relatives lost hope that he would ever survive the
ailment. SÙoô;ja¾ and the liquor distiller were living in the same house. The liquor distiller was
convinced that SÙoô;ja¾ would die within seven days. Consequent upon this, she began to buy a lot
of guinea corn on credit in order to prepare a lot of guinea corn beer to celebrate SÙoô;ja¾’s burial
ceremony. She also purchased several more pots on credit. She assured herself that many
people would attend the ceremony. She planned to maximize her profit. She congratulated
herself for having such great vision. She soaked the guinea corn in water and began to distill the
beer. The day she finished the distillation of the beer was the day that S Ùoô;ja¾ rose up from his
ailment. All the creditors began to decend on the distiller and they were demanding for their
money. All the liquor that she brewed got spoilt because nobody bought any of them. When
people asked her why she brewed so much alcohol, she confessed that she did so in anticipation
of SÙoô;ja¾’s death. She was blamed for being excessively speculative. This is the reason why it is
not advisable to engage in any reckless or speculative business venture.
Before taking any step, an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is he/she who consults a wide range of interest groups.
After seeking a wide range of opinions, he/she will uphold and act on the consensus agreement.
In OÙ®ba¾ra¾ Moô;na;mo;ôna; (O®Ùba¾ra¾ O®Ùwoô;nri;n), Ifa; says:
Bi; eô ba; ri; oômoô ke;kere; l’o;ôna¾

EÙ f’o¾ôroô¾ lo¾ô oô;
Bi; eô ba; ri; a¾gba¾lagba¾ l’o;ôna¾
EÙ f’o¾ôroô¾ lo¾ô oô;
425
A o¾ moô eôni baba reô¾ o; ku¾u;

Ti; yo;o; f’e¾e¾bu¾ si;’le¾ô fu;n
Di;a; fu;n O®n¾yagbe¾ô
A b’ee;ni; oko ti;eôn-re;re
I®gba¾ ti; n; r’oko ti; ko¾ r’e;re¾ jeô
EÙ wa;a; ba; 'ni ni; je¾ôbu;tu; ire gbogbo
Translation:
If you meet a youth on the road

Seek his opinion
If you meet an elder on the road
Seek his opinion
It is impossible to know whose departed father had bequeathed him a good legacy after his death
These were Ifa;’s declarations for O®n¾yagbe¾ô, the Farmer
The one who had a vast expanse of farmland
When he was toiling without any successful reward
He complied
Join us in the midst of abundant Ire
27.For an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; who has trust in Olo;du¾mare¾, there is nothing impossible. In I®din O® Be¾ôeô¾ru¾ I®ja¾
(O®di; O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
A-sa; la;ga
A-ri¾n la;ga
O®n¾ran ni o¾ ran’ku¾n aga
A®gba¾lagba¾ obi¾nrin ni o¾ sa;'re; ya¾gaya¾ga ni;'nu; e¾ôkan
To; l'o;un o; soôô igbo; Oni;wo;o;wo;o;tiwo; d'ile;
O: l'o;un o; soô O®ke¾ A®mu;ro¾ d'oôja¾
O: l'o;un o; soô gbogbo a¾woôn oô¾ga¾n wo¾ônyi; di i¾gboro
O: gb’e;ôboôô, o; ru;’boô
O: soô Igbo; Oni;wo;o;wo;o;tiwo; d’ile;
O: soô O®ke¾ A®mu;ro¾ d’oôja
O: soô gbogbo a¾woôn OÙ®ga¾n wo¾ônyi; d’i¾gboro
O: wa; pa¾de; a¾woôn Imoôleô¾ l’oô;na¾
E®sôu¾ ni; eôni ti; eô pa¾de; nni¾
Isôeô; to; sôe o; yeô ki; eô ma;a fi yi¾n-i;n ni o
426
Omoluabi
O: ni; gbogbo re¾ô lo le¾ sôe

J’oô¾ko;ô, j’eôleô;de¾ô
Gbogbo reô¾ lo le¾ sôe o
Ala;;ba¾ oôla¾
Gbogbo re¾ô lo le¾ sôe o
Translation:
He who runs inside the farm barn

He who walks inside the farm barn
A thread manufacturer does not make thread for the farm barn
An elderly woman does not run in an awkward manner inside the eô¾kan grass
When he declared that he would convert deep forests into residential areas
And transform inaccessible hills into market-places
And turn all anthills into cities
He complied
He then converted deep forests into residential areas
And transformed inaccessible hills into market-places
And turned all anthills into cities
He then met the Imoôleô¾ on the way
E®sôu¾ declared that the person that you just met
You need to praise him for all the work he has performed
They said O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾, you are capable of doing all things
Consumer of dogs and pigs
You are capable of doing all things
Owner of the barn of prosperity
You are capable of doing all things
28.The emphasis of an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is in attaining maximum recognition, excellent performance and

achieving the widest positive impact on the lives of everyone in the society. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is not
after the accumulation of wealth or worldly possessions. He/she is not after opulence. An
OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is after being remembered after he/she has passed on as someone who left the world
better than how he/she met it. That is all that preoccupies the mind of an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. In I®reôteô¾
O®pe¾re; (I®reôteô¾ O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
Ka;ri;a;jeô ni;i; sô’awo A®pa;lo;si;

O®Ùka;nju;a¾ e¾e¾ya¾n ni;i; wo¾ wo¾ônra¾n-wo¾ônra¾n
I®ga¾nn¾gan e¾e¾ru¾n, af’eônu foô¾’yeô
Ere¾ ni;i; m’o¾ôrun a¾gba¾a¾gba¾
Di;a; fu;n I®ji; We;rewe¾re e¾ mi
A ki¾ fu;n E®Ùfu¾u¾fu¾le¾ôleô¾ we;rewe¾re e¾ mi
A®t’i¾ji; we;re-we¾re e¾ mi
427
A®t’e¾ôfu¾u¾fu¾le¾ôleô¾ we;re-we¾re e¾ mi
Agbe n; gbe; woôn-oô;n re’le; e Mogbe- O®gu¾o;ô
Ifa; wi;, o; l’o;ômoô o¾ sun'ku;n iya;n
E®mi na;a¾ wi;, mo l’o;ômoô o¾ sun'ku;n iya;n
Ifa; l’o;ômoô o¾ sun'ku;n a¾ka¾ra¾
E®mi na;a¾ l’oô;mo¾ o¾ sun'ku;n a¾ka¾ra¾
Ifa; wi;, o; l’o;ômoô o¾ sun'ku;n eôran ni; ji;jeô
E®mi na;a¾ l’oô;moô o¾ sun'ku;n eôran ni; ji;jeô
Ifa; l’e;ôku;n-un ki;n l’oômoô n; sun o?
Mo l’e;ôku;n oye¾
EÙku;n oye¾ l’oômoô n; sun o
O: ni; eô ja; e¾yi; we;ôreô;we;ôreô; ewe; i¾gba;
Ka; ja; e¾yi; po¾ro¾po¾ro¾ ewe; e¾ôgungun
Ewe; amo;ye¾ e; ta¾n yanran-ya¾nra¾n-yanran l’o;ri; oôta
Di;a; fu;n Olu;n¾re¾de¾
E®yi; ti; yo;o; loô re¾e; j’oôba Ele;tutu
N®je;ô e¾ni¾ya¾n re¾ e;
Ifa; e¾ni¾ya¾n re¾ e; o¾ Ele;tutu
E®ni¾ya¾n re¾ e; o!
Translation:
Ka;ri;a;jeô, the Awo of A®pa;lo;sôi;

An avaricious person looks sideways in a hungry manner
The group of ants use their mouths to construct their hills
The boa conscrictor crawls in an elderly manner
They were the Awo who Ifa; for the Tornado
They also cast Ifá for the Breeze
Agbe, the Brown Woodcock will carry them to the home of the thorny palm-tree
Ifa; says that the child is not crying over the pounded yam meal
I chorus that the child is not crying for the pounded yam meal
Ifa; says that the child is not crying over the cassava flour meal
I chorus that the child is not crying for the cassava flour meal
Ifa; says that the child is not crying over the pieces of meat to eat
I chorus that the child is not crying over the pieces of meat to eat
Ifa; asked, what is the child crying over?
It is over a chieftaincy title and recognition
The child is crying over a chieftaincy title and recognition
He asked them to pluck the small i¾gba; leaves (parkia filicoidea)
And pluck the big e¾ôgungun leaves (eriodendron orientale)
These are the leaves that will guarantee the chieftaincy title and recognition
They were the Awo who cast Ifa; for Olu;n¾re¾de¾
When going to become the OÙba of the white Ants
Now, here comes the complete being
428
Omoluabi
Here is a decent, complete human being, Ele;tutu

Here comes the complete being!
29.An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is someone who never covets another person’s possessions, let alone another
person’s wife or husband. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is a self satisfied person who is satisfied with all what
Olo;du¾mare¾ has given him/her. In I®reôteô¾ O®Ùpe¾re; (I®®reôteô¾ O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
EÙseô¾ kan I®kere, aya E®Ùku¾

I®ra¾we; du¾du¾, aya OÙ®fi¾n
I®ko¾ôkoô¾, aya Omi
EÙni to; f’oôwoô; kan I®kere E®Ùku¾
O: n; wa; i¾ja¾ EÙ®ku
EÙni to; f’eôseô¾ le; I®ra¾we; O®Ùfi¾n
O: n; wa; i¾ja¾ OÙ®fi¾n
EÙni to; f’eôseô¾ le; I®ko¾ôkoô¾ Omi
O: n; wa; i¾ja¾ Omi
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ ni; eôni to; gb’e;ôseô¾ le; aya ala;ya
Ko¾ sôa¾i¾mo¾ô pe; o; n; gb’e;ôseô¾ le; o¾ôrun ni
Translation:
The Bait, the wife of the Snare

Dry leaves, the wife of the Pitfall
Secrecy, the wife of the Deep Water
Anyone who touches the Bait with his hands
Will surely see the anger of the Snare
Whoever uses his feet to step on the Dry Leaves of the Pitfall
Will surely see the anger of the Pitfall
Those who step on the Secrecy of the Deep Water
Will surely see the venom of the Deep Water
Orunmila declares that whoever snatches another man’s wife
Such a person is surely looking for a quick passage to heaven
30. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is an implicitly truthful person. Much has already been said about Truthfulness
in Chapter Three. A truthful person enjoys the trust of friends and foes because they know that
no matter what happens, a truthful person will never say anything that is not truthful. In O®tu;ra;
Rera; (O®tu;ra; O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
E®ke; o¾ kun’ni
I®ka¾ o¾ kun’moô e¾e¾ya¾n
Bi; e¾ke; ba; n; yo;ô ileô¾ e;ô da¾
Ohun weô;re;ôweô;re;ô abeô;’nu; a ma; a yo;ô woôn ni; sôi;sôe
Di;a; fu;n SÙa¾gba¾gi¾ri¾ya¾n
Ti; n; loô re¾ e; jeô Baa;le¾ô Asôo¾ti;t;o;ô
429

O® ba; sô’o¾ti;to;ô sô’o¾dodo
EÙni to; sô’o¾ti;to;ô
Ni Imoôleô¾ n; gbe¾
Translation:
Lying benefits no one

Wickedness is of no use to any human being
When a liar breaks an oath
His conscience will worry him continuously
These were Ifa;’s declarations for SÙa¾gba¾gi¾ri¾ya¾n
When going to become the head of the Truthful ones
He complied
He who is truthful
The Deity will support
In another stanza in O®tu;ra; Rera;, Ifa; says:
O®tu;ra; re’ra; ko¾ de;’ra;

A®ko¾ki; r’a¾jo¾ ko¾ bo¾ô
O®ti;to;ô inu; yo; ‘ni l’a;jeôku¾
O: ju iro;ô loô o
Baba n; sô’awo loô si; i¾lu; E®ke;
Ni;’bi wo;ôn gbe; n; fi ohun si; oju; oôwoô;
Ti; wo;ôn n; fi e¾ôyi¾n oôwoô; han’ra a woôn
Beô;e¾ô ni aye; e wo;ôn ri; ru;duru¾du
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ ku;ro¾ ni;’be¾ô
Baba loô si; i¾lu; a¾woôn OÙ®da¾le¾ô
Bi; wo;ôn ti n; yo;ô’leô¾ e;ô da¾
L’oun weô;re;ôweô;re;ô abeô;’nu; n; yo;ô woôn ni; sôi;sôe
Beô;e¾ô ni woô;n po¾ô bi; esu;
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ fi woô;n si;’le¾ô
Baba loô si; i¾lu; a¾woôn Olo;o¾o;to;ô
O: ba; woôn, woôn o¾ p’o;gu;n
Be;ôeô¾ ni woôn o¾ p’o;ôgboô¾n
Be;ôeô¾ ni aye; e woôn gu;n ge;ôgeô;
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ wa;a; la’nu ko;to;
O: ni; o¾ti;to;ô re¾e; o
Omi ale¾ô Ifeô¾
430
Omoluabi
Ara; yo¾o; mu ni;’be¾ô o¾ woô;po¾ô
Translation:
O®tu;ra; headed to Ira; but never got to Ira;

A®ko¾ki; went on a journey but never returned
Honesty of thought i;s more satisfying
And is higher than lying
When going to the town of liars
Where they keep things in their palms
But show each other the back of their palms
Their lives were in total chaos
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ left there
He then went to the town of the oath breakers
As they secretely broke their oaths
So did their conscience continue to torment them
They were many in number
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ left them
He then went to the town of the Truthful
When he met them they were not up to 20 in number
Neither were they up to 30
But their lives were peaceful and organized
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ opened his mouth to make a proclamation through song
He said, here is the Truth
The water of Ife¾ô land
Those who drink out of it are not many
31.An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is a truly honest person. He/she is someone who does all things with a pure
mind, sincerity, and good intentions. In all what an honest person does, as he/she makes
Olo;du¾mare¾ his/her witness, there is the need to ensure that his/her fellow human beings are also
his/her witnesses. In I®din Ata¾go¾(O®di; O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
Ni;'jo;ô oô mo ti de;’le; aye;

N o¾ fi'ru; e¾yi; sô’e¾ta¾n pa ri;
Baba o; t’ori; i hi;e¾hi;e¾ boô abeô; asôoô
Ko; si¾ pa i¾ki¾lo¾ô moô;...
Translation:

I have never encountered a situation of this type
431

When he would hide a hen under his garment
And to keep the warning of Ifa;...
In this Odu¾, O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ went to one of his Awo to cast Ifa;. He was advised to offer eôboô and more
importantly, to do things according to the right procedure. He was told that even though he had
a clear conscience on what he was doing, he should always leave evidence of satisfactory
completion for people to witness. OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ listend to the advice and offered the eôboô.
After sometime, the OÙloô;fin sent for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ to come and cast Ifa; for him. When he got there, he
did the consultation for the OÙloô;fin and advised him to offer eôboô with one hen, which the OÙloô;fin
provided immediately. When O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ was performing the eôboô, he followed all the necessary
steps but he failed to show evidence of offering the hen on the eôboô. This was normally done by
plucking the plumes of the hen from different parts of its body and putting them on the eôboô.
Despite this, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ knew that the eôboô had been done and accepted by the heavenly forces.
When he was going home, he kept the hen under his gown because he felt that it was too early in
the day to be going about with the hen. The hen kept making persistent squirks. Suddenly, one
kid came out and accused OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ of stealing his mother’s hen. People gathered around and
asked OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ how he came about the hen and to show evidence of its ownership. He told them
that it was the hen he got from the eôboô he had just performed for the OÙloô;fin. While this
interrogation was going on, people started to beat and slap him.
Even when they got to the OÙloô;fin’s palace, he was asked to show them the evidence that he had
used the fowl for eôboô. When they got to the shrine of E®sôu¾ where the eôboô was placed, the eôboô was
there but there was no sign of the hen’s plumes in the eôboô. As a result of this, the OÙloô;fin blamed
O®Ùru;;nmi¾la¾ for not leaving behind any evidence that the hen had actually been used as eôboô
material. That was what caused the underserved beating and humiliation that was given to him.
He then told the people around that it was true that OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ actually performed the eôboô for him
and that he, the OÙloô;fin had given him the hen for the eôboô. The OÙloô;fin declared that in anything
that people do, having Olo;du¾mare¾ as their witness is not enough; they also need their fellow
human beings as additional witnesses.
Also, an honest person cannot engage in any secret deal or clandestine activity. Every activity of
an honest person must be in the open. In OÙ®woô;nri;n Dobodo;bo¾ (OÙ®woô;nri;n O®fu;n), Ifa; says:
O®Ùsôu;nsôu;n we;ôreô;we;ôreô; Awo Egu;ngu;n

Lo; di;a; fu;n Egu;ngu;n
Ti; yo;o; maa sôe awo tieô¾ ni; i¾ba;ba;
O® teô sôu¾ku¾ru; sôu¾ku; Awo Oro¾
Lo; di;a; fu;n Oro¾
Ti; yo;o; maa sôe awo tieô¾ ni; i¾ko¾ôkoô¾
Gi¾di¾g¾i¾di¾ gboôn bi; osôe;
Di;a; fu;n EÙl’eô;yi¾n-a¾-a;-po¾ôn si;
432
Omoluabi
OÙmoô a to;o; sa; di l’o;ju; ogun

Ti; yo;o; maa sôe tieô¾ ni; gbangba
EÙboô ni woô;n ni; o; wa;a; sôe o
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ ni¾kan ni; n; beô l’eô;yi¾n to; n; sô’eôboô
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ mo sa; di o;ô
Ifa; mo po¾ôn l’eô;yi¾n reô o
OÙku¾nrin gi¾di¾gi¾di¾ gboôn bi; osôe;
Ifa; mo poô¾n l’e;ôyi¾n reô o
Translation:
The fresh OÙ®sôu;nsôu;n leaves (microdemis puberula), the Awo of Egu;ngu;n

He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for Egu;ngu;n
The one who would engage in confidential practices
He who does things without a plan and achieves rudderless results
The Awo of Oro¾
He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for Oro¾
The one who would do his things in utmost secrecy
He who is as solid as SÙa¾ngo;’s axe
He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for the owner of the back that one can lean on
The one who is worth relying upon even in the heat of war
The one who does his things in the open
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ was the only one who offered the eôboô
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾, I hold on to you
Ifa;, I lean on your back
The one who is as solid as SÙa¾ngo;’s axe
Ifa;, I lean on your back
32.An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is a benevolent person. He/she is also selfless in his/her compassionate

activities. The life of an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is very interesting and rewarding. Because a benevolent
person is doing things that please Olo;du¾mare¾ at all times, he/she is also rewarded with an all
around protection. In OÙ®sa; O®fu;n, Ifa; says:
EÙku¾n ni;i; woô agba;da; a¾wo¾ôkanleô¾ de¾ôdeô¾e¾ôdeô¾

Di;a; fu;n woôn l’o;de I®poôngba;
Ni;'joô; ti; wo;ôn ji; ti; wo;ôn n; koô’nu; ajogun
O: joô npe; ori; ki¾ i; fo;ô oô yi;n l’o;de I®poôngba; ni
O: joô npe; o¾tu;tu¾ ki¾ i; mu; u yi;n l’o;de I®poôngba; ni
O: joô npe; e¾ôdoô¾ ki¾ i; du¾n yi;n l’o;de I®poôngba; ni
O: joô npe; inu; ki¾ i; run yi;n l’o;de I®poôngba; ni
Ara; O®de I®poôngba; la¾ a; pe Odi
433
Translation:
The Leopard is it that wears a complete Agba;da; dress

This was Ifa;;’s declaration for the inhabitants of I®poôngba; land
When they woke up with the apprehension of an uprising
They complied
It appears as if no one ever suffers from a headache in I®poôngba; land
And no one ever feels cold in I®poôngba; land
No one ever has liver problems in I®poôngba; land
And no one ever suffers from stomach ailments in I®poôngba; land
The inhabitants of I®poôngba; are as strong as a boundary wall
In O®Ùka¾nra¾n OÙ®ye¾ôku;, Ifa; promises the benevolent person the protection of Ifa;. In this Odu¾, Ifa;
says:
B’a;le;ô ba; le;ô

Woôn a lo; d’oôwoô; oô fi;nna;-fi;nna;
B’o;o¾ru¾n o¾ ra¾n mo;ô
Woôn a lo; d’oôwoô; Olo;du¾mare¾
Di;a; fu;n Ala;ri¾nna¾ka;
Ti; n; gb’e;ôboô oô; loô I®lu;-mo¾gbo
Woô;n ni; a;a;ya;n o ya;n-an
Wo;ôn ni; e¾e¾ra¾ o; ra¾ a;
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ ni; to; ba; sôe bi;i ti Ala;ri¾nna¾ka; oômoô t'o¾un ba; ni o
A:a;ya;n kan ki¾i; ya;n oômoô Ikin
E®e¾ra¾ kan ki¾i; ra oômoô OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾
N o; loô, n o; bo¾ô si;’nu; ile; e ba¾ba; a¾ mi o
T’o;o¾ru¾n ba; yoô l’o;wuro¾ô
Bo; ba; d’ale;ô
A pada¾ si;’nu; ile; e baba reô
Translation:
When it is night time

People rely on those who make fire
When the sun is no longer shining
People place their hopes on Olo;du¾mare¾
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ala;ri¾nna¾ka;, the Wanderer
When carrying his eôboô to I®lu;mo¾gbo
They said that a cockroach would bite him
They said that an ant would creep on him
OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ declared that if it were to be a matter of Ala;ri¾nna¾ka; his own child
No cockroach would bite the child of Ikin
434
Omoluabi
And no ant would creep on the child of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾

I will go
And I will return to my father’s house
If the sun appears in the morning
When it is night time
It will return to its father's home
33.An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is an understanding person. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; truly understands that we came into
this world with nothing and we shall step out of this world with nothing. What will remain of us
after we have gone is the memory of our deeds, good or bad. For this reason, an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; does
not hold too tightly to any of the material things of life. His/her concern is building a huge
fortune of good character. In I®rosu¾n Oku¾n I®wa¾ (I®rosu¾n O®gu;nda;), Ifa; says:
Aja; sunwo¾n t’eyi;n-t’eyi;n

A®gbo¾ sunwo¾ôn tiroô¾ro¾ô-tiroô¾ro¾ô
Aja; o¾ ni; ro¾ôroô¾
Ka; re’le; lo¾ôoô; m’a;gbo¾ wa;
Ka; fi boô E:e;gu;n ile; e baba eôni
Di;a; fu;n Ori;
A bu¾ fu;n I®wa¾
Ori;; o¾ ni;i; buru;, ka; fi da;’le¾ô Ifeô¾
Translation:
The dog is beautiful even to its teeth

The ram is beautiful even to its neck-skin
The dog has no neck-skin
For us to go and bring the ram from home
And use it to feed our paternal ancestors
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ori;, Destiny
The same as also declared to I®wa¾, Character
One’s character is the most delicate part
No destiny can be so bad as to defy remedy even at Ile;-Ife¾ô
One’s character is the most delicate part
34.An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is a patient person. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is someone who is prepared to wait it out.
Why is he/she willing to do this? Simply put, he/she is sure that his/her needs will be met by
Olo;du¾mare¾ at the right time. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is very confident of the fact that Olo;du¾mare¾ will
intervene and make today better than yesterday and make tomorrow better than today. In O®tu;ra;
435
Me¾ôeô;le;ô (O®tu;ra; O®Ùwoô;nri;n), Ifa; says:

O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ lo; di i¾gba¾ e¾ki;nni;
Mo ni; mo¾ n; loô s’o;ko a¾lero¾ l’oô;du;n
A®wo¾di¾ o¾kun, a¾wo¾di¾ o¾ôsa¾
Woô;n ti gb’o;ôkoô; o¾ô mi ra¾ loô je;e;je o
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ lo; di i¾gba¾ e¾ôkeji¾¾
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ lo; di i¾gba¾ eô¾keôta
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ lo; di i¾gba¾ eô¾keôrin
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ lo; di i¾gba¾ eô¾karu¾n-u;n
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ lo; di i¾gba¾ e¾ôkeôfa¾
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ lo; di i¾gba¾ e¾keje
Di;a; fu;n O®Ùpe¾ô je;e;re; Awo e¾ôba; o¾ôna¾
Ti;; yo;o; maa ji¾ya¾-ji¾ya¾
Ti; yo;o; maa ji¾sôeô;-ji¾sôeô;
Ti;; oômoô ara;aye; o; maa si;n’to;ô si;i l’a;ra
Ifa; i¾woô lo pe; n o; l’o;wo;
Mo l’o;wo;
Ifa; i¾woô ni n o; maa wo¾
Abi’mo¾ô roôjoô n¾ roôjoô
Ifa; i¾woô lo pe; n o; l’a;ya
Mo l’a;ya
Ifa; i¾woô lo pe; n o; bi;'moô
436
Omoluabi
Mo bi;'moô
Ifa; i¾woô lo pe; n o; ni;'re gbogbo
Mo ni;'re gbogbo
Translation:
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ declared that during the first time

I said I was going for my annual farm cultivation
The eagles of the sea and the lagoon flew away with my hoe
Orunmila declared that during the second time
The ealges of the sea and the lagoon flew away with my hoe
O®Ùru;nmi¾la declared that during the third time
O®Ùru;nmi¾la declared that during the fourth time
O®Ùru;nmi¾la declared that during the fifth time
O®Ùru;nmi¾la declared that during the sixth time
O®Ùru;nmi¾la declared that during the seventh time
These were Ifa;’s declarations for the slender palm-tree by the road side
When he was suffering untold hardship
And was experiencing poverty and want
He was being spit upon
He complied
Ifa;, you are the one who decreed that I should be blessed with wealth
I am now blessed with wealth
Ifa;, you are the one that I will look up to
You are the one with the splendid palm-fronds
Ifa;, you are the one who decreed that I should be blessed with a spouse
I am now blessed with a spouse
437

Ifa;, you are the one who decreed that I should be blessed with children
I am now blessed with children
Ifa;, you are the one who decreed that I should be blessed with a property
I am now blessed with a property
Ifa;, you are the one who decreed that I should be blessed with all the Ire of life
I am now blessed with all the Ire of life
35.An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is a faithful person. Because of unflinching reliance on Olo;;du¾mare¾, an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;

knows for sure that there is nothing that he/she wants that Olo;du¾mare¾ will not provide. He/she
knows that Olo;du¾mare¾ never fails those who place their hopes in Him. Consequent upon this, it is
clear that Olo;du¾mare¾ will not fail him/her too. In I®din Ata¾go¾ (O®di; O®tu;ra;), Ifa; says:
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ wi;, o; lo; di o¾ôgeô¾re¾ôreô¾

Ifa; mo lo; di ala;su¾nle;
Ifa; ni; tani eôni to; to; eôni ti; a¾ a; su¾n le; l'o;ri;?
Mo ni; baba eôni lo; to; eôni ti; a¾ a; su¾n le; l'o;ri;
A®sôe; baba eôni ko¾ to;o; su¾n le; ra;ra;a;ra;
Mo ni; i¾ya; eôni lo; to; eôni ti; a¾ a; su¾n le; l'o;ri;
A®sôe; i¾ya; eôni ko¾ to;o; su¾n le; ra;ra;a;ra;
Mo ni; aya/oôkoôô eôni lo; to; eôni ti; a¾ a; su¾n le; l'o;ri;
A®sôe; aya/oôkoô eôni ko¾ to;o; su¾n le; ra;ra;a;ra;
Mo ni; oômoôô eôni lo; to; eôni ti; a¾ a; su¾n le; l'o;ri;
A®sôe; oômoô eôni ko¾ to;o; su¾n le; ra;ra;a;ra;
Aka;po¾ ni; o¾hun o¾ moô eôni to; t'e;ôni ti; a¾ a; su¾n le; l'o;ri;
Ifa; ni; o¾un ni¾kan l'o¾un t'eô;ni ti; a¾ a; su¾n le; l'o;ri;
Ifa; ti; o ba; sôe mi, sôe mi;
Ti mo fi l'a;je;
438
Omoluabi

Ti mo fi l'a;ya
Ti mo fi bi;'moô
Ti mo fi l'o;gbo;
Ti mo fi ni;'re gbogbo
Translation:

I responded that our father is dependable enough to sleep upon
A®sôe;, I never knew that our father was not worthy of sleeping upon at all
I responded that our mother is dependable enough to sleep upon
A®sôe;, I never knew that our mother was not worthy of sleeping upon at all
I responded that our spouse is dependable enough for us to sleep upon
A®sôe;, I never knew that our spouse was not worthy of sleeping upon at all
I respond that our children are dependable enough to sleep upon
A®sôe;, I never knew that our children were not worthy of sleeping upon at all
I declare my ignorance of who is dependable enough to sleep upon
Ifa;, if you program me to become wealthy
Ifa;, if you program me to be blessed with a compatible spouse
Ifa;, if you program me to be blessed with good children
Ifa;, if you program me to be blessed with a magnificent property
439
Ifa;, if you program me to be blessed with all the good things of life
(Note: In Yoruba land, sometimes the word “A®sôe;” is used when you experiment something and
find out that what you did or what you thought was wrong. It is used as a way of admitting ones
mistake. In the above stanza, OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ allowed the Aka;po¾ to experiment with his beliefs. When
the Aka;po¾ realized that his beliefs were wrong, he said A®sôe; and admitted his error)
36.An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is a dedicated person. From every indication, an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; usually buries
himself/herself in a course or project that he/she believes in. There is no extent an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; can
not go towards the realization and fulfillment of his/her target. This is what makes an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi
excel in whatever career that he/she has chosen for himself/herself. In I®rosu¾n Agu;nbi;ade; (I®rosu¾n
O®di;), Ifa; says that when a situation becomes complicated, it is the Babala;wo that needs to resolve
and find a solution to it. In the same vein, all complicated issues are simply viewed as challenges
for OÙmoôlu;a¾bi;. No OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; will ever rest until he/she finds a solution to any complicated
problem. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
O: ni; to; ba; ja; di;’ju;

To; ba; di;’ju;, Babala;wo ni;i; yan'ju; u re¾ô
Di;a; fu;n Di¾sôa¾mu;
OÙmoô ar'a;paro¾ me;ji¾ sô'eôboô ni;'tori; oômoô
EÙboôô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe
EÙ wa;a; ba;'ni ni; je¾ôbu;tu; oômoô
Translation:
He asked, what if the situation becomes very complicated

They responded that if it becomes very complicated it is the duty of the Babala;wo to resolve it
This was the declaration of Ifa; for Di¾sôa¾mu;
She who finds two patridges to offer as eôboô for child bearing
She complied
Join us in the midst of the Ire of childbearing
37. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is known for his/her outstanding humility. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; gives respect and honor
to all, irrespective of whether or not they are higher in socio-economic status or older in age. An
OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is someone who gives respect to others in such a way that the recipient of the respect
and honor will feel elated and recognized. Most of the achievements of an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; are
attributed to Olo;du¾mare¾ or the group to which he/she belongs. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; is not interested in
personal gains or opulence. All what an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; wants to see is the development of the society
where he/she belongs to. In O®tu;ra; Ala;ra¾ba¾ (O®tu;ra; O®Ùba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
440
Omoluabi
Ara;ba; ni ba¾ba;
A®ra¾ba¾ ni ba¾ba;
EÙni a ba; l'a;ba¾ ni ba¾ba;
EÙni a ba; ni;'wa;ju; ti to; baba eôni i; sôe
I®ru¾¾ke¾ôreô¾ ya;n-a;nra;n Awo Ala;ra¾ba¾-aki¾je
Di;;a; fu;n Ala;ra¾ba¾-aki¾je
Ni;'bi ogun gbe; n; run wo;ôn loô bi;; isôu
EÙ ba; 'ni ni; wo¾ôwoô; ire o
Translation:
Ara;ba; is the leader

A®ra¾ba¾ is the father
Whoever we meet inside the hut is our father
Whoever we meet in front of us (that is older than us) is capable of being our father
Iru¾ke¾ôreô¾ ya;;nra;n, the Awo of Ala;ra¾ba¾ aki¾je
He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for Ala;ra¾ba¾ akije
When the problem of legacy sharing was causing their deaths in multitude
He complied
38. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; believes in decorum. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; knows the right steps to take at the right
time. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to find an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; being humiliated anywhere he/she
goes to. In O®tu;ru;po¾ôn 'Gbe¾ (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
A®gba¾ a¾ mi koôja; a¾jeô i¾-yin’ni

Mo m’oju;
Mo moô’ra
Mo moô i¾ri¾n eôseô¾
Mo moô i¾gba¾ t’a;lejo¾ n; loô
Ti; o¾ gboôdoô¾ te;ô l’oô;wo;ô oni;le;
Di;a; fu;n O®gu;du;, baa;le¾ô oôja¾
O®gu;;du; ma¾ ma¾ de; o, baa;le¾ô oôja¾
O®®ri¾sôa¾ jeô; ki; n da;’lu¾
Ki; n da;’foôn
O®gu;du; ma¾ de; o, baa;le¾ô oôja¾
Translation:
441
My status is beyond that of those who never show appreciation when done a favor
I understand facial communication
I understand body language
I also understand the use of leg movement in communicating with others
I know when a visitor leaves a place without outliving his welcome (overstaying his welcome)
These were the declarations of Ifa; for O®gu;du; the head of the market
Here comes O®gu;du; the baale¾ô of the market
O®ri¾sôa¾, please let me become an influential person in life
Let me become a person of authority
Here comes O®gu;du; the baale¾ô of the market
In this particular stanza, Ifa; says that for those who understand decorum, they must understand
when the following parts of the body are being used to communicate without necessarily
speaking.
i. The face
ii. The body
iii. The legs
iv. Countenance
The moment that one understands all these, such a person will never overstay his/her welcome
anywhere. In O®tu;ru;po¾ôn OÙ®da¾ra¾ (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn OÙ®ba¾ra¾), Ifa; says:
A®gba¾ ti; ko¾ ba; m’oju;

Ku¾nmo¾ô ni;i; mo¾ô
Di;a; fu;n Itu;
Itu; n; sô'awo loô si;'le; Oni;be¾ôdi
Itu; ma¾ ma¾ de; o
Awo ile; Oni;be¾di
I¾®gba¾ ti; Awo yo;o; loô
EÙni¾kan ki¾ yo;o; mo¾ô
Translation:
Any elder who does not recognize decorum

Such an elder will be made to recognize beatings with batons and sticks
These were Ifa;;’s declarations for Itu;;, the He-goat
When going on an Ifá mission to the home of Oni;;be¾di
He complied
Here comes Itu;;
442
Omoluabi
The resident Awo of Oni;be¾di

By the time that an Awo takes his leave
Nobody will be aware
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that anyone, especially an elder, who fails to recognize facial communication
will end up being roughened up, where he/she is supposed to be receiving acculades.
Ifa; says that in any business, especially for priests and priestesses, they have no right to go to
anywhere that they are not invited. If they do, no matter how roughly they may be treated, they
should accept it as their fate for being out of character. In I®wo¾ri¾ Wo;wo; (I®wo¾ri¾ O®Ùsôeô;), Ifa; says:
Bi; eôleô;boô o¾ ba; pe’ni

Wi;wa; o¾ yeô o
Di;a; fu;n Tan;’pe¾ oô;
Ti; yo;o; f'ori; ara a re¾ô gba ku¾nmo¾ô
EÙni i; gb'e;ôboô ni;'be¾ô ko; sô'eôboô o
Translation:
If a client does not invite someone to come and offer eôboô for him
Going to the client to persuade him to offer the eôboô is not befitting
These wer Ifa;;’s declarations for Ta-n;’pe¾ oô;, who has called you
Who will use his head to receive a blow from a club
Let those advised to offer eôboôô do so accordingly
An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must not be seen intoxicated by alcohol to the extent of misbehaving publicly. The
moment this happens, such a person has decided to rubbish his/her prestige, honor and glory in
the presence of others. In I®rosu¾n O®Ùpe¾ônmeô; (I®rosu¾n I®reôteô¾), Ifa; says:
Igba;ni;-a;ri; ni yo;o; dun’ra a re¾ô l'oô;ti;

O®Ùmu¾ti; ni yo;o; dun’ra a re¾ô l'o;o¾gu¾n
OÙ®ro¾ô ti; ko¾ sunwo¾ôn
OÙti; ni eô jeô ka; fu;n
Di;a; fu;n Ala;re¾
Ti; n; loô re¾ e; j'a¾gba; ni;'le; OÙloô;fin
I®pi;n a¾i¾tu'boô
443
I®gba¾ a woôn o¾ m'e¾ru¾ ni; tu;tu¾

EÙ o¾ ri;'fa; n; sôeô l'o;o¾ro; gangan
N®je;ô ko¾ sô'oju; u¾ mi o
E®mi o¾ te¾te¾ moô i¾gba¾ ti; Ala;re¾ n; ja¾’gbaa; ra;ra;a;ra;
Translation:
“Let us see the cups” is the one who will cheat himself when consuming alcohol
An alcoholic will cheat himself when people are being taught potent medicines
Any nasty undesirable issue
Let us accept that it is caused by alcohol
These were Ifa;’s declarations for Ala;re¾
When going to climb the I®gba; tree in the OÙloô;fin’s house
Failure to offer eôboô
And make necessary appeasement
Can’t you see how the prediction of Ifa; has come to pass with alacrity
Now, I was not there
I did not know when Ala;re¾ was climbing the I®gba; tree
An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; knows how to use cheerfulness to convert enemies into friends. He/she will do this
without necessarily being condescending or losing ground to the so called enemy. In I®wo¾ri¾¾
OÙ®da;nri;n (I®wo¾ri¾ O®Ùwoô;nri;n), Ifa; says:
SÙi;sôi; n’iyi¾ eyi;n

Ga¾a¾ga¾a¾ n’iyi¾ oôya¾n
Ka; ri; ‘ni l’o;ke¾e¾re¾ ka; sô’a¾ri;ya;
O: yo; 'ni o; ju o;n;jeô loô
Ti; n; loô¾oô; ba; woôn na;’ja¾ EÙleô;ri;n
EÙleô;ri;n lo; ti da;’ja¾ si;’le¾ô
Ki; I®wo¾ri¾ to;o; de;
I®wa¾ n’I®wo¾ri¾ fi gba¾ a;; l’o;ôwoô; oô reô¾
Translation:
Whiteness is the prestige of the teeth

Roundness and firmness are the prestige of the breast
To see one from afar and show warmth and hospitality
Is more satisfying than food
444
Omoluabi
When going to transact business in EÙleô;ri;n market

He complied
It was the inhabitants of EÙleô;ri;n who founded the market
Ever before I®wo¾¾ri¾ arrived there
It was with good character that I®wo¾¾ri¾ used to take over the market from them
39.An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; knows that whether one exhibits good character or not, one will eventually die
one day. It is this knowledge that continues to gear an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to do good at all times. In E®ji¾
Oni;le¾ô (E®ji¾ Ogbe¾), Ifa; says:
A®gba¾¾ku; mogbe I®se¾le¾

Ifa; yo;o; ba; Iku; ja¾
Yo;o; si¾ j'e¾ôbi Iku;
N®je;ô ara; i¾gba¾hun da¾ o o¾
Ara; i¾gba¾hun da¾
I® ba; sôe wi;pe; woôn ki¾i; ku; l'a;ye; o
Ara; i¾gba¾hun da¾ o
EÙboô o ká’yé ó yeô’ni là bá má a sôe
Translation:
A®gba¾¾ku; mogbe I®se¾le¾

He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾¾
When going to fight against Iku; (Death)
And who shall be found guilty
Now, where are the elders of old?
Where are the eldes of old?
Had it been that people do not experience death on earth
Where are the elders of old?
It is the eôboôô to live a fulfilled life we ought to offer
One can see above that everyone will eventually taste the bitter truth of death. Whether one is
rich or poor, old or young, high or low, is immaterial to death. In O®tu;ra; Reôka¾ (O®tu;ra; I®reôteô¾), Ifa;
says that death does not respect anyone. In this Odu¾, Ifa; says:
Iku; o¾ moô OÙba

A®ru¾n o¾ moô a¾gba¾ i¾sôe¾gu¾n
Iku; pa OÙla;o¾pe;
Iku; pa Ogi;;ri¾ OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾
Iku; pa E®®bu¾re;ô oômoô agbe¾bi; la¾
445
Iku; pa Je;ônfa;, oômoôô oni;-gboôoôroôô eôdan

Afeô;fe;ô leô;le;ô ni;i; sô'ewe; oko ba;yi¾¾i;
E®Ùfu;u¾fu¾ le¾ôleô¾ ni;i; sô'ewe; oko ba;yi¾i;
E®Ùfu;u¾fu¾ at'o¾ke¾wa; ni;i; sô'ewe; a¾gbagba¾ yirimu¾-yirimu¾
Ko¾ ma¾ s'eô;ni ti;'ku; o¾ le e¾¾ pa
Ifa; n; loôô Ori;ta-me;ôta loô¾ o;ô teô Iku; ni;'fa;
EÙboôô ni woô;n ni; ko; wa;a; sôe
Ki; Iku; o;; ma; a ya¾ f'A:wo
A®wa ma¾ l'oômoô a¾go¾¾
Ki; A®ru¾n o; ma; a ya¾ f'A:wo
A®wa ma¾ l'oômo a¾go¾
Ki; EÙjoô; o; ma; a ya¾ f'A:wo
Ki; O®fo¾¾ o; ma; a ya¾ f'A:wo
Translation:
Death does not recognize royalty

Affliction has no respect for great herbalists
Death killed OÙla;o¾pe;
Death killed Ogi;ri¾-OÙba¾ri¾sôa¾
Death killed E®bu¾re;ô oômoô Agbeô¾bi la¾
Death killed Je;ônfa; oômoô Oni;-gboôôoôroô Asôoô
A strong wind is shaking the farm leaves this way
A gentle breeze is shaking the farm leaves that way
The breeze that blows from afar is it that shakes the plaintain leaves sideways
There is no one that death cannot kill
When going to the junction of the three crossroads to initiate Iku; into Ifa;
He complied
Let Death give way to Awo
We are the children of A®go¾, Excuse
Let Affliction give way to Awo
Let Contention give way to Awo
Let Loss give way to Awo
Also in O®tu;ru;po¾ôn N: t'e;wu;re;ô, Ifa; says that nobody will be spared from experiencing death. In this
Odu¾, Ifa; says:
446
Omoluabi
Bi; a s'o¾o¾re, a o; ku¾u;

Bi; a sô'i¾ka¾, a o; ku¾u;
Pa¾ra¾ko¾yi; o¾ da;'ri; iku; jin eôni¾kan
OÙlo¾ôrun o¾ da;'ri; iku; jin e¾e¾ya¾n
E®ru;ko;ô idi;, ab'i¾di; sôa¾n¾ge¾le;
A®woôn ma;ra¾a¾ru;n ni iko¾ô ti; Olo;du¾mare¾ ra;n wa;'le; aye;
I®ko;ri;ta me;ôta ab'i¾di; yakata, Awo ile; O®Ùru;;nmi¾la¾
Ni;'jo;ô ti; wo;ôn ni; Iko¾ô ma;ru¾n-u;n n; wa; a bo¾ô wa;
O: ni; e¾ôyin o¾ mo¾ô 'pe; O®tu;ru;po¾ôn ti tu; ewu;re;ô loô ni?
Translation:
If we are benevolent, we shall die

If we are wicked, we shall die
The Pa¾ra¾ko¾yi;, market leader never forgives anyone from tasting the bitter pill of death
The heavens do not forgive anyone for dying
The hoe handle made with the Idi; tree with its curved base
The five of them were the delegates of Olo;du¾mare¾
The three cross roads with its broad base, the resident Awo of O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
He was the Awo who cast Ifa; for O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾
When the five delegates came to visit him
He complied
He declared, don’t you know that O®tu;ru;po¾ôn has untied the she-goat and has taken it away?
Ifa; advises all OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; to live their lives as if today is their last day on earth. They must not
hold too tightly onto anything. They must try everything they know to make sure that they do
not have any regrets even if death knocks at any moment. Any opportunity that they get should
be spent wisely. They also need to enjoy themselves while they are still on earth. In O®tu;ru; N: boô¾o;ô
SÙeô;ke;ô (O®tu;ru;po¾ôn OÙ®sôeô;), Ifa; says:
Mo ki; EÙleô;moô¾sôoô; aye;

O: je;ô mi ni;'to¾o¾si;, ni;'to¾o¾si;
Mo ki; EÙleô;mo¾ôsôoô; o¾ôrun
O: je;ô mi ti;yeôn-re;re-ti;yeôn-re;re
Baba n; loô si; i¾lu; Aye; A®i¾ku;
OÙ®na¾ o¾ôrun ko¾ ji¾nna¾
EÙni to; l’o;hun di;du¾n ko; jeô o
447

EÙni to; l’a;sôoô pu;poô ko; lo’sôoô o
Translation:
I greeted the EÙleô;mo¾ôsôoô; of this world

He responded from very close by
I greeted the EÙleô;mo¾ôsôoô; of heaven
He responded from very far away
These were Ifa’s declarations for Orunmila
When he was going into the world of longevity
He complied
The road to heaven is not far
Those who have delicious things, please consume them
Those who have gorgeous dresses, please wear them
40. An OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; lives every moment of his/her life with caution and divine guidance. Because
death is inevitable does not mean that an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; should engage in reckless, ridiculous or
irrational behavior. Anything that poses danger must be avoided by all means. In Ogbe ¾ I®reôteô¾, Ifa;
says:
Ogbe¾ wa;a; te¾ô, k'a;ra o; ro¾ô wa;

Mo gba¾, mo te¾ô ni i¾re¾gu;n Ifa;
Ni;gba¾ti; mo gba¾
Ba¾¾ba; a¾ mi si¾ te¾ô mi;
A®i¾loô;gbo;ôn ni;'nu;, a¾i¾me¾ro¾ ni;'ku¾n
Ni;i; mu; 'ni i; woô igbo;du¾ l'e;ôeô¾meôta
Bi; a ba; teô Ifa; ta;n
O®Ùroô¾ E®sôu¾ O¾®Ùda¾ra¾ lo; ku¾
E®e;sôe ti; o¾ôroô¾ E®sôu¾ OÙ®da¾ra¾ a; fi ku¾
Bi; a ba; teô'fa; ta;n
A ki¾i; fe;ô obi¾nrin Awo
A o¾ gboôdoô¾ gb'aya I®sôe¾gu¾n
A o¾ gboôdoô mu; obi¾nrin Aboôreô¾ woô'le; ke;ôleô;ke;ôleô; lo¾ôoô; fe;ô
A o¾ gboôdoô ba; obi¾nrin I®mu¾le¾ô eôni sô'i¾ka¾
Olu;wo eôni ki¾i¾ bi'ni l'o;ôroô¾ ka; se;ô
Kori;ko ti; erin ba; te¾ô
Ki¾ i; tu;n gbe;'ri; mo;ô
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ lo; teô Akoô;da;
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ lo; teô Asôeô¾da;
448
Omoluabi
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ lo; teô A®ra¾ba¾

OÙ®ru;nmi¾la¾ A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n Olo;jo-I®boô;n ni¾kan sôosôo la o¾ moô eôni to; te¾ô eô;
N®jeô; bi; a ba; teô mi; ta;n
N o; tu;n'ra a¾ mi te¾ô
E®e¾wo¾ô ti; a ba; ka¾ fu;n mi
N o; gbo¾ô oô;
Ti;te¾ô la teô¾ mi; o
N o; tu;n'ra a¾ mi te¾ô
Translation:
Ogbe¾, come and be initiated into Ifa; for there to be peace and comfort
To receive a hand of Ifa; and then later be initiated into Ifa; is the reproach of Ifa;
When I received a hand of Ifa;
My father later initiated me into Ifa;
Lack of wisdom
Lack of deep thought (lack of understanding)
These are what make someone to enter the Igbo;du¾ three times for the purpose of initiation
After having undergone Ifa; intiation
The issue of E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ needs to be taken seriously
Why is it that the issue of E®sôu¾ O®Ùda¾ra¾ remains?
After initiating into Ifa;
We must not make love to the wife of another Awo
We must not snatch the wife of an Herbalist
We must not take the wife of an Aboôreô¾ O®ri¾sôa¾ officiating priest to a secret place to make love
We must not conspire with the wife of those with whom we have entered into covenant with to
perpetrate wickedness
One’s Olu;wo must not ask one a question for one to tell lies
Any matter that has been resovled
We must not raise it again
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ initiated Akoô;da;
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ initiated Asôeô¾da;
O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ initiated A®ra¾ba¾
It is only O®Ùru;nmi¾la¾ A®gboônni¾re¾gu;n Olo;jo I®boô;n whom we do not know who initiated him into Ifa;
Now, after I have been initiated into Ifa;
I will reinitiate myself
All those things that are my taboo that had been listed for me
I will keep to them
I have been initiated
And I will reinitiate myself by myself
In this Odu¾, Ifa; says that there are certain conducts that an initiate must never engage in. By
extention, all those who strive to be known and called OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must NEVER be found engaging
in any of those conducts. In this Odu¾, an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; must guard against the following:
449
i. Must never make love to the wife of another Awo, and by extension the wife of an Awo must
never lure anybody into commiting adultery with her
ii. The wife of an Awo must never seduce the husband of another initiate, or any man for that
matter
iii. Must never snatch the wife of an Herbalist, and by extension, the wife of an Herbalist must
never be found to be seducing another woman’s husband
iv. Must never make love to the wife of an Aboôreô¾ and by extension, the wife of an Aboôreô¾ must
never seduce another woman’s husband
v. Must never plan wickedness with the wife of a person with whom one has sworn an oath to or
made a covenant with
vi. Must never tell lies to one’s Olu;wo
vii. Must never raise up any issue that has already been amicably resolved
viii. Must never break taboos
All these warnings are for us to keep sacred in order for us not to use our own hands, thoughts,
speeches and/or actions to cut our lives short.
A®boôru; A®boôye¾
450
Omoluabi
Bibliography and Soon to be Released Books, Audios, and Videos
Books
Popoola, S and Oyesanya, F. (2008). Ikunle Abiyamo: The Ase of Motherhood.
(First Edition) London, Paris, New York, Lagos: Asefin Media LLP.
Popoola, S and Oyesanya, F. (2015). Ikunle Abiyamo: The Ase of Motherhood.
(Second Edition) Phoenix, AZ: Ifaworks,LLC.
Popoola, S y Oyesanya, F. (2015). Ikunle Abiyamo: El Ase de la Maternidad.
(Primera Edición) Phoenix, AZ: Ifaworks, LLC.
Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2008). Ifa Dida: An Invitation to Ifa
Consultation, Vol. One, Eji-Ogbe to Ofun-Meji. (First Edition) London, Paris,
New York, Lagos: Asefin Media LLP.
Consultation, Vol. One. Eji-Ogbe to Ofun-Meji. (Second Edition) Phoenix,
AZ: Ifaworks, LLC.
Consultation, Vol. Two, Ogbe-Oyeku to Ogbe-Ofun. (First Edition) London,
Paris, New York, Lagos: Asefin Media LLP.
Consultation, Vol. Two, Ogbe-Oyeku to Ogbe-Ofun. (Second Edition)
Phoenix, AZ: Ifaworks, LLC.
Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2014). Ifa: Its Core Values Vol. 1, What is
Ifa? (First Edition) Phoenix, AZ: Ifaworks, LLC.
Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2014). Ifa: Los Valores Esenciales Vol. 1,
¿Qué es Ifa? (Primera Edición) Phoenix, AZ: Ifaworks, LLC.
Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2014). 101 Ifa Medicines and Herbal
Remedies. (First Edition) Phoenix, AZ: Ifaworks, LLC.
Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2014). 101 Medicinas de Ifa y Remedios
Herbales. (Primera Edición) Phoenix, AZ: Ifaworks, LLC.
Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2014). Omoluabi: The Description of a
Complete Being. (First Edition) Phoenix, AZ: Ifaworks, LLC.
Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2014). Omoluabi: La Descripción de un Ser
Completo. (Primera Edición) Phoenix, AZ: Ifaworks, LLC.
Audios and Videos

Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2014). Egungun Lecture Audio. (Traducido al
Español) Phoenix, AZ: Ifaworks, LLC.
Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2014). Ori Lecture Audio. (Traducido al
451
Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2014). Egbe Lecture Audio. (Traducido al

Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2014). Osun Lecture Audio. (Traducido al
Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2014). Dialogue of Ifa and Christian Scripture
and Healing Lecture Audio. Phoenix, AZ: Ifaworks, LLC.
Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2014). Social Justice Through Ifa Video.
Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2014). Egbe Lecture Video. Phoenix, AZ:
Ifaworks, LLC.
Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2014). Importance of Good Character Over
Rituals Video. (Traducido al Español) Phoenix, AZ: Ifaworks, LLC.
Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc. (2014). Osun, Yemoja, Oya, and Iyami Video.
All Books, Audios, and Videos can be purchased through www.ifaworks.com The
official website of Solagbade Popoola Library, Inc and Ifaworks, LLC.
452

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Chapter One: Who is an OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; ? Pg.5

When somebody is referred to as OÙmoôlu;a¾bi; in Yoru¾ba;land, he is an epitome of a

OÙmoô yi; o; ni;’wa¾ bi; (A person who behaves like…..)

service of a just community and its self-actualization”.

been specially chosen” by Olo;du¾mare¾.

Pa¾a; l’a¾ki;sa¾ n; gbo;

A rag tears with ease

I®gba¾ n;la; la¾a; pe O®Ùrun

I®gba¾ n;la; is the name of the Heavens

That which is sparkling white

A ji; tu;u; gb’aye;

Di;a; fu;n oômoô E®ni¾ya¾n

He who wakes up quietly to occupy the world

Olo;du¾mare¾ responded: it is a way of knowing human attitudes

1. Those who make things happen

Ka; mu; ra;gba; ta igba;

If we strike a ra;gba; gong against a calabash

Ala;ra;, were you able to find I®wa¾ for me?

O®kuta peô;te;ô a la¾ ma; sô’eô¾je¾ô

The flat stone that is cracked without bleeding

Fo;ônra;nku¾n kan sôosôo awo Aye;

EÙ o¾ jeô; ka; fa’ku¾n Aye; ire o

One strand of thread, the Awo of Aye;

OÙmoÙ Olo;ye¾ eô to¾ o; ge;ôgeô;

Children of title owners, please arrange it orderly

So that you will get a well deserved result

A o; ma;a ba; a loô peô¾u;

We shall continue to handle it with caution

My i¾roô;ke;ô is fashioned with bronze

O®Ùsa; Ala;wo ni; ki;nni; n;je;ô O®ti;to;ô?

O®Ùsa; Ala;wo asks, what is O®ti;to;ô (Truth)?

1. Truth is the hierophant in heaven that protects the world

5. O®ti;to;ô (Truth) is the unchanging word

O®tu;ru;po¾ôn teô¾te¾ô awo to¾o;to;ô-to¾o;to;ô

O®tu;;ru;po¾ôn I®reôteô¾, the Awo of truth

E®yi; wi;nni;wi;nni; l'awo e¾yi; wi;nni;wi;nni;

The striped one is the Awo of the striped one

E®Ùyoô fu¾u; ma¾ri¾wo¾

E®Ùyoô fu¾u; ma¾ri¾wo¾

We have installed O®ti;to;ô with a title in this world

Lying benefits no one

EÙni;; i; ba; pu’ro;ô

Di;a; fu;n SÙ'o¾o;to;ô-sô'o¾o;to;ô Ile;-Ife¾ô

He who tells lies

Olo;o¾o;to;ô ti; n;beô l’a;ye; o¾ p’o;gu;n

SÙi¾ka¾sôi¾ka¾ ibe¾ô woôn o¾ moô ni;’wo¾ôn eôgbeô¾fa¾

The truthful ones in the world are not up to 20

Oju; o¾pu¾roô; mu; sôo;ro;sôo;ro;

Di;a; fu;n O®gu;n

The face of a liar is full of confrontation and determination

Ku;nku;nn¾du¾nku;n ab'ewe; ge¾ôrugeô¾ru

The sweet potato with its splendid leaves

Excessive charms can make one act irrationally

EÙni i; ba; n;pu'ro;ô, iro;ô a roô; oô

Anyone lying will be reduced by his lies

The person that we ate beasts with

O: ni; t’o;un ba; pa a; n;ko;ô