WHAT IS IFÁ AND HOW DO WE SEE IFÁ AS AN ÒRÌṢÀ?

by Chief Oyeniyi Sango

Edited by Yeye Zarhah Oṣunṣola

Ifá of Okanran Sode says;

Ologbon so ide o tu

0moron so de a de jegbejegbe

eni ti o ba fi eyin ti ope ni o sode yi pe

a difá fun okan-le-lugba Irunmole ni ojo ti won n wa ogbon lo Olodumare lo pe gbogbo awon okan-le-lugba Irunmole .

Olodumare summoned all the Irunmole that he had as a gift for them. He explained to them that the gift will not be given by hand, but rather that he will throw it to the world for them to search. Ultimately, the gift is wisdom. In the quest of finding wisdom, it’s only Ọ̀rúnmìlà and Ọ́ṣun that find it. That is the reason why Ọ̀rúnmìlà and Ọ́ṣun that have wisdom for consultations. They are the ones to consult to know what Olodumare has in mind for people. Ọ̀rúnmìlà went for consultation and likewise for Ọ́ṣun before going to Olodumare. From the messages that appeared for Ọ́ṣun, she was told to add one of her beautiful cloth with the other ingredients for the ẹbọ. This was the only free big dress she had, so she did not add it to the ẹbọ.

So Ọ́ṣun and Ọ̀rúnmìlà started looking for wisdom. Ọ́ṣun was the first Òrìṣà to see what Olodumare threw to the world, but she couldn’t identify it vividly. She took the object and she kept it in her pocket. Unknowing to her, the rat had eaten the pocket portion of the cloth she wore. Ọ̀rúnmìlà, who was also following the same route also saw the same object and picked it up. He too did not identify the object. After a lot of wandering around, they went back to Olodumare. All of them started dropping objects they found, but not the real object. Ọ́ṣun checked her pocket and discovered she lost it. The object Ọ̀rúnmìlà presented was the real wisdom that Olodumare threw into the universe. Since that day, Ọ̀rúnmìlà became the wisest among the Òrìṣà. He is the one people consult for everything pertaining to knowledge, wisdom, guidance and spirituality. For clarification, Ọ̀rúnmìlà is not Ifá. Ifá is the spiritual words of Olodumare, that he passes to mankind through Ọ̀rúnmìlà.

The words and chants Ọ̀rúnmìlà says out loud is called Ifá and the object Ọ̀rúnmìlà found made him the leader among the Òrìṣà, despite being the youngest.

Ologbon aye

omoran ife

akere fi inu se ogbon

akoni loran bi iyekan ẹni.

He sees the future, tells us what to do about our life and guides us with what we have to do with the others Òrìṣà.

Ọ̀rúnmìlà is the only witness of creation (eleri ipin), that is why Ifá has the details of everybody when a reading is done. Once again, Ifá is the words of Olodumare that Ọ̀rúnmìlà uses to assist mankind. Isese is the universal name for our religion while the practitioners and believers are referred to as Onisese.

What portrays you as a good traditionalist (Onisese)?

Good character and good behavior

Truthfulness

Loyalty

Humbleness

The way you execute and complete tasks. The way you handle situations.

Giving the ultimate respect.

Otutu-opon is the ileke of Ifá, which Ọ̀rúnmìlà uses to identify his children. It stands as protection for everyone.

In reference to the Odu Oyeku Wonrin, Ifá says:

obe lo hun se bi ere ani ko mu o se bi ere bi ere

obe ni lowo peregede

a difá fun Ọ̀rúnmìlà

omo re

yo po lapoju ide ni baba yo fi mo omo re.....

Ọ̀rúnmìlà also uses otutu-opon to make covenants with the Ajogun and other evil forces. Essentially, whomever that wears these beads will not be attacked by them.

In the Odu of Oyeku Logbe:

Ise ori ran mi ni mo n je

ona ti Òrìṣà la sile ni mo n to

mo to ona titi mo de ilu osoro gbaki

mo ba aro ni ona aro ko se gba loju

mo ba arara, arara ko se kan ni iku aya

Òòsálá Òsèrèmàgbò lo fi owo osun si le

lo fi owo efun te afin lori

adifá fun owo ope omo bibi ilu agbon miregun in je e bowo ope lara mi eni ti o ba na oyeku yo ri ija ogbe,

e bo wo ope lara mi