SIXTEEN PRINCIPLES OF YORUBA LIFE,BELIEF AND WORSHIP

                         
The ODU IFA IKA OFUN,gave the insight into how OLODUMARE instructed ORUNMILA on these principles, it goes thus,

IKAFUN IKAOFUN ADIFA FUN AWON AGBAGBA MERINDILOGUN
TI NTI ODE ORUN BO WA SI ILE AYE
WON RELE IFE WON LO RE TORO OGBO
WON RELE IFE WON LO RE TORO ATO
WON NI NJE AWON LE GBO BI,NJE AWON LE TO BE?
WON BI OLODUMARE NINU IFA TI WON DA
WON NI WON AGBO,WON NI WON ATOO
TI NWON BALE PA IKOLO MO
EKINI..WON NI KIWON MAFI ESURU PE ESURU
EKEJI...WON NI KINWON MAFI ESURU PE ESURU
EKETA...WON NI KIWON MAFI ODIDE PE OODE
EKERIN...WON NI KIWON MAFI EWE IROKO PE EWE ORIRO
EKARUN...WON NI KIWON MAFI AIWE BAWON DE ODO
EKEFA...WON NI KIWON MAFI AINI OKO BAWEON KE HAIN HAIN
EKEJE...WON NI KIWON MAGBA ONA EBURU WOLE AKALA
EKEJO....WON NI KIWON MAFI IKO ODIDE NUDI
EKESAN...WON NI KIWON MA SU SEPO
EKEWA...WON NI KIWON MA TO SAFO
EKANKANLA...WON NI KIWON MA GBA OPA LOWO AFOJU
EKEJILA...WON NI KIWON MA GBA OPA LOWO OGBO
EKETALA...WON NI KIWON MA GBA OBIRIN OGBONI
EKERINLA....WON NI KIWON MA GBA OBIRIN ORE
EKARUNDINLOGUN...WON NI KIWON MA SORO IMULE LEYIN
EKERINDINLOGUN....WON NI KIWON WON SAN BANTE AWO

WON DELE AYE TAN
OHUN TI WON NI KIWON MON SE NIWON DAWOLE
WON WA BERE SI KU
OWA KU ORUNMILA NIKAN TO PA IKILO MO
WON WA NI ORUNMILA NI O NPA WON
NJE ATI DAGBA MI ODOWO MI
ATI DAGBA RE ODOWO RE
NITORI AGBA KII SOFUN NI TELE KI OTO KAN NI

TRANSLATION
IKAFUN IKAOFUN THE DIVINATION LOTS OF SIXTEEN ELDERS
ON THEIR WAY FROM ORUN TO ILE AYE
THEY ARE GONG TO ILE-IFE  TO ASK FOR THE SECRET OF LONGEVITY
THEY ARE GOING TO ILE-IFE TO ASK FOR THE SECRET OF PERFECTION
THEY ASKED,CAN WE LIVE ETERNALLY, CAN WE BE PERFECT?
THEY ASKED OLODUMARE DURING THIER IFA CONSULTATION
THEY WERE TOLD THAT THEY WILL HAVE LONGETIVITY AND PERFECTION
ONLY IF THEY CAN KEEP TO WARNINGS AND PRINCIPLES
1...DO NOT CALL ESURU(BITTER YAM), ESURU(A LOG)
2...DO NOT CALL ESURU(LOG),ESURU(BITTER YAM)
3..DO NOT CALL ODIDERE(PARROT), OODE(PARTRIDGE)
4..DO NOT CALL EWE IROKO(THE BAOBAB LEAF),EWE ORIRO(WATER HYACINTH)
5..DO NOT GO TO THE RIVER WITHOUT THE INTENTION OF BATHING
6..DO NOT MAKE THE NOISE OF A HOE WITHOUT HAVING ONE
7..DO NOT ENTER THE HOUSE OF AKALA FRAUDULENTLY
8....DO NOT USE THE PARROT FEATHER TO CLEAN AFTER DEFECATIONS
9..DO NOT DEFEACATE IN THE PALM GROOVE
10..DO NOT URINATE ON THE WALK WAY
11..DO NOT TAKE THE WALKING STICK OF THE BLIND
12..DO NOT TAKE THE WALKING STICK OF THE ELDERLY
13..DO NOT TALE THE WIFE OF THE INITIATED
14..DO NOT TAKE A FRIEND'S WIFE
15..DO NOT REVEAL INITIATED SECRETS OF THE ELDERS
16..DO NOT WEAR THE LOIN CLOTH OF THE INITIATES IN PUBLIC

THEY GOT TO ILE AYE
ALL INSTRUCTIONS WERE DISOBEYED
THEY STARTED DIEING ONE AFTER THE OTHER
ORUNMILA WAS THE ONLY ONE LEFT BECAUSE HE KEPT INSTRUCTIONS AND PRINCIPLES
HE WAS THEN ACCUSED OF KILLING THEM
HE SAID..TO LIVE ETERNALLY IS IN YOUR INDIVIDUAL HAND
TO LIVE PERFECTLY IS IN YOUR INDIVIDUAL HAND
BECAUSE LONGETIVITY,PERFECTIION AND OLD AGE DOES NOT GIVE NOTICE BEFORE DAWNING ON INDIVIDUALS

                                                  AJOLO.  AJOBO

Yoruba artifacts in manchester museum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Byp1pg2zwEw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

iMAGES FROM OSUN OSOGBO 2013

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!..COURT SACKS OLOFFA!

An appeal court sitting in Ilorin has nullified the appointment and installation of Mufutau Gbadamosi as the Olofa of Offa, while also restraining him from parading himself as the traditional ruler of the community forthwith.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Hussein Muhktar, the appellate court held that the evidence before it clearly showed that the ascension to the stool of Olofa of Offa is by rotation between the Olugbense Ruling House, the appellants and the Anilelerin Ruling House, the respondents.

To the court, rotation principle in the town had been established since 1969 when the Late Oba Keji from the Olugbense ruling house agreed to step down from throne and allowed the late Oba Mustapha Olawoore from the Anilelerin ruling house to ascend the throne, in order to allow peace to reign in Offa. This, the court said, was after the intervention of the state government.

Setting aside the decision of the high court sitting in Offa delivered on 19 July 2012 by Justice S.M Akanbi which upheld the appointment and installation of Mr Gbadamosi, the appellate court consequently granted all the reliefs of the appellants and nullified Oba Gbadamosi’s appointment and installation, saying he should stop parading himself as the Olofa of Offa, while also ordering the state government to immediately install Prince Abdulrauf Adegboyega Keji, who is from Olugbense ruling house as the ruler.

Counsel to the Olugbense ruling house, John Baiyeshea, san, had approached the court of appeal in protest of the judgment delivered by the high court that the ascension to the stool of the Olofa of Offa is not rotational but by competition between the two ruling houses thereby upholding the decision of the state government to approve the appointment and installation of Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi as the Olofa of Offa.

Chief Adelekan in Conversation about the babalawo and his tools.

Chief Adelekan in Conversation on shango olukoso

The late CHIEF ADEYELA ADELEKAN,my biological father and spiritual OLUWO,discussing a range of issues and misconceptions about initiations in the African religion,at the Manchester museum in the united kingdom

Chief Adelekan in Conversation about african culture

FESTIVALS IN ILE-IFE

DATES OF MAJOR SPIRITUAL FESTIVALS IN THE YEAR.
There are over 364 different ceremonies that take place in Ile-Ife,these ceremonies run through the year and it is only on one special day that no ceremony is performed in this most ancient of towns, the said day is known only by the king(OONIRISA).
Although there are specific months for some major festival, there are no sacrosanct dates for the commencement of such because readings and consultations have to be done yearly to determine the actual date to commence the festival in the month, the presiding priest then announces to the general public the dates that has been revealed for the start of the festival after due consultation with the ISORO TRADITIONAL COUNCIL. This means that, although,Ifa festival is held in the month of June, the day and date of the previous celebration may/will/might vary to that of the present year.
The following are some of the major festivals that take place annually; this list is by no means exhaustive because there are some festivals that are not open to non initiated members while some are meant mostly for priests and priestesses.
Jan – OBAMERI
END OF JAN TIHROUGH FEBRUARY- OBATALA
END OF FEB THROUGH MARCH-ORELUERE
END OF MARCH THROUGH APRIL-OBALEJUGBE
END OF APRIL THROUGH MAY-ORO
END OF MAY THROUGH JUNE-OSARA
END OF JUNE THROUGH JULY-ORANFE/SANGO
AUGUST-OSUN
SEPTEMBER-AJE/OLOKUN
OCTOBER-OGUN
NOVEMBER-EDI
DECEMBER-OORIN
Aboru Aboye

ARE IN PICTURES

ARE ODUDUWA

ARE ODUDUWA is the most important crown in Yorubaland,all other crowns in yorubaland are called ADE.The ARE is the very same crown that ODUDUWA,the progenitor of the yoruba race had on his earthly sojuorn before his ascension.There is no replica of the ARE anywhere else in the world and no crown can be made in its shape or form,the ARE comes out only once every year during the OGUN OLOJO festival.

                                                                      IJUBA

 Iba OLODUMARE oba ateni legelege fori gbeji

 Iba akoda

 Iba aseda

 Iba igba irunmole ojukotun

 Iba igba mole ojukosi

 Iba pete owo

 Iba pete ese

 Iba orunmila ajana okunrin kukuru oke igeti abani damoran bi iyekan eni akere finu sogbon eleri ipin 

Iba oko tosorikodo tio sunje

 Iba obo tosorikodo tio sunje

 Iba esu laalu ogiri oko abani wonran baorida laaroye areku jaye elekun nsunkun laaroye sunje

 Iba obatala obataasa obatakun takun lode iranje atun ori enitio sunwon se 

Iba sango olukoso ayanran ina ina loju ina lenu akata yeri yeri arabambi oko oya eni sango tojue wole kii boba koso

 Iba osun sengese olooya yun iyami olomi tutu tin fi saraye loore orisa tin gbenu omi tutu joni waiawai

 Iba ogun lakaye osin imole olomi nile feje we olaso nile fi mokimo bora ogun waa ogun woo ogun alara nii jaaja ogun ajero ni memu ogun gbenagbena esun isu nii je

 Iba olubikin osanyin bikin osanyin nii fewe fegbo tayese 

Iba oya obiri afefebiribiri tin fere sile aye 

Iba awon iyami osoronga osalansolo osolonsala ojiji fii arogba aso mabale ajori japa ajefun jedo ajoronro mabi

 Iba babalawo tokoo sefa 

Iba onisegun tokoo wagbo

                                                                  HOMAGE
 Homage to OLODUMARE...The creator that was not created
 Homage to the 200 irunmole on the right
 Homage to the 200 irunmole on the left
 Homage to the perfect hands
 Homage to the perfect feet 
Homage to orunmila ajana...The wise short man of igeti hill..the most knowledgeable one..Witness to destiny...The spiritual counsellor of mankind
 Homage to the penis...That brings forth semen and urine at the appointed time
 Homage to the vagina...that brings forth blood and life at the appointed time
 Homage to esu laalu...The strong and mighty messenger of the divine..he that lives at the crossroad of the seen and unseen..He that knows the footpath to heaven
 Homage to obatala...the great king of iranje...The moulder of destiny
 Homage to Sango...the fiery one...the sacred husband of oya...whoever has seen the anger of Sango will never invoke him falsely
 Homage to osun sengese...the wealth of the divine...the sacred water that blesses mankind..The cold water that burns the wicked like fire 
Homage to ogun lakaaye osinmole...he that has water but bathes in blood..he has clothes but wears palm leaves..The justice of life...Ogun alara eats dog...ogun ajeero drinks palm wine...ogun gbena gbena takes roasted yam
 Homage to osanyin...The healing force...he heals the earth with roots and herbs
 Homage to oya the whirlwind...The wind of destiny that blows goodwill to mankind
 Homage to the great mothers of the spirits...The shadow less creatures...The whip of destiny 
Homage to the first babalawo 
Homage to the first healer. 
Aboru Aboye.

IYALORISA....THE FEMALE CUSTODIAN

Just as there are men of learning who carry out Ifa works,there are also women of intergrity who do the same,they can not be called babalawo because they must never see ODU,hence the name iyalorisa.
Osun was the first to start women's spiritual work,odu ifa ose'tura explains that osun was the female orisa that descended to ile-ife from orun,osun being a woman was always secluded from the meetings and consultations of the orisa,she dealt only with the witches and reported the other orisas to Orunmila who did not take note,osun then decided to destroy all there plans and doings,so the orisas summoned orumila who then went to Olodumare to seek the solution to their problem and Olodumare asked them about Osun and why they secluded her,Olodumare then ordered them to include Osun in everything they do for them to be successful,thus Osun became the first IYALORISA and she started the ERINDINLOGUN(16 cowries) form of divination.
The role of women is not limited to making OSE(ifa week day) alone,there are some Akapo of ifa who are not allowed to study or practice ifa,some if them are Agbamate(those who recieve ikin ifa),there is also iyalase(those who take care of ifa through songs and dance of worship but do not have deep knowledge of ifa)
Nevertheless being iyalorisa requires years of tutelage under elderly iyalorisas and babalawos before being ordained after proper initiations and ceremonies.One canot become iyalorisa just because the person is initiated into the ruling orisa on her head.Aboru Aboye..

APETEBI...WIFE OF IFA

Apetebi or iyawo ifa is the name given to the wife of a babalawo.Before a woman is chosen as apetebi,the babalawo does a reading to know the ikosejaye(destined path) of the woman in question and to acertain if ifa will accept the person and work with her.Apetebis are held in high esteem because of their moral and spiritual standing in the society,apetebi must not lie,fornicate or engage in any degrading activity because ifa will expose her and such exposure is always dangerous.It is the apetebi that keeps the OJO OSE(ifa week day),she administers the Iyewu(ifa's abode),she prepares some of the aseje,oogun and other minor spiritual work for the babalawo,this requires her to be in an impeccable state of physical cleanliness and spiritual purity.Apetebi gets the first and best of everything and she must be well taken care of because ifa forbids for her to lack anything,it is a taboo to seduce an apetebi as the odu ogunda ika explains.
Eniti o fi enipeni nin gbayawo babalawo
Eniyan ti o fi eyan peyan nigbayawo onisegun
Enikeru si koto tonwa gegele wamu ishuka nigbayawo awo
Adifa fun ogirisasa agbe toni ohun ogba iyawo Edu
Oni asiko wade wayio temo edu loba..Aboru Aboye.

He that lacks respect is the one that takes a babalawo's wife
He that is callous and without honour is the one that takes the wife of a herbalist
He that has dug his own grave and comes up to pack his earthly luggage is the one that takes the wife of the initiated
This is the divination lot of the farmer who tried to take the wife of Edu
Now is the time to give honour to Edu as the king..Aboru Aboye.

Ifa feeding...materials

Ifa feeding is an important ritual in the life of a babalawo as well as every initiated omo awo.It is the proccess reactivating the efficacy of the ifa and strenghtening of ekuro ifa which aligns the ori with the creator.The frequency of feeding ifa varies according to the particular odu that was born during the initiation,it can be done in eeta(3days),eeje(7days),itadogun(15days),osu(monthly).Below is a list of essential materials used in feeding ifa,this list by no means conclusive because each ori requires a particular material from the owner to be fed during the sacrifice,so a reading is essential before feeding to know what the ori actually accepts..
Omi...water
Obi....kolanut
Igbin..snail
Eku....rat
Eja....fish
Oti...gin
Epo...palmoil
Iyere osun...ifa powder
ewure...goat
Aso funfun...white cloth
ABORU ABOYE.

OKETASE...Home of all babalawo..

What is the significance of Oketase as the spiritual home and headquarter of all practising babalawo and ifa temples world wide.

IJUBA...HOMAGE

Iba Olodumare oba atenilegelege forigbeji
Iba akoda
Iba aseda
Iba irunmole ojukotun
Iba igbamole ojukosi
Iba pete owo
Iba pete ese
Iba orunmila ajana
Okunrin kukuru oke igeti
Akere finu sogbon
Eleri ipin
Abani damoran bi iyekan eni
Iba oko tosori kodo tio sogbe
Iba obo tosori kodo tio seje
Iba ESu laalu ogiri oko onile orita
Abani wonran bao rida
Onile kangunkangun ona orun
Laaroye areku jaye
Iba obatala obatarisa obatakun takun lode iranje atun ori enikosunwon se
Iba sango olukoso ayanran ina ina loju ina lenu akata yeriyeri arabambi oko oya eni sango batojue ja kibawon bu obakoso
Iba osun sengese olooya iyun iyami olomi tutu tin fi somo araye loore irunmole tin gbenu omi tutu joni waiwai
Iba ogun lakaye osin imole olomi nile feje we olaso nile fi mokimo bora ogun alara nii jaaja ogun ajero nii memu ogun gbenagbena esun isu nii je
Iba olubikin osanyin bikin osanyin nii fewe fegbo somo araye loore
Iba oya obiri afefe biribiri tin fere sile aye
Iba awon iyami osoronga osalansolo osolonsala ojiji fii arogba aso mabale atori japa ajedo mabi
Iba babalawo tokoo sefa
Iba onisegun tokoo wagbo
Ki iba wole ase ase ase

                      TRANSLATION
Homage to Olodumare he that holds the world up with water and a string
Homage to the first creation
Homage to the creator
Homage to the irunmoles on the right side
Homage to the 200 irunmoles on the left side
Homage to the perfect hand
Homage to the perfect feet
Homage to Orunmila Ajana witness to destiny the short man of Igeti hill the knowledgeable one the spiritual counsellor of mankind
Homage to the penis that brings forth semen and urina at the appointed time
Homage to the vagina that brings forth blood and life at the appointed time
Homage to Esu laalu the strong and mighty messenger of the divine he that lives at the crossroad homage to you he that knows the footpath to heaven homage to you
Homage to Obatala the mighty king of iranje the moulder of destiny
Homage to Sango the fiery one the sacred husband of Oya,he that has seen the anger of sango will never invoke him falsely
Homage to Osun sengese the wealth of the divine,the sacred water that blesses mankind,the cold water that burns the wicked like fire
Homage to Ogun lakaye osinmole,he has water but bathes in blood,he has clothes but wears palmleaves,the justice of life,ogun alaara eats dog,ogun ajero drinks palmwine,ogun gbenagbena takes roasted yam
Homage to Osanyin the healing force,it is osanyin that heals the earth with roots and herbs
Homage to Oya the wirlwind the wind of destiny that blows goodwill to mankind
Homage to the great mothers of the spirit,the shadowless creatures,the whip of destiny
Homage to the first babalawo
Homage to the first healer.

Months and days of the week

SERE-JANUARY

ERELE-FEBRUARY

ERENA-MARCH

IGBE-APRIL

EBIBI-MAY

OKUDU-JUNE

AGEMO-JULY

OGUN-AUGUST

OWEWE-SEPTEMBER

OWARA-OCTOBER

BEELU-NOVEMBER

OPE-DECEMBER

                   DAYS OF THE WEEK

AIKU-SUNDAY

AJE-MONDAY

ISEGUN-TUESDAY

OJOORU-WEDNESDAY

OJOBO-THURSDAY

ETI-FRIDAY

ABAMETA-SATURDAY

WHO IS A BABALAWO.

A Babalawo is a trained Ifa priest and diviner in the Yoruba traditional society,they are also healers and herbalist.A babalawo is the link between the physical and the spiritual and he employs different means of readings and consultation to communicate with the spiritual world,some of the following are means of divinations used by babalawos,ERINDINLOGUN(the sixteen cowries),AGBIGBA(a string with four distinct marks)IYANRIN TITE(sand reading),OMI WIWO(water gazing),OWO WIWO(palmistry),ABOKUSORO(necromancy),OPELE(eight string divination chain). There are two types of Babalawo, BABALAWO OLODU and BABALAWO ELESINJE.BABALAWO OLODU is the most recognised babalawo because of his profiency in the verses and chants of Ifa and his deep knowledge of consultations,he mostly offers sacrifice and atonements to the orisas and makes recommendation to the seeker,ELESINJE on the other hand is mostly versed in the area of roots and herbs and the cure and prevention of a wide range of diseases and afflictions,his knowledge of Ifa is mostly specialised in roots and herbs and the uses of such,Elesinje is also known as SAWO SESEGUN(the initiated herbalist). A babalwo who is not proficient in the verses of Ifa may cause alot of damage by interpreting wrongly which may have adverse and irreversible effects on the seeker hence the saying OPELE O SHE'RU ENITI NKI NIO GBOFA NITORI OHUN TIA ABA BI IFA NI IFA NSO(Ounmila is not deceptive,it is the chanter that is not well versed in Ifa,it is whatever Ifa sees that Ifa reveals.It is must be stated here that it takes a minimum of 10-15 yrs to become a versatile and well versed babalawo to be able to meet the responsibilities attached to being one,in addition to the knowledge of Ifa and the process of divination,he must know the appropriate ritual/sacrifice for each of the ODU,he must also acquire a vast amount of herbal preparations with its accompanying utterances of charms and incantations.It therefore follows that those who qualify as practising babalawos are men of intellectual strenght and judgement,the babalawo is not only a diviner but a custodian of the Yoruba cultural heritage as given to orunmila by Olodumare,Odu ikalogbe gave a warning about trying to make mockery of Ifa,it says''Ifa kii sohun amusere opele kii sohun amusawada adifa fun arerinku tin fi awo se yeye''(Ifa is not a thing of mockery,opele is not a thing of jest,that is the lot divined for he that laughed to death(arerinku) who was mocking the babalawo).ABORU ABOYE