Oyeku-Ogbe

Ifa was cast for "Child that does not die
but returns to life", that is a child
that is reborn in another child.
They said that nobody would
live as long as he. The said a sheep
and 20,000 cowries is the sacrifice.
"Child that does not die
but returns to life" is the name
we give to paths and roads that,
as we walk along them, lead
further and further. Ifa tells
a person to sacrifice, in order
to become very old.

“Bed of concrete” was the one who cast for Alagemo
who is also called the Cameleon,
the favorite of the Orisha's, on the day
that Alagemo was ill and didn't look for help.
The Awo told him to make ebo, but
Alagemo refused to make sacrifice,
and he fell ill. Ebo: 1 goat.

Arun-Pose-Ireke was the one who cast for Omo-nle,
the lizard who lives inside houses, on the day
that he went to live with Oro, which is the earthen wall.
The told Omo-nle to sacrifice: four pigeons in order
to ghave a good place to live. Omo-nle made the ebo.
They also instruxcte Oro to make sacrifice, so that she
would not become friends with somebody who would
dig inside her. What should Oro sacrifice? A rooster.
Oro did not make the ebo, and because she had refused
to sacrifice she had to supply living room for Omo-nle.
From that day on, house lizards live in holes in
earthen walls. Ifa says that somebody should sacrifice
to get good living space. And Ifa says that a person
should pick their love partner very carefully, in order
not to be hit by a disease of the anus.

"The hunter opens his pouch and takes out the arrow poison;
Arinimoje the forest spirit who knows many secrets
opens his pouch and takes out medicine;
the farmer looks for a soft stretch of soil
before planting his yams" were the ones who cast
for Orisha Alashe, student of the deity of Earth,
and for Oramfe, the Orisha of Thunder,
who was a student of Olodumare.
They said that if the day arrived for the world to spoil,
that Orisha Alashe will repair the damage; and if the day
arrived for the sky to spoil, that Oramfe will repair the damage.
Ifa says that an Orisha will make the world of this person alright
regarding the issue for which this Odu fell. Four rats,
four fishes and four snails will be the sacrifice.
After we have made this sacrifice, we will take
a wrapped gift of small value to the Orisha, like
some cool water or a few kola nuts.

Ifa was cast for Cockatoo, on the day
that he wanted to take Olukori for his wife.
The told him that thunderclouds might gather
into a mightly darkness, and that rain might
pour down as a deluge, but that hell or high water,
he would take Olukori home as his wife.
Ifa says that this is a wife of Ifa;
if we don't give her to Ifa she will die.
Two chickens, two rats, two fishes
and 4000 cowries are the sacrifice.
After we have made the sacrirfice
we give the woman to an Awo who has been
determined by the igbo as the one
for whom the woman is meant.

"When the stranger isn't offered the beancakes called akara
or ekuru, this exposes the owner of the house as a miser"
was the one who cast for Orunmila, on the day
that he made a journey to Ikoyi.
When he arrived, the king invited him in,
and gave him a place to relax, and gave
his household instructions to cook yams.
The king of Ikoyi said: "Ha! Must I buy
akara for him? Rather not. Simple eko then?
No, better give mashed yams
to this important visitor."
But it takes a long time to prepare this,
and Orunmila is very hungry. So while
the yams are cooking, Orunmila waits very hungry
until, eventually, it becomes too much for him
and he announces that he will leave.
"Oh, please," said the king, nearly begging,
"stay just a little longer, your food is almost ready.
We can't help that it takes so long... because
I can't offer you akara, I thought that
mashed yams would be better..."
But it was already too late: the guest
rose and walked away. While leaving the town
he stopped at a little restaurant, to deal with his hunger.
Then he looked back at Ikoyi and said:
"If this is the way your king treats me, the town
will never grow bigger than it is now!"
And still the hamlet of Ikoyi is not bigger
than a cockroach, and never anything happens there.
Nothing. Boring, boring, boring.
And this is what the Awo had said:
"When the stranger isn't offered the beancakes called akara
or ekuru, this exposes the owner of the house as a miser.
Sacrifice brings advantage, the opposite is disadvantage,
which is why they say: no akara? He is a miser!
The person for whom this Odu falls must be
generous, because great advantage may come
from a stranger... or a curse! It's up to ourselves.
Ifa says that waiting, or letting somebody wait,
sometimes is wise but at other times isn't.
There is always a choice, so choose wisely.
The host shouldn't have let Orunmila wait.

"Tree trunk, holding on to life,
how strong can you be!" was the one
who cast for the oldest Egun priest in Ikoyi.
"Like father, like son" was the one
who cast on the farm for Iguana,
child of an in those days well-known chief.
Would he step into his father's shoes?
Yes, eventually, but it is good
that you came here for council.
Being reassured that the title was waiting for him,
Iguana did make sacrifice, ewe was prepared
for him, and he stayed in the countryside.
Some time later the plate broke, the tree trunk
rotted, and the water pot toppled over.
In the city they said: "Iguana! He must succeed!"
"But he is outside on the farm!"
"Dear mister Iguana, please come home,
they want to give you a title!"
"He? She? Me?"
Iguana went back to the town
and received the title and rank
that once were his father's:
honor comes to the discouraged,
wise moderation. Ifa says
that sometimes it is useful to wait.
There is always a choice, so
choose wisely: Iguana showed
great staying power and much patience.

Ifa says that if Oyeku falls and it is followed by Ogbe,
that this person should make sacrifice and worship Ifa.
I will be a follower of Orunmila, may I have a long life!
"The message for which my Ori sent me,
that is exactly what I do and finish.
The way that Ifa showed me, is my direction!
I followed the wide road of Ifa so long
that eventually I reached the Sacred Grove,
where Oro takes leaves from a living tree.
On my way I met a cripple: we can't
hit a cripple in the face, can we?!
I encountered Thunder... can't smack
him hard! Then did Orisha place
his white-chalked hand on my head"
was the one who cast for Respectable Palmtree,
Orunmila's own child. Turning to Orunmila, they said:
"Follow him to wives, to children, to prosperity".
"My sacrifice... what should it be?"
Two rats, two dried fishes, two hens,
and four bags of cowries. He listenened
and made the sacrifice. They prepared ewe for him,
and when he followed the road he did not meet evil,
nor did he encounter any difficulty, nor did he lack anything.
Dancing and singng he praised his Awo:
"The work that my Ori has given me,
that is what I do. The path that Ifa
has cleared for me, that is what I follow.
I have followed the path of Ifa so long
that I finally reached the farm, wrecked by the leopard.
On my way I met a cripple: we can't
hit a cripple in the face, can we?!
I encountered Thunder... can't smack
him hard! Then did Orisha place
his white-chalked hand on my head.
See the sign of the Palm Tree on me;
he who hits Oyeku will feel the wrath of Ogbe;
you see, the respect of the Palm Tree
is carved in my body; he who whips Oyeku
will feel the sting of Ogbe;
with the repsect of the Palm Tree on my body,
nobody dares to hit me!"
Ifa says that the one for whom this Odu falls,
when he wants to go somewhere or wants
to lay himself to sleep, that when this song
has been sung, nothing will happen to him.
Greetings to the sacrifice! And may we
survive the situation!

"Dusty teacher, appointed to teach our child
how to walk, taught it to walk elegantly"
was the one who cast for Orunmila, on the day
that he went to save a student, who was stranded
in the city of Ebb-tide. This student,
every day of his life, is plagued by uninvited
visitors: all bad things of the world come in,
horn of the antilope, tooth of the snake,
curse of the lips. "Doesn't this lead me
to my death?", the shocked Student wanted
to know. Offer many many beans, they said,
and begin to seriously worship Ifa, and give
for the people outside a feast! Student did
what he was told. While Orunmila was on his way,
he encountered some of the curses and hexes.
"Where are you going?" Orunmila wanted to know.
"To the house of the Student, the apprentice priest"
was the answer. "Well then, you should know
that Student is my child. You should stay away from him,
forever!" And the curses and hexes went back.
Ifa, defend me,
let them not rob me of my sleep,
let thieves not steal me,
Ifa, save me,
let them not break into my house,
let them not enter,
let them not rob me of my power,
Student of the town of the Ebb-tide,
Ifa, save me, Ifa.
After having read this text, the Awo might want to explain the following:
Ifa says that this is how Orunmila began to watch over his apprentices, with the result that bad things tend to stay away from places where Orisha's are being worshipped. Ifa also says that this person, if he isn't doing that already, must follow a spiritual path. In the beginning his path will be insecure and unsure, but once we have learned how to walk we will do it very elegantly! But... the teacher may be a bit dusty... after all there's no road without the occasional cloud of dust. The time has come for transformation from scared arrogance to humility full of self-confidence.