Ogunda Iroso

When Ogunda Iroso was accused of being a thief

Ogunda Iroso was the king’s trusted man, but because he did not get along with his companions and did not do what Orunmila had told him in an osorde, he was thrown out of the post he held; and all of that was for failing to give a rooster he owed to Eshu. He was found with a sack of the king’s belongings in the marketplace and was accused of theft.

The amazon priestesses of Africa

Yewá and Olosa lived in the lagoon and received the offerings of all their subjects. Among their favourites was Lashure, a very handsome young man who fished in that lagoon. However, when Lashure reached adulthood, his beauty began to seduce all the daughters of Yewá and Olosa, breaking their vow of chastity. Yewá and Olosa wept bitterly over this situation and decided to seek the help of Orunmila, since they did not want to kill Lashure.

Orunmila performed a consultation (osode) and revealed this Ifá to them, Ogunda Koloso. He told them that they had to make a rogation to change the young man’s sex, since by Olofin’s sentence no man could go on living as such after having touched a daughter of Yewá or Olosa.

They performed the prescribed ebó and, a short time later, the handsome young man began to change and was transformed into an adodi (woman). All the daughters of Yewá and Olosa who were pregnant miscarried and buried their foetuses in earthen jars by the riverbank, placing adé of gold (a gold chain) there as a sign of respect. They then returned to Yewá’s house, and she gave each of them an omotigu knife so that they could live. However, they had to swear an oath of chastity and virtue before Yewá, thus forming a sisterhood of priestesses.

It is important to note that this Ifá forbids carnal trade and is connected with the presence of a knife of her own for the corresponding orisha (Yewá).

When he did not attend to Elegbá at the yagruma tree

Ogunda Waneye was a son of Oggún and enjoyed the king’s trust in that land, but he had a strange character and did not get along with his fellow awoses. Although Orunmila always advised him to attend to Elegbá in order to protect his home, Ogunda Waneye never followed Orunmila’s instructions. As a result, his companions plotted against him and had him removed from his post. All of this happened because he failed to make good on the offering of a rooster to Eshu at the foot of a yagruma tree.

Ogunda Waneye went to the marketplace and fell into a trap: the king’s belongings were found in his sack, which led to his being accused of theft. Despite Ashelu’s intervention, Ogunda Waneye managed to escape and reached the foot of the yagruma tree, where Eshu appeared to him and demanded that he look at himself. At that moment, Ogunda Waneye looked and saw himself reflected as Ogunda Koloso, remembering Orunmila’s instructions. He got a rooster (akuko) and his sack and performed the prescribed ebó, walking seven times around the tree with his Elegbá in the sack and the rooster tied to his waist. He then offered the rooster to the Oyá of Eshu at the foot of the yagruma tree (bayekun). From that moment on his luck improved and he moved to another, larger and more prosperous land, all thanks to his obedience to Orunmila and to his fulfilment towards Eshu.

It is important to note that the awó of this oddun must go to the yagruma tree together with his Elegbá to offer a rooster and a stone to Eshu, who dwells in that tree. This ceremony must be performed three times a year: in the first seven days of the year, in the first seven days of the middle of the year and in the first seven days of the last month of the year.

When Elegbá lost an eye

Elegbá, on his way, came to a land crossed by a river, and on the other side lay another land. The first land was solid but lacked everything, and its inhabitants were used to having it all without working, because of its strength. In this land Oyá was the wise one, and she had drawn attention to the need to work in order to survive, but she was never listened to. Elegbá, realising this, spoke with Oshún, who was the owner of the river, and told her of his wish to cross to the other bank.

The reason behind Elegbá’s strange way of thinking was that in the other land he saw damp and even mud, but its inhabitants were hard-working and there were trees, creepers and dry leaves on the ground. Besides, they were wiser, since Ikú (death), who ruled there, was obeyed by all.

The next day, Elegbá ordered many holes to be dug in the ground and sticks laid across them with leaves on top, so that one could hide when necessary. Elegbá said: «There will be war here soon.» Then he went to the river and spoke with Oshún, who warned him that war was about to break out and advised him to be careful when he lay down to sleep, keeping one eye closed and the other open so as to see everything.

And so Elegbá lay hidden beneath the dry leaves, which meant that when the war broke out, people fell into the holes and stepped on Elegbá’s open eye, since he was watching everything that happened. When they trod on his open eye, Elegbá was left one-eyed, and Ikú came out victorious and became the ruler of this Ifá.

When Obatalá took offence at humankind

Obatalá was very displeased with the humankind he had created, because of the way they treated it, so he sought out his friend Arun to punish them. Arun, who always hated people, gave Obatalá one of his children called Arun buburu kan, who had the ability to enter people’s bodies and cause them dryness and sharp pains. Obatalá took that secret and buried it at the foot of the Oguede trees he had around his house. There, Obatalá would call his secret and offer it the eyes of dark hens while saying: «eye Eyeniofo Baba Mokue Aye Ogu Arun Buburu Tobakikan Ikú Baba Mokue Aye.» Then Arun buburu tobakikan would come out and sicken everyone he met on his way, making their flesh rot until they died. People lived in terror, not knowing what was happening or how to be cured.

One day Orunmila came and found all his children ill, so he performed a reading of Ifá for them and this oddun, Ogunda Koloso, came out. He told them that all of this was because of Obatalá and that they had to call him so that he would put it right, but first they had to go to the Oguede mitiwao where he had the ogu buried. Orunmila took two white hens and two white doves and set off for Obatalá’s house while singing and imploring Olofin so that he might master Obatalá’s rancour. He sang thus: «Olofin Awa Oguido Oguido, Baba Labe Labe Labefon, Labe Oguede Lona, Ogunde Oba Iré Mokuaye, Onifa Iré Nga Laye Laye.»

Obatalá became furious on hearing that they were calling him at his secret, but he realised that they were doing it for good and not for what he himself wanted. When Obatalá arrived at the Oguede mitiwao, he met Awo Ogunda Olokete, which was Orunmila’s name in that land, who was waiting for him and offered him a sacrifice of two white hens. Obatalá was surprised on tasting the akuko, since he had never eaten it before and found it delicious. Orunmila told him that the people of that land were offering it to him, but that he must make that secret work for the wellbeing of the people.

Obatalá felt ashamed and asked Olofin’s forgiveness for all those people, and Awo Ogunda Olokete’s as well. Then he took dark hens and began to cleanse everyone, offering to Obatalá while singing: «ebo Wa Inla Obatalá Talabo Iré Eyele Ebo, Eye Ni Eyele Alaebo Nilorun Iso Obatalá Baba Lodeo.»

Then Obatalá took the stalk of the Oguede mitiwao and cut it, creating an ogu ire which he gave everyone to drink.

The shadow of Arun buburu Tobakikan began to turn into positive energy and people started to heal, but the negative influence of the shadow of Arun Buburu Tobakikan had already spread throughout the world and Ikú went on using it to end people’s lives. Even so, Obatalá and Orunmila had found the way to change this situation each time Ikú appeared.

Oguede Motiwao is the plantain stalk and igi abo is the anon tree.

The «eran tobakikan» is used to cleanse the person. Afterwards it is divided in two parts: one is taken to Umberboro and the other is burnt and given a sacrifice of two white hens together with Obatalá. The «eran tobakikan» is taken together with the heads of the Umberboro hens, and the white roosters, together with the ebó, the burnt part and Obatalá’s sacred stones are taken and placed in a plantain grove at the foot of an Oguede tree. A kutun is opened, the roosters are placed as an offering to Obatalá, Osun and the kutun, it is covered over, and Obatalá’s and Osun’s sacred stones are taken back home. After three days, the awó returns to the Oguede tree and cuts it, preparing a decoction of anon root to which the crushed plantain stalk is added. It is all covered with a white cloth and the «ikoko» is left burning before Obatalá for 8 days. It is then strained and given in spoonfuls every 6 hours. This will help dissolve the tumour.

This Ifá is the origin of the cycle of destruction and regeneration of human bodies.

The instability of Ogunda Koloso

In the kingdom of Disha Nile a certain restlessness reigned, because the king, who was also an awó of Orunmila, was forever changing his mind, leaving his people in a state of confusion. One day, while walking through some fields, the king watched some children playing with a piece of paper tied to a string, moving with the wind. Absorbed in the scene, he heard a voice ask him: «Sir, what is it that has caught your attention so?» Startled, the king turned and saw an old man watching him with a smile. The king asked who he was and how he had come so silently to his side. The old man answered: «I am the manifestation of Oduduwa, sent by Olofin to draw your attention to the instability with which you govern your people, constantly changing your opinions. Olofin sent me so that you would watch those children playing with the paper and the string. See how the paper goes from one side to the other as the wind takes it, sometimes up and sometimes down. That is how your people are, because of your lack of character and will.» The king, alarmed by the old man’s words, exclaimed: «I have always wanted the best for my people; how is it that Olofin says this to me?» The old man answered: «Look, take out your okpele and read yourself, so that Orunmila may confirm what I am telling you and you can believe me.» The king turned his gaze to the children and to the old man, took out his okpele and cast it. The oddun that came out was Ogunda Koloso, in which Orunmila told him through the okpele that this was the sign of instability. Seeing the oddun, the old man said to him: «Watch the children and what they do; that is just how you are treating your people with your constant changes of opinion. Orunmila tells you that you must make an ebbó and trace a path. At first you will meet difficulties and clashes with the other kings around you, but you will triumph when your people see that you do not keep changing your mind. They will follow you and no force will be able to defeat you.» Having said these words, the old man and the children vanished.

The fish that is born in the river grows in the sea and returns to the river to die

On this path there was a fish that longed to explore other waters. He always told his brothers that he could not understand why they had no chance to go out and enjoy more pleasant places. He could not understand how there could be other waters in which he and his brothers might grow without the worry of the narrowness in which they lived. His concern and his longing were so great that one day Nana Buruku heard his restlessness as he spoke it aloud, and asked him what was wrong. The fish told her of his situation and his longing. After listening to him, Nana Buruku said: «Very well, I shall consult Olofin to see what can be done about your wish.» With these words, the conversation came to an end.

Several days went by and the fish heard no news from Nana Buruku, which led him to think that she had paid him no attention and shown no interest in their conversation. He did not know that Nana Buruku was discussing his request with Olokun, and that Olokun was telling Nana Buruku that he did not oppose his situation, but that the fish was Ozain’s favourite. For this reason, as king of the ocean, he would allow the fish to live in his domains, on the condition that all his children be born and grow in Ibu Losan Oddun, so that Orun could go on delighting in them. Otherwise, he would oppose that wish.

Nana Buruku returned and told the fish what Olokun had said, but on the condition that she would keep her word even at the cost of her own life, whatever the obstacles or difficulties. The fish, who was not content with his surroundings and wished to know other waters, agreed to give his word to Olokun through Nana Buruku. Then Nana Buruku revealed to him the secret that Olokun had given her, so that from that moment on he could live in two waters. He and all his family moved to the sea, on the condition of returning to the river to spawn and, at the same time, to die.

A special osun must be made, carrying the following load: sea sand and river sand, but it has to be taken from within the water, sea flax, a piece of coral, a piece of amber, the tongue of an eja oro, a scale and a small piece of its gill, palo moruro, seven peonies, 4 platanillo seeds, obi, ero, kola, osun, obi motiwao, awado, omi, epó, otí, eku, eja, orí, efun, ashé of Orunmila; it will be prayed over on the board, asking for this Ifá. Once washed, this osun will be given at its birth eyerbale of eja oro, eyele and osaidie, and afterwards it will go on eating dove and pollón cantón.

Whoever receives this Ifá may well have been born in a place far from where they now are. That person longs for their place of origin, for it is likely that they will return to the town where they were born, even if only to die there.

When they turned against Orunmila

Orunmila was travelling through the world when he came to a house where everyone sought his help to solve their problems. However, in that house they began to resent the money Orunmila was earning. One day, in his absence, they broke his board and threw it into the street along with the iyefa and the herbs. But Orunmila let no one affect him; he simply left with a smile on his lips.

Shortly afterwards, one of the men of the house fell ill and they went looking for Orunmila to attend to him. On learning of the man’s condition, Orunmila said: «Son, I am sorry, but I cannot attend to that sick man because I have no board, no iyefa and no herbs to work with.» The man left sad and worried, and a few days later the sick man died.

On this path, it is important to be careful that no one strips you of something belonging to this religion or tries to draw you away from it.

The ferret and the cat were friends

On this path, the ferret and the cat were friends and were always together. One night, the ferret stole a hen, plucked it and left the feathers at the cat’s door. The next day, people went to the ferret’s house to claim the hen and he denied having stolen it, saying: «I have stolen nothing; wherever you find the feathers, there the thief will be.» The people went to the cat’s house and he too denied having stolen anything, urging them to look for the meat, assuring them that there the thief would be. The people followed the feathers to the ferret’s house, and he, on seeing them, fled and went off into the bush, never to return to the town.

This path teaches us that a lie has short legs and that sooner or later the truth comes out.

When Oggún, Elegbá and Osun were friends

On this path, Elegbá, Oggún and Osun were friends and lived in Obatalá’s house. Obatalá trusted Osun more because of his quiet nature compared with Elegbá and Oggún, who were more unruly. However, these two felt envy towards Osun and began to watch him with the intention of harming him, for they had planned what they were going to do.

One day, while Osun was asleep, Elegbá and Oggún stole Obatalá’s eure fun fun, killed it and ate it, and then smeared Osun’s mouth with blood.

Obatalá, noticing that his eure was missing, began to look for it and, after tiring of the search, asked Elegbá and Oggún about the eure. They answered: «Baba, we do not know, but Osun is sleeping with his mouth full of blood; it seems he ate it.»

Obatalá understood the betrayal of Elegbá and Oggún towards Osun, but because of his pride he condemned Osun to live always awake and standing up, so that he could no longer eat eure or ake (a young she-goat).

On this path, Elegbá and Oggún eat the eure fun fun.

Pride and boastfulness

On this path, Ogunda Waneye was the king’s trusted servant, but his fellow workers envied him. Besides, he did not get along with them because of his pride in his position, nor did he follow the instructions of Ifá given through Orunmila. As a result, Eshu began to close his paths.

One day, when Ogunda Waneye left the palace, the other servants took a sack and filled it with gold jewels from the palace. When Ogunda Waneye returned to the palace, the other servants said to him: «The king wants you to take this sack to the marketplace; he is waiting for you there.» Ogunda Waneye carried the sack and reached the marketplace, but he did not see the king. He put the sack down on the ground and sat down to wait for the monarch.

When the king returned to the palace, he noticed that valuable gold jewels were missing. He questioned his servants and they told him that Ogunda Waneye had put them inside a sack and had told them that he, the king, had ordered them taken to the marketplace.

The king ordered Ogunda Waneye arrested as a thief, and the soldiers found him in the marketplace sitting beside the sack. He was arrested and brought before the king who, angered, sent him to prison.

The next day, the king summoned Ogunda Waneye into his presence. When they were alone, the king said to him: «I need you to tell me the truth of what happened.» Ogunda Waneye told him how things had come about. The king understood that the other servants had set a trap for Ogunda Waneye to take revenge for his arrogant attitude. The king said to him: «I consider you the victim of a conspiracy. I shall keep you in the palace with the same responsibilities for a time, but to stay here you must change your attitude towards your fellow workers.»

Then Ogunda Waneye remembered all the works that Orunmila had indicated to him over time and that he had not carried out. He went to Orunmila so that they might be done.

In this way, Ogunda Waneye managed to earn the affection and respect of his fellow workers.