Obara Iwori

The man who lost his memory

There was a man who kept forgetting things, and Orunla sent him to perform ebbó, and he did. And so his memory returned.

The son of Oshún

On the island of Kete, the people did not concern themselves with the Santos or with Ifá, and no one thought much about anything. There was, however, a man who was a son of Oshún, for whom she did a great deal. Oshún had him seen by Orunla, who performed osode for him and planted a palm on the island of Kete. The son of Oshún took an interest in the palm and went to it every day, setting himself apart from the other inhabitants.

Olofin, however, was tired of the people of the island caring about nothing, so he awakened a giant who lived in a cave inside a volcano, that he might destroy the island and its inhabitants. The son of Oshún was beside the palm tree when he saw the giant, and he climbed up the palm. The giant leapt toward another island, and Oshún, seeing her son safe, gave two eyele to Aggayú oniran, who was the giant.

The son of Oshún returned to his father and to Oshún, but he had to give agutan and abo to the Eggun of the island where he had lived, so that they might reach the light of understanding. In this way, thanks to Oshún’s intervention and the son’s devotion to the palm, the island of Kete was saved from destruction and its inhabitants were able to attain understanding.

Here was born the reason why human beings, to be great in life, must pass through different stages and tragedies

On a market day, omo Ofa Opa made them a proposal: he told them that if they found a treasure along the road he was pointing out to them, they could keep it, but that if they did not find it, they would have to pay him a sum of money. Ifá Wa and Ifá Lanire accepted the deal and set out on the road, searching for the treasure.

As they walked, Ifá Wa remembered the words of his father Elegbá and decided he no longer wanted to go on with his mischief and misdeeds. He told his friend Ifá Lanire that he regretted his behavior and wanted to change. At first Ifá Lanire did not believe him, but seeing his friend’s determination, he decided to help him.

At last they reached the place omo Ofa Opa had indicated and found the treasure, but instead of keeping it, they decided to give him half of the money they had promised, and with the rest they built a school for the children of the town.

From that day on, Ifá Wa changed his ways and devoted himself to the study of Ifá, becoming a great Babalawo. His friend Ifá Lanire also changed his ways and devoted himself to farming, becoming a great farmer. And so they both lived happily and in peace, following the path of uprightness and honesty.

Upon arriving in the land of Baba Layo, Ifá Wa met Oduduwa, who upon seeing him recognized him as his son and asked him why he had come. Ifá Wa told him everything that had happened in his life, and Oduduwa told him that he had come to help him, that he would make him someone important in life and would teach him everything he needed to know to triumph in the world.

Thus Ifá Wa began a new life at the side of his true father, learning everything he needed to know to be a wise and successful man. In time he became a great diviner and grew famous throughout the region. Elegbá, regretting that he had not done more for his son, asked his forgiveness and acknowledged him as a great awo.

From then on, Ifá Wa followed the ways of his father Oduduwa, helping people with his knowledge and wisdom, and he never again got into mischief or followed the counsel of those who did not want the best for him. Thus he became an example for many to follow, and a great awo in the world of Ifá.

When Ifá Wa entered the land of Baba Layo, the first thing he did was unlo the eyele meta he had found in three different thickets. Oduduwa, who had been watching him since he entered the land of Baba Late, hid and began to observe him, and when Ifá Wa committed his misdeed of enlo, he Tiro bogbo igui at him; Ifá Wa stumbled and fell, which Odudua seized upon to catch hold of him, asking him his name. Ifá Wa answered him, and Odudua began to weep, and at that very moment Olofin, who had come to visit him, entered. Olofin began to pass his hand over Ifá Wa and said to him: «you know nothing of the secrets of life, and I am going to tell you: you will receive the Ashe of this one here, whose name is Oduduwa and who is your true father. Ifá Wa was astonished by what he had just heard».

Then Oduduwa began to tell him that he had handed him over to Elegbá so that Elegbá would make him great and teach him what life was, beginning by enduring hardship from the start until he became a man. But you know how Elegbá is — somewhat disobedient — and he is very capricious; you wanted only what you pleased, and that is why you suffered so much shame and so many bad and unpleasant things in your life. Today I am going to separate you from what is evil and set you on the path of what is good. Oduduwa and Olofin rose, took three eyeles and prayed over the head of Ifá Wa. The next day he began to change, while Elegbara went about frantically searching for Ifá Wa, who had gone missing.

Until he reached the land of Baba Layo, and there he met Oduduwa, who embraced him and said: I thank you for what you have done for my son, and take this jío jío, osadie and this akuko. While Elegbá was at unyen he kept asking for the happiness and well-being of Ifá Wa, and afterward he said to him: «so it is; your father and I will help you».

Olofin said: To Iban Eshu. And that is how, from below, he came to become great.

Regarding the ebbó: the leri must be prayed over, and before finishing the ebbó, eyerbale must be given to the ebbó. This rogation is done with three eyeles before beginning the prayers of the meyis; one eyele goes to the road, another to nigbe, and the third to a hill (leer mata). Take Oduduwa de precisión.