Ofun Yemilo

The day Ikú sat at the table with Ofun Yeku

The owner of this Ifá has the gift of understanding the deep secrets of Eggun. It was here that Ikú Alashon sat at the table, dressed all in black, while at the other head of the table sat Olofin, radiant, dressed in white with the diadem of Oloyo upon his head, and Eshu Ashikuelu served as gatekeeper. When Ofun Yemilo and Ozain arrived, Eshu rang a great bell and, striking the ground with his staff, sang: «Ofun Yemilo Eni Oluwo Ozain Awoni Omo Fiye Ate Alufa Eggun Koshe Ikú Koshe Olofin«. With that suyere, Olofin and Ikú rose from the table as a sign of respect, opening the great ceremonies for the death of Akambi Oba.

After everyone had finished the meal, they rose, and each took a corner of the asho fun fun from the table and went to the joro joro singing: «Asheye Eggun Oba De Ni Basheye». After the suyere, everything was cast into the joro joro and they sang: «Peremi Ewé Didé, Laweni Oba Dide, Ikú Unlo». Then they scattered efun and covered the joro joro. Afterward, Olofin, Ikú Alashon, Ozain and Ofun Yemilo prepared the carriage with the body of Akambi Oba and carried it to the foot of an aragba beside the river with medilogun eyele fun fun; they placed erupin keke upon it and sent it down the odo, so that in the land of Kumaku another Oba could reign.

Here was born the farewell of the Oba, with the ceremonies that must be performed before a new Oba can be consecrated afterward.

How Ozain healed Ofun Yemilo

This Ifá tells the story of Awo Obadire, also known as Ofun Yeku, who lived in constant worry over his weak sexual nature. Though he had several women, he abused his power, performing ofikale trupon through the obo and through the idi, and mamu obo. One day he fell in love with Obba, a very beautiful woman who returned his feelings. She enjoyed the ofikale trupon and mamu, especially when he did it through the idi. Obba sang during the rituals, which made Awo Obadire fall even more in love with her. But Ozain, who was present during one of the ceremonies, released a rooster in the house so that it would crow. Awo Obadire, annoyed, threw the rooster out.

Ozain, displeased, went off into the forest singing as he went. Seven days later, Awo Obadire’s member failed, and he could no longer please Obba. In despair, he began to cast sheppe and lived in bitterness. Ozain was waiting for him on the road and offered him a solution: to make him as strong as a rooster in exchange for becoming his son. Awo Obadire accepted, and Ozain gave him a special omiero. He also warned him that if his brothers did not believe in him, Awo Obadire’s sexual weakness would return. To take the omiero, he had to cook the eggs of a pupua rooster with ewe eran (pata de gallina) and offer them to Ozain. If his brothers did not follow Ozain’s teachings, they would suffer the same sexual weakness that had afflicted Awo Obadire.

Obadire loses his strength through mamu obo and ofikale through the idi (a version of the previous patakí)

On this path, the awo named Obadire had many women, and all of them were of Obo Iba. But he delighted in his strength, and the women sang to him when they saw him: «Okuni Wawa Ladeo Oko Oda, Obadire Wawa Ladeo Oko Oda«. Obadire was happy to hear their songs. One day Oba, a woman with a beautiful body, decided to meet the famous man of Obati Baye. Arriving at his house, she found a great celebration underway and entered singing: «Oumbo Okuni Wawa Ladeo Oko Da, Obini Obo Oñí Oko Oda». Obadire, hearing her song, invited her to dance. Oba pressed close and held him tight, and he let himself be seduced. She conquered him and they went off to perform the Ofikale, but she had a secret, and began performing mamu obo and Ofikale through the idi on him every day. Oba did not rest until she had destroyed Obadire. When he fell ill, he went to see Orunmila, who saw this Ifá for him and told him what was happening. He prescribed ebbo and rubbing treatments, and instructed him to take ewe to regain his strength. He told him: «Never again attempt what you did,» and restored his health.

Rubbing treatments of Otí, sage, mango leaves, a small piece of zarzafan, tallow, a whole ayapa; take omiero.

When Ofun Yeku wanted to get ahead

On this path, Ofun Yeku had a son named Obari Boshe and sent him to the land where his mother lived. She lived in poverty, but Ofun longed to prosper and was deeply restless, seeking a way to join with someone who could help him in life. Yet every time he joined with someone, things went badly and he grew sad. The mother would sit down at midday and fall asleep, and in her dream she began to sing:

«Ofun Mowa Defun Oyekun Mowa Defun».

Suddenly, she felt something touch her, and it said: «I am Oyekun and my name is Ala Kolaba. Let your son go at nightfall to the riverbank with a lit candle and plenty of epo (palm oil).»

When the iyare awoke, she called her son Obari Boshe and told him the dream and what he had to do, but he paid her no heed. Seeing that he would not listen, the next day she herself performed the operation her son was meant to do. Ala Kolaba appeared to her and said: «Very well, I will join myself to your son Ofun, so that he will be called Obari Boshe Ofun Yeku and succeed in everything without knowing anything.» The mother, Nori Eye, gave Moforibale to Oyekun Ala Kolaba, and they began to sing:

«Omo Digdeo Oba Igbaye Ala Kolaba, Omo Digdeo Oba Igbaye».

Ofun, hearing that song, came running, gave moforibale to his iyare, joined with Oyekun and said to him: «I will never part from you.»

The prosperity of Ofun Yeku

On this path, Wayekun Fun was the mother of Ofun Yeku and had several children, who were struggling and lived in a muddy wooden house. She felt great pity for Ofun Yeku, because he would play with the little creatures and eat his siblings’ food. Instead of beating him, she would weep and wonder how she could secure Ofun Yeku’s prosperity.

One day, Wayekun Fun sat down in the mud where Ofun Yeku used to sit and began to weep. Olofin, who was watching, transformed her, and she began to sing:

«Babá Ideo Omo Owa, Baba Ideo Omo Owa, Ozain Aba Ideo Omo Oma».

Ozain, hearing her, stirred up a wind, gathered all the iron filings, wrapped them in a leaf and cast it into the mud. Ozain came along the road of the land of Wayekun Fun singing:

«Ofun Yeku Eya Madideo, Olorun Iya Madideo».

And the transformation gradually lifted from her. When Ozain reached the place where she was, he carried in his hands iron filings of every kind. Ozain bowed before her and said: «Since you have implored me so, I will help your children. For now, hold out your hands.»

Wayekun Fun held them out, and Ozain poured into them the filings he carried. They would not fit in her hands and fell into the mud, and Ozain sang:

«Obo matishe, obo waibo».

Ozain told them: «Remember me, for one day you will have to be with me.» At once Ofun Yeku, who had heard what Ozain said, went to where Wayekun Fun was and gathered up the filings. His mother gave him her blessing and he began to work. His brothers held fast to him, and the prosperity of Ofun Yeku came, even though among his brothers there were some who did not work.

Whoever has this sign strives to help his brothers.

The coconut seller

There was a woman who went every day to sell coconuts in the marketplace, and one day she went to Orunmila, who told her she had to make a rogation if she wanted good sales. She replied that no ebó was needed to sell coconuts. Then Eshu went to the marketplace and told the people that when they saw a woman selling coconuts, they should not buy them, because those coconuts were bad and were no good for the Santos.

As a result, no one bought coconuts from the woman, and she, seeing that she had no sales, ran to Orunmila’s house, made ebó, and only then was she able to sell her coconuts.