Ogunda Kete

Where the godfather of ogunda kete can fall into misery

Then the akuko is given, calling on egun, and this is sung: “ero Ni Iroko Oni Ifá Iroko Masofun Eleigi Orun Igboye“ together with the ingredients and the iroko root, ogbori eleda, covering the leri with iroko leaves. With the root, the leri of the akuko, 16 atare, ero, obi, kola, osun, obi motiwao, ou fun fun and ou dun dun, an inshe Ozain is made that lives inside the pillow.

In the land of Awa Eri, which was the territory of Iroko and Ewe Ayo, lived Awo Oribaye, son of Ogunda Obetete. He had made a pact with Iroko and Ewe Ayo so that they would protect him and take from him every harm that might reach him during his life. There too lived Eluwere Orun, the shadow of Agayu, who dwelt at the foot of Iroko, apart from people. The people of that land said that Awo Oribaye was very peculiar, because he did things in places where no one could see him, and they all wanted to know how he worked. They said there must be something hidden guiding him, since he did not work as the other awoses did. Awo Oribaye, realising that he was being watched, grew angry and cursed the people of that land. He said: «Odogun Ofofo Iña Shekue Buruku Omo Ilé Owa Eri».

From then on, everyone began to fall ill and the children of Obatalá lost their good fortune. Then Eluwere Orun withdrew from Awo Oribaye, and he began to grow poor. That land suffered misery and everyone fell sick. Awo Oribaye decided to go to the house of Oshagriñan to tell him everything that was happening in the land of Awa Eri and to find out what was happening with his children. When they came to Elegbá, they found Awo Oribaye at a loss as to what to do in that land, with all the children of Obatalá ill. Oshagriñan made an osode for Awo Oribaye and saw Ogunda Botete; he told him that what was happening was because the shadow of Eluwere Orun had drawn away from his side, and that this was why all these misfortunes befell him. Then he prescribed an ebo and said: «Let us go to the foot of Iroko, where Eluwere Orun lives, and we shall call him so that he may always accompany you». They set out and arrived at midnight. Yoboewn Awo Orinikun was in conversation with Eluwere Orun at the foot of the Iroko tree. Oshagriñan took Iroko leaves and placed them on Elegbá’s head, gave him obi omi tutu, put a brightly coloured hat on him and said: «This is so that you can help me raise up this land». Then he took the rooster and began to call Eluwere Orun with the following invocation: «Iroko Ouwere Oshagriñan, Igi Ogadifan Agayú Ifá, Eku Mayele Ogba Leri Oma Oshe Igbo Iroko, Umbo Ori Iré Awo Oribaye Ebonike Orí Botete Orí Iré».

Oshagriñan took the root from the west and from the east and set it together with everything he had brought for the ebo. He began to call Oluwere Orun and Gbogbo Wen while offering the akuko and singing: «Ero Omi Iroko Onifa, Iroko Masofun Ele Igi Orun Igboye Iroko, Egun Mayawa». The shadow of Oluwere Orun came down once more, and Oshagriñan made obori eleda over Awo Oribaye with the secret of Iroko, and he recovered at once. Then Oshagriñan took the head of the akuko and, with what was left of the obori, Gbogbo Ashe and atare medilogun, made an inshe and told him: «Put this inside your pillow so that you are always in touch with Oluwere Orun».

Because of the abundant negativity in that land, Oshagriñan grew very angry. At that moment Elegbá gave him ewe ayo to bathe with, and Oshagriñan took ewe tete and placed it on his head, and also offered a eyele fun fun, and so managed to calm himself. Then he took ewe iroko and said to Awo Oribaye: «Wrap your Ifá in this, and when it is dry, boil it with ewereyeyey and give it to all the inhabitants of your land to drink so that they may be cured». Awo Oribaye followed these instructions and everyone began to recover and to respect him, since thanks to Elegbá and Oshagriñan the shadow of Oluwere Orun had returned to his side.

Before leaving, Oshagriñan told Elegbá that they must make a great secret for themselves so that none of the arayes of that land would follow them. They stripped themselves clean before Ifá and took a eyele and did sarayeye, handing them over to Inle Oguere while singing: «Eye eyele inle asheo, ire awo ire, eye eyele inle asheo». They buried the eyele with eku, eja, awado, gbogbo ere, oti, oñi, epo, efun and all the arayes otoku, and in this way Elegbá and Oshagriñan came away clean. The land of Ogba Eri was left free of all the arayes and covered by the shadow of Oluwere Orun.

With the akuko one goes to the foot of igi iroko with: eku, eja, eko, akara, ginger, hot pepper and atare. At twelve at night the iroko root is taken from the east and from the west, calling on Oshagriñan Aluwere Orun, who is a shadow of egun that accompanies Agayú; this is done with this prayer: “ Iroko Olowere Orun Osagriñan Igi Agadifan Agayu Ifá Egun Mayele Owa Orí Oma Osha Igbo Iroko Umbo Orí Iré Ebo Nike Oribo Tete Orí Laye“

Olofin’s barber

In the land of Ikoke there lived a man named Ogunda Kete, a barber by trade, who was in charge of performing the rituals at every initiation in that land. However, all the other figures of that place were deeply envious of him and treated him with such fury that he decided to leave. On hearing this, Olofin did not want to lose Ogunda Kete, since he had a secret mole in agogori (in the middle of his head) and did not want anyone to see it except Ogunda Kete, who had never spoken of it.

After Ogunda Kete left, no more consecrations were performed and the land began to sicken. It became necessary to gather with Olofin, and there was no remedy but to call Ogunda Kete back and install him permanently in the barbershop of Ifá, which was the post of trust appointed by Olofin. From then on, in every consecration of Ifá, Ogunda Kete was present.

The jewelled dagger

EWE: salvadera, vencedor, vence batalla, abre camino, ewe ayo, shewerekuekue, gbogbo igi, asho pupua, atitan ile, atitan elese, atitan nigbe, ade, gbogbo ileke, eku, eja, awado, epo, oñí, otí, obi, opolopo owo.

In the land of Takua there was a king who ruled those domains and had an only son whom he wished to prepare so that, in time, he might take charge of all the territories under his reign and government. As time passed, the prince grew into a man. The king, as a token of affection, gave him a dagger whose hilt and sheath were set with precious stones, making it a tribute of rank and a true work of the jeweller’s art. He also handed over half his domains for the prince to govern.

However, the prince, seeing himself with so much power and being ambitious by nature, devised a way to do away with his father and become lord and master of all those vast territories. To that end he raised an army and went to visit his father. When he arrived, word was brought to the king that his son the prince was approaching. The king mounted his horse with his retinue to receive him and pay him the honours due. After the customary greetings, they went out together for a ride. At that moment the king had his back turned, and the ambitious prince seized the chance to drive the dagger into his back, carrying out the plans he had forged in his mind out of his boundless thirst for greatness and power. And so the deed was done. To Iban Eshu.

This is an Ifá of betrayal, ingratitude, bloodshed and boundless ambition; moreover, to reach his aim the individual does not hesitate to stoop to every unimaginable baseness, holding nothing sacred — not father, not brothers, not children.

One must watch very closely for instincts of grandeur in one’s own descendants, and likewise in one’s children in the religion.

Obatalá’s illness

On this path, pride had made Baba Lofun ill. He had no fixed place, and his head was afflicted. One day Orunmila passed by and saw him lying beside the Ayua tree, barely able to bear the pain. Orunmila came to his side and Baba Lofun greeted him: «Iboru, Iboya, Iboshishe… What is the matter with you?».

Orunmila asked him what was wrong and Baba Lofun answered that he was ill. Then Orunmila made an osode for him and saw this Ifá: Ogunda Kete. He told Baba Lofun to take 16 leaves of Ayua and use them to rub his head, and to offer him two eyele fun fun. Orunmila prayed over Baba Lofun’s head with obi and other elements, and prepared an iyefa that was to be blown in merin laye.

Thanks to this, Oba Lofun recovered his health and was well again.

Obatalá’s sopera (lidded tureen) is placed at the foot of an ayua tree, the person is made to kneel, obi omi tutu is given, and the head is rubbed with 16 ayua leaves. Then two eyele are given, so that the eye from their heads falls on Obatalá. At the end the sopera is taken and placed at the foot of a güira tree, obi omi tutu is given, and the eyele are left there to rot. Obatalá is taken back to the house and left until the next day, when the blood is gathered and left to dry; with iyefa it is made into powder, together with the bones of the eyele; with that mixture one makes atefa and blows it out of the house.

He who points, banks

On this path, Agbani, who was Ogunda kete, wanted to be rich and to hold position. He had heard that in the town of Inle Adodi Egun there were a great many coins, so he decided to go there to become rich. Before setting out, he decided to visit Orunmila, who made osode for him and revealed that his oddun was Ogunda kete. Orunmila marked ebbo for him and warned him that only Ozain could go with him on that errand. They set out together for Inle Adodi Egun, but when they arrived the inhabitants had already gone. Ozain went up to a house, spoke a few words, and the door opened. They went in and found many treasures, which they began to gather up. Agbani found an iroko tree with ekru fruits and began to eat so much that his belly swelled. Meanwhile, Ozain had already gone out with part of the treasure. Agbani, full and unable to fit through the door, was forced to stay and covered himself with some sticks he found there. At dusk, the inhabitants of Egun Adodi arrived.

The Egun Adodi who passed himself off as a woman said to his husband: «I am going to cook — light me the sticks and put the cauldron on top». The female Egun Adodi scolded the male: «How clumsy you are, you have knocked over the cauldron!». They put the cauldron back over the fire. At that moment Agbani let out a fart. «What was that?» asked the Egun Adodi. When the cauldron began to boil, Agbani kicked it over. The Egun Adodi discovered his hiding place and made him come out. «How could you do such a thing?» they asked him, and Agbani answered that it had been a fart. The Egun Adodi asked him to show them how that was done. Agbani gave them a demonstration, telling them: «It is only wind». The Egun Adodi then said to him: «We eat through the mouth — can you make us eat your way?». He answered: «For that I will open a road for you». Agbani proposed to them that once the road was opened, they would fall asleep with pleasure.

One of them said: «Do it on me». Agbani asked him to lie face down on the ground. Agbani took hold of a Lapp object and put it into the Egun Adodi from behind, and he was left asleep with pleasure. The other Egun Adodi lined up along the road and, enraptured by what they had witnessed, cried out: «Do it on me!».

When he had already done it with 16 of them, Agbani said to the rest: «I will do it with all who wish, but first I must go to the bush to make a rogación for myself, and for the ceremony I need money, clothes, and for you to beat the drums».

When he reached the bush he tried to escape, but the Egun Adodi discovered him and began to chase him. Just in time, he reached the house of the female Ekutele, who was an oluo of Ozain, and asked her for a place to hide. «Since you are so fond of getting into holes», said Ekutele, «get into this one». Agbani went into the hole, but his feet stuck out. Ekutele took efun and rubbed it on Agbani’s feet. When the Egun Adodi arrived out of breath and asked after Agbani, Ekutele answered: «I have not seen him — let us ask Ozain’s cauldron». The Egun Adodi asked where that was, and Ekutele pointed to the horns and said: «Here. Take one foot and ask it yourself, while I take the other and ask it too». So they did, and from the hole Ogunda Kete answered with this chant: «Wele Wele Egun Ni Ofa Leri Ogunda Kete».

«But this is not Agbani — Ogunda Kete is Ozain», cried the Adodi, and Ekutele hurried to answer: «There, you see that Agbani is not here; he is in another land». The Egun Adodi went back to their houses, and Agbani came out of the hole where Ekutele was waiting for him, to say: «Pay me». Ogunda Kete invited her to his house and there paid her with food and money. The female Ekutele revealed herself as Ozain and, by mandate of Orunmila, ordered him to give up the use of the oriolo for amorous encounters, since that act took ashé and power from him. Ogunda Kete (Agbani) had to abandon that practice in order to steady his life and his power over the earth.

The deformed child

In the times of King Akaba of Dahomey, there lived tiny beings led by a very small being called Zomadonu. They lived in the lagoon. This small being was a deformed child, with a large head and enormous eyes, but he possessed a privileged intelligence, supernatural and inclined to extreme wickedness. He was the son of Denuande and of King Akaba himself, who threw him into the lagoon on seeing how horrible he was, not knowing that this deformed creature was the son of the vodun Da Soyi Gabuna, a tohosu of Kututome, the country of the dead. This Zomadonu, being a tohosu, became the monarch of those infernal tiny beings. In truth he was the son of a Bundun she-devil and of Dasoyi. The mother was the daughter of the devil Aie, the director of the mysterious ones of Awansan Ozain. Zomadonu’s grandfather, the previous monarch, had the ability to turn himself into a monster, a plantain, a bat, a samaguyon and also into an ox.

Zomadonu also had the capacity to transform himself into different animals, just as his grandfather did. Transfigured into these animals, he would enter the town to take revenge on his father. He killed and sowed terror among King Akaba’s subjects for a long time, his terror reaching across several dynasties. Zomadonu’s revenge lasted until the times of King Tegbesu and his son, prince Homenuvo. One night Homenuvo had a dream in which Zomadonu appeared. The malevolent being let him know that all the ills of Dahomey were owing to the fact that they worshipped only what was beautiful, and that it was necessary to worship Azowano and himself, as a son of the infernal beings.

Homenuvo told his father Tegbesu about the strange dream. Tegbesu, the king who was the son of Ago (Oshosi) and of his mother, Queen Na Wangde of the land of Aya, advised his son to consult a diviner from the land of Adefa. In those days Ifá was not known in Dahomey, and the Arará peoples knew Orunmila as Afafa. Prince Homenuvo consulted with him. During the osode, the oddun Ogunda kete came out, revealing the scourge his land suffered on account of the malevolent, powerful and vengeful spirit of the lagoon, who was closely related to members of his family and who commanded them to develop the cult of Azowano.

Afafa marked the ebo indicated, and they consecrated Yarará (yarara), the great secret of Azowano Zamadonu. Of the malevolent being, Orunmila (afafa) said to Tegbosu: «When you mount the goat of Shakua (Azowano), you will give me to eat as well. I live both in front of Shakua’s house and behind the house of Sagbolisa (Obatalá). I represent every person who dies in this world.» So they consecrated Zamadonu and placed on him a Shakueno necklace with 33 cowries, and also 7 rattles, and whenever they called on Zamadonu it was with the rattles. From then on, the mortality of the Arará land was brought to an end.

In this Oddun a secret called Zamodomu is prepared, which includes: brain of Omotitun, leri of Saramaguyon, akuko of etu, of adan, horn of malu, earth from the lagoon, amasi of yakara (Azowano’s herb), 11 strong sticks that are asked about, yamaguey, quicksilver, 16 atare, eru, obi, kola, osun, obi motiwao, otí, oti-kana, eku, eja, awado, opolopo Owo and iyefa (Ogunda Kete). A necklace of Azowano with 33 cowries and 7 rattles from smallest to largest is placed on it. It eats everything that Azowano eats.

Where Yemayá discredited Orunmila

In this Ifá the sealing of the backside originated, in which the Babalawo performs this ceremony and becomes adodi. However, if he performs this ceremony and becomes adodi, he will lose his life. The ebbo is made in the usual way. After this, the person strips and stands with his back to Elegbá, then crouches down. An owunko of Elegbá is placed at the person’s backside. Then the goat’s horn (the right one) is taken and a cross is made on the oríoló (the backside), praying the meyis and Oshe Tura, Ogunda Kete, Okana Yeku, Okana Sa and Otura She. Afterwards the oríoló is taken and dried with the asho fun fun. The owunko is wrapped in the asho fun fun and sent to the nigbe. With the owunko’s little horn an inshe Ozain is made, carrying a piece of asho fun fun smeared with blood, ero, kola, obi motiwao, jaguey root, earth from a bibijagua nest, leri of Orunmila’s adie, leri of owunko and akuko of Elegbá.

This inshe will live in the pocket of awo Ogunda Kete and is the guide of the oath. Besides protecting him, it also acts as judge and executioner should he break the oath and the seal of odidi.

In the land of Adonile there was once a man named Adekoyi, who was homosexual and deeply in love with Yemayá Atamara, Orunmila’s wife. She, eager to have a relationship with him, went to see him to ask him that they live together. He told her he would do so if she, being the holder of the great secrets of Osha and the dilogun, taught him the mastery of them. Overcome by her lust, Yemayá shared all her knowledge with him. When, under the sway of her lust, she went to claim her reward, he told her something was still lacking: he would live with her if she was capable of getting Orunmila to make Ifá for him. She stepped in with her wiles and got Orunmila to make Ifá for Adekoyi.

As a result of this consecration, Adekoyi’s character changed completely. He became a man wholly responsible in his religion, with numerous women in his harem. Seeing this transformation, Yemayá grew still more inflamed with the desire to have a relationship with him and went in search of Ogunda Kete, Adekoyi’s new name. She said to him: «I have come for you to keep your promise to me». He answered: «You, being the wife of my godfather, who has given me my worth and my manhood in this land, would be the last woman I would live with». Yemayá, spurned by those words, took a basket of goods and went to the market, where she cried out at the top of her voice: «You must all know that the one to whom Orunmila made Ifá and who is now called Ogunda Kete, famous for his women and his power, in my land was called Adekoyi and was a homosexual. Therefore, Orunmila has offended the land of this kingdom».

Great murmurings then began among the inhabitants of that land, since Ogunda Kete had initiated several of his own kind, who had likewise undergone a transformation in their power. Orunmila, hearing of this, called Ogunda Kete and his godchildren, and with them kneeling before him, said: «I cannot take back the power I have given you, but you have two roads to travel in life».

FIRST: not to consecrate anyone else among their own kind, for all whom they consecrate in the land of Orisha Ifá will be araye.

SECOND: if they wish to keep their lives they may never again fall into their old fault; and he took them before Eshu Yalu, where the great secret of the sealing of odidi was made, so as to put an end to the murmurings that Yemayá had brought upon Orunmila and his godchildren, keeping them apart from Yemayá.

This Ifá explains why the adodis have such a great capacity to absorb the secrets of the religion, yet all their knowledge and consagraciones sooner or later turn into araye against themselves. It points out that if, for reasons beyond the awo’s control, Ifá is made for an adodi, or if it becomes necessary by mandate of Ifá, the great oath of the sealing of the oriolo is performed, exactly as it is described in this Oddun of Ifá.

Obatalá and his drum

Since Obatalá has a great number of followers who worship him at his shrine on every day of the Orisha week, they organised a service of songs and drums. However, Obatalá had no drum.

Being a powerful Orisha who could speak with animals, birds and human beings, he also counted some animals among his followers, who came to the temple to worship him. Among the animals who used to visit the shrine were the ira and the otolo, as well as the hare, who was a close servant of Obatalá. When Obatalá discussed the matter of making a drum, the hare was present, but hid herself as though she knew nothing of the conversation. All agreed to invite the animals to come to the house during the celebration of the day of the week.

Since Obatalá loved the hare, once the members of his cult had finished their discussion, he told the hare to inform all the animals that, on coming to the house for the celebration of the day of the week, they should stay behind after the service because of an important matter the supreme Obatalá needed to discuss with them. The hare, however, revealed the secret to the animals. She told them that Obatalá would like to strip the skin from all the animals to make a drum. In due course, all the animals and human beings prepared for the celebration of the day of the week, returned home and gathered at the shrine. But to Obatalá’s surprise, not one of the animals stayed behind. He sent word inviting all the members of his committee to look into who had revealed the secret, and it turned out to be the hare.

Obatalá sent for the hare to get to the truth of the matter. The hare began to be afraid and confessed. The one holding her before Obatalá tore off her skin, and the hare ran swiftly to her mother’s house (Mobikugbe). They immediately sent for her private diviner. The divination of Ifá was performed and the sacrifice needed for her healing was determined, which included egg, cotton wool and vegetable shortening. They rubbed this over the hare’s body and the priest prepared a special Ifá mixture to ease the pain.

Meanwhile, all of Obatalá’s followers were summoned to a meeting to discuss the matter. Obatalá told them of his intention to make a drum so that all people, near and far, might hear his service. He spoke thus: «We want to beat agba at home, we would like to play igbin in a temple, so that all the devotees may hear and arrive on time». But to Obatalá’s surprise, all the animals present at the meeting said: «We heard at home, and we also heard on the road, that king Obatalá wants to tear the skin from all the animals».

It was now clear that the hare had revealed the secret. From then on, Obatalá rejected the hare as a house animal. Even so, Obatalá made his drum with the skin of another animal and rejected the hare’s skin. To this day, Obatalá’s devotees may make a drum, but they do not use the hare’s skin, since it is very soft. The hare, for her part, never fully recovered, and her skin remained soft because the original one had been taken, or had been taken from her by Obatalá.

Where iroko did not care for the din (Obatalá)

On this path, Obatalá was always complaining about the din where he lived, which affected him greatly and made him ill. One day Obatalá decided to go and see Olodumare and set out his complaints about what was happening. He begged Olodumare to grant him a place to live apart from everyone, where there would be no din. Olodumare, weighing his petition, decided that Obatalá should live at the very top of the iroko tree, which today bears that same name, iroko. Orishaoko, on seeing Obatalá at the top of the iroko tree, was the first to sacrifice two young bulls in his honour.

When Orishaoko went to where Obatalá was in the iroko, he saw that beneath that tree there were many egun buruku obayeye (malevolent spirits), and he went at once to see Eshu so that he would drive them away. With the help of Orunmila, who was Ogunda Kete, they managed to drive the egun buruku obayeye from that area.

Where ogunda kete was jailed

On this path, on one occasion, Ogunda Kete returned to a land where he had lived before and where he had left some enemies behind. There, Ogunda Kete met a woman and courted her, persuading her to meet him in the bush. However, she was the wife of one of Ogunda Kete’s enemies.

Although he knew he could not have two women in the same town, since that would be his undoing, Ogunda Kete decided to have a consultation of Ifá. In this consultation it was revealed that his Oddun was Ogunda Kete, and Ifá instructed him to make an ebbo with akuko, obe, abiti, eku, eja, awado and opolopo owo.

Unfortunately, Ogunda Kete decided not to make the ebbo, thinking that he could defeat his enemies with traps and knives. So he set off for the bush to meet the woman. On reaching the bush, however, he came upon the woman’s husband, who was also his enemy. To save his own life, Ogunda Kete was forced to kill him, which led to his arrest. It was then, in prison, that he realised that by not making the ebbo and not following the counsel of Orunmila or of Ifá, he had fallen into a trap.

Here, through this Ifá, neither Ifá nor the Babalawos are believed in. Awo Ogunda Kete is lost through pride, obstinacy and stubbornness.

When the king did not make ebbo

On this path there was a king who had three wars at once and did not know which to attend to first. He believed the least difficult was the one that pitted men against women. The king had three sons, but before going to war he consulted Orunmila. Orunmila performed for him a divination reading called osode and saw the Ifá sign Ogunda Kete. He ordered the king to make a sacrifice and to find a way to wear a white hat during the three days before the fighting, and then to have the soldiers wear white hats every day as well, so that victory could be obtained. The king wanted to go to war on Sunday, since that was the day all the women went to church and he could catch them off guard.

In that town all the women were devotees and believers in Obatalá, and dressed in white. One of the sons persuaded the king to ignore Orunmila’s counsel, making him believe that if he dressed that way, a moment would come when he would be mistaken for the enemy and they would not be able to defeat him. The father believed the son and neither made the sacrifice nor put on anything special. As a result, before going to war the king was surrounded and taken prisoner. Then they forced him to stand before the troops and give orders contrary to his own soldiers’ interests and to surrender, along with all those who bore the same surname, Otoku.

The contest with their master

On that path, Orunmila had three sons who wished to know more than their mentors. One day Elegbá disguised himself and offered them a magic cauldron that would let them cut off their heads and throw them into the air, making the heads dance by themselves before returning to their bodies. Elegbá, in disguise, performed the act in front of them and all went well. Impressed, the sons asked how much the cauldron cost, whereupon Elegbá charged them money and handed it over. After receiving the cauldron, they went to see Orunmila and told him everything.

Orunmila decided to make a sacrifice with a goat’s head, three nails and a mallet, eku, eja, and placed it at the foot of a tree standing in front of the house.

The three sons of Orunmila, convinced that they possessed a secret more powerful than Ifá, went and told Orunmila about the great power they held. To convince him, they set the cauldron down in front of Orunmila and one of the sons cut off his own head, which began to dance about the branches. Elegbá, on seeing the head, seized it and nailed it to the tree, so that the body fell to the ground. Then the second brother, believing that it had not been done properly, repeated the operation, and so did the third brother. As a result, the three sons of Orunmila died for having defied their master and believed in a power greater than Ifá.

The supreme chief

On this path, Ogunda Kete was a soldier, and during the war his army was being defeated by the enemy to the point that they killed the chief. At that moment, Ogunda Kete took the hat of his dead chief, assumed the leadership and led the army to victory in the war. When it was over, arguments arose among the other soldiers and other chiefs over who should hold the supreme command, but all the soldiers acclaimed Ogunda Kete for his courage and skill. And so he became the supreme chief.

The brothers who stood together

There were three brothers who were very close and were on their own in the city, believing themselves to be only three; but they learnt of what was coming and went to the house of Orunmila, who made osode for them and marked them
a rogación with caps made so that they looked like soldiers, and they set to beating drums, at which the enemy believed they were 101, the brothers, and fled.

When Obatalá eats together with Orunmila

In the land of Oyowoshe lived Awo Tenshelu, who was Ogunda Kete and had been consecrated by Awo Lodiku, but had become separated from him. In that land Yemayá was worshipped, and Awo Tenshelu always called on Yemayá to help him. He would offer her a rooster and pray: «Yemayá Masade Omo Onira Oni Kekewa Awo Yoshe Awo Lodiku». He always told her he felt sad because Awo Lodiku had left him alone. One day, however, Elegbá, who was passing by, heard Awo Tenshelu and said to him: «You need more power; we must swear you in with Kakuanardo, but Awo Lodiku must be the one to consecrate you. Even so, many ceremonies must be performed so that neither of you is lost».

Let us go and look for him, but first, he said: gather up what lies before you, for it will serve you in your new consecration. Awo Tenshelu picked up a dried fish that was on the ground, and Elegbá told him: take that yagua as well. They set out, and when they reached Awo Lodiku, Awo Tenshelu knelt and the two embraced. There, Awo Lodiku and Awo Tenshelu began to weep. Elegbá told them: «I have brought him here to you because he needs you to give him the consecration he lacks. For that, we must go and see Obatalá; he is the one who knows the secret that can save us». So they went to Obatalá’s house and took ori efun, two white doves, and beat an agogó while calling on him thus: «Obatalá Alshe Ababioyo, Awo Tenshelu Ogunda Lomibika, Omo Olofin Ori Odara Osha Olele».

Obatalá came out to meet them, and a spirit drew near them and said: «I already know why you have come; let us consecrate him with what he lacks». Then he told them: «Lay that yagua there, I marked Ogunda Kete». They knelt, but the spirit told them: «One thing is missing», and drew out a palm leaf and painted Ogunda Kete on the yagua. Then they gave the doves to Obatalá together with Oggún, and said to Awo Lodiku: «This is for you, so that you may swear him in without trouble. When you have finished the swearing, make a sacrifice with the heads of the doves». Awo Tenshelu was told: «Put the fish you brought on your head», and he prayed over him: «Eja Ori Omofa Lobashe Ashe Asia Aketefun».

Then he took the white yam powder and painted the 16 meji signs on the ground. Then he took the abe from Elegbá and with it took a lock of hair and cut it while singing: «Awoni Ifá Inso Irunibo Eri Ogunda Lomibika, Omo Olofin Alagbeo«. He tied the lock with the string of white beads and put it away, and went on shearing Awo Tenshelu. He placed the hair together with the fish on the palm leaf painted white and set it in the white yam powder. Then he added eku, eja, orí, awado, efun, oñí, atare, eru, obi, kola, aira, and told them all to throw in a small lock of hair. Afterwards he took a red chicken and touched the heads of them all while singing: «Orí Awoni Layeo, Gbogbo Awo Orineonifa Asheni Eko, Ashe Leri Ifá Sokale, Ogunda Kete Lorire Awo Ifari Lodiku».

He gave the chicken’s eye to those of the cloth and sang to them: «Adie Oriya Temi Eye Babalorun Ifá Yeun, Awo La Popo Ori Layeo«. He carried out the ritual with the chickens’ heads and then said: «The youngest will make the sacrifice with this». Then he said to Awo Tenshelu: «Go and take this to Yemayá’s house, give it to her and offer her a white rooster while you sing: ‘Nada Leri Omi Lomio, Nada Leri Omi Lomio, Pewe We, Nada Leri Omi Lomio’».

Yemayá gave him her blessing and gave him sea water for the omiero. On the road, Elegbá told him: «Gather plenty of iroko and romerillo, sea water and oñí». And then Obatalá, who was near the kutun, gave him three jío jío seeds and sang: «Agbashe Irewa, Agbaiku Ina Wawe, Kutu Kutu, Umbo Ashe Iré Agbashe Irewa».

Obatalá said to Awo Lodiku: «Now you can swear him in without trouble, and so you will have all the power you need in order to live, and you will cause no harm». Then Obatalá went with them to the igbodun, and Awo Tenshelu carried eure and ake in his hands. When they went in, all those present took hold of the cord and began to dance and sing: «Firio Olowo Lowo Tente, Ake Baba Kolowa Ifá, Lowo Lowo Tente».

Then Obatalá told them: «This cord is for the sacrifice of initiation, and before the Opa you must smear eure and ake». He cut off their beards and undid the braids, tied them together with the string of beads and told them: «Throw in ashe from the sacrifice and keep it in your Ifá so that you may always live well». The itá you do with Adéle Tunde.

In this Ifá Obatalá always eats together with Orunmila, the abe is placed with Elegbá, the akuko is for Yemayá.