Ojuani Otrupon

Where Ifá is made with whatever one has, much or little

There was an awo who was very famous in the land where he lived, and he kept a boy in his house as an adibo. One day, while the boy was playing, the awo called him over and decided to perform an osode for him to uncover his path in life. The awo cast the ekuele and saw the odu Ojuani Batrupon. All at once the awo turned violent and threw the boy out of his house.

The young man, not understanding why the awo had driven him out, left in tears with nowhere to go. Being an orphan, he had no family or kin to look after him. He walked until he came upon two men and another boy, who asked him why he was crying and what he was doing in such a dangerous place. The boy told them what had happened with the awo.

These men turned out to be Elegbara, Oggún and Oshosi. They said to the boy: «You watched carefully how the ekuele fell when the awo cast it.» The boy said that he had. Then the three men told him: «Draw it on the ground.»

When Elegbara, Oggún and Oshosi saw the mark the boy traced on the ground, they said: «That awo threw you out of his house because this odu says that he must make Ifá for you, with whatever much, little or nothing you may have. And since you have nothing, he must provide everything. Here is a little money; go and be read by three awoses, and do everything they tell you.»

The boy followed the advice and went to the house of three awoses so that they would perform the Ifá reading for him. Once again the odu Ojuani Batrupon came out, and the awoses told him: «Go back to your godfather’s house and tell him that if he is angry, Olofin is angrier still with him. Remind him of the time in the forest when a tiger was about to attack him and a hunter he could not see killed the tiger with an arrow. That hunter was Olofin himself, who saved his life so that when you came to his house he would make Ifá for you.»

The boy followed the instructions and returned to the awo’s house, and the awo finally made Ifá for him. He did it grudgingly, however, and taught his godchild nothing at all about Ifá. As a result, the awo began to lose his health and his good fortune, and to have trouble both with the saints and with people, until at last he died.

From that moment on, the awo’s godchild took his place in that land, and came to be the oba of the place.

By this path, the awo who reads a person and sees this sign must make Ifá for that person with whatever much, little or nothing that person has.

The spell of the abiku

Ebbo: akuko, a pair of scissors, malaguidi okan, a chain, 6 oguede, asho fun fun, pupua, ati arolode, ewe niye, eku, eya, awado, orí, epo, the remaining ingredients, opolopo owo.

There was a king whose wife was in despair because every child she bore died very young. When she became pregnant again, the king sent for the diviner of his palace, named Olupamora Awo, to consult his wife’s destiny. Olupamora Awo did so and saw in the oracle this oddun of Ifá, Ojuani Batrupon, and he performed the ritual (ebbo) marked above. He then told the queen to keep the agboran and to send word to him when she gave birth to the baby.

When the queen gave birth, she had a boy with mysterious eyes, and word was sent to Olupamora Awo. He came, spread a mat on the floor, laid the child down and performed the ritual of the abiku on his board, using the agboran with which he had previously performed the ritual for the queen. He lit a lamp and with a pair of scissors cut a little hair from the child’s head and a small piece of his right ear to load the agboran.

The child looked at him furiously with his terrible eyes. Olupamora Awo heard a voice that said to him: «Very well, you have bound him to the earth, and this will be the last time you do so. On earth you will be called Ponkaye and you will die, but when you are born again you will be called Ojuani Batrupon, and you will not leave any more.»

Time passed and Olupamora Awo died; then the mother of the child with the mysterious eyes became pregnant again. She worshipped the agboran that Olupamora Awo had prepared for her in his lifetime. When she gave birth, she had a beautiful boy with a scar on his right ear. They consulted Ifá and saw that the child was named Ojuani Batrupon, and that he would remain on earth.

Note: After the ritual (ebbo), the agboran is loaded with hair from the head, a small piece of the right ear, palm oil, kola nuts, obi, osun powder, obi motiwao, arida leaves, seeds of ceiba, iroko and passionflower, and earth from the cemetery gate. It is recited over the board with the signs of the ritual of the abiku. A chicken is eaten with Elegbará, and it is dressed in blue trousers and a shirt half red and half white.

How adibo alawana saved awo Ifá fore

In the land of Balawa lived Awo Ifá Fore Ojuani Batrupon, who had a servant named Alawana in his house, and to whom he later entrusted the warriors. Alawana was clever, and in a short time he learned all his godfather’s secrets.

On one occasion, when Awo Ifá Fore Ojuani Batrupon made Osode for himself, this Ifá came out (his own sign): Osorbo ofo (loss) leri teshu — the loss of everything through his own head — and Orunmila told him to consecrate his godchild Alawana in Ifá, since Alawana would be the one to save him from that loss of everything through his head. Awo Ifá Fore, however, paid no heed to Ifá and did absolutely nothing of what he had been told.

Alawana, who ran errands for his godfather and spent much of the day in the street watching and listening to what people said and did, realised that his godfather had a great quarrel with an Omologu who lived there. This Omologu wanted to be left alone to attend to all the people of the town.

Alawana began to visit the Omologu and little by little won his trust, letting him believe that he was not happy in the house of his godfather, Awo Ifá Fore. In time the Omologu placed great trust in Alawana. When Alawana arrived at the Omologu’s house he would start to sing: «Okokuo odara baba aroni», and the Omologu would answer him: «Sayaku yeye omorilaye», and in that way they would talk about certain matters concerning his godfather, so that the Omologu would not grow suspicious of him. So it went on until one day the Omologu revealed to him his plan to destroy Awo Ifá Fore.

Three days after obtaining that secret, Alawana went back to the land of Balawa and found his godfather Awo Ifá Fore ill, as were all the people of the place. He looked at his godfather and said: «We must perform a ritual (ebbo) both for you and for all the people of this land.» While Alawana performed the ebbo, he sang: «Saye akuanaro osiadie berele».

Once it was finished, he went out to deliver the ebbo, carrying a chicken in his hand. On the way he met his sweetheart, who was having her monthly period (olo Oyá), and he gave her the chicken. She was in her period, however, and she dropped her handkerchief without noticing; Alawana picked it up and put it inside the ebbo bundle, and went on his way until he reached the land of Yoyekun, where the Omologu lived. He entered the Omologu’s house and set the ebbo down, and at that very instant the Omologu went blind (oyu ofo), and on the third day he died (se otoku).

Adibo alawana returned to his own land to tell his godfather, awo Ifá Fore, everything that had happened. But awo Ifá Fore was waiting for him with a group of awoses to consecrate him in Ifá.

When adibo alawana arrived, they brought him into the igbodun Ifá and untefa.

Before performing the ebbo, the person is cleansed with asho fun fun, and afterwards, in the name of Oyá, that asho fun fun is given the eyerbale of eyele meyi fun fun; juju is cast on it, it is wrapped up and placed in the ebbo bundle. The eyele meyi fun fun are given to the asho fun fun in the name of Obatalá and of Oyá.

The inadequacy of oluo popo

Oluo Popo lived deeply troubled and diminished in himself, because he had a son named Okolishirawo who lacked strength, and despite every effort he had made he had not managed to resolve that problem.

One day Oluo Popo went out to the road in desperation, begging Olofin to show him something along his way so that he might overcome what was happening to his son Okolishirawo. He heard a very loud voice singing to him: «Ojuani Batuto Bayebi, Awo Ojuani Batrupon Beyebi, Awo Ozain Bayebiko, Bara Bara Omo Oni Oduduwa, Oyá Ni Odara, Ozain Bayebiko, Ozain Ni Odara». It was Ozain, travelling with Orunmila. But since Oluo Popo would not respect Ozain nor acknowledge his great powers — for he had refused to take him to his land, Inle Feleyekun, where Ozain always lived — he thought he would lose his power and his great rule in that land. He hid in the undergrowth and crawled along, covering himself with plum leaves, ivy, ceiba and others. Orunmila said to Ozain: leave him, he has gone off that way. He wants to know more than you, who are the one who can save his son by giving him the strength he lacks and so badly needs, and give it to him as well. Let us go on our way.

Ozain became very haughty, and Orunmila, who was carrying his bell, began to ring it and to sing: «baba Kuelele Ilaroko, Ozain Beyibi, Awo Moyekun, Ozain Beyibi Awo«. He handed a hand of inkines to Ozain and said to him: this is yours. Here, in this little basket, I give you all the power that one day you will have to hand over to Oluo Popo and to his son Okolishirawo, so that they may acquire the strength they lack.

Ozain grew calm, bowed to Orunmila and said: I will do things with the greatest respect, but do not forget that Oluo Popo has a quarrel with me and I do not know why; every time I have tried to go to the land of Feleyekun he has complained to Olofin, and Olofin has reprimanded me and told me to keep still. Yet Olofin ought to know that Oluo Popo wishes to hold power over everyone, since all he wants is to rule them all.

Ozain and Orunmila went on their way.

At midnight, Orunmila began to pay homage to Orun; he took in the night air and began to call the air, singing: «baba Bilorun, Baba Agueniku, Baba Bilorun, Baba Agueniku, Yanzan Akilorun, Eggun Agueniku».

Oyá handed Ozain the great power of the air, and he handed her a fan of beads of every colour, to pass over people’s heads when they had an eggun and to pass over the coffin during the ceremonies for the eggun.

Oyá was very pleased and quickly made everything ready for Ifá to be made for her son. When Orunmila made Ifá for him, he also made it for Ozain’s son. On learning of this, Oluo Popo was greatly displeased and became sorrowful, because he felt powerless, and from then on all the people of the land of Feleyekun began to fare badly.

Oyá, who knew everything that was happening to Oluo Popo, went in search of Orunmila and said to him: we must help Oluo Popo to resolve his problem and that of his son Okolishirawo. Orunmila answered: I will send Ozain, who is the only one who can save him, to give strength to Oluo Popo and to all the children of the land of Feleyekun.

Orunmila sent word to Ozain to bring the little basket he had given him; when Ozain handed it over, Orunmila took from it obi, kola, eru, orogbo and aira, and said to him: everything else is yours. Ozain asked: is this something different? And Orunmila answered: here you must spread the secret of Oluo Popo and give that hand of inkines Ifá the tribute of a hen’s feathers.

Ozain went out on the road and called the air; the air joined him, and when they reached the land of Feleyekun everyone joined them. Ozain gave ashé to them all and passed on to them the secret of Oluo Popo, restoring his power to him. Oluo Popo said to Ozain: Ozain, I want to make Ifá for my son Okolishirawo. Ozain answered: no, the only thing he may receive is a hand of Ifá and be omofá.

And so the great power of Oluo Popo and Ozain came to the land of Feleyekun, thanks to the great pact they made.

On this path the son of Oluo Popo received the power of strength. Here Oluo Popo’s sense of inadequacy disappeared.

Through this path Ifá may be made for one’s children.

By this path Ifá may be made for one’s children.

Awo omabeye ni Ifá

Awo Omabeye in Ifá was an awo who lived in the land of Etakukuerefe Inle. He lived apart because he saw that no one treated him fairly and that his elders in the religion had never taught him anything. One day, weary of it, he decided to set out on a journey through different lands to learn on his own, since no one would explain anything to him. He went along singing: «wara Wara Omoniboshe Omo Batutu Inleo«.

On his way he met Ozain and gave him what he was carrying in his bag, along with a dark rooster with plenty of drink and pepper. Ozain said to him: I am going to give you a secret so that you may be secure in the land. He handed him a small egg tied to a yamao plant and told him: carry it with you and keep it in your house; it will serve you at the right moment to save you. Awo Omabeye in Ifá took the egg and went on his way.

After walking a long time, he came to the marshlands, and having to watch his step as he crossed them he was tired and almost spent. He saw a very strange stone in the mud and sat down on it, and fell asleep. He dreamt of a most unusual man who begged him to pass two hens from his own head to his Ifá.

When he woke he felt very well, and he thought: I like this stone, and since I am so alone, it will keep me company. With great effort he pulled it out of the mud, washed it and wrapped it in the white cloth he carried with him. With the stone and the egg, he went back home.

On arriving he thought: since I have only Orunmila and Osha, this stone will be safe here. He placed it in a white vessel beside his Ifá. Then he remembered the dream, took two dark hens and passed them from his head towards his Ifá, and offered tribute to the stone as well. Afterwards he fell asleep and began to dream, and heard a voice that said to him: that stone is the spirit of Omoniboshere, who had travelled through many towns, religions and customs, but in his wandering through life he fell into the mud of the marsh, where he died. Since that land was Otakutu Erefe Inle, everyone who died there turned into stone in time, and the stone he had picked up was that spirit (eggun).

Awo Omabeye in Ifá woke with a start and painted on the stone the signs Otura Niko, Irete Yero and Ojuani Batrupon. He took three hens, passionflower herbs, purple basil, ateri, tobacco, mugwort, carob and aragba, and offered the hens to the stone together with the omiero, while he sang: «Ikú Olofin Begun O, Ikú Olorun Agba Bilari Ota, Ikú Omoniboshere Ikú Olorun Negueooo».

Then he bathed with that omiero, and at that moment Ozain and Obatalá, the owner of that land, arrived and said to him: now take the secret of Ozain that he gave you, which is the small egg, and give it to the stone together with Orun and Shangó, and sing: «baba Ni Ikuo Osi Mako Alabaro Ota Laye, Moforibore Reo Alabere Ota Okan Laye».

Then Ojuani Batrupon Omabeye in Ifá felt a great shadow covering him, and heard a voice that said to him: place the stone with the asho fun fun beside your Ifá, and it will always share meals with it, as with Orun, Shangó and Obatalá.

From then on, the child of Ojuani Batrupon was assisted by the shadow of Omoniboshere, and although he had no great knowledge, with the power of that shadow he managed to resolve everything in his land, living in comfort and peace.

The pact between Ozain and Orunmila

When the 400 spirits were about to arrive on earth, they consulted Ifá, as did Ozain, Eggun, the Orishas and Orunmila, and this Ifá came out for all of them. They all came dressed, but Ozain came naked and felt ashamed. So he went to Eggun and said: «please lend me a part of your clothing to cover myself», but Eggun refused him. Ozain turned to the Orishas and asked to borrow their white clothes, but they refused him too. Then Ozain said to Orunmila: «if you have nothing to cover me with, then carry me on your back and let us travel to earth together». Orunmila answered that he had no bones and therefore could not carry him on his back.

Ozain went on pleading with Orunmila, appealing to his good heart and his generous spirit. When it seemed that no solution would be found, Orunmila asked him: «do you want to go down to earth?», and Ozain said that he did. Then Orunmila took a special powder of iyefa and placed it on his stomach, opened his mouth, and Ozain settled into Orunmila’s belly.

Once on earth, Orunmila said to Ozain: «we have arrived now, you may come out», but Ozain answered: «I do not want to come out, this is a good place for me»; «this is my stomach», Orunmila replied. After a time, Orunmila said to him: «very well, stay, but when you are hungry you will have to come out», and Ozain answered: «I shall not have to come out; your liver and intestines are enough for me».

Orunmila performed an Ifá reading and made obbe, offering a goat and a rooster to Ozain. With the proper ingredients he prepared a dish of ikoko Ozain, and by reciting the suyere he made the spirit of Ozain eleye come out of his insides and enter the ikoko. Then he said: «ña leri», and the ikoko Ozain eleye presented itself, and in this way he established a pact with the spirit of Ozain eleye so that they would work together. They buried the body of the rooster, and over the dish they placed the ikoko of Ozain, setting the goat’s head on top as the seal of the pact.

This is one of the secrets of Ozain and Orunmila that is born in this Oddun: the pact between the two.