On having the right Odu for the priesthood

Aboru Aboye Aboshishe,

Ive often heard people speak about initiation as a right that is mandated by the Odu they received in an Ita Orisa or reading. One of the typical statements goes something like:

I received XYZ Odu that says I have to initiate to XYZ Orisa or initiate to Ifa, therefore its my right, regardless of my lifestyle/sex/gender. If I have the Odu, ho w can the Orisa be wrong?

The problem with this argument is it predicates itself on a few assumptions. First is that the Odu/Orisa saying you should initiate is the same as saying you and your Ori are ready to initiate and take on the responsibilities, ewoo (taboos) and commitments that come with being initiated to that priesthood. Certainly, you can go into it thinking you will be able to take these on, only to later change your mind. But it seems a whole different matter to walk into the initiation, knowing that you will not/can not fulfill your obligations to the Orisa and the priesthood. If ones Ori is not ready to take on the requisite responsibilities, it means that Ori is not yet ready for that step. Ifa tells us this very clearly in the Odu Ogbe Ka

I stood for a long time But I was unable to reach the ishin fruit I bent down for a long time But I still could not reach the ishin fruit But thanks to some special elders Who advised me to prostrate myself in respect and without reservation I prostrated myself in respect and without reservation Then, the ishin fruit dropped into my hands And the ishin fruit dopped into my mouth This was the teaching of Ifa for Ejika-gogoogo Who was going to carry Osu to the sacred grove of Ifa They were advised to sacrifice They heard and complied May Osu stand up straight May he not lie down Standing firm and upright is how we must always find Osu

Mo duro duro Owo mi o to ishin

Mo bere-bere Owo mi o to ishin Opelope awon agba kan Ti won niki ndobale yeke Mo dobale yeke Ishin nbo si mi lowo Ishin nbo si mi lenu Difa fun Ejika gogoogo Ti yio gbe Osu degbodu Won ni ki won rubo Won gbo; won ru Nje Odu mori ro o Ki o ma dubule Iduro gangan laa ba Osu

This entire verse is clearly a metaphor for the person seeking initiation into Ifa, Ejika gogoogo who was going to carry Osu to the sacred grove of Ifa. Though trying to reach the fruit, Ejika was unable to reach it until through the advice of elders, he learned he must prostrate himself in respect and without reservation. Its only then he is able to hold and ingest the ishin fruit. Its of special note that the ishin fruit (Blighia Sapida) is eaten, however with much care. If not prepared in just the right way (skin and seeds removed and boiled to leech toxins), it can cause death. This is an important, but easily lost, cultural reference in the ese Ifa, the implication being if one does not respect Ifa, its ewoo (like not eating the seeds or skin), and proper worship, Ifa can cause death.

Understanding that the ishin represents Ifa and its secrets. Ejika is also advised that once he gains the knowledge of Ifa, it is also important to know that Osu atop the staff is always to be kept upright (ifa is always kept upright), so that Osu (representative of the Asa hawk) may always see out and around in order to protect the initiate.

Ifa tells us in the Odu Irete Meji:

Iwo ote Emi ote D'ifa fun baba a lese ire Ma a l'ori ire Won ni ko ru'bo si laiku ara re O ru'bo

Ko i pe Ko i jina E wa ba wa laiku kangere

You are a presser (an initiate) I am a presser Divined for the Baba with good feet but not with a good Ori (destiny) he was advised to make ebo for long life/goodness He made the ebo Not too long Soon after Join us in everlasting lives

Here, Ifa makes note that initiation alone does not give ones Ori good destiny, even though ones feet may have lead them to that point. Through sacrifice (not simply initiation), we change our destiny to enjoy everlasting life. In other words, we have to sacrifice in order to be worthy of the initiation.

Its also very important to note that the actions of ones Ori have bearing on whether one is ready/allowed to initiate. Its a matter of character and responsibility as Ifa tells us in the Odu Okanran Oturupon:

Falsehood is not good for anyone Commitment breaking is not good for anyone If young people act secretly to break commitments Secret things will happen to them This was the teaching of Ifa for an assistant priest Who was going to proposition the wife of the Oluwo (high priest of Ifa)

Eke ko suwon ara eni Odale ko suwom ara eni Bomode ba nyole da Ohun abe- nu a maa yo won se O difa fun ajugbona Ti o lo nfe obinrin Oluwo

Certainly we can fixate on this verse as being about the ramifications of trying to lure an elder/priests wife. But the true meaning of this verse is that if you are breaking ewoo (taboo) in secret, you will be dealt

with. So hiding who you are, or acting against the ewoo of a priesthood and not telling your Oluwo provides you no protection in the long run.

Second, it assumes that Odu are set in stone and will always come to pass. Odu are not, they can tell you what you are likely to encounter, but as with everything in life, it is mutable. It may say, youll be wealthy, but because you make poor choices in life, you may never see that wealth. It may even say, you will lead a long life, but again, your poor choices can lead to a premature death. We see for instance, that character and sacrifice (of actions, not just things) allows one to avoid a premature death in the Odu Irete Oyekun:

Orifusi, father of Elu, was searching for a way to avoid death So that death would not kill him, his children and his wives They said: If you want to avoid death You must sacrifice and follow the teachings of Ifa Ifa will teach you the conduct and character Which will enable you to avoid death They said when you sacrifice, you should begin doing good from this day on more then ever before For your sacrifice is in vain, if your character is deficient Therefore, you should take the sacrificial pigeons and chickens home You should release them You should not kill them You should give them food if they come to eat at your house And you must not kill anything whatsoever from this day on For one who does not want death to kill him Should not kill anything whatsoever

Orifusi baba Elu nwa ibi a ba ye iku Si ki o ma le pa oun omo re ti aya re A niki bi e ba wipe ki iku ma le pa eyin Ki e rubo ki e si wa te Ifa Ifa yoo ma ko eyin, ni ise ati iwa Ti kii jeki a ku Won ni bi e rubo E beresi rere-ise lati oni lo ju ti atehin wa. Lasan ni e rubo, bi e ba din iwarere Ki e ko awon eyele ati adiye lo si ile eyin Ki e ko won dasile

Ki e ma se pa won Ki e maa fun won ni ounje bi won ba je wa ile E ko gbodo pa ohunkohun lati oni lo Nitori eniti ko fe ki iku pa oun Ki o ma se iku pa ohunkohun si.

Lastly, it assumes that initiation is not earned in any way. This is unfortunately not true, though it seems no matter where we are in todays world, looking at someones character prior to initiation is a dying practice. Societies like the Ogboni, just like Palo and Abakua in the diaspora, required that one was an upstanding person and known in the community. Babalawos in Yorubaland would not take on an apprentice, let alone initiate someone, if they didnt know their character, who they were, and where they came from.

This appears to no longer be true, in part because societies have changed, migration patterns are more fluid from the past, having ties to the community is less important and establishing ones re putation is of no value(re-invention is as simple as hoping a plane). Money also plays a more important role, creating flexibility where it once didnt exist and causing people to turn a blind eye.

Ill end this with an Odu about the affects money (and their willingness to turn a blind eye) can have on peoples character:

I'll preface this with a verse from the Odu Obara Oworin Oro banta a wuwo bi owu a difa fun aye, Nijo ti gbogbo omo araye npon owo pe Kosi ohun miran mo ninu aye ti o tun ni iyi mo rara won ni awon o ko ohungbogbo sile, Awon o maa sare mo owo Orunmila ni eyiti e nro niti owo beeni Ati eyiti e nro niti owo beeko si Ifa l'a ba maa ye Ogbon l'a ba ma ye Awon l'a ba bu iyin fun Agbeniga laa pe owo; abiwaje l'aa pe owo Eniti ba feran owo l'afeju, iwa re a baje Iwa rere ni oso eniyan Bi e ni owo l'owo ko wipe ki e ma di afoju

Ko wipe ki e ma di ashiwere Ko wipe ki e ma di aro Ko wipe ki e ma di olokunrin ati beebee Abuku ara gbogbo le de ba yin Ki e tun ero gba Ki e mu iwa rere Ki e mu ogbon Ki e wa rubo Ki ara le ro nyin tinutode

Translated: Heavy words have the weight of an anvil This was the teaching of Ifa to the world At a time when all the people of the world were overpraising money saying: There is nothing else in the world that is more respected then money They said they would give up everything And they would continuously run after money Orunmila said: what you think about money is so And what you think about money is also not so It is the teachings of Ifa we should honor It is these we should regard highly It is said money is a raiser of status and a corruptor of character A person who loves money excessively, his character will be ruined Good character is the finest beauty of a person Even if you have money, it does not mean you will not become blind It does not mean you will not go mad It does not mean you will not become lane It does not mean you will not become ill and the like You still can become disabled in any part of your body Therefore you should go and get more wisdom so that you may think deeply about things You should cultivate good character You should acquire wisdom And you should come and sacrifice so that you may be at ease inside and out.

Aboru Aboye Aboshishe Ase ooo Marcos Ifalola Sanchez