IFA TEACHES ON SELFISHNESS AS ROOTS OF ALL EVILS AND PUNISHMENT BY BABALAWO OBANIFA.

IFA TEACHES ON SELFISHNESS AS ROOTS OF ALL EVILS AND PUNISHMENT BY BABALAWO OBANIFA.

Selfishness which simply mean the act of being concerned excessively or exclusively for oneself or one’s own advantage, pleasure or welfare, regardless of others. Selfishness  is the root of all evil.Infact many of other heinous crime in society such as fraud, corruption, armed robbery ,fraudulent conversion of another person properties, murder, adultery, lies, deceptions, and host of other morally reprehensible sin that cannot be mention here for sake of space and time have their roots or inception in selfishness. From time immemorial nature have always find it way to punish people are unnecessary selfish .Those people in position of authority or leadership who deprive people of what rightfully belong to others, and divert it to their private use.Ifa says That life of such people will be fraught with darkness and misfortune. One of the leading Odu Ifa that elucidate on punishments for selfish leaders or person who fraudulently convert the property that belong to others to their own is  Odu Ifa Obara meji. Ifa says in this Odu that :

O san pee, o san pee

O yo tororo, o yo tororo

Fikanfikan gba ile Aye

Dugbedugbe gba ode Orun Kankan

Akorinlepa ni se omo Ogun

Ogun lo ji ni kutukutu

Ogun na owo Ija re lalaala

Lai je

Lai mu

Lai mo’ookun

Lai se le kuro lawujo

Awon ketekete-n-bele

Atari ponna nit i duuru

Igbo nla ni mo ya

Mo ba woon gbo ohun Alajogun

Yiya ni mo ya

Mo ba won pin Eran aiku

Awon eyi wese-wese  n da ifa

Awon eyi wese-wese n di ibo

Arira orun o san

Awo ile Oloyemoyin

Awure mi je

O mu ina lowo

Awure mi je

O mu oorun leese

Awure mi bi perere

O bi peepee

O bi Aga –dudu

Won fi je oye Olu-Igbo

O bi Olopapanranga

Won fi je oye Olu –Odan

O bi Akinbekun

Won fi je Oba ni Sawewe-Ile

Orunmila lo di gbogboogbo

Ifa mo lo di Gbogboogbo

Ela barami Agboniregun

Gbogboogbo ni owo n yo ju ori

Gbogboogbo ni ese n yo ju ona

Gbogboogbo ni egungun okeere n yo ju ilu

Dia fun awon omde kerekerekere Ile Ife

Won se Awo lo si Ife Akelubebeebe

Won ni ki won gba ako aja

Ki won fi f’ogun

Woni ki won gba akukodiye otangalanja

Ki won fi f’Osu

Won ni ki won gba Igbin meji ajira

Ki won fi f’Osun-Osengese Olooya Iyun

A fide re omo

Woni ni ki won gba eyele meji sisiwowo-sisiwowo

Ki won fi f’Odu-logboo-oje Eleyinju ege

Won ni ki gba  Apata okete

Egi aaka

Okooro- koro obi

Alagbalagba epo

Ki won fi f’awon Iyami Okanran-niye

Ti wonje Apani mawagun

Ki won gba Igo oti Male ganranhun-ganranhun

Ki won fi funawon omo awo

Ki awon omo awo ri ohun je

Ki awon awon omo Awo ri ohun mu

Won ni ki won gba ewure meji abamu rederede

Ki won fun Orunmila barami Agbonniregun

Awon omode kerekerekere Ile Ife

Won gba  ako aja

Won o fi fun Ogun

Won gba Akukodiye otangalanja

Won o fi fun Osu

Won gba Igbin meji Ajira

Won o fi fun Osun-Osengese,Olooya iyun

Afide re omo

Won gba eyele meji sisiwowo-sisiwowo

Won o fi fun Odu logboo-oje Eleyinju ege

Won gba Apata Okete

Okooro-koro obi

Algbalagba epo

Won o fi fun awon Iyami Okanran ni –iye

T I won n je apani mawagun

Won gba Igo oti male ganrahun-ganrahun

Won o fun omo  awon omo Awo

Ki awon omo Awo le ri ohun je

Ki awon omo Awo le ri ohun mu

Won gba Ewure meji Abamu rederede

Won o fun Orunmila barami Agboniregun

Esu odara ni ki ijanba ja ki o bo ile niwaju

Ijamba ja o bo ile niwaju

Esu odara ni ki ijamba ja

Ki o bo ile leyin

Ijanmba ja

O bole ile leyin

Oro okunkun beeni o

Oro okunkun ni Esu fi bo won loju mole birikiti

Awon ekun ni Awo oju,e ma seun o

Awon ekun ni Awo oju

Iwe ni Awo ara

Awon Ota rodo-rodo-rodo awo won ninu omi

Awon ni won se Ifa awon omode kere-kere-kere Ile Ife

Won tun se Awo lo si Ife  Akeleu bebeebe ni ekeji

Won gba Ako Aja won  fun Ogun

Won gba akukodiye otangalanja

Won fun Osu

Won gba gba igbin meji Ajira

Won fun  Osun osengese ,Olooya Iyun

Afide re omo

Won gba  eyele meji sisiwowo-sisiwowo

Won fun Odu –loogbo oje Eleyinju ege

Won gba Apata okete

Egi aaka

Okooro-koro obi

Alagbalagba epo

Won fun Awon Iyaami okanra niye

Ti won n je apamawagun

Won gba Igo oti male ganranhun-ganranhun

Won fun awon omo Awo

Ki awon omo Awo ri ohun je

Ki awon omo Awo ri ohun mu

Won gba ewure meji abamu rederede

Won fi fun Orunmila barami agbonniregun

Esu odara bani Ijanmba to ja

To bole niwaju

O ni ko si

Ko lo bo igi oko

O ni ijamba to ja to bole ni eyin

Ki o si

Ko lo bo oke mole

Oro Ooya beeni oo

Oro ooya ni esu fi yawon loju peregede

Awo o ma n se Awo Ikoko

Awa ki se awo Ibaaba

Ya mi loju ki n rina o

Ooya

 Translation:

It cracked suddenly

It appeared faintly

Problems has cover the whole world

The sky is engulf by pandemonium

He who carries iron about on his shoulder is the son of Ogun

Ogun is the one who wakes up early in the morning

And continue to raises his hand in threateningly manner for a fight

Without eating

Without drinking

Without hidden anywhere

He was unable to be remove from the assembly

To give way for people who wish to eat to do so

The short person known as Keteketenbele

And the big flat headed-man

On my way I branched at massive forest

I heard the voice of Alajogun(malevolence forces)

I just branched. Because I so branched

I partake in the eating of the flesh of immortality

The skinny one is casting Ifa

The small one is holding Ibo

The thunder of heaven did not strike

Is the resident Awo of household of Oloye-Moyin

My Awure(good luck spell) was very effective

It carries fires in it’s hand

My Awure (good luck spell) was very effective

It possess sunshine in its legs

My Awure begot many children

 He begot Aga – Dudu

Aga-dudu was crown as Olu _Igbo ( king of forest)

He begot Olopapanraga

He was crowned as Olu Odan ( king of the Savannah)

He begot Akinbekun

He was crowned  as king of Sawewe-Ile

Orunmila declare that up it goes in it tallness

I retort that it is that of amazing height it goes

Ela barami Agboniregun

The hands usually appear clearly above the head

The legs appear clearly above the foot path

Araba tree often appear clearly tall that all the buildings in a town

These were Ifa divination make for youth of Ile Ife

 When they are going on Ifa mission to Ife Akelu-bebeebe

They were given male dog

To give to Ogun

They were given matured cock

To give to Osu

They were given two big Snails

To give to Osun osengese Olooya Iyun (the Owner of combs made of coral beads)

She who uses ornament made of brass to placate the baby

They were given two healthy pegion

To give to Odu logbo oje, they ones with delicate eye ball

They were given apata okete (big rat)

And two hedge hogs

A big matured kola nut

Large volume of palm oil

They should give them to my Iyaami okanranniye) my mother’s-the witches with strongs plumes

Those who kill without having interst in the victim property

They were given may bottle of Gin

To give to omo Awo

For the omo Awo to have something to eat

And drink

They were given two matured goat

To give to Orunmila Barami Agboniregun

They youth of Ile Ife collected all these aforementioned items given to them

They collected the male dog

But they did not give it to Ogun

They collected a big matured cock

But they did not give it to Osu

They collected two big snails

But they did not give it to Osun  Osegense ,Olooya Iyun

She who uses ornament to placate the baby

They collected the two healthy pegion

But they did not give it to Odu loogbo oje,one with delicate eyeball

 They collected two big rats

Two hedgehogs

Big matured kola nut

And large volume of palm oil

But they did not give it to Iyaami Okanran niye(my mother-the witches owners of strong plumes)

Those who kill without any interest in their victims’ property

They collected many bottle of gin

But they did not give them to omo Awo

For omo Awo to have something to eat

To have something to drink

They collected two matured big goat with big breast

But they did not give them to Orunmila Barami Agboniregun

As a result,Esu Odara ordered that their life should be  cover with misfortunes and darkness from the front

The misfortune and darkness cover their life from the front

He ordered that myriad of disaster should cover their life from behind

The cloud of disaster covers their life from behind

Esu Odara declare it now a matter of darkness

It is the darkness that Esu odara use to cover their life

However we are grateful to ekun(tears ) who is the Awo of the eyes

And Iwe (bathing) who is the Awo Of the body

The small-small pebbles the Awo Of river birds

 They were the Awo who cast Ifa For the youth Of Ife

When they are going on Ifa mission to the city of Akelu-bebeebe the second time

At this time

When they collected dog they give it to Ogun

They collected matured cock, they give it to Osu

They collected two big snail, they give it to Osun –osengese olooya iyun

One who use brass ornaments to placate baby

They collected two healthy pegion,they give it to Odu loogbojo ,one with delicate eyeballs

They collected two big rat, hedgehogs

Big mature kolanuts

And large volume of palm oil

They gave them to Iyaami(my mother’s-witches the owners of strong plumes

Those who kill without having interest in their victim’s property

They collected many bottle of gin and give it to omo awo

For omo Awo to have something to eat and drink

They collected two matured goat with big breast and give it to Orunmila barami Agboniregun

Esu odara then ordered that the darkness of misfortune wish had cover their life from the front should move and go and cover the hill of the forest

The darkness of disaster which had cover their life from behind should move and go and cover the  hill of the savannah

Esu odara  then declared is now a matter of brightness

It was brightness that Esu odara used to open their eyes

We never practice Ifa in darkness

Neither do we practice Ifa in secrecy

Open my eye for me to see

Brightness open my eyes for me to see.

 The core message and major thematic preoccupation of the Odu Ifa chant above is punishments for selfishness and fraudulent conversion of what belong to others. As we can see from the extract of Odu Ifa Obara meji above, The youth of Ile Ife when they are on Ifa mission, all the items giving to them to appropriate to other Irunmole in person Of Ogun,Osu,Osun Osengese Olooya Iyun,Barami Agboniregun,Iyaami Okanraniye, These youth refuse to  give it to those Irunmole As a result,Olodumare allow Esu odara to be able to fraught their life with disaster front and behind. They were put in total darkness of life as a result of their selfishness and greed. But when they repent and make Ifa consultation on how to be out of their problem. They went to the Awo who told them that they should give what is meant for others to them. All itmes give to on their second spiritual mission was distributed accordingly to each Irunmole they were meant for . Consequently Esu odara then ordered that brightness should shine upon their life and all their disasters were removed.

The greatest lesson in this Odu is that we should lean to seek forgiveness where necessary, selfish people lose so much in life, because when they realize that they are wrong, they don’t know how to ask for forgiveness or show regret. Extreme selfishness is a sin,so is extreme altruism.

Copyright: Babalawo Pele Obasa Obanifa, phone whatsapp contact : +2348166343145, location Ile Ife osun state Nigeria.

                          

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