ORISA
ELUKU (ORIGIN AND PRACTICE OF ORISA ELUKU) BY BABALAWO OBANIFA-obanifa extreme documentaries
In this work Babalawo Obanifa will document the
mythological and historical account behind the practice of Eluku cult as an
Orisa. Little information is known about Orisa Eluku because those who practice
the cult made everything about it strictly secretive and confidential, Hence
only scanty few exceptional Babalawo can boast and come out publicly to write
or talk about it without any form of intimidation from any quarters, when he reveals
or document genuine information about this Orisa. This accounts for the reason why there are little or no information at public domain on this
Orisa. In this work I will document some detail about this Orisa to prevent the
extinction of genuine information about this Orisa for future generation. Orisa
Eluku is not really a popular Orisa in Yoruba land, because his cult did not cut
across all Yoruba, rather than its practice is restricted to certain town like
Ijebu And Egba, Abeokuta and the Awori, but it is instructive to note that this
Orisa originally belong to the Ijebu people. Hence Orisa Eluku can be said to
fall into the category Of Orisa Adugbo- Orisa Adugbo is any Orisa that its
practice and worship is restricted to certain family or town but it followers
and worship is not cut across all town in the Yoruba Land. Orisa Eluku falls
into this category. Orisa Eluku itself is believe to be born as human being and
live as Human during his life time .Myth make available to us make us known
that Eluku is born to one powerful king known
as Oniloku. This Oniloku is believed be king of Iraye. He is royal by blood. He was a very
powerful diviner and a spiritualist. He has many followers during his life
time. As a result of his extra ordinary spiritual feats, He was deify as Orisa after his demise because
history made it available that after his death, all his power is still available
to his follower hence he was deify as a deity. It is believe that Eluku cult through
the power of Orisa Eluku can communicate with the spirits of the dead. They can
also help infertile woman to become fertile.
Orisa Eluku is of one of the unpopular Orisa in
Yoruba land and it is only popular among
the Ijebu and Egba people in Yoruba land. This Orisa mode of operation is
synonymous with the way Oro cult is been practice. The membership of Eluku cult
is restricted to Male. It is only men that are allow to enter Eluku groove. Everything
about the ritual Of Eluku can only be perform by male. Hence this work will authoritatively
assert that it is wrong for anybody to claim that he initiate a female into
Orisa Eluku cult or for any female to claim to be an Eluku priestess. Because
these day we see women claiming to be a member of Eluku cult, It is instructive
that ssuch women may have fall into fraudulent hand or she may be deceiving the
public. The same way it is forbidden for woman to be a member of Oro cult that
is same way it is forbidden for women to be member of Eluku cult. The reason behind lack of adequate Information
about Orisa Eluku is simple; Eluku is believed to be a defied spirits of the
ancestors. Eluku cult only allow member who are male that have been officially
initiated to the cult to participate in it activities. The performance of any
ritual activities Of Eluku cult by it member
is usually take place in the dead of the night and usually take place outside
the town and this can only occur once a year. Their mode of operation is like
that of Oro cult. Before the Eluku cult proceed to their procession. They will
have through the town crier made pronouncement imposing curfew or restriction
of movement on all women and men who has
not be initiated to Eluku cult. On the night of the procession of Eluku ritual ceremony which usually happen once a
year, all the women and even men who has not be initiated into the Eluku cult
will lock themselves indoor that night. When the entire street have been clear
of movement of human being in the dead of the night. The member Of Eluku cult
will gather their selves together at their temple and begin to make procession to
Eluku grove which is usually located in far distance outside the town. Some of
them will begin to make a very shrill scaring loud noise to scare people away
while the rest will begin to sing song In praise of Orisa Eluku. Though Eluku
cult prohibit any person to share this secret of the cult in writing format,
but if will continue that way everything about this Orisa will go into extinction.
In this work I will document some of little tips about the procession of Eluku
cult during their annual ritual. With due respect to the people concern, take
note, we have grown in this aspect of Yoruba spirituality both in practice and research
beyond intimidation from any quarters.
Immediately the cult member assemble at their temple.
The will begin to make procession toward the Eluku grove which is usually at
the outskirt of the town. The member of the cult follow the chosen among them
whom they believe is usually spiritually possess by Eluku energy. They will be
shouting
Pele baba
Pele Eluku
Ara Iraye
Translation:
We hail you father
We hail you Eluku
The inhabitant of Iraye.
Other will be begins to sing thus:
Sikuwenwen
Sikuwenwen
Kun wenwen
Omo d’egbe
Omo dayo
Sikunwenwen
Kuwenwen
Translation:
Sikuwenwen
Sikuwenwen
Kun wenwen
The children have become
an association
The children have bring
joy
Sikunwenwen
Kuwenwen.
The cult has varieties
of other songs they do sing while they are on procession. The one above is just one of the samples
out of their songs.
While this is going on some of the of the cult will be
making strange shrill sound to create fear in the mind of people who may heard
them. And some of them will be chanting the praises or eulogy of thus:
Eluku ara Iraye
Omo Oba Oniloku
Emukuru Olorun gagara
Emuren se itan gbu
Omo apa-teneten-pa-tin
Omo era kun agbon
Ha ree
Ko bar i, ko wo firi
Ina ale yi se o de\
Translation:
Eluku the inhabitat of
Iraye
The prince of Onikolu
Emukuru Olorun gagara
Emuren se itan gbu
Omo apa-teneten-pa-tin
Omo era kun agbon
Ha ree
Ko bar i, ko wo firi
Ina ale yi se o
That is how the will shout, sing and praise Eluku till
they get to the grove and perform the ritual
When Eluku is coming
back home from the grove. The member of the cult will be shouting Eluku n bo
o(Eluku is coming) on hearing this any women or an uninitiated men that is not member
of eleku cult will run into the house and lock their door.
On the procession back
home Eluku will be singing in company of other cult members. The people will be
giving him gift. Eluku don’t take gift himself. It is one of his aide who is also a member that will be taking the gift
on behalf of Eluku. It this aide that is allows to enter the house and collect
the gif of money or other items from such individual whether woman or man. It is this aide that will now go and disclose to
Eluku the name of the person who present him with the gift or money and amount
of such money or gift .Eluku in turn
will pray for such person who present him with the gift from a afar because the
person will only hear the voice because he cannot see Eluku himself/herself
unless he is member of Eluku cult.
How
Eluku Spread Beyond Ijebu Land To Abeokuta,Egba and Awori
At initial stage in Yoruba land the Only part of Yoruba that practice
Eluku cult and worship is Ijebu. It from Ijebu that the cult of Eluku was borrows
to other places. History have that there is one man known
as Oba Ige who have one beautiful wife known by the name Aninku. They have been
married for many years but they have no child of their own. This makes the duo
to go for Ifa consultation on how they can get solution to their childlessness. Ifa
advise the couple to move from their current location to other town and that
they should get involved in the worship of Orisa Eluku. But Orisa Eluku can
only be find in Ijebu Land. The couple offer the ebo of plenty tubers of yam,a dog, local lighten lamp and
money. They then proceed to Ijebu to have the Orisa Eluku, when they have this consecrated
element, it was given to Oba Ige been the male because Eluku is male Orisa.
When they get back to Egba they buy land from a king known as Onikopa in
exchange for two of their slaves. They place the Orisa Eluku on it. After a
year the couple gave birth to a female known as Efude. Be a woman he cannot
continue the practice of Eluku cult . Her parent marry her to Oba Onikopa.It is
this Oba Onikopa that firmly establish the practice of ELuku cult in Egba .it
is from Egba that this cult spread to Abeokuta and the Awori. History have it
that it is because of solution of sterility that make people of Abeokuta to bring Eluku
cult to Itoko in Abeokuta then before it become annual practice there too up till
date
Burial
rite for Eleku cult member
The discussing of Eleku
will not be complete without discussing the burial rite of the cult members. Many
people avoid Eleku cult because of the mystery behind the burial of the cult. But
the truth is this , the secrecy that the member of the cult attached to it is
too much. And there is no much to it. The stages involve in burial of Eluku
cult members goes thus:
Isihun- this is the
first stage in the burial rite of any Eluku cult members. By Isihun we are referring
to the process where the family member of the deceased with break the news about the death of the deceased to the living member of the
cult. For the family of the deceased to be able to break the news of the death of a member of the cult to
other member .they will need to provide the following item, one cock,kola nut,bitter kola, one bottle
of red palm oil and money .These items
will be present to the member of the cult by the family of the deceased ,they
can then intimate them about the death
and officially invite them to come and carry out appropriate burial rites on
the deceased according to norms of the cult.
On the seventh day of
the burial the family of the deceased will carry the following items again to the cult member. The items are ;
money, I6 tuber of yam,16 dry cat fish, one new clay pot, one new spoon, salt
two calabash, 9 lamp . This will be
supply to the cult in the morning.
In the evening when the
cult member wants to visit the house of the deceased, the children of the
deceased will present two sleeping mat, kola nut, bitter kola, a sheep. And money
for the cult.
Copyright: Babalawo Pele Obasa Obanifa, phone whatsapp contact :
+2348166343145, location Ile Ife osun state Nigeria.
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