ORISA OSUN VENERATION AND WORSHIP BY BABALAWO OBANIFA-Obanifa extreme documentries

ORISA OSUN VENERATION AND WORSHIP BY BABALAWO OBANIFA-Obanifa extreme documentries

This work will give original facts about Orisa Osun . This work will not concern itself with casual or ceremonial part of Osun festival. But in  this work Babalawo Obanifa will only address the historical and spiritual facts about Orisa Osun. Osun which the people of Brazil called Oxum, and people of Cuba called Ochun, and many in diaspora know her as Oshun, but the real name of this deity is Osun. Such name difference arise as a result of long time loss of contact with indigenous language by people in diaspora due to slave trade. The ancient town of Osun is Igede Ekiti(this town Igede Ekiti still exists in Irepodun/Ifelodun part of present Ekiti state Nigeria).History and traditions has it that ,there was a man named Ake(this man is a powerful herbalists) and her wife called Erindo. Ake and his wife Erindo and their servant move from Ile Ife (Ile Ife still exit till today, ILE Ife is in Ife central Osun state Nigeria up till today) to Igede Ekiti. They have sixteen children, eight were male, the remaining eight were female. The female children include: Elemi, Osun, Okunisi among other. Osun is a very beautiful and lovely woman. Osun get marry to a man who have many wives. All the wives that this man have before getting married to Osun were said to be barren, but immediately the man marry Osun all of them begin to become pregnant but the all started giving birth to female folks, none of them give birth to male. But when Osun become pregnant, Osun give birth to a male. At the point of delivery when all the other old wife discover that Osun deliver a  male. They conspire against her , nobody come to her rescue to take the baby from the blood that come out during delivery. When Osun barely stand up from the delivery spot where she delivered the baby no water for her to watch the delivery blood and fluid on the baby and none of the old wives is even ready to give her water because they all jealous and angry that she is the only one that gives birth to male child among them. Osun now take his sacred Oru (Oru is a local clay pot for fetching water) to journey straight to the river to get water to wash the baby she deliver, despite the fact that she doesn't even have the strength because of much pain and blood she has loss during her self-midwifery to deliver the baby. Her husband is not around and no one among the older wives is ready to help. When Osun fetch the water into the Oru and begin to journey home. As she reach half- way, Osun has lost all strength and stamina and she collapsed and the Oru (local clay pot for fetching water fall to the ground and break into two).By the time Osun relax and gain strength and stand up,c certain mysterious event has taken place. What happens is that the water from the broken Oru(small clay pot for fetching water) has developed into a small flowing stream at the spot where osun collapsed.. Osun now said that the water that I want to use to bathe my new born baby boy, I will follow this stream to whenever is flowing to. (The spot where these spiritual historical events take place is between Igede and Awo in Ekiti state Nigeria up till today, Awo is a name of the town that share boundaries with Igede Ekiti). So  Osun continue to follow the stream, the more the stream flow it becomes more bigger and large and Osun herself become more stronger to follow, when the stream get to a place called Ijero Ekiti (Ijero Ekiti still exists in Ijero local government of Ekiti state Nigeria up till today) the stream turn to a little big River but no enough space for the water so the water continue to journey forward(the spot where this river pass is still in Ijero Ekiti up till today, the name of the river is called  Omi Osun, osun river it pass through the government reserved forest any interest person can still visit all the place mentioned for confirmation). Then the river continue to move on pass  Ido to Osun when the river get to Iponda (Iponda still exists in present Osun state Nigeria) the river become more bigger yet there is not enough space. Then the river continue until the river reach the present day Osogbo (Osogbo is in present day Osun state Nigeria) wish is a thick plain forest then, the river become more large and find enough space then it stop. That’s where  Osun become the the Queen of this river alongside other spirit therein. Osun maintain the administration of the spiritual world of that forest for a very long period of time until the coming of Oba  Gbadewolu larooye and Olutimehin who is a great hunter and there subjects , who  as a result of famine and scarcity of water migrate from Ipole Omu to the floody plain of Osun river.

In ancient time there was a town called Ipole Omu. This is a town that is blessed with fertile land. The people of Ipole omu do engage in agricultural activities and rearing of livestock. And they are very successful in it. In fact the people of Ipole omu have a good sound record of seven prosperous reigning kings before the reign of Oba Gbadewolu larooye. The names of those kings are Oba Adegokanbale, Aikunya, Ogbogba,, Saso, Liberin, Adetuturinrin, it is Adetuturinrin that beget Lajomo and Larooye, Lajomo reign before Larooye. It during the reign of Larooye that the kingdom turns upside-down. There was a great famine as a result of lack of rainfall, all river in the kingdom dry up, no food because no rain for agriculture, no potable water. This prompt king Larooye to send Olutimehin (Olutimehin is a great powerful  hunter) to lead other hunter to find a greener pasture for water and farming activities for purposes of relocation of the people of Ipole omu,. But this entire search is to no avail. Until one day when Olutimehin was on hunting expedition in and he get to a spot called Gbonmi (this place is still in present Osogbo Osun state Nigeria Oke Baale to be precise). History has it that Olutimehin look around see that the water at Gbonmi cannot sustain the people of Ipole Omu. He then search further until he get to one stream called Okrokro, Olutimehin trace the source of this stream to the Osun river that has been in the forest for ages. He went back to Ipole omu to relay the news of this new found land. Oba Gbadewolu larooye and Olutimehin and the entire subjects of Ipole omu later move to the relocate from Ipole omu to the resettled at the floody plain of Osun river(that is the river bank) Oba Larooye built his fist Palace at the Osun bank there (this old Palace is known as Ile Osun today).
In the year that follows people started the farming activities in their new found land. As history handle it down, when the people start to clear bushes and cutting trees for their agricultural purpose, they mistakenly fell a tree which fall on the river and the bank, this cause a damaged to dying industry of Osun spiritual world.. A strange event occurs. A strange voice was heard from the Osun river echoing 'larooye, Timehin e ti fo gbogbo ikoko aro mi' which simply translated thus (larooye and Timehin you have broken all my dying pot) consequently there are other reciprocating voices of lesser spirit of Osun river placating and commiserating with the Osun the voices echo thus 'Oso igbo Pele ooo' which is translated thus (the forest queen we commiserate with you or forest wizard we commiserate with you). It is at this Junction that king larooye and Olutimehin know the name of the Queen of Osun river as Oso igbo. Hence the name Osogbo was derived from the words  Oso igbo. Osun godless covenant with the king larooye that she will protect them and heal them and make their women fertile and fruitful if they can be offering annual sacrifice to her... They agreed to be making annual sacrifice to her, that is the origin of Osun Osogbo annual festival which is now a global festival every year. The issue of Atupa Olojumerindingun and Igba Osun and arugba Osun is a thing I will not elaborate in this work for sake of time and space.
Osun is been sacrifice to in other town in Yoruba land but not as that of Osogbo. Osun elements is usually make of a sacred stone call ota osun ("osun stone) this stone is usually consecrated for seven day along with cowries. The leaves and other items that is normally use during consecration will not be mention here too. After consecration the elements is put inside Oru(oru is a local pot for fetching water) although we have seen in some places people using carving or  molded image to represent Osun elements but Ota osun (consecrated Osun stone even if it is just one remain a valid Osun elements).
The following items can be used to appease or venerate Osun :Obidiye (hen) Abo Ewure) she goat) Asaro isu (mashed yam with oil) Omuluku (cooked beans) efo yanrin (wild lettuce) obi oloju merin) kolanut with four lobes.

Oriki Orisa Osun /Praises of  Orisa Osun

Ore yeye o
Osun oyeeyee nimo
Awede ko to wemon
Yeye mi olowo aro
Yeye mi elese osun
Yeye mi ajimo roro
Yeye mi abimo ma yan ku
Yeye alagbo awoye
Eleti gbohun gbaroye
Ogbagba ti gba omo re loja ija
Ari bani gbo nipa ti omo
 Translation:
Oree yeye o
Osun the very knowledgeable one
She who washes brass before washing child
My mother who have hands color by dye
my mother who has feet that is beautiful with cam wood
My mother who is always very neat and gorgeous
My mother whose child never die
My mother, who has a super healing concoction
Always ready to hear my complaints
You are the one capable of delivering your children on the day of trouble
She who care for one concerning one children.

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

                          

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