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By Iyalemole Dr. Queenchiku Ngozi-Fabuluje

November 13^th, 2019

American Ifa, US, Florida: According to the 28 U.S. code § 4101 (defamation, libel, slander), it is stated that libel is a form of slander and defamation. Slander, libel, defamation “or similar claim alleging that forms of speech are false cause damage to reputation and/or emotional distress, [it also] presents [a] person in a false light or results in criticism, dishonor, or condemnation of [the] person” (Chung, 2019). Bottom line, libel is slandering and lying to defame which is an act of conspiring against someone.

The great oracle (aka Ifa) says that people should be truthful, honest and the orisas will support them (Odu Ejiogbe). Odu Obara Meji states that lying doesn’t keep a person from being rich or becoming old, but upon their death it will bring retribution. Lying, defaming, or publishing libel about someone is an attempt to deceive the world or the community about that person (Adewale, 1994). In ancient times, African traditional priests would chant curses on liars and ask the divinities to condemn the liars … to not to deceive or betray in foreign land (Odu Ogunda Bede). However as people become more and more in need of recognition and greed, they slowly create falsehood in the traditional African religious spiritual practices of the diaspora (Adewale, 1994). The liars that slander (and produce libel) are the conspirators who go against everything that ifa stands for.

When conspiring against someone this way, Ifa says the guilty will be punished (Odu Ogbe Alara). People who make themselves orisa and ifa cops, judges, and justice against innocent people are committing wrongdoing by falsely accusing someone of fraud or crime. People who conspire against people are fraudulent and thieves. Their ego causes them to belittle, shame, and embarrass people to make themselves look big. Ifa tells of this through the story where people were envious of Orunmila’s annual reading at Olokun festival. The conspirators betrayed people for money. A long story short, Orunmila found the conspirators around Olokun telling lies about him and suggesting that Orumila be replaced. This has happened in this way of life. There are a few people who promote certain people as they make allegations of fraud against others who are accredited and innocent all for the sake of money. The orisa and Ifa traditional societies are becoming more and more criminal using the diaspora and its traditions not for spirituality but solely for money.

The Orisa and Ifa traditional system is a strong moral base of society (Adewale, 1994). Certain factions of the religion or spiritual society have poisoned and injected a disease of insincerity, corruption, fraud and felonies in the concept of Ifa. That should raise red flags for the people, not the few people who end up on these fake fraud platforms set up by the governing and dishonest Apena Dafa (Adewale, 1994).  Ifa says in Odu Obara Meji that Ifa condemns disrespect and arrogance (i.e., Ifa – “a child indulges in stubborn acts, if he sees an aged priest and slaps him; if he comes across an aged physician and beats him mercilessly; if he goes on and meets an aged priest and knocks him down, thus declares the oracle to the disobedient child…”). Therefore, the libel by the Apena Dafa on a variety of platforms is fraudulent and criminal in Orunmila’s eyes.

The self-deputized, fraudulent-acting Apena Dafas have acted in an unacceptable, criminal way in the diaspora. This dishonesty will cause the religion to shorten its life forces as well as produce more and more uncertainties and dysfunctional relationships between various orisa/ Ifa societies. These types of judgement cause an unstable individual to implement harmful acts towards innocent people who have credibility.  It almost guarantees the death of the tradition in the diaspora as well as Africa as people wish it to be. People who are seeking guidance and entrance to the orisa and or Ifa are confused and damning the tradition. This also feeds the preconceptions and notions that the practice is negative and evil. In addition, the rituals, spirituality, and materialization of the Ifa and orisas will slowly dissolve the practices in the foreign land and the diaspora as well.

On the other hand, the conspirator(s) in the diaspora can face either felony or misdemeanor charges and a possible fee if found guilty of deliberately accusing a person of crimes they did not commit and spreading rumors to tarnish a person’s reputation or defame them. Minc (2019) stated there have been several civil lawsuits to the U. S. Supreme court over slander or libel. It is a serious matter. At the end of the day, the criminals who commit a crime by falsely accusing innocent people will meet a serious and adequate punishment in the orisa and Ifa traditional system as well as in the courts (Adewale, 1994).  Recommendation is to get a lawyer, press charges and sue.

References

Adewale, S. A. (1994). Crime and African traditional religion: Orita XXVI/1-2 (1994), 54-66. Retrieved from http://www.africaspeaks.com

Chung (2019). Supreme Court of Georgia. Cottrell v. Smith et al. S16A0013 Decided: July 08, 2016. https://caselaw.findlaw.com

Legal Information Institute (2019). U.S. Code § 4101. Definitions: Defamation. Retrieved from www.law.cornell.edu/

Minc (2019). Defamation removal law. Retrieved from https://www.minclaw.com/us-defamation-laws/

We proudly introduce American Ifa, founders, and

F.N.C.V.T.T. (Fédération Nationale des Cultes Vaudous et des Traditions du Togo)

Benin/Togo West Africa

This certificate is gotten only on advice of Ifa/Fa/Afa for individuals as a calling to take a lead position as head chief, initiate to Mami Wata, the Vauduous, Afa/Fa/Ifa and years of dedication to the awareness of African Spirituality and

betterment of the people who are devoted to and practice African Spirituality.

This certification given to Ayaba-Oloye Erelu-Abiye Unsi-Tassinon and Iya Ayaba OchaBi-Ifabuluje.

Congratulations!!!

Recognizance for meeting all the qualifications for such a prestigious honor as a titled head “MAMI ADE” (Crowned Chief Mother of MAMI Wata “Water Spirits) at AGBEDEHOUE TEMPLE. It is honored for their lifelong achievements in African Spirituality to include their initiations to the Vaudous and, /Ifa/Fa/Afa and this title is respected by the F.N.C.V.T.T (Fédération Nationale des Cultes Vaudous et des Traditions du Togo) that includes our beloved homelands (Togo, Benin, Ghana, Nigeria and now recognized in the USA of America)

Fédération Nationale des Cultes Vaudous et des Traditions du Togo (FNCVTT)

http://fncvtt.org/entrer.php

We are so honored and proudly thankful…..

Thank you Harold Hillery and the Gullah Nation of North America for acknowledging Iya Ayaba-Oloye OchaBi OseTura and Ayaba-Oloye Erelu-Abiye Unsi-Tassinon for contributions to the advancement of African Spirituality in the diaspora. We will continue to form bonds and to connect more and more people on this side of the world to their African roots via DNA testing and providing a variety of information on African traditions and culture. Like they say, you can take the person out of the country but you can’t take the country out of the person. May we all endeavor to make our ancestors proud for the sacrifices they made for us by finding our true roots and honoring them. Àṣẹ!

——————————————————————————-

Gullah Nation of North America
gnona@houseofancestry.org
1-888-693-8314 ext. 2
August 22, 2016

American Ifa-Fa-Afa
c/o Ayaba-Oloye Erelu-Abiye Unsi-Tassinon
Ayaba-Oloye Ochabi Ose Ture

I would like to personally thank both of you for agreeing to be our Special Guests on the Gullah Nation of North America’s Blogtalk radio show on Wednesday, August 24, 2016 at 7-9 PM EST. We will delight and engage our listening audience on the topics of the growing surgence of Gullahs embracing Afrikan-Diasporic Spirituality, the Spiritual Sankofa process and will this move solve the social justice issues which tend to cripple us as a people. Please share the call in number (657) 383-0686.

We have endorsed the American Ifa-Fa-Afa organization located in the diaspora as the premier agency to teach and inspire the Gullahs of making their way back home spiritually. I have engaged Ayaba-Oloye Erelu-Abiye Unsi-Tassinon and Ayaba-Oloye Ochabi Ose Tura over two years now and you both have exhibited your love for learning and properly propagating the Ifa-Orisa tradition. You both have given so very freely of yourselves to the Diaspora. We must stand in UNITY and STRENGTH.

The purpose of the Gullah Nation of North America (GNONA) is to unify the Descendants of Gullahs into a social, political and economic network of unique family histories, traditions, and ethnic heritage in the 21st Century. Most Gullahs throughout the post emancipation era have migrated from the Gullah lands of our origins along the sea islands and coastal low country of South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida over the last 150 years and find ourselves today scattered and integrated with the general Eurocentric populations of the United States of America.

After decades of research, it’s been concluded that we are a separate but related ethnic group of African Americans that have, despite all attempts, managed to preserve the most Afrocentricity and African-centeredness out of any sub-ethnic group on North American soil. Our distinct African cultural traditions and Gullah language have survived chattel slavery, Jim Crow segregation, and integration. Many of us don’t even know that we are Gullahs and most cannot understand our significance enough to appreciate our pride.

The Gullah Nation of North America (GNONA) was founded to reconnect us all to our roots and Gullah lands as a unique group of African people! We are reawakening by reexamining and organizing ourselves as Gullahs who are officially and globally recognized and respected as a people with a legacy of greatness. The African Diaspora and/or Gullah descendants in the United States of America must come together as ONE of many African ethnic nationalities to contribute to this historic process and we welcome you to actively participate in these efforts.

Aims:
1. Unify the dispersed Gullahs of the Gullah Nation of North America
2. Rescue and revive the traditional culture of the Gullah Nation of North America
3. Create and Identify the unique needs of the Gullah political agenda of the Gullah Nation of North America
4. Defend the existing historical Gullah lands and communities of the Gullah Nation of North America
5. Develop a legitimate independent government for all Gullah people to centralize our vast network of families into a single national body with every agency and function of a contemporary state government, defined and democratically ratified, by Gullah people in our exclusive cultural, political, social, and economic interests as an African Diaspora nation.

Objectives:
1. Empowerment of the Gullah people
2. Elevation of our unique cultural heritage and legacy of achievement
3. Birth the Gullah Nation of North America as a legitimate and legalized nation-state formation with all of the international and national human and civil rights and respect of ALL nations of people that have declared and determined for themselves to be such
4. Reparations for the genocidal enslavement, segregation (domestic colonization), and gentrification (modern capitalist invasion) of Gullah people and our National Territory
5. Repatriation Resettlement of Gullah people both on our historical North American territory and the African continent from which we were forcefully taken captive and enslaved.

AMERICAN IFA FA AFA – IFA READING FOR 2016

On 12/21/2015

Afavi (IyaNifa) Ayaba OchaBi Fabuluje Ifaseye Ika meji Ile Ikoko Ata

Afavi Ayaba Oloye Erelu-Abiye Unsi-Tassinon, Ika Fun,

Shaina Yemajah Apetebi de ifa

Efunyale Obatala Apetebi de Ifa

Awotunde Ade Ogun

Turbado Esudino

Gbogbo Devotees

LAB: Obi Nganga etawa ire/Alafia; obi egun/egungun: etawa/alafia

LEADING ODU (Ikin ifa): Ogunda Otura (Ogunda’tetura; Ogunda’Tetuala)/ ejiogbe ‘edi AFA KPONLI (AFA Odu): Guda Tula

“TRANSFORMATION and PERSEVERANCE”

IRE: Ejiogbe, Ire elese Olodumare tesi Timbelaye, not firm without proper ebo (all our luck and blessings is coming from God)

IBI: Warns not to put yourself in the hole, which you dig for yourselves.

EBODE: Irosun’Rete (Loso Lete)

LEADING ORISHA: Sango, Ogun and Oshun

Oriki Orunmila:

Orunmila, ajomisanra, ibi keji Olodumare Eleri Ipin, Omo ope kan ti nsoro dogi dogi, Ara Ado, Ewi, ara Igbajo, ara Iresi, ara Ikole, ara Igeti, ara oke Itase, Ara iwonran ibi ojumo ti nmo waiye akoko Olokun, oro ajo epo ma pon, Olago lagi okunrin ti nmu ara ogidan le, o ba iku ja gba omo e sile, Odudu ti ndu ori emere, o tun ori ti ko sunwon se, Orunmila ajike, Orunmila ajike, Orunmila aji fi oro rere lo. Ase

TRANSLATION:

The spirit of fate, dew and eternal source of life, word and exultant strength, next to Olodumare, Witness to creation, offspring, palm tree, spark, eternal force. Ado native, native EWI native Igbajo, Iresi native, native Ikole, Igeti native, native Itase Hill, This native generator sea pure mystical Is the most powerful who gives youthful vitality, who rescues children from the wrath of death. The great savior who saves youth, he saves the lost, Orunmila is worth pleas in the morning, Orunmila is worthy of praise in the morning, Orunmila is worthy of prayers for the good things in life. Ase.

Ogunda: In Ire (positive statement) involve internal strength with intelligence.

Otura: In Ire (positive statement): The representation of a wise person, able to use the experience in the day.

Joining these Irunmoles: In Ire (positive event): The healthy maintenance of our relationships as a result of honesty

FLAG: white trim with yellow and black

REFLECTION: Health (mental and physical), war, slavery, and servant

MAFEREFUN: Olodumare, Sango, Ogun, Oshun

EBO: four legs to Ogun, 2 Roosters to Sango, 2 Hens to Oshun, Ewe baths,

SPEAKING: Olodumare, Orunmila, Opele, Esu, Osanyin, Iyami Osoronga, Ogun, Oshun, Sango, Oya, Orishanla, Obaluaye

VODUN JEJE: Mami, Lisa, Dan, Ke, Tohosu, Hevioso (Sango), Gu (ogun), Ososi (Obatola),

“The last will become first”

“Turtle face was so passive Olodumare could not manipulate”

“From the sky you see everything”

“Marks the beginning of a turbulent time”

“Marks a significant change – ultimately positive after trial and tribulation with change and proper ebo ”

THINGS BORN IN THIS SIGN:

o Slavery – slave trade

o Religious boredom

o Esu Obuko

o Hypochondriac

o Hypocrite

o Betrayal

o Exploitation

o Robbery

o Anger

o Wars and battles

o Sacred crowns

o Ile koro – the city of spirits

o Embarrassment of Sango hanging himself, accompanied by this faithful servant Aba

o Must take good care of Ogun and Sango

o A spirit called Kalawao – white person

o The mark of mental and physical illness by enemies – suicide

o Palm oil is taboo for Esu

o The declarations of Ifa to Sagbagiriyan

o Those who are honest

o The support of the deities

o Being responsible and reliable Ako kiye! A bird of infinite beauty is in charge of the Kingdom of witchcraft

PROHIBITION:

o Alcohol

o Do not use force

o The fraud

o Abstinence

o Manipulation

o Carrying things on the head

TABOO:

Palm oil is taboo for Esu (Elegba) in this sign. Use peanut oil for all the orisha and Esu Use Palm Oil for Iyami only

STORY: Adikun the mother of Olufon was taken as a slave and she became the wife of Oduduwa and later gave birth to Eshu Olankin. She would bathe him with palm oil. Olankin used to become enraged. This is the reason why Oya is called Adikun since the palm oil is called adi and this is TABOO, for ÈṢÙ. DO NOT GIVE PALM OIL TO ÈṢÙ THIS YEAR! USE PEANUT OIL (Groundnut oil)

ODU RECOMMENDATION

o The honesty

o Good character

o Humility

DESCRIPTION:

• Respect the physical and spiritual mothers
• People will be leaving the religion because of weariness – abandonment
• Learning things that is not true from godparents
• Godparents abandoning the children – outgrow each other
• There will be wars between families, neighbors, friends, countries and governments
• People will take care of their ori
• People have to avoid getting involve in other people problems
• People have to reframe from gossip, arguments and hearsay
• People have to make sure they are getting proper help to not fall into big trouble; if you are not a initiated priest…there are things that you should not be doing
• Have to make sure people are doing the right thing that they don’t become slave to the spirits and can’t escape their problems • This odu talks about assassination – self destructions
• This odu talk about witchcraft from other pagan religions
• This odu talk about not giving esu and orisa palm oil, leave the palm oil for Iyami
• This odu talk about being careful in signing contracts or doing things in 3’s
• This odu talks about not opening and holding other people’s mail
• This odu talks about not buying stolen items or the police will arrest you
• The people need not lie
• People who carry weapons- be careful that the weapon don’t be use against you and you see your own death….just put it away
• People need to not keep birds caged in their home
• Here is where people are leaving Olodumare out of their prayers
• Here is where people are cursing for the lack of things, always thinking that others may have it better than themselves….worry about self.
• Be careful where you walk so you bring no harm to yourselves.
• People must take care of their mothers both physically and spiritually
• Women have to take care of their internal organs…a lot surgeries for women and their wombs
• Women being with jealous men can cause struggles and physical abuse issues and situations
• Women who are single and are surrounded by suitors are in a great position to be married. Orunmila should be consulted to decide on the one
• Back pains and headaches from stress
• Talks about the spiritual cleansing that is done at the sea; Orunmila is talking about the ceremony to Olokun to stay clean
• People have to be careful with their siblings who may have bad feelings and it turn into war and loss of life
• Children leaving home for apparent reason
• Ifa says that emotional depression indicates that many people are not aligned with their destiny

IRE POINT VIEW:

• Increasing family
• Promoting prevention against diseases
• Recognizing the power of nature and respecting the orisha
• Avoid being disrespectful to our environment
• Work on understanding self
• Working with ogun for financial gain
• Working with ogun in spiritual houses so the house is not empty
• Everyone must work together with ogun in their spiritual house to reap the benefits
• Give Mami WATA sweets, perfumes, sweet powders for money gain
• Give our egbe a lot of sweets pastries for money gain
• Oyu being the deity of fate always indicates that a good attitude must be implemented to avoid negativity that harms life
• Combine Orunmila beads on the eleke of oshun and add coral inside ifa
• Good relationship with the mother provides spiritual protection

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Take care of your health
• Take care of your ori (head)
• Take care of your children so they don’t leave home to soon
• Don’t get into wars and battles that are not yours
• Be careful what you say to people which can turn into arguments and fights
• Avoid fraudulent activities and fabrications that turns into lies
• Don’t wear a lot of things around the neck – void being hung
• Take care of Ogun and Sango
• Wear as much white as possible
• Put Olodumare in all prayers
• Respect yourself to respect others
• Develop good character
• Be honest
• Have humility
• Work a lot with ancestors and spiritual guides
• Work a lot with your Egbe and Mami giving them sweets, so-on
• Get close to Ifa- Fa- Afa
• Keep yourself spiritual and physically clean
• Pay attention to business contracts
• Don’t buy hot or stolen items
• Void arguments with family, friends, neighbors, and so-on
• Being responsible and reliable
• To balance the emotional state and gain hope, face the inner fear that does not allow the determination, since it is the negativity that ties us to despair
• Do not waste time fighting the enemies, as this action will cause diseases
• The justification is characteristic
• The hypocrisy is often seen only to people who allow this type of attitude in their lives to fill the inner emptiness of what they are

EWE:

• Ceiba
• Hala Hala
• Jobo
• Curujey
• Guasina

Odu Ogunda Tura oracle 207:1 : by Ifa international foundation Sakamba (I am quite clean) was divined for Ota (stone) in the water, We gear sickness, Ota-Omi was told not to be afraid of sickness And was asked to offer sacrifice so that he might not be sick Ota-Omi was further asked to offer sacrifice so that he would remain stationary The sacrifice: a snail, a pigeon, 3200 cowries and ifa leaves He heard and sacrificed and was free from sickness

Oracle 207:2: Ogundata-tura, it is good that enables one to overcome enemy. An ill-favored person can be easily entrapped by his enemy. Who gave birth to me? An ill-favored person is one whom most people believes to be turned and yet he thinks that he is much loved. In strong winds, egbee plant fall upone another; in lie manner, my enemies will die one after the other. they will never befriend one another; the male lizards do not befriend one another in a short time. (this is said when cleaning with ifa leaves and irosu powder)

Commentary:

The odu came with Ire (good) however Ogunda is always a difficult sign to live with that why it is necessary to list the Ibi (bad) or negative aspects of this sign. If we only look for the good in the ODUS and do nothing to stop the bad things, we might as well not even pay attention to any of what is said about the good. Life is about balance and duality.

We of American Ifa-Fa-AFA wish you a happy, healthy, and prosperous year ahead. Àṣẹ!

TRAINED: A VALIDATION AND INVALIDATION TOOL
By Ayaba OchaBi Ifabuluje-Ifaseye and Ayaba-Oloye Erelu-Abiye Unsi-Tassinon
Nov. 27, 2015

TRAINED; conformed, conditioned, brainwashed.
Among Ifa/Orisa Initiates, it means VALIDATED.

UNTRAINED; not conformed, not conditioned and not brainwashed Among Ifa/Orisa Initiates, it means INVALIDATED, FAKE AND FRAUD.

DO YOU NEED TRAINING OR TEACHING IN ORDER TO DEVELOP SPIRITUALLY WITH IFA AND ORISA?

According to the military, training is brainwashing, e.g. soldiers, military or police dogs. A dog is trained to sniff out illegal drugs; attack individual; or fetch the newspaper. “Training techniques, brings NO spiritual substance; no spiritual development; and no spiritual elevation is attainable.” It does not afford you the ability to walk your own spiritual path towards your destiny.

In the past few years, the word training has been applied continuously in relationship to the status of Ifa and Orisa priest. Why? It is an undoing of ones initiations and years of development. It is to ruin people’s reputations. It is an effort to bring about your downfall. Some people are pushing the idea that having no training is the reason to invalidate a person’s priesthood and initiation(s). In Ifa and Orisa life, training means to follow policies and protocols of those who demand it from you; It means buying books read on how to follow those policies and protocols, and it means paying for membership that says you are a VALID practitioner by a certificate of completion. NO, YOU ARE NOT TAUGHT, TO CONDUCT ANY RITUALS. DO CEREMONIES, MAKE MEDICINES. OR TO DIVINE FOR OTHERS. In other words, it is a groupthink attitude that says, “if you are not conditioned by us or validated by us then your years of study means nothing.” To these Ifa/Orisa advocates who push for validation, any person is considered fraudulent and fake if they are not TRAINED, yet you are not TAUGHT.

TRAINED, TRAINING TRAINS:

1. to coach in or accustom to a mode behavior or performance; 2. to make proficient with specialized instruction and practice; 3. to prepare physically, as with a regimen; 4. to cause (one’s hair) to take a desired course or shape, as by manipulating; 5. to point or direct (a gun or camera) at something; 6. to discipline and instruct (an animal), as in the performance of tasks or tricks; and 7. a number of followers; a procession; a succession of things, persons or animals.

TRAINING IS ALL ABOUT OBEDIENCE FOR LIFE

From a psychological standpoint training implies being DOMINATED. To train is to stress the development of a desired proficiency or behavior through practice, discipline, and instruction such as a trained dog, servant or slave may be. For example, in Training = Dominance therapy (TDT), Dr. Sophia Yin, DVM, MS (2015) stated that “Traditional training techniques are based on the idea that we must become the dominant leader and rule our pets the way a wolf would rule a pack [or the slave master dominance over his slaves].

In order to evaluate whether this reasoning in valid, we must understand dominance….In animal behavior, dominance is defined as a relationship between individuals that is established through force, aggression and submission in order to establish priority access to all desired resources (food, the opposite sex, preferred resting spots, etc). In species where strong hierarchies exist, this hierarchy is important evolutionarily because having a high rank confers a greater ability pass on one’s genes. Rank is maintained through ritualistic aggressive acts on the part of the higher ranked individual and appeasement or deference on the part of the lower ranked individual

TEACH, TAUGHT

1. to impart knowledge of or skill in; give instruction in, and 2- to impart knowledge or skill to; give instruction to. In other words, to teach is to furnish a person with skills or knowledge e.g. teaches you how to divine, make medicines, and how to conduct rituals and ceremonies.

TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION

Steve MS (2012) stated that “milieu control is destructive religious groups have an ‘us vs. them’ mentality.”

How does TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION fit into Ifa and orisa practice? Several workshops are advertised for “TRAINING of Ifa” followed by certification. Are the words being used, out of context? What can the certification do? For example, does the certification save lives? Does the certification develop and elevate someone spirituality? Or does the certification assure that the trained priest holder is well conformed top spot in a PYRAMID SCHEME to make money? Is it us (conformed) vs them non-conformed)? Where will you fit in the Trained Pyramid Scheme of things planned for Ifa/Orisa devotees?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT!

Will you as a trainee and/or conformer accept the invalid certification over teachings, spiritual development and elevations?

Aboru Aboye Abosise and Greetings

This is an open letter to those looking from the outside in and to those antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and fabricators.

Olodumare (God) have never said that one person was greater than the other. Over time,  humans’ ego have taken control of the Ori (head).  In the sacred odu, EjiOgbe, Ifa teaches us that every human being had a fair start in Orun (heaven) but upon coming to earth, the ego, id and super ego stepped in. As a result, we as human beings have become, competitive irrational, illogical, and war like.  It is the ego that causes one to stray from the agreement made in Orun at the foot of Olodumare. In the mean time, some of us in Ifa neglect our own destinies by trying to control other people’s destinies. If the antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and fabricators really knew Ifa, they would not be what they are. Instead they would be learning Ifa and working on their own individual destiny. They would be doing all they could to promote the love of Ifa. Ifa teaches us that when we have serious problems, we should take it to Ifa so that we can live comfortable, with love, long life, a good mate, children and material wealth. By following Ifa, we acquire all of those mentioned above. We do not take it upon ourselves to destroy the destiny of another person.

It says so in Ofun Meji-Orangun meji:

Ifa says, Powerful Ifa must be used to resolve serious issues (life issues)
A powerful medicine must be used to counter another powerful medicine;
A fortune must be used to resolve Sere’s issue.
What If we have no money,
How will we resolve it (the problem)?
Cast Ifa for OLOKUN when all of the bodies of waters became her enemies.

Olokun’s plight is the very scenario that has befallen us, (Ayaba OchaBi Ifabuluje-Ifaseye Ika Meji, Ayaba-Oloye Erelu-Abiye Unisi-Tassinon (Ika Ofun) and the idea of American Ifa-Fa-Afa.  Our message is in regards to the lesson in Ofun Meji and other Sacred ODUS mentioned here.

The tree that Olorun has planted, nobody can rip from its roots (Ogbe Ate). Here is no winner(s), because ALL priests of Orunmila should not conspire against one another; all priests should think carefully about his/her life and behave well (Irete meji).

As our antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and the fabricators continue their path to destroy us, we thank Odi Meji for revealing what was hidden.

A din di odi, A din di Odi – what and who that hides the messages of heaven, Ifa will reveal it on earth; no matter what you say about us, it will be shown to the world (Odi Meji).

1. “WHEN YOU SPIT IN THE SKY, IT FALLS IN YOUR FACE”

Life is a journey. Love is the main attribute of Olodumare. As a famous mythologist once said, “Mythology is the womb of mankind’s initiation to life and death” (Joseph Campbell, 1990).  We all are born to die like the seasons, e.g. Fall, Winter and so-on. Nothing will stay the same…not me and not you.

We (Ayaba and Ayaba) started a spiritual journey, together. We worked and prayed hard, while making small slips and falls along the way. We raised our children and paid our way through school. We even paid for each of our initiations and made it through difficult lessons as we continued to develop with our ancestors, orisa, ifa and God. When people believe that, they are mighty and taller than anyone else, they have spit at God and will have return into their own faces. When our antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and fabricators took out what seems like 100 fraud pages on Facebook to destroy us, they were splitting in the sky; they are spitting in the face of God. They forgot millions of other people on facebook were reading. As they hid their identities and we blocked them, our friends and family on Facebook are still reading all their nasty comments and being affected by it. While everyone else read the nasty remarks of the antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and fabricators and their blatant abuse, WE, continued to take the injustices to Ifa and Ifa advice is that we continue along our paths as we are on the right path and that is spreading the awareness of the goodness of Ifa in all of its variations. It is because of Ifa that we have continued living and walking our destinies today despite, the curses, threats and the many attempts to belittle us.

We speak to you all with love and concern and we pray that you too have love and are concerned for us since we are all children of God. It could have been you and if it were you what would you do?  So we ask, why are these things still manifesting? Is it because we are continuously working Ifa?

2. “DO FOR DO, AIN’T NO OBEAH”

This means, do unto others as they would do unto you, literally.

Osa otura says, what is truth?
We say what is truth?
Orunmila says, truth is the laws of heaven, guiding the earth;
the wisdom of Olodumare is using great wisdom.
Truth is the word that cannot fall;
Ifa is truth, truth is the character of Olodumare,
Truth is the word that cannot spoil
Mighty, power, surpassing all,
Everlasting blessing
This was divined for the earth,
They said the people of the earth should be truthful.

Up until now, none of our antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and fabricators has been truthful about their activities as sons and daughters of Orunmila should be. They have spread propaganda while acting as if they are protecting people as a charity and their motive to destroy us. Are we not people too? When did God tell them to be destroyers of other people when all ODUS are remedies to HELP man along. The ODUS do not tell us to take matters into our own hands, or there would be no need for Ifa, period.

3. “TRY TO BE WISE AND YOU END UP OTHERWISE”

As it have been clearly stated from time to time, Lucumi is Lùkù mi, or Olùkù mi, meaning “My friend” in Ife dialect. There has not been any spiritually friendly and loving development by our antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and fabricators who says that they are Lucumi and/or respect the teachings of Lucumi.

A well known professor stated that; as African peoples and their Diaspora peoples living within and outside the continent, we will explore 100 Theses, one by one, for the need to orchestrate the Full and Unmitigated Reformation of Ifa and Other Orisa Based Agencies of African Divination, Worship, Belief Systems, Philosophies, Theology, Ancestral Adoration and Religions. Slavery, the most central tool used for the subjugation, confusion and control of peoples of Africa and its Diasporas has remained neglected, ignored, silenced and subordinated by cultural custodians, including Obas, Ijoyes, Babalawos, Iyanifas, Babalorisas, Iyalorisas, Oniseguns, Adahunses, and other indigenous spiritual leaders of Africa and its Diasporas–although these cultural custodians know fully well, or they are abjectly ignorant that without a full recognition, discussion and treatment of this historical cancer, it is impossible for peoples who look up to them to understand or fully benefit from indigenous systems of divinity (Moyo Okediji, Ifa University).

In other words, no one person have the monopoly on Ifa and another person destiny within the propagation of Ifa and orisa.

4. “WHAT SHOE YOU BUY, YOU WEAR, EVEN IF IT HURT YOUR TOE”

Odu Iwori Bosa says this is where you’ll find the wars in the world; Obatala (Ayaguna) the creator of wars; and
where one is not to be allowed to sit at your table with dirty hands. Meaning, if you don’t respect me, how do you want me to respect you; if you want me to give you something, what are you giving me. It is all about trust and not trickery.

“THIS ODU CLEARLY SPEAKS OF THE NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIVITIES”

It’s heartbreaking, that in our present times, there are those who point to their own interpretations of the ifa and governmental laws, who break the very rules they want to enforce. As the world continue to spin and conflicts escalate, pathology besets the orias/ifa communities and their families, more and more. What would Orunmila say about this? We have been falsely accused as frauds by once distinguished priests of this tradition whom by their actions against us removed their own distinctions. We find this particularly disturbing and hard to understand because Ifa is Ifa, we are ifa and they are ifa. We are not electing people to govern their destinies but they want govern ours.

5.  “NO MATTER HOW FAST THE MOONLIGHT RUN, DAY LIGHT CATCHES UP”

Every one of us sat down before Olodumare (God) prior to coming through to earth. We all made and accepted out destiny contract. Some chose to be president of the United States while others chose to be simple people in the world. Regardless, every one of us made an agreement with God. Traveling on the road to fulfilling that contract has been a challenge, from raising children to just living in the world but we are fulfilling our destinies to complete our contracts with Olodumare.  Out of love for Ifa, we pray that our antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and fabricators will come to the conclusion that their activities are incorrect behavior for Ifa priests. That Ifa-Fa-Afa will forgive them and elevate their ori and spirit.

We can not say often enough, if we had a million of your tongues supporting us that it would still not be enough to able to thank Ifa for the love, the guidance and the strength gained from doing good by Ifa

Ase ire o
Ayaba Ochabi Ifabuluje-Faseye IkaMeji

Ayaba-Oloye Erelu-Abiye Unisi-Tassinon (Ika Ofun)

This article is a response to a question posed by writers who have various viewpoints and perceptions about AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA

TAKING THE BIAS, LIES AND THE ILLUSIONS OUT OF THE ODUS OF IFA WITHOUT CHANGING OR LOSING THE FOUNDATION OF THE ODUS OF IFA

By Iyalemole Oloye IyaNifa Dr. Queenchiku Ngozi and Oloye Erelu Abiye Unsi Tassinon Iyanifa (Melba Farrell)

AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA is based on unification within our diversity and still be rooted to the foundation of IFA-FA-AFA.

AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA stands on the two legs of Odu Otura Meji which states as Ifa says, “a road leads from here, a road leads from there, when two roads merge, they taper down cast Ifa for Erinmodo tree who was made king over the trees in the forest“.

HYBRIDIZATION:

When a plant or animal is bred with a plant or animal from different stock, the process is known as hybridization. There are numerous reasons to create hybrids, including increasing genetic diversity and breeding for specific traits. It is frequently practiced in agriculture, to make stronger, healthier plants with desirable characteristics.

Hybridization in essence, describes the genetic diversity of the people living in the diaspora who are devoted to or practicing African Spirituality under the name of AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA. The devotees and/or practitioners are like the plants that undergo hybridization for the purpose of making them STRONGER, HEALTHIER and more DESIRABLE.

AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA does not see to change or rewrite the context of the Odus of Ifa as some may imply but instead, we seek to celebrate the diversity of those Odus that are expressed by diverse groups people who live in various places around the world.

STATEMENT 1:

O’Fae O’Fae posted in the Facebook group, Ifa-Orisa-Egun Talks, an African Babalawo’s perception on the Odu(s) of Ifa. Keep in mind that this is a comment made by a Yoruba born Traditional Babalawo. I think it fits this discussion as it brings to mind the stories written about the Odus and his reasons why change is being implied. The author’s name is at the end:

“Many stories we hear today about most of our Orisa are mere fabrications. The fabrications started from non-practitioners. Most of them intentionally fabricated stories to gain popularity or to denigrate our faith, while some of them (especially the historians and anthropologists) gathered the fallacious stories from people who either were not conversant with our religion or who had aversion for this faith. When we critically examine the story at times, it is difficult to filter out the intentional or unintentional fabrications added to distort the story/history and “downgrade” our Orisa to mere mortals like Ogun was born in Saki, Orunmila was a blind man from Nupe, Sango was the fourth king of Oyo who hanged himself (Oba to pokun so), Obatala was an albino from Ifan, Osun was a woman from Ekiti, Yemoja was the wife of a king of Saki, Oduduwa escaped death from Mecca, Ela was born by Moremi and so on. It needs divine reasoning to decipher the truth from the fallacy.

The attempt to deride Esu started in 1844 when Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowder started using Yoruba language to preach Christianity. It was then they started equating Esu with Satan/Devil. The blasphemous war against Sango started in 1921, when a man called Hethersett, who was then a head of a school in Lagos, Nigeria wrote the history of Sango. The man, who was a Christian wrote a story that Sango hanged himself and made people believe that that is why Sango is called Obakoso (the king did not hang) to protect his reputation. We are not sure whether the writer fabricated the story by himself or he gathered it from some sources. We know that a king once reigned in Oyo, whose Orisa was Sango. He reigned as the fourth king of Oyo. It might be that Hethersett was confused and was unable to decipher the king who was a devotee from the Orisa that the King followed. However, it is clear that Hethersett did that to destroy traditional religion in order to propagate Christianity especially when we think over the fact that Hethersett did not consult the previous works by people like Ellis (1894) and Denneth (1910) before he wrote the story. This is what Professor Akinwumi Isola noticed in the year 2000.

The irony of it which saddens one most is the fact that even, many of the followers of Ifa/Orisa faith believe in those stories. Many of the devotees talk bad about Esu and some are even shy of bearing names like Esuyemi, Esugbemi and so on because, they believe that Esu is the devil. Likewise, many devotees of Sango today believe in that story written first by Hethersett. They erroneously believe Sango to be the fourth Alaafin of Oyo who hanged himself. Alas! The fallacious stories have gained ground throughout the world.

It is high time we wiped out the fallacies that have overthrown the real history of the Oduduwa tribe. Let us do away with stories that are not firmly rooted in Ifa, the scripture of our religion. Let us not depend on the history of Oduduwa land or that of any Orisa which was/is written by christian fanatics or muslim jihadists who call themselves historians or anthropologists.

What is sure is that the destiny of our religion is in our hands. It is high time we started rewriting the stories of our Orisa for the coming generation to have documents to lay hands on. Let us encourage ourselves to write books of our religions by ourselves. Let no muslim or Christian write the stories of our Orisa for us. Let those who have useful information about each Orisa document such information for the posterity. Ase.”

BY Fayemi Fatunde Fakayode

COMMENT:

In 400 years, the Yoruba (African roots) spiritual ways of life have become a hybrid in America and the diaspora proper. America is the land of diversity that assimilates into one movement with individual arms. For example, People of Colour have looked to the Brazilians, Cubans, and the hill tops of the Caribbean for spiritual evolution and connection to their African roots. A good analogy of how this is being done can be taken from the example of what he Jewish did with their holy book, he TORAH. The Jews didn’t change the foundation of the Torah; they only adapted MODERN WAYS OF LIVING AND INCORPORATING THE STANDARDS OF THE TORAH. Even though there are your extremists in all forms, time does bring on a change that lessons the extremes but does not take away from the core essence of a thing.

CORE SYSTEM:

When we say IFA-FA-AFA, we are talking about the CORE OF THE ODUS. The system that works throughout any branch of African Spirituality is DIVINATION. The Odus are revealed by Divination and is the Core System by which is revealed the DESTINY of each individual person’s life. The Odus also contains the Sacred Patakis (Stories) of IFA-FA-AFA or whatever other names used to describe this CORE SYSTEM that serves as guidance for the individual on his or her life’s journey.

Then the BODY OF THE SYSTEM becomes the people who in their expressions of life, live the embodiments of the Odus. For example, a person, in the way they live, expresses the will of the Odus in their work with the Orisa(s) or any deity that is spoken about in the pataki(s) of the Odus. The Odu is gotten by various divination methods. (Ikin, Opele,, Cowrie Shells, Sand, Obi, Coins, and so-on) according to the types of methods used in the places where who are devoted to or practice Ifa-Fa-Afa live. Keep in mind that all Orisa (orishas) speaks through ODUS as well as our DIVERSED ancestors (not only of African origins but from other places in the world) and other entities. So over time, the application of the Odus became a separation and atomic division between levels of minds due to the process of outside religious interference such as Christianity, Islam, and so-on.

STATEMENT 2:

Questioned asked by an African-AMERICAN initiated in Traditional African rites but living in America.

1. Are we just practicing Ifa in America, or will we be able to add the struggles and victories of our experiences to the narrative?
2. Will we write Odu reflecting the sacrifices made of our ancestors to bring the taste of freedom to our lips?
3. Is this not our chance to tell the true story of how the practice of Ifa survived the African American experience?
4. Is this a part of American IFA-FA-AFA ?

By Iyanifa Fajemirola Ifetayo Fakayode

COMMENT:

Any time you take plants or humans from any other country and relocate them to another country, they have to adapt and incorporate to their environment to survive and grow. Removing the elements that cause stagnation and combining or fusing the structures that strengthen the foundation to continue to developing and produce. In 2015 there is a new developing spiritual bond with other spiritual sub-levels which establishes hybridization called AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA.

BONDING:

For instance, a bonding and incorporating process would look like this for example:

Yoruba (2Y), Lucumi (2Ly), Candomble (2Cy) and People of Colour (2PCyz) = YLCPCyz^4 = HYBRIDIZATION.

It doesn’t take away the 400 years of struggles from the People of Colour; it is incorporated, adopted and assimilated into the pores of the Americans and other peoples of the Diasporas who live according to Odu Ifa/orisa (Orisha and) ancestral practices and rituals. The Odus are the roots and foundation of this way of life. In America, People of Colour who embrace this form of living can move easily into spiritual elevation by adapting and incorporating the availability of what were presented within the 400 years on this side of the world. Basically, we need to look at the various ways which one Odus are being interpreted. Then, analyze how the concept of hybridization fit our modern environment and socialization to the world.

For instance,
1) There is no need to re-write odu or invent new ones, because the original odu are the foundation in which this way of life was created and pored from.

2) Take and remove illogical and irrational jargon while keeping it realistic and unbiased.

3) Remove the mystical assumption that it is abusive and discriminatory remarks. It is the fundamentals of Odu and directions for African Americans and or People of Colour who are adopting to this way of life under the conceptual framework of American Ifa-Fa-Afa.

FULL MOON COMING !!! August 29th, 2015 – The super moon

The full moon brings victory:

Odu Irete ‘Yeku….
A te yeku o yi won berepe
Igba abere ko toko
Igba irawo o to su
Adifa fun igba irawo ti nba Osupa sota
Kile o fosu se
Pataki ni tosu ninu ojo
Eyin o mope igba irawo ko ni le mole to Osupa lailai
A te mole oyi won berepe