American Ifa Review the War of Orunmila: Why two yearly reading Odus in Nigeria

Aboru aboye abosise, greetings to all;

“War of the Roses” or may I say the “War of Orunmila”; or better yet, the “War on life”. The different Odus out of West Africa in the past weekend reminded me of a movie called the “War of the Roses”. The movie was about a married couple who has out grown each other, but together they have accumulated knowledge, material wealth, and children. This scenario is now playing out for the worshipers of Ifa. For instance, Solagbade Popoola, the assumed President of ICIR (2015-8) statedgun

 

“Ile Ife (WAS NOT) where the Odu of the World has always been cast, [because] a great Awo called Orisasona [in 1956] gathered all Awo in Yorubaland together and pleaded for cooperation …to build a Temple for Orunmila [called] Oke Itase Temple … in Ile Ife” (Popoola).

 

In the ‘War of the Roses’, the couple had out grown each other’s company, and wanted to go their separate ways. Yet, there were financial and ownership issues. The Roses sought advice from their friends, but no one wanted to compromise and equitably divide the wealth they had accumulated. In the case of ICIR, for instance, Popoola continued to state in that same document that Professor Wande Abimbola (Christian), Araba Ifayemi Elebuibon (Ifa), and Professor Odeyemi,

 

“…wanted to see Ile Ife become great again [since], So the festival being international is really a recent thing. Up till today, the Ife people still celebrate their own Itase rites. As late as 1980, there was nothing like a International Annual Ifa Festival in Ile Ife. There was no such thing. By that time, the Ife people were still insisting that the Itase festival should remain an Ile Ife ceremony and were insistent against outsiders being involved” (Poopla 2015).

 

In relationships, there are always signs of trouble before the final separation. On June 6th, ” Popoola’s camp made a pilgrimage to land of Orunmila and divined for the Odu of the year. The Odu was Ogunda Masa (Osa). At this point, it doesn’t matter if it is ire or ibi (osogbo). It will not make a difference because of the energy of the Odu OGUNDA and the energy of OSA. In the War of the Roses’ the couple did everything they could to disgrace and humiliate each other. It was a game theory tactic, which did not work. This same point is illustrated in Ogunda Masa, which says that Ifa speaks about “monetary gains by spiritual fidelity”. Spiritual fidelity means, there is a “faithfulness to a person, cause or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support” (Dictionary). Both scenarios, “War of the Roses” or may I say the “War of Orunmila”; and even better, the “War on life” lacked the understanding of life; not just for themselves but for the population in which they claim to have in their best interest. In other words, Ogunda Masa states that a relationship between people becomes separated because they abandon and throw away their principles to the Orisa and others. In the “War of the Roses”, the estranged couple continue to break the law to win the battle. They used unethical behavior and had friends spy and lie. For example, the two ICIR factions have the Iya, Olomitutu and her unethical behavior cause destruction in the main area of support – America/Diaspora. In Ogunda Masa, Ifa speaks of how Ogunda crossed, which is the story of how Ogun trespassed on Olofin’s road and Olofin said that Ogun broke the law. Olofin said, “I let him do it if he wants to lose the meanings of life, I find the meaning of death” (Ogunda Masa). In the ‘War of the Roses” Mrs. Rose consultants a lawyer (Ifa) about her dilemma and the lawyer told her the same thing that Ifa told Popoola’s camp in Ogunda Masa. Ifa said, “Pat your belly and blow the sickness away.” He added, “This is simply to be honest with yourself”. Why? Because it reflects your life destiny and leads others to think that the situation is more difficult than it is; that the situation is more about the debt you need to fix than the shoddy action which is a pending situation that you must rectify.

 

Osa as Ogunda calls you to care for every detail in your life as a shield to the problems that are occurring. Because Orunmila has emphasized the religious procedures since this astral certifies that the instruments of Ifa that you used to guess by not having the proper consecration may not be effective to the needy; therefore, being honest to the world as a state of consciousness into your processes of life, and we all know that actions have consequences.”

 

In other words, Ogunda Masa is saying the damage is staying directly in your brain as an imbalance or mental illness that is a psychological, psychic and spiritual condition. It is important to understand the malevolent and malicious actions, arrogance, coldness, pride and any other negative acts that you did and or do effects the lives of others. So Mrs. Rose…expect tragedy.

 

Meanwhile, Mr. Rose has consulted a lawyer (Ifa) as well. This other camp in Ile Ife, has initiated many people in the diaspora and has placed an “American” Araba named Adedayo Ologundudu in the ideology of governance over the American/Diaspora’s Orisa Ifa practitioners. (This Araba is NOT an American). Odu Ofun Osa came to tell this camp that Ifa said, “Pat your belly, hands behind your ears, over your eyes and blow the sickness away” (Ofun Osa). This is about a person whose life is becoming confused and that the only solution is spiritual redemption. While everything seems fine in the present, disaster lies ahead. In addition, Ifa suggests, “understanding why there is a war between the sun and moon”. Ifa states that your whole life which you stand for will be turned upside down. You will not know what or who to trust because you have been blinded from the truth or lied to by the same person who smiled at you through tiny eyes…Now it is a mess. As soon as you think things are going good, all hell will break loose and disaster will present itself. Ifa continues, it speaks of weakness, misdirected energies, illness, in consequence, ignorance and treason. For instance, Popoola (2015-6) stated that if he “chose [NOT] to stay silent… Ile Ife would not be in its position today.”

 

In all scenarios, Ofun Osa states if the world becomes rotten and destroyed it will be because no one no longer knows how to behave with one another. The ‘War of the Roses” ends with death; both camps have created their own suicidal plans, which makes all their fears (American Ifa, P. Neimarks, and Awo Falokun) look like hope and enlightenment [lol].

COMMENT:

Personally, they (both ICIR camp/ Ile Ife) have proven that they are incompetent to lead any of us in the Diaspora into the new stages of Ifa/orisa and egun practices. They must thank Olomitutu for her contribution to us learning about the imperfections of the people we here in the Diaspora trusted and believed. If she wouldn’t have pushed others of like minds to defame and declared Ifa wars with us; this may would had continued flying over our heads, we would have never learned about the 1% rule and no cuts.

The movie clip: War of the Roses (<<<<<https://youtu.be/5ebv3i_9Ltc>>>)

American Ifa Letter to Oya

A letter to OYA…

Today I give honor to one of my mothers. I have not forgotten you, Oya. Many people have put away their orisa when they make Ifa. I have not, Mother. I know 18 years have passed. I still love you, honor and respect you as I did yesterday, when I didn’t have Ifa. You have done so much for me; when man has failed to lift me as well as my own birth mother… you did so. When my own brothers and sisters had forgotten me and treated me as a stranger…you didn’t. You and the other orisa (Obatala, Oshun, Sango, Yemaya, etc.) have been there for me since the beginning of my existence. You have taught me so much in a short time and you have carried me such a far distance in this world. You have saved me from destruction and you have removed the assholes that were in my life. You brought the ancestors to all my initiations including the one where the elders gave me my first name OchaBi. I was named after one of the greatest women in our faith. Maferefun Oya! No, Mother, I have not forgotten you. I love you…So today is the day I tell the world a little bit about your greatness in my life…. OYA

To Oya with love

To Oya with love

Omo Orisa

Omo Orisa By Apetibii Efunyale, Copyright ©2015 Terri L. Bailey. All rights reserved.

I am a child of Orisa

Esu stands up for me

At each and every reading

Guiding me, protecting me, loving me

Quietly, whispering truth to me

And if there is a need scolding me oh yes indeed

 

I am a child of Orisa

Omo Obatala

Whose light shines bright like the northern star

Owner of all crown chakras and ori

I’m so proud that He claimed me

Said baby you must never be a slave of a slave

And came home with me before I got made

Creator of humans, He bought light to the night

No straddling the fence you betta come right

Meferafun Obatala He who owns all that is white

 

Olokun too is here with me

Olokun Olokun owner of the sea

Nobody knows ‘bout all your mysteries

They try to measure your depth and study your breadth, but all efforts equate to a giant misstep

Because just when they think they have reached the very bottom of the sea

Olokun opens up and makes them travel more deeply

More darkly and inevitably, they have to scream

“The sea is just a great mystery”

And I smile and say

That’s Olokun Awade

 

Omo Orisa

I have my warriors here with me

Esu, Ogun, Ochossi and Osun

Who will fight for me, protect me and if you mess with me

I’ll tell my Babas and they’ll get you for me

But they do not uphold what ain’t right

They can spot deception in the dead of night

So don’t be acting like they will defend you just because

Or that they will bestow on you some type of blind love

Oh no no no not these ones right here

Their warth is something you ought to fear

So I keep them happy serving them every week

Offering rum, smoke, palm oil and oriki

Asking for guidance in life and forgiveness for my wrongs

And ending with a kiss and a praise song

Now most recently, Orunmila called for me and named me Abetebi

What a great honor and responsibility

Hand in hand I’m in the service of Ifa

The wife of the great and knowledgeable Orunmila

Making sure his area is clean

And that His guests are comfortable until they are seen

Oh don’t think that means to you I’m in servitude

And that because I may serve you, you can give me attitude

My position is one that demands much respect

Disrespect me and watch my Baba get vexed

If you really want to challenge me or try to mess me around

My Baba will swiftly correct you and I won’t need to make a sound

Every four days I give extra praise by dutifully doing Dafa

Giving honor, love and glory to the magnificent Orula

I bow down and kiss the mat and to Him I joyfully say

I love you with all my heart Baba Aboru, Aboye, Abosise

 

Oma Orisa

Soon I will be knocking on Ocha’s door

Begging for secrets, tools and more

Taking up the mantle and doing duties of a priest

Tirelessly, relentlessly battling the beast

Building a museum for the Gods that love me so

With Orisa by my side as high as Orun I can go

Oh how I love this culture its my life, my love and breath

I will forever be in service even long after my death

And when I become an ancestor sent to assist my seed

To their soul I will whisper, Orisa and Ifa is all you’ll ever need

Ase!

AMERICAN IFA: Welcome

Welcome to American Ifa!

American Ifa is the place where you can feel comfortable learning, working and understanding Orisa and Ifa  (African Spirituality) as expressed in different systems,  particularly, Traditional  West African and Lukumi (Cuban-Diaspora). American Ifa lives by the premises of FREEDOM, PRIDE and UNITY. We implore you to feel FREE to venerate and practice your way of life that instills PRIDE not only for Ifa and Orisha but for the place in which you live. In American Ifa you  are FREE to venerate and practice with your Ifa and Orishas that you have received from different systems without ridicule from the other. American Ifa is the place that fosters the environment that allows us the FREEDOM to learn about different cultures and the ways in which we live the Ifa and Orisa experience.  American Ifa allows us to connect to our extended families of Ifa/Orisa people WORLDWIDE and the opportunity to foster UNITY among ourselves.  SO CHEERS TO OUR ANCESTORS WHO BROUGHT US TO IFA AND ORISA WHO IN THEIR OWN WAY KEPT IFA AND ORISA ALIVE IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS AND IN SO DOING WE WERE ABLE TO SPREAD IFA AND ORISA AROUND THE WORLD!  ASE! ASE! ASE O! OLOYE FAPOUNKA AYABA EEGUNGBEMI (OFAE) DR. AYABA OCHABI AWODELE-IFASEYE