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Egbe Orun. The comrades of heaven. Ifayemisi Elebuibon Brainfolk African Image llc Copyright © 2019 Ifayemisi Elebuibon All rights reserved Brainfolk African Image llc Iyalajemarket www.iyalajemarket.com No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher. Cover Picture by: Ifayemisi Elebuibon Printed in the United States of America Contents Title Page Copyright Dedication Acknowledgment Preface CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN FAQ References About The Author For my daughter, Ifadabira. My Ẹgbẹ́ clan I do this for you. So, you can be proud. Ojú ò ní wa ti o. We will never be ridiculed. Acknowledgment I wish to express my humble and sincere appreciation to my mother, Oyelola Ajibola Elebuibon, for initiating me into Òrìsà Ẹgbẹ́. Thank you for sharing with me your wealth of knowledge and experience as a priestess of Ẹgbẹ́. To my sister Oyinkansola Elebuibon for being my muse. To my brother Akinsoji Ifagunwa Elebuibon for validating Ifa verses for me. Awoyinfa and Ifatoki, I am forever in your debt. Thank you for your love and support. To my daughter Champion Bira, for giving me the peace and sometimes quietness needed to work on this project. I love you. To my family and friends whose stories I shared in this book. Above all, I give thanks to Olodumare for the continuous flow of wisdom and inspiration. Preface The purpose of this book is to share with one and all the unique, power and influence of the spirit of Ẹgbẹ́ Orun. The information contains there in are gathered from personal experience and reports from family, and priestesses of Ẹgbẹ́. The information may help readers understand what Ẹgbẹ́ is, at the same time, gaining deeper understanding on proper interpersonal relationships as it relates to the teaching about Ẹgbẹ́ Orun. You may not accept some of the information presented in Chapter 3 section ii, of this book at face value from me. However, you are encouraged to try to fully understand what I present in this book, reprocess your personal experiences and those of people around you and then juxtapose what I shared. In addition to having personal experience and witnessing credible moment of Ẹgbẹ́ power and possession, I used the account of people around me to gain deeper understanding into the world of Ẹgbẹ́ spirit. With the existence of all these and supporting Ifa stories account on Ẹgbẹ́ Orun, the only conclusion outside the scientific and psychological world, is that Ẹgbẹ́ spirit do exist. IFAYEMISI ELEBUIBON CHAPTER 1 1. ẸGBẸ́ AIYÉ, ẸGBẸ́ Ọ̀RUN SPIRITUAL COMRADES The world is made up of two separate and yet co existing planes. The earth world and the spiritual world. The natural world includes everything we see around us, the spiritual world consists of the unseen realities that we do not fully encounter until we are one with the spirit, in trance or maybe after death. As human, we can operate between the real world and the world of spirit in. Whenever two or more people are together, they exchange magnetic vibrations with each other. The stronger magnetism, be it positive or negative, usually prevails. So, the larger the group, the stronger its power. More so, the activities and responsibilities of these groups depend on collective effort and powers. Susan Wenger, in her book, A life with Orisa in their homeland (1983), makes it known that, Ẹgbẹ́ is a religious entity which represents God’s own emotional spectrum as it is reflected through the multiplicity and complexity of everyone’s world of feelings. According to Dr Ifabunkumi Adewale, he described Ẹgbẹ́ as the positive forces that enables our connectivity with other elements of life. These said forces, are established during and after our completion of seven major activities. He further explained that Ẹgbẹ́ is our spiritual double, soulmate, astral friend, cosmic companion or spiritual next of kin. Ẹgbẹ́ is attributed with companionship, spiritual assistance, dreams and lucidity, emotions, instinct, reconnecting one’s soul with the divine. Ẹgbẹ́ in Yoruba language means society or group. Such societies or group are formed like our earthly societies to fulfil certain purpose, mission and objectives. Ẹgbẹ́ has been described as Enikeji orun, the partner or mate in heaven. This second person can be our look alike, our fraternal twins, friend or mere associate. However, the concept of alter egos and double spirit, the non-biological look alike of a person has appeared in stories, myths, religious concepts and traditions of many cultures throughout human history. In ancient Egyptian mythology, ‘ka’ was a tangible ‘spirit double’ having the same memories and feelings as the person to whom the counterparts belong. Personally, I feel since the spirit of Ẹgbẹ́ cannot be manifested without a human body, I believe Ẹgbẹ́ is our second self, our soul representative in heaven, our thoughts, our inner voice, our monologues, the connection we transfer and shared with other people, one of our many lenses into the spiritual world. Ẹgbẹ́ is the mirror through which we see our self and others from past life and present life. When we talk about Ẹgbẹ́ spirit, we are not looking towards other people we are looking inward to our self, we are projecting our personal experiences and relationship. Ẹgbẹ́ is us and we are Ẹgbẹ́. Every individual on earth belongs to a spiritual fellowship in heaven. In the realm of spirit, we have different fraction and denomination, with unique abilities. As a person with spiritual mates, we share in their secrets and powers. There is an invisible double of each human being constantly feeding life into the physical body by filtering higher frequency energy influences of the physical world. In our spiritual form before our earthly journey, we have self-awareness of who we are, the destiny we choose and who we fellowship with. But upon arriving on earth, we got lost in the amnesia of birth and we are now bond with the ordeal of rediscovering our self, retracing our path back to our Ẹgbẹ́ Orun and reestablishing relationship with them through initiation, offering and ritual. Traditionally, the belief in spirit was shared by all the inhabitants of the world at a time when there was no other form of religious belief system. It has instilled both fear and wonder in people for thousands of years. It is believed that all human beings belong to one Ẹgbẹ́ or another either physically or spiritually for its often said that Ẹni tí kò ní Ẹgbẹ́ ayé kò lè ní t’ọ̀run, those who do not have a fellowship on earth, will not have in heaven. There are, however, skeptics who openly declare their disdain and disbelief in the custom and dismiss the whole concept of Ẹgbẹ́ Orun as thing of dark ages, backward and superstitious. But with widespread information and book like this, the attitude of the people in Africa is sure to change. For we live in a parallel universe in which everything in this world is replicated in another dimension. Being an Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ is not unnatural, not evil, or perverse, just all things in balance, and everything in divine order. Odu Ifa Osa meji said thus. Òsá méjì Ìsáhùnsá méjì ni tara won jẹ́jẹ́jẹ́ Adífá fún ẹgbé aiyé, abù fún t’ọ̀run Bọ̀rọ̀kínín ọ̀run òníjé ḱi t’ayé o tẹ Bòròkínín òrun ẹgbàmí, ta yé n tẹ́ lo Translation Two pots hit each other gently Divined for Ẹgbẹ́ on earth and that of heaven Comrade in heaven will not allow the ones on earth to be put to shame Heavenly mate, come to my aid, don’t let me be put to shame. The Odu above is one of many Odu Ifa that established that Ẹgbẹ́ Orun truly exist, that we have relationship with them, hence why we call for their aid when in trouble, it also show that if we propitiate, our spiritual comrades will come to our aid and we will notare placed at the bottom of the Awe. It usually contains water which are used for spiritual healings. 4. Àtòrì Àtòrì is the name of a tree, the stick can also be found in Ẹgbẹ́ shrine. Some Ẹgbẹ́ spirt are known to use the base of Àtòrì tress as their abode. 5. Food and fruits bowl Ẹgbẹ́ are most time propitiated by food and fruits and thins that attracts children. Hence why food and treats are most time present in Ẹgbẹ́ shrine. 6. Igbá (calabash) Calabash is used to carry offering out. It is also use as a vessel doing the process of Igbá dídì containing ritual items. Other item use in Ẹgbẹ́ shrine include, shea butter, palm oil, kola nut and gin. III. FEEDING ẸGBẸ́. Just as each human crave special food, so does the Ẹgbẹ́ spirit. Human and the deities end up in a symbiotic relationship, with the human providing the belief and worship to the gods, and the gods providing assorted divine miracle in return. Foods, fruits and animals are the provision for feeding during rituals in Ẹgbẹ́ worship. It is important to feed your Ẹgbẹ́ regularly. We feed Ẹgbẹ́ Orun to bring good fortune, as gratitude, when in need, to maintain relationship. Ifa divination can direct a person to feed Ẹgbẹ́ as part of sacrifice, you can also feed Ẹgbẹ́ when you need to start a project or need them to come to your aid. You can also feed Ẹgbẹ́ just because your intuition directed you to do so. Whenever we are feeding Ẹgbẹ́ spirit, praying or performing ritual, it is important to create a devotional state. We should be in a calm, peaceful and contemplative frame of mind while invoking the Ẹgbẹ́ spirit down. In any spiritual endeavor, it is important to maintain a high standard of cleanliness, ourselves also should be clean. Maintain a meditative consciousness of positive mindset as you are performing these activities. The deity will surely accept your offerings and prayers. When in dire need of Ẹgbẹ́ assistance or in critical situation. You can go naked in front of Ẹgbẹ́, jewelry off and make a pact. You pray deeply and declare what you will give in return should your situation changes for good and watch them make magic happens. We can make spiritual progress by learning how to take care of our Ẹgbẹ́. Our devotion and divine grace subtly transformed the food offered from material nutrition to spiritual mercy. IV. GUIDE TO ẸGBẸ́ FEEDING. This guideline is for when you are doing your regular devotional prayer or when you don’t have the assistance of an Ẹgbẹ́ priestess. It is helpful if you already have an alter/shrine set up somewhere in your home. On this alter should be your Ẹgbẹ́ icons and pots. When feeding Ẹgbẹ́ ensure you have at least six different items, that is for big offering, but when Ẹgbẹ́ is specific, you can offer just what was requested. *Get two kola nut and a small bowl of water. Make your prayers on the kola nut and touch your head and chest with it when done with prayers. *Knock on your pot, open and begin chanting the spirit of Ẹgbẹ́ down by reciting ifa verses for Ẹgbẹ́, Oríki and praise names. * Knee before Ẹgbẹ́, pray on the kola nut and other items. Throw your first kola and interpret the message. Once this is done, give the food and fruits items to Ẹgbẹ́. You can also get additional tray to put some part of the offering into as well. This will go to Esu. If you are using animals as part of offering, do food/fruits offering first before the animal offering. Put the animal blood on the offering in your pot and on the tray as well. Spray gin and pour palm oil on it. *The next thing to do is to throw the second Kola nut. Interpret the message and take the offering out to Esu. Traditional food that can be feed to Ẹgbẹ́ include Akara (fried bean ball), Ekuru (white bean cake), Moin moin (palm oil bean cake), Eko, aadun, egg, popcorn, peanut, coconut, honey. Fruits like sugar cane, banana, orange, etc. Food that attracts children and adult can be use and not everyone can eat traditional African food. The food for offering can be put inside the Ẹgbẹ́ pot and around the bottom of the Awe pot. This is possible if the feeding is done in the house of a priestess or perhaps if the individual has awe pot buried and consecrated for them. In a well-established environment, after the Ẹgbẹ́ spirt are fed, the priestess will ask if the Ẹgbẹ́ will share the remains with the people. If this is a yes, the fruits and food offering will be placed in a tray and shared among participants and everyone available. 5. IGBÁ DÍDÌ/ ERU ẸGBẸ́. Experience have shown us that if something is given, something is gained. We have also known from experience that sacrifice and offering can buy the goodwill of the deities. This transactional approach is what priestess of Ẹgbẹ́ employ when dealing Ẹgbẹ́ Orun for people who are been troubled by their Ẹgbẹ́ orun. Igbá dídì or Eru Ẹgbẹ́ is a form of appeasement done out of necessity as a final resort when all elementary offering has been done to rid a person of Ẹgbẹ́ related affliction. Such affliction can be trouble with spirit husband or sickness. Priestess of Ẹgbẹ́ will consult with Ẹgbẹ́ orun to identify what they will accept as sacrifice and appeasement to release the person from their wrath. This is done to know in specific of the items to gather, as each ceremony is different because each situation is peculiar and handled differently as the case may be. Gathering materials for the ritual can be made difficult by Ẹgbẹ́ orun, especially if the person has a spiritual husband or wife. In some cases of dealing with malevolent Ẹgbẹ́ spirit the individual to whom the ritual is to be performed for can also influence the procurement of the items as they do not want to leave the group. A true-life story of one of my mother’s client’s daughter who is accused of using her malevolent Ẹgbẹ́ spirit to steal money from her mother. Each time the woman returns home from the market, she will keep her profit, only to wake up and find the money missing. This become a regular occurrence and she had a divination where it was uncovered that it was her daughter who was taking her money. She prepared to do Igbá dídì for her daughter, but all the money she had saved for the ceremony went missing. The surprising part was that she does not live in the same house with her daughter. My mother instructed her to bring the money to her directly next time and not take it home. She instructed her to bring her daughter and hide the purpose of the meeting from her. When the daughter arrived, they asked her why she was taking her mother money and she denied any knowledge of it or to even belonging to any Ẹgbẹ́. When the ritual begins, she burst into tears and was pleading. Once the item of ritual is identified and procured, preparation for the placation are made. The individual is sat down on a stool while the priestess of Ẹgbẹ́ perform preliminary ritual, they will also chant Ẹgbẹ́ down. The Eru Ẹgbẹ́ will be placed on the person head and will be taken to the appointed place where the Ẹgbẹ́ spirit is to accept the items. Some may be in white robe, marked with efun (white chalk) and osun (camwood). The priestess will continue to chant down Ẹgbẹ́, while men will lay in wait to assist the priestess should the individual get possessed by spirit. During the process of Igbá dídì, the temperament of the Ẹgbẹ́ must be identified and treated accordingly. A mere task of putting the prepare Eru Ẹgbẹ́ down from the head of the person may seem difficult as some Ẹgbẹ́ refuse to let the person go. Some people have been reported to get stuck in one position and get possessed by Ẹgbẹ́ spirit. Upon the completion of the ritual, the priestess will return home bearing gift and offering to Ẹgbẹ́ for accepting the appeasement and to rid herself of any negative energy that she may have exposed herself to during the ritual. Feast are then made because among the living guest will be the Ẹgbẹ́ spirit who have come to partake in the offering. Eru Ẹgbẹ́ is performed by high priestess of Ẹgbẹ́ who have perfected their craftand have experience performing the ritual. If it is not done by a knowledgeable person, it can have adverse effect on the person who performed the ritual and the afflicted as well. CHAPTER SIX 1. GENERATIONAL SPIRITUAL INHERITANCE. A person’s sense of being which is connected to higher being can be inherited. In other words, you can create a spiritual legacy and pass it on to your children. Some people, with their ancestor lack self-identification as Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ or perhaps Olorisa, in such situation, certain uncomfortable questions arise; How much of a hereditary power is in anyone without self-acknowledgement? People can have powers and have it mostly dormant for decades until someone in the lineage tap into the spiritual essence and awaken this power and connections. A person with spiritual ancestor is a person of spiritual power. The reality is that we all like to think we are special, and to some degree, we are. There are so many people with spiritual ancestors, who have such a high degree and long lineage of powerful people. It is hard for most people to come up with an unbroken self-awareness identity in spirituality longer than two or three generations due to the introduction of Western religion, the failure of the ancestors to properly indoctrinate the descendants and the stigmatization of been refer to as a witch or wizard negatively. For me, my paternal ancestors are notable Hunters and Babalawo. Both my parents are Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́, I am an Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ as well as my daughter. My dad’s mother went to request for him from Osun deity, he is from water spirit. With all these in my bloodline, the chances of me or anyone in my bloodline possessing certain spiritual power, knowledge and abilities is high. Hunters are known to possess powerful charm and medicine, deal with spiritual entities as well as Ifa priests. Due to the high spiritual power they possessed, consumes and process, it changes them from ordinary to extra ordinary spiritual humans. As such, when they have children, they are born with certain abilities as well. Certain talents and spiritual power can stay within a bloodline and pass down to future generations. A family can also experience a continuous return of people from the same Ẹgbẹ́ realm. Look into your family tree, being descendant from people who are spiritual and powerful is an indication of possessing certain abilities. 2. SPIRITUAL GIFT/POWER/TALENT As a child, we are born naturally spiritual. Children possess an innate spiritual compass that is part of their biological endowments. It must be cultivated to flourish, if not, it will remain dormant and later wither away as a child losses his/her innocence. In some cases, some of this gift will not manifest until adulthood. Spiritual gift that are not used or developed can apparently be lost. Many people with strong Ẹgbẹ́ can be endowed with extraordinary power, given to them by virtue of their spiritual comrades in heaven. Some of this ability are clairvoyance, vivid dreamer, intuitive reader to mention but a few. *Intuitive reader While some diviner/practitioner refer to a manuscript to pronounce a divination, an intuitive reader simply speaks out of their intuition and spirit guide without any books or note. *Clairvoyance The ability of clear hearing of spirit. There are many people who are clairaudient walking around who don’t even know they have this superior intuitive gift. *Vivid Dreamers. They can receive premonitions and visions through dreams. They can be transformed and channel through their subconscious and receive information from spirits. They can see the dead in dreams and receive message from them. Most people cannot control these abilities 3. TRANCE (Ẹ̀GÙN) For thousands of years, humanity has utilized various techniques to enter altered states of consciousness which open a door into the spirit realm. Trance state are bridges to the unconscious and the earthy hidden realms of our souls. Going into trance is an involuntary process whereby a body is taking out of its conscious state and possessed by spirit. In Yoruba spiritual practice, the process of going into trance is called Egun. The word is formed from ‘gun’ which mean to climb or mount. The person going into trance is called Elegun. Been able to be possessed or mounted by a spirit is one of the many characteristic traits of an Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́. Though the natural ability to go into trance is not giving to everybody. For those with this gift, it takes time for them to be able to dwell in and be able to receive and deliver messages. Trance is an altered form of consciousness in which a person is neither fully awake nor fully asleep. The trance state involves walking between the world of the conscious and subconscious mind. It opens a door to the other side of reality. When a person goes into trance, they are ascending to the greater power and mind, they are in between our physical world and that of the spirit. The first time I experienced a trance like state was during my teenage years. I was dancing with my siblings at night, there was no drum, so we mimic the beat by mouth. We are singing Orisa songs and I knew I felt strange, I couldn’t control it so I fell and couldn’t move my body; I was semi- conscious because I could hear people screaming but the noise seems so far away. I tried to pull myself out of the state but couldn’t. The next thing I remembered was sitting at my fathers’ feet and saw my siblings and people in my house all staring at me. My father was said to have recited some incantations on my head before I could wake up. My sibling teased me about this incident for a while and it still get brought up occasionally. My brother Awoyinfa won’t let me forget that I once lost consciousness. I believed this was the first time the portal into another realm begins to open for me. After the incident, each time I participate in Orisa drumming and dance, I do get possessed by Ẹgbẹ́ spirit. But all I could do then was cry uncontrollable as most people do when they first starting to get possessed. I did not see anything, I did not hear any message, it was all blanked like been in a pitch-dark room. But I wanted to cry, crying seems to be all I do whenever I get possessed then. My breakthrough of going into trance was the one I had already mentioned earlier on in this book where I was screaming, I never said I wanted to come to this world on my mother’s Ẹgbẹ́ and Obatala festival. The thing I notice was the extra energy I felt around me; I have the sudden rise in adrenaline and my dance step become more agile. I feel more energetic and have the impulse to talk. I can’t censor my utterance. The vision I saw was that of familiar faces and I was delivering messages about the individual I had seen. It was like watching a movie played, where you are been introduced to each character. When I was done with one person, the image of another person to give message to will appear like filling a slot. Because of the sensitive nature of the message I was delivering, I was retired into my room where only few people who can be trusted are left with me to document the messages. After this incident, I try as much as possible to stay away when there is Orisa drums been played to avoid been possessed by the spirit. There is nothing wrong about allowing the spirit to channel through one, it is just my personal decision and it is not that I can help it if the spirit choose me as vessel to inhabit again. Moreover, once I get possessed, it ends the party. There has been instance where people doubt the credibility of an Elegun. Some people have been accused of taking advantage of their gift to deliver their own message by faking possession and pretend to be speaking for the Orisa. I can’t deny this happening because, before I had my own personal encounter, myself and my younger siblings used to play most night pretending that we are possessing. My mother will always frown at this, but to us, it just an innocent child play. Her reason been when it happenedto us for real, people will cast doubt on us, and the message been delivered. In fact, the night my sibling claimed I had fainted, was one of those night that we play around and then it got real. When I was younger, I have debated in my head over time, if the dizziness from the circular motion of the dance steps and the energic rhythm of the drums is the only thing responsible for sending people into trance. Evidently, I have seen people who know nothing about Orisa get possessed by spirit while minding their business. They know not what the drum is saying and got mounted while been a spectator. This happened to one of my cousins, she was visiting for my mother festival, a Christian by birth and she got possessed while watching people sing and danced to Orisa drums. Today, she is an initiate. The feeling described is they suddenly have goose bumps on their body, they can feel the hair on their head standing and then the sudden scream when they get touched by the spirit. A person who is already mounted by the Orisa can touch another person and transfer the energy to them and they get possessed as well. Listening to songs can send one into trance, reciting chant and Oriki can send one into trance especially Ẹgbẹ́ pípè can send one into trance. I have had a close relation who can go into trance from her sleep. It occurs differently for everyone. This gift of going into trance that happen for some people easily and freely at a young age or few years of participating in spiritual activities, can take years for others. It is believed that those who desperately wanted it, never get chosen by the spirit and some people are believed to be stubborn and hardened hearted which can block the spirit from moving through them. My younger sister Oyinkansola used to be wanting to go into trance. She wanted it, she was desperate to experience how it feels to go into trance, but it never happened for her. In fact, I do tease her and call her a wooden doll with no feelings. The day she finally got possessed, I believed it was one of her happiest moment. It is not a good thing to make other feel inferior just because they don’t have the gift to involuntary go into trace. This intimidation can force people into faking possession. Let us be reminded that our focus should not be on comparing ourselves with others, but on our own spiritual growth. For instance, one man can exist and be connected to a spiritual sphere, while another person in the same place can be connected to another sphere of quite a different level. A person is as connected on the level of his/her spiritual development. Since no one on earth is harmoniously developed, you may at one point be connected to a particular spirit and when your mood changes, the currents coming out of your soul, your subconscious and conscious mind will connect you to an energy that correspond to your vibration. I was speaking with one of my god sisters who found herself been accused of faking possessing after she said she remember what she said and saw while she was in trance. I remembered my first time and messages clearly today as I write like I did when it happened, and it is over eleven years ago. It is still fresh in my mind. Remembering messages and been semiconscious cannot invalidate a person message if they are not faking it. I was once asked why people sometimes refrain others from getting mounted by the Orisa back home in Yoruba land. It is not about been withheld because the messages that have been delivered from different sources have saved lives. But the constraint is because people get hurt physically during egun when they loss control of themselves. They can fall and hit their head on the ground. Some women if not clothe well can expose themselves unintentional indecently to the public, when their wrapper come loose. Most importantly, some people can expose certain secret about themselves and others that can be catastrophe. I mean I have witness an Elegun expose herself as having malevolent Ẹgbẹ́ and deliver messages on what her parent can do to release her from the bond. There has been time when people try to put a name to the spirit been projected or the Orisa speaking through the person. Personally, I believe spirit are faceless and when spirit talks, spirit talks. It is difficult to identify and put a name to spirit been projected. I said this because, I have seen someone got possessed during an Ẹgbẹ́ drumming and was delivering message to someone from a deceased member of the persons family. Going into trance is not a one size fit all, it is not about age, years of practice or perhaps been initiated. It is not about been worthy of the Orisa or not. Once you are an Elegun, you can be called by any deity, be a vessel for them and speak on their behalf while in trance. CHAPTER SEVEN 1. SPIRITUAL SPOUSE. Spiritual partner is the love relationship some individuals already have while in heaven. Some people may get visitation in the dream from their spouse in heaven. Many have reported getting married, having sex or perhaps having children in the dreams. All these are signs of having spiritual husband/wife. People with partner in heaven may have difficulty finding spouse on earth or even maintaining relationship. In this modern life, there could be other factors affecting a person romantic life. But our focus here is the spiritual ones. If a person is already involved in a union in heaven, the mate in heaven will make sure, they cannot form another union on earth. Spiritual spouses are possessive, they will cause problem in the earthly union which will eventually lead to separation. They can make a person irritative of men or women. Most people who have been fortunate to be in a relationship will be experiencing a lot of short-term relationships. The love for their partner will just disappear, and they may even hate their earthly partner for no reason. Another instance is infertility for women, the jealous spouse in heaven may prevent a woman from bearing children on earth. 2. Appeasing spiritual spouse One cannot separate oneself from spiritual spouse. They can only be appeased to allow the person to live a good life, have children and have good relationship on earth. It is not all person who is Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ that have a spirit husband/wife. Ẹgbẹ́ priestess usually buys a she goat and use it as a replacement of the female client with spiritual husband. The goat and other offerings will be taken to where the spouse wants to accept it. The lady clothes will also be added to the offering. In some towns, a masquerade is the one who will receive the offering. For a man with female spouse, a male goat will be used, a rooster and a female effigy doll with other offerings. Igbá dídì ritual and ceremony are also done to appease the spiritual spouse. It is recommended to appease one’s spiritual spouse every three to five years. A true-life case of a lady affected by spiritual partner, she was constantly experiencing failed relationship, at a point she explains that she began to hate men and get mad whenever a man asks her out on dates. She expressed she doesn’t want to have a child for she fears she could die during childbirth. She explains that her spirit just told her it could happened. She sought out spiritual intervention and was told her problem is due to spirit husband. The priest prepared Eru Ẹgbẹ́ for her and after all the ritual was done, she said she was told to put some medicine under her pillow when she sleeps the same night and dressed as if she was going to a party. She said when she sleeps that night, she had a dream that a man held her hand in an affectionate way and asked her if he could follow her to earth and she said no, he needs to stay in heaven. That was how she was able to have a relationship and break her phobia about childbirth. CHAPTER EIGHT 1. PRIEST AND PRIESTESS OF ẸGBẸ́. Traditionally, knowledge and skills appear to be confined to the elderly. The temple of Ẹgbẹ́ is mostly elderly women dominated. But menand youth who are educated also partake in the rituals and activities. Iya Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ is what female Ẹgbẹ́ priestess is referred to and Baba Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ is that of a male priest of Ẹgbẹ́. Priest and priestess of Ẹgbẹ́ are initiates of Ẹgbẹ́ themselves, they are charged with the responsibilities of performing initiation and rituals for individuals who need such services. They have gained both theoretical knowledge and practical experience to handle spiritual matters as it pertains to Ẹgbẹ́ Orun for their clients. Because of their experience, they possess the power to serve as an intermediary to liaison between a person and the spirit. This has also made it possible for them to go into trance and receive messages from the spirit realm and deliver it to the physical world. It is noteworthy that, priests and priestesses of Ẹgbẹ́ did not attain this status by virtue of initiation alone. They have gone through trainings and they are also spiritual blessed with gifts which are inborn. Through training, they can learn the proper utilization of those gifts. A priest or priestess of Ẹgbẹ́ do not necessarily need to be a diviner, they can always work with a Babalawo/Iyanifa. But it is a plus, if they can divine. In order to become an Ẹgbẹ́ priest or priestess, one must first understand what it means to be an Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ and what the roles and responsibilities of a custodian entails. Enroll under the tutelage of elders to learn the oriki, chants and praise name for Ẹgbẹ́. Master how to interprets kola nut messages. If you have great intuition, learn how to make use of it. Initiates of Ẹgbẹ́ gain rights and privileges to partake in ritual and initiation for others if allowed to participate. Ensure you are spiritually fortified to handle unfortunate events should the need arise. I say this and I need to emphasis on this point because, I had a client to whom Ifa revealed to leave his girlfriend because she is destined to be married to Ifa priest. Few months after the revelation, he and his Ẹgbẹ́ clan came to my dream to attack me. They are all men’s group with everyone holding a stick to flog me. He said to them ‘this is the lady that told my wife to leave me’. I pleaded with them in the dream and expressed that I am only a messenger delivering Ifa messages. So, before you venture into taking care of another people’s business, do ensure that you are equipped spiritual wise to deal with situation like the one I mentioned above. For the most part, the presences of women and children are heavily mentioned when we talk about Ẹgbẹ́ orun. It is not that grown men do not have Ẹgbẹ́ or do not participate, but history favor women and children more. The reality of spiritual practice between man and woman is apparent. Man and woman are equally spiritual, but the different is how they live out their relationship with the spirit and higher beings. In other words, relational influences on men’s spirituality are unlike those on women’s, because men’s relationship are framed by different motivations, objects, and benefits, which result in unique implications for their spirituality. Another instance is the role-bound ways of interacting in a relationship and experiences. Woman are seen to attend ceremonies specially when it involves children. This pushes women to the frontline of spearheading such role. The more feminine oriented a man is, the more the likelihood of his participation in ceremonies. The lack of feminine orientation is not equated with lack of spirituality. Rather, man with a masculine ideology and orientation are inclined towards a more extrinsic form of spiritual quest and practice. The family centered role of women is why there is greater involvement in traditional spiritual practice especially in Ẹgbẹ́ shrines. The natural woman’s body, experiences and natural rhythms, menstruation, pregnancy, birth and nursing are the means to deepening women’s understanding of the spiritual realm’s distinctiveness. Above all, Ẹgbẹ́ is channeled through all, man, woman and children. Priest/priestess of Ẹgbẹ́ are greeted by saying Ẹgbẹ́ o and they will respond by saying Àkííkà, àséègè, ojú òní wa ti o. CHAPTER NINE 1. IFA CHANT FOR ẸGBẸ́ Ayé dorí ayé ńlo, ìjòkun ọ̀run parí ẹ̀sìn dà Agbé bàtá rù gẹngẹ níwájú alágbe Àgòàlà lẹ́yìn osù Dífá fún ẹgbẹ ayé abù fún tọ̀run Kàkà kí ẹgbẹ́ aiyé ó tẹ́ t’ọ̀run òníjẹ́ Ẹgbẹ́ mí ẹ gbà mí tayé ń tẹ́ lọ Ẹgbẹ́ ẹ má mà jẹ́hun tẹ́ o Adìyẹ funfun kìí tẹ́ owo òròrè Heavenly hosts face religious changes The bata drum is hoisted in front of beggars Agoala behind the scene Cast Ifa for Ẹgbẹ́ on earth and heaven For the earthly fraternity to be humiliated The heavenly companions will not allow it My mates intervene the mates on earth is about to be ridiculed Heavenly groups don’t allow me to be put to shame The white cock is never humiliated 1. Osalogbe Òòsà ó gbe, Ogbè ó gbe Òòsà ló di ẹ̀rù kẹ̀kẹ̀ kalè Óní ká gbé ká r’òde ọ̀run Adífá fún Òrìsàbùkólá Tí aráyé ó ma bù lábùkù Tí ará ọ̀run ó mon bù lá bùnkúm Ẹ̀kúnrẹ́rẹ́ la bá omi, ìwà omi ò mòn bùk̀u Osa will lift it, Ogbe will lift it Oosa is the one that packed a big luggage And requested it to be taken to heaven Divine for Orisabukola The person whom people will belittle But will be blessed by the heavenly beings Water is always full, the character of water cannot be belittled CHAPTER TEN ORÍKI ẸGBẸ́ 1. Oríki Iyalode Ìyálóde Owólabi o Owólabi igi tí hún jẹ́ agúnrẹge Ìgbò dásọ bí ẹ̀kú ẹni ẹran ń wù tí sòwò ẹ̀jẹ̀ Ẹẹri òòsà tí Olódùmarè fi isẹ́ omo rán Èré òní fi isé omo rẹ̀ rán ẹnìkan Ìyálóde o se ni, èsù ò seni Dákun mó se mi, mi ò ní ẹnìkan Òòsà tí hún se ni ká tó mo sin Owólabi Ajéìgbé dakun món se mi Mi ò lẹ nìkan Nítorí oníkálukú, wón bẹ l’ọ́jà Won a pàtẹ aso Ìyá onìkàlùkù won n bẹ l’ọ́jà won a pàté ìlẹ̀kè Oyèbísí alátẹ̀lé, olúwa mi ń bẹ l’órí osè Tí ń pàte omo Abo igi ní gbó agúnrégé, Ọ̀dáso bi èkú ẹni ẹran ń wù tí sòwò èjè Owólabí ajéígbe, mo ní o má se mí hun ò lẹ́ nìkan Òòsà tí hún se ni kátó mon sìn Alẹ́sinlọ́yẹ́ dákun mo se mí hun o lẹ nìkan Ìyá oníkálukú wón n bẹ l’ọ́jà won a pàtẹ asọ Olúwa mi, ìyá onìkàlùkù won hún bẹ l’ọ́̀jà won a pàtẹ ìlèkè Oyèbísí alátẹ̀lé, olúwa mi hún bẹ lórí osè tó pàtẹ omo Abo igi tí hún jẹ́ agúnrege d’ásọ bí ẹ̀kú ẹni ẹran ń wù Tí hún sòwò ẹ̀jè Omi ilé tí o tó ẹsin wẹ̀ bí ò se omi oko Pátákùn ẹfòn kaka ní hún ta ajá l’ẹ́nu Ọ̀rọ̀gọ̀ jimó ẹkùn tí hún kọ ọdẹ lóminú. Hún kọ ọdẹ lóminú ìyá abáni sọ̀rọ̀ ma tannijẹ Ànjànú inú èsún, wá bá mi sé n o yio lè dase Ẹni àhún tẹní ogún ọ̀kẹ́ fún ọlóbà niyàn Ìyálóde gbèsè ò sí, ẹ̀sín ò sí alésinlọ́yẹ́ Eni àbá jẹ l’ówó, ògbodò sini Món jẹ njẹ́, t’orùn mi ni o bá mi san Owólabì ajéigbé ọ pọ̀ l’óbìnrin ọjọ Òsúnmońlẹ̀ súnmo ẹ́ní, ò gbé omo lẹ̀ k’ómo l’ọ́gbón Aroni bi ifá o Tí ǹ ò bárí ọ l’óde, hun òní r’òde Òré oní dùndún aroni bi ifá Món dìgbò lùmí ọ pọ̀ l’óbìnrin ọjọ Hun ò kọ̀ ọ, hun ó sìn o alẹ́sinlọ́yẹ́ Ìyàwó tẹ ri hun sìn ìyálé onílẹ̀ l’óbì Yíò bá mi sé hun ò le dase English translations Oríki Iyalode Iyalode owolabi o Owolabi the prestigious tree Opulence like mask that trade blood The one entrusted with the duty of motherhood The deity will not delegate her duty The votary doesn’t harm Esu does not afflict please do not afflict me I have nobody One who afflicts before we know how to serve him Owolabi Ajeigbe please don’t afflict me, I have no one Because everybody is in the market with merchandise of clothes Other mothers are in the market with wares of beads Oyebisi alatele, the profitable merchant. My lord is on Ose tree My lord above on ose tree displaying wares of children The befitting crafted one, clothed like One that treasure meat and trades in blood Owolabi Ajeigbe, do not afflict me I say, for I have no shield The deity that afflicts before one could know how to worship him Alesinloye, don’t afflict me, I have no one The fruit tree calls, the beautiful one Decked like a masquerade One that cherished meat and trades in blood The house pool that is not enough for one in the forest The crack bone of the elephant that scatter the dog’smonth The timid one that stares at tigers and scares the hunter One that doesn’t deceive The mystic one in the shrub, come to my aid I cannot do it alone One that has twenty cowry mats If there is no debt, there will be no disgrace The one we do not owe can’t ask for money lent Let me not owe, but settle the ones I owe Owolabi Ajeigbe you are too much a woman Rolls child on ground and mat One who puts down a child for proper tutelage? The one who probes like the oracle I won’t go performing if I know you are not in the arena The drummer’s friend, that probes like the Oracle Do not jam me you are a mighty woman I will not refuse; I will serve you Celebrated owner of horses Alesinloye, it is the second wife that serves the first, owner of the kola nut plantation, as a child serves his father in the farm. Please assist me, I am incapacitated 2. Oríki Eleko Elékò wá bá wa sé a mi ò le dase Lánlọ́ka, olúmòmí omo àjígbòn ejò Gúdúgúdú abi ojúlẹ́gbẹ̀ alá ràn barà ákúko Kánángbó ojú àpáta òkò awí momo séyìn Ọ̀ré olónà lákèsán Owó mini ní lé aláwo Kò sí nílé pààká dò pò Èré dé awọ dọ̀wán gógó Já aláwọ o ta ìwo ní mò hún késí Atẹ̀bà sí omo tí ò l’ọgbọn nínú Olúmòmí dákun móro okà nínú mi Kò wá sí ẹni tí ò le bà lórí jẹ́ Món bà mí lórí jẹ fi orí mí bùnmi Òwánwán tí wán omo lẹ́yìn arìnru gbé fún omo ti ẹ Ó dé yàrá alése jù ódẹní borí Asunkún ro jọ́ ilé ní hún tú eléèmò. Kòlòkòlò tí hún bẹ ní gbó ìlawaó Tí́n ́pa akiǹmí ládìye jẹ Tó bá di onílé a pasin je lagbo Fánrán kan òwú asomo bi osán sọrun Mo gbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ kan bàrà Olórí eji wón ní olú mòn mí ònílé Mo yá a gbọ́ morínwon rí won Mo ní tań labẹ́ ìlosùn, tań labẹ́ síke Tań l’àbàtà dúdú tó sojú régí régí Òjòlá lọ dádé, ólo dádé won o rí lè r’oko Wón ro ko sí agbada gúdú ojú omi Èrò òrìn mó ebi ń p’ejò lápà Ẹ̀wù àpà n se wíwọ̀ ni ọwọ̀ mí Asọ lánlọ́ká n sisẹ́ o rómi Ìkan ní ìgbà tó tẹ̀tẹ̀ wọ̀ mí omú ojú mí re ròde Tań l’èjígó olè l’àfin ọba, àfí ìyá lánlọ́ká, lánlẹ́rẹ̀ lólè jíjó olè l’àfín ọba Olé kí j’olè lólè Olúmòmí món fi olè ká n m’ólé Ànjànú inú èsún, oko mo gbẹrù lórí mi Ẹ ò rí olúmòní tó fi táńgaran ìyá ẹ bu isu jẹ Awa le pé olúmòmí o seun. Yíò bá mi se hun ò yíó lè dase English Translation Oríki Eleko Elétò, come and help us we are incapacitated My lord, the all- seeing, the great ones whose word stands The companion of Olona at Akesan That drools in the tan He is away paka becomes cheaper Ere comes around and leather becomes expensive Jalawo ota answer me am calling you She stuffs with mashed cassava flakes Olumomi who knows me, Please do not stir porridge in my stomach No one can escape your wrath Mend my head, do mot mess with it The snatcher that snatches children from the stranger and presents it to her beloved She gets to the room of the stubborn one and cover She shed tears to narrate her case, she who is a conspirator. The fox in the forest of Ilawo, that feeds on fowl intestine When it pains the landlord, she will devour houses in the arena A single thread that torments a child like the strand I heard a rumour That my deity has no abode I quietly hearkened to the rumblings And inquired one who owns the expanse Who owns the shrouded? Who runs the murky swampy flooded dam? The python has gone to adorn the crown She goes to adorn the crown And no space for farming Their farm is in a pool No land, the python is happy in the terrace Apa’s gown is asking to be worn Lanloka cloth is complaining to be open and wrapped around One complains if you are not putting me one Take me to explore the scenario outside Who owns the burnt rogue in the king’s palace? Except the mother of pythons and sculptor That owns the burnt rogue, in king’s palace A thief does not steal from another thief Olumomi, do not lay siege on me with thieves The mystery on in the shrub Do not rob me of my possession See Olumomi, that roast yam With his mother earthen ware plate Do we give her accolade or not? Come to my aid, I can’t do it alone. 3. Oríki Baale Baálẹ̀ wábá mí se hun ò yí o lè dase Atólúbarì, wábá mi sé hun o yíò le dase Jẹ̀rèké làde ìwó, jẹran si ko mu ọti igo yọnu Ójẹ ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀ tán o fi ọwọ́ nu ẹ̀kẹ́ bàlà Èmi ò rí bálẹ̀ tí hún sé wé, èmi ò rí bálẹ̀ ti hun sogun Bálẹ̀ tí hún wọ bálẹ̀ l’ẹ̀wù àrà Ẹ̀wù àrà ni o wọ̀ mí atólúbarí Máse wọ̀ mí l’ẹ̀wù kasọ Tó bán re Ìbàdàn, nílé olúyọ̀le Atólúbarì òkò má gbé n jù só gùnpa Atólúbarí ẹ̀yin ò mò pé égún Olójowàn ló gbòde Bale come and help me I cannot do it myself Atolubari, come to my aid, I cannot do it alone Eat sugar to Iwo, chew meat and rinse your mouth He eats banana and wipes his cloth with his hand I have never seen a village head that deals with herbs I have never seen a village head that indulge in charm The village head that adorn his fellow Deck me with garments of splendour Atolubari not garment of misery When you visit Ibadan, the home of Oluyole Atolubari don’t dump me in Ogunpa river Atolubari, I do not know it is the masquerade that is in town 4. Oríki Jagun Ẹgbẹ́ Jagun ẹgbẹ́ wá bá mi sé hun ò le dase jagun abìdí kaka kó ògùn si omo ọlọ́rọ̀ ní kòtò àtàn ẹmó jẹ jagun ó mo ibi àhún lọ. Ẹmó jẹ àgòrò ògún ó mo ibi àhúnrẹ̀ Tí jagun bá mo ibi àhún lọ Tí àgòrò ògún bá mo ibi àhúnrẹ̀ Òhun nìkan ní ó mu ọtí ọ̀hún tán A rà mó bọ̀ lẹ mu, òńlé adápepe dó mo Jagun mi la t’òbúko dá sòkòtò si Sòkòtò ẹ̀mẹ̀sọ́ ní jó ẹran ń bií mí l’ọwọ́ Ẹ bámi kí jagun ku ewu Àlejò tí ò ba rorín òní mùko nílé jagun Yìo ́bá mi sé ń ò le dase Jagun one that fits the fraternity Come to my aid, I cannot do it alone Jagun-warrior that keeps charms in his buttock Don’t let Jagun knows where we are heading for Don’t let Agoro Ogun knows our route If Jagun knows where we are going If Agoro ogun knows where we are heading He will drink the wine alone The landlord that bedecks his child He sewed a trouser because of he-goat Emeso trouser is burning while the goat gave birth to another goat Join me to congratulate Jagun A guest who do not brush will not eat in the house of Jagun Please help me out, I am constrained 5. Oríki Olúgbógeró Olúgbógeró, ba ́mi sé hun ò lè dase Olúgbógeró eye ojú omi, òòsà tí Tìmì ò rí hún bi ifá ẹ leèrè Óní kílósé témi ò rí olúgbógeró Olúgbógerò ọlọ́rọ́ ẹto Ònàn omo nànyá òos̀a tíhún bẹ nílẹ̀ Tìmì Yíò bá mi sé hun ò le dase Olugbogero, come to my aid Olugbogero the bird ton the water, the deity that Timi did not see And he consults his oracle He wonders why he couldn’t see Olugbogero Olugbogero the sharp wand That canes the mother and child. The deity in Timi land Please assist me I cannot do it alone 6. Oríki Adéta Adéta wá bá misé hun ò yíò lè dase Adeta yan iya, A dé pópọ dohún baba Òdé kòtò àtàn gbon ra gìjì mojalékàn Òsà tíhún wí mon lẹ́gbà àsírí Ò bá wín mi l’ówó àwín san Ò bá wín mi l’omo àwín san Ko wín ni íre gbogbo àwín san Adéta wá bá mi sé a yíò le dase Adeta come and assist me I am handicapped He reaches outside and chooses a mother He gets to the highway and picks a father He gets to a gulley and awakens The deity that has ten thousand of cowries Please loan me money that I will pay back Please loan me the children that I will pay back Bestow me all the blessing that I will not refund Adeta, come to my aid I am handicapped 7. Oríki Olumohun Wá bá mi sé hun o yío ̀le dase Olúmohún gẹ̀gẹ bìrin Ọ́ yáwó ta bi aso oge Ìsẹ́ hún jà re olè Olúwamì ọ̀bùn won ò tagìrì sòwò Ọ̀bùn ò sòwò ósì ní òhun òní Owó l’ọ́wọ́ Olúmohún ní isé kí le rán tajé tantan Asòrò kélé bojú wògbé omo ìyálóde ni Ìgbé òní wí, bẹ ni ònírò olúmohún ni ẹni a wí fún hún Ni seku pani. Bàbá tẹ wí fún ò le múwa Bẹ ní ìyá tẹ wífún ò le nàn wá Àgòrọ̀ tó tó wa nàn ni òní bínú Ini òní bínú omo olúkúewu Alápá mó sùn pa Olúwa mi jọ irúnmolẹ̀ lójú ẹ̀yin Kò jọ òòsà lójú èké Olúwami jọ irúnmolè lójú èmi Yíò bámi sé hun o yíò le dase Olumonhun come to my aid, I can’t do it alone Olumonhun the gentle woman Poverty wins over the lazy The dirty did not rush into trading The dirty one will not get into business Complaining she is poor Olumonhun inquires what she has sent money. One who whispers and peers into the bush Shewill not talk she will not gossip Olumohun says she who knows your secret plans your death The old man you reported us to cannot punish us And the old woman you informed can’t flog us And Agoro that can handle us will not feel offended He will not be angry child of Oluju ewu The one with outstretched arms My mentor, to resembles a deity To the treacherous she is not like a deity But my lord is like a deity to me Just help me out FAQ WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF HAVING ẸGBẸ́ ORUN? The benefit of having Ẹgbẹ́ Orun is numerous. From the standpoint of having spiritual double who stayed back in heaven and rarely visit the earth mean you have a soul representation of yourself in the spiritual realm, to look after you on earth, to guide and protect you. In exchange for all that they do, we honour them, we give offering to them, so that they can keep helping us. This connection is our link to the spiritual realm. There is nothing stronger than having army of people who are ready to take up arms for you if need be. Another advantage to having Ẹgbẹ́ orun is helping one to fulfil one’s destiny, there are destined for greatness, but they are not living up to their potential because of known or unknown reason or blockage. If your Ẹgbẹ́ are good with you, it becomes easier to fulfil what you are destined to become. So, once you done thanking your Orí, give thanks to your Ẹgbẹ́ as well. HOW DO I IDENTIFY WHICH ẸGBẸ́ I BELONG TOO? When you start portraying some character that I like a certain Ẹgbẹ́ class you may know which type of Ẹgbẹ́ Orun you belong to. Also, during initiation consultation is done to determine which class of Ẹgbẹ́ the person belongs to. It notes worthy to not self-impose their characteristics into one’s life just to show people we are that Ẹgbẹ́ class. Be you and don’t pin your negative character on your Ẹgbẹ́. My daughter like to make a mess like every toddler, but what was peculiar is that she likes to constantly mess with water and her food. When my mom met her, she said she is Ajanpati amumi fin because she likes to drink water more than anything. HOW DO I TELL WHEN MY ẸGBẸ́ IS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH ME? Most times when your Ẹgbẹ́ want to communicate with you or have a message for you, it will be through dreams. Messages can also be delivered through a third party, it can a be family or friends or even stranger. The symbolism of dreams is however interpreted differently due to cultural influence. So, knowing what messages you are receiving in the dream could be influence by your own culture and belief system. In Yoruba spiritual practice, if you see any symbol of Ẹgbẹ́ in your dreams, like snake or you saw yourself in a group of people familiar are not, friends from high or elementary school. Also, when you are debating on something in your mind and someone offered you clarity on it unconsciously, or you saw something in your dream and woke up to similar circumstances. This has happened to me; I was having doubt about two men that I was interested in, one day I was leaving a grocery store walking to my car and lost in thought about my current situation. When I reached the car park, a woman approached me and said, ‘you know the person you are thinking of, don’t worry about them, they will be fine’. I was shocked, I have never experienced anything like that in my life. At first, I thought she was scammer and was going to offer me her business card or something afterwards. To my surprise she didn’t, she was even parked next to my car. She entered her car and drove off. The synchronicity of the events and your thoughts will alert you. There is no such thing as coincident when it comes to Ẹgbẹ́ orun. IFA SAID I NEED TO BE INITIATED INTO ẸGBẸ́; HOW DO I PRAY TO ẸGBẸ́ BEFORE I HAVE MY ICONS? If you read chapter 1 subsection 7, I wrote that Ẹgbẹ́ is everywhere, they are in the nature, their inhabit and personifies by certain animals, they are in our friends and family. A simple get together you organise for friends and family is feeding your Ẹgbẹ́. Whenever you cook, make a small plate of food for your Ẹgbẹ́ Orun, place it at any corner of the house, outside, under a tree if you live in a place with trees. You can also sit down in your quite place, chant and recite oriki for Ẹgbẹ́, call them down and make your prayers and offerings. Ẹgbẹ́ is like Orí, they work and walk with us. You can call on your Orí and talk to your Ẹgbẹ́. You can go to the riverbank to communicate with your Ẹgbẹ́. You can also call Ẹgbẹ́ from Obatala shrine. Ifa shrine is also a place to call any deity. Ifa is connected to all Orisa, there is no Orisa that cannot be called through Ifa. If you have anyone with Ẹgbẹ́ pot near you, you can use that temporarily until you have your own. CAN MY ẸGBẸ́ HURT ME? When Ẹgbẹ́ feel neglected they can taunt us to get our attention. There have been reports about people’s Ẹgbẹ́ stealing from them, making them constantly sick or perhaps disoriented when their Ẹgbẹ́ want somethings from the member on earth. This will prompt the person to appease the Ẹgbẹ́ and give them what they asked. Read Chapter 4 to understand the kind of thins Ẹgbẹ́ can do to us when we failed to fulfil what was promised to them. CAN I BE IN THE SAME ẸGBẸ́ CLASS AS MY FAMILY MEMBER? Yes, it is not uncommon for family member to come from the same Ẹgbẹ́ realm. MY IFA READING SAID I AM THE LEADER OF MY ẸGBẸ́, WHAT DO I DO? It is believed that the leader of Ẹgbẹ́ in heaven is also the leader of Ẹgbẹ́ on earth. What you need to do is constantly appeasing your Ẹgbẹ́ and feed people. Been an important person in the realm one of the challenges of been a leader of Ẹgbẹ́ in heaven is that Ẹgbẹ́ orun may pay constantly visit to the person in dreams and sometimes wanting the person to come back to heaven before they reach old age. So, some people may constantly suffer from illness, have nightmares and experience great deal of jealousy from people. The good side is been blessed with great intuition, dreams and foresights. I have been told that I am the leader of my Ẹgbẹ́ myself, and what I did was making sure I allow myself to maintain connection with my Ẹgbẹ́, I pay attention to my dreams, get ifa divination every other month and propitiate often. My Ẹgbẹ́ have been nothing but merciful when I do all that. MY IFA READING SAID I HAVE A SPIRIT HUSBAND, WHAT CAN I DO TO APPEASE HIM? Spirit husband is real according to Yoruba spiritual believe system and some odu Ifa have established this fact as well. When one is read to have a spirit husband, don’t investigate spirit alone, for your spirit husband can be closer to you than you think, they can come to earth and take the form of a man to date you. The purpose is not for long time relationship but to take the person back to heaven. I have sat down and spoken with Babalawo and priestess of Ẹgbẹ́ about Oko orun and I have been made to understand that anyone with Oko Orun need to do spiritual inquiry about any one they want to marry to avoid marrying a heavenly being. Babalawo have also told me that, oko orun is the reason why Ifa can forbid a person from marrying certain kind of people. It may be short or tall, light skinned or dark skins. To avoid having problems or untimely death. Appeasing spirit husband can be done by giving offering to them. Priestess of Ẹgbẹ́ performed this appeasement. MY CHILD WAS READ AS ẸLẸ́GBẸ́; HOW CAN I HELP HIM/HER UNDERSTAND WHO THEY ARE? Most children with Ẹgbẹ́ have more to teach us to understand who they are, than us teaching them. I said this because, they will show you who they’re for you to understand them better. Teaching a child about who they are spiritual wise can be overwhelming for them. Ẹgbẹ́ teaching to children can be tough, particularly with fewer resources and if you do not understand it fully yourself. A negative word by you about your child’s spiritual experience can shut down their spiritual connection. You must be sensitive to your child’s spiritual growth. It is noteworthy that there is a different betweena child who is speaking wisely beyond her age and a rude or smack talker. When you give your child attention on things they do and making them become aware of themselves, it can be overplayed. So, as a parent you must know where to draw the lines. Children with Ẹgbẹ́ respond differently, some children will begin to utter words that are beyond their child reasoning, some may be super smart, and some may be troublemaker. It is what your child channels that will tell you how to take care of them. Talk to your child, ask them if they have dreams or nightmares, do they hear voice, was their inner voice telling them to do something. Get Ẹgbẹ́ icon consecrated on their behalf, feed Ẹgbẹ́ for them and have them share fruits and candies with their friends. We all want our children to reach their full potential, and we watch to identify their areas of aptitude and natural strength, so that we may actively support their gifts. MY CHILD HAVE BEEN READ TO BELONG TO ẸGBẸ́ ORUN AND I AM NOT. WHY? Ifa divination is not the only determination as to whether a person has Ẹgbẹ́ orun or not. We all belong to Ẹgbẹ́ orun. Divination explicitly talking about a child Ẹgbẹ́ is letting you know that you need to focus your attention on that child’s Ẹgbẹ́ and create relationship for him/her and Ẹgbẹ́. References A Life of Olorisa In Their Homeland by Susan Wenger Abiku by Wole Soyinka Ẹgbẹ́ Orun by Ayo Salam How to Induce A Trance State for Deep Psychospiritual Work by Mateo Sol. My Ifa Stories by Ifayemisi Elebuibon. Orisa Songs by Ifayemisi Elebuibon. Orí, The Inner Head by Awoyinfa Elebuibon. Spirit Child (Ghana) Al Jazeera, 2013 Report. The Spiritual Child by Lisa Miller, Ph.D. The Malevolent Spirit of sTangValley, A Bhutanese Account by Kunzang Choden. 8 Things to Know About Two Spirit People by Tony Enos. www.Swedenborg.com Youtube video Asiri Egbe Emere by Oba Asa ris. About The Author Ifayemisi Elebuibon Ifayemisi Elebuibon was born and raised in the city of Osogbo, Osun State capital, Nigeria. She is the daughter of the well-known Ifa priest, author and poet, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon, the present Araba of Osogbo. Ifayemisi came from a family lineage that is the direct descendant of Olutimeyin, the co- founder of the city of Osogbo and the home of famous Osun Osogbo Festival. Born and raised a traditionalist, she is initiated into Ifa, Obatala, Osun and Egbe. Title Page Copyright Dedication Acknowledgment Preface CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN FAQ References About The Authorbe disgraced. To fully understand the concept of Ẹgbẹ́ Orun, let’s look at life, we have some people that we find attractive and connect with them with ease, while some relationships with other people are difficult. Some people dislike each other without just cause. All this could be within family and acquittances. Some have friendship with bond so strong you will think they are siblings, while some siblings are mortal enemies. There is a saying in Yoruba language that iwa jo iwa ni n je ore jo ore. It means you have some shared valued with someone or similar character traits wish makes the friendship good. When we see couples, who are so much alike and hold each other dear, people will say this is a match made in heaven. How do we explain all these connections? Using our own society groups as reference, today, we have different associations, there will always be a leader and other members who hold titles and perform different functions. These groups are with byelaws; the violation of such laws, can result in different punishments and sanctions depending of the kind of offence. This is the same for Ẹgbẹ́ orun. As we form partnership with other groups that shared similar interests, the same token applies to spiritual comrades only that, Ẹgbẹ́ orun have spiritual imprint in human lives and can impact the person’s life both positively and negatively. The negative implications can disrupt the physical and spiritual life of the said person. Also, most activities of Ẹgbẹ́ orun unlike that of earthly fellowship, would have taken place in the spirit world and continue in the dream. Most human’s involvement may have already taken place in heaven before their earthly sojourn. Those we fellowship with in heaven before coming on earth are here present and scatter everywhere around the world. When we meet them and formed bond with them, it becomes a match made in heaven. The bond with Ẹgbẹ́ orun is mutual bond that puts us in deep eternal relationship with one another so that we may share in their powers. When we share in this reality, we are not only with them, but connected to them and several others who shared this reality. Ẹgbẹ́ orun can shadow a person to earth, but since they do not have a physical form, they can take up residence in the body of any person close to the individual. It can be your friend, acquittance or total stranger. My personal experience of feeling the bond and knowing my fellow from my realm was when one of my nieces was born, her naming ceremony was held in my father’s ifa temple. While the ceremony was going on, I had the sudden urge to go to the temple, I tried to pass it off, but it was too strong to resist. I went downstairs and sat at the reception area because I was nervous, I have never felt that much drawn to an infant before. When I didn’t comply to the calling, I suddenly felt the urge to cry, that was how I knew it was Ẹgbẹ́. A voice in my mind said go and give the baby a name and gave me a name for the child. I sat there at the reception area deliberating if should or not. I eventually summon the courage, went inside the temple and asked if I could give the baby a name. The respond was great, I put money in the bowl, and I named the child, Eniwa which in Yoruba language means our kind or our person. That was validation for me that our pairs can come into the world and be born into the same family as we are, but the relationship we share with them will depend on how and where life positioned us. You may be wondering what’s the important of Ẹgbẹ́ and why and how do they impact and affects our earthly sphere. Can having Ẹgbẹ́ orun presence in your life really make a difference? All these questions can only be answered when you are in a dark place and a trip to your shrine/ alter to give offering to your Ẹgbẹ́ allow the spirit of Ẹgbẹ́ to come in and light the place up. As a result, you become spiritually alive, less depressed and connected to higher energy. Wherever a human being is, several spirit beings of various stages of development are also close by. Each one of us attracts those specialists whose qualities, good or bad, we possess. When a human being grows up, he or she will be surrounded by guardian Ẹgbẹ́ spirits who belong to the order and organization of divine worlds, and they can come close to their protégé only if he or she asked for help and tries to strive higher. Otherwise they must stand back and watch from a distance. They will only interfere only to protect according to the divine law which they must obey and never break. If we call on our Ẹgbẹ́ Orun, they will respond. They will help us fight our inner and external battle, but if we don’t, they will only do the bare minimum. Ẹgbẹ́ is not the only spirit that we connect to, this same person is also surrounded by number of other spirits not incorporated into the divine order. Over time you will discover deeper area in your life that have been shut out and uncover areas disconnected from you. Then we can lay this are bare before our Ẹgbẹ́ and the deities for them to take charge. Ẹgbẹ́ works in people in different ways, it’s not a one size fit all. Some people are highly connected while others exist on low vibration. Ẹgbẹ́ is an entity that, when internalized, influence our behavior. These includes behaviors that impact on our health, an imbalance in spirit alignment can cause mental illness, depression and anxiety. There are things that we can do that hinder the spirts influence, and things we can do to increase sensitivity to the spirts leading. The major determinant of Ẹgbẹ́ influence is how much of us we let them consume, meaning how much of our lives we allow them to control. 2. Understanding self as Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́. I have found great comfort and an ever-deepening richness of my inner self and world by being in relationship with my spiritual comrades. Everyone is created equally and made up of the same cosmic stuff. It is up to you to pursue a relationship with that part of yourself. That takes you beyond the basic of being human, which may for you, include a beyond ordinary mind and body of you. Some people are living what I call a double life, who they are in the physical world and who they are in the spiritual world or become when they go to sleep at night. Many of us lack the awareness of self, we do not know who we are, how to respond to our self, connect our two worlds and manage our spiritual life. Part of being a person who belongs to spiritual society is understanding self. You must first know and accept your true self, embrace it and then learn how to manage it. I have come to know myself as Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ Emere. My Ẹgbẹ́ reside in the river. I have been told through Ifa divination to seek abode near river. My daughter also comes from my realm; in her true self she is older in spirit than I am. It was revealed that she followed me here on earth to be my companion. The bond we share is not just a physical mother and daughter own alone, but also that of spiritual. If she needs me to do things for her, she will communicate with me through my dreams. She is everything that I am and more. When I was pregnant with my daughter, it was revealed through Ifa divination and other spiritual revelations that I am to give birth to a boy. But whenever I see her in my dreams, I usually see a girl. Part of knowing myself have helped me to know my daughter and take care of her and her Ẹgbẹ́ the same way my parents took care of me. Also, I have come to understand that I am a man in spirit. My parents revealed to me that they did some ritual so that my mom can give birth to a girl. They feared with my mother having Àbíkú children, and her previous children been males, a change in sex of the baby may bring a different outcome. In traditional Yoruba medicine, there are concoction a pregnant woman can take at early stage of pregnancy that can change the sex of the fetus. This kind of ritual or medicine always make me think about the topic of transgenders. I cannot help but think about people who saidthey don’t feel comfortable as certain sex and then later change their body to fit how they feel on the inside or dress in a way which they identified with the most. In my research, I came across an article about Native Indians two spirit people. Two spirit people have a male and female spirit within them and are blessed by their creator to see life through the eye of both genders. It further explains that two spirit is more about the embodiment of two genders residing within one person as opposed to having romantic feeling for the same sex. In my long discussion with my mother about the two-spirit people, the change of gender ritual done back home in Africa and the part where Ifa revealed that I am to expect a male child. My mother made me understand that, some children, for them to best achieve the most out of life, and to protect their destiny, chose to walk this earth as a certain sex even though their spirit is another. Like I have said, knowing oneself is embracing one’s gift and nature. Knowing that you are a spiritual being. Like many people out there who have strong Ẹgbẹ́, you can attribute certain abilities that some people cannot. You may have lost some of this ability as you become of age and some will not start manifesting until later in life. Many people who lack the self-awareness have caused problems for themselves and others though unbeknownst to them, through spoken words and thoughts, their spiritual mates have taken up fight for them without their awareness of the situation they have caused. In Yoruba land, we have a saying, Orí mi le, Orí mi mún ọ, it means my head (inner head) is retributive. Such the saying goes when someone wronged a person and the offender experienced immediate punishment for their action. Also, many people couldn’t explore their spiritual power or anything spiritual due to the very oppressive regime in the world by modern religions and limitation of information. The fear of being label a ‘witch’ which has negative connotation compound the problem and probably never went away. So, compromising was the norm. It is a good thing to consider attuning to your spiritual comrades. It is important because, nurturing a relationship with your Ẹgbẹ́ might amplify your progress and uplift your entire life. Forsaking ones Ẹgbẹ́ Ọ̀run is forsaking oneself as Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́. We can tell our parents that we no longer wished to be in their family, but we can never change the reality that we are their son or daughter. Its’s an established fact based on biology and/or law. The same is for Ẹgbẹ́ spirit, you may decide to abandon your spiritual icon or decide to not practice offering any longer. But you cannot deny their presence and imprint in your life. Whether you are with it or not, once you answer the call of Ẹgbẹ́ you are forever connected to them. We can sever our fellowship but not our relationship. The spirit of Ẹgbẹ́ is more than handling out sweets and treats to children, it is through the spirit of Ẹgbẹ́ that enables and empower us to feel the connection we need to fulfill all our spiritual desires and destiny. 3. HOW TO IDENTIFY ẸLẸ́GBẸ́. If you ever talk to yourself, act based on intuition, and inspiration, you are an Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́. If you can create reality with your thought you are an Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́. If you receive premonition in the dream. If you can make accurate predictions. If you get sad for no apparent reason. If you feel like crying for no actual hurtful feelings. If you love to have children around you. If your words and events around are synchronizing If you talk to yourself a lot, you probably getting divine guidance without even knowing it. Most people who are creative are also Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́. When ideas and creative abilities flow freely in your mind. Your vibration is higher, and you are most connected to your Ẹgbẹ́, your soul realm. Most people who fall into this category could be loner. They intuitively know that in that solitude, they can connect with the divine. High level of synchronicity validates a connection to the Ẹgbẹ́ spirit, in other word, the more often seemingly random events are grouped in meaningful ways, the greater the connection, and therefore, influence. Like when I a sat down with my friend and was saying I wish my sister was here and the phone ranged, and my sister was the caller. That shows how connected I was with my Ẹgbẹ́. 4. DO’S AND DON’T FOR ẸLẸ́GBẸ́. Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ are advised to refrain from setting out at exactly 1pm and 1am respectively. In Traditional Yoruba practice those are the time the spirits are believed to be out. Also, to not encounter their Ẹgbẹ́ or doppelganger which can bring bad luck or even death. Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ are advised against killing and eating of snake. Snake is part of the symbol of Ẹgbẹ́. Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ are to seek cautions before having a big celebration to mark an important milestone like birthday, marriage, graduation and so on. They are encouraged to seek spiritual guidance through Ifa consultation before having any celebrations because of pacts made in heavens. Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ are advised against whistling. This is believed to attracts snakes and their Ẹgbẹ́ may mistake it as a beckoning sign. Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ should control their thoughts and negative thinking towards others and themselves. As those thoughts can form a reality. 5. TAKING CARE OF ẸLẸ́GBẸ́ CHILD. When we were young, some of us have imaginary friends. Imaginary friends as a child can be spirit, spirit guides, souls of the departed family members and spiritual mates. Many people like myself, have been guided through life with experiences that have encouraged us in a more powerful, positive and impactful ways. Thus, supporting our life journey. As a child, I grew up having people around me referring to me as ‘iya Ẹgbẹ́’ mother of the Ẹgbẹ́/group. The name is used by my immediate family and the extended one in Ifa/Orisa community. I don’t see myself as anything special nor processing spiritual powers while growing up. Upon reaching adolescent, I start taking notes of things that are happening to me and became more aware of who I truly am. Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ Emere. Ẹgbẹ́ Emere will be further discussed in this book. At a point I have a strong intuitive mind, my dreams are eighty percent accurate most times. I can sense and see spirits. These are some of the traits you or your Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ child may be showcasing. My dad has an Esu for guarding our compound when I was young. He built a hunt for him and its usually activated by animal offerings, we call him Baba Alakete, the man with sombrero. He is such a powerful Esu. He can close doors if left opened at night. Everyone feared him and going out at nights you can always hear him making a loud thud on the floor each time he is securing the premises. He can whip anyone he sees on sight and they will run into the house. I know all this because I can see him, I am the only person who could in the house. He is a tall man with layered clothes and had a basket hat on. Hence, why he is called baba Alakete. Whenever I sat with my siblings at night for moonlight stories, he will appear. I will be screaming at everyone that ‘he is here’, and everyone including myself will run. I can seldom read into people’s conversation from afar and know what’s been discussed. If I am been lied to, I can know. When I started having romantic relationships, I can always tell when I am being played. Something in my mind will not rest, it will keep on telling me something is wrong, there is something more that I need to know. Most things I remembered about my childhood are stories my mother told me about my birth and afterwards. According to my mother, I have a strong Ẹgbẹ́, it was revealed through divination that I need to marry someone who is spiritually sound, like a Babalawo. In order to help me manage my gift and help in times of crisis I supposed. My mother said I was always sick as a child, especially when my birthdays were approaching. This was challenging for her as she had thought I was going to die like the rest of the babiesshe has had in the past. My mother being a person with strong Ẹgbẹ́ herself, suffered from Àbíkú (A child born to die). She had two children before me, one died as an infant and the other as a toddler. She told me my grandmother named me ‘Motunrayo’, an Àbíkú name meaning ‘I have found joy again’. It was these challenges in the past, that made her marry an Ifa priest who is capable of handling problems like the one I mentioned. Thank God she did, when she had me, I was unfortunately bounded with similar fate like my predecessors. But, being born into an Ifa priest household, Ifa changed my fate. My father was able to keep me here with the help of medicines and charms. By marrying an Ifa priest, my mother was able to break the Àbíkú curse. This is part of the reasons why sometimes in Ifa reading, it may be recommended for some women to marry a priest. My mother let me know I am a child who required lot of spiritual work before I finally stayed on earth. They had to make an incision on my face and put ifa medicine in it. It was done to help me manage sickness and prevent me from dying untimely. I still have the marks on face. People who don’t know what it represents often mistook it for tribal marks. As a child, I remember I must wear some charms on my body. I wear different ones on my neck, waist and ankle. They are called gbékúdè (keep death at bay). Gbékúdè are charms made for Emere and Àbíkú children to help keep them alive if possible until they can no longer die as infant or toddler. All my parent, efforts to keep me here were effective, I am still here. But I recall an incident during my teenage years, I got possessed by the spirit during one of our annual festivals and I was told to be screaming ‘mi ò ní n wa o’ meaning I never said I wanted to be here. Here meaning earth. My sister told me my dad said I spoke correct, they had to make a lot of medicine and charm to keep me here. As Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ Emèrè, our life is filled with experiences like the one I have mentioned above, we constantly need to appease our Ẹgbẹ́ orun to remain here on earth. My parents went to a great length to keep me here and they are still doing so. It is a never-ending job. The beauty of it is that, as an adult, having come to terms with who I am and educated on how to manage my spiritual life, the burden on them is lighter. Taking care of a child or person with Ẹgbẹ́ is occasionally dealing with mood swings, anxiety, excessive and unexplained anger, depression and when they detain themselves to seclusion. Hearing voices telling them to do stuff especially hurting themselves or others, especially those who would delight in pain, they just want to feel pain and keep replaying bad memories in their mind so they can experience the pain again. It entails a high level of commitment and sacrifice on parents who have a child who is Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ in their care. They need to appease Ẹgbẹ́ on behalf on the child until they reach adulthood. Make prayers and divination often, give alms and educate the children about who they are. Some people have also result into going through initiation to reform and rehabilitate such child or person, or a spiritual restoration through Eru Ẹgbẹ́. One of my friends had to go through the process of restoration whereby she taking to a riverbank with banana trees and was put into the ground as if they are doing her burial. She was told to dress as if she was attending an event. The priest then recites some prayer verses on her and then buried a banana stem instead of her, so she can start living anew. Parent also should avoid the sentiment and bias of modern-day religion and spiritual practices which can prevent them from getting adequate education and help for their Ẹgbẹ́ child. If children are to be given the opportunity to develop to their full potential, fostering spiritual growth must be part of the process of caring for them. For young person, to have a full quality of life, spirituality in all its aspects must be nurtured and affirmed. 6. Threat to children with Ẹgbẹ́ Orun It is essential for parents to know how to take care of themselves as Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ and their children as well. Many parents have done the worst by separating their child from their Ẹgbẹ́ Orun instead of learning how to help them manage it. To separate a person from their Ẹgbẹ́, is leaving them bare, void and without any spirutal guides. I remember when one of my brothers was young, he will be dancing by himself and when asked why, he will respond by saying some people are playing drums for him. He could hear it, but we couldn’t. At a point I was worried, I was thinking it could be a mental related issue. I requested that my mom take him to see a psychologist just to rule out mental illness. We tend to see a child’s struggles as flaws or problem to be fixed, whereas if we looked at them as challenges of spiritual nature, our responses would be completely different and perhaps more effective. Some parents have broken the link between their children and their Ẹgbẹ́ Orun. The broken link has made them defenceless against spiritual attacks. This process is quite common in Africa. This process has rendered a lot of people with no direction in life. Their Ẹgbẹ́ which is supposed to watch out for them, have been cast away ignorantly. The separation will prevent the child from understanding the true sense of self. Crisis will begin to occur in such a person’s life, when a child spiritual development is neglected or denied. Been an Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ and talking about your potential gift is not foreign to being maligned and misunderstood. Because most of the abilities exhibited are like mental illness i.e. hearing voices, hallucinating, seeing spirit etc., People will immediately stigmatize all of this to mean psychiatric disorder. All the above is completely normal within reason, and five out of ten people will experience them in their lifetime. Also, parents and people who are not spiritually conscious have simply condemned their friends, children and family who have strong Ẹgbẹ́ spirit as witches who does evil and have treated them badly as a result. Many children have been subjected to the process of exorcism. The threat within the household and outside community have prevented many people from understanding their true self, learn how to use their gift and retain connection with their Ẹgbẹ́ orun. The detachment has created crisis in life of many people. It is detrimental to separate oneself from one’s spiritual comrades. Our Ẹgbẹ́ are our warrior and we are bound to our Ẹgbẹ́. In Ghana, there were reports from investigations that children deemed to be possessed by evil spirits are being murdered. The killing of ‘spirit child’ is said to be an ancient tradition. They were giving a certain concoction to drink. The practice has persisted in Northern Ghana, Burkina Faso, Benin and some parts of Nigeria. There can also be threat from bad people. These people can use your Ẹgbẹ́ against you. For people with stronger presence of Ẹgbẹ́ spirit, they may sometimes seem immune to spiritual attacks because their Ẹgbẹ́ will neutralize any bad spells sent towards them. If the said bad people tried to no avail, they may influence the individuals Ẹgbẹ́ against them. They will remind the Ẹgbẹ́ of all promises made by such person that are yet to be fulfilled, they will remind them of how well life is with such individual and say it is time for them to rejoin their Ẹgbẹ́ in the spirit world. If this person is not the kind that propitiates often, their Ẹgbẹ́ may begin to bother them. Requesting for promises to be fulfilled, or perhaps say their time on earth is up. 7. Ẹgbẹ́ is everywhere. Everything around us connect us to our Ẹgbẹ́. When we see children, plants, animals, water, and every other element in nature, connects us to our spiritual comrades. Ẹgbẹ́ have been associated to nature in numerous forms. Ẹgbẹ́ is associated with igi Ose, Ewe Iyalode is lapalapa tree in Yoruba (Jatropha). Some Ẹgbẹ́ take abode under iroko tree, Esun tree (speargrass) some reside inside forest. Ẹgbẹ́ inu omi by the name reside inside water or the riverbanks. Ẹgbẹ́ Olugbogero has been described as eye oju omi, the birds on water. In most of the Oríki Ẹgbẹ́ Olumoni, they are described and personified as a snake. Everywhere we are, our Ẹgbẹ́ are with us. With all these, it will not be wrong to say Ẹgbẹ́ can be venerated through all nature’s elements. Ẹgbẹ́ can be found to inhabit and congregate in numerous places where they seek abode. Their shrine can also be set up at those abodes. To mention but a few; At the riverbank, Inside the river, By Iroko tree, By Banana tree, By Esun tree, By Lapalapa tree/ Ewe Iyalode (Jatropha), By Ose tree, Inside the forest, By the corner of the wall, By the road, In the market, On the trash cite, At the T junction. CHAPTER 2 1. CATEGORÍES OF ẸGBẸ́ ORUN. Ajaguna and Iyalode are the leader of Ẹgbẹ́. Okun sea was the previous abode for all Ẹgbẹ́ before they went to seek abode elsewhere. Which is why most Emere are water spirit. Yoruba refer to them as omo omi, some people call them ogbanje. Ẹgbẹ́ existence influence the lives of the people and require daily interaction. These spiritual entities were, perhaps, too many in numbers, too significant, and yet too dynamic in character to be overlooked. Ẹgbẹ́ can be classified according to the functional or social typologies. These are reflected on the following Ẹgbẹ́ types: 1. Ẹgbẹ́ Iyalode. Ẹgbẹ́ Iyalode is describe by Oriki as motherly, royal, feared and well respected. The one that Olodumare bestowed with the job of motherhood. She priorities childcare above other things and do not delegate this responsibility to anyone. While other mothers engage in trade of merchandise, she would rather venture in the trade of motherhood. Iyalode moves swiftly like stream. At home, she is said to sit and act like a king and thus treated like a king. She is kind and selfless. Though her angered when wronged, is compared to that of the wrath of Esu. Hence, the saying that, Ìyáláde ò se ni, Èsù ò seni, if Iyalode does not afflict, Esu will not afflicts. She is elegant in dressing and described as someone who wear colorful layered clothes like that of masquerade. The beast that resides inside spear grass, powerful deity that scares the hunters. All these shows the extent of the power and influence of Iyalode. By the literal interpretation of the name Iyalode, it may appear to be women dominated, but it is for both men and woman. The spirit of Iyalode will disturb any individual she chooses to be her custodian until the person complies. Hence, some people maybe experience some torpedoed until they devote to Ẹgbẹ́. Iyalode is known to love to dance to talking drum. Therefore, she is called ore oni dundun, the friend of the drummer. Iyalode has also been describe as a fì èrín ko oníjà lójú, the person who meet an infuriated person with laughter, this showcase either her confidence in her power to win a fight or the use of her charismatic to diffuse quarrel. Oro town is said to be the home of Iyalode. Ìyálóde ará òde òró, Ìyálóde ará òde ìpo. Ìpo town is also linked to Iyalode. A famous votary who share in equally like Olodumare 2. Ẹgbẹ́ Eleriko. They are described as an observant and vigilant class of Ẹgbẹ́. Hence why they say gúdúgúdú abi ojú l’ẹgbẹ̀ alárànbarà àkùkọ, a drum with eye on the side, colorful hen. Cautious and known to trade in leathers, the market of which they tend to monopolize. They can go to any length to take care of their own kinds, even if they must take from other people to satisfy them. They are reputed to be powerful and industrious but sneaky like a snake with unpredictable character. Ẹgbẹ́ Eleriko is further describes through Oriki as a warrior at heart and in ways who processes powerful war costume. A thief, who terrorize the children and discipline a child who is acting foolishly 3. Ẹgbẹ́ Baale. Baale is described as a person who loves food. They are not necessary the cleanest person. They are said to be herbalists, and deal with healing herbs. A philanthropist, who caters for the needs of other head of household. As a Baale, ultimately, they will be well respect and act with ultimate authority. They will be responsible for the welfare of many people and people as such, may depend on their strength, wisdom and experiences. 4. Ẹgbẹ́ Olúgbógerò. This class of Ẹgbẹ́ is described as bird of the water. An important deity whose absence is greatly felt. A deity who can inflict wrath on both mother and child. There has been historical relationship between this class of Ẹgbẹ́ and Timi, the king of Ede land. It is said to be the deity that Timi misses and asked his Ifa about his whereabouts. 5. Ẹgbẹ́ Adéta. They are described as free spirited. They chose their relationship based on momentary needs. They are kindhearted, as they do goodwill in secret without the hope of getting anything in return. They don’t do things for self-gratification. 6. Ẹgbẹ́ Jagun This class of Ẹgbẹ́ are well respected. They are warriors, a wealthy one. They are well organized and dislike dirtiness. A warrior who possesses powerful charm and loves to indulge in alcohol. As a worshipper of Ogun, he despises lazy and freeloader people. This Ẹgbẹ́ couldn’t understand the reason for weakness, because as a warrior, they are always ready for action. In fact, from Oriki of Jagun, it was said one of his war costumes was pleading to be worn outside. They do not like idleness. 7. Ẹgbẹ́ Olúmónhùn. This class of Ẹgbẹ́ is describe as gentle and hard working. They are flamboyant in their ways and outfits. Business oriented women. They are said to be secretive. They will not reveal other people secret as well. A gentle talker, who is always careful of their utterance. She detests gossiping and careful about entrusting others with secret. 8. Ẹgbẹ́ Kórì kótó. This Ẹgbẹ́ is describe as the òrìsà èwé. It represents guardian spirit for the children that oversees the welfare of children. People who are looking for blessing of a child can appeal to Ẹgbẹ́ Kori. Anyone who has children can also go to this Ẹgbẹ́ to request protection for their wards. 9. Ẹgbẹ́ Ìyálájé. This Ẹgbẹ́ has to do with enterprising and industrious people. Market women and commercial industries. They are supposing rich and affluent, that is why they call them Iyalaje. They are emotional, easy on the eyes but are agile and powerful. 2. Water Spirit Ẹgbẹ́. The symbolism of water is as vast as all the water in the world. The meaning of water goes as deep as the deepest sea. From dreams to intuition, magic, water holds endless inspiration. The symbolism of water has a universal undertone of purity and fertility. Symbolically, it is often viewed as the source of life itself as we see evidence in countless creation myths. Interestingly, we are all made of water. Ancient Yoruba mythology made us realize that most water around us were once human. Powerful human beings who turned into rivers are Osun, Olokun, okoko and odo Ogun to mention but a few. Based on this, it becomes evident that spirit do resides inside rivers. They have the power to transform into human, have human experience and once they have accomplished their mission, they will return to the river base. Some of these spirits turned human, have lived among us, and have promised their mates under the river to return at certain age or date. The death of these people will mostly be water related. They can either drown or slip into water. In Yoruba culture, anyone who drowned in the river is buried by the bank. This is said so that there won’t be similar occurrence in the same family of the deceased. It is not wrong to say such individuals have return to their spiritual mates and abode. Water spirit Ẹgbé are refer to as Emèrè inú omi. They are mostly assumed rich, famous and industrious people. They are mostly seen as leaders. There is no venture that these individuals set up, that will not become successful, if they are committed to it. TheirẸgbẹ́ ensures that they remain successful at all cost. If you love spending time in the water or by the river, if you constantly dream about taking bath or swimming with stranger or afraid of water, they feel they may drown if they go into water you may be a member of Emere inu omi. There have been report of people saying they have heard water calling on to them whenever they are near a river or ocean. Its beneficial for those who belong to water spirit to wear white most times and take offerings to the river. 3. Malevolent Ẹgbẹ́ Spirit. When Ẹgbẹ́ are neglected they can influence a person’s life negatively. They can become malevolent. The malevolent Ẹgbẹ́ spirit is usually the spirit of an angered Ẹgbẹ́ spirit who is set out to harm his\her Ẹgbẹ́ clan on earth. They will scare the individual in dreams, steal their possession and can cause illness. They can manipulate the individual behavior, by causing them to be misbehaving. Such individual can begin to steal, lie, and disrupt life of others. Once we realize that a person’s Ẹgbẹ́ have become malevolent, the next thing to do is to appease the Ẹgbẹ́ spirit in order to release the victim from their wrath. Also, priest and priestess of Ẹgbẹ́ can perform Igbá dídì also called Eru Ẹgbẹ́ for the victim. Furthermore, malevolent Ẹgbẹ́ spirit are not only made possible due to neglect. We have good and bad Ẹgbẹ́ spirit. Malevolent Ẹgbẹ́ are an actual sector of Ẹgbẹ́, who are troublemakers. They are high spirit Ẹgbẹ́ who operate like Esu and share similar character trait with some Iyaami when displeased. The malevolent spirits which causes havoc, have survived as lawless men to cause havoc in the life of people. Their mission on earth is to cause people pain. They are elusive, whose powers and personalities fluctuate but whose malevolency tends to constantly remind the people of their presence and their influence. They can plan sinister ideas in their victim’s minds or cause them great confusion. The individuals who shared this personality and come from this type of Ẹgbẹ́ are among us. They are serial killers, rapist, armed robbers, thugs and so on. The spirit causes a wide range of harm; from being dysfunctional to causing physical harm to human. These malevolent spirits are not only acknowledged but feared, held in awe and placatory rites must be performed for them. Contrary to some belief in evil spirit been housed within the body of certain living people and may require exorcism to rid the afflicted from such spirit. Malevolent Ẹgbẹ́ spirit are being true to their nature, they are not always demonic nor a result of demonic possession or attack. They are not the spirit of the dead who is restless and wandering around because they lost their path to eternal afterlife. The person who possesses such malevolent Ẹgbẹ́ spirit can be ruthlessly ambitious, blatantly envious, compulsive liar and fiercely competitive. Pregnant women in Yoruba culture are advised against going out in the afternoon around 1pm to 2pm, and to tie a stone at the edge of their wrapper to avoid malevolent Ẹgbẹ́ spirit from replacing their fetus with their own kind. Once a person is suspected to be from this class of Ẹgbẹ́, priests and priestesses of Ẹgbẹ́ who are familiar with this situation can propitiate malevolent Ẹgbẹ́ spirits. By doing ritual of Igbá dídì and appeasement to the Ẹgbẹ́ spirit to leave the person. Ifa initiation can also be done to change this ill-fated to good one. 4. ÀBÍKÚ. Àbíkú is a word in Yoruba language. Àbíkú "born to die”, is derived from Yoruba words which is abi "that which possesses" and iku "death". Àbíkú refers to the spirits of children who die before reaching puberty; a child who dies before twelve years of age is called an Àbíkú, and the spirit, or spirits, who caused the death being also called Àbíkú. Àbíkú literally means "one who is born, dies"- -though the compact "born to die," with its implication of a fated or deliberately planned death. Abi to give birth or to be born, ku is to die. They are children who sometimes want to see their parent suffer, they rejoice in the tears people shed when they die. They are children who have secret plans to die at a certain time in their upbringing and leave at the expiration of the chosen time. I investigated the world of motherhood and felt sorry for woman out there and parents in general who must go or have gone through the ordeal of losing their child to Àbíkú. It’s a taboo for a parent to bury their child. When this type of ill-fated occurrences strikes the Yoruba people will say 'Omi lódànù, agbè kò fọ́', (the water was lost but the calabash isn’t broken). The calabash here is the vessel the mother, the water is used to represent the child. Meaning the child died but the mother lives. Àbíkú are often sick and drain their parent’s money on medical and spiritual bills. Only to be born again soon afterwards, repeating this itinerary of death and birth until they are spiritually tied down on earth by their parents and forced to stay in the world. That is why some people are told not to have big or loud celebration when they have newborn or getting married. Whatever they want to do should be low key as their inner head do not want noise. Hence, pregnant women among the Yoruba are forbidden to go out in the sun from 1pm to 3pm and at midnight, because it is believed that time is when the spirit moves around and mostly looking for host and can peradventure change the child in the womb to Àbíkú. Àbíkú can be inherited; it can go on for generation to generation if proper spiritual work is not done. In my own family, my mother, sisters, aunt and sister in law have all been ill-fated with Àbíkú in the past. So, I know what to look out for and pray against. I have mentioned about my mother challenges with Àbíkú. But her younger sister suffers the most in the hand of Àbíkú. She has had nine births and only four survived. Whenever she gave birth to a new baby, the older sibling will die mysteriously, and this goes on until she was left with four children. One of my sisters in law, lost two daughters at infancy. They both passed on in similar circumstances. But whenever she had boy, they seem to be fine. It was revealed eventually that her Ẹgbẹ́ didn’t want her to replicate herself, by having a girl. Healing an Àbíkú child is intensive, some parent uses a charm called Gbekude to tie an Àbíkú child on earth. Like I have mentioned earlier, gbekude is mostly worn around the neck, to prevent the Àbíkú spirit from claiming the child till the child is fully grown. Some give them mark on the face. Some attaches anklet with bells around the child leg, or chains round his/her neck. The jingling of the iron and the tinkling of the bells is supposed to keep the Àbíkú spirit at a distance coupled with sacrificed and offerings, hence the number of children that are to be seen with their feet weighed down with iron ornaments. Àbíkú children are given name like; Molomo: Don't go again. Kukoyi: Death reject this one. Durojaiye: Stay and enjoy life. Motunrayo: I have found joy again. Àbíkú children are mostly buried wearing rags, on dump site, outskirt of town or in the bush without any befitting burial rite. The parents are advised not to show pity for the child, not to shed tears. Sometimes their corpse will be burnt or marked on their body to identify the child if it’s however returns. All these are done to discourage the Àbíkú spirit from returning. However, we have heard of cases where some children over time are reborn to the same mother with the previous look, sex, complexion, structure and makings. One of my aunt daughters return with a mark on her feet. She had told me she knew it was her, because when the first girl passed away, she said she asked for sign to identify her if she returns. She did returns and left again. An Àbíkú child can go and come back as many times as they want till the parent can finally tie them down on earth. Àbíkú is not restricted to infant child or a sex alone, thereis Àbíkú Agba. These people grown and mature into adult but sometimes die untimely or almost at the prime time of their success. Sometimes success is so fast for these people, they will graduate school, get the best job, have children but when it is time for their parent or family to enjoy them, they pass away. They can die without any sign of illness or use something to attach their death to. Some die untimely without living any offspring's behind. Ògùn yó wù kẹ fi wo Àbíkú Bó pẹ́ bóyá omo ó relé rẹ̀ l’ọ́jókan Whichever medicine you use to cure an Àbíkú child The child will return to his home eventually. ÀBÍKÚ POEM In vain your bangles cast Charmed circles at my feet I am Àbíkú, calling for the first And repeated time. Must I weep for goats and cowries For palm oil and sprinkled ask? Yams do not sprout amulets To earth Àbíkú's limbs. So, when the snail is burnt in his shell, Whet the heated fragment, brand me Deeply on the breast - you must know him When Àbíkú calls again. I am the squirrel teeth, cracked The riddle of the palm; remember This, and dig me deeper still into The god's swollen foot. Once and the repeated time, ageless Though I puke, and when you pour Libations, each finger points me near The way I came, where The ground is wet with mourning White dew suckles flesh-birds Evening befriends the spider, trapping Flies in wine-froth; Night, and Àbíkú sucks the oil From lamps. Mothers! I'll be the Suppliant snake coiled on the doorstep Yours the killing cry. The ripest fruit was saddest Where I crept, the warmth was cloying. In silence of webs, Àbíkú moans, shaping Mounds from the yolk. Written by Wole Soyinka CHAPTER THREE I. ẸGBẸ́, ORÍ AND DESTINY. There is no way we will talk about Ẹgbẹ́ Orun without mentioning Orí and destiny. It is said that ‘Ẹgbẹ́ ẹni ni ońi ìpín ẹni, tí óhún yan ìpín fún ni’. Ones Ẹgbẹ́ is the one we share destiny with, the one who choose destiny for us. It is believed that it is those you fellowship with in heaven that you associate with on earth. Ogbeyonu Isé mẹta ni ò tó omo orí odó se Ká fi gún yán Ká fí òdì kejì gún ẹ̀lú Ká fi agbede méjì rẹ̀ ti ìlẹ̀kùn Kó fi dúró gbon gbon L’ódífá fún Orísankú omo Ògún Abù fún Orílemèrè omo Ìja Adífá fún Afùwàpẹ́ Tí se omo Ọ̀rúnmìlà Àwon méjèjì n ti ìkọ̀lé ọ̀run bọ̀ wá sáyé Ẹbo ni wón ní kí won o se Afùwàpé nìkàn ní ńbe lẹ́yìn tín rúbọ N ò mo ibi olórí gbé yan rí o Ǹbá lọ yan tè mi N ò mo ibi Afùwàpẹ́ gbé yan rí o Ibi kan na l’agbè y’anrí Kádàrá kò papò ni Three jobs are not enough for the pestle to do We can use it to pound yam We can use it to pound herbs We use it to secure the door To hold it firm Cast Ifa divination for Orisanku child of Ogun Also, Orilemere child of Ija Cast Ifa divination for Afiwape child of Orunmila They were both sojourning to earth from heaven They were advised to make sacrifice Afuwape is the only one behind making sacrifice I do not know where any individual chooses their head I would have gone there to choose mine as well I do not know where Afuwape chose his head I would have gone there and choose mine We all chose from the same place But our destiny is different. From the above Odu Ifa, it was explained that every individual chose their destiny before embarking on their earthly journey. It is believed that the Orí we choose, determines our fortunes and misfortunes in life. Destiny itself can be divided into three parts; Àkúnlẹ̀yàn, Àkúnlẹ̀gbà and Àyànmón. Akunleyan is the stage where you kneel and select the things you want during your lifetime on earth. The number of years you wish to spend, the kind of relationship you desire and so on. Akunlegba, is the second stage where those things an individual have requested is released to them to bring their desires into fruition. For example, an Àbíkú Ẹgbẹ́ child who wishes to die at infancy, may be born during a disease epidemic to facilitate the departure from earth. This is where the connection between Ẹgbẹ́ spirit, destiny and Orí interwoven. Ayanmon, is the destined things that come to earth with you that cannot be changed, like our gender, the family that we are born into and so on. Ayanmon ko gboogun, Orí l’elejo “Ayanmon is immune to rectification, blame it on Orí.’ In Yoruba culture when a child born, ifa divination is performed after three days. The divination process is called Ẹsẹ́ntayé. This is performed to determine what destiny the child brought to earth, good or bad. Through this divination Ifa can expose the child as Àbíkú or Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ and prescribe rituals to be done to keep the child on earth. If the child is read an Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ at early stage of life, the parent can know what to do in taking care of the child. II. Character class of Ẹgbẹ́ base on destiny 1. The Navigator. This class of people are a link for success for others, they pave the way for other to attain success. They are known by many, even with this ability, they are mostly average in life. They give out great advice and encourage others to do good, the only problem is that they don’t practice what they preach. They seem to take their own issue with levity and hasten to other people matters. When it comes to their own life, they seem carefree. They seem to have no understanding which direction it is heading to. They are the ones who know important personalities and yet poor. They are here as facilitator, to help other attains greater heights. 2. The Nurturer. This class of people are kind and generous. They can share their last dime with anyone they see is in need. They are mostly dependable, they do so much for others but do not get the same in return. They feel sometimes used in the long run and promise to never render help again until their next act of kindness. It is what they are sent here to do. Some of these people are here to atone for their past life misdeed, they are cursed to be good. 3. The Success. This class of people experience high success in life. It seems to be fast paced for them. At a very young age, they might have achieved what people twice their age may not have in terms of success. The road seems to be already paved for them. It is like they came here to collect what was owed in past life. Things harder for others to achieve, are easy for them, intelligent or not. However, this class of people may experience shorter life span than others. Because they are here on a short span, and want to return to their Ẹgbẹ́ on time, that is why it is believed everything happens faster for them. These people, if they live long enough, are mostly financial buoyant. They, however, need to constantly propitiate and sacrifice to experience longevity. 4. The Leaders. They can be rich or average. But one thing that is constant for them is attaining leadership position. They enjoy taking up leadership role anywhere they find themselves, it comes naturally for them. Even when they don’t want it, people will request them to take the role. They are dependable and share trait with navigators only that they take keen interest in their personal life more than the navigator. And if they are in a group, they are not content being a floor member, when they know their capability. Holding a leadership position helps them to have great self-discipline as they dislike letting people down. This enables them to manage their life well and achieve success. They are sent here to lead so that they can be useful for themselves and others. The downside is not wanting to be under anyone, it can be sometimes difficult for them to take instruction from others. 5. The Little Bird. These people are the chit chat. They are friend of none and enemy of most. They are blunt and could sometimes be rude. The have a loudmouth and are overconfident. They are the pot stirrer; they enjoy causing chaos. They know how to find themselves in trouble and how to talk their way of its repercussion while others may suffer greatly for it. They are built for it. 6. The Spoilt. These people are here to be showeredwith love and admiration. They may not process the best character trait but that will not stop the love from flowing into their lives. They may have beauty but only mostly on the outside. Their character maybe questionable. With all this, people still find them desirable regardless. They are creative and multitalented. They like to depend on others to spoil them, even though they can achieve success on their own, it is just not the way they want to live. 7. The freeloader. These class of people will live off other people, they are like a leech, you can’t shake them off. They can achieve their dreams off other people sweat. They chose friends out of benefits; their loyalty is sold to the highest bidder. They trade information. CHAPTER FOUR 1. PACTS MADE IN HEAVEN A pact is a promise, an agreement. A pact made in heaven is a spiritual contract between a person and their spiritual comrades. There are some Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ who have made pacts in heaven before coming to earth. They have made promises and vows that may sometimes become difficult to fulfil upon arriving on earth but which their Ẹgbẹ́ bond them with. Some have stipulated when they will return to heaven, and the scenario that will surround their death. Some have declared who they want to become and what they want to or not have in life. Some may choose to return to their Ẹgbẹ́ on their birthday, wedding day, during labor and delivery, graduation or any important landmark in their life which is why some Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́ Emere cannot have a big wedding celebration. Some have chosen not to have children and so on. Every pact is different as every person is and rituals will always be different as they will be personalized for such person need. Just like not adhering to physical contract on earth can have consequences, so does not adhering to your spiritual contract can be dire. Through Ifa divination, spiritual pacts that any individual may have made in heaven can be revealed. Let examine Odu Ifa Ogbeyonu. OGBEYONU Òní ìpatoǹbé Ọ̀la ìpatoǹbé Ọ̀tunla ìpatoǹbé Ọjọ́ mẹ́rin ìpatoǹbé Ìpatoǹbé ń relé ìpatoǹbé Àwon arawon ń relé arawon Omotuntun jòjòló abi ojú fì o fì o Dífá fún ayédùn tín t’ọrun bọ̀wá sáyé Ayé lódùn hun ò wá mó o Mòràn i mòràn ayé mòmò dùn Today is Ipatonbe Tomorrow ipatonbe Day after tomorrow ipatonbe Forth day my dear Two lovers visiting one another New babes with sharp eyes Cast if for Ayedun that is sojourning to earth Life is so sweet I am not returning to heaven Òní ìpatoǹbé Ẹgbà rẹ re o Ayé lódùn hun ò wá mó o Mòràn i mòràn ayé mòmò dùn Today my love, these are your largesse The universe is sweet I am not coming Pleasantly, deliciously, life is sweet Ọ̀la ìpatoǹbé ẹgbà rẹ re o Ayé lódùn hun ò wá mó o Mòràn i mòràn ayé mòmò dùn Next day my dear, here are your thousand cowries The universe is sweet I am not coming back Pleasantly, deliciously, life is sweet Ọ̀tunla ìpatoǹbé ẹgbà rẹ re o Ayé lódùn hun ò wá mó o Mòràn i mòràn ayé mòmò dùn The third day, here are one thousand cowries The universe is sweet I am not coming back Pleasantly, deliciously, life is sweet Ọjọ́ mẹ́rin ìpatoǹbé, ẹgbà rẹ re o Ayé lódùn hun ò wá mó o Mòràn i mòràn ayé mòmò dùn The fourth day have these one thousand cowries The universe is sweet I am not coming Pleasantly, deliciously, life is sweet Ìpatoǹbé ń relé ìpatoǹbé Àwon arawon ń relé arawon Ẹgbà yín rè o Ayé lódùn hun ò wá mó o Mòràn i mòràn ayé mòmò dùn Two lovers keep visiting one another These are your thousand cowries The universe is sweet I am not coming Pleasantly, deliciously, life is sweet Omotuntun jòjòló abi ojú fì o fì o Ẹgbà rẹ re o Ayé lódùn hun ò wá mó o Mòràn i mòràn ayé mòmò dùn New babes with sharp eyes These are your thousand cowries The universe is sweet I am not coming Pleasantly, deliciously, life is sweet In this verse of Ogbeyonu, Ayedun that Ifa was talking about here was getting ready to come to earth, but before he left heaven, his Ẹgbẹ́ orun loaned him money to assist him to journey to earth. He was told he will have to return to heaven at a stipulated time. Ayedun went to a Babalawo for divination, he was told to perform sacrifice so that his earthly journey can be successful. Upon getting to earth, Ayedun discover that earth is pleasant and enjoyable. He went to a Babalawo for a divination on how he will be able to stay on earth longer that what was expected of him by his Ẹgbẹ́ orun. He was told he will be able to repay his debt to his Ẹgbẹ́ orun and stay longer on earth. Sacrifice was made for him; he repaid his debt and lived a long life. In odu Ifa Oyeku ogunda, we are told; Oyeku ojomida baba ti ru ebo omoti e tan lorun Awon lodifa fun alasu ada Won ki o wa rubo si laiku ara re O gbe bo orubo Ogberu oteru Nje ojo ti mo da o pe Alasuada parade Oyeku Ogunda, father have completed his child sacrifice in heaven Cast Ifa divination for Alasuada He was told to make sacrifice for longevity He does as advised Therefore, it is not yet my appointed day Alasuda has experienced a change of fate Alasuada in this Odu Ifa had an ifa consultation about his welfare. He was told to make sacrifice. He was informed that there is a lot of blessing for him, he needs to take care of his comrades in heaven, so that they will not come and take him back to heaven the day he is celebrating his success. He needs to ask what his heavenly mates want and give it to them. He was told to make sacrifice so that all the negativity on his path can be turned around to good by his heavenly mate. He made sacrifice as prescribed and offering to Ẹgbẹ́ was performed on his behalf. That was how Alasuada was able to avert death and enjoy longevity. He was dancing and rejoicing. He was praising Oyeku, Oyeku was praising Ogunda. With the above, Oyeku Ogunda made it evident that it is in fact true that people make pact in heaven. It also shows the important of ifa divination and sacrifice. As Ẹlẹ́gbẹ́, it is important to always make divination before we have a big celebration to mark new milestones. In Odu Ifa Ogbeweyin, the odu explain in-depth about the existence of heavenly mates, pacts and promises made and ways to appease our Ẹgbẹ́ Orun and atone for our wrongs if need be. Let’s examine Ogbeweyin in details; Ìrí ni nì kíni Ìkí ni nì jẹ́ ni Ìsọ̀rọ̀ sí ni ni dá ni lóhun O kú owo ní ìkí Ọ̀yo Májà ni ketu kí ra won Ayọ́ nu ni t’ègùn T́i won ba n k’ágbé l’à kí jù Yo ma dàbí ẹni pé Wón fé toro isu jẹ lọ́wó won Be ni kii se pé a fẹ́ toro isu jẹ lọ́wọ́ won Adífá fún fapohunda ayé Abù fún t’oru Seeing is acknowledgment Been greeted begets respond The way one is spoken to will determine the respond Oku owo is the greeting of Ọ̀yo Májà is ketu’s greeting Ayo- nu is that of Ègùn If you greet a farmer too much It will seem as if You want to beg for yam But it is not that we intend Divined for Faponhunda on earth Also cast for Fapohunda in heaven Fapohunda aiye is a friend to Fapohunda orun; they were both in heaven together. When Fapohunda aiye was coming to earth, he went for divination so that his departure for earth will be successful and he may have all the things he desires. He was told to perform sacrifice. He didn’t have money to make the sacrifice. Fapohunda orun said he will help him to pay for the sacrifice and he did. After the sacrifice was done, Fapohunda of aiye promised Fapohunda orun that, once he gets to earth and becomes successful, he will send his shares of his possessions to him. If he has two cowries, he will send him one. If he has two things, he will share the other with him. If he has two clothes, he will give him one. If he has two wives, he will send one to him. If he has two children, he will send one to him. Everything that he could possibly gain on earth, he will send his shares to him. Fapohunda aye departed for earth and because he had made the sacrifice, he was successful. He established business; he built a house and was successful. He made more than two cowries in fact it was more than hundreds. He had a lot of clothes, he got married and have more thanone child. He forgot all the promises he had made to his other half in heaven. He was enjoying life. Fapohunda orun was waiting for his share to no avail. He didn’t see or hear from Fapohunda aiye. He said it seems my friend has forgot all the promises he made to me. But if he failed to send me my shares, I will go and get it myself. Fapohunda orun decided to visit the earth and he was taking things from Fapohunda aiye. He took all his livestock’s; he took his money and almost everything that Fapohunda aiye owns spiritually. The result of this for Fapohunda aiye was that, all his animals were dying, his clothes are been eaten by termites and some of his houses collapsed. Things were no longer going smoothly for Fapohunda aiye. He became greatly bewildered and worried. Fapohunda aiye decided to get a divination, he asked for the reason to the entire calamity that had befallen him of recent. He was told it was his partner in heaven, that the promises he made to him, he did not keep it. He was told that things will go back to normal for him only if he honours his promises. He agreed to make the sacrifice. He will have two tops, two pants, a pair of everything that he owns including two sheep and eighteen cowries for sacrifice. They told him that after the sacrifice is completed, they will give him one sheep to tie at his backyard and on the second day they will ask Ifa what to do with the sheep. They made sacrifice for him and the Babalawo left. Fapohunda orun arrived again the night that his earthly friend made the sacrifice. He saw that Fapohunda aiye had replaced most of the things he took. He was fascinated and he begin to pick take them one by one again. While he was doing that, he heard the cry of a sheep at the backyard. He said so he even had an animal tied down, I will take it. He went to untie the sheep, but he had lost track of time it was almost dawn. While he was trying to untie the sheep, the cock crows and he went back. All the things he took from Fapohunda aiye before, he had hidden it and clouded people vision so that no one will be able to see it. But he was unable to do this again as it was almost dawn, he fled so that no one will see him. When the day broke, Fapohunda aiye went to his compound and saw all his lost belongings. He was astonished by this, He said ha! This is the cloth the termites ate; this is the one that tore that I lost. What is all this? He wondered. He went to get the Babalawo and narrated his new discoveries. The Babaláwo enquiries from Ifa, it was revealed that it was his partner in heaven at work. He said it was true I made him promises. When I made those promises I did not know it will be difficult to fulfil. How can I possibly make two shilling or more and bury half or it or throw it away? Or perhaps I should just go and throw half of my clothes away or is it my children that I will kill? Or will I have two wives and suddenly take one somewhere I don’t know? I don’t know how to keep these promises I made to him. Who will I give it to? I made all those promises but to fulfil it became impossible when I got on earth. He asked the awo to plead on his behalf. I will be giving out alms and offering on his behalf annually. Whatever he wants as atonement I will be doing it for him annually. But tell him not to take it in form of me giving him a whole human being or by me taking all my clothes and just throwing them away. His partner in heaven agreed to the new arrangements. Fapohunda aiye gave offering and alms for his partner in heaven annually. He will invite his entire associate on earth and tell them he wants to give out on behalf of his partner in heaven. He will cook and kill animal; he will ask people to come and share the food with him. As he was doing so on earth, his heavenly mate was happy, they were dancing and rejoicing. Fapohunda aiye was successful and he regained all he had lost. CHAPTER FIVE 1. ẸGBẸ́ INITIATION. Our Ẹgbẹ́ are closer to us than the beating of our heart and the breath of our nostrils. But we only experience this closeness to the extent that we align ourselves with them. Initiation is what open us to them and share in their powers and enjoy their protection. This shows that we have a lot to learn about the spiritual community. What it does, how the individual can function within it and how the community can fulfil the individuals needs and so on. Initiation is seeking personal authority and wholeness to fill the gap and solidify our union with our Ẹgbẹ́ and recognizing concerns beyond our self. It also assists in developing a better and greater connectedness to self and others through ritual, deriving meaning, purpose and direction in life. By factor of birth, and not knowing who we used to be, initiation into Ẹgbẹ́ is reclaiming our position, owning who we are and creating a bond with our heavenly mate. Initiation makes a person become aware of the deeper part of his or her inner nature, he/she will create a bond with the community in heaven and ultimately know how to manage their spirit life, power and gifts on earth. With this step taken, we are in position to have direct link to our pairs in heaven and maintain relationship with them whenever we want to. Initiation to Ẹgbẹ́ can be done for so many reasons. It may be revealed during Ifa divination, it can be out of necessity for someone who is experiencing challenges from their Ẹgbẹ́ orun and so on. Initiation process into Ẹgbẹ́ begin like every other Orisa initiation. The first step is àdáwọmi, which is a divination that precedes every act that follows in the process, after this step, the person to be initiated is taken to the temple to have his or her head shaved which symbolizes the process of rebirth. They are then marked with efun and oosun. All the materials and icons will be cleansed with omi ẹ̀rọ̀, a special collective of Ifa leaves use for spiritual activation. The initiate will also be bathed with omi ero afterwards for purification. Offerings of different kinds are made while Ẹgbẹ́ is chanted down by the priestess in harmonic way. The process of chanting Ẹgbẹ́ poetry is called ‘Ẹgbẹ́ pípè’. Ẹgbẹ́ pípè is an enchanting poem that has a special spiritual rhythm embedded in it to unite the initiate to the divine life and celestial host. The collective and harmonic nature of the song has the power that can invoke the spirit and cause anyone near or far to be entranced by it, then get possessed by the spirit of Ẹgbẹ́. The power is in the unique component of the lyrics. After all rites have been performed, the Ìta ceremony, will be done on the third day. During the ìta ceremony, the second divination will be performed to mark the last day of the rites and the initiated now reborn may be given some taboos to observed and may even get a new name to establish their new identity. II. ẸGBẸ́ SHRINE AND ICONS There is no set organizational plan for shrine of Ẹgbẹ́ and items contain and use in the temple will vary from town to town. If you are already initiated into Ẹgbẹ́, other than your consecrated item received during initiation or hand ceremony, you can put whatever your heart desires in your shrine so long as it aids in devotion. The typical icons and items found in Ẹgbẹ́ shrine includes the following; 1. Ẹgbẹ́ pot This is container that housed the sacred elements of Ẹgbẹ́. It is received during initiation and hand ceremony. Some people have a covered ceramic pot while other use a traditional clay pot. 2. Abẹ̀bẹ̀ Ìyálóde A round fan made from leather, with decorative bead, cowries and beads. From the Oriki of Iyalode, she is said to carry Abebe Oje, fan made from silver in her hand. 3. Ìkòkò Àwẹ̀ Ẹgbẹ́ Ikoko awe is a pot consecrated and kept mostly outdoor but can be placed inside as well. This is one of the essential items that every person initiated into Ẹgbẹ́ need to have. There is ritual process involved in the consecration of Awe pot like any other icons. This pot serves as connect to Ẹgbẹ́ spirit. Offering of different kinds
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