Chapter 7

ETURA-OGUNDA ETURA-ARIRA ETURA-TAKUTA SOLE ETURA-TA-GITAN

He Made Divination for the Parasite Plant and the Star

A le mi ni He aje, mo bo si le ilke. Odifa fun Afuma ti yi o je Oba igi oko. Abufun irawo so so ti yi o je Oba lorun. I was driven out of the house of money and I ended up in the house of beads and jewels. That was the awo who made divination for the parasite plant (Afuma in Yoruba and Osee in Bini) to become king of plants in the forest He also divined for the Star to become the King of the sky. They were told to make sacrifice. Afuma was advised to serve Esu with a he-goat and to make sacrifice with an egg at a road junction. After making the sacrifice he was advised never to hold meetings with anyone. Meanwhile, all the plants of the forest decided to be holding meetings alternately in the homes of the Iroko and the Oak trees. When Afuma was invited to be attending the meetings, he declined the invitation on the ground that he could not condescend to be holding meetings with his father's slaves. The other plants were so infuriated by the derisive remarks of Afuma that they trooped to the divine chamber of God to ask Him whether he did indeed create them to be slaves of any particular plant. When God asked them the rationale of the question, they all explained that the nconsequentail Afuma refused to join their meeting because he could not condescend to relate with the slaves of his father. God told them to go and call the plant who made such a spiteful remark. Before they got to Afuma's house, Esu had given him a bad chill and he was visibly ill. When the plants sent to invite him arrived to deliver God's invitation, he regreted that he was too ill to honor the invitation. Upon being told that Afuma was too ill to honor the invitation, God ordered them to fetch him by all means.

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When they got back to Afuma's house the kolanut tree decided to carry him on his head to the venue of the meeting. When they got to the Divine chamber of God, the kolanut plant decided to put Afuma down on the ground but he bluntly refused to alight. At that point, God asked all the others how they got to the venue and they all replied that they came on their feet. When he put a second question as to how Afuma carne to the conference, they answered that Afuma's father was the king of all plants and that he should remain in that position to eternity. That is why he grows on the top of other trees to this day, especially on the kolanut tree who carried him on his head that day. On the other hand, the same Awo advised the Star to make sacrifice with a he-goat and a naked lamp. He made the sacrifice and became the king of the sky. At Ugbodu, the person will be told to make sacrifice and to avoid holding meetings with anybody because he was destined for leadership positions. At divination, the person should be advised to make sacrifice in order to win a contest for a position of prestigeous authority or chieftaincy title.

The Divination Made for Him Before Leaving Heaven

Mi O rra lere, mi Orra. E roni ko'ro Orra. Those were the Awos who made divination for Orunmila when he was coming to the world. He was told that he" was going to occupy an indispensable position on earth and should therefore fortify himself against all problems that goes with success. He was specifically told to make sacrifice for long life and prosperity on earth and to ensure that his sexual potency remained healthy throughout his life. He was required to make the following sacrifices: to serve his guardian angel with a ram; to serve Esu with a he-goat adding a make-shift stool; akara, eko and ekuru; to make special Ifa sacrifice with castrated he-goat for potency; and to obtain clearance from God with a white pigeon. He made all the sacrifices before leaving heaven for the world. On getting to earth, he lost no time in establishing his fame as an effective and proficient Ifa priest. Meanwhile, there was so much turbulence on earth because of the actions of evil minded men that God invited the two hundred divinities to meet him at Orita-ljaloko. When Orunmila consulted his Okeponrin on what to do, he was advised not to go on schedule, but that if he desperately wanted to go, he was to ride there on a ram after giving a he-goat to Esu. Otokun's daughter Aje also went for divination and she was told not to go but that if she must go, she should give a he-goat to Esu and serve her guardian angel with a goat and a cock. She did not do the sacrifice. When the others arrived at the venue of the meeting, God insisted that the meeting could not commence without the presence of Orunmila. Meanwhile, before leaving for the conference, Orunmila told Akpetebi to prepare food for him to hold for the journey. She refused to cook because she had to go to the market. Since he had been warned not to quarrel before going, he subsequently left on the back of a ram. There were seven shrines of the tree of life to pass before getting to Orita-ljaloko. By the time the ram got to the seventh shrine, it hit its head on the tree and immediately walked home backwards.

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Meanwhile, after waiting in vain for Orunmila to turn up for the meeting, the other divinities decided to disperse, leaving the daughter of Olokun alone with God. Back on earth, Esu went to blink his eyes to Akpetebi and as she was returning from the market, she was exhausted, felt drowsy and fell to the ground losing consciousness. Soon afterwards, Esu met her virtually dead, but got a stool, sat her down on it and prepared a tray in front of her as if she was selling akara, ekuru and eko by the side of the road. To give her a talking posture, Esu put a live frog in her mouth. A little later, as Aje was returning from the venue of the meeting that never held, she met Orunmila's wife sitting beside her wares and asked after her husband. The frog in her mouth began to laugh scornfully at Olokun's daughter, and even spat on her. As Aje moved to touch her, she fell down as. if she had just died. From his hide-out, Esu came out to accuse Aje of murdering Orunmila's wife. One after the other, Aje surrendered each of her seven female followers to atone for Akpetebi's death but Esu insisted that their eyes did not match those of Orunmila's wife. She subsequently decided to settle the matter directly with Orunmila. As soon as Aje left, Esu instantly appeared at Orunmila's house to brief him and to tell him that he should put the blame for Akpetebi's death on Esu who could not protect his wife as he was instructed to do. Before then, Orunmila had been told to decorate an apartment in his palatial house with white adornments because of the woman he was about to marry. When Aje subsequently arrived, Orunmila was in a hurry to entertain her lavishly, although she was more concerned with the problem of how she unintentionally killed Akpetebi. When she eventually summoned the courage to narrate how she pushed his wife to her death, Orunmila burst into tears, lamenting that far from blaming her, he only held Esu responsible for not being able to protect Akpetebi. He then vowed that Esu would never again enter his house. At that point, Esu cried out from where he was squatting outside the house, while begging Orunmila for forgiveness. The cry of Esu quaked the very ground on which Aje was standing and she too began to weep. After giving all that she had to Orunmila, Esu was still crying. She ended the melodramatic scenario by bethrothing herself to Orunmila in marriage, in addition to her seven maidens, With her bethrothal, Esu stopped crying and tranquility returned to the scene. Aje was subsequently led to the decorated apartment where she began to live as Orunmila's wife. Thereafter, Esu went to where Apetebi's unconscious body lay and used the appropriate leaves to bring her back to life. That is how Orunmila ended up having nine wives which is the characteristic of the children of this odu. With so many wives to cater for, Orunmila began to experience spasmodic bouts of sexual power failure. He had nonetheless become exceedingly famous and wealthy, but had to do something about his sporadic impotence, He subsequently invited his Awos who told him to make sacrifice with a castrated he-goat and to take something from the seventh shrine on which his ram knocked its head before returnTQ home backwards on the day of the conference that never was. He was required also to fetch the head of a boa, a python or boa constrictor and a cock. He produced all the materials and after obtaining the relevant leaves of this odu, the Awos killed the castrated he-goat for Ifa while

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the cock was slaughtered for Ogun. The testicles of the castrated he-goat and the cock were extracted and added to the heads of the boa and boa constrictor, put on the mortar and pounded thoroghly. The medicine was marked round Orunmila's waist, and the rest was mounted on the skin of the castrated he-goat with a brass scimitter any mytre on it (Ada and Eben in Bini with igheghan) The Mortar was finally washed and the water was used to wash the Ifa seeds (Ikin) and thereafter for him to bathe with it. He subsequently regained his potency. When this Ifa appears at Ugbodu, the person will be told that he is likely to marry or have sexual relations with nine women, the second of which will come from the palace of Olokun to enrich him. He should endeavour to avoid attending meetings or belonging to social gathering in order not to suffer from sporadic sexual power failure, which he should forestall by preparing the special sacrifice (Ono-lfa or Odiha) with the castrated he-goat after serving the Ifa with a ram. He will be a force to reckon with in the society.

He Made Divination for Alagemo, The Chameleon

Ariro or Alagemo was the favorite servant of God. He enjoyed the favored position of being God's closest confidant. That position generated considerable envy and enmity for him, and his detractors plotted to bear false witness against him. Meanwhile, as he was beginning to sense trouble he went to Orunmila who told him to serve Esu with a he-goat and Olokun with all the materials for sending gifts to the water divinity including cowries, white cloth, white chalk, white crushed yam and an image. Meanwhile, his enemies went to inform God that the chameleon was usurping His divine position and authority. On hearing the accusation, God sent two executioners to go and deal with him. The executioners got hold of the chameleon, bound his hands and feet and jettisoned his corpse into the sea, after beating him mercilessly to death. Incidentally, in appreciation of the gifts which Alagemo often sent to the water divinity, neither sea nor river kills him. As soon as Olokun saw him floating on the water, he sent his body guards to rescue him. He was eventually brought before Olokun who gave instant instructions that Alagemo should be moulded with inexhaustible prosperity. After being moulded with eternal opulence, Olokun advised him to return to life since it was not yet time for him to die. He was subsequently tossed to the surface of the water from where he swam to safety. The people who saw him on his way to his house went to tell God that Alagemo was still very much alive and well. As the next day was the meeting of the divine council of heaven, God sent for Alagemo to be present at the meeting. He also sent for the people who were instructed to execute him. His executioners confirmed that they did not only beat the life out of him but also threw his corpse into the river and the corpse had actually gone under before they left the river. Their account was confirmed by Alagemo who lamented that without; investigating the allegation made against him by his accusers, giving him an opportunity to defend himself, taking account of his past performance, and viewing the accusation against the back-drop of his track record, God, the omniscent, condemned him to death. It was the superlative excellence and impartiality of providence through the instrumentality of Olokun that restored him to life in mysterious circumstances under the water. As if to state his case albeit post facto, he denied ever saying or doing anything or even thinking in terms of having the appearance of usurping the powers of the creator and master, and

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that he was ever so satisifed with the rare privilege of staying by God's side in putting the affairs of universal government right. In his reaction, God reassured lagemo that his experience was meant to enable him to realize that it is not the guilty alone that suffers, the innocent more often than not suffer for what they know nothing about. The experience was designed to enable the innocent, no matter how they might be badgered about, would always remain on their feet and live to a ripe old age. The Almighty Father proclaimed that the lives of innocent victims of falsehood would always be longer and more prosperous than those of their accusers. With that proclamation, God invited Alagemo to resume his eternal position by His side. When this odu appears at divination, the person will be advised to make sacrifice against the danger of being made to suffer humiliation for an accusation he/she knows nothing about. He/she should make sacrifices to Esu and Olokun.

He Made Divination for Agbe When Going to the Farm

Igbe gidi ni a ba su kitikpa. Odifa fun Agbe t o nlo si oko afore odun. Obuko ati eru tshu, ati oun t enu je gbogboni ebo re. He made divination for Agbe when he was going to start a farm at the beginning of the new year. He made sacrifices with a he-goat, a pack of yam tubers and all eatable foodstuffs. He succeeded in having a rich harvest. At divination, the person will be told to make sacrifice before traveling in order to derive benefit from the journey.

He Made Divination for the Ironsmith

Gbogboro kun. to ndifa fun Alagbede igba owuro. He made divination for the ironsmith very early in the morning advising him to make sacrifice with a he-goat to thwart the difficulties that enemies were going to generate for him, most especially to avert the danger of bottom illness such as hyena. He made the sacrifice. When it appears at divination, the person will be advised to make sacrifice in order to obviate the danger of bottom illness. If the divinee is a woman she will be advised to refrain from flirting in order to avert the danger of contacting veneral diseases. The same advice holds for a male divinee.

Divination for a Barren Woman to Have a Child

Orunmila ni raba, emi na ni Iraba. Iraba ni ishu n kpa tofi nta. Iraba ni ogede n kpa ti o nso. Iraba ni agbado nkpa t o nfi nkpan orno. Ki a so fun aganbi kpe yio bi orno t oba ru ebo. Ki a toju obinrin na o tori orno wa ni ile ara re.

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Orunmila said circles on circles. The yam, plantain and maize all move in circles to bear fruits That was the incantation with which this odu made divination for a barren woman to have a child after making sacrifice. When this odu appears at divination, for a man, he will be advised to take proper care of his wife because a child is following her. If sacrifice is made the woman will have a child before the end of the year.

Special Sacrifice for Harmony and Understanding

Orunmila ni emi mi yun, Moni emi ni yun. Orunmila ni emi mi yun Moni emi ni yun. Oni Orno eja ko gbo ohun eja. Orunmila ni emi mi oyun. Moni emi ni oyun. Oni orno eye ko gbo ohun eye. Oni be ni omo eranko ko gbo ohun eranko. Orno eni ko gbo ohun omo-eni. Oni ikin ko gbo ohun oduso. Oduso ko gbo ohun omo ikin. Oni aludun dun ko gbo ohun aiayan. Alayan ko gbo ohun alaro. Orunmila expressed gratitude to God for his life. The Ifa priest made the same expression. Orunmila observed that fishes do not understand themselves enough to live a happier life. He made the same obervation in respect of birds, animals and mankind. Just as Ifa seeds do not understand their King, and the king does not understand his followers. In like manner, the drummer does not understand the reactions of his listeners, as spectators do not understand the expressions of the drummer. The Ifa priest said he did not understand the parables of Orunmila. Orunmila explained that for human beings to live in harmony and mutual understanding, it required sacrifice with a hen laying eggs, and a rat called eku-akosi, because this specie of rat responds promptly when its young ones are crying. The incantation for the sacrifice is as follows: Ojo ti akosiba ti ko, Ha lehin ni o ma n de inu. Akosi ki gbo kigbe omo rekio dake. Ifa wa gbo ohun mi. Eleye He oyoro de ikin osa okpo gbo ohun mi. Eleye He oyoro ikin osa. When it appears at divination, the person will be told that Orunmila has not been listening to his entreaties, because Ifa has turned a deaf ear to them. The person has previously been rude to his or her parents. The abovementioned sacrifice should be made so that his or her wishes
might manifest.

Another Variation to the Exploits of Afuma, the Parasite Plant How Afumo Became the King of Plants
Oro gba gede gba was the awo who made divination for eighty forest, advising each of them to make sacrifice with a he-goat and parrot feathers to Esu, adding white cloth. All the plants refused to make the sacrifice with the exception of Afumo who made the sacrifice as was directed.

THE ODUS OF ETURA Etura Ogunda Meanwhile, Esu instigated a quarrel among the plants and they began to fight about who among them was the most senior. When the dispute aggravated into pandomonium, they all trooped to the Almighty Creator for a settlement. God told all of them to return after seven days for a decision, on who was their leader. On the fourth day, Esu caused Afumo to have leg pains that made it impossible for him to walk. On the appointed day, Afumo was in severe pains and could not get up let alone walk to the venue of the conference. Meanwhile all the other plants were assembled and Esu transfigured into a knight of the heavenly grail. When God asked the plants whether they were all present, they all answered that they were all assembled. Esu however intervened to disclose that Afumo was not present. The other plants explained that he could not come because of his leg injury and that in any event, he was too inconsequential to bother about. The Almighty Father however insisted that unless all of them were assembled, He could not pronounce His judgment. The kolanut tree and Iroko then left to fetch Afumo. Since he could not walk on his feet the kolanut plant decided to carry Afumo on his head. As soon as Afumo sat on Kolanut's head, Esu covered him up with the white cloth with which he had made sacrifice, placing a parrot's feather on his head. When they arrived at the venue, God asked the other plants who it was that, was clad in white cloth and wearing a parrot's feather. All the plants answered that it was Afumo. When the kolatree wanted to put Afumo on the ground, God proclaimed that from then on, Afumo should no longer touch the ground with his feet except on the heads of other trees because he was the king of all plants. That is why Afumo only grows on top of other trees. At divination, the person will be advised to make sacrifice in order to attain the leadership position awaiting him or her in the offing. He or she is endowed with leadership qualities and will attain it if he or she makes the foregoing sacrifice.

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