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THE ODÙ AND THE ¿S¿ OF IFÁ

The Ifá literary corpus consists of two parts, namely, Odù and ÷s÷. The corpus is divided into 256 distinct volumes, which are called Odù, and each Odù is sub-divided into numerous chapters, which are called ÷s÷. While the number of the Odù is known, the number of ÷s÷ in each Odù is unknown. This is due to the constant growth in the content of ÷s÷ Ifá, a growth which certainly does not affect the form of the text.

There are two categories of the Odù. The first category consists of the Ojú Odù (The principal Odù), sixteen in number. The second category consists of the Æmæ Odù or (Minor Odù), two hundred and forty in number.

The Odù are regarded as divinities in their own right. Ifá divination myths tell us that before the final return of Örúnmìlà to heaven, he promised his children and his followers that he would send to them certain divinities who would perform some of the functions he used to perform when he was on earth.

He promised that these divinities would be known as Odù and they would come down from the sky. When Örúnmìlà finally returned to heaven, his children and his followers began to make preparations for the corning of the Odù from heaven.

For the sixteen principal Odù they made sixteen thrones one of which was well decorated and placed in an open place while the other fifteen thrones were arranged around it in the form of a circle. The people then started to watch the sky for the coming of the Odù.

When the sixteen principal Odù were coming down from heaven, Òfún Méjì, also known as Öràngún Méjì, was their leader. The ranks of the principal sixteen Odù in heaven was as follows:

1. Òfún Méjì 000006. Ìká Méjì 00000000012. Ìrosùn Méjì
2. Ösê Méjì 0000007. Ösá Méjì 0000000 13. Òdí Méjì
3. Ìr÷të Méjì000000 8. Ògúndá Méjì 000014. Ìwòrì Méjì
4. Òtúá Méjì 0000009. Ökànràn Méjì 000 15. Öyëkú Méjì
5. Ótúúrúpön Méjì 010. Öbàrà Méjì 0000016. Èjì Ogbè
11. Öwônrín Méjì

But when the principal sixteen Odù came to the frontier gate separating heaven from earth, they reversed their order of procession so that the 16th and the most junior Odù, Èjì Ogbè, went through the frontier gate first. He was followed by the 15th Odù and the 15th was followed by the 14th and so on until the first Odù came last.

Immediately Èjì Ogbè went through the frontier gate he entered into space and descended into earth. When the large gathering of expectant people saw him, they hailed him as the king of the Odù. They carried him shoulder-high and placed him on the big throne prepared for the leader of the Odù, thinking that he was the most senior of all.

The second Odù to descend from the sky was also hailed as the deputy of the king of the Odù. In this way, the ranking of sixteen principal Odù was completely reversed, giving the following new order:

1. Èjì Ogbè 00007. Öbàrà Méjì 00013. Òtúá Méjì
2. Öyëkú Méjì 008. Ökànràn Méjì 0014. Ìr÷të Méjì
3. Ìwòrì Méjì 00009. Ògúndá Méjì 0015. Ösê Méjì
4. Òdí Méjì 0000010. Ösá Méjì 0000016. Òfún Méjì
5. Ìrosùn Méjì 00011. Ìká Méjì
6. Öwônrín Méjì 0012. Òtúúrúpön Méjì

The order of seniority of the sixteen principal Odù has since remained thus till today. Èjì Ogbè is regarded as the most senior Odù, but whenever Ifá priests cast Òfún Méjì, they hail him as king, saying héèpà (We hail you)!

As mentioned above, the sixteen principal Odù are more important than the minor Odù. The sixteen principal Odù contain the most important ÷s÷ Ifá and it is considered a duty by all Ifá priests to know as many ÷s÷ Ifá as possible from this part of the Odù corpus. As a result of the greater attention paid by Ifá priest to the sixteen principal Odù, most of the extant ÷s÷ Ifá belong to this part of the Odù corpus.

The Æmæ Odù are also regarded as divinities. As their name implies, they are regarded as the children of the sixteen principal Odù. They are also known as Àmúlù Odù because each of them bears the names of two principal Odù. For example, the first and most important Æmæ Odù is known as Ogbèyëkú. This name is a combination of the names of two Odù, namely, Ogbè, the first Odù, and Öyëkú, the second Odù. The two hundred and forty minor Odù are arranged in twelve groups.

Each group is known as Àpólà (Section). The twelve groups bear the names of twelve of the sixteen principal Odù. They are arranged as follows:

Each one of the two hundred and fifty six Odù has its own specific divination signature. Both the sacred palm-nuts and the divining chain are used alternatively by Ifá priests to arrive at the signature of each Odù.

The sacred palm-nuts are used in the following manner. The Ifá priest puts the sixteen palm nuts in one of his palms and tries to take all of them out at once with his other hand. If two palm-nuts remain in his hand, he makes one mark on the divination board containing the sacred yellow powder of divination. If one palm-nut remains, he makes two marks, but if nothing re-mains or if more than two palm-nuts remain in his hand, he makes no mark at all.

Each mark or pair of marks is made, one below the other, four times. When four marks or pair of marks have been made, the whole pattern thus formed is the signature of a particular Odù. The following are the signatures that may be obtained by using the sacred palm nuts.

When the divining chain is used, the Ifá priest holds the chain in the middle and throws it before himself. As mentioned in the previous chapter, the divining chain has four half-nuts of the öpëlè tree tied to each side of it. Each one of these half nuts has a concave and convex surface.

When the divining chain is thrown forward as described above, all or some or none of the half-nuts may come to rest with their concave or convex surfaces facing upwards.

The pattern so formed on each occasion by the half-nuts on the chain is regarded as an Odù. For example, when all the öpëlë half-nuts present their convex (' surfaces, the pattern is regarded as the signature of the first Odù (Èjì Ogbè). When all the half-nuts present their convex surfaces, the pattern is interpreted as the signature of the second Odù (Öyëkú Méjì).

When the middle two half-nuts on each side of the divining chain present their concave surfaces and all the other half-nuts present their convex surfaces, the pattern is taken to be the signature of the third Odù (Ìwòrì Méjì) Each of the two hundred and fifty-six Odù has its own character.

Broadly speaking, one Odù may denote evil while another one denotes good. The same Odù may also stand for both good and evil. One Odù may stand for prosperity while another one stands for disease and death.

When an Ifá priest performs Ifá divination and arrives at the signature of an Odù, he recalls to mind the character of that particular Odù and pronounces whether it is good or evil.

If a good Odù appears in the process of divination for a client, it means that the client can expect a good omen on the subject of his enquiry to Ifá, and if an evil Odù appears, it means that the client should expect evil. If an Odù which signifies disease and death appears to the client, it means that he should expect these two evils.

The characters of the sixteen principal Odù are paraphrased below:

1). Èjì Ogbè: This Odù denotes plenty of good and plenty of evil.
2). Öyëkú Méjì: This Odù denotes that death and all other evil will disappear. Red cloth should be used for sacrifice.
3). Ìwòrì Méjì: Enemies are around. This client’s heritage is about to be taken away from him.
4). Òdí Méjì: Evil is close to this client. He will have many wives including a princess.
5). Ìrosùn Méjì: this Odù belongs to »àngó. This client should heed his wife’s advice.
6). Öwônrín Méjì: This person will be victorious over his enemies. People will try to injure this client by saying untrue things about him.
7). Öbàrà Méjì: This Odù denotes poverty and want but at last prosperity and happiness.
8). Ökànràn Méjì: this Odù denotes good fortune. This person should beware of enemies.
9). Ògúndá Méjì: This Odù denotes victory. This Odù relates to Ògún. All of this client’s good fortune is with his Orí. There is a certain barren woman close to this client.
10). Ösá Méjì: This Odù relates to Òò«àálá and the witches. It denotes prospect of many children and plenty of riches.
11). Ìká Méjì: This client will live long. People will always think of harming this client but they will not be able to do so.
12). Òtúúrúpön Méjì: This Odù denotes prospect of twin babies. It relates to Egúngún. It also denotes that attacks of witches is imminent.
13). Òtùá Méjì: This Odù relates to Ifá and deserters from his cause. It denotes victory over enemies and prospect of many children.
14). Ìr÷të Méjì: This Odù relates to »ànpönná. It denotes death, enemies and evil.
15). Ösê Méjì: This Odù denotes plenty of children, victory over enemies and plenty of good fortune.
16). Òfún Méjì: This client will be great. The people of his household should not mock strangers. Enemies will not be able to do this person any harm.

What has emerged so far is that the two hundred and fifty six Odù are very important in the Ifá divination system. The whole of the literary corpus known as ÷s÷ Ifá is based on the Odù. What a priest of Ifá tells his client is therefore taken directly from the Odù corpus. This is contrary to an opinion popularly held that Ifá priests are clever psychologists who read the problems of each client from his general appearance.

We must now turn our attention to the second category of the Ifá literary corpus, the ÷s÷ Ifá. As mentioned above, each Odù contains an unspecified number of ÷s÷.

While the Odù are important for the divination aspect of Ifá, the ÷s÷ form the main bulk of chants in the Ifá literary corpus. At the same time, the ÷s÷ are quite important for the divination aspect of Ifá because the pronouncements and predictions of the Ifá priest are based on the content of ÷s÷ Ifá. ‘¿s÷ Ifá is the central and most important part of Ifá divination system’.

The form of ÷s÷ is predominantly poetic. The poems of ÷s÷ Ifá are of varying lengths, some being as short as only four lines while others are as long as six hundred lines. It is the long poems of Ifá greatly treasured by Ifá priests that are referred to as Ifá Ñláñlá. ¿s÷ Ifá, whether long or short, make use of very interesting poetic devices e.g. personification, play upon words and repetition. ¿s÷ Ifá pervades the whole range of Yoruba thought and action throughout history.

¿s÷ Ifá deals with all subjects. It deals with history, geography, religion, music and philosophy. ¿s÷ Ifá may be a simple story about a man going on a journey and asking for advice on how to make the journey successful. It may be a highly philosophical story showing the merits and demerits of monogamy. It may deal with the foundation of a particular town. There is certainly no limit to the subject matter which ÷s÷ Ifá may deal with.