--International Council Ifa Religion/2

In the course of the conception of International Ifa Training Institute, we observed that for so long a time, the knowledge of Ifa has been restricted to occult and divination practices among the privileged few, which had created a wide gap between the Ifa Priests/Practitioners and the ordinary man on the street. People more often than not, do not seem to understand the application of Ifa knowledge to other areas of human endeavour than the divinatory occult aspects mentioned above. The situation becomes worse owing to the dearth of adequate information relating to Ifa’s overview and relevance in human development.

Ifa, as we all know, is an embodiment of knowledge and wisdom which explains all things and the basis for their existences. Researches have also shown that there is virtually nothing on earth and even beyond that Ifa does dwell on. On this note, it behoves us to make an exposition of all other human endeavours with which Ifa can be applied with a view to making the world a better place to live in according to the Will of Olodumare(Almighty).

In the light of this, an Ifa Training Programme was put in place in October, 2004 to bridge the wide knowledge gap by training interested people as movers and shakers in the society. At the end of the training, graduates will be able to become Ifa scholars, researchers and resource persons; Ifa priests/practicing Babalawos; Herbal/Nature Therapists; Moral instructors; Counselors; Comparative spiritual analysts; Ifa historians; Community leaders and Opinion formulators and moulders.

The Basic Studies shall commence exploration into the bowels of Ifa studies. At this stage, it is supposed to break the Akekoo Omo Awo into the dawn of knowledge, and Oyeku Meji is the guiding Odu. According to this Odu:

      “Òpèlè lo yo tan

      Lo dakun dele

      Difa fun Peregede

      Tii se Yeye Ojumo mo

      Ojumo to mo mi lonii o

      Ojumo ire gbogbo ni

      Peregede, iwo ni Yeye Ojumomo”

Meaning:

      “Òpèlè ate satisfactorily

      Then reclined peacefully with face down

      This was message to Peregede

      The mother of Dawn

      May this dawn usher in good tidings for me

      Peregede, you are the begetter of Dawn”.

Peregede who was the mother or begetter of dawn symbolises the state of moving from darkness (ignorance) into light (knowledge). This Odu, Oyeku Meji follows Eji Ogbe according to the order of seniority and significance. It also complements Eji Ogbe to represent the opposite in order to form the binary principle from where other Odus derive their symbols. This stage is tagged ‘Ileke’ which represents the platform or raft spread on a firm foundation upon which the entire structure is built.

The following will be covered:

1.  Odu - Interpretation of messages – Methods and Techniques

            - The study of Eji-Ogbe – Irosun Meji

2. Prayers

3. The Kingdom of Olodumare and Ogba Itero

4. Purity (Iwa mimo) and Purification (Iwenumo) of rites and rituals

5. Leadership Morals (Eko iwa asiwaju) - Ifa’s teachings

6. Advanced Studies of Living and Non-Living things (Ilosiwaju ninu eko ohun elemii ati ohun ti ko lemii) - Mystical/ Magical properties, composition, etc.

7. The study of Owonrin Meji – Osa Meji

8. Destiny and Freewill

9. Birth and Death/Cycles of life

10. Human Character

11. Counselling Techniques

12. Elementary Principles of Orisa Worship

13. General Principles of Shrine – Design, Construction, Lustration and Sanctification.

14. The study of Ika Meji – Ofun Meji

15.  Examination/Tests

After the completion of the first two grades, Akekoo Omo Awo is expected to proceed to this stage and on completion; he/she is supposed to have attained the position of a Junior Adept (Omo Awo). He/she can then be admitted into the Priests Council (Igbimo Awo) as Assistant Priest (Asiwaju Isin – III). The Governing Odu is Obara Okanran. In this Odu, Ifa states the need for the evaluation of a student Awo in order to test his tenacity and level of understanding in the various topics treated so far. Therefore, this grade is expected to direct and introduce the student Awo into the midst of more complex systems and concepts. The stanza reads thus:

      “Omode gbo’fa, ko gbo’fa

      E je ka fi Obara-Okanran loo wo

      Obara-Okanran soroo ki wiriwiri lenu Omo Awo

      A difa fun Osunfunleyo

      Tii saya Agbonniregun

      O feyinti o menu nsunrahun Omo

      Kope, ko jinna

      E wa ba ni jebutu Omo”.

Meaning:

      “Whether a junior adept understands Ifa or not

      Let him recite Obara-Okanran

      Obara Okanran is surely not easily recitable by a student Awo

      This was the message revealed for Osunfunleyo,

      The wife of Agbonniregun

      When she was lamenting for want of Children

      In due course

      The barren shall be blessed with children”.

The following shall be covered in this grade:

1. History of early Temples/Shrines of Ifa and other Orisa.

2. Homiletics - The art and science of preaching, embracing all that pertains to the study and delivery of sermons.

3. Pneumatology - Study of Spirits/Spiritism - Eko nipa awon emi airi, oro, iwin, ebora, abl.

4. Faith (Igbagbo ati Igbekele) – Definition, Dynamics, Purpose/Significance.

5. Concepts of Worship and Sacrifices – Ijosin, Ibo, Ebo, Ipese/etutu etc.

6. Mode of Worship, Child naming and Ikosedaye, Marriage, Chieftaincy and Burial

7. Forgiveness and Judgement

8. Re-incarnation/The hereafter

9. Family Life

      (i) Origin/Meaning of Family

      (ii) Types of Family

      (iii) Significance of Family

      (iv) Family Responsibilities

1. Widowhood and inheritance – Ifa’s approach

10. The study of the combination Odu

11. Ebo riru - Techniques and Methods

12. Opele - Types, Potency, Preparations

13. Ikin - Types, Potency, Preparations

14. Term Paper/Project thesis to be written at the end of this grade. Thereafter, examination for the award of a Junior Adept will take place.

15.  Examination/Tests

N.B Graduation ceremonies can be organized for the successful students.

This grade is the foundation stage of Ifa Priesthood when a neophyte has just been introduced to begin to learn Ifa tutorials. It is the beginning of the whole tutelage. Eji Ogbe is the guidind Odu for this stage. Eji Ogbe is the first and the father of all Odus. It is the foundation of Ifa upon which all other Odus are built. The foundation, per definition, is a weight-bearing structure and it has to be firm, sturdy and calculated to carry load. As it is said in Ofun-Owonrin that one cannot build a house, establish a product or programme without laying a good foundation, Ifa asserts that no venture can succeed on a faulty foundation. The stanza reads thus:

      “Ori orule ni o see rin

      Gbaragada, gbaragada, gbaragada

      A difa fun Ipilese

      Tii se Baba Ileke

      Won ni ko rubo

      O gbebo, o rubo

      Nje bi o ba si Ipilese

      Emi la ba fi Ileke se”.

Meaning:

      “It is difficult to walk on a rooftop

      With wanton recklessness

      That was the message of Ifa to Ipilese (Foundation)

      The father of Ileke

      He was advised to offer ebo

      He complied

      Behold, without Ipilese (foundation)

      Of what use is Ileke (building)

Topics to be covered under this grade include as follows:

1. Ifa
2. Olodumare
3. Ori
4. Iseda (Creation)

      (i) Universe

1.  
   1. Earth
   2. Man

1. Eniyan

1. Irunmole
2. Orisa
3. Obi = Parents
4. Emi = I
5. Ede – Ifa
6. Babalawo, Apetebi, Iyanifa, Omo Ikofa/akekoo awo, Awo,(Ifa family)
7. Eko ijinle, nipa Imo, Ogbon ati Oye ( Epistemology)
8. ODU  - Identification of Odu symbols and tools of babalawo
   •  
     • Reading of Opele and determinants (Ibo)

14.  Examination/Tests

This is the fourth grade which marks the beginning of Advanced/Post Graduate Studies in Ifa priesthood. The graduate of Junior Adept may be admitted for higher studies after completion of at least one year priestly experience in a recognized Ifa Temple. This stage leads the student to the understanding of the role of supernatural phenomena in the affairs of man. This is the knowledge that the student is expected to pick in the following series of lectures:

      1. Theology and Theodicy

      2. Classification of Ifa stanzas

- Historical stanzas (Dealing with history, cosmogony & society)

      - Prophetical stanzas (That tell future events)

- Poetical stanzas (Dealing with proverbs, poems & wise sayings)

      - Scientific/Technological stanzas

      - Literary stanzas (Dealing with figures of speech, etc.)

      3. The Healing Art

      - Physical – using medicinal plants

      - Spiritual – sacrifices (ebo/ipese)

- Mystical – Ohun enu to heal minor cases (Ori fifo, Inu rirun, Ina, Arariro etc).

      4. Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft

      5. Divination – The art, types and practice of Divination

      6. Advanced Techniques of Orisa worship and sacrifice

      7. Life and Blood

      8. The study of combined Odu contd.

      9. Further Technicalities in Ifa and Ebo riru

      10. Term Paper

      11. Tests/Examination

N.B:  It is expected that students should study combined Odu up to at least Okanran-Ofun before the end of this grade.