The Sacred Text for IFA (Wisdom Book)

The sacred texts used by some Nigerian communities called the Yoruba has been called (in
English) the Holy Odu. It is a spiritual science/system that was originally memorized by very
young males who would eventually become priests or babalawos. Understanding the sacred
stories of the Odu requires knowledge of Yoruba. However, due to exchange of cultures the
Holy Odu is being translated and taught in English.

The Holy Odu contains stories of all of the life experiences of human beings, and through a
system of “divining” the babalawo or Iyanifa (female priest) can help seekers determine the
correct solution to their problems or issues. If the story doesn’t match the problem, the seeker’s
story is added to the Holy Odu. In this way, the Holy Odu is a living book – meaning that it is
always relevant to the present moment.

Babalawos and Iyanifas not only “read” the life of an individual, but they can read issues going
on in communities and societies for a given day, month or year. They also prescribe a remedy
for any problems that a seeker may be having in their lives.

The primary point of this sacred text is to help individuals become ethical, moral and aware of
the need to take care of children, elders and their environment while working toward their
purpose.

There are 16 Odus (16 wisdom sayings. The Odus expand to 256 combinations when they are
combined together. There is one story that goes with the Odus Ogbe Meji and Osa Meji. When
Ogbe and Ose come together, they create Ogbe-Osa. The story of Ogbe-Osa appears below:

From the holy scriptures of Ogbe -Osa, here is the story of Oka and Olore

Olore and Ika were good friends, Ika always had a complicated character, (wicked, bad
mind, bad ways and jealous) nothing ever pleased Ika, he always sulked and
complained. Olore on the other hand, was patient and kind, he was forgiving and
trusting, having no malice for anyone. Olore had a cool and gentle nature, so although
Ika was a terrible person, Olore did not let his character upset him and kept friends with
him when another person would have shunned him.
Olore was such a good person and he had money, he never neglected tradition and so he
always consulted with his Babalawo’s and did his recommended sacrifices, because of
this his way was always open and so he assisted Ika all the time with money and his
needs.
One day Ika said to Olore, “Olore, how come you are always ok, you are never in need of
money, your business is thriving every time, instead of giving me money every, every
time why don’t you show me the way, point me in the direction so I can make money for
myself also, let me do business with you”

Olore, who was always giving and generous told Ika that he always made sacrifices and
consulted the guidance of Ifa, and before he could work with Ika, he would have to ask
Ifa. So Olore told Ika to let him take him to his Babalawo to check Ifa and see what can
be done, and how they can work together so that Ika could be alright as Olore.
The Babalawo told them after consulting with Ifa that they both needed to initiate to Ifa,
if they wanted to do business together and for the business to be successful. They were
told the cost of the initiation, but Ika complained that it was too much. Olore, knowing
the benefits of Ifa, told him not to worry he would pay the money for both of them which
he did. They both had the same Odu come down for them during the initiation which
was Ogbe/Osa or Ogbe/Sa.

They were both given there Ifa pots with which to take home with them. Ika complained
on the way home. “We came for money and this Babalawo gives us a pot instead, what
can this pot do for me, what is this??… Olore, calm as usual told Ika to calm down, he
would soon see the benefits of receiving Ifa, all his things will soon go up. Ifa guides the
way said Olore trying to assure his friend. Ika still complained but Olore assured him.
Now remember the reason for the initiation was because Ika complained about just
getting money every time to care for his wife and family from Olore and he wanted Olore
to make him apart of his business, but the Babalawo said before they can do business
together they must receive Ifa, and they both came out with the same life path which is
the Odu Ifa Ogbe Osa. One of their taboos was not to argue with each other. (remember
this part, because it is important to the story).

The time came for them to do the business of course Ika complained that he did not
have money to start the business, so Olore as usual fronted him the money. Ika’s money
was not as much as Olore’s money in the business, so anytime they went to market,
Olore’s items were far more than Ika’s.

Ika became very jealous as he began to watch all the goods Olore would get when they
came from market. He would compare it to his own, (although it was Olore who fronted
him the money and on top of that Olore had been doing this business for years) it made
him so upset that he could not reach where Olore was in wealth, so Ika began to plan
against Olore.

Ika went to a blacksmith or Iron worker for him to make an iron contraption so he
would use it to pluck out Olore’s eyes. One day soon after he got it, he asked Olore if he
remembered that their taboo was that they must not argue, Olore said yes he
remembered, Ika then produced the Iron contraption and gave it to Olore and told him
to remove his eyes. Olore protested strongly and asked Ika what kind of suggestion was
this, why must he remove his eyes? Ika told him “You see, we must not argue according
to our taboo and here you are arguing”, Olore thought about it and said it is true and so
Olore removed his eyes and immediately fell into darkness amid terrible pain. He fell on
the ground screaming and crying from the pain he suffered.

Ika then packed all of Olore’s good and left him to die. Night came and Olore was
outside still in pain and shivering from suffering, he felt his way to a tree not far from
where Ika had tricked him, which was a huge tree where the witch people from all over
would gather every night and pass the time talking and exchanging information. Olore
did not know this, and so he leaned back against the tree trunk not knowing what to do,
and wondering to himself what will happen to him. He thought he would die.
Night came and poor Olore was hungry, fearful and tired and in pain, he cried at his
plight, and then he heard the flapping of birds flying toward the tree and perching on
the branches. Olore realized that these were witches and he feared that they would see
him, so he quieted down his cry and hunched down behind the tree trunk fearful for his
life as he listened to them speak.
They spoke of many things, one of which was of a particular town and its people called
Hausa’s. One bird asked the other about them and he responded that they were
suffering, because all in the town were blind, sick and lame. They were rich but they also
were riddled with illness, but God had a cure and none in the town knew about it, and
only if they sacrificed to the witches would they be well, they all laughed at this.

He said this very tree here is so powerful, from the leaf to the branches to the roots, that
if they take one leaf and crush it into water or crush it until the pulp is released and use
it on any aliment they would be better, If they were blind then they would see, lame,
then they would walk or have the use of their limbs, barren they would get baby. Then
they would sacrifice a goat along with the medicine. They all laughed at the fact that the
Hausa people did not know the cure even while they suffered, but who would tell them?
They laughed and flew away, as they flew away, the leaves from the tree fell and Olore
upon hearing it, searched for the leaves, crushed them and rubbed his eyes, immediately
his eyes returned into its socket and he could see again.

Olore prayed and had a heart of gratitude. He gathered all the leaves he could when
morning came and set out for the town of the Hausa people. Upon arrival, he saw the
devastation the witches spoke about and asked to speak to the King. The Town people
were curious of this fellow, a stranger coming into the town demanding to see the King
so they questioned him, and he told them that he was there to save the town and cure
the people. The King came, he had two sons who were sick and Olore asked for a goat,
and some water, he did the sacrifice and used the leaves and cured the Kings children,
all the people cheered him, and also the King and so all of them lined up to be cured and
Olore cured everyone.

He spent months in that town and the King built him a house and gave him all he
needed. There came a time when Olore informed the King that he wanted to leave for his
own town. The King and the towns people protested and offered Olore anything he
wanted, but Olore said he missed his family, and so they relented. The king gave Olore
gold, so much Gold that he had to have hundreds of horses to carry them, he gave him
servants who would travel with him, he gave him so much things that would equal to
Olore being a billionaire here in our modern times. Olore set out for home amid the
tears of all the Hausa people who were grateful to this kind and humble man who had
cured them from disease.

All this time Ika was enjoying life in their town, he was rich, and people respected him.
He had told the towns people that Olore had died on their last buying trip and the town
had mourned the loss of a good, kind and generous man.
Olore arrived into town with hundreds of horses, servants, gold, spices and all things
which said wealth. He was dressed in the finest of cloth and he looked good. The towns
people were shocked and celebrated his return.

Ika heard the celebration and ran out to see what was happening, only to see the friend
he betrayed Olore, he immediately feared Olore would expose him, but when Olore saw
him he hailed him with a good heart. Ika asked him Olore how did you come into this
wealth, and Olore responded that, “you see the tree where you left me to die, that was
what cured me, the witch people came and spilled some secrets there and I heard and so
I did as I heard and it brought me into wealth.”

Ika said ok, that means half of your wealth is my own because of what I did to you, if not
this, fortune would not have reached you, Olore agreed and offered to give Ika half his
wealth, but Ika had another thought and told Olore “no keep your wealth”, while he told
him this, he began to plan.

Ika went to the same tree he had left Olore beside and used the same contraption and
plucked out his own eyes, and waited until night fall for the birds to come, he did not
matter the pain and darkness, he was sure he would find the secret Olore did, which
now mad him rich.

Night came and the witches came, they began to do as they normally would do on their
meetings, which is catch up on the latest news. One asked, how are the Hausa people,
the other said they all have been cured, which is impossible because the only people I
told of the cure were you my fellow witches. They were all asked to swear that they did
not reveal the secret to anyone, all of them swore.

One said “You know I bet that it was a human being who overheard our conversation
and took the knowledge. Meanwhile Olore was keenly listening under the tree, way
down. The witches said it was their fault for not checking all the time that there were no
intruders eavesdropping on them and so unbeknownst to Ika they made hand signal to
fly down and check to see if there were any humans listening. They found Ika who was
frightened as they pounced upon him and accused him of stealing their secret, they beat
him to death.

Anyone who Ogbe/Osa comes out for during initiation, will have someone who will be a
friend/enemy to them and they will take that person to do initiation and that person will
betray them. Even if a person is just doing consultation and Ogbe /Osa comes out, the
person should be mindful of a friend who is wicked and jealous of them. Ogbe/Osa
points to wealth, extreme wealth which will come to the person suddenly, and also that
one day in that person’s life they will do spiritual work. Ogbe/Osa is a great Odu, it is the
head of Egbe our heavenly mates.

If we were to be like the Bible of other doctrines, then the holy scripture of Ogbe/Osa or
Ogbe/Sa would be a book within the book, much like Genesis or Exodus and this story
would be a chapter. Orunmila is a benevolent deity and he is the Owner of the sacred Ifa
Oracle.