YOUTHS IN THE PROPAGATION OF IFA RELIGION
YOUTHS IN THE PROPAGATION OF IFA RELIGION
By
Fayemi Fatunde FAKAYODE
(This Article was originally submitted and published in Elerii Ipin, a Magazine of the International Council for Ifa Religion. Vol. 3, 2007).
According to Longman Dictionary of contemporary English (2005), youth is “the quality or state of being young”, and propagation is about spreading; “to spread an idea, belief etc. to many people”. The term youth as used here does not refer to “only being young in age” but includes “being agile and young in mind”.
In Ifa religion, the youths out-number the elderly ones like in other religions of the World namely Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Taoism and so on. Some scholars observed that Ifa religion had very gloomy future. The opinion premised on observed lack of interest exhibited by the youths.
One of the proponents of the “no future” theory is Professor Bolaji Idowu (1962) who in his book titled Olodumare, God in Yoruba Belief, predicted extinction for Ifa religion. His assumption is that youths and educated fellows will not be interested in practicing the way of Olodumare and that the future of the belief system is gloomy. John, S.Mbiti (1975) in Introduction to African Religion, believes that the system “…cannot all collapse in a short time. As long as there is a trace of African culture, it will also have some of African Religion in it”. He opines that the religion will survive as a part of African culture, not as a standard universal religion like Christianity and Islam. Judith Gleason (1971) in Orisha, the Gods of Yorubaland, was more sympathetic about the old priests that are dying without adequate replacement and feels pity for a seeming lack of continuity for the system. She submits: “Yet, no reasonable person can, with confidence, predict the survival of the cults in the traditional style. The old priests, the “strong” men are dying. Perhaps, at some future date, with some concessions to the modern world, a renaissance?”
Thanks to Olodumare for the “renaissance” that Judith Gleason predicted. We now have on ground effective replacement for the ageing priests through the enthusiasms of the youths. Ifa’s statement in Iworimeji is thus vindicated. The verse inter alia says:
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A difa fun Orunmila
Won ni Baba o ni romo Kankan
Ti yoo te Ile-Ife yii do
Baba gbo titi
Baba rin won rin won
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Igba ti Orunmila yoo bi
O bi omo ni mo fi n se ara
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Cast Ifa for Orunmila
When people said he would not beget any child
Who could survive him in the popular Ile-Ife
Our father heard the prediction from the people
Our father laughed at them for long
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When he started begetting children
He begot a child named my-child-is-my-confidant
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Then, Orunmila begot many children and put the prophet of doom to shame. Today, the history is being repeated as we have many youths advancing the course of Ifa. One of the ways to predict the future of the efforts of our fathers and mothers is to analyze the potentials of the youths. The increase in the number of young devotees is a very good pointer to a brighter future because their generation will open wide gates to spread the message of Ifa. Many years ago, people were feeling shame of bearing Ifa/Orisa names in schools because of the fear of frustration, intimidation and stigma. Today, we are happy that in almost all tertiary institutions in Nigeria, we have children of Ifa/Orisa devotees schooling without conversion to any of the popular religions in Nigeria. However, schooling alone is not enough for them to positively contribute to the way of Olodumare. They should see the portfolio as their burden and carry it with strong determination to move the religion to a position of honour. In Irosunmeji, Ifa says:
Itaruku lawo Itaruku
Itaruku lawo itaruku
Rukuruku ta taa ta
A difa fun Igba
Igba rula
Igba rukan
Igba rusu kan taakitaaki
Ba a ba waye eni
Nse lani gba
Itaruku is the awo of Itaruku
Itaruku is the awo of Itaruku
Rukuruku ta taa ta
Cast Ifa for Igba (period)
Igba sacrificed okro
Igba sacrificed garden egg
Igba sacrificed a very big yam
When one comes to planet earth
One should strive for impact
The youths should strive to make positive contributions so that their impact may be felt. They should not be passive because, this is their time. If they fail to use the opportunity accordingly, the task will soon fall on another generation and posterity would score a passive generation low. In our society, it is not an overstatement to say discouragement always come from here and there. Besides the one from the practitioners of Ifa/Orisa, the practitioners of other religions always find way of winning the souls of the followers of Ifa/Orisa religion. To them, let the following song take over the air:
E je kawa o sesin baba wa
Beyin o sin mo
Eyin le mo
E je kawa o sesin baba wa
Allow us to practice the religion of our forefathers
If you do not want to practice this faith
That is left to you
Allow us to practice the religion of our forefathers
The elders should be happy at the youths and not see them as usurpers. It is in the habit of the younger ones to believe that they can do better because of their raw strength. Oftentimes, the elders misconstrue their genuine intentions. Ifa counsels in Okanransode:
Ide ti mo sin nisin n sin
Ide ti mo ra nira n ra
Ide ti mo so nisonso mowo
Omo eku wole
Omo eku gbe ide naa lo
Ifa ni pipa ni ki n pomo eku
Ifa ni iyan ni ki n moo fomo eku je
Omo eni wole
Omo eni gbe ide naa lo
Orunmila ni n mo tile ja
Ifa ni n mo tile binu
Ifa ni omo eni nii gbede eni
Babaa mi ku
Mo gbedee re
Omo eni nii gbede eni
The Ifa beads I just strung
The Ifa beads I just bought
The beads I tied on my wrist.
Rat came in Rat carried the beads away
Ifa says I should kill the rat
Ifa says that I should eat pounded yam with it
My child came in
My child took the beads away
Ifa says I should not fight
Ifa says I should not be angry
A child inherits one’s Ifa beads
My father died
I took his Ifa bead
It is one’s child that inherits one’s Ifa beads
The elders should learn to observe that the youths would surely reap whatever they sew. Therefore, the youths would not disrespect the elders. Also, it should be noted that the youths of today are the elders of tomorrow. Moreover, the youths should always render necessary assistance to the elders and vice versa because, neither the youths nor the elders can stand alone. On this, Ifa says:
Owo ewe o to pepe
Tagba o wo akerengbe
Ise ewe ba be agba
Ki agba mo ko mo
Gbogbo wa nise a jo n beraa wa
The hands of a child cannot reach the high shelf
Those of an elderly person cannot enter a gourd
If a child sends an elderly person on an errand
Let the elderly person refuse root
We all need one favor or the other from each other
In their activities, the youths are expected to always treat the elders with respect. There should be modesty in their criticism and they should never be impolite to the elders. In Ikadii, Ifa says:
Bomode ba n sawo ogboju
To ba ko ogbo awo lona
Ko gba a loju
Bo ba ko agba isegun
Ko je e niya lopolopo
Bo ba ri agba abore
Nibi ti gbe n fori kanle
Ko doju e dele
A difa fun awon alaigboran
Ti won ni ko seni to le mu awon
A je pe aye ko si feni to na ogbo awo
Atele pe ko si feni to na agba isegun
Omo to na agba abore
Nibi to gbe n fi ori kanle
Iku ara re lo n wa
Warawara mo niku idin
Warawara.
If a young man is impudent
If he meets an old awo
Let him slap him
If he meets an old herbalist
Let him punish him severely
If he finds an old priest
Kneeling down in prayer
Let him knock him down
Ifa declares to the disobedient ones
Who said that nobody could punish them
Longevity evades anyone who slaps an old awo
No longevity for anyone who slaps an old herbalist
The child who beats up an old priest
Where he is praying
Searches for a premature death
Maggots die very quickly
Very quickly
The elders should not misuse the opportunity giving to them over the youths by taking advantage of youths respect for them to oppress and cheat the youths. The pieces of advice from the youths should always be heeded to. Age should not be an instrument of oppression. There are instances in Ifa where the youths banished the leader or king because he did not let them have any say in the affairs of the society. A good example is that of Alapandede who was banished with riot. On this Ifa reports:
Alapandede yera oooo
Awa o fe o loye mo ooo
Alapandede yera
Alapandede, abdicate the throne
We do not want you on the throne again
Alapandede, abdicate the throne
Another good example is that of Adabasusu was the king of Isokun. He treated the people of Isokun like slaves and he was dethroned.
My brothers and sisters in Ifa Religion, stand firm to spread Ifa, the message of the Almighty Creator (Olodumare). The youths should know that “It is the modern dogs that can hunt modern hares”. The youths are in the vantage position to develop and propagate this religion. Importantly, improve yourselves in all aspects of life so that it will be easy for you to do the job. Do not allow the society to confuse you or lead you astray via fake religious practices. Contribute your quota today, so that you may have a story to tell tomorrow when you become elders. The Orisa will surely guard the youths against premature death for Ifa has inter alia said:
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Biku o ba pa abon
Yoo jee oruko ti eyin n je
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If death does not kill unripe palm fruit
It will surely become ripe palm fruit
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We pray to Olodumare to spare the lives of all youths of today for them to become elders tomorrow. Ase.
ABORU ABOYE ABOSISE
Oluwo Fayemi Fatunde FAKAYODE,
Director of Ejiodi Home of Tradition,
Kaa Compound, Alade Near Moniya,
Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Tel: +2348034991873, +2348077285390
E-mail: ejiodi@yahoo.com