IGBA IWA: THE COSMIC GOURD WITH TWO HALVES
The popular Yoruba saying "Tako, tabo, ejiwapo" ("The male and female in togetherness"; Lawal 1995:45) is loaded with meaning. In addition to hinting at the life-producing potential of the couple--the source of the family--it recalls the Yoruba conceptualization of the cosmos as a "big gourd with two halves" (Igba nla meiji sbju de'ra won). (2) The top half signifies maleness as well as the sky/heaven--the realm of invisible spirits (Fig. 1). The bottom half represents femaleness and the primeval waters out of which the physical world was later created.

A mysterious power called ase is thought to hold the gourd in space, enabling the sun and moon to shine, wind to blow, fire to burn, rain to fall, rivers to flow, and both living and nonliving things to exist. This power emanates from a Supreme Deity known (among other names) as Alase ('Owner of ase'), Olorun ('Lord of the Sky') and Olodumare (the 'Eternal One and Source of All That Exists'). Assisting Olodumare in administering the universe is a host of lesser deities or nature forces called orisa. Said to number four hundred or more, each orisa personifies an ase associated with a natural or cultural phenomenon.

For example, Obatala represents artistic creativity; Orunmila, intelligence; Oduduwa, divine kingship; Yemoja/Olokun, water and motherhood; Osun, fertility and beauty; and so on. The deity Esu-Elegba occupies a special position among the orisa because of his role as the divine messenger and the link between them and Olódùmarè, on the one hand, and between the orisa and humanity, on the other. He is regarded as the custodian of ase. Unlike the Supreme Divinity in other African cultures, Olodumare seldom creates directly but does so through the orisa. For example, on deciding to create land out of the primeval waters, Olodumare commissioned Odúdúwa to do so. After that, Olodumare instructed the artist deity Obàtalà to mold anthropomorphic images from clay, animated each image with a life force (emi) and then asked the newly created humans to go and inhabit the land below the sky. In short, these events, among others, transformed the bottom half of the cosmic gourd, also called Igba Iwa ('Gourd/Calabash of Existence'), into the material realm and domain of female Earth, Ile, one of whose other names is Iya Aye ('Mother of the World').

According to one creation story, the two halves of the cosmic gourd fitted closely in the beginning, with Olodumare (male Heaven, alias Ajalorun) ruling the top half and Ile (female Earth, alias Ajalaye), the bottom half. But one day, they quarreled over the only bush rat they caught while hunting together in the forest. Ile insisted on keeping the rat because it came from her domain and she was the "senior." Olodumare gave up the catch, caused the top half of Igba Iwa to separate from the bottom, and prevented rain from falling from the sky, thus disrupting the reproductive cycle in the terrestrial world. This obliged Ile to give in and acknowledge the apical position of Olodumare as the head of the cosmos, and life subsequently returned to normal in the physical world (Idowu 1995:46-7, Abimbola 1975:261-91).

It may be asked: Since Olodumare allegedly created Ile (through Oduduwa), why should she claim to be the senior? The answer probably lies in another version of the Yoruba creation myth (collected by Samuel Ajayi Crowther, 1852:207) to the effect that the Yoruba once regarded Oduduwa as the Supreme Goddess, an embodiment of Heaven and Earth. According to J. Olumide Lucas, one of the pioneer scholars of Yoruba religion and himself a Yoruba elder:

   In the early myths she [Oduduwa] is credited with the priority of
   existence ... She is regarded as having independent existence, and
   as co-eval with Olorun [aka Olodumare], the Supreme Deity with
   whom she is associated in the work of creation ... Oduduwa is known
   as Iya Agbe--'Mother of the Gourd' or 'Mother of the closed
   calabash; She is [sometimes] represented in a sitting posture,
   nursing a child. Hence prayers are often addressed to her by
   would-be mothers (Lucas 1948:45).

D. Olarimiwa Epega, another Yoruba elder, makes a similar point: "Odudua is the Self-Existent Being who created existence. He is both male and female ... The word Olodumare is a praise title of Odudua" (1971:13-14). (3)

Other scholars have drawn attention to the appearance of the word odu (chief) in the names of Ol-odu-mare and Oduduwa, suggesting that both apparently refer to one and the same deity (Idowu 1994:22-7, 31-2; Bamgbose 1972/73:28-9). (4) Indeed, Olodumare is also known as Eleduwa, which recalls the duwa in Odu-duwa. Thus the narrative attributing the creation of the terrestrial world to Oduduwa may very well reflect a divine act of self-extension, identifying Olodumare as a sexually biune Supreme Deity.

In other words, is Ile an alter ego of Olodumare? The reference to the bottom half of the cosmic calabash/gourd as the "mother" (Iya Agbe) is in consonance with the Yoruba identification of a container's lid as ideri ('cover') or omori (lit. omo, 'child' + ori, 'on top'). This is because a container, usually the bigger, supports its smaller cover in the same way a mother carries her child. Two questions then arise: Does Olodumare have a mother? Can the two halves of Igba Iwa also double as a Mother-and-(male) Child? This is not unlikely, given the fact that (as Olumide Lucas noted) Oduduwa is sometimes portrayed as a mother breast-feeding a child (Idowu 1962:Fig. 3b). It is interesting to note that a popular Yoruba folk etymology derives Olodumare's name from Olodu-omo-ere, that is, 'Olodu, the child of a female python' (Idowu 1994:32-3, Bamgbose 1971/72:28-9). The following divination verse identifies him as such:

   Ahere oko sisun nii mu opolo to lu ni oru
   A dafun ere
   Ti o nfi ekun se irahun omo
   Nwon ni ki o rubo ki o le bi omo: ewure kan, aso kijipa ara re,
   ejilogun
   O gbo, o ru
   Ere si loyun, o si bi omo
   Awon enia si beresii wipe 'lodu ni omo ti ere bi yi"
   Nigba ti omo naa si dagba, o si joba ni oju iya re
   Oun ni gbogbo enia si npe ni Olodumare titi di oni.

   When we sleep in the farm hut, frogs jump on us in the night.
   Was the one who cast Ifa [performed divination] for Python
   When she was weeping and moaning for a child
   They say she should sacrifice one she-goat, the homespun cloth
   she was
   wearing and eleven shillings so that she might be able to
   have a child
   She heard and made the sacrifice
   And Python became pregnant, and she gave birth to a child
   And people began to say: 'One who has Odu" was this child that
   Python bore
   And when the child grew up, she lived to see him become a king
   He is the one whom all people are calling 'One who has Odu, child of
   Python' (Olodumare) until this very day (Bascom 1969:322-3, also
   cited in Bamgbose 1971/72:27).

The Yoruba deity that immediately comes to mind is Osumare, who appears as the rainbow and whose symbol is the python (ere). Frequently represented as a pair of serpents or a single serpent with two heads (Fig. 2), Osumare is associated with wealth and prosperity. Curiously, the word mare ('the immense, infinite, or eternal') appears in both Osu-mare and Olodu-mare (Idowu 1994:30, Bamgbose 1971/72:27, 32; see also Babalola 1972/73:104-105). One folk explanation of the rainbow is that it encodes a message from Olodumare to his mother (the python?) in the underworld (Idowu 1994:30).

That a snake deity might have played a much more prominent role in Yoruba religion in ancient rimes than it does today is apparent in the frequent representation of python motifs in Yoruba art. For example, a fourteenth-century terracotta vessel from Ile-Ife (Fig. 3) features a big snake looming above what seems to be an abstraction of an altar displaying three human heads, one naturalistic and the other two highly stylized. There is another snake at the back of the vessel (Garlake 1974:Fig. 6, pl. XLVI; see also Drewal, Pemberton, and Abiodun 1989). Note the emphasis on the creature also in the carved ritual bowl in Fig. 4. With its head on top of the female figure and its tail resting on the head of the male figure--as if uniting both sexes--this python seems to be watching over the cosmos, paying special attention to humanity.

As noted earlier, the divine messenger Esu-Elegba is the keeper of ase, mediating its positive and negative powers. Hence, as will be seen below, he is perceived as an orisa with good and bad tendencies. The carved female in Fig. 5 conveys his generous disposition by touching her left breast. However, note the snake on her head that proclaims his other side! Besides, the snake reminds us of Esumare (another name for the rainbow deity Osumare) and Edumare (another name for the Supreme Being Olodumare; ibid., p. 31). As we shall see, the latter is the wellspring of existence in all its positive and negative aspects.

In any event, the view held by some Yoruba informants that (a) Olodumare has a mother, (b) s/he embodies the male and the female principles of the cosmos, and (c) s/he may have something to do with a celestial python, has parallels among the Fon of the Republic of Benin, whose cosmology, many scholars believe, has been heavily influenced by that of their Yoruba neighbors (Maupoil 1943, Verger 1957). For example, the Fon conceptualize their Supreme Deity, Mawu-Lisa, as both male and female in essence. Its most sacred symbol is a closed calabash, like that of the Yoruba. The top half of the calabash symbolizes Lisa, the male Heaven, associated with day, heat, fire, fatherhood, and virility. The bottom half signifies Mawu, the female Earth, associated with night, coolness, water, fertility, motherhood, generosity, and nurture. Notwithstanding, the Fon often call the two aspects Mawu (Argyle 1966:179). As Melville and Frances Herskovits put it,

   Any discussion of the Great Gods with [the Fon] will make apparent
   at once the importance of the Sky-God. When the ultimate control of
   the Universe is referred to, Mawu is the god usually named. Yet when
   one speaks to persons immediately connected with the Sky-God cult
   .... the name given to this deity will be the
   hyphenated one of the two
   principal members of the Sky pantheon, Mawu-Lisa ... It is generally
   held that Mawu whose domain is in the moon, is female, and that
   Lisa, who rules the sun is male. Bur mythological accounts vary. One
   version we collected tells that Mawu is androgynous and that Lisa
   is the son of Mawu ... Another relates that Mawu and Lisa are two
   beings in one, one-half a female whose eyes are the moon, the
   other a
   male whose eyes are the sun. This version, it is claimed, explains
   the meaning of the word Mawu (body-divided; 1933:11).

Furthermore, certain Fon oral traditions identify Mawu-Lisa as the offspring of a Mother Goddess called Nana Buluku (Nana Buruku or Nana Bukuu in Yoruba) who derives much of her powers from a primordial python Dan or Dambala, who is associated with the rainbow, wealth, and dynamism. Usually signified by a coiled snake with its tail in its mouth to connote eternity, Dambala itself is believed to have two aspects: Dambala-Wedo (male) and AidoWedo (female).

These parallels seem to increase the possibility that, before the impact of Islam and Christianity on Yoruba religion, Olodumare might have once had attributes similar in some respects to those of the Fon's Mawu, Mawu-Lisa, or Nana Buluku. (5)

Another equally popular Yoruba creation narrative identifies the top (male) half of the cosmic calabash/gourd (Igba Iwa) with Obatala, the creativity deity, and the bottom half with Oduduwa in her role as female Earth (Lucas 1948:95). Apart from casting the two orisa in roles comparable to those of Olodumare and the Fon's Mawu-Lisa, this tradition makes Obatala the Supreme Deity, as implied in nicknames such as Orisa Nla ('Great Deity') and Alabalase ('The Wielder of Great ase'). Indeed, as Idowu points out, "he is called by some of Olodumare's significant appellations.

​For instance, he is called Atererekaye--'He who stretches over the whole extent of the earth'" (1994:70). Some stories even identify Obatala as the husband of the primordial python, mentioned earlier, that allegedly gave birth to Olodumare (Bascom 1980:212-15). And a number of scholars of Fon culture suspect that Mawu might derive from the Yoruba goddess Yeye Mowo, one of the wives of Obatala (Verger 1957:449, 552, Morton-Wil liams 1964:250 n.2, Bay 1998:95) whom some scholars identify as Oduduwa (Lucas 1948:96).*

*Lawal, Babatunde. Ejiwapo: the dialectics of twoness in Yoruba art and culture

Akose is as much an art as it is a science. Either way, a master hand is necessary to bring out the best qualities of akose preparations. Each combination of leaves, roots and tree barks has its individuality, its own special relationship to water, fire and soil. Thus, in order to fully appreciate the nuances of akose, you need to be sensitive to the delicate balance of elements required to produce it.

Akose takes many forms and has even more functions. In my own practice, I make use of three main types of akose; soap, powder and cream.

More important than the type of akose, you need to understand the philosophy of akose. The Yorùbá recognize supernatural, natural and cultural causations of illness. Regarding the supernatural, it is believed that the orisa and certain spirits can cause illness when they are not propitiated. For instance, Ògún can cause a fatal road accident while desecration of Sonponna, can cause mental illness.

Likewise, regarding natural causes of imbalance might include weather exposure. For instance, fever can be caused by exposure to heat of the sun. 

Cultural causation pertains to human conduct that leads to illness. People who are steeped in witchcraft, for example, can cause sickness, financial blockages or nightmares. 

While babalawos rely on Ifa verses to guide their healing knowledge, herbalists do not. Instead, they mostly engage the use of herbal elements in the healing process. Here, it is important to note that, while their disciplines are distinct from one another, when it comes to actual practices, Yoruba traditional healers are interwoven into an aggregate of healing methodologies.

An herbalist may utilize both Ifa and metaphysical modes of healing and
the babalawo will definitely make use of herbal medicine. The distinction is however marked by the predominant mode used in healing.   

Òsanyìn is universally recognized as the source of healing wisdom. It was he who taught Òrúnmìlὰ the art and science of plant medicine. While Òrúnmìlὰ is steeped in Ifa wisdom, Òsanyìn is reputed for his knowledge of herbs. The Holy Odu OgundaMeji tells us how Òrúnmìlὰ and Òsanyìn traded wisdom in order to empower one another. The outcome of their combined wisdoms is what we might call the philosophy of akose.  

On the one hand, Odu Ifa are essential for diagnosis, which enables the practitioner to take a holistic approach to healing. For example, observances are derived from Odu Ifa; what foods to eat and to avoid, what colors to wear, when to speak out and when to remain silent. 

On the other hand, which plants to use, how to harvest them and how to combine them is the specialized knowledge of the herbalists. It is their insights into the healing properties of plants that enables the herbalists to optimize their powers. 

Weekly chant for prosperity, protection and blessings:

Taken from the Holy Odu OgbeAte, this akose calls for two yellow baby bananas, sea salt, palm oil, one white plate, Osun (camwood powder).

Instructions: For use on Mondays
Mash the 2 bananas onto the white plate. Add a pinch of sea salt and few drops of epo. Mark the Odu Ifa in Osun then recite the following verse. Sprinkle the powder over the bananas. Recite the incantation: 

Olukokun!
Oboga-boga!
Alado-Ewi!
Oba-Ajio!

Protect me
Once the banana has a child she protects it
Orunmila, put me under your protection

I come with palm oil
I come with salt
I have OgbeAte support Oooo
Everything is complete
Orunmila grant me prosperity, wealth, spouse
Children, good health and all the good things of life
Ase! 

Pray for wealth, comfort and protection. Breathe onto the preparation three times before eating.  

In order to optimize this akose, there are certain observances and best practices to also take into consideration. Firstly, chasing money is like trying to chase the wind. You will be much more successful if you know the nature and patterns of the wind. That way, you can position yourself in a way that allows you to capture it when the time is ripe. Likewise, this akose works best when you have positioned yourself in a way that is conducive to prosperity. In other words, you need money to make money. The akose will just help you make more money! 

Likewise, orisa aje is the spirit of wealth. Her nature is delicate. She will study an environment before she enters. If she detects strife, conflict and discord, aje will not linger. So, you must keep your environment neat and peaceful if you want the akose to be most effective. 

Learn more about the philosophy and the power of akose: CLICK HERE

i walk the forest like an explorer on a mission of discovery. my pace is quickened by certainty. my eye is made keen by experience. i feel the freshness of the air. i inhale the fragrance of the river and i hear the rustling of dry leaves alongside the path. and there he is, the red king of the forest! elusive, but impossible to miss. his pink lady remains nearby. i walk the forest like a missionary deeply engrossed in exploration. my feet know exactly the steps to take... as ori guides the way. ori uwa. agunwa.
​
Obafemi Origunwa, MA | ObafemiO.com
#LivetheMedicine

​The time has come to silence the detractors with overwhelming enthusiasm. When good people remain silent in the face of detractors, we become enablers of destructive habits. Many people are reluctant to take a stand against detractors, gossipers and trouble makers because you are afraid of becoming a target. Rest assured, Ifa tells us that Olodumare, Ori and Ifa are your most important supporters. With these three, you will forever remain more powerful than all opposition. 

The working of the grinding stone
And the functioning of the grinding-stone
Pregnancy makes the breasts protrude
Ifa’s messages for He who-they-are-discrediting
But who Olodumare is supplementing
He was advised to offer sacrifice
He complied
If someone refuses to greet me
Let the person sit down
The greeting of Olodumare is more than those of 200 people
If someone refuses to salute me
Let the person be seated
The greeting of my Ori is more than those of 200 men
If someone refuses to compliment me
Let the person go and sit down
The greeting of my Ifa is more than those of 200 human beings
- Holy Odu OsaIrete

Align yourself with Olodumare. Look to Ifa for support. Seek first acceptance from ori. With them, you have the power to let all detractors be seated and remain silent from now onward. Ase. 

Obafemi Origunwa, MA | OrisaLifestyle.com

Masculine leadership is synonymous with provision. When a man aspires to greatness, it is because he is responding to his innate desire to provide. A man acquires wealth, power and prestige largely so that he can take care of his loved ones, especially his wife and children.

In the Yoruba tradition, strong masculine leadership is expected. Once a boy reaches about 8 years of age, he naturally serves as an apprentice to his father, who teaches him the family craft. By the time he reaches young adulthood, he should be able to fetch enough money to ask his father for land. It is absolutely normal for a Yoruba man to BUILD a house and then provide food, clothes and shelter for all who dwell within it.

These expectations inform the way men pray within Orisa Lifestyle. We do not ask for our obligations to decrease. Instead, we pray for the resources necessary to meet our obligations. We do not accept the idea that somebody else will carry the load that our ori chose in the prenatal state.

This verse of the Holy Odu EjiOgbe is illustrative:

I walked stealthily and adorned my head with a befitting crown
I walked quietly and adorned my neck
with Ejigbara and Okun beads
I know nothing and I am ignorant of all things
Nonetheless, I ascended the throne of the market leaders
The youths of Ife saw me and they put on befitting garments
The elders of Ife saw me and they put on gorgeous dresses
May evil not set me in contention with Gunnugun (the vulture)
May I live and grow as old as the vulture
May evil not set me up against Akala (the hornbill)
May I become as old as the hornbill
Elders do not make forceful sounds
like the closing of the main entrance door
Ifa, please turn me into a Babalawo
When a Babalawo becomes a full Babalawo
He will have a pony in front of his house
Ifa, please let me have a pony in front my house
Ifa, please turn me into a Babalawo
When a Babalawo becomes a full Babalawo
He will have a galloping horse in the backyard of his house
Ifa, please let me have a galloping horse
in the backyard of my house
Ifa, please turn me into a Babalawo
When a Babalawo becomes a full Babalawo
He will be blessed with 1,460 women in his house
Ifa, please let me have 1,460 women in my house
Ifa, please turn me into a Babalawo
When a Babalawo becomes a full Babalawo
He will have 1,460 children in his house
Ifa, please let me have 1,460 children in my house
Ifa, please let me live up to their expectations as their father
Alofoun of the farm land
You are the father of all grasses
Ifa, please let me live up to their expectations as their father
Torofinni is the head of all rats in the forest
Ifa, please let me live up to their expectations as their father
Alofoun of the farm land
You are the father of all grasses
Ifa, please let me live up to their expectations as their father
Oduso is the head of all Ikin
Ifa, please let me live up to their expectations as their father
Alofoun of the farm land
You are the father of all grasses
Ifa, please let me live up to their expectations as their father
Akaraba is the head of all fish in the deep
Ifa, please let me live up to their expectations as their father
Alofoun of the farm land
You are the father of all grasses
Ifa, please let me live up to their expectations as their father
The Peacock is the head of all birds in the forest
Ifa, please let me live up to their expectations as their father
Alofoun of the farm land
You are the father of all grasses
Ifa, please let me live up to their expectations as their father
- Holy Odu EjiOgbe

This verse offers many important lessons for the men of Orisa Lifestyle. In the opening lines, it speaks to quiet and inconspicuous way of maturity. It goes on to reassure you that the appropriate parties will recognize your capabilities and contribution in spite of the fact that you are humble.  

Next, the verse emphasizes the attributes of a babalawo, as a particular kind of man. A babalawo is cool, yet bold. He is prominent in his humility. As a result, he naturally ascends the throne of spiritual authority. And so, the verse becomes a prayer that the man might become a babalawo who takes the natural path of empowerment, not for self aggrandizement, but so that he might live up to their expectations as their father. 

I am looking for leaders who are committed to changing the world through positive influence and strong masculine leadership. If that is you, or you support this, find out how Obafemi Origunwa and the Orisa Lifestyle Academy can help you take your practice to the next level. 

​Learn more: CLICK HERE

The story of OrisaLifestyle is all about the clash of civilizations; one European and the other African. As a result of this fateful collision, African people in America find ourselves bound to a nation and an idea that sits atop a hill of imperial dominance. 

From this vantage point, a king can see - and gain access to - the international terrain with relative ease. In my travels, I have seen more than fifty cities in the United States and just as many around the world. From South America to East Africa, to Northern England to Western Canada, I have surveyed the lives of African people in diaspora. 

Along the way, I have encountered a peculiar segment of the global African population. These men and women represent a distinct group of people who look at life with a visionary gaze. They see connections and opportunities that others overlook. More importantly, these people do not hesitate to act. They are leaders. 

Because of the influence these individuals has had on me, I have felt compelled to actively seek out leaders; people who are devoted to changing the world through positive influence.  The purpose of my search is to facilitate a melting pot movement, in which Africans from the Continent, the Caribbean, Europe, North and South America can be unified in service to the Ancestral Promise. 

If you are one of those leaders, now is your time. Join the Orisa Lifestyle Academy and start to learn how Obafemi Origunwa can help you start to live the medicine that will heal your life and the lives of those you are destined to serve. 

LEARN MORE

The Yoruba king is a patron of every segment of his kingdom; he must support Muslims, Christians and traditionalists alike. Strategically, this requires the effective king to recruit operatives from every segment of the community. Tactically, this means that he must look beyond things like religious affiliation in order to understand and identify the people who are most likely to represent his vision for the community, based on their interests, activities and lifestyle choices. The objective is to assemble people from different walks of life who share certain key values.

So, although you're familiar with your people's affiliation with various Orisa, it's also extremely important to recognize the extent to which members of your tribe group themselves into smaller and smaller interest groups, such as 'The Bey Hive', the Manosphere, or warriors for intergenerational wealth. These self-selected affiliations can reveal powerful concerns that influence the way your people make important decisions.  
​
Here are five variables you can use to better understand the people you serve:

1. Personality. There’s a strong correlation between personality and  habits. Some of the personality filters that can be applied here include: introvert, extrovert, emotional, creative, sociable, optimistic and organized.
2. Lifestyle. An event or an online communication designed for parents of small children is going to be quite different from one that's designed for college age people. By analyzing your people's lifestyles, the right elements can be pinpointed for the right audience, and by listening to feedback, you can improve the experiences for your people.
3. Social status. Each social class has its own preferred brands of clothes, grocery stores, vehicles and holidays. You need to know how much money your people earn, if they rent or own homes, if they are married or single, their level of education, etcetera. These attributes will definitely shape their values. 
4. Activities, Interests, and Opinions (AIO): This variable reveals the enthusiasts and hobbyists within your ranks. It also reveals interests like sports and politics. The variable could be as simple as watching mainly Nollywood movies or as complex as the politics of an environmental advocate. 
5. Attitudes: Our cultural background and upbringing shapes our attitudes. These attitudes reveal our nature, and because they are intangible, require some imagination on the part of the leadership team when deciding at whom to target a project or assignment. 

When you have gathered all this pertinent information about your people, make the insights operational. That is, create ongoing opportunities for your people to show up fully, without compromising important aspects of their personalities. Do this, and you will notice how much more willing they are to do more than the bare minimum to comply. Instead, you will find that your people are increasingly willing to invest themselves entirely into your vision of the community. 

I am in search of leaders who are devoted to improving the world through positive influence. If that is you, find out how Obafemi Origunwa and the Orisa Lifestyle Academy can help you take your life and your practice to the next level. Learn more: CLICK HERE

Ogun oni gbajamo irun ni je
Ogun the barber eats hair

The statement above is part of a longer litany of oriki (praise poetry) for Orisa Ogun. In the final analysis, it means that the blade sustains the barber. Cutting hair is his livelihood and thus, the barber is a ward of Ogun, the orisa who governs everything that pertains to iron. 

So, because iron sharpens iron, it makes sense that men gather at the barber shop in order to become more refined. Like Ogun, the barber is a sculptor, who wields the razor with expert precision. Bit by bit, he cuts away all the non-essentials so that what remains is balanced and well-shaped. 

In the barber shop, however, every man carries his own symbolic razor. As we wait for our turn in the chair, we talk to one another, we brag on ourselves, and espouse our beliefs. Through this free-flowing, organic conversation, we sharpen one another in a way that every man emerges just a little bit better. 

In the Holy Odu OgundaMeji, Ifa tells us of Ogun's son, whose name is Ina. When Ogun's wife was expecting, he went to consult Ifa. The babalawo advised Ogun that he would have a son who would become great and whose name would be known all over the world. Here, the sacred text says the following:

Reputation
Clamor
These were Ifa's messages to Ogun
Who woulld beget one child
Whose influence would be felt the world over
He was advised to offer sacrifice

The babalawo said that Ogun must offer one he-goat, a bundle of white cloth, red cloth and black cloth so that the boy would be born safely and have a good reputation as well. Ogun offered the he-goat for safe delivery, but failed to make the sacrifice for good reputation. 

Ina was born safely, but arrived with intense drama. For one, the hands of the midwife who tended his birth were severely burnt as soon as she touched him. Then, after his first bath, they tossed his bath water into the bushes. When the water touched the bushes they immediately caught fire. 

As Ina grew up, any time he was happy, he wore white, red and black cloth, which his father had refused to sacrifice at the time of his birth. At those times, when his energy was highest, destruction would follow. Consequently, Ina's reputation become synonymous with fear and trepidation. 

At the same time, however, because he was the son of Ogun, Ina was indispensable. Nobody could cook without him. No house could be kept warm without him. Even Ogun himself could not perform blacksmithing without him. As a result, while some were trying to get rid of him, others were clamoring to get closer to him. 

Eventually, the wise ones assembled and they declared, We must figure out a way to manage Ina, son of Ogun. They devised a plan. Ina must be respected for who he is and not placed in places that are not suitable to his nature. When we see him clothed in white, red and black cloth, we will withdraw at once. Thus, if ever a farm or a home was burned, the owner himself was deemed irresponsible for mismanaging Ina, which is fire. 

Ifa says that we shall not extinguish the flame of youth. Instead, we will learn to manage that flame in a way that it is constructive to collective well being. 

The barbershop is Ogun's territory. It is where men fan the flames of youth and cultivate social refinement. Special thanks to brother Ernest, the best barber in Atlanta. And for clarification, Ernie’s in The Cut is not a barbershop, it’s a Cultural Institution where fine art and barbering intersect-appts: 470.540.6901 or erniesindacut@gmail.com. 

EMBRACE THE HATE
If you really want to be the king, let's start with a good reality check. Kingship is not a popularity contest. It's about rulership and governance. So, know this; it is better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for who you pretend to be... It's one thing to intellectualize the idea of embracing the hate, but it takes a considerable amount of resilience, courage and focus to endure hatred over time.  

According to an early 1968 Harris Poll, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr died with a public disapproval rating of nearly 75 percent. [1] That means, that even though Blacks and Whites were as divided as humanly possible, many found themselves strangely unified in their hatred for Dr. King. In fact, it was a Black woman, Izola Curry, who tried to kill Dr. King by stabbing him in the chest with a letter opener. 

In spite of the intense hatred he experienced from others, Dr. King remained devoted to his mission to ascend the throne of destiny. 

PRICE OF THE CROWN
Sometimes, the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the best things that will ever happen to us. Being hated by the people you serve is one of the worst experiences a king can endure. For this reason, the installation of a Yoruba king actually begins with ritual humiliation.

When the prince of Orangun Ila (a Yoruba kingdom) is poised to ascend the throne, he must first endure a hardship along the way. He goes before the Obaale, with whom he swears an oath to govern with wisdom and, if necessary, sacrifice his life for the well-being of the kingdom.

Next, he journeys to the shrine of the Ebora (deities) of Ila, where is installed as the ALANWO, which connotes something forbidden, that which is taboo, or a place that cannot be entered. For the next three months, the would-be king lives in limbo. 

He will travel to a new house by night and become a stranger to his kin. Not only that, once he is formally installed as the Orangun of Ila, he will never be allowed to return to his family compound. 

The entire ordeal is captured in a verse of the Holy Odu OgundaMeji, which details the painful journey to becoming the king: 

Benevolence is not futile
Wickedness is not forgotten
The act of benevolence without showing appreciation in return
Is like one has lost valuable things
Cast divination for Àgànná
Who will be enthroned as the King of the town of Òkò
after the death of his father
What made Àgànná become the King?
Benevolence made Àgànná the King
Benevolence
- Holy Odu OgundaMeji

The Olókò is the King of Òkò. But he was childless, which meant he had no heir. His senior wife feared that she would be blamed for the absence of an heir. So, she convinced the Olókò to take a slave as his consort, hoping to embarrass the king and absolve herself at the same time. 

The slave, however, became pregnant and gave birth to a boy. The king named him Àgànná, which means 'Joy of the barren.' In quick succession, all the kings wives became pregnant, including the senior wife. 

Now, since Àgànná was the heir apparent of the Olókò, the senior wife was displeased because she wanted her own son to ascend the throne. So, she conspired to have Àgànná and his mother banished from the palace on the grounds that they were actually slaves. And so, Àgànná and his mother were forced to live in the forest. 

Years later, during the king's annual festival, the Olókò died. And when the kingmakers queried Ifa as to who would replace him, all the princes in the palace were rejected, one by one. Finally, an elder chief said, "What about Àgànná?" 

SACRIFICE FACILITATES MATURITY
Ritual humiliation is an experience that a king must suffer, for ‘The head of the elephant is not a load to be carried by a child’. (Atari ajanaku kiise eru omode). This is a proverb that is recited to remind you that power requires sacrifice; sacrifice facilitates maturity. A king's head must be specially prepared to carry a heavy load. 

Let us consider the teachings of the Holy Odu OturaEguntan: 

​They did much evil to me
I am not tarnished; they cannot overcome me
They are cursing, swearing and wishing me evil
OturaEguntan said that I should not be afraid, nor fear them
He promised to mend my ways so that I may have a better life
He said my life will be prosperous
It is OturaEguntan who washed my head for me
So that no curse, imprecation, charm or spell will affect me
- Holy Odu OturaEguntan

Here, we see the importance of preparing one's ORI for rulership and governance. Traditionally, the king’s authority reflects the divine will of Olódùmarè. As such, he is crowned with a power like that of the gods i.e., Kaabiyesi Alase ekeji òrìsà. 

“Among all Yoruba people the Ade (Crown) is the principal symbol of a king's authority. The Crown is an Òrisà when it is placed upon the head of the king. His Orí inu (inner head) becomes one with those who have reigned before him and who are now Òrisà. There is an ancient story that says that before he died, Oduduwa, the founder and first king of Yoruba people gave a beaded crown (Ade) to each of his sons and sent them forth to establish their own kingdoms. Another version, with many variations, states that when Olofin Oduduwa was old and almost blind, his sons adopted their father's crown (Ade) knowing that with the authority of Ade, they can establish their own kingdoms.” [2]

Ori is the one that performs prenatal choice, which we call akunleyan. Washing the ori signifies the restoration of your destiny. Thus, when you are aligned with your prenatal choice, you are beyond the reach of those who would attempt to harm you.

Suffer as you may, focus relentless upon your destiny and you need not fear ten thousand curses. Ultimately, your prenatal choice becomes your life experience.

THE WARRIOR KING
The warrior king is celebrated for his unique ability to conquer on the battlefield and govern the state with equal acuity. The history of early Yoruba civilization is filled with epic tales of such kings, who had the courage, determination and military skills to dominate otherwise fragmented collections of villages and towns.

In fact, the most highly-revered orisa were renown warrior kings. Ogun, Sango and Obaluiye were all skilled in battle, as well as statecraft. As such, it is impossible to fully venerate these divinities without also embodying their military and political prowess.

Let's examine the exploits of the 19th century warrior king, Esubiyi, whose rise to power reveals three distinct phases of dominance demonstrated by other warrior kings of Yoruba land. 

PHASE ONE: TAKING THE CROWN
Esubiyi was a man of exceptional birth. His father, Onimogun, was a renowned babalawo, hunter and herbalist who belonged to the royal family of Ikole. Onimogun went on to settle in Iye kingdom. There, he divined for the king, telling him that the princess was barren, which would cause her husband to reject her. When this manifested, Onimogun took the princess to be his bride. She bore him many children. 

One of these children would distinguish himself from all others, however. Tradition says that the princess of Iye was pregnant for seven years, which eventually prompted her to go to the Esu shrine of Ijelu town. There, she propitiated Esu for a safe delivery. Eventually, she gave birth to a son with a full set of teeth. The boy was named Esubiyi, which means, "Esu gave birth to this one."

Esubiyi grew up to become an accomplished herbalist, babalawo and warrior, like his father. By the year 1860, he had earned a reputation for being a great war chief who effectively defended the northeastern region of the Ibadan empire.  In his rise to power, Esubiyi would eventually seize the throne of Ayede kingdom and establish a new ruling dynasty. 

During the Yemoja festival, Esubiyi went into the sacred grove, where a crown had been hidden. Recognizing the sacred object and the power it symbolized, Esubiyi was drawn to it. Not only that, he put the crown upon his head. As soon as he did so, his followers praised him, "Kabiyesi, Ata Ayede," which means, "Your royal highness, king of Ayede." 

By 1878, the warrior king, Esubiyi would conquer many surrounding towns, including Irele, Ipao, Oke Ako, Ogbe and Omu. These towns became subordinate to Ayede and were forced to provide labor, building materials and agricultural products. During Ayede's Orisa festivals, for example, the subordinate towns were required to provide palm oil, palm wine, yams, kola nuts and other sacrificial items. 

POWER SYSTEMS
Esubiyi, the warrior king of Ayede, is a clear example of how power is acquired, maintained and expanded. By taking the crown, he legitimized his military expansion and conquests. Next, by integrating large percentages of diverse populations, Esubiyi destabilized potential contenders and set the stage for imposing a military administrative structure. Finally, by relegating the former religious order to a single quarter, he made it possible to elevate a spiritual practice that would favor his rule. 

Esubiyi's three phases of dominance demonstrate one way in which Orisa Lifestyle reaches its fullest expression to the extent that we, the devotees, apply the principles of Yoruba civilization in our day-to-day lives. 

NOTES:
Apter, A​ndrew. Black Critics and Kings
Origunwa, Obafemi. Fundamentals of Orisa Lifestyle