Everyday is for the Thief

Eku ojo awo ooo! Greetings on this day of Ifa devotion. Ogundabede is a potent odu that reminds us that, when all the jive talking is done, there will be tangible consequences for dishonesty. In one instance of this verse, Orunmila was away when the Oba had a problem. Elegba was in the shrine when the palace officials arrived. He promised the king that he would go consult Ifa in Orunmila's absence. 

When Elegba arrived at the palace and cast Ifa, it was Ogundabede that emerged. Elegba identified the problem exactly. But then, he decided to be tricky. He told the Oba that the sacrifice was a particular woman who braided hair in the king's market. The guards wasted no time to go get her. At that exact moment, however, the hair braider remembered something she needed to complete the job she was working on. She asked the woman in the stall next to her to hold the hair for one minute, while she went to fetch the missing item. 

The guards arrived and immediately grabbed the woman who appeared to be braiding hair. They took her to the palace, tied up and ready to sacrifice. Just then, Orunmila returned. When Elegba heard the people greeting him, ABORU ABOYE, he hid himself in the palace shrine. And although he could not see what was happening, he giggling with glee. Why? You see, the woman who braids hair in the market is Orunmila's mother. Orunmila looked at the woman and recognized her but was so confused. He asked, so it was Elegba who performed the divination and named the sacrifice? Yes, baba, they responded. Very well, said Orunmila. Let us complete the sacrifice. 

Elegba listened as Orunmila chanted melodiously. Orunmila asked Ifa, Shall be decapitate her? Shall we cut her in half? Or shall we just cut her hair? Elegba was confused because Orunmila's voice never even quivered. How could he be so callous about sacrificing his own mother? When Orunmila repeated the question again, Elegba peeked around the corner to see what was going on. What he saw was enough to make a sane man instantly crazy! The woman to be sacrificed was not Orunmila's mother at all. Instead, it was Elegba's mother!!! When Orunmila repeated the question a third time, Shall be decapitate her? Shall we cut her in half? Or shall we just cut her hair? Elegba leaped from his hiding place and shouted, Just cut her hair! Just a bit of her hair! Just cut her hair!!! 

Everyday is for the thief. Just one day is for the owner. 

Aboru aboye abosise.

---