Hello everyone

Today, I will be teaching you all you need to know about Olokun. This topic will cover:

{1} Olokun History
{2} Olokun Worhsip
{3} Olokun Ceremonies
{4} Olokun Alter
{5} Olokun Materials
{6} Olokun Prayers
{7} Olokun Invocations
{8} Orhue
{9} Olokun Purifications
{10} Olokun Taboos
{11} Olokun Rituals
{12} Olokun Incantations
{13} Olokun Rites
{14} Olokun Initiations
{15} Olokun Divinations
{16} Olokun Healing
{17} Olokun Exorxcism
{18} Olokun Priest / Priestess

Thank you for reading, leave a comment if you are ready for this class

As a christian i support freedom of religeon to the highest level and i strongly believe that at the end of life only God can determine which one is wrong and right. saying that my own is far more supperior than yours though not wrong but it is not always right. Babalawos,what has been the contribution to the nation building of nigeria, why is it that water spirits always torment yellow and beautifull not to have a peaceful marital life?

Following

OLOKUN HISTORY

At that time, there were no trees in heaven or on earth that remained covered with water. Eledumare and the other orisa wanted trees to grow in heaven, so Eledumare caused Eji, the god of rainfall to wet the entire landscape of heaven.

After the ground soaked in the moisture and became soft, Eledumare caused Iju, the god of forests to make trees grow. Iju said “Let all forms of plants grow from the soil.”

Gradually, myriads of plants began to emerge from the soft bare soil. All types of plants, including the sweet and the bitter, the smooth and the thorny, the poisons and the therapeutic herbs, germinated and grew.

Some plants had fruits, others only bore flowers; many stood upon huge roots, others had no roots at all. Eledumare inspected the plants and approved of every one of them, because each one had a different purpose and constitution

Now Obatala asked Eledumare: “When shall we establish the humans settlement on earth? That way we can separate human beings from the orisas. When we know who is who, the orisas will better be able to protect people.”

Eledumare said, “We will move them as soon as we prepare earth for human habitation.” Lo and behold, the face of the earth was flooded, and within the flood was the grand palace wherein lived the goddess of the deep seas, Olokun.

She heard of the plan to establish the human population earth but did not like that plan. Since she began to live in the depths of the sea, Olokun had begun to separate her life and existence from others. At some point, she lost direct contact with Eledumare, and lived a totally independent life.

She exceedingly enjoyed her life under the sea. At some point, howver, she became too absorbed in her solitude, because she was shielded by the huge body of sea from the others.

She became engrossed in herself, in her sense of importance and in her power and dominion over the entire earth, which was under the sea.

She was not there when the plan to establish people on earth was made. The plan therefore caught her by total surprise. She was angry and many questions quickly crossed her mind:

Why did they not consult her before making a decision that affected her own domain? Was it because they thought she was powerless, therefore they could just do anything they wanted without involving her? Her mind was agitated.

OLOKUN PREVENTED ELEDUMARE AND OTHER DIVINITIES

She therefore decided to prevent Eledumare and the other divinities from establishing human life on earth.

She decided that she was going to flood heaven with her waters, to demonstrate her powers to the others, who seemed to have forgotten that she the goddess of large salt waters.

She decided that after flooding Eledumare and the other orisas from heaven, she would later allow them back, if and only if they promised to abandon the project to establish human beings on earth. Olokun personally did not like the few human beings that she had seen.

Obatala had said that he would make them perfect, but from Olokun’s perspective, they were no more perfect than Obatala himself. And Olokun knew that, just as the other orisas, Obatala was far from perfect.

The human beings that he created therefore had all the flaws of the gods. In addition, they had other profound physical and emotional weaknesses and illnesses, and totally relied on the orisas for everything.

Their ranks included liars, thieves, murderers, adulterers, debtors and layabouts. The few honest ones are not enough to redeem the warped ones. Yet the orisas insisted on populating the earth with people.
Eledumare had said “The earth will only be their market place. Heaven will still remain their home.”

That is why till today people say that “The world is a market place. Heaven is our home.”

Olokun grew even more furious when she learnt that people would turn the earth into a market place. But Olokun also needed the earth for her studio, for Olokun was an amazing bead maker.

She spent her time in solitude, making beads, combining dyes and pigments to make amazing beads of dazzling hues.

She knew that she would lose her entire bead business once humans came to live on earth with her. She knew that some will steal her beads. Some will break her bead pots. Some will vandalize her studio.

Some might even begin to steal her bead making idea, and start to make beads themselves. Because she had no faith in humans, and because she was not consulted before the decision was made, Olokun refused to accommodate humans on earth.

Now Eledumare could sense that Olokun was not happy about the plan to establish the human settlement on earth. S/he therefore called a meeting of all the orisas to discuss Olokun’s position.

SPECIAL MESSENGER

All the orisas decided that a special messenger should be sent to Olokun to convey the decision to establish the human abode on earth to Olokun.

Eledumare then called forth Orunmila, the orisa of divination. Eledumare said “You Orunmila know the past, the present and the future. Tell us what will happen after we send an emissary to Olokun.

Will she agree to our plan, or will she remain adamantly against it? And who should we send to convey the message to Olokun. Because the message is as good as the messenger.”

ORUNMILA CONSULTED IFA

Orunmila asked them to allow him to consult his Ifa divination system. He then brought out the entire Ifa paraphernalia, including the opele, iroke, opon and agere ifa.

He placed his divination tray on the floor and cast his opele string on it. The Ifa divination signature that the opele forms is oyeku meji. Orunmila recited the attached odu verse as follows:

INCANTATION

Iwo yeku, emi yeku (I dodge death, you dodged death}
oyeku di meji, o diji (Two oyeku verse loom so formidably)
A difa fun Kowa (Ifa divination was performed for Kowa)
A bu fun Tamedu (And also for Tamedu)
Nijo ti Lakasegbe (On the day that Lakasegbe)
N fi omi oju sogbere omo.(Was crying due to barrenness)
Won ni ki i se ti igbin (It is unlike the sanil)
Ko dubule lai ni ikarahun (To sleep outside of its shell)
Won ni ki i se ti oka (It is unlike the viper)
Ko dubule lai loro inu (To sleep without its poison)
Won ni ki i se ti ire (It is unlike the cricket)
Ko dubule lai han gaaraga. (To sleep without making grating noises)
Won ni iran oga (Not a single chameleon)
Ki i rin lai ni igba aso. (Moves without a suitcase loaded with a thousand suits)

Won ni ko rubo (They asked him to offer a sacrife)
Ko ru eku meji oluwere (Two swift-running rodents)
Won ni ko ru eja meji abiwe gbada (Two giant fishes with huge laps)
Won ni ko ru obidie meji abedo lule luke (Two massive hens)
Ewure meji abamu rederede (Two pregnant goats)
Einla meji to fi iwo sosuka (Two deers with curled horns)
O gbo riru ebo o ru. (He listened to call to offer sacrifices and offered sacrifices)
O gbo titu atukesu, o tu (He paid attention to the needs of Esu)
O gbo ikarara (He heard ikarara, the sound of good fortune)
Ebo ha fun un. (His sacrifices worked for him)

Bi iyawo ti n ti owo ala bo osun (As his younger wife bathes her newly born baby)
Ni iyale n bi were (So does the senior wife deliver her own baby)
Ijo ni n jo (He began to dance)
Ayo ni n yo (He began to celebrate)
Ese to na (He stretched a leg)

Ijo fa a. (Dance tugged at it)
O ni be ni awon awo oun (He says that that is exactly how his diviners)
Ti n fi enu rere pe ifa. (Give thanks and praise to Ifa divination)
Iwo yeku, emi yeku (I dodged death, you dodged death)

Oyeku di meji (Two oyeku verses combine)
Gbogbo aye lo tu ni lara. (And the entire world is happy)

INCANTATION INTERPRETATION

Orunmila said everything will be fine. The outcome of the message, Orunmila said, will depend on the presentation of the messenger.

THE CHAMELEON

Eledumare asked “So who will this important messenger be?” Orunmila looked around. Directly in front of him was Ega, the chameleon. Orunmila pointed at the chameleon, who was surprised by the choice. Everybody was also surprised.

Obatata expressed disappointment by the choice of Chameleon. Obatala asked “What power has the chameleon, where Olokun is concerned? Olokun will simply drown the poor fellow. It stands no chance.”

Osun said, “Everybody knows that the chameleon is so ugly. At least send someone who is a little more handsome to do the job. She might fall for the looks and charm.”

Sonponna said “Don’t send the chameleon. It does not look particularly healthy. It walks slowly like a tired and senile fellow.

You should find someone who looks more healthy than the chameleon, who walks more smartly and thinks more quickly. Not a slovenly fellow like the chameleon.”

But Eledumare insisted that they must listen to the voice of Orunmila. Eledumare said “Whatever the Ifa divination says, after Orunmila has consulted it, is final.”

So they all agreed to send the chameleon to Olokun to convey the news to her. When the oracle chose the chameleon to go to Olokun’s abode to convey the news to her that the earth was going to be converted to human abode, everybody was totally surprised because it was such an unexpected choice.

Most surprised was the chameleon itself. Slowly, in its ponderous manner, the chameleon crawled forward, one foot at a time.

It flickered its tongues seven times as a sign of greeting to Eledumare and the dinities and said:

"If it will please you, my Lord, let me speak here: why not listen to the voice of the others apart from the oracle?

After all, the oracle is simply the voice of one divinity, and only one divinity, that is Orunmila.

How can the wisdom of just one divinity be more important than the wisdom of the entire group?

Everybody here is saying that you need to choose someone much stronger, faster, quicker and more appealing than my poor self, for this most important assignment.

Yet you insist on listening to the voice of only one divinity. Is the Ifa divinity infallible? Why must the voice of one divinity take precedence over the voice of the others?

After all, you often say in proverbs that ‘Only several hands will lift a heavy load. Two heads are better than one.’

And when you listen carefully to what everybody is saying, you will understand that nobody is being malicious towards me.

I am kind of slow of movement. It takes me a long time to get from one point to another. The distance between heaven and earth is enormous.

Even for the fastest of fellows, it will take some time to get from here to earth.

Now imagine someone like me. It would take for ever. I would never get there in decent time, whereas a fast fellow would go quickly and return quickly.

Secondly, it is no lie that I am not handsome. I don’t need anybody to tell me that, because I have seen my own reflection in the mirror for too many times. I just don’t look too good. There are many fair gents here.

There is Ogun, most ruggedly handsome, whose look has never failed to charmed female divinities.

Olokun would not be able to resist his masculine charm. I strongly feel myself that you must not send someone as ugly as myself to a vain character such as Olokun.

She would be utterly disappointed by my looks and would not grant me any serious audience. Finally, is the issue of my slow thinking.

It simply takes some time before things sink into my head. It is not my fault. This is simply my nature.

Some people think fast on their feet. I don’t. . It simply takes a moment and a while before the profundity or meaning of things before apparent to me, even though others understand immediately.

To think of it, I didn’t even know what you were all discussing at first, but it was not until Eledumare explained it to me that I began to understand.

Now everyone knows that Olokun is a sophisticated divinity. It would be a disaster for the entire human project if Olokun were to ask me an intellectual or philosophical question.

I would not even know where to begin to answer her question about anything. Please, Eledumare, this choice of me is not reasonable.

Choose someone else who could get the job done, and stop listening to the voice of one divinity, and denying the opinion of the others.”

IFA ORACLE IS INFALLIBLE

Eledumare then answered the chameleon by saying “I have listened carefully to your plea. You have presented a convincing and moving argument. I am inclined to simply accept your argument to appoint someone else to replace you.

But I will not do so for one reason. You asked whether the Ifa oracle is infallible? The answer is simple. Yes the Ifa oracle is infallible. You cannot hear a lie uttered from the mouth of Ifa divination.

Whatever the divination says is the truth and entirely the truth. The divination knows no lie, cannot lie and will not lie, because it is founded upon veracity

The oracle is the epitome of the truth. No one must call the oracle a liar. To call the oracle a liar, is to be spreading lies and to have no care for the truth.

The Ifa divination is therefore not the voice of one fellow, but the fact of all life. To deny the truth of Ifa is to deny the essence of life itself.

Because only the Ifa divination has the record of the very beginning, and has kept the record intact since then.

Ifa divination knows the present most clearly because it is the embodiment of all knowledge. Ifa divination tells the future without fail because the divination exists in the future, even though it caters to the past and the present.

Because it exists in the future, it will always live, and doubtlessly continue to bring the future and the past to the present.

That is why the voice of the Ifa divination must be heard and obeyed beyond and above the voice of any other, or any group, large or small.

What the future holds is plain to no one except the divination. If we ask the oracle for guidance in whatever we do, it will surely guide us, based on what will be to our benefit in the future.

Because whatever we do or fail to do now will affect what will happen or fail to happen in the future.

That is why we need to ask the oracle before we do anything, because we must not do regrettable things.

Now that the oracle has chosen you to go on this journey, you have to go, because you are the choice of the oracle.

Ordinary wisdom says you are the wrong choice. But the wisdom of the oracle is not ordinary, but based on a vision of the present, past and future.

How can you compare the ordinary vision, however numerous the eyes, with just one eye of the oracle’s vision? It is the difference between sleep and death.

We must be careful not to doubt the wisdom of the oracle. But in the wisdom of the oracle is the key to the future.”

TRUST IFA DIVINATION

Yemoja then asked Eledumare, “But what is the sense in choosing someone who appears most ill-suited for the assignment to do the assignment? It is like asking the snail to do a one-hundred meter sprint.”

Eledumare then said, “Yemoja, by trusty of your divination oracle. If the oracle says that the snail will win a one-hundred meter sprint, then surely the snail will win the race.

Now that the oracle has chosen the chameleon to go on this important assignment, it is best for us to respect the wish of the oracle.

Not respecting the wish of the oracle is deadly. What we need to do, rather than doubt the oracle, is begin to prepare the chameleon for this most important journey.

Whatever we find to be the chameleon’s weakness, we must fortify, to enable the poor creature to carry out that onerous task.”

IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS AND GET SOLUTION

Ogun said “One serious problem with the chameleon is speed. It will take the chameleon forever to move from heaven to earth..”

Eledumare said “Once we identify the problem, the solution is round the corner. To solve the problem of speed, we will endow the chameleon with the power of Egbe, the divinity of speed. What do you say Egbe?”

Egbe replied, saying, “Be it as you wish. Egbe will deliver the chameleon to and fro heaven, a zillion-trillion times faster than the speed light.”

Eledumare then said, “There, the chameleon’s problem of speed is over,”

Worried, Sango the god of lightening and thunder, then stepped forward and said, “But the chameleon is still sluggish.

Even though Egbe does solve the problem of speed, it cannot solve the chameleon’s problem of sluggishness.

I don’t think a sluggish fellow such as the chameleon could interact with Olokun, if I know her well.”

Eledumare replied “Once we identify the problem, the solution is right around the corner. To solve the problem of sluggishness, we will endow the chameleon with the spirit of brother and sister divinities,

Gaga and Sasa. Gaga the brother will provide an agility of body befitting of a professional wrestler.

And Sasa, the sister, will provide a grace to the chameleon’s body that will shame a trained dancer.

What do you two say, Gaga and Sasa?” Gaga and Sasa said in unison “Be it as you wish. We will lend to the chameleon’s body the agility of a leopard and the grace of a serpent.”

Eledumare said, “There, the problem of agility is over.”

Osun, the gorgeous river goddess then said “But we must all agree that the chameleon is not the most attractive person. Olokun, on the other hand is a beautiful woman, even though she is the
vain type.

But it all makes it the more difficult to send someone as ugly as the chameleon to Olokun. I believe that she will refuse to welcome the chameleon, saying that the chameleon was too ugly to for her to see..”

Eledumare said “Once the problem is identified, the solution is just around the corner. To solve the problem of ugliness, we will endow the chameleon with the beauty of Egbin, the embodiment of beauty itself. Here, tell me, Egbin,
what do you think?”

Egbin stepped forward and said, “Be it as you wish. . I will endow the chameleon’s body with beauty in preparation for the great human project.”

“Eledumare said, “The problem of attractiveness is over. . Now, you need a companion on this journey. You may choose anyone you like as your companion, so you may not feel lonely.”

To the utter surprise of everybody, the chameleon pointed to the snail. They all remarked that the snail was even slower than the chameleon, more timid, perhaps even a lot less intelligent.

But they were relieved because of the special endowment that the chameleon now had, thanks to the divinities.

These endowments, naturally, would reflect upon the snail too, and the mission might be saved. The chameleon, accompanied by the snail, thus became the messenger to convey Eledumare’s request to Olokun.

But it was a totally transformed chameleon that set out on the journey Its entire body was transformed by the powers of the various divinities who endowed the chameleon with their special attributes.

OLOKUN AND CHAMELEON

Olokun, the goddess of the sea, the owner of all the riches under the oceans, the greatest bead maker, the most powerful orisa whose mantles are the rolling waves of sea water, is a most beautiful divinity to behold.

Her long, braided hair flows with the waves of the undulating waters, her ebony dark skin glistening like priceless pearls under the motion of ceaseless seas.

Olokun heard about the plan to establish human abodes on earth, and became angry. She pretended that she did not hear anything while she waited for the news to be formally brought to her.

She was fully prepared to turn down the request to use earth for the human project mainly because she was already using the space for her bead-making studio.

She made beads of all colors and shapes, but her favorite bead was the indigo colored, tubular shaped segi bead, so luminously dark that it seems to capture light within its luxurious entrails.

It was her love for bead making that caused her to move her seat to the depth of the ocean, which nobody wanted at that time.

But after she succeeded in taming and ruling the vast ocean, after she salted it and stocked it with priceless jewels, after she had transformed the vast and empty space into a home for herself, they began to plot behind her back to take her space from her and turn it into a general home to lodge humans.

She found the human project totally unacceptable if it would be at the expense of her own studio work of bead making.

Because without the limitless spatial facilities, she would be unable to continue making beads as she was doing at that moment.

It was totally unacceptable for the divinities to take her sanctuary away from her, and populate it with strangers.

She sat down in a reflective mood in the midst of her vast collection of beads. She calmly picked up some of the most colorful and exquisite beads ever made, and slowly rubs the warm gems against her dark brown skin.

She would not give up her craft, she resolved.

She would fight for every cup of water in the vast ocean of the earth.

Why did the divinities not pick any other spot in the universe?

They could have picked Mercury, or Mars, or Jupiter, or any other planet or star to locate their project on?

It was clear to Olokun that they chose earth because she had developed it so artistically that nobody could take their eyes away from it.

But they also thought that she had no fighting power. It was only if the power of the others overwhelmed her that she was going to surrender.

But she was certain that only a few of them could come from the other world to earth, because of journey hazards in those days.

She could take on any small number that came at any one time and she was determined to do so.

Her secret contact in heaven informed her that they were sending the chameleon to her.

She considered that to be a sign of their contempt for her because they could not be sending a more inferior fellow as an emissary. She knew that every act is a sign of another thing.

They were telling her that she was ugly, slow and contemptible, and the chameleon would be a clear deliverer of the message. They were telling her that she was beholding her own reflection in the mirror when she saw the chameleon.

That message totally made her even more angry, and she resolved to teach them a lesson, emissary by emissary. She prepared for war. She was not going to be fooled.

They were using the chameleon as a metaphor for a real army of warriors and diplomats that would arrive with the chameleon. It was clearly going to be an invasion, and she was ready for it.

But to her utter bewilderment, just as she was speaking, she saw the chameleon right in front of her. She was startled. Was she dreaming? What was going on?

To make things even more bewildering, the chameleon was riding the snail as a horse.

Right before her eyes, she saw the chameleon climb down from the back of the snail. To her astonishment, the skin of the chameleon glistered with a lustrous light that radiated around it.

Olokun, to her surprise, wanted to touch it, but she quickly checked her impulsive spirit.

The chameleon falls flat on its face in prostration before her. “Greetings in the name of Eledumare and the four trillion and one irunmoles who inhabit Orun,” said Orunmila.

“What do you want from me, and how did you get in here among my treasures?” Olokun quickly said, regaining her wit.

“I simply bring you salutations,” the chameleon says. “Concerning how I got in here, that is nothing. I simply wish it and it happens. It is now the way of Orun.”

Olokun became even more puzzled. “And your horse is the snail?” she asked? . “Yes,” replied the chameleon. “It is the swift flying snail that dashes through walls and gates.”

Overcame by her vanity, Olokun decided to retire into her chambers. “Excuse me, but I must go into my room to put on something more decent than this,” she says.

“Both of you look so marvelous, and I look so unpresentable.” She went into her chambers and began to attire herself in her gorgeous garments, woven in multicolored patterns, using different yarns and textures. .

She then looked for various combinations of beads, both brilliant and dull beads, large and slim, round and angular shaped gems, and she wore them.

She then reappeared before the chameleon, to show off herself, and display how beautiful she looked.

TRANSFORMATION OF CHAMELEON

“As usual, you are the most elegant and attractive being alive,” the chameleon said to her, when she came out looking exceedingly beautiful in her attires.

But even as the chameleon spoke, it began to transform, and its skin began to reflect the splendor of the color of Olokun’s attires.

The only exception is that the mirror even looked more splendid than the original, which puzzled Olokun, who excused herself and went back into her chambers to re-attire herself.

But she became even more amazed, as the skin of the chameleon changed again, and mirrored the colors of her new dress, with the mirror image looking even more beautiful than the original.

So she returned inside to re-dress. . But when she came out, the same thing happened, as the chameleon’s attires transformed again to mirror her new dressing.

“You, the chameleon,” Olokun finally said, “simply cover yourself with other people’s garments.”

But the chameleon replied that “Not so. These are my own robes. I brought a lagre wardrobe, before I reckoned that I might be staying long. Because what has brought me is a serious matter, and it might take some time to explain.”

Olokun thought about these things and decided that thy were too bizarre for her to deal with.

Certainly, things have changed in Orun, and they were no longer as they used to be, if the ugly chameleon could look so beautiful, and the snail could be as swift as a horse... She decided that she had underestimated the power of the forces of Orun.

“I want no trouble from you.” she told the chameleon. “I want no trouble from those who sent you here. But you cannot take all of my space.

Tell those who sent you that you can have some of the planet, which you may turn into solid ground for human habitation. But I will still continue to reign over the larger portion covered by the waters.”

“So it will be,” replied the chameleon. “I will take your concession back to the divinities. I believe they will be pleased. Bye - bye now and remain well.”

The chameleon mounted the snail’s back once again, and in a split second, they both disappeared from sight. They left Olokun wondering whether everything was just a mere dream or whether it actually happened.

OLOKUN CONSENTED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HUMAN COLONY ON EARTH

Olokun however remembered her word, because one’s word is what is most important. And her word remained that she consented to the establishment a human colony here on earth.

So she has to honor and keep her word, for that is the nature of her own graceful iwa or character.

Thank you for reading, leave a comment

Babalawos:
OLOKUN HISTORY

At that time, there were no trees in heaven or on earth that remained covered with water. Eledumare and the other orisa wanted trees to grow in heaven, so Eledumare caused Eji, the god of rainfall to wet the entire landscape of heaven.

After the ground soaked in the moisture and became soft, Eledumare caused Iju, the god of forests to make trees grow. Iju said “Let all forms of plants grow from the soil.”

Gradually, myriads of plants began to emerge from the soft bare soil. All types of plants, including the sweet and the bitter, the smooth and the thorny, the poisons and the therapeutic herbs, germinated and grew.

Some plants had fruits, others only bore flowers; many stood upon huge roots, others had no roots at all. Eledumare inspected the plants and approved of every one of them, because each one had a different purpose and constitution

Now Obatala asked Eledumare: “When shall we establish the humans settlement on earth? That way we can separate human beings from the orisas. When we know who is who, the orisas will better be able to protect people.”

Eledumare said, “We will move them as soon as we prepare earth for human habitation.” Lo and behold, the face of the earth was flooded, and within the flood was the grand palace wherein lived the goddess of the deep seas, Olokun.

She heard of the plan to establish the human population earth but did not like that plan. Since she began to live in the depths of the sea, Olokun had begun to separate her life and existence from others. At some point, she lost direct contact with Eledumare, and lived a totally independent life.

She exceedingly enjoyed her life under the sea. At some point, howver, she became too absorbed in her solitude, because she was shielded by the huge body of sea from the others.

She became engrossed in herself, in her sense of importance and in her power and dominion over the entire earth, which was under the sea.

She was not there when the plan to establish people on earth was made. The plan therefore caught her by total surprise. She was angry and many questions quickly crossed her mind:

Why did they not consult her before making a decision that affected her own domain? Was it because they thought she was powerless, therefore they could just do anything they wanted without involving her? Her mind was agitated.

OLOKUN PREVENTED ELEDUMARE AND OTHER DIVINITIES

She therefore decided to prevent Eledumare and the other divinities from establishing human life on earth.

She decided that she was going to flood heaven with her waters, to demonstrate her powers to the others, who seemed to have forgotten that she the goddess of large salt waters.

She decided that after flooding Eledumare and the other orisas from heaven, she would later allow them back, if and only if they promised to abandon the project to establish human beings on earth. Olokun personally did not like the few human beings that she had seen.

Obatala had said that he would make them perfect, but from Olokun’s perspective, they were no more perfect than Obatala himself. And Olokun knew that, just as the other orisas, Obatala was far from perfect.

The human beings that he created therefore had all the flaws of the gods. In addition, they had other profound physical and emotional weaknesses and illnesses, and totally relied on the orisas for everything.

Their ranks included liars, thieves, murderers, adulterers, debtors and layabouts. The few honest ones are not enough to redeem the warped ones. Yet the orisas insisted on populating the earth with people.
Eledumare had said “The earth will only be their market place. Heaven will still remain their home.”

That is why till today people say that “The world is a market place. Heaven is our home.”

Olokun grew even more furious when she learnt that people would turn the earth into a market place. But Olokun also needed the earth for her studio, for Olokun was an amazing bead maker.

She spent her time in solitude, making beads, combining dyes and pigments to make amazing beads of dazzling hues.

She knew that she would lose her entire bead business once humans came to live on earth with her. She knew that some will steal her beads. Some will break her bead pots. Some will vandalize her studio.

Some might even begin to steal her bead making idea, and start to make beads themselves. Because she had no faith in humans, and because she was not consulted before the decision was made, Olokun refused to accommodate humans on earth.

Now Eledumare could sense that Olokun was not happy about the plan to establish the human settlement on earth. S/he therefore called a meeting of all the orisas to discuss Olokun’s position.

SPECIAL MESSENGER

All the orisas decided that a special messenger should be sent to Olokun to convey the decision to establish the human abode on earth to Olokun.

Eledumare then called forth Orunmila, the orisa of divination. Eledumare said “You Orunmila know the past, the present and the future. Tell us what will happen after we send an emissary to Olokun.

Will she agree to our plan, or will she remain adamantly against it? And who should we send to convey the message to Olokun. Because the message is as good as the messenger.”

ORUNMILA CONSULTED IFA

Orunmila asked them to allow him to consult his Ifa divination system. He then brought out the entire Ifa paraphernalia, including the opele, iroke, opon and agere ifa.

He placed his divination tray on the floor and cast his opele string on it. The Ifa divination signature that the opele forms is oyeku meji. Orunmila recited the attached odu verse as follows:

INCANTATION



INCANTATION INTERPRETATION

Orunmila said everything will be fine. The outcome of the message, Orunmila said, will depend on the presentation of the messenger.

THE CHAMELEON

Eledumare asked “So who will this important messenger be?” Orunmila looked around. Directly in front of him was Ega, the chameleon. Orunmila pointed at the chameleon, who was surprised by the choice. Everybody was also surprised.

Obatata expressed disappointment by the choice of Chameleon. Obatala asked “What power has the chameleon, where Olokun is concerned? Olokun will simply drown the poor fellow. It stands no chance.”

Osun said, “Everybody knows that the chameleon is so ugly. At least send someone who is a little more handsome to do the job. She might fall for the looks and charm.”

Sonponna said “Don’t send the chameleon. It does not look particularly healthy. It walks slowly like a tired and senile fellow.

You should find someone who looks more healthy than the chameleon, who walks more smartly and thinks more quickly. Not a slovenly fellow like the chameleon.”

But Eledumare insisted that they must listen to the voice of Orunmila. Eledumare said “Whatever the Ifa divination says, after Orunmila has consulted it, is final.”

So they all agreed to send the chameleon to Olokun to convey the news to her. When the oracle chose the chameleon to go to Olokun’s abode to convey the news to her that the earth was going to be converted to human abode, everybody was totally surprised because it was such an unexpected choice.

Most surprised was the chameleon itself. Slowly, in its ponderous manner, the chameleon crawled forward, one foot at a time.

It flickered its tongues seven times as a sign of greeting to Eledumare and the dinities and said:

"If it will please you, my Lord, let me speak here: why not listen to the voice of the others apart from the oracle?

After all, the oracle is simply the voice of one divinity, and only one divinity, that is Orunmila.

How can the wisdom of just one divinity be more important than the wisdom of the entire group?

Everybody here is saying that you need to choose someone much stronger, faster, quicker and more appealing than my poor self, for this most important assignment.

Yet you insist on listening to the voice of only one divinity. Is the Ifa divinity infallible? Why must the voice of one divinity take precedence over the voice of the others?

After all, you often say in proverbs that ‘Only several hands will lift a heavy load. Two heads are better than one.’

And when you listen carefully to what everybody is saying, you will understand that nobody is being malicious towards me.

I am kind of slow of movement. It takes me a long time to get from one point to another. The distance between heaven and earth is enormous.

Even for the fastest of fellows, it will take some time to get from here to earth.

Now imagine someone like me. It would take for ever. I would never get there in decent time, whereas a fast fellow would go quickly and return quickly.

Secondly, it is no lie that I am not handsome. I don’t need anybody to tell me that, because I have seen my own reflection in the mirror for too many times. I just don’t look too good. There are many fair gents here.

There is Ogun, most ruggedly handsome, whose look has never failed to charmed female divinities.

Olokun would not be able to resist his masculine charm. I strongly feel myself that you must not send someone as ugly as myself to a vain character such as Olokun.

She would be utterly disappointed by my looks and would not grant me any serious audience. Finally, is the issue of my slow thinking.

It simply takes some time before things sink into my head. It is not my fault. This is simply my nature.

Some people think fast on their feet. I don’t. . It simply takes a moment and a while before the profundity or meaning of things before apparent to me, even though others understand immediately.

To think of it, I didn’t even know what you were all discussing at first, but it was not until Eledumare explained it to me that I began to understand.

Now everyone knows that Olokun is a sophisticated divinity. It would be a disaster for the entire human project if Olokun were to ask me an intellectual or philosophical question.

I would not even know where to begin to answer her question about anything. Please, Eledumare, this choice of me is not reasonable.

Choose someone else who could get the job done, and stop listening to the voice of one divinity, and denying the opinion of the others.”

IFA ORACLE IS INFALLIBLE

Eledumare then answered the chameleon by saying “I have listened carefully to your plea. You have presented a convincing and moving argument. I am inclined to simply accept your argument to appoint someone else to replace you.

But I will not do so for one reason. You asked whether the Ifa oracle is infallible? The answer is simple. Yes the Ifa oracle is infallible. You cannot hear a lie uttered from the mouth of Ifa divination.

Whatever the divination says is the truth and entirely the truth. The divination knows no lie, cannot lie and will not lie, because it is founded upon veracity

The oracle is the epitome of the truth. No one must call the oracle a liar. To call the oracle a liar, is to be spreading lies and to have no care for the truth.

The Ifa divination is therefore not the voice of one fellow, but the fact of all life. To deny the truth of Ifa is to deny the essence of life itself.

Because only the Ifa divination has the record of the very beginning, and has kept the record intact since then.

Ifa divination knows the present most clearly because it is the embodiment of all knowledge. Ifa divination tells the future without fail because the divination exists in the future, even though it caters to the past and the present.

Because it exists in the future, it will always live, and doubtlessly continue to bring the future and the past to the present.

That is why the voice of the Ifa divination must be heard and obeyed beyond and above the voice of any other, or any group, large or small.

What the future holds is plain to no one except the divination. If we ask the oracle for guidance in whatever we do, it will surely guide us, based on what will be to our benefit in the future.

Because whatever we do or fail to do now will affect what will happen or fail to happen in the future.

That is why we need to ask the oracle before we do anything, because we must not do regrettable things.

Now that the oracle has chosen you to go on this journey, you have to go, because you are the choice of the oracle.

Ordinary wisdom says you are the wrong choice. But the wisdom of the oracle is not ordinary, but based on a vision of the present, past and future.

How can you compare the ordinary vision, however numerous the eyes, with just one eye of the oracle’s vision? It is the difference between sleep and death.

We must be careful not to doubt the wisdom of the oracle. But in the wisdom of the oracle is the key to the future.”

TRUST IFA DIVINATION

Yemoja then asked Eledumare, “But what is the sense in choosing someone who appears most ill-suited for the assignment to do the assignment? It is like asking the snail to do a one-hundred meter sprint.”

Eledumare then said, “Yemoja, by trusty of your divination oracle. If the oracle says that the snail will win a one-hundred meter sprint, then surely the snail will win the race.

Now that the oracle has chosen the chameleon to go on this important assignment, it is best for us to respect the wish of the oracle.

Not respecting the wish of the oracle is deadly. What we need to do, rather than doubt the oracle, is begin to prepare the chameleon for this most important journey.

Whatever we find to be the chameleon’s weakness, we must fortify, to enable the poor creature to carry out that onerous task.”

IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS AND GET SOLUTION

Ogun said “One serious problem with the chameleon is speed. It will take the chameleon forever to move from heaven to earth..”

Eledumare said “Once we identify the problem, the solution is round the corner. To solve the problem of speed, we will endow the chameleon with the power of Egbe, the divinity of speed. What do you say Egbe?”

Egbe replied, saying, “Be it as you wish. Egbe will deliver the chameleon to and fro heaven, a zillion-trillion times faster than the speed light.”

Eledumare then said, “There, the chameleon’s problem of speed is over,”

Worried, Sango the god of lightening and thunder, then stepped forward and said, “But the chameleon is still sluggish.

Even though Egbe does solve the problem of speed, it cannot solve the chameleon’s problem of sluggishness.

I don’t think a sluggish fellow such as the chameleon could interact with Olokun, if I know her well.”

Eledumare replied “Once we identify the problem, the solution is right around the corner. To solve the problem of sluggishness, we will endow the chameleon with the spirit of brother and sister divinities,

Gaga and Sasa. Gaga the brother will provide an agility of body befitting of a professional wrestler.

And Sasa, the sister, will provide a grace to the chameleon’s body that will shame a trained dancer.

What do you two say, Gaga and Sasa?” Gaga and Sasa said in unison “Be it as you wish. We will lend to the chameleon’s body the agility of a leopard and the grace of a serpent.”

Eledumare said, “There, the problem of agility is over.”

Osun, the gorgeous river goddess then said “But we must all agree that the chameleon is not the most attractive person. Olokun, on the other hand is a beautiful woman, even though she is the
vain type.

But it all makes it the more difficult to send someone as ugly as the chameleon to Olokun. I believe that she will refuse to welcome the chameleon, saying that the chameleon was too ugly to for her to see..”

Eledumare said “Once the problem is identified, the solution is just around the corner. To solve the problem of ugliness, we will endow the chameleon with the beauty of Egbin, the embodiment of beauty itself. Here, tell me, Egbin,
what do you think?”

Egbin stepped forward and said, “Be it as you wish. . I will endow the chameleon’s body with beauty in preparation for the great human project.”

“Eledumare said, “The problem of attractiveness is over. . Now, you need a companion on this journey. You may choose anyone you like as your companion, so you may not feel lonely.”

To the utter surprise of everybody, the chameleon pointed to the snail. They all remarked that the snail was even slower than the chameleon, more timid, perhaps even a lot less intelligent.

But they were relieved because of the special endowment that the chameleon now had, thanks to the divinities.

These endowments, naturally, would reflect upon the snail too, and the mission might be saved. The chameleon, accompanied by the snail, thus became the messenger to convey Eledumare’s request to Olokun.

But it was a totally transformed chameleon that set out on the journey Its entire body was transformed by the powers of the various divinities who endowed the chameleon with their special attributes.

Simply profound and beautiful.
Thank you sir.

Babalawos is a user filled with ancient and mysterious wisdom.

Unfortunately Olokun is not a deity that one should be possessed with. Terrible goddess

Ishilove:
Babalawos is a user filled with ancient and mysterious wisdom.

Unfortunately Olokun is not a deity that one should be possessed with. Terrible goddess

I guess he will tell you that good and evil are two sides of a coin, maybe also remind u that the God u worship is capable of great 'evils'.

You are welcome

Zenlife:



Simply profound and beautiful.
Thank you sir.

Keep guessing...........................

Ubenedictus:
I guess he will tell you that good and evil are two sides of a coin, maybe also remind u that the God u worship is capable of great 'evils'.

Are you assuming or you are talking from your personal experience?

Ishilove:
Babalawos is a user filled with ancient and mysterious wisdom.

Unfortunately Olokun is not a deity that one should be possessed with. Terrible goddess

Babalawos:
Are you assuming or you are talking from your personal experience?

Experience, though not personal.

Olokun is a marine spirit, and when all these marine spirits want something from someone or a family, they make life a living hell for that family/person. They reduce the person to zero, dispatch spirit husband (Oko orun okuku) to further to torment their victim, and in some cases kill the loved ones of their victim or even the victim herself.

Unlike the kingdom of the Most High God, there's no free will in marine kingdom, especially if they have a legal ground in that person's life through soul ties or covenants.

There's nothing wonderful about them. They're very wicked, stubborn and uselessly proud.

How did you know all these?

Ishilove:

Experience, though not personal.

Olokun is a marine spirit, and when all these marine spirits want something from someone or a family, they make life a living hell for that family/person. They reduce the person to zero, dispatch spirit husband (Oko orun okuku) to further to torment their victim, and in some cases kill the loved ones of their victim or even the victim herself.

Unlike the kingdom of the Most High God, there's no free will in marine kingdom, especially if they have a legal ground in that person's life through soul ties or covenants.

There's nothing wonderful about them. They're very wicked, stubborn and uselessly proud.

Babalawos:
How did you know all these?

Experience, but not personal. I have witnessed these things and everything I write, I write as an authority

Olokun Incantation

Rhie egogo rrel, Rhie emaba rrel Niya gha ga okun mwenl E ni s'ede ehil E avba egbel Ewoe n' ame

Olokun Incantation Interpretation

(Bring the bell / Bring the iron rod / That I can use to serve my Olokun/ So that I can live as my spirits wish / We have met ourselves / Spirits of the water).

Olokun Explanation

Olokun great Goddess of the sea is a powerful and benevolent deity who can bring children, health, riches, and other blessings to those who worship her.

One of her praise names is Oba n' Ame No Se No Rre Oke (The King {Queen} of the Sea Is Greater Than the King {Queen} of the Land).

Olokun has a palace of cowries in her kingdom beneath the sea but the oba (king) of the land does not.

Thank you for reading, leave a comment

Ishilove:

Experience, though not personal.

Olokun is a marine spirit, and when all these marine spirits want something from someone or a family, they make life a living hell for that family/person. They reduce the person to zero, dispatch spirit husband (Oko orun okuku) to further to torment their victim, and in some cases kill the loved ones of their victim or even the victim herself.

Unlike the kingdom of the Most High God, there's no free will in marine kingdom, especially if they have a legal ground in that person's life through soul ties or covenants.

There's nothing wonderful about them. They're very wicked, stubborn and uselessly proud.

as i read this i remembered that d reason God can do no wrong is becos he is d judge of right and wrong. u know Yahweh in d old testament promises also to disturb d generations of those who forsake him. do u think it is ok when Yahweh does it and bad when olokun does it?

Babalawos:
Olokun Incantation



Olokun Incantation Interpretation

(Bring the bell / Bring the iron rod / That I can use to serve my Olokun/ So that I can live as my spirits wish / We have met ourselves / Spirits of the water).

Olokun Explanation

Olokun great Goddess of the sea is a powerful and benevolent deity who can bring children, health, riches, and other blessings to those who worship her.

One of her praise names is Oba n' Ame No Se No Rre Oke (The King {Queen} of the Sea Is Greater Than the King {Queen} of the Land).

Olokun has a palace of cowries in her kingdom beneath the sea but the oba (king) of the land does not.

Thank you for reading, leave a comment

I thought babalawos were yoruba, how come u are using a bini incantation?

Babalawos:
Olokun Incantation



Olokun Incantation Interpretation

(Bring the bell / Bring the iron rod / That I can use to serve my Olokun/ So that I can live as my spirits wish / We have met ourselves / Spirits of the water).

Olokun Explanation

Olokun great Goddess of the sea is a powerful and benevolent deity who can bring children, health, riches, and other blessings to those who worship her.

One of her praise names is Oba n' Ame No Se No Rre Oke (The King {Queen} of the Sea Is Greater Than the King {Queen} of the Land).

Olokun has a palace of cowries in her kingdom beneath the sea but the oba (king) of the land does not.

Thank you for reading, leave a comment

You sir are undoubtedly sharing superb knowledge.

Do kindly as detailed as possible enumerate the roles, functions, offices, mode of worship, sacrifices, required and frequency of appeasements, taboos, dos' and don'ts, powers etc of each of these deities:

1. Esu
2. Shango
3. Ogun

I ask because information on these deities online is very sketchy and not informative enough.
Teaching and sharing your knowledge of these deities on this forum will be heartily embraced.
Looking forward to lesson 1 in anticipation.

Thank you kindly sir.

You can find Esu and Ogun teachings on my website:

Esu ~ http://nativedoctor.ml/esu/
Ogun ~ http://nativedoctor.ml/ogun/

Zenlife:


You sir are undoubtedly sharing superb knowledge.

Do kindly as detailed as possible enumerate the roles, functions, offices, mode of worship, sacrifices, required and frequency of appeasements, taboos, dos' and don'ts, powers etc of each of these deities:

1. Esu
2. Shango
3. Ogun

I ask because information on these deities online is very sketchy and not informative enough.
Teaching and sharing your knowledge of these deities on this forum will be heartily embraced.
Looking forward to lesson 1 in anticipation.

Thank you kindly sir.

You have alot to learn......................

Ubenedictus:
I thought babalawos were yoruba, how come u are using a bini incantation?

Babalawos:
You have alot to learn......................

Continue, so babalawos in yoruba land use bini language? or is that a bini specific prayer

Olokun is mainly worshiped in the southern part of Nigeria; "Edo, Delta, Beyalsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers" because these Nigeria states have boundaries with the ocean and Olokun is the Great Goddess of the ocean. These tribes have strong tie with Olokun. So Evoking, Invoking and summoning Olokun with bini or any other southern Nigerian dialect proof more potent from my personal experience. A geography textbook regarding Nigeria states and capitals will be ok for you. So can I continue with my Olokun class?

Ubenedictus:
Continue, so babalawos in yoruba land use bini language? or is that a bini specific prayer

Babalawos:
Olokun is mainly worshiped in the southern part of Nigeria; "Edo, Delta, Beyalsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers" because these Nigeria states have boundaries with the ocean and Olokun is the Great Goddess of the ocean. These tribes have strong tie with Olokun. So Evoking, Invoking and summoning Olokun with bini or any other southern Nigerian dialect proof more potent from my personal experience. A geography textbook regarding Nigeria states and capitals will be ok for you. So can I continue with my Olokun class?

OL

Babalawos:
You can find Esu and Ogun teachings on my website:

Esu ~ http://nativedoctor.ml/esu/
Ogun ~ http://nativedoctor.ml/ogun/

Hmmm, most reader unfriendly with the background for Esu write up.
Why?
Defeats its writing and reading essence.
A background change should be considered.

Besides while the write up mentions what they are, doesn't say when, how, or what purposes these deities are consulted for which is very important and the nitty gritty of the initial request for information.

So without mincing words, kindly indulge this request sir.

Redoil:
When you think you have seen or heard it? Why did olokun allowed the white man to come riding thru its water to enslave his adherant? Civilisation i guess as if olokun can not show/give them civilisation

Why did Yahweh allow the Babylonians to come and enslave his followers even entering his holy temple and destroying the place?

Babalawos:
You have alot to learn......................

Ubenedictus:
I thought babalawos were yoruba, how come u are using a bini incantation?

Me too, I've often asked the same question and so I guess that I too have a lot to learn. Well, I'm willing.

The incantations are in Edo. Even Yoruba Olokun priests chant in Edo.

But the name of the diety, even in Bini land, is Olokun which is a yoruba name.

Babalawos:
Olokun is mainly worshiped in the southern part of Nigeria; "Edo, Delta, Beyalsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers" because these Nigeria states have boundaries with the ocean and Olokun is the Great Goddess of the ocean. These tribes have strong tie with Olokun. So Evoking, Invoking and summoning Olokun with bini or any other southern Nigerian dialect proof more potent from my personal experience. A geography textbook regarding Nigeria states and capitals will be ok for you. So can I continue with my Olokun class?

But the one that baffles me the most is that the Olokun cult is so big and powerful in Ife and in Benin. Yet these city are nowhere near the water. How come? What is the connection between Benin city and Water and between Ife and water? I understand bayelsa and all those other riverine peoples, but wetin Bini and Ife dey find go there?

And further questions...

Op, You've quoted at length from Oyeku meji. I'm interested in Olokun in EjiOgbe too.

For instance, what would be the main differences between an Olokun Ebo in Ejiogbe and the same ebo in Oyeku Meji?

I'm also interested in knowing about any connection between Olokun and the Iyami.

PastorAIO:


Me too, I've often asked the same question and so I guess that I too have a lot to learn. Well, I'm willing.

The incantations are in Edo. Even Yoruba Olokun priests chant in Edo.

But the name of the diety, even in Bini land, is Olokun which is a yoruba name.



But the one that baffles me the most is that the Olokun cult is so big and powerful in Ife and in Benin. Yet these city are nowhere near the water. How come? What is the connection between Benin city and Water and between Ife and water? I understand bayelsa and all those other riverine peoples, but wetin Bini and Ife dey find go there?

for a bini man olokun is not a yoruba word 'olO' is lord or owner 'okun' is ocean, for a bini man that is a bini word.

and for d edos d physical manifestation of olokun isnt only d ocean, d river ethiope also is a manifestation, there are also important stuff like white chalk, cowrie, earthware...etc.

Ubenedictus:
for a bini man olokun is not a yoruba word 'olO' is lord or owner 'okun' is ocean, for a bini man that is a bini word.

and for d edos d physical manifestation of olokun isnt only d ocean, d river ethiope also is a manifestation, there are also important stuff like white chalk, cowrie, earthware...etc.

But white chalk is not so prevalent in Ife or Binin more than any other areas for them to make such a big deal out of it. Neither is cowrie.

I don't even think that the rivers around these cities can be called major rivers like River Niger (Oya) is a major river, or even River Oshun. You can't compare Ikpoba to River Niger.

OLOKUN WORSHIP SONG

A popular worship song praises Her omnipotence:

A ighigbe oba n' amel I vba oba n' ame mwen

OLOKUN WORSHIP SONG INTERPRETATION

(You do not fight the king of the water/ I come to meet the king of the water for help).

Every ritual action performed, every object used and every image drawn or painted on the floor of the shrine was a tool for conveying prayer.

Olokun worship is affected by the direction of the sun, time of day and calendar day. The Goddess is served either in the morning or in the evening as the sun begins to bend in the west.

Thank you for reading, leave a comment

PastorAIO:


But white chalk is not so prevalent in Ife or Binin more than any other areas for them to make such a big deal out of it. Neither is cowrie.

I don't even think that the rivers around these cities can be called major rivers like River Niger (Oya) is a major river, or even River Oshun. You can't compare Ikpoba to River Niger.

I spent sometime in an edo village with a big olokun cult, chalk nd earthwares were d most visible thing in their place of worship.
i think d binis associate olokun with all river bodies not just d ocean, it is almost like d yoruba yemoja, but particularly d river ethiope.

Ubenedictus:
I spent sometime in an edo village with a big olokun cult, chalk nd earthwares were d most visible thing in their place of worship.
i think d binis associate olokun with all river bodies not just d ocean, it is almost like d yoruba yemoja, but particularly d river ethiope.

I hadn't even heard of River Ethiope. I've just googled it. It seems to be located amongst the Delta ibos and the call it Onoku which I presume is related to Olokun. Very fascinating river.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlD0WcM1pNA