Chief Priest Ifáyẹmi Ọ̀ṣúndàgbonù Elebuibon, born in 1947, is a distinguished Yorùbá and Nigerian writer, poet, author, linguist, and globally renowned Ifá priest. At the age of four he embarked on his journey into the world of Ifá priesthood under the tutelage of his father, Pa Akinrinde Akanbi Elebuibon, who was a hunter and a herbalist-diviner by profession.
Following the unfortunate passing of his father when Elebuibon was only ten years old, he found guidance under the mentorship of Chief Faniyi Ajani, the Agbongbon-Awo of Òṣogbo. After a decade of dedicated training under Chief Ajani’s guidance, Ifáyẹmi Elebuibon earned his official title as a Babaláwo in 1967.
Driven by a profound commitment to preserving Yoruba history and culture, Ifáyẹmi Elebuibon established several cultural institutions in Nigeria and played an instrumental role in the recognition of the Ọ̀ṣun-Òṣogbo Grove as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Many thanks to Dele A Sonubi for the transcription and translation into English of this homily performed by Chief Priest Elebuibon. The Odù Ifá and other proverbs reveal that what appear to be opposing dualities in life — the male and the female, attraction and repulsion, beginnings and endings — are actually entangled and interwoven within each other to form a unified wholeness. Handling the inevitable twists and turns of life requires care and moderation, else we experience vanity upon vanity, emptiness upon emptiness.
Vanity Upon Vanity
Vanity upon vanity, emptiness upon emptiness,
I invite everyone to let us reason together about an interesting notion.
It is from one of the Odù Ifá, “Ogbèwá”, that I want to draw the notion from.
When clothes are old and become worn-out, they turn into rags.
This is applicable to the highly spirited one,
He was advised to make sacrifices so that he would not be less appreciated in his old age.
When Cloth was to journey to the earth,
She was advised to make sacrifices so that she would be famous, coveted, envied, appreciated and loved by all.
Additionally, she was advised to make a second sacrifice that would prevent her from becoming disregarded, neglected, worthless, distasteful and ultimately abandoned.
However, it was only the first sacrifice, which was for fame, warm receptions, covetousness, to be envied and well appreciated by people, that Cloth actually performed.
When she reached the earth, she was popular, well appreciated, coveted, and envied by all who encountered her.
Cloth was pampered and petted by all.
Cloth adorned the bodies of everyone; the kings, the royals, the rich, the affluent, even the poor, and she shined.
When new clothes are purchased, people are always cheerful and light-hearted about their new acquisition.
People are always quick to comment on how admirable, fascinating, and lovely the clothes are.
When one appears fresh, well-dressed, and surprisingly lovely — like a new day — people show deep appreciation and applaud the new fabric and the designs attract public admiration.
Over time, Cloth went out of fashion, became less appreciated, no longer envied, and eventually abandoned to disintegrate into rags.
You all can see the ending of Cloth and how people ridicule that which has fallen out of fashion.
When a house gets old, it reveals the inherent weaknesses of its structure.
When apparel gets worn out, the intimate parts of the body become exposed.
When the roof is broken and splits, a clearer view of the open sky is revealed.
When a house is newly constructed, people come around to admire it for its beauty.
Admirers will call one another to come and see the newly built architectural masterpiece.
The architectural masterpieces of today will become obsolete years from now, due to decay and ever-changing fashions.
Yet, we all want to build our own houses. However, you can see what becomes of a house that was once an architectural marvel.
A house without constant attention and care soon becomes dilapidated and weakened in its upright stand and structure.
If we are rich, we may buy a horse and fasten a strap to the girth,
We may dress the horse with beautiful decorations,
When the horse becomes old, it will collapse, freeing itself from captivity.
The modern cars that we treasure with high value, eventually become junks.
Every once-precious car on the road, soon wobbles and fumbles over time,
People will condemn it and insist you take the car off the road.
It is from the Odù Ifá, “Ejì Ogbè”, that I want to explore.
Òrúnmìlà took a deep breath and sighed heavily, (1)
Ifá why did you sigh so heavily?
Òrúnmìlà confessed that he did not know anyone who knew the beginning of anything and also knew the end of such a thing.
Then, in came Ògún. (2)
Ògún had just acquired a new sword, with a masterfully sharpened blade and a hilt made of the finest wood carving. It was as shining and sharp as it could ever be
He had come to show his new sword to Òrúnmìlà who advised him to go and keep the sword in his room.
Ògún boasted that he knew the beginning and also knew the ending of any matter.
Òrúnmìlà acknowledged the boast and told Ògún to stash his sword inside his room while they play some games of Ayò.
They started to play the games, and Òrúnmìlà defeated Ògún six times.
When they had completed their rounds, Òrúnmìlà asked Ògún to go and bring out his sword from where he had stashed it.
When Ògún got to where he kept it, he found a weakened sword with a cutting edge that had rusted, and its hilt, which was made of the finest wood carving, had been infested by termites.
The once beautiful sword of incredible quality had become blunt and unusable.
He came and showed this to Òrúnmìlà seeking to understand how this dilapidation had occurred.
Òrúnmìlà rhetorically reminded Ògún of his earlier boast of knowing the beginning and ending of matters.
“What you saw earlier was your sword at its beginning. What you see of it now is its ending.”
Òrúnmìlà confronted Ògún with his conclusion that Ògún did not know the beginning nor the ending of matters.
Òrúnmìlà took a deep breath and sighed heavily,
Ifá why did you sigh so heavily?
Òrúnmìlà confessed that he did not know anyone who knew the beginning of anything and also knew the end of such a thing.
Sàngó also came around. (3)
He had just acquired a new Wàbì (a special pouch). His Wàbì was beautifully decorated with the finest apparel and displaying the elegance befitting its symbolic appeal. Sàngó had come to show this new acquisition to Òrúnmìlà.
Òrúnmìlà took a deep breath and sighed heavily.
Ifá why did you sigh so heavily?
Òrúnmìlà confessed that he did not know anyone who knew the beginning of anything and also knew the ending of such a thing.
Sàngó boasted that he knew the beginning and the ending of any matter.
Òrúnmìlà acknowledged the boast and advised Sàngó to go and keep his pouch inside the room while they play some games of Ayò.
They started their games. After a while, Òrúnmìlà asked if Sàngó could go and bring his pouch from the room. But by the time he returned, the pouch had disintegrated into rags.
Sàngó was shocked and inquired why this had happened.
Òrúnmìlà rhetorically reminded him of his earlier boasts of knowing the beginning and ending of matters.
Òrúnmìlà told him that “it was the beginning that you saw earlier, now you are experiencing the ending.”
Òrúnmìlà subsequently welcomed a young lady who possessed the right virtues of youth: an attractive and outstanding beauty. He laced and decorated her waist with provocative beads. He invited the young lady into his room.
Òrúnmìlà asked his treasurer to enter the room where the young and ravishingly beautiful lady lay bare.
When he entered the room he found a young and ravishingly beautiful woman who lay bare,
He was taken aback and agitatedly queried his master, wondering why he was asked to enter a room where this gorgeous lady lay bare.
Òrúnmìlà asked his assistant not to be upset, to calm down, and allow them to play an Ayò game. They did, and Òrúnmìlà won by six rounds.
Òrúnmìlà suggested to go to check on the ravishingly beautiful young lady which he saw earlier.
When they entered the room, they met a person of advanced age; she had grown grey hair, was using a walking stick, and was physically unstable owing to her age.
The treasurer was shocked and commented that the lady of ravishing beauty seen earlier was not the same as the one in the room now, but an old woman.
Òrúnmìlà rhetorically reminded him of his earlier boast about knowing the beginning and ending of matters,
“It was the beginning of her that you saw earlier; the end is what you see now.”
This is the reason why we must accept that not all that glints or shines is a thing of great rarity and worth. Not all that is sweet will retain the same taste, and not all that is bitter will remain permanently so.
One time, one is prosperous and rich; another time, one is broke and poor. One time, one is in mystery, and another time, one is in victory.
Life may be sweet and a blessing today, but it may turn bitter and a curse tomorrow.
Life turns and twists in a different direction each time, and no matter where it twists, we should be inspired by its lead and roll along with it.
There is no situation that does not have its twist and turn; adversity can transform into advantage at any moment, and good can also come from bad!
The ups and downs of life are inevitable. Whichever the way, may the gods protect and inspire us.
The ups and downs of life are inevitable. Today is bitter; tomorrow may be sweet. Today might be sweet, but bitterness might replace the sweetness tomorrow
There is no person who is immune to the twists and turns of life. To reason otherwise heaps vanity upon vanity, emptiness upon emptiness.
When you experience life’s favorable turn today, be prepared that it might be someone else’s turn tomorrow.
Let us all be careful as we experience life,
There is not one person who is in total control of the twists and turns of life.
Here is a transcript of the homily in the original Yorùbá.
Asán Nínú Asán
Asán Nínú Asán, Òfo Nínú Òfo,
Gbogbo ayé, ejé kí á jó ye òrò yí wò
Nínú Odù Ifá Ogbèwá ni mo fé mú wa lo.
Bí Aso bá gbó, aso á d’àkísà,
Opa a bidiku
Adífá fún omo awáyé léye
Wón ní k’órúbo kó máse s‘àbùkù l’ágbà
Ní’gbà tí Aso nbóò wá ilé ayé
Wón ni ko rú’bo, kí’lé ayé lè yeé; ki wón o le féràn re
K’ósì rú’bo, kí ó ma di eni àpatì
Ebo kí’lé ayé lè yeé òun ni Aso rú.
Ní’gbà tí ó dé ilé ayé tán, ayé yeé
Níse ni wón nkée, níse ni wón gèé
Lára oba, l’ára ìjòyè, Olówó, olórò àti mèkúnnù
Bí wón bá ra aso titun tán, inú won ó maa dùn
Won a máa ní, Aso yìí mà dára
Bi ènìyàn bá yo bí ojó, won á ní, Aso wuyì láwùjo re
Ní’gbà tí ojó pé, Aso bèrè sí ní gbó, Aso di eni àpatì. Wón bá so dí èkísà,
Èyin náà wo ìgbèyìn Aso.
Ilé gbó kín r’óye
Èwù gbó, kín ri èka orùn
Òrùlé là, kín n rí èka òrun fírí-fírí.
Báa bá kó’lé, tile bá tun-tun, Ilé yío maa di àgbéwò
Won á ní ewá wo ilé tí lágbájá kó, ewá wo ilé alárinrin
Ilé táa kó l’ódún èyí, ní’gbà tí ó bá di odún pípé, Ilé ti gbó, kò lè bá Ìgbà mu mó
Gbogbo wa náà la sì fé kó’lé; èyin ná wò ìgbèyìn Ilé
Bí Ilé ò bá r’éni máa tójú rè ní’gbà gbogbo, Ilé ó padà, Ilé yío di àlapà
Bi a bá lówó, bi a so esin
Be esin bá wuyì pèlú èsó
Níjó tí esin bá wó, esin o gba ara rè sílè ni
Okò àsìkò t’ómo aráyé n gun ka,
Gbogbo okò tí n be láyé yíò padà wá di garawa
Igba to pe, okò asì máa jíjó pàlóngò
Wón a ní, gbe okò yí kúrò lónà.
Nínú esè Ifá Eji-Ogbe ni mo fé mú wa lo.
Òrúnmìlà ló di hùnn,
Ifá Èmi lo kùn sí?
Òrúnmìlà ní òun ò mò eni t’ó mò ìbèrè òrò; òun o mo eni t’ó mò ìgbèyìn òrò
Níbè ni Ògún gbé wo’lé
Ògún ra Idà, Idà náà sí tun-tun; óko bí agánrán, ón fì mònò-mònò.
Ó wá fi hàn Òrúnmìlà. Òrúnmìlà ní ko mu Idà re kíó fi sí kòrò iyàrá
Ògún ní òwún mo iwájú òrò, òun sì mo ìgbèyìn òrò,
Òrúnmìlà ní kò burú, kíó lo fi Idà rè pamó sínú iyàrá, kó jé kí àwon o ta ayò
Ni wón bá gbe opón ayò sí ‘ta, ni wón bá bèrè sí ní ta ayò, Òrúnmìlà pa Ògún ni ayò méfà,
Ìgbà tí wón ta ayò tán, Òrúnmìlà ní ki Ògún lo rèé mú idà ré wa
Ìgbàtí Ògún de ibi ti Idà wa, Ida àlòkù lo bá; èku re ikán ti jé,
Idà tó ti n tàn mònò-mònò, enu rè ti kú
Ó wá fi han Òrúnmìlà wípé báwo ló se jé
Òrúnmìlà ní sebí o mo iwájú òrò, sebí o mo ìgbèyìn òrò
Èyí tí o rí léèkan, Iwájú òrò ni, bó se ti rí tí Idà dà yí, ni ìgbèyìn re nùun
Òrúnmìlà ní, oo mo ìgbèyìn òrò.
Òrúnmìlà ló di hùnn,
Ifá èmi lo kùn sí?
Sàngó náà dé, ó sèsè ra wàbì. Wabi ti won se lósòó; wón fi àrán wo, wón sì se ógé sii l’ára, ówá fi han Òrúnmìlà.
Òrúnmìlà ló di hùnn,
Ifá emi lo kùn sí?
Òrúnmìlà ní òun o ri eni to mo iwájúòrò, òun o si tun ri eni t’o mo ìgbèyìnòrò ni
Sàngó l’òun mo wajuòrò òun si tun mo ìgbèyìnòrò
Òrúnmìlà ní ko burú, ko lo rèé gbé Làbà re pamó ko je ki àwon ta’yò
Won bá bèrè si ni ta’yò. Ní’gbà tó pé, Òrúnmìlà ní ki Sàngó o lo rèé gbé Làbà re jade. Ní’gbà tí o ye Làbà wo, Làbà ti di èkísà
Sàngó ni báwo ló ti rí?
Òrúnmìlà ní sebi o lo mo iwájú osi tun mo eyin òrò,
Óní, iwájú lorí léèkan, ìgbèyìn ló sì ti rí ní sìn-sìn yìí.
Òrúnmìlà wá mú omidan, omoge tó rewà, to l’Édan l’órùn tó sì tún tà’díréke. Won wá to ìlèkè sí’dì re
Òrúnmìlà wá ní kí omidan ó wolé; óní kí akápò re o máabò
Ìgbà tí ó rí omoge, o baa ni ìhòhò rìpó-rìpó
Óbá ta kìji, óní Bàbá Èyò, èé ti jé esì fi obìnrin sínú Ilé, e wá ní kínn lo re bá ní’gbà tí ó wà nínú ìhòhò
Òrúnmìlà ní ki ómáse agbaja; óní ki àwon ta ayò. Won ta ayo, Òrúnmìlà pa ni ayò méfà
Òrúnmìlà ní, kí ò lo rí omoge tí o rí léèkan, tó se ìhòhò rìpó-rìpó, to l’Édan l’órùn, tó sì tún tà’díréke tí won wá to ìlèkè sí’dìí re
Ní’gbà tí wón dé’bè, arúgbó ni wón rí; óti hu ewú orí, ó ti n tè’pá, béèni gbogbo ara rè ngbóòn
Akápò ní, Baba, èétirí, Omoge to l’Édan l’órùn, to tà’díréke ni mo rí léèkan, eléwo ni ti ìyá arúgbó yi?
Òrúnmìlà ní, se bí o mo iwájú òrò, sebí o mo ìgbèyìn òrò?
Iwájú lo rí léèkan, èyìn tún wá lorí n’ìgbèyìn.
Idi e ni wipe, gbogbo òun tin dan ko ni wúrà, gbogbo oun tó ti n dúùn, béè kò ní ése kan; gbogbo oun to kan yío padà sádùn ni.
Ìgbà kan ni ènìyàn lówó, Ìgbà kan ni ènìyàn ò sì tún l’ówó mó. Ìgbà kan ni ènìyàn nbée nínú ìbànújé, Ìgbà kan ni ènìyàn nbée nínú ayò
Bí ayé bá dùn l’ónìí, ayé asì tún korò bó d’òla.
Bí ilé ayé bá yí, ibi tó yi síí ni kí gbogbo wa ó maá báa yí sí,
Kòsí Ìgbà kan tó le dùn, tí ò nì kan: kòsí Ìgbà kan tó le kan tí ò ní dùn
Àti òkè, àti Ilé, kí Olórun Oba ó ma só wa níbè ni
Àti òkè, àti Ilé ni ààn báyí l’áyé. Tí ó bá kan lénìí, a dùn b’ód’òla, tí o bá dùn lóòní asì tún korò,
Ìdí è nìyí tó fi jé wípé, asán nínú asán, òfo nínú òfo, ko si ènìyàn kan to ni Ìgbà kanlè-kanlè
Tí e bá lo ayé lénìí, elòmíì ni ó l’òla
Ejé kí gbogbo wa ó maá so ara wa se
Enìkan o ni gbogbo àsìkò kanlè-kanlè.
Homily rendered by Chief Priest Ifáyẹmi Ọ̀ṣúndàgbonù Elebuibon,
Transcribed and translated by Dele A Sonubi.
Bio
‘Délé A Sónúbi is a writer based in Lagos, Nigeria. He learned the art of philosophy from Professor Sophie B. Olúwolé who held a chair on African Philosophy. He researches mostly on Yorùbá indigenous drive, particularly the Yorùbá religion, oral legacies, and socialization principles through Yorùbá culture and its practices. He is utterly flabbergasted and fascinated by the sheer sagacity of the words and proverbs in the Yorùbá language, particularly when they are translated from Yorùbá to English. As a result, he is always eager to engage in exchanges over the enhanced meaning of Yorùbá phrases and world views.
Footnotes
- Òrúnmìlà is the philosopher-sage who lived around around 500 B.C. The 16 Major Odù of Ifá originate from the dialogues of Òrúnmìlà with his sixteen apprentices. See Òrúnmìlà for more.
- Ògún, the Yorùbá god of blacksmiths, hunting and warfare. See Ògún for more.
- Ṣàngó was the third Alafin (king) of the Oyo kingdom. He was deified after his death and is one of the most popular Òrìṣàs across Africa, the Caribbean and the Americas. See Ṣàngó for more.
