ORUNMILA: Orúnmila, Orunmilá, Orúnla, or Orúla

Orunmila (known as Orúnmila, Orunmilá, Orúnla, or Orúla in Yoruba Land, Nigeria) is an Orisha. It was a mighty god that was served by the Yoruba people of Nigeria. According to Yoruba elders in Ile-Ife he was the god of wisdom, knowledge, and divination. The elders said he was the great benefactor of the humanity and his main advisor. He reveals the future through the secrets of Ifa, the supreme oracle. He is also a great healer, and those who ignore his advices can undergo the ups and downs produced by Eshu. The elders said he was pure and had some form human in him.

Orunmila was said to be an Irumole that had been in existence before creation and he was with his people as a priest that taught them things concerning ethics and spiritual knowledge. When he visited earth he came in human form or he would come through his disciples. Orunmila was the first prophet of the Yorùbá religion appointed by Olodumare to control the births, the deceases and the development of the human beings and other species. He was a fortune teller and the owner of the Oracle that interpreted the Ifa. He was in the Earth like prophet with the 16 celestial ancestors (the Meyi of Ifá), between 2000 and the 4000 year a.c. Its cult comes from Ilé Ifé and its name comes from the Yorùbá Òrúnmìlà (“Only the sky knows those who will be saved”). Elders in Yoruba Land see him as the first Messiah.

 He was known to be the "Ibikeji Olodumare" (which means second in command to Olodumare) and "eleri ipin" (which also means witness of fate). He was also called “Iyanifa”. He was powerful and very spiritual. He had so much spiritual knowledge. Orunmila is the spirit of wisdom among the Irunmole and the divinity of destiny and prophecy.  Throughout his time he was the one who carried the “Ifa of Oludumare” (which meant the “Wisdom of Olodumare”).

He was so good at advising that those who doesn't accept the advice of Orula, being men or Orishas, can be victims of the Osogbos sent by Eshu, close to Shango, who provided with the permission of Olofi the gift of adivination to him, and Eshu, it's faiftfull ally. Orunmila forms an important trinity with Olofin and Oddúa (Oduduwa).

Orunmila is present at the moment at which the spirit who is going to incarnate to an individual is choosing his destiny. It represents the security, the support and the consolation before the uncertainty of the life. With his aid everything is possible.

SIGIDI: AN EPITOME OF GOOD NOW AN INSTRUMENT OF EVIL

The Yoruba word for ‘robot’ is ‘Sigidi’. Sigidi is a clay image of the human torso with eyes and mouth and nose marked. It was historically said to be made out of clay and mud. It serves the maker without any question, without any hesitation. But sometimes Sigidi out of playfulness asks to be exposed to the rain forgetting that it is made of mud! Once in a while Sigidi was a bit play.

Sigidi was one of the nicest creatures in Yoruba land. It was kind and it always did well. It was so powerful that it protected villagers from trouble and bad things. Sigidi never did evil to anyone.

Whenever Sigidi wanted to show the villagers how powerful it is it, will gather villagers so he can do some magical performance. When people gathered they will clap and be marveled at how powerful he was. Sigidi was mostly in one spot. When Sigidi would sit in one place, it will not get up from that place for hours.

Sigidi had only one weakness and it was water. It was a taboo for Sigidi to go near water or even stay in it. it couldn't go near water because of how it was formed. You know clay and mud can’t stay it water for too long; it will melt.

Sigidi’s knew he wasn't water friendly so they him to come near the water. They lied to him that he should come and see a pretty damsel near the water. He foolishly followed them to the river. When he got onto the river he couldn't come out of the water. Before his friends knew it he was sinking. They couldn't rescue him because of he was made of.

While he was sinking he caused them. He vowed never to good to or for people. He vowed to always do evil. Friendly and kind Sigidi now became an instrument of evil. Now people use it as an instrument of evil. When you send it to do evil it will do it without hesitation.

Sigidi an epitome for good now became an instrument for evil.

ORANMIYAN OMOLUABI ODEDE, GREAT PRINCE OF IFE, KING OF THE YORUBA

Oranmiyan

Oranmiyan Omoluabi Odede, Great Prince of Ife, King of the Yoruba was a king from Ile-Ife Kingdom who was the heir to Oduduwa. Oranmiyan Omoluabi Odede, Great Prince of Ife, King of the Yoruba was the grandson and the most adventurous of the members of Oduduwa's household; taking the title of Alafin, he succeeded in raising a very strong army and expanding his kingdom to an empire. Regarded as being founder of the Oyo Kingdom in Nigeria, some accounts state he was also the third ruler of Ife.

According to Yoruba history, he founded Oyo as its first Alaafin at around the year 1300 and one of his children, Eweka I, went on to become the first Oba of the Benin Empire in Nigeria.

Oranmiyan was a powerful warrior who founded Oyo and Benin Kingdoms. After several wars and conquests, Oranniyan returned to Ife where he died. When Oba Oranyan died his family is fabled to have erected the commemorative stele known as the Staff of Oranmiyan which was named Opa Oranmiyan. Oranmiyan is one of the greatest king of the Yorubas

Oranmiyan when to Benin Kigdom among his travels. He was requested by the peopleof Benin Kingdom for spiritual and political direction from Ife after the death of Ogiso Owodo of Igodomigodo were led by Oranmiyan. When he got to there he met opposition from the kin of the Ogiso, and was refused entrance into the City. The attitude of the Igodomigodo people made him angry so in anger he called the land "Ile - Ibinu" meaning Land of Vexation. It was when the Portuguese people came that they corrupted the place and named it “Benin”. On leaving “Ile-Ibinu” he had an affaitr with the daughter of the Enogie(Duke) and that is how Eweka 1 was born.

After leaving Benin at about 1290 he founded a city, Oyo-ile, which his descendants expanded into the Oyo Empire. It was his marriage to married Torosi- a Tapa that Ṣango Akata Yẹri-Yẹri was born.

Oranmiyan Omoluabi Odede, Great Prince of Ife, King of the Yoruba, Oranyan, Opa Oranyan, Father of Ile-Ife the greatest warrior that ever lived.

Opa Oranmiyan

Opa Oranmiyan in Yoruba Dynasty means - at the place where their father died.

Opa Oranmiyan stands over five meters tall in Moopa area of the town within a fenced wall. Few symbolic trees are scattered around the staff with some dotted marks, which the custodian says are marks of bullet during the several wars fought by Oranmiyan. High chief Johnson Owoyemi, the Akogun of Ife is the current custodian of the Opa Oranmiyan – a staff that Oranmiyan, the grandson of Oduduwa used to take to war. The staff made of granite obelisk with iron stud stands within the Oranmiyan shrine manned by Chief Eredumi as chief priest who is the link between the dead and the living.

Oranmiyan’s Role In Yoruba History

Oranmiyan from history was a belligerent person. A war hero and where his brothers and sister failed to give the yearly ten percent duty as agreed with the staff of Oduduwa he used force. He later appointed his representatives in each of the kingdoms of Yoruba to monitor the returns, thus the creation of Oyo Empire that lead to the end of the kingdom Oduduwa created which was not properly coordinated. There was no proper channel of control during Odua. Oyo Empire gave the Yoruba race the much respect and proper foundation in the south of Sahara. The new empire grew with amazing rapidity throughout West Africa and was like the Ghana or Shonghai Empire of the medieval history in the south of Sahara.

 One of the strategies of the Oyo Empire was engagement in slavery. It was a tactical way to weaken opposition among the Yoruba’s and those captured. Oranmiyan and his descendants were absolute in control and management. Infact, the word Kabiyesi that was later adopted by subsequent Alafin from the time of Sango oko Oya in Oyo meant absolutism the king could never be wrong. Such was the fear and power of Alafin throughout Yoruba land.

Oranmiyan’s administration was the best in Africa and could be likened to the British system of Administration during the colonial government. The Empire expanded up to the present Benin republic. Those who escaped the control of Alaafin are the Yoruba’s living in Benin Republic, which was formerly Dahomey. On the East side there was no historical record of any interference between the father and the son the rulers in Benin Kingdom. The reason for this was not known but it will amount to fighting yourself if Oranmiyan had to wage war of control over Benin. Oba of Benin Omonoba Polopolo did not explain the reason for the prolong truce between Benin and Oyo Empire. Spiritual contact was established with each Benin King’s head buried at Ife and spiritual approval from Ife before any Oba is crowned at Benin? Why is this so if Benin was the source how come the source goes to the Ife for approval of final rest of the head of Benin Obas? Ile Ife in actual fact demonstrated its superiority by having the head of Oranmiyan himself.

 At least there was no record of history of any transaction between father and son commercially or any known tribal or communal war between Yoruba and Benin Kingdom while Benin Kingdom continued to progress and Oyo Empire continue to expand to the west coast. In Lagos, there could not be a clash, it was a place of reunion for Edo’s and Yoruba it was said Eko, which is Lagos, and in our local dialect is a Benin word. Why did Oranmiyan and his descendants fail to expand towards the East of the empire, which would have been a clash with Edo’s? Was it a mutual agreement or respect or tactical error or oversight in the expansionism of Yoruba Empire? Well I will find out on my travel to Ile-Ife to see the Elder that preserve the culture and traditions of the Ile-Ife people.