Why women cannot be forbidden to cast Ifa divination

It is no news that some part of the American believed that women are forbidden to make an Ifa divination. They claimed to have their reason for such thing but in Yoruba religion, women also are allowed to make Ifa divination and even to perform the ebo also. Buttressing this topic, Araba Awodiran Agboola (Araba of Oworonsonki Land) plus a veteran Babalawo in his informative book, IFA:Ohun Enu Olodumare (God’s sacred message to mankind) stated why women cannot be forbidden to make Ifa divination. See below.

When Orunmila was invited by Death for divination on the condition that Orunmila’s life would only be spared if he knew thr reason for the divination correctly. Orunmila was disturbed by this message and decided to consult Ifa himself on that mission. The odu Eji-Ogbe appeared, Orunmila was instructed to perform some Ebo. A hen was roasted in whole and given to Osunlayo, the wife of Orunmila to take along to the river when going to take bath, she met the wife of Death on her way to the river. Death wife demanded food from Osunlayo and she was given the roasted chicken which she ate with satisfaction. As the wife of death revealed the secret of her husband’s invitation to Orunmila. Osunlayo came home and told her husband. It became public issue and the day of the contest came and the whole world gathered to witness whether Orunmila would return home alive. Despite the fact that Orunmila knew the secret, he was hypnotized by Death and as a result of his nervousness, he forgot completely. As a good wife, unknowingly to Orunmila Osunlaya also came to give her husband a support. When Orunmila saw his wife, he used some wisdom and said this contest is too simple that even a woman, his wife can do it. Then, he called his wife and shouted “you my wife, come and chant Eji-Ogbe and tell us what ifa says on death’s intention”.

Everybody including Death was surprised on Orunmila gambling of his wife’s life. Osunlayo respectfully and dutifully came and told everybody that three reasons as narrated above why death invited her husband. To everybody’s surprise, she got them correctly. Then Orunmila started boasting that his wife could chant correctly, what would you expect of a great man like himself. Orunmila returned home safely with his wife and started rejoicing together acknowledging his wife’s intelligence.

From the story above, one could boldly say that a woman who has the knowledge just like the man of Ifa should not be prevented from using Opele (divining chain) or Ikin Ifa (sacred palm nuts). Instead of a woman being called Babalawo, she would be called Iyanifa. A woman who is the wife of Babalawo but with no such knowledge is called APETEBI. The only exception is that women are not allowed to see Odu. Even some men cannot see odu when performing initiation.

What this story is saying is that, ifa it was not Orunmila’s wife, Osunlayo that saved his husband from the hands of Iku no one would have done so plus Osunlayo chanted the Odu just the way a Babalawo would have chanted it.

I have seen a situation whereby an Iyanifa is even better in Ifa chanting and divination to some Babalawos.

Therefore, one should never underestimate a woman which claimed to be a Iyanifa because you never can tell she might be better than you.