Things that make Ifa unique plus update on ICIR- Chief Solagbade Popoola



Aboru Aboye to. all Babalawo and Iyanifas
Alafia to all Olorisas and those who are preparing for this magnificent transformation in their life ! IFA and Orisa are awesome as Esu opens doors for your birth.



The esteem SOLAGBADE POPOOLA
President, International Council For Ifa Religion
Shares his thoughts on the following concept of one love.
For me, it is not so black and white to accept this idea. I do not live and appreciate the children of the ENSLAVERS who raped, massacred, sold, stole, castrated, manipulated, separated from families, and broke the spirit of many forcing them to practice Christianized dogma that to this day they serve in their minds a white Jesus who was weak and slaughtered by the early generations of today's racist junkies. It sounds like chrustianizing IFA! No. I will not bow to that level.
My people are not free nor respected and I will not just follow someone because now people are coming with money to confuse situations.
My Egun in both my Native American side and my Benin side say do not release yourselves from US! Netosh we brought you across the waters, the very waters Oyingbos slaughtered us and mutilated us, but they could not steal our African soul.
I think it is disrespectful to talk to us here in the Diaspora who are the very incarnated
Children of those who flew backbone as birds to tell their story, yet it is not taught at home!!
I will dwell in this written statement this evening.
With the power of my Egun. I will continue my traditional walk.
I will allow you to draw your own conclusions.
Iyanifa Ninimoye Oyadara Fayomi Esutade
IFA: ONE LOVE, ONE FAMILY- STRENGHT IN DIVERSITY
There are so many things that make Ifa unique:
1. Ifa is the oldest body of knowledge and spiritual inspiration ever known to man. Ifa began even before life began on earth.
2. Ifa is the only scripture that has solution to all problems of man and his environment. There are 256 chapters in Ifa each chapter has 1680 stanzas. Each stanza is a statement, analysis and solution to one form of issue or the other on earth.
3. There is Ifa presence in 51 countries of the world today – thanks to the Cubans, the Brazilians and lately, the Yoruba people who spread Ifa across the world.
4. Ifa is the only religion that was spread by the oppressed and disadvantaged people of the world. Ifa was spread by the enslaved people and disadvantaged individuals who left Yoruba land in bondage, pain, suffering, humiliation and neglect. Yet, they were able to protect, preserve and practise what they believe in which works for them during their periods of tribulation.
5. Ifa is the most elastic religion, spirituality and body of faith in the world. Ifa accommodates the experiences, hopes, aspirations and goals of individuals and groups as they find themselves in various localities of the world.
6. There are several bodies of knowledge, religion and spirituality that had emanated from Ifa. These include traditional Ifa from Yoruba land Fa, Afa, Ichebo, all from West Africa, Lucumi, Santería, Umbanda, Candomble, Palo Mayombe, Abaqua. etc to mention but a few from the Diaspora. The bottom line is this: the thread that knits all these faiths together is Ifa. Ifa is the foundation upon which all these faith systems build their roots.
7. Ifa tells the stories of all the Irunmole and Orisa associated with the Yoruba belief system. The faith of all the Irunmole and Orisa is Ifa. Consequently, all Orisa practitioners are by extension Ifa practitioners.
From the above statements, one will expect that, Ifa being the root of all these systems, there will be great and unquestionable cooperation among all the practitioners of Ifa in the world. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Where cooperation is expected, cutthroat competition is found. Where unity is expected, division is found. It has gone to the extent now that the common parlance among the traditional Ifa devotees on one hand and non-traditional Ifa devotees on the other is: ‘their Ifa against our Ifa’, even though everyone agrees with the fact that Ifa is one indivisible body.
This development has brought a sickening and saddening outcome. Traditional Ifa devotees and non-traditional devotees are now living a world of mutual suspicion and disrespect. All efforts to bring the two together lead to more divisions among the two. I have personally seen, read and heard the non-traditional Ifa devotees castigating their traditional Ifa devotee counterparts as losing the originality of Ifa. They claimed that Ifa had been adulterated by Islam and Christianity but especially Islam in Yoruba land. They therefore concluded that Ifa in its original form is now in the Diaspora. Nothing can be farther from the truth. I have also been present where some elderly and erudite traditional Ifa devotees refused to recognised any initiation into Ifa and Orisa that was performed in the non-traditional way. Nothing can be more ridiculous. The truth of the matter is this: Ifa is Ifa, Orisa is Orisa, Initiation is Initiation - as long as all the recommended steps pertaining to the particular Irunmole, Orisa, or Ifa have been followed.
It is obvious that this attitude is not in the best interest of Ifa. It cannot continue. It must not continue. A decisive step must be taken to put an end to it and at the same time bring about uncompromised and much needed unity in our various diversities. This will showcase our strength as adherent of the most powerful, the most ancient, the most pragmatic occult, religious and spiritual discipline.
In Otura Melee (Otura Owonrin), Ifa says:
Kitikiti la a l’emo
Katakata la a l’ejo
Aif’owo-l’owoo ejo n’iku fi n pa won l’okookan
Dia fun Adejumobi
Tii s’omoye Alaketu
Ebo ni won ni ko waa se
O gb’ebo, o ru’bo
Nje ki oka o s’aaju
Ki paramole o tele e
K’ere baba a won o ma aw obo l’eyin
Tanii ko’ju ija d’omo ejo?
Translation
Haphazardly does one pursue the brown rats
And awkwardly does one pursue a snake
It is lack of cooperation among snakes that made it possible for death to strike them dead one by one
Ifa’s message for Adejumobi
The Crown Prince of Alaketu
He was advised to offer ebo
He complied
Now if the Cobra is coming in the front
And Paramole the Green Snake is following closely
While the Boa Conscriptor their father is coming behind them
Who dare confront the group of snakes to a duel?
It is in the pursuit of this objective that professor Idowu Odeyemi, Chief Bogunmbe, in conjunction with some other group of Awo who think alike decided to form an organisation that will be the umbrella of all Ifa devotees all over the world, be they traditional or non-traditional. In 1970, this group began to articulate ways and means of bringing their dreams into reality. It took them 29 years for all the legal and administrative works of their dreams to be completed. Their brain child was The International Council for Ifa Religion. They came up with the following aims and objectives:
1. To serve as an umbrella to all Ifa religious organisations throughout the world
2. To openly promote and propagate the teachings of Orunmila (B.A)
3. To regulate the practice of Ifa Religion
4. To regulate, harmonize and coordinate the tenets and modes of worship
5. To organise periodic conventions for the spiritual development of adherent of Ifa Religion
6. To interact peacefully with other religions in order to foster world peace and harmonious living
7. To coordinate the building of Ifa Temples
8. To encourage and promote beneficial relationships among practitioners of Ifa Religion
9. To hold and coordinate regular religious festivals
10. To publish pamphlets, periodicals, journals, textbooks and other publications on Ifa Religion
11. To help governments formulate and adopt policies and programmes relating to the development of Ifa Religion
12. To cooperate and work with other allied religious institutions for the progress of the human race
13. To support financially and materially, any programme that is aimed at developing Ifa Religion
14. To carry out all other activities which are consistent with, or which the Council considers capable of promoting its interest and objectives.
The Council took off fully in 1999, but unfortunately, it still cannot be said to have full representation of all the Ifa practitioners in the world, both traditional and non-traditional. Secondly, it had not been able to effectively remove the problem of mutual suspicion amongst the Ifa practitioners. This means that another attempt must be made to solve this issue.
In any organisation, the trustees are the owners of all the assets and they formulate policies for the smooth running of the organisation. All the existing trustees of the organisation are of the Yoruba origin who practice or believe in traditional Ifa. We are therefore to address this and make it more international and more generally acceptable. It is my intention as the current President of International Council for Ifa Religion to Internationalize the Council Trustees. We are already engaging in widespread consultations all over the world in order to ensure that we have international spread where all the trustees will represent their religious lineages effectively. As at today, these are the trustees who have given their acceptance to be on board of the International Council for Ifa Religion in addition to the existing members:
ICIR TRUSTEES
1. Araba Agbaye
2. Prof. Idowu Odeyemi
3. Oloye Odemakinde
4. Prof. Wande Abimbola
5. Oloye Adeboye Oyesanya
6. Oloye Awodiran Agboola
7. Oloye Olatunji Aresa
8. Marcelo Madan (Venezuela)
9. Iyalode Sangowunmi Patricia McLeod from Trinidad
10. Oloye Ogunbowale Lester Osuna from Trinidad
11. Oluwo Louis Carlos from Colombia
12. Awo Willer De Almeida from Brazil
As earlier said consultation is still ongoing especially in the United State of America, I am however very grateful to Oba Pichardo who volunteers to cooperate with the International Council for Ifa Religion in order to bring our mutual dream into reality. Additional names of Trustees will be announced in due course.
The second major project of the International Council for Religion is The Green Circle International. The Green Circle International is our own answer and equivalent to the Red Cross, Red Crescent and the Red Cristal. It is a philanthropic movement that is aimed at giving support and solidarity to all Ifa practitioners the world over irrespective of whether they are from the traditional or non-traditional lineage. So far, we have 10 patrons: they are
Trustees of the Green Circle International
1. Elder Menes de Griot from Guyana/USA
2. Iyanifa Fayomi Falade from USA
3.Ajigunwa Awo Kendrick Michael Bethelmy from Trindad
4. Oluwo Alfonso Dell from Trinidad
5. Yeye kaare Patricia from Mexico
6. Chief Fakayode Faluade Nigeria
7. Iyanifa Ifayemi Osunyemi from Jacksonville, USA
8. Demon Azali-Rojas from from California, USA
9. Amos Dyson from California, USA
10. Oluwo Fakunle Oyesanya - USA
We are still consulting with respresentatives from Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, Spain and Brazil.
More names will be added in due course.
The Royal Patrons of the International Council for Ifa Religion are:
1. His Royal Majesty, the Alaafin of Oyo
2. His Royal Majesty, Ooni of Ife
3. His Royal Majesty, Oba of Benin
4. His Royal Majesty, Ewi of Ado Ekiti
5. His royal Majesty, the Oba of Oyotunji, South Carolina USA
We also have Patrons for The Green Circle International: they are
The Grand Patron Professor I. B Odeyemi
The patrons are:
1. Engr. W. A Akinfenwa
2. Oloye Aare Isese Morakinyo
3. Iyanifa Iyabode Fadunsin
4. Ojise Obatala, Erwin Boyle from Trinidad and Tobago
5. Yeye Osunriyike Kambiri Charmaine de Souza
Three other patrons from the Diaspora will be announced in due course.
The executive body of the International Council for Ifa Religion will work from now until October 2018 when all the positions listed below will be duly filled through elections into the various portfolios. Meanwhile, the selected officers from all over the world are expected to perform the following functions:
1. Set up the International Council for Ifa Religion in their various countries and ensure that all Ifa lineages are dully represented.
2. To organise credible election processes as stated in the International Council for Ifa Religion’s constitution and ensure that only popular candidates are elected into offices.
3. Ensure that there is free and fair elections. Nobody should be given the chance for power grab or domination over other individuals or groups.
4. Arrange for conventions where truly International Officers will be elected into various elective positons. The convention will take place sometime between October and November 2018 and the venue will be either in Ile Ife or Ado Ekiti.
EXECUTIVES
1. President – NigeriaSolagbade Popoola
1a. personal bilingual scribe for the President, Agboola Jose Rpdriguez from USA
2. Vice President – Colombia Oluwo Luis Carlos
3. Sec.General - Nigeria Wande Akomolafe Olomi
4. Asst.Sec.Gen – Rep De Benin
5. Financial Sec – Nigeria
6. Asst. Fin Sec – Spain
7. Treasurer – Cuba
8. Asst Treasurer – Argentina
9. Spiritual Leader Oloye Durojaye Orisadare Akinwumi -Nigeria
10. Asst Spiritual Leader (Non Traditional) Cuba
11. Asst Spiritual Leader (Traditional) Jose Santana -Mexico
12. Women’s Leader (Traditional) Brazil
13. Women’s Leader (Non Traditional) Argentina
14. Pilgrimage Officer (Traditional) Oluwo Fakunle Oyesanya -USA
15. Pilgrimage Officer (Non Traditional) Uruguay
16. Welfare Officer (Traditional) United Kingdom Bola Ogundare
17. Welfare Officer (Non Traditional) Brazil Willer De Almeida
18. Youth Leader – Venezuela Enver Erbalaez
19. Chairman, Ethic comm (Traditonal) United Kingdom Dubi Imevbore
20. Chairman, Ethnic committee (Non-Traditional) USA
21. Chairman, Ethnic overall (President ICIR)
22. Chairman, Scripture Overall Solagbade Popoola
23. Chairman, Scripture Traditional – Trinidad Babamokun Garth Nicholas
24. Chairman, Scripture Non-Traditional Cuba
25. Legal Adviser Nigeria Razaq Alabi Ifayemi
26. Editor-In-Chief, Elerii-Ipin magazine, Dr. Bifatife Adeseye
The two very important Committees of the ICIR are Ethics Committe and The Scriptures Committee. The names of the Committee members will be announced in due course of time. Consultations are still ongoing.
The following is the executive structure of The Green Circle International and these individuals will members will hold the forth until a proper election takes place in October/November, 2018:
G.C.I. (EXCO)
1. President - Olatunji Aresa (Nigeria)
2. Vice President – Charles Leon Stewart (USA)
3. Secretary General – Dr Bifatife Adeseye (Nigeria)
4. Vice President II
5. Treasurer
6. Training Officer – Elder Menes de Griot (Guyana/USA)
7. Medical and First Aid Officer – Dr Michell McCollin (USA)
8. Evacuations Officer Kendricks Bethelmy T&T
9. Elected Officer 1
10. Elected Officer 2
11. Elected Officer 3
12. Elected Officer 4
13. Elected Officer 5
14. Appointed Officer 1 Irawo’Fa Amos Dyson USA
15. Appointed Officer 2 Colombani Esteban Sanchez Venezuela
16. Appointed Officer 3 Jahson Edmonds USA
17. Appointed Officer 4
18. Legal Adviser 5 Razaq Alabi Ifayemi
19. Financial Secretary 1
20. Financial Secretary 2
21. Auditor (Internal) 1
22. Auditor (Internal) 2
23. Drill and Survival Officer Stacy Johnson USA
24. Fitness Officer Awo Fasegun Earl White Ijo-Ija Temple Los Angeles, USA
I do not delude myself with the fact that these selections are all encompassing and all representing. However, I am strongly convinced that we need to start from somewhere. This is our starting point.
Before October/November 2018 we shall strive to ensure that we would have put up a formidable team that will be representative of all Ifa lineages the world over. By the time that I will be handing over to the new President and Executive members in 2018, all hands would be on deck and I promise that we shall all have cause to slap each other on the back and congratulate each other for job well done.
It is my hope that the new President that will emerged at that time will allow me to work under him by putting me on board of the Scripture committee where I will continue to be useful in writing the Ifa holy book. That is my wish. That is my passion.
Aboru Aboye.
SOLAGBADE POPOOLA
President, International Council For Ifa Religion

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