Why does man need to die?

 
One should first of all all bear in mind that on the palnet now, that which cannot die is not living. It is one of the basic characteristics of living beings to die.
Otura-Irete indicates that death is inevitable for everyone no matter how powerful or highly placed.



 Nonetheless, that death is no respecter of personality does not mean that a person should not try to live well, obey all social and natural laws in order to prolong his life on earth. Majority of IFA verses deal with how a person can live well on earth.
Furthermore, life on earth continues indefinitely. Only living beings on earth at any particular point in time will cease to exist while others will be born on rotational bases.
As earlier stated, there are many Ifa verses which address the issue of why man needs to die but for the purpose of this write-up, we shall contend ourselves with that in Oyeku-Ose where we realize that dying is beneficial to human beings and not punishment as some system of believe will want people to accept. When one generation had been on earth for some time, it would be replaced by another and the one so replaced will still surface some other time. Olodumare does not want human race to become a filthy pond on earth, hence,death.

AFTER DEATH, WHAT NEXT?

The most obvious after death is burial depending on how a person dies. When a person dies , his physical body becomes a pond while his spirit proceeds to ìkòlé Òrun(heaven) because that is where it belongs. Giving credence to this assertion is an If a verse, Oyeku-ogbe where we realize that the world is not a permanent place of abode. Man needs to die in order to return to ìkòlé Orun and give account of all his deeds.

Furthermore, in the verse already cited in Oyeku-Ose after accounting for all his deeds, a man will later take a new body and return to earth. If he had done good deeds while previously on earth, he will find life easy and enjoyable. On the other hand, if he had been a evil doer, he will find lif bitter. This is why it is advisable to do good at all times. The result of man's deeds while on earth would be incorporated into his Àyàmó (that part of man's destiny that cannot be changed) in his next world.

THE LIFE CYCLE

          
                  The life cycle represented                                diagramatically above


Immediately after copulation, determination would be made whether or not to germinate the seed in a woman's womb. After germination, pregnancy takes place. During the process of pregnancy, Obàtálá liaises with Kórì to mould the baby either one of those who had been on earth once and returned to heaven for a new body or a new one going to the world for the first time. After leaving the domain of Obàtálá, it proceeds to Àjàlá-Mòpín's domain where he chooses its Ori (personal god). In the same domain, it proceed to the office of ALUDÙNDÚN-ÒRUN where its destiny will be recorded. If the new child had once been on earth, rewards for its good or evil deeds will be incorporated into its destiny to form part of the Àyànmó.

Shortly before birth, the child moves to ODÒ-ARÓ (River of relieve) and ODÒ-ÈJÈ (River of blood). Here, all what the person had done in his previous life and his destiny would be forgotten. The mother would then go into labor and deliver the child, ignorant of everything about life until when taught.

The new body grows from infancy through adulthood to old age and death.
The time a man's spirit spends in heaven awaiting a new visit to the "market" varies from an infinitesimal part of second to his several years.
When a foetus is still in the womb, it enjoys domicile of two worlds - heaven and earth. The moment a foetus posses to odò-Aró and odo-Èjè, that is its 'death' in heaven, when the child is delivered, it 'dies' in the womb, and when it grows from infancy to old age and passe to the world beyond, that is his death on earth. It is this death on earth that much emphasis is placed on.

Also if a foetus dies before being delivered, it returns straight to heaven, if a child dies at birth, it returns to heaven which is the permanent 'home' according to Oyeku-Ogbe.
While on earth, a man has only his attitude and characters to account for. All his deeds will be recorded for him and when he reincarnates. That somebody 'pushes' him to do evil is not an excuse. In IFA, there is no equivalent for Satan. Ifá has no place for anyone or anything that opposes the work of Olodumare. Consequently, man will be held fully accountable for all his deeds.
Man uses religion as a vehicle for teaching morals and for inculcating ideals into his race. Religion 'per se' is not what is needed but good character. Some school of religious pedagogy believe that salvation is only through their leaders. This is absolute rubbish. If man believes in his in his religious leader without good character and attitudes, it is an exercise in futility. Some of these people even go to the extent of placing their religious leader far above Olodumare - the Supreme Being.

However, IFA teaches how to understand the forces of nature and abide by their rules. It teaches how to be a functional member of one's society. It morals and how to go about good things. It even teaches how to live long in a world of uncertainties. In order to really understand life, one must seek the truth in IFA. IFA is very easy to apply to day-to-day occurrences in life and its teachings, both religious and ritual can be universally applied.


Source: ORUNMILA MAGAZINE. ISSUE NO 3.