Ifa & days of the week PT 2 (how Irunmole picked their spritual/religious days of the week)

Yesterday I posted IFA and the days of the week PT 1. Today, I will be focusing on the part ll of this article which is based on how the Irunmole and Orisa picked their days of the week.

IFA explains to us all that there are four days in one religious week. The four days are the days when all Irunmole and Orisa are propitiated. Each Irunmole and Orisa with the exception of Ori, Esu- Odara and Aje (wealth) has a special when its practitioners and believers for its service and propitiation.

In Iwori- Otura, IFA explains that Orisa had four children which were all females. When the gout of them were matured enough for marriage, several Irunmole including Orunmila approached their parents for their hands in marriage. The parents said that only those who know their names would be eligible yo marry them. Obatala tried to know the name of at least one of them but he failed. Sango attempted to know the name of one of them but also failed. Same thing happened to Ogun and several other Irunmole and Orisa that tried.

One day, Orunmila went for IFA consultation in order to determine what he needed to do in order to know the names of these four beautiful ladies. He was advised to offered ebo which the sacrificial items were: 1 bearded he-goat, 1 Axe and money. He complied. The Awo prepared IFA for Orunmila, they cut the head of the he-goat and fixed it on the head of the Axe. They tied the two together and it appeared as if the Axe had developed a head of its own with beard to match. The awo then advised Orunmila to go plant it on the footpath to the home of the Orisa and was also advised to hide somewhere nearby where this mysterious Axe was planted. Orunmila complied.

On her way home, Orisa saw this mysterious Axe planted by the roadside. It was so marvelous that she quickly called her eldest daughter, "Oni, rush here and perceive wonder! An Axe had developed beard!!!". Oni saw this and told her mother that she would not be the only one to perceive this wonder. 

Oni called her immediate younger sister, " Ola, rush here and perceive wonder, an Axe had developed beard". Ola came and saw it it was a marvelous sight. Ola called her immediate sister, "Otunla rush here and perceive wonder, an Axe had developed beard". She also came down and saw it. She (Otunla) became intrigued that she beckon on their youngest sister, " Ireni, rush here and perceive wonder, an Axe had developed beard". ireni also complied. The five of them danced home unknown to them that Orunmila lurked in the bush nearby and was listening to all their conversations.

The following day, Orunmila went down to Orisa home to request for the hands of her daughters in marriage. Orisa told him that he could have them as long as he knew their names. Orunmila told her the name of her first daughter "Oni", the second " Ola", the third "Otunla" and the fourth "Ireni". Orisa had no option but to hand over the four daughters to Orunmila. 

Knowing that it was an abomination for him(Orunmila) to marry four children of same mother, Orunmila handed over the first daughter, Oni to Obatala being the oldest of all the Irunmole. Orunmila got married to the second daughter, Ola. He gave the third Otunla to Ogun while he fourth Ireni was handed to Sango. The literal meaning of these names is Oni ( Today), Ola ( Tomorrow), Otunla ( Day after tomorrow), Ireni ( the fourth day). When the four women moved into their respective home, the prosperity, achievement and success of their husbands multiplied in several folds. Seeing this, all the Irunmole and Orisa began to affiliate with the four major Irunmole and observe the week along with them. Some of the Irunmole/Orisa who affiliated with the four Irunmole are as follows:

OBATALA ( ORISA NLA)
  Yemoo, Ogiyan, Obalufon, Egungun, Oosa Rowu, Oola Agboju, Iyami

IFA/Orunmila
Osun, Egbe, Yemoja (Yemanya), Osumare, Oge/Malamala, Obaluaye/Sanponna, Olokun, Òsanyìn

OGUN
Ija, Ossosi, Buukuu, Erinle/Abatan, Tokpa, Obarooye, Orisa Oko.

SANGO/JAKUTA
Oya, Oramfe/Alafere, Dada, Oganju, Ayan

This is how the various Irunmole/Orisa picked their days of the week. The Irunmole/Orisa that do not affiliate with any other Irunmole/Orisa and who can be served or worshiped any day are Esu-Odara, Ori, Aje, Ibeji and ile (Mother earth). We however need to remember that the four religious days are linked with the market days in any part of Yoruba land. This determined the type of items/wares brought into the market for sale. The wares usually have relevance with what may be used to propitiate the various deities. For example, during IFA week, the market for this day will have all the items which can be used to perform initiation ceremony, rites and rituals for Ifa, egbe, Yemoja etc. Even though the four days are divided among Obatala, Orunmila, ,Ogun, Sango, in the teals sense of it, the four days are essentially IFA days.

 This is more so when we realize that Orunmila was it which gave out the remaining three days to the other Irunmole which Iwori- Ogbe stated.

Being a religious/spiritual week, this had more significance to life and essence of Orisa practitioners since it enhances and uplifts the spirituality of the practitioners. Any of the two days of the week used had its significance. IFA is only religion which has only two different weeks I.e. the social 7 days week and the spiritual/religion 4 days week.

Chief . Solagbade Popoola
Elérìí ìpín Magazine