Yorùbá Heritages 1— Èṣù is NOT Satan

Yorùbá Heritages I—Èṣù is NOT satan 

© Copyright by Israel Ayanwuyi, 2017.

 

Photo Credits

Samuel O. Oladipo

NOTE: This is a general knowledge every Yorùbá should take note of, irrespective of the religion they practice. For any further information, contact us here

 I intentionally use small letters to represent 'satan' throughout this piece because he is nobody and he should not be treat as some. I believe you will have a paradigm shift after reading this piece that had been proven with physical, social, historical and spiritual facts.

 

One of the core values, reasons and virtues why Yorùbá stand to be who they are is the character of truth in place of righteousness and tuning to call of the beginning. Utterances give identity, though all trees in the forest may have leaves and stand tall but it is there fruit that will distinguish them. 

Don't rebuke the truth. If you travel through the whole world in the right direction, the truth is always the same. (You can read that again).

 

Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther could have translated the Bible satan as sàtánì but he was a boy of 12 years when he was stolen from Osogun, his village in Iseyin, Oyo, and had very little knowledge, if any, of Èṣù and his functions.

Èṣù is the force of balance that you need to remain rational. If Èṣù were to be satan, Yorùbá would have been upturned into evil and lose to be most enlightened race in Africa today.

Yorùbá have really been losing values and beliefs of their ancestors to recent encounters they are having with modern civilization. Some ignore fact, dignity and heritage of our fathers because of their spiritual movement in diversity in the way they positioned themselves.

Yorùbá is a very unique and popular tribe with powerful language, ways and heritage existing some centuries, and they accounts Yorùbá to be one of the oldest nations in the world.

Right from time, Yorùbá has been a language that can never be compared to any of the world's language, especially in interpretation and expression. Yorùbá is an exemplary nation that has gotten deep ethics, traditions, language, way and other character.

 

Èṣù is NOT satan as we have some other Yorùbá words we give myths for, and call to be same with another word in English.

The word satan is derived from the Greek word SATANAS which means opposer or accuser—somebody who opposes the work of God. 

Èṣù to us is 'Èṣù Ọlá Ìlú' (Èṣù Láàlú), also 'Èṣù tó dára' that was shortened for easy pronunciation to be Èṣù Ọ̀dàrà—The honour of the land—Somebody who does things that bring wealth, honour, riches and progress to the land.

 

Èṣù and satan are evidently two titular names that cannot be the same.

 

Èṣù is also refers to as Ọkùnrin kúkúrú òkè Ìgbẹ́tì—a short man of Ìgbẹ́tì land—who is very different from the illusional satan. 

Out of 801 delegated human vassals of Olódùmarè to this earth, Èṣù is the most loyal and faithful messenger who stood for justice and equity, also as the first law enforcement agent. He is very spectacular out of them because Olódùmarè used the word of good and bad to create the universe, which Èṣù has been using to make himself Sui generics and genuine intermediary who did analysis of anything you want to do—whether good or bad.  

Èṣù stood to state any dire consequence of anything you want, while he is very different from Biblical or Quranic satan. During his lifetime [though some people believe he lives on], he was known to be a justice minister who was basically responsible to put command or directive (Àṣẹ) to anything you want as the power God gave to him as a special human being. 

All of his actions fall within the jurisdiction of obligations as instructed by his Creator. He acknowledged all attributes including power, wisdom, knowledge and skills he had as given by Olódùmarè for the purpose of his mission on earth. 

Èṣù does not possess any power to face his Creator nor had gut to contest for his Creator's position as satan did. It is a grave misconception about Èṣù being satan or him depicting evil.

He dare not oppose the will of Olódùmarè. He only bore wishes up to Olódùmarè. There is no correlation of any form between satan and Yorùbá's Èṣù Láàlú also known as Èṣù Ọ̀dàrà. 

 

 

  

BERIEF TRUTH YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ÈṢÙ LÁÀLÚ AND ÈṢÙ ÈBÌTÀ

• Èṣù Ọ̀dàrà is Èṣù Láàlú who was also termed as Onílé Oríta because of his presence amidst decision making junctions.

 

• Èṣù Ẹ̀bita was fairy. Èṣù Èbìtà and Èṣù Láàlú were known to be twins on their arrival to the earth.
• Èṣù Èbìtà departed to staying in the wildness. Èṣù Èbìtà was always aware of anything happening around Èṣù Láàlú wherever he was, and he did disguise himself to Èṣù Láàlú's image to create chaos at moments.

That was the reason when any issue go round, people would mentioned Èṣù to be responsible for it while Èṣù Láàlú was not even aware. Èṣù Láàlú was Ọ̀rúnmìlà's closest friend. They love and trust each other so much because Ọ̀rúnmìlà had tested Èṣù and others before, and Èṣù was the only faithful and genuine person.

The best way to correct and avoid this error is using ọ̀rọ̀ àyálò (borrowed word) of SÀTÁNÌ instead of mistaking ÈṢÙ for satan.

It is indeed true that whenever a culture interacts with a more powerful culture, it overtime begins to redefine itself in relations with the dominant culture. This is probably happening in an era before writing and proper documentation in Yorùbá nation. 

Every original human culture has a theology with stories that mention the entity representing balance and rationality. The entity in Yoruba theology is Èṣù. The theology of all human cultures mentions the same entity not as an opposer of God but as a faithful servant and connection between man and God.

Esu is the force of balance that you need to remain rational. Esu is depicted as Onílé Oríta in Yorùbá, he who lives at the junction. We are always at junctions. Yes or No. Right or Left, Wrong or Right and etc. The image of Èṣù is carved at the edge of an Ifá divination tray as the connection between the physical and spiritual plane.

Let our heritage be valued. Take a move from traditions that make the real Africa so hidden beneath a veneer of poverty, misconception, lie and death. The real Africa is unduly submerged underneath. The Africa that is at mind of different individuals, languages, cultures and different interests who call this land their home. The real Africa they never show us is our home.

 

Kókó igi kò bẹ̀rù òjò

á dífá ẹ jọ́ ń bẹ lọ́run ọmọ à wí sunkún,

lọ́jọ́ tí ojú ó rò, lọ́jọ́ tí imú ó rò

Etí ó rò, ẹsẹ̀ ó ròyìn.

Ẹnu nìkan ni ò ní ròyìn ohun tí a gbé ilé ayé wa se.

 

Remember, a language that is not frequently used will run into extinction.

Thank you.

Preserving our godly heritage is our concern.

AIFMEDIA || YÒRÙBÁDÙNL'ÉDÈ

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