Yorùbá Heritages II —God of my Ancestors in the Ancient Time by Israel Ayanwuyi

Yorùbá Heritages II—God of My Ancestors in The Ancient Time.

By Israel Ayanwuyi

NOTE: This is a product of my personal research and knowledge on Yorùbá culture and tradition. In case you have any view to share or any point that contradicts the below, send it to my email address here.

There is every reason to protect and guard the dignity of a race with their ways of life. The truth is, there's no group of people without culture. That is why we Yorùbá must stand to take our place because we are responsible to uphold, correct errors and be a fore practitioner of our ways, and be a proud speaker of our language.

 

There are many people who don't believe there's something worthwhile in Yorùbá culture. Perhaps they've forgotten or they don't know, everything about "one's source" is always paramount to one's greatness. And moreover, we will be accountable for how we manage everything because Olódùmarè is aware of our existence in this very part of the world.

Have you ever thought about this: Why is the universe not running with the same pattern of culture, language and heritage from one group of people to another?

God is one—the sole Creator of the universe—no other Creator aside Him. God created us black and white; tall and short; hairy and bald.

Naysayers are those who might claim Creator of Odùduwà, Ọ̀rúnmìlà, Ògún, Èṣù and other first set of creature in Yorùbá land was not God.

Any special growth of a nation start indoor, where values, cultures, traditions, etiquette are being learnt and real heritages of each peoples could be implanted and transferred to the upcoming generations. Good virtues bring development into a nation and it people, and it begins at home.

There then, is need for every home to work on heritage, value and cultural history with care, not to mix the godly heritages with religions!

It is improper or lack of right knowledge for anyone to claim some humans who had father and mother are gods or deities, and they turned to be worshipped because of heroic deeds they had to their account when they lived in the world.

 

History made it known that humans like Ògún, Sàngó, Ọbàlùfọ̀n, Èṣù, and others were focused to be worshipped when people had seen them operating in a kind of superior power [or ability] other than them—them being god or deity is unhistoried.

 

Various stories and words of misconceptions had started wailing us down over decades while we give negligible look on realities. We've been submerged into thinking everything about Yorùbá is religious. There are clear differences between our traditional beliefs of religion, culture, heritage and values that are inter-connected.

 

You don't need to be lost and fight every battle with Yorùbá as idol worshipers in the ancient time or now!

Create an avenue for you to learn, relearn and unlearn again.

 

 

Yorùbá lifestyle is a practice that leads us to our higher self-levels and accompanies us throughout life's journey without a mix-up with religion.

God is the Creator of Oòduà and other ancestors we can trace our lineage from, in Yorùbá land. There are set asides fact our origin fathers established but now, we are exposed to false ideas and irrelevant facts.

Although Ifá is like a pouch full of wisdom and set aside guidelines for a seemingly perfect way of life Yorùbá thread in the ancient time, most part of Yorùbá ancient kingdom were engaged into calling and worshipping God, taking steps to acknowledge creatures and how they've been in this precious part of the world.

Aside diverse belief that Yorùbá race doesn't have God or believe in Him from the ancient time, it is so clear that Yorùbá nation recognizes His majesty and call Him Olódùmarè, King of kings, with profound clarification as OLÓDÙ—largest owner—is God. And in Yorùbá, we obviously refer Odù to be something so ENORMOUS out of others. Something [or someone] that [or who] can't be compared to others in size or capacity of greatness. At origin, it is a notable fact that God is the only one above and superior over Òrìsà, Irúnmọlẹ̀, Ọba tàbí ẹnikẹ́ni—god, deity, king or anyone on earth. Yorùbá of the ancient time believe to the core that Olódùmarè does not travels neither gets sick. He is the Ẹlẹ́dàá—Creator of all things, and bigger than anyone we can approach anyhow in masses.

With this, we could trace why intermediary system was instituted in heart of many of them as between God and men. Those assumed intermediary were set of humans, believed to be vassals of Olódùmarè to earth.

Yorùbá, however believes He is not the only one in heaven but He is OLÚ—Head—among those in heaven. This is why we typically call Him ỌLÚỌ̀RUN [shortened with omission of a word and called ỌLỌ́RUN]. Yorùbá furthered, they don't misplace their faith in Him as Owner of everything, and they, thus call Him OLÚWA.

There are even lots of words that showcase their belief in Him. Out of them are these few below:

• Ọba tí kì í léni kí ó tó mú ni.
• Wàhálà ni tí àgbẹ̀, Ọlọ́run ní pé kí iṣu ó ta.
• Bí a bá wípé ó dọwọ́ babaláwo, babaláwo a ló dọwọ́ ifá; bí a bá ní o dọwọ́ ifá, ifá á ní o dọwọ́ Olódùmarè.
• Bí a bá wípé ó dọwọ́ àgbà ìsègùn, àgbà ìsègùn a ló dọwọ́ Ọ̀sanyìnnínbí; bí a bá ní o dọwọ́ adáhunṣe to gbójú, ání ó dọwọ́ Ọlọ́run ọ̀gá ògo.

When bow string breaks, it becomes a pole; teeth becomes match stick when a lip is lost; head becomes a log of wood when ear is lost; a language becomes useless when it is not frequently used. 

Self-idolization is inimical but giving reverence is preserving; willfully relying on one's strength is hazardous, give accolades to the foundation and ancestry you are privileged to come through. You become slave of anything you submit to. Accommodate and celebrate your mother's tongue. Don't fail to appreciate the riches, beauty of your own language, tradition and culture.

 

Take a look at this corpus:

Ogbè f'ohun fólóhun

N ò f'ohun fólóhun,

Babaláwo ọba lo dífá fún ọba,

Ẹni tó bá jẹ́ irú

Ẹnu rẹ a rú,

Ẹni tó bá jẹ iyọ̀

Ẹnu rẹ a yọ̀,

Ẹni bá jẹ epo

Ẹnu rẹ a pò

Ẹ̀yin ò mọ pé Ẹni ba jẹ irú ni wọn ń pè ní Ẹrú,

Gbogbo ènìyàn tó bá jẹ irú ló ń di Ẹrù Ọba

 

Ogbè give back the items to its owner,

He insisted he will not give back the items to the owner cast ifá divination for a king,

He who eat tail will has his mouth to become a tail,

He who eat salt, will have his mouth salty,

He who eats palm oil will have his mouth become like palm oil.

Don't you all know that he who eats tail is the person they call a slave of the king because all people who eat tail become the slave of a king.

 

The name Yorùbá is something to be proud of anywhere, anytime and any day. Be proud, be bold and make it more prestigious.

 

Preserving our godly heritage is our concern

AIF MEDIA || YORÙBÁDÙNL'ÉDÈ

© Copyright, Israel Ayanwuyi, December 2017

Reach us:

Via email

Via facebook

Via WhatsApp

Via website