Odu Irete Otura: What to learn from Ifa in this beautiful story

Ire n´íwájú
Ayọ a sì ma gb´èyìn
Adífá fún Ìyá Òkín
Abù fún Ìyá Olókoṣẹ
Ẹbọ wọn ní wọn ó se
Ìyá Ọkín nì kan ló gbẹbọ
Órúbọ

Translation
Blessings at the front
Joy comes in through the back way
Casted Ifa for Peacock’s mother
Also casted Ifa for Olokose´s mother
They were advised to offer Ebo
Only Peacock’s mother complied…

Peacock’s mother and Olokose’s mother were both queen. Peacock’s mother was the small wife while the other woman was the old wife and her son(olokose) was the older son, Okin(peacock) was the younger son of the family.

Okin’s mother will always woke him(Okin) up as early as 5am in the morning to followed their father’s slave to farm, while his brother Olokose would still be sleeping and snoring like a pig.

It got to a stage that Okin had to ask his mother that: “mother! Are you sure I’m the true son of this king? Am I a bastard?” His mother smiled and replied “you are not a bastard my son, the king is truly your father, but believe me, there’s reason for everything. All I’m doing now is only for your own good in the nearest future”

As years passed by, waking up as early as 4am or 5am was already Okin’s way of life while his brother Olokose always wake up around 11am or 12noon as the son of a king and heir to the throne.

As time goes, the king passed away. Olokose was next to the throne. Message was sent to Olokose’s mother that in the next seven says, those who will install the new king wish to see Olokose because they want to give him something. He should come meet them at where they use to install king as early as 4am very early.

Olokose’s mother was disturbed because she knew her son always woke up around 11am or 12noon. How will he make it to meet those elders as early as 4am. They started practicing. They thought since they have seven days, they can practice it.

The first day, Olokose tried and he woke up around 9am. The next day, he woke up around 11am and so on. As time was passing by they had just 3days left. They knew Olokose could not make it there by 4am. They decided to send Okin to go help his brother collect whatever the King’s men which to give to him(Olokose).

Okin’s mother went to consult Ifa concerning the issue that should she allowed her son to embark on the journey. The Babalawo told her “YES’ she should allow him go.

On the D-day, Okin woke up as early as 2am, got dressed up and went to meet the king’s men at where the king will be installed.

As Okin got there, the King’s men were so surprised and asked him surprisingly that “where is your brother?” And he replied them that he’s the one that sent him here to help him collect whatever they have to give him because he could not make it there.

The issue was that if anybody should come meet the King’s men at that place, they must install the person as king immediately. Olokose was supposed to be installed as king but since he could not come, they gave Okin a black soap to bath with. Immediately Okin bathed with the soap, all his cloth and look changed immediately and a beautiful big crown grew out of his head. He was surprised. The King’s men told him that “since your brother could not make it here, you are the new king of this community.

As he was going back home, people were dancing and rejoicing with him. Song filled the air, it was the noise of jubilation that woke Olokose from sleep.

To cut the long story short, Okin(peacock) was installed as the king of all birds.

As people were rejoicing, Okin begged them that he wished to sing. The song goes thus:
Iya omo
Lo l’órò omo ooo
Iya omo
Lo l’órò omo
Iya Okin Ru ooo
Omo di ol’ola
Iya omo
Lo l’órò omo

Translation
A child’s mother
Is the wealth of her child
A child’s mother
Is the wealth of her child
Peacock’s mother offered sacrifice
And peacock became wealthy
A child’s mother
Is the wealth of her child.

Olokose also said he wished to sing. The song goes thus:

Iya omo
Lo losi omo o
Iya omo
Lo losi omo
Iya Olokose o Ru o
Omo d’olosi
Iya omo
Lo losi omo

Translation
A child’s mother
Is the downfall of a child
A child’s mother
Is the downfall of a child
Olokose’s mother did not offer sacrificed
And her child became worthless
A child’s mother
Is the downfall of a child.

As this story goes, it’s cleared that it’s how you trained your child that will determine his/her future and at the end, you will have to face either the pain or the gain.

I pray Ifa will make all parents the wealth of their child and not the other way round. Ase!!!
About Aboye!!!

 

Ifa University Lecturer,
Popoola Owomide Ifagbenusola‎