Between A Man And A Babalawo (Ifa chief priest)

A man named Ogbenioja has been patronising a Babalawo named Ifalolese for many years for consultation, Ebo and Akose(special Ifa preparation for goodness). He was in abject poverty. At times, he would have no money for Ebo and Ifalolese, the Babalawo would use his money to buy materials and do Ebo for this man for the sake of love and friendship. One day, the Babalawo had prepared a special “awure ola(black soap for money) for himself, when his so called friend, Ogbenioja entered his shrine. He saw the awure and started pleading to the Babalawo to let him have the soap. The babalawo obliged thinking ‘after all he is my friend, if he is rich, i will benefit from him’. He sincerely offered him the soap. Eniyan…Oh human beings are at work’.

 
Miraculously, things turned around for the man. He became wealthy. He stopped going to the Babalawo’s house. He built a gigantic house and was doing house warming ceremony without inviting the Babalawo, Ifalolese. Despite non-invitation, Ifalolese decided to be there to wish him well for love and affection. He asked two friends and associates to accompany him. These two friends namely Osanyintolu and Oshowole are not Babalawos but Ogboju Onisegun(powerful native medicinemen/herbalists)

 
When they got there, on the gate, the celebrant, Ogbenioja, saw them and shouted in the presence of everybody that the gateman should not let them in. He called them unprintable names, dirty, mad, smelling old men etc. Who invite these undesirable visitors?. The babalawo and his 2 friends were perplexed and ashamed. They left the place in sadness. On the way, the 2 friends asked, do you call this man your friend?

 
The powerful herbalists continued, “we know you Babalawos are very soft, he did not only disgrace you but disgrace us as well. Please, leave him for us, and we shall show him what native herbs are all about. We shall deal with him mercilessly. The Babalawo’s protest was ignored. Before the end of that year, the man, Ogbenioja, had sold his house to take care of his terminal desease. He returned to be poor like a church rat. The mysterious desease killed him.
Do you blame anybody for what happened to the ungrateful man, Ogbenioja?

 
Let me hear your views
This is a true story given to me by my late father, Oloye Akano Fasina Agboola, the
the Araba of Lagos state 1984-1991. May my father continue to sleep well with
Olodumare and Orunmila. Ase.