CHAPTER XIII

THE OLODUS/APOSTLES OF ORUNMILA

EJIOGBE or OGBE-MEJI

T
he most remarkable work of Ejiogbe in heaven is his revelation of how
the Head, which was itself a Divinity, came to have a. permanent
abode on the body. The Divinities were originally created
without the Head as it is today, because the Head itself was one
of the divinities.

The Head as a Divinity

The Awo who made divination for the Head, Ori-omo Atete Ni Iron
(hereafter called ORI) was called Amure, awo eba ono, who lived in heaven.
Orunmila invited Amure to make divination for him on how to have
a complete physical feature, because none of them (divinities) had a head
at the time. The Awo told Orunmila to rub both palms upwards and pray
To have a head (Dumusori in Yoruba or uhunmwun arabona in Bini). He was
told to make sacrifice with four kolanuts, clay bowl, sponge and soap. He
was told to keep the kolanuts on his lfa shrine without splitting them
because an inconsequential visitor would later come to break them.
ORI (Head) also invited Amure for divination and he was told to serve
his guardian angel with four kolanuts, which he could notvfford to buy,
although he was told that he would only begin to prosper after making
the sacrifice.
After making his own sacrifice, Orunmila left the four kolanuts on his
ifa shrine as he was advised to do. Thereafter Esu announced in heaven
that Orunmila had four beautiful kolanuts at his shrine and was looking for
a suitable divinity to break them.
Led by Ogun, all the divinities visited Orunmila one after the other,
but he told each of them that they were not strong enough to break the
kolanuts. They felt slighted and left him in annoyance.
Even Orisa Nia (God the Son) himself visited Orunmila, but he
entertained him with different and better kolanuts, remarking that the
controversial kolanuts were not meant for him to break. Since God is never
known to lose his temper, he accepted the fresh kolanuts given to him
by Orunmila and left.
Finally, ORI decided to visit Orunmila, since he was the only divinity
who had not tried to break the mysterious kolanuts, especially as he could
not even afford to buy the ones with which he was required to serve his
guardian angel. He then rolled up to Orunmila's house.
As soon as Orunmila saw ORI rolling down to his house, he met him
and carried him up inside the house. Orunmila immediately got the clay
bowl, filled it with water and used the sponge and the soap to wash ORI,

77
clean. After towelling him, Orunmila carried ORI to his shrine, and requested
him to break the kolanuts because theY--had for long been kept for him.
After thanking Orunmila for his honorific gesture, ORI prayed for
Orunmila with the kolanuts that whatever he did should have fulfilment
and manifestation. Next ORI used the kolanuts to pray for himself to have
a permanent abode and plenty of followers. ORI then rolled backwards and
charged against the kolanuts and they broke up with a very loud explosion
which echoed throughout the length and breadth of heaven.
On hearing the sound of the explosion, all the other divinities
immediately realised that the kolanuts at Orunmila's shrine had finally been
split and they were all curious to know who succeeded in breaking the
kolanuts that had defied everyone including God. When Esu subsequently
announced that the kolanuts had been split by ORI, all the divinities agreed
that the "Head" was the right divinity to do it.
Almost immediately afterwards, the hand, feet, body, stomach, chest,
neck etc., each of which before then had distinct identities, all assembled
and decided to go and live with the head, not having previously realised
that he was so important. Together, they all carried the Head high above
them and right there at the shrine of Orunmila, the Head was crowned
the king of the body. It is on account of the role played by Orunmila in
his fortune that the head touches the ground to defer and rever to
Orunmila to this day. That is also why in spite of being the youngest of all
the divinities, Orunmila is more important and more popular than all of
them.
For the son of Ejiogbe to live long on earth, he must look for
knowledgeable Awos to prepare a special bathing soap for him on the skull
of any animal. Ejiogbe is the patron divinity of the head because it was he
in heaven, that performed the sacrifice that made the Head the king of
the body.
Ejiogbe has turned out to be the most senior Olodu or Apostle of
Orunmila on earth although he was originally one of the most junior. He
belongs to the second generation of the prophets who volunteered to
come to this world in order, through examples, to make it a better place
for those living in it. He was a very benevolent apostle of Orunmila both
when he was in heaven and when he came to this world.

EJIOGBE leaves for Earth

Meanwhile, Orisa Nla was already in the world and was married to a
woman called Afin, who, unknown to him was not too keen on having a
child. But Orisa Nla desperately wanted to have a child on earth. At the same
time in heaven, Omonighorogbo had gone to the altar of God to wish to
come to the world as the child of Afin and Orisa Nla. He was also determined
to show the world what it takes to be benevolent and kind hearted. His
wishes were granted by the Almighty Father. After obtaining clearance
from his guardian angel, he left for earth.

The Birth of Ejiogbe

Meanwhile, Afin, the wife of Orisa Nla became pregnant on earth.
Traditionally, Orisa Nla forbade palmwine, while his wife Afin forbade salt.
Orisa kol mu emo. Afin koi je iyo. The pregnancy of Afin did not altogether
defuse the tension that existed between the couple. The woman became
even more pugnacious as her pregnancy advanced in months.
Nine months later — a male child was born. Soon after delivery, Orisa
Nla realised that there was no food in the house for feeding the nursing
mother. He quickly left for the farm to fetch yarns, okro and vegetables.
He was a bit late in returning from the farm, which infuriated the wife.
She began to complain that the husband had left her to starve on the very
day she delivered, and remarked that it was a confirmation that he had

78