Introduction
�Going by the explanation given by the Advanced Learner Dictionary, Destiny means, that which happens to somebody or something (thought to be decided beforehand by fate).
�Yoruba believed that there is Destiny, otherwise known as FATE, that is why they based whatever happens to them on this earth to be the way it has been destined.
�They also believed that there is God, the Creator of the Universe who we all called upon. It was in the heaven that we choose our destiny, but it is forgotten once on your way getting on earth. What happened in heaven before we came to earth is not what one can remember, but Destiny is like a shadow that follows man here and there.
�As we all come from heaven to this earth, the belief is that we were all followed with GOOD-LUCK and ILL-LUCK or bad luck, which represents Destiny on earth. As we all know, there is nothing without its former, this is why the Yoruba people used to say,
�tibi tire ni � da �le-Ay�~
which literally means,
�creation on earth is based on good and bad fate.�
�But out of these two, only Good-luck favors mankind while we try as much as possible to do away with the bad-fate.
�Doing away with the Ill-luck is what is known to be Rebirth or Recreation, that is correcting the mistake(s) in ones choice of Destiny, this is otherwise known as INITIATION
�One cannot do the initiation unless one gives his or her life to the Orisa, that is, gods and goddesses. God has given them the power to save souls and they are also capable of rescuing men from all ill-lucks and negatives. There, initiation done in Ifa is known as Ifa Initiation.�
Why is Ifa Initiation Necessary;
�In Ifa, it was stated that the process in choosing destiny is a hard task to the fact that no one can be so perfect not to have made one mistake or the other during the process. Ifa Initiation is therefore important so that one can make correction(s) to the mistake(s) one would have made during the choice of destiny.�
The Choice of Destiny
�As said earlier on, it was in heaven that we all choose our destiny and requested from God what we wished to take along with us on our journey to earth. The requests are always granted but the ill-luck is always around to follow whatever good God gives to man. Although man was sent to earth by The Almighty God, He made sure all the needs man wanted were provided so that man might achieve good results on earth. On this earth, we were all on errand, running errand (or assignment) for God Almighty. Once God has sent one on an errand and He provided for him all the needs, it is left to each individual to use his own brain and wisdom also given to him by God in achieving good result in life.
�Therefore, all individuals should know that they have been created by God � but each individual needs to recreate themselves. They should remember that ill-luck has followed their good-luck and they need to make correction to their life so that the ill-luck would be driven away. This can only be done through the help of Ifa Initiation.
�Another belief is that, whatever happens to man on earth happens according to one�s wish before he left heaven for earth. Because it is said that wishes were made according to likeness and taste, which made it different for each individual in the sense that where one is requesting money, another may say he doesn�t want anything to do with money. Some would request for good health, while some would not. This is how it is with other good things of life. So, as we have those who need one thing, we also have those that has nothing to do with it or just didn�t choose to have it, do with it, and just decided to get to earth. Each individual started to be in possession of what he requested for before he left heaven. It is important to note that no one would get easily what he did not request for, and such a person would be searching for such things in life day in, day out, forgetting that they did not ask for them in heaven.
A Yoruba Saying: �A kunle a yan Eda, A dele ay� t�n Oju n kan gbogbo wa-
Meaning: �we knelt down in heaven and made our choice of destiny, we started hurrying in life forgetting our choice of destiny.�
�This is what lent credence to this: There is correction to one�s choice of destiny so that ill-luck can be put aright. The Divinities can do it if they were called upon for help and solutions to human problems as far as one cannot find God Himself to discuss with, so that those who did not ask for one thing or the other in heaven can have them [on earth].
�Ifa, one of the Divinities, is known by the �Yoruba� as: �A tori Eni ti ko sunwon se�
meaning: �one who reforms bad heads� The Divinities also helps those who were blessed, so that they will be having more blessing.�
The Choice of Destiny
�To support the above claim about the choice of destiny, let�s now go into a verse from �Odu Ifa Ogbeyonu,� chapter TWENTY-FOUR of the apostles of Orunmila. In it, Ifa says there were seven duties one had to perform before he left heaven for earth. These assignments, Ifa says, were so difficult to the fact that no one can be so wise not to have made a mistake. They are as follows:
1) Divination
2) Performing of Sacrifice
3) Job distribution and giving Taboos by The God Almighty (Olodumare)
4) Digging the pit of loss
5) Removing the rag poverty
6) Wishes
7) Choice of heads
�These duties take place at four different locations according to the Ifa verse. The first and the second assignments take place at the Temple of Ifa with the Ifa Priests in attendance. The third part of the job takes place at the Palace of the Almighty God (Olodumare) while the fourth, fifth, and the sixth were to be done at the gate with the help of �ONIBODE� (The Gate-Keeper) who works hand in hand with �ARO� (The Authority). And for the seventh part of the job, it has to be done in compound of �Ajala� otherwise known as �Obatala,� the one who molds the heads of newborn babies.
�It is of importance to note that one would not know the meaning of these duties until after the completion, when one would be told. These assignments are termed �IPIN� meaning fate. Because Orunmila, also known as �Ifa� was present when all these were taking place, he�s been called �Eleri Ipin� (Witness of Fate). He is believed to know where everyone had made mistakes and can easily help in making the necessary corrections and amendments.
�For understanding, we shall now take the duties one by one and explain each of them in details.�
At the Temple of Ifa � Divination
�There is nothing we do on earth here that did not originate from heaven. As there were priests on earth, so also they were in heaven. Before one left heaven for earth, there is need for every individual to go for divination so as to know what life holds in stock for one. Advice would also be given and sacrifice would also be prescribed which would serve as guidelines or as a guiding light for that individual.
�Stubborness came from heaven � most people would not go for this divination not to talk of such people gaining any advice. When such people get to earth, they would be having problems over and over. That is why divination done in the grove during the proves of Ifa Initiation is very important, because it will stand in the place of the one supposed to have been done in heaven.
�Any of the �Odu-Ifa� (chapter) that comes out for the initiate in the grove will tell the past, the present and also the future. The initiate would also know what his mistake is, the taboo, what he�s doing wrong and what is needed to put everything right. This �Odu-Ifa� that came out in the grove is called and known as �Ifa ti o�Bini� meaning: �The Ifa that born one� and will be serving as guarding spirit to the initiate.�
Performance of Sacrifice
�The sacrifice which we are talking about here is prescribed by the Ifa Priest during divination. It has to do with how, or how long one�s life would be. The sacrifice, if performed, needed to be [put] to a special grove. Most people who tried and performed the sacrifice would not take it to the appropriate place as advised by the Ifa Priest. Only a few of them took the sacrifice to the grove. Some of them dumped it outside the priest�s house. These are the type of people who fall victim of premature birth, or died a few weeks after their birth. Some of them who dumped their�s some meters to the grove are those who died a the time when their family would need their help most; most people who tried to get the Entrance of the grove are the type of people who died when ripe from old age. But, a few who managed to place their sacrifice in the middle of the grove are, those who became very old before they died. The �Yoruba� called this set of people �ARUGBO,� shortened from, �J�eni ti o ru ebo tire sinu Igbo� meaning � �the one who placed his sacrifice in the grove.� Such people are called either �old man,� or �old woman,� depending on their sex.
�On the second day of Ifa Initiation, a special sacrifice is performed and taken to the grove where the initiation took place. This will serve the same purpose that the one suppose to have been done in heaven would have served. Taking this sacrifice to the grove will allow the Initiate to live long, because he now placed his sacrifice in the grove.�
�Ogbe-Alara� �A verse from �Odu Ifa � Ogbe Alara,� chapter twenty-eight of the apostle of Ifa supports this claim:
�It is me who will lead, It is me who will be on top.� Performed Ifa divination for Orunmila When he was taking his children To the grove of long life, He was advised to perform sacrifice which he did, He thereafter took his children to the grove and Came out in flying colors, He started praising his Ifa Priests. While they were praising Ifa And Ifa praising God Almighty �It is me who will lead, It is me who will be on top It was to the grove of long life I�ve taken my children It is me who will lead.�
�The grove of long life being referred to in this Ifa verse is the grove where Ifa Initiation used to take place. People who place their sacrifice in this grove are supposed to live long according to the above Ifa verse from �Odu-Ifa Ogbe-Alara.� Apart from this verse, we also have many other Ifa verses that support this claim. � 2000 "
Copyright� B�b�l�wo If�sola Onif�de. All Rights Reserved