Ogbe Obara (Ogbe Bara): Meaning & Story

Ogbe Obara, Ogbe Bara: Ifa Olukoso Arabambi

Ifa pe oun pe ire isegun ati ire eyonu fun eni to da Ogbe Obara. Ifa pe ebo ni ki o ru.

Irula ko se omo inu re se pele
A d'Ifa fun Olukoso la'lu
Arabambi a fi igba ota se'gun
Eyi ti yi oo fi alapa se'gun ota re
L'ojo ti Olukoso la'lu nbinu.
Irula ko se omo inu re se pele
A d'Ifa fun Ogbe
L'ojo ti o nlo ree be arira

Ni akoko ti Ifa so yii, awon ota yaju si Sango, ni Sango ba binu si awon ota re nipa riro ojo ina le won l'ori. Awon ota ko gbadun mo, ni won ba ro'nu titi wipe tani yi oo ba awon be Sango. Ni won ba lo ke si Orunmila wipe ko wa lo ba awon be Sango.

Won bo orisi-risi nkan ti enu nje pelu igba (200) orogbo, obuko kan. Ni Orunmila ba ko gbogbo nkan wonyi lo si odo Sango. Bi Sango se fi oju ri orogbo, ni o ba yonu si awon ota re, o l'oun ko ni binu si won mo. Bi Orunmila se kuro l'odo Sango ni ojo su.

Orunmila pelu ojo lo pada wo'le. Ojo to ti nro gbigbona, tutu ni o ro. Lati ojo yii ni Sango ti yonu si awon ota re. Orunmila ni:

Irula ko se omo inu re se pele
A d'Ifa fun Olukoso la'lu
Arabambi a fi igba ota se'gun
Eyi ti yi oo fi alapa se'gun ota re
L'ojo ti Olukoso la'lu nbinu.
Irula ko se omo inu re se pele
A d'Ifa fun Ogbe
L'ojo ti o nlo ree be arira
Ogbe ni o be arira, ojo ni o bose awo.

English Translation

Ifa declares that it calls forth the blessings of victory and favor for the one for whom Ogbe Obara appears. Ifa says they should offer sacrifices.

Irula was not gentle with her child
This was the Ifa cast for Sango,
The god of thunder, who uses 200 enemies to gain victory,
Who will overcome his enemies with great strength,
On the day Olukoso was in anger.
Irula was not gentle with her child
This was the Ifa cast for Ogbe, On the day they were going to beg for mercy.

At this time in the Ifa narrative, enemies had risen against Sango (Olukoso), and in his anger, he struck them down by unleashing fiery rainstorms upon them. The enemies became desperate and decided to seek a mediator who could plead on their behalf before Sango. They sought out Orunmila, asking him to intervene.

The enemies brought various offerings, including 200 bitter kola nuts and a goat. Orunmila took these items and went to Sango's abode. When Sango saw the bitter kola, his anger subsided, and he declared that he would no longer be angry with his enemies.

After Orunmila left Sango's presence, the skies darkened, and rain began to fall. Orunmila returned home with the rain, which changed from a scorching storm to a gentle, cool shower. From that day, Sango showed favor to his enemies.

Orunmila said:

"Irula was not gentle with her child"
This was the Ifa cast for Olukoso Arabambi
who uses 200 enemies to gain victory,
Who will overcome his enemies with great strength,
On the day Olukoso was in anger.
Irula was not gentle with her child
This was the Ifa cast for Ogbe, On the day they were going to plead for mercy. Ogbe pleaded for mercy, and rain cleansed the leg of the initiate.

Ogbe Obara, Ogbe Bara: Ifa Aagberi

Ifa pe oun pe ire aiku fun eni ti o da Ogbe Obara. Ifa pe ebo ni ki o ru. Ifa pe oun yi oo ba se'gun ota.

Ogbe barabara laa n g'eti
Sonso ori e l'oogun
A d'Ifa fun Aagberi oga
omo akan'run ma yun-un
omo akan'run ma lo
omo akan'lekun orun gbon-gbon-gbon ma re
l'ojo ti won nranse iku pe e l'orun

Aagberi ti Ifa s'oro re yii ni awon ota po fun, ti o si nla ala buburu. Ni o ba mu eeji kun eeta o lo si oko awo. Won ni ebo ni ki o ru.

Won yan an l'ebo, o ru'bo. Ko pe awon ota tun bere si ni pe ri re. Won pe'ri re tikti ko da won l'ohun, bee ni ko si ku, kaka ki o ku awon ota re ni won nku, ti ibi si mba won.

Lo ba nyin awon Awo, awon Awo nyin Ifa, Ifa nyin Eledumare O ni bee l'awon Awo oun wi pe:

Ogbe barabara laa n g'eti
Sonso ori e l'oogun
A d'Ifa fun Aagberi oga
omo akan'run ma yun-un
omo akan'run ma lo
omo akan'lekun orun gbon-gbon-gbon ma re
l'ojo ti won nranse iku pe e l'orun
A npe Aagberi l'orun
ko je
agogo Ide nro ke
O lorun ti'kun.

English Translation

Ifa declares that it brings the blessing of longevity and victory over enemies for the one for whom Ogbe Obara appears. Ifa says they should offer sacrifices.

Ogbe says we climb the hill with struggle,
On the top of the nose is sweat,
This was the Ifa cast for Aagberi, the Chameleon,
The one who got sick but is not sick,
The one who got sick but won't die,
The one who knocks fiercely on the door of heaven,
On the day death was calling him to heaven.

Aagberi, as Ifa describes here, was surrounded by enemies and suffered greatly. Despite this, he fought through the struggles and challenges, symbolized by climbing the hill with sweat on his face.

He was sick but didn't succumb to his illness, and despite knocking on heaven's door, he refused to enter. Following the prescribed sacrifices, his enemies fell, and he emerged victorious.

Instead of him perishing, his enemies did. He praised the Awo (priests), and they praised Ifa, and Ifa praised Olodumare. The priests declared:

Ogbe says we climb the hill with struggle,
On the top of the nose is sweat,
This was the Ifa cast for Aagberi, the Chameleon,
The one who got sick but is not sick,
The one who got sick but won't die,
The one who knocks fiercely on the door of heaven,
On the day death was calling him to heaven.

Divination Instruction

Ifa declares that it will not allow the hands of enemies to overpower the one for whom Ogbe Obara appears for in divination.

Ogbe Obara, Ogbe Bara: Ifa Igbin, Eku, ati ejo

Ifa pe oun pe ire aiku fun eni ti o da Ogbe Obara. Ifa pe ki eni na o ma se aigboran, ko si ma dejaa. Ifa pe ki o ru'bo.

Opipi ye die die ki o le baa r'apa bo eyin
A d'Ifa fun eku
Ti nje ni morin afon
Opipi ye die die ki o le baa r'apa bo eyin
A d'Ifa fun ejo
Ti nje ni morin afon
Opipi ye die die ki o le baa r'apa bo eyin
A d'Ifa fun igbin
Ti nje ni morin afon

Awon meteeta yii ni won ni ki won o ru'bo ki iku ma baa pa won. Abe afon ni won fi se ile ti won ti ma nje ni abere.
Won ni iku nbo o, ki won o ru'bo. Iti ree agbede meji afon ni o wa. Iti nleri fun won wipe ko si nkan to jo iku ti yi oo de ba won ni ile oun.
Ko si nkan ti o nbo ti ile ko gba duro. Ki won o ma daahun.

Ninu awon meteeta yii, igbin nikan ni o ru'bo. Ko pe ategun lile de, ki o to di wipe iji de, igbin ti fi enu la ile o ko Si abe ile, o fi yanrin bo ara re. Ko pe, ko jina, afon duro o ja kuro l'ori iti, o ba jalu eku ati ejo nile: o pa won. Ko le de odo igbin.

Bayii ni iku ko pa igbin ti eku pelu ejo fi aigboran pelu eja dida ran ara won ni orun osan gangan. Lati igba yi lo ti di ikilo fun eniyan ti eniyan ba nleri wipe: so'ra a re o iti ko r'ori gba afanduro.

English Translation

Ifa declared that it was bringing long life for the one who received the Ogbe Obara. Ifa advised that the person must not disregard the warning and must not be dismissive. Ifa also instructed them to offer the necessary sacrifice.

Opipi chicken lays small eggs so she can protect them.
Ifa was cast for the rat,
Who was eating beneath the Afon tree.
Opipi chicken lays small eggs so she can protect them.
Ifa was cast for the snake,
Who was eating beneath the Afon tree.
Opipi chicken lays small eggs so she can protect them.
Ifa was cast for the snail,
Who was eating beneath the Afon tree.

These three animals were told to offer a sacrifice to prevent death beneath the Afon tree, where they built their homes and fed in its shade. They were warned that death was approaching and that they should heed the advice and make offerings.

While the rat and the snake ignored the warning, only the snail offered the sacrifice. Soon, a strong wind and storm approached. The snail, cautious, buried itself beneath the earth, shielding itself with sand.

Meanwhile, the Afon tree collapsed, crushing the homes of the rat and the snake, killing them. The snail survived because it heeded the warning and acted wisely.

Since that time, it has been a lesson for people that when warnings are given, it is wise to heed them: "Beware, for the tree may not be able to withstand the coming storm."

Ogbe Obara, Ogbe Bara: Ifa Ajidewe Edu

Ifa pe eni ti o da Ogbe-Bara, Ifa pe ebo ki aisan ma ba se ni ko ru, ki o ma se fi eti palaba ebo re.

Asese yo odundun
Nii f'ara jo eti adete
A d'Ifa fun ajidewe Edu
Ajidewe Edu ni a npe Orunmila.

Ara oun o le, bayii ni o da Ifa si. Won ni ebo ni ko'ru ki aisan ma ba see mo.
Orunmila bere ebo, won yan an l'ebo: Orunmila ru'bo. Lati ojo naa ni Orunmila ko ti se aisan mo.
O wa nyin Eledumare Oba l'orun.

Asese yo odundun
Nii f'ara jo eti adete
A d'Ifa fun Ajidewe Edu
Ajidewe Edu ni a npe Orunmila.

English Translation

Ifa declared that for the one who receives Ogbe-Bara, they should offer a sacrifice to prevent illness and must not neglect their offering.

"The bloom of the Odundun tree"
Resembles the ear of a leper.
Ifa was cast for Ajidewe Edu,
Ajidewe Edu is another name for Orunmila.

Orunmila was experiencing physical discomfort, and it was during this time that Ifa was cast for him. The message was clear: he must make a sacrifice to prevent the illness from persisting. Orunmila consulted Ifa, and a sacrifice was prescribed for him.

He complied and offered the required sacrifice. From that day onward, Orunmila was never afflicted by illness again. He then praised Olodumare, the Sovereign of the heavens.

"The bloom of the Odundun tree"
Resembles the ear of a leper.
Ifa was cast for Ajidewe Edu,
Ajidewe Edu is another name for Orunmila.