History of Ọrun Ọba Ado

In Yorubaland there exists a site in Ile-Ifẹ called Ọrun Ọba Ado which is translated as resting place of Edo kings. Tradition has it that whenever an Edo king (Ọba) slept his head was sent from the Edo kingdom to this site for burial while a bronze replica was sent from Ile-Ifẹ to Edo where the rest of the body was buried. This is an indicator of the existence of a very close relationship between the Yoruba and Edo. Even though the reason for this practice seems to be shrouded in mystery, it can be reconstructed using the knowledge that the Yoruba and Edo are of Israel and Edom respectively, searching for similar practices that would have been recorded in associated historical records. Specifically, a passage in the Book of Jasher (referred to in Joshua 10:13 and 2 Samuel 1:18) points to the origin.

According to Jasher 56:48 – 57:5, when Joseph, his brothers, and their entourage from Egypt wanted to bury the body of Jacob in the cave of the field of Macphelah which Abraham had bought, which Isaac inherited, and which Jacob thereafter inherited instead of Esau (who had sold his birthright including this field), Esau and his children came and stood in the way of the burial procession while deceitfully laying claim to Jacob’s inheritance as his own. Upon seeing that the written record of the sale of birthright to Jacob was about to be presented Esau (also called Edom/Edo) and his children began to strive with Joseph and his brethren during which Chushim, son of Dan, son of Jacob, who was deaf and dumb, slew and beheaded Esau. The children of Esau thereafter fled from there with the headless body of Esau, while the children of Jacob pursued and prevailed over them.

Many centuries later, after the children of Israel and Edom migrated to West Africa and settled side-by-side in the region of Nigeria just as in ancient times, a serious issue arose in the Edo kingdom. It necessitated the people of Edo using Ifa (Ephod) to inquire of God for the solution – a particular person and son of Oduduwa had to become their first Oba (royal father / king) – previously, Edo kings were called Ogiso. Ọranmiyan (also called Ọranyan for short by the Yoruba; note that the true/ancient Hebrews used to refer to Jacob as Orion/Ọranyan) is the son of Oduduwa who became the first Oba of Edo (which he later called Ilẹ Ibinu or land of angry people), perhaps fulfilling the prophecy of Amos 9:12. After a while he left the Edo Kingdom and returned to Ifẹ but not before marrying an Edo princess who bore a son to him as the next Oba of Edo. From this period, whenever an Oba of Edo ‘slept’ and perhaps in recognition of the fact that the first Oba was from Ifẹ, his head was sent to Ọrun Ọba Ado in Ifẹ while the royalty at Ifẹ would send a bronze replica of that head to Edo.

It may not be farfetched to say that the existence of Ọrun Ọba Ado is like a repetition of history as both the Yoruba and Edo have always known themselves as brothers since the time they were born to Ajaka (Yoruba for Isaac). The intention for establishing the practice to this site may have been to serve as a reminder of Ile-Ifẹ as the spiritual cardinal point or home. Perhaps the children of Jacob/ Ọranmiyan, decided to bury the head of Esau/Edo/Idu somewhere in the land of Jacob’s inheritance to acknowledge that Esau was Jacob’s brother and thus a fellow descendant of Abraham/Oduduwa? (to whom Yehve/Yeve had given the covenant) and Ajaka/Isaac. Perhaps also in remembrance of this brotherhood and to eschew bitterness, the practice of burying the heads of Edo kings at Ọrun Ọba Ado in Ile-Ifẹ was established.

John the Baptist as Elijah – a Yoruba perspective

The anthropologist Dierk Lange has shown that the Yoruba people, core Ọyọ in particular, are of Israel, so the implication of this information is that Yoruba customs and beliefs can be used for Bible Study. The connection between John the Baptist and Elijah which has been misinterpreted by some is one out of many topics that can be studied with this fact in mind. Note that the people of the kingdom of Judah (Judaea), and Samaria, who would have provided apt elucidations were long ago slaughtered and some enslaved by the Romans and Byzantine forces during the Jewish-Roman wars and Samaritan revolts.

Before John was beheaded it seems he was not aware that he had been around previously as one of the prophets and he even denied being one of them (John 1:19-21).

He and Elijah were hairy and wore leather belts around their waists (2 Kings 1:8; Matthew 3:4) and turned the hearts of many back to God (1 Kings 17-40; Mark 1:2-5).

Thankfully, Ela (transliterated in Bibles today as El) known to the Yoruba as the Redeemer always knew him as He is the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9) and confirmed that John is indeed Elijah. The explanation for this can be found in the Odu Ifa of the Yoruba/Ewe.

When an individual is created, he goes to a particular place to choose his Ipin (destiny, set of goals to be achieved in one’s lifetime), commonly referred to as Ori-inu (inner head), and then presents himself to God. Thereafter he is born on earth but in the process forgets his destiny (though his spirit never forgets). His task on earth is to remember that destiny and work towards it.

Since Ela had told us via the Prophets (Malachi 4:5,6) that He would send Elijah to His people with the task of preparing His way, coupled with Elijah forgetting his identity upon being born as John but still accomplishing that same task, we can see clearly why John said he was not one of the previous prophets as his mind was not conscious of his identity as Elijah. According to Yoruba tradition Ela-Orunmila (Saviour) is said to be present as the witness when we choose our destiny and is called Eleri Ipin (Witness to Destiny), thus indicating that the Saviour said truly and plainly that John the Baptist is indeed Elijah (Matthew 11:4; 17:11-12). Moreover, it is hard to see the logic in the argument of some based on Luke 1:16-17 that John came in the spirit and power of and not as Elijah as this implies that more than one person can have the same spirit.

Matthew 17:11 Yeshua answered and he said to them, “Elijah does come first so that everything may end.” 12 But I say to you, behold, Elijah has come, and they did not know him, and they have done unto him everything whatsoever they wished; likewise also The Son of Man is going to suffer from them.

A common saying among the Yoruba is “we know the secret of the world” (Deuteronomy 29:29).

For more on Yoruba Philosophy see: The Yoruba Metaphysical concept of Ori

The name is Dawodu (not David) – Part II

Deciphering the name

Some weeks ago God gave me a very vital clue to ascertain the existence or not of historical/cultural relationship between the Biblical Israel and the Yoruba peoples, whether the Yoruba are of the scattered sheep of Israel or whether the suspected links are unfounded. The clue is the name Daodu, also spelled as Dawodu and the actual name for the man known today worldwide as David – please see “The name is Dawodu (not David)” where this was discussed. I was able to learn that the Yoruba use it more as a designation – for which the conditions are well stipulated and of common knowledge – than a name. I searched for the meaning knowing that “beloved” as suggested by the present occupants and their fellow Europeans is false. I asked my fellow Yoruba and Edo people but they were at a loss, which I took to be a symptom of stupor – having eyes to see and ears to hear but achieving neither (Isaiah 6:9-10; Acts 28:26-27) – and a test of how knowledgeable Yoruba people are of their mother tongue. Don’t get me wrong, even though I am one of the Yoruba people my grasp of the language is still poor but my appreciation seems higher that that of many fluent speakers. Going by the way Yoruba people and the Israelites name their children prophetically e.g. Moses, Joshua, Yeshua, I decided to use such as a yardstick for deriving the translation of Daodu. I did get a clue from VoodooDoll of Nairaland.com but it did not in my opinion fit the life experiences of Oba Daodu/David and the designation as applied by the Yoruba.

I prayed and asked for the meaning of the name (Daniel 1:17; 2:19-30, 47; 5) and shortly after, at 00.22 or 00.23 a.m. of ọjọ Abamẹta (Yoruba name for day of Decision/Three Tries/ Sabbath) 28^th of Ṣẹrẹ (January), 2012, the Source gave me the answer:

Daodu      →        Ẹni to da Odu lẹ

                                The One who established/founded/set down/gave us the Odu

or

                                The One who casts the configuration of the Odu

The Odu here refers to the Odu Ifa, the Ifa oracle and means of divination. There are 16 primary Odu all containing God’s message for the guidance of man. The diviner or Babalawo (father of secrets) prays to Ela (Spirit of Purity) for the success of the divination, tosses/throws/casts down a set of palm nuts of a special kind or kolanuts, and Ela responds with the unique Odu configuration which contains the message for the client. The translation above can be shortened to

                                Ẹni to da Odu

or quite simply as

                                Da Odu

without the message therein getting lost to those already familiar with the Yoruba language and customs.

Deeper translation: If the Odu represent creation, Daodu would mean ‘founder of the world’ or ‘He who founded the world,’ thus proving that Yeshua (cognate with Eshu) is the divine Daodu who indeed laid the foundations of the world (Job 38:4; Psalm 102:25, 104:5; Proverbs 3:19; 1 Corinthians 3:11; Hebrews 1:10; 1 Peter 1:20).

Role of Daodu

As previously described Daodu is a designation referring to the heir who is male, represents all the offspring of the family, and is accepted as the first among the sons and daughters, thus the most senior and qualified representative. Upon receiving the family inheritance he becomes the father of the family. Thereafter he shares it amongst his siblings whilst haven taken his portion and deciding what system to employ in this distribution. He settles disputes amongst the siblings and is the family representative whenever important matters arise as he makes decisions on behalf of the sons and daughters thus promoting unity. In short, he executes judgment and gives each person his or her reward.

Earthly Daodu

In the true Israel there once reigned an Oba (royal father/father of the people) whose name from birth was and is Daodu (erroneously called David). The use of Daodu as a name may have been quite peculiar in Israel at that as Oba Daodu (or earthly Daodu as used in the rest of this essay) is the person recorded in the Bible with names occurring once – this is not to say that all names in Israel must have been recorded in the Bible. If this is coupled with its use by the Yoruba as a designation the implication is that it must have been revealed as his name from heaven or what the Yoruba call Orukọ Amutọrunwa. Using such a lens to discern the veracity or not of Daodu as his true name, it can be seen from the descriptive above of the role of a Daodu that he did live it out as the:

• father of the people of Israel (1 Samuel 24:11,16);
• one who gave to each person his/her due reward whether rich or poor (1 Samuel 25, 30:22-26; 2 Samuel 1:1-16); and
• one who administered judgment and justice to all his people (2 Samuel 8:15; 1 Chronicles 18:14).

Therefore it can be seen that he was indeed born to rule over Israel (1 Chronicles 28:4; Ezekiel 34:23-24, 37:24-25).

Divine Daodu

From the structure of the Yoruba society and way of life including customs and traditions it can be seen that they are an image of that in heaven (Matthew 6:10) as described in the Odu Ifa. The earthly Daodu is also seen as a forerunner of the Son of God. Consequently the heavenly Daodu, the divine Daodu of creation, which He did point out severally.

He is the only begotten son of God (John 1:18), Moremi’s (known worldwide today as Mary, Maryam, Mariam and Miriam, Meri etc) firstborn son (Matthew 1:25), the Oba (Abba) of His people (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:2; John 12:13-15), the One who will reward each according to his/her works thus administering judgment and justice (Matthew 16:27; 20:1-16; 24:45-51; 25; Acts 17:3; Revelations 2:23; 22:12), the Heir (Matthew 21:33-41), the first to resurrect into incorruption and One to distribute the Inheritance to His elect (Revelations 1:5; 2:7,17, 22-28; 3:12,21), and the One to identify His people (John 12:36). In all these He fulfills the leadership role of the Daodu as practiced by the Yoruba, but with pure perfection that can only be divine.

There are certain behavioural traits that can be seen in the lives of the earthly and divine Daodu (before His entry into His glory). Prior to his sitting on the throne of Israel the earthly Daodu had as followers people who were in social distress and discontent, people who left all to follow him (1 Samuel 22:2), and he interacted freely with his people regardless of social status (1 Samuel 18:13,16; 22:2); the divine Daodu preached to the poor (Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 11:5; Luke 4:18), went in and out among His people regardless of social status and perception as saints or sinners (Mark 2:14-17), and had as disciples people who left all to follow Him (Matthew 19:27-29). Furthermore, the divine Daodu has told us that He will give the keys of Daodu, that is, His keys, to those who overcome. This He can do because the Father has handed the Kingdom to the divine Daodu (Isaiah 22:2; Matthew 16:19; Revelations 2:26-27; 3:7-8,21) who then shares His Inheritance to His elect (John 5:22-23; 16:15). He grants His elect access to the Kingdom by giving them His keys.

Another interesting observation is the administrative setup of Yoruba kingdoms. Here, the Oba has 200 mighty men to his left and another 200 to his right, which is believed to be in accordance with that in heaven – Olodumare (the Father) having the Igba Irunmọlẹ Ojutokun and the Igba Irunmọlẹ Ojukosi (or 200 divinities to the right and 200 divinities to the left) of His throne. It seems this was alluded to in 2 Samuel 16:6 when the earthly Daodu was described as having mighty men on his right and left, and in Matthew 20:20-23 and Mark 10:35-40 when the mother of James and John asked the divine Daodu to let her sons sit on His right and left in his kingdom. How did James, John, their mother, and the Yoruba people know about the Left and the Right? Could the divine Daodu have taught their fathers/ancestors? Orunmila did give to and teach mankind Odu Ifa where the Left and Right are mentioned. I wonder what the earthly Daodu’s esen’taye was like and if such was done for the divine Daodu.

Daodu and Odu Ifa

Ifa is said to be Oloduamare’s message to man which was brought to earth by Orunmila who is Ibikeji Olodumare (Vice-Gerent of the Omnipotent), and according to Dr William Bascom, the oracle based on 16 basic and 256 derivative configurations of Odu which are obtained either by the use of sixteen Ikin (palm-nuts) or the Ọpẹlẹ (chain) of eight half-seed shells. The custodians of Yoruba tradition assert that Orunmila gave the Odu Ifa to man after a particular incident when one of His disciples insulted Him. After the act of disrespect He returned to heaven in indignation. Confusion prevailed on earth humbling the people who sent His disciples to plead with Him. When they found Him and asked for His mercy He did not come back to earth but gave them 16 palm nuts to use as the oracle in consulting Him for any good thing on earth. This is when Orunmila, who the Ifa devotees have known as the Word of God and Oyigiyigi ota omi (Everlasting Rock), set down the Odu Ifa for man’s use. He is said to be Ela’s first incarnation on earth and has been known to the Yoruba as the Saviour and Redeemer long before the European invasion of Africa but is not the same European Christ that the oyinbo tried to propagate. The European Christ is nowhere near the Biblical Messiah else the Europeans would never have enslaved, colonized and perpetrated holocausts for centuries against Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 15). Neither would they have been propagating acts of racism and materialism all over the world (Genesis 15:16). Ela appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Since the Redeemer is the divine Daodu and He was born as Oba to rule over all Israel and the world (John 18:33-37), the earthly Daodu who was born to rule and redeem Israel from enemies must have been associated with the use of Ifa as well.

Ifa in the Bible

Words like Ephod, Epha, and Epher are thought by some to be transliterations of Ifa. This linguistic similarity can be used to trace its use in Israel as recorded in the Bible.

1 Samuel 23: 2, 4, 6, 9, 12. The earthly Daodu carried the ephod in his hand and used it by himself to inquire of God concerning certain decisions. This is similar to the way many Babalawo today still carry their divining instruments like the ọpẹlẹ when going from place to place.

Figure 1: Ifa Divination instruments – the diviner’s bags on the wall and the divination tray just below (Source: Hamill Gallery of Tribal Art)

1 Samuel 30: 7-8. Here, the earthly Daodu used the ephod by himself to inquire of God. He did not get anyone else to do that for him, thus indicating that he had learned the practice of divination and was a Babalawo.

Figure 2: Awise Wande Abimbola, World Spokeperson for Ifa performing the divination with the special ikin or palm nuts in his left hand (Source: www.modernghana.com)

2 Samuel 6: 14; 1 Chronicles 15: 27. The earthly Daodu wore a linen ephod, most likely as the Levites did and as the Babalawo still do today, and perhaps to identify himself as a diviner.

Figure 3: Araba Ifayemi Elebuibon (Source: National Mirror)

Figure 4: Awise Wande Abimbola, World Spokeperson for Ifa (Source: alashock.com (http://www.alashock.com/2011/11/pope-benedict-xvi-met-with-non-believer.html))

Figure 5: Diviner’s Bag, closed (Source: Hamill Gallery of Tribal Art)

Figure 6: Diviner’s Bag, opened (Source: Hamill Gallery of Tribal Art)

Figure 7: Beaded Diviner’s Bag (Source: Hamill Gallery of Tribal Art)

Exodus 28:33-35. The Levite Priests had bells as part of their apparel which may have looked like the pictures below of Ifa priest bells.

Figure 8: Yoruba artwork of a priest, dated to the 14th century, front – notice the breastplate and the bells (Source: Andrea Jemolo; see also Nairaland and The Continuum Encyclopedia of Native Art: Worldview, Symbolism, and Culture)

Figure 9: Yoruba artwork of a priest, back (Source: Andrea Jemolo)

Figure 10: Ifa bell (Source: Hamill Gallery of Tribal Art)

Figure 11: Ifa bell (Source: Hamill Gallery of Tribal Art)

1 Chronicles 25: 8; 26: 13-16. Lots were cast to determine and schedule the duties of the musicians and gatekeepers, probably using the ephod as the Ifa divination instruments are perfectly suitable for obtaining yes or no answers from the divine Daodu.

Figure 12: Babalawo and Onilu Chief Ifaniyi J Abiodun Aborisade Ogunleye performing divination with the opele (Source: alogbolesioderemo)

Some other congruencies

Healing in the Bible and Ifa. In a verse of Okonron-Turupon, one of the 16 principal Odu, Orunmila is described as having mastery over the medicinal use of herbs since all herbs are said to belong to Him. This mastery appears to be visible in a prophecy (Revelations 22:1-2) about the leaves of the tree of life being used for the healing of nations. Herbs which are used in original medicine for healing consist mostly of leaves.

Offering of first fruits. Ifa devotees observe the annual New Yam Festival which is the presentation of the first fruits of the land, yams specifically, as an offering to Orunmila and no other, to give thanks, and is quite similar to the Biblical Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:29-43). It is however very much unlike the cash generating festivities of many churches.

Thy Kingdom come. In verse 7 of the Eji Ogbe it is mentioned that Orunmila will come to earth to bring a new order and that He would not return to heaven. This seems similar to the promised coming of the Biblical Messiah to rule the world forever.

The Wife (quite speculative on my part). There’s a verse from Oṣe’Tura, one of the 16 principal Odu, in which A-ji-ma ṣoro is named as Orunmila’s wife. Her name is translated as Impiety which describes well the behavior of the Messiah’s wife as written in Jeremiah 3 and Ezekiel 23:4. Also, there is the story of Iyawo.

Consulting the oracle

One of the crimes committed by the people of Biblical Israel against the Father was asking the prophets for the response of the oracle and the culpable prophets responding likewise that the oracle said this or that (Jeremiah 28:33-40). It appears this goes on amongst the Ifa devotees who talk about consulting Ifa instead of consulting God, this can be checked by visiting reading soft and hard texts of Ifa verses and their translations into English

Ifa and Christianity among the Yoruba

I saw myself walking on what appeared to be a street or stalls in a market preaching with a Bible in hand and coming from the opposite direction and walking past me was another person preaching with Ifa. As he walked past I turned around and listened to what he was saying, only to notice that we were saying the same thing but going in different directions. This is what was shown to me in a dream, what I saw. Maybe it was just a dream, maybe not, time will soon tell. My understanding of it is that the Yoruba/Ewe people both in West Africa and in the Daispora need to seek the Father with all our heart (not hearts) and soul (not souls), as one nation, before the divine Daodu redeems us as prophesied since the time of Abraham, Moses, the Psalms, Prophets and John (Genesis 15; Deuteronomy 30:1-14; John 11:52). Seeking the father this way would be comparable to the type of revival that occurred in the kingdom of Judah when and where the divine Daodu preached the Gospel.

However, the Christianity sold to the Yoruba by the Europeans seems to be for the purpose of mental slavery, exploitation and domination by the latter. The result is a sizeable portion of the Yoruba populace who follow Christianity and that see Ifa as evil and demonic. This is a brainwashing from thinking that fair skin and equates to white, good and light, and dark skin equates to gloom, doom and evil. The false perception is perpetrated using various means including the electronic media with which the Babalawo are frequently, erroneously and maliciously depicted as Oso (wizards). It also seems many of the Babalawo do not help matters with what appears to be their various accounts, misinterpretations perhaps, and edits of the Odu verses.

Nevertheless there is evidence both in the Bible and the Odu Ifa which show that Orunmila is Ela and Ela is the Son of God.

Orunmila’a Oriki as modified from Dr Abosede Emmanuel’s Odun Ifa:

Orunmila, Eleri-Ipin

Orunmila, Witness to man’s choice of Ori (destiny) at the beginning of the individual’s existence (compare with Revelations 1:5; 3:14)

Ibikeji Olodumare

Vice-Gerent of the Father

Ajẹ-ju-Oogun

One whose power surpasses magic/sorcery by far

Oluwa mi a-to-bajaye

Our Master/Head, savior most powerful

Ọrọ a-biku jigbo

Mysterious power that challenged and defeated death (compare with the Resurrection (Ephesians 4:8-10))

Ogege a-gbaye-gun

To You salutation is due first thing each morning

Odudu tin du ori emere

You are the Equilibrium that adjusts evil in favour of good

A-tun-ori-ti-ko-sunwọn-se

Compassionate Master that changes man’s fortune from bad to good (compare with the Biblical Messiah’s Gospel including His works and miracles)

A-mo-iku

To know you is to become immortal (compare with John 3:16-18)

Ọlọwa-ayere

Master whose Kingdom has no end (compare with Revelations 5:13-14)

Agiri-ile-il’ọgbọn

Perfection of wisdom

Oluwa mi a-mo-ti-mo-tan

­Infinity of knowledge

A ko mọ ọ tan, ko ṣe

Our imperfect devotion to / knowledge of You leads to futility

Aba mọ ọ tan, iba se

Our perfect knowledge of You leads to success/bliss/prosperity

Oyigiyigi Ota-inu-omi. This can be translated as Everlasting Rock or Rock of Ages that lays on the river-bed unperturbed, eternal, never wearing away.

Eleri-Ipin. Yoruba tradition has it that before a man is born on earth he goes to a certain place to pick his Ori (destiny/fate/life experiences) and presents himself with his choice to the Father. Thereafter he is sent to earth to be born and make the most of his choice. When his days are up he has to give account to the Father about his use of that choice of Ori (compare with 2 Timothy 4:1). Orunmila is believed to be present when man makes this choice.

Ibikeji Olodumare. As Vice-Gerent of the Father, Orunmila is perfectly positioned to witness the presentation by man of his choice of destiny and can thus give each person his due reward. My understanding of this position is that as the divine Daodu He is seated at the Father’s right hand (Psalm 110:1; Matthew 22:41-46) from where He sees what the Father does (John 5:19-20) and from where He learns from the Father concerning His Inheritance.

A-tun-ori-ti-ko-sunwọn-se. By virtue of Orunmila’s position as just discussed He is able to help man in achieving his destiny and steering him aright.

Various other titles (modified from Dr Abosede Emmanuel’s Odun Ifa) as gleaned from some Odu verses are associated with Orunmila – :

Ap ọjọ-Iku-da

He who the span of human life in His hands

Baba Ajakuru kurubete

Little Mighty Father

Laaku Ọgẹgẹ

The Immortal One that climbed the Ẹgẹ tree

Banso Elewuu banjini to fi gbobo ara l’oju ka?

Banso, who is blessed with the all-seeing eye

Alaiku ọmọ-a-ye-l’ohun-kere

He who is blessed with eternal life and abiding health

Ẹlẹṣin Oyan

Royal Knight of the City of Oyan

Adagba ojomu

First citizen of Ojomu

Okinkin ti i jẹ eyin Erin o fọn?

Master whose name is the sound of the elephant’s trumpet

Ẹdu

Black One (His symbol is said to be the ikin which are black in colour)

Ẹrigi?

Mighty Master

Emi ti d Araba, mo ti diti, Apa araye wọn o tun ka temi

I am the infinite circumference of the Baobab tree that no man’s arms can embrace

Indicator of erroneous translations

The name David as pronounced and popularized around the world is fictitious and the product of deviating transliterations of Biblical names and the racism against Abraham’s descendants who are presently called Negroes. Those perpetuating this error, claiming that David means beloved include the Amorites that enslaved Abraham’s descendants for 400 years (Genesis 15), including the cuckoo Jews (Revelations 2:9; 3:9) who took leading roles in this horror. David is one evidence of plagiarism of the cuckoo Jews and European/oyinbo in changing and watering down Biblical words. As these Jews are not the original speakers of the tongue they claim they speak their difficulty in understanding certain Hebrew words is not surprising. Another example is the name Aaron for which they have not yet confidently supplied its translation.

Daodu in Yoruba king lists

Daodu is a very unique and special name that deserves special attention and study within the Yoruba community. As Daodu is hardly used by the Yoruba as a name there is the likelihood that the earthly Daodu might have been given a different name at birth. If so there is the consequent possibility that this other name features in Yoruba (perhaps Ife) king lists in place of Daodu and that the people of Israel might have been calling him Daodu in recognition of his position as first among the children of Israel – a similar situation occurred sometime ago in Abeokuta when the father of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was popularly referred to as Daodu instead of his actual name.

OLODUMARE – an exploration of an apt appellation

The Title

OLODUMARE is a title the Yoruba people use in referring to God Most High. It means Owner of the womb or tabernacle of creation, which is in agreement with the praise from Melchizedek and Abraham to Him as recorded in Genesis 14:19-22. It is also said to mean Spirit can be used in place of Owner as they are interchangeable, a confirmation of what the Son of God has told us (John 4:24). Odu means calabash but in this context is more appropriately translated as womb while mare refers to the rainbow and by implication the whole spectrum of creation. Note that Olodumare and Eledumare are the same, the prefixes Olo and Ele translated as Owner. Evidence that Olodumare is a title and not a personal name can be seen in titles of Yoruba royal fathers otherwise known as Oba of kings. For instance, the Oba of Epe is known as the Elepe of Epe, the Oba of Osi as the Olosi of Osi, the Oba of Ibadan is the Olubadan of Ibadan, the Oba of Ketu is the Alaketu of Ketu, the Oba of Sabe iis the Onisabe of Sabe, and so on. In fact, such is common in the Yoruba tongue like oloshi which means owner of poverty/bad luck and olowo or one who possesses money/wealth/riches.

Womb of creation and womb of woman

All of creation is thought to have been brought forth from this womb and thus it is very potent. However it cannot bring forth creation by itself as the Owner has absolute control over it and knows its secrets and mysteries, having established it – they are one. As such it can be seen how the Messiah performs miracles as He is knows these secrets and through Him everything that was made were made (John 1:10). His apostles were able to perform miracles because He gave them the authority (Acts 1:1-8).

This is what I’ve gleaned from the various Yoruba accounts of creation. The beginning of time was when God Most High brought forth Odumare or creation out of Himself, not surprising as He has the power and unquestionable authority to do so. He replicated this act upon creating man in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). Therefore man can do works in likeness to that performed by Olodumare, and the act of bringing out the feminine principle out of man could be performed with man, but man cannot do this by himself. The Messiah has demonstrated this likeness with His resurrection from the dead as He has the power to do so but man cannot by himself hence He will do this for him. This is why Olodumare had to perform this act of bringing out the feminine principle for man in taking out a rib from Adam thus bringing out the feminine principle or woman who houses the womb (Genesis 2:21-23). Among the Yoruba is the awareness that the woman’s womb is powerful, serving as a divine connection between orun and aiye or heaven and earth.

The importance of the womb is illustrated across non-Arab Africa with the placing of charms and medicines inside gourds, the storage of water and other liquids inside calabashes, the preparation and storage of foods inside pots, and the use of containers generally, and involving the actions of filling, emptying, replacement, retention, protection, renewal etc. all symbolizing the renewal and bringing forth of goodness from the womb.

God Most High as the Father

It therefore follows that the Son of God who the Yoruba know as Ela (El) speaks truly in referring to Olodumare as the He and Father, and not Father/Mother nor IT nor She as some persons including some Ifa devotees have argued. Many of the teachings in the Bible are explained in Ifa as the former contains the history of the Ewe/Yoruba people to whom Ela gave the Ifa divination; but the Christianity that was brought to Africa by the Amorites/Gentiles (oyinbo – the trans-Atlantic slave traders and colonizers of Africa; Genesis 15:13-16; Deuteronomy 28:68; and Ezekiel 34:29) is not according to the teachings of the Son of God. Ifa devotees should know better and not throw away the baby with the bathwater.

Marriage

Marriage between a man and a woman brings the two together as one, which perhaps can be seen in the processes of meiosis, coitus, pregnancy and conception, mitosis and the birth of a child or children. Yoruba tradition has it that mankind was chosen to bring forth goodness from the earth on and renew the earth; hence the Yoruba word for mankind is eniyan (a concatenation of eni and ayan), translated into English as chosen ones. This role becomes stunted and stymied when the womb, phallus and marriage are defiled via lewdness, lust, fornication, rape, adultery, pre-marital sex, extra-marital sex, homosexuality, and all forms of sexual immorality and the likes.

Since man is made in Olodumare’s image and likeness, the husband is the owner of his wife’s womb and by implication the head of the family while the wife supports and indeed ought to submit herself to him as Paul rightly taught in 1 Corinthians 7:7 (gbese le). She ought not to compete with but help him (Genesis 2:18) as creation (Odumare) cannot compete with the Creator (Olodumare) to whom every knee bows and every tongue confesses. This is not an excuse for the husband to abuse his wife as the Creator is neither the author of confusion nor discord. Rather, Olodumare works in perfect harmony with Odumare – harmony is necessary for music, the language understood by all men, and in this can be seen why dance and song or the fruit of the lips of men are important in praise, why both Dawodu (the man after Olodumare’s heart and who does His will) and the true Israel are strongly associated with music, and why the holy language as spoken by His people is tonal containing the tones of the universe.

Not too long ago among the Yoruba people, mothers trained their daughters to prepare and present themselves as prospective mothers with undefiled wombs useful in facilitating the bringing forth of goodness here on earth. The training included the understanding of the virtue of wives submitting to their husbands and nurturing their families. Sons were also trained to respect women and treat them with love and care. This has been vastly eroded to day as many mothers and daughters now seek to present themselves primarily as sexy and sensual. They employ a lot of suggestive body language and pick out apparels (Zephaniah 1:8) to wear with the aim of bringing out or flaunting their shape/figure and tempting men. It seems this misplacement of priorities has been fuelled by the adoption of oyinbo (Amorites) notions of romance of which they expend vast sums to promote with instruments like images and videos with outlets like Hollywood.

Furthermore, Olodumare has prepared a Kingdom for His Son (Psalm 110:1) which is consummated in the marriage of the Son to His bride, Israel (Judah + Israel; Jeremiah 3; Ezekiel 23:4). The Son has even taught us to pray for the will of Olodumare to be done on earth – the Son always does the will of His Father as the Son does not go to the Father void.

Much more can be seen in the title OLODUMARE (John 21:25). Sadly, many Yoruba people today who speak the tongue with fluency still seem to be in a state of stupor, having eyes to see but not seeing, and ears to hear but not hearing, else they would easily perceive and understand the things that make for their peace, and the language’s messages, lessons, and length, breadth and depth (Isaiah 6:9-10; Acts 28:25-28).

Here is some interesting information from Negro_Nations of Nairaland to ponder over:

On the 12, the only thing I know is the transcedental formation and symbolism of the number itself.  Sometimes we see it represented in arts to speak to the essense of human divinity and particularly of the 1-2-3 transition. It is also voiced in some Ifa verses where different attributes are given to cosmic energy opening up its blessings and grace through the 1-2 balance.  In the arts presented by anonymous on the bronze head, go and look. . . .there is a artwork of the King standing on one foot, the other foot interlocked with the two feet of the Queen. . . and their three visible feet is connected or grounded or rooted or planted into mother earth. . . .the garden of growth and prosperity.  The Queen has her fingers pointed downward in a message.  The Matrix!  She becomes the rod, the conduit, the womb, the gateway, through which the energy of 1-2-3 flows into manifest.

Image taken from Galery Peter Herrmann.

Physical Appearance Of The Amorites Of Genesis 15:16

I was able to get this from the relevant Wikipedia page history. This section was deleted on 27 October 2011 and is no longer in the current version. I tried restoring it on 8 January 2012 but within 4 minutes a certain Ian Thomson undid my edit – subtle cyber racism? The internet archive can also be used to extract extinct webpages.

The Egyptologist Flinders Petrie and Assyriologist Archibald Henry Sayce analysed Egyptian illustrations of what they identified as Amorites (Amurru) depicted as “white skinned, blue eyed, fair haired”.^[7][8][9] According to Sayce (1889):

The Amorites… were a tall, handsome people, with white skins, blue eyes and reddish hair, all the characteristics, in fact, of the white race.^[10]

Sayce further discovered a painting in a tomb (No. 34) at Thebes, belonging to the Eighteenth Dynasty which illustrates an Amorite chief with “white skin and red-brown hair”.^[11][12] Henry George Tomkins (1897) an Exeter clergyman and member of the Royal Archaeological Institute also wrote the Amorites were blue eyed and fair haired.^[13] Easton’s Bible Dictionary also contains an entry stating the Amorites are “represented on the Egyptian monuments with fair skins, light hair, blue eyes, aquiline noses, and pointed beards.”^[14] The Encyclopædia Britannica, 13th ed., vol. 1, 1929, also contained a physical description of the Amorites from Egyptian illustrations:

Egyptian illustrations of the New Kingdom show the Palestinian Amorites to have been a race much more like the Northern Europeans than the Semites; long-headed, with blue eyes, straight noses and thin lips.

1. [10]^ Sayce’s The Hittites, quoted in The Bible Dictionary: Your Biblical Reference Book, Matthew George Easton, Forgotten Books, p. 309.
2. [11]^The Races of the Old Testament, A. H. Sayce, Kessinger Publishing, 2004, p. 113.
3. [12]^Patriarchal Palestine, A. H. Sayce, Echo Library, 2006, pp. 15, 48.
4. [13]^Abraham and His Age, Henry George Tomkins, Kessinger Publishing, 2004, p. 105.
5. [14]^ Also cited in James Hasting’s Dictionary Of The Bible: Supplement — Articles, The Minerva Group, Inc., 2004, p. 77.

Origin of the “N” word

I came across this article by Baba Ahmed about the “N” word that was notoriously used in racist contexts and have decided to re-publish it here primarily for the benefit of my fellow “Nigerians” and “Negroes”.

FROM NGR to ******

N-G-R, NIGER, NEGRO “******”: THE N WORD FROM DIVINE TO RACIST

N-G-R, NETYR, NIGER, NEGRO, ******, *****; THE ORIGINS OF A SACRED WORD TO ITS DEFILEMENT

N-G-R, NETYR, NIGER, NEGRO, “******,” *****, THE ORIGIN OF A SACRED WORD

“Thou shall not take the name of the Lord, thy God in vain,” is one of the ten commandments, yet, the racist term “******” a derivative of the original name for God, “N-G-R”(pronounced “Net-ger”) is continually used and taken to insult. The term “******” has its origins in the sacred and divine title for “God,” and came from the Egyptian WORD FOR GOD. That word is “Net-yer” or “Net-ger” from which the English terms “nature” and “nurture” came from. The idea of God being nature and nature being God, comes from the African and Egyptian idea of what God is which shows down to the similarities in the terms used to describe aspects of the Godhead.

THE SACRED “N” IN THE AFRICAN AND AFRO-ASIATIC LANGUAGES

The letter “N” is one of the most important prefixes in the African, Afro-Asiatic, Indo-Negroid, Negro-Australoid, Melanesian, Australian Aborigine, Austric, Kong-San (Bushmanoid), Sudroid languages. In fact, the sacred “N” as in “Ni-han” (Rising Sun) OR “NG” as in “ChaNG,” (ChaNGo in Manding-Congo), “Ndong” in Vietnamese (Ndongo (Angolan Kingdom) in African Manding-Congo languages) is also found in both Chinese and Japanese. In fact ancient Chinese, Vietnamese, South Indian, SriLankan, Melanesian, Australian Aboriginal and modern Japanese show strong similarities to Bantu (proto-historic Sahara, Niger-Congo), languages (see “African Presence Early Asia,” by Ivan Van Sertima and Runoko Rashidi) See also the works of Clyde A. Winters also go to http://community.webtv.net/nubianem (HISTORY TIMELINE) and http://www.cwo.com/~lucumi/runoko.html

The letter “N” is also the word that denotes any title pertaining to human beings. In fact in Bantu or Niger-Congo and Cushic languages, the letter “N” is found as the first letter in many names. For example the name “Ndaba,” = “counsil” while the name “Ndabaningi” is the first name of Africans in region thereof.

HOW THE WORD FOR GOD, “N-G-R” (Net-ger) became Niger, Negro and “******”

The ancient Egyptians called their Pharaohs “N-G-R” (Net-ger) because the Egyptian Pharaoh was seen as a representation of the sun and the Sun God. The original Pharaohs who were pure Black Africans SAW BLACK SKIN AS SACRED AND A DIRECT BLESSING FROM THE SUN GOD, ATEN. In fact Blackness and black skin became associated with God and the sun. BLACK PEOPLE WERE POWERFUL, CULTURALLY ADVANCED, MILITARILY SUPERIOR, BLACK/DARKBROWN IN COMPLEXION, STRONG STATURE, TALL AND DESCRIBED AS A “HANDSOME” RACE , (SEE HERODOTUS, “THE HISTORIES, DESCRIPTIONS OF “ETHIOPIANS” OF AFRICA AND SOUTH INDIA).

The recognition of the Pharaoh as a living God and the black skin as a blessing spread worldwide to other cultures. In fact the term “Net-ger” became the Ethiopian “Negus” or “Negashi.”

In the Sudroid (Indo-Negroids of India) languages of India, which are part of the Cushite branch of the African languages, the term “Naga” denotes original or first.
In fact, in ancient India, the people with the blackest skins were respected and held to igh esteem, unlike today where the racist, colonialist and alien concept of “varna” or castecolor racism places Sudroids, Indo-Negroids, Black Tribals, Dalits, Negro-Australoids and other BLACKS AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF iNDIAN SOCIETY.
See www.dalitstan.org/books/sudroid

The term “Ngola” (Angola) means “King” in the Angolan languages. This term was mistaken by the Portugese to mean the DESCRIBE “Ndongo,” the kingdom.

The first people to corrupt the term “N-G-R” were the Roman invaders of Egypt who may have heard the term used to describe the
leader of Egypt or Nubia. The term “Niger” was later used to mean any Black/Negroid person that the Romans saw in Africa or anywhere else.

The Romans tried to invade Nubia during the early years of the Christian Era. Then, Nubia-Kush was ruled by a line of Queens called “Ka’andak’es (Candace). One such queen and her son defeated the Roman army at Aswan, (see http://community.webtv.net/paulnubiaempire ) Egypt and burned the Roman Fort.
AND CARRIED THE BRONZE HEAD OF ROMAN EMPEROR AGUSTUS TO THE CUSHITE (NUBIAN) CITY OF NAPATA.
The Romans colonized and spread the Latin language to Europe. Due to this linguistic influence, the Latin term “Niger” became “Negre” in French and “Negro” in Spanish.

The English colonialists and slave entity borrowed the term “Negro” from the Spanish. The term for Black people in England before Shakespeare was “Moor” or “Black-a-Moor.” The English slave owners degraded and defiled the entire name by turning the Negro into a slave and turning the original term “Ned-ger” or “God” into the racist term “******.” One can say that they have insulted the sacred name for “God” and have oppressed the original people created by God. This phenomena is due to their own sense of inferiority.

LIST OF NAMES FROM THE ORIGINAL TERM FOR “GOD” AND “NEGRO/BLACK”

N-G-R (net-ger) Ancient Egyptian for God

Net-tyr (Net-ger) Khemitic/ancient Egyptian = God, Sacred, Nature

Net-tyr (Net-ger)

Negus (Nee-goos) Ethiopian term for “Emperor.”

Negashi (Nee-gah-shee) Ethiopian term for “Emperor or King.”

Niger: Roman/Latin term for Black or Negro

Negre: French for Negro or Black

Negro: Spanish for Black

“******” racist, corrupted term used to insult, degrade, enfuriate.

*****: (pronounced “nig-gah), used as a term of endearment by some youth; rejected by others as sounding too close to the racist term “******.”

Netzer (as in Nazerine) Hebrew for “root, original)

Naga (South Indian and African term) (Black Negro tribes of India and Africa – Sudan to Nigeria) = original

Nagaloka – The Black Negro, Negro-Australoid, Indo-Negroid/Sudroid
lands and people in Asia (India to Indonesia)
(see more from the book, “Nagaloka,’ by M. Gopinath (Dalit Sahitya Akademy, Bangalore, India) also see “A History of Racism and Terrorism, and Overcoming,” at www.xlibris.com

Ndaba (Manding-Congo/South Africa) = A counsil of wise people, kings, chiefs, ect.

Ngola (Manding-Congo) = “King/Lord”

Nkosi = God (Zulu, South Africa)

Ngosi = blessing (Ibo, Nigeria)

Nyamekye = God’s Gift (Akan, Ghana)

Nile (Egypt, Sacred River)

Niger (West Africa; Sacred River)

Niger (country in West Africa)

Nigeria (country in West Africa)

Nugarmatta: Term used by Africans of Ghana Empire to call themselves (see writings of Ibn Buttata — National Geographic Magazine

So this is the true story and origins of the “N” word.
NEVER FORGET THAT THE WORD “******” CAME FROM THE KHEMITE/EGYPTIAN TERM FOR “GOD” AND AND THAT WORD IS “N-G-R” OR “NET-GER.”

iN CONCLUSION, IT IS TIME THAT NEGROES, PAN-NEGROES (PAN-AFRICANS, MELANESIAN NEGROIDS, INDO-NEGROIDS, NEGRO-AUSTRALOIDS) AND BLACKS WORLDWIDE START BELIEVING THAT THE NEGRO IS OF THE GODHEAD AND SHOULD START BELIEVING IT, HAVING SELF-CONFIDENCE, BELIEF IN SELF AND IN ABILITY.

IT IS TIME TO REVIVE AND RETURN TO BLACK/NEGRO RELIGIONS THAT HELP DEVELOP THE MIND, BODY, SOUL, SPIRIT AND THE BELIEF IN SELF, RATHER THAN IN ANOTHER PEOPLE’S SHRINES, HOLY BOOKS, HOLY LANDS AND GODS OR IN RELIGIONS THAT PREACH OF BLACKS BEING “CURSED” OR PREACH “BROTHERHOOD” ON ONE SIDE OF THEIR FACES WHILE COMMITTING ETHNIC CLEANSING, SANCTIFIED RACISM AND GENOCIDE ON BLACKS.

Further reading:

• http://www.raceandhistory.com/cgi-bin/forum/webbbs_config.pl/noframes/read/127
• http://uignorant.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-word-for-god-n-g-r-became-nigger.html
• http://uignorant.blogspot.com/2008/03/power-of-word-and-half-truths.html

In the 4th generation

Luke 21:8

He said, “Watch out that you don’t get led astray, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is at hand.’ Therefore don’t follow them.

In Genesis 15 Èṣú/YEshua/Ela, the Word of Yeve/Yehwe/Yihwe/Olodumare, appeared to Abraham to assure him of his great reward and a son as heir which he believed and thereafter asked for a sign (verses 1-8). Ela told him to prepare an offering and he fell asleep just before dusk but this rest was not ordinary. Ela showed Abraham the things that would happen to his descendants (Hebrews) including their sins, punishment and redemption.

The punishment included enslavement for 400 years in the Americas and Western Europe (collectively referred to as Egypt in Deuteronomy 28:68). Also mentioned is the assurance from Ela that He will judge the nation whom Abraham’s descendants served, and the identity of this nation as of the Amorites. Records from antiquity have it that the people of this nation have Albinoid features including fair skin, blond hair, straight hair and hooked noses. The Yoruba people call them oyinbo — a person whose skin appears to be peeling from bee stings. In addition, the Crusaders (Gentiles) of Europe accurately fit this description and indeed they not only pillaged, raped and enslaved the Hebrews (Ewe) but raped other nations as well including the native Americans, the Australian Aborigines and other Aborigines elsewhere.

The context in which nation is mentioned in this chapter refers not to physical borders but to a people. Thus the Amorites are the people who carved up Africa at the Berlin conference, and have been involved in sorcery, materialism, the set up of a global economic system that draws wealth from all nations to themselves, racism (including the erroneous association of light and dark skin complexions with light/purity and evil/demons/savagery respectively), arms deals, scrambles for crude oil, and setting Abraham’s descendants against themselves. They are the indigenes of the United Kingdom, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and their beneficiaries and the cuckoo Jews. Note also that many of the Arabs of today or the Jihadists have also been enslaving and committing acts of racism and genocide against the Hebrews. Many called themselves Christians but did not accept that the same way thy judged others is how they would be judged (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43).

Ela told Abraham that these horrors would not occur during his lifetime (Genesis 15:15) but after as the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete (Genesis 15:16). Furthermore, He showed Abraham the period during which HE will redeem the Hebrews after which Abraham rejoiced (John 8:56). Specifically, HIS day (commonly referred to as the Lord’s day) of redeeming HIS people is sometime in the 4^th generation. HE has also given us the length of a generation in Numbers 14:33-34; Deuteronomy 1:35 which is 40 years. Note that around 120 years have passed since the end of that horrible trans-Atlantic slave trade, implying that we are in the 4^th generation though the exact year of the end of that crime has yet to be conclusively ascertained. Hence the 4^th generation is sometime between the beginning and the end of the 4^th generation – or 121 to 160 years after the 400 years of slavery. The signs are already ominous as the Amorites have begun to prepare to obliterate themselves with creed and implements of war including IeZeus and Jihadist doctrines and evolution. Nevertheless, Ela’s day will not occur after the 160^th year. Interestingly, HE tells us in Numbers 14:18 that HE visits the iniquity of the fathers to the 3^rd and 4^th generation.

This is not to say that all or most of the Amorites are condemned as HE tells us that HE will judge their nation. If only the Amorites would be still and consider HIS Love, the reason for which HE said that HE has gone to gather those sheep which are not yet of His fold to be one with His sheep (John 10:16). One thing for sure is that no man knows the day or the hour of His coming.

Romans 11:24

For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Romans 11:25

For I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,

Sssh…According to the custodians of the Ifa Scriptures, Orunmila says the number 16 or erindilogun is the complete perfect number, the complete square number.