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200 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett
"An Akin is the one we may strike for divination: we have: no right to strike an Odusu."
An "Adele," or a "Watch Akin," is that which happens not to be taken up with the rest by
a consulting priest, when he takes out with one grasp of the palm of his right hand 16
and 1 Odus from the number of ikins in his bag or from the face of his consulting bowl
for consultation and divination. This one, left behind, does the duty of a keeper of the
house for both himself and his comrades, till they should be returned to their place
again.
Ifa is known by a great many descriptive and attributive names, among which are the
following:-"Orunmila" (Heaven is the wise and successful Arbiter or Reconciler; again,
Heaven, knows him who will be saved or how to save), "Olodumare" (Olodun, Omoere,
Olodu, the son of Ere) "Ikuforiji" (the Being whom death honours and pays obeisance
to), "Olijeni" (the Master of the seventh (7th) day festival), "Oba Olofa Asun l'ola" (the
Ruler who draws blessing and prosperity after Him, and who sleeps in the midst of
honours), "Nini," ti ise "Omo Oloni" (the Possessor, who is -the Son of the greater
Possessor), "Erintunde" (laughing comes back to the world, or the Being whose advent
into the world has brought back the laugh of joy and gladness), "Owa" (the Being whose
advent into the world from heaven filled men with joyful and thankful surprise which
caused many to ask, "Is it Thou who hast come?" "Iwo li o wa?" and the Being from
heaven whose constant cry to all in the world is that they should come to Him), "Owo,
Alarun jarun" (the Parent who has given birth to five children and has lost none of them
by death), "Olubesan" or "Olu-li ibi Esan" (the Chief Avenger of wrongs), "Edu" (the Black
One, or the Great One whom, as tradition says, troubles have ma-de black), "Ope Ifa"
(the palm sacred to Ifa), "ljiki-ti ki f'ori ba le f'enikan" (the Being whom all honour with
the daily morning salutation, but who is above paying respect to any other being),
"Abakuwijo" (the Being whose power is so great that he calls death to account), "Baba ye
omo" (the Father who reflects honour on his children, or of whom his children may
justly be proud). "Okitibiri, a-pa-ojo iku da" (the Being who, turning himself over as it
were in a struggle, postpones for his client the day of death).
Divination is taken by a Babalawo on a highly esteemed broad circular bowl or four
cornered fan of a moderate size, which is generally covered with white flour from a dry
tree, and upon which he works, and with one of the fingers of the right hand imprints
certain signs, representing such Ifa representatives as may be left in the palm of his left
hand, after he has attempted with one grasp of the palm of his right hand to take up all
the 16, where they were all held. These small signs or marks which would represent a
number of efforts, and would be placed one after another horizontally would, according
to their number and respective positions, represent one or other of the principal or
subordinate Odus, or Divinities. From that Odu or Divinity, and one or other of the
traditional stories connected with it, and with the aid of lot casting and of Opele,
divination is taken and delivered.
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