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215 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett
His ensign of office consists of a string of beads of various colours worn always round
his left wrist; a cow's or bullock's tail which he always carries about with him; and a
staff which is sometimes an Opa Osu, i.e., a staff sacred to Ofu; at other times an Opa
Orerere, the Orerere staff, and at other times an Opa Osororo, or the Osororo staff.
The office is supported from regularly prescribed consulting and divining fees which are
sometimes and indeed often exceeded on account of what is thought to be the superior
financial position of an applicant for consultation of Ifa; the sacrifices and offerings
made to the gods; and gifts from those whom they serve which these account it a duty
and a privilege to make to them, especially at stated festivals.
The moral system of Yoruba heathenism teaches reverence to the gods, which is to
show itself in, amongst other things, a daily early morning worship to them before their
images before any business is done, the exercise of faith in them and their guidance and
other assistances by consulting them on all important matters; respect and reverence
for age and for all authority; filial regard and reverence for and obedience to parents-on
the part of children always, and care and concern for them under the infirmities of
sickness and old age, and in times of necessity produced by other circumstances; a great
regard for marriage and the perpetuity of the bond, submission to their husbands on the
part of wives, and care and protection on the part of husbands; the exercise of the duties
of hospitality to all, and especially to strangers; fidelity to friendship under all
circumstances; chastity, truthfulness in speech, honesty, kindness, and amongst some
tribes courage also; whilst under its influence murder and theft, and sometimes the
practice of witchcraft are punished with death; adultery and fornication with a severe
social disgrace and fines and a selling into slavery, and, where the honour of a king's
wife is concerned, with death sometimes; suicide, with a dishonoured burial; and
neglect and indifference to pay a debt, and insolvency, with much social dishonour; and
it discountenances, amongst other things, pride and vanity and extravagance.
Among these may be reckoned revenge and retaliation, hatred, jealousy, malice, ill-will,
worldliness, anger and wrath and selfishness, some of which have contributed to supply
a basis for the system of slavery and the slave trade, and for the life of Polygamy which
have ruled the country for centuries, and for the very long incessant inter-tribal
warfares which have ruined it.
The motives for virtue are a belief in a retributive providence, either for good or for evil;
the fear of social disgrace and of punishment also, which would fall not only upon an
individual wrong and evil doer, but upon his relatives and other connections also; the
prospect of a long life on earth, desire for prosperity, and dread of the anger of the gods
and of punishment from them.
It teaches that the soul of man is not liable to death, and that after the death of the body,
which results from its quitting it, it hovers about the earth for some time, and after this
departs into the world of spirits above. Hence the following parable referring to the
death of a Babalawo, and which is applicable to other persons also who have died:-"Awo
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