The First 4 Awo that Ọ̀rúnmìlà initiated into Ifá; Akoda, Aṣeda, Ògún and Odùdúwà.

The First 4 Awo that Ọ̀rúnmìlà initiated into Ifá; Akoda, Aṣeda, Ògún and Odùdúwà.

Teaching given by Bàbá Odùdúwà through his medium/Ẹlẹ̀gún.

Yorùbá Olófista Tradition. ẸGBẸ́ ÓDÙN ỌLỌ́FIN The Spiritual Family of the Secret of Olófin.

Odùdúwà: Before Ọ̀rúnmìlà transformed (disincarnated), he marked on his Ifá board all the directions of the universe, from there would be where new seeds would germinate. Why are the 4 points or directions of the Ifá board (up, down, right and left) touched? Because Ifa is in all directions. If you are in the north, you will have to come and return to my house, If you are in the south, you will have to come and return to my house, If you are in the east, you will have to come and return to my house, If you are in the west, you will have to come and return to my house, If you are in the market, you will have to come and return to my house. Everywhere Ifa expands. Everywhere is Ifa. Everything is Ifa. Do you understand?

When Ọ̀rúnmìlà transforms or disincarnates, his three Diviners, Awo Akoda, Awo Aṣeda and Awo Ògún, remain. Awo Ògún decides to stay with me (Odùdúwà). Awo Akoda and Awo Aṣeda decide to continue with the mission of Baba Ọ̀rúnmìlà, and they are the first or the two Awo (Diviners) that are revered in any ritual Evoked to Ifá, Awo Akoda, Awo Asheda.

 Ògún decided to stay with me, many of the elders who came from Africa to America remembered and passed on this story, that is why in the Lukumi it is considered that a son of Ògún cannot pass to Ifa because Awo Ògún stayed with me. However, the first one to be consecrated in Ifá was Ògún.

Awo Idelkis: The first Awo Ifa were Akoda, Aṣeda and Ògún?

Odùdúwà: The first to be consecrated in Ifá was Ògún,

Ifalenu: Ògún was the first before Akoda and Aṣeda?

Odùdúwà: Yes. However, the first to be titled with a position closer to Ọ̀rúnmìlà was Akoda and Aṣeda, but they had not yet been initiated, they were sort of in a time of apprenticeship.

Ifalenu: But they were not yet initiated in Ifá?

Odùdúwà: No. The initiation of Ògún is given when the mixture or the amalgamation between Ifá and Òrìşà comes.

Ifalenu: Between you my father and Ọ̀rúnmìlà.

Odùdúwà: So, Ọ̀rúnmìlà gives me an Awo, a diviner, who was Ògún, and Ògún divined for me. There are ancient verses where it is said that the one who divined Ifá for me was Ògún.

Ifalenu: He divined for Olọ́fin Ayé which is the title of Odùdúwà in Ifá verses.

Odùdúwà: Ọyọ was west of Ilé Ifẹ̀, do you understand?

Awo Idelkis: After they initiated Ògún, Akoda, Aṣeda, then was it that they initiated you?

Odùdúwà: Àşẹ, YES, When the sharing of wisdom comes, it is that Ọ̀rúnmìlà determines that I had to be initiated in Ifá, and Ọ̀rúnmìlà had to receive deities from Òrìşà. Ọ̀rúnmìlà initiates me into Ifá.