Eyiogbe

nº 1 of 256 · Meyi · also Ogbe Meji, Èjì Ogbè

The father of all the signs: the light that opens the roads, the power of Orí and the double salvation.

95 patakíes 12 eewó 15 ebbós and works 18 proverbs

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Eyiogbe is Odù number 1 of the 256 in Ifá, one of the 16 Meyi and the head of the Ogbe family. It is also written as Ogbe Meji or Èjì Ogbè. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 95 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 15 ebbós and works and the signs it shows in the consultation — with the full eewó in plain sight; the detail of iré and osogbo and the full recipes open with The Notebook, in English.

The sign at a glance

Order in Ifá: Odù 1 of 256 · Meyi
Composition: Ogbe over Ogbe
In the Diloggún: 8-8 · Eyeunle tonti Eyeunle
Orishas that speak: Orunmila · Eshu / Elegba · Olofin / Olodumare · Obbatalá · Oggún · Shangó · Oshún · Osain · Olokun · Yemayá · Inle · Oshosi
Eweses of the sign: Mangle rojo · Palo bobo · Mano de pilón · Itamorreal · Ceiba · Orquídea · Ayúa · Bejuco ubí · Güira · Cundiamor · Coralillo · Orozuz · Iroko · Rosa cimarrona · Jobo · Romerillo · Almácigo · Granada · Algodón · Prodigiosa · Piñón de rosa · Atiponlá · Bleo blanco · Almendra · Canutillo

What Ifá says in this sign

Eyiogbe is the father of the 256 signs and the owner of the head (Orí). Here Ifá says that you were born to lead — but that the crown is won with humility, patience and obedience, not with force. The head carries the body, and one king rules a town.

Its story says it all: Eyiogbe arrived late to Olofin's dinner and, being hungry, ate a fish head that others had thrown away. Olofin crowned him on the spot: «if you eat head, head you will be». In this sign the one who bows down ends up ruling, and the one who thinks himself above the law falls like the rooster of Addie Miyeren: he trusted his influence with Obbatalá and the law came down on him just the same, even though the guilt was another's. The greatness of Eyiogbe is not put on display — it is shown by serving.

«If you eat head, head you will be: the one who bows with humility ends up crowned.»The pulse of Eyiogbe

This is the Ifá of the double salvation (Eji Mo Gbe): the newborn who spoke to save both his parents from poison. What comes in pairs protects him. But kindness has a rule: Eyiogbe did miracles for free, and that earned him the envy of the old diviners and a trial in heaven — he was cleared with an order that is the advice of the sign: keep doing good, but charge fairly. Help everyone; do not let people use you.

The warnings of this odu: do not get into other people's fights and do not carry messages — the majá collected a debt that was not his and came out hurt from the crab's cave. Take care of your heart, your spine and your eyes. Do not run before your time: the butterfly that flew too early burned its wings. And never deal with witchcraft: in this sign it makes a slave of you.

The last secret is the sacrifice made in time: of all the ones Eyiogbe advised, only the palm tree made ebbó — and it was the only one that turned green again. Once the work is done, the promise is complete: arikú (long life), victory over your enemies and the iré of the first king — the order and the stability that this sign brought to Earth.

The sign in one line

You were born to be the head: be humble like the one who ate from the ground and was crowned, do good but charge fairly, and do not fly too soon — the crown of Eyiogbe belongs to the one who knows how to wait.

The prayer of Eyiogbe · Yoruba

Orunmila ni odi elese mese, moni odi elese mese oni oko mese tire ko baja.

Súyere
Ashinima ashinima, iku fori boyema · Ashinima ashinima, arun fori boyema · Ashinima ashinima, ofo fori boyema.

Ifá says — what Eyiogbe tells you

The ashé of this sign: It is the first Odù and the male principle: father of all the signs, with a balance of forces that is a good omen. · It brings double salvation and double protection (Eji Mo Gbe): what comes in pairs protects you. · It is the owner of the head (Orí): the nature of a leader, a king and a guide. · Kindness, a good heart, intelligence, and gifts of healing and prophecy. · Prosperity is certain when the sacrifice is made in time. · Its greatest strength is humility, patience and obedience.

Proverbs of Eyiogbe · Òwe

“The head carries the body, and one king rules a town.”
“King dead, king crowned.”
“No cap can be more famous than a crown.”
“The elephant is very strong, but not strong enough to beat the wind.”
“While there is life, there is hope.”
“Wisdom is a crown that never falls.”
“Doubt stops you, temptation corrupts you, and the one who divides thinks he is winning.”
“It is not always the one who has the most who enjoys life, but the one who gives the most thanks.”
“Whoever wins by cheating ends up losing with a punishment.”
“Money sits on the head; debts hang from our necks.”
“The hand rises higher than the head only to protect it.”
“Whoever washes a pig forgets that the pig is a friend of the mud.”
“Evil can hide, but the poison of its fruit can still strike us down.”
“Greed is a knife that kills the greedy heart.”
“The fool swallows his laughter with tears when the wise man speaks.”
“It is a mistake not to learn from your mistakes.”
“The best answers are born out of contradictions.”
“A sweet can be too much, but it can never turn bitter.”

15 proverb interpretations in this Odù, locked.Every proverb explained: which road it comes from and how it applies.Unlock →

Iré and Osogbo

9 iré and osogbo readings in this Odù, locked.The iré and osogbo of the sign, sorted by subject — health, money, love, death, loss…Unlock →

What is born in Eyiogbe · Ìbí

The Itá of the santo.
Eyiogbe is the beginning and the order of all things; the reading of the Itá is set here.
Putting a piece of coconut under the left foot of the person who receives Itá.
It is part of the ritual of the Itá that is born in this sign.
The coup d'état.
Because of the power and the royalty of the sign (Eyiogbe becomes king).
The scattering of languages.
Eyiogbe rules the word; it is called «the Odù of the double language».
The rivers.
From the road where Eji-Alo and Oluweri joined together and became a river.
The blood vessels and the lymph.
The sign rules the movement of blood and lymph in the body.
That the Osain pot for the santo carries no fire.
Because Obbatalá took it away.
That the awó does not kill animals without asking Orunmila first.
By a sentence of Olofin about sacrifices.
That the awó of this sign and the awó of Ogbe Iroso never walk together.
A mark of the sign, to avoid conflict between the two roads.
That Olofin leaves the room of Ifá on the sixth day, after his meal.
From the road where Olofin walks away because of the smoke from the fires of men.
That Orunmila eats only black hen.
By a sentence of Olofin.
Giving water to the santos when they arrive.
Because they arrive thirsty (the road of Olofin and the children).
Washing the feet of the feathered birds that are sacrificed.
From the road of the land of Addie Miyeren, where the rooster died carrying a guilt that was not his: his tears formed the spring where Awó Orun washed his hands, and in his memory the feet of the birds are washed before they are sacrificed, both for Osha and for Orunmila. The animals of Egun and Osain are not washed.

What is forbidden · Eewó

The full eewó of this Odù, open to everyone — with the road each ban came out of.

When this Ifá comes out, stay home for seven days without going out.
This odu opens with death close by (Ikú osogbo); staying in keeps you away from tragedy while the danger passes.
Do not wear striped clothes.
Stripes look like the bars of a jail; this odu marks the risk of prison and loss of freedom.
Do not get into what is not your business.
From the patakí where the majá (eyó, the snake) lost its life for getting into other people's fights.
Do not take or carry messages at night.
So you do not get caught in someone else's mess or trap, like the trap Eshú set for two friends.
Do not enter any house without permission.
It comes from the patakí where Eyiogbe went through great shame; entering without permission brings shame.
Do not let children crawl on the floor of the house.
This odu protects children; crawling on the floor opens them to evil and to sickness.
Do not gamble for gain.
This odu marks loss (ofo): betting for gain leads you to lose everything.
Do not be a gambler.
For that same mark of loss, gambling leads to ruin and destruction.
Do not have three partners at the same time (one, two, or four, never three).
Eyiogbe lives on balance and on pairs; the number three breaks the harmony and brings tragedy (the patakí of the rooster).
Your partner should be of a different complexion than yours, as this odu says.
From the patakí where the light-skinned partner brought strength and prosperity to Eyiogbe.
Never get mixed up with witchcraft.
The treatise warns that witchcraft (osogbo ogú) can leave you enslaved.
Do not eat sweet potato, eggs, or guanábana (soursop).
These are the eewó (food taboos) of this odu; eating them draws in the evil they stand for here.

Ebbós of Eyiogbe · The sacrifices that open the road

MoneyEbbó to keep the business standing🔒 The Notebook MoneyEbbó of the Odù to settle your luck🔒 The Notebook LoveEbbó to calm and hold on to your partner🔒 The Notebook LoveEbbó for manhood and for the bond between partners🔒 The Notebook Keeping death awayEbbó for death to move away (Ikú unló)🔒 The Notebook Keeping death awayParaldo of Eyiogbe🔒 The Notebook LossEbbó against delay and loss🔒 The Notebook LossInshe of Osain for luck to arrive (iré umbo)🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesEbbó to beat your enemies (arayé)🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesEbbó to break with an enemy who is close to you🔒 The Notebook

10 ebbós in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes.Unlock →

Works of Eyiogbe · The workings of the sign

MoneyWork to prosper🔒 The Notebook LoveWork to solve troubles with your partner🔒 The Notebook Keeping death awayWork to push death away (ashinimá)🔒 The Notebook LossWork to Oshosi to open the road🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesWork to beat your enemies (arayé)🔒 The Notebook

5 works in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes.Unlock →

Patakíes of Eyiogbe · The roads of the Odù

1The head becomes king of the body

Orí, the head, was the only deity able to break Orunmila's kolá nuts, and for that she was crowned king of the body. Eyiogbe is the owner of the head.

In Heaven the deities were created without a head, because the head itself —Orí— was a separate deity. Orunmila wanted to have a complete body, so he went to the diviner Amure, who told him to pray for a head and to offer four kolá nuts, a clay pot, a sponge and soap. He warned him to keep the nuts unbroken, because an unexpected visitor would come to break them.

Eshú announced all over Heaven that Orunmila had four beautiful kolá nuts and was looking for someone to break them. One after another, all the deities —led by Oggún, and even Orishanlá— tried, but Orunmila told them they were not the right ones. At last Orí, the only one missing, who had not even been able to pay for her own sacrifice, came rolling up to his house. Orunmila went out to meet her, carried her in, washed her with the sponge and the soap and took her to his sacred place. Orí prayed for him, so that everything he did would come to pass; she prayed for herself, to have a permanent home and many followers; and she broke the nuts with a bang that was heard all over Heaven.

Then the hands, the feet, the body and the other limbs, which until then had lived apart, came together and decided to live with the head, and they crowned her king of the body. Because of what Orunmila did in that good fortune, the head touches the ground as a sign of respect to him to this day. And because he made the sacrifice that made the head king, Eyiogbe is the deity that owns Orí.

2The birth of Baba Eyiogbe (the double salvation)

The newborn spoke to stop his parents from poisoning each other with salt and palm wine. Because he saved two people, they named him Eyiogbe, «double salvation».

Orishanlá wanted a child on Earth, but his wife Afin did not want one so much. In Heaven, a spirit called Omonighorogbo asked Olodumare to be born as the child of both of them, to show the world what kindness is. Afin became pregnant and, as the months went by, her temper got harder.

A boy was born. That same day there was no food in the house and Orishanlá was late coming back from the field. Afin, furious, decided to kill her husband: knowing that palm wine was forbidden to him, she poured it into his drinking water and went out. When Orishanlá went to drink, the one-day-old child spoke: «Father, do not drink that water; my mother poured palm wine into it». Surprised, he listened, but in return he put salt —which was forbidden to her— into his wife's food. When Afin came back and sat down to eat, the child spoke again: «Mother, do not eat; my father put salt in it».

She screamed for help and the deities were called together. Oggún led the trial, because the usual judge, Orishanlá, was the accused. When everyone thought the woman was out of her mind —how could a newborn speak?—, the child cleared up the riddle by saying «Eji Mo Gbe»: he had come to Earth to save the lives of both his parents. Seven days later they named him Eyiogbe, «double salvation». That is why, when Eyiogbe comes out in the initiation, the materials for the sacrifice go double, and salt and palm wine are added to them in memory of that day.

3The miracles at the market: the man who could not walk and the blind man

On the way to the market, Eyiogbe healed a barren woman, made a man who could not walk get up and gave sight to a blind man, charging nothing. He taught that whoever hides his illness carries it to the grave.

At fifteen, Eyiogbe went with his mother to the great market of Oja-Ajigbomekon, where the beings of Heaven and of Earth traded. On the way he crossed paths with a woman and, without letting her speak, told her she had been carrying a pregnancy for three years that would not develop; he told her to make a sacrifice and, once she did it, he assured her that her problem was over.

Further on he met a man called Aro, who could not walk, who denied having any problem at all. Eyiogbe pointed his divining staff at his legs and the man stood up and walked for the first time. Then he found a blind man, who also denied his trouble; he pointed his staff at his eyes and the man got his sight back.

He healed them both without asking for any payment, telling them to follow Orunmila and never to hide their suffering, because whoever hides his troubles carries them to the grave and will never know when Olodumare answers his prayers.

4The one who ignores the advice to sacrifice🔒 The Notebook 5How he survived the anger of the elders🔒 The Notebook 6Eyiogbe goes back to Heaven to be judged🔒 The Notebook 7The marriage of Eyiogbe and the river Oluweri🔒 The Notebook 8The cow's head and the honor of the wife🔒 The Notebook 9The land of Addie Miyeren: the rooster carries the guilt of the Ibeyi🔒 The Notebook 10Olofin makes Eyiogbe the first king🔒 The Notebook 11The shame of Eyiogbe🔒 The Notebook 12The fight between Eyó and Ekán🔒 The Notebook 13The vulture condemned to eat carrion🔒 The Notebook 14The body got tired of carrying the head🔒 The Notebook 15The butterfly that flew too soon🔒 The Notebook 16The three powers of the shadow🔒 The Notebook 17The pilgrimage of Eyiogbe (the pygmies)🔒 The Notebook 18Eyiogbe helps a man win his court case🔒 The Notebook 19The barren woman who came to have children🔒 The Notebook 20The mountain holds off the attack of its enemies🔒 The Notebook 21Eyiogbe saves his son from the hands of Death🔒 The Notebook 22The mother of Eyiogbe saves him from evil tongues🔒 The Notebook 23Eyiogbe becomes king of the sixteen Meyi🔒 The Notebook 24The fight between Eyiogbe and Olofen of Ifé🔒 The Notebook 25Eyiogbe fights with Death🔒 The Notebook 26The traits of the children of Eyiogbe🔒 The Notebook 27The land of quarrels🔒 The Notebook 28The King's riddle for the Awoses🔒 The Notebook 29The poem of progress and prosperity🔒 The Notebook 30The wife who offended Eyiogbe (you do not kill the one who feeds you)🔒 The Notebook 31Everything must be done little by little🔒 The Notebook 32The fifty cowries (nobody will forget him)🔒 The Notebook 33Olomoagbiti, the banana plant, asks for children🔒 The Notebook 34The medicine against the abikú🔒 The Notebook 35The vulture that lived to a great age🔒 The Notebook 36The sun, the widely known one🔒 The Notebook 37Ore, the insolent wife of Agbonniregun🔒 The Notebook 38The breath and the honor (the water, the okra and the salt)🔒 The Notebook 39Orunmila becomes friends with Eshu🔒 The Notebook 40Orunmila courts the Earth (the two hundred dresses)🔒 The Notebook 41Orunmila marries Toro, the daughter of the Goddess of the Sea🔒 The Notebook 42The one who did not sacrifice and the witches destroyed him🔒 The Notebook 43The sacrifice of Eleremojú, the mother of Agbonniregún🔒 The Notebook 44The son's ikines help the mother🔒 The Notebook 45The sacrifice of Agbonniregún to have children🔒 The Notebook 46The farmer and the banana (ingratitude)🔒 The Notebook 47Oshún brings peace between the two towns (the engagement ring is born)🔒 The Notebook 48The four unmarried daughters of Odduwa🔒 The Notebook 49The five cents of Eshu🔒 The Notebook 50The crab keeps the Ifá of Orunmila🔒 The Notebook 51The rooster's crow drives Death away🔒 The Notebook 52Shangó forms the land over the sea (the first dynasty of Oyó)🔒 The Notebook 53The war between the son of Obé and the son of Ará (mourning is born)🔒 The Notebook 54Beginning and end of all things (Olofin brings heads)🔒 The Notebook 55The vulture carries the message to Heaven (that is why it announces the rain)🔒 The Notebook 56The birds that wanted to copy the eagle and the hawk🔒 The Notebook 57The head that was alone (the body is born)🔒 The Notebook 58Here the rivers are born🔒 The Notebook 59The betrayal of Eyiogbe against Oragun🔒 The Notebook 60Yemayá creates the whirlpools🔒 The Notebook 61The two brothers (envy in the government)🔒 The Notebook 62When Day tried to take the light away from Night🔒 The Notebook 63Divine justice🔒 The Notebook 64Animals are not killed without asking Orunmila🔒 The Notebook 65Olofin and the children🔒 The Notebook 66The pilgrimage of the hunted Awó (around the world)🔒 The Notebook 67Orunmila and the rooster's wife (why Orunmila only eats black hen)🔒 The Notebook 68The red rose and the sacrifice made in vain🔒 The Notebook 69The subjects of Olofin (the basket of gold coins)🔒 The Notebook 70Olofin climbed the hill at four in the morning🔒 The Notebook 71Adam and Eve🔒 The Notebook 72When Orunmila had nowhere to live (the hermit crabs)🔒 The Notebook 73Respect for the orange (Atandá, the first freed slave Awó)🔒 The Notebook 74The Creation🔒 The Notebook 75The reward from heaven🔒 The Notebook 76Aiye, the wife of Orunmila🔒 The Notebook 77Where the Ala Gba Nfo Gede was born🔒 The Notebook 78The power of forgiveness🔒 The Notebook 79The Awó with the bad temper🔒 The Notebook 80The people who turned against Orunmila🔒 The Notebook 81The crowning of Eyiogbe: king dead, king crowned🔒 The Notebook 82The followers of the governor🔒 The Notebook 83Orunmila helps the palm tree climber🔒 The Notebook 84The three brothers🔒 The Notebook 85Eyiogbe and Oyekun: where spilled blood comes from🔒 The Notebook 86The people with the itch and the hill🔒 The Notebook 87When Eyiogbe was running from his own government🔒 The Notebook 88The ungrateful people🔒 The Notebook 89Olerguere, the cheat and the trickster🔒 The Notebook 90The pact of the double priesthood🔒 The Notebook 91The ebbó as a successful sacrifice🔒 The Notebook 92The pact between Eshú and Ifá🔒 The Notebook 93Why Eyiogbe does not eat sweet potato🔒 The Notebook 94The harbor and the telescope🔒 The Notebook 95Eyiogbe and impotence🔒 The Notebook

92 more patakíes in this Odù, locked.Read every road in full with The Notebook.Unlock →

The full treatise is in English. With The Notebook, the whole sign opens on this page in English: the full text of every patakí, the recipes for the ebbós and works, and the iré and osogbo readings. · This page is also available in Spanish: See Eyiogbe in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Eyiogbe

What does the Odù Eyiogbe mean in Ifá?

The father of all the signs: the light that opens the roads, the power of Orí and the double salvation.

What number is Eyiogbe among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Eyiogbe is Odù number 1 of the 256 in Ifá, one of the 16 Meyi and the head of the Ogbe family.

Which orishas speak in Eyiogbe?

In the Odù Eyiogbe these orishas speak: Orunmila, Eshu / Elegba, Olofin / Olodumare, Obbatalá, Oggún, Shangó, Oshún, Osain, Olokun, Yemayá, Inle, Oshosi.

What is a proverb of the Odù Eyiogbe?

One of the proverbs of Eyiogbe says: «The head carries the body, and one king rules a town.».

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