Oshún was the mother of three awoses, disciples of the Oluó Ikoñí: Teteregun, Ishu Omalabo and Ifá Eledá. Life went well for them and they had money to spare, which drew great envy to them.
Orunmila and the Oluó had marked several ebbós for them, so that the arayé would not reach them in the head and they would not end up ofo lerí. However, the eldest thought only of his corn and the second of his yam; only the youngest paid attention to what the Oluó said.
The eldest, Teteregun, did not do any of it and died; his shadow kept roaming and calling his brothers. He insisted so much that Ishu Omalabo, the middle one, fell ill in the head soon afterward and died too, to join him. Together the two shadows began to work on the head of Ifá Eledá, the youngest, until he felt that head as someone else's.
Seeing his son like this, Oshún called the Oluó Ikoñí. He consulted, Irete Kután came out and he announced that Ikú was after the young man. He performed an Oparaldo for him and gave him a warning: the yam and the corn hide in the earth and sprout, but whoever goes down into the earth does not come out.
Meanwhile, the shadows of the Egun, of Ikú and of Arun came out of the cemeteries and filled the homes of that town. No one was at peace, and sleeping was impossible because of the Egun.
After some time without seeing his son, Obatalá set out for the land of Buruku Yale. There he found many people with seizures and shattered nerves because of the Egun. Since he had arrived at night, he stayed in a house to visit his son in the morning, but the Egun did not let him sleep either. When he asked the cause, they told him that Okuburo spent his days in the territory of Yewá gathering the Egun, and for that reason no one rested.
Obatalá reached the territory of Yewá and found his son Okuburo there. Okuburo was glad to see him, greeted him with foribale and complained about the people of the place: only the Egun and Ikú understood him. Right then he offered jio jio as food to the Egun, and the shadows began to leave from there. Obatalá thought that this evil reached his son through Oyá, his mother, and that only she could save him, since Okuburo was losing his reason. He set out to find Oyá, carrying an agogó and three doves, and sang during the journey.
Oyá heard him and came out to meet him. Obatalá explained what was happening with Okuburo in Buruku Yale, and she said they should go to Orunmila. He had already consulted and Irete Kután had come out for him. He told them that they were very worried about Elegba, their son, who was always among all kinds of strange phenomena. They had to go to that town to rescue him and perform untefá on him, so that the place would calm down.
The three set out. On entering Buruku Yale they saw the people dazed and drowsy, while the Egun walked among the living. With a dove in his hand, Obatalá cleansed each one while singing, and the people began to wake up. They continued to where Okuburo was, and Oyá called him with a song from the entrance of the territory of Yewá.
Okuburo came out. The three took him, with the stone he kept in the land of Yewá, to a fragrant plant, and there Orunmila cleansed him with his own jio jio and sang to him. Then he led him to his house, performed untefá for him and Irete Kután came out again. It was ordained that Okuburo would never again set foot in the land of Yewá.
They also left an instruction for all the inhabitants: to keep away from the shadow of the Egun they must keep a basket of fruit under the bed, renewing it often, and a large plate of water with aro, so that the Egun would not recognize the place and would go back to their own.
From then on that place prospered and its inhabitants came to regard Okuburo, who from that day was known as Awó Kogda.
Neglecting the ebbó affects not only the one who skips it: the shadow of the dead can pass to the brothers and to a whole town. Doing what the elders advise and keeping simple precautions in the home helps the Egun stay away and calm return.
Each inhabitant must keep under the bed a basket of fruit, renewed often, and a large plate of water with aro. In this way the shadows of the Egun do not recognize the place and go back to their own.
Okuburo may not set foot again in the land of Yewá.
Oyá Jerijeri Jekua Iyani Bebewa Okuburo Iya Soku Onile...
Sarayeye Iworiwo Iwore Eggun Egbaroko Ma Baye
Okuburo Iña Cosi Cosi Elese Eyo Omo Sokun Omo Layini Iyansan
Sarayeye Labero Unló Ikú Bebewa Elegbá Lona...