Odara Ni Awó came into the world in Oguala Yebela, a land ruled by Shangó and Yemayá. His parents were Bayenifa and Loyokudede. As soon as the child was born, his mother died of an intestinal hemorrhage. Elegba, who was at the entrance of the house, noticed that the child had arrived, took him in his arms and ran off. On the road he met the father, who, on seeing him with the newborn, blocked his way and wanted to know what was happening. Elegba explained it to him, and the man collapsed dead on the spot.
Just then Shangó and Yemayá were arriving. Elegba, terrified, put the child in their arms and told them what had happened. Between him and Shangó they buried the parents, while they sang a song to the Egun.
When the burial was finished, the three of them took the child before Olofin. He announced to them that the boy would have great luck, that he would become a great babalawo and that they would raise him very high. He added, however, that he would be ungrateful and rebellious, and that his pride would lead him to leave that land for another. Shangó and Yemayá baptized him and, when he was seven, took him to Orunmila so that he would initiate him into Ifá.
Orunmila was reluctant, but Yemayá insisted until she convinced him. Then he made Ifá for him and warned him: “If you want not to be lost and to live many years as an awó, you will never visit me; I will be the one to go to your house or your land.” From then on, every morning on waking and every night before going to sleep, Odara Ni Awó went to Yemayá and Shangó to ask for their blessing. They were pleased with him and prepared something very beautiful so that he could live in that place and populate it.
As he grew, he received a secret from Yemayá each time he asked for her blessing, and another from Shangó when he asked him. One day he complained to Elegba: “You are the only one who does not give me secrets.” Elegba would burst out laughing and run from one side to the other. Shangó and Yemayá did not like this, and they asked him what was going on. Elegba's answer was always the same: “This one is nothing more than a son of Iroso Tuto.” They paid no attention.
Once he was grown, Odara Ni Awó received from Yemayá and Shangó the government of the town. Elegba tried to warn them, but they did not listen to him either. The young man proved to be a great diviner and people trusted him greatly. Yemayá and Shangó loved him dearly. They traveled to other lands to bring him people to consult him, and with the earnings he improved the town and saved the rest.
Over the years his fame became enormous, thanks to Shangó and Yemayá. Elegba, who knew what Orunmila had arranged, got up at dawn, woke the awó and took him out for walks. Yemayá and Shangó waited for the usual blessing, but they saw him arrive in a hurry, always with people waiting for him, with no time to ask for it. Elegba wanted to prevent him from asking Shangó for the blessing, so he traveled to Ile Layekun Lede, the land of Egun Iyare, found a woman there, Fekelalo, and brought her so that Odara Ni Awó would meet her. He fell in love with her. Every night, at bedtime, he visited her and came back late, and so he stopped asking Shangó for the blessing.
Shangó and Yemayá felt upset and ashamed at the awó's failure to do his duty, and every day Elegba mocked them to their faces. Yemayá went off to the sea. Shangó did three somersaults and went with Elegba to see Orunmila, who told them: “Leave him alone.”
Yemayá, full of pride, took advantage of Shangó being with Orunmila to come out of the sea. She knelt down, called on Orun and sang to the Egun. The parents of Odara Ni Awó appeared, a wind rose, and Yemayá returned to the sea turned into a whirlpool, which made the water overflow and swept that land away. When Shangó and Elegba realized what was happening and wanted to go and speak to Yemayá and the Egun, it was already too late: the entire land, with Odara Ni Awó, had disappeared.