Iwori Koso

nº 50 of 256

Where San Lázaro was thrown out of the Yoruba land: a sign of the swamp and of division, where only one king can rule in one town.

16 patakíes 5 eewó 7 ebbós and works 13 proverbs

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Iwori Koso is Odù number 50 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Iwori family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 16 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 7 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 50 of 256
Composition: Iwori over Iroso
Orishas that speak: Azowanu (Azojuano) · Shangó (Olufina) · Agayú · Oshún · Oduduwa / Olokun · Eshú (La Meta / Atitan) · Eggun Merin Laye

What Ifá says in this sign

Iwori Koso is the Ifá where San Lázaro was thrown out of the Yoruba land — and where he, from exile, saved from the epidemic the very people who had scorned him. Its law of government is clear: two kings cannot rule in one town — not in a town, and not in a house.

The mirror of this sign is uncomfortable: a selfish, domineering, talkative person, who sows division among their own and wants their children to do their bidding even once married — and who for that reason is unwelcome wherever they go. This odu does not say it to wound: it says it because that temper is the only thing standing between you and a prosperous old age.

«Two kings do not rule in one town — the peace of Iwori Koso starts by giving up the crown at home.»The pulse of Iwori Koso

There is a father waiting: you are estranged from yours — attend him today, because tomorrow you will need him, and Olofin's blessing hangs on that attention. And a father's Egun disturbed by three obsessing ones: masses and attention — because this odu says you will hardly ever mount a dead one: your sight comes through dreams and hunches. Use it.

Guard your heart like a treasure: that sharp pain in the chest was a warning — a doctor at regular intervals, no weights that strain you, no strong smells and no drinking bouts. And look after your trade: a trader's prosperity draws envy and theft — do not get careless, they want to hold you back.

Its allies carry fire and mystery: Agayú, who has defended you a great deal — light oil lamps for him —, Eshú (you have not been beaten thanks to him: receive him with three faces) and Azojuano, who is prayed to by clapping the ground — that was born here. Never forget the Saints and the dead even when you have riches: the wreck of this odu starts on the day of forgetting.

The sign in one line

Soften your command, attend your father and light Agayú's lamp — Iwori Koso reaches old age, if the heart and the saints are not forgotten.

The prayer of Iwori Koso · Yoruba

Iwori Koso Eni Ewa Agboni Egun Iku Eyewe Iwoneye Arun Efun Lele Yeku Iya Arun Leye Leye Intori Arun Oboñu Oluo Agboni Ni Ifá, adifafun Olokun ati Oduduwa kaferefun Orunmila.

Súyere
Egun Lona Iku Layewe Nilona Iku Iku.

Ifá says — what Iwori Koso tells you

Maferefún Eshu, Shangó, Yewá ati Agayú. Kaferefún Osanyin, adifafun Olokun and Oduduwa.
A trader's prosperity draws envy; theft in the shop.
The male dove ruins the female; be careful with matters of corruption in the house.
A complex of superiority, and seeing things among people.
You reach old age, but everything can be wrecked if the Saints and the dead are forgotten.
You are selfish, domineering, talkative and a gossip, and you want your children to do your bidding even once they are married.
You set up divisions among your children and those around you, and you are unwelcome wherever you go.
You are estranged from your father; if he does not see to you today, tomorrow he will need you — attend him, and Olofin's blessing comes with it.
A hormonal illness, and impotence.
The guinea fowl, who wanders with no crown, because the bump on her head is the blow of the curse laid on her.
The woman cheats on her husband, dreams badly and sleeps badly.
You are disturbed by your father's Egun, ruled by three obsessing Egun.
Women may catch venereal illness.
You will hardly ever mount an Egun; you learn what harms you through dreams, feelings and hunches.
You want to settle everything on the spot, without weighing what follows.

Proverbs of Iwori Koso · Òwe

“Only one king can rule in one town.”
“What is advertised is what sells.”
“Doves keep company with doves.”
“Whoever will not see to you today will need you tomorrow.”
“The rooster pays no dowry before he has a wife.”
“Whoever eats bread kneaded by the devil will not hold their head high.”
“The ungrateful one speaks ill of whoever feeds them.”
“The bush rat never dies without having left offspring.”
“The leaf at the top of the tree will fall to the ground to feed the earth.”
“The strength of the rich is in their money; that of the poor, in their principles.”
“Whoever hides their hatred is a hypocrite; whoever spreads it, a fool.”
“Too much talking brings mistakes; holding the tongue is good sense.”
“A talker falls faster than a lame man.”

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

Iré and Osogbo

6 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 Iwori Koso · Ìbí

Praying to Asojuano by clapping the ground when he is moved from one place to another.
Dropsy: an abnormal build-up of fluid in the body.
That the secret of Ope Aedi is mounted, and that Eshú Atitan, of three faces, is needed for wars and illnesses.

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

You can never eat in the market square, and even less while standing.
Lizards are not killed, and you cannot be forgetful.
You cannot drink red alcoholic drinks.
So your stomach does not hurt.
Do not inhale strong smells nor drink until you get drunk.
So you do not lose your mind.
When you know, you say that you do not know.

Ebbós of Iwori Koso · The sacrifices that open the road

AzojuanoEbbó for moving Asojuano🔒 The Notebook DropsyEbbó for dropsy🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesWork at the foot of Oshún against the arayé🔒 The Notebook HealthEbbó for impotence🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Iwori Koso · The workings of the sign

EggunOparaldo of the three Egun asiere🔒 The Notebook ProtectionInshé Osanyin of Awó Iwori Koso🔒 The Notebook AgayúThe secret Ope Aedi🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Iwori Koso · The roads of the Odù

1The two words

Two men each thought themselves king and split the town into children of the Sun and of the Moon. Olofin made them respect two words kept in a chest; on reading them, they said «Olofin King», and both, shamed, accepted one single king.

In a town, two men of great learning each thought themselves king and each gave orders as he pleased. The people split: one side proclaimed themselves children of the Sun and dressed in yellow; the other, children of the Moon, in blue. The ones in yellow turned selfish, thinking themselves more powerful because the Sun is stronger, and there was no way to live without skirmishes. Those who could not settle to it went to Olofin.

Olofin sent for the two kings and told them that in a chest he had placed two words they were to respect, since he was the Greater King. With everyone gathered in the square, both kings put their hand into the chest and read aloud: «Olofin King». Shamed, they bowed their heads and said: «from today there will be only one king, and it is you». Olofin sent them to the river to throw their clothes in and to dress in any color, and to bring food to celebrate the union of them all.

2Where praying to Asojuano when he is moved was born

Thrown out of the Yoruba land for his sores, Asojuano was given the Arará land to rule by Shangó. When the epidemic struck the people who had thrown him out, they knelt and prayed to him clapping the ground, and he saved them.

In the Yorubá land lived Asojuano, and nobody there liked him: his sores gave off an unbearable smell and everyone was afraid of catching it, so they ran him out of the place. On the road he ran into Shangó, his younger brother, who was coming back from winning a war and offered him a kingdom of his own: the Arará land, small and separated from the Yorubá land by a river. Shangó told the people there to treat him with love and, as he was leaving, warned him: "those people who threw you out are going to need you; make them beg you a lot."

Some time later a plague fell on the Yorubá land and people were dying with no cure. Shangó told them that their only salvation was that leper they had run out. They went to the Arará land, and Asojuano told them no. Then they all knelt down and struck the ground with their palms, begging him and swearing that they would not move from there until he forgave them. He gave in after so much pleading, traveled with them and healed them all. From that it remained that, when he is moved from his place, Asojuano is begged by clapping.

3The leatherworker

A poor godchild kept asking Oshún for gold and power even after his godfather threw him out. With the ebbó of the combs and the key, Oduduwa hired him blindfolded in a palace of gold; later he bought it and lifted his godfather out of poverty.

Awó Pire worked hides and was a good diviner; he had a godchild who worked with him and whom he barely paid enough to eat. The young man would go to the river to ask Oshún for gold and power; a woman saw him and told the godfather, who threw him out into the street, but he went on going to the river. Determined, he made osode, this Odù came out and Ifá marked him an ebbó with two hens, combs and a key, taking the combs to Oshún; the young man kept the key.

At the river he met an old man, Oduduwa, who gave him work blindfolded, taking him to clean a palace of gold with three doors, and paid him a small coin. When Oduduwa left that land, the palace filled with dust and the king put it up for auction; the young man, with the money Oshún gave him, bought it, and with the key from the ebbó he opened the three doors and became its owner. He gave his godfather fine hides of tiger, lion and ox, lifting him out of poverty, thanks to Oshún, Oduduwa and Orunmila.

4Dropsy was born🔒 The Notebook 5When Aribole was going through hardship🔒 The Notebook 6The two towns🔒 The Notebook 7Doves keep company with doves🔒 The Notebook 8The trader and the parrot🔒 The Notebook 9The male dove🔒 The Notebook 10The elephant🔒 The Notebook 11The serpent and the moon🔒 The Notebook 12Peace in the home🔒 The Notebook 13The land of China🔒 The Notebook 14The Egun Buruku🔒 The Notebook 15The flirt🔒 The Notebook 16The hunchback and the she-monkey🔒 The Notebook

13 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 Iwori Koso in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Iwori Koso

What does the Odù Iwori Koso mean in Ifá?

Where San Lázaro was thrown out of the Yoruba land: a sign of the swamp and of division, where only one king can rule in one town.

What number is Iwori Koso among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Iwori Koso is Odù number 50 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Iwori family.

Which orishas speak in Iwori Koso?

In the Odù Iwori Koso these orishas speak: Azowanu (Azojuano), Shangó (Olufina), Agayú, Oshún, Oduduwa / Olokun, Eshú (La Meta / Atitan), Eggun Merin Laye.

What is a proverb of the Odù Iwori Koso?

One of the proverbs of Iwori Koso says: «Only one king can rule in one town.».

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