God had flooded the first world because of how depraved its people were; seven thousand years later he sent the two hundred divinities to populate it again. Koin-koin — Obara Dila in heaven — told them to sacrifice, and only Orunmila did. Arriving last, he was given the shell holding the sand; the divinities were left hanging in the palm above the mass of water, until Arugba the messenger told Orunmila to put the mouth of the shell in the water: the sand fell, the earth grew solid, and the second peopling of the world began — the one still standing today.
"Koin-koin mi ta lu idi". The Odù that tells how the earth was founded looked out for the two hundred divinities of the right and of the left when it was their turn to carry out that founding. Before that, God had flooded the first towns with water: the lust and moral depravity of those first inhabitants were the reason he destroyed the world by water.
Seven thousand years later he wanted to people it again. He called the two hundred divinities and put them in charge of going down, all as one single body, to make the world a better place. Koin-koin, which was the name of Obara Dila in heaven, did the divination for them: each one had to offer Eshu white cloth, cascarilla, cowries and a parrot feather in the heavenly river Mimikpo, plus a guinea to his Guardian Angel. None of them did it; Orunmila was the only one.
God sent Arugba, his messenger, to call them all to the Divine Chamber the next morning, and she told Orunmila in advance what he should do, precisely because he had been the only one to sacrifice. Once they were gathered, God handed out the orders and warned that nobody should stop by his house before leaving. Orunmila arrived last and that is why he was left with the snail shell that held the sand with which the earth would be hardened; besides, with divine permission, he made the trip together with Arugba. Down below there was no firm ground —it was all water—, so the two hundred divinities stayed perched on a palm tree whose roots were in heaven and whose branches were on earth, with that immensity of water under their feet. It was Arugba who told Orunmila to turn the mouth of the snail shell toward the water: the sand fell, the earth became firm and after a short while they could come down from the palm tree. That is how the second attempt at living on earth started, the one that still stands today. In Igbodu the special sacrifice of the bush snail and the chameleon is made, and the person will live a long life; in an ordinary reading, goat to Eshu and take Orunmila, because he may have great difficulties.