Ofún Yemiló

nº 243 of 256

The farewell of the Obá and the lifting of the plates: Ikú comes for one person and takes another — the cure is with Ozain, the ruin is in excess.

16 patakíes 4 eewó 6 ebbós and works 17 proverbs

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Ofún Yemiló is Odù number 243 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ofun family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 16 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 6 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 243 of 256
Composition: Ofun over Oyekun
In the Diloggún: 10-2 · Ofún tonti Eyioko
Orishas that speak: Shangó · Ozain · Obatalá y Eshu · Orunmila · Egun (Iyá Tobí) · Obá

What Ifá says in this sign

Ofún Yemiló — also called Ofún Yeku — is the sign of the farewell of the Obá: here the lifting of the plates was born, and the reason the otá of the Oshas go to the river when their owner dies — the ceremonies owed to the dead King before the new one can be consecrated. And here is a frightening piece of machinery: Ikú comes looking for one person and takes another — that is why the Awó of this sign makes ebbó for himself before he makes it for the aleyo, so he does not trade heads.

His private worry is written down: he lives troubled by his weak nature — and his physical ruin is in the excesses this Ifá forbids: he goes too far in bed and has to stop. The cure is written down too: receive Ozain — and so is the order of married life: ebbó for the wife, ebbó for him, and then come together: that is how the trouble in the bedroom is settled.

«Ikú comes looking for one and takes another — the Awó of Ofún Yemiló makes ebbó for himself first so he does not trade heads.»The pulse of Ofún Yemiló

His luck comes through a messenger: his mother's blessing — Ofún Yemiló makes his Iyá Tobí suffer, and he must listen to her message to get luck and prosperity. The filings of Ozain did not fit in the mother's hands and fell into the mud: when prosperity comes all at once, gather it humbly.

Here is what is left undone in the ritual: the owner of this Ifá has had the wrong Santo seated on his head — it must be checked; whoever has this sign must have Obá Kolabá, the guardian of Shangó — without him the King is not raised onto the throne of Alafín — the abandoned prenda has to be picked up again, and if he receives warriors, the dry obi is washed, eats with them and stays at their side.

What he owes his blood: he has brothers who do not like to work, and he must always help them with money — his family is going through hard times, and they are going through worse. Take care of your legs and your feet — lame people are usually your enemies — dress in white, because your head runs hot, and have real faith: whoever goes to the Awó out of curiosity and then does not do the work leaves his luck served up on another man's table.

The sign in one line

Rein in your excesses with Ozain, listen to your mother's message, and receive Obá Kolabá — because the throne of Ofún Yemiló is raised with a mother's blessing.

The prayer of Ofún Yemiló · Yoruba

Ofun Yemilo Kunuku Abanikunlo Inle Olofin Akalambo Abigui Olorun Ninshawo Inle Olofin Tente Tera Abi Apolo Maferefun Obatala Ati Eshu.

Súyere
Ofun Yekun Iya Madideo, Olorun Iya Madideo.

Ifá says — what Ofún Yemiló tells you

It is the Ifá of the farewell of the Obá: here the ceremonies owed to him are done, so that a new Obá can be consecrated afterward. It is the Ifá of the traded head: Ikú comes looking for one person and takes another; the Awó makes ebbó before he makes it for the aleyo. It is the Ifá of Obá Kolabá: without him the King cannot be raised onto the throne of Alafín; whoever has this sign has to have him. It is the Ifá of a weak nature caused by going too far in bed: to settle it he has to receive Ozain. It is the Ifá of the mother's blessing: Ofún Yemiló makes his Iyá Tobí suffer, and he must listen to her message to get luck and prosperity.
The Awó should make ebbó for the woman, then make it for himself right after, and then come together with her, to settle his private trouble.
He lives worried about his weak nature and his lack of control in bed: he goes too far and has to stop.
The physical ruin of Ofún Yemiló is in the excesses in bed this Ifá forbids: he must not go on with them, because they will be the end of him.
The obiní of this Ifá has the obó iná (a burning nature) and likes to court the man.
The owner of this Ifá has had the wrong Santo seated on his head.
He suffers from impotence from too much sex; his married partner does not help him the way he expects, and that is why he has no luck and no prosperity.
He has blood brothers who do not like to work, but he must always help them with money.
He can end up with injuries to his legs or his feet; lame people are usually his enemies.
He tends to have no faith in the Santo: he goes to the Awó's house out of curiosity, out of excitement or to settle a problem, but afterward it is hard for him to do the work.
His family is going through hard times, and his brothers even more so: help them.
He left a prenda abandoned and has to go pick it up; he is thinking of going to a place where his enemies will be.
His head runs very hot: dress in white.
Obá Kolabá speaks, the guardian of Shangó: the cedar figure carved over a gourd from the same block of wood, with the two hens in one hand and the sling in the other.
The table of the nine chairs and the nine plates speaks: Ikú Alashona at one end and a shining Olofin at the other, with Ashikuelú as the doorkeeper.
The filings of Ozain speak, which did not fit in the mother's hands and fell into the mud: prosperity that arrives all at once.
The coconut of the warriors speaks: if you receive warriors, a dry obi is handed over with them, and it is washed and eats with them, and it must always be kept beside them.
The ewé of this Odù are: peanut, goosegrass, sassafras, sage and male mango.

Proverbs of Ofún Yemiló · Òwe

“As much good as you do, that is how much reward you will get.”
“Do not harm anyone else, because you harm yourself.”
“Take care of yourself before you take care of others.”
“God first, the Santos after.”
“The just pay for the sinners.”
“Never try to do what is forbidden to you, because you lose yourself.”
“Harm is a thrown rock that has to fall on the one who threw it.”
“The proud one will be brought low and the humble one honored.”
“Whoever leaves his own crops to tend someone else's will go hungry.”
“The orishas are soldiers of Olodumare.”
“Honey will never be bitter.”
“Whoever is hungry, come and eat; whoever is thirsty, come and drink.”
“Death comes in the dark.”
“Whoever is not clean cannot clean anyone else.”
“Whoever is born dies, whoever dies is born again.”
“Cascarilla also knows how to push death aside.”
“One swallow does not make a summer.”

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

Iré and Osogbo

7 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 Ofún Yemiló · Ìbí

The farewell of the Obá, with the ceremonies owed to him.
From the road where Ikú, Ozain, Olofin and Ofún Yemiló sat at the table for the funeral honors of Akambí, son of Odduduwa.
The lifting of the plates, and the reason the otá of the Oshas and Orishas go to the river when their owner dies.
When the funeral meal was over, each one took a corner of the tablecloth and everything went into the joro joro, sealed with efún.
That Ikú comes looking for one person and takes another.
That is why the Awó makes ebbó before he makes it for the aleyo: so he does not trade heads.
Helping your brothers.
Ozain brought prosperity to Ofún Yeku with the filings, and his brothers held on to him: he must always help them so he can have his mother's blessing.
That without Obá Kolabá there is no King in the world who can sit on the throne of Alafín.
Oyeku Obá Kolabá joined with Obarí Bashé, the son of Ofún Yeku, and gave him luck and everything else.

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

It forbids the excesses and the extreme intimate practices that this treatise points out.
They will be your ruin: that is how Obá destroyed Agbadire, and that is how your nature is lost.
It forbids making yourself clothes out of burlap sacks to wear.
Rule of this Ifá.
Never try to do what is forbidden to you.
Because you lose yourself: sentence of Orula to Agbadire when he gave him back his health.
Do not harm anyone.
Because it hurts you: the just pay for the sinners.

Ebbós of Ofún Yemiló · The sacrifices that open the road

SpiritualEbbó of Obá Kolabá🔒 The Notebook HealthEbbó for impotence (Ozain)🔒 The Notebook Keeping death awayEbbó of the honors of the Obá🔒 The Notebook MoneyEbbó of the three adié (the mother and Ozain)🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Ofún Yemiló · The workings of the sign

SpiritualObá Kolabá: how he is built and consecrated🔒 The Notebook SpiritualEshu Jákima🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Ofún Yemiló · The roads of the Odù

1Obarí Bashé, the omó of Ofún Yeku, and Obá Kolabá

The mother of Obarí Bashé dreamed of Oyeku Obá Kolabá, who asked for a candle and ekó at the riverbank; her son paid no attention and she did the work herself: Obá Kolabá joined with her son so he would have luck and everything else, and Ofún swore never to leave his side.

Ofún Yeku had a son named Obarí Bashé and sent him to Earth, with his mother. Her poverty was great, and Ofún was eager to get ahead: he found no rest and looked for someone to join with so they would help him move forward, but none of those unions worked out for him. He would come back home with his spirits low, and it made the mother sad to see him like that.

She used to sit down at midday, and sleep would take her there. Already asleep, in the dream she broke into song: "Ofun Mowa Defun, Oyekun Mowa Defun". Something brushed against her then, and spoke to her: "I am Oyeku and my name is Obá Kolabá. Tell your son to go at dusk to the riverbank and to bring me a candle and plenty of ekó".

She woke up startled. She sent for the boy, passed her hand over his head and told him the dream with the errand; he paid no attention. When she saw that nothing had been done, the next day she went out herself to carry out the task that belonged to her son. Obá Kolabá appeared to her with this word: "All right, I am going to join with your son Ofún, so he will be called Obarí Bashé Ofún Yeku and will have luck and everything, without knowing how to do anything". Mori Yeyé, the mother, gave moforibale to Oyeku Obá Kolabá, and from there came the song: "Omo Digdeo Obba Igbaye Ala Kolaba".

Ofún heard that and came running. He gave moforibale to his mother and stayed joined to Oyeku Obá Kolabá with this promise: "I will never separate from you again".

Note: in the court of the Alafín of Oyó, Obá Kolabá is the one who guards Shangó; he is called Ilarí of Shangó and he is in charge of the secrets. No King of this world gets to sit on the throne of Alafín if Obá Kolabá is not there.

2How Ozain cured Ofún Yemiló of impotence

Awó Obidade, worn out by his many women, threw out the rooster Ozain had let loose in his house, and Ozain, offended, took his strength away; seeing him beaten down, Ozain took pity, swore him in as his own son and gave his strength back with the omiero, warning that the bad he took off him would fall on his unbelieving brothers.

On this road, Ofún Yeku went by the name of Awó Obidade and lived tormented by how weak his nature was, since he had several women and abused that.

Ofún Yeku fell in love with Obá, and she wanted him too; both in love, Obá spoke sweetly to him and sang to him. Ozain, who had been listening to Awó Obidade, showed up with an akukó and let it loose in that house so the rooster would start crowing. The racket woke Awó Ofún Yeku Obidade, who was sleeping, and in a bad mood he took the rooster out and let it loose on an empty lot next to the house.

Ozain did not like that, and he went off to the bush, started working evil and singing: "Morile Akara Ina Olueko Adasile". Seven days later, while he was with Obá, Awó Obidade lost his strength. She got angry and started throwing curses. Awó Obidade, seeing himself in that situation, went out walking to clear his head, which was heavy.

Ozain found him on the road, so down that he felt sorry for him, and spoke to him this way: "I am going to help you get strong. Give me an akukó. But this is a secret and, to be able to give it to you, I have to make you my son (swear you in). What I take off you of the bad will fall on one of your brothers, because they do not believe much in me".

Ozain cleaned him with ewé; the rooster was food for Ozain himself, and when he handed over the remedy he warned him: "Take this omiero, so you will have the same strength as me. And if your brothers do not come to where I am, I do not answer for them".

Ebbó: a red rooster and a frizzled chicken, ewé tomodé, a hen's egg, cinnamon, smoked fish and jutía, epó, toasted corn and a fish head, otí, oñí, a turtle (for Ozain) and opolopo owó. The tea for impotence: the eggs and the blood of the red rooster, turtle blood, sassafras and sage, mango leaves, cobo, cinnamon, ekú, eyá, awadó and a hen's egg.

3Where Ikú, Ozain, Olofin and Ofún Yemiló sat at the table

Ofún Yemiló, learned in the deep secrets of Egun, was called to the funeral honors of Akambí, son of Odduduwa; at the table of nine plates Ikú Alashona and Olofin presided, with Ashikuelú as the doorkeeper; from the tablecloth carried to the joro joro and the efún that sealed it were born the farewell of the Obá and the lifting of the plates.

Prayer: Erita Merin Imale Adifafun Yemilo Otoya Ashere Iku… Ori Efun Akambi Obanile.

Ebbó: abó, akukó, etú, nine plates with nine adimuses of Egun and every kind of food.

On the riverbank, in the land of Kumakú, an Awó named Ofún Yemiló had his house, a man who knew the deep secrets of Egungun like few others. When someone important died in that land — an iworo, a Babalawo or the prince of a tribe — they came to him to arrange the funeral honors. His fame spread through all the yoruba land, so much that when Akambí, son of Odduduwa and Obá of that place, died, they sent for him for the great ceremony. Before leaving he made Osode and saw his sign; he did paraldo, took a turtle and gave it to Ozain, whom he invited to come with him to the funeral rite.

Akambí's palace received them lined with black cloth. They had set up a great table with nine seats and nine plates. At one head sat a figure in black with a great crown, named Ikú Alashona; at the opposite end, another one in shining clothes, crowned with a great diadem of Oloyó: it was Olofin.

When he saw them come in, the doorkeeper — Ashikuelú, a gloomy figure — rang a great bell, struck the floor with his staff and sang: "Ofun Yemilo Eni Oluo Ozain Omofije Ate Alufa Eggun Koshe Iku Koshe Olofin". Olofin and Ikú stood up to honor them, there were greetings, and once everyone was seated they began the great ceremonies for Akambí Egungun.

When the meal was over, each one took a corner of the asholá (tablecloth) and they went with the plates to the joro joro, singing: "Asheye Egun Oba Ade Mi Basheye". There they threw it all in and sang: "Peremi Ewa Dide Lawemi Oba Dide Iku Unlo"; then they sprinkled efún on top and covered it. Olofin left with Ikú Alashona; Ofún Yemiló and Ozain laid Akambí's body in the carriage and moved it to the foot of the ceiba (Aragba), by the river, with 16 eyelé. From there they sent him off to Odé, so the land of Kumakú could have a new Obá.

4Ofún Yeku, his Iyaré Mayekún Fun, Ozain and Olofin🔒 The Notebook 5The sick obiní who marries Orula🔒 The Notebook 6The secret of Obá that destroyed Agbadire🔒 The Notebook 7The coconut seller in the market🔒 The Notebook 8Ofún Yeku went off with Ikú🔒 The Notebook 9Ofún Yemiló became Obá🔒 The Notebook 10The lying shepherd🔒 The Notebook 11The war over the water🔒 The Notebook 12The countryman and the flatterer🔒 The Notebook 13The stone elephant🔒 The Notebook 14The cheated merchant🔒 The Notebook 15The curse of the vulture🔒 The Notebook 16The lost diamond🔒 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 Ofún Yemiló in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Ofún Yemiló

What does the Odù Ofún Yemiló mean in Ifá?

The farewell of the Obá and the lifting of the plates: Ikú comes for one person and takes another — the cure is with Ozain, the ruin is in excess.

What number is Ofún Yemiló among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Ofún Yemiló is Odù number 243 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ofun family.

Which orishas speak in Ofún Yemiló?

In the Odù Ofún Yemiló these orishas speak: Shangó, Ozain, Obatalá y Eshu, Orunmila, Egun (Iyá Tobí), Obá.

What is a proverb of the Odù Ofún Yemiló?

One of the proverbs of Ofún Yemiló says: «As much good as you do, that is how much reward you will get.».

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