Ogbe Fun

Also called Ogbe Ofun

nº 31 of 256 · Edited by Ricco Ledesma

The lawful son of Obbatalá: food reaches his house wherever he is, he grew rich selling salt and he made the pact with death alongside Orunmila.

30 patakíes 8 eewó 20 ebbós and works 13 proverbs

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Ogbe Fun is Odù number 31 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ogbe family. It is also written as Ogbe Ofun. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 30 patakíes (3 in full in plain sight, with their teaching, ebbó and chants), its proverbs, 20 ebbós and works and the signs it shows in the consultation — with the full eewó in plain sight; the rest of the iré and osogbo and the full recipes open with The Notebook, in English.

The sign at a glance

Order in Ifá: Odù 31 of 256
Composition: Ogbe over Ofun
In the Diloggún: 8-10 · Eyeunle tonti Ofún
Orishas that speak: Obbatalá · Orunmila · Oggún · Shangó · Oddua (Oduduwa) · Yewá · Ikú (Death)
Eweses of the sign: Cedro · Pomarrosa · Manzana · Moruro · Platanillo de Cuba

What Ifá says in this sign

Ogbe Fun, also known as Ogbe Ofun, speaks to a true child of Obatalá, whom food comes looking for wherever they may be. In this sign were born fear, the cough, the rose apple, the salt that gives flavor to food, Yewá and the royal jelly that restores youth. Here death was also crowned, and that is why the sign speaks of the beginning and the end. Its ruling is clear: your life will last as long as the care you give it, and whoever takes care of themselves can even grow young again.

While Ogún went hungry for scorning what was sent to him, Ogbe Fun gladly accepted a gift that seemed like little and found a treasure inside. That is how your wealth arrives: it is your guardian angel who makes you rich, and you must not scorn or give away what you are given, however humble it seems. This sign prospers with salt and with honest trade. An inheritance awaits you after a journey, and in the dispute over a house or a property you will come out the winner.

«As you take care of yourself, so you will live: the word of Orunmila for the child of Obatalá.»The pulse of Ogbe Fun

The danger lies in the tongue and at the door. You yourself tell your secrets, and some people talk behind your back and do not keep their word. Never lodge another person under your roof, because the guest brings serious problems, like the cough that the throat took in and that ended up making it sick. Beware of being used and then abandoned, of gossip that sounds sweet, of a theft and of trouble with the law that could land you in prison. Disbelief brings you losses: believe what Ifá warns you about and fulfill it even if it seems small.

In love, a marriage is coming soon. Take care of your wife and do not scorn her, because her fortune and yours are one and the same: if she leaves, she takes your luck with her. Even so, a woman may put powders on you and leave you, and through a woman shame and problems with the law can come to you.

In health, your weak point is the throat: here the cough came down to the world, and smoking harms you. Also watch your blood pressure, because blood can rush to your head, and take care of your heart and your dizzy spells. Dress in white and receive your Idefá soon. You have already been through a tragedy in which you could have died; do not grow careless, because one moment of sleep is enough to lose what is most valuable. If you care for your life steadily, Orunmila protects you and old age reaches you with strength.

The sign in one line

Dress in white, keep your secrets and sell salt to the world, for the legitimate child of Obatalá has food brought to the house, and wealth as well.

The prayer of Ogbe Fun · Yoruba

Ogbe Fun Funlo ikú puani erí bawí ikú mayeyeri waní adifafun eruba unlofé omá Obatalá ashé lebó Jekua odushe Egungun mariwo lebó abeboradie meyi, akukó meyi, eku, eya, epo, owó.

Ifá says — what Ogbe Fun tells you

Marriage is near; beginning and end.
Yoko osha: Elegba is asked about.
That the person hands to someone else the virtue that Olofin grants.
That food reaches the person's own home.
Losses because of disbelief.
Theft, discontent and spiritual clairvoyance.
The setting of the sun, the sunset.
Of failures to keep one's word and of talk behind the person's back.
That eternal life is desired, and in this Orunla says: you will live according to how you take care of yourself.
That, to be happy, the daughter of the Awó must be wed to Orunmila and to Osha.
That the person reveals their own secrets, because they talk about them.
That the Idefá must be put on without delay.
That Ogbe Fun became rich selling salt.
That here Obatalá sent Orunmila so that death would be brought to him.
About receiving an inheritance, for which you must make a journey.
That the essential element for building the inshé of Osain of this sign is the cuyují, the vine that climbs the royal palm (not the nine stones of the astral spirit, which have that same name in another Odù).
That the person is used and then abandoned (the chain came down to earth).
Of placing a chain at the entrance of the house: in this Odù the chain came down to earth.
That the woman throws dust over him and will end up leaving him.
That here Eyó became Obá.
Of Babá Amunimu, who rules birth and death.

Proverbs of Ogbe Fun · Òwe

“Words are carried off by the wind.”
“To be respected you must first respect: respect breeds respect.”
“Courtesy costs nothing; every human being deserves respect.”
“The blessing of Olofin cannot be forced.”
“What one person found, another person lost.”
“A man and his family are like the river and its bed: the river opens the bed, and the bed enslaves the river.”
“Neither the wise nor the ignorant can say they found no walking stick in the bush.”
“Whoever drowns the body does not kill the spirit.”
“The young never think about death; the old go in peace.”
“Some lose and others find, but Esu always wins.”
“Any ringing of bells will frighten off death or the evil spirits.”
“With the moon or without it, the Obá will be respected wherever he is found.”
“What you want, another one turns down.”

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

Iré and Osogbo

Three iré and three osogbo of this sign, open to everyone.

Iré · what the sign brings

Their long life depends on how they take care of themselves, and they may even become rejuvenated.
Their wife's luck is also theirs.
Their guardian angel makes them rich.

Osogbo · what the sign warns

Their weak point is the throat, and the cough comes from there.
Blood may rise to their head.
They suffer from the heart and from dizziness.

43 more iré and osogbo readings in this Odù, locked.The rest of the iré and osogbo of the sign, sorted by subject — health, money, love, death, loss…Unlock →

What is born in Ogbe Fun · Ìbí

Eruba, fear, and Okunmolorun, who produces terror (stupor).
The cough.
The worship of salt and sand; salt came into the world to give flavor to food.
The rose apple.
Why the cowrie must be given coconut before it speaks on the mat.
Yewá, and where the Idefá is placed.
The crowning of death.
Royal jelly and how a person becomes young again.

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

Do not talk about your affairs.
Do not get involved with red spouses and do not eat anything red.
Do not lie down right after eating.
Do not leave the dishes dirty.
Do not listen to siren songs (gossip), so as not to go astray.
Do not shelter anyone in your home.
Do not eat kola nut or coconuts.
Smoking is forbidden, since the ailment of this sign is located in the throat.

Ebbós of Ogbe Fun · The sacrifices that open the road

The throatRemedy for the throat🔒 The Notebook The sign's staffThe staff of Ogbe Fun🔒 The Notebook Keeping death awayThe shaguro against Ikú🔒 The Notebook Eternal lifeThe secret of eternal life🔒 The Notebook ArayéThe buried white rooster against the arayé🔒 The Notebook Bath and cleansingEbomisi of Ogbe Fun and cleansing of the ilé🔒 The Notebook LuckThe three ebbó of every nine days🔒 The Notebook EgunEbbó of the plantain stalk and the júcaro leaves🔒 The Notebook Ebbó of the signEbbó of the chain and the six bells🔒 The Notebook CleansingEbbó of the ekuté and the clean clothes in the river🔒 The Notebook Ebbó of the signEbbó of the owunko and the doll🔒 The Notebook EmbarrassmentEbbó to get rid of embarrassment🔒 The Notebook InheritanceEbbó to receive an inheritance🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Ogbe Fun · The workings of the sign

OsainInshé of Osain with bees (the royal jelly)🔒 The Notebook Moving houseApayerú for moving out of the ilé🔒 The Notebook Separating arayéIyé to make enemies go away🔒 The Notebook Door of the iléThe two dried half coconuts behind the door🔒 The Notebook ArayéThe igba of water with four pieces of yam🔒 The Notebook SeparationThe three guinea fowl eggs to separate a marriage🔒 The Notebook SeparationSeparating two people beside Elegba🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Ogbe Fun · The roads of the Odù

1The Monkey's Two Brothers

While he was in heaven, Ogbe Ofun performed important ceremonies of divination. One of them was for two brothers, relatives of the monkey, named Edun and Ariwo. He told them to make an ebbó and to put an end to their arguments, in order to be spared a sudden death. Edun carried out the ebbó. Ariwo refused to do it. And neither of them gave up their continual fights.

One day, high up in a tree, the brothers clashed over a fruit. The uproar caught the attention of a hunter, who took the chance to shoot. Ariwo, wounded, fell and died. Edun fled.

It is thought that Ariwo would have survived had he not fought with Edun.

What it teaches

Continual fights attract danger, and the harm reaches first the one who did not protect himself. Edun made the ebbó and escaped; Ariwo refused and lost his life. Avoiding quarrels is also a way of protecting oneself.

What the brothers were told to do

Offer the sacrifice and put an end to the fights, in order to avoid a sudden death.

Advice when the odu comes out

The person is advised to give Eshu a he goat, to avoid arguments and to take care not to die by poison.

2The Cough and the Throat

When the cough and the throat were getting ready to leave Heaven, Babá Kou Kou and Babá Kan Gidi Kan Gidi divined for them. For the cough they indicated a sacrifice to Eshu with kola nut, coconut and a chicken, and it carried it out. From the throat they asked, also for Eshu, a goat, palm oil, honey and salt, so that on Earth it would not carry a troublesome guest. The throat refused.

Down below, the cough went looking for a place to live and the throat opened the door to it. Out of curiosity, the hostess began to eat the kola nut and the coconut that the cough kept, and so the cough kept growing inside her house until it left her voice inaudible. Those materials, which the throat had refused to offer, were exactly the antidote.

Then Orunmila ordered her to sacrifice two goats, and roasted honey, palm oil, coconut and kola nut, and prepared a mixture with salt for her to lick. Since it was what the cough was forbidden, it ran away toward the stomach, and the throat finally regained its peace.

From this comes the advice not to lodge anyone for a while, because the guest brings insomnia, sleeplessness and serious problems, and to abstain from eating kola nut and coconut.

What it teaches

Giving lodging to an evil and feeding it with what belonged to the sacrifices makes it grow inside the house. Only the medicine made from those same materials manages to drive it out.

What was indicated to the cough

A sacrifice to Eshu with kola nut, coconut and a chicken. The cough carried it out.

What was indicated to the throat

A goat, palm oil, honey and salt for Eshu, so as not to carry a troublesome guest on Earth. The throat did not do it.

Orunmila's remedy

Sacrifice two goats, along with roasted honey, palm oil, coconut and kola nut. A mixture is prepared with salt for the throat to lick.

Advice when this odu appears

Do not lodge anyone for a while, because the guest brings insomnia, sleeplessness and serious problems. Abstain from eating kola nut and coconut.

3How Ogbe Fun Brought Salt to the World

Before Ogbe Fun came down, the elders of heaven gave him sea sand for his ebbó and told him to leave it at a crossroads as soon as he set foot on earth. At that time the world had nothing to season soup.

At dawn the package was a mound of salt that kept growing. The wife of the Oba, on her way to the water, tasted it, found it good, and took some to her husband. The Oba tasted it too and ordered that money be left at that spot.

Then he gathered the people to identify the newcomer. Only Ogbe Fun's father said that his wife had had a son the night before. The baby was credited with the discovery, and from that day everyone took salt and left money.

In this way salt came from heaven through Ogbe Fun, and together with it the wealth of his parents. That is why the ebbó includes salt and sea sand: with these elements prosperity is called.

What it teaches

What seems a small thing, like a package of sand, becomes wealth when what the elders indicate is carried out. The fortune of a household can arrive through someone who has just been born.

Ebbó of the salt

Salt and sea sand. The ebbó is made with them, since they are what calls prosperity.

4Ogún struck and the food that comes to Ogbe Fun🔒 The Notebook 5The powder of Abita and the rose apple branch🔒 The Notebook 6Death trapped in his own house🔒 The Notebook 7When the saints were separated (the Idefá is born)🔒 The Notebook 8Why the Awó do not cast the cowrie shells🔒 The Notebook 9The curious woman🔒 The Notebook 10Orunmila marries Olofin's daughter🔒 The Notebook 11Kubito and the ivory trumpet🔒 The Notebook 12The banquet of King Iré🔒 The Notebook 13The secret of eternal life🔒 The Notebook 14When Babá wanted Orunmila to dry up the sea for him🔒 The Notebook 15The song of the sirens🔒 The Notebook 16The book of death🔒 The Notebook 17Why the orishas eat blood🔒 The Notebook 18The staff of Olofin🔒 The Notebook 19When Ologuere listened to Orunmila🔒 The Notebook 20The eight most powerful plants created by Olofin🔒 The Notebook 21The three children of Olukan🔒 The Notebook 22Where Yemayá taught the cowrie shell to Ogbe Fun and Elegba🔒 The Notebook 23The shadow of Ikán Omologún🔒 The Notebook 24The two commitments of Olofin🔒 The Notebook 25The promise to the idol🔒 The Notebook 26Where the woman exchanged her head with Abita🔒 The Notebook 27The peddler of trinkets and the stolen machete🔒 The Notebook 28The feast of Obá Alaaye and the mushroom in the throat🔒 The Notebook 29Ogbe's simple offering🔒 The Notebook 30When Ikú and Arun courted Orisha's daughter🔒 The Notebook

27 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 Ogbe Fun in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Ogbe Fun

What does the Odù Ogbe Fun mean in Ifá?

The lawful son of Obbatalá: food reaches his house wherever he is, he grew rich selling salt and he made the pact with death alongside Orunmila.

What number is Ogbe Fun among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Ogbe Fun is Odù number 31 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ogbe family.

Which orishas speak in Ogbe Fun?

In the Odù Ogbe Fun these orishas speak: Obbatalá, Orunmila, Oggún, Shangó, Oddua (Oduduwa), Yewá, Ikú (Death).

What is a proverb of the Odù Ogbe Fun?

One of the proverbs of Ogbe Fun says: «Words are carried off by the wind.».

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