Oggunda Lenin

In the land of Obayokoye lived Obá, who was very poor, sad and disheartened at seeing her land make no progress, because the people living there did not like to work and lived off what she brought. This had happened to Obá through a curse of Shangó's, since she, with her power, thought herself very strong and had shamed him; afterwards she went to live in that land, whose name she had given it herself: it was a sickly land with no standing. When Obá got there she sang: «Obayokoye lodeo mamawo iba soreo», and the people began to come out, sickly and in poor health, but living well in their own way. Obá told them: «I am going to help you live better», and they answered: «We are happy this way». Obá began to struggle with all these people, but saw no progress in the land of Obayokoye. One day she stood at a riverbank and began to pray and to ask Olofin to help her; then she set out walking and came to the land of Obaaye, where Shangó lived along with Elegba. Shangó, who saw her, hid and told Elegba: «Look, there is Obá: go with her and help her, because I am going to get there before you and speak to those people of the land of Obayokoye — and whoever will not listen to me, I will hand over to Ogún». And so he did: everyone began to work and produce before Obá and Elegba arrived.

When Obá and Elegba got there, seeing what had happened she was overjoyed and told Elegba: «It seems Olofin heard me». Elegba answered her singing: «Obanile onire Shangó, obanile baba guaye Shangó». Obá began to weep with feeling over what Shangó had done; then Elegba told her: «Look what Shangó has left». Obá looked and saw six otás, and Elegba told her: «You have to attend to this and give it guinea fowl to eat». After this, Elegba began courting Obá, and they had a son, whom they named after that land: Obayokoye. This son grew up, but he did not like to work either, and Obá was always complaining to Elegba about him — until one day he got upset, took Obayokoye and left him out on a road. One day Shangó passed by and met the omó Obayokoye, who told him: «Look at the state I am in, Shangó». And he answered: «This has happened to you through your disobedience: so you will live off fate». Note: Eshu Obayokoye is Obá's slave.

At the beginning of the world, Ogún had another name and was a very powerful man: he was called Sokoti Ladé. He had his stone throne and no head — he was only a uniform piece of iron. He was always working bad witchcraft and forging weapons at his house, which was a smithy. He had received that great power from Olofin's hands when he handed out the offices at the creation of the world; but it turned out that Ogún used it only for evil. That land was always battered by wars and by the ruinous power of witchcraft, and all its people, desperate, could do nothing but beg Olofin with this suyere: «Olofin bofun, Olofin mitiyoro omo sokun, omo belekun Olofin oguaobe». One day, Olofin decided to send his messengers to that land: Orunmila and Obá. When they arrived, they went to the house of a very famous Awó called Arolotaye, who knew every secret of every herb and stick in that land and the ones around it. They talked about Sokoti Ladé's behavior and the best way to save him and, along with him, all the children of that land. So Arolotaye and Obá set out for Sokoti Ladé's land: when they arrived, they saw that Ikú was running riot alongside Ogún among the omó of that land. That was when Obá flew into a fury and, taking her machete and her dagger, began killing all of Sokoti Ladé's children; Arolotaye threw white cloth over Obá and brought her to obedience — and just then Ogún arrived, to see who these intruders were who had killed his warriors.

When Ogún saw Obá and Arolotaye Awó — whom he had known for a long time — and saw him with the jewels of wisdom, he threw himself at his feet and asked forgiveness, since he recognized in him a messenger of Olofin. Arolotaye Awó told him: «Let us read for you, to see what we can do for you and your land». When he made osode he saw the Odù Oggunda Lenin, and told him that for his own good he had to be consecrated in Osain. So Awó Arolotaye consecrated him in Osain, giving him his favorite food on earth, which was the jutía (awasa); with it his secret was consecrated, and he told him: «With this jutía hide, both you and your children will be able to bathe to avoid trouble from witchcraft and from the law». Then Sokoti Ladé stopped being called that and came to be called Ogún Arere — all thanks to Awó Arolotaye, who consecrated him with the secrets of the bush: from then on Ogún lives alongside Osain, who strengthens his power. That was when Ogún told Oggunda Lenin — who was the Odù of Arolotaye Awó — and Obá that, to show his gratitude for the good they had done him and his land, he would give them the power to bring anything about: eyi erí iwele — the anvil —, and with it they would always have the power to settle every situation in life. He gave one anvil to Oggunda Lenin and another to Obá, and ever since that has been the secret of Orunmila and of Obá in this Ifá. Note: Oggunda Lenin, in order to have the power to settle things, should have a metal anvil inside the greater hand of Ifá; also to have Arolotaye — the Osain who accompanies Ogún — and the piece of Sokoti Ladé, and to receive Obá.

When Olokun came down to earth, he did so along with Yewá by Olofin's order; they lived in the depths of the sea. But one day, tired of the sameness of his surroundings, he began turning over on himself at the bottom of the sea, where Yewá was too. This stirred up the bottom of the sea, and a number of monsters began coming up to the surface; among them appeared a very strange, very beautiful being with fine hair, who always carried a gold shield and traveled over the waves. One day Ogún saw her and fell in love with her; but she wanted no man, and Ogún, in order to have her, turned to the powers of Osain's magic. It turned out that Osain fell in love with her too, and unable to have her either, threw a spell on her so she would belong neither to him nor to Ogún: this beautiful being, on touching the spell, turned into a snake with two bodies. She, terrified, called her father Olokun; and he, seeing that, threw himself on the land with boiling whirlpools of fury and a thirst for revenge.

Osain and Ogún, terrified, went to Orunmila's house, and he made osode for them and saw this Ifá, Oggunda Lenin, and told them: «You have to put right the harm you have done: let us go to Olokun's house». When they arrived, he was roaring with rage at what had happened to his daughter Orona. Orunmila spoke with Olokun and told him his daughter would be a being the world could accept: he called Orona and, without fear, had her kneel, and using his powers on her — the bath with the ram's blood — he covered her with the hide, and Orona turned into sea foam. Ogún and Osain asked his forgiveness, and Olokun calmed down and did not lay the land waste. Note: any man or woman this Ifá comes out for has to receive Olokun from a Babalawo quickly, and also receive Orona. This road explains why Olokun wears a chain around him with 21 pieces of Ogún and a snake, and a gourd of Osain dressed with beads of Olokun and Ogún.