Oggunda Tetura

nº 148 of 256

Disobedience punished: Iño the coral, a son of Obatalá, would not make ebbó and was turned to stone — whoever will not listen to advice does not grow old.

18 patakíes 2 eewó 2 ebbós and works 27 proverbs

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Oggunda Tetura is Odù number 148 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ogunda family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 18 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 2 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 148 of 256
Composition: Ogunda over Otura
Orishas that speak: Obatalá · Orunmila

What Ifá says in this sign

Oggunda Tetura is the story of Iño, the coral: a son of Obatalá, he was given everything — riches, money and a house — and when Orunmila marked him an ebbó so he could enjoy what he had been given, he would not do it. Obatalá cursed him, turned him to stone and made him the foundation of the earth. The moral opens this odu: the ebbó is not for getting — it is for being able to enjoy what you got.

Its diagnosis is a prosperous man with a short memory: you have received a great deal — money, position, health, a foundation — and since having it, has stopped keeping their promises: to Ifá, to their elders, to whoever gave them a hand. Look at how you treat the people who lifted you up: lack of gratitude is exactly what ruins this sign.

«Iño was given everything and would not make ebbó — Obatalá turned him to stone: what is given can be taken back.»The pulse of Oggunda Tetura

Its pace is an elephant's: slow but crushing — the last will be first: do not despair at how fast other people move, because your step gets there and crushes what is in the way. And its pocket philosophy: be content with what you have — God squeezes but does not choke — and what cannot be helped is best forgotten.

The ebbó of this odu is grand and exact: 16 pigeons, 16 white cloths, 16 cowries — eight pigeons for Obatalá and the other eight for whoever the board says. Attend to Obatalá steadily: he is the source of your fortune, and his patience has a documented limit.

And the warning that sums it all up: having everything is when you are most obliged to keep your promises — prosperity does not excuse you from the ebbó: it commits you to it. What you were given can turn to stone: do not wait for the curse before you show gratitude — listen to advice, because whoever does not listen does not grow old — and you are meant to

The sign in one line

Be grateful while you have it, keep your promises while you prosper and walk like the elephant — Oggunda Tetura grows old if he listens to advice, and arrives crushing everything.

The prayer of Oggunda Tetura · Yoruba

Afomo elebo Ifá ashará enisherí eri nayola eyoro mokún odeto adifafun Iño.

Ifá says — what Oggunda Tetura tells you

An Ifá of disobedience: you have been given everything and, having it, you stop keeping your promises to Orunmila and to whoever gave it to you. An Ifá of contentment: be content with what you have — God squeezes but does not choke. An Ifá of patience: slow but crushing, like the elephant; the last will be first.
You have received a great deal — money, position, health, a foundation — and since having it, you have stopped keeping your promises: to Ifá, to your elders, to whoever helped you.
Disobedience and lack of gratitude are the ruin of this sign: you can lose everything you were given and be left with nothing.
You let people down: look at how you treat the ones who gave you a hand.
Make the ebbó Orunmila marks you, even though you already have everything: the ebbó is not for getting — it is for being able to enjoy what you got.
Give thanks to Obatalá and keep what you promised him.
What cannot be helped is best forgotten.

Proverbs of Oggunda Tetura · Òwe

“Whoever will not listen to advice does not grow old.”
“Be content with what you have.”
“God squeezes but does not choke.”
“Slow but crushing, like the elephant.”
“What cannot be helped is best forgotten.”
“The last will be first.”
“Slow but steady steps are the careful man's.”
“The intelligent man corrects his own mistakes; the fool pays for them.”
“Whoever is never satisfied ends up losing even what they have.”
“The gates of heaven do not open for whoever takes their own life.”
“Enemies in plain sight and friends at a distance.”
“Only inside a family are its flaws known.”
“Without a reading, plans come to nothing.”
“What does not kill you makes you fat.”
“A timely answer is welcome; an untimely question is a nuisance.”
“Things fall by their own weight.”
“Rebelling against our destiny leads to being disappointed in ourselves.”
“Whoever is set against their father by their own wickedness will always be a slave to the osogbos.”
“The ox knows its master and the horse its bit, but the fool sinks under the test.”
“Whoever takes their own life believes that by deserting this world they leave their suffering behind, and only carry it on into the next.”
“There is no worse sentence than a curse we speak against ourselves with our own mouth.”
“Those who are never satisfied get everything but happiness.”
“Every wrong is written down.”
“When nobody values you, value yourself.”
“The sword's edge does not touch the man of peace.”
“Jealousy is an open wound that turns a doubting man into a killer.”
“In this world there is no worse betrayal than a brother's.”

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

Iré and Osogbo

2 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 Oggunda Tetura · Ìbí

That in Africa stones turn into coral.
In memory of Iño's disobedience toward his father Obatalá, who had given him everything.

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

Do not disobey what Orunmila marks for you.
Iño did not do the ebbó and he lost everything.
Do not be disrespectful to the one who gave you everything.
«I have taken everything from you because you are very disrespectful», said Obatalá.

Ebbós of Oggunda Tetura · The sacrifices that open the road

MoneyThe ebbó of Iño, the coral🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Oggunda Tetura · The workings of the sign

SpiritualThe thanks to Obatalá🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Oggunda Tetura · The roads of the Odù

1When Iño, the coral, would not make ebbó

Iño, the coral, son of Obatalá, received from his father all his wealth: money and a house. He went to be read by Orunmila, who saw Oggunda Tetura for him and marked ebbó with 16 doves — eight for Obatalá and, for the rest, to ask who they were meant for — so that he could enjoy what he had received. But with everything already in his hands, Iño did not want to do it. When Obatalá learned of the disobedience, he cursed him and turned him into stone: "you will be the foundation of the earth." Iño wanted to know why he had been turned into stone and why he had lost everything, and Obatalá answered him: "I have taken it all from you because you are very disrespectful: you did not do what Orunmila ordered you — and so everything I gave you, I take from you, and I leave you in misery." That is why in Africa stones turn into coral, as a memory of that disobedience of Iño against the father who had given him everything.

On this road, Iño was the coral and was a son of Obatalá. His father handed him all the wealth as his fortune: money and a house. One day Iño went to Orunmila, who did osode for him and saw Oggunda Tetura. There Orunmila ordered him ebbó with 16 doves: eight he had to give to Obatalá, and for the rest he had to ask who they were meant for, so that he could enjoy what his father had given him.

With everything already in his hands, Iño did not want to do the ebbó. Obatalá learned what his son had done, and seeing the disobedience he cursed him and turned him into stone, saying to him: "You will be the foundation of the earth." Iño wanted to know why he had been turned into stone and why he had lost everything, and Obatalá's answer was: "I have taken it all from you, because you are very disrespectful, since you did not do what Orunmila ordered you; and so everything I gave you, I take from you, and I leave you in misery." That is why in Africa stones turn into coral, as a memory of that disobedience of Iño against the father who had given him everything.

2The ram and the dog

Ogún and Shangó went about together, and where one was the other was; Ogún always had a ram, and Shangó a dog. At a feast, Ogún asked Shangó to look after his ram; but Shangó and his companions got hungry and ate it. When it was over, Ogún asked after his ram, and Shangó told him what they had done; Ogún flew into a rage and, to get his own back, seized Shangó's dog and drank its blood. But as he drank it, he began to like it, and his violent nature began changing into a calmer one; ever since, whenever he gets the chance, Ogún eats dog, and that is how his quarrel with Shangó ended.

Ogún and Shangó always went about together, joined by a friendship so great that where one showed up the other showed up too; Ogún never lacked his ram at his side, and Shangó took a dog everywhere. One day the two of them ended up at a party where both were having a good time; Ogún, very excited, asked Shangó to watch his ram for a moment, and Shangó agreed to do it while the other was busy. But in the middle of the party Shangó and his companions got hungry, and looking at the ram he was watching for Ogún, Shangó said to them: "don't you think we're hungry by now? why don't we eat this ram?"; and his friends ate a fine meal. When the party was over, Ogún went for Shangó, as he always did, and asked him about his animal; Shangó confessed to him what he and his friends had done. Ogún's anger rose to the point of wanting to fight his friend, but then he noticed the dog that always went with Shangó: to get even he grabbed it, sank his teeth into its neck and began to suck its blood. And while he sucked it he got a taste for it, so much so that his violent character turned peaceful, pleased to be savoring it; since then, whenever he gets a chance, Ogún eats dog, and there the anger with Shangó ended. Anger that looks for payback sometimes finds a taste that calms it: by eating another man's ram a friendship went cold, but Ogún found in the dog the taste that calmed his rage.

3The ceiba and the curujey

Orunmila did an Ifá consultation for the whole forest, and the only one who did ebbó was the curujey. The big trees, arrogant about their size, were arguing over which one was the chief, and they went to Olofin so he would settle who would rule the forest; Olofin summoned them to a certain place in seven days. Esu gave the curujey cholera to stop him from going, and although the giant trees went to fetch him, he refused because of how ill he felt; the ceiba felt sorry for him and carried him on her head. When Olofin saw that all of them arrived on their own feet and the curujey on a head, he named him king of the forest, and there he has lived ever since: perched on the head or on the shoulders of the giants.

Orunmila did an Ifá consultation for the whole forest, and the only one who did ebbó was the curujey. The big trees, arrogant about their size, went around saying that each one was the chief of the other, and in the middle of that argument they went to Olofin so he would settle which of them would rule the forest; Olofin summoned them: in seven days they would meet at a certain place and there he would give them his verdict. Esu gave the curujey cholera to stop him from going, and although the giant trees went to fetch him, he refused because of the sickness he had; the ceiba felt sorry for him, and decided to carry him on her head. Olofin withdrew to think, and seeing that all of them arrived on their own feet while the curujey arrived on a head, he named him king of the forest; there he has lived ever since: perched on the head or on the shoulders of the giants. The humble one who sacrifices, even if he cannot go on his own feet, is carried on the head by the one who feels pity, and ends up crowned king above the proud.

4Oshosi's road🔒 The Notebook 5Orunmila's low spirits🔒 The Notebook 6When Ogún ate dog🔒 The Notebook 7When Oshún had no husband🔒 The Notebook 8The pigeon and her lovers🔒 The Notebook 9Aje's secret🔒 The Notebook 10The betrayal by Shangó's son🔒 The Notebook 11The three brothers omo Olofin🔒 The Notebook 12The war between the Olorori🔒 The Notebook 13The ugly bird🔒 The Notebook 14Ikan Ogu🔒 The Notebook 15When Ologbo did not keep his promise to Orunmila🔒 The Notebook 16The two brothers, the good one and the bad one🔒 The Notebook 17The frog at the foot of the road🔒 The Notebook 18The beak and the cheese🔒 The Notebook

15 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 Oggunda Tetura in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Oggunda Tetura

What does the Odù Oggunda Tetura mean in Ifá?

Disobedience punished: Iño the coral, a son of Obatalá, would not make ebbó and was turned to stone — whoever will not listen to advice does not grow old.

What number is Oggunda Tetura among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Oggunda Tetura is Odù number 148 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ogunda family.

Which orishas speak in Oggunda Tetura?

In the Odù Oggunda Tetura these orishas speak: Obatalá, Orunmila.

What is a proverb of the Odù Oggunda Tetura?

One of the proverbs of Oggunda Tetura says: «Whoever will not listen to advice does not grow old.».

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