Ojuani Rete

Also called Ojuani Birete, Ojuani Fete

nº 104 of 256 · Edited by Ricco Ledesma

The religious inheritance: the godchild inherits the godfather and carries the burdens that his ancestors did not fulfill. Here the first rooster was killed.

16 patakíes 5 eewó 7 ebbós and works 15 proverbs

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Ojuani Rete is Odù number 104 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ojuani family. It is also written as Ojuani Birete or Ojuani Fete. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 16 patakíes (3 in full in plain sight, with their teaching, ebbó and chants), its proverbs, 7 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 104 of 256
Composition: Ojuani over Irete
Orishas that speak: Elegba / Eshu · Olofin · Olokun · Oshún · Shangó · Ogún · Oduduwa y Obatalá

What Ifá says in this sign

Ojuani Rete, also known as Ojuani Birete, is the sign where religious inheritance was born: godchildren receive what their godfather leaves, and each person carries what their ancestors left undone. Here the rooster received its crown, and here, for telling Olofin's secret, it was killed and eaten for the first time. That is why two roosters do not drink water together. Its ruling asks only one thing of you: obedience is your best weapon; ask your parents for forgiveness and receive their blessing while they live.

You come from a family with means, and your father has or had a military rank. You will receive something valuable. You will say something no one believes, and when it happens they will come looking for you and you can charge well for your advice. Orunmila, poor, went to a rich land and came to rule it through his ebbó: if you plan to move, do the same before you leave. When you have problems, make a sacrifice to Olokun.

«Two roosters do not drink water together. The titles of Ojuani Birete are defended without sharing the throne.»The pulse of Ojuani Rete

It is the sign of counts and marquises, always at war. Disobedience sets you against your father and can cost you your life; never raise your hand against your elders. As with the prince who abandoned his home, as long as you have money you will have friends and flatterers, and when business goes wrong they will turn into enemies. Choose your friends well, because bad company leads you astray. Oshún is angry and wants to leave you in the hands of Eshu. Beware of the law and of theft: if you are older, your enemies are joining together to take your savings. When you are given something of value, there will be an envious person who may even kill you: take care. Do not step in to break up other people's fights, speak ill of the saints or reveal the secrets of those above you.

In love, the woman of this sign rules over the man, and no man lasts at her side unless he is an awó. If she leaves, he misses her greatly; for the union to hold, Eshu must receive a rooster every so often. The young man confronts the old one over a woman. It is a sign of sodomy, of sexual impotence and of sexual excess in women: take care to avoid those disorders. As for money, you love it very much, and that love can lead you to steal.

In health, take care of your feet: wounds, fungus, swelling and poor circulation; there may also be impotence, sadness and troubles of the head. When you fall ill it is very hard for you to get up, and there is someone gravely ill in your home. Avoid bathing in rivers and in the sea, where you could drown, and do not travel by ship in bad weather. Do not eat rooster, and do not fall asleep: what Ifá asks of you, do it in time.

The sign in one line

Obey your father, do not fall asleep like the shrimp, and wait for your vindication, because for Ojuani Birete time repays handsomely what they do not believe of him today.

The prayer of Ojuani Rete · Yoruba

Ojuani Birete okiti baba opeku adifafun Olofin apari adifafun Palakore.

Súyere
Lori Olofin akua akua.

Ifá says — what Ojuani Rete tells you

Vanity, distrust and restlessness: the person has problems of introspection regarding their goals, and needs a change of conduct.
That the enemies of the older person have conspired to rob the money kept in store: trust no one.
That the child of this Odù disobeys and therefore clashes with his father: there lies his ruin. It points to a tragedy between father and son.
That the father of the person of this Odù was or is a military man with rank, and that the person comes from a wealthy family.
That the person will announce something and no one will believe it; when it happens, they will admit the person was right, will come looking for the person, and a considerable sum can be asked for.
That something of value will be granted to you, but there will always be a dissatisfied envious person who can even kill you: be careful.
That when the person of this Odù falls ill, it takes a great deal of work to raise them up; it marks a gravely ill person in the house.
Ailments of this sign: swelling of the legs, fungus on the feet, sexual impotence and problems of blood circulation.
Of a woman who tickles her husband in a very special way that he enjoys a great deal: if she leaves him, he will miss her very much.
Of a person who, when bored, wants to go out and seek fortune.
Of the need to choose friends well: the harmful advice of bad company can make you lose your way in life.
Of someone who, being disobedient, got terribly frightened while in the river or in the sea.
Of a person who is strongly attracted to money.
Of the fact that you plan to go to a certain place to look for money that belongs to an old man: be careful about any wrongdoing that may occur to you, and about the law.
That you must not speak ill of the Saints.

Proverbs of Ojuani Rete · Òwe

“The young rooster goes for the old one, all because of the hen.”
“The shrimp that falls asleep is carried off by the current.”
“Disobedience costs a life.”
“Two roosters do not drink water together.”
“A man who is awake does not get dragged around the world.”
“Whoever is born a penny never gets to be a dollar.”
“God does not hear the one who does not speak.”
“To do justice you need experience.”
“Whoever does not learn is because they do not want to.”
“The one who grieves bears the loss, and bad advice is no company.”
“The tongue of the just is just; the tongue of the wicked is wicked.”
“The adulterer wipes his mouth after eating and does not recall doing anything wrong.”
“Greed never has its fill of bread.”
“The wise man builds on rock, the fool on swamp.”
“Pride leads to disgrace; the humble man is always wise.”

12 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

Godchildren inherit what their godfather leaves, and in this way a line of religious inheritance is formed.
They come from a family with money, and their father has or had a military rank.
They are granted something of value.

Osogbo · what the sign warns

They must be careful of the law and of thefts, because someone wants to do them harm.
If they are already older, their enemies band together to take the savings they have put away.
They lose their way in life because bad company gives them bad advice.

42 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 Ojuani Rete · Ìbí

The dynasty of religious inheritance.
What belongs to the godfather passes by inheritance to the godchildren, and each person carries the burdens that their ancestors left unfulfilled.
The rooster's first stroke of luck, and the first time it was killed and eaten.
His comb represented the crown given by Olofin, until he spoke too much.
That the party be thrown for whichever Osha asks for one.
That the woman be the elder over the man.
The husband she has must be an Awó; if he is not, no man at her side will reach old age.
That the young rooster attacks the rooster because of the hen: the young man strikes the old man.
The proverb "the shrimp that falls asleep is carried off by the current".
That two roosters do not drink water together.

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

It is forbidden to bathe in the sea or in the river.
A whirlpool swallowed the king's son; the person of this sign gets a great fright in the water.
You are forbidden to eat rooster.
The rooster was crowned by Olofin, and died for revealing his secret.
Do not cross barren land.
So you do not pick up bad influences.
Do not step in to break up other people's fights.
Do not raise your hand against your elders, whether by blood or by religion.
You are quite lost: obedience is your main weapon.

Ebbós of Ojuani Rete · The sacrifices that open the road

Keeping death awayThe young rooster of the shadow🔒 The Notebook Overcoming enemiesEbbó of the three who asked for each other's heads🔒 The Notebook MoneyEbbó of the four ears of corn🔒 The Notebook LoveThe rooster and the coral🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Ojuani Rete · The workings of the sign

Overcoming enemiesThe inshé of the 16 spurs🔒 The Notebook MoneyElegba's fish🔒 The Notebook HealthThe belly decoction🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Ojuani Rete · The roads of the Odù

1The disobedient prince

In the land of Itako lived Osabeyi. In that place all newborns received the same name, and they were told apart by titles and numbers. This prince did no work and did not listen to his elders; he acted only on his whim, so his elders ended up turning their backs on him.

He thought that his greatness and his famous name allowed him to be happy, and he left home for the countryside. While his money lasted he had many friends and flatterers. But Shangó and Elegba upset his business, his friends drew away and those who had once flattered him ended up being his enemies. With hardly any money, he fell ill from sadness and in his head, and lost his house because it burned down.

Already in a very bad state, he went to see Orunmila. Orunmila consulted for him and this Odù came out. Orunmila explained what his problem was and its cause, gave him many pieces of advice and prepared an ebbó for him with the little money he had left. He was to place it on a hill, inside a jícara.

On reaching the foot of the hill, the prince arrived exhausted. The tiñosa, which is a vulture, saw him, took the ebbó and announced that she would carry it to Oduduwa and Obatalá, and so she did. Oduduwa took it out of the jícara and ordered the tiñosa to return the money to the prince and tell him to go back to his parents. First he had to ask their forgiveness; then, to make them happy, he could give them gifts or hold a party. From then on he had to obey his elders, so as not to repeat the same thing and be at risk, because that was his last opportunity. The tiñosa handed the prince the jícara with the money and told him what Oduduwa and Obatalá commanded. The prince obeyed, and his happiness returned.

What it teaches

Someone who does not listen to his elders and trusts only in his name loses friends, health and home, since flatterers last only as long as the money does. Returning, asking forgiveness and obeying is the last chance to recover happiness.

The prince's ebbó

Made with the little money he had left and carried in a jícara up to a hill. The tiñosa took it to deliver to Oduduwa and Obatalá.

What he was ordered to do

Go back to his parents, ask their forgiveness, offer them gifts or a party, and from then on obey his elders.

Herbal remedies of this path

This path has herbal decoctions for ailments of the belly, the mind, the legs and the waist, and baths for good fortune with money. Their lists are in the full treatise.

Prayer of this path

Ojuani irete okiti baba opeku adifafun olofin apari adifafun palakore.

This path keeps 4 awó secrets in the complete treatise.🔒 The Notebook

2The Rooster's Crown and Ogún's Machete

When the world was beginning, the rooster had no comb, which was to be his crown. He presented himself before Obatalá to receive it. Obatalá consulted Olofin, who gave his permission, and this kindled rage and resentment in Ogún. He said: “Obatalá, I have worked in the world for a long time and I have no crown, and the rooster, without having worked, received one from you. I am sure he will regret it.”

Obatalá suffered pain in his legs, which were covered with sores, and he was bald, which irritated him. Ogún laughed it off and went around singing that Obatalá had sores on his feet and no hair. Olofin found out and ordered the rooster and Ogún to appear. As soon as they stood before him, Ogún gripped his machete and cut off the rooster's head so that he would be quiet.

Since then the rooster is sacrificed and eaten; before, no knife came near him, because his comb was the crown that Olofin had given him.

What it teaches

A prize granted to one person awakens resentment in the one who did not receive it, and mockery, even when made as a joke, can turn out very costly. The story explains why the rooster, once untouchable, came to be sacrificed.

Ebbó of this path

This path has its own ebbó; the full list is in the complete treatise.

Prayer of this path

MU EYENU IWA ADIFAFUN NIYE ABURE ARALA OJUANI BIRETE ATAKUAKO ADIFAFUN AKUKO TINRELE OGUN AKEKE FON SALU ADIFAFUN GUORITO OLA LODAFUN OBATALA.

What Ogún sang in mockery of Obatalá

OBATALA TIENE LLAGAS EN LOS PIES Y ES CALVO

This path keeps 1 awó secret in the complete treatise.🔒 The Notebook

3The rooster who knew Olofin was bald

Olofin had the rooster called in order to consult with him, since he was an awó of Orunmila. When the ókpele was cast, this odu appeared, and the rooster told him that he suffered in the chest and that it hurt. It was true, and for that reason Olofin resolved to crown him.

When he took off his cap for the ceremony, Olofin showed his head, and the rooster discovered that he had no hair. Nobody in the world had ever seen him without his cap; the secret was his alone.

Having that privilege swelled him with vanity, and he strutted about. Elegba wanted to catch him and goaded him without rest to tell what he knew, until one day the rooster sang it in his own language: Olofin was bald.

When Olofin learned that his private life was passing from mouth to mouth, he ordered Elegba to take the rooster and eat him, for having spoken what he should not. That is why this odu forbids eating rooster, and Elegba is given ekó in whatever way he asks for it.

What it teaches

Knowing the private matters of someone powerful is a privilege that is kept by staying silent. Whoever swells with pride and yields to Elegba's provocation loses what he had gained.

Prohibition on rooster

In this odu rooster must not be eaten: Olofin gave him to Elegba for having revealed his secret.

Ekó for Elegba

Elegba is given ekó in whatever way he asks for it.

What the rooster sang about Olofin

Lori Olofin akua akua (Olofin es calvo)

Prayer of this path

ADIFAFUN OLOFIN LODAFUN AKUKO LORI OLOFIN KUA KUA. KAFEREFUN ELEGBA ATI ORUNMILA.

This path keeps 1 awó secret in the complete treatise.🔒 The Notebook

4The three who asked for each other's heads🔒 The Notebook 5The shrimp and the king's son🔒 The Notebook 6The Awó's two doves🔒 The Notebook 7Three divinations: Olofin, the one who despised, and the poor man🔒 The Notebook 8Orunmila's dilemma🔒 The Notebook 9The rooster and the hen🔒 The Notebook 10Hidden enemies🔒 The Notebook 11From frustration to fulfillment🔒 The Notebook 12The monkeys and the moon🔒 The Notebook 13The river, the lake and the sea🔒 The Notebook 14The young rooster who defeated the rooster with a flute🔒 The Notebook 15The sorcerer who thought he was invincible🔒 The Notebook 16The three chances of a gifted person🔒 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 Ojuani Rete in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Ojuani Rete

What does the Odù Ojuani Rete mean in Ifá?

The religious inheritance: the godchild inherits the godfather and carries the burdens that his ancestors did not fulfill. Here the first rooster was killed.

What number is Ojuani Rete among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Ojuani Rete is Odù number 104 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ojuani family.

Which orishas speak in Ojuani Rete?

In the Odù Ojuani Rete these orishas speak: Elegba / Eshu, Olofin, Olokun, Oshún, Shangó, Ogún, Oduduwa y Obatalá.

What is a proverb of the Odù Ojuani Rete?

One of the proverbs of Ojuani Rete says: «The young rooster goes for the old one, all because of the hen.».

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