Ojuani Bosa

In the land of Obara Ni Laye there ruled an Obá Orun — an Egun — called Obá Ñara Ñara, who spent his life praying and had the land completely under control: everyone lived in great misery, but in great quiet. Obatalá thought: «That land is rotting; nothing there seems to move or prosper — it looks as if evil is what rules there». One night, at twelve o'clock, he dressed in black and went without anyone knowing; the Obá Orun was confused and did not realize it was Obatalá watching. Seeing all that, Obatalá laid a curse on the land and at the same time asked for its complete prosperity, and left at dawn singing. On the road Elegba appeared before him, sent by Orunmila — who already knew what was happening — with an ebbó made up: a mouse, a young rooster, three chicks and the pachones for the ceremony. But Elegba did it all backwards: he let the mouse go with the ebbó, gave the chicks to the earth before he arrived, and kept only the young rooster and the pachones; and along the way he found a jutía and was carrying it in his hand. Obatalá also handed him a bag with food, fresh fruit and herbs to scatter. «I will do what you tell me», Elegba answered, «but I will also do what is in my own mind. And remember, father: you have cursed that land».

In Obara Ni Laye they had never seen a mouse or a jutía. Elegba arrived singing and all the people began to wake up, and the dead along with them; he let the jutía loose and there was great confusion among the dead and the living: some were left mad and others sick in their nerves — restlessness and trouble had come. With the young rooster and the pachones he cleaned the children of that land, struck the dead, handed them the rooster, and the dead went away, with Elegba taking command. He scattered what was in the bag and everything began to sprout and grow, and prosperity began — but ambition came with it. One day Elegba was hungry, ate the jutía and gave the blood to everyone: and restlessness began in that land and in all the others, out of ambition. Obatalá went to complain to him carrying a sack of crazy ants; Elegba snatched it from him and they all spilled out: «This land is exactly as you see it, because you cursed it: it will never have any peace, because I will be here to put things together and take them apart». Obatalá, ashamed, had his head prayed over with two coconuts, and Orunmila confirmed it for him in the osode: in Obara Ni Laye there will always be more bad things than good. «I have to accept it», Obatalá thought, «because I cursed it, and my curse caught up with it».

In the early days of the earth, human beings were in constant slaughter, and a law had to be laid down to bring them to their senses. The kings met and named a messenger to carry their complaints to Olofin; before sending him, they were read by an Awó called Arufin, who saw this Odù for them and marked ebbó with a black shirt, a chick and the rest of the ingredients. The Awó told him that to see Olofin you have to be an Imolé: he bathed him in the blood of the chick so Eshu Ode Orun would open the gates for him, and with cascarilla he painted on the breast of the black shirt Oshe Tura, the 16 Meyi, Irete Yero, Ogunda Fun and Ojuani Bosa — and the same on the back.

When he reached Olofin's gate, he gave the chick to Eshu, who opened it for him, and he was able to explain what was going on down on earth. Olofin, seeing the shirt, understood that the Awó Arufin had turned him into an Imolé, and said to him: «Ifá has given you the power to be the executioner of injustice: you will pass sentence on every criminal. Every Egun, Ebora and Orisha will have to make use of you; you will be an Egun Alagbó when you return to earth, and besides Orisha Arufin you will be called Oro. The thunder of your word will be law, and you will have Ojuani Bosa for your secretary, since he is the one who brought you here». On his return, Arufin buried the black shirt with the chick and passed sentence on the criminals, clearing the land of Ojuani Bosa of its bandits: ever since, he is the one charged with that work on Olordumare's orders.

There was a man who made his living diving for coral. When he went under he could stay a long time without coming up for air: he alone was capable of such a feat, because Yemayá helped him through an Osanyin he used and hid very carefully in the sand before going to work.

Another coral diver could not understand how the man could stay so long underwater without breathing, and set about spying on him. One day he saw him hide in the sand something he took out of his pocket, shaped like a heart. «That is an Osanyin», the spy thought: «when he dives into the sea, I will dig it up». So he did, and the man who was under the water immediately began to feel the lack of air and had to come straight up to the surface. Seeing the other diver with his Osanyin in his hand, he came out of the water fast, a violent struggle broke out, and he had to kill him to get his Osanyin back. That is why this sign guards its secrets: whoever shows them is gambling with their life and their freedom.