When God finished creating the world, the divinities found themselves without clothes and understood that without the goods of life the earth could not be lived on. So they went up to heaven together to ask God for the instruments that bring joy to whoever lives below. Before leaving, they went to see the Awoses to consult. The verse said that life burns up firewood and drinks through its mouth until it is satisfied, and that it is a sturdy porcupine that cries out like a man inside the anthill. The offering that was marked was cheap: sugar cane, a corn cake, a small broom called oroke and a bean pudding, the moyin moyin.
Once outside that house, the divinities began to argue. They did not understand why any force should be given an offering when God had gladly promised them the gifts. They decided the ebbó was not needed, and they did not even notice that the materials cost little and were for daily use. Orunmila was the only one who answered that he would make the offering. He remembered that God himself had warned them that destructive forces can strip them of their luck if no one appeases them. The others mocked him and nicknamed him “the father of the ebbó.” Even so, Orunmila gathered everything and delivered it. On his own part he added a goat for Eshu, because he knew that without that backing he would not go far. The Awoses put the cake, the cane, the honey and the pudding into his bag and asked him to take them to Elenini. From the goat’s hide they made a little drum to go with him on the journey.
God’s rule was only one: each divinity could take from the treasury whatever it managed to carry to the base. Elenini, in charge of that treasure, took the appearance of an angry cripple and waited for each divinity on the road back. From all of them he took what they carried and returned it to its place. As he had been told, Orunmila left last. On meeting the cripple, he stopped at the door and told that frightening creature that he was bringing him presents. First he gave him the honey, then the cane, and after that the corn bread and the bean pudding. While the cripple was eating, Eshu appeared and told Orunmila to play the drum and sing a song: it announced that he was coming down to earth loaded with everything that makes a life happy. Hearing it, the cripple raised the broom that belonged to Orunmila and began to dance. At that moment Eshu took the drum from Orunmila’s hands and played it harder. The cripple turned toward heaven, and Orunmila was able to go on. That is why he was the only divinity who enriched the earth with what is needed to prosper.
An ebbó that seems unnecessary or of little price may be the one that opens the door to prosperity. Whoever carries it out while others laugh is the one who manages to enrich the earth. And Eshu’s support matters as much as the offering.
Sugar cane, corn cake, a small broom (oroke) and a bean pudding (moyin moyin). On his own, Orunmila added a goat for Eshu, and a drum was made from the hide. For Elenini he also carried honey.
Whoever makes no offering will find obstacles that block their destiny and what they left requested in heaven. A man is meant to practice Ifá. A woman is meant to marry a Babalawo or get her husband to receive it.
EGENA OFO MI SERUN KU. OGBOLOGBO URE LOGBE INU OGAN. OFI OHUN OKUNRIN YORO YORO. ADAFA FUN AWON IGBA ERUMOLE WON FE LO GBA URE WA YE LODO OLODUMARE.
Aro oludena gburu, ki ejo aro oludena