Oshé Yeku

nº 228 of 256

«The Ifá of the flies», foreman of the Obá Egun: he commands 36 just spirits and confirms Kings — you cannot consecrate yourself.

25 patakíes 10 eewó 13 ebbós and works 18 proverbs

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Oshé Yeku is Odù number 228 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Oshe family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 25 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 13 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 228 of 256
Composition: Oshe over Oyekun
In the Diloggún: 5-2 · Oshé tonti Eyioko
Orishas that speak: Obatalá · Yemayá · Azojuano (Oluwó Popó) · Ozain · Elegbá · Aggayú · Shangó · Orishaoko y Olokun · Egun

What Ifá says in this sign

Oshé Yeku is «the Ifá of the flies»: here Oluwó Popó made the fly — and with it cancer — and here Poverty and Need were born, which Obatalá ruled would always exist, giving them the strength to fight. Its comfort is slow justice: the enemies who work witchcraft on you end up stuck to the flypaper, at your feet — like the envious flies on Orunmila's table.

Its rank is funereal and supreme: Oshé Yeku is the foreman of the Obá Egun of ara onú — he commands 36 just spirits, covered with Olofin's black cloth — and he confirms Kings and Chiefs all over the Earth. Hence its law against delusions of greatness: you cannot consecrate yourself — and no man's Ifá is worth anything unless it is confirmed.

«The envious flies died stuck to Orunmila's flypaper — the sorcerers who go after Oshé Yeku end up at his feet.»The pulse of Oshé Yeku

Its thresholds ask for respect: it is the Ifá of catalepsy — the states where Ikú rules: a great shock makes you lose consciousness, and you talk with spirits. Do not go into houses or lodgings without finding out where they really come from: you can be left enslaved to the place — find out first, act afterward. And walk alone: you can die for someone else or pay for what is not yours.

Its blood boils close by: trouble with brothers of blood and of religion — something you do can drive a brother mad, and he is capable of throwing ogú at you out of envy —; for a man, be careful with your lover's husband; your father has cursed you — it is repaired —, and there is a curse of never having a house: it is broken with ebbó — get yourself a house.

Its faithful allies: Yemayá — who handed the water to Lashure, the queen of the rain, so it could rain on the Earth —, the guabina who frightens Ikú off with her whistle, and Aggayú, who rules this Odù. Look after your lungs — by arun, tuberculosis speaks: broth and a fish head to Orunmila —, the flowers for the dead that were born here, and respect everything that is perfume: bad smell is your enemy — and poverty is your teacher of how to fight.

The sign in one line

Do not consecrate yourself, walk alone and get yourself a house with ebbó — Oshé Yeku confirms Kings with 36 just spirits, and poverty gave him the strength to fight.

The prayer of Oshé Yeku · Yoruba

Oshe Yeku Boro Boshe Yeku, Ibai Bororo Ofo, Ibai Bororo Ona, Obaye Be Ifa Oshe Yeku, Bawaye Be Ifa Yoyo Odara Moloni Molorun Elegba, Oshe Boro Boshe, Bari Bari Boshe Yeku, Boro Boro Awayoni Ifa, Wawayeni Elegba, Wawayeni Ifa Osha Obatala, Wawore Oshe Yeku, Bari Boshe Orunmila, Beyeku Mawayoni Ifa, Boro Boro Eni Boye Shango, Eni Boye Iku.

Súyere
Boro Boro Boshe Yebi Lona, Boro Boro Boshe Yebi Lona Awa, Boro Boro Awa Iku.

Ifá says — what Oshé Yeku tells you

The Ifá of the flies: the enemies who work witchcraft end up stuck to the flypaper, at your feet. Ifá ni kaferefun Yemayá: she handed the water to Lashure, the queen of the rain, so it could rain on the Earth. The Ifá of catalepsy: it marks the coming of the state just before death and the states where Ikú rules. An Ifá of confirmation: Oshé Yeku confirms Kings and Chiefs; no man's Ifá is worth anything unless it is confirmed (Igbo Wole Lerí). The Ifá of the foreman of the dead: Oshé Yeku commands all the Obá Egun of ara onú, covered with Olofin's black cloth. This Odù is ruled by Aggayú.
By intori arun it speaks of tuberculosis: look after your lungs.
You can be left enslaved to whatever place you go to: do not go into houses or lodgings without knowing where they really come from; find out first and act afterward.
It speaks of someone forgetful, disrespectful, high-handed and idle.
For a man: be careful with your lover's husband, who can kill you. You can kill another man over a woman.
For a woman: you should look after the Santos well; you did not marry and the man has another woman. You should look after your breasts.
It marks trouble with brothers of blood and of religion: something you do can drive a brother mad, and he is capable of throwing ogú at you out of envy.
You can die for someone else or pay for what is not yours: here you should walk alone so as not to be in danger.
A great shock makes you lose consciousness.
You leave your house and your land because of quarrels within it.
Your enemies never stop working witchcraft on you, but in the end they come to your feet.
You talk with spirits and pass into those states; you have delusions of greatness and of command, but you cannot consecrate yourself.
You are cursed never to have a house unless you make ebbó: get yourself a house.
Your father has cursed you; bad smell is your enemy.
The flies speak, envious spiritists of Orunmila, who died stuck to the flypaper on his table.
The castle spider speaks, who weaves the trap where the disobedient man turns into a fly.
The ejá oro (the guabina) speaks, who frightens Ikú off with her whistle.
Lashure speaks, the queen of the rain, to whom Yemayá handed the water so it could rain on the Earth.
The coconut shell and the gourd bowl speak, the servants who cover and keep the secrets of Olofin and of Obatalá Oshé Reigbo.
The 36 just spirits speak, representatives of Olordumare, commanded by Oshé Yeku.
Tuberculosis speaks: an illness of the lungs that this treatise describes clinically; that is why the broth and the fish head go to Orunmila.
The eweses of this Odù are salvadera (iguí awagbe), mallow (oshe potu) and abrojo (ewé baguro).

Proverbs of Oshé Yeku · Òwe

“Do not leave the certain for the doubtful.”
“Poverty and Need will always exist on the Earth.”
“The just pay for the sinners.”
“Give the right to whoever has it.”
“A King's fly is a King.”
“Ten Kings, ten ages.”
“Money brings disaster among family.”
“You know the earth by its clay, and Heaven by the Moon.”
“An offended brother is harder to win than a strong city; and quarrels between brothers are like the bolts of a fortress.”
“Hold on to advice, do not let it go; keep it, because that is your life.”
“The dead leave their inheritance to whoever they see fit.”
“A drum that does not eat is a drum that does not play.”
“We are all born covered in blood.”
“There is no daybreak without dawn.”
“The dirty linen was aired.”
“The Santos above, the family below.”
“You touch with your eyes and look with your hands.”
“Whoever looks down on the one who has less will be looked down on by the one who has more.”

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

Iré and Osogbo

8 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 Oshé Yeku · Ìbí

Poverty and Need in life, and that they go about the world together.
Obatalá helped them and ruled: «You always have to exist in the world, but I will give you the strength to fight.»
The three-way pact between Oshé Yeku, Oyekun Pakioshe and Ikú: that they would always respect perfume.
Death was lulled with flowers and rewarded the Awó who gave her the first bunch.
The first bunch of flowers set before death, and why floral offerings are set for the dead.
Ikú covered the bodies she carried with flowers to keep off the bad smell and the bugs that followed her.
That every Santo has his own Ozain of foundation.
When each Santo came to Earth, his Ozain came with him.
That people die from going about in groups.
The swatter is not aimed at any one fly, but at the group, and that is why many fall.
That Oluwó Popó made the fly and with it cancer.
Ozain betrayed him in the pact of knowledge and Oluwó Popó made the plague that would destroy his children.
The confused state and madness from spirits sent against you.
Lafi Akú, the Obá of the elephants, drove his brother Erin Layé mad with an asieré spirit.
That Oshé Yeku is the foreman of the Obá Egun of ara onú.
Olofin gave him the ashé and the black cloth when the four Kings of the Land of the Dead laid claim to it.
That Elegbá gives clothing and money.
He gave them to Poverty and to Need, and both prospered.
That the Babalawo who had only Ifá had to wash the Santos so they would go with him.
The Awoses of the Arará land had no Santos and had to wash them in order to work with them.
That an Ituto is prepared for a living person.
From the road of Bokofio, who visited the Kingdom of Death and came back when they were already preparing his Ituto.
The expectation of catalepsy.
Bokofio lay as if dead while his spirit traveled to the world of darkness.

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

Do not kill flies.
This is the Ifá of the flies: the creation of Oluwó Popó.
Do not go about in crowds of people.
The fly dies from going about in a group: do not go and die for another or pay for what someone else did.
Do not eat old food and do not eat just anywhere.
Your death is in that; the epidemic comes in through what is eaten.
Do not visit places that are not clean; be as clean as possible.
Bad smell is your enemy and it draws flies and sickness.
Do not look at money with greed and do not covet.
You have many evil eyes on you and people covet even the last cent you have.
Do not chase after or take what is not yours.
You can go through a shameful moment.
Do not tell your secrets, above all the religious ones.
Do not reveal what has been given into your keeping.
Avoid relations with the paleros.
From the road of the woman bewitched by the palero; a work was done on the obiní so he could have her sexually, because she trusted too much.
Do not claim lordships or titles you have not earned.
No one can consecrate himself: you need to be confirmed by your elders, as Oshé Yeku teaches.
Do not be violent or quarrelsome.
The sickness comes through the feet and you are never still.

Ebbós of Oshé Yeku · The sacrifices that open the road

LossEbbó of Poverty and Need🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesWork of the egg to beat the enemy🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesTo win a war🔒 The Notebook HealthEbbó against death from going about in a group🔒 The Notebook Keeping death awayEbbó of the visit to the world of the dead🔒 The Notebook SpiritualEbbó for the asieré (whoever is unsettled in mind)🔒 The Notebook LossEbbó against being enslaved to the place🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Oshé Yeku · The workings of the sign

SpiritualJar of Oshé Yeku (egun ore ore)🔒 The Notebook SpiritualPrenda of Oshé Yeku🔒 The Notebook HealthWork to avoid disaster and epidemic🔒 The Notebook SpiritualEshu Kakeno🔒 The Notebook SpiritualEshu Yeku Yelede🔒 The Notebook HealthCalling Ikú and the prayer of Egun for the ebbó🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Oshé Yeku · The roads of the Odù

1The meeting of Poverty and Need

Ikú led Poverty to Need; Obatalá helped them little by little and sent them to Orunmila, Shangó made the ebbó for them, and Elegbá gave them his clothing and his money: that is why they will always exist in the world, but with the strength to fight.

Ebbó: osiadié, bogbo jujú and bogbo eré, bogbo teunyen, bogbo ashó and bogbo ewé, bogbo iguí, bogbo inle and bogbo erán, bogbo eshishí, needles, an arrow, obi, ekú, epó, awadó, oñí, otí, bogbo inso, bogbo aboreo and owó tete boru. This ebbó is thrown away very far from where you live.

In the land of Boro Boshe lived Misery. No matter how hard she tried, she barely kept herself going, and her suffering had no measure. One day she started thinking about how to get out of that situation, and in the middle of her thinking she heard a far off voice calling her: "Boro Boshe Yebi Olona, Agba Boro Boro Agba Ikú". Ikú appeared to her in the distance. Misery felt fear, but Ikú told her: "Follow me!" And she went behind him, all the way to the land of Moloni Molorun, where Need lived.

Together, Misery and Need told each other the sufferings they carried, impossible to bear. Their life drained away calling Obatalá: they cried, they fought, they called him again, and time ran on.

When the two of them were already worn out, Obatalá decided to travel the world to see what was going on. The last land he reached was Moloni Molorun, and there he found Misery and Need of Oshé Yeku, almost without strength. He passed his hand over both of them. He was carrying an apó with yam, eyelé and ewefá: with that he made ebomisí and oborí for them. Then he spoke to them: "I am going to give you a little of everything, but I will give it to you little by little, because you two always have to exist in the world." To Misery he gave otí; Need he set to eating yam, which gave her strength to fight. And he added: "Go to the land of Obaye Be Ifa, where Orunmila lives; take him all this so he makes ebbó for you. Tell him I sent you."

They obeyed. When they got to Orunmila's house they found Shangó cooking all kinds of unyén. Orunmila asked him to feed them, since they came hungry and full of longing, and to make the ebbó for them himself afterward. When the work was done, Shangó handed them the ashé with these words: "Oshé Yekú Boro Boshe Benireo, Oshé Baba, Oshé Nile Agba Yore Ifa Odara". And he warned them: "You have to carry this ebbó through every land, and with this bell you will go ringing and singing." The song said: Agogo Nile Wawao Agogo…

In every land they crossed, Egun, Oshas and Orishas came out to walk behind Misery and Need, singing and asking Obatalá and Olofin for them. They walked like that until Elegbá heard them: he gave them his clothes and all the money he had, and the two of them prospered. Then Misery, Need and Elegbá went to thank Shangó and Orunmila, and to give moforibale to Obatalá, who had ready for them an agborán obiní for them to worship.

2The shadow of hunger

Orunmila taught men how sad a morning is with no sound of the mortar pounding yam, and how black the shade is when he himself lies down under the shade of hunger.

Orunmila spoke to men to show them what being left with nothing looks like: "What a sad morning when the air is not full of the noise of the mortar pounding yam." And he went on: "What a sad night when you try in vain to hear the noise of men sifting amalá. What a painful day when the frying pans are not bubbling with the stew of tejoró (rabbit) and of adié." He still finished: "What a blacker shadow when Orunmila lies down under the shadow of hunger."

Note: chequeté drink is put out for Elegbá to change the character.

3The Ifá of the flies

The flies, envious spiritists, worked witchcraft on Orunmila and filled his house with the bad smell of what they sent; with the flypaper on the table his enemies were left stuck to it and Orunmila got his health back.

The flies were spiritists and they envied Orunmila: his wisdom weighed on them, and so did the skill with which he solved the problems of those who came to his house.

So they started doing witchcraft on him. One day Orunmila passed near them, a little sad and sick, and one of them, with no care at all, landed on his shoulder and said to him mockingly: "Orunmila, you are sick and death is chasing you." He answered nothing and kept on toward his house.

The witchcraft kept growing: they sent him works to end his life. Orunmila was distracted and noticed nothing, until he saw his house filling up with flies drawn by the bad smell of those works. Neither by day nor by night did they stop chasing him.

So he did Osode, this Ifá came out and ebbó was marked. But first he had to put liria — fly paper — on his table, to make the ebbó with his own enemies. The next day he bought the liria in the market and spread it on the table. A while later he picked it up, and there were his enemies, stuck to it. That is how he learned who was making him sick; he made the ebbó and his health came back.

Note: the enemies come to his feet.

4The fly dies from going about in a group🔒 The Notebook 5The fly recommends ebbó to Orunmila🔒 The Notebook 6The man and the castle spider🔒 The Notebook 7The man who turned into a fly🔒 The Notebook 8The pact between San Lázaro and Ozain🔒 The Notebook 9San Lázaro made people ill and Ozain cured them by common pact🔒 The Notebook 10The flies follow Ikú because of the stench🔒 The Notebook 11The first bunch of flowers set before death🔒 The Notebook 12Lafi Akú drives his brother Erin Layé mad🔒 The Notebook 13The visit to the world of the dead (Bokofio)🔒 The Notebook 14Oshé Yeku confirms Kings and Chiefs🔒 The Notebook 15Oshé Yeku commands 36 spirits🔒 The Notebook 16Oshé Yeku, foreman of the Obá Egun of ara onú🔒 The Notebook 17The coconut shell, the gourd bowl and Baba Oshé Reigbo🔒 The Notebook 18The woman bewitched by the palero🔒 The Notebook 19Orunla cures the King of tuberculosis🔒 The Notebook 20The twofold path of Ifá🔒 The Notebook 21Moving on through the astral planes🔒 The Notebook 22The flies and the bees🔒 The Notebook 23The old man and the dog🔒 The Notebook 24The night-blooming jasmine🔒 The Notebook 25How the oponfá drives the osobos away🔒 The Notebook

22 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 Oshé Yeku in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Oshé Yeku

What does the Odù Oshé Yeku mean in Ifá?

«The Ifá of the flies», foreman of the Obá Egun: he commands 36 just spirits and confirms Kings — you cannot consecrate yourself.

What number is Oshé Yeku among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Oshé Yeku is Odù number 228 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Oshe family.

Which orishas speak in Oshé Yeku?

In the Odù Oshé Yeku these orishas speak: Obatalá, Yemayá, Azojuano (Oluwó Popó), Ozain, Elegbá, Aggayú, Shangó, Orishaoko y Olokun, Egun.

What is a proverb of the Odù Oshé Yeku?

One of the proverbs of Oshé Yeku says: «Do not leave the certain for the doubtful.».

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