01/07/2025
Ìṣẹ̀ṣe
Kínni Ifá sọ nípa Ìṣẹ̀ṣe? What is Ifá’s view on Ìṣẹ̀ṣe?
What is Ìṣẹ̀ṣe?
Ìṣẹ̀-ìṣe = Ìṣẹ̀ṣe
Ìṣẹ̀ = the source/origin. For example, Ìṣẹ́ri – Ìṣẹ̀ ẹri, source of the river; ibi tí omi/odò ti ṣẹ̀ yọ… We also have the word “ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀” – Ìpilẹ̀-ìṣẹ̀ = foundation + source. In this context, Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ means the foundational source, or something forming or serving as a base or foundation.
Ìṣe – the act or create. For example, we have words like Ìṣesí or ìṣẹ̀dá. Ìṣesí means the way or manner of doing things; Ìṣẹ̀dá means Ìṣe-ẹ̀dá, the act of humans; it also means our human nature, ìṣẹ̀dá wa. Ìṣẹ̀dálẹ̀ - Ìṣe-ìdá-ilẹ̀, the original way of doing things in the beginning.
Ìṣẹ̀ṣe, in a nutshell, means (àwọn ìṣesí tàbí ǹkan tí àwọn baba ńlá wa ṣe nígbà ìwáṣẹ̀ tí ó ti di àṣà àti ọ̀nà tí à ńgbà ṣe ilé ayé wa. Ìṣẹ̀ṣe – ìse wa ní ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ pẹ̀pẹ̀, ní ibi tí ìṣe wa ti ṣẹ̀ wá (source). Meaning, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is the act that has become the practice, the tradition, an established pattern of thought, action, or behavior right from the beginning of our ancestral lineage (ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ àwọn baba ńlá wa). Ìṣẹ̀ṣe includes our original spiritual practice, social customs, our story, and our body of beliefs relating to the past, and is commonly accepted as historical. These are the foundational premises upon which we build our present and future lives. Without acknowledging our source, we are insignificant in the world. As it is said in Òfún-Ọ̀wọ́nrín that one cannot build a house, or establish a program without having a good foundation, Ifá asserts that no venture can succeed on a faulty or baseless foundation. The stanza reads thus:
Orí òrùlé ni ò ṣeé rìn
Gbaragada, gbàràgàdà, gbaragada
A dífá fún Ìpilẹṣẹ̀
Tíí ṣe Baba Ìlékè
Wọ́n ní kó rúbọ
Ó gbẹ́bọ, ó rúbọ
`Njẹ́ bí ò bà sí Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀
Emi là bá fi Ìlékè ṣe.
Translation
It is difficult to walk on a rooftop
With wanton recklessness
That was the message of Ifa to Ìpilẹṣẹ̀ (Foundation)
The father of Ìlékè (the most important of all structures)
He was advised to offer ẹbọ
He complied
Behold, without Ìpilẹṣẹ̀ (foundation)
Of what use is Ìlékè (structure/platform)
Ifa regards Ìṣẹ̀ṣe as the foundational source of our existence. In Ifa, there are four cardinal points of Ìṣẹ̀ṣe (the fundamentals of our existence – àwọn ǹkan mẹ́rin tó ṣe kókó nípa ìgbésí ayé). Ifá says in and Ọ̀sá Ọlọ́yàn-án (Ọ̀sá-Ìrẹtẹ̀) and Ògúndá Ọ̀wọ́nrín that Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is attributed to four cardinal points: ìyá ẹni-Ìṣẹ̀ṣe ẹni; bàbá ẹni-Ìṣẹ̀ṣe ẹni; Orí ẹni-Ìṣẹ̀ṣe ẹni; Olodumare-Ìṣẹ̀ṣe ẹni. Under the fourth cardinal point, Olodumare, we find various channels through which we approach Olodumare. They include Ikin/Ifá/Ọ̀rúnmìlà, Èṣù, Ògún, Ṣàngó, Ọbàtálá, Ọ̀ṣún, Kórì, Ọ̀ṣọ́ọ̀sì, Òrìṣà-Oko, Ọya, Yemọja, Olókun, Ẹdan, Ilẹ̀, Ọ̀sányìn, Egúngún, Orò, etc.
In Ọ̀sá Ọlọ́yàn-án (Ọ̀sá-Ìrẹtẹ̀), Ifá sees our parents as our origin and source of existence (ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀). Without them, there can never be us. We exist because they chose to give birth to us and make us live and survive. It was this decision on their part that Olodumare and other Divinities endorsed at our conception. These four chief points are crucial in giving directions to our lives and ensuring that we exist on earth. In Ọ̀sá Ọ̀lọ́yàn-án, Ifá says:
Àgbàrá kò l’ókọ́
Ó fi ẹnu gbẹ́’lẹ̀ ó kan ìlèpa dòdòòdò
Dífá fún Ìṣẹ̀ṣe
Tí ńṣe olórí Ìṣòrò n'Ífẹ̀
Ìyá ẹni Ìṣẹ̀ṣe ẹni ni
Bàbá ẹni Ìṣẹ̀ṣe ẹni ni
Orí, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe ẹni ni
Olódùmarè, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe ẹni ni
Ìṣẹ̀ṣe làá bọ n'Ífẹ̀
Ká tóó ri'íre
Ẹ jẹ́ ká bọ Ìṣẹ̀ṣe bàbá ètùtù
Translation
The flood has no hoe
But it uses its mouth to dig the ground until it reaches the red soil
This was the Ifá cast for Ìṣẹ̀ṣe
Which is the highest form of worship
One's mother is one's Ìṣèṣe
One's father is one's Ìṣẹ̀ṣe
One's Ori is one's Ìṣẹ̀ṣe
Olódùmarè is one's Ìṣẹ̀ṣe
Isese is first propitiated in Ife
Before receiving all blessings
Let us propitiate Isese, the principal of all propitiations
N.B: Ifa equates a child's parents with all divinities such as Orí, Ògún, Ṣàngó, Ilẹ̀, Ọbàtálá, Ọ̀ṣun, etc. Ifá even says that a child's parents are his Olódùmarè. The type of respect one will give to the Divinities and Olódùmarè is expected to be given to one's parents.
In Ògúndá Ọ̀wọ́nrín, Ifá says:
Òkun kún nàre-nàre
Ọ̀sà kún lẹ̀ngbẹ-lẹ̀ngbẹ
Alásán ń re asán
Alásàn ń re asàn Awo Orí Ọta
Àwọn àgbààgbà ìmọ̀ wo ẹ̀yìn ọ̀rọ̀
Wọ́n ri wípé kò sunwọ̀n mọ́
Wọ́n fi irun imú díjú
Wọ́n fi ìrùngbọ̀n díyà pẹn-pẹ̀n-pẹn
Dífá fún Ìṣẹ̀ṣe
Tíí ṣe olórí Orò n’Ífẹ̀
Ǹjẹ́ kínni Ìṣẹ̀ṣe ẹni
Olódùmarè ni Ìṣẹ̀ṣe ẹni
Ìṣẹ̀ṣe là bá bọ
Káí tèní b’Òrìṣà
Orí ẹni ni Ìṣẹ̀ṣe eni
Ìṣẹ̀ṣe là bá bọ
Káí tèní b’Òrìṣà
Ìyá eni ni Ìṣẹ̀ṣe eni
Ìṣẹ̀ṣe là bá bọ
Káí tèní b’Òrìṣà
Bàbá ẹni ni Ìṣẹ̀ṣe ẹni
Ìṣẹ̀ṣe là bá bọ
Káí tèní b’Òrìṣà
Ẹ jẹ́ ká bọ Ìṣẹ̀ṣe o, Olówó
Ìṣẹ̀ṣe là bá bọ
Káí tèní b’Òrìṣà
Ìṣẹ̀ṣe ni baba etutu
Ìṣẹ̀ṣe là bá bọ
Káí tèní b’Òrìṣà
Translation
The ocean is full to the brim
The lagoon is filled to its capacity
Alasan is going to Asán
Alasan is going to Asàn, the Awo of the top of the rock
The knowledgeable elders thought over the matter
And realized that it was no longer favorable
They used their mustaches to cover their faces
And spread their beards firmly over their chests
These were the declarations of Ifa to Isese
The peak of spiritual performances in Ife
What is one’s Isese?
Olodumare is one’s Isese
It is Isese we ought to propitiate
Before propitiating any other Orisa
One’s Ori is one’s Isese
It is Isese we ought to propitiate
Before propitiating any other Orisa
One’s mother is one’s Isese
It is Isese we ought to propitiate
Before propitiating any other Orisa
One’s father is one’s Isese
It is Isese we ought to propitiate
Before propitiating any other Orisa
Please let us propitiate Isese
Isese is the principal of all Etutu (spiritual performances)
In Èjì-Ogbè, Ifá also categorizes Ìṣẹ̀ṣe into four foundational pillars of support that can never fail.
Ọ̀sán ni ò sán pẹ́
Òru ni ò ru pẹ́
Òru ni ò kan bàbà mẹ́ṣin lẹ́sẹ̀ pin-pin-pin
Dífá fún Baba ẹni
Baba ẹni ntọ̀run bọ̀ wálé ayé
Dífá fún Ìyá ẹni
Ìyá ẹni ntọ̀run bọ̀ wálé ayé
Dífá fún Orí ẹni
Orí ẹni ntọ̀run bọ wálé ayé
Dífá fún Ikin ẹni
Ikin ẹni ntọ̀run bọ̀ wálé ayé
Yóó mà gbeni nígbàyí o
Baba ẹni kìí gbeni í tì
Yóó mà gbeni nígbàyí o
Ìyá ẹni kìí gbeni í tì
Yóó mà gbeni nígbàyí o
Orí ẹni kìí gbeni í tì
Yóó mà gbeni nígbàyí o
Ikin ẹni kìí gbeni í tì
Translation
The daylight cannot appear too long
And darkness cannot exist for too long
Darkness cannot put a bronze shackle on the legs of a horse (to prevent it from moving)
These were the declarations of Ifá to one’s father
When coming from heaven to earth
They declared also for one’s mother
When coming from heaven to earth
They declared for one’s Ori
When coming from heaven to earth
And declared for one’s Ikin
When coming from heaven to earth
They will continue to give their support
One’s father cannot fail to give his support
They will continue to give their support
One’s mother cannot fail to give her support
They will continue to give their support
One’s Ori can never fail to give its support
They will continue to give their support
One’s Ikin cannot fail to give its support
What this Ifá verse is saying here is that when a child is born, its strongest pillars of support are the father, the mother, its Orí, and Ikin (Ifá). At infancy, the mother and the father will be guiding the child with the Odù of Àkọsẹ̀dáyé. A child who cannot use his or her brain to make an effective decision on his/her own needs the assistance of the parents. When the child grows up, he/she will use his/her brain with the support of Orí to make decisions affecting their life. But when this proves to be inadequate, then the individual can turn to Ifá for guidance. This is where Ìtẹ̀nífá becomes relevant and important in one’s life. In the stanza of Èjì Ogbè, an individual who is in distress or difficulty may be advised to go and propitiate their dead parents (father and or mother) in order for their problem to be solved.
From these Ifá verses above, Ifá mentions Olódùmarè also as Ìṣẹ̀ṣe who can be approached through the various channels mentioned above. Ifá considers Ìṣẹ̀ṣe as the principal of all spiritual performances without which we remain insignificant in life. Anybody who rejects Ìṣẹ̀ṣe has rejected their mother, father, Ori, and Olodumare.
As we celebrate Ìṣẹ̀ṣe today, may we be blessed always, and may this celebration never be our last on earth ni àṣẹ Èdùmàrè. Ìṣẹ̀ṣe á gbè wá o.
Atori abijin gbadagi
Difa fun won ni Irete Odunjo
Ebo ni won ko waa se
Won gb’ebo, won ru’bo
Odun pe, odun jo
Ajodun wa esin pe
Translation
The switch with broad shade
Ifa’s message for the inhabitants of Irete Odunjo
They were advised to offer ebo
They complied
It is time to celebrate our anniversary
The celebration of last year
Has arrived again this year
Aboru aboye abosise!
Oloye Fakunle Oyesanya
President, ICIOS
