Aboru Aboye Abosise to all elders, Awos, Iyanifas, devotees and all concerned parties;
Let my words be respected and warmly received as they are spoken in truth in the name of Ifa, Egungun, and Orisa. I myself, an Awo of Ifaand a Chief entitled by my Odu Ifa, on this day, sincerely and humblystate that the time has come as a community way past due to address asa community what plagues us. For every man, woman and childinitiated, who is responsible? Who is responsible to educate andtrain? The word initiate means to begin. In Ifa it means to begin the long life’s journey of study, practice and worship of Ancestral knowledge, wisdom and understanding as it has been brought forth and handed down by the Yoruba people. Ifa is universal and carries with it the Ase to help all, no matter what race, creed, or color. Ifa is about order. We know this by the many examples that are given, by the representation of the 256 Odu Ifa. So where does so much misinterpretation of who one is and what role and part one is to playin the grand scheme of Ifa come from?
Out of the many schools of thought that I have been privy to be a student of, Ifa makes the understanding of life and the part and roles that we are to play perfectly clear. Here in the United States of America there is an existence, a race of people; the descendants of enslaved Africans, who by way of European influence have been negatively impacted. Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, Willie LynchComplex, and religious indoctrination has brought about the loss of identity, culture, tradition and self-respect. And this has taken place over a period of time of almost 700 years. But now, little by little, there has been a cultural awakening to begin to start thejourney to re-establish loss identity. This pursuit for knowledge of self as it should reflect ancestry is taking place by individuals who are hurting and in pain and suffer ongoing. This pursuit for knowledge, wisdom and understanding, for the most part, has no foundation, structure, plan nor principle goal nor proper teachers or leadership. Now so many scramble to the Motherland to buy identity,culture and tradition from them who we hail from.
America is the most mentally, physically, spiritually, sexually, and financially dysfunctional society on the planet. Dysfunction, from the lowest to the highest level, is acted out by those who inhabit this place, America. America is a very culturally diverse place where many races of people have been able to sustain themselves, families,communities and their race by way of unity brought about by culturaland traditional ties. But there is one particular race of individuals, for lack of a better word, African Americans, theAfricans who are native to the US, whose ancestor’s blood stains the ground, whose bones fill the landscape, and whose souls cry out. It was a great day when I was made aware that African Americans had begun making pilgrimages to the Motherland in a search to find themselves because I, myself know that struggle all to well. For I know, when I discovered my ancestors, I discovered myself. And it has blessed my life and the life of my family greatly.
At a time here in America, back in the late seventies and eighties there was a handful of African Americans that went over to theMotherland connected, got initiated, and returned to the US. And throughout the nineties there were a few here and there that made the same journey to the Motherland.
The only African indigenous influence here in America in those days were by the latino-hispanic community whose ancestors were embraced byour ancestors and some secrets and mysteries were shared. Enough to plant the seeds that have grown up strong, Candomble and Santeria,Vodoun, Palo, etc. But unfortunately for the African American people here in the diaspora these African seeds of culture and tradition that have been brought back and sown on American soil have not taken proper root, foundation, structure, and a principle plan to bring about the unification and the liberation of the African American people involved in it. We are still plagued by the weeds of dysfunction, ignorance and division.
Now in this millennium there are more African Americans taking trips to the Motherland than ever before. That would be a beautiful thing if it brought us closer together as a people. But it has done nothing but breed more discord. Unfortunately, from past to present 85-90% of African Americans that travel to Africa for initiation never return.
I found myself in a place where I began to question the motives of those making these 20,000 mile journeys from the US to Africa and back because with so many individuals now taking trips and getting initiated, why is life not getting any better for the native African Americans, the descendants of enslaved Africans? The connection has now been made, where are the signs of positive change? Masking dysfunction with culture does not remedy the problems that we have a sa people.
It is the same stage and what is being played and acted out upon it is now a higher level of dysfunction, ignorance, pain and suffering. Now just wrapped in African appeal. Because most of those involved have taken on externally what they have not taken out the time to internalize and manifest through good character, family and community.
Everybody is a Babalawo, Iyanifa, Chief, Olorisa, Babalorisa, now Araba and Oba. And how can this be? When each and every individual initiated to Ifa, Orisa, and Egungun is born of an Odu Ifa that make sit perfectly clear their role and part in the big communal scheme of things. But yet the community has turned into a popularity contestand a fight for supremacy. That is not Iwa Pele. That is not the foundation and structure that African culture, community and traditionis founded upon.
How are you a Babalawo, an Iyanifa, a Chief, an Araba, or an Oba and there is no indication of this in your Odu Ifa. The men and women of Ifa are fighting. The men and women of Orisa are fighting. Iles are fighting. There is much disrespect that is taking place and it’s getting progressively worse. This is not Ifa. Individuals are not even following the protocols of Ifa and Orisa. No spiritual rights of passage, no Ori initiation, no receiving of an earth, blood and bone consecrated Ancestral shrine in which to lay the foundation and structural blueprint utilizing ones own Ancestral agenda to navigateone to their destiny, the first leg of spiritual independence, one’sown ancestral connection accompanied with a structured form of divination; receiving hands of Ifa and getting initiated to Ifa anddon’t even know the sixteen meji Odu Ifa. And this causes me to ask myself; are African Americans being taken through the same steps of spiritual evolution as native homeland Africans? Are our agendas even the same? African Americans are the descendants of enslaved Africans. Africans that were illegally abducted, shackled, enslaved and brought to the shores of America and many should be crystal clear of thisfact. In the almost 700 years since our arrival in the US, manyhorrific things have taken place, mental, physical and spiritual abuseof the highest degree. So I ask; if native homeland Africans are aware of these facts? Is it our responsibility to repair ourselves oris it the responsibility of those who possess the divine knowledge,wisdom and understanding of our ancestry that we don’t to utilize the secrets and the mysteries of Ifa to implement an intervention in setting the foundation and structure for a new understanding of ourselves to emerge here in the diaspora that will bring about a structured growth and evolution of mind and spirit, for we will not grow and progress nor evolve in our being without order, education,training and proper leadership. Because, while all of this dysfunctional behavior is being acted out, the world is watching. The children are watching. And we as Black people here in the US are still hurting and in pain, suffering and dying by record numbers. And why is this? When Ifa has the power to elevate and liberate African Americans and heal humanity. I will tell you why; a library without books is just a building with the word library on the front.
Knowledge without training brings about no positive action of change, growth, progression and evolution. Students without teachers equal no graduation. And a race of people without unity equals dysfunction, ignorance, separation and death. What is a community without leaders? And what is a leader without Iwa Pele?
Ifa, Egungun and Orisa is not in any way shape, size or form a religion for religion has been set into place to rule, regulate and control the minds of the masses for the purpose of power and financial gain. But many treat Ifa as such and it is showing. In 2014, the 21stcentury Ifa is now a business. Many are brokering trips for profit and to gain favor. And many are taking trips to buy title and influence. This is not Ifa. Could one walk up into a Buddhist monastery and come out in two weeks with the misunderstanding that they are a priest? NO! How is all of this going unseen? And if it isnot, what is being done about it? Something as old as Ifa being disrespected and sold off for profit to the highest bidder. Can anyone do as they please in the order, under the umbrella of Catholicism and Judaism? Has greed become greater than respect, honor, culture and tradition? Have the ancestors in and outside of the borders of Africa,who have laid the foundation, died in vain?
Ifa, Egungun, and Orisa is spirituality in its rawest form; the upclose and personal dealings and interactions with spirits, negative and positive, male and female by name, deities, divinities, ancestral spirits, non-ancestral spirits, revolving and transcending two realms,the realms of positive and negative mitigating forces.
Anyone and everyone who has ever sacrificed an animal and spilled its blood on behalf of another is responsible to implement and exercise the proper steps, training and protocol as it pertains to and reflects the laws of Ifa, Egungun and Orisa and spirituality as a universal order no matter what it is you practice. You are responsible and you will be held accountable for every deed committed, negative or positive. Let every man and woman be held responsible for their own words and actions in the name of the Ancestors. There willbe no ugly words or actions that will go unanswered. The universal court of Ancestors is watching always. You will be held accountable in this life or the next. Ase. Kongolini Zulu Mau, Committed I am!
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