Ogbe Obara (Ogbe Obara · Ogbe Obara)

Ebbó: A castrated male goat, two white roosters, a paolle (sacred bundle), white and pink cloth, earth from the doorway, akará for the ibó, eku, eyá, epó, corn, abundant money. Distribution: the goat goes to Eshu; the two white roosters go to Oduduwa, to be eaten together with Shango; the paolle is loaded and carried by the person after it has been fed. The ebbó is taken to a ceiba tree.

In this path, Oduduwa was Olofin's secretary --- but he was very arrogant, and every time someone came looking for Olofin, Oduduwa told them Olofin was not in. Olofin had given Oduduwa all of his powers, but began taking them back one by one. Whenever Olofin grew angry with him, he removed one of Oduduwa's legs to slow him down. Another day he removed an arm, and so on, until Oduduwa was left with only his head, his eyes, his mouth, and his mustache.

Oduduwa was a rich man who lacked for nothing, yet he was never satisfied, and lived in constant discontent over his own incompleteness. Olofin sent Eleggua to Oduduwa's house to ask for the paolle. Oduduwa told Eleggua that Olofin was always asking for something, that he was tired of the demands, and that he would give him nothing. Eleggua answered that he would simply take the paolle himself. At that, Oduduwa began rolling through the house and shoved Eleggua so hard that he was thrown into the air. Eleggua got up off the ground badly battered, went to Olofin's house, and complained of what had happened and of what Oduduwa had said --- and why he had not been given what he was sent to fetch.

Olofin then told Eleggua that Oduduwa was fine exactly as he was --- because whenever Oduduwa grew angry he raised the wind and destroyed everything in his path. If Olofin restored what was missing --- completed him --- Oduduwa would finish the work and destroy the world entirely.

Nota: through this path, Oduduwa must be received (consecrated).

Rezo: Eyele adifafun eyele lordafun Olofin maferefun Eleggua ke konuya gbogbo ofo loko ishu.

Ebbó: A rooster, two white doves, all the usual ritual materials, abundant money.

In this path, the doves lived in the forest and suffered greatly. Eleggua took pity on them and spoke to Olofin, who told him to bring them to his palace, where they would be used to carry messages --- and in that way they would no longer suffer.

When the doves arrived at the palace, the other animals grew envious of them and began plotting to do them harm. Olofin, who was watching all of this closely, sent Orunmila to divine for them. Orunmila saw this same sign, Ogbe Bara, and prescribed ebbó --- which the doves performed. Olofin then told them that because they were purity and cleanliness itself, they would be entrusted with carrying his messages.

With time, the doves grew vain and began to believe themselves superior; they no longer wanted to do the work. Olofin expelled them from the palace as punishment. Once again they began to suffer, and --- repentant --- they went to ask Olofin's forgiveness. He forgave them, but noted that they now carried a stain from having lost their purity. This is why, for the head, only a white dove with no mark or stain at all may be used.

There is also a cleansing performed with white doves, used specifically to ask forgiveness.