Ogunda Meji (Ogunda Meyi · Ogunda Meji)

Oggun, the divinity of iron and the most ancient of the divinities created by God, was also the physically strongest of all 200 divinities. He is frequently referred to as the discoverer of the road, because he led the second mission of reconnaissance from heaven to earth. Ogunda Meyi tells us that because of Oggun's physical attributes, God designated him to mark the road for the second dwelling on earth.

But Oggun was selfish and conceited, and rarely consulted with anyone. He relied almost exclusively on his abilities for manufacturing and on his physical strength. He never bothered to go to the diviners when God commissioned him to establish a dwelling on earth. As soon as he received God's order of departure, he set out almost immediately. God gave him 400 men and women to accompany him in the mission.

When he arrived on earth, he understood at once the consequences of not having made adequate preparations. His mortal followers were soon hungry. Since they had not brought any food from heaven, he could only advise them to cut sticks from the surrounding forest and eat them. The procedure of feeding on sticks did not satisfy them, and very soon many of his followers began to die of hunger. Fearful of losing them all to starvation, he decided to return to heaven to report mission impossible to Almighty God.

God then invited Olokun, the divinity of water, to lead a second expedition. He too was proud and self-confident. He was given 200 men and 200 women. He made no consultation, no divination. On arrival, he had no idea how to feed his followers --- only advising them to drink water when hungry. As water cannot effectively feed, they began to die of hunger. Soon enough, he too returned to heaven to report failure.

God then invited Orunmila, accompanied by 200 men and 200 women, to find a dwelling on earth. Orunmila wondered if he could succeed in a mission that had defeated divinities of greater age and strength. God persuaded him to do his best, because it was necessary to depopulate heaven by establishing a satellite dwelling on earth.

His faithful servant Okpele advised Orunmila not to decline the task, because with adequate preparations, success awaited him. With Okpele's words of encouragement, Orunmila accepted the mission, but begged God for a few days of preparation.

He went to the oldest diviners of heaven for help. They assured him he would succeed. Ogunda Meyi himself, one of his own sons, asked for six cowries and advised him to gather a specimen of every edible plant and animal of heaven for the mission. He also advised him to deliver a he-goat to Esu and to ask Esu to accompany him to earth.

Having performed all the prescribed sacrifices, Orunmila went to God for final authorization. Before departing, he asked God to allow Ule (Owa in Bini), the divinity of dwelling, to come with him. But God said it was not his divine intention to send two divinities to earth at the same time, since he foresaw sending one after the other. Nevertheless, God assured Orunmila that if he succeeded on earth, he should send his servant Okpele back to heaven to fetch Ule.

Then Orunmila departed for earth.

As soon as Orunmila set out, Esu went to tell Oggun that Orunmila was heading to earth by the route Oggun had established. Oggun immediately blocked the road with a thick forest. They did not know what to do. Orunmila sent the rat to find a path through the forest. Before the rat returned, Oggun appeared to Orunmila and scolded him for daring to go to earth without informing him. Orunmila explained that he had sent Esu to tell him, and when Oggun remembered that it had been Esu who had alerted him, he opened the forest so Orunmila could continue. Before leaving, he told Orunmila that the only other obligation he owed him was to feed his followers with sticks, as Oggun had done. Orunmila promised.

Meanwhile, Esu had also gone to inform Olokun that Orunmila was on his way to earth to triumph where he had failed. Olokun caused a wide river to block Orunmila's advance. When Orunmila reached the riverbank, he sent a fish to find a way through the water. While waiting for the fish's return, Olokun appeared and scolded him. Orunmila explained, again, that he had sent Esu to inform him. When Olokun realized Esu had indeed come, he withdrew the water so Orunmila could continue. He warned, however, that Orunmila was under divine obligation to feed his followers as he had done --- with water. Orunmila promised.

Without further obstacles, Orunmila proceeded to earth. On arrival, he quickly advised all his male followers to clear the bush and build temporary huts roofed with mats (aghen). When this was done, they brought out the fruits and seeds Orunmila had brought, for them to be planted in the cleared bush.

At sunset, all retired to sleep in their respective huts. Esu, who had been given a he-goat before the group departed from heaven, dedicated himself to working on the seeds and animals. When they awoke at dawn, they discovered that all the crops had not only germinated but had produced fruits, ready to be harvested. These included yam, banana, corn, vegetables, fruits, etc. At the same time all the cattle they had brought from heaven had multiplied overnight. This was the first miracle performed by Orunmila on earth --- a direct manifestation of the sacrifices he had made before departing from heaven.

When his followers asked for food before going about the day's tasks, he told them to cut sticks from the nearby bush and chew them, in deference to Oggun's requirement. They did so. After they had chewed the sticks for a long time, he told them to drink water, as Olokun had charged. The operation of adhering to the instructions of Oggun and Olokun is observed to this day by all humanity, through the routine of beginning the day with chewing sticks (or brushing teeth) and rinsing the mouth with water.

Having complied with the wishes of his elders, Orunmila told his people to feed on the plants and animals that abounded in the settlement. They had laid the foundation for a permanent dwelling on earth.

Okpele, satisfied that nothing now stood in the way of their triumph on earth, proposed to Orunmila that it was time to send him back to inform God that the earth was sufficiently habitable for Ule to join. Orunmila agreed, but said that first he must invite Esu to come to earth before requesting Ule.

Having promised to join as soon as invited, Esu immediately accepted Okpele's invitation. Before his arrival, Orunmila asked his followers to build a hut for Esu at the entrance of the settlement. As soon as Esu was installed, Orunmila sent him a he-goat. Esu was delighted to be able to feed himself with his favorite food, which he had thought would not be available on earth.

When Okpele came to check on Esu, Esu asked him to beg Orunmila to forgive him for the initial difficulties he had created before departing from heaven, by inciting Oggun and Olokun against him. Orunmila forgave him and asked Esu to remain on earth and be his watchman, with the right to be fed at all times.

Having waited in vain for Orunmila's failure and return to heaven, Olokun decided to return to earth and find out how the mission was going. On arrival, he met Esu, who told him Orunmila had succeeded in making the earth a habitable place. When Olokun reunited with Orunmila, he asked his forgiveness for the obstacles he had caused. Orunmila said there was nothing to forgive --- because triumph does not give pleasure if it has not been achieved through overcoming initial difficulties. He invited Olokun to stay and live with him on earth. Olokun agreed, but said he would first have to go to heaven to ask the Almighty Father for permission. He returned to heaven, and God granted it.

When Oggun heard that Olokun had departed to join Orunmila on earth, he too decided to go and see for himself. When Okpele saw Oggun leaving heaven for earth, he alerted Orunmila, who immediately instructed his followers to deliver another he-goat to Esu to avoid a clash. On Oggun's arrival, Esu was still eating his he-goat and was too occupied to bother. He simply pointed Oggun toward where Orunmila lived. When Orunmila saw Oggun, he prostrated before him as his elder brother.

Oggun apologized for the difficulties he had created. Once again, Orunmila explained that the apology was almost unnecessary, because without that problem, he probably would not have found the way to feed his followers. Orunmila convinced Oggun to remain on earth --- because without him, no technology could develop on earth. Orunmila explained that he himself only knew how to do divination, not how to invent or manufacture. Flattered, Oggun quickly agreed to return to heaven for permission and came back with his followers.

It was at this point that Orunmila finally sent Okpele to fetch Ule from heaven. When Okpele delivered the message, the Almighty Father immediately invited Ule to descend. Once again, Esu was the first person Ule visited on his arrival. Far from challenging Ule as he had Olokun and Oggun, Esu prayed that Ule would always have greater success than all his elder brothers --- that without him no one would have complete satisfaction on earth. Esu acted thus because Ule was characterized as patient and harmless. When Ule met Orunmila, he offered his respects for making it possible for him to come and join them on earth.

Patakín:

In heaven he was called Eji-Oko. When the Tiger wished to begin his hunting, Eji-Oko performed divination for him with the enchantment: "Onoshe Muroko Nijo To Onlo Oko Ode." He counseled the Tiger to give a male goat to Eshu and to serve Ifá with a hen, fish, and rat for successful hunting. The Tiger refused.

The next day he went to hunt. The Tiger has two peculiarities: when any heavy object falls behind him, he flees in terror. When he leaps upon any killed animal, he cannot eat from it. He saw and killed an antelope. A tree branch fell behind him; he leaped over the antelope and abandoned it. He killed a black antelope called Edu in Yoruba, Oguonziran in Bini. Palm fruit fell; again he leaped and abandoned his prey. Weary and hungry, seeing a deer, he killed it. Palm fruit fell again; he leaped over the deer. Desperate, he left for home.

On the way, he saw a rabbit and pursued it to a hole. The Tiger grabbed the tail; the rabbit drove its claws into the walls so fiercely that the Tiger only pulled away the skin from the tail's end. The rabbit escaped. This is why the rabbit's tail is white to this day. The Tiger realized his refusal to sacrifice caused his failed hunt.

At home, he told his story. A search party found all three animals the Tiger had killed. They brought them to Ogunda Meyi. The Tiger went to perform the sacrifices. After completing them, he returned to the forest the next day and killed a deer without incident. From that time, the Tiger became a skillful hunter and thanked Ogunda Meyi.