HOW Ọ̀RÚNMÌLÁ POSTPONED HIS OWN DEATH
Have you heard foreign religionists like Muslims and Christians bragging that they have a verse of their holy book that is so potent it can postpone a person’s date with death? Well, such a passage also exist in traditional African religion, especially Ifá.
The Story
As told by a reputable babaláwo consulted, the ifá verse is a commemorative verse (àyájọ́) speaking of the day Ikú decided that Ọ̀rúnmìlà has to die on that day by force. Ikú went to Olódùmarè and tendered all the “atrocities” Òrúnmìlà had committed and Olódùmarè granted ikú the permission to kill Ọ̀rúnmìlà on the condition that Ọ̀rúnmìlà is through with whatever message Olódùmarè has sent him.
Upon getting to the house of Ọ̀rúnmìlà, and Ikú tendered warrant of arrest through death to him, Ọ̀rúnmìlà who has just finished all what Olodumare sent him to do on earth was devastated by the news of his impending death. However, being a man of unparalleled wisdom, Ọ̀rúnmìlà told ikú to wait for him as he would like to consult his ifa priests. Like lawyers scanning for technical glitches in the warrant of arrest brought by Ikú, the inner consultants of Ọ̀rúnmìlà spotted the technical glitch they could explore to Ọ̀rúnmìlà ‘s advantage. That is the clause “provided he has finished all what I sent him to do on earth.” So, arrangement was made for Ọ̀rúnmìlà to explore the glitch to frustrate Ikú.
Ọ̀rúnmìlà told ikú that since it is part of what Olodumare sent him to do on earth, he would like to eat eku, ẹja, ẹran, etc before death takes him away. Ọ̀rúnmìlà made sure he mentioned all the animal on earth that he would like to have a taste of their sweet flavor as part of what God almighty sent him to achieve. And after the eating, he would like to have sex and have kids and do this, that….. Ikú had no option than to wait. So the song goes:
“Bí n ó tiẹ̀ kú o, mà jeku, mà jẹja, kí n tóó má a lọ; bí n ó tiẹ̀ kú o, mà jẹ ṣu, mà tage, kí n tóó má a lọ. Àyẹyẹ.
Ikú could bear the frustration of seeing Ọ̀rúnmìlà eating morsels of pounded yam and goat meat, however when Ọ̀rúnmìlà called his wife to the other room to wallop her with his third leg in the presence of ikú that has been following him everywhere, Ikú could not bear the humiliation plus frustration. Ọ̀rúnmìlà is almost turning the great ẹbọra dúdú họhọ into a cockhold – Insult upon injury!
That was how Ikú decided to leave Ọ̀rúnmìlà and come back another day. But he always met Ọ̀rúnmìlà doing one thing or the other that he claimed to be part of what Olódùmarè sent him. By the time Ikú finally came, Ọ̀rúnmìlà was aged and ready for the ferryman to take him to see his Lord. End of the story.
Moral of the story
According to babaláwo, there is element of Ọ̀rúnmìlà in every human being that lived to old age. This is because many times during his life time, he must have done something that takes him closer to death, yet all he could say to death is “NOT TODAY”
So, reciting Ọ̀rúnmìlà ‘s death postponement incantation invokes the power of the day as sanctioned by Olódùmarè, that any child of Ọ̀rúnmìlà who recites the powerful poetry, shall be forgiven all his deeds, even if it calls for his head.
