In the Yoruba Ifa religion, Orunmila is the God of Wisdom. In terms of Ifa, he is perhaps the most revered divination god. Orunmila is the most frequently invoked Orisa in the Ifa Yoruba religion. Olodumare bestows infinite wisdom on Orunmila, allowing her to foretell, predict, and read human minds and thoughts. He was the only Orisha permitted to witness Olorun’s creation of the universe and bears witness to our destinies. Eleri Ipin, or in other words, “Witness to Destiny in its Creation,” is derived from this. His priests, known as Babalawos or “Fathers of the Secrets,” must devote their lives to divination and the associated arts.
Orunmila Personifies Wisdom
His priests reveal the secrets of the universe and the unfolding of our lives through the Table of Ifá. His favorite colors are yellow and green. This reflects Orunmila’s relationship with Osayn (the plant world’s secrets) and with Oshn, his apetev, with whom he has an extremely close relationship. Orunmila is wisdom, and Oshn is knowledge because wisdom without knowledge is useless. Knowledge without wisdom is a danger to oneself and others.
Many believe Orunmila lived in the spiritual realm for 400 years without food or water before descending to Earth to help humanity, according to the Odu Ifa. He first set foot on Oke-Igbeti, where he lived for the betterment of humanity. Orunmila’s main goal is to help humanity attain harmony and balance in life by reminding us of our roles and purpose on Earth. Orunmila’s perfect foretelling and prediction, combined with his ability to read human thoughts, earned him the moniker “Ari inu ri ode olu moran okan.” This translates as “capable of reading human minds and thoughts.”
Orunmila was believed by many to be the youngest of the Orisa. It was sent by Olodumare to perform various acts to benefit the universe and humanity. Orunmila was the wisest human to have lived on Earth, according to Odu Ifa, where his life is glorified. He arrived on Earth with Ifa and its manifestation..
Orunmila is the spirit of knowledge and wisdom among the Irunmole and the deity of destiny and prophecy. He is told to have been present during the formation of the universe. According to the Yorubas, he used to take human forms and visit the Earth as a priest, teaching priests a highly spiritual religion known as Ifa.
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