SPEECH DELIVERED BY HIS EMINENCE AWODOTUN AWORENI, THE ARABA/OLU-ISESE AGBAYE ON THURSDAY 20TH MAY, 2021, DURING THE PRESS BRIEFING ON ESSENCE OF ANNUAL WORLD IFA FESTIVAL ORGANIZED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR IFA RELIGION IN CONJUNCTION WITH ARABA AND OLUWO FORUM.

Eriwoya!!!

I say Aboru Aboye Abosise to all the Araba, Oluwo, Executive member of ICIR, all Ifa devotees and the pressmen here present.

I pay homage to Olodumare and all the Imole and Orisa.

We are here today in preparation for the World Ifa festival which marks the beginning of the new year in Yoruba Indigenous Religion. This festival attracts pilgrims from all continents of the world and people have always been testifying to receiving holistic healing and blessings from Olodumare.

This year’s World Ifa Festival will start on May 28th with series of rituals and pilgrimage to sacred sites in Osun, Ọ̀yọ́, Ekiti and Ondo State.

On Friday, 4th June, the pilgrims will visit Òkè-Ìgẹ̀tí, Ilé-Ifẹ̀ together with Oonirisa.

The grand finale will take place in Òkè-Ìtasẹ̀, Ilé-Ifẹ̀ on Saturday 5th June. That day, the activities include:
-Ifá worship -
-Visit to Shrines and Grooves in Ile-Ife
-Climbing Òkè-Ìtasẹ̀ by pilgrims
-Climbing Òkè-Ìtasẹ̀ by Oonirisa

On Sunday June 6th, 2021, which is the first day of the new year, the activities include:
-Casting Ifá for the new year
-Making Ẹbọ for the new year
-Homage to Oonirisa at the Palace
-Ifá worship
- Relaying Ifá message for the new year amd
- Blessings from Oonirisa

Ifa will be cast on the early hour of Sunday June 6th for the Yoruba New Year 2021/2022 at Òkè-Ìtasẹ̀, Ilé-Ifẹ̀, State of Ọ̀ṣun. The messages of Ifa will then be relayed to everybody.

It behoves me to advise all and sundry, especially the Kings and political office holders to take very serious the words of Ifa because, every conscious person can bear witness to the efficacy of the messages in the past. Fresh In the memory is the message of Ifa in 2019/2020 which stated categorically that there would be pandemic. Had we not made the recommended rituals, the situation would have been really terrible. Another instance was from the messages of Ifa last year which warned us about imminent wars. Had we not made the ebo, the series of crisis that engulfed the Society would have been more brutal. This has shown us that Ifa is no doubt the esoteric words of Olodumare; When Ifa Says “yes” nobody “can say “no” and vice versa.

I use this medium to remind the kings in Yoruba land to see Isese as the bedrock of the crowns on their heads.
They should be uplifting the Yoruba Indigenous Religion and not otherwise. Let them all rule over their communities in line with dictates of Ifa instead of alien stories that tend to promote the activities of the alien ancestors. We unequivocally remind them that any king who is blaspheming against Ifa or taking sacrilegious act against our Orisa is nothing by a sword that is stupidly destroying its sheath. Oluwo of Iwo still remains a typical example in this mess.

The Nollywood members are also advised once again to stop their sacrilegious gesture against Yoruba Indigenous Religion either for their religious sentiment or being sponsored by certain religious bodies

To the Government, especially in Yoruba States,
We Solicit your support for promotion of the World Ifa Festival and Yoruba Indigenous Religion at large . While we give kudos to the former Governor of Osun State , Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, whose belief in equity made him grant a public holiday to mark Isese Festival on August 20th, we implore other Governors to also do the needful.

To the impersonators who are scamming unsuspected people in the name of Ifa, be warned for your days are numbered.

Gentlemen of the press, it is pertinent to remind the Yoruba that Ifa is our heritage. It is through Ifa that Olodumare speaks to us. Listening to Ifa is Listening to Olodumare While rejecting Ifa; means rejecting Olodumare. Let us all embrace Ifa; Let us go back to our heritage to witness peace and joy.

Happy New Year to the Yorùbá in advance. May Olodumare grant us longevity to witness many happy returns of the Ifa Festival. Ase.

Ela, mo yin Aboru
Ela, mo yin Aboye
Ela, mo yin Abosise

His Eminence Owolabi Awodotun Aworeni
Àràbà /Olú-Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Àgbáyé

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