x t f I n t h e b e g i n n i n g , Qlpdumarf summoned a t o t a l o f f o u r hundred a n d o n e ( 4 0 1 ) i r u n m o l e s a n d p u t t g e m , i n , a g a r d e n known a s O e B A A$$ (Garden o f Command). I n t h i s g a r d e x Qlgdunmare p u t a t o t a l o f s i x t e e n u n i q u e Odu. T h e s e Odu a r e a s r e g a r d e d as u n i q u e i n t w o s e n s e s . F i r s t l y , t h e i r c o m b i n a t i o n i s s o p o w e r f u l t h a t if t h e i r s y m b o l s were i m p r i n t e d , w h a t e v e r p o s i t i v e w i s h e s a n y o n e e x p r e s s e s w i l l s u r e l y come t o p a s s . S e c o n d l y t h e s e Odu a r e f i x e d and r e v e r s i b l y c o n s t a n t i n t h e s e n s e t h a t i f t h e s e s y m b o l s w e r e i m p r i n t e d , t h e y may b e t u r n e d u p s i d e down a n d s t i l l r e t a i n t h e i r o r i g i n a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s . C u r i o u s l y t h e r e a r e o n l y s i x t e e n o f s u c h Odu o u t o f t h e w h o l e t w o h u n d r e d a n d f i f t y ( 2 5 6 ) , f o u r ( 4 ) o f t h e m a j o r odu a n d t w e l v e ( 1 2 ) o t h e r c o m b i n a t i o n s . I n c y n t i n u i t y c i t h t h i s n a r r z t i o n i n t h e Holy Words o f Okanran- fun, q l g d u m $ r e ' i n s t r u c t e d t h e I r u n m o l e s t o s t a y i n t h i s CGBA A 3 f o r s e v e n d a y s a n d t h e y s h o u l d be a s k i n g f o r p o s i t > v e r e s o l u t i o n s which b$ Fiis G r a c e s h a l l a l l t h i n g s come t o p a s s . ? lQdumafe w a r n e d however t h a t e v i l r e s o l u t i o n s s h a l l n o t b e g r a n t e d . A t t h i s j u n c t u r e { s u - 0 d a r a o r E b i t a p r a y e d for p r o s p e r i t y o f a l l k i n d s t o f i l l t h e g a r d e n . NO s o o n e r h a d Fgu-Odara s a i d t h i s e v e r y w h e r e was f i l l e d w i t h w e a l 5 h o f t i n d e s c r i b a b l e p r o p o r t i o n . A l l t h e ( 4 0 1 ) / 1 r u n m 4 1 e s i n t h e g a r d e n t h e n d e c i d e d t o s h a r e t h i s w e a l t h w i t h o t h e r I r u n m o l e s o u t s i d e t h e g a r d e n a n d l a t e r s t a r t e d t o d i s p e r s e t h e m t o t h e w h o l e u n i v e r s e . T h i s i s o n e o f t h e r e a s o n a t h e r e i s nowhere i n t h e u n i v e r s e w i t h o u t some e l e m e n t s o f w e a l t h .

,- 1 T h e a c q u i s ' t i o , n a n d d i s p e r s a l b y t h e I r u n m q l g s o c c u p i e d a whole d a y . Then ~ l ? d u / m \ r g c a l l e d they $0 i n q u i r e a b o u t wh?t t h e y s p e n t t h e w h o l e d a y d o i n g . H a v i n g b e e n t o l d , g l p d u m a r f named t h e d a y 9 - j ~ ~ j e - t h e d a y o f f i n a n c i a l s u c c e s s a n d w e a l t h . An$ t h e , f i r s t d a y o f t h e week d e r i v e d i t s name. 9 1 p d d m d r ( t h e n i n f o v e d t h e I r u n m g l e s t h a t t h e y had o n l y s i x more d a y s t o spend I n t h e g a r d e n . p ~ . ? d u m a $ ~ ' i m p l o r e d them t o k e e p o n a s k i n g f o r a l l good t h i n g s t h a t t h e y f e l t t h e y w o u l d n e e d .

As t h e y w e r e p r a y i n g v e r y e a r l y t h e f o l l o w i n g m o r n i n g o f t h e n e x t d a y , t h e o t h e r I r u n m o l e s who w e r e o u t s i d e t h e OGBA ASE r u s h e d i n a n t i c i p a t i o n o f s e c u r i n g more w e a l t h f o r t h e m s e l v e s . T h i ~ l e d t o a l o t o f q u a r r e l s be tween t h e t w o p a r t i e s . T h o s e i n s i d e t h e CGBA ASE made u s e o f t h e command i n s i d e t h e g a r d e n by a s k i n g f o r v i c t o r y o v e r t h e I r u n m o l e s o u t s i d e . T h e i r w i s h came t o p a s s a n d a n d t h e I r u n m o l e s o u t s i d e t h e g a r d e n who,i va,ded t h e OGBA ASE were subdued a n d d r i v e n o u t . At t h e e n d o f t h e d a y , ~ l ? d u m ! re c a l l e d them t o verify w h a t they h a d b e e n d o i n g t h r o u g h o u t t h e d a y . They t o l d H i m a l l t h a t had h a p p e n e d .

1

O l o d u m a r e t h e n a s k e d t h e m i f t h e y fe,lt, f h a t t h e y w e r e t r iumpha,nt o r n o t . T h e y r e s p o n d e d a f f i r m a t i v e l y . Q l ~ d u m a r ? t h e ~ n m e d t h e d a y g j o - I y y g u n Day o f V i c t o r y . I

V e r y e a r l y o n t h e t h i r d d a y , a s e r i o u s s t o r m s t a r t e d b l o w i n g i n t h e g a r d e n a n d t h e d a y b e c a m e d u s t y a n d c l o u d y . None o f t h e ( 4 0 1 ) I r u n m o l e s was a b l e t o get a n y t h i n g o r g a n i z e d . I n d e e d , n o n e o f them remembered t o p r a y f o r L h i n q s t o g e t

. $ o r d e r l y . A t t h e end o f t h e d a y , t h e y n a r r a t e d e v e r y t h i n g t o ~ l Q d u m ~ r p . ,. C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e d a y was named ~ j p - ~ . y r ; Day ' o f C o n f u s i o n . oweve-, p l g d u m a r y r e m i n d e d t h e m t o p r a y f o r wha t t h e y w i s h e d t h e n e x t d a y .

1 . 8 / F As e x p e c t e d u- Odara a n d t h e o t h e r I r u m ~ l ~ s p r a y e d f g r \ p l e n t y of r a i n a n d o r d ~ r l i n e s s . " I n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e command of g lod6rnarg , t h e r e v25 r a i n , new c r o p s and v e g e t a t i o n b e g a n t c grow a n d t h e w h o l e p i a c e r e t u r n e d t o n o r m a l .

, A l l t h e I r u m o l e s w e r e happy a t t h e t u r n o f e v e n t s . They p l a n n e d and p r a y e d f o r 211 nnn4 +h:.,,-.9 Cf 1 :e- r-- L L - - - - - . . - 1--- - . * - u 2 L i ~ ~ r l t 3 ~ ~ ~ e g ; they p r a y e d for progress a n d a l l . these

t h i n g erne t o p a s s , I n t h e e v e n i n g t$e a l l r e a l i z e d t h a t t h e d a y was t h e b e s t i t h e y h a d e v e r w i t n e s s e d a n d when q lpdum ? $ i n q u i r e d f rom t h e m a t t h e e n d o f t h e d a y , t h e y o v e r w h e l m i n g l y i n f o r m e d q l y d 6 m a r g t h a t t h e d a y h a d b e e n very r e w a r d i n g a n d t h a t e v e r y t h i n g t h e y p~:ye,d f o r had, b e e n f u l f i l l e d . The d a y w a s t h e r e f o r e named Qjq- Aspsedayg ' o r 0j9-9j$b$ Day o f F u l f i l l m e n t . O l o d u m a r e t h e r e a f t e r i n f o r m e d them t o g o a n d p r e p a r e f o r l o n g j o u r n e y w h i s h was t o b e u n d e r t a k e n t h e f o l l o w i n g d a y ,

E a r l y i n t h e m o r n i n g o f t h e n e x t d a y , t h e y a l l p r a y e d f o r a s a f e j o u r n e y t o t h e i r d e s t i n a t i o n A c c o r d i n g t o t h i s v e r s e i n Okanran-Ofun, t h e d i s t a n c e was a s t r o - n o m i c a l a n d s i n c e t h e y h a d a l r e a d y p r a y e d f o r a s a f e j o u r n e y t o t h e i r d e s t i - n a t i o n , t h e y d i d n o t f i n d a n y p r o b l e m r e a c h i n g t h e r e . On t h e i r r e t u r n j o u r n e y h o w e v e r , t h e y m e t w i t h a l o t o f u n f o r e s e e n d i f f i c u l t i e s . T h e w h o l e d a y w a s c o m p l e t e l y m a r r e d f o r them and it r e a c h e d a s t a g e t h a t t h e y s t a r t e d t t q d o u b t w h e t h e r o r n o t t h e y would b e a b l e t o r e t u r n t o t h e Ogba-Jig?. By 9lpdurnare/ ' s g r a c e , t h e y summoned a l l t h e powers a t t h e i r d i s p o s a l a n d w e r e a b l e t o r e t u r n t o t h e g a r d e n a t t h e d e a d o f n i g h t . They a l l vowed n e v e r t o u n d e r t a k e n a n y j o u r n e y o n s u c h a d a y a g a i n , b e c a u s e f h e s u c c e s s o f s u c h a t r i p w a s , v e r y d o u b t f u l . B e c a u s e o f t h e e x p e r i e n c e plodumarf named t h i s d a y y jp - -7tl Day o f T r o u b l e o f o r T u r b u l e n c e . I

/ ' # On t h e s i x t h d a y , q l a ( O r u n m i l a ) c a l l e d Egu-Odara and s u g g e s t e d t h a t it would b e b e t t e r f o r F$u t o c o n t r o l a l l r i c h e s a n h w e a l t h o f t h e u n i v e r s e . W h i l e h e q l a w o u l d r e g u l a t e t h e f l o w o f t h e w e a l t h o f t h r o u g h s a c r i f i c e a n d r i t u a l s . F o r e x a m p l e , i f t o o much i s c o n c e n t r a t e d i n t o o n e hand , it may l e a d t o m i s u s e , a b u s e . Where a n o t h e r b e i n g d o e s n o t h a v e enough , t h r o u g h r i t u a l s a n d s a c r i f i c e more w i l l b e a d d e d . U n f o r t u n a t e l y q s u - ~ d a r a ' b e c a m e e n r a g e d by t h i s s u g g e s t i o n a n d e n g a g e d i n a t r a w l R e a l i z i n g t h a t h e c o u l d n o t b e a b l e t o d e f e a t E l a s i n g l e - h a n d e d l y , ~ g u - 0 d a r 2 c o n v e n e d t h e m e e t i n g o f a l l t h e o t h e r I r u n m o l e s and made t h r e e p r o p o s i t i o n s .

1 One, t h a t ~ l a ( 0 r u n m i l a ~ s h o u l d n e v e r s u r v i v e , t h e a f t e r m a t h of t h e i r b r a w l ; Two, t h a t ~ f q l a s h o u l d s u r v i v e , h e s h o u l d n e v e r p r o g r e s s i n l i f e ; a n d T h r e e , t h a t i f l a s h o u l d p r o g r e s s , h g h o u l d n e v e r b e a b l e t o r e t u r n t o I k o l e - Orunf l (H,eagen) w f e n e v e r t h e y a l l l e f t f L q 1 & R y d ( E a r t h ) . A t t h e e n d o f t h e d a y , O l o d u m a r e summoned t h e I r u m o l e s t o g e t h e r i n t h e Ogba-A79 a n d i n f o r m e d t h e m t h a t t h e i r w i s h e s c o u l d n o t b e g r a n t e d . B e c a u s e t h e y n e g a t e d t h e i n s t r u c t i o n s e a r l i e r g i v e n t o t h e m ; $ .e . n e v e r t o make n e g a t i v e r e s o l u t i o n . Kowever O l o d u m a r e named t h e d a y $jg--&&e%a Day a T h r e e ( E v i l ) R e s o P u t i o n s .

/ + P T h e s e v e n t h d a y , F l a ( O r u n m i 1 a ) came o u t ~ f u l l of l i f e a n d p o w e r . ? l a s t a t e d show - i n g b l e s s i n g s o n a l l t h e o t h e r I r u n m o l e s inc1udi:g E s u - Q d a r a . They a l l f e l t h a p p y c n d t h e d i s a g r e e m e n t b e t w e e n q l a and ;su-odaradwas s y t t l e d . P p l p d y m a r d d e c i d e d t o make F l a t h e l e a d e r o f a i l t h e ~ r i n r n q l ~ s a p d g a v e t h e I r u - - m o l ? s e v e r l a s t i n g l i f e . C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e d a y was named Q ] ? - A ~ k u Day o f Long- - g e v i t y .

C e' O j q - ~ j e (Day o f F i n a n c i a l success/wealth)---Monday:' P l a n e t : Moon T h i s d a y i s g o o d f o r u n d e r t a k i n g a n y b u s i n e s s v e n t u r e . I t i s a n i d e a l d a y f o r l a u n c h i n g a n y e n t e r p r i s e s . I t i s a l s o a good d a y to u n d e r t a k e r i t u a l o n P r o s p e r i t y a n d f i n a n c i a l w e l l - b e i n g .

/ + .8 ? j ~ - I s e g u n ( D a y o f V i c t o r y )- - - T u e s d a y : P l a n e t : Mars A l s o good f o r u n d e r t a k i n g b u s i n e s s v e n t u r e . R i t u a l s o n f i n a n c i a l w e l l - b e i n g a n d v i c t o r y o v e r a d v e r s a r i e s a r e a l s o m o s t s u i t a b l e o n t h i s d a y .

8 4~ Q j 9 - R i r u (Day o f C o n f u s i o n )- - - W e d n e s d a y : P l a n e t : Mercury A b a d d a y t o u n d e r t a k e a n y m a j o r p r o j e c t . G e n e r a l l y m o s t people a v o i d this day and ~ j ? - ~ b g r n d t a ( S a t , ) , when u s i n g a n y c o n c o c t i o n s , Some e v e n go t o t h e e x t e n t of n o t u s i n g a n y s o a p ( f o r t i f i e d ) on t h e s e two d a y s ! oneth the less, t h e r e are some c h a r m s s p e a c i a l l y d e s i g n e d t o be u s e d on t h e s e t w o d a y s . FOP example H a d a r i k a n ( a s p e c i a l charm d e s i g n e d for victory over e n e m i e s in g e n e r a l ) . T h e day i s a l s o g o o d f o r p e r f o r m i n g s a c r i f i c e s and rituals f o r - w i % ~ h e s -

Thi,s i g b e c a u s e , it i s b e l i e v e d t h a t t h e wiches h o l d m e e t i n g s on t h i s d a y . 4 9jg-Qj9b$ (Day o f Fu l f i l lmen t )- - - Thursday : P l a n e t : J u p i t e r

~ h l s d a y i s i d e a l f o r m a r r i a g e s , l a y i n g f o u n d a t i o n s t o n e s s f houses a n d a n y long - t e r m p r o j e c t s . T h i s i s t h e b e s t o f a l l s even d a y s f o r u n d e r t a k i n g a n y t h i n g f u n c t i o n a l a n d b e n e f i c i a l . I t i s a day t h q t h e l p s i n f u l f i l l i n g o n e a m b i t i o n s .

T - 9 j g - ~ t i (Day o f T r o u b l e ) ---Friday: P l a n e t : Venus ' ~ h ~ s d a y i s v e r y bad t o u n d e r t a k e any t r a v e l o r movement f rom o n e p l a c e o f abode to t h e o t h e r . However, t h i s day i s good f o r h o l d i n g C h i e f t a i n c y t i t l e s and K i n g s h i p . The day w i l l h e l p i n p r o t e c t i n g t h e Chief o r Oba, b e c a u s e t h e y a r e s u p p o s e d t o be p e r m a n e n t l y r e s i d e n t i n t h e i r a r e a s o f j u r i s d i c t i o n .

/ ' 8 f l 9j?- -aneta , (Day o f Three Reso lu t ions )- - - Sa tu rday : P l a n e t : S a t u r n Like 9jp-rlrl(, t h i s day is bad t o u n d e r t a k e major p r o j e c t s . A l s o a v o i d e d b y p e o p l e when u s i n g charms. However, charms such a s command ( A s e ) f o r b o t h good and b a d p u r p o s e s c a n be p r e p a r e d on t h i s d a y and t h e y w i l l f u n c t i o n v e r y w e l l .

/ % ' , Qjg-Aiku (Day o f Longevity)---Sunday: P l a n e t : Sun I d e a l d a y f o r s e t t l i n g long- s tand ing r i f t s . Good day f o r d i s c u s s i n g i s s u e s o f f a r - r e a c h i n g consequences . Also an i d e a l d a y f o r u s i n g cha rms good h e a l t h and l o n g e v i t y

Now t h a t you know how t h e seven days of t h e week a c q u i r e d t h e i r names and s i g n i f i c a n c e o f e a c h o f e a c h of t h e seven d a y s , l e t u s c o n s L d e r t h e i m p o r t a n c e of t h e c h a r t o f Ogba As:.

1 . A s e a r l i e r s a i d , b e c a u s e o f t h e un iqueness o f t h e s i x t e e n Odu c o n t a i n e d i n t h i s g a r d e n , a l l t h e p o s i t i v e r e s o l u t i o n s made b y t h e f o u r hundred and o n e I r u n m o l e s t h a t w e r e g a t h e r e d i n t h e ga rden came t o p a s s . I t c a n a l s o work wonder s f o r u s t o o , i f w e know how t o u s e it and we can i m p r i n t t h e symbols c o r r e c t l y .

2 . I t c a n be u s e d f o r p r o t e c t i o n a g a i n s t a l l e v i l and a l s o t o s e c u r e a l l the good t h i n g s o f l i f e . How d o w e p r e p a r e i t f o r u s a g e ? Look f o r a c l e a n s h e e t o f w h i t e pape r and i m p r i n t t h e symbols on t h e p a p e r a s shown. I t can b e f o l d e d and covered w i t h l e a t h e r . T h i s c a n t h e n be c a r r i e d on o n e ' s p e r s o n , I t i s v e r y e f f i c a c i o u s f o r p r o t e c t i o n . The p a p e r c a n a l s o be p a s t e d on t h e f r o n t d o o r o f t h e house o r t h e f r o n t o f a n

. a l t a r a n d - a l l good p r a y e r s made i n t h e house o r a t t h e a l t a r w i l l come t o p a s s , I t c a n b e a l s o p r i n t e d on a w h i t e h a n d k e r c h i e f which c a n b e c a r r i e d a b o u t t o i m p o r t a n t , m e e t i n g s such a s job i n t e r v i e w s , b u s i n e s s d i s c u s s i o n s and p o l i c y n e g o t i a t i o n .

A n o t h e r me thod method of u s i n g t h i s u s e f u l c h a r t i s by i m p r i n t i n g it o n a w h i t e b e d- s p r e a d . A c o u p l e w i t h a new baby and anyone w o r r i e d by b a d dreams c a n a l s o i m p r i n t i t o n a w h i t e p i l l o w- c a s e o r on t o p o f t h e i r bed . I n f a c t , i t s u s e f u l - n e s s i s v e r y l i m i t l e s s .

Be warned however t h a t t h i s a l l - i m p o r t a n t c h a r t m u s t n e v e r b e u s e d f o r s p e c u l a - t i v e games l i k e gambl ing . I t must never b e used f o r f r a u d o r g e t - r i c h - q u i c k v e n t u r e . W e m u s t remember t h a t t h i s i s n o t sagic. it i s t h e command of ~ l ~ d ~ ~ ~ ~

0

Table 1.

only s p e a k s b u t a c t

upren,e I?\! l e r - - . --. . - -. - -. -. -

C I q ? I l : E 2:x.IZS O F G O B l!J OGEA A S E

Iba Adakedajo Ibasse; Iba A E e w i l e s e Ibapse; Iba (1-17) Ibasse; I Pba%e eba a ri iwu .ri ode,

Wse ! ! ! !