Ori: The Divine Value of Self in Yoruba

Cosmology BY FAGBEMIJO AMOSUN FAKAYODE, Otun Amufawuni of Ibadan

Ori: T! Di"in! #a$u! of S!$f in Yoruba %o&mo$o'(

In Yor)b*, Or+ $it!ra$$( tran&$at!& to m!an !ad, ow!"!r t! &-iritua$

&i'ni./an/! of t! word i& far d!!-!r0 Or+ i& uman /on&/iou&n!&&0 It i& our

dir!/t /onn!/tion to O$1d)mar2, t! Su-r!m! For/!0

%on/!-tua$$(, Or+ i& /$o&!$( r!$at!d to d!&tin( or fat!0 Ea/ and !"!r( -!r&on

wo i& born on Eart, A(!, w!nt trou' t! -ro/!&& of /oo&in' t!ir Or+ and

t!ir D!&tin( b!for! 3ourn!(in' from 4!a"!n to Eart, Orun to A(!0 Ea/ uman

b!in' a& t! -!r&ona$ ta&5 of &!$!/tin' t!ir "!r( own Or+, t!ir own -arti/u$ar

uman /on&/iou&n!&&0

Obata$a i& t! Ori6a r!&-on&ib$! for mo$din' t! uman !ad&, and tu& uman

/on&/iou&n!&&0 4! mo$d& t!m b( and from /$a(0 Not a$$ Or+ ar! /r!at!d

!7ua$$(0 Som! of t! Or+8& turn out to b! mor! 9-!rf!/t tan ot!r& on!& do, a&

Obata$a ma5!& !a/ on! b( and0

On! wo /oo&!& a 'ood Or+ and d!&tin( wi$$ a"! an !a&( tim! obtainin' t!

'ood tin'& in $if!0 T!( wi$$ .nd it !a&i!r tan not to a"! a -!a/!fu$ om!, a

 3ob t!( tru$( !n3o(, a 'ood r!$ation&i- wit t!ir &-ou&!, and 'ood /i$dr!n,

a$on' wit t! w!a$t and !a$t n!!d!d to !n3o( it a$$0 Good tin'& wi$$ /om!

!a&i$( to t!m0

On t! ot!r and, on! wo /oo&!& an im-!rf!/t Or+ wi$$ !;-!ri!n/! man(

ard&i-& in $if!0 T!( wi$$ .nd tat t! 'ood tin'& in $if! ar! ard to a/i!"!

and tat tou'<tim!& ar! /ommon0 It wi$$ ta5! 'r!at /an'! to b!tt!r tin'& for

t!m0 =ot!ntia$$( t!( /an /an'! trou' t! im-$!m!ntation of ritua$ and

&a/ri./!, "!i/$!& for /an'! and tran&formation, to r!-air t!ir Or+8& and t!ir

r!a$i'n d!&tini!&, t!r!b( turnin' t!ir $i"!& around for t! b!tt!r0

Orunmi$a i& t! on! wo r!-air& &u/ im-!rf!/t Or+0 T! fo$$owin' i& an!;/!r-t

from an an/i!nt Ori5i, -ra(!r -o!m, for Orunmi$a:

Odudu ti ndu Orí emere Atun Orí ti ko suhan se A mo iku

 

Tran&$ation:

T! on! wo &a"!& to&! wo ar! d!&tin!d to di! (oun'

T! on! wo r!-air& a bad Or+ ?4!ad@

 Trou' (our 5now$!d'! w! a"!rt d!at

I wi$$ !nd wit ti& bri!f not!: !n -ra(in' to Or+ it i& b!&t to b!in a

/omfortab$! -o&ition, to o$d (our !ad in bot and&, a& it i&our !ad& w! ar!

-rai&in'0 4o$d (our !ad and &a( 9Orími gbe mi o! m!anin' 9M( Or+ &u--ort&

m!

Orí Wuuu!

 

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Fa'b!mi3o Amo&un Fa5a(od!0