Odu Ifa Irete Osa (Arotesa)

Ifa Divination for the Bush Rat: Victory Against Overwhelming Odds

The Story of Ultimate Underdog Triumph

This divination from Irete Osa presents one of the most dramatic examples of how spiritual preparation can overcome apparent physical impossibility. The story pits Okete (the bush rat or grasscutter) against Efon (the buffalo)—a matchup so lopsided that it seems absurd to even imagine the rat could survive, let alone prevail. The buffalo represents raw power, intimidating presence, and overwhelming physical advantage, while the rat symbolizes vulnerability, smallness, and seeming insignificance.

Yet this is precisely the point of the divination: in the spiritual realm, conventional measures of power become irrelevant. What matters is not size, strength, or fearsome reputation, but rather obedience to divine guidance and willingness to perform prescribed sacrifices. Both animals received the same warning and the same instruction to offer sacrifice, but only the bush rat—perhaps because it recognized its vulnerability—took the warning seriously and complied.

The Power of Recognizing One's Limitations

The opening praise names of Arotesa take on special meaning in this context. "The one who escapes from a fight" is not describing cowardice but rather intelligent recognition of reality. The bush rat knows it cannot defeat a buffalo through direct physical confrontation. "The one who gets scared when witnessing fights" describes healthy fear that motivates protective action. "The one who rises and falls when noticing a misunderstanding" captures the agitation and anxiety that comes from recognizing danger—emotions that, rather than being weaknesses, actually drive the rat to seek spiritual protection.

The Sacred Verse

Arote sa
Arote sojo
Arote pakube kube
Adifa fun okete oun efon jo n sota
Ebo won ni won ose
Okete nikan ni ogbo riru ebo to rubo
Ero ipo
Ero ofa
E bani larusegun

English Translation

The one who escapes from a fight
The one who gets scared when witnessing fights
The one who rises and falls when noticing a misunderstanding
This was the Ifa divination for the great rat and the buffalo
On the day they were both fighting
They were advised to offer sacrifice
Only the great rat complied
Pilgrims of Ipo
Pilgrims of Ofa
Come and rejoice with me in the blessing of victory

Understanding the Prescribed Sacrifice

The ebo for this divination includes palm oil (epo), eko (fermented corn pudding), corn (agbado), money (owo), and one rooster (akuko adie kan). The rooster is particularly significant—in Yoruba spirituality, the rooster represents alertness, the ability to announce dawn, and vigilance against danger. By sacrificing a rooster, the person essentially transfers these protective qualities to themselves, gaining spiritual alertness that compensates for physical vulnerability.

The Critical Instruction: Stay Devoted to Ifa

Beyond the initial sacrifice, Ifa provides additional guidance that reveals the deeper spiritual mechanics at work. The person must remain devoted to Ifa and properly nourish their Ifa. This is not merely about performing a one-time ritual; it's about maintaining an ongoing relationship with the divine oracle that provides continuous protection and guidance.

The phrase "properly nourish their Ifa" refers to regular offerings, consultations, and respect for the spiritual protocols that keep the connection strong. Just as physical bodies need regular feeding, spiritual protections require regular maintenance. Those who perform sacrifice once and then neglect their Ifa may find that their protection wanes over time.

Modern Application: Facing Powerful Adversaries

For those who receive this divination today, it speaks directly to situations where you face opposition from someone with greater resources, higher social position, more political connections, or superior physical strength. This could manifest as: legal battles against wealthy corporations or individuals, workplace conflicts with those in positions of authority, business competition with established companies that have far greater capital, or physical threats from those who are stronger or more numerous.

The divination promises that despite these apparent disadvantages, you can prevail—but only if you: perform the prescribed sacrifice promptly and completely, maintain regular devotion to Ifa through ongoing offerings and consultations, refuse to be intimidated by your opponent's apparent advantages, and trust in spiritual power rather than relying solely on conventional resources.

Explore the deeper philosophical foundations of Ifa through this comprehensive overview of the Ifa system.

Ifa Divination for the Toads: Escaping the Enemy's Trap

The Wisdom of Avoiding Concealed Dangers

This divination from Irete Osa addresses a different but equally dangerous situation: enemies who have laid elaborate traps and are waiting for you to fall into them. Unlike the bush rat story where the conflict is direct and visible, this divination deals with hidden dangers, concealed pits, and enemies who work through deception and ambush rather than open confrontation.

The choice of toads (opolo) as protagonists is deeply symbolic. Toads hop unpredictably, changing direction suddenly, making them difficult to catch. They also have an instinct for sensing danger—they freeze when predators approach and can detect vibrations in the ground that signal approaching threats. These qualities make them perfect metaphors for the kind of spiritual vigilance and agility needed to avoid enemies' traps.

The Nature of Hidden Opposition

Ifa's revelation that "enemies have dug a pit" for the person is one of the most serious warnings in the Ifa corpus. In traditional Yoruba society, digging a pit to trap someone was a common hunting technique, but it also became a metaphor for any kind of concealed harm: false accusations prepared in advance, financial schemes designed to bankrupt someone, forged documents meant to implicate an innocent person, gossip campaigns that ruin reputations, or spiritual attacks using negative medicine or curses.

The divination makes clear that these enemies have invested significant time and effort in their trap. They are not casual opponents but dedicated adversaries who have planned carefully. This level of threat requires equally serious spiritual countermeasures.

The Sacred Verse

Arote sa
Arote sojo
Arote pakube kube
Adifa fun enlojo opolo
Won o jin sofin omo araye
Ebo won ni won ose
Won si rubo
Nje olufonyo ni yo man ho ho ho.

English Translation

The one who escapes from a fight
The one who gets scared when witnessing fights
The one who rises and falls when noticing a misunderstanding
This was the Ifa divination for the number of toads
That would fall into the traps set by the people
They were advised to offer a sacrifice
And they complied
Therefore, Olufonyo, the one who rescues, is the one rescuing me.

The Invocation of Olufonyo

The concluding phrase "Olufonyo ni yo man ho ho ho" (Olufonyo, the one who rescues, is the one rescuing me) is particularly powerful. Olufonyo is an oriki (praise name) that can refer to any Orisha who specializes in rescue and deliverance. The repetition "ho ho ho" mimics the sound of joyful laughter or celebration—the toads are not just saved, they are triumphantly celebrating their escape while their enemies' carefully laid plans come to nothing.

The Critical Additional Instruction: Honor the Orisha

Beyond the standard sacrifice of palm oil, eko, corn, and money, Ifa provides crucial additional guidance: the person must make offerings to "the Orisha" (generic term that could refer to any deity, but context suggests protective deities like Ogun, Esu, or one's personal Orisha). The divination states clearly that "a battle is approaching" and that "the Orisha will grant them victory if they follow the prescribed rituals."

Most importantly, Ifa includes a stern warning: "Once they achieve victory, they must never forget the deity who helped them." This prohibition against spiritual ingratitude is repeated throughout the Ifa corpus. Many people, once their crisis passes and they achieve safety or success, neglect the spiritual forces that aided them. This neglect invites future misfortune and removes the protection that kept them safe.

Practical Application: Recognizing and Avoiding Traps

For modern practitioners, this divination offers specific guidance for situations where: you suspect but cannot prove that people are working against you behind the scenes, opportunities that seem too good to be true are presented to you, you're being pressured to make quick decisions without time for due diligence, people are unusually interested in your plans, movements, or vulnerabilities, or you have an intuitive sense of danger even though nothing obvious is wrong.

The divination advises: perform the prescribed sacrifice immediately—speed matters when traps are already set, make offerings to protective Orisha and specifically request their intervention, maintain heightened vigilance in all dealings, verify information and offers before committing, and once danger passes, faithfully honor the deities who protected you with regular offerings.

Ifa Divination for Orunmila: Journey to Wealth at Olokun's Palace

Orunmila's Mission to the Deity of Oceanic Wealth

This divination from Irete Osa shifts focus from defensive survival to active pursuit of prosperity. It recounts Orunmila's journey to the palace of Olokun Seniade—Olokun being the powerful Orisha of the ocean, associated with vast wealth, mystery, and the unfathomable depths where treasures lie hidden. The addition of "Seniade" (one who wears a crown or possesses authority) emphasizes that this is not just any deity but one of immense power and resources.

What makes this story particularly instructive is that even Orunmila, the grand priest and prophet of Ifa itself, must perform sacrifice before undertaking important ventures. If the wisest of all must seek divine approval and perform prescribed offerings, how much more should ordinary devotees do likewise?

The Promise of Transformative Wealth

Ifa's message is extraordinarily encouraging: "There is a blessing of wealth for this person. It reveals that they are going somewhere, and upon returning, they will be blessed with goodness. A very important person will also be a source of great blessings for them." This divination identifies a specific journey or venture (not necessarily physical travel—it could be a new business relationship, career move, or major project) that will result in significant financial transformation.

The mention of "a very important person" parallels Olokun in the original story—someone with substantial resources, influence, or connections who will become a patron, partner, or benefactor. The key insight is that wealth often comes not through solo effort but through relationship with those who already possess abundance and are willing to share it.

The Sacred Verse

Arote sa
Arote sojo
Arote pa kube kube
Adifa fun orunmila
Baba n sawo rele olokun sannin ade
Ebo won ni fa ose
O gbebo nibe o rubo
Kee pe
Kee jinan
Aje wa jede tuturu

English Translation

The one who escapes from a fight
The one who gets scared when witnessing fights
The one who moves up and down when noticing a misunderstanding
This was the Ifa divination for Orisa Nla Oseremogbo
On the day he was crying for the blessing of wealth.
He was asked to offer a sacrifice,
And he complied.
There is no silence for too long,
Nor is it too prolonged.
Then, the blessing of wealth comes in abundance.

The Special Offering: Guinea Fowl to Ifa

This divination prescribes a unique element in its sacrifice—a guinea fowl (etu) must be offered to Ifa. The guinea fowl is one of the most significant birds in Ifa spirituality, more precious even than chickens or pigeons. Guinea fowls are associated with Orunmila himself, and offering one demonstrates serious commitment and recognition of the magnitude of the blessing being sought.

The speckled pattern of the guinea fowl's feathers is said to resemble the patterns on the sacred Opon Ifa (divination tray), creating a symbolic connection between the bird and the entire system of Ifa wisdom. When you offer a guinea fowl to Ifa, you're essentially saying: "I recognize the supreme value of this wisdom system and I'm willing to offer something precious to honor it."

The Crucial Instruction: Honor Orisa Nla

Beyond the guinea fowl to Ifa, the divination includes a critical additional requirement: "They should make a sacrifice to Oosa Nla, the deity responsible for bestowing wealth and blessings upon them." This reveals an important principle—Orisa Nla (Obatala) plays a specific role in wealth distribution, particularly wealth that comes with purity, legitimacy, and ethical foundation.

While Olokun controls oceanic wealth and Aje (the deity of prosperity) governs abundance, Orisa Nla determines who is spiritually ready to receive and properly manage prosperity. Making offerings to Orisa Nla is essentially requesting both the wealth itself and the wisdom to use it righteously, ensuring that prosperity doesn't become a curse through mismanagement or corruption.

Understanding the Spiritual Mechanics of Wealth Blockage

The divination's diagnosis—"this person has struggled with financial stability"—points to spiritual rather than practical causes. Many people work extremely hard, possess excellent skills, and make sound decisions, yet wealth eludes them. From the Ifa perspective, this indicates spiritual blockages that must be addressed through proper sacrifice and alignment with wealth-bestowing deities.

These blockages can arise from various sources: ancestral debts or curses affecting family lineage, spiritual attacks from jealous enemies, neglect of one's Ori (personal destiny), failure to honor deities who should be receiving worship, or karmic consequences from previous actions. The prescribed sacrifices don't merely ask for money—they address the spiritual impediments preventing wealth from flowing naturally.

Modern Application: Breaking Cycles of Financial Struggle

For those receiving this divination today, it offers profound hope for those experiencing: long-term financial difficulty despite consistent hard work and effort, cycles where money comes in but immediately goes out, inability to accumulate savings or build wealth, opportunities that consistently fail to materialize into actual income, or a sense that prosperity is somehow blocked or withheld despite qualifications and effort.

The divination prescribes a clear path forward: offer a guinea fowl to Ifa—this may require consulting a qualified Babalawo who can perform this properly, make sacrifices to Orisa Nla including the standard palm oil, eko, corn, and money, maintain devotion even during the period before manifestation (remember, "not too long" doesn't mean instant), prepare for abundance by addressing mindset and planning how to manage coming prosperity wisely, and once wealth arrives, never forget to honor Ifa and Orisa Nla who broke the blockage.

For deeper understanding of the Opon Ifa's symbolism mentioned in the guinea fowl interpretation, explore this detailed article on the sacred divination tray.