Meanings Of the word "Olodumare"

What is the Meanings Of the word "Olodumare"? 

Our forefathers gave the term "Olodumare" many different meanings. First and foremost, the term "OLODUMARE" is derived from  the phrase"OLODU-OMO-ARE" (THAT IS, AN ENTITY THAT IS SO ENORMOUS YET WE CAN NOT ASCERTAIN ITS LOCATION ).

So the word Olodumare comes from the word OLODU-OMO-ARE (that is, the entity that is so big and enormous that we cannot fathom or ascertain where it is). If Yoruba send a child on an errand and they don't know where he is or can't ascertain where he is, they will say "Mi o mo ibi to rin irin ARE lo" (that is, I don't know about his whereabout.

The second view is that OLODU TO MARE (that is, the only big entity that knows what is right ).But to be sincere, the first view is the most correct. Olodumare is also known as OLORUN (THE OWNER OF HEAVEN) OLUWA (LORD ),OLOFIN ORUN (KING OF HEAVEN ),ORISUN (SOURCE OF ALL THINGS )ADEDA ASEDA (THE CREATOR )ELEMI (THE OWNER AND KEEPER OF LIFE )ETC.

 Even some have interpret Olodumare to mean OLODU TO MON IRE (That's the owner of big clay pot that contain blessing) but as I told you earlier the first meaning I gave seem the most correct and most authoritative. I have heard and read my self where some authors and especially foreign spiritual authors teaching and writing that Olodumare is male in gender, some say Olodumare is a female. This notion of assigning gender whether male or female to Olodumare is absolutely wrong with due respect. 

The correct position is that Olodumare is neither male nor female. Olodumare is transcendent omniscient and gender neutral deity.It is the unfathomable nature of Olodumare , the   Incomprehensible nature of God or forces that responsible for the name Olodumare given to him by our forefathers.

In Yoruba cosmology Olodumare is believe to be ONE, it is believe that Olodumare is the creator of heaven and earth and whole universe, he is supreme over what is on earth and in heaven. Olodumare supremacy is absolute. He is acknowledged by all Orisa and divinities as the one who all power and authority belong, he can do and undo anything he want. He created everything. He is self-existing. Nobody has ever seen Olodumare including the Orisa. With this explanation it will be wrong for anybody to call our for-father a pagan. Yoruba people held Olodumare in high esteem to the extent that they believe it will be disrespectful to approach this being directly. It would be better and easier if they approach him through an intermediary that close to him such as Irunmole and Orisa.Irunmole is equivalent of angel while the Orisa are saints.  Christian find it easy to pray to Olodumare(God) in the name of Jesus Christ, God of  Abraham, God of Jacob etc. In Nigeria here we will even have God of Ayo Babalola, God Of Obadare ,God of Moses Orimonlade etc. The Muslim will pray using the name of Mohamed, they will even tell God that he should favors them because of some ancient messengers of Arabian tradition like Mohamed, Ibrahim etc. All these were not deem as idol worship. But this is the same set of things that Yoruba people engage by calling the name of ancient prophet like Orunmila, Obatala, Esu Odara etc. In praying to Olodumare .

Myopic mind find it easy to call them Aborisa (Idol worshiper).

 Open your mind to think Africans. Invoking the names of Messenger of God to seek favor from God is not Idol worship. Every religion do it.Why did you allow those are really guilty of this to demonize your own history and taught for you. The Yoruba Ifa spirituality emphasis on the supremacy Of Olodumare (God) above any other deities whether Irunmonle or Orisa.

 And Odu Ifa Ejiogbe clearly stated it that nothing in the whole Universe that is above Olodumare(God). This position is clearly expressed and authoritatively stated in Odu Ifa Ejiogbe thus:

Gbogbo ola omi  ti n be nile aye ko le to ti Olokun

Gbogbo iyi odo to n san ko le to ti Olosa

Enikan kan ko ni gbe igi ninu igbo gbe igi ni iju, ko ni o ju Adeda lo

Dia fun Obatala Oseere-Igbo nijo ti yoo je Alabalase

Ti gbogbo Irunmonle ni awon yi o gba ikan ninu oriki re

Orunmila yehun

Elegbera tele

Ejiogbe iwo ma ni oba gbogbo won o

Alase ni a n fi ase fun

Gbogbo odo kekeke ti o bani to olokun ko si

A gbe laulau bi papa to jo Eruku a si ku gbeugbeu loju won

Enikeni to bani ti olorun ko sit i di ohun igbagbe

Mo toro lowo Olosa ibikeji odo ,mo ri je beni ko yo mi

Mo toro ola lowo Olokun seniade ti n se Olori gbogbo omi

Mo ri je ,beni ko yo mi

Mo toro ola lowo Olodumare

Mo yo mo je ajeseku

Tani ko mon pe ola Olorun nikan ni to ni je di ojo Iku eni.

Translation:

All the wealth of the water in the world can be measure with Of Oloku(Ocean)

All the honor of the flowing river cannot be matched with that of Olosa(lagoon)

No one will carve wood in the forest or savannah and rate it above the creator

This was Ifa make for Obatala Oseere-Igbo, when he is going to be install as Alabalase

When all the Irunmole said they will share out of his praises with him

Orunmila disagree

Elegbera seconded him

Ejiogbe you are the king of all of them

Let give honor to who honor is due

The entire small river that want to dispense with Olokun

Sun Rivers will dry up totally and begin produce dusts

Anybody who wants to dispense with God, such person is already out of existence

I seek for wealth in the hand Of Olosa The second in rank of all water

I was able to feed but not to my saturation point

I seek for wealth in the hand of Olokun seniade(the source of all water)

I was able to feed, but not to my saturation point

I seek wealth in the hand Of Olodumare(God)

I feed to my saturation point and still have leftover

The true fact is that it is the blessings of Olodumare God tha can last long till the day of one’s death.

From the Odu Ifa Ejiogbe I explained above you can see the genuine Yoruba believe about God and how Ifa sacred stanza emphasize on the supremacy of Olodumare God above all other entity whether animate or inanimate .

It is believe that immortal nature of Olodumare is what make him superior to other human being. If Olodumare is mortal or better put if we human being are immortal. We will have no regards or reverence to Olodumare. But the immortal nature Of Olodumare make him to be above any human being. There are other various Odu Ifa apart from Odu Ifa Ejiogbe above that establishe the supremacy Of Olodumare over other human being. There are two leading Odu Ifa that establishe the supremacy of Olodumare as superior force or being that can do and undo. For example most of the recongnise Odu Ifa on this are Ogundabede/Ogunda Ogbe and Ogunda Irosun. Below is the extracts of aforementioned Odu Ifa that explain this position.

 1

Eba Ilu duun gbe

Ikoko ilu duun rin

Bi  a ba da Ogunda bori Ogbe sile

Gbogbo omo Awo a fee je

Gbogbo omo Awo a fee mu

Awon omo Awo a fi idi Orere bale

Dia fun Olodumare Ogotun

Olomo ateni fori sagbeji omi

Ko si ohun ti Olorun ko le se

Bo ba se ojo

A soda

A se kan a mu bi otutu

A se kan  a mu bi oye

Bi o ba wu Olodumare  a se dudu

Bi o ba wu Olodumare a se funfun

Bi o ba wu olodumare a se ayinrin

Bi o ba wu olodumare a ta lala

Ola olorun ga

O po o ju ti eniyan lo

Translation

The outskirts of the city is pleasant to live

The secluded part of the city is nice to work

If we cast Odu Ifa Ogunda Ogbe on the ground

The Awo (in their number) will want to eat

The Awo (in their number) will want to drink

The Omo awo (Ifa apprentice ) will settle down in expectation to eat

This was Ifa message for Olodumare agotun

Olomo ateni fori sapeji omi

There is nothing that you can not do

There is nothing that Olodumare can not do

If he make rain

He would make draught

He would make one that would like cold

Another one like harmattan

If he likes ,he would make one cloud to look like black

If he likes he would make one cloud to look like white

If he likes he would make one cloud to look like yellow

He can even make it to look creamy in color

The grace of Olorun is high

It is above that of human

Other Odu Ifa that is deem as authority on the supremacy of Olodumare is Odu Ifa  Ogunda Irosun. On this Ifa says:

Igbo  awo Orun

Dia fun Olodumare

A fi aso omi ko Ile

Latigbadegba

Eyi to wu Olodumare ni on se

Bo wu Olodumare a ta dudu

Eyi to ba wu Olodumare ni o n se

Translation:

Igbo is the Awo Orun

This was Ifa message for Olodumare

One that build his house with water

From time immemorial

If he like he will make the cloud black

It is whatever pleases Olodumare the he does

It is believes that Olodumare can do and undo what he whishes. It part of this power of Olodumare  to do and undo that prove and establish his supremacy over other human being.

Our forefather believe that Olodumare is omniscient (all-knowing).They believe it is only Olodumare( God ) that know what is hidden and what is in the open. Nobody can hide anything from Olodumare. I will quickly make an extract from Odu Ifa Ogundabede where Ifa expressly make known the omniscient nature of God. In this odu Ifa Ogunda Ogbe Ifa say:

Eke  a ma pa eleke

Odale a ma pa Odale

Ohun ti n be nisale oju Olodumare ni to

Dia fun Ammokun Jale

Ti o ni Oba aiye ko ri ohun

Bi oba aye ko ri o

Iwo ko mon wipe oju Oba orun n wo o

Translation:

It is the deceit that will kill liars

It is betrayal that will kill the traitors

This was Ifa revelations make for those who steal in the dark

Who claim the king of this world did not see him

If the king of this world did not see you

Don’t you know that the king Of Heaven sees you?

From the stanza of Odu ifa Ogunda Ogbe cited above we seen the believe of Yoruba people about the omniscient nature Of Olodumare .They believe he is the only one that knows what is hidden.The ifa stanza there even refer to God as King of heaven.

In Yoruba Ifa spirituality our forefather believe that Olodumare(God) is the only support and provider for the needy and the helpless. They believe that it is only Olodumare God that can protect the helpless and shoulder the responsibilities of those in need of help. One of the authoritative Ifa stanza in favor of this assertion and believes is in odu Ifa  Osa irete where Ifa says thus:

 Anikanji,Anikansun

 Bi o ba sun isun Aburadi

Olodumare nikan ni ji loju orun

Dia fun Ajoji ti n lo si eniju lo re tedo

Ajoji de eniju O deru  kale

O wo iwaju ko ri enikan

O wo ehin ko ri enikan

O ni eru yi ma di eru Olodumare

Nitori eni ti ko ni ara

Olodumare nikan ni agbojule won

Nje efufulele ba mi gbe eru mi dori.

Translation

He who wake alone, He who sleep alone

If he is befallen by evil of any kind

It is only Olodumare(God) that wakes him up from sleep

This was Ifa consultation ,make for stranger

Who was going to settle in the forest

When the stranger got to forest

He had a load

He look forward, he see nobody

He look backward he sees no helper

He said this burden has become the burden of Olodumare(God)

He said any one without helpers it is only Olodumare(God ) that is his pillar of reliance

It is divine wind that will help lift off my burden.

 The extracts of Odu Ifa Osa irete above, make it  clear that is only Olodumare that is pillar of support for the helpless.

 We can go on and on, bringing evidential proof of the existence and believes of our forefather about Olodumare(God). 

This work is not meant to disparage any a religion rather than to constructively expose and reveals some Yoruba thoughts about Olodumare .