Central Themes in Odu of Erindinlogun

Fundamental teachings of the Olorisa are contained in the Erindinlogun. Erindilogun is comprised of oriki (chants), itan (stories), ami (signs), ori (songs), ebo/etutu/epese (sacrifice and rituals), oogun (medicine), owe (short parables), and ewe (herbs) that are tied together under certain central themes.

Each odu can have a central theme or doctrine but certain themes are basic and fundamental to learning the system of Eerindinlogun.

Once one understands these themes, then the study of Odu and the entire system becomes easily understood I need to say this in the different places where Orisa is worshipped such as in Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad, Benin Republic, and Nigeria, the diviners and teachers of Eerindinlogun must have designed a basic theme which might sometimes be similar and sometimes they are different depending on the country, location, and general experience.

To further my caveat, even here in Nigeria, the different subgroups of the Yoruba have different approaches to reading and studying the Eerindinlogun.

​1. In Okanran: we find the creation of the world Alagbawaye, including Egungun first came to the earth.

2. In Ejioko: the birth of duality, light, and Darkness. Ibeji was born.

3. In Ogunda: Orisa priests received Ase for Ebo for the first time. Ogun also creates civilization for the first time by being Oshin Imole, the path clearer.

4. In Irosun: observation was born (odi atejumo), profit-making in business was born and Irosun gave birth to fire.

5. In Ose, water first flowed out of a rock for the first time, and Osun as an orisa was born here. This water connected families, villages, and nations and gave birth to jealousy.

6. Obara is the birthplace of deception, and also the birthplace of banks, where money is saved. Magic is born in this odu, the Oloogun is found here, where Osanyin acquired magical powers from Olodumare.

7. Odi is where light was born in the form of a fitila and where Obatala first lit a lamp. In this odu Egbe first touched their feet on the ground, having descended to earth in Okanran as Alabawaye but they took abode on an iroko tree and thereby became Alaragbo (those who reside in the forest).

8. Ejiogbe/Ejionile is where Ori was made a king. This is also a place where one finds duality. 

9. Osa is where Iyami descended for the first time using the vehicle of Osa to come to earth. When people saw the Iyamis descending, they ran away and so the name Osa came into being, to run away.

10. Ofun is the birthplace of Ogboni society and other secret societies, one finds the birth of white cloth called Aso -Ala, it’s also the birthplace of curses and anger.

11. In Owonrin, dead persons were first propitiated as Egungun and Sango gets his skirt Laba for the first time from Egungun.

12. In Ejila Asebora, where fear was born Ebora (spirits) are born in Ejila.