There is no blindness like ignorance. – Anonymous.

History is an intelligence that is more intelligent than every one of us because it lasts longer. – Prof Niyi Osundare.

Introduction:

Silence should not be mistaken for consent, its a sweet medicine of the heart. Generally speaking, the name “Èṣù” in relation to Biblical Satan and Qu’ranic Shitan has become a serious and controversial subject matter on social media and public domain in the recent time, which I can’t just watch and keep mute, but air my voice on.

It was so serious that all well-known novices now assert nonsense as knowledge, as if Satan and ÈȘÙ have the same conceptual and ideological origin coupled with their meanings.

What must have caused this confusion about the identity of these two controversial beings? To ascertain that, one must endeavour to see through the eye of history, so as to cast out the ignorant blindness of our people, for clear understanding.

History teaches us that, more than a century ago, a Yorùbá boy of about age of 12 named Ajayi was captured as a slave in the ancient small town of Òsoògùn via Ìṣẹ́yìn in the present Ọ̀yọ́ State, Nigeria by the slave raiders and traders; and eventually got trained by the Missionaries as a Clergyman after the abolition of the slave trade. He later translated English Bible to Yorùbá language with erroneous/mischievous translations of many of the Yorùbá spiritual, conceptual, and ideological terminologies to devilish and retrogressive foreign metaphors and ideas. For example, he erroneously and mischievously translated Satan to be synonymous with our own dear Èṣù.

One will be tempted to ask what does a 12-year-old boy know about Èṣù at that time when he was not a Babaláwo in training, a son of an Awo or a child of an Èṣù devotee? Definitely, It must have been as a result of ignorance, Christianity induced mischief and ego-consciousness of being the one who did the translation of English Bible to Yorùbá (with the primary objective to Christianise the Yorùbás)!  This very mistake and mischief of Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther are still hurting Àṣẹ̀ṣian community and Oníṣẹ̀ṣes and all lovers of Yorùbá ancient religion till this moment, and it must be corrected appropriately.

And it is very important to note that it’s not enough to continue to chant Èṣù is not Satan;  it’s also very important that we tell the whole world who Èṣù really is!

Who is Èṣù? Èṣù is not a ghost or falling angel, but an important Òrìṣà in Yorùbá ancient religion known as Àṣẹ̀ṣe/Ìṣẹ̀ṣe.  He is an Irúnmọlẹ̀. He is an excellent Administrator of justice and Police Officer in the pantheon of Deities who protects towns and villages and Awos against evil machinations. And it must be noted that Èṣù always favours those that performed the necessary and or appropriate ẹbọs and other forms of rituals; “ẹni tó bá ba rúbọ l’Èṣù ń gbè”. He is the carrier of sacrifices from one Òrìṣà to another and or to the “ajoguns”. And also, he do takes ẹbọ from the earth to heaven.

He is as strong as wall stone. With Èṣù, Yorùbá towns have no reason to build a wall of protection; Èṣù is the wall of protection! Similarly, in the oral eulogy of Èṣù as encapsulated in the holy Odù Ifá Ọ̀ṣẹẹ̀túrá, Ọ̀wọ́nrínṣogbè, Ọ̀ṣálogbè (Ọ̀ṣá Èṣù), it is crystal clear that Èṣù is the most important Irúnmọlẹ̀ to be consulted and offered worship to whenever it comes to the founding of the new towns and communities in the ancient and pre-colonial Yorùbáland.

Èṣù and Satan:

Unlike  Èṣù of the Yorùbás, Satan is a falling angel. Once glorified creature. He was not born of any human but uses humans to manifest its evil nature. Satan is a spirit that no mortal has ever seen with their naked eyes ( but only Jesus Christ according to the Biblical records and it all happens spiritually). Yorùbás has a name for such a being prior to the colonisation of the Yorùbáland, but certainly not Èṣù. Its called “ajogun” (evil spirit) and whoever such a spirit possessed to operate, they call such a person ẹni ibi or ènìyàn ibi (evil person).

Èṣù has the kind of foods that he does eat and the one he detests; and which his devotees must not also eat.

Biblical Satan is the head of evil principalities and has controlling powers over them, but the Yorùbás’ Èṣù (though always a mischievous Irúnmọlẹ̀) is a persuasive Òrìṣà.

Èṣù and Names in Yorùbá Land:

Prior to the introduction of Christianity and Islam to the Yorùbá land, Yorùbás believe that the names to be given to a newborn baby have a serious influence in his or her life, and the names are determined by the situations at home of the child’s parents, circumstances that may surround the birth of the children themselves and Irúnmọlẹ̀/Òrìṣà been worshipped by the parents.

Hence, a child that is born into Ifá devotee’s household is likely to be given a name with Ifá, Awo, Òṣùn, and Odù as a prefix. Eg Ifákúnlé, Awóṣọlá, Amóṣùn, Odùṣànyà. So also Èṣù devotees’ household which is not an exemption. Eg Èṣúlékè, Èṣúkọ̀yà, Eléṣùúdé etc. And behold, it may interest you to note that those that are bearing or sharing names with Èṣù do not act devilishly.

Èṣù, Three-foot path and the Worship Points in Yorùbá land:

Èṣù is not just an Irúnmọlẹ̀ that can be venerated by anyone and at anywhere, but at the three-foot path abode called Ojúbọ Èṣù or Ojúbọ Ẹlẹ́gbára (among the Àwórìs in Lagos and Ọ̀tà axis in Ogun States). Hence, Èṣù Láàlú Ògiri Òkò, Onílé Oríta.

This Ojúbọ is usually located in the centre of the towns or villages. The Babaláwos also used to erect Èṣù “agbẹbọ” in front of their homes and likewise some other Oníṣẹ̀ṣes in front of their different shrines.

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A typical example of this is the popular Ojú Ẹlẹ́gbáa located in the present Surulere area of Lagos which used to be the worshipping point and shrine for Èṣù also known as Ẹlẹ́gbára (Ẹlẹ́gbáa) by the Àwórìs in particular owned by the Ọ̀jọrá Ruling House of Lagos now corrupted as Ojúẹlẹ́gba

Conclusion:

Having critically examined the Irúnmọlẹ̀ called Èṣù from different perspectives, I will like to believe that I have been able to contribute to the body of knowledge about Èṣù and also convinced and not confused you that Èṣù is not Satan.

Ire ni o!

From Olúwo Ifákòleèpin Adérẹ̀mí

 

 

 

ÈṢÙ IS NOT SATAN; AND WHO IS ÈȘÙ?

There is no blindness like ignorance. – Anonymous.

History is an intelligence that is more intelligent than everyone of us, because it lasts longer. – Prof Niyi Osundare.

Introduction: pic.twitter.com/O1ZKnOfifj

— olúwo jọ̀gbọ̀dọ́ ọ̀rúnmìlà (@animolenikun) December 16, 2019