BETRAYAL OF TRUST: A DIDACTIC STORY FROM OGBERIKUSA (OGBÈ OSA). PART 1
Ọ̀dàlẹ̀ balẹ kú
Ẹni tó bá dalẹ̀ yóó bálẹ̀ lọ.
"A traitor die with earth
A person who betray others shall go with the earth."
What is Ọ̀DÀLẸ̀? And who is an ỌDÀLẸ? It simply means a person who betrayed the trust reposed in him or her. A person who shifts from agreement that had been sealed without informing the second party is who we called Ọ̀DÀLẸ̀ (Convenant breaker or Traitor).
Ifá warns us in many Ifá verses not to be a betrayal or Traitor because it has a grave repercussions. Husband should not betray his wife and wife should not betray her husband, friends should not betray their friends, children should not betray their parents, leaders should not betray their followers and so on and so forth. Orúnmìlà teaches us not to be a betrayal or Convenant breaker.
I am going to use one Ifá verse from OGBERIKUSA corpus to educate and inform you on why betrayal is not good and the consequences of being a betrayal.
In this Ifá verse, Orunmila narrates the story of two bosom friends Àgbòmọ̀mọ̀ and Ikì. Now, listen to the Ifá verse:
Afẹ́fẹ́lẹ́lẹ́ ní se igi oko láílo láílo
Ẹ̀fúùfù lẹ̀lẹ̀ ní se ewe agbọn gbàárì kọkọ gbàárì kọkọ
Gbòngbò ọ̀nà súnmọ lẹ́sẹ̀ súnmọ síwájú
Adifafun Àgbòmọ̀mọ̀ níjó tí òhun àti Ikì jọ́hún ṣọrẹ àtilẹ̀ wá.
Ẹbọ niwọ́n sọ pe ki won o mọ mú se...
Heavy breeze is the one that disrupt the trees in the farm
Heavy wind is the one that disrupt the coconut palm-leaves
The root of tree on the walking path pushes person's legs and make person fall to the front
Casted Ifá divination for Àgbòmọ̀mọ̀ when he was a bosom friend of Ikì
They were instructed to perform sacrifices...
Àgbòmọ̀mọ̀ and Ikì were bosom friends. Ikì was having bad dreams and foreseen danger. One day, he went to Babalawo to consult Ifá. He could not die because of negative signs he was foreseeing was why he consulted Ifa. When the Priests casted Ifá, OGBÈ ÒSÁ was the Ifá corpus that came out. The Priests warned Ikì to be wary of a close friend who was looking for his down fall. They told him not to be collecting eatable items from anyone most especially, he should not collect kolanuts from friends. Ikì performed the sacrifices recommended for him.
The King, Ọlọfin wanted to celebrate his yearly festival and during the festival the King used to propitiate his Head. The King told the Chiefs that it was Ikì that he wanted to use to propitiate his Head that year. The Chiefs were surprised. They told the King that the only person that could bring Ikì to the King was Agbomomo. The King sent for Agbomomo. He came to the palace and the King told him that he wanted to use Ikì to propitiate his Head. Àgbòmọmọ assured the King that he would bring Ikì his friend to the King. The King promised Agbomomo half of his wealth if he could get the job done. He told the King to help him got a big bag (apo) and many kolanuts because his friend loves kolanuts too much.
Àgbòmọmọ headed to the house of Ikì. However, Ikì had been forewarned by his Babalawo not to answer the calling from outside if he didn't see the caller. Because Àgbòmọmọ was his intimate friend, Ikì answered his friend who was calling him from outside. Ikì peeped from the window to see his friend, Àgbòmọmọ. Àgbòmọmọ trick him that he had bought him his favorite food from market that he should look inside the bag and pick them. Ikì had forgotten the messages of his Babalawo. As he bend down to see the inside of the bag, Àgbòmọmọ pushed him inside and closed the bag.
Àgbòmọmọ headed to the palace of Ọlọfin with Ikì on his head. Ikì then recollected the message of his Priests that he should be wary of closed friends. Because Ikì had performed the sacrifices recommended for him by the Priests and it had been given to Esu, he chanted Ìyẹ̀rẹ̀ Ifá to his Priests to inform them of his situation: