I decided to write on this topic topic because of an incident that occurred in Nigeria today. The airline conveying the body of late Governor of Ondo State to his home town for burial crashed in Lagos. killing some and leaving some with serious injuries the late governor's body was accompanied by his son, relatives and some other government officials.
how is this story relevant you may asked?
To begin with, In Yoruba land and society, this type of situation and death is refer to as 'Akufa'. Akufa refer to a situation where by several untimely death occurred withing small time frame after the death of a person in a family, household or town in general. This type of people is said not to have died alone but take others along to accompany them. Hence the word Akufa, Aku means to die, fa means to draw or draw along.
What causes Akufa?
Akufa occurs when the spirit of the dead is not at peace or is angry at the living. Also in Yoruba land, every household or town have its own way of performing rite of passage after the dead of their household or town members, when this rite are neglected or not down properly, it can cause Akufa withing that house hold or town. Irrespective of your belief system you need to observe this tradition to avoid calamity.
Can this type of death be avoided or averted?
The answer is
yes. It can be avoided and averted through Ifa consultation and making necessary sacrifice to appease the spirit of the dead so as not to take
other people along and also giving offering to the ancestors to grant the
deceased peaceful entrance to Orun ( heaven). Also rite of passage for the departed spirit needs to be down.
.
Let us do it the way it suppose to be done, so the it can be the way it suppose to be.
Ase ooo ni Adupe O Iya Ifayemisi Elebuibon, from the over-whelming majority of us in the Diaspora!! First, CONGRATULATIONS on your establishment of this critically needed vehicle. The stated concept of your blog is, to the best of my knowledge, un-rivaled in its intent!
ReplyDeleteThis initial offering is a great one!! Not only did this expose us to the concept of Akufa, but you explanation of that concept was excellent, in my humble opinion! So, PLEASE continue this great work in a consistent and timely fashion, and you WILL notice that your traffic to this blog, will not only increase, but will also become more and more referenced, and 'shared,' throughout the entire internet!! Ase...
While here in the United States, we might look at the unfortunate occurrence as 'a result of many turning away from the traditions, and thus, an omen for the need of people of AfriKan descendent to RETURN to those traditions -- your statement view of much more open-minded and excepting of non-traditonalists, while still urging their correct behavior around the notion of death! Again, your work teaches, without condemnation!! I, humbly think, that this type of work is something that you seem "naturally intended to do!" Ase ooo...
May I Humbly suggestion one possible topic for future consideration? The notion of Pride and Ego -- what does Ifa say about these to attitudes, and what is their relevance in determining own's Iwa Pele. I make this suggestion this because, while internationally, Nigerians tend to be associated with being some of the world's 'most prideful people,' I believe that the traditional cultural view of pride/ego is not entirely a 'suggested thing!' We, in the West, need all of the help we can get in understanding the more accurate interprets of the Odu Ifa!! And as the daughter of an Araba Awo, globally renowned for his Iwa Pele, and humble and modesty character, you are perfectly positioned to introduce, explain, and hopefully, exemplify, those qualities to a whole new GENERATION of 'conscious people' -- internationally!
So, May Oludumare, the Spirits, and the Ancestor combine to 'open a pathway' for you and your works to continue to positively influence us ALL!! Adupe o ni Ase ooo:-)1
Please if a member of a family dies, how quickly is the akufa ritual needs to be done to prevent untimely deaths in the family. Please reply .thanks
ReplyDeletePlease when a member of one family died as a result of falling victim of magun in his concubine room,and d people that took the corpse didn't took it across the window...can that also cause Akufa?... please reply.thanks
ReplyDelete