By Afolabi Lipede and Akanbi.
The 256 Odu Ifa are the verses of the Ifa divination corpus, which is central to the Yoruba religious and cultural system. Ifa divination is a complex system of divination used by Yoruba priests (known as babalawos) to communicate with the Orishas (deities) and seek guidance on various aspects of life. Each of the 256 Odu Ifa represents a combination of binary patterns, resulting in a total of 256 possible combinations. Each Odu is associated with a specific set of verses, proverbs, stories, and rituals, providing insights into different situations, challenges, and solutions. The Odu Ifa serve as a repository of Yoruba wisdom, ethics, and spiritual teachings, offering guidance on matters such as health, relationships, prosperity, and spiritual growth. This book provides a basic overview of the essence and motivation behind each of the 256 Odus.
Book cover:
Book page number 1 & 2 of 256:
