On the fifth day all the Orisha came out of their homes. The Orisha were very excited and appreciated Orunmila. They should grasp what they can, or collect where they fall. He sent down a messenger to Earth who visited every Orisha and informed them that in five days, all the powers would fall from the sky. Orunmila returned to the sky and prepared everything. Orunmila smiled, “Wise Alagemo, your name will forever be great!” By sending a messenger to tell everyone, it will all be fair and no one will say that you favored another.” Let all the Orisha catch and keep what they can. “My friend, why don’t you leave the distribution to chance? Return to your Mother in the Sky and send a messenger here to announce that on a certain day, all the powers will be poured from the sky. Who am I to know who I should give what? How can I treat them all equally with such a problem?”Īlagemo listened and thought before he spoke. But there are so many powers, some great and some small. They all say to me, ‘give me a power so I can also assist the world’. If I give one Orisha one thing, the others may complain that their gift was not as powerful. Orunmila replied, “I love all the Orisha equally. On their walk, Alagemo asked Orunmila why he was so heavy with worry and trouble. When Alagemo arrived he suggested they take a walk together in the sacred forest. Worried about his health, she called his friend, Alagemo the Chameleon and asked him to go and talk with him. He did not touch his food for days and he tossed-and-turned in his sleep. His wife, the Apetebi, noticed that Orunmila was not well. They all came to Orunmila, asking for special gifts and wisdom that they can use to help the world. Sango went to inquire, Osanyin went to inquire, Eshu went to inquire, and many more. It did not take long before all of the Orisha came, one by one, to Orunmila’s abode looking for their own powers. Orunmila answered him, “I am thinking… I will see what we can do.” Baba, what can you do to make this better for me?” Alas, I have nothing that distinguishes me from any other Orisha. “I should be powerful! Humans should be praising me. “Baba Orunmila, am I not an Orisha?,” Ogun asked him. The next day another Orisha named Ogun came to Orunmila. “I see, I see… Let me think about this for a while. I would like to be of assistance to others in some way of my own. Whenever anyone has a problem they run to you. I have no special talents or powers that make me stand out from the rest. Here I am, living on Earth, but I have no way to distinguish myself amongst the others here. One day an Orisha named Oko had a problem on his mind and came to Orunmila for assistance. Everyone loved Orunmila because he loved and took care of everyone. Orunmila was an excellent diviner and master in the art of medicine and magic. Whenever any Orisha needed any guidance or help, they would go to Orunmila.

How the Orisha Received Their Ashe (Powers)

Orisha oko other names