2

EGN JE WA MEMU
(Pouring Libation to the Ancestors)

b se Ose - Oyeku.
I respect that sacred scripture that guides our
communication with the ancestors.
E nle oo rami oo.
I am greeting you my friends.
Eiye dudu baro Babalawo la npe ri.
The black bird that touched the dye in the name of all
diviners.
Eiye dudu baro Babalawo ma ni o.
The blackbird that touched the dye in the name of all
diviners in his name.
Igba kerndnlogun a dana igbo Ose.
The sixteenth time we make a fire in back of Ose.
O digba kerndnlogun a dana igbo Ose 'na oo rami o.
The sixteen fires do not harm me.
O jo geregere si owoko otun.
The roaring fire burns to the right.
O gba rere si tosi o.
The roaring fire burns to the left.
Ora merndnlogun ni won ima dana Ifa si.
The sixteen places that we make fires of wisdom.
Emi o mona kan eyi ti nba gba r'elejogun o. Ase.
When I did not know the road to follow, I should have
followed destiny. May it be so.
 3

ORK EGN
(Praising the Ancestors, invocation for
consecration of Ancestor shrine and Aso Egn)

Egngn kiki egngn.

Praise to the mediums of the Ancestors.
Egn ik ranran fe awo ku opipi.
Ancestors who have preserved the mystery of
featherless flight.
O da so bo fun le wo.
You create the words of reverance and power.
Egn ik bata bango egn de.
The drums of the Ancestors announce the arrival of the
Ancestors.
Bi aba f'atori na le egn a se de. Ase.
On the strong mat you spread your power, the
Ancestors are here. May it be so.

ORK EGN
(Praising the Ancestors, invocation for consecration of
Ancestor shrine and Aso Egn)

Il mo p o. Egngn, mo p o o. Egngn, mo p o
o. Egngn, mo p o.
Earth I call on you. Ancestor, I call on you. Ancestor, I
call on you. Ancestor, I call on you.
Eti were ni ti kut il o. Asnmparad ni tigi j o.
House rats are very alert. Rafters never change their
position.
g k gb ekun omo re k m tati were.
Rat does not disregard the cry of its young ones.
wa omo re ni a p o; a w lti se on re.
We, your children, gather here for your annual
ceremony.
 4

M j k a pa odn je; m j k odn pa wa n je.

Do not let us die during the year.
Oldn k pa odn esin run. Egngn k pa odn
esin run.
Those who give the annual offerings do not willingly
abolish the practice. The society of mediums does not
abolish its annual practice.
M j k a r ik omom m j ki a r ik obinrin.
Prevent the death of children and wives.
M j k a r j gbn. Lil ni k a m l si, m j
k a pdn. Ase.
Save us from disease. Let us multiply and increase.
May it be so.

ORK ADIMU EGN

(Praising the Ancestors when offering
libation and cola nut)

Egngn wa yana wa neni, je wa memu.

Ancestors please call on us today, and drink our palm
wine.
Egngn Baba Iya yana wa o, je wa gb'obi pa.
Ancestors, Fathers and Mothers, please come so that
you may accept offerings and split the cola nut.
Egngn wa yana wa. Ase.
Our Ancestors please call. May it be so.
 5

ORK AWON BABA MI

(Praising the Ancestors of the Spirit of Destiny)

Egngn gn ani o gn, Akala ka ani oka lekeleke

foso.
Spirit of the Ancestors mount the mediums smoothly,
the vulture circles the ceremony like a snake.
Ani ofun fun a difa fun. rnml Baba n'on ko lase
lenu mo.
The white-feathered bird cleans us in flashes of light.
The wisdom of the Spirit of Destiny is emitted in flashes
of light.
Woni kolo pe Baba pe lode rn. Tani Baba
rnml, morere ni Baba rnml.
The wisdom is acknowledged as coming from the Owner
of the Realm of the Ancestors. Look to the Spirit of
Destiny, all good fortune comes from the Spirit of
Destiny.
Mije morere no o. To ase si ni lenu morere mi o. Ase.
Seven blessings is the power of light. The seven
blessings of light are the spiritual powers that come to
us. May it be so.
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OFO ASE
EGNGN
(Invocation for Ancestors to
mount the mediums)

Egngn ajwn lklk gbugbu. A rago gbl

egngn kiki egngn.
The mediums of the Ancestors have the power to
transform death. We sweep the earth to salute the
wisdom of the Ancestors.
Tgg ok yi gb ni eni ar kan ti nj'ij awo, is rn
l'okun nde l'agbr,
The Spirit of Death guides the head to touch the mat of
those Ancestors who have met in secret, to speak of the
bond of secrecy,
gb ti ng o s'oran okn, kil'e m'okn, so mi l'ap si
omo keke mo s
it is the oath of sea water, sea water offered to the
Earth, it is a sign that water is the child of growth,
mo ny sewe k'apinni, bj mo b mo mu sewe l'agbr,
we drink without negativity; I wear body marks as a
sign of my oath of secrecy.
gmb mo w mo mu sewe l'igbor, tori igbor mi l'oyo -
mo - ko. Ase.
They show that I pledge my loyalty to the spirits, from
this oath I receive the food of learning. May it be so.
 7

OFO ASE
EGNGN
(Invocation for Ancestors to
mount the mediums)

b a se Oyeku Meji ati Oyeku Meji, mo juba.

I respect the Holy Scripture that honors the Ancestors
and I give it praise
b a se Egn, mo juba.
I respect the Spirit of the Ancestors and I give them
praise.
b a se Arku, mo juba.
I respect the Spirits that transform our Ancestors and I
give them praise.
b a se Eluku, mo juba,
I respect the Spirits that elevate our Ancestors and I
give them praise.
A dupe gbogbo egn embelese Olodumare.
I thank the spirit of those ancestors who honor the
Spirit of Creation.
Ini (name) omo (name of spiritual parents).
I am (name) child of (name spiritual parents).
Egn pl o. Egn pl o. Egn pl o.
Ancestors I greet you. Ancestors I greet you.
Ancestors I greet you.
Egn mo p o. Egn mo p o. Egn mo p o. Ni
igba meta.
Ancestors I call you. Ancestors I call you. Ancestors I
call you. I call you three times.
Egn ik ranran fe awo ku opipi. O da so bo fun le'wo.
Ancestors who have preserved the mystery of
featherless flight. You create the words of reverance
and power.
 8

Egn wo'le wa. Yana wa neni. Egn wo'le wa. Yana

wa neni. Egn wo'le wa. Yana wa neni.
Anestors you are welcome at this house. Please call
today. Ancestors you are welcome at this house.
Please call today. Ancestors you are welcome at this
house.
Je wa adimu pa. Ti won ba nje lajule run ba won je.
Bi ekolo ba juba ile ile a lanu.
Come and accept our offering. Whatever good things are
eaten in the Realm of the Ancestors please partake. If
the earthworm pays homage to the Earth, the Earth
shares Her abundance.
Omode ki Ijuba ki iba pa a. Ma ja kiki won run, a
dupe.
If the child honors their parent they never suffer from
neglect. All respect to the powers of the Realm of the
Ancestors.
b Baba. b Yeye. b Baba. b Yeye. b Baba.
b Yeye.
Praise to the Fathers. Praise to the Mothers. Praise to
the Fathers. Praise to the Mothers. Praise to the
Fathers. Praise to the Mothers. We respect the
Fathers and the Mothers.
Mo juba (name of ancestor)
I praise (name of ancestor)
* Include all those ancestors you wish to remember
preceded by the words; Mo juba.
Egn fun me lo mo, a dupe. Egn fun me la l'afia, a
dupe.
Ancestors we ask for your help and give you thanks.
Ancestors we ask for good health and we give you
thanks.
Egn Oro ti ase fun run ni awon, a dupe.
Ancestors we ask for the power of transformation from
 9

the Realm of the Ancestors and we give you thanks.

b Oluwo (name of chief priest). b Iygba (name of

chief priestess)
I respect (name of chief priest.) I respect (name of chief
priestess)
b Ojugbona a ko ni li -'f, a ko ni li rs.
I respect all those teachers who have taught me the
ways of If and rs.
Ki kan mase (name of elder).
I ask for the support of (name of elder)
* Name each elder you want to acknowledge preceeded
by the phrase Ki kan mase.
Egn e nle o o rami o o. m o mona kan eyi ti nba gba
Or Egn. Ase.
Ancestors, I am greeting you my friends. When I do
not know which road to follow I will turn to the wisdom
of the Ancestors. May it be so.

ORK AWON BABA MI

(turupon Meji- Invocation for possession by those Ancestors
who can assist in the performance of a ritual)

Ar di ar n. yr di yr ar. B oj b se mj,
won a w'ran.
It is now a pitiful place. The chant has become a dirge.
When eyes are two, they watch events unfold.
B es b se mj, won a rn gr-gr l'n. Bb d
semj, won a jk lri eni.
When legs are two, they walk with heavy treading.
When the behinds are two, they sit on a mat.
Ow kan r seke. B ni es kan se gr - gr l'n.
 10

One hand does not jingle. Also, one leg will not walk
with a fast treading.
tt ni npe ni t ak j. Wn n nknk k nk ar
iwj.
We are called differently. I am asked to kneel and
greet those before me.
Mo knl, mo k ar iwj. Wn n nknl k npe r t
mbe l'hn.
I knelt and greeted those before me. I am asked to
kneel and call on those behind me.
Mo knl mo pe r t mbe l'hn. Wn n won wo ni
ar iwj eni.
I knelt and called on those behind me. They ask, who
are those before me?
Mo n egngn il eni ni ar iwj eni. Wn n won
wo ni r t mbe lhn.
I say one's ancestors are those before me. They ask who
are those behind me?
Mo n rs il Baba eni l'r t mbe lhn. Alpandd
k il r tn,
I say it is the rs in one's family that are behind me.
When the Ethiopian swallow builds its nest.
K kan omi, k kan k, gbe s agbede mj run
nwo Oldmar lj lj.
It is suspended in the sky looking at the Creator.
nwo omo ary l'enu. Atangegere, d'If fn Oduso l
omo Arannase,
Looking at humans on earth, Atangegere cast Ifa for
Odusola child of Arannase,
y t Baba r fi sl k n kker lnje-lnje l mo dd
owo.
whose father died when he was a child without
knowledge of how to perform divination.
L mo nt ba won de Ot If se odn r.
And not having been to Ife for the Ifa festival.
 11

di gb kn, wn ko ohun or sl tu pr s'kn n

b omi ni wn k nta sl un mo.
When all the ritual materials were gathered he started
crying and saying that he did no know if water was to be
offered first.
sr run e w b mi tn or y se, sr run b ot ni
wn k nta sl'm m o.
Ancestors descend and make this ritual a success for
me, Ancestors tell me whether it is gin that should be
offered first, I do not know.
sr run e w b mi tn or y se, sr run b obi ni
wn ko nfi l'le, mi im o'. sr run e w b mi tn
or y se, sr run. Ase.
Ancestors descend and make this ritual a success for
me, ancestors tell me whether it is obi that should be
offered first. Ancestors descend. May it be so.

OFO ASE
ADIMU EGN
(Invocation for presenting food to the ancestors)

M jkn ma, ma jekl, ohun t wn b nj Ljl

run, ni k ma-b wn je. Ase.
Don't eat millipedes, don't eat earthworms, but
whatever good things they eat in the Realm of the
Ancestors, eat with us now. May it be so.
 12

ORK EGNGN
(Welcoming the Mediums to a public ceremony)

Awa n n n j dede, Egn n n j dede, awa n n n j

dede.
We are the magnificent, ancestors are the magnificant,
and we are the magnificent.
Egn n n j dede, awa n n n j dede, Okunkn -
boj - pp n n j dede.
Ancestors are the magnificent, we are the magnificent,
and thick -cloud - overcasting -the - sky is the
magnificent.
Awa n n n j dede. Oj - kn - l - l - fal, n n j
dede.
We are the magnificent, flood - covering - the - ground is
the magnificent.
Awa n n n j dede, awa n n n j dede. Ase.
We are the magnificent, we are magnificent. May it be
so.

ORK AYELALA
(Praising the Ancestral Mothers)
* Spoken by female initiates

Igbo, igbo, igbo, Yeye, Yeye, Yeye, Ore Yeye, Ore Yeye, Ore
Yeye,
Praise, praise, praise, Mother, Mother, Mother, the very
Mother, the very Mother, the very Mother,
kawo o Kabiyesile, okekeluje Oba obinrin. A - ji -
fotin we b - oyinbo,
hail chief of the Mothers, the mighty and awesome
Queen. She who baths in gin like the foreign men,
 13

a - ji - nijo - oloran - gbagbe, a - ja - ma - jebi. Igbo o.

Ase.
She who takes vengance when the evildoer has been
forgotten, She who can never be guilty when she takes
action. Praise. May it be so.

ORK ARK
(Praising the transforming power
of the Ancestors at funerals)

Baba Ark, Baba Ark, omo ar'k r'oj ma t,

Father of Transformation, Father of Transformation,
child who is transformed by death,
ok t'a gbe r'oja, t' t on l'a daso fn t' np l'egn.
seeks the market place of perfection, praise to those
who speak with the secret voice of the Ancestors.
Iku ld omo at'ak jeun. Omo a - t - aiye s ola
n'igbale.
Spirit of Death your children offer you food. Your
living children are grateful for the blessing of life.
Baba at keker, a b'enu wejeweje. Ase.
Father of good fortune we thank you for the blessing of
life. May it be so.

OFO ASE
ELUKU
(Invocation for elevation of the deceased at funerals)

J'epo l'aiye o. B'ai jeun lrun a ko m.

Eat richly in this world. We know not whether there is
food in the Realm of the Ancestors.
Se're l'aiyo, b'ai sere l'run a ko m. Ase.
 14

Do well in the world; we know not whether there is well

doing in the Realm of the Ancestors. May it be so.