Orisas and Initiations

The Awise Professor Wande Abimbola is available for appointment during his visits to the U.S. and abroad. Consultations are scheduled upon request.

Interested persons can arrange to receive almost any Orisa by hand as well. Orisas can be received in Oyo Nigeria Atlanta USA or elsewhere. It is our policy that the Orisas we give to people are always made and consecrated by the high priests of that Orisa. This ensures that they are imbued with the appropriate ase as one cannot give to others what one does not have on one's own head. Ita (divination performed on the third day) will be performed where required or requested.

Initiations take place at Awise Agbaye's compound in the ancient city of Oyo Nigeria regularly and can be held at any mutually convenient time. Over 100 people have been initiated in the Igbodu of Awise Agbaye over the past forty years. Babalawos and Iyanifas preside over Ifa initiations. Priests of Ogun preside over Ogun initiations; Osun priests do Osun initiations; Obatala priests do Obatala initiations and so on. The entire Orisa community is always involved in the initiation process. All initiations take place over seven days and involve many rituals to be performed especially on the first day second day third day and seventh day.

Initiation in the Awise Agbaye's compound Ile Onisa Akeetan Oyo is a community affair. Each initiation to Ifa Ogun Sango Osun Oya Sonponna Obatala Egbe Egungun etc. is a community affair. Initiation should not be an affair of one Babalawo or two or one Babalorisa/Iyalorisa or two taking a would-be priest/priestess to a secluded corner of their house and proclaiming them Babalawos after a few rituals. In Awise Agbaye's compound we try to do things in an authentic way—the same way our ancestors used to do it.

Part of the highlights of the initiation in the Awise Agbaye's compound is entertainment by dundun and bata drummers. We also make excursions to places of interest in the religion such as Ile-Ife and Osogbo. Basic post-initiation training usually begins shortly after newly initiated persons have finished their seven days of seclusion and continues throughout one's lifetime. The best way to learn how to practice Yoruba religion and culture is to be present when Ifa and Orisa work is being performed.

Over the years we have also welcomed many people into our compound in Oyo who are interested in learning more about the Orisa tradition in Africa and who may not necessarily be immediately interested in initiation. Such people usually participate in workshops on healing preparing food for the orisas how to divine with sixteen cowries (eerindinlogun) drumming and Ifa. Workshops on other topics indigenous to Yoruba religion and culture can be arranged upon request.

Recently we have begun performing on-site initiations in cases where the would-be initiate is unable to travel. Arrangements can also be made to perform initiations at our home in the United States.