Our spiritual family
Our spiritual family
Among the Yoruba, different traditions and various ways of Òrìṣà worship have been preserved. All of the Òrìṣà worshippers who are members of the Spiritual Community of the Òrìṣà – Energies of Nature have been consecrated by priests and priestesses from Nigeria. We regard them as our spiritual parents, and we constantly turn to them in our search for knowledge and wisdom. They are:
Priests and priestesses
Adéṣínà Síkírù Sàlámì - Bàbá King, Ph.D., bàbálórìṣà
Bàbálórìṣà Bàbá King, our spiritual father, mentor, and orientator, was born in Abéòkúta, Nigeria. He has dedicated his life to the Òrìṣà and has become a notable priest and an eminent academic researcher of the Yoruba culture, philosophy, and theology. He is a specialist with regards to all the Òrìṣà, a master of the divination with 16 cowries, and an authority in the traditional Yoruba medicine and magic. He is a respected member of the Ògbóni society and olúwo Ìyá-mí.
Kàrímù Tájùdínì Ayóníléefá - Bàbá Ààrẹ, bàbáláwo
Priest Bàbá Ààrẹ was born in Abéòkúta, Nigeria. Because of his exceptional talent, he was selected by Ifá to become a bàbáláwo when he was a child. He is highly qualified and extremely respected in the bàbáláwo community and serves as a mentor to many Ifá students. Besides practicing Ifá initiations and rituals, he is a healer and a specialist in the Òrìṣà Orò. He is a respected member of the Ògbóni society.
Ayégbajẹ́jẹ́ Ifáfẹ́mi - Bàbá Àjàgùnmàlè, bàbálórìṣà
Priest Bàbá Àjàgùnmàlè was born in Abẹ́òkùta, Nigeria, and was trained to become an Òrìṣà priest since childhood. He is a specialist in Àjàgùnmàlẹ̀, Egúngún, Momo, Orò, and other Òrìṣà. He is a healer and has many apprentices who are studying under his tutelage to become Àjàgùnmàlẹ̀ specialists and masters of traditional medicine. He is a respected member of the Ògbóni society.
Dìísù Sáùdátù Èṣùfúnmiláyò - Ìyá Èṣù, ìyálórìṣà
Priestess Ìyá Èṣù was born in Abẹ́òkúta, Nigeria, and was trained to become an Òrìṣà priestess since childhood. She is a specialist in Èṣù, Ọbalúwayé, Erinlẹ̀, and other Òrìṣà. She is a master of healing procedures and initiation processes. She is also a respected member of the Ògbóni society.
Akíbọ̀ Mojisọ́lá Àbẹ̀bí - Ìyálóde, ìyálórìṣà
Priestess Ìyálóde was born in Abẹ́òkúta, Nigeria, in the family of priests and priestesses devoted to the Òrìṣà Ọmọlú Burùkú. She has been acquiring the knowledge related to Ọmọlú Burùkú and other Òrìṣà ever since childhood. She is a notable member of the Òrìṣà community and practices the divination with 16 cowries as well as all types of Òrìṣà initiations. She is also a specialist in the traditional Yoruba medicine and a respected member of the Ògbóni society.
Àyìndé Rísíkat Ìyáruka, ìyálórìṣà
Ìyálórìṣà Ìyáruka was born in Abẹ́òkúta, Nigeria, in the family of Òrìṣà priests and priestesses. She is an Òrìṣà priestess specialized in the Òrìṣà Egúngún and has ascended to the highest hierarchical level of ìyá-àgan. She practices the divination with 16 cowries and performs all types of Òrìṣà initiations. She is also a specialist in the traditional Yoruba medicine and a respected member of the Ògbóni society.
Pópóọlá Áyíojútù - Ìyáṣọlá, ìyálórìṣà
Ìyálórìṣà Ìyáṣọlá was born in Abẹ́òkúta, Nigeria, in the family of Òrìṣà priests. She is an Òrìṣà priestess specialized in the art of sacred spiritual markings. She practices the divination with 16 cowries, performs initiations, and is a master of healing with plants. She is a respected member of the Ògbóni society.
Tijani Ràṣídá Ifárìyíkẹ́ - Ìyá ẹlẹ́fun, ìyálórìṣà
Ìyálórìṣà Ìyá ẹlẹ́fun was born in Abẹ́òkúta, Nigeria, in the family of devotees to the Òrìṣà Ọbàtàlá and Ọ̀ṣun. When she was a child, Ifá instructed her parents to initiate her into Ọbàtàlá and use the power of ẹ́fun to make sacred spiritual markings on her body. Any other means could be used to make body markings; however, her Àṣẹ originates with ẹ́fun. Even though she is a young priestess, she has over 30 years of experience with initiations into Òrìṣà, and it is her immense privilege to assist the grand ìyá. She is a member of the Ògbóni society.
Ọ̀ṣunfúnkẹ́ Àṣàní - Ìyá olósùn, ìyálórìṣà
Priestess Ìyá olósùn was born in Abẹ́òkúta, Nigeria. Her father, who was called Ọnà, was born with the Àṣẹ of the Òrìṣà Ọbàtàlá, which she inherited. From her mother’s side, she inherited the Àṣẹ of the Òrìṣà Egúngún and Ọ̀ṣun. She was trained in the art of sacred spiritual body markings since childhood. Although she is a young priestess, she has over 30 years of experience with initiations into Òrìṣà, and it is her distinct privilege to assist the grand ìyá. She is a member of the Ògbóni society.
In 2022, the council of all the Egúngún priests of the Ogun state in Nigeria chose her as the Ìyá-àgan for the Ogun state, the state of over 6 million citizens. This is the highest post a woman can occupy within the Egúngún cult and philosophy. She thus became the guardian and custodian of all the Egúngún priests, customs, norms, and rituals in the state and is ultimately responsible for absolutely everything in the state related to Egúngún. Whenever there’s a problem or something needs to be done, she holds the authority with regards to the rituals and the promotion of anything related to Egúngún, including the promotion of societal peace and harmony.
Drummers
Ifádìímú Mòrúfù Àjàní - Ọkọ Ilémoṣú, onílù
Onílù Ọkọ Ilémoṣú was born in Abẹ́òkúta, Nigeria, in the family of drummers. He was initiated as a child and has trained to be an Òrìṣà priest ever since. He is a highly skilled drummer and singer and a specialist in invoking all the Òrìṣà, including Ọbàtàlá, Egúngún, Momo, Orò, and Ìyá-mí. As a master of his trade, he is passing the knowledge down to his apprentices, thus helping them become specialists in this art field. He is a member of the Ògbóni society.
Akíǹbílé Ràṣídì Àyàntúndé, onílù
Onílù Àyàntúndé was born in Abẹ́òkúta, Nigeria. He was initiated as a child and started to practice drumming early because Ifá revealed to his parents that he was blessed with the Àṣẹ of the Òrìṣà Àyàn. He is a highly skilled drummer and singer and a specialist in invoking all the Òrìṣà, particularly Egúngún, Momo, Orò, and Ìyá-mí. As a master of his trade, he is passing the knowledge down to his apprentices, thus helping them become specialists in this art field. He is a member of the Ògbóni society.
Assistants
Kàsímù Kúyẹ̀ - Ṣóńṣó – an assistant to the priest in various rituals, aṣogun
An assistant to the priest in various rituals, aṣogun Ṣóńṣó was born in Abẹ́òkúta, Nigeria, in the family of devotees to the Òrìṣà Ìbéji, Ọ̀ṣun, and Ṣàngó. He is initiated into Orò, Egúngún, Ifá, Ògún, and many other Òrìṣà and is a highly skilled singer for the Òrìṣà as well. He is a member of the Ògbóni society.
Kọ́láwọlé Wàsíù Adéoyè - Bàbá Bólá – an assistant to the priest in various rituals, aṣogun
An assistant to the priest in various rituals, aṣogun Bàbá Bólá was born in Abẹ́òkúta, Nigeria, in an Ọbàtàlá family. He is initiated into Orò, Egúngún, Ifá, Ògún, and many other Òrìṣà and is a highly skilled singer for the Òrìṣà as well. He is a member of the Ògbóni society.