His Imperial Majesty, Alayeluwa Oba Adeyeye Babatunde Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II) while addressing journalists on the forthcoming Olojo festival which is slated for the end of this month has also used the occasion to welcome the New Araba Agbaye, His Spiritual Eminence, Owolabi Awodotun Aworeni (Orishada I) into his palace when the Awo Olodumerindinlogun paid him a courstey visit and presented the Araba Agbaye elect to the Ooni.
After the demise of His Spiritual Eminence, Adisa Aworeni Awoyemi, the Agiri descendants of Oketase compound, Moore Quarter’s chose His Spiritual Eminence Owolabi Awodotun Aworeni, the Afedigba Awo Olodumerindinlogun as the Araba elect.
The Ooni use the opportunity to thank the entire Agiri descendants of Oke-Itase compound especially elders and youths of the compound for choosing the new Araba. He advised the Araba to be patience, tolerant, accommodating, peace-loving, and generous.
His Spiritual Eminence Owolabi Awodotun Aworeni is a professional and well trained Ifa priest who learned the art of Ifa from his late father, His Spiritual Eminence Adisa Aworeni Awoyemi. Ifa training later took him to Oluwo Fawole of Agesinyowa compound of Ile-Ife in the late 1990s. His passion for Ifa has since established his name both in the country and outside the shore. He has travelled to different parts of the world extending frontiers of Ifa knowledge. This has took him to Venezuela, Mexico, Italy, USA, United Kingdom, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Urguary, Cuba and host of others where he also has Omo-Awo. He has received numerous awards and honours in promoting and propagating Ifa, Yoruba history and Culture.
He was born into the family of late Araba Agbaye, His Eminence Adisa Aworeni Awoyemi a.k.a. Makoranwale and Madam Gbonjubola Marindoti Aworeni on February 1983. He is the last son and child of his mother.
He attended Sijuwade Nursery and Primary School, Road 7 and later moved to First Quality Nursery and Primary School Mokuro road, Ile-Ife for his primary school. He attended St. John Secondary School, Oke-Atan and Seventh Day Grammar School for his secondary school education. For his tertiary institution, he attended Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo.
His sojourn to Awo Olodumerindinlogun started in December 2013, when he became member of the Awo Olodumerindinlogun and was installed Olori Iwarefa. In April 7 2018, he emerged as the new Afedigba Awo Olodumerindinlogun due to the death of late Afedigba and Baale Ile Oke-Itase, Pa. Olujide Omopariola. He emerged as the newest Araba Agbaye on Sunday 19th August 2018, after he has defeated his closest opponent in the Araba race conducted by the Araba Agbaye selection committee headed by the current Baale of Oke-Itase, Pa. Jonathan Faloba Olajolo. His selection as the New Araba Agbaye was ratified on 30th August 2018 by the Ooni and Ife Traditional Council as the Substantive Araba Agbaye.
He is the founder of Orishada Ifa Cultural Foundation. He is happily married with children.
Araba Agbaye is the highest Ifa priest in the world. It is the Pope of all Ifa practitioners both in and Diaspora. Since inception of Ifa practices, the Araba at Ile-Ife, the cradle of Yoruba civilizations and culture is recognised as the Araba Agbaye. It is from Araba Agbaye that other Yoruba Araba derived their titles from including those in diaspora. The Araba Agbaye is a direct descendant of Orunmila. That is, Araba Agbaye title whose meaning can be explained as a big silk cotton Tree. Due to its big/huge size it could be refers to as father of trees which is very pertinent to the importance of the title. Thus, with this literally meaning, Araba Agbaye is the father of all Awo Olodumerindinlogun, Araba, Oluwo and Ifa practitioners.
The title of Araba Agbaye is restricted to Oke-Itase compound, Ile-Ife. The first Araba Agate was one Agiri a.k.a. Baba Oke-Itase. It was his descendant that has been reigning as Araba Agbaye. Some of his successors were Olumodan, Gbagalaala, Adoosioke, Agarawu, Lamilooye, Ijala, Awoyeju Ipeti Nagunnaja, Fafore Omopariola, Awosope Awosade, Fasuyi Omopariola, Adisa Aworeni, and the newest Araba, Owolabi Awodotun Aworeni.
One thing is very important, not all male Child of Oke-Itase is entitled to the title of Araba Agbaye. It is compulsory for such child to be initiated to Awo Olodumerindinlogun cult under the headship of Araba Agbaye. Failure of the male child to be initiated to the cult would deprived him right to become the Araba. All the Araba Agbaye that has reigned was bona-fide members of the cult.
The New Araba rites and rituals will start from Monday, (10/09/2018). Araba Agbaye is expected to enter Ilofi (a training school) on that day and it would run through Saturday, when he would be installed as the Araba Agbaye.
