Awolowo ifatoki is an herbalist, Babalawo, and physiologist, a Master degree student at Lead city University is also a cultural enthusiast with high passion for promotion of Yoruba cultural heritage. In this interview with Remi Oladoye, Awolowo who have also traveled wide explained why all Yoruba must have their personal Ifa, and the need for Yorubas in diaspora to trace back their roots and promote their cultural heritage
– Awolowo Ifatoki
Can we meet you sir?
I am Awolowo Ifatoki from Oyo Alaafin
You are here at ile ife for the drum festival what attract you to the event and what is your assessment
I am actually here because of the drum festival, the significant of drums in Yoruba society cannot be underrated and we all know that Ayan Agalu is one of the prominent cultural messengers of olodumare in our society, on the assessment so far, the good the event is interesting because I could see a lot of interesting cultural display and learn one or two things more about our cultural heritage which I think is one of the focus of the organizers, the effort is highly commendable and I am sure that there will be improvement in the next edition.
Yoruba Culture and Tradition is seen by People on the other side as evil and devilish, what his your view on this?
We give thanks to Olodumare, that people are now waking up to the reality and knowing the truth, because when you talk about our culture and tradition, it’s our way of life, people have been tracing back their roots, people are coming back to the culture and tradition because they’ve realized they have lost many things, you will be amazed with the rate at which people are coming back, so those who considered it evil don’t understand the beauty in worshipping the orisas and other things about our Yoruba culture by the time they are conscious of what it entails , they will appreciate us more.
You are a Babalawo( Priest) and you are fluent in English, Does Ifa Speak English too?, do you communicate with Ifa in English?
Thankfully, Orunmila ifa understand all the languages, that is what prompted us to go to school to learn more, an odu ifa says ede Oyo o jo tegba, tegba o jot i oyo, toyo o jo ti ife, o difa fun orunmila , ifa nlo re ko edekede kari Aye, we realized that Orunmila understands virtuall all the languages and that is why people called him in their own languages irrespective of their country or continent
People do see Babalawo as illiterate but with the way you speaks and relate as Babalawo , you are educated ,why did you go to school?
Spiritually, Ifa is something you learn through inheritance, I inherited it from my forefathers, I was born into orisa spirituality and bred with it, I am proud of it, and my quest to acquire former education is just to be informed about other things
Were you taken through labyrinth of processes of charms during the formation stage?
Ifa spirituality requires learning things orally from the elderly people, the knowledge is passed though oral tradition from the experienced people, it’s not something you can learn by mere watching your father but you have acquire the knowledge by listening and practicing what experienced babalawo do to in appealing to ifa ,iwure and others.
Is ifa something one can learn in school?
Yes we can learn about it in school but it won’t be deep and detailed like the one you acquire through elderly people who are babalawo, all you can learn in school is history and few things
What does it mean to da ifa
It means divine consultation, we have many types of ifa consultation but I may not be able to say it all but it is a way of seeking for divine help on issues bothering one’s life, getting to known about what the future holds what to do and what not to do to achieve life goals and others ,it is essential to have your own ifa which you can consult
Is it a must for every Yoruba man to have their own ifa.
Ifa is important, having your own ifa is good because that is your guiding angel, it is something all Yoruba must do or know about, though the foreign religion have brainwashed people by painting it evil act and that is far from the truth, having your own ifa will help you in life journey
Can you tell us the school process which you went through?
After secondary school I moved to Emanuel Alayande College of Education Oyo for NCE from where I proceeded to University of Ibadan, I study psychology , i am presently a master’s student at Lead City University studying Phycology and I will still move further.
What is the correlation between Ifa and psychology?
Well psychology is the study of human and animal behavior which to me gives me an opportunity to study and know how to deal with human being we call it Iwa Pele in Ifa
Apart from being a Babalawo what other things are you into
For now I am strictly on Babalawo , due to my father’s footprint but I am still considering other things that will enhance my interest and will go with my belief.
What’s your advice for Yoruba People?
I urge Yoruba people at home and in diaspora to be more conscious of the need to preserve our culture and spirituality because it is our identity irrespective of where we may be throughout the word we must not lost our identity
