Books that Made Me: Olodumare: God in Yoruba Belief by Bolaji Idowu

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Oluwatoyin Adepoju

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Apr 18, 2021, 4:12:57 PM4/18/21

to usaafricadialogue, Yoruba Affairs

Books that Made Me

Olodumare: God in Yoruba Belief by Bolaji Idowu

My Copy

One of the books that made me who I am.

Bought at a second hand bookstand under the bridge at Ojota, Lagos, before the entrance to Ogudu on 4/4/2000 at 150 naira.

This is my second copy. The first one had been burnt as part of my deliverance process when I became a Born Again Christian in the early 90s.

I needed the deliverance, since I had no access to other ways of managing the situation I found myself in through my spiritual and cognitive hunger.

I had just finished my BA. I was now free to be myself and to do what I had postponed in order to complete the BA.

I entered into intensive spiritual work. Meditations and invocations three times a day, in different spiritualities, Yoruba Orisa, Tibetan Buddhism, Western magic etc. Working with no concern for immediate results. Just working.

After some time, the results began to manifest. I sensed an invisible presence following me every time I left my house.

I began to feel burdened by my aspirations, the books in my ever growing library calling on me to read them, so that in my self contained youth corper's flat, I felt overwhelmed by the forest of books, an atmosphere amplified by my daily invocations.

Becoming Born Again and undergoing a thorough deliverance process, comprising my entire history, put an end to that presence following me.

Burning all my non-Christian religious books and switching to pure Pentecostal spirituality steered me clear of burdening cognitive ambitions.

I became a person living a normal life. In a big flat, with a family. Still holding the job I had as a youth corper.

A member of society living a life I now better understand as admired by many.

Newer Version of 1962 Edition Above

One day, I reflected on my old dream of developing literary theory and critical techniques from the study of the Yoruba origin Ifa system.

On conceiving this thought, I immediately sensed an invisible presence in the room with me.

"The evil powers are here again!," I concluded.

" In Jesus' name I banish you to the desert places!" I declared.

I would not return to that rejected way of life where evil powers skulk and consume the soul.

Time passed. I lived a good Christian life. Did not think of the old enticements, Ifa, Western magic, Buddhism etc.

Another Edition

Then, one day, in the same living room, the same thought crossed my mind.

Again, I immediately sensed an invisible presence in the room with me.

At that point, they got me.

There was no going back.

You cannot exorcise your own soul.

I resumed my studies of Yoruba spirituality. Developed and employed the first draft of my self initiation into Ifa. Worked out various lines of approach. Started a research centre and public library using my own books. Travelled for research. Engaged in exploring Benin sacred space.

When eventually working on Ifa in far away England, at the University of Kent, in the study room filled with computers, I would feel the presences.

The work would flow under the impetus of indwelling creative drive, stimulation from encouraging teachers and new knowledge.

Another Edition

Well before then, Ademola Dasylva had agreed for us to work on Ifa with him as his student at University of Ibadan, but in my restlessness I did not see him again on that vision after our first meeting.

Kent was my first study of the subject in an academic setting.

My family, my mother and sisters, had resolved I needed the opportunity, and, even though I was already an academic and had an MA, financed the MA at Kent to the last penny from their horticulture and landscape business in Nigeria, enabling me to embark on a new scholarly career.