Elebuibon: The ‘cerebral’ herbalist and Ifa Priest

Elebuibon

Ifayemi Elebuibon, born into the traditional family of Pa Akinrinde Elebuibon of Oluode Aturuku compound, has a famed ancestry. His progenitor is said to be co-founder of the city of Osogbo. While tracing his genealogy and ordination into Ifa priesthood, Elebuibon recollects his father was a herbalist and an Ifa priest who had six wives. His mother, last of those six wives, was plagued with dying infant children traceable to the Abiku syndrome (when a child repeatedly dies after being born only to return with the next pregnancy). Respite came many years after with Ifa’s intervention. In Elebuibon’s words, “A revelation from Odu-Ifa revealed that my mother had to stop using medicine and that she would give birth to a male boy who would be a very famous cultural revivalist.

My mother was directed to go to river Osun and collect the water for her spiritual cleansing. After taking the water as directed by Odu-Ifa, she became pregnant. Again, my father consulted Ifa about my future and he was told that l will be an Ifa priest who will be famous and well-known all over the world”. In Ifayemi’s early days, his father entrusted him to the care of another Ifa priest to learn the art of Ifa divination.

For ten years, this Ifa priest and colleagues of Elebuibon’s father came from far and near to teach the young apprentice the rudiments of Ifa. In 1955, Elebuibon had a chance meeting with three education Inspectors. These officers went round towns and villages scouting for pupils who would register for the free education programme that had recently been introduced by the Western Region Government under Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Convinced of Ifa’s prediction concerning his son, Elebuibon’s father rejected their request to allow Ifayemi attend school. The senior Elebuibon was worried that Western education could circumvent this prediction. “The old man did not want me to be carried away by western culture which may derail Ifa’s pronouncement”. This encounter only whet Elebuibon’s appetite for education; formal or informal. He soon made friends with three school children who became his tutors and the young apprentice would practice homework with them. “I had a lot of friends that l used to do retentive memory medicine for and when they come back from school, they assisted me a lot particularly to read. I can not forget one of them, Sule Raji, he went the extra mile in letting me have access to all his books on a daily basis.

He was the one who assisted me to get enrolled for some correspondence courses which l passed with flying colours”.

Sojourn in the world of arts
Elebuibon dabbled into the arts while he was still an Ifa apprentice, “I would say that I was born an artiste, but I became well polished along the line due to the notable artistes l met early in life”. A notable artiste whom Elebuibon interacted with was the late Duro Ladipo, one of the doyens of early theatre. Back then, Ladipo’s popular Nbari-Nbayo art gallery/cultural centre was located opposite the house where young Elebuibon lived. “Duro used to visit my master frequently; he was fascinated with my voice when I was reciting Ifa oration (Iyere Ifa). Ladipo encouraged me to come and work with him as cultural adviser to Nbari-Nbayo cultural outfit. It was there I met Uli Beier (German culture activist) who encouraged me to conduct a research on the Oriki of notable Orisas and what lfa says about them”. Elebuibon’s play writing skills began to find expression through Duro Ladipo’s influence. Each time the famed theatre artist wanted to write a play, he would share his vision with Elebuibon and the message he wanted to pas across. Together, they would compose traditional music suitable for the play and create themes with proper interpretations of lfa. “The experience l gathered has really helped me to write my plays” the Ifa priest confessed.

Elebuibon also worked with Prof. Armstrong at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan. Each time the University received a visiting professor from overseas, Elebuibon Consultancy Services were called upon. “All this exposure actually helped me become a playwright, author, artiste, researcher and Ifa divinator”. The notable traditional figure firmly believes that though Ifa priests ‘are born not made’, yet anyone can learn Ifa divination. “Yes, there are medicines committed to memory; but while learning, you must be dedicated and consistent before it can work for you”.