Many women either married to a babalawo or who had undergone Ifa initiation or have done one hand of Ifa {which is called Isode or isefa }have ALWAYS been address by the title of APETEBI. But DO these women, who have been called or referred to by this title APETEBI, truly UNDERSTAND THE MEANING AND CONCEPT OF THE WORD -APETEBI
According to Haralambos and Holborn{2007}Meanings does not have an independence existence, a reality of their own which is separated from social actors, and that they are not imposed by an external society that constrain members to act in a certain ways and { I include and add}give meaning to things, behaviors or action.
A Yoruba adage always says ‘Ile ni ama wo ki a to so omo loruko” meaning literally, the name given to a child after the birth of the child ,particularly after naming ceremony reflect the family the child is from, situation and position of things in the life of the family and situations that surround the child’s birth.
The Yoruba’s are very particular and place emphasis on names/title because it reflect the true position of things in the lives of a child/person and the family the child/person is from. One of another reason, why Yoruba’s are so particular about a name that is given to a child is because the name a child or person bears always manifest in the life of the child or person. I will like to give more understanding about names in relation to the Yoruba people and Tradition.
Names like ROTIMI, MALOMO, KOSOKO and DUROJAYE means that the child is an ABIKU-Abiku are children who die prematurely after birth or some years later, returned to the world and are being conceived by the same parents whom gave birth to them previously. Ifa acknowledge the Abiku in many verses of different Odu, for example. Ogunda Iwori, Oyeku meji, Ogbe wunle, Ogunda bede.
Names like AFOLABI, OLATUNBOSUN, OLAMILEKON, denote someone whose family are wealthy or whose family experience significant increase in their wealth during the conception and birth of the child.
Also many people will like to associate with names or people whose name have brought to them fame, Prosperity, fortune and Glory to their family and country. Many people will also adopt the names or give their child such names because they wanted the good names and prosperity, fame and fortune the name brought to the first bearer of the name to reflect in the life of their child or themselves.
Among the Yoruba and I know, same will apply to other places and ethnicity, parents will never give or allow their child to bear names of someone who is known to be notorious, theft or names which connote or have a negative influence on a child or remind one of an undesirable events and or circumstances.
Sometimes, People also derived their names from the Odu of Ifa that was casted for them during ESENTAYE, a divination done after the 3rd day that a child was born. This process is done to ascertain all about the child. And some people bear a new name after Ifa initiation.
Ifa like a dictionary gives us the definition, meaning and understanding of different concept ascribe to names, situation or problem. Ifa also gives an account or reasons which surround the ascribing of a name, or situation.
WHAT DOES IFA SAY ABOUT THE NAME AND TITLE APETEBI.
What was the situation that surround the name, and given of the names. As a woman should you be willing to take on the name and answer when call as such?
The Odu which explain the situation and concept of APETEBI is from OBARA EGUNPIN, which is obara on the right and ogunda on the left.
In the Odu Ifa says, Obara Eguntan, Egun pin, Pin pin pin lomo odo segun, were the three diviner that cast Ifa for Orunmila when the Oba of Asedo sent for him to divine for him and his town in addition to the spiritual work he will do there. The 3 diviners asked Orunmila to do some offerings in order to be successful in whatever he will do in ASEDO. Aside from the special prayer session(offerings) that he did, he was given a word of advice that he should keep his promise and not reject any gift or offer, either a person or gift that will be offered to him or that will offered self to him, Orunmila agreed to abide by the advice.
After the OFFERING, Orunmila left for Asedo town, but before he got to the town of Asedo, it began to rain, He saw a hut nearby and enter to shield himself from the rain. When he got into the hut he met a woman who agreed that Orunmila could wait in her hut before the rain stop.
As it was getting dark and the rain did not subside, the woman told Orunmila, he could pass the night in her hut, she assured Orunmila not to reject staying with her as she did not have any husband who may ask her who Orunmila was, and he can proceed with his journey the next day.
Orunmila agreed having remembered also the advice the Babalawo gave to him. The woman took good care of Orunmila, was very hospitable toward him. While she and Orunmila were talking she told Orunmila she had a major problem which made men to run away from her. Orunmila promised that he will assist her with her problem. When it was night they slept until morning. When it was morning, Orunmila saw that the woman who had been taken care of him and whose hut he slept was a leper. He thanked her for her hospitality and promised to look back on her as soon as he gets to his destination ,Asedo.
For years he was at Asedo busy and occupied with the IFA work given to him to do by the king and people of ASEDO. Every five days he always consults for the King, his chiefs and subjects at the palace. He was very successful with the work and he was also rewarded with many gifts and money.
One day while he was coming from the palace, the leper woman was waiting for her at His house, when Orunmila pupil saw her they wanted to chase her away as it was customary that a leper does not stay or be allowed to live among people in the town but Orunmila told them not chase her away. Orunmila cured her of her leprosy as he promised. After she was cured Orunmila married her and she gave birth to children for Orunmila. The first child she had for Orunmila was called APA- ETE- BI which was later reduced to a simple word APETEBI. APA- ETE- BI Meaning WE CURED THE LEPROSY OF YOUR MOTHER BEFORE WE COULD HAVE YOU.
If I may ask how many of us were our mother cured of leprosy before they could give birth to us. Why should women who has undergone initiation or married to Babalawo be referred to as APETEBI? Orunmila had many other association with women, like OSUN, AJE, ORE, AINO, ONI, OLA, Shouldn’t women be called AFIAJEBI {BORN OF WEALTH}, AFIOSUNBI {BORN WITH THE ATTRIBUTE OF OSUN}. There are women in IFA whose roles and LIFE are Immaculate, WHY COULDNT WOMEN BE NAMED AFTER THESE IMAMMCULATE WOMEN.WHY should they TAKE APETEBI TO ADDRESS WOMEN who are married to Babalawo, or had hand of Ifa or have undergone Ifa initiation be it ELEGON or OLODU.
Women!!! I ADVICE, You need to have a knowledge of Ifa, whether basic or full UNSTANDING as this we give you an understanding of words in Ifa when they are been used.
Elaboru elaboye ela bosise
