E kó yi xwe afɔntɔn nukun atɔn. There goes year 18. (Ajã language)
18 years ago today, after almost 8 years of training with various knowledgeable priests and knowledgeable non initiated Afrikans, I went through a double initiation becoming a Babaláwo in the Yorùbá Iṣẹṣẹ tradition and a Bɔ̃konɔn in the African Vodun tradition of southern Benin Republic, West Afrika. The celebrating of an anniversary in Yorùbá language is called Odunde (returning year) and Hwetanu (a thing at the top of the year) in the Ajã* language of southern Benin Republic.
How I feel About 18 Years in the Ifá Priesthood ???
When I was first told I was supposed to train and be initiated in 1997 (initiation came in 2005), I was very enthusiastic and was coming in as a Black Nationalist. …only to find out that the VAST majority of people in this tradition were far from nationalists, and truthfully not all of that “black conscious”. They were and are more religious than anything. This shocked me and was very disappointing. That was the first shock. The second was the amount of treachery and backbiting that was so rampant….the online Ifa gangsters who, if cornered at the Kroger grocery store, would immediately try to cop out. The treachery was and is so bad that I say the church ain’t got nothing on these Iṣẹṣẹ so called Ifa people. And the third concerns this. The lack of reciprocity shown in general from not only Iṣẹṣẹ, Vodún, Akan etc people but from our people in general. Often, they complain about stuff and talk about how we need to do this and that. But when you come to them with a solution then there are…. crickets. And don’t be a Maroon in this tradition. You are looked at as if you have 8 legs and one eye in the middle of your head.
I have helped countless people not lose and/or recover valuable things and people in their lives. Don’t ask me where they are, or where were they when I needed something. Maybe they were sitting in that mansion I helped them get back in a far away room and they just couldn’t hear the phone. Or maybe it was the usual: all that matters is what the priest (Babaláwo/Bɔ̃konɔn in this case) can do for them.
I’ve done countless Roots Readings (Ipilẹsẹ Fá idafá) that have reconnected New Afrikan people to their lineages; restoring their ethnic identity, family names, clan names, captured ancestors names what exactly happened to them, etc. Countless readings that retrieved their sponsoring ancestors names (the ancestor is referred to as a person’s Zɔtɔ – the one who gives their descendant fire)…readings that can only be done by a New Afrikan priest for New Afrikans. Removed generational curse after generational curse, healed people when everybody thought it was a done deal for them, kwk. Helped develop stronger family relationship with my work…even other priests. Yet, where are they now? Maybe they thought when I mentioned nation building they thought I was talking about Lego Blocks! Or maybe it was the usual: they were just using passed along “what we need to do for one another and as a people” jargon because they felt that was the right thing to do. No further action required.
You see, most priests celebrating their initiation anniversary will get out here and tell you all this good stuff…This same ole pie in the sky stuff. But I, His Imperial Majesty Agelogbagan, am telling you the real.
It has been an interesting ride with spurts of very positive. I’ve accomplished a lot in those 18 years. I have produced 20 of my 22 unique and groundbreaking publications during this time. Inspired by my ancestors, I have been the only one to incorporate an Afrikan writing script into our Afrikan way of life. I was able, inspired by my ancestors again, to be able to write Vodún sacred text strictly using Ajã language and an Afrikan writing script called N’ko. I became the first “African American” to publish a book containing verses from each of the 256 Odù Ifá in 2011. I was ultimately honored and privileged to become the first Ajã Axɔ̀sú (king) ever crowned outside of Benin on September 27, 2010. And from there on May 12, 2012 we founded Gànlɔdó Maroon monarchy – an Afrikan kingdom in America.
However, when I was initiated, I was told I was here to serve the community and to nation build. I was exhilarated. However, what they did not tell me is that that service would not be reciprocated by the very community I serve.
However, I end with this. They say in our tradition one must do what there destiny says as given to them by Olódùmarè/Măwù, but I say that it is just a matter of time before someone realizes that they need to leave an abusive relationship.
Ayìnɔ̀n (His Imperial Majesty) Àgɛ̀lɔ̀gbàgàn Jǐsovì Azàsinkpontín Àgbɔ̀vì I ekaabokilombo@gmail.com
*The Fɔ̀n people are an Ajã subgroup.
