Departure of the Gods: From the Yoruba People of West Africa, Part 1 of 2

Today, it is an honor to present “The Úbo Wars” from the book “Myths of Ífè” translated by John Wyndham from recitations by the high priests of Ífè. This selection details that initially, people taught by the Gods, learned the arts of Heaven’s peace. However, later the people rebelled, leading to the departure of the Gods’ from Earth.

THE ÚBO WARS. After the War of the Gods, Ífè returns to the arts of peace.

“Arába continues: Oíbo (white man), graven on my memory is the sad legend which my father told me of the Great Gods’ departure. . . The years slid by unnoted while King Ógun (God of Iron, Son of Odúwa) reigned. The World was young: upon the craggy slopes the trees shot forth red buds, and ancient Ífè, gaunt with suffering, dreamed again her early dreams. Taught by the Gods, the folk began to learn the arts of Heaven’s peace anew; the drum returned to measures of the dance, and Great Orísha (Creator of men, Son of Arámfè) saw the joy of life once more in his creatures’ eyes. Thus lived mankind among the Gods, and multiplied until the youth of Ífè sought new homes and wider lands in the vast Forest; and thus was born the first fair daughter of Odúwa’s city. Men called her Úbo, and the leader took the name Olúbo of Úbo with his chieftaincy.”

The foundation of Úbo is attended by strife from the first.

“But to these colonists the Gods, their Fathers, gave no good gifts: midst battles with the Wild, mid struggles with the Forest the town grew- while dull remembrance of unnatural wrongs bred Man’s first rebel thought against the Gods […]”

Meanwhile, the gods transform to stones, rivers, et cetera except Ógun.

“[…] The Gods, unknowing, sat alone in their abasement, and Ógun said: ‘We scorned our upstart son; scorned him and let him be— nor bore in mind the wisdom of the Past, “A little snake is yet a snake.” See now the end has come: swift from the sight of mocking men we must depart. The sage Osányi will lay wide the door of our deliverance: come then— for naked of dominion what are we Gods?’ And one by one Osányi gave his charms to the lorn Gods... Orísha (Creator of men, Son of Arámfè) could but moan ‘Children I made you— who but I?’ and sank beneath the soil he loved. And Óshun threw her body down— but never ceased: a stream gushed up, the sacred stream that flows forever. Olókun fell; beneath the wide Earth she flowed to the broad spaces of her troubled realm. . . So went the Gods; but last, as Osányi gave the charm to Ógun, last of all the Gods […].”