By Ademola Adekusibe
1 February, 2026
The International Forum of Àràbà and Olúwo held a landmark Ifá Disciplinary and Reformation Summit at the Oyo State House of Chiefs in Ibadan on Thursday, 29 January 2026. The summit was attended by the highest custodians of the tradition from across Yorubaland, Nigeria, and the diaspora, and was convened to address urgent concerns surrounding discipline, legitimacy, ethics, and the preservation of sacred standards within the Ifá priesthood.
In his welcome address, the Àràbà of Ìbàdànland, Chief Ifalere Odegbemi Odegbola II, emphasized the urgent need for unity, the restoration of discipline and hierarchy, and the collective responsibility of Ifá priests as custodians of sacred knowledge, not commercial agents. The keynote address was delivered by the Àràbà Àgbáyé and Olúìṣẹ̀ṣe, His Eminence Awodotun Owolabi Aworeni Makoranwale II, who underscored the necessity of global unity among Ifá priests and expressed grave concern over excessive, uncontrolled, and commercially motivated Ifá initiations, with specific reference to troubling trends observed in Lagos State.
The Àràbà of Òṣogbo, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon, stated that the summit was convened to reaffirm foundational principles, including that a Babaláwo is a sacred custodian of divine mysteries, the priesthood is governed by strict spiritual norms and ethics, and Ifá upholds respect for humanity and moral restraint.
The summit unanimously reaffirmed that initiation into Ifá is neither ceremonial nor commercial, but serves profound spiritual purposes including spiritual cleansing, self-discovery, destiny alignment, and the observance of taboos. It was reiterated that a valid and complete Ifá initiation requires the participation of not fewer than four qualified Ifá priests drawn from recognized categories such as Ìyánífá, Olúwo, Ojúbọ̀nà, or other duly recognized Babaláwo.
After extensive deliberations on initiation numbers—which delegates noted are rooted in Ifá scripture and tradition and should never exceed seventeen persons—the International Forum of Àràbà/Olúwo, under the leadership of the Àràbà Àgbáyé, unanimously resolved a binding resolution that no Ifá initiation exercise shall exceed eight individuals per day. This was adopted to preserve spiritual integrity, ensure proper performance of sacred rites, and safeguard the sanctity of Ifá initiation.
A major disciplinary resolution was also reached: Mr. Faleke Awurela was suspended from the International Forum of Àràbà/Olúwo with immediate effect, pending further review. Chief Ifalere Odegbemi Odegbola II clarified that Mr. Awurela is no longer an Àràbà, is not a member of the Forum, and could not produce a valid letter of appointment as Àràbà upon investigation. The public was advised to take note, as issues of commercial exploitation, misrepresentation, and false claims will be firmly addressed moving forward.
The summit concluded with a collective reaffirmation of commitment to upholding discipline and ethical standards, strictly regulating initiation practices in accordance with Ifá, promoting unity and accountability, and protecting the dignity and sacred foundations of Ifá for present and future generations. The International Forum of Àràbà/Olúwo resolved to ensure continuous engagement, strict enforcement of agreed standards, and sustained reform efforts.
