The Emese And The Isoro Traditional Council of Chiefs
A Brief Introduction
The Emese are the Repository, Guardians, Caretakers, and Final Authority on the IFA Corpus and the IFA Tradition of Orisa and Ancestor Worship. The Emese is rooted in antiquity, at the time of the beginning when the Orisa first inhabited the earth. According to the Yoruba History of the Beginning, Oduduwa, the Progenitor of the Yoruba race came down from Orun (Heaven) with a cock and a handful of sand when this world was filled with water. While suspended in the air with his rope, he spread the handful of sand on the water and dropped the cock into it to spread it. The name Ile-Ife when translated means the “House that spreads”.
The present Ile-Ife is the Third Ile-Ife according to history and the sayings of Ifa. The first ILE-IFE was named IFE OODAYE (Ife, the Genesis of Creation) and the date of this origination process is unknown to man. The second IFE was named IFE OOYELAGBO (IFE That Survived) and is dated about the 4th Century BC, around the same time as the Christian version of the earth’s destruction by water. The third IFE is the present one called ILE-IFE. Although Obatala was initially the Leader of the Orisa on the journey to earth, it was Oduduwa who was chosen to lead the journey on earth and he was chosen as the first OONI (King). It was Orisa Ogun who made the OONI’s Crown, the ARA, so full of iron that it is only worn once per year during the Ogun Olojo Festival. The Orisas were the first Council of Emese. The Original Emese included the Orisas Sango, Ogun, Osun, Oya, Osoosi, Obatala, Oluorogbo, Orunmila, and all the others, each having his or her own area of duty assigned by Olodumare.
The present day Emese is constituted of the bloodline of the Orisas who eventually ascended back to heaven after completing their respective tasks. The membership of the council is strictly by bloodline and family lineage dating back to the beginning. The role of the Emese today is diversified and all-inclusive although they continue the tradition of working in the background and are rarely seen. In addition to being the Source of Ifa they authorize a judiciary for civil disputes in the community or amongst communities, they are the first point of call for adjudication on disputes among the populace, and they give verdict and recommendations as deem fit before passing matters over to the OONI for final ratification. The relationship between the OONI and the Emese is purely spiritual with the Council having its own palace within the OONI’s Palace. While the OONI sits in his palace with ceremonial chiefs and other title-holders, the council sits with spiritual heads and addresses the spiritual welfare of the community. Today as never before that includes the worldwide community of devotees and the human family.
The Isoro Council of Traditional Chiefs serves as the public
face of the Emese and is also related to the Emese and to the beginning by bloodline. The Emese regulates the dates and times of spiritual festivals and ceremonies in conjunction with the Isoro Traditional Council of Chiefs which administrates over all of the activities. Sacrifices and Ebos are prescribed and done according to readings on a daily basis for continued peace and prosperity of the community. The Emese embodies the seed from which all of the branches of IFA have grown. For the first time in the history of IFA devotees and seekers worldwide have the opportunity to hear directly from the Source and feel a part of this most ancient of traditions.
Emese Library
