In Yoruba belief, who are the Odu?

In Yoruba belief, the Odu are a vital aspect of divination and spiritual knowledge. They refer specifically to the sacred texts or the literary corpus of Ifá, which is a system of divination in Yoruba culture. Each Odu contains wisdom, proverbs, and teachings that guide individuals in their lives and their interactions with the divine and the community.

The notion of Odu as original prophets who can foresee the future aligns with their function in divination practices, where they reveal insights and guide the individual based on ancestral wisdom. In this context, the diviners (Babalawos) interpret the Odu during the Ifá divination process to provide guidance and foresight for individuals seeking answers.

This understanding of Odu as prophetic wisdom emphasizes their importance in linking individuals to the spiritual realm, thus affirming their role as intermediaries between the human and divine worlds. This perspective distinguishes Odu from other spiritual beings or divine figures in Yoruba belief, who may serve different functions in the cosmology and religious practices of the Yoruba people.