The Birth and Early Life of Araba Ifayemi Osundagbonu Elebuibon

The Birth and Early Life of Araba Ifayemi Osundagbonu Elebuibon

Araba Ifayemi Osundagbonu Elebuibon, a globally renowned Ifa priest, poet, and dramatist, hails from Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria. His life story reflects the deep spiritual traditions of his family and the Yoruba culture.

Family and Heritage
Ifayemi was born into the Elebuibon family, a lineage directly descended from Olutimehin, one of the co-founders of Osogbo. His father, Pa Akinrinde Akanbi Elebuibon, was a revered hunter and Ifa priest with six wives. Among them, Madam Sijuwoya Abeje, Ifayemi’s mother, was the youngest. She was also the daughter of Chief Kehinde Adeyemi Awoniyi, the longest-serving Araba of Osogbo, and a devoted worshipper of Oya.

Pa Akinrinde’s household grappled with the issue of Abiku (children born to die), a recurrent spiritual problem. Madam Sijuwoya, like her mother, faced multiple miscarriages and losses of her children to the Abiku phenomenon.

The Spiritual Conception of Ifayemi
Through an Ifa divination performed at Araba’s compound in Ita Olookan, Osogbo, it was revealed that for the cycle of Abiku to cease, Madam Sijuwoya was to marry an Ifa priest. Following the union with Pa Akinrinde, divination further instructed that she cease using ineffective herbs, make offerings to the River Osun, and use Osun’s sacred water every weekday.

This divine intervention proved successful, and Ifayemi was conceived and born under the blessing of the Osun water spirits. He was named Osundagbonu, symbolizing a child blessed by Osun.

Predictions and Training
Ifa priests prophesied that Ifayemi would grow to become a prominent Ifa priest, as well as a poet and dramatist. His father began teaching him the art and practice of Ifa divination when he was only four years old.

To complete his spiritual education, Ifayemi underwent over a decade of rigorous training under Chief Faniyi Ajani, the Agbongbon Awo of Osogbo, as well as other Ifa priests from within and outside Osogbo.

Self-Education and Global Recognition
Despite his traditional training, Ifayemi Elebuibon also pursued self-education through various correspondence courses, developing a unique blend of traditional wisdom and modern knowledge. Today, he is celebrated as a world-renowned Ifa priest, whose work as a poet and dramatist further elevates the Yoruba cultural heritage.

Ifayemi’s life exemplifies the profound intersection of spiritual tradition, resilience, and cultural preservation. His story continues to inspire many in Nigeria and beyond.