PVCC Puma Press: October 2004

	........................

	Photo by Sandy Beasley
	Chief Adelekan, (on right) sixteenth-generation Babalawo (high priest) for the African Yoruba religion—Ifa, stands with Umar Sharif, a PVCC Sociologist and Ifa head priest.
	........................

One look at the splendor of his priestly robe and headdress, the adornment of gold on his neck and hands leaves you speechless. One glance at the leathered red-horse scepter (symbol of his office) in his hand surrenders you to his air of spirituality.

When he takes your hand, you want to hold on forever. You have heard that he is a high priest, but nothing has prepared you for the arresting presence of this quiet man who speaks of the oneness of humankind with the earth and all living things.

He asks you what you do to give your life meaning.

“Love,” you say, “I love others and feel a connectedness towards them.”
You feel his fingers tighten around yours.

“And you think that’s enough?” he whispers. On Friday, Sept. 3, at the Gina Kranitz Student Center, Chief Adelekan, a sixteenth-generation Babalawo (high priest) for the African Yoruba religion—Ifa and member of the International Council on Orisa Tradition and Culture addressed a full house of students, faculty, and interested community members, calling all to return to their roots in Africa, the origin of major western religions.

Among the many titles bestowed on Chief Adelekan are the following: Amulewaye (he who seizes earth upon entering the world), Alatunse Awo (moderator of all Babalawos worldwide) and Olumesin Oduduwa (the Promoter of the Religion). According to Umar Sharif, a PVCC sociology professor, a head priest and protégée of Chief Adelekan, the chief is internationally known for his tireless work in healing and his promoting understanding of the Yoruba religion, and he is celebrated for his knowledge of roots and herbs.

“What are your greatest joys in working with others,” you ask him.
“I have no choice,” Chief Adelekan says. “I follow instructions. I didn’t decide to be a babalawo on my own. I was born to be a spiritual leader.”

You wonder if he is implying that he doesn’t experience joy (he has no choice). How sad for him. :

“Hmmmm,” You utter

In the holy city of Ille-Ife, Yoruba, located in southwestern Nigeria, Africa, Chief Adelekan, is a babalawo, father of secrets, one of the most respected figures on the physical plain. There are five classes of a babalawo. These are full Ifa priests who have been initiated into the secrets of Odu. Chief Adelekan is of the first and most important: "Babalawo Olodu."

All classes are in some form: leaders of the mysteries, rites and ceremonies of religion and worship, the sacrificing priest, the teacher of the religion, and practitioner of destiny. More simply put, they are akin to priests, doctors, and diviner.
Babalawo’s purpose for practicing the art of divination includes guiding an individual’s life, destiny, or any major or life-affecting decisions.

As to the degree each class of Ifa priests divine, the first class (Chief Adelekan’s class) is the most qualified of babalawos as both diviners and healers. The second class is fully authorized as diviners for all people. The third class divine for their households only, while the fourth class of Ifa priests is solely healers. Last, the fifth class is made up of trained Ifa priests who neither divine nor heal.

As to his priestly duties, Chief Adelekan sees himself not as a religion practitioner; but a cultural traditionalist and practitioner and possessor of his ancestor’s knowledge.
“We follow the instructions handed down to our ancestors…usage of roots and leaves, soil and even air. The usefulness to mankind of which the world is pushing aside,” says Chief Adelekan.

Commenting on Adelekan’s destined state of being Sharif says, “A babalawo comes into the world to obey Ifa (religious convictions), to fulfill his purpose, not to be happy, not to be full of joy. The Buddhist tradition says this is not a place of happiness; this is a place of suffering.

........................
‘In African spirituality you have to be able to make use of roots, plants, animals, everything required to help mankind—to heal its members.’
—Chief Adelekan
........................

“Islam prophet Mohammed said that this world is for the disbeliever and hell for the believer. For the babalawo,the soul is looking for spiritual balance: Happiness is up here and sadness is down here. Spiritual balance is here (middle ground).That is where we find our life’s satisfaction.” To find balance, he says, is the reason why we came into the world.

“I have heard that there is a harmony in your belief system with all faiths. Can you expand further,” you ask.

“Catholicism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, etc. has its origin from Africa. Africa is the first to be Christian and the black man is first to be Christian,” affirms Chief Adelekan.

Shock and curiosity well up inside you,. You have not heard of such a message. My religious roots are European, Indian, or Asian.

“Really,” you say anticipating more.

Addressing the students and community members, Chief Adelekan says, “There are those of you that do not know we all are the greater part of one source. Our (shared) family root is of African heritage, but political ambitions have divided us. This is the source of our problems. Go back to the source of what we know as religion…Africa. Stop listening to those who are the source of wars. Hidden secrets are here that mankind does not know.”

What Chief Adelekan talks about here is the restrictive cultural paradigms that limit our spiritual choices.

What does it mean to go back to our roots?

Sharif summarizes Chief Adelekan’s message to “go back to your roots” by saying that there needs to be a letting go of certain assumptions and the taking of two simple but not necessarily easy steps.

The assumptions to let go of are the following:

There is no sense in looking back further than Greco-Roman History nor in any direction other than Europe for an understanding of the human experience or the human being.
The scientific method is the only valid means by which we can and should engineer humanity's future.
The two steps to adhere to are :
Choose to see past the veil of cultural assumptions that limit your vision and choices.
Choose to search in all directions, within the traditions of all cultures, across the span of oral and written histories, to find answers to the serious problems that are confronting humanity today.

According to the Yoruba faith, Ifa, people are reincarnated after death. There is one God, a prophet, and spirits that emanate from God and dwell in all things. Additionally, there are ancestors that inform humans of moral behavior.

“In African spirituality, you have to be able to make use of roots, plants, animals, everything required to help mankind—to heal its members,” says Chief Adelekan.
Expanding on alternative paths to spirituality Sharif says, “We can witness our capacity to overcome these cultural assumptions by looking at the current trends in complementary or integrated medicine.

“Decades ago, no self-respecting doctor or hospital would be caught in association with such things as tai chi chuan, meditation, qigong, acupuncture, etc. But a large enough segment of the public has chosen to penetrate the veil that clouded their vision of Asia in general, and China in particular, and now we've begun to look past Greece, Rome, and Europe to China and Asia for solutions to some of our most pressing problems.”

After hearing Chief Adelekan’s talk Andrew Barkworth, PVCC student of the healing and martial arts department says, “Chief Adelekan’s plea for the world to return to the source was profound. As a student of the ancient ways, I saw the validity of his words and wisdom. It is my interest to ‘return to the source’ and see for myself.”

Walter Jones, PVCC student of nursing and martial arts says, “My reaction was that I was very shocked that I did not know more about my roots. The message was so clear that I thought I was the only one he was talking to.”

Jones believes his prospective concerning his lifestyle has changed since hearing the Chief: “Instead of being worried if my rims on my car are 20 inches above the ground, or how I’m going to match my outfit with my shoes I see every day as a blessing to be here and my hardships as minor… Now I know that the most important things in my life are God, family, and peace.