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Ìrẹ and Òsógbó: Fortune and Misfortune in Yorùbá Spirituality
In Yorùbá spirituality, life moves between Ìrẹ (fortune) and Òsógbó (misfortune). These are not abstract ideas of “good” and “bad” but real conditions revealed by Ifá. Ìrẹ brings health, wealth, children, and longevity when Orí is honored and Ìwà (character) is steady. Òsógbó—illness, conflict, loss, or hardship—appears when balance is broken, but through prayer, sacrifice, and ancestral reverence, it can be transformed back into Ìrẹ.

Alaje Fadesiye
Apr 11, 20244 min read
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