Two Tongues, One Spirit...

Who are Aboru, Aboye, and Abosise? They are remembered as three sacred feminine spiritual forces associated with compassion, acceptance, and the successful delivery of divine blessings.  They are revered because they stood with Òrúnmìlà when others rejected him and helped him gain audience with Olódùmarè. Rather than being known for warfare or punishment, they are remembered for intercession, nurturing, and opening spiritual doors. What did they do for Òrúnmìlà? According to one oral account in Ogunda Méjì, Òrúnmìlà sought access to Olódùmarè but could not approach directly. Aboru, Aboye, and Abosise received him, spoke on his behalf, and made his request acceptable before Olódùmarè. Because of their intervention, Òrúnmìlà's mission succeeded. As a sign of gratitude, Òrúnmìlà decreed that those approaching Ifá should first acknowledge these mothers by saying: Aboru! Aboye! Abosise! The Babaláwo replies: Ogbo Ato! This exchange symbolizes a prayer that the work, sacrific...

How Leaving Christianity Led Me Deeper into the Search for Olódùmarè. Table of Contents Introduction Why I Walked Away The Questions Christianity Could Not Silence Wrestling with Doubt and Curiosity Beyond the Church Walls Encountering Spirituality in New Forms The Wisdom of My Ancestors Discovering Ifá and African Spiritual Thought Meeting the Creator Without Labels My Search for Olódùmarè What I Lost and What I Found Lessons from the Journey Can Truth Wear More Than One Garment? Reflections on Religion and Spirituality Conclusion Why the Search Continues

Today, I opened the Bible again. Not because all my questions have been answered. Not because I have abandoned the knowledge I have gained over the years. Not because I suddenly wish to return to every belief I once held. I opened it because I am a seeker. There was a time when I read the Bible through the eyes of tradition. Later, I read it through the eyes of research, history, and criticism. Along the way, I discovered things that challenged my assumptions and forced me to ask difficult questions. Some answers brought clarity. Others led to even deeper questions. Yet the text remains. The pages are still there, waiting to be read. Today, I choose to return to the Bible, not as a defender, not as an opponent, but as a student. I want to listen before I conclude. I want to observe before I interpret. I want to hear what the text says before I hear what others say about it. Wisdom is not afraid of questions. Truth does not tremble before investigation. If something is true, it can with...

You've spent time studying Christianity, the history of the Bible, questions about authenticity, traditions, translations, and different viewpoints. In the process, some of the things you discovered made you question Christianity itself. But now you're feeling drawn to read the Bible again, not because you've abandoned what you've learned, but because you're a seeker of knowledge. You want to approach the text with fresh eyes and see what it says for itself. Many people read the Bible only through the lens of a church tradition. Others read it only through the lens of criticism. Both can become cages.  A seeker tries to sit with the text and ask: What is this passage actually saying? What would the original audience have understood? What does this reveal about humanity? What does this reveal about Olódùmarè? What wisdom can I take from this, even if I don't yet agree with every interpretation? Think of it like returning to an old forest.  The first time, a guide...

By Olamide Akinrinsola  Abstract:  This study is about the transformation of African spirituality as a result of colonialism, the transatlantic slave trade, and missionary expansion, which led to the extinction or degrading of African systems. Africa has existed as a diverse continent made up of different cultures under their own systems, with unique spirituality, language, and identity known to themselves. However, colonization introduced a different system: a new administration of classification, religious structure, and educational system of learning that affected the indigenous beliefs, structures, and cultures of African people, who already had their own unique ways and rules. This study explores the reinterpretation and replacement of African cultural ideology and identity through colonization, through colonial religion and educational systems that suppressed African indigenous systems. It also examines how languages were changed, and naming systems were altered in favor...