Obawole Yaya Oladimeji
Obafemi Awolowo University





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Historical Background of Oranfe: God of Wind, Thunder and Lightning

ORANFE was known to be among the set of deities that come down to earth. Oranfe was a powerful warrior, Oranfe is believed to be power behind the wind, thunder and lightening . He is referred to as Oranfe (ONILE INA, ORIRANGIGBO, ALAGEMO TOUNJE EWE GBEGBE.) THE GOD OF FIRE. Oranfe shrine was located along Iloromu Oke-ora in Ile-Ife, the source and the cradle of Yorubas. The Chief priest of Oranfe is called OBALURU there compound is Obaluru compound Ile-Ife. The Oranfe festival usually holds on Monday nine days after olojo festival in Ile-Ife, every year attracts Oranfe priest and devotes from all the Yorubaland, during this festival the following materials were used for worship: Ram, Rat, fish, snail, tortoise, kolanuts, Hen, Honey. In the olden days human being were been used (i.e killing for the ritual) and they were called them (IWOO meaning a stranger) but nowadays human being are no longer used, but instead Ram and Sheep are used. Oranfe has wive, are name is Osara and others. He was always helping people to fight against those who denied them of their rights. He assisted Obatala, the god of white, to kill Obameri along oke esinmirin river. And the place is called igbo obameri. There were so many chiefs under obaluru and this obaluru stand as a king in Oke-Ora Iloromu Ile-Ife. About igbo alapara this is a bush that they used to buried those people that were killed by thunder, and those people were cripple and hunch backed person. And difference between Oranfe and Sango.