The right leg is the principal one and is read first; the left is the secondary (witness). — Bascom, Ifá Divination; Encyclopedic Treatise of Ifá.

Odu #94 · Omo Odu (Odu Combinado)

Owonrin Irete

"Return to your house and beg forgiveness of your old parents; the young one who strikes the old."

II - II - I - I · I - I - II - I

Numerology

20 (synthesis of 6 with 14)

Elements

Wind - Unpredictability | Wind - Storm | Synthesis — Integration of forces

Sacred Colors

Multicoloured (diversity) and Storm blue (transformation) (a combination of the energies of both Odus)

Symbolic reading — interpretation, not attributed to the Treatise.

Also known as: Owonrin Rete · Owonrin Ate · Ohuani Irete · Ohuani Ate

AdaptabilityPurificationIntegrationSynthesisDynamic balance

What is the Odu Owonrin Irete

Ojuani Birete is the Ifá in which the dynasty of religious inheritance was born: one inherits all that an ancestor had to do and did not, and that now falls to you to do. It is the Ifá of the counts and marquises who were always at war, and an Ifá of thefts, in which the young cockerel pecks the old one over the hen — the young one strikes the old.

Meaning

In the Tratado, Ojuani Birete commands returning home and begging forgiveness of the old parents, obeying and attending to them, or Exu and Xangô will overturn everything for you. It warns that the person is very fond of money and, to obtain it, stops at nothing, and this will ruin them, and that someone wishes to do them an evil thing from which a matter of law will arise. It forbids bathing in the sea and going to the beach, and says the woman dominates the man — her husband should be an awo.

Sacred Profile

Symbolic reading — interpretation, not attributed to the Treatise.

Numerology: 20 (synthesis of 6 with 14). This number resonates in the energy of this Odu, guiding the seeker in understanding the cycles and vibrations that govern this path.

Elements: Wind - Unpredictability | Wind - Storm | Synthesis — Integration of forces. The sacred elements establish the bridge between the material and spiritual worlds, offering tools of balance and transformation.

Sacred Colors: Multicoloured (diversity) and Storm blue (transformation) (a combination of the energies of both Odus). The colors of this Odu carry specific vibrations that can be used in rituals, clothing, and environments to harmonize with its energy.

Qualities: Adaptability, Purification, Integration, Synthesis, Dynamic balance. These qualities represent the inner forces that the seeker can cultivate to walk in alignment with the wisdom of this Odu.

✦ Recommendations

Return to your house and beg forgiveness of your old parents, obey them and attend to them. Fulfil what an ancestor left undone, which now falls to you. To solve your problems, give a rooster to Olokun. Take great care of your feet. If you want the woman not to leave you, give a rooster to Exu now and then.

⚠ Cautions

Do not bathe in the sea nor go to the beach. Do not let the love of money make you stop at nothing, for that will ruin you. Guard yourself, for someone wishes to do you an evil thing, from which a matter of law will arise — and, if you are an old person, do not trust anyone, for they have plotted to steal the money you have put away. Do not fall ill from sorrow and of the heart.

This Odu describes tendencies and possible paths to work on — not a fixed destiny or a guaranteed prediction.

Ire

The religious inheritance that is fulfilled and resolves everything, and the rooster given to Olokun that solves the problems; the happiness of the one who returns and begs forgiveness of the old parents, and the awo husband at whose side the woman reaches old bones.

Osogbo

The theft and the matter of law through the one who wishes you ill, the money put away that they plot to steal from the old one, and the ruin of the one who, for the love of money, stops at nothing; the forbidden sea and the sorrow that sickens the heart.

Context and study of the 256 Odus

Owonrin Irete belongs to the full corpus of the 256 Odus of Ifá, a body of oral and written wisdom spanning centuries across the African diaspora and the Americas. Understanding this Odu means placing energies, archetypes, and sacred narratives in relation to the opele, divination, and a life practice guided by balance. The philosophical reading offered on this page does not replace initiation with a Babalawo or Iyanifa, but it deepens respect for the tradition and supports structured study for those who learn with humility.

In Ifá texts, the name Owonrin Irete appears in prayers, ebo, and songs; its energy is tied to cycles of transformation and to relationship with the land, the Orishas, and community. Comparing this Odu with its root Meji and related Odus helps you recognize patterns of Irê and Osogbo that recur through life and everyday choices.

The Ifá Wisdom digital library brings together all 256 paths with epithets, essence, synthesis, and practical guidance. By exploring this page and the full library, you build a foundation for meditation, spiritual journaling, and ethical follow-up—with explicit gratitude to Yoruba culture and its guardians.

Irê, Osogbo, and reading Owonrin Irete

In any Odù, Irê points to blessings and positive affinities; Osogbo highlights challenges and adjustments. Reading this Odu invites integrated reflection on relationships, work, emotional health, and purpose. Ifá asks for patience, right speech, and—when prescribed by an initiated priest—ebo and disciplines of conduct.

When you use the Ifá oracle with artificial intelligence on this platform, you receive a philosophical and educational interpretation: a learning bridge, not a priestly ritual. Keep that distinction to honour the tradition and the role of Babalawos and Iyanifas.

Ethics, respect, and continuing study

Ifá Wisdom is a multilingual educational service. We combine careful documentation of the Odus with the awareness that the living oracle belongs to the communities that preserve it. We do not promise cures, material guarantees, or a substitute for initiatory counsel.

To explore Owonrin Irete in depth, browse the library of 256 Odus, the Odu of the day, and—if you wish—a contextual consultation in the oracle—always respecting your autonomy and the culture of origin.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Odu Owonrin Irete mean?+
Ojuani Birete is the Ifá in which the dynasty of religious inheritance was born: one inherits all that an ancestor had to do and did not, and that now falls to you to do. It is the Ifá of the counts and marquises who were always at war, and an Ifá of thefts, in which the young cockerel pecks the old one over the hen — the young one strikes the old.
What is the central message of Owonrin Irete?+
In the Tratado, Ojuani Birete commands returning home and begging forgiveness of the old parents, obeying and attending to them, or Exu and Xangô will overturn everything for you. It warns that the person is very fond of money and, to obtain it, stops at nothing, and this will ruin them, and that someone wishes to do them an evil thing from which a matter of law will arise. It forbids bathing in the sea and going to the beach, and says the woman dominates the man — her husband should be an awo.
What are the Irê and Osogbo of Owonrin Irete?+
Ire: The religious inheritance that is fulfilled and resolves everything, and the rooster given to Olokun that solves the problems; the happiness of the one who returns and begs forgiveness of the old parents, and the awo husband at whose side the woman reaches old bones. — Osogbo: The theft and the matter of law through the one who wishes you ill, the money put away that they plot to steal from the old one, and the ruin of the one who, for the love of money, stops at nothing; the forbidden sea and the sorrow that sickens the heart.

Sources consulted

  • Tratado Enciclopédico de Ifá, section Ojuani Birete
See all sources →

Written by

  • Pablo de Lima (Awofakan)
  • Thaiana de Lima (Ikofá)

A couple initiated in Ifá in the Cuban lineage — Regla de Ocha / Ifá.

Meet the authors →
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Notice: This platform is an educational and cultural tool. Consultations are intended for reflection and contemplation, drawing on ancestral Yoruba wisdom. They do not replace professional medical, psychological, legal or financial advice, nor an in-person consultation with an initiated priest.