Uncategorized

Yoruba Propitiation/offering

Published

13 years ago

March 31, 2013

Nigerian Egungun

I received a lot of feedback from those who read this column and would like to reassure non-traditionalists that no proselytizing was intended. The Yoruba tradition does not approve of proselytizing. When I started the series on the Yoruba traditions, I clearly stated that “faith or spirituality is a personal journey.” The Yoruba proverbs, “esin Baba ko gba omo la” (father’s belief may not save the child) and or “konko jabele kaluku loun se tie” (inalienable power of choice), speak to these issues.
The start of the Egungun festival is preceded by a reading from the Babalawo (priest of Ifa) and usually involves propitiating( offering) to Esu, the deity of immortality or indeterminacy, divine trickster, the short man of Oke Igeti, disguise artist challenger of authority or orthodoxy which probably informed Edward and Mason, 1985 to sum up the Yoruba Religion as “the art of allowing God to flow through you.” Esu is regarded as the gatekeeper and neutral force who controls benevolent and malevolent Irunmoles (spirits which dwell under the earth) and the sole authority who shares the offering between the Irunmole on the right and the left (a total of 401 irunmole).
Esu keeps the divine ase (decree or power) and observes every reading of Babalawo on the divination tray keeping Orunmila(Grand Priest) in check. It is common practice to give Esu food or drink first before serving to any Orisa or devotee.
After the reading, youth would get whips for flogging contest/exercises, proving their powers with their peers.
The Egungun abode (shrine) symbol of egungun (Atori) whips carved in spiral design called Isan would be placed at a corner of the wall and referred to as Opaiku (Opa ti a fi le iku lo ni oje) the whip used to drive death away.
An offering consisting of 6 wraps of Eko, (corn porridge) 6 wraps of moinmoin (bean porridge) and 6 Akara (fried bean cake), is presented at the foot of the Opaiku. Devotees pray and sing to banish death from Oje. The ceremony includes the sacrifice of a male goat and/or rooster to signify the release of the vital force that is transferred to the ancestor spirit in the sky home and dwellers of the underground for their rejuvenation. The power of blood is the reality of the menstrual cycle in women. It serves a dual role and is indicative of life giving and also spiritual endowment of women.
According the historian Richards, Afro Bachians have uniquely combined modern styles and traditional beliefs. The mother who takes her new born to the nurse at the hospital clinic for a regular check up, finds no contradiction in using her charms to guard against the evil eye by calling on her diviner to ascertain the “guardian spirit” of the infant to watch over that child throughout its life.
(Next: Master Drummer and Ifa Priest, Yagbe Onilu, Agba Awo of Ife)

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Uncategorized

Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

Published

6 months ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Special to The Post

The City of Oakland’s Housing and Community Development Department (Oakland HCD) announced its awardees for the 2024-2025 New Construction of Multifamily Affordable Housing Notice of Funding Availability (New Construction NOFA) today Five permanently affordable housing developments received awards out of 24 applications received by the Department, with award amounts ranging from $7 million to $28 million.

In a statement released on Jan. 16, Oakland’s HCD stated, “Five New Construction Multifamily Affordable Housing Development projects awarded a total of $80.5 million to develop 583 affordable rental homes throughout Oakland. Awardees will leverage the City’s investments to apply for funding from the state and private entities.”

In December, the office of Rebecca Kaplan, interim District 2 City Councilmember, worked with HCD to allocate an additional $10 Million from Measure U to the funding pool. The legislation also readopted various capital improvement projects including street paving and upgrades to public facilities.

The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded in the current round:

Mandela Station Affordable

238 Affordable Units including 60 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $15 million + previously awarded $18 million
Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 1451 7th St.

Liberation Park Residences

118 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $28 million
Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone
City Council District: 6
Address: 7101 Foothill Blvd.

34th & San Pablo

59 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $7 million
Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.

The Eliza

96 Affordable Units including 20 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $20 million
Developer: Mercy Housing California
City Council District: 3
Address: 2125 Telegraph Ave.

3135 San Pablo

72 Affordable Units including 36 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $10.5 million
Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center
City Council District: 3
Address: 3515 San Pablo Ave.

The source of this story is the media reltations office of District 2 City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

Published

11 months ago

January 30, 2025

Oakland Post

Rebecca Kaplan, interim District 2 city councilmember. File photo.

Special to The Post

The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded in the current round:

Mandela Station Affordable

238 Affordable Units including 60 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $15 million + previously awarded $18 million
Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 1451 7th St.

Liberation Park Residences

118 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $28 million
Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone
City Council District: 6
Address: 7101 Foothill Blvd.

34th & San Pablo

59 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $7 million
Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.

The Eliza

96 Affordable Units, including 20 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $20 million
Developer: Mercy Housing California
City Council District: 3
Address: 2125 Telegraph Ave.

3135 San Pablo

72 Affordable Units including 36 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $10.5 million
Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center
City Council District: 3
Address: 3515 San Pablo Ave.

The source of this story is media reltations office of District 2 City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Alameda County

Oakland Acquisition Company’s Acquisition of County’s Interest in Coliseum Property on the Verge of Completion

The Board of Supervisors is committed to closing the deal expeditiously, and County staff have worked tirelessly to move the deal forward on mutually agreeable terms. The parties are down to the final details and, with the cooperation of OAC and Coliseum Way Partners, LLC, the Board will take a public vote at an upcoming meeting to seal this transaction.

Published

11 months ago

January 11, 2025

Oakland Post

Alameda County Board of Supervisors Chairman David Haubert. Official photo.

Special to The Post

The County of Alameda announced this week that a deal allowing the Oakland Acquisition Company, LLC, (“OAC”) to acquire the County’s 50% undivided interest in the Oakland- Alameda County Coliseum complex is in the final stages of completion.

Oakland has already finalized a purchase and sale agreement with OAC for its interest in the property. OAC’s acquisition of the County’s property interest will achieve two longstanding goals of the County:

The Oakland-Alameda Coliseum complex will finally be under the control of a sole owner with capacity to make unilateral decisions regarding the property; and
The County will be out of the sports and entertainment business, free to focus and rededicate resources to its core safety net

In an October 2024 press release from the City of Oakland, the former Oakland mayor described the sale of its 50% interest in the property as an “historic achievement” stating that the transaction will “continue to pay dividends for generations to come.”

The Board of Supervisors is pleased to facilitate single-entity ownership of this property uniquely centered in a corridor of East Oakland that has amazing potential.

“The County is committed to bringing its negotiations with OAC to a close,” said Board President David Haubert.