Ela ‘boru. Ela ‘boye. Ela ‘bosise.
Do you love and revere the Irunmole/Orisa? Do you? Do your honor them and rightly represent them? Do you really? If the Irunmole/Orisa had a conversation with everyone whom you know and they were to disclose everything they know about your activities, thoughts and intentions for all to see, how do you think you would fare? Would your conscience and actions uphold and vindicate you or would you have to lower your head in shame and dishonor? What do you say?
What is the basis of your personal relationship with the Irunmole/Orisa? Are you mindful of them and aware of what their aims are? Do you share affinity with the Irunmole/Orisa and their aims? Or do you only draw near to them to ask for favors and benefits with a heart lacking in consideration, appreciation and love? Do the Irunmole/Orisa exist to serve you or should you be serving them and acquainting yourself with their program, plans and activities?
Do you think that you can secure the favor of the Irunmole/Orisa and bribe them with a sacrificial offering, offering of some fruits/vegetables and/or some other trinkets? Do you think and believe that the Irunmole/Orisa are really interested in these things and desirous of them? Do you think that Irunmole/Orisa are really dependent on you for offerings of water, liquor, meats and other eatables?
Are not the Irunmole/Orisa more interested in your quality of heart and manner of living? Is it not your genuine inner love, appreciation, awe and reverence (respect) for the Irunmole/Orisa the true ‘food and nourishment’ which causes their hearts to take delight in you and which strengthens them with enthusiasm, gratitude and care?
Do you think that the Irunmole/Orisa are partial and biased like ordinary human beings? Do you not know that the good actions of others which they reward will also be shared by you if you engage in the same good and honest actions? Do you not know that the same bad and dishonest actions that they chastise, discipline and punish in others will also be equally shared by you if you are engaging in the same bad, irreverent and dishonest actions?
What is the proof that you really love and care for the Irunmole/Orisa? Other than yourself who is benefiting from your love, awe, reverence and dedication to the Irunmole/Orisa? What are you gaining from your devotion to the Irunmole/Orisa? What are the Irunmole/Orisa gaining from your devotion and service to them? Are you really serving them or are you serving yourself in their name? Are you truly honoring or praising them with your life and devotion or are you simply praising yourself and worshipping your ‘self’? Are you collaborating with the noble objectives of the Irunmole/Orisa or are you attempting to do the impossible, to use the Irunmole/Orisa for your own purposes and indulgence? What is your aim and purpose in your devotion and service to the Irunmole/Orisa? Do you in fact have genuine unselfish devotion to the Irunmole/Orisa and are you really serving them? Do people see, perceive and experience the nobility, truthfulness and sincerity of the Irunmole/Orisa in you and in your life or do they feel that you are just taking them along for a ride and attempting to pull the wool over their eyes?
Ponder these questions carefully and seriously? Self deception is the greatest tragedy. Artificial, ostentatious and fake piety is the greatest hypocrisy. Falsity is fatal to esin ibile.
Ela ‘boru. Ela ‘boye. Ela ‘bosise.