Osa Meji: Pay homage, give respect to women

[Im The Truth]

Below is only part of Osa Meji - one of many teachings of Ifa. African religion/spiritual systems/thought demands respect for women. We do not see such necessity of respect for Our women in foreign belief systems. Let's discuss the meaning below!

Osa Meji
...It was then that he gave women the power and authority so that anything men wished to do,

They could not dare to do it successfully without women.

Odu said that everything that people would want to do,

If they do not include women,

It will not be possible.

Obarisa said that people should always respect women greatly.

For if they always respect women greatly, the world will be in right order.

Pay homage; give respect to women.

Indeed, it is woman who brought us into being

Before we became recognized as human beings.

The wisdom of the world belongs to women.

Give respect to them then.

Indeed, it was a woman who brought us into being.

Before we became recognized as human beings.

[Im The Truth]

Bump it up!

[Majadi]

Bump it Up as much as my little brown butt can bump it up!!!

[Im The Truth]

"It was then that he gave women the power and authority so that anything men wished to do,
They could not dare to do it successfully without women.
Odu said that everything that people would want to do,
If they do not include women,
It will not be possible.
Obarisa said that people should always respect women greatly.
For if they always respect women greatly, the world will be in right order.
Pay homage; give respect to women.
Indeed, it is woman who brought us into being"

Minus the flowery language this verse teaches us in simple common language that you must respect women. Disrespecting women is disrespecting your maker. The fuller version of the Osa Meji verse speaks to the fact men attempted to not include women in their activities on Earth and how The Creator made sure nothing worked. Also in one of the main stories associated with Osa Meji it shows how powerful women are compared to men yet, with balance, it warns against the abuse of that power.

"Before we became recognized as human beings."

In most of West Africa you are not considered officially a human being until you received a name, which is normally not immediately after birth. Pre being given a name you are considered a spirit visitor (stranger) who is visiting the town. You might ask why would you call a new child a visitor/stranger? Because being a stranger is a good thing to West Africans (which We are, some of Us just forgot) because the idea is that the new person can potentially bring good to the town. Notice "can potentially bring good"! Western thinking has tricked/forced to Us to belief that all new people, visitors/strangers, are evil. This is not an African worldview. We believe that people are put on this earth to do good while on the flipside Western thought says people are placed on this world evil from start and need to be cleaned up – which may be true for Westerners. The exaggerated of the original sin (people born evil) idea consumes their way of thinking and too often Our way of thinking. Despite the commonly held belief is the original sin idea is not even a traditional Christian viewpoint. It is a thought that originated in Europe through Catholicism (the Western corruption of Christianity). Which is a whole another story but back to the topic at hand, once the newborn or spirit visitor decides to stick around for a while (lives) rather than return back to Heaven (dies) then s/he is given a name and is recognized as a human being. This leads us into further into the African way of thinking that we are all spirits, spiritual beings, and the human body is just a front for each of our unique spirits.

"Indeed, it was a woman who brought us into being. Before we became recognized as human beings."