Ọbàtálá Shrine Complex

The magnificent Ọbàtálá Shrine Complex is dedicated to the Òrìṣà - or deity - of Creation, Ọbàtálá, also known as Òrìṣàńlá or Òrìṣàálá (literally “The Great Òrìṣà”).
It is composed of three separate buildings, the furthest on the right is home to the statue of Ọbàtálá and under the middle one the sacred symbols of Olúfọ́n and Ògìnyán - two branches of Ọbàtálá worship - are buried.
The taller shrine on the left is “Ayé Dákun Yípadà” (‘world forgive and come back’ according to Ulli Beier (The return of the Gods, 1975, page 65) or ‘World I beg you to reconsider your ways’ according to Susanne Wenger (The Sacred Groves of Oshogbo, 1990, page 16) – the shrine of Òrìṣà Ajagẹmọ.
The original Ayé Dákun Yípadà building of the early 1960’s was destroyed by fanatics and only photographs remain.
Susanne Wenger created a new shrine in its place which Ulli Beier describes: ‘The new building once again represents the elephant. It is crowned by similar, but even bolder ‘horns’. The entire façade of the building is sculptured into two enormous faces, representing Ọbàtálá and Ṣàngó at the moment of mystical reunion (….) The outside of the building represents the moment of extreme tension, the rare meeting of the opposites Ọbàtálá and Ṣàngó, the moment of dangerous explosive fusion’ (The return of the Gods, 1975, page 69)
All three Shrines are impressive works of art, richly decorated both on the in- and outside. Magnificent flowers create cave-like interior sculptural spaces and altars within. At the base of the taller shrine a spiral staircase leads to a small upper room – Àtoorí - used for quiet contemplation and meditation.