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*    tion sacrifices, ese [ ˩ ˩ ]. After



*    the fortnight, the pupil, having



*    learnt his craft, takes it out and



*    is an ɔb-akpɛlɛ. The ɔb-ɔɽ̃ɔ̃mila



*    must be a “priest” of Ɔɽ̃ɔ̃mila



*    [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ˩ ], i.e. Ifa (Yoruba). (But



*    there are no public shrines or



*    priests of Ɔɽ̃ɔ̃mila.) Ɔɽ̃ɔ̃mila is



*    the Yoruba god of palm kernels



*    (and divination), and people



*    from Akurɛ e.g. are more expert



*    in this method than Bini people.



*    A full babalawo [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] (Yoruba



*    name for the Ɔɽ̃ɔ̃mila priest)



*    gathers the kernels from the



*    base of ivĩ‿ɔ̃ɽ̃ɔ̃mila [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ], “Ɔɽ̃.



*    kernels”, a special sort of oil



*    palm, and gives them to the



*    pupil. The pupil and his family



*    smoothe the kernels by means



*    of a grindstone, wash them with



*    a charm and keep them for three



*    months in a pot of oil. This is



*    called ɔvi-ɔɽ̃ɔ̃mila [ ˩ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ] “he



*    has taken the Ɔɽ̃ɔ̃mila” (pl.



*    verb). During this time small



*    sacrifices are made to them until



*    the pupil is (financially) able to



*    “take” them. If he has no means



*    he must possibly leave them in



*    the pot for a year. At last, big



*    sacrifices are made over a period



*    of a fortnight during which



*    time the pupil must procure an



*    axwɛxwɛ [ ˥ ˩ ˥ ], i.e. oracle in-



*    strument, of his own. Then the



*    Ɔɽ̃ɔ̃mila are taken out and are



*    afterwards put on an ukpo [ ˥ ˩ ]



*    (mud bed) on which many cloths



*    have been spread, forming a



*    heap with a shallow cavity at



*    the top. Parrot-tail-feathers are,



*    among other things, added as



*    adornments. The babalawo asks



*    the kernels whether the pupil



*    will live long and be prosperous