Èpa Hèyííí! Ọya!
Ọya Is Cut In Nine Parts
Long ago, before Ọya became a wife of Ṣàngó, she was living with Ògún in Ilé-Ifè, as his wife. One day, she was seduced by Ṣàngó and left Ògún to marry Ṣàngó. Angry, Ògún decided to confront his rival. When Ṣàngó heard that Ògún was coming, he went to speak to Olódùmarè, confessing to Him that he offended Ògún. Before Ògún confronted Ṣàngó, he, too, consulted Olódùmarè. Olódùmarè said, "Ògún, you must forgive Ṣàngó's offense because you are older than Ṣàngó. If you wish to preserve your dignity before the eyes of Ṣàngó and the Orishas, you should not be angry nor fight with him and you should let Ọya go." But Ògún did not like Olódùmarè's advice and did not back down so calmly; instead, he began a fierce pursuit of Ṣàngó and Ọya.
When he finally found them, he had a major fight with Ọya. He launched blows at her with his magical iron stick and cut her in nine parts. The number nine connected with Ọya is also in the origin of the name Ìyánsàn that comes from different regions of the old Dahomey where the worship ritual of Ọya is known as Avẹsàn and Avẹsàn. These names have as their origins the expression Aborimẹsàn, meaning "with nine heads" which is a reference to the nine deltas of the River Niger.
Source: African Narratives Of Orishas, Spirits And Other Deities By Alex Cuoco
Happy Ose Ọya
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