THE OJISE INSTITUTE OF IFA/ISESE STUDIES
THE OJISE INSTITUTE OF IFA/ISESE STUDIES
INSTRUCTOR: PROFESSOR OLOYE “BABA” IFA KARADE
PROGRAM DIRECTOR: BABA “ORISAGBEMI” IFAGBADE
SEMESTER 1: AN IN-DEPTH STUDY OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF IFA/ISESE
DATES: FEBRUARY 6, 2025, TO APRIL 17, 2025
COST: $297.00
GENERAL OVERVIEW:
CLASSES WILL MEET EVERY OTHER WEEK FROM 7PM est. UNTIL 7:45 PM est. VIA ZOOM SCHEDULED MEETINGS.
LECTURES WILL BE BASED ON GUIDELINES PROVIDED BY THE INSTRUCTOR SUPPORTED BY TEXTBOOKS, SUPPORTING REFERENCES, AND ACADEMIC ESSAYS ON THE SUBJECT OF IFA/ISESE. PARTICIPATION IS REQUIRED AS IS COMPLETION OF ASSIGNMENTS.
TOPICS INCLUDE:
A. FROM MISEDUCATION TO LIBERATION
1. HOW AND WHY HAVE WE BEEN SUBJECTED TO NEGATIVE IMAGERY, DISTORTIONS, AND MISCONCEPTIONS OF IFA/ISESE SPECIFICALLY AND AFRICAN CULTURE GENERALLY. AND WHAT MUST BE DONE TO COUNTERACT THIS NEGATIVITY.
KEY TERMS: ASCERTAINMENT BIAS AND SELECTION BIAS
B. AN IN-DEPTH STUDY OF THE ORISHA BASED ON MENTAL AND INTERNAL PERSPECTIVES ALONG WITH COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS.
INSIGHTS INTO THE STUDY OF ORISHA VIA SHIFTS IN CURRENT PERSPECTIVES.
KEY TERMS: ABSORB ACTIVITIES, DO ACTIVITIES, AND CONNECT ACTIVITIES
C. ORUNMILA AND THE PHILOSOPHY OF IFA
1. AN IN-DEPTH STUDY OF ORUNMILA AND THE ODU-IFA CORPUS.
LEARNING THE SIXTEEN ODU AND APPLYING COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS WILL ALSO BE COVERED.
KEY TERMS: PHILOSOPHY, SACERDOTAL, RELIGION, SPIRTUALITY, AND WISDOM
METHODOLOGIES: A. ACCUMULATE
B. APPLY
C. ASSIMILATE
D. AFFIRM
PURPOSE: A. RECALIBRATION
B. REDETERMINATION
C. REINVENTION
D. REFORMATION
REQUIRED READINGS:
1. THE HANDBOOK OF YORUBA RELIGIOUS CONCEPTS
2. IMOYE
3. THE IFA/ORISHA RELIGIOUS TRADITION: A NEW GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
4. OJISE: MESSENGER OF THE YORUBA TRADITION
BOOKS/PDFS ARE AVAILABLE ON AMAZON AND/OR
Professor Oloye Ifa Karade Ojise Institute Instructor Bio
Professor Oloye Ifa Karade has been active as a Babalawo, chief priest, and writer on the subject of Ifa/Isese for over forty years. He’s been a keynote speaker at colleges and conferences throughout the U.S. and the globe. His travels include Kenya, Nigeria, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Brazil, France, The Netherlands, and England. He received his degree in Africana Studies from Rutgers University, NJ having studied with noted researcher Professor Ivan Van Sertima. Oloye was initiated in Ejibo, Nigeria under the auspices of Iyanla Keye and Araba Malomo Agbede in 1991. He returned in 1992 and visited Ile-Ife, Ibadan, and Badagri. Oloye established his ile/temple Ile Tawo Lona in New Jersey, USA. There he presided as chief priest for over two decades. In 2003 he was the recipient of The Lifetime Achievement Award in Ifa. Oloye “Baba” Ifa Karade has written several textbooks and novels, and two audiobooks based on Ifa/Isese as an empirical source, anecdotal source and a creative source. He’s also a retired secondary school teacher and currently holds position as Professor of Literacy at Essex County College, Newark, NJ.
Baba Orisa Gbemi Ojise Institute Instructor Bio
Baba Orisagbemi is a Awo Ifa Priest, and Priest of Obatala, in the Ifa Isese spiritual tradition. Orisagbemi has been a researcher, podcaster, and change agent in the realm of community service since 2016. He is the founder of the African Spirituality Experience YouTube channel/podcast and media network. Ase is a revolutionary cultural network which shares weekly videos featuring some of the world’s most distinguished thought leaders and Master Teachers in African Spirituality and culture. In the world of business he is a serial entrepreneur, Project Manager, Marketing Coach, Business Consultant, and angel Investor. Baba Orisabemi is also an Author, Mentor, and Program developer on the subjects of personal development, community development, and spiritual empowerment. Baba Gbemi’s passion for empowering others has led to him being a keynote speaker who has spoken and consulted at hundreds of community events, schools, colleges, and business conferences throughout the U.S. Baba Orisa Gbemi has consistently been engaged in humanitarian work, and community service, by donating his time and investing his money in charitable contributions around the globe on a mission to educate empower and enlighten our brothers and sisters across the planet.