Ifá/Afa- A Computer Programmer’s Perspective

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By Eyes Sea

For some of us who earn our daily bread from programming computers (I have been doing this for over 2 decades), making the connection between Ifá binary notation and programming is a no brainer.

We programmers write codes/instructions (incantations) on the cpu – made from silicon (sand) to carry out our desires.

The parallel between a Babaláwo and a computer programmer is striking. We write on sand (silicon/cpu), a Babalawo writes on Iyerosun (camwood powder). We chant/write binary codes, a Babaláwo recites Odù Ifá!

In essence, a computer code is àfọ̀ṣẹ par excellence! In Yoruba, àfọ̀ṣẹ means “oun tí a fọ̀ tí ó sì ṣẹ” – something commanded to happen.

Our incantations (computer codes) can animate the entities in the cpu (sand) and make them become whatever we want: a game console, a financial trading system, an air traffic controller, facebook, Google, Twitter, Amazon, Bitcoin etc.

How did this come about? Well, the Binary System makes this possible.

The Binary System of Ifá is based on the Yorùbá philosophical duality of Ibi and Ire (Evil and Good); for several millennia, the Yorùbá had been using the binary system before the German mathematician – Gottfried Leibniz formalised in 1679.

These days, the Binary Numeral System (Base 2) is well known in Mathematics and digital electronics and the system underpins how computers work by representing numeric values using just two digits – zero (0) and one (1)

In Computing, a Bit (i.e. BInary digiT) is the smallest unit of storage and can either be 1 or 0

A Nible (also called half Byte or semi-octet) is the grouping of four Bits e.g 0 1 0 1

In Ifá, Odù signatures are marked with “|” and “||”. Where “|” is the binary number “0” and “||” is “1”.

For example Ogbè (0000) has the following signature:
|
|
|
|

Ọ̀sá (1000) is represented as:
||
|
|
|

Òtúrá (0100) is marked as:
|
||
|
|

We can therefore summarise the representation of the first sixteen Odus as follows:
Decimal == Nibble == Odù
00 == 0000 == Ogbè
01 == 0001 == Ògúndá
02 == 0010 == Ìrẹtẹ̀
03 == 0011 == Ìrosùn
04 == 0100 == Òtúra
05 == 0101 == Ọ̀sẹ́
06 == 0110 == Èdí
07 == 0111 == Ọ̀bàrà
08 == 1000 == Ọ̀sá
09 == 1001 == Ìwòrì
10 == 1010 == Ọ̀̀fún
11 == 1011 == Ìká
12 == 1100 == Ọ̀wọ́nrín
13 == 1101 == Òtúrúpọ̀n
14 == 1110 == Ọ̀kànràn
15 == 1111 == Òyẹ̀kú
́
Since Ifá speaks only in binary (Odu Èjì Ogbè says: “Èjèèji ni mo gbè, n ò gbe ọ̀kan ṣoṣo mọ́” i.e “I will only support two, I will not support one”), each Odu must be paired.

For example, after pairing the main Odu, we get the following (see graphic for the main Odu signature)

Èjì Ogbè (also called Ògbè Méjì): 00000000
Ògúndá Méjì : 00010001
Ìrẹtẹ̀ Méjì : 00100010
Ìrosùn Méjì : 00110011
Òtúrá Méjì : 01000100
Ọ̀sẹ́ Méjì : 01010101
Èdí Méjì : 01100110
Ọ̀bàrà Méjì : 01110111
Ọ̀ṣá Meji: 10001000
Ìwòrì Méjì : 10011001
Ọ̀fún Méjì : 10101010
Ìká Méjì :10111011
Ọ̀wọ́nrín Méjì :11001100
Òtúrúpọ̀n Méjì :11011101
Ọ̀kànràn Méjì :11101110
Ọ̀yẹ̀kú Méjì : 11111111

The other 240 minor Odus are derived from the main 16 Odus.
For example (note: the binary notation and the marks are read from right to left)

Ogbè-Ògúndá : 0001-0000
| |
| |
| |
|| |

Ọ̀yẹ̀kú-Ìrẹtẹ̀ : 0010-1111
| ||
| ||
|| ||
| ||

Computers also speak in binary and binary numbers can be converted to decimal, hexadecimal, octal etc.

Without getting into too much math, below are the decimal values of the 16 main Odu:
00000000 = 00
00010001 = 17
00100010 = 34
00110011 = 51
01000100 = 68
01010101 = 85
01100110 = 102
01110111 = 119
10001000 = 136
10011001 = 153
10101010 = 170
10111011 = 187
11001100 = 204
11011101 = 221
11101110 = 238
11111111 = 255

Below is a computer machine code that adds the numbers from 1 to 10 together and prints out the result:

i.e. 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10 = 55

0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

In Ifa, the patterns of bits above translate to…
ọ̀wọ́nrín-ọ̀sá èjì-ogbè èjì-ogbè
ọ̀wọ́nrín-ọ̀sá ogbè-ọ̀sá ogbè-ọ̀sá
ọ̀wọ́nrín-méjì ogbè-ọ̀sá ogbè-ọtúrá
ọ̀fùn-ọ̀sá ogbè-òtúrùpọ̀n ogbè-ọtúrá
ọtúrá-méjì ogbe-ọtúrá ogbè-ògúndá
ìrẹtẹ̀-ọ̀wọ́nrín ogbè-ọ̀sá èjì-ogbè
ìrẹtẹ̀-ọ̀sá ogbè-ọ̀sá ogbè-ọ̀sá
ọ̀sá-ogbè ogbè-ọtúrá èjì-ogbè
èdì-ọtúrá èjì-ogbè èjì-ogbè

This was how programmers used to write computer programs before high level programming languages like Fortran and Lisp were created in 1957 and 1958 respectively.

For programmers, entering these patterns manually was a laborious, tedious and error-prone task. Even for a seasoned programmer, it could get dizzy and nauseating after assembling a couple of these patterns.

However, a competent Ifá priest can commit to memory 256 of these patterns without breaking a sweat and able to recite close to 4,000 Ifá verses by heart!

Effectively, the meaning of the 1s and 0s in the code above is as follows:

1. Store the number 0 in memory location 0.
2. Store the number 1 in memory location 1.
3. Store the value of memory location 1 in memory location 2.
4. Subtract the number 11 from the value in memory location 2.
5. If the value in memory location 2 is the number 0 continue with instruction 9.
6. Add the value of memory location 1 to memory location 0.
7. Add the number 1 to the value of memory location 1.
8. Continue with instruction 3.
9. Output the value of memory location 0.

Using names in place of numbers for memory and instruction locations, we can do the following:
Set the value of “total” to 0.
Set the value of “count” to 1.
[loop]
Set the value of “compare” to the “count” value.
Subtract 11 from the value of “compare” .
If “compare” is zero, continue at [end].
Add “count” to the value of “total”.
Add 1 to the value of “count”.
Continue at [loop].
[end]
Output “total”.

In a modern programming language like Python, we can write the following:

total = 0
count = 1
while count <= 10:
total = total + count
count = count + 1
print total

In 2017, I wrote series of programming tutorials on this wall using the Python programming language. In the coming series of articles, I will translate the posts into Yoruba so stay tuned.

Ire o.

Credit:Ifá – Olobe Yoyon

SOURCE: rymcitigh

Gianni Infantino’s greed at play again as FIFA plans to increase WWC slots to 48 teams

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FIFA has announced that the Women’s World Cup will be expanded from 32 to 48 teams from the 2031 edition.

The FIFA Council on Friday, unanimously agreed to enlarge the competition “given the remarkable recent strides made by women’s football across the world.”

The 48 teams will play a 12-group format and number of matches from 64 to 104, extending the tournament by one week.

FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, explained that the expansion follows the success of the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which was won by Spain.

“This is not just about having 16 more teams playing … but taking the next steps in relation to the women’s game in general by ensuring that more FIFA Member Associations have the chance to benefit from the tournament to develop their women’s football structures.

“This decision ensures we are maintaining the momentum in terms of growing women’s football globally,” Infantino said. 

Suspected Fulani herdsmen kill 23 in fresh Jihadist attacks in Nigeria

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By Peter Dudu

At least 23 persons have been reportedly killed in separate attacks by suspected armed herdsmen in four Local Government Areas, LGAs, of Benue State.

The communities that witnessed the attacks in the last 24 hours were in Guma, Logo, Ukum and Kwande LGAs.

It was gathered that while nine persons were killed in Logo LGA, eight were killed in Ukum, while six were also killed in Guma and Kwande LGAs.

A source in Kwande LGA, Dr. Ray Anumve, disclosed that armed herdsmen and suspected Jukun militants Friday attacked Turan communities in Kwande LGA, killing nine persons.

He said, “The coordinated bloody attacks were carried out by armed herdsmen and suspected Jukun-speaking assailants across multiple locations in Turan, Kwande LGA of the State, resulting in deaths, injuries, and displacement. The assailants spoke Fulfulde and Jukun.”

He said the Mbaav Clan, Mbadura Council Ward, near Tse Yande compound, Gusa crossing, River Katsina-Ala, was besieged when the assailants crossed the river and attacked farmers who were returning from their farms.

He said Mr. Agwei, a farmer, was killed while his brother and son were left with severe injuries, adding that they are both receiving treatment at a clinic in Jato-Aka.

“They also attack Anwase, Mkomon Area, Mbaikyor Council Ward, killing one Mr. Iortsor, while at Waya, Yaav Council Ward, a motorcycle rider was shot in the stomach, resulting in protrusion of his intestines. He is receiving treatment at a clinic in Jato-Aka,” he said.

While lamenting the frequency of attacks in the area, Dr. Anumve also disclosed that multiple fatalities were recorded in an earlier attack at Ikurav-Ya Clan, particularly at Tyuav and Usambe Sha Hua, Liev I Ward, where “the casualty figures and property damaged are still being compiled by locals and community leaders.”

Another source in Ukum LGA said that nine persons were confirmed dead Saturday in Jootar “and more dead bodies are being recovered from the bush as a result of the herdsmen attacks.”

Among those killed in the attack were Jonathan Ordooga, Aondogu Torse, Cheater Torse, Yagba Torse, Tersugh Mbaaiiga, Terhemen Emmanuel, Henenshima Apirgwa and Orfega Atuku.

Meanwhile, in Guma LGA, a source who identified himself as Mr. Paul disclosed that there was mounting tension in Yelewata, Nyiev Council Ward, following the flooding of the community by armed herdsmen from neighbouring Nasarawa State.

He said, “The tension escalated after the armed herders macheted a youth from the community on May 8, 2025. The victim is currently battling for his life at a government hospital in Makurdi.”

A source in the area who spoke on condition of anonymity said the attacks had become a daily occurrence.

He said, “On May 9, Ukpiam in Mababai Council Ward was attacked; they killed three people and today, Saturday, May 10, Umenger in Mbadwem Council Ward was attacked. But for Umenger, we have not received reports yet on the casualties.

“Already, people have fled their homes even though it is farming season. But security agencies who are on the ground are trying their best to ensure that the herders pull out from the communities.”

Confirming the attack in Ukum LGA, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Mathew Abor, said he could not “ascertain those responsible for today’s killing in Ukum because there had been communal clashes there between the Tiv and Jukun groups.”

Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent, CSP, Catherine Anene, were unsuccessful.

VANGUARD

Yes, racism is still very much alive and will always be here.....

CC™ Editor's VideoSpective

This ABC experiment on racial prejudice is quite revealing and speaks not only to the prejudices carried by the "majority", but those unfortunately imbibed by the recipients, as a result of centuries of a sense of diminished self-worth, resulting from institutional and related racial prejudice.

Watch and learn.....

Insecurity: Catholic leaders lament over “endless ocean of blood” in Nigeria

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By Oladipupo Mojeed 

Nearly 200 Christians were brutally killed in Nigeria within a week, sparking outrage among Catholic leaders who are now calling for urgent action to stop what they describe as an “endless ocean of blood.”

Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto, a leading voice in Nigeria’s Catholic community, condemned the latest wave of violence after the Palm Sunday massacre in Zikke village, Plateau State, where at least 56 Christians were murdered by armed Fulani militants.

Kukah said: “This is another tributary of blood. Flowing into an invisible ocean of blood that now threatens to swallow the Plateau.”

The massacre in Zikke was just one in a series of coordinated attacks.

According to reports, five other predominantly Christian villages near Jos were also attacked, with over 50 additional lives lost.

Victims, including women and children, were burned in their homes. Survivors described harrowing scenes of destruction, the air still thick with the smell of smoke and death.

“This is Nigeria — no amount of blood is ever enough to make us pause,” Kukah added.

Catholic leaders argue that the Nigerian government’s response to terrorism and armed herdsmen has been grossly inadequate.

They cite growing impunity, ethnic bias, and an unwillingness to classify Fulani militias as terrorist groups.

Over the past decade, more than 20,000 Christians have reportedly been killed, primarily in the country’s Middle Belt and southeast.

Critics accuse the government of allowing these armed groups to operate freely, even as Christian communities are denied the right to self-defence.

Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja echoed the call for communities to defend themselves in the absence of state protection.

He said: “You can’t just sit there while somebody comes to kill your family. You must rise up and protect your communities against these bloodthirsty criminals.”

Catholic leaders are now urging the international community—including the United States and the European Union—to designate Nigeria as a country of particular concern and to classify the Fulani extremist groups as terrorist organizations.

“This is no longer just a Nigerian problem. It is a moral crisis the world can no longer afford to ignore,” Kukah warned.

POLITICS NIGERIA

Australian PM basks in win, promises ‘orderly’ government

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Australia’s left-leaning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese basked Sunday in his landslide election win, promising a “disciplined, orderly” government to confront cost-of-living pain and tariff turmoil.

Residents clapped as the 62-year-old and his fiancee Jodie Haydon visited his old inner Sydney haunt, Cafe Italia, surrounded by a crowd of jostling photographers and TV journalists.

Albanese’s Labor Party is on course to win at least 83 seats in the 150-member parliament, partial results showed.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton’s conservative Liberal-National coalition had just 38 seats, and other parties 12. Another 17 seats were still in doubt.

“We will be a disciplined, orderly government in our second term,” Albanese said, after scooping ice cream for journalists in a cafe he used to visit with his late mother.

“We’ll work hard each and every day,” he promised, but took a quick break first for a Sunday afternoon visit to a craft brewery, Willie the Boatman, that serves “Albo Pale Ale”.

Dutton, a hard-nosed former policeman, who critics tagged “Trump-lite” for policies that included slashing the civil service, endured the rare humiliation of losing his own seat.

US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs, and the chaos they unleashed, may not have been the biggest factor in the Labor Party victory, but analysts said they helped.

“If we want to understand why a good chunk of the electorate has changed across the election campaign over the last couple of months, I think that’s the biggest thing,” said Henry Maher, a politics lecturer at the University of Sydney.

“In times of instability, we expect people to go back to a kind of steady incumbent.”

The scale of Albanese’s win took his own party by surprise.

“It’s still sinking in,” Treasurer Jim Chalmers said.

“This was beyond even our most optimistic expectations. It was a history-making night. It was one for the ages,” Chalmers told national broadcaster ABC.

But the win came with “healthy helpings of humility”, he said, because under-pressure Australians want “stability in uncertain times”.

Albanese has promised to embrace renewable energy, cut taxes, tackle a worsening housing crisis, and pour money into a creaking healthcare system.

Dutton wanted to slash immigration, crack down on crime and ditch a longstanding ban on nuclear power.

Before the first vote was even counted, speculation was mounting over whether the 54-year-old opposition leader could survive an election loss.

“We didn’t do well enough during this campaign. That much is obvious tonight and I accept full responsibility,” Dutton told supporters in a concession speech.

Economic concerns have dominated the contest for the many Australian households struggling to pay inflated prices for milk, bread, power and petrol.

“The cost of living, it’s extremely high at the moment… Petrol prices, all the basic stuff,” human resources manager Robyn Knox told AFP in Brisbane.

The 36-day campaign was a largely staid affair but there were moments of unscripted levity.

Albanese tumbled backwards off the stage at a heaving campaign rally, while Dutton drew blood when he hit an unsuspecting cameraman in the head with a stray football.

Leaders around the world congratulated Albanese on his triumph.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he hoped to “promote freedom and stability in the Indo-Pacific” with Australia, a “valued ally, partner, and friend of the United States”.

An unnamed Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Beijing was “ready to work” with Australia’s government.

Albanese said he had spoken with the prime ministers of Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, and received “some good text messages” from leaders in Britain, France, “and a range of others”.

The premier said he planned to speak with the leaders of Indonesia and Ukraine, promising to back Kyiv against Russia’s invasion: “That’s my government’s position. It was yesterday. It still is.”

AFP

Islam As A Mask For Arab Imperialism, Neo-Colonialism And Racism In Africa

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Gaddafi Assassination - Former US Lawmaker’s Explosive Interview With Tucker Carlson

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The Africa News Network (TANN)

Francics Ngannou, a mixed martial artist and professional boxer, reportedly involved in fatal motorcycle accident

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Former UFC heavyweight champion and boxing star Francis Ngannou was reportedly “involved in a fatal motorbike accident in Cameroon” on Sunday, April 27, 2025, according to multiple news outlets in the country, including Camer.be, Lebledparle, and ActuCameroun.

The publications state that Ngannou, 38, was riding a motorcycle in the Omnisports district of Yaounde when he “was in a collision with a 17-year-old girl.”

Local press have identified the victim as Ntsama Brigitte Manuella. Reports indicate that she sustained severe injuries to her arm and leg in the collision.

According to these sources, Ngannou “rushed her to hospital himself” to the Yaounde General Hospital, where she later died.

Ngannou is reportedly “devastated” by the tragic incident. It is also reported that he “paid her medical expenses.”

Cameroonian authorities are expected to conduct an investigation into the circumstances of the crash, which occurred over the Easter weekend.

The initial report of the incident came from Cameroon-Online, which presented conflicting accounts. One account claimed Ngannou was in a vehicle that struck the victim on a motorbike, while another stated she was a pedestrian, and he was riding the bike at the time of the collision.

A month prior to the reported accident, Ngannou posted photos of himself on what appeared to be an off-road motorcycle in the Cameroonian countryside. However, it remains unknown if this was the same motorcycle involved in the fatal crash.

This news follows a period of significant personal tragedy for Ngannou, whose 15-month-old son, Kobe, passed away suddenly in April of last year.

Ngannou last competed in October of last year, where he knocked out Renan Ferreira to win the PFL heavyweight title upon his return to MMA. Before that, he had transitioned to boxing after leaving the UFC as a free agent, participating in high-profile fights against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia, both of which he lost.

GUARDIAN

Bolt introduces electric tricycles in Lagos

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By Royal Ibeh

Bolt, the leading ride-hailing platform in Africa has introduced electric tricycles in Lagos, with a bold target of deploying 1,000 units by the end of 2025.

The initiative is part of the company’s broader vision to enhance urban mobility, empower drivers, and promote environmental sustainability in Nigeria’s most populous city.

The launch, which took place in Lagos, underscores Bolt’s commitment to offering transport solutions that reflect the economic and infrastructural realities of African cities. By targeting fuel cost reduction and long-term vehicle ownership for drivers, the company hopes to ease the burden of rising operational expenses in the country.

Central to the initiative is a “Lease-to-Own” model developed in partnership with SGX. Through this model, drivers can acquire brand-new electric tricycles without any upfront payment and own them outright after 24 months of consistent service. This model not only supports financial inclusion but also gives drivers more control over their livelihoods.

Drivers under the scheme will operate exclusively within SGX-managed fleets on the Bolt platform and will enjoy flexible lease terms, which vary based on weekly performance.

The electric tricycles also open up a lower-cost category for commuters, making transport more accessible in high-density and underserved areas of Lagos.

Bolt’s regional director of Rides Operations, Africa and International Markets, Caroline Wanjihia, at the launch event in Lagos, on Wednesday, said this initiative will transform how mobility works for the people who power Bolt’s platform, by giving them tools to reduce fuel spending, avoid upfront vehicle costs, and eventually own their tricycles.

“We are putting more control and earning potential directly into their hands. Nigeria, with its vast and dynamic population, is key to our strategy of making mobility economically viable and accessible for everyone,” Wanjihia averred.

The General Manager, Bolt Nigeria, Osi Oguah, added that the launch will address two critical challenges in Nigeria’s transport sector – driver income and commuter access.

“By introducing electric tricycles with flexible, lease-to-own options, we’re helping drivers save money, own their vehicles, and build sustainable livelihoods. At the same time, we’re offering commuters, especially in underserved areas, a more affordable and accessible way to move around their city. We have an ambitious target of having 1,000 electric tricycles by the end of 2025,” Oguah said.

Designed for maneuverability and affordability, the tricycles fill a critical mobility gap in parts of Lagos that are underserved by existing transport infrastructure.

This initiative aligns with Bolt’s goal to ensure inclusive mobility where access to affordable, reliable transport is not limited by location or income level.

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