SHANGO: Ifa and the Spirit of Lightning

by Awo Falokun Fatunmbi

Shango is the name of a Spiritual Force associated with the power of lightning in the West African religious tradition called Ifa . The word Shango is the name of a historical figure who was the fourth Alafin (Community Chief) of Oyo. The name has also been given to a complex convergence of Spiritual Forces that are key elements in the Ifa concept of courage and justice. These Spiritual Forces form the essence of Shango s role in the Spiritual Realm and are at the foundation of the process of spiritual transformation. It is lightning that reaches from the Realm of the Ancestors to Earth as a reminder of the humbling power that exists within Nature itself. Lightning is the Ifa symbol for Divine Justice.