About

Our Mission Statement: What we exist to do?

Our mission is to restore Afrakan reality (Ma’at) to the planet founded on the eight tenets of the Olúwa Ìsèse (God’s Divine Order).

The eight (8) core tenets of the Olúwa Ìsèse Paradigm are:

1. Igbékèlé (The Preeminence of Spirit)
2. Ìwòn (Complementarity and Balance)
3. Onílé (Mother Earth and Ecological Balance)
4. Spirocyclic Nature of History and Reality
5. Ìdílé (Family- Continuity and Intergenerational Transmission)
6. Ìwà-Pèlé (Gentle/Good/Righteous Character)
7. ReAfrakanization (Personal and Collective Identity and Healing Transformation and Development)
8. Nationbuilding, National Sovereignty and War of Irreconcilable Cultural Realities

Egbé Sankofa Kingdom of the Gods of Afraka is in the sovereignty “business.” Olúwa Ìsèse- our traditional cultural system- is an end and the means. The creation of Olúwa Ìsèse (God’s Divine Order) for the planet is the ultimate goal. The primary means of establishing Olúwa Ìsèse and sovereignty are:

•    ReAfrakanization- is the process of Rediscovery, Reclamation and Re-identification with the traditional cultures, values and morals of Afraka. It is simultaneously the abandonment of non-Afrakan linkages, values and behaviors.

•    Family Development- the first stage of Nationbuilding. The family, lineage and clan are the primary basis of the state function of the nation. The primary function of the family is the facilitation of its children’s discovery of their personal mission within the context of the family mission, and the development of children’s spiritual, physical and intellectual abilities for the actualization of that mission.

•   Nationbuilding- that process of establishing a defined, independent and ordered spiritual, physical, psychological, political, territorial and cultural reality.

Our Purpose Statement: Why we exist?
Our purpose is to attain the complete and unqualified sovereignty of the Afrakan world and its constituent units.

Our Code of Honor:

The values of Egbé Sankofa remind each of us and tell the rest of the world who we are and what we stand for. They are the fundamental tools that will enable you to determine right from wrong in any situation.  Our values are consistent and synergistic. Each supports the others. Here are the Egbé values that guide you as a leader and as a member of Sankofaman:     

• Act honorably (Tòwòtòwò). Honor is not negotiable. It is an all-encompassing requirement of being Sankofa. A true Sankofa has only one judge of honor, and this is her/himself. Decisions you make and how these decisions are carried out are a reflection of who you truly are. You cannot hide from yourself.

• Act with courage and a warrior’s spirit (Ìláyà). When you know what needs to be done, do it. Rise up above the masses of people who are afraid to act. Hiding like a turtle in a shell is not living at all. A Sankofa must possess heroic courage (fearlessness). It is absolutely risky. It is dangerous. It is living life completely, fully, and wonderfully. Fearlessness is not blind. It is intelligent and strong.

• Be loyal and dutiful (Seégbéékèlé àti Ètó). Without loyalty there is no trust. For the Sankofa, having done some “thing” or said some “thing” you know you own that “thing.” You are responsible for it, and all the consequences that follow. A Sankofa is immensely loyal to those in her/his care. To those you are responsible for remain fiercely true.

• Act with rectitude and complete sincerity (Ìwà-òdodo). Always do the right thing. When a Sankofa has said they will perform some act, it is as good as done. Nothing can stop you from completing what you have said you will do. You do not have to “promise.” Speaking and doing are the same action.

• Be compassionate (Àánú). To be a leader, one must care about others. Through intense training the Sankofa becomes fearless and strong. Sankofa are not as other people. You develop a power that must be used for the good of all. You have compassion. You help out your fellow human beings at every opportunity. If an opportunity does not arise, you will go out of the way to find one.

• Be honest and just (Olóotó). Without honesty, there is no credibility. Be acutely honest throughout your dealings with all people. Believe in justice, not from other people, but from yourself. To the true Sankofa, there are no shades of gray in the question of honesty and justice. There is only right and wrong.

• Be polite and courteous (Amalúwàbí). It shows respect and makes getting along with everyone much easier. Sankofa have no reason to be cruel. You do not need to prove your strength. A Sankofa is courteous, even to your enemies. Without this outward show of respect, you are nothing more than an animal. A Sankofa is not only respected for your strength in struggle, but also for how you deal with other human beings. The true strength of a Sankofa becomes apparent during difficult times.

• Act under self-control (Ìséra). To lead and direct others and situations, you must control yourself.

• Appreciate the arts (Onà láti moyi). Art is the doorway to comprehending and appreciating life.

Our Sentiment Statement: What we believe

Sentiments

Egbé Sankofa Kingdom of the Gods of Afraka affirms the Sacred Odù Ifá as the inspired word of Olódùmarè, and as the basis for our understanding. We accept the “Sixteen Sentiments and Beliefs of Ìsèse Sacred Science” as an affirmation of our basic beliefs.

1.     Olúwa Ìsèse exists on two planes, the cosmic and the ethnic.  On the cosmic plane, the divinities correspond to particular energies and phenomenon, which affect all life on the planet.  On the ethnic level, the divinities were first conceptualized and born into Yorùbá society.  Therefore, we Sankofa Ìsèse believers feel it necessary to fully comprehend all aspects of Yorùbá life and discipline before one attempt’s to represent or interpret the tradition. To interpret the tradition on the cosmic level alone is to divest it of its Yorùbá (Afrakan) heritage. In such an event, we feel that another amorphous, cosmopolitan faith system is created, and it is no longer necessary to think of it as derived from the indigenous Yoruba cultural tradition.

2.     We believe that there is one Spirit, Àkámarà (Olódùmarè), who created and controls the cosmos and all that is contained therein.

3.     We believe that there are forces of nature, Òrìsà, divine ministers and manifestations of God that govern the affairs of human beings and the governing of the universe.

4.     We believe that the spirit/soul of humans lives on after death and that the ancestral spirit/soul must be remembered and honored, and consulted by the living and that they do reincarnate back into the world of the living.

5.     We believe in the righteousness and sacredness of our mission.

6.     We believe that there are many changes ahead, which promise a better life for us.  However, we must not ever become so enchanted with the new that we forget to reclaim and retain out traditional institutions, values and customs, nor depart too radically from them.

7.     We believe in divination as revealed to us by Òrúnmìlà Afèdèfèyò through the Sacred Odù Ifá and that it is the “Word of God.”

8.     We believe that knowledge is the golden key to success and power in life.  Success in life includes possessing good character, children, a successful marriage, stable home, money, land, titles, businesses, and good standing with one's neighbors.

9.     We believe that daily prayer, both personal and group, is mandatory and efficacious, and we believe that the use of life force (blood) offerings, fasting, the giving of alms (sacrifice), and performing good works strengthens and elevates our prayers to Olódùmarè, the Òrìsà and Egúngún (ancestors).

10.  We believe that, “Heaven is home and Earth is the marketplace.” Hence, we are neither a world- affirming nor a world- renouncing people. We believe that we are spiritual beings on a human journey (life), and that the Earth is the place where we develop ìwà-pèlé (good character) and evolve.

11.  We believe that everyone belongs somewhere in a group, and all people are not necessarily equal in all situations.  Age, gender, and vested authority determine every situation and we must respect those who are in positions of authority and responsibility.

12.  We believe in the magical medicinal use of herbs.

13.  We believe that the most important ties are those in marriage and between parents and children. Marriage is the normal and natural state for adults, and both polygyny and monogamy are viable forms of marriage.

14.  We believe that ritual song and dance is mandatory in the worship of the Òrìsà.

15.  We believe that humans can commune with the Òrìsà and Egúngún through the vehicle of trance-possession.

16.  We Sankofa believe that good health is the most precious of all in life and that every Sankofa who is able should make a sojourn to Yorùbáland, West Afraka.