OKO
Yoruba Agriculture God
Extremely fertile God of Agriculture
One of the Orishas born of Yemaya, he descended to Earth in human form and lived on a little farm, where he encouraged the soil to produce bountiful goodies.
Then one day he mysteriously vanished. Did the earth swallow him up? Did he ascend back to Heaven? We have no idea. He didn’t even leave a note. All that was left was his wooden staff, sticking up out of the ground.
His neighbors were intrigued and realized that the old farmer was more than he seemed. Obviously he was a divinity of great power. Not only could he appear and disappear at will, but his fruit and vegetables were magnificent.
Once everyone realized Oko’s true nature, his staff took on a whole new meaning — as a phallic symbol. Obviously he’d left it sticking up like that on purpose to represent fertility.
These humble beginnings led to Orisha Oko being worshiped across the land as a deity of fertile farming and fecundity. He is almost a Yoruban Priapus. At the start of the rainy season there is a festival devoted to him — in which men are allowed to get up close and fertile with any woman they choose. We just hope all that agricultural frolicking is consensual as well as sensual.
Oko Facts and Figures
Name: Oko
Pronunciation: Coming soon
Alternative names:
Gender: Male
Type: God
Area or people: Yoruba people of Nigeria and Benin
Celebration or Feast Day: Unknown at present
Role:
In charge of: Agriculture and Farming
Area of expertise: Agriculture, Farming
Good/Evil Rating: Unknown at present
Popularity index: 9687
Cite this article
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Article last revised on May 19, 2019 by Rowan Allen.
Editors: Peter J. Allen, Chas Saunders
References: Coming soon.