Our Chief, Our Babalawo, Our Oluwo, Our Baba...

Chief Aluko is the Babalodu Awo Agbaye, an international title awarded him on June 5, 1997, on his pilgrimage to the Ancient Holy City of Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He was crowned at the sacred Orunmila Temple at Oke Tase by the Araba Agbaye - Adisa Awoyemi - the Chief Babalawo (High Priest) of the IFA religious system. Chief Aluko's title of "Babalodu" translates as "Father of Odu" (the container of existence- a feminine energy), or the means by which a Babalawo, High Priest of Ifa, communicates the will of Olodumare, the Supreme Being.

This position is one of 16 major Ifa titles in the world. The Babalodu is one of only a handful of non-Nigerians to be crowned in this country with a traditional leadership title among the Babalawos. His title has been vacant for years, waiting for a Babalawo from "across the waters" to fill the hereditary seat.

The Babalodu Awo serves as the head of the Indigenous Faith of Africa (IFA), Inc. Chief Aluko teaches that the development of Iwa Pele - human character - is the key to fulfilling one's destiny. He instructs his Omo Orisa (Spiritual Children) that our purpose for returning from the spiritual realm to the Earth plane is to serve Olodumare the Supreme Being, and his Orisa - the Pantheon of Yoruba Divinities, or spiritual forces of nature.

Good character is necessary to properly serve Olodumare and the Orisa, and to maintain personal harmony and unity within the family, community, nation and world. Chief asserts that through the powers of the ancient IFA divination system, all problems have a solution, which always includes following IFA's wise counsel and making the proper sacrifice to the Ancestors and the spiritual forces (Orisa).

The Babalodu is descended from a long line of African spiritualists. He traces his ancestral lineage to the Egbe people of Abeokuta, Nigeria. He also counts the "Salt Water Geeches" of Savannah, Georgia, amoung his illustrious Ancestors. Family legends tell of his paternal great, great grandfather who was a Babalawo brought to Port Royal, South Carolina, in the 1860's on the last slave ship to arrive illegally in America. Succi White, his maternal great grandfather was a Baptist minister described as a "long-haired Black Indian" Rev Mango Crooms. Chief has provided spiritual healing for, and serves as the Babalorisa (Spiritual Father) and Olowu (Teacher) for numerous clients and Omo Orisa (Spiritual Children) in South Florida, Savannah and Brunswick, Georgia; New York, New Orleans, Louisiana; St. Croix, US Virgin Islands; Seattle, Washington; The Bahamas; and Nigeria.