Yoruba Water Deities
* by Olóyè Àìkúlọlá Iwíndárà Nathan Lugo *
Here is but a tiny list of some WATER DEITIES (various Òrìṣà of water) of Yorùbá culture and their respective bodies of water in Yorùbáland:
Erinlẹ̀ = RIVER (patron of the river by the same name, and hunter; also spelled and pronounced "Eyinlẹ̀")
Ọ̀tìn = RIVER (patron of the river by the same name)
Yemọja (lyemọja) = RIVER (she is patron of the Ògùn River)
Ọbà = RIVER (patron of the river by the same name)
Sogídí = LAKE (worshipped at Aáwẹ́ town, Ọ̀yọ́)
Àáwón = RIVER (in Ọ̀yọ́)
Èrèlú = RIVER (in Ọ̀yọ́)
Ọ̀ṣun = RIVER
Lógunẹ̀dẹ = RIVER (a hunter and considered a male manifestation of the Ọ̀ṣun complex)
Ọya = RIVER (patron of the Oya river
popularly called the Niger River; wind deity, among other things)
Otonporo = RIVER (from the town of
Ìjàbẹ́)
Awò = RIVER/STREAM (from Ogbagba Village in Ọ̀ṣun State)
Yewa = RIVER (her river flows parallel to the seashore through Badagry, emptying into the Lagos lagoon)
Òfìkì = RIVER
Yemọjì = RIVER (not to be confused with Iyemọja)
Odò Olúwẹri = RIVER (of Ìlú Ìmóòkan)
Esimirin = RIVER (in Ile Ife)
Olumirin = RIVER (Ekiti)
Ìjamìdó = RIVER (Ota, Ogun State)
Ọlájomi = RIVER (from Inísà)
Àbíyè Arẹmọ = RIVER (Iju Ota Awori
Land -seven rivers meet in it)
Ọlọ́sà / Ọ̀sààrà = LAGOON
Olókun = SEA / OCEAN (also worshipped at rivers and streams at most inland Olókun worshipping communities.)
***There are many more Yorùbá water deities, too many to list here.***
by Olóyè Àìkúlọlá Iwíndárà Nathan Lugo
