Eṣu

See also: eṣu

Yoruba

Ère òrìṣà Èṣù

Etymology

Possibly from è- (“nominalizing prefix”) +‎ ṣù (“to bring together, to harmonize”), literally “The one who allows for coexistence”

• This is said to refer to the role of Èṣù as an intermediary between the evil and good forces of the universe.

Compare with Edo Èsù, Ede Idaca Èchù, Itsekiri Èṣù

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /è.ʃù/

Proper noun

Èṣù

1. The orisha and primordial divinity (irúnmọlẹ̀) of judgement, trickery, crossroads, and the messenger of Olódùmarè in the Yoruba religion. He is believed to epitomize the duality of goodness and malevolence, and is the intermediary between humanity and the evil forces, the Ajogun.

   Synonyms: Ẹlẹ́gbà, Ẹlẹ́gbára, Láàróyè, Èṣù Ọ̀dàrà, Ọ̀gá, Èṣù Láàlú

   Èṣù Láàlú, Èṣù Ọdàrà, Èṣù elépolẹ́nu; Èṣù Láàlú, Ògiri-òkò! ― Eshu Láàlú, Èṣù Ọdàrà, Èṣù who has red oil on his mouth; Èṣù Láàlú, the stone wall! (oríkì Èṣù)

2. (proscribed) Satan, the Devil

   Synonyms: Sátánì, Bìlísì

Usage notes

• Proscribed by Yoruba academics, linguists, and worshippers of the Yoruba religion, as the orisha is not equivalent to the figure Satan found in Abrahamic religions, and its use stigmatized worshippers of Èṣù as satanists, and by extension, perpetuated foreign stereotypes of Yoruba and other African indigenous religions. Alternatives presented include Sátánì and Bìlísì, directly loaned from the words for Satan in English and Arabic respectively.

Derived terms

• eléṣù (“a worshipper of Èṣù”)
• Èṣúbíyìí (“Yoruba name meaning, Èṣù gave birth to this child”)
• Èṣúkáyọ̀dé (“Yoruba name, meaning, Èṣù brings joy”)

 

Descendants

• → English: Eshu
• → Portuguese: Exu
  • → Portuguese: exu
• → Krio: eshu

Further reading

• Akinwumi, Olatunji S. ESU ELEGBARA IN YORUBA MYTHOLOGY: A SEARCH FOR IDENTITY [1], 2020
• Falola, Toyin. Esu: Yoruba God, Power And The Imaginative Frontiers [2], 2014
• Kanu, Ikechukwu A. THE HELLENIZATION OF AFRICAN TRADITIONAL DEITIES: THE CASE OF EKWENSU AND ESU [3], 2021