ÀyàNmá (The Mystery of Predestination)

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ÀyàNmá (The Mystery of Predestination)

By Sam Akinwale

Talking about predestination isn’t easy. In fact, it’s one of those topics that often leaves people confused, doubtful, or even disturbed. It raises heavy, uncomfortable questions—questions that sometimes shake the foundation of what we believe.

In Yorùbá philosophy, the idea of predestination is deeply rooted and widely accepted. Known as ÀyàNmó or Kádàrá, it’s believed to be a spiritual blueprint—a detailed, unseen script of a person’s journey from birth to death. According to tradition, this life path is chosen before a person arrives on Earth. And once it’s chosen, it cannot be changed.

There’s something mysterious—even supernatural—about ÀyàNmá. As a Yorùbá man and a writer, I’ve spent time reflecting on it, and honestly, it’s left me with more questions than answers. One question that haunts me is this: How does a child, completely unaware of this world, choose a life that may be filled with joy—or pain? At what point does this choice happen? And does the child really have a say?

Some schools of thought within Yorùbá belief suggest that there is a Supreme Creator—Elédà—who assigns each person’s ÀyàNmá before they are born. But even that raises difficult questions. If Elédà is all-knowing and just, why would some people be destined for suffering, poverty, or disgrace, while others are born into royalty, wealth, or power? Is the Creator unfair? Is there a reason behind these unequal destinies?

These are not easy questions. But they are honest ones.

We all know that life is a mix of joy and sorrow, beauty and hardship. Some are born with crowns on their heads, into families of privilege and abundance. Others arrive in the world with heavy burdens placed on their shoulders, through no fault of their own. It’s this contrast that makes the mystery of ÀyàNmá even more difficult to unravel.

As I bring this reflection to a close, I’d like to open the floor. Is predestination real? Is it truly Elédà who decides our fate—or do we, somehow, choose our own path before entering this world?

I don’t claim to have the answers. But I would love to hear your thoughts, your beliefs, your experiences. Maybe, through open dialogue, we can begin to understand this mystery just a little bit more

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