One of the most powerful deities in the Yoruba religion, and one of the most important deities in Africa, was Oya. Because of her strength and bravery on the battlefield, they thought she was invincible to the enemy.
She is an orisha of winds, lightning, violent storms, death, and rebirth. It is widely accepted that Shakespeare’s tragic love story Romeo and Juliet is the true definition of love: the two young minds see past the inter-family quarrel and stand firm in the face of adversity for what they value. Finally, only death will satisfy their burning desire.
Sango, the powerful Alaafin of the Old Oyo Empire, and his concubine Oya, a spirit with the ability to transform into animals and summon rain, have a similarly tragic love story. Oshun and Oba were Sango’s other wives.
The first two spouses were bitter enemies. The only difference was that Oya possessed a quality that others lacked. As a result of their complementary superpowers, she became Sango’s favorite and the bond between them grew stronger. They were a formidable force when they worked as a team.
Oya, who had the ability to summon wind, would lead the charge when it was time to ravage their enemies. She could tear apart roofs, bring down trees, and rekindle the fire that Sango’s thunder had started.
Oya was more than just a wife to Sango, in general. Due to their strong bond, Oya had access to Sango’s heart. She could use Edun Ara, or Sango’s thunderbolt to hasten Sango’s demise. Oya is said to have advised him to get rid of Timi Olofa Ina and Gbonka.
Sango had sent the two to the border towns of Oyo, in the Oyo Empire. Timi, the first king of Ede, travelled to Ede. In spite of this, Gbonka decided to stay in Oyo. In order to get rid of Gbonka and Timi, Sango pitted the two against each other on two occasions. A second time, Gbonka won. His order to burn Gbonka to the ground came after his second fight with Timi.
Sango’s throne should be abdicated by the powerful Gbonka, who reappeared after three days to demand it. Sango demanded his Edun Ara from his beloved Oya out of anger. He received the Edun. There was, however, a problem. Oya’s menstruation had left it wet and stained. Sango found a rock to refortify the Edun, according to legend. His palace was burnt to ashes by the thunder that emerged during this exercise.
After that, it was all over for Sango. Gbonka pushed him to the limit. He did not want to fight, so he took off into the sky. A different version of Sango’s demise has him hanging himself in Koso. Oya, like Juliet, took her own life because she was so saddened by Sango’s disappearance or death. Her husband, Sango’s favorite wife and the only one who stayed true to him until the very end, leaving Oyo behind and becoming a deity in his absence.
Her name is Odo Oya, and she is the goddess of the Niger River. Oya is a “ride or die chick” in today’s popular culture.