Founder & Chairman
Adekunle Awosoji Akangbe Ogun
Babaláwo, Master Woodcarver, Traditional Healer & Cultural Educator
Guiding the spiritual compass of Arelagbayi and leading the Traditional Arts School. Dedicated to ancestral "re-remembering," healing through the soil and forest of Yorùbá cosmology, and bridging indigenous medicine across the global diaspora.
About Adekunle
An Unbroken Lineage of Sacred Mastery
I am Oluwo Awosoji Adekunle Akangbe Ogun, a native of Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria. I was born into a family deeply rooted in culture — masters of traditional woodcarving, structural design, and sacred artistry. We are a family of Ogun devotees, with our hands deep in the depth of Yoruba spirituality in all its forms.
I come from an unbroken lineage. I am amplifying the legacy of my late father, Kasali Akangbe Ogun, and the entire clan of the Kaa Ogun lineage of Gbooni, also known as Ayegun. Gbooni is an ancient town that preceded what is known today as Osogbo. Gbooni still exists within Osogbo today — two towns in one, holding the original root.
“Ìlera l’orọ̀ — Health is true wealth. When we re-remember our ancestral roots, our spiritual alignment and bodily vitality naturally restore.”
From childhood, I understudied my father in every aspect of work ethic and way of life. My father saw his continuity in me from a very early age. He supported me even when my vision did not make sense at the time. One of those visions that didn't make sense then has now become the breakthrough that many others benefit from today.
Being the son of a renowned woodcarver, I was exposed to Ifa and Orisa through his work. Our art exists to give form to Ifa wisdom in wood — centered on Yoruba belief, cosmology, and sacred stories. That exposure drew me deeper. I was initiated into Ifa and the Orisa of my calling to build spiritual fortitude as a young man.
What began as learning to protect myself and my loved ones grew into a calling to serve people from afar who need healing in all its forms.
For over 28 years, I have served as Founder and Chief Priest of Ika Alaparo, and now as Chairman of the Arelagbayi Institute of Yoruba Healing Arts. I have touched lives both home and abroad. I remain an artist and art collector at heart, fulfilling my father's dream of creating a sacred space where people can decompress, connect with nature, and learn authentic traditional arts — woodcarving (Gbena-gbena), Adire, and other mediums.
My work is founded on one principle: Ilera l'oro — Health is true wealth.
When we re-remember our ancestral roots, our spiritual alignment and bodily vitality naturally restore. As a consecrated Babalawo and elder keeper of Orisa tradition, I understand Ifa not as dogma, but as personal medicine and a sustainable, peaceful way of life. Through Ifa divination, ritual, and traditional herbs — ewe ati egbo — I have served as an indigenous healer in cases that modern systems have deemed terminal or inexplicable.
I am a family man, a teacher, and a bridge between worlds. At Arelagbayi, I oversee the spiritual integrity of the Institute and direct the Traditional Arts School, ensuring our sacred legacy remains vibrant for generations to come — for those who are ready to do the work to reclaim what is missing.
Global Impact & Advisory
Northwestern University, Chicago
Invited as a practitioner-intellectual to contribute traditional knowledge and guidance toward the roadmap for the Orisa/Erusi Epistemology Initiative
40+ Symposia Across 10 States
Hosted and keynoted over 40 conferences and cultural gatherings across the United States, centering Ìlera l’orọ̀ (Health is Wealth).
International Cultural Delegations
Led cultural exchanges, workshops, and ceremonial gatherings across Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Benin Republic, Kenya, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Pacific Islander Healing Exchange
Completed an indigenous healing retreat "Midst of Healers" in Hilo, Hawaii, creating cultural reciprocity with Native Hawaiian and Indigenous elders/healers across 19 ethnic backgrounds.
Offerings & Roles
🌿 Traditional Consultations: Ifá divination & herbal medicine.
🪵 Master Woodcarving: Traditional birth stools, posts, drums, and sacred implements.
✨ Spiritual Mentorship: Guiding practitioners back to ancestral balance.
🏛️ Workshops & Lectures: Indigenous Yorùbá cosmology and healthcare equity.
Elder Insights & Writings
Teachings From Adekunle’s Blog
Community & Connection
Reflections, Stories & Words of Gratitude
Whether you have attended a seminar, sat with Adekunle for guidance, or learned alongside him in the carving studio, your words nurture the lineage.
Ifakorewatimi A. : Washington
I have received countless divinations from Oluwo Awosoji and I must say, his work is tremendous. I don't think I could go to another Babalawo.From the teachings I've received from Baba, and from the spiritual work we've done, my life has truly transformed — my work, my life, my interactions with others, my character, everything has improved.He doesn't just initiate you. He really works with you to unravel the things that are knitted and knotted — the things that are our responsibility as humans to fix.