Eṣu

eṣu ēsu esù ESU Yoruba thumb|right|Ère òrìṣà Èṣù (sense 1) thumb|right|Èṣù (sense 2) Etymology Etymology is yo 1, some propose it may come from yo è- ṣù nominalizing prefix to bring together, to harmonize The one who allows for coexistence, though this may simply be a folk etymology. This is said to refer to the role of Èṣù as an intermediary between the evil and good forces of the universe. Compare with bin Èsù, idd Echu Èchù, its Eṣu Èṣù Pronunciation Èṣù Proper noun Èṣù The orisha and primordial divinity (yo irúnmọlẹ̀) of judgement, trickery, crossroads, and the messenger of yo 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 yo Ajogun. yo Ẹlẹ́gbà Ẹlẹ́gbára Láàróyè Èṣù Ọ̀dàrà Ọ̀gá Èṣù Láàlú yo yo Èṣù Láàlú Èṣù Láàlú, Èṣù Ọdàrà, Èṣù elépolẹ́nu; Èṣù Láàlú, Ògiri-òkò! Èṣù Láàlú, Èṣù Ọdàrà, Èṣù who has red oil on his mouth; Èṣù Láàlú, the stone wall! (oríkì Èṣù) yo proscribed Satan, the Devil yo 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 yo Sátánì and yo Bìlísì, directly loaned from the words for Satan in English and Arabic respectively. Derived terms yo Èṣúkáyọ̀dé<pos:Yoruba name><lit:Èṣù brings joy> Èṣúbíyìí<pos:Yoruba name><lit:Èṣù gave birth to this child> eléṣù<t:a worshipper of Èṣù> Descendants en Eshu 1 pt Exu 1 pt exu 1 kri eshu 1 Further reading Akinwumi, Olatunji S. ESU ELEGBARA IN YORUBA MYTHOLOGY: A SEARCH FOR IDENTITY , 2020 Falola, Toyin. Esu: Yoruba God, Power And The Imaginative Frontiers , 2014 Kanu, Ikechukwu A. THE HELLENIZATION OF AFRICAN TRADITIONAL DEITIES: THE CASE OF EKWENSU AND ESU , 2021 yo Yoruba religion