Itẹfá is the pinnacle of spiritual commitment in Ìṣẹ̀ṣe L'ágbà. It is not a commercial course or an academic diploma; it is a profound ontological transformation that occurs within the sacred grove of Igbódù, under the strict supervision of senior elders (Àwọn Oluwo).
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— Ẹsẹ̀ Ifá · Òtúrá MéjìẸni tí ó tẹ Ifá, ó bọ́ lọ́wọ́ ikú; ó wọ inú awo, ó d'ẹni àyànfẹ́. (Whoever undergoes Itẹfá escapes premature death; entering the sacred mystery, they become the chosen child of wisdom.)
The Sacerdotal Protocol of Itẹfá in Akurẹ́
In the royal Falodun tradition, Itẹfá spans multiple days of intense purification, botanical baths (Ẹ̀rọ̀), sacred head shavings (Fáfá), nocturnal rituals, and the revelation of the personal Odù from the 16 Ikin.
Sources: IFA Sudamérica Ground Truth Repository, Akurẹ́ Sacerdotal Ordination Canon, Odù Ifá Òtúrá Méjì.