Today history is about two Yoruba & African Deities (ORISHAS) SANGO and one of his Three wives ÓYA African Goddesses (Orishas). A Warrior-Queen, She is the 3rd and favorite wife of the IRUNMOLE Shango, to whom She gave the power to create storms. Much of Oya’s energy is rooted in the natural world; She is the Goddess of thunder, lightning, tornadoes, winds, rainstorms, and hurricanes…Oya is the favourite wife of Shango, the only wife who remained true to him until the end, leaving Oyo with him and becoming a deity. She is Goddess of the Niger River, (Odo Oya), but she manifests herself as the strong wind that precedes a thunderstorm..
Oya” means she tore. She also goes by the name Ọya-Ìyáńsàn-án meaning the mother of nine. Oya was barren and could only have stillborns. She gave birth to nine children but they all came out dead.
Oya has psychic abilities. She could perceive things beyond this world and call forth the dead for discussions. She can even hold them back if she feels they have unfinished business on earth.
Once angered, she can destroy villages and communities with floods and any other natural disaster she deems fit. She is fierce because she hates lies and injustice and would not refrain from pouring her wrath on those who dare her.
Sango had other women in his life – Oshun, the first and the one historians considered to be the legitimate wife and Oba was the second while Oya was the third wife .. The three wives of Sango later turned to river .. Osun River in Oshogbo , Oba River in a town called Iwo osun state , and Oya Niger River ..
The first two wives posed big competition. But Oya had something they both lacked. She became Sango’s favourite and the bond between them was made stronger due to the complimentary superpowers they possessed. And together, they were a powerful force.
When it’s time to ravage their enemies, Oya, who had the power to summon wind, would lead the charge. With her power, she would blow off roofs, fall trees and breathe life into the fire set by Sango’s thunder. Generally, Oya was more than a wife to Sango. They were like Sands on the surface of the Earth , they are always together ..
The strong bond between them gave Oya more than access to Sango’s heart. She also had access to Sango’s Edun Ara or (thunderbolt)
Oya, it was said, was the one who advised Sango to get rid of his two powerful war generals, Timi Olofa Ina and Gbonka after they initially refused his order not to wage a war against Owu. Sango sent the duo to border towns of Oyo Empire. Timi went to Ede (where history says he became the first king; Timi is the official title of kings of Ede]. But Gbonka stayed in Oyo.
Twice, Sango pitted Gbonka against Timi in order to get rid of them. Twice Gbonka was victorious. He ordered that Gbonka be burned to ashes after the second fight against Timi.
Powerful Gbonka reappeared after three days demanding that Sango should abdicate the throne. In anger, Sango requested his Edun Ara from his beloved Oya.
He got the Edun. But there was a problem. It was wet and stained with blood from Oya’s menstruation. To refortify the Edun, Sango, history says, went to a nearby rock. The thunder from that exercise struck his palace and razed it down.
It was all down for Sango thereafter. Gbonka challenged him. Unwilling to fight, he disappeared into the air. Another version of Sango’s end has it that he hanged himself in a place called Koso.
Either way, an account of how Oya died has it that she was saddened by Sango’s disappearance/death so much that she decided, to take her own life by turning herself into a large Nigeria River (ODO ÓYA)
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