ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the concept of a hidden God in Yoruba religious traditions. The author argues that Olodumare is a deity, who occupies a high place in the hierarchy of the gods but is constantly delegating activities and in doing so controls the universe, the lives of the Yoruba people, and the natural objects he has made. Olodumare’s hiddenness also implies presence, which is the function of divine power mediated through the Òrìsàs (divinities) and the Obas (kings), making Olodumare present through the manifestations of his tutelary deities who are models of reconstruction.
