Birth Services
Across the world, birth is seen as an extremely spiritual practice. Within the Yoruba cosmology we see birth as being the closest one can be between life and death. When a person becomes pregnant there are many things done to ensure that the pregnancy is healthy. Once a child is born there are ceremonies and rituals done to ensure that the child and parents are healthy and set up for a lifetime of success and blessings. At Ifa Otito Ile Aye Temple, Ifa and Esu Priestess Ifawumi Esukemi is the birthworker responsible for making sure that births are carried out with our cultural Yoruba understandings as well as the advocacy needed to birth within the United States.
About Our Birthworker
Ifawumi Esukemi (Leslieanne Okorie) (The Ellemental) is a Ifa and Esu Priestess, Full Spectrum Holistic Doula, Herbalist, Musician, Poet, Writer, Musical Theatre Actress, Creative Director, Mother, and Entrepreneur. In 2023, Esukemi and her family initiated with Chief Erelu Awo and Chief Araba Oso in Tableland, Trinidad and Tobago at Ile Ijuba Gbogbo Orisa Mimo Ofun Osa Temple. Now with the guidance of her Elders, Eegungun and Orisa, she is now able to incorporate the traditional Ifa birthing practices to create a birthing experience for her clients that is not just natural and physiological, but also places Ifa in the driving seat of the birthing outcomes.
Esukemi is the mother of a 3 year old Ifa Priestess. After the birth of her daughter, she trained under Nubia Martin of Birth from the Earth becoming a Full Spectrum Holistic Doula. Since then, she also launched her brand “By the Ellemental” through this brand she has created products that help women to take charge of their own reproductive health. She has helped many women become pregnant, and saw them through their varying birth outcomes focusing always on the health and self advocacy of the pregnant person. Esukemi also curates a multitude of events geared toward highlighting the health, artistry and entrepreneurship of Black people. She is currently studying Orisa Dance and Drum while also training to become a Lactation Counselor.
Esukemi is of Caribbean Descent through St. Vincent and the Grenadines and grew up in Brooklyn NY. She holds a degree in Computer Information Systems Technology from CUNY Citytech. She studied Musical Theatre with the Irondale Ensemble Project from 2014-2017. She then became a model and creative director, her work has been featured in Vogue’s digital publication, Culture Icon magazine and more. In 2020, Esukemi published her first Visual EP “Escaping Edyn”, the rollout of this EP was covered in varying publications. She is a gifted artist on many accords and ensures that she brings all aspects of her gifts to every experience
