The Èrèlú Awo of Iwaro Oka Àkókó

Natalya Mills, a distinguished native of Trinidad & Tobago, has been crowned and appointed as the Èrèlú Awo of Iwaro Oka Àkókó in Ondo State, Nigeria. She collaborates with His Royal Majesty, Oba Akande Omiyejola, the Asin of Okà Land. Natalya Mills, who also bears the names Ifáfunmilayo and Eégúnniwura, is a mother, Ìyánifa (female Ifá priest), Ìyá Agan (Eégúngún/ancestor Priestess), and art/Yorùbá philosopher. Her expertise spans art philosophy, curatorial, Caribbean culture, dress and costume history, identity, and Black Body Politics. Her scholarly contributions intricately weave together elements of Yorùbá culture with Caribbean philosophy, Trinidad Carnival arts, and Caribbean history. She is the Spiritual Head of Ile Ijosin Ifá Otito Ile Aye Temple in New York City, an institution dedicated to (re)membering and (re)claiming West African identity for children of the African diaspora. She is also the founder of the nonprofit organization Ifá Otito Ile Aye Inc. (I.O.I.A Inc.), which focuses on connecting, reclaiming, and preserving West African Yorùbá culture in the African diaspora through cultural exchange, innovative educational programming, and the arts.

Currently ABD (All But Dissertation) in her doctoral studies in Art Theory and Philosophy at the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts (IDSVA), Mills was honored as a 2017 David Driskell Fellow. She holds an MA in Costume Studies: Visual Culture, a BS in Visual Arts Management, and an AAS in Display and Exhibition Design. Mills has been conferred the title of "Leadership & Cultural Catalysts in the Caribbean Community" by Congresswoman Dr. Una Clarke and Yvette Clarke. Additionally, she has been honored with a Proclamation from New York State Senator Parker in recognition of her significant contributions to the Caribbean community. Mills has collaborated with numerous museums and cultural institutions in the United States and internationally, including the Brooklyn Historical Society, The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, El Museo Del Barrio, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Spelman Museum of Fine Arts, Wyckoff House Museum, Brooklyn Arts Council, Weeksville Heritage Center, the United Nations Headquarters in NYC, University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras. She has authored scholarly articles and content for journals such as Sargasso, the New York Times, and Fashion Projects, and has been featured in design magazines such as Retail Design Magazine, Women's Wear Daily (WWD), Brownstoner, and Views at the Museum of Art and Design (MAD).

She has served as a keynote speaker, moderator, and panelist at various international academic conferences such as Black Portraitures at Harvard University, Firenze Italy, CAA Advancing Art and Design Annual Conference, the Caribbean Studies Association, and the West Indian Literature Conference. She has additionally held the role of creative director and contributor for arts, cultural, and nonprofit organizations, including CaribBEING and YARD CONCEPT#1. She has also contributed to the New York Public Library-Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture's "From the Reading Room" series and several podcasts. As an educator, Mills has taught a variety of subjects at the City University of New York (Brooklyn and Staten Island campuses), including Caribbean Studies, History, Philosophy, Caribbean/Trinidad Carnival, and Dress & Identity. Natalya Mills' extensive body of work reflects a deep commitment to exploring, understanding, and demystifying concepts of Caribbean and Yorùbá cultural traditions, philosophy, and artistic expressions. She bridges academic and community-based practices to foster a richer understanding of identity and cultural heritage.

The Àràbà Iwaro Oka Àkókó

Chief Adewale Oso was born to Oso family, Adigun lineage, in Okela quarters, Iwaro Oka Àkókó, Ondo State, Nigeria, holds the esteemed position of Araba Iwaro Oka and Oluwo to His Royal Majesty, Oba Akande Omiyejola, the Asin of Oka land. He provides spiritual guidance and support, overseeing traditional rites and ceremonies. His leadership extends to his role as President of the Assembly of Traditional Religious Worshippers in Ondo State, Nigeria where he leads in advocating for the interest and ensuring the continuity of indigenous practices.

Chief Àràbà Oso is also a trustee member of the International Council for Ifá Religion(ICIR). He is also a special adviser to Àràbà Àgbáyé and Ajo Alaraba and Oluwo on legal, inter-religion and peace mediation matters. Between 2001 to current, Chief Àràbà Oso has served as the Chairman and Secretary on the Organizing Committee for the Annual World Ifá Festival. He plays a crucial part in the coordination of significant events which celebrate and promote Ifá culture and tradition on a global scale. Chief Àràbà Oso is the Oluwo of the Ogbe Alara Temple located in Iwaro Oka, Àkókó, Ondo State, Nigeria. He holds the significant title of Oluwo Apapo Odú for Ondo State, encompassing all the Odú Ifá. Chief Oso is also honored as Pelelua OrisaNLA Obatala of Ile Ife, Osun State, a title which signifies his kind and gentle character at the shrine.

Moreover, his global reach and dedication extends beyond Nigeria. He also serves as the Oluwo of Ile Ijosin Ifá Otito Ile Aye Temple in New York City alongside Chief Èrèlú Awo, where his expertise and authority in Ifá helps lead the community in spiritual matters and traditional practices. He is the Oluwo, Ile Ijosin Otura Meji Awon Osun (Otura Meji Temple of Osun) and ile Ijuba Gbogbo Orisa Mimo Ofun Osa in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies where he ensures the knowledge and preservation of Ifá is maintained in the United States and the Caribbean region. In addition to preserving Yorùbá culture and tradition, Chief Oso holds a BSC in Accounting, MBA in Financial Management and LLB in Law. He also hold a post as a Tax Officer at Federal Inland Revenue Service in Nigeria

Blessed and married with children, Chief Àràbà Adewale Ile Ijosin Ifá Otito Ile Aye Temple's numerous titles and responsibilities highlight his extensive contributions to the preservation, promotion, and practice of the Ifá religion and Yorùbá traditions. His leadership roles within both local and international communities demonstrate his commitment to maintaining the cultural heritage and spiritual practices of the Yorùbá people.

New York City native Kristen Dream Cornwall (Osunbunmi Abeni, Ifásehinde, Oyintola) is a multifaceted artist and community leader with a focus on dance, performance, and cultural enrichment. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Performance Studies with minors in Africana Studies and Dance at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and set to graduate in May 2026.

This multidisciplinary scholarly artist groundwork centers on Black performance, Black body politics, and dance as it intersects with the Black lifestyle. She has danced for Camille A. Brown at The National Black Theater Institute, in the "Everybody Move Celebration" alongside the DeVore Dance Center in June 2017. Subsequently, she was accepted into the Dance Theater of Harlem Summer Intensive in March 2018. Kristen assumed the role of Assistant Choreographer at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School and choreographed pieces such as "Calling All the Monster" (October 2021), "Amour Hystérique" (June 2022) and "Strange Fruit - An Ode to Billie Holiday and Nina Simone" (February 2022). She has also danced for Body and The Stage Showcase at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music.

Beyond the stage, Kristen is involved in community, cultural preservation, social advocacy, and ethnographic work. As a leader in Ile Ijosin Ifá Otito Ile Aye in NYC, Kristen functions as the assistant to spiritual head Chief Èrèlú Awo and is a trained Priestess of Osun, Orunmila and Egbe. Kristen also serves as a Child/Youth Development Coordinator, providing invaluable leadership, guidance, and support to the organization's children.

Kristen has also been published in the New York University(NYU) anthology project Everyday Echoes: Undergraduate Perspectives on Performance with her piece titled “Awakening the Spirit: Rest, Dreams, and Resistance in African Diasporic Religions”.