It is said that when Olofi wanted to create the World, came down with Obatalá. During the process of creation, marvellous things were made, but also many others failed, and some others were left unfinished.
For instance he made men without heads, and all were running without a direction, the world was upside down. Olofi got very angry and asked Oddua to make the mens heads. He did it, but only put them one eye and no mouth.
It was Iba-Ibo who put mens eyes and mouth in his present position and also provided men with voice and words. Oddúa is a major dead representing the secrets and mysteries of death. Although he owns the solitude, he is always accompanied by his brothers Oddun and Orula.
His wife named Odduaremu is syncretized as Saint Ana, the heeler of the moribund persons and the auxiliary of the pregnant women in the delivery. It is also considered a path of Obatalá. It can be the oldest of all, the one who created with his wife the seventeen obatalas. It is seen as the creator of justice, a divine and impersonal and element.
He is an orisha for babalawos, but no for santeros. Thursday is his day and white, red and black are his colors.
In the Catholicism is syncretized in the Name of Jesus and the Holy Sacrament.
The likeness between Oddua and Jesus seems to be in the fact that both were send by the Divinity to help men. He was the first king of Oyó and major dead. He founded with Oggún the Benin and Oyó dynasty. It is also considered the first King of the Yorubas and the Ifé. He represents the mysteries and secrets of death: In the cult of the Arará it is called Odduá Daa. Thursday is his day.
Receptacle: A locked silver coffer that should never be opened. It is covered with cotton and a white linen, it lives in high positions, because it should not be exposed to the sunlight.
Attributes: The tools of Yembó with the cane, a cedar coffin with a little skeleton inside, eight little canes as the ones of Obbatalá, eight circles, eight little triangular shield, another larger triangular shield with an eye in the middle, a ladder of eight steps, a snake, Obbatalas set of tools, a man, a woman, eight white Otas, an ivory ball, a nacre ball, two hands of 18 shells each, eight used dice.
Necklace: 18 inches long, made of nacre and coral beads, and 16 white beads every 8 red ones.
Sacrificed animals: Oddú and Obbatala eat together, but Oddúa does it with the coffer closed. The blood is received by the coffer and the Obbatalás shells, who eats the same.