A voodoo loa, Ogoun rises from the fires of the forge and clothes himself in iron and thunderbolts. He is the masculine God of war and many ask him to loan his huge, thundering voice to politics.
Ogoun is power incarnate. He is masculine in a society where masculinity is powerful. He carries a machete that harkens back to African warrior culture. He is the patron god of the smith's fire where discipline and drive can transform ore into tools and weapons, just as Ogoun transforms his followers into something stronger than they were.
Ogoun is not as easily slighted as other loa, but he does have a strict sense of honor. He can become terribly angry if you violate this code, and remember that it does not pay to piss off a god. If you want to make a sacrifice to him, remember that Ogoun is a god of fire. Sacrifice red roosters, cigars, and a libation of rum on the ground. Keep a fire burning with an iron bar in the middle burning in your hounfor.
Ogoun has several different names, depending on the aspect emphasized.
Ogoun Baba: The General
Ogoun Feraille: The Metalworker
Ogoun Shango: The Lightning Walker
Ogoun Fer: Authority
Ogoun Badagris: The Phallus
OgounTonnerre: The Thunder
Ouanga: The Dark Ogoun
I would also like to note that Ogoun made an appearance as an AI in William Gibson's Neuromancer series.