Fare thee well Prince Olagbegi

Babá re’lé o

Ilé lo lo t’ààrà rà

Ilé ooo, ilé ooo….

A o padè  l’etí óódo t’ese Áñgéélì ti tèè  éé…

 

God be with you till we meet again

By His counsels guide ,uphold you;

God be with you till we meet again 

È rùn rèn o Bàmi!

Prince Olagbegi in his flowing gown with beads

.……My father was my best friend –Dr.Láyí  Olágbègí

……Owo community lost a Griot- Olunaun of Unaun

The above are some of the farewell songs to be rendered next week during service of songs and when the beautiful casket is being lowered into the grave .No matter his age some will shed tears!

By this time next week the ancient town of Owo will receive visitors from all over the world .  From Church  members, politicians, Religious leaders, academic, traditional rulers and what have you.

Well -wishers from St. Louis, Missouri, Atlanta, Texas Maryland ,New York,New Jersey New ,America will  show their faces . Those from Europe Australia,West Indies and India will not be exempted as they would paint the town red to honour the  octogenarian.

ÀJÀBÚÈ DAY

On May 22  , the traditional rites of passage starts as the family members and well- wishers  will start the traditional dance of   Àjàbúè  round the  town  announcing the glorious passage of the Prince. He was a Religious leader, community leader, political juggernaut and a Griot and great Historian who had stories of politics and the Community on his fingertip .

On that Wednesday males who are the Omo olóòkú ( Children of the deceased) will dance with the Owo traditional sword (Agada) and    the female children would  ‘armed’  themselves with yààsin (fly whisk) as they will all  decorate their necks,wrists and ankles  with ìlèkè ( coral beads)  exhibiting  their culture . Infact it’s a time to display the town’s tradition and culture of it’s burial ceremony. Lághálogho   ( metal gong ) and special drums specifically meant for a highly powered son of the soil who was also a Prince in  Owo will be competing with one another when the traditional musicians would exhibit their skills to outwit one another!

Cows will be slaughtered, musicians would be on stage and entertainment would flow yànfù yànfù .Assorted food and  drinks would be served and gift items / souvenirs would be distributed. Yes! visitors will be entertained lavishly .

Reason: Bàbá is going  home . Bàbá will be joining his ancestors. Bàbá will be given his final rite of passage and as a prince from a very important and popular royal house cows would be donated to various groups from family, Chiefs, age group, etc. in fact celebrating a person of this high calibre gives you the  inkling that the deceased was rich, educated and blessed.

Prince Olagbegi was a respecter of Tradition, he was a Chief

While the Christian   would sing ” ..  God will be with you till we meet again. A o pade l’etí óódo, t’ese Áñgéélì ti tèè éé…

Prince Olagbegi was humility personified

Wàláítàlàì nobody will cry . Nobody will grind their  teeth. Nobody will stamp his foot on the ground while placing his hands on his head. Why? because Bàbá was old. Bàbá was fulfilled. Bàbá finished his race with  honour and dignity and has gone home to rest! We will all bid him fare thee well .

Then as a chapter is closed  another chapter is open.

Solomon Olagbegi goes home @ 87
…survived by wives
…..16 Children
…..40 Grandchildren
…… 1 Grandchild

Prince Solomon Olusegun Mowasola Olagbegi was born October 2, 1936 to the late Prince Iyiolase Olagbegi and late Mrs Ajibike Iyiolase-Olagbegi in Benin City.
He was a grandson of Olagbegi 1.
He attended Government Primary School, Owo from 1945 to 1952 and then proceeded to Imade College, Owo from 1953 to 1957 where he was the Senior Prefect.
He then proceeded to Federal Emergency Science School in Lagos from 1961 to 1962 and then University of Ibadan, Ibadan from 1963 to 1970.
He also had Higher Education at Paddington College, London 1973 to 1974 and Bristol Polytechnic, Bristol, United Kingdom, 1985 to 1986.
Working experience included
Teaching
Premier Grammar School, Abeokuta and Egbado College, Ilaro from 1959 to 1968.
Laboratory Technologist
Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan from 1972 to 1976.
Chemistry Department, University of Ilorin, Ilorin as Academic Chief Technologist from 1976 until he retired from public service on February 1, 1997 for mandatory age related reason.

Prince Olagbegi in his Aladura robe

He was Chairman, Senior staff Association of Universities (Ilorin Branch)1979-1983
Sectorial Chairman All Nigeria Universities of SSAUTHRIAI (1984-1986)
National President, Association of University Technologists of Nigeria (ASUTON) (1992-1993)
He was a member of the Holy Church of Cherubim and Seraphim at Ikirun, Ehinogbe, and Akure District Council.
Chairman, Owo circuit of the Movement Churches,
Co-founder and Leader of the Holy Church of Cherubim and Seraphim, Ilorin (1993 to 1997)
Member, Owo Community Advisory and Economic Development Committee (2010 to 2012).

Chief Iyiolase of Owo Kingdom
He was involved as Chairman, Member, Executive Committee, Member of Board of Directors, of Schools and Associations, including
Fountain International Secondary school,
Imade College Old Student Association,
Government School,Owo PTA,
Imade College Owo Board of Governors,
Owo High School Board of Governors.
Life, Patron, The Boys Brigade, Nigeria, Owo Battalion, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Chapter.
Life Patron, The Boys Brigade Nigeria, Owo Battalion (Owo/Ose LGA.
He was PDP Chairman, Igboroko ward, Owo (2015-2017)
Travels
The late Olagbegi has been to Great Britain/Israel/Geneva/USA

BURIAL ARRANGEMENTS
According to the family spokesman and one of the children Dr. Olayiwola Olagbegi, on May 22 there will be Ajabue traditional dance round the town. Family and well wishes will take off from the deceased’s residence at 3,Obasekaiye St,Ehin-Ogbe Quarters ,Owo ,Ondo State at 10am to 4pm.
On Thursday,May 23 at 10 am the body leaves Federal Medical Center ( FMC),Owo for lying in-state at his residence. There will be wake keep same day at 4pm at Olateru -Olagbegi Event Center, Fajuyi ,Road,Owo.
There will be funeral service on Friday 24,at 10 am at Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church ,1, Farm Centre ,Ehin- Ogbe Quarters Off Idasen Road,Owo.Interment follows immediately .There will be Thanksgiving immediately after service while reception takes place at Best Western Plus Mydas Hotel ,Klm 1,Owo/ Ikare Road.
On Saturday 25 May there will be Mowasola Olagbegi Memorial Football match ( Maiden Edition) at Ipm at Owo township Stadium.

He is survived by his wives, 16 children, 40 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Prince Olagbegi was a man of the people

Family members will fulfill all righteousness by following the tradition and   supplying the compulsory sacrificial fowl  ( adìye ìrànà)  for Bàbá’s smooth  passage  and warm reception in the land of the spirit .

Wàláítàlàì nobody will cry . Nobody will grind their teeth because Bàbá was old. Baba was fulfilled. Bàbá finished his race with dignity and has gone home to rest! We will all bid him fare thee well .

Prince Olagbegi in suit

Fare thee well Bàbá

Ó dìgbà o dìgbóse

Ma j’òkùn, ma j’ekòló

Ohun ti won ba ñje ni ki o ba won je o

Bá mi ki Bàmi ati iyè mi OOOOOOO diiiiiigba!!!!

Then eulogy ( oríkì) follows

 

Don’t disclose that I have joined the Army

LETTER TO MY CHILDREN ON FATHERS’ DAY

Bobo T  in uniform

…………..Why I joined the Army

…………on the battlefield

………..I was wounded , thrown into the bush

…………I have  one artificial  arm now! 

Family members and friends did not know my whereabouts  for  the past  two years .In fact they did not know that  I  was conscripted into the  Army to fight in the war as a Combatant Soldier .On the battlefield I saw  broken limbs and human flesh that  littered everywhere . I saw human heads  rolling on the ground while I heard the shrill cries of wounded soldiers. Now I am with one arm.Taiwo Abiodun narrates  his experience .

 

My dearest Children,

                    Please don’t tell your friends and family members  that  I  have joined the Army . Don’t tell  that I am presently on the battlefield fighting  for their hearts would be in their mouths. Don’t tell that with my naked eyes  I am  seeing  hot bullets  flying past my ears as I escaped being hurt  by the whiskers or by  a hair’s breadth. Few days ago   grenades  were thrown to where I was standing , though  I was not hurt but some of my combatants  were mortally wounded.   Imagine  I have no basic training but only trained how to use the gun. I only had  One Station Unit Training (OSUT) for two weeks before we were despatched  to the War front.

T Bobo ready to fight

I cried when I remember that you could become fatherless if I die in this war. Who will take care of you?. I know you will all call me useless and good- for -nothing father who brought you into to this world to suffer. But don’t blame me , blame my destiny .Now I forced myself to be reciting   Psalm 23  by fire- by -force  for I don’t know when last I went to church. I am forced to be singing  ” Nearer my God to thee….” when seeing death face-to-face.

I am with  some armed-to-the – teeth nicotine-stained -teeth  angry   soldiers  with blood-shot eyes  who throw grenades and enjoy sending sorrow into people’s lives. 

           Last month I  was   in charge of one of the   armouries  where they stored  ammunition like : Submachine guns, Heckler & Koch, Light Machine guns, M60 Machine guns, Vickers Machine guns,General Purpose Machine Guns, MG42  among others before  I was drafted into the middle of War.  My  loaded Beretta M9A3 gun  replaced my old SIG P226 and now is in its  holster on my waist.     

Could you believe that everyday, bombs and  ballistic  missiles are thrown to where I am ? . It is like  I am  the enemies’   target during the counter offensive  to  take over the territory .      I was almost captured as   enemy combatants surrounded some of  us and opened fire on us  but I shook off  my body as  if nothing  happened . Some believe  I have African Bullet Proof. They were all surprised as one of them with a bayonet  rushed at me   ready to butcher me like a cow  but the bayonet  broke into two.

Babalawo Of the Nation (BoN)

From  the air, enemies  are  dropping F-16 Fighting Falcon,P-51D Mustang  dropping bombs. Combatants wait  behind minefields .Our enemies attacked us with drones , fighter bombers patrol. We retaliated and   attacked  them too with  the newly acquired sophisticated BoN 7174, war planes.The  sound of bombs , rockets and other weapons were thunderous and deafening .

          One  evening  I visited a nearby town  that had been ruined by soldiers  with their weapons . I did not know when I broke down and wept like a baby seeing how devastated the town has been reduced to  .I developed goosebumps  when I saw domestic  animals who  were confused as they run around, trembling  on hearing the booming of guns and other sound. Dogs were barking  restlessly . Goats were bleating  and running for safety while cats were meowing  and running around. Two big cats  sat on a sofa chair  with their owner who was already dead, he was said to have been hit by bullets . The cats dreadfully sat  with  their scary eyes  glowing   but the  chicks and chickens  were running around pecking grains  from the waste bins suddenly I saw  massive   buildings  came down crumbling as a result of  bomb. It was like an earthquake   while some bungalows obeyed to the law of gravity. Infact  many  lost their lives as a result of being hit while some were electrocuted .  Many were buried  alive while some were  under rubbles. War is not good. Some parents left  their children behind  and ran for their dear lives while some took shelter in  underground or   basement .Government and private institutions were attacked .Streets were  littered with decomposing corpses. A two- year- old blood- soaked  toddler was playing with her mother’s hair  not knowing  she was dead as a result of the shrapnel that tore her stomach and another  lodged in her heart.

 One could see the mushroom cloud forms  all from  the detonated bombs .Their water was polluted. The air was polluted as a result of stench coming out from the dead corpses and the blue sky  turned  dark  as a result of these pollutants .In the night one could see fire that ‘lighted’ the city as a result of  the burning houses -no thanks to the enemies’ rocket launchers . Churches and Mosques all went up in conflagration .Human beings  were roasted alive in their homes and offices. I wept when I saw what war has caused   in this town. 

Bobo T inspecting a grenade 

I knew all these would happen to me  because it was  war. The fiercest battle I ever faced was the the night our Army’s 67th Mechanized Assault Brigade   was bombarded by stupid , good  for nothing and blood thirsty  ragtag soldiers  who had used all kinds of hard  drugs from Indian hemp to Cocaine . Up till this moment I refused to wear my helmet because  it is too heavy. Although I forgot my Compass at home .Our  32 Mechanized Brigade Army  was supplied Ordnance.

  Our soldiers  fought using submarine  weapons from water .We fought by air and by land  , we didn’t care about their  landmines.  Yes, the enemies shelled us with their  artillery bombs and rockets  where over 500 soldiers were torn into pieces like rags . The sight of the dead and wounded soldiers is horrific .It is gory . It is  gruesome .  Stomachs were ripped open , eyes gouged out , shattered bones all over the place while human brains mixed with blood as bullets  were lodged in some of their skulls.

This is not the war one would be equipped with AK 47. This is not a war  one would go with ordinary amulets  or talismanic rings. Yes, of course I went with my charmed  rings , amulets , gbetugbetu but non worked .Some of our soldiers were taken as Prisoners Of War (POW).

 

T Bobo 

Presently  all the  rivers  are dirty and had been polluted while the rain that fell few days ago was black in colour no thanks to the smoke  or emissions released from the guns and bombs.There is far -reaching environmental damage. The plants , food and crops are contaminated .  

Could you believe that we have little time to relax  and have fun with women? . Me who love women more than anything . Me who love anything in skirt. Me who love sikisiki. Ah,  my manhood shrinks whenever I heard the sound of the booming of the guns and sighting war planes hovering round where we are. Where is fun on the battlefield? .I have heard and seen great men who fell by the wayside because of women . It  happened two weeks ago  , bombs were rained on men and women copulating!. I did not pity the men  who  exited this planet earth   through same ‘ way ‘  or passageway they came into the world.

                  Could you believe that two of our soldiers were summarily executed for betraying us? .The two soldiers  were Judas as they connived with our enemy combatants  and showed them some of  our armouries. They revealed our  War strategies to the enemies. The cat was let out the bag when  one of them who was found with wads of currency notes spilled the beans when he was drunk. Our Infantryman (Leader) called the two and they confessed , that was how they were asked to dig a trench and were shot dead right in our presence  to teach others a lesson. We were betrayed no wonder why some of us were captured or killed like flies.

Taiwo Abiodun at it again

Last month  I was wounded .As  I  bend down to pick a  Mark II 20 lbs   bomb  and another  German SC250 aerial bomb,  it exploded and cut off my right arm completely. I just found myself among those presumed to have died  and  was evacuated into  the bush. Among the dead, I saw some wounded soldiers  still struggling to stand up  but fell again while  wild animals like wolves   were  eating up human beings who were not dead yet but struggling and twitching – half dead! .

I saw vultures feasting on dead bodies. I was weak and had lost pints of blood . It was  one of the soldiers who came to dump dead bodies that saw me jerking and shouting that took me back to  the Camp  where the surgeon clinically cut off my hand that was dangling for only a tiny flesh that held it. It was already gangrenous and  decomposing !.

We don’t know when the war will be over as they had just supplied us  new ammunition like planes,tanks, tank destroyers,trucks,aircraft among others.

In the war I heard the clanking of guns, and soldiers brazenly using their swords and Bayonets on their enemies. I saw human skeletons  still in military uniform with their helmets on their heads. I saw headless bodies and some  dried human  skulls  these soldiers used  to drink water , in fact some of the soldiers who believe that drinking human blood would add to their physical and spiritual power  drank the blood . I saw some who are Cannibals, eating human flesh . I saw a  man who used one hand  to fight  when the other had been severed but still fighting with the other hand .I saw one legged-soldier   like Long John Silver in the Book, Treasure Island, fighting for his life.   

Happy Father’s Day, I will soon be back home 

BURY ME WITH MY BLING BLING

When my bullet-riddled body is brought home  please dress me very well in my Jeans Jeans. Don’t forget to put my rings on my fingers and my necklace to let them know I am that Bobo T, T Bobo, Babalawo Of the Nation, BoN. Give me the Military salute.  Remember to sing  that emotional and thought -provoking song written by Jeremiah Rankin in 1880

God be with you till we meet again,

By his Counsels guide ,uphold you,

With his sheep securely fold  you,

God be with you till we meet again…..

 

     Crazy guy called Bobo T, T Bobo, Babalawo Of the Nation, BoN 

  

How I survived car -crash

 

……. Car somersaulted three times  

……….One eye & one earlobe gone, limbs to be replaced

…..Arraigned in Court

……..I didn’t commit rape

As I opened my eyes  I saw five men in different uniform  that  surrounded  me  on my hospital bed: A  fully armed-to- the teeth  Police officer, a Fire Brigade official and   three   doctors  with  their stethoscopes  hanging  loosely on their necks. I closed my eyes . To be sure of what  I saw  I opened my eyes  again  and behold I saw my right leg casts  hanging in the air. I also  sighted   a stump of  my   left  leg in bandage, this one has been amputated. I discovered that I could not open one eye . When I touched my head I realised  that  my head had been bandaged . I saw two  intravenous poles … one giving me blood, the other with white liquid . Blood transfusion ke!. 

I tried to lift up my arm but no way, it was as heavy as  lead.  I tried to speak but it was as if  my tongue was tied -as if suffering from ankyloglossia . My head was heavy and  with serious headache  , my head was  spinning   and the bed  was turning . It was  if  a sledgehammer   was being used on my head. My head kept on     ringing  like that big  church bell in the tower .  I heard one  of those standing by saying ” this man was dead drunk and was unconscious  when he was brought here, he must have smoked weed”.

My memory  was coming back gradually as I started  recalling   all what happened .  I remember   I attended a friend’s birthday party with Ronnie, my wife. I could also recollect  how I  took the car key from  Ronnie’s bag. And it was  when she went to the toilet to ease herself that I took off. I recalled  that  she warned me not to drink the hard drink anymore as I had had more than enough and could make me tipsy. I recollected  how I wobbled towards the car with the car key. I remembered how  I tried to start the engine with the house key but later corrected myself.My mind flashed back to that scenario when    I saw the trailer that was fully loaded with logs of wood. Again, I remembered how I took one -Way  with  high speed in  order to quickly get to where I was going .   I applied the brake   when a truck  tried to hit me. Ah , I remember that   one of the occupants in the car  continued to give me the  gin to drink and I was happily playing music. ….then I  rammed into an oncoming vehicle and had a head-on collision,   and  the radiator flung open while I ran into the bush and hit the big tree  with a big bang. That was all I could  remember now. Ah what happened to the airbag? Where is my phone ?. Where is my wife, Ronnie?.Mo gbé! . Wàhálà de! .Asiri tu!.

So I am now in the hospital?. Who brought me here?. I overheard one of the doctors saying that the  windscreen of the car shattered and a branch of a tree pierced through  and went into my left eye, the doctor said ”this man has lost his eye ,  he has punctured eyeball, cornel abrasion  and  acute Hyphema as a result of  sharp objects that  punctured his  eyes while  the optic nerve retinal blood  vessel ,medial rectus muscle, vitreous body, Hyaloid canal and suspensory ligament are affected, he could go blind without any iota of doubt” , the ophthalmologist said and added ” this man will need  an artificial eye . I will recommend Prosthetic eye surgery for him”.

Among the  doctors  who  came to me is an  Otolaryngologist, he     said ”the impact of the accident,  had affected  this man’s  hearing . We will replace his earlobe with earlobe silicon prosthesis”. He explained to me that   my  left  earlobe was cut off by the window glass”. Another doctor, an orthopaedic looked at me and said ” this man has lost his right arm  while his femur  has damaged, he said ” Parts of his femur  like head, neck, trochanteric crest, lesser trochanter pectineal line and Gluteal tuberosity  are affected , he would need  artificial limbs .He needs Prosthetic limbs one for his hand and another for his leg ”, the, doctor said. An  Anesthesiologist added”   Sir, you spent four hours on the surgeon’s table ”  ,while   a Nurse interjected ” Sir, you had internal bleeding and we had to give you blood transfusion because you lost a lot of blood during the accident ”, when I told her that my religion forbids Blood transfusion, the Nurse replied  ” we have to save your life first because you were unconscious when you were brought here by an ambulance and you even fell into coma  for three days  during your surgery but God perfected everything ” . The Orthopaedic was looking at the X-rays he was holding and   even  it  is possible my second leg could be amputated to avoid gangrene but  if …..” that was all I could hear and different thoughts flooded my mind . I now remembered the one legged  Pirate , Long John Silver in the Book ” Treasure Island” who had one leg and was supporting himself with  crutches. I read the book in 1973 at All Saints’ Modern School, Owo, Ondo State.I now remembered the man with one eye , so I could easily be described in the public as a one-eyed man.What of my right arm?, the bones have broken and I would need another surgery and may need an artificial hand  which is very expensive .According to the doctor  I could become a Uniped or Bilateral Amputee, meaning one of my legs and hands could be amputated or if worse the two hands and legs could be amputated if….

While a  man who claimed to be  a Fire Brigade officer said   my car somersaulted three times, hit an electric Pole and the petrol spilled on the ground  and caught fire when they arrived. He said ” we   had to use our instruments like  rescue tools  to cut the car into pieces    before they could pull me out . That car is completely  right -off for immediately you were pulled out from the wreckage the car caught fire!. I hope your insurance will cover it  for you will have to replace the car and that of the car you damaged . The tree you hit is also there, you destroyed the tree!, the owner will have to be compensated.The airbag saved you. You are very lucky for not having spinal cord injury. I don’t know what you gain in drinking. When you are offered free drinks you don’t know when to stop, foolish man”

The police officer came with their result that the accident was as a result of Alcohol intoxication, spirit, marijuana all found in the car. I cried : Mo gbe , Nkan de o, kini gbogbo wahala yii?

I asked about the condition of  the  two passengers who rode with me  in the Car , because  I remember we were three. They smiled and said   they  did not see anybody . The Police officer said I had a case to answer as my results from breath, blood, and urine tests showed that I was drunk while driving which is against the Traffic rule.

MY FRIENDS DESERT ME

         On my sick bed I received calls from friends while some blamed and heaped insults on me for the accident while  others said they had warned me several times about my  alcohol consumption . A close friend said ” Babalawo Of the Nation , we thought you  have juju as you used to boast , shame on you”. While I received text  messages that the accident served  me  right for  my careless talk with my caustic tongue and writing about who killed a Chief  I have been writing about.

                 

Saluting  an Electric Pole

                 A friend (names withheld) came to my bedside and said ” You glutton, did  I not tell you to stop drinking at the party when you went to the Ladies instead of Gents to ease yourself ?. Did I not tell you  that you were dead  drunk when you were giving a Military salute to an electric pole and dancing without ?. Here is the picture I snapped when you were saluting an electric pole. Do you remember how you turned into a Traffic Warden passing all vehicles on the Highway when the Traffic lights were working?. Do you remember when the breeze was pushing you here and  you were missing steps and walking unsteadily  while you eventually threw up? . Were you not  stammering and  speaking gibberish ? . I am today denying you as my friend  ”, he said  as he  walked out of the hospital.

A voice message was sent to me by an unknown person who prayed for my quick recovery, the voice said ” You will be healed in Jesus Mighty name”. Later I heard a voice saying ” I was that passenger sitting at the back seat   and did not leave you alone. The man who was giving  spirit and smoke by your side in the car had completed his dirty job and had left you   looking for another victim”.

 I WAS ARRAIGNED IN COURT

The following week I was charged to Court and many charges were leveled against me  from overspeeding, drunkenness  to  smoking the prohibited  ganja of which they found in my car, public nuisance and… When the prosecutor read the charges that ”You have ……. under the influence of Alcohol raped a minor,defiled her and  this woman in the dock without their consents   therefore you have  committed an offence   under Section … Are you guilty or not?” .

Immediately I heard the word ‘rape’ and saw a little girl , a minor and a  strange ugly  woman who looks like amoeba I had never come across in life  . I threw away my crutches while my eyes popped out of the socket with my hairs standing erect with goose bumps   and screamed ”  My Lord, I did not rape. No sir, my case is  that of auto crash. I did not rape ”.

  ” Whaaaaaat! I heard you    shouting that you did not rape, what is the matter? .See   how you are sweating . This is  somniloquy. You are already late”,Ronnie said.

I quickly ran out to catch the bus to the  train station so as not  to be late to work.

 

 

 

 

 

Ariwó ta gèè!

 

 

Ariwó  ta gèè.  Elékún ñsunkún. Àwon abánikédùn  ñgbéra s’ánlè  wôn ñyi gbirigbiri n’íle bī bōlu aláfesègbá ni pápá ìseré    bĕ si ni àwon abánikédùn kan si ñsán  ara won m’ólè  bi ejò  ti wón fi òpá pa  ti o nta ràì  ràì  ti o si njanr’arè m’ólè  . È é  tijé ?. Béè ni àwon kan ń’tu itó sààrà bi  aláboyún  ti kò je àsèje rè. Àwon kan ñkan orí m’ólè bi òmùtí  tí o ti mutí yó  ti o jōko l’órí àga bě  nwón si ñkédùn ni o. T’iwon wă peléke, t’iwon di  òtò l’eni a gbá l’étí òtò l’eni t’étí ñdùn. Eni ti a f’òrò lò t’óní t’òun bàjé , kíní k’ólórò kó se? .Àsèjù pò. Ìkáánú èké   pò. Sùgbón ó n’ídi .Àní t’iwon wā ga jù , àgàgà òré Bàbá ìyàwó ti o ñwole , ñwòde n’ílé  òré rè bee iro la ba n’ídí rè. Bi àwon kan se ñwo òkû n’ílè ninu àgbàrá èjè ni  won  fi owó bo imú  ti won si ñtu kèlèbè jáde l’énu  . Bĕ sì  l’àwon kan ñké ti wón k’áwó l’órí ti won si fi èpè bonu pe  ”Eni se eléyī ko nii jèrè . Awon àgbàgbà àfâ Musulumi ti irun won  funfun báláú nke ”Alhamudu lahi,Allah fun wa o si gbaa lo. Ó yé Olóun”. Ikun imú  ìyá olomo  nsàn , o si ñpòsé  bi ejo sèbé.

Kí l’ódé? Ni iseju aaya yi? .Aso ìgbéyàwó  ti òyìnbó ni o si wa l’ára Omolará ti o kún fún kìkì èjè. Ki lo s’elè?.Tani won se?

Bi nwon se nsofo lowo,  ni Baba iyawo  sure  mu ankasiifi funfun balau wo yàrá lo. Ko si eni to rii. Kia ni o tun bo sita. Awon ti nwon nse aajo nse aajo . Ki lo de ti a fi obe gun arabinrin yi? Ese wo ni o se? Ta si ni o le se? Oro yi ni gbogbo abanikedun nbere.Bee si ni oko iyawo nso oyinbo ti o tu tai re ”O!@ mai Goodu”

Haa lojo igbeyawo Baba Iyawo fi ile pon oti o fi ona ro oka. E wa wo orisirisi oti elerindodo, oti oyinbo lo sua . Emu nru fuu bi ito akiwarapa.

Ara fu mi ,mo la Ala buruku kan . Mama Omolara ni o so fun oko re nipa ala ti o la. E jowo w mase je ki a se igbeyawo yi nisisisyi, bi Sade iyawo Suga se so fun oko re niyen. Sugbo Suga so pe owo wa., a oo se iyawo yi . A ti da ojo, a si ti da osu .A si ko le yee mo.  Sebi owo la fee na. Haa owo lobinrin mo, bi Sade se gbo pe owo wa yi , oju re pada, o bu serin  muse bi eni ti o je tete , o tu aso idi re ro bi obinrin ti o nfi ete pe oko re sinu iyewu lati baa se totomelefu tii domo. O  bere si se oyaya , ara re si ya ga ga . Kai , owo apekanupo. Ohun ti owo ba se ti ile lo ngbe. Owo de , idunnu de.

Iyawo Suga tiise  Sade ti  lo si ilu Switzerland lo mu aso. Lojo igbeyawo Omolara  aso orisisiri lo yoju . Elegbejoda lo jantirere. Owo dara ore mi . Bi o ba ni owo lowo iwo le fe aya Oba. Sebi  o ri bee lojo naa lohun ti olowo kan ni ile wa yi fe iyawo oba ti gbogbo iwe irohin gbee jade. Ani se ki Oluwa ma se fi owo kehin oro wa. Mo  ni ki owo ki o mase .. to to funn ,owo apekanuko. Owo ni mu aburo pe egbon ran nise . Owo le je ki omo pe Baba ni my padi. Esu lowo. Owo a maa mu ni sise . Owo a maa ja itiju kuro lara eni. Eni ba ni owo ko dara ki o to iya talaka wo fun odun meta  yoi rii iyato re.

Oko Iyawo nko? Oko iyawo ti jade nile iwe giga ti Fasiti, ti o gba oye Olukoni  o si ti se odun kan ti Alagunbaniro  ti  o fi sin ijoba ti a npe .NYSC . Sugbon lehin odun kefa ko si ise , nse lo nba won ta ayo olopon  l’abe  igi isin. Ihahin lo fi se ibujoko lati maa fi pa ironu re. Segun mo ayo ti yio je, oun naa lo mo itan gbogbo ilu won,.Sebi nidi ayo lati ngbo orisirisi oro , ofofo ati isele ni ilu.  Segun mo awon ti won yan ale, o mo omo ale. o mo igbati Oyinbo  Elizabeth Ilu Oyinbo ti o ta teru nipa nijosi gun ori aga alefa re . Itan ni Segun mo bee lori ainiselowo yi naa ni.

Nigbati Omolara pade Segun Omolara fii lokan bale pe oun oi baa wase , ati pe Baba oun milonia ni.Awon mejeji mo obi ara won , ina wo , won si da ojo igbeyawo.Ojo pe . Baba iyawo lo ra aso oko ati iyawo, oun na lo ra aso ore oko ati or iyawo  la i je ki won na kobo ninu inawo nla yi.

Bee Wakati meji sehin ni Oniwaasu so awon toko tiyawo po ni ile ijosin BoN.. Adura ti gba pe omobinrin ti nwa oko ti ri oko bi o tile je pe ojo ori iyawo ju ti oko lo. Sugbon oku orun ni a fi eyi se. Bi io ti le je pe ara ile iyawo nikan lo mo pe omo won ni aaginni. Sugbon talo le so? Tani jee tu asiri sita.

Lojiji ni a ri iyawo ti o subu lule ti o nkigbe oro o, won ti gun mi l’obe o,okunrin kan ti o njo lo gunn l’obe  nigba ti o dibon pe oun nba jo. Gbara ti o subu ni onitohun ti sa lo. O di digbadigba won gbeee lo si ile iwosan. Baba iyawo binu lopolopo , o ni eni pa omo oun yio je iya.

Won ko mo eni ti o gunn lobe bee ni .. ago  olopa ya.Olopa bere lowo awon obi ati ojulumo tani a fura si, sugbon enikookan ko le so.

Nigbati Dokita se ayewo Omolara , o rii pe ikun re ni obe ba, sugbon ko wole sii lara. Lose keji a da omolara pada sile , bee ni Ago olopa nse iwadi lo.

Omolara wa so fun Olopa ki won ko gbogbo amuhunmaworan , kamera ti a fi si kolofin ile baba re jade lati wo eni se ise laabi ohun. Bee ko seni ti o mo pe Omolara fi Camera si ayika ati inu ile wonyi. O si see nitori ole, alo kolohun kigbe , alafowera nigba aseye.

Nihayi ni asiri tu. Haa akara tu sepo. A ri okunrin kan ti o n’fun omodekunrin kan l’owo tuulu tuulu  ni iyara ati obe  ti ori re ri sooroso ti o mu felefele bi abe ifari.  A si ri omodekunrin kan naa yi ti o fi obe gun iyawo nigbati o nl’e owo moo loju loju agbo ti won njo. Camera te siwaju lati ri ore Baba Iyawo ti won nsoro wuye wuye , a si tun ri Baba Iyawo ti o fi aso pelebe funfun nu eje lara Omolara ti o sii fi si abe aso  wo iyewu lo, ti o fii sinu igba  ti a fi owo  eyo  di lara. A si ri ore Baba Iyawo nigba ti won ngbe igba yi sinu paali oti , lati fihan  pe oti ni won ngbe jade lo. Bee etanje ree.

Olopa pe Baba iyawo ati Ore re

. Olopa wa Arakunrin ti o gun obe .Gbogbo won ni won wa lawari bi obinrin se nwa nkan obe. Okan Baba iyawo bale , o ni oun ko je gbi, sebi eni je gbi loun nku gbi. Sugbon okan arakunrin ni ko bale , o nke kinmi mo se? Sebi aseburuku o ku ara ifu. O seka tan o rido bori ..lai mo pe Oba oke nwo e. Igba ti o ya o ni Emi ko da see, sebi adase nii hun ni. Ejo to ba darin la n’fopa pa. Emi nikan ko lo mo soran naa. Baba iyawo lowo lowo, oun towo ba se ti ile lo ngbe .Sugbon ko mo pe olopa ti ko ni gba riba niyi ani olopa ti ko ni gba owo ehin lo foju kan yi .Beeni olopa DPO yi ko ngba abetele.Kini ka ti wa see si?

Lojo Alamisi ni  ale agogo mewa ku iseju  mejo ni oju  ati ese pe ni  ofisi DPO otelemuye ni ago olopa ni ilu BoN ti won si fi camera han gbobo awon eniyan wonyi. Asiri tu, akara tu sepo. Baba fi ika abamo senu , o nke nba mo nba maa see.Sugbon  ototo ilu pejo won ko ri ebo abamo se , a see tan o di aapon. Baba iyawo jewo pe oun fee renew oogun owo pelu eje omo oun ninu aso igbeyawo ni. Enu ko ha, a se ebi eni a maa se ni. A se kokoro ti nje obi inu obi nii iwa , kokoro tii jewe inu ewe niiwa bee si ni kokoro ti nje  efo inu efo lo wa . A see isale oro a maa  legbin,……( Coming out soon)

 

 

10 years after Sheila Solarin’s demise

 

   

I AM MOURNING 

This morning I am wearing Black. This morning I am mourning .This morning I am in a sober mood so nobody should talk to me. This morning I am grieving  so nobody should call my phone . I am crying not only for myself but I am crying for the entire nation for not appreciating this woman . Come, sebi they gave out   Nigeria National Merit Awards  and gave   Post humous awards?. Why did we forget the couple: the late Tai Solarin and his wife, Sheila? .Are we ingrates or have we  forgotten the couple? .What a country! . So we have forgotten her kiakia niyen?. Nigeria we hail thee. So they did not deserve national honours or is it an act of  omission or commission ? . Next year they should be awarded , and if they are not honoured , I  along with Mayflower students both ex and present will protest. We will march from Ikenne to  the National House of  Assembly in Abuja .

She was a library. She was a  Griot.  She was rich in stories infact she was an encyclopedia of stories. She was never tired of me. A phone call will put you through. She would not tell you the time to come . No scheduled time .Unlike those so called  arrogant  millionaires who would be flaunting    their illegal or ill-gotten wealth and pacing up and down in their living rooms to show you how wealthy they are , no!, not for Mama . Mama Sheila as she  was fondly called would invite you into her sparsely decorated  living room .Her dressing was simple .She was modest in everything .

MY CONTACT WITH HER

I vividly remember the late Abayomi Ogundeji who was the Editor of Sunday Desk  in the days of  The Comet Newspaper  who asked me to go to Ikenne to do a story on the late Tai Solarin’s anniversary . It was my first time to visit Ikenne and Mama welcomed me  to the fullest and answered all the questions I asked .First impression last longer , they say. Since then I have been their family member . And when The Nation newspaper  was launched  in 2007  the  then Sunday  Editor Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin would  say ” Babalawo Of the Nation  let’s have your Tai Solarin story, you have become their family member”. That was how I  covered the Solarins’ story till when God said  e don do for me at The Nation newspaper.   Mama was ready to give me all stories .   Ask her any question she was ready to answer.

WHAT I MISSED IN HER

I missed her if you don’t miss her. I know her worth and value . She was witty,  she was  an egghead and was full of wisdom. She taught me many things before she left. I was one of her students .  The education she gave me for the 10 years I covered her story from the defunct The Comet  newspaper to  the biggest and thriving Nigeria media House – The Nation newspaper was great.  She taught me what others can never have. She taught me what University education cannot teach you. She  was to me like    Socrates and his followers or disciples.  During my  journey in life I came across her and she was super. If you go to a rich man’s house he would feed you with food and wine but go to Mama Sheila she would feed you with knowledge and wisdom. She was  one of the few greatest Nigerians I  ever met.

I am in Black  dress, mourning

THAT BLACK SUNDAY

I remember that day . It was  Black Sunday . I repeat that that day was a Black Sunday . Today it  echoes, the messages ,  the telephone calls , my actions  .Yes I can recall all . It was a nasty Sunday . Yes , I didn’t go to church  that day .I remember it was around 2 O’clock , yes 2 O’clock in the afternoon . I could recall the time, date and all what happened .Today I recalled  that  day, the sun was shining and  the temperature was  very high. I was drinking my black coffee , yes I could remember . Then I was laughing hysterically   when I remembered something , Yes  it was  … no don’t let me tell you,  when suddenly my phone rang. gran gran gran , and then started  dishing out  my favourite Bob Marley Music. I allowed the music  to go on. It stopped.  Again the phone  Nokia 3310 rang  and I picked it  . Who could that be? . A voice came through  ,”Babalawo , do  you have Tai Solarin’s children’s cell number? I heard that Mama Sheila is dead , please help us to confirm’’, that was the voice of  Kofo  Osagie, a colleague from education desk  from  the office .  Immediately   I heard the name Babalawo  I knew it was from the office, for that is what they call me. I suddenly became cold. I stopped sipping my coffee. I became cold . Tears went down my cheeks . It was a day that my heart was punctured .It was the  day I missed one of my favourite family members I was never related to by blood. Yes , I sank into my sofa chair and screamed ”Oh my God”. Then I was a full staff  at  The Nation newspaper , then I was already the family member of the Tai Solarins. They all knew me ,my face was not unknown to the household except    Tunde  whom  I never met till date. Mama said  Tunde is a private person. But I was very close to Corin, who is a younger sister to Tunde.

I   was   shivering like Christmas goat and unstable like a floated leaf on waters. My   cell phone   almost dropped from my hand as if I was suffering from Parkinson syndrome. I   called Corin’s   line   the first child of the Solarins. ”Confirmed ”, she replied in a text message  and I wept like a baby. This was  the second time I  would weep in my life .The first  time  was when my mother died at 79 .

Few hours later   I started receiving   calls from  home and abroad asking me the full details and her last hours  as if I was there when she breathed her last.  .

I used to ask her many questions from sense to non sense , civilized to  uncouth,  foolish or wise yet she would  not turn me down. I have asked about   her  romantic life when she was young,  the medical problem she ever faced and she told me it was cervical cancer. I told her that I am a friend to her parrot as I sighted the parrot in her house,  she too told me that we were the same thing. I asked  her why she did not use walking stick , she replied ‘’ I don’t  need it’’. I have asked  her  why she kept  Ghanaians ,Togolese in her house , and she replied   ‘’ what is wrong in that  Taiwo? . They are okay’’.

I remember she asked me to bring my twin brother if truly I am a twin , and  I told him that my twin brother, Kehinde  is still alive but    far away in Canada but  she said  ”that is what Yoruba will say when they have no twin brother or sister again, anyway let us meet one day or do you want me to come to Owo? ”, she jocularly   asked , and I promised to bring my twin brother ,Kehinde to know her .Unfortunately the woman never lived up to see him!.

Anytime I mentioned   the former Head of state General Babangida  she would say ”I cannot forgive him, he contributed to my husband’s death. Babangida   incarcerated my husband for months  just because  he was fighting for a just cause. Where are the leaders of yesteryears? But has he come here to tender apology?’’, she  asked.

I asked her why she did not go to Church on one Sunday morning   when I went to interview her, she responded  ”And why did you come  here on Sunday morning when you know I should be in church. Church? I don’t go to Church. I am an Atheist .I am always busy ’’. And when I told her it has been long since I went to church she was excited and   gave me a parting gift  , a book titled  Humanism By Barbara Smoker. Apart from this I have  other  eight  books she always gave me anytime I went  there for an interview ,these books are in my library.

SHEILA SOLARIN 1924-OCTOBER 10, 2012

Mama Sheila was one of the greatest Nigerians I ever met during my sojourn in journalism. She was a millionaire but chose to live a simple life. She fought for the Nigerian masses. She had wanted everything to be better  but today things are getting worse. Her voice was powerful. She was listened to . She criticized the government both the Military the Civilian. She admonished the greedy politicians who increased poverty in Nigeria.

She could have wished to go back to England and live  but chose to  live and die  in Nigeria. Can we have another Sheila again? . She had wanted History Subject to be brought back into the School’s curriculum. To  Mama , the military only came to destroy the country     while our politicians are just selfish and amassing wealth and impoverished the Nigerian masses.

Mama Sheila knew we would  all die and not go with   wealth. She knew that life is ephemeral. She was modest in everything . Her life was simple . While our millionaires wear expensive rags they called clothes , my Mama , our Mama would wear clothe full of wisdom , put on the cap of  knowledge . All these and many more will be in my Book to be published soon.

Ìrìnàjò mi sí ìlú àwon òkú

…….OKÒ OJÚ OMI DÀNÙ , ÈMÍ S’ÒFÒ

……….MO BÓ S’ÓMI SÙRÀ!

………MO PÀDÉ ÀRÒGÌDÌGBÀ NÍ ÌSÀLÈ OMI

………MO RÍ BÀBÁ ÀTI ÌYÁ MI

…….MO SE ALÁBÁPÀDÉ  ÀWON  TÍ Ó TI KÚ NI IGBA ODÚN SÉHÌN

Nígbàti mo dé èbúté BoN mo k’áwó l’órí, mo sunkún kíkórò

OKÒ OJÚ OMI DÀNÙ , ÈMÍ S’ÒFÒ

      BÍ  rédíò  èro  asòròmágbèsì   náà  ti ka ìròhìn agogo mérin ìyáléta tán , igbé ta!. Gbogbo àdúgbò kan gógó. Òfò ńlá ló sè yìí. Òrò di bi o kò lo yàgò fún mi. Àwon tí wón ní  ará , ebí àti ojúlùmò  ti o rin ìrìn àjò l’órí omi nsare kíjo kíjo o di èbúté BoN l’ati mò bóyá wón ní ènìyàn nínú àwon ti ìjàmbá náà se. Béèni wón ńpe    ènìyàn   won l’áago àgbéléwó fóònù . Ojó náà ni mo rí orísirísi  àgbéléwó fóònù bí Taná s’óbè,  Bótìnì, Pèmípadà, Owó ńro mi, Bólugi, Gbéfìlà, Gbéborùn. Ńje ìròhìn  wo  ni Oníròhìn  kà?  Oniròhìn kàá  bayi:  ” Ní òwúrò kùtùkùtù òní ìròhìn tè wá l’ówó pé  okò ojú omi   ti o ńbò l’áti  èbúté T Bobo  ti o n’lo èbúté BoN  ti o kó ogójì ènìyàn àti òpòlópò   dúkìá  d’ànù sí  agbami. Ìsèlè ńlá yi sè ni agogo méwàá òwúrò. A óò ma fi ……” .

       Nígbàti mo gbó ìròhìn yi   inú mi bàjé gidigidi. Okàn mi gbogbé. Ìbànújé so orí mi k’odò . Mo la enu s’ílè bi eni ti a puró làntì lanti mó . Kinla! , mo kígbe. Ńkò t’ilè jé ki Oníròhìn kàá tán. Báyìí ni mo múra  láti lo si   èbúté BoN.  Mo sèbí bí   isé kò bá  pé ni a kìí pe isé . Mo pe íyàwó mi ,Fèróníkà pé  àsìkò tó  lati b’áwon  se ètùtù    pa eja ńlá ti won ńpè ni  erinmilokun  ( Whale)  ti o ńda okò ojú omi wa nù ti o si ńgba òpòlópò èmí ènìyàn nígbà gbogbo .

       À séè o ye kí a má  fura , nítórí  ìfura l’òògùn àgbà  . Mo s’èbí páńsa kò fura ló fi  já  s’íná , àjà kò fura ló  fi jìn .Èmi kò fura rárá. Àní o ye ki a máa  béèrè bi ònà yióò ti ri ki à si  tun máá fi  Olúwa sáájú . Mo se àfojúdi . Mo se àsejù, àsejù sì ni baba àseté.  Òré mi mo se àsejù mo si té bi èsúúrú ti  se àsejù ti o si té l’ówó oníyán. Béèni mo té!. Sùgbón èbi mi kó nítorípé   oò te ara re nífá,  òmòràn kò ní fi ara rè joyè béè si ni abe kò lè mú títí ki o   gbé èkù ara rè.  Èmi kò bèrè ,se bi abèrè ònà kìí sìnà. Sèbí  bi òní se ri òla kò ri béè   lo ńmú kí  Babaláwo máa  d’ífá oroorún  sùgbón òrò ti yípadà kìíse oroórún mó sùgbón  l’ojójúmó ni nísisìyí. Sùgbón mo ti ń’jáde lo nkò le padà s’ílé mo , sèbí bi itó bá balè  kii padà sénu mó , ó sèèwò  . Mo  ko ìpàkó s’éhìn , mo k’ojú síwájú bi òkú Ìmàle  mo sèbí bí Mùsùlùmí òdodo bá kú Kiblah là ńkojú òkú rèé si , mo kojú sí ibi ti mò ńlo o jàre.  Jíjáde  mi kúrò níle  a séè bi mo se máa  lo àjò àrèmábò nìyen. Àséè  lílo mi  ìkehìn nìyen . Àséè àlo rámi rámi là ńri a kìí rí àbò rè. Àséè ohun ti ńbe léhìn èfà  ju òje lo . Àséè rírò ni t’ènìyàn síse ni t’Olórun  Oba . Ohun ti mo l’érò òtò sùgbón ohun tí mo bá l’óhún òtò mà ni o. L’éhìn ti mo rí eja mélo kan pa mo tèlé àwon aláwo láti se ètùtù.   

             

         MO BÓ S’ÓMI  SÙRÀ 

 Sè bí mo mòó tán , mo mòó tán ni orò fi ńgbé okùnrin  lo. Bi  a  ti    parí ètùtù tán ni a wo okò ojú omi kékeré padà si èbúté  .Bí  mo se  ńjáde kúrò nínú okò   ni esè mi  ńyò   , mo bèrè si ńdura  . Mo fi owó méjèjì mú okùn ti a so mó okò ojú omi dání. Bí àwon kan se ńgbìyànjú láti yo mí kúrò ni mo sàkíyèsí pé àwon kan ńfà mi láti ìsàlè omi béè èmi kò rí won. Ìka àtànpàkò ati  ìfábeèlá mi bèrè si se èjè níbi ti mo ti di okùn mú. Àsé bi ará ayé se ńpe ni  náà ni ará  òrun ńpe ni bí olókùnrùn ati arúgbó  sùgbón àdúrà ká  pé l’órí eèpè là   ńgbà . Òràn mi wáá  dàbí ti olókùnrùn ti ńwo àjùlé òrun òun ayé l’óòkan. Wàhálà dé, ìdààmú ba mi .Háà se oun ti ojú ńwá l’ójú ńrí . Sùrà ni owó mi j’ábó ti mo subú sínú omi .Mo dura , mo jà pìtìpìtì , mo mú  ìfòófò ojú omi ati omi d’áni àséè nkò lè gbá  won  mú. Dòòòòòò ni mò ńlo ìsàlè. Sùgbón bí mo se ńlo ìsàlè  omi mo ríi pe aso mi kò tutù, o  si dàbí ìgbàtí  éńjìnì èro òyìnbó (lift) ti ńgbé ènìyàn lò si òkè tabi ìsàlè.

MO PÀDÉ ÀRÒGÌDÌGBÀ NÍ ÌSÀLÈ OMI

Mo pàdé àrògìdìgbà ní isàlè omi

Nígbàti mo dé ìsàlè omi  mo rí obìnrin rògbòdò kan ti irun orí rè ńdán bi wúrà ti  ìrù   fàdákà  eja wà ni ídí  rè .Ojú obìnrin náà ńdán mórán mórán bi góòlù ti a sèsè yo  kúrò nínú iná alágbède .Bí  mo ti rii ni  ara mi ńgbòn,enu mi ro, jìnnì jìnnì bò mi, ara mi ségìrì mo se èyó sara  , díè ló sì kù kí ìgbònsè j’ábó ni ìdí mi. Orí mi wú  béèni  mo sì gan pa bi eni ti iná èlétíríkì  mú.

Sùgbón rírí ti o rí mi o fi mí l’ókàn balè. Nígbà náà ni ara mi wáá balè , okàn mi si tutù bí omi àmù .Inú èmi náà wáá ńdùn sèsè  bi ení  je  tété. Kíákíá mo ti ńronú  bi ngò se bá omobìnrin  náà sòrò ìfé . Háà òmùtí gbàgbé ìsé . Mo ńyò sèsè mo di aláìnírònú ará Galátíà. Mo di òbo ti o  ri ògèdè  ti o  ńfò fèrè.  Nkò rántí ibi tí mo  ti ńbò ati ibi ti mo  wà mó. Mo ńwo obìnrin yi tèrín tèrín , inú mi ńdùn, mo ti ńtò sára . Mo  ńfi ojú inú ńwo bi ngò  ti ba  se erée  yùnké yùnké . Sùgbón nígbàtí  mo rańtí ìrù fàdákà eja ìdí rè ti o ńyí lo sí òtún ati sí  òsì , nse ni nkan omokùnrin mi ti ńmì làgà lógó l’ábé aso  dúró jééé. Ìtìjú muu, ara rè balè ,ó  wò sììn  bi obè páànù. O wá súnkì  bi òkùn.  Háàà ìbèrù b’ojo mú kiní òhún  ti o fi orí jo  ejò lai tíì fi ojú kàànn. Àséè ojú inú wà lóòtó, ojú inú rírán ju  ojú òde lo. Ìtìjú bá omokùnrin mi  o sì s’áwolé lo.

MO RÍ BÀBÁ ÀTI ÌYÁ MI TI WÓN TI KÚ

Obìnrin  àrògìdìgbà yi wò mi , o sì bú s’érín nígbàti o mo èrò okàn mi, o si    wipe ” Bàbá re, Jóshúà  wa níbí. Ìyá re, Oládoyin si wà níhàhín  ti won  ńdókewè” .  Ó fùn mi ni aso kan ,o ni  ” wo   èwù yi ki o sì ko  iwájú rè si èhìn, pe orukó Bàbá re  léèméta , máse pèé ni ‘Bàbá ,tabi  ‘ìyá  tàbi ‘bùròdá’ tabi  ‘àntí’ bi o bá rí Bàbá  ati Ìyá re jòwó máse dì  wón mú. Bá won sòrò ” . Bi o se so bayi ni o sí  ilèkùn yàrá kan  mo si nwo imole niwaju mi , mo wo    inú rè lo, béè ni mo bá ara mi nínu ilé nla dídán náà ti a fi góòlù iyebíyè se òsó rè.

Mo ńwo  ìmólè níwájú mi , mo wo ilé nla dídán náà ti a fi góòlù iyebíyè se òsó rè

Ni ojú  ònà jìnnì jìnnì tún  bò mi, àyà  mi já , orí mi si wúwo  nígbàti  mo ri òpòlópò àwon ènìyàn ti wón ti kú ni igba odún séhìn. Mo dá àwon kan  mò, àwon tí ńkò dá mò si dá mi mò sùgbón won kò fi owó  kàn mi béèni ńkò jéé dáa l’ábàá l’áti fi owó tó won . Nwón nwá si òdò mi l’ókòòkan l’áti bá mi sòrò àti l’áti rán mi si àwon ènìyàn won ni ilè alààyè.

Ìwo  ònkàwéè mi yi mo rí àwon òbí re méjèjì níbè  béè ni  àwon Oba lé ní àádóta ti mo rí nínú aso oyè won . Ngò ò maa d’árúko won nínú ìwé mi ti o ńbò l’ónà.

Wéré ti  mo ri  Bàbá mi mo pèé” Bàbá! Bàbá!!” Sùgbón ko dá mi l’óhùn . Nígbàti mo dúró  fun  iséjú méédógún  ni mo  wa  rántí pe awon òbí mi ti kú. Sèbí àwon ni  àwon Akorin ko orin” L’òwùro Òjo Ajinde, t’ara t’okàn yoo pàdé …A wón ti gún s’ébúté l’ókè Òrun l’ókè òrun , ebi kò ni pa wón mo…Jèrúsálem t’Orùn, òrun mi ìlú mi ….” fún l’ódún náà l’óhùún. Sèbí  ité  ìsìnkú si ni St. Patrick’s Anglican  Church Ìjèbú -Òwò ni a sin won si .Mo tun ranti pe Àlùfáà se ‘eruku fún eruku, iyèpè fun iyèpè’ ni ibojì won nígbàti a dágbéré fun won pe ó dìgbóse.

Mo rántí pe mo gbéra sánlè l’ójó náà l’óhùn nígbàti wón ńwá erùpè bo àwon méjèjì m’ólè , b’áwo ni wón se wa se dé  isàlè omi? .Sé ànjònú ni wón ni tàbí mo ńlá àlá?. Orísirísi èrò lo wá sí okàn mi . Mo rántí pé o ti tó odún métàdínlógójì àti márùndínlógún tí àwon méjèjì ti papòdà tí wón si ti fi ilè bora bí aso .Sèbí  won a ti di egungun wóngan wòngan. Gbogbo egungun won á ti funfun ìyen ti àwon olóríburúkú asètùtù olà kó bá tíì lo kó won níbi ité .Sèbí ohun ti àwon  òpònú ati òle òdó aláìnírònú ti wón   fé ni  owó òjijì ńse l’ásìko yi ni, sèbí awon Babaláwo ìkà òun  èké lo ńrán won.

Egungun àwon òbí mi  ti di  funfun

Sùgbón mo rańtí pé  abàmì  obìnrin ìsàlè odò yi so pé  ki ńpe àwon òbí mi l’órúko. Háà èèwò , àrífín ńlá ki npe  àwon òbí mi l’órúko ?.Mo rántí esè ìwé Bíbélì to so pé ” Bòwò fún  Bàbá ati Ìyá re kí ojó re lè pé l’órí ilè ti Olúwa Olórun re  fi fun e”. Mo tún rántí olórin Oba Jùjú  Sunny Ade   tó  k’orin  pé Bàbá kò se é pààrò beni ìyá ko se é pààrò , tàbí wón pààrò won fún mi ni? .Sùgbón mo wáá rójú dájú, sè bí òdájú la fi ńwe egbò  bi béèkó egbò kò ni jiná. Mo wá a dárúko lé Bàbá mi lórí, àni mo la orúko móó l’órí ,  mo sì  pèé ”Jóshúà! , Jóshúà!! , Jóshúà!!! léèméta. Léhìn èyí ni mo ri Okùnrin arúgbó kùjèkuje kan ti kò ga tí kò sì kúrú nínú aso  kóòtù ati táì  orùn rè. Mo sì ríi ti o pá l’órí  ,  o fi  díngí   sójú, pèlù òpá ìtìlè rè ti o mú dání o si pè mi ”Taiwo! ,Taiwo!! kí lo wa se níbí?”.  Léhìn èyí ni o kojú sí mi ti o wí pé ”Omo mi l’áti odún métàdínlógójì ni mo ti kúrò n’ílé ayé. Isé ti mo ńse ni ìgbà aiyé mi náà ni mo nse níbí bi Post master . Gbogbo létà ti wón ńfi ránsé si ilè alààyè l’áti òdò mi ni wón ti ńrà sítámpù rè. Jé kí ńso fún e , bí wón se ńse l’áiyé ni won ńse l’órun ”

    Bàbá mi sòòrò    o  si fún mi ni èbùn  ó  ni ”Jòwó  máse kó egbé kégbé , máse mu otí àmupara  .Sóra fún  òré . Gba òrùka  yìi, nígbà kígbà ti o bá n’jáde n’ílé ni ki o fi sówó ,enìkéni ti o ba ńbínú re yìóò yónú si e .

           

 Bàbá  mi  ńbá mi sòrò,mo sì gbówó l’érán

”Sèbí ètùtù   ìyónú ni ewúré se ti o  ńfi ara ńnu olóde n’ílé . Sèbí  ètùtù ìyónú ni adìye se  ti o fi ńda ètù ìbon olóde nù n’ílé, sùgbón àpárò ati ìgalà kò lati se ètùtù  ìyónú  ti Babaláwo ni ki wón se l’ójó náà l’óhún  ni wón fi di  òtá  olóde  títí  di òní olónìí ” . 

   Bi Bàbá mi se ju òrùka náà si mi  ni mo pa gúúrú  sii ti mo  féé dì móó béè  ni o pòórá ,  ti ńkò ríi mó .Ìjì  ńlá kan bèrè si   jà ,léhìn eyi ni mo n’gbóhùn rè ti o wipe ”. Èèwò , àgbedò, máse dánnwò .  Báwo lo se fé dì mo mi?. Mo ti di aféfé, nítorí  nkò fe ki o fi owó kàn mi. Èmi ati ìyá re ti di ewúré jeléjelé a si  ti di àgùtàn jemòjemò ,  a si ti di òrìsà àkúnlèbo. Wo òòkán re ìwo yi o ri ìyá re níbè  o dàbò”.

Báyìí ni mo sun ekún kíkórò . Mo ké lohùn rárá pé  ” Bàbá  mi tòòtó, Bàbá  mi aiyé , Bàbá  mi òrun, Bàbá  olomo ti ko gbódò sùn .Sé bi o se máa wò mi níran rèé?. Ìyà njé mi . Àwon ìkà ènìyàn  ńlépa èmí mi nitori mo ńko nípa Olóyè ńlá kan ti àwon asekúpani fi èmi re dá ègbodò ni ilú BoN. ” . Sèbí Yorùbá bo won ni Okùnrin kìí  ké , ako igi kii s’oje, Okùnrin ké l’ojó náà l’óhùn , ako igi si se oje!

. Tekún tekún ni mo  fi mú òrùka náà ti  Bàbá mi  fún mi l’ójó náà l’óhún. Ikun imú mi ńdà .Omíjé ojú mi si nsàn bi isun omi . Ojú mi wú tepele bí eni agbón ta. Òrùka náà  wà l’ówó mi títí di òní olóníi .Ìwo ònkàwéè mi  ngóò  fi hàn ó  l’ójó ti mo bá fi òrùka náà  si ìka owó mi …..               ( Excerpts from my coming book)

Bàbá mi Jóshúà  Adépòjù Abíódún  ta téru nipa  ni 31-12-85. Ìyá mi  Caroline Oládoyin Abíódún si  je Olorun nipe ni 16-10-2007

 

Bàbá mi Jóshúà  Adépòjù Abíódún (JP)  papoda  ni 31-12-85. Ìyá mi  Caroline Oládoyin Abíódún sun ninu Oluwa ni 16-10-2007

Ògbólóògbó olè ni mí télè

   

    ……Ògbólóògbó olè ni mí télè

    ……Mo dá  omo mi l’ónà

   …… Olóògùn háúnháún ni Bàbá mi

    ……Nnkan méjì l’obìnrin mò

  Bàbá àgbàlagbà yi so ìtan  ìgbesí aíyé rè ki o to  jáde l’áyé  l’ósè tó kojá 

KÉKERÉ LA TIÍ ŃPÈKA ÌRÓKÒ

         ”OLÈ ni mí, olè lásán kó o, òfúnàn  jàgùdà páálí bìlísì ni mí.  Mo ní a lo k’ólóhun k’ígbe ni mò ńńse . Àní sé gbéwiri l’èmi, mo wā di ògbólóògbó ìgáárá olósà títí mo fi dàgbà . Mo bèrè n’íbi à ńyó eran obè je nínú ìkòkò ìsasùn. Fífi ayédèrú kókóró sí àpótí ìfowópamó  . Mo nlo Bárékè  śójà lati j’alè. Mo   ńjí sálúbàtà nínú Mósálási  ni Ìdúmòtà .Mo ti jí owó Àfáà n’íbi tí wón ti ń’se súná omo tuntun l’órí pápá bóòlù ìseré Sùúrulérè, ni Èkó. Ni Sòósì, ilé ìjósìn Olórun ti o wà ni  Yábá pàápàá mo ti ji owó igbá s’álo rí. S’èbí èmi ni mo kó owó ojú ebo lo ni’joun pèlu owó eyo ni oríta méta l’Ójóta .Ni roundabout Mókólá ,Ìbàdàn mo  fi adìye ti won fi ru  ebo pèlú epo pupa ti a dà le l’órí s’ebè ata díndín. Kai!  àfowórá mi pò ki nmá puró. Nínúu Móòluè l’Èkó n’kò kìí san owó okò, n’go sì tún yo owó l’ápò àwon ará inu okò móòlùè , ngóò sì tún máa bá won kédùn. Mo mà j’alè sáyé ò. Sùgbón olè pépèpé ni o.

”Sùgbón sá o isé ti a kò gbódò fi yangàn l’áwùjo ni. Aní se isé ti a kò gbódò gbàá l’ádúrà fi lé omo l’ówó ni. À ní sé isé àbùkù ni. Isé ìtìjú ni pèlú. Sùgbón o ni l’áti gbóyà bii kìnìún ki o si yára bi àsá ninu olè jíjà.  Béè nínú isé a lo k’ólóhun kígbe yìí mo dúpé pé mo ti fi da nnkan rere gbé se láyé  .Tàbí kí le ní kí nwí o jàre?. Isé sáà ni isé nje. Tàbí e rò pe ó r’orùn l’ati j’alè ni?. Mo ti fo ìgànná ti àfókù ìgò ya àwòrán si mi l’ára  yánma yànma  ti èjè si ntú jáde bi omi  èro . Mo ti fi orí ko Ilé agbón ti agbón si t’amí l’áta d’ákú. Mo ni iná èlétíríkì ti sóòkì mi ri tí  báábù wayà si ti fi ya máápù  Áfíríkà si mi l’ára.    Àní gbogbo ara mi kìkì àpá ni. Nínú olè jíjà yi ni mo ti kó ilé , mo ti fé ìyàwó, àwon omo mi si ti parí Ilé ìwé gíga ti Unifásítì ni ìlú Òyìnbó. Mo sì ti f’ìyàwó f’ómo, mo si f’oko f’ómo, kí ló tún kù?

Táíwò Abíódún l’órí ìrìn àkòròhìn

BÀBÁ MI

   ”Kí n’to bèrè ìtàn mi e jé ki nso n’ipa Bàbá mi: Olóògùn háúnháún ni Bàbá mi íse, ògbólóògbó Babaláwo sì ni pèlú. Olóògùn a jé bí i idán ni nítirè, à ni sé Olóògùn pónbélé ni. Tí ó bá ní kí  òru di òsán béè lo máa rí, bí ó sì ní kí  òsán di òru yì oò ri béè náà ni. Dandan sì ni, kò sí àníàní níbè .

”Àwa méta ni bàbá mi bí l’ómo. Kí ó tó kú ni odún 1970 ni o ti kó mi l’óògùn àféèrí. Aáyán, ìmí ojó, orí ìjímèrè ati ehín oká pèlú awon  èròjà míràn la fi se é. Ó sì tún kó mi ni oògùn ayeta nítorí pé o ńsisé fún àwon jàgùdà  àti àwon òsèlú .Sèbí e rántí Operation Wéètì è àti ogun àgbékòyà?, àwon jàgídíjàgan, àní sé òun ni o n’sín gbéré fún àwon ti wón ń’sisé ìpánle ni ìdíkò okò akérò . Àwon ti Mushin mòó, ti Oshòdì ,Ojóta ati awon ìdíkò ti o l’órúko L’Ékó mòó. Orúko Bàbá mi ni Máyehùn, àwon kóstómà rè lo funn l’órúko ìnàgìje yìì  o.

”Háà! okùnrin méta ni Bàbá mi íse , béè kò ga púpò, à ní díè ló fi ga ju ìgò bíà lo. Háà lóòtó ni pé ènìyàn kúkurú bìlísì ni , baba nlá bìlísì ni Bàbá mi īse. O gbówó. O ni òrùka ère, ìgbàdí , ewé njé .Kíni kò ní tán ?. Sèbí orísirísi orí là  ńbá ní ìté òkú, orí gbígbe , orí tútù, orí omodé, orí àgbàlágbà  ,orí obìnrin, orí okùnrin , à ni sé Bàbá mi ni oògùn l’ówó, nse lo máa npe òkú s’eré tí ó sì nran won n’ísé. Mo gbédí fún Bàbá mi l’órun.

”Sé eni máa  bá Èsù jeun síbí rè a gùn. Nígbàtí Bàbá mi kú mo sá’ré lo kó àwon oògùn rè níbi ti o ko won   sí. Sè bi eni bá y’áwó l’ògún ńgbè ,mo tètè  ko won  kí ó tó di àwátì .Emi kò kúkú jéri enìkànkan nínú àwa omo rè. Àwon Aláwo egbé rè  l’ó wá s’ìnkú rè  l’ójó kéta  ti o ti papòdà   l’éhìn òpòlópò  ètùtù ati ebo.

MO DI OLÈ

   ”Láì fa  òrò gùn lo títí  mo di adigunjalè mo nnlo àféèrí , mo di ògbólóògbò olè, à ni mo di olè háúnháún. Léhìn osù méta owó dé, mo  ra okò ayókélé Mésídíìsì , mo fé ìyàwó tuntun ,mo si kó ilé . Ko si ápèje ti n’kò kìí lo. Mo si nnawo  bi elédà níbi ti mo ba lo. Mò nnse gbajúmò l’ósán alo k’ólóun k’ígbe l’óru. Ni òru n’go di  ìhámóra bi eni ti ń’lo ojú ogun sùgbón l’ósán èèyàn gidi ni mi pèlú èrín èye oun òyàyà l’énu. Háà! mo di èrù jèjè ajámoláyà ,eni à ńsá fún l’óru. Mo di ògbóntarìgì olè.

 

NNKAN MÉJÌ L’OBÌNRIN MÒ

    ”Òré mi pò jántírere, àmó sá ìyàwó mi kò mo isé tí mò nse, eléèha ni , mo háa. Nkò se ni háa? Àwon obìnrin onítòkítò, wón le sòrò jù òrò fúnra rè lo. Káì  mo tètè gbón , mo so o di Eléha. S’ebí owó l’obínrín mò, nígbàtí mo  nse ojúse mi n’ílé ,owó n’ìkan kó o, nkò fi oorun dùnn. Nnkan méjì l’obìnrin mò: agogo abé okùnrin  ati owó àpèkánukò. Òun náà ńse ojúse rè fun àwon ebí tírè , kí ló tún kù? .E fìyen s’ílè o jàre. Mo háa .Èyin ònkàwéè mi e kò rìì pe inú jìn?. Háà , inú  mà jìn o.

   ISÉ MI

       ”Mo jéjé  pe  n’go jáwó nínú isé olè jíjà  nígbà ti mo bá ti ri  owó tó tó mílíónì méjì  náírà .L’óòótó mo rí to mílíónì méta mo sì jáwó sùgbón a jí ede je kò jí òkan  ró. Kàkà kí nyíwàpadà mo tún tera móó. Sèbí  kàkà kí ewe àgbon dè, pipélé lo ńpélé sii. Mo padà sí èebì mi bí ajá.

ISÉ ÌKÉHÌN

      Ni agogo méjì òru ojó kan èmi ati àwon adigunjalè egbé  mi lo j’alè ni  òna márosè Lagos/ Ìbàdàn    a si ri okò ayókélé ti o ńbò pèlú obìnrin kan nínú rè. Mo fi gàte mi b’ojú, kíá a ti dá okò dúró, a sì ní  kí wón s’òkalè. Ni ìséjù akàn gbogbo nkan inú mótò náà ni a kó ni  àkótán. Okùnrin náà sòréndà ara rè mo si gba owo tàbùà tabua l’ówó rè . Sùgbón nígbàti mo nsoro l’ówó omokùnrin yìí nké tan tan ó sì ńlo agídí béè emi kò dáa l’óhùn. Àwon dánàdánà egbé mi sì bú s’érín .Èmi náà  ríi  pé  ohùn arákùnrin yii jo eni mímò sùgbón nkò lè f’ohùn. Kíni ká ti gbó  pe mo dáa l’ónà?, òràn ti di isó inú èkú ,àmúmóra ni. Nígbàti o kókó fé lo agídí a féé fi ìbon tú orí rè ká bi olóde se nfi ìbon tú ori ìkòokò  ati ìtùukù l’óko sùgbón n’go  tun pètù fún àwon ìgárá olósà egbé mi pe ki a m’áse ta èjè sílè.

ÀKÀRÀ TÚ S’ÉPO

     ”L’ójó kéta ni mo wá s’íle, mo  bá omo mi ti o se àlàyé bi àwon  olè se dá won l’ónà Eko si Ibadan  nígbàti oun ńbò l’ati wa fi ìyàwó àfésónà rè hàn mi .Mo se aájò rè púpò púpò. Mo si bá arábìnrin rè kédùn gidigidi. Sùgbón kini kan s’elè l’ójó kejì.

Ni alé ojó kejì  Àmòké ti íse àfésóna omo mi , Akin fe lo se ìgbónsè l’óru ni mo ba fún ni iná  ìléwó àtètàn (torchlight) , o gbàá o si lo si ilé ìgbónsè sùgbón kò dáá pádà. Ni ojó kejì o tún so pé oun fé se gaa mo bérè l’ówó rè pé  àtètàn àná nbe l’ówó rè , sùgbón o fi gbígbó se aláìgbó.

 Kò pé  tì mo dé  òdò aláìsàn tí mo lo ki ni ilé ìwòsàn nìgbàtí àwon olópá méta wá  pèlú sékésekè esè , ati máámu gààrí l’ówó tí wón wa  sí òdo òré mi ti won ńbérè  òrò l’ówó rè ,ká tó  wí ká to fò, mo ti pòórá. Èmi kò fe ki enìkéni wá k’óbá mi o jàre. Mo n’pòsé sere bí ejò , mo wónú okò mo yára kúrò nítòsí ibè .Mo ńbá ara mi s’òrò nínú mótò pé olòsì l’àwon ti o lo ta àwon olópá l’ólobó. Èèwò a kì i rí iná ní kànga béèni a ki i rí isó mú . Abéré  á lo kí  òna okùn tó dí.

    ÀSÍRÍ TÚ, ÀKÀRÀ TÚ S’ÉPO

Ni agogo méta òru ni omo mi jí mi ti o gbé mi k’alè ti o ńbérè òrò báyìí ”Bàbá mi kíni dé ti e kò jáwó nínú ìwà  adigunjalè ti e ti ńse bò l’ójó pípé?. Èmi ko le so bi ìtìjú yín à ti ti ebí wa i báá ti pò to ti wón ba mu yin mo awon olè l’ójósí” .Bi o se nsòrò ni mo nfi agídí ti káfíntà fi ńyo ìsó ti mo gbaa l’énu rè pe ”èmi n’jalè? Tútó rè dànù. Níbo l’o ti ri èmi?. Àrífín ilé ìyàgbé .Irú kìní òrò burúkú kòbákùngbé wo lo n’so l’énu yìí? .Síòo re . Òrò ègbin oníyòrò, òrò òsì. Emi yí óò ta àse fún e bi o ba tún tú òrò rírùn bi isó yi so”. Báyìí ni mo se so ti  òun náà dáhùn pé ” Bàbá mi e ni sùúrù”. Ó sì  yo fìlà , àtùpà àtètàn l’ówó ati owó j’áde. o ni ” Bàbá mi eyin ni e dá èmi àti ìyàwo àfésóná mi  l’ónà ti fìlà yin bó sínú búùtù okò mi, fìlà naa rèé. Àtùpà àtètàn yi le mú nínú mótò mi n’ígbà tí e da èmi ati ìyàwó mi l’ónà , orúko mi rèe l’ára rè. Aso ti e wò e kò kó won wá’le. È sì gbàgbé pe ‘Kòkòrikò le ńpe òré yin ti oun naa npe yin ni Ìkòokò .Ara owó ti e gbà l’ówó mi ni e fún ìyàwó  mi ko fi ra nkan èlò obè ,ti e ba wòó dáradára e óò  rí àmì ìsàmì orúko mi l’ára  rè. Gbogbo rè ni a kó pamó ti e kò mò. Mo si be ìyàwó àfésónà mi ki o s’enu ni ménú. Mo s’èbí ilé eni l’ati ńje èkúté onídodo. Nígbàti ti e lo j’alè pélú òre yin ni ònà Òrè ni ìbon báá. Òré yin  náà ni  e lo kí ní  ilé ìwòsàn ni àná .Òré  yin si ti so fún àwon agbófinró nígbàti e kúro l’ódo rè  tán pe ara yin ni wón nítori náà kí e tètè kúrò ni ilé lo f’ara pamó síbi kan”

Nígbà ti mo gbó òrò yii, jìnnìjìnnì bò mi, ára mí ko l’élè mó. Òógùn bò mi, ara mi tutù bí  omi àìisì wotà !. Mò sì  n’làágùn fòò l’ábée  fáánu ti mo wà  béè  si ni  igbé gbígbóná ngbòn mi, ìto t’ile j’ábó ni abé mi l’óru ojó nā tí sòkòtò mi si tútù l’ojó naa l’óhūn.

Tani irú rè maa se ki o ma di dìndìnrìn?.Mo di òdè. Mo ńwí bótobòto. Òrò mi kò jora won mo .Kai ! , àsírí tú, àkàrà tú s’épo. Èté  mi de. Mo r’onú títí béè èmi ko l’émí lati gbé  májèlé je. Èmi kò le yìnbon funra mi je. L’òrú ojó náà ni mo gbà ona Bìní  lo. Ibè ni mo wà títí ti wón fi fi èhìn òré mi ti àgbá, beeni k’èhìn s’ókun ni won ńse l’ójó náà l’ohun”

ÌRONÚPÌWÀDÀ

   ” Mo ti jáwó nínú gbogbo ìwà wònyí. Mo wá lo kó isé Molémolé   ti won ńpè ni Bíríkìlà. Gbogbo àwon omo mi ni o n’ísé l’ówó a fi òkan nínu won ti o féé  fi ìwà jo mi, s’èbí eni bí ni l’a ńjo. Sùgbón ki èsan to ké lé mi l’órí mo ti ke  gbàjawìrì s’íta pé kí  omo àbíkéhìn  m’áse da l’ásà pe oun féé jo mi .

”Mo ti dàgbà , mo ti le l’ogórin odun, opélópé  pé kò si àwòrán fótò nígbà náà l’óhūn, kò sí sí àkosílè fun awon olópa ati èro ayára bi àsá (internet) bi béè kó oká i ba ti fo. Nísisìyí  mo  ti di Pásítò ,mo ńkéde ìwàásù kiri. L’ójó Òsè n’go kó èwu Pásítò wò , n’go máá wàásù ihìnrere ati ìpadàbo Jéésù l’ori àga ìwàáasù”.

Táíwò Abíódún l’órí ìrìn àkòròhìn

‘E jòwó nse  ni kí e paáŕé tí e bá ti gba ohùn mi sílè tán nítorí àwon kan yí óò dá ohùn mi mò”, ni òrò tí  Okùnrin yi tè mó wa l’étí.Okùnrin naa ti ta t’éru n’ipa ni  òsè  to k’oja .A fi oruko bòó l’asiri.

Igogo festival without Elerewe………

     

……The rich  who  bails criminals

……. If Elérèwè were ……If Elérèwè were …If…..

……. We keep Lion and goats as pets

…….Owó Epo l’aráiyé ñbá nī ‘la

…….. Vengeance is Mine says the Lord

……….Nigeria  print and electronic media on Elérèwè 

…….His remains still in the morgue

Since December 15, 2021 when the late High Chief Túndé Ìlòrí the Elérèwè of Òwò Kingdom was brutally assassinated  by some gunmen the family of the slain Chief has been  pleading to the  natives to be bold enough    to  help fish out the killers . But if the government cannot fish them out God in His Infinite will not spare them no matter their connections , their jùjú and marabouts. TAIWO ABIODUN writes

Haaa! it is painful and pathetic. It is unthinkable . This is serious and very painful.  O ma se o ,by this time last year Elérèwè did not know that he would not participate in this year’s Igogo festival. By this time last year he was preparing for the festival .By this time last year  he wore  his costumes and danced round the town.  So Elérèwè will not participate in this year’s Igogo festival?. So he would be watching the Igogo from afar off?. No ,not from afar off but   would be watching the festival from the morgue since he has not been buried!. 

Káì! O ma se o .So all the  costumes and paraphernalia of Elérèwè  are gathering dust now? .May God in His infinite declare war on his killers.

     So other   bead-  wearing Chiefs    like him will go out and  wear their  costumes  without  their fallen colleague?. Yes, his death or absence  will not stop anything and will not stop the world from moving on. So everybody is moving on?. Where is our conscience? . So in that Òwò town we don’t know who killed Elérèwè?. So nobody can stick his neck out to fight for the late Chief?. O mà se ò, t’ìre ñbò, t’ìre ñbò n’ikú ñwí . It is Elérèwè  today and it could my own  turn tomorrow , infact it could be  your turn  today or tomorrow . 

Here was a man who  contributed immensely  to the festival and because of him friends and lovers of culture come from Lagos and abroad to watch the festival. He used to slaughter cow every year  to celebrate the festival. Wàláítàlaì e no go better for his killers. His killers will die shameful death. Thunder will strike his killers, olóríburúkú gbogbo. Omo ãlè. The killers’ families will perish in hell fire. Why are we so wicked? . They will get the killers  and it may not be immediate but one day. It is just a matter of time.  

Lover of Culture

 

OWÓ EPO….If….If…..If….

People will  lick your fingers drenched in palm oil but not the fingers with blood( Owó epo l’aráyé ñbá nii la ‘nwon kìí’ bá ni l’áwó èjè) If   Elérèwè had had somebody at the  top …. If Elérèwè had known someone in Aso Rock Villa…. If Elérèwè had been a wealthy Chief ….. . But he had no connections. He was not wealthy. .He had only few trusted  friends .If Elérèwè were  a millionaire ….. If Elérèwè had contacts in high places …..But he had  none of these. Káì! it is all ”Ifs.”

Do you know that those who had hands in his death are being tormented day and night?. They are running from pillar to post.  They are being haunted by the spirit of  Elérèwè . They know themselves. Those who were paid to snuff life out him  have finished the money paid for the assassination and are now suffering alone .  Wàláítàlaì òghon yà sùn má (they cannot sleep any longer).

STORY OF A RICH MAN IN..….

    In our society when a crime is committed they run to the rich who will  use  money to  bury  the case. The rich too have forgotten that  they could be poor by fate later in life (olówó òní lè d’olòsì bo d’òla ). The rich forgot that wealth  is like ocean waves . We know the truth , we see the truth but pretend not to.

A story was  once told  of  a rich man who used his wealth to ”assist” criminals who commit crime  to evade justice . He was so influential that he turned it  into business while human lives became cheap. Criminals were walking free in the public and boasting .While the oppressed  and the poor who could not get justice cried to God to revenge .The rich man was so powerful that no man  had the effrontery to  challenge him in that community . One day at  his old age one of the criminals he once ‘helped’  ran mad and came to his house and killed all his children while his other children living abroad ran mad. The rich man who had harem of wives  could not sleep again as his  seven wives died  within one year. His wealth perished before his very eyes . When he consulted some spiritualists  the  rich man was told that  all the curses laced on those criminals   were on him and his family.

The Yoruba call it Olórun Èsan, (God of vengeance ) Olórun kò bí’mo sùgbón ó bi Èsan ( God has no child but  Vengeance). 

Those who killed Elérèwè , those who plotted  his  assassination and the guys who carried the riffles should come to the open to confess.

 

”A story was  once told  of  a rich man who used his wealth to ”assist” criminals who commit crime  to evade justice . He was so influential that he turned it  into business while human lives became cheap. Criminals were walking free in the public and boasting .While the oppressed  and the poor who could not get justice cried to God to revenge .The rich man was so powerful that no man  had the effrontery to  challenge him in the community. One day at  his old age one of the criminals he once ‘helped’  ran mad and came to his house and killed all his children while his other children living abroad ran mad. The rich man who had harem of wives  could not sleep again as his  seven wives died  within one year. His wealth  perished before his very eyes . When he consulted spiritualists the  rich man was told that  all the curses placed on those criminals   were on his him and his family members”

 

If Elerewe were your brother and was felled like this how will you feel?

       The Biblical stories are real. After betraying the son of man , Judas Iscariot went  to hang himself. He could not bear the heavy burden of guilty conscience again. It was too heavy for him. Friends, associates and even the Kings could not help. Nobody could harbor him again and nobody could call him his friend. 

WE KEEP LION AND GOATS AS PETS

 Since the  brutal killing of  Chief Elérèwè of Òwò Kingdom  we  have been living in self denial . We pretend that nothing happened.  Everybody is going on his business .We shield  suspects and  we  pretend  like the man whose house is on fire but told his children that all is well. We breed not only hyenas or tigers but also  dangerous snakes . We  keep cobra in our room as pet  and pretend that  all is well. We keep lion in the house with goats and  claim  the two are just  pets . We keep  these criminals in our midst  and pretend we are safe. We forget  that  the  criminals  we are shielding will one day  rape and kill  our daughter, mother or niece.

         We are  not only foolish and stupid but  also  wicked . Our society is wicked . Let’s leave the  defenders of evil who are   wicked and soulless alone , let’s leave the rich and well connected people who use their wealth and influence to inflict pains on the weak  and make the criminals  evade justice for God said it all” vengeance is mine.”

CAN WE HAVE ANOTHER  GANI FAWEHINMI AGAIN?

For those defending lies may God  rain curses on them and  what happened to Elérèwè  should happen to their family members.  The late Gàní Fáwèhìnmí’s name will forever be in the good book of the Ondos because he  fought for justice .  Fáwèhìnmí would not because of money defend crime or injustice. Fáwèhìnmí would not defend  a crime he would rather expose the criminals. He defended the Nigerian masses till death. 

But come , so you don’t believe it can happen to you? It can happen to me. It can happen to anybody!.

It is exactly 10months today that the  Elérèwè of Òwo Kingdom  was  brutally assassinated  but we are laughing , attending parties and pretending that  nothing happened. Haba!. Are we just stupid and foolish? .Have we become  aláìnírònú ará Galátíà?

    Let us review the print and electronic media that carried the news. Let us show them to our children .Let the History of Òwò not forget this one that an High Chief was brutally killed and nothing happened 10months after.

Let us not keep quiet. Let those who did it not have rest of mind .

https://www.tvcnews.tv/2021/12/gunmen-kill-owo-high-chief-tunde-ilori/

Elerewe’s murder: Police arrest five suspects

How High Chief Elerewe was killed

https://thenationonlineng.net/murder-of-high-chief-owo-youths-call-for-diligent-investigation/

https://thenationonlineng.net/fish-out-killers-of-elerewe-of-owo-family-cries-out-to-igp/

https://www.thehopenewspaper.com/ondo-high-chief-killed-wife-demands-justice/

https://saharareporters.com/2021/12/15/breaking-protest-rocks-ondo-unknown-gunmen-kill-high-chief

 

Killers and supporters  of Elérèwè will not go unpunished 

Gunmen Kill High The Elerewe, Tunde Ilori In Ondo (Photo)

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/12/gunmen-kill-ondo-high-chief-over-land-dispute/

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/01/murder-of-owo-high-chief-dont-plunge-community-into-crisis-youths-appeal-to-family-of-deceased/

https://wizinko.com/view/post/If-the-people-who-killed-the-chief-aren–39;t-found–hi/218

https://gospelflavour.com/view/post/If-the-killers-aren–39;t-caught–the-chief–39;s-/92

 

    I received a call sometimes ago , from  Dallas. The  caller  asked when the annual Igogo festival  would start . I told him it would not be as usual , he said ”Oh my God I will miss this year’s festival . I enjoyed watching Olowo’s  costume and Elerewe’s  dancing  steps especially  his appearance that showed  his height  –  over six feet tall”. He burst into tears again and rained  curses on  those who killed Elerewe.    He again started pouring curses  on the killers until he burst into tears and dropped the phone. May the killers of Elerewe burn into ashes and reap bountifully their wickedness   from generation to generation.

Who killed Elerewe of Owo Kingdom?

Who is the next victim after Elerewe?

May those who killed Elerewe die mysterious death. May those  who contributed to the  killing of Elérèwè experience such calamity in their household. Shout Amen please. 

TO THE KILLERS OF ELÉRÈWÈ , HERE IS THIS SONG FOR YOU

 Ègbòn mi owon (2times)

Égungun mi lo ñ’fon

Iwo l’o pa mi t’órí ogún ati oyè yiii o

Ègbòn mi owon

Egungun mi lo ñ’fon

May those who know those who killed Elérèwè and those  hiding the truth be put to shame  with their entire family members. AMEN.ASE. 

Eyin ti e pa Chief Túndé Ìlòrí Elérèwè, èyin amōkùn s’ìkà, e s’èkà tan e t’esè m’órìn , e ti gbàgbé pe bi Oba aiye ko ri yin Oba orun nwo yin . E s’eka tan e y’ídó b’orí. Ñje e mò pe gbogbo ènìyàn mò yin. Won si d’áké ni o. Ojó ojó kan nbo ti e oo maaa kà bōrò bi àjé. Ojó ojó kan nbo ti ìkòokò yin ko  nii  gbeyin mo. Ojó l’ójó ti àsírí a tú. Enu yin a kan, e oo ma bèbè fun ìdáríjì èsè. Sùgbón  èpa kò bóro mo o. OLÓRUN A FI ÌYÀ JE YIN.

Ika a ponika ooo,

Rere a beni rere

Eni ba s’eka laiye,

omo re a je ,

Aya re a je , oun naa  a jiya

B’oo gbon bi ifa bi o mo bi opele  ……..( KSA)

Mo pàdé Àgbákò, ìjà bèrè!

 

 

  NÍGBÀTÍ  mo  pàdé  okùnrin  nã  mo kígbe “Hã mo  ti  ko Àgbákò!”. Igbe mi sì gba igbó kíkankíkan. Òun naa si dáhùn pé  ” Àgbákò ti kò é,o ti fí ojú rī ”.

Ojú sánmà  sú dèdè  béè sì ni oòrùn ñràn kíkan kíkan. Bí  ara mi ti  ńgbóná bi eni a d’áná igi fún yá   bé è sì ni  ó ñ’tùtù bi omi inú  fíríjì  sùgbón èrù ko bà mi bē sì  ni àyà kò fò mi. Sèbí  okùnrin ni mi? . Sèbí mo ni gògóngò l’órùn?. Àní se èmi kì ì se okùnrin ojo.

Rírí tí mo ri Okùnrin naa  mú  mi rántíi ohun ti Bàbá mi,  Jóshúà   so fun mi nígbàti ti o n’lo oko ode l’áyé ìgbã ni. Ìjúwe  abàmì arákùnrin yi wa sí ìrántí fún mi . Bàbá mi so pe ”Bi ìwo bá rí  okùnrin olójú méta, tí ó  ní  apá méfà, esè mérin, ti iná ñjáde l’énu rè bi Sàngó Olúkòso oko Oya , ti o ñju ìrù rè bénbélé bi òbo lágídò, ti ejò ñyo ahón beere l’órí rè , ti itó enu re ñhó bi ose , ti àkèekèé si ñjáde ni enu rè tó  ba ñ’sòrò, ti ìka owó rè ñ’tan iná , ti  paramólè ñyojú l’ójú ojúgun esè rè, ti  ìgbonsè ñjáde l’étí re, ti o ñyàgbé s’ára sùgbón ti ìgbé rè  jé kìki   ata àti ìdin , Àgbákò l’o rí yen , sá fūnn. Má se dúro ìwo omo mi. Inú Igbó BoN l’o ñgbé.

       Kíámósá mo  múra ogun .Mo tú  fìlà  mi dé  , mo si ko iwájú rè si èhìn. Mo fi d’ígí abàmì si oju  ti o fi jé  pé okùnrin naa ko mo pe ojú  mi ti yípadà ,ó ti di pupa bi eyìn iná , èjè si njade l’ójú mi o si ñkán tó, tó tó. Ojú mi ñsáná sàrà sàrà bí àrá l’ójú àwosánmà nígbà òjò.

       Ojó  l’ojó nã  l’óhūn ti mo paradà ti mo di eni a kò gbódò jí rí. Àni  sé   ojó l’ojó nã l’óhūn ti mo paradà di eni a kò gbàdúrà kí a kò l’ónà oko t’àbí  l’ónà  ojà .  Mo fi òrùka máyehùn si owó sùgbón mo gbàgbé l’áti fi  òrùka Kìnìún  oníde ti eye abàmì fun mi l’ójósí si  íka owó mi  lati mò bóyá ewu wà l’ónà. Hã nígbàyìí ni mo tó mò pé ewu wà l’ónà. Èmi Okùnrin méta. Èmi naa Ewu . Ewu ñbe Lóngé, Lóngé pãpã  ewu. Èmi oko Rónì, èmi oko Fèróníkà. À ní sé èmi ni  eni kòō kò mò ón, eni mò ón kò kò ó.

       Mo fi ègbà oníde si owó ti yio mã bá mi s’òrò bi ènìyàn . Beeni n’kò gbàgbé ègbà orùn ti a fi odindi  eyín erin ati eyin àmòtékùn  àti  èdo igi  Màhógánì ati ti Ìrókò  se.

Bi mo ti k’ojú ìbon mi   si okùnrin naa  ni o k’ígbe l’óhūn rara pe ” Mo rí e , abàmì okùnrin, mo rí e o Bobo T, T Bobo, BoN, Babalawo Of the Nation,  Bàbá olórùka ,ju ìbon re d’ànù , iná mō o l’óní.

  Àwa méjèjì fi ìjà peéta. Ìjà nã pò gidigidi l’ójó naa.  Nígbàtí Okùnrin Àgbákò yi  rii pe owó òun ko bà ‘mi ati pe nkò bìkítà, o fé atégùn si owó re òjò bèrè sii rò , bi  òjò se ñrò ni  egungun rè  ñle sii. Sùgbón mo pe Ìya mi l’órun mo ni ” ìyá mi tōto, abiyamo kìì gbó igbe omo rè ki o mã t’ara, Oládoyin má se wò mi níran . Abiyamo tōto o d’owó re o”.

    Mo wo òkè mo wo ilè , mo rañtí wipe òrùka mi àti ògèdè mi ko  nii s’isé l’áì fi orúko Olúwa sii. Mo ráñtí pé  enìkan tun ñbe ti o ju Bàbá ati Ìyá mi lo. À ní sé , mo ráñtí pe oògùn kò nii je láì fi ti Elédùmarè siii. Ni ìséjú aáya mo kúnlè, mo pe Elédùmarè ti o da ewé ati egbò ki o se àtìlehìn fun mi.

Bí mo se ñse èyí èrín ni ebora ti nwón npè ni Àgbákò bú sí.

( Coming out soon in my Book)

 

 

Where I was last Sunday

 

……………Ha!  See  where I was last Sunday

 ………….Festival of Nations  in St. Louis , Missouri 

………..Looking  for my effigy , Ere Ibeji 

At the Festival of Nations

PHOTOS: TAIWO ABIODUN

    Festival of Nations celebrating

Spectators at the event

PLS WATCH THIS

FEED YOUR EYES

 

Looking for Ere Ibeji  (Twins Effigy) 

WHERE   I WAS LAST SUNDAY

WATCHING from  afar off one could see a sea of heads at the Park. On the stage were dancers and drummers doing what they know best. The Drummers who were in green ,red and yellow color costume  exhibited their skills as they  beat traditional   drums like Djembe,  Conga  ,  Bata,  Bougarabou,  Ngoma, and the Ashiko. The   Conga drummer  displayed his dexterity while the  Djembe  drummer  too  used all his energy to do justice to the drum. The  female dancers were the cynosure of all  eyes as they danced their hearts out while the audience was electrified  by their powerful performance .  A  Rastafarian  was  prancing around while another woman was  dancing and mimicking one 0f the dancers  as  her  dreadlocks were dangling like pendulum . This was  last Sunday at  one of the activities lined up for  FESTIVAL of  NATIONS . Festival of Nations is an annual food and entertainment festival hosted by the International Institute non-profit organization in St. Louis, Missouri.

Drummers doing their job  

Visitors  were   mooching around where antiques, artefacts ,woven cloths and  crafts  were displayed  for sale.  Those who were hungry went  to where assorted Continental foods were being sold . Some   were  walking  up and down feeding their eyes . Couples   held  themselves tightly as if   kidnappers   were after   their partners .Some  were seen munching ,some dancing to the music blaring from the  speakers  that were strategically positioned  at the venue. Some  went into  a frenzy    jumping  and wriggling their waists while some sat on the bare floor watching the dancers on the stage  and while  some  of course  were busy selling or  purchasing products of all kinds.  As a matter of fact no one stood still as they were all busy doing one thing or the other .While some  came for window shopping .

Some of the Chinese  art works

Before you say Jack Robinson  I had  buried myself in the midst of the crowd  and joined both  the professional and amateur  Camera men  leaving Ronnie at a Hawaiian Cuisine place   .Cameras of  different types   were  sighted as both professionals and amateurs were busy doing the job;  Selfitis  were not left out as    they were  taking shots and  posting them  on  social media. the annual Festival Of Nations  united them  at Tower Grove  Park, St. Louis , Missouri.

Drummers at work

FOODS, ARTWORKS ETC

Different Sculptures, statues, carvings  were  displayed for sale. Some of these are  as old as the creation. Some   had  seen ages while some  are as old as the hills. Many had decayed and  become  fragile . Some  of these artworks   have seen ages while some too have become Methusela.

Abiodun at  …..

All kinds of foods  in the continent were displayed from  local food to continental food .  Chinese, Indian, American, African, Hawaiian food, American  were all available. The more you looked at them  the more you are  salivating as the aroma would not let you  be.

Abiodun inspecting some of the artworks 

 

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Different cars  were parked  at  various locations at the venue  .Rules of parking were  not violated to my  surprise ,anyway violators would be issued tickets. The roads were jammed packed . It was the day I knew Arts and Culture is a Universal language. It was another day I knew  Lovers of Arts are allover the world  as the venue of the Festival of Nations  was jampacked by different nationalities.

Our journey to Festival of all Nations started when  Ronnie’s phone rang and her younger sister, Renata Macintosh  told her there was a festival going on at the  Park in St. Louis . Oh my God , what were we waiting for?

I refused to bath. Walaitalai I  didn’t  bath for I didn’t want to waste time. . Church ? Walaitalai , I shelved church for I would still meet  Church next time. But this festival is an annual one . All festivals were aborted last year because of COVID. Ronnie knew how crazy I am about Culture. She dressed up and that was how we forfeited our breakfast  and lunch that Sunday.

Armed with my camera and other gadgets we drove to the park. At first Ronnie was  upset when  she could not find where to park .

  get Infact there was no place to park as she  was burning the  gas  going forth and back looking for  space. I begged her to exercise patient  that last year  nothing happened due to COVID .Luckily we got a place to park and lo and behold a truck was leaving and we quickly  pullover and parked .

Suddenly my stomach was  producing rumbling sound .I was hungry. It was  then  I knew I had not eaten . Ronnie now remembered she had not had her breakfast as we were both hungry.

Taiwo Abiodun looking for what to  eat

LOOKING FOR MY EFFIGY , ERE IBEJI

The place  could be compared   to  the cemetery where one would meet fresh and dried bones. When I sighted all these arts and crafts , and seeing ‘heads’ I started looking for twins’ effigy. I saw most of the artworks I saw in Nigeria . I asked  the Gallerist about his materials . The young man  gave us the price. He said ” this one is 200 dollars , it is an antique”, I was shocked for the said antique was old and already decaying . I believe it must have seen ages. When I tried to touch it , Ronnie warned ” please don’t let it break ”.

I frantically searched for ” Ere Ibeji” Twins effigy .But I was not   sure of what they  were. Ha!  I asked myself where all these African artworks come from. Africans are rich in Culture , this I am proud to say.

We left the art market and went round looking for where we can see Nigeria food but what we were seeing were Togolese, Liberian, Hawaiian, Kenya etc food.

Ronnie had wanted to eat pounded yam ( Iyan ) with egunsi  soup and  vegetable (efo riro) or  okra (ila asepo)  but none of these were seen. And we settled  for snacks .

 

It was fun as we went round  and saw all races at the venue. The festival united them all.

Back home in the evening I started ruminating over what I saw in the morning . I  was happy and satisfied that I got all these pictures and stories.

Next Sunday I will go to church . The church will not run away but   next year is another time for the festival. I know they will say all the arts and crafts are idols. I know they will look down on all these artworks saying they are not for Christian but have forgotten that there is a big different between Religion and Culture.