elizabethany

“ Ọmọbìnrin ẹkùn
 Wòlíì obìnrin ti òrìṣà mẹ́ta náà
 Eni ti o ni opa ase lati se akoso areonakakafo meji ti orun meje
 Ìyá ẹlẹ́sẹ̀ mẹ́jọ ti òrìṣà mẹ́wàá
 Ti nṣàn ninu ẹyin ti idì
 Ologoṣẹ oloju mẹwa ti o súfèé awọn orin ọdẹ
 Ayaba igbo ti gbogbo eda beru
 Ẹniti ibusun rẹ jẹ igi dudu
 Kọlu egbegberun lori rẹ osi
 Ẹgbẹẹgbẹrun mẹwa ni apa ọtun rẹ
 Ẹni tí ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ dàbí kọ̀lọ̀kọ̀lọ̀
 Sugbon tun fẹ awọn ijapa
 Gbogbo ale lo n korin oriki
 Ni ọjọ naa, awọn ilẹkẹ ẹgbẹ-ikun rẹ ti ṣokunkun"

“ The daughter of a tigeress 
The prophetess of the three headed python 
The one who has the opa ase to rule the two areeonakakafo of the seven skies 
The eigh legged mother of the ten deities 
Flowing in the egg of an eagle
The ten eyed sparrow that whistle the songs of the hunter 
The queen of the forest that all creatures fear
The one whose bed is a black stick 
Striking thousands on her left 
Ten thousands on her right 
The one whose legs are like the fox 
But also like the tortoises
Every night she sings the oriki 
The day, her waist beads tinkles“
Credit to the owner of the art

MORENIKEJI

Being a Yoruba girl, I studied in my birth village, Ijebu-igbo, western part of Nigeria. A public school where there wasn't a roof over and we students had to sit on the floor during lectures.


The name of the school is Ladugbo community high school a few minutes walk to my house.


 I was never serious about my academics, then I thought " life was a bed of roses".... but it's quite funny, right? That could make you shed tears tinted with blood that could make an whole ocean.


 Everytime, my teachers complains alot about to my mom. saying things like: " " Arabinrin nigbagbogbo wa ni oni"


And Everytime, my mom listened intently with a smile on her face, I didn't dare look at her face because I knew from the bottom of my heart,that she was greatly disappointed in me....her companion.... her look-alike.


To me, my mom is the most beautiful woman in the world, when I was still a baby, I thought my mom was goddess oya..... Olorun bestowed upon her everything a woman will wish to have; beauty, wealthy husband, beautiful children. What else does she need again.


I am a great disappointment to her humble training.


While I will stay behind my mom with my hands behind me and my head bowed in fearful shame.


When it was my mom turn to reply, she just said something simple and straight in Yoruba: 


" Arabinrin yoo ni ilọsiwaju nipasẹ ore-ọfẹ Ọlọrun"


" Àmín" The teacher said it loud and I said mine in my heart. I really need Olorun to intervene in my life.....


After those complains about me, My Mom and I went home, I was scared to talk or ask for food from her..... afraid she might use koboko to whip me.


Look, Don't think my mom is nice....No, you're damn wrong about it, my mom is very strict, she's a ' no nonsense woman'.


 She believes in ' Spare the rod, spoil the child.' She said it's for my siblings and I good, so we can grow up to be responsible in the future, which helped to clear my beliefs that my mom is a wicked woman, who maltreat her children. She's fierce when it comes to scold her children.


She has whipped me several times for my misdeeds to correct me and put me in the right part.


If she doesn't whip, she gives punishment like okada, ika ogbo, or asks us to get on our knees. And we could be there for several hours before she releases us. If not that, then you'll be granted certificate to fast a marathon or you will work till you are light.


She didn't talk to me on the road, I was scared to walk as in the same pace as her, in fear of being whipped to the house.


Then we finally got home, my brothers are staying with my maternal grandparents who are Staying at Alagbado and my father works at Ibadan in a high ranking position. Making it, my mom and I alone in this huge house.


Chapter 2: Ibere mi ( My beginning) 2