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

Very early in the morning, my mom woke me up for school. While she prepared breakfast,After saying my personal morning prayers, like my dad says "Gbadura ṣaaju ki o to di ohun ọdẹ (Pray before you become the prey)"  


Though my father has his bad side, he has his good sides. He loves his children like how my mom loves us all.


He is an hardworking man, he works to fend for his family. My dad is very handsome like orunmila. He once told me he was an Hunter in his childhood days. Though his strictness is worse than my mom's.


My dad never take nonsense, sometimes, whether he went to a military school, I don't know.... But my dad is cool and what we can call a ' stylish father'.then I arranged my room and did my daily house chores, like sweeping the whole rooms in the house. actually, there are five or seven rooms in our house, I'm not sure. After sweeping, I go to the verandah of the house to sweep, that was all for my morning chores.  My mom wakes up earlier than I to fetch water from the river, so I can use to bathe and she, would use it to cook. 


After preparing for school, I went to help my mom in the kitchen, after which we did our daily family prayers.


"Loni jẹ ọjọ tuntun, beere lọwọ Ọlọrun fun aanu rẹ ailopin  (Today is a new day, ask God for his infinite mercy)" My Mom said as she walked me down my school holding my hands and my plastic food basket.


"Bẹẹni ma (Yes ma)"  I said while smiling, I knew deep down, God will never help a sinner like me, right?


We got to my school rough compound, my mom came to a stopped and gave me my basket "Keji, jẹ ọmọbinrin to dara, Ọlọrun yoo wa pẹlu rẹ ( Keji, be a good girl, God will be with you)" 


She pat my head before walking out. I watched her back disappearing. I wanted to run and let her carry me. So I can place my head on my 'pillow',... hahahaha...


It was like the first time in school in life, I cried like a baby, I didn't want to let go of my mom. My father was just laughing saying "Kenken, o ni lati lọ (Kenken, you've to go)"


" Mama rẹ ko le wa nibi gbogbo pẹlu rẹ, nah (Your mom can't be everywhere with you, nah)"


I will do anything to make sure my mom is by my side everywhere....so silly... That I childishly glared at my father. He doesn't understand, they don't understand.


I had a death grip around my mom's neck, hiding my head In my pillow.


My mom persuaded me to go, if not... hahahaha.. it was so funny.


Chapter 10: ibere mi (My beginning) 10