OLÚOROGBO - By Ogunyomi Israel Abidemi
On an aquatic baptism,
Into a porous, cold coal,
A monolithic ember
transmogrifies,
To tranquillize the father’s
earth
From a pertinacious terror of
war,
Consuming the legend’s land
like
A mad inferno.
Slaughtered! The pillar of valour,
An eye, a nut – an eye, a
bean,
On a mother’s advent – a
reluctant
Fulfillment of a previously
avowed ransom
To the gods for the safe
return.
(It was inspired by SégunAkinlolú’s (Beautiful Nubia)
‘Imoremi’. It is a historical poem evocating the scarification of Olúorogbo,
’Móremí’s only son to the gods, according to her vow that if she was
successfully enslaved by the enemies, and was able to deliver the ancient town
of Ile-Ife from the incessant attack of their enemies, and return safely home
afterwards, she was going to sacrifice her only son, Olúorogbo, as a ransom for
the gods’ favour. She did it!)
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