DEOLA: Mom, how did you and
dad get started that eventually crystalized into ya marriage?
MOM: My mom [Mozeba], that
is ya grandma, had sent me to go deliver a message to her friend. Lo, ya dad
was hanging out with his friends on a field I had to pass by to get to my mom’s
friend’s house. He and his friends kept staring at me so much to extent I
became nervous...my pulse began pounding. I looked away from them, yet they
follow in my direction. Lord, help me...I mustered a prayer. As I tried to skimp
away, a creeper grass stuck my foot. I fell. He and his friend rushed down, and
calling: “Ofere, that is Oyinbo, are you ok?” I was named “Oyinbo”, because I
had a somewhat blond hair and a light skin, exceedingly lighter, even when
compared with the fairest skin in the community. Though, it isn’t the albino
type. He pulled me up on my feet. Blood oozed from scratches on my hands and
legs. I felt shame, and was sobbing. He brought his handkerchief, a white color
handkerchief, cleansed me, hug, and kissed me lightly on my nose-tip. I felt a
current jolt in my body, but managed to keep my composure. I thank him and his
friends, and went away. Mom’s friend saw the bruises on my hand and leg, and
asked me what went wrong. I narrated the story. Hmmm! She breathed deep. I’d
known things like this would happen to you. I’d told ya mom to always opt to sending
ya brother instead of ya. These men would always be after ya beauty. She nursed
my wounds. She did not allowed me return home alone. She led me home.
In the evening of the second day of the incident,
my dad and mom were reclining in the hammock under the tree outside the house,
when ya dad, in company of his friends, came to check on me. From the living
room, I could see them prostrate and greet:
THEM: “Ekaale o, baba!”
[Good evening, dad!]
DAD: “Ooo, ekaabo o!” [You’re
welcome!]
THEM: “Ekaale o, mama!”
[Good evening, mama!]
MAMA: “Ooo, ekaabo o!” [You’re
welcome!]
THEM: “E jowo a bere
Oyinbo-omo yin!” [Please, we come to see “Oyinbo”-ya daughter!]
MAMA: “Oyinbo o!”
ME: “Yes, mom!”
MAMA: “Awon omokurin kan
bere re o!” [Here are a buch of boys asking to see ya]
ME: “Yes, mom, ki won
wole wa joko o.” [Yes, mom, let them come inside, and sit]
First day of their visit, he was timid to
voice out his desire. Second day, third day, fourth day...it went on like that
till about some weeks before he could stammer out his desire to marry me. I
told mom about his proposal. Mom told dad. Dad did investigation about his
background from neighbors and family friends, and it was discovered he was the
son of Agun the great of Ajowa kingdom. His mom was the Princess Folasade of
Ikeram kingdom.
One day, I was just sitting in the living
room, when all of a sudden, I was hearing song and dancing outside of our house.
Your dad’s folk had come for a formal request from my folks, just like what you
termed “introduction” nowadays:
“Baba ile
yi, eweso o;
Iyale ile
yi, eweso o;
Ododo kan
nbe lagbala;
Ti afe ja
o;
Eyin
onile yi, ewesoo!“
TRANSLATION:
[Landlord of this household, ya honor;
Landlady of this household, ya honor;
There’s a flower in ya compound;
We hereby have come to pluck away!]
My folks replied them back in a song:
“Igba emu
terere; [Cup
for wine]
Agbe emu
tarara; [Keg
of wine]
Ewo le mu
wa o; [which
do you bring]
Eyah,
sofun wa o! [Kindly,
tell us]
Thence, the family friends and neighbors, who
had already known, but pretended not to be aware of what is going on, asked in another
song:
“Kini e
nse, tie po bayi o?
[What are u doing, that you’re so many like this?]
CHORUS:
Iyawo la ngbe o;
[It’s a marriage party]
Hah,
ileke so, o so wowo;
[Hah, the bead’s ripen, fully ripen]
CHORUS:
Iyawo la ngbe o!”
[It’s a marriage party]
That was how me and ya dad get started that
eventually crystalized into marriage, prior ya brothers, sisters, and you were
born.
=====================================DEOLA.
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