Artist: Femi Okediji ( Phemco Okediji)
Title: Portrait of Moyo Okediji
Medium: graphite
Date: 2018
This is the latest portrait of me by a young Nigerian artist, Femi Okediji.
I really enjoy his mastery of chiaroscuro.
The loose strokes of his composition merge structurally into a coherent musical gradient that gives form to my facial expression.
Thanks, Femi for this wonderful gift.
I really enjoy it.
You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
The rubber is beginning to bite the tarmac.
‘Ògidi ọmọ Yorùbá ni mí, mò fẹ́ràn èdè àti àṣà Yorùbá púpọ̀’.
LAGOS BORN
You have been to London?
And Toronto?
And Washington DC?
And, New York, Paris and San Francisco?
And you have traveled to all the capitals of African countries?
AJÁ AND ÀGÙNTÀN
In the olden days, Aguntan, the sheep, was the most respected animal in the entire Yorubaland.
Aguntan was the embodiment of Iwapele (gentleness of character), suuru (patience) and iforiti (perseverance).
The entire world decided that Agutan was the best fellow to be crowned the king because of his wonderful character.
They made Agutan the king, and the world was happy and prosperous.
You Are Our Sunshine
If your skin is dark, we praise you as Adúmáradán.
If your skin is light, we hail you as Apọ́nbéporẹ́.
If you are thin, we salute you as Ọ̀pẹ́lẹ́ńgẹ́.
The idea of the coronavirus as Èrè, may be found in the Ifa verse here. The Yoruba verse is above, with the English translation below:
Èrè délé Alárá
Ó kólé Alárá
Èrè délé Ajerò
Ó kólé Ajerò
5. Èrè délé Ọwáràngún Àgà
Ó jẹlé Ọwáràngún Àgà
Ìròhìn kàn bá Ọ̀rúnmìlá
Wípé Èrè ti dájọ́, ó ti móṣù
Gbogbo igi kọ́ lejò ń gùn (Not all trees can be scaled by the snake)
Gbogbo omi kọ́ lẹdun ń mu (The colobus monkey doesn’t drink all types of water)
Àyàfi wèrè, àyàfi dìgbòlugi (Only the insane, only the raving lunatic)