Ọ̀SẸ́ Ọ̀YẸ̀KÚ

Ọ̀SẸ́ Ọ̀YẸ̀KÚ

I

Request:

Now that Ibadan

is under fire,

is all lost?

What does Ifa say?

Response:

Ifá responds with Ọ̀sé Ọ̀yẹ̀ku.

In Ọ̀sẹ́ Ọ̀yẹ̀kú, Ifá traces the same passage

both backward and forward.

Will Ọ̀yẹ̀kú affirm life,

that we will not die?

Will Ọ̀sẹ́ deny us life,

that all will be lost?

In this war

to save our land,

How to reconcile?

or can’t we reconcile the adiitu?

II

Reconciliation:

The times will be hard.

when all eyes are red:

a time for sacrifices

when the corn is still growing.

The offerings are not simple

The tolls are costly and multiple.

May we not buy

when they come to sell eko orun.

III

The entire land will be overrun

with fired shots and night raiders.

However long the storm rages

The mad wind will calm down and die.

A long night

will give birth to bright daylight.

Out of the ashes

a new and wondrous world will grow.

IIII

Resolution

And we will not die.

But too many will die

We will finally triumph

wear our great robes

and we will dance,

singing and praising our ancestors:

“We, who you thought had died are here,

Gerẹrẹ,

We will wear large robes when we are old

Gẹrẹrẹ.”