PARABLE OF THE BOASTFUL BIRD

One upon a time, a colorful bird known as Orofo was sad because she did not have even a single child. All the other birds, including Ega, Alapandede, and Eyele had lots of children.

Orofo was worried.

Sometimes she would lay many eggs, and none of them would hatch.

At other times, as she pushed the eggs out of her womb, they would fall from her nest and break.

She complained about her problem to her friend, Eyele.

Eyele took Orofo to the Babalawo who consulted the Ifa oracle for Orofo.

Ifa told Orofo that Orofo would have children, but she must make a sacrifice.

Orofo swore that “I would sacrifice anything that Ifa wants! I just pine to fill my nest with my own children. For many years, my nest has been empty. I am already tired and depressed. I want children! What is the sacrifice? What does Ifa want, and I will sacrifice it now.”

The Babalawo replied, “Ifa does not want anything from you. Ifa just wants you to sacrifice silence. You boast too much. You will have children. But after having your children, keep quiet. Don’t go boasting all over the neighborhood about them.”

Orofo promised to be silent.

Soon afterward, Orofo became pregnant and hatched one egg. Her child was a pretty female bird, with a golden head.

Orofo was happy but told nobody about it. She fed her child, named Temidire, with lots of bugs and Temidire, a playful child, began to grow healthy and strong.

Soon afterward, Orofo became pregnant again and gave birth to another child.

Orofo was excited. She named her child, this time a male bird, Temilola.

Carefully, Orofo fed Temilola with bugs and corns, and lots of delicious fruits that she gathered from the neighborhood.

Temilola had assorted brilliant feathers all over his body. He looked handsome and grew strong.

But Orofo was so excited that she now had two children that she could no longer contain herself.

She went to the top of the tree, and announced at the top of her lungs, “Tèmilọlá, Tèmídire! Gbogbo ilé ti kún fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́! Tèmilọlá, Tèmídire! Gbogbo ilé ti kún fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́! Tèmilọlá, Tèmídire! Gbogbo ilé ti kún fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́!”

It means “Tèmilọlá, Tèmídire! My entire nest is packed to the brim with a countless number of children.”

All the birds heard Orofo’s boasts. They were happy for her.

They congratulated her and visited her nest to give her gifts.

They were disappointed that she had only two children yet she kept boasting that her nest was filled to the brim with lots of children.

But Orofo did not stop boasting.

Every minute of the day, she would be found on top of her tree, shouting, “Tèmilọlá, Tèmídire! Gbogbo ilé ti kún fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́! Tèmilọlá, Tèmídire! Gbogbo ilé ti kún fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́! Tèmilọlá, Tèmídire! Gbogbo ilé ti kún fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́!”

At other times she would fly from one tree to another, boasting, “Tèmilọlá, Tèmídire! Gbogbo ilé ti kún fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́! Tèmilọlá, Tèmídire! Gbogbo ilé ti kún fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́! Tèmilọlá, Tèmídire! Gbogbo ilé ti kún fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́!”

All the birds soon got tired of her boasts.

One day, as Orofo flew from tree to tree boasting about her fertility, a hunter’s son, named Ayo, heard her boast.

Ayo had just made a birdcage and was looking for birds to keep in his cage.

Ayo waited for Orofo to fly away from her tree to a distant tree to boast.

Ayo quietly climbed up Orofo’s tree and found Orofo’s two children sleeping.

Ayo collected the two young birds, placed them in his cage, and went away.

When Orofo returned from her boating campaign in the evening to feed her children, she found her nest empty.

From that day, Yoruba people have been saying, “Ẹnu Òrófó ni ó ń pa Òrófó. Òrófó bímọ méjì, ó ní ilé òun ti kún fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́.”

It means “Orofo’s boasting is her undoing. Orofo had only two children and boasted that her nest was overflowing with babies.”

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The health system of Nigeria is badly understaffed and poorly equipped.

Many countries, including Saudi Arabia, are now recruiting lots of doctors from Nigeria.

When asked about his reaction to the exodus of doctors from Nigeria, the minister of health said it is a good thing.

He said Nigeria has too many medical doctors and needed to get rid of many of them.

The minister boasted, “Tèmilọlá, Tèmídire! Gbogbo ilé ti kún fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́! Tèmilọlá, Tèmídire! Gbogbo ilé ti kún fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́! Tèmilọlá, Tèmídire! Gbogbo ilé ti kún fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́, fọ́!”