a picture showing an art piece of african ifa definition drawn out by Moyo Okediji

Ọ̀SẸ́ ÒTURÁ: THE ROLE OF WOMEN

ByMoyo Okediji

“Baba Oyo,” I said one afternoon when I was alone with him, “you are very soft, too gentle, with Iya Oyo. You are not like all the other Baba I know.”

Baba Oyo laughed. “What does too gentle mean?”

“I really don’t know how to say it,” I said. “But you don’t…. When you talk with her…. You don’t argue or order her to do things. You speak softly. It’s as if you have to persuade her kind of. That’s not very manly. That’s not how the other Baba talk to their wives. Is it because you are a pastor?”

a picture showing moyo okediji sitting next to his artwork

ÈRE

ByMoyo Okediji

ÈRE My mom transitioned today and she is now an ancestor.She drew her last human breath today, this morning.My baby sister, Banke, informed me, “Maami left at 3:53 pm.”I knew she was departing. I was ready for it.

a picture showing moyo okediji wearing a customized hoodie poised for the camera and behind him is one of his art piece

The birthday Gift.

ByMoyo Okediji

This birthday gift came well after my birthday. It has my name emblazoned on it. As I wore it, I recalled the conversation with Iya Oyo and Baba Oyo that evening they explained the meaning of my name, Moyo, which literally means “I rejoice.” It is part of a longer name Moyòsọ́rẹtíolúwápèsèfúnmi.

Yèyé

Yèyé

ByMoyo Okediji

Yèyé

“Iya Oyo,” I called, after polishing the bowl of amala she made for me, “what does Yèyé mean? Is it different from Ìyá, which means mother?”

It was Baba Oyo who answered me, raising his glasses and looking up from a book without a cover that he was reading. Because I had also read that book on his table, I knew the book was titled “Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunlole,” by D.O. Fagunwa, one of the old books he had in his library.

a picture showing moyo okediji sitting next to his artwork

Ibeji: Soul Mates

ByMoyo Okediji

Ibeji: Soul Mates

“Iya Oyo,” I asked, “why call her Ọmọ Méji? Ọmọ Méji means two children but she is just one person.”

This was after a woman who looked like she was in her thirties, who was on her way to an errand, stopped by Iya Oyo’s house to greet her.

Iya Oyo looked at me with surprise, as if to say my mother should have given me such basic cultural education.