Ọdún Kérésì jẹ́ ọdún Onigbàgbọ́ lati ṣe iránti ọjọ́ ibi Jésù Olùgbàlà.  Ọjọ́ kẹjọ lẹhin ọdún Kérésìmesì ni ọdún  tuntun.  Fún ayẹyẹ ọdún, kò si iyàtọ̀ laarin Ìgbàgbọ́ àti Mùsùlùmi ni ilẹ̀ Yorùbá nitori Yorùbá gbà wi pé “Ẹni ọdún bá láyé, ó yẹ kó dúpẹ́”.  Ọpẹ́ ló yẹ ki èniyàn dá ju igbèsè ji jẹ lati ṣe àṣe hàn ni àsikò ọdún.

Ni ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ọdún sẹhin, àwọn Àgbẹ̀ á dari wálé pẹ̀lú irè oko pàtàki iṣu.  Àwọn Oniṣòwò á ri ọjà tà nitori àsikò yi ni Bàbá àti Ìyá ma nrán aṣọ ọdún fún àwọn ọmọdé àti oúnjẹ rẹpẹtẹ fún ipalẹ̀mọ́ ọdún.  Inú ọmọdé ma ndùn nitori asiko yi ni wọn nse irẹsi àti pa adiẹ fún ọdún.  Àwọn ọmọdé á lọ lati ilé ẹbi kan si ekeji, ẹbi ti wọn lọ ki, á fún wọn ni oúnjẹ àti owó ọdún.  Àwọn àgbàlagbà naa ma ndá aṣọ ẹgbẹ́ fún idúpẹ́ ọdún, ṣùgbọ́n ki owó epo rọ̀bi tó gba igboro, ki ṣe aṣọ olówó nla bi ti ayé òde òni.

Àsikò ti olè npọ̀ si niyi pàtàki ni ilú Èkó, nitori ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ fẹ na owó ti wọn kò ni lati ṣe ọdún.  Ìpolówó ọjà pọ̀ ni àsikò yi ni Òkè-Òkun, nitori eyi, ọ̀pọ̀ nlo ike-igbèsè tàbi ki wọn ya owó-èlè lati ra ọjà ti wọn kò ni owó rẹ.  Lẹhin ọdún, wọn a fi ọdún tuntun bẹ̀rẹ̀ si san igbèsè, nitori eyi Ìyá àti Bàbá a ma a ti ibi iṣẹ́ kan lọ si ekeji lai ni ìsimi tàbi ri àyè àti bójú tó àwọn ọmọ.

Ọ̀rọ̀ Yorùbá sọ wi pé “Ṣe bi o ti mọ ki i tẹ́ ”, nitori eyi gbogbo ọmọ Yorùbá ni ilé, ni oko, ẹ ṣe bi ẹ ti mọ, ẹ ma tori odun na ọwọ́ si nkan ti ọwọ́ yin kò tó, ki ẹ ma ba a tẹ́.  Ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ Onigbàgbọ́  ayé òde oni ki i fẹ fi èdè Yorùbá kọrin ṣùgbọ́n ẹ gbọ́ bi ọmọ Òyinbó ti kọ orin àwọn “Obinrin Rere” ni ojú iwé yi.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Christmas is the Christian celebration in memory of the birth of Jesus Christ (Saviour) and is one of the two major end of year celebrations.  A week after Christmas is the New Year. For the two festive celebrations, there is hardly any difference between Christians and Muslims because Yoruba in an adage said “Whoever is alive should be grateful”.  Gratitude should be the mood of the season rather than going into debt in order to show off during the yuletide.

Many years ago, the Farmers would return home with their harvest particularly with plenty of yams (one of Nigerian’s staple food).  The Traders’ business increases at this period as parents patronise tailors to sew new clothes for the children and also stock lots of food for the celebration.   Children are usually happy because of the opportunity to eat rice and chicken which are slaughtered for the celebration.  The older people identify with friends by buying uniform clothes for the annual thanksgiving, before the oil boom, the clothes were not as expensive as it is nowadays.

This is the time robbery increases, particularly in Lagos, because many people want to spend the money they have not earned to celebrate.  Oversea, advertising is often intense at this period, as a result, many would use credit card or take a shark loan to buy what they cannot really afford.  After the yuletide, they are confronted with paying debt from the beginning of the New Year, as a result, both parents would work back to back without a rest or time to care for the children.

According to a Yoruba adage that means “One who acts moderately will not be disgraced”, this should be applicable to Yoruba indigenes at home and abroad, to do things in moderation and not spend the money that they cannot afford so as not to be disgraced, when the yuletide is over. Nowadays, many Christians will not sing using Yoruba language, but watch below how a young white girl sings joyfully the “Good Women Choir’s song”.

Originally posted 2015-12-18 23:18:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter