“Ọgbọ́n àrékérekè sọ ìràwé inú aginjù di ilé fún Àjàpá” – Pípé là á pé gbọ́n, a ki pé gọ̀ – “Double dealing led to Tortoise homelessness” – We form complete association for wisdom, not for foolishness.

Ni ayé igbà kan, ọ̀gbẹlẹ̀ wa ni ilú àwọn ẹranko, nitori ọ̀dá òjò fún igbà pi pẹ́. Ọ̀gbẹlẹ̀ yi fa ìyàn, wọn kò ri omi mu tàbi wẹ̀. Eleyi mú ki gbogbo ẹranko (Kìnìún, Ẹkùn, Erin, Ẹfọ̀n, Àgbọ̀nrín, Òkété, Ehoro, Ọ̀kẹ́rẹ́, Kọ̀lọ̀kọ̀lọ̀, Àjàpá, àti bẹ́ẹ̀bẹ́ẹ̀ lọ) pé jọ lati kó ọgbọ́n pọ̀ bi àwọn yi o ṣe ri omi. Wọn yan Kìnìún ni Alaga, Ẹkùn jẹ́ igbá keji, Erin jẹ́ Baálẹ̀.

Gbogbo ẹranko pé jọ – Complete gathering of animals

Yorùbá sọ pé “A sọ̀rọ̀ ẹran ti ó ni ìwo, ìgbín yọjú”, Àjàpá binú kúrò ni ìpàdé nitori wọn kò yan ohun si ipò Alaga. Àwọn ẹranko yoku mba ìpàdé lọ, oníkálùkù mú ìmọ̀ràn wá, Àgbọ̀nrín ni ki wọn ṣe ètùtù si Òriṣà-Omi, Òkété ni ki wọn lo ọgbọ́n àti agbára ti Ọlọrun fún wọn, lati gbẹ́ ilẹ̀ jínjìn si ojú odò ti ó ti gbẹ. Lẹhin àpérò, wọn gba ìmọ̀ràn ti Òkété múwá, wọn gbẹ́ ojú odò titi wọn fi ri omi.

Bi iroyin pé wọn ti ri omi ti kàn, Àjàpá ti kò bá wọn ṣiṣẹ́ nitori ibinú, o gbìmọ̀ bi ohun yi o ti ṣe ẹ̀rù ba àwọn ẹranko yoku ni idi odò, ki ohun lè ri àyè dá pọn omi. Ó sọ ara rẹ di Ànjọ̀nú, ó so agbè púpọ̀ pẹ̀lú okùn ti yio fi pọn omi mọ́ gbogbo ara, ó ji lọ idi odò lati dá nikan pọn omi. Ó bẹ̀rẹ̀ si kọrin:

Bi mba bérin lódò ma tẹ ẹ …… Kàndú
Bi mo bẹ́fọ̀n lódò ma tẹ ẹ ……. Kàndú
Kan, kan, kan, kàndú

Bi àwọn ẹranko yoku ti gbọ orin yi, wọn fi ìbẹ̀rù sá fún Ànjọ̀nú tó lè tẹ Erin àti Ẹfọ̀n pa, lai dé idi odò. Àjàpá á pọn gbogbo agbè rẹ, ó padà silé. Gẹ́gẹ́ bi òwe Yorùbá tó sọ pé “Pípé là á pé gbọ́n, a ki pé gọ̀”, àwọn ẹranko tún ṣe ìpàdé lati gbìmọ̀ ohun ti ojú wọn ri lọ́nà odò àti bi àwọn yio ti kóju Ànjọ̀nú ti ó nle wọn. Laarin oriṣiriṣi ìmọ̀ràn, wọn gba ìmọ̀ràn Ehoro pé ki wọn gbẹ́ ère èniyàn, ki wọn fi oje igi àtè bo gbogbo ara rẹ, nitori bi Ànjọ̀nú bá ri, yi o rò pé èniyàn ló ni ìgboyà lati dojú kọ ohun, yi o tori eyi bá èniyàn ná à jà. Wọn ṣe bi Ehoro ti sọ, wọn gbé ère yi lọ si ọ̀nà odò.

“Ọjọ́ gbogbo ni tolè, ọjọ́ kan ni ti olóhun”, Àjàpá gẹ́gẹ́ bi iṣe rẹ, o ji lati lọ dá nikan pọn omi lódò, ó múra bi Ànjọ̀nú pẹ̀lú agbè rẹ, ó dé idi odò, ó bá ère èniyàn ti àwọn ẹranko gbé si ọ̀nà odò. Ó reti kíkí , ṣùgbọ́n eniyan yi kò gbin, inú bi Àjàpá, ó sún mọ ère yi lati jà, gbogbo ọwọ́ àti ẹsẹ̀ ti o fi ti ère, lẹ̀ mọ. Ó gbiyànjú lati tú ara rẹ̀ silẹ̀ titi, ṣùgbọ́n kò ri ṣe titi àwon ẹranko yoku fi ba. Ẹnu yà wọ́n ẹranko lati ri pé Àjàpá ló sọ ara rẹ di Ànjọ̀nú ti kò jẹ ki wọn gbádùn òógùn ojú wọn lati ri omi pọn. Inú wọn dùn pé àṣiri tú, wọn fi Àjàpá silẹ̀ ki ó kú, Àjàpá fi ipá já ara rẹ̀, ó kó wọ inú ìkaraun, ẹ̀jẹ̀ bẹ̀rẹ̀ si yọ, àwọn ẹranko rò pé ó ti kú, wọn gbe jù sinú igbó.

Egbò ara Àjàpá jiná, kò kú, ṣùgbọ́n, itijú kò jẹ́ ki ó lè yọjú si àwọn ẹranko yókù. Eyi ló́ fa idi ti Àjàpá fi di ẹranko ti ó ngbé abẹ́ ìràwé ninú aginjù titi di ọjọ́ ò̀ni.

Ìtàn yi fi bi Yorùbá ṣe ndari ilú ki “Aláwọ̀ funfun” tó dé. Ọba àti Ìjòyè, á péjọ lati kó ọgbọ́n pọ̀ lati ṣe àpérò lóri ìṣòro ti ó bá dojú kọ ilú, lati wá àtúnṣe, lati pa ẹnu pọ bá onígberaga, ọ̀kánjúwà àti aṣebi láwùjọ bi Àjàpá wi, àti lati ṣe ètùtù ti ó bá yẹ fún ìtura ilú.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

In the olden days, there was a drought in the land of the animals, as a result of lack of rain for a long time. The drought caused famine, there was no water to drink nor bath. This made all the animals (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo, Deer, Bush Rat, Rabbit, Squirrel, Fox, Tortoise, etc) to reason together on how to find water. The Lion was appointed the Chairman, the Leopard as Vice/Deputy Chairman while the Elephant was made the overall Community Leader.
Yoruba adage said “We talk of animals with horns, the snail appeared”, the Tortoise left the meeting in anger because he was not appointed the Chairman. The animals continued with their deliberations, everyone shared their suggestion, the Deer suggested they offer sacrifice to appease the goddess of the River, the Bush rat said they should put the wisdom and energy bestowed on them by God to drill/dig the river course that has dried up. After considerable deliberation, the Bush Rat suggestion was adopted, they dug the river course till they found water.

As the news that water has been discovered spread, the Tortoise that was not part of the discovery as a result of anger, planned on how he would scare all the other animals away from the well, to enable him have a lone access to fetching water. He turned himself to an evil spirit, tied with rope gourds for fetching water to cover himself, left very early to the well to fetch water alone. He then began to sing a scary song.

As the animals heard the scary song on their way to the well, they ran away in fear, from the evil spirit that could stampede the Elephant and Buffalo to death. In accordance with the Yoruba proverb that said “We form complete association for wisdom, not for foolishness”, the animals called a meeting to discuss on how to find solution to their experience on the way to the well and how to face the evil spirit. Among the various suggestions, the Rabbit’s suggestion to make effigy and spread a glue on it, then place it on the way to the well to annoy the evil spirit, was adopted. The effigy was placed to annoy the evil spirit who would have thought the effigy was a human being that was bold enough to challenge the evil spirit.

“Every day is for the thief, one day is for the owner”, the Tortoise, as usual, rose early to go fetch water at the well all alone, on his way he saw the effigy and was provoked that the effigy which he thought was a human being did not greet him. When he expected greetings and the effigy was silent, he decided to challenge by slapping and kicking, unfortunately, his hands and feet were glued to the effigy. He tried to free himself to no avail, till the other animals discovered to their amazement that it was the Tortoise that has been tormenting them and preventing them from enjoying the fruit of their labour by scaring them from fetching the well they dug. In his effort to free himself he began to bleed from his hands and feet. The animals were happy that the Tortoise was exposed, they thought he was dead, hence they carried him and threw him in the forest.

The tortoise recovered from his wounds, but shame did not allow him to show up to the other animals. This is why the Tortoise began to live under dead leaves in the forest till today.

This folklore show case how the Yoruba leaders led their people before the “advent of Colonisation”. Kings and Chiefs, held meetings in order to share wisdom on difficulties facing the land, sought solution, spoke with one voice to condemn the prideful, greedy and wicked behaviour in the society just like the Tortoise, and to offer sacrifice for the peace of the land.

Originally posted 2014-09-12 10:53:56. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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“Ọgbọ́n àrékérekè sọ ìràwé inú aginjù di ilé fún Àjàpá” – Pípé là á pé gbọ́n, a ki pé gọ̀ – “Double dealing led to Tortoise homelessness” – We form complete association for wisdom, not for foolishness.

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