Oriki Ibeji: Eulogy for Twins in Yorubaland (Dedicated to my niece and nephew at 5)

shakz (43)in #eulogy • 8 years ago

The Yoruba tribe, majorly in the South Western part of Nigeria, has been said to have the the highest rate of twin birth in the world. And Igbo-Ora, a small town in Oyo state, Nigeria has been nicknamed The Twin Capital of the World - this is a topic for another day.

Today, I am celebrating my guys at 5. The boy is Taiwo and the girl is Kehinde. I call them T-boi and Kenny. In the mood of celebrating them today, I will like to share the Yoruba Eulogy for Twins.

                            **Yoruba version**
                             *Ẹ̀jìrẹ́ ará ìṣokún.
                                   Ẹdúnjobí
                       Ọmọ ẹdun tíí ṣeré orí igi
                            Ọ́-bẹ́-kẹ́ṣé-bẹ́-kàṣà,*

                  *Ó fẹsẹ̀ méjèèjì bẹ sílé alákìísa;
                        Ó salákìísà donígba aṣọ.
                    Gbajúmọ̀ ọmọ tíí gbàkúnlẹ̀ ìyá,
               Tíí gbàdọ̀bálẹ̀ lọ́wọ́ baba tó bí í lọ́mọ.*

                          *Wínrinwínrin lójú orogún
                               Ejìwọ̀rọ̀ lojú ìyá ẹ̀.*

Sorry! I don't know it all.

Translation
Every Twins hail from Isokun.
A relative of monkeys you are
Hoping and jumping from a tree branch to the other

Jumping helter-skelter,you landed in a wretched man's place
Turning around his misfortunes
A rare set of children that commands undue honour and respect from their parents

An unwelcome sight to the stepmother
But you are both emperors of two empires to your mother.

In the night