In the coming days the ancient city from whence I came will be crowning a new King. For those who are not in the know the name Okebadan comes from one of those hills. Okebadan is a unique day when we celebrate the spirit of dissidence that is the soul and essence of Ibadan, I am Ibadan my great great Grandfather Balogun Ibikunle was the Bale of Ibadan in 1864/65, he built the ancient city walls and till date my Clan home still sits in Ayeye. Ibadan is not only part of my biology especially Oyo descendant in Ibadan, is my epistemology, the essence of my spirit. In the next few weeks my postings will focus on a regeneration agenda that not only captures the smile of my ancestors but projects it into the dreams of posterity. I honour my Balogun below:
Balogun Ibikunle
Osuba , lion of Onibudo
The one and only who made Kakanfo stink that is women rushed into the bush
The Sly fox whose strategy made Ogedengbe dress as a woman
The roar of Agbagbanse made maidens wet their Tobi
It is his smile that made the Alara cry
It is his languid stretch that sent the people of Ijeero into stampede
He stepped on the Ijesha
The palms and trees of Ijaiye tell of his offense
Balogun the owner of the hills of Agbangbase
Iba whose frown turns Efunsetan to a girlish wreck
Husband of Iyalode who owns all the farms in Ogere and Odo Ona
If I knew you wanted to twinkle my abetiaja would capture its essence
Should you choose to spit I offer the gully of my throat
How dare they praise the hunter of animals in the face of the tracker of men
The Iroko tree who holds Shango's messenger in his armpit
Ologun whose mind bewilders the Fulani
It is said when Osorun Ogunmola loses reason at the full moon
Only Iba has the etutu to cure is malady
Many may forget how you lived and led
Till date the Ijebu scare their children with tales of your approach
The silence of the streets of Ijaiye Ile confirms your prowess
Ire O Balogun, Sun re
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Representing the Jewel between Seven Hills
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4 comments:
Hello, It's awesome that you know your history and your great grandfather who was a baale. I would like to know if you have any idea of who your great great grandfather is and how his people lived.
My GG Grandfather maybe another Great was Balogun Ibikunle originally from Ogbomoso he settled in Ibadan as a Captain in the house of Onibudo where his warrior skills earned him the Title Kiniun Onibudo. He was the head of Ibadan forces for quite a while and extremely rich man with farms across the greater Ibadan. He built key parts of the City walls and fathered many children. He was the Bale of Ibadan for only one year in 1864. A lot is written about is time in any History of Ibadan. Many more in the next post.
WOW...you know so much information of your family's history even from the nineteenth century. Did your parents narrate it to you orally? I just have to ask this..do you have any information on what your family or people lived like before the nineteenth century.
I just love that oriki. Sweet!
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