Iba Agba.
In Ogboni Fraternity-Cult, ‘Mother’ Ajibọla is regarded as the Mother of Ogboni cult. She is symbolized as a female idol, clad in white clothes that’s worshipped once a year. She is kept in upper chamber in Iledi Awo (Cult Meeting Room) from which she is put down, unclad, bathe, and wrap again with another pieces of white clothes. Her annual ’emerge’ from the upper chamber is celebrated by Ogboni cultists. The cultists feast on Ekuru (beans pudding), Ẹkọ (corn meal), Akara (beans cake), Ẹmu (palm wine), etc.
Ogboni call themselves “ọmọ Iya” (Brothers), because it’s solemning believed that Mother Ajibọla gave birth to all of them.
History is opaque on her story. But it’s mostly agreed upon that she is an indigene of Ife* (Yoruba physical-ancestral town).
She is eulogized thus:
Ajibọla Ẹdan,
Ọrọ tii gbe inu Iledi tii kun yunmun-yunmun
[She is the inaudible word that dwels in (Ogboni Fraternity) Cult Meeting Room]
Ara Ilu Ete, Abẹni, ara ilu Eedu
[Abẹni of both Ete (Trick) and Eedu (carchoal) villages origin]
Ọlọsunbẹrẹ, ab’iru gbọọrọ
[Slippery animal with elongated tail]
Toba du l’oju, a du l’ẹnu
[With its eyes and mouth, i.e face blacken]
Ajo lapo isalẹ woi-woi
[She with an unclosed pocket at the rear end]
Afinju adaba tii jẹ l’awujọ orofo
[Distinguished bird that feast among upper caliber]
Afinju ẹiyẹ tii jẹ ni gbangba Ile Oba
[Distinguished winged animal that feast out palace]
Angua yio ba, ilẹ yio tun t’ẹyin se
[Blessings be unto you]
Ọmọ alayaba eyi tio se anfani ninu Iledi ọmọ agbaagba imulẹ
[Male-Children of a queen that dwells and be of multiple benefits in the Cult Meeting Room]
Afinju onimulẹ tio so kùtùkùkù mon ọwọ
[Elite initiates that put handband, i.e beads on the (left) hand]…..
N.B: More to come, God willing!
Jimoh Taofik Adekunle
(Jimson Jaat Taofik)
October 20, 2018
