It sits right there on our foreheads
Dancing to the rhythm of destiny
The sacred and heavenly deposits
The paths that laid before us: our lots
Hidden, not to be seen by visible eyes
But remain inconcealable to owners of four eyes
Iroyinogunkiitan is birthed
In a land afflicted with the dearth of love
An unquenchable quest for power resides
Quest not only graduates to search
A forage that yields acquisition
To what end and use? I dare ask
Tell me about Ogundiji!
Revenge a deadly misson
A frantic search for one’s mother’s debtor
Do not embark on the journey
Or an encounter with who your mother owes is imminent
Gbotija! forgive and heed
The battle ground is set
Long before we all arrived in tow
The drum of War is constantly beaten
The forces that drive men can’t be repressed
We all must dance to it
Wiggle our waist to the rhythm of the dirge
It does not only corrupt but destroys
Of what use is absolute power
If there is undaunting love?
But in the land of Akamora
Love does not endure like vileness
Everyone’s fate is subdued under the fiery anger of Ogundiji
Blow the trumpet in Modede Kingdom
Let the emmisary bear the message to the inhabitant of Keto
Do not leave the descendants of Aje out
Beat the gong to attract the people of Larinle
Announce to all and sundry
Life is a battle ground
And our pedigree is jagunjagun
Abike Benson, 2023
Inspired by Femi Adebayo’s JagunJagun
