The Yorùbá poet Lanrewaju Adepọju passed away on the 10th December 2023 from age-related illness. We are grateful to his son, Olayiwola Adepọju, for this transcription and translation into English of a recording from Chief Adepọju’s repertoire.
A self-taught polymath residing in Ibadan, Lanrewaju Adepọju seamlessly embodied the roles of poet, playwright, author, and social crusader. Local politicians and noteworthy figures actively sought his collaboration, aspiring to leverage his influential standing for the promotion of their policies and accomplishments. Yet, it was Adepọju’s indelible mark on the socio-political landscape that remains his most renowned contribution. His incisive scrutiny of successive administrations in Nigeria, directed at policies he deemed inequitable, stands out prominently. Employing the poetic genre of ewì, Adepọju delivered these often blistering critiques with a modern and resonant flair.
For more on ewì poetry and Lanrewaju Adepọju see Ewì, Yorùbá Modernity, and the Public Space and Lanrewaju Adepọju and The Making of Modern Yorùbá Poetry, both by professor Oyèníyì Okùnoyè of Obafemi Awolowo University.
I Dreamt of Riches
I dreamt of riches, wealth you’d hold,
I dreamt of you living, a vision of longevity,
Dreams of grand houses, skyscrapers you built,
Cloaked as a man of honor, with social grace.
In slumber’s realm, I saw your rise as Head Of The Association,
Cloaked as a high chief, in splendid array,
The father of the occasion, with the final say,
Your commands were heeded, obeyed to the letter,
Elders bowed to your rising star.
In dreamland’s gaze, the world mirrored your face,
Where you turned your back, there followed not grace.
Your friends adorned in the vestments of the divine,
Strangers shunned, for your favor they’d pine.
Though young in years, an elder’s role you’d take,
Young in years, but made the overarching boss,
The king uncrowned, yet, all the world would quake.
Your star, a beacon, bright as the day,
The fires of your wealth, an inferno’s display.
But when you gained riches, the wealthy you spurned,
Misdeeds, now your second nature turned,
With eyes dimly closed, I saw you act unfairly in your private zone,
Unquestioned for actions, you cut corners bold.
You are praised for deeds that deserved reproof,
For misdeeds committed in my slumber, you got no reproach,
Praised for misdeeds, for wrongs without reprise,
Lives you laid waste, yet, you received thanks and sighs,
A dream turned enigma, a puzzle in my sleep.
When dawn broke, I summoned the sage,
To share with him my visions,
An entourage dispatched, the advisor sought,
The messenger, halted by the wayside,
To beckon the crystal gazer,
To meet me on the path where wisdom’s lessons are taught,
A collective pondering, we’d gather our thoughts.
Ere long, the sage graced our humble space,
The chief advisor joined, greeted me with a “good morning” so kind,
In the distance the crystal gazer drew near, our smiles exchanged,
A gathering of minds, in unity we stood.
The tale of my mysterious dream, I unravelled to the sage,
The chief advisor, silent, his thoughts concealed,
The crystal gazer, a listener without a word,
To make a precise interpretation,
As my narration found its place,
A collective sigh of worry, they shared.
The wise one, deep in thought, clapped amazed and bewildered,
He posed me questions, awaiting my reply.
“The figure in your dream,” he inquired,
“Could it be kin or someone closely wired?”
I said, “A Nigerian, indeed,
We are one family, in our country’s creed.
No differentiation in the hearts we bear,
Among Nigerians, a unity rare.”
The sage advised me to awaken from a naive dream.
“Let him,” he urged, “in his whims and caprices dwell,
Cease to bleed for all,
The drums of warning to the deaf, refrain.”
With gratitude, I thanked the sage for his prowess,
The crystal gazer, his turn to address,
I beckoned for his voice to be the first,
The chief advisor would be the one to conclude.
The crystal gazer, with a throat-clearing pause,
He said, “A thin line, indeed, in dreams and life’s reality,
Your dream captures human behaviour’s totality.”
“When a man lies on his mat in the still of the night,
In his mind, tales of mischief dwell,
As he sleeps at night, a wicked sleep takes flight.”
“Sleep may loosen a toddler’s grasp, his hand may unclasp,
But his mind’s wickedness, in sleep, does not relapse,
Beneath man’s smiles, treacherous intentions flare.”
The advisor cleared his throat,
He said, “My advice to you, my friend, I implore,
But if stubborn you remain, I’ll fret no more.”
“Cease from your wicked ways, mend your errant course,
In front of the hungry, flaunting food is a dark force.
In your very neighbourhood, let goodwill cascade.”
“Watch for the destroyers, as you navigate life’s delicate ground,
In the metropolis, traps of the wicked lay,
Mind your steps in life’s delicate dance, don’t fall prey.”
“If you’re ensnared in the world’s tangled strings,
If you descend into its pitfall and rings,
Would my dream’s warnings then come to pass or not?
Quench your life’s thirst with care in every sip, be well-behaved,
For he who is careless, his path to self-destruction paved.”
Here is a transcript by Olayiwola Adepọju.
Mo Ba O L’ala Owo
Mo bá ọ l’ála owó, mo ri ọ tóo l’ówó,
Mo bá ọ l’ála àìkú, níbi o gbé wà láàyè,
Mo bá ọ l’ála ‘lé kíkọ́, o kọ́ pẹ̀tẹ́ẹ̀sì rẹbẹtẹ lójú orun,
Mo rí ọ bí èèyàn nlá, níbi o gbé wà nípò àtàtà.
Mo tún rí ọ lójúfín níbi tóo ti jolórí ẹgbẹ́,
Mo rí ọ nínún ẹ̀wù nlá, o wáá dà bí ìjòyè,
Ìwọ ni wọ́n fọ̀rọ̀ sí lẹ́nu lóòjọ́ àríyá,
Oun gbogbgo tóo bá wí ni wọ́n n se,
Gbogbo èèyàn tó jù ọ́ lọ ní n pè ọ́ lálàgbà.
Lójúfín, ibi tóo bá kojú sí layé kọjú sí,
Ibi tóo bá kọ̀‘yìn sí wọn ò dé ‘bẹ̀,
Ẹni tóo bá bá ṣọ̀rẹ́ ni wọ́n n pè léèyànre,
Kò sẹ́ni tó sọ̀rọ̀ sẹ́ni o bá yàn lódì.
Henhenheen!
Ọmọdé ni ọ́, wọ́n fi ọ́ ṣe baba nínún ẹgbẹ́ arúgbó,
Oò tíì dàgbà wọ́n fi ọ́ ṣọ̀gá àgbà,
Gbogbo eyàn ló n ṣe kábíyèsí fún ọ láì tíì jọba,
Ìràwọ̀ rẹ́ yọ bí ọ̀sán,
Iná ọláà rẹ n jò hìhì.
Ṣugbọ́n nígbàt’ o lówó tán, gbogbo olówó ayé lo rí fín,
Gbogbo ìwà tí ò tọ́ lo yàn láàyò,
Mo rí ọ lójúfín bóo ti ṣe n jayé alákátá,
Bóo ti ṣe fèrú gbà ‘bùkún tó gbogbo aráyé o béèrè.
Oun tó yẹ ká bá ọ wí sí n lọmọ aráyé fi n pán ọ lé,
Ìwà ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ tóo dì légbìnrín lójúfín, aráyé ò tuwò,
Bóo ti n hùwà àìtọ́ ni wọ́n tú n pè ọ́ léèyàanre,
Bóo ti n ba taráyé jẹ́ nṣe laráyé tú n kí ọ póo ṣeun,
Ọ̀rọ̀ àlá ọ̀hún wá ṣe mí ní kàyééfì.
Nígbàtí mo jí, mo ranni sọ́lọ́gbọ́n,
mo ní kọ́lọ́gbọ́n ó wa gbọ́ ‘un tí mo rí,
Mo taari ikọ̀ sílé onímọ̀nràn pe kó máa tọ̀ mí bọ̀,
Mo ní kóníṣẹ́ o yà nírònà,
ko tun pe gbédègbẹ́yọ̀ lọ́wọ́,
Kí wọn ó jẹ́ ká jọ fiwájú orí sọ ‘raawọn,
Pípé làá péé gbọ́n, a kìí péé gọ̀.
Kó tóó pẹ́ títí ọlọgbọ́n dé ó kí mi kẹ́ẹ̀ pẹ́,
Olórí onímọ̀ràn dé ó kí mi kú òwúrọ̀,
Mo ṣíjú wọ̀kánkán mo rí gbédègbẹ́yọ̀, a fẹyín sí ‘raawa,
Ìtá pé ìrọ́ pé, gbogbo ẹsẹ̀ ló kò.
Àlá tí mo lá tó jọ mí lójú, mo wá rọ́ gbogbo rẹ̀ sétí ọlọ́gbọ́n,
Olórí onímọ̀ràn n gbọ́ mi láì tíì fèsì,
Gbédègbẹyọ̀ ò sọ̀rọ̀ ó dákẹ́,
kó le ráyè túmọ̀ oun tí mo sọ,
Mo wá sọ̀rọ̀ tán,
gbogbo wọ́n mí kanlẹ̀ wọ́n kùn hùnhùn.
Ọlọgbọ́n ronú títí ó fi pẹ́tẹ́ ọwọ́ luwọ́,
Ó bi mí léèrè ọ̀rọ̀ ó n retí ìdáhùn,
Ó ní ẹni tí mo lála sí, ó jọun pe ọmọ ìyáà mí ní,
Tàbíí, k’ónítọ̀hún ó jẹ́ni to kàn mí gbọ̀ngbọ̀n.
Mo ní ẹnị tí mo lála sí ọmọ Nàìjíríà ni,
Mo ní bíì mọlẹ́bí la mú ’rááwá,
Kò s’íyàtọ̀ nínún ọmọ Nàìjíríà.
Ọlọ́gbọ́n ní kí n ma sun orun òmùgọ̀ mọ́n,
Kí n jẹ́ k’ọ́lọ́rọ̀ o ṣèyí tó bá fẹ́,
Ó ní kí n yé gba’ra oní kálukú ta,
Kí n yé gún ’lùbọ́ ìkìlọ̀ létí ẹni tí o gbọ́ràn.
Ọlọgbọ́n ayé wí tíẹ̀ tán mo dúpẹ́ dúpẹ́,
Ọpọ́n ọ̀rọ̀ oún wá sún kan gbédègbẹyọ̀.
Mo ní kí gbédègbẹyọ̀ ó wá bá mi túmọ̀ àláà mi,
Ki ólórí onímọ̀ràn ó tó sọ tiẹ̀ nígbẹ̀yìn ọ̀rọ̀.
Hèhèèè!
Gbédègbẹyọ̀ húkọ́ kẹ́hẹ́,
Ó níí, “oun t’áráyé n ṣee lójúfín, n lọmọ aráyé n ṣe lójú orun,
Àlá tí mo lá ò tàsè oun táráyé n hù níwà.”
“B’áráyé bá sùn sórí ẹní níyàrá èteebi l’aráyé n pa,
B’áráyé bá sùn n’íbùsùn l’álẹ́ orun ìkà ló sùn.”
“Orun n gba t’ọwọ́ ọmọdé ní tòótọ́,
Orun ò kúkú lè gba t’inún ọmọ,
Ọmọ èèyàn tó f’ìwà ìkà s’ínun, tó tún n fẹ’yín àníyàn.”
Olórí onímọ̀ràn húkọ́ kẹ́hẹ́,
Ó ní kí n wí fuń ọ kóo gbọ́,
Bóò bá sì gbà kí n ma làágùn jìnà.
“Jáwọ́ n’ínún aburú ayé,
Ma b’òkèlè nlá jó lójú ẹni tí ò rí nkan jẹ,
Túbọ̀ ma fẹ̀sọ̀ pẹ̀lẹ́ jayé àdúgbò.”
“Bóo bá ru koto epo rántí oní yangí,
Heeè!
Tàkúté àwọn òsìkà n bẹ láàrin ìgboro,
Má gbẹ́sẹ̀ oge kàbìkàbì mọ́n kí wọn o má dà ọ́ l’ẹ́rù nù.”
“Bóo bá kó s’ínúun panpẹ́ ayé,
Bóo bá jìn s’ọ́fìn ọmọ ènìyàn,
Àláà mí wá ṣẹ àbí ò ṣẹ,
Máa mu ‘mi ayé jẹ́ẹ́jẹ́, máà ṣọ́’ra,
Èèyàn tí ò bá ṣọ́’ra l’èèdì o dì.”
by Lanrewaju Adepọju,
transcribed and translated in English by Olayiwola Adepoju.
