Ewì

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the son of the esteemed Yorùbá poet, Lanrewaju Adepọju (1940 — 2023), for providing both the transcription and translation into English of a poem from Chief Adepọju’s collection (see also Ìlú le! and I Dreamt of Riches).

“Ibi A Baye De L’ewu” (translated here as “World in Dangerous Times”) is crafted in the manner of a “fire and brimstone” sermon, employing vivid imagery of judgment and eternal damnation to call for repentance. Adepọju scrutinizes his society, denouncing the hypocrisy and vice he perceives around him.

In translating his father’s ewì verses into English, Olayiwola Adepọju adopts a rhyming couplet format, a structure absent in the original poem. Yet, through this adaptation, Olayiwola captures the fervor of the original, conveying the force of Lanrewaju’s admonitions with remarkable intensity.

It’s foretold, when the world’s end draws near,
Younglings of three shan’t flee the lash in fear…

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.

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…