MO KÍ GBOGBO ÌJÈSHÀ (YORUBA) – Chief Ebenezer Remilekun Aremu Olasupo Fabiyi, known as Ebenezer Obey, sang this song decades ago, to commemorate the Ijeshas, a subgroup in Yorubaland.
Mo ki gbogbo Ijesha,
Omo ol’obi wo’wo ti-ri-wo,
Omo ol’obi wo’wo ti-ri-wo,
Ijesha, osere, om’Owa’b’okun.
Mo ti ba ’Jesha s’oro,
Mo ti bom’Owa re’le;
Mo ti ba ’Jesha s’oro,
Mo ti bom’Owa re’le,
N’ile Agunlejika o, oba wa.
Kari o? (An Ijesha hailing – chanted by a band-member.)
Mo ti ba ’Jesha s’oro,
Mo ti bom’Owa re’le;
Mo ti ba ’Jesha s’oro,
Mo ti bom’Owa re’le,
N’ile Agunlejika o, oba wa.
To ba je ti ka na’wo,
Won kii r’oju owo;
Ka ko’le ka ra moto,
Ijesha lo ni yen.
Nle, awe! (Prevalent Ijesha hailing – chanted by a band-member.)
SB omo Bakare pelu Omole,
At’Ajanaku ti nm’igbo kijikiji.
E wa w’ara t’Ijesha f’owo da,
Edumare ma gba saa na l’owo won.
Omo ol’obi wo’wo ti-ri-wo,
Beeni!
Omo ol’obi wo’wo ti-ri-wo,
Beeni!
Eyi to ba fe’ni a wo s’apo eni,
Beeni!
Eyi ti o fe ni a wo s’inu igbo,
Beeni!
Eranko buburu a maa ro’un mu je,
Beeni!
Obun w’oja, won a pa sio-sio w’oja,
Beeni!
(ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY DELE AJAJA)
I hail the Ijeshas,
Descendants of the cultivators of bountiful kola-nuts,
Descendants of the cultivators of bountiful kola-nuts,
Ijeshas, pleasant ones, progeny of the monarch who scooped the ocean.
I’ve reveled Ijesha heritage with the Ijeshas,
I’ve explored the land with the Ijeshas;
I’ve reveled Ijesha heritage with the Ijeshas,
I’ve explored the land with the Ijeshas,
The home of Agunlejika, our monarch.
Where are you? (An Ijesha hailing – chanted by a band-member.)
I’ve reveled Ijesha heritage with the Ijeshas,
I’ve explored the land with the Ijeshas;
I’ve reveled Ijesha heritage with the Ijeshas,
I’ve explored the land with the Ijeshas,
The home of Agunlejika, our monarch.
When it comes to spending money,
They are not economical;
To build houses and purchase cars,
Those belong to the Ijeshas.
Greetings, pal! (Prevalent Ijesha hailing – chanted by a band-member.)
SB Bakare and Omole (Well-off Ijesha indigenes,)
And Ajanaku, who shakes the bush tremulously.
Behold the panaches that Ijeshas created with money,
May God never deny them the era (of opulence.)
Descendants of the cultivators of bountiful kola-nuts,
Indeed!
Descendants of the cultivators of bountiful kola-nuts,
Indeed!
The nuts that admire one drop in one’s pouch,
Indeed!
The nuts that detest one drop in the bush,
Indeed!
And become food for dreadful animals,
Indeed!
The filthy ones enter the market and tread creepily,
Indeed!
IMAGE: High Chief Orisarayibi Ogundamola Ogedengbe Agbogungboro, the Commander-in-Chief of Ijesha Army and Obanla of Ilesha (1822-July 29, 1910)
