“ÀJÀKÁYÉ ÀJÁKỌRUN”

(Wholeheartedly dedicated to ALHAJI ÀJÀKÁYÉ SAMINU ÀYÌNLÁ)

Bàbá mi, Àjàkáyé àjàkọ́run,
Ọba tótó, mo lé’mi ò perí Ọba,
Adéyẹrí ọmọ alájogun, Jígí tí ò gbọdọ̀ fọ́,
Alámọ̀ t’ódá orí mi,
Aláṣẹ èkejì òrìṣà ayé mi,
Ẹ̀yin lorí mi,
Torí tí orí ò bá sí mọ́,
Báwo ni ara ò bá ṣe jẹ́ èyàn?
Bọ́bagúnwà ti Ibà,
Atóbájayé ti ìgbẹsà,
Máyégún ti ìgandò,
Olórí Ẹbí ti ibà,
Kábíyèsí ìjagẹmọ fi gbogbo ara ṣ’ẹwà bí ọ̀kín,
Ọba onílé rẹpẹtẹ bí òwìwí,
Oníwà tútù bí àdàbà,
Ọlọ́lá bí Anọbi Sulaimon,
Ọrọ Bọ́bagúnwà ló ń jẹ́ kí koríko sápamọ fún ewébẹ̀,
Bàbá Oníkokì a lówó bí ẹni lómi,
Anáwó bí ẹlẹ́dà Ọlọ́run Àpàjẹ,
A bógun-lóko-má-rò-fẹ́nìkan.
Ẹ̀yin ni gbòǹgbòn tó mú àyà mi dúró,
Ẹ̀yin ò kí ń ṣe àgbẹ̀ tó lọ s’óko tí kò l’ọ́kọ́,
Ìran ti yín ni ajagunṣẹ́gun,
Ẹ̀yin làpáta nlá tí ó ṣe f’orí sọ,
Ẹ̀yin lorí mi tóyẹ kí n máa bọ,
Ẹlẹ́yẹ̀lẹ ìyàwó, ọlọ́kan-ò-jọ̀kan aya,
Ẹni iwájú ni yín tí ò ni d’èrò ẹ̀yìn,
Ẹ̀yin Làjàkáyé, Tó jàká ayé tí ò bó’gun lọ,
Jagunjagun tí kò rógun sá, Ọkùnrin kan bíi ẹgbẹgbẹ̀rún Ọkùnrin,
Ẹ̀yin lòrùn ọsán tó ń dẹ́rùbà òṣùpá alẹ́,
Òṣùpá alẹ́ tó tán ìmọ́lẹ̀ s’ọ́nà ẹbí.
Ẹ̀yin lẹ sọ ata Láńre di ọbẹ̀,
Ẹ̀yin lẹ sọ igbó kìjikìji di ìlú ìfọ̀kanbàlẹ̀,
Aṣẹ̀dá Eégún Ẹyẹ́bà ló sọ àtàn dojà,
afẹ́fẹ́ irin Máyégún tí Àjàkáyé ló ń fún ewé àti Igi lẹ́ẹ̀mi gúngùn,
Ràṣídá mú Ọba wá,
Olóyè ni Rasidatu fẹ́ràn,
Kábíyèsí ni Ràṣídá lóyún fún,
Èyí tí Àjàkáyé tọka sí gangan ni Baálé Ilé.

Àjàkáyé wẹ̀ l’ódò, àwọn Ọba nlá n’ọwọ́ ọsẹ,
“Gbatèmi Gbatèmi “,
Èyí tí Àjàkáyé bá gbà,
Olúwa rẹ ni ó ṣoríreeee….

ÀJÀKÁYÉ RASHIDAT ỌLÁMIDAYỌ̀.
STRIDA …guiding you to striking confidence in academic and creative writing!

ENGLISH VERSION

My father, Ajakaye…Father even after death,
Awesome is the king, I dare not invoke ordinarily the monarch’s essence.
Adeyeri, scion of ancient warriors,
Precious mirror that none dares break,
Formidable Potter, moulder of my destiny.
Potentate of my life, second only to the Deities,
You are my head,
for without the head
would the body ever venture into life’s fortunes?
Bobagunwa (King’s Confidant) of Ibà,
Atobajaye (Formidable Benefactor) of Igbesa,
Mayegun (World’s Welfare Architect) of Igando,
Family Head of Ibà,
The Monarch of Ijagemo is beautiful,
as resplendent as the peacock,
King, Lord of many abodes, reminiscent of the owl.
Possessor of gentleness, akin to the dove
Luminary of the ilk of Prophet Sulaiman.
It’s Bobagunwa’s affair that drives the weeds aside from the food leaves.
Onikoki Patriach, wealth as vast as the waters.
Dispenser of money is the Lord of Apaje,
Quiet challenger of farmstead battles,
The very tap root sustaining the bosom of my ventures.
Never the unserious farmer without his hoe
Yours is the clan of victorious warriors.
Formidable rock that no head dares challenge.
My very head, worthy of Worship,
You belong to the ilk of frontrunners, never of the rear.
You are the universal fighter, Ajakaye, unconquered in battles.
Formidable warrior that flees no battle,
One man, equivalent of a thousand men.
Midday sun, nemesis of the twilight moon;
Twilight moon, lighter of the paths for the clan.
You it was that made a delicious soup of Lanre’s singular pepper.
Transformer of a wilderness to a bustling, peaceful
metropolis.
Custodian of the Eyeba Masquerade, transformer of a refuse dump to a market.
Mayegun Ajakaye’s parade, conjurer of long life for plants.
Rasida, birther of kings
Rasida’s affection benefits chieftains
Rasida’s pregnancy is the creation of monarchs.
Whoever Ajakaye selects is the potential family head.
When Ajakaye swims the rivers, royalty proffers the bathing soap, hollering:
“Use my own! Bathe with mine!”
Extremely fortunate is the one
Whose soap Ajakaye eventually accepts….

© RASHIDAT OLAMIDAYO AJAKAYE
English Translation by SOLA OJEWUSI