Our Time Past

 By Adu Ayomikun (Talent Mikun)

Adisa, bring me the mirror of culture

That I might see the beauty of our way of life.

Could this be the culture my mom spoke of?

Or the princely traditions of my dad?

The days of "ekún ìyàwó" long gone

Leaving tracks of scraped "orúnkún ìyàwó".

Evidences of the trainings of our men

Who lost the meaning of our own "àsà".

Faces of our ladies now have semblance

With the attires of "éégún aláré" of old

They now walk about the streets

Like "wèrè aláso repete".

Who would wake the sleeping watchman

And inform him of the drunkenness

Of "àsà" from the party of "òlàjú"

The beasty friend of the "òyìnbó"?

Tell Onípópó of Pópó

That the maidens are now baskets 

Not useful for harvests anymore

But to decorate the home of "wèrè".

Convey a message to Aláàfin

That the "aládììre" has stopped her work

But has taken on the weaving of "àkísà"

To cover the nudity of our "omidan".

Would you also take a note to "òyìnbó"

That the prophecies of their blind priests

Have led our gallant "àsà" to the dungeon

And he has lost his steps in his strides.

Mother! I see the crumbs of your beloved culture

And I weep for the failure of Baba's "ìse".

Glossary

ekún ìyàwó- a ceremonial song by a new bride

orúnkún ìyàwó- knee cap of a bride

àsà- culture

eégún aláré- a prominent masquerade in Yoruba Land

wèrè aláso repete- a mad person with tattered clothes

òlàjú- civilization

òyìnbó- Whiteman

Onípópó of Pópó- a king in Yoruba 

wèrè- a mad fellow 

Aláàfin- king of Oyo empire

aládììre- weaver of a type of Yoruba attire

àkísà- rag

omidan- maidens

ìse- tradition.