In my sixty years on this earth, there are things I have heard but not seen yet. I read many creation stories of how the world came to be. I got to the university and learned about a big bang theory that cannot happen again?
Along the way, I read and vividly made a mental picture of Lord Jesus the Christ walking on water for a reason not for show. As I come of age, the condition in which Jesus had to walk on water has not returned and replicated.
In the days when there were no large wineries, Jesus had to turn water into wine. As I type these words I have not attended any wedding party in which a man (or woman) of God has had to turn buckets of water into wine. When we run out of wine these days, the Lord provides money to go to the store to just go buy more.
In our lifetime, there may never be Ajantala, the child who was born and spoke that very same day. To most folks this is just a tale that some old granny made up. What ever, I believe parts of the story. The children of these days stay quiet as they enjoy the sucking of nipples of their mothers. To the male children those nipples will be one of the sources of tension in their lives if they do not learn how to discipline themselves. I cannot lie at this age that the nipples still cause undue ripples in my head when I see or feel them. Those are one of the greatest assets Olodumare created even far better than the sap from Palm Trees we call Palm Wine!
As a teacher of Yoruba language and culture, I have had to explain the Yoruba creation stories to foreigners. I regale them with stories of how Obatala, drank and some heads he made were well done and some not too well done. Those few fortunate ones who chose the very well done heads arrive the world with toughened lives. The arrows of the world hardly penetrate them when fired. Those that chose heads not well done arrive the world with congenital diseases. I also explain the akunleyan and relate it to why we are called eniyan. Persons of choice. Because I teach young adults I am hardly ever bold enough to let them connect the dots of why females kneel and why men prostrate for elders here on earth. Why not the other way round? If you know, you know, if not just ask me in camera.
Furthermore, I still do not have answers to how a king became a deity. How did Sango, Ogun, Oya and others became deities and elders I have heard about do not have lives close to those of the former ancestors. What is happening? Are people of my generation (the tribe who depend on generators) of lower quality?
Are these things above only once in a lifetime? What did those who have gone ahead of us, eat or refrained from eating that we have eaten? I still look forward to seeing my first miracle of an animal turning into a human. Please I see humans turn into animals daily. That is no more a miracle for me.
Is this generation one that will be remembered as the one in which a virus, so tiny, the eyes cannot see it unaided, came into the world and shut us down for months. This is the most vivid miracle I have witnessed in my sixty years on earth.
The story of this virus that affects more men than females has yet to be written. So far, it has not brought down any prominent traditional ruler in the South Western part of Nigeria but it has brought down notable politicians, entertainers and heads of States around Africa!
What are traditional rulers doing that the modern politicians are not doing? Is this the proverb of this age? It really feels good to grow old in a world such as ours. I was born when Nigeria got its “worthless” political independence and until today the country is still struggling to set its self free from economic shackles from imperialists. Those who make condition of liberation impossible are the same ones who give performance grades. What a world. Ms. Dayo Olopade, said what COVID has done to the rest of the world, is to let them experience how it feels doing business with one of your arms tied to your back. Will that lesson sink? I fear not.
The things I have seen, heard, and experienced in sixty years of living in different parts of the world leave me with more questions than answers.
Kole o ku iroju o
(Diary of a Lagos Bobo July 10th 2020)