“Àpọ́nlé kò si fún Ọba ti kò ni Olorì” – “There is no respect for a King that has no Queen”

Ọ̀rọ̀ Yorùbá ni “Bi ọmọdé bá tó ni ọkọ́, à fún lọ́kọ́”. Ọkọ́ jẹ irinṣẹ́ pàtàki fún Àgbẹ̀. Iṣẹ́-àgbẹ̀ ni ó wọ́pọ̀ ni ayé àtijọ́. Nitori eyi, bi bàbá ti nkọ́ ọmọ rẹ ọkùnrin ni iṣẹ-àgbẹ̀, ni ìyá nkọ́ ọmọ obinrin rẹ ni ìtọ́jú-ile lati kọ fún ilé-ọkọ. Iṣẹ́ la fi nmọ ọmọ ọkùnrin, nitori eyi, bi ọkùnrin bá dàgbà, bàbá rẹ á fun ni ọkọ́ nitori ki ó lè dá dúró lati lè ṣe iṣẹ́ ti yio fi bọ́ ẹbi rẹ ni ọjọ́ iwájú.

Bi ọkùnrin bá ni iṣẹ́, ó ku kó gbéyàwó ti yio jẹ “Olorì” ni ilé rẹ. Ìyàwó fi fẹ́ bu iyi kún ọkùnrin, nitori, ó fi hàn pé ó ni igbẹ́kẹ̀lé. Àṣà Yorùbá gbà fún ọkùnrin lati fẹ́ iye ìyàwó ti agbára rẹ bá gbé lati tọ́jú. Nitori eyi, ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ Ọba, Baálẹ̀, Ìjòyè àti àwọn enia pàtàki láwùjọ ma nfẹ ìyàwó púpọ̀. Ìṣòro ni ki wọn fi ọkùnrin ti kò ni ìyàwó jẹ Ọba. Kò wọ́pọ̀ ki Ọba ni ìyàwó kan ṣoṣo.

Ìwúyè Ọba Àkúrẹ́, Olóògbé Ọba Adebiyi Adeṣida – Coronation of the Late Deji of Akure.

Ohun ti a ṣe akiyesi ni ayé òde òni, ni Ọba ti ó fẹ ìyàwó kan ṣoṣo nitori ẹ̀sìn, pàtàki ẹ̀sìn Ìgbàgbọ́, ṣùgbọ́n ti ó ni àlè rẹpẹtẹ. Ọba ayé òde òni ndá nikan lọ si òde lai mú Olorì dáni. Gẹgẹbi ọ̀rọ̀ Yorùbá, “Àpọ́nlé kò si fún Ọba ti kò ni Olorì”, nitori eyi, kò bu iyi kún Ọba, ki ó lọ àwùjó tàbi rin irin àjò pàtàki lai mú Olorì dáni. Ohun ti ó yẹ Ọba ni ki a ri Ọba àti Olorì rẹ ni ẹ̀gbẹ́ rẹ.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Yoruba adage said “When a child is old enough to own a hoe (work tool), the child is equipped with it”. Hoe (or Tractor) is a very important work tool for Farmers. The most common job in those days is farming. As a result, as the fathers were teaching their male children farming, so are the mothers grooming their daughters for marriage by teaching them House-Keeping. Men are often known by their work, hence, when a boy becomes old enough, his father would equip him with a hoe so that he would be able to fend for himself and his future family.

When a man has a good job, marriage is the next on the agenda, to bring in the “Queen of the Home”. Marriage earns men respect as it shows the man is ready for responsibilities. According to Yoruba culture, men can marry as many women as they can afford to care for. As a result, it is common for Kings, Community Leaders, Chiefs and prominent men in the Society to marry more than one wife. It is rare to crown a man without a wife. It is also uncommon for a King to have one wife.

Recent observation showed that nowadays, some Kings have only one wife because of their religion, particularly Christians, but many concubines. Some modern day Kings attend functions without their Queen. According to the Yoruba adage that said “There is no respect for a King that has no Queen”, hence it is not honourable or earn the King respect to attend important functions or travel without the company of his “Queen”. What befits a King is to be seen in the company of his wife/wives beside him.

Originally posted 2014-11-11 19:13:42. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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“Àpọ́nlé kò si fún Ọba ti kò ni Olorì” – “There is no respect for a King that has no Queen”

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