Ode to Ejire

O Ẹ̀jìrẹ́, thou my Yoruba deity,

Can thou make my home thy abode?

To thou alone I revered my fealty;

So thou can bring joy as-told,

Ẹ̀jìrẹ́ thou humbled the foreign gods,

When thou came in as ethereal lords

From generations, thy visits were rare;

Taiyelolu - Omokehinde, the supreme heirs,

Ẹ̀jìrẹ́ knocks and unhurriedly come in pairs,

Ẹ̀jìrẹ́, thou echoes through my ancestors quire,

Though the earth ravaged, albeit the heaven bound

Just for Ẹ̀jìrẹ́ the trumpet and the lyre sound,

Ẹ̀jìrẹ́ let me enchant thy lineage,

Thou from ages commune with my ancestors;

The praises of thy courage.

Thy births command attention.

Ẹ̀jìrẹ́ thou anointed with golden crown,

When thou came in to my clansmen town

I learnt this from ancient Sacrament,

Ẹ̀jìrẹ́ the beautiful of all angels,

"Ẹ̀jìrẹ́ ará ìṣokún, Ẹdúnjobí Ọmọ ẹdun,

tíí ṣeré orí igi"

Passed down through a parchment,

The chosen divine Archangels,

Ẹ̀jìrẹ́ let me sing of thy pedigrees,

The little warriors of my clan,

Thou the purest of all centuries, 

Thou rode ages with golden clad.

Who hath not seen thee in thy magnificence,

When thou give riches in thy benevolence

Thou blesses with eternal fame.

“Ọ́-bẹ́-kẹ́ṣé-bẹ́-kàṣà,

Ó fẹsẹ̀ méjèèjì bẹ sílé alákìísa;

Ó salákìísà donígba aṣọ”

Thou smile softly like the rain;

It cleanses away mama pains.

Joyously, thou were born;

Our darling little twins;

Thou warm our heart like the sun;

Growing each day as pretty teens.

Ẹ̀lèdúa bestow me this precious gift;

Bless me with Ẹ̀jìrẹ́ as eternal lift;

“Gbajúmọ̀ ọmọ tíí gbàkúnlẹ̀ ìyá,

Tíí gbàdọ̀bálẹ̀ lọ́wọ́ baba tó bí í lọ́mọ.

Wínrinwínrin lójú orogún

Ejìwọ̀rọ̀ lojú ìyá ẹ̀.

Tani o bi ibeji ko n'owo?”

I seek thy blessings angelic twins.

Poem: “Ode to Ẹ̀jìrẹ” by Olorunleke Odubote

(Image by James C. Lewis)