Ayo Olukotun: Tribute by Professor Olu Obafemi

[Toyin Falola]

Ayo, Omo Olukotun, O dabo!

 

Ore re ti gbo

 

Oba re re

 

Aghoin bo.

 

No matter for how long

 

The wanderer of the forest

 

Will roam and roam

 

But return it must.

 

Ore re tigbo.

 

Ayo,

 

You have crossed numerois brooks,

 

Bare- footed, you have allowed the weeds,

 

Blown by the gentle caress

 

of the morning weeds

 

And the dawn- dew streemlets

 

Of Jege and Ife Olukotun

 

Lift you into the wisdom world.

 

From the ECWA choirs and melodius chrubs of Titcombe

 

To the loftier cultural lilies of Ile- Ife;

 

Its watery presences

 

Of values and ethos and flora,

 

Of abworld that 

 

Breeds and breezes only 

 

Know-how;

 

 

Orere ti'gbo

 

Oba re re aghoin bo.

 

You have led when the sea- waves of anger run the Street of protest:

 

You have crisen beyond tempests and distempered moolight

 

Of provoked youths.

 

You have stood when 

 

The sun rose beyond the lightening scotch of angry horizons

 

And the azure skies answers

 

Only to the quiet moonlight.

 

 

But we wait, 

 

Now in vain

 

As you fly, have flown,

 

Beyond the Okun firmament

 

And the wild world,

 

Beyondcthe reeds

 

In final salute to your departing swan -songs.

 

 

Ayo, the boundless bundle of Joy

 

The infinite genial genius and the flowing fount of today's lyrics

 

And tomorow's lullaby.

 

 

Okun, omo eleja

 

Odi yanja.

 

Tomorrow, the New day will break

 

And the wandering minstrel, Orere,

 

Shall sing the New song

 

Into pithless tomorrow.

 

Orere tigbo

 

Oba re re, A ghoin bo.

 

It is unlikely that this wanderer in the grove shall tread this path again.

 

Goodnight, sọn of the world, hero of the Globe.

 

Olu Obafemi.

 

08- 01-2023.

 

[Oluwatoyin Adepoju]

Sublime 

Though needs editing 

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[Michael Afolayan]

Serious, sonorous, deep. Can't stop reading and reading it. Thanks!

MOA

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