One of my pastors will always call me ‘Sanmi’ instead of Fasanmi. Fasanmi simply means Ifa oracle is profitable to me, and my pastor felt that in calling me Fasanmi, he was indulging in idolatry! Such is the level to which Pentecostalism has tied us to delirious treadmill of profanity in Nigeria.
The same pastor feels comfortable with names like Adeboye, Kumuyi, Ajibade, Aina, or Ilori. It simply showed his lack of depth in Yoruba language and literature. The suffix Ade, for example, which looks like a crown to adorn the king’s head, is usually more than a crown in Yoruba culture. The crown is also a symbol of worship in the Yoruba palace, and a lot of sacrifices comes with such worship. That is why a king can use his crown to place a curse on anyone, and it will come to pass.
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Iku is also one of the orisas in Yoruba land. So, Kumuyi simply means the god of Iku has brought a special son. All the special children, like Taiwo and Kehinde, Aina, Ojo, and Ilori, have special panegyrics that portend their spiritual and physical talents.
In Ifa Corpus, specifically Odu Ifa 𝑂𝑔𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎 𝑀𝑒𝑗𝑖, the stories of three women—Aboru, Aboye, and Abosise—who rendered special help to Òrúnmìlà were told. It was said that in a bid for Orunmila to consult Olodumare, these three women were like ombudsmen that must be appeased. Orunmila made sacrifices to appease these women, and he had an easy passage to see Olodumare. Just for their power and kindness, Orunmila proposed marriage to them, and the harmony of love ensued among them. In honouring these powerful women, Orunmila asserted that anyone who wants to see Iyanifa or Babalawo must first pay homage to 𝐴𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑢, 𝐴𝑏𝑜𝑦𝑒, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐴𝑏𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑒!
Another version of the significance of Aboru, Aboye, and Abosise can as well be found in Odu Ifa 𝑂𝑔𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎 𝑀𝑒𝑗𝑖, where it was said that anyone who could mention the names of the three pretty damsels would have the liberty of having them as wives. Only Tela Oko was able to mention their names after several other men had failed in their attempts to do so. The failed men who were kept on the gallows were released and showed their appreciation to Tela Oko. However, Tela Oko asked the men to thank Aboru, Aboye, and Abosise. Since then, those names have grown from gratitude to homage, and greetings among Ifa practitioners.
Tope Alabi is a gospel singer who is fond of using Yoruba words in praising God (Olodumare). Psychologist Rhine has Tope Alabi in mind in his description of extrasensory perception, also called the sixth sense. Rhine defined the sixth sense as ‘a claimed paranormal ability pertaining to the reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses but sensed with the mind.’
Tope Alabi’s songs are tonics for the soul. She weaves Yoruba literature around biblical stories and conveys them in narratives, leaving one in unimaginable awe and unspeakable joy. She is rich in words, deep in thoughts, philosophical in composition, and beautiful to behold.
Tope’s lyrics are deep, and the recent controversies brewing about her word usage are reflections of a society suffering from cultural diffusion, pretentious religious dogma, and a poor understanding of Yoruba language and culture. Firstly, it was Oniduro’s saga. She succinctly answered the Oniduro question in Igbowo Eda through Alagbawi Mi by differentiating Oniduro from Alagbawi. This time around, she went to the spiritual field to fetch the names Aboru, Aboye, and Abosise, and as is her wont, she gospelized them! That is her new offence!
The three names, as explained in Odu Ifa Ogunda Meji, are actually more than names. No doubt, the Babalawos and Iyanifas use them as routine greetings. So also, any of the words can be used to pay homage to the elders in Yorubaland—I am sure this will jolt some of the Yorubas reading this! We have actually demonized some of the symbols of our culture, language, names, and even gods!
Till now, some Pentecostalists have believed that Satan is Esu which is not true! Aboru, Aboye, and Abosise are names; and nothing is wrong with using anything created by Olodumare in praising him! Sheep, Lamb, Rock, etc. were used in the Bible to denote God or Jesus and to compare His greatness.
Let Tope Alabi be! Allow her to vent her tentacle of praising God to anything that filters through her sixth sense. Allow her antennae of praise to roam every religious space in Yoruba land and the world. Allow her to spread the lurch embedded in Yoruba literature with her cheery creativity and talents. Tope is changing our world with her songs. She is truly a reincarnation of Olodumare’s ombudsman, who helps us access the things of God through her uncommon praises.
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