Banji Titles


Teenagers in the village grew up to know Owólabí by his derogatory nickname,Ọlẹ. The brave ones among them called him Bọda Ọlẹ. He was someone many of the villagers never wanted to associate with. When anyone was seen talking to him, he or she was warned to avoid him, because it was believed among the villagers that bad association corrupts good manners.

Ọlẹ liked the luxuries and niceties of life. He loved beautiful women and loved to drink. Palm wine was his favourite. He was known in all the palm wine joints in the village as a notorious debtor. He owned palm wine sellers substantial amounts of money which he never paid. When he couldn't afford to buy, he depended on the goodwill of others who patronised palm wine joints. But they started avoiding him because he rarely worked but mostly drank. Thirsty for palm wine one day, he went to his favourite palm wine joint and ordered for a small calabash of palm wine. At first his order was ignored.

"How long is it going to take you to give me my order?"

"We are sorry, but you will have to pay before you're served."

"Since when did that become the norm?"

"Since the day you chose to be a chronic debtor."

"Even if I'm owing you, so what! I have enough to pay for this order," he lied.

"Then pay and you will be served. See that caption: 'No credit today, come tomorrow.' That's the warning, not just for you, but for people like you."

When he could not persuade the palm wine seller, he stormed out of the joint angrily. But he was still thirsty for palm wine. An idea struck him on how to quench his thirst for palm wine. He went to one of the farmlands in the village. He knew he would find palm trees on which he would find palm wine. He found some choice palm trees on the farm of Ájé. It was on these trees Ájé got the palm wine he sold. Oh, he was happy. Happy no one was in sight. Happy he would be satisfied with fresh, juicy palm wine, not the watery one those stupid palm wine sellers sold. He drew close, took an acute position and opened his mouth wide for the sweet taste of fresh, juicy palm wine. For a while, there was not a droplet. He persevered. He repeated the same action and there was yet no droplet! The third time, he hit the tree, and repeated the action. Not a drop, let alone, a droplet! He assumed that the first palm tree was barren and moved to another one. It was the same. No single drop fell from the palm tree. He went to another, and another, and another but it was the same. He got nothing. Not a single drop.

All the while, Ájé had been watching the unfolding drama. He wished he wasn't seeing it alone. Who was he going to tell that would believe him. Ọlẹ was pondering on his next action when Ájé quietly walked up to him and asked him what he wanted on his farm.

"Ọlẹ, what are you doing on my farm? I can see you mean business, real business," he teased him.

"No... Actually, yes," he struggled to say.

"So, how can I help you?"

"I came to collect some herbs."

"Oh, I can see you are sick!" He said in a forceful tone.

"It's actually for my sick wife."

"Your wife?"

"Yes, she has been very sick for a while now."

"I see...Your wife that I saw working on a farm plantation?"

He smiled sheepishly, and said, "em, em...no, my child, I meant."

"Blatant lair! Little wonder you are so poor. You came all the way to drink from the palm tree. You think its juice is free? And you think it will drop on its own accord? You think you will have palm juice without putting in an effort? By now you should have drank palm wine to your satisfaction and be tipsy if opening your mouth is all that is required."

Ọlẹ wanted to run but thought otherwise when Ájé threatened to shout on him. He continued to scold him.

"Are you so gullible? You just want to enjoy juicy palm wine by coming here to open your wide mouth. Lucky you that the birds didn't excrete in your mouth.
Owólabí! Owólabí! Owólabí! How many times did I call you? If you need palm wine, it is either you buy or you do the rigorous and tedious process of tapping it, not this short cut. Lazy bones like you only have wishes that eventually kill them. You will need to put your hand to work if you don't want to be frustrated like you are now. Nothing comes cheap in life. It involves hardwork."

Ájé told his children his encounter with Owólabí aka Ọlẹ and used the story as a metaphor to warn them not to be like Owólabí who wants to reap where he has not sown, and enjoy good things without hardwork.

Inspired by the Yorùbá saying, ò ṣá 'gi l'ọ́gbẹ́, ò tà ògùrọ̀ l'ọ́fà, o dé , ìdí ọ̀pe, o gbẹ́nu s'ókè, ṣé ọ̀fẹ́ ni ó n ro ni?


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