It was one sunny day, Abike and Adefunke could not go to farm due to their father’s sickness. Adefunke who was the eldest daughter of Chief Otunmoloye decided to go and get some money from her friend who stayed with her husband in the next village. Oluronbi was a beauty to reckon with, she’s naturally light skinned, her teeths were so white; it shined in the dark and her height was almost like that of a fully grown-up man. Before she got married to Akano, a famous wood-carver in the town, she had many suitors. Even Oba lóla (future King) would bring tubbers of yam and many other mouth- watering gifts to the abode of Oluronbi, but she never considered him.

“Kokoko oh!” Adefunke knocked an already opened door. “My friend, please enter, ” Oluronbi replied. ” I am just preparing to go to the market to get something for my husband, he’s gone for 3 days now and he’d be back today. You know how men are now, they love food so much. So, I want him to meet his favourite food on the table when he comes back tonight, ” Oluronbi said. Later in the night, Oluronbi’s husband came back from his journey that lasted 3 days, but was not happy.” My husband, why are you not eating? ” Oluronbi asked , but her husband went mute, he did not reply her enquiry. ” Is it because I am yet to give birth ? You know it’s the gods’ fault, and it is affecting everybody in this village, ” Oluronbi continued. Her husband stood up immediately and went to bed.



In the village of Atelemu, no children had been born for many years, and the people were greatly distressed. The women of the village decided to go into the forest to meet the magic tree (The Iroko ) to help them. The Iroko tree asked what they would give back in return if she eventually gave them children. Every woman in the village promised the Iroko tree yams, sheep, rice and all other food items. Oluronbi, out of desperation, promised to give the tree her first child. The sacred Iroko tree accepted their offer. Nine full moons later, the village of Atelemu became a joyful village because every barren woman who went to visit the sacred tree gave birth, Oluronbi inclusive. Oluronbi’s baby girl was just a chip off the old block.


Everybody started fulfilling their vows ; some who promised yam brought theirs ; others who promised sheep brought theirs too, but Oluronbi and her husband could not, because they loved their child so much that they could not give out their daugther just like that. One faithful day, Adefunke and Oluronbi went to the market. On their way back, the Iroko tree got hold of Oluronbi and turned her into a bird. Adefunke screamed and ran into the village. The villagers’ initial thought was that Adefunke had run mad, but when they moved closer to her, she narrated her story. Oluronbi became a singing bird that sat on the tree day and night, enchanting this sonorous song:




“Onikaluku jęję ewurę Gbogbo eniyan jęję aguntan Oluronbi jęję omo rę Omorę apon bi epo Oluronbi o Joyin Joyin Iroko Joyin joyin!”




Oluronbi’s husband thought of many ways to safe his wife from the bondage of the Iroko tree. He finally came up with an idea. He carved a large wooden dull that looked like a real child in size appearance, and with a small gold chain round its neck. He covered it with a beautiful native attire. He went to the Iroko tree and presented the carved baby to the tree. The Iroko tree fell for this trick and accepted the carved baby. She changed Oluronbi back to her normal self, though, it took Oluronbi two weeks before she could talk. She never returned to the forest again.



NB: This story is a modified version of the popular African story “Oluronbi” and it’s expanded by me– Fadeyi Emmanuel Olurotimi



http://www.hub201.com/oluronbi-and-the-iroko-tree-2/

I remembered when I was a kid...in ekiti State then...oluronbi oo joyin joyin iroko joyin joyin...