The story that birth this Yorùbá proverb.

“BÍ ONÍRÈSÉ BÁ KỌ̀ TÓ LÓHUN Ò FÍNGBÁ MỌ́, ÈYÍ TÓ FÍN SÍLẸ̀ KÒ LE È PARUN LÁÉLÁÉ."

Before Ọ̀yọ́ became what we know today as Ọ̀yọ́ Atiba.

It was known as Ọ̀YỌ́-ILÉ which historians referred to as the Old Ọ̀yọ́ Empire.

That was the era when the Aláàfin had the autonomous power and was referred as “Aláṣẹ ìkejì Òrìṣà (the 2nd in command to the Òrìṣà).

There was an absolute power the Aláàfin weilded all over Yorùbá Kingdom.

The powers can only be checked by the Ọ̀yọ́mèsì, for the purpose of check and balance.

Behind the Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́'s Palace in the ancient days were rows of stalls where wood and calabash carvers known as ONÍRÈSÉ engaged in their craft work.

ONÍRÈSÉ as earlier said literally means CALABASH CARVERS but among these carvers, one was soecs specially nicknamed ONÍRÈSÉ.

He was a divinely gifted Carver.

During his birth, an Ifá priest who was consulted by his parents informed that the new born baby will be a great leader.

And one day, he will find himself in a strange land across the ocean among the white people.

But he must not engage in any work than the carving business. The Aláàfin, his chiefs, kings from neighbouring town and all traditional worshippers were all customers to this young man.

His work was second to none in the entire Yorùbá land.

One day, some Europeans who had come to Ọ̀yọ́ for tourism and to study the monarchical system of Of the Ọ̀yó̩ Empire stumbled into the stall of ONÍRÈSÉ and they were completely amazed by the excellent craft works done by him.

After everything said and done, ONÍRÈSÉ found himself in an exhibition in Switzerland where his work became the best among others.

ONÍRÈSÉ spent thirteen years touring different parts of Europe with the help of a European lady who had become his close associate.

After tying the knot with this lady after an exhibition in a small town in Sweden, ONÍRÈSÉ decided to return home with his new bride for proper African traditional wedding.
The entire Ọ̀yọ́ township and its environ were filled to the brim with people who had come to witness this very rare marriage.

It was a showcase of pure African tradition and the Europeans that witnessed the occasion were fully entertained.

After the wedding rites, they bestowed the title of Baale ÌRÈSÉ to ONÍRÈSÉ for the great honour he brought to Ọ̀yọ́ kingdom.

With the new title and responsibility, the Alaafin believed that the white woman would not take the great man back to her strange land again.

At this period back home, ONÍRÈSÉ Desisted from making calabash again rather he focused on other lucrative businesses and the governing of his little area.

His old customers who were highly placed all over the Yorùbá Kingdom approached him to carve calabashes for them but he refused bluntly, encouraging them to patronize his kinsmen who are still into the business.

This attitude annoyed some prominent chiefs in Ọ̀yọ́ and they reported him to the Aláàfin, saying the man had become so arrogant and disrespectful.

They wanted the Aláàfin to give him a marching order to continue with the carving skill.

The Aláàfin in his wisdom replied thus; Ẹ̀yin Ọ̀yọ́mèsì, BÍ ONÍRÈSÉ BÁ KỌ̀ TÓ LÓHUN Ò FÍNGBÁ MỌ́, ÈYÍ TÓ FÍN SÍLẸ̀ KÒ LE È PARUN LÁÉLÁÉ."

This simply means; If ONÍRÈSÉ, the calabash carver insists that he will no longer carve calabash again, the ones he had made in the past can not extinct.

Story credit; Johnson Okunade

📸 source; Pinterest
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