Aláàfin: Irúnmölé

Chapter 20

                              ADEDAYO
                       ****************

Adedayo, Omo Ajaka
Adedayo, Child Of Ajaka
Adedayo, Aláàfin Kekere
Adedayo, Young Aláàfin
Adedayo, ọmọ ologo ìdílé Odede
Adedayo, the one that carries the glory of the Odedes
Adedayo, Omo Oba tun wù gbogbo omi ṣàn ni lokọ
Adedayo, the prince every lady desires as husband
Adedayo, omo dudu ti singbonle ti gbogbo Abi amo wù ni lo mo tobi okomo
Adedayo, the handsome dark skinned boy every mother desires to have as a child
Adedayo, ọmọ ti wọn yóò lu ilu gbogbo ile OYO fún
Adedayo, he that all the drums of OYO will play for

            Iya Láaróye sings my oriki as she monitors me while I endure this annoying purification act. With a thick adire wrapper covering my whole body, underneath it it sit with a steaming pot filled with hot agbo. The steam of the herbal concoction attacks the bad energy that came with my dive in the Red Sand as it leaks out as brown sweat. I already hate drinking agbo and now I have to take it in the worst way possible and I can't say no because Iya Láaróye is very adamant when it comes to my medication. She only sings my oriki so as to sound supportive while I go through this excruciating activity. While singing as she monitors, she pounds boiled ham placed in a mortar with a pestle at the outdoor cooking area of the palace with the palace maidens all over as they are washing, cutting efo, picking apart alligator pepper and adjusting the burning firewood with pot on it.
              As long minutes of being uncomfortable passes, Iya Láaróye finally takes the wrapper off my body. She smiles profusely at me as she lifts me up while one of the palace maidens take away the agbo and throws it. She hugs me to her chest as she continues to sing my oriki...........Omo this aunty when. Her physique doesn't help as it makes me uncomfortable for she's very busty. She's fair skinned as well with vertical tribal marks over horizontal tribal marks scarred each at both sides of her chubby face like how the people of Abeokuta don their tribal marks. She has strong hands due to the tons of handwork she does despite having palace maidens and a pouch. She's the wife of Ogundele and the mother of Láaróye, Olajumoke and Babatunde...my cousins. Noticing the brown sweat on me staining her adire blouse and wrapper, she slowly pushes me away as she says.
  
      " Oya Lo We~Oyaa go and bathe....When you finish, come back and eat"

          I leave to my quarters and do as she says. I then come back to meet my pounded yam and efo laced with antelope meat in two big  calabashes as the palace maidens sweep, clean the grinding stones, wash the pots and throws scraps of food to the roaming fowls near the cooking spot. I meet Iya Láaróye eating so I then join her as we both sit on a mat near the cooking area. With my uncle hunting pet dog "Dudu", his name given to him due to how black he is, sits in front of us with his dark beady eyes begging that we toss him food.
            Iya Láaróye then takes a small piece of her pounded yam, covers it with efo and throws it to ground for her ẹgbẹ as she says a short prayer. By habit, Dudu knows not to eat of that toss for he knows it is to her ẹgbẹ. I also do the same and then throw antelope meat to Dudu which he ravages. Me and Iya Láaróye share minutes of silence as we eat which is unusual for Iya Láaróye is a talkative.
             I then turn my gaze to see her looking at me empathetically. She then says to me.
         " You are not happy with your uncle abii?"
         " Noo Ma, I understand why so I don't have a grudge. He had to-"

         Clapping her hands, she interrupts me with a disapproving look on her face saying.
      " Don't have a grudge Keh?... You better have a grudge oo Adedayo. Your uncle that is sending you to Irúnmölé, him gan with his strength. Has he ever tried going to that evil forest?"
 
          As I beckon a palace maidens to fetch a bowl of water for me so I can rinse my hand, I say to Iya Láaróye.
        " Haa hann, it's not his fault Iya. It's either that or I die and I can't-"
         " See ehn Adedayo, if your uncle spoke against the Igbimọ's judgement. There's nothing they or the rest of this kingdom can do about it. They know how valuable his strength is to this land especially now with the Olossi taking control of our lands."

         She then switches subject and tone to a sympathetic one saying.
      " I pray the Orishas protect the Alake and Adigun oo"
     " Shey Brother Adigun? Since the doves are here, it means the Alake is safe and since he's the Alake's Chief Guard. He should be safe" I assure her.

      " Hmmm it is well, your uncle will be going there soon so I am not too disturbed. He's saves Abeokuta from the Olossi before, he can do it again. Besides it seems the Alake is hiding at the Olumo rock, if they are there...nothing can happen to them."

     As I then wash my hand and get up, she says to me in a mocking tone.
     " Don't forget the agbo I remained for you Shaa. Because I know you want fo escape drinking it."
        
       I scoff at the statement and then carry the wooden gourd containing the agbo. As I'm about to leave, Iya Láaróye then informs me that my uncle had requested I see him after I was done with my treatment. Readying myself for possible reprimanding and provocative words, I then head towards his chambers.

                            ✖️✖️✖️✖️
Fun facts: Efo is a leafy green edible vegetable
Adire is a traditional Yoruba textile art form that involves hand dyeing fabric using a resist dyeing technique
Egbe is a spirit group or companions said to be associated with the Yorubas from heaven.

Please Leave A Vote ♥️🗿
Thanks for reading.....