Dìgbíndìgbín Ònílọ̀Pá Poem by Babatunde Idowu Ebenezer

Gather round all you who are manly enough,
And I will take you along on a journey.
A journey to a town where men are real men,
And your manliness will be put to a stern test.
Will you cry or will your your eyes be dry?
Come to today's Ọ̀pá festival and we shall see.

Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá! Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá!
Ẹ̀rù b'Odò Ùsẹ̀! Ẹ̀rù b'Ùfọ̀fín!

Are you man enough oh you husband of many?
Or are you only brave with women's hearts?
Remove your shirt and let us see you in action.
You whack me five times, I whack you five times,
If I cry you win, if you cry I win! It is a game.
Bring your canes, I have my canes right here.

Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá! Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá!
Ẹ̀rù b'Odò Ùsẹ̀! Ẹ̀rù b'Ùfọ̀fín!

Have you ever tasted Yèyé Kọ́lá's palm oil beans cake?
Have you tasted Mathew Igbo's palm wine before?
Do you know what the two can do to a man's inside?
They make you strong and make you brave like lion!
Together they strengthen your stomach and embolden you!
And only in Ìpetu-Ìjèsà you can find the two on Ọ̀pá's day.

Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá! Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá!
Ẹ̀rù b'Odò Ùsẹ̀! Ẹ̀rù b'Ùfọ̀fín!

Today is our annual Ọ̀pá's festival, today is Ọdún Ọ̀pá!
Where we test our braveries with many strokes of canes!
Father said if we go out the canes would kill us!
Mother said if we go out the devil would have us!
But I am telling you brother we shall go out today.
The canes don't kill and devil is afraid to come out!
Let us sneak out through the back door and be gone!

Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá! Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá!
Ẹ̀rù b'Odò Ùsẹ̀! Ẹ̀rù b'Ùfọ̀fín!

Do not say we are mad dear stranger among us,
Do not say we worship idols dear westerner among us.
We do not eat raw leaves so we are as sane as you are,
We do not sing songs of praises to any idol in our festival,
So we are not mad and we are not idolators.
If you do not agree with us, step aside and watch us.

Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá! Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá!
Ẹ̀rù b'Odò Ùsẹ̀! Ẹ̀rù b'Ùfọ̀fín!

What we do, we do to bring unity to our town.
We teach our youths strengths and bravery.
We teach them to face this life without tears.
We rub dried goat weed on their bare backs,
To show them that pain could be defeated with perseverance!
And that man must be solid in the face of sufferings!

Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá! Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá!
Ẹ̀rù b'Odò Ùsẹ̀! Ẹ̀rù b'Ùfọ̀fín!

Why then do you say we are mad and idolators?
Is it because you are not brave enough to join us?
Follow me on the march today and see for yourself.
From Wásimi to Ìfọ̀fín through Ọbálendé and Ayéyemí,
From Ìgandò to Odò Ìsẹ̀ through Ọjà Monday and Òkè Ọjà.
Let us march from Olórìigbo's house to Ààfin Àjàláyé.

Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá! Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá!
Ẹ̀rù b'Odò Ùsẹ̀! Ẹ̀rù b'Ùfọ̀fín!

I am from Odò Ìsẹ̀ and I am not afraid. I am a Tiger!
You are from Ìfọ̀fín and you are not afraid. You are a Lion!
So bring the long strong canes and let the whackings start!
Libation to Àjàláyé Ọlábídànrè and Afínbíọ̀kín the third.
Obeisance to Orísàpetu and all the chiefs and elders together.
Respect to Olórìigbo Ìfọ̀fín and Olórìigbo Odò Ìsẹ̀.
I am nothing but a small child who knows nothing!

Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá! Dìgbíndìgbín! Ònílọ̀pá!
Ẹ̀rù b'Odò Ùsẹ̀! Ẹ̀rù b'Ùfọ̀fín!