Ota-Ilu: The Public Enemy Poem by Morakinyo Temiloluwa Bolarinwa

Ota-ilu is back again,
the singular thorn in the sole of many,
the curved wood disturbing the fire,
Ota-ilu the trouble maker.

They said Ota-ilu was the otun-oba,
born into nobility and affluence,
Ota-ilu the respected holder of power,
Ota-ilu was good till the coming of Iji.

Iji oh! Iji, the hunter of money,
ruthless and efficient, calculated and steady,
Iji the money maker, Iji the yam eater,
Iji the king's adviser.

They said after the installation of Iji,
Ota-ilu became really jealous,
because the king leaned more on Iji,
because Iji was richer, wiser and more efficient.

Ota-ilu therefore sought more riches,
to cut down the Sacred trees of Igbo-oro,
to profit off the belonging of the gods,
Ota-ilu sought to break a taboo.

They said the gods were angry,
demanding the head of Ota-ilu at Ojude,
Ota-ilu fled our dear village Itanje,
promising a return to visit his pain on all.

Ota-ilu is back again,
the coward is back from self exile,
back to exert his vengeance on all,
Ota-ilu the troublemaker.

The Council of elders have met,
they have declared war on Ota-ilu,
they have sent the youths to hunt him down,
a bag of cowries for the child that kills the man.

Children of my age head out to hunt Ota-ilu,
sons of chiefs and farmers, daughters of nobles and laymen,
I along with the rest roam Itanje,
till we came upon the house of Agbaokogbon

Agbaokogbon the young old man,
sitting always at the King's doorpost,
too foolish to be part of the King's Council,
too wise for the King to let him go.

Agbaokogbon always had valuable information,
and I intended to get the bag of cowries,
so I stepped into the house of Agbaokogbon,
and requested for information on Ota-ilu.

I said: Agbaokogbon, I seek Ota-ilu,
where may I find that coward,
we have been ordered to bring his head,
and I intend to get the cowries promised for it.

With Ayekooto chirping above,
and my panting rumbling below,
Agbaokogbon simply asked that I sit,
and listen without hurry to all he says.

I know where Ota-ilu is,
not among the wandering ghosts or the static living,
not among the wailing trees or the moving beasts,
not in hiding, not in recluse.
But alone, standing alone on the hills of Ooto,
the invisible hill at the Ojude of Itanje.

That cannot be, Ota-ilu on Ooto at Ojude,
Ojude is where the gods and elders gather,
Ojude the ground of talks, Ojude the house of all,
Moreso, Ojude has no Hill, let alone Ooto.

Agbaokogbon laughed and continued,
the man in man is never in his flesh,
but in the actions he takes in life,
and not all hills are made of rocks,
but some of ideals on which men stand,
and these the frames in the world may block,
that men with eyes may walk on blind,
as this story I am to tell you goes.

Ota-ilu's story you seem to know, or so,
but I tell you that you are wrong,
for I was there to see it all,
I, Agbaokogbon the village fool.

In truth Ota-ilu was once Otun-oba,
and fell out with the King when Iji came,
the disagreement was really because of money,
money, the unfortunate foil of friendships.

After the installation of Iji,
iji turned the King corrupt,
both keeping the treasury golds in their Agbada,
but no one is ever filled with money.

The King therefore sought more riches,
to cut down the sacred trees of Igbo-oro,
to profit off the belonging of the gods,
Ota-ilu disagreed with the King at Ojude.

The King was angry,
he demanded the head of Ota-ilu at Ojude,
Ota-ilu fled our dear village Itanje,
promising a return to rid us of the King.

And thus Olooto-ilu became Ota-ilu,
the Nobleman became the Coward,
the King and Iji have framed the hill,
and made blind men with eyes.

Just as Agbaokogbon finished his story,
shouts of joy went round Itanje,
Jaguda the son of Iji had found Ota-ilu,
and beheaded him before the gods at Ojude.