By Bimbo Daramola
The Man,His #Names,His “Chi” And The Future …
I have written a piece about the reality of “unseen hand” that rules in the affairs of men earlier this year.
In that write up, I alluded to what the Yorubas call “Ori” literally translated as “Head”, “Ipin” or “Ayanmo”[predestination] in the journey of any man.
In that previous treatise I had referenced and agreed with the literary Giant and Sage, Professor Chinua Achebe who had much earlier in what unarguarbly is described as one of his best books, the most popular of the famous trilogy, “Things Fall Apart” copiously took the reader into the place and roles of “chi” i.e “personal god” in the affairs of any man with regard to the Igbo culture and in this case as it concerns the powerful Okonkwo and his trajectory in life..
Today, there is no doubt that the life of the man named LUCKY ORIMISAN AIYEDATIWA and his journey to the Ondo State, Government House as number one man has further lend credence to the place of, effectiveness and reality of the unseen hand that rules in the affairs of men.
I will reference a bit of my previous write up where i cited some profound Yoruba truisms and statements in support of the existence of “Ori” just as late Chinua Achebe had expressed in his book.
First, Yorubas will say, Ori eni lawure eni, meaning “any man’s fortune in life is intrinsically linked to his “head”
Two, “Ori la ba bo ka f’Orisa sile, Nigba tori ngbeni ki l’Orisa nwo”? meaning, “in the brackish voyage of man, it would be better to pay obeisance or pour libation in deference to the “head” as against any god, because when the “head” agrees with a man in life, the gods may be helpless or indeed hapless.
Three “Ori eni ni ngbe Alawore ko ni”, meaning ” it’s the “head” that orders any man’s step to his benefactor”
Fourthly, “Ki Ori eni ki o ma gbode” meaning, in any man’s journey the perfect wish is that one’s “head” should not conspire against one’s efforts.
Fifth, “Ki “eleda” interchangeably used as “Ori”ma se sun”.. meaning that in the life of a man, the “head” should be alive and active never to go into slumber ” as that ultimately is any man’s anchor of defence and defender against ill will that mostly dogs the steps of virtually any one would be successful in life in the literal sense.
Now the manifestations of “Ori” could also be woven around names that a man bears, wether as a believer in God in the Christian way, or Allah as a Muslim or in our Yoruba tradition, the name a man bears may illuminate his steps in life, the story of Jabez and Jacob in the bible are instructive in this sense, and I am aware of the significance of names in Islam ☪️.
Maybe of similar or heavier weight is the place of names in the Yoruba tradition, where names are given with the ultimate desire that the names become the harbinger of goodwill, to guide,guard, ward off or lead a man through viccisitudes and challenges and ultimately into victory and fortunes in life.
When “Ori” agrees with such pre declaration of wishes and expressions as conveyed through names, then the results are undeniable, that’s the scenario that Yorubas refer to as “Oruko lo nro”.
Now when the head is not hibernating, or in sleep mode, the battles of any man in life are fought with all the unseen cosmic forces on your side, such that even when the literal forces lined up against anyone seems impregnable, tower like fortresses, somehow, they just go down and at the end everything falls in place according to what the “Ori” had predestined.
The concept of “Ori” is a famous tradition and culture among black Africans and that sometimes fuels the place of diviners and divination.
To those who chose not to agree with this reality of our culture and tradition, they could find a safer accommodation to replace “Ori” with God as Christians and Allah as Muslims, but for me I believe that all still validates the existence and presence of the unseen hand that rules in the affairs of men.
This then brings me to the now popular Ilaje song 🎵 now made so popular by the journey and story of the newly elected Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency LUCKY ORIMISAN AIYEDATIWA.
It says, ” Ma ba ja o, Ma ba binu, Oni Olorun ba ti n’eyin re, E just ba ja o, Oni Olorun ba ti n’eyin re E ju ba ja o” meaning , Don’t fight him, Don’t quarrel with him, whoever God is backing cannot be fought, whoever God is backing cannot be fought.
When Papa and Mama Aiyedatiwa, gave birth to this son, I do not know the circumstances, neither do I know if there are other children from Papa and Mama Aiyedatiwa, if there are, they all must have been given different names, but one seemed to be different among all of them, in that this particular one had all three names too cosmically arranged and aligned, positioned for conquest in the unseen battles of life.
The other children most definitely would share the surname, “Aiyedatiwa”, well fair enough, a few of them in rare situations could even have also shared “Orimisan” in case ORIMISAN happens to be their father or great grandparents name, but there is only one LUCKY! And that Lucky differentiated that one !
No other one among them went through the part that Lucky went through.
Perhaps the man who saw tommorow better was the late indefatigable and unforgettable icon himself, the one and only “Aketi”, Governor Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, the immediate past Governor of Ondo State, the predecessor who literally headhunted Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa as a replacement for Deputy Governor Agboola after the duo fell apart in his first term in office.
The late legal and political impressario, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, on the inauguration day, at the beginning of the second term, as if he saw tommorow like Nostradamus, or knew that the unfolding reality would happen, in open glare, gleefully, in most salutary manner eulogised the then incoming Deputy Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa in most glowing,complementary and flowing words like no other Governor in the history of Nigeria had done before him or after him.
On that day, The great Aketi, again fell back on the names of his incoming Deputy, and emphasised glowingly every word in that name, LUCKY, ORIMISAN, AND AIYEDATIWA!
So in alignment with what was triggered at birth by the cosmic forces, with the names given, Akeredolu further agreed and literally released those words in declaration of what I believe was to come and today it has.
Then the twist of fate came!
The warrior got caught up in the haze of the battle of life, and the unfortunate circumstances happened to our beloved Aketi toward the twilight of his second term.
That development led to the fiery battle against “Ori” and the inherent expressions captured in the names given at birth and the declaration as alluded to by Governor Akeredolu himself on the inauguration day of his second term.
Would the man Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa have ordinarily succeeded Akeredolu if the duo had run their second term to the end? Well, Maybe, granted the declaration of Governor Akeredolu on the inauguration day, of the second term.
But to those who also know that life is a buffet presentation where uncertainties comes with the meals on display.
To the initiated, the nature of most politicians and politics is unpredictable particularly in today’s politics where today’s friends become enemies once there is divergence of interest or when people allow seeds of ill will to grow among other factors.
But with the unfortunate scenario, the then Deputy Governor Aiyedatiwa went through it all, the state was held in place precariously at different times by a tiny string, all manner of intrigues went full blast, very unpleasant but through it all, “Ori” did not go to sleep.
Moments got testy, every day was defined by new shenanigans of multifarious dimensions and implications but “Ori” did not snooze.
When “Ori” eventually took him through that journey of bearing the pains of an ailing boss and benefactor and all the happenings in the State around him at that time till the most unfortunate passage, “Ori” was at its duty post.
The Battle of succession was tough, very fiery from all over within the state, outside of the State, within the All Progressives Congress [APC] and outside, heavy political juggernauts with political pedigree slugged it out, infact up till the screening exercise, our committee received all manner of petitions that was primed to get our screening committee to find fault with the then Acting Governor Aiyedatiwa’s eligibility, but through it all, “Ori” did not capitulate or blink .
“Ori” was the untiring sentry who maintained his guard and unfailing in its watch .
Well the script of life is not known to any man, ” Bi eda ba ridi kadara Kedere la ba rohun tin se ni” but through all the winding twists of fate, “Ori” did not falter, faint or buckle until Saturday the 16th of November , 2024 when “Ori” delivered Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to one of the important shores of his life as the elected Governor of Ondo State, even as the ship of his life prepares and is set to sail on another and a new voyage.
THE COMING AND UNSEEN FUTURE:
I have in this write up copiously refered to the place of “Ori” and I am not done yet.
Now that all battles leading to the election His Excellency, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has been won, the place and role of “Ori” is not done yet as Governor Aiyedatiwa takes the people of Ondo State to the next phase of that State.