TALES OF ÒṢÙPÁ ALẸ́ - Series
Bojú Bojú
Anecdotes of Childhood
Since I used to be the repository of many secrets, but I must confess, I enjoyed my childhood and remembering the memories makes me want to become a child again. Now let me tell you about my childhood days when I stay with Grandma.
***
“Ṣọlá, Ṣọlá, hmm, that’s enough for tonight.” Mama’s voice cried out from inside the hut.
****
It was around past 8 in the evening. The moonlight whispers her song of identity and welcome. Her smile radiantly filled the atmosphere, and her glint was making the night blissful.
I was always happy at night because I’ll have time to play with my neighbour and friends; Abísọ́lá, Táiwò, Kẹ́hìndé and ‘Mọ́yẹni.
We live in the same vicinity then, our huts are just few metres away from each other, we always play together at nights, we attended the same village school, in that when we get back home, we do different house chores, do assignments and play at nights under the moonlight (Òṣùpá).
“A,B,C” was our main song each night we meet, and we shout on top of our voices.
“Let’s do Who is in the garden!” ‘Bísólá called out..
“Yay, who’s in?” I asked with Joy.
“Yippee, we are in.” Táiwò and Kẹ́hìndé chorused.
“No jọ̀ọ́, let’s do Bojú Bojú!” Opines ‘Mọ́yẹni.
Finally wẹ all agreed with ‘Mọ́yẹni and we decided to play Bojú Bojú.
“Y’all should hide, I’ll come looking for you.” I said, out of excitement.
I started the song:
Call: Bojú Bojú o Resp: oo
Olórò ń bọ̀. Resp: óò
Ṣé kí ñ ṣi? Resp: ṣi
Ẹni t’ólórò bá mú á paá jẹ
Everyone scurried down to his/her hiding place. I started looking for them with the help of the moonlight, making horrible and terrific sound to scare them away from their hiding.
“Ṣọlá, Ṣọlá, hmm, that’s enough for tonight.” Mama’s voice cried out from inside the hut
“No Mama, we just started.” I shouted, almost out of annoyance.
“It’s late already. You must not wake up late, early to bed, early to rise, you remember?” She asked.
The reverberation of her voice was in my head, but I paid no attention to it, as I kept searching for my friends.
I took few footsteps towards the back of our hut; I saw an image moving with an eerie sound. I became frightened; it seemed the moonlight could not touch that part of the hut; I took each a bold step forward, fixing my gaze solely on the image. The breeze became cold and soft; the moonlight went into the clouds, the chirrup of the birds went mute 🔕 and there was perfect silence.
“What could this be?” My angst increased, my mind paced up and down, heart pounding like one who just finished a Marathon Race.
I moved closer and closer. Now the Olórò is now petrified. The more I moved closer, the more sound I heard from the Image. I used my last courage to touch the Image.
“Ahhhhhhhh!!” A scream from my mouth.
“Ehhhhhhhh!!” a scream from the image.
You don’t want to know what I saw, do you?
Alas, it was ‘Bísọ́lá and ‘Móyẹni.
I caught them first! And the hills in my heart turned into valleys.
“Enough. Your noise is too much. Let me tell you stories of your tradition and culture. I think that would be better than this your rough play.” Mama shouted from inside.
Taiwo and Kehinde rushed out of hiding on hearing Mama’s proposal to telling stories.
” I caught you two!” I screamed
Mama came out of the hut, she made a saunter towards a wooden chair, a thump. She sat.
Let me tell you the “Tales of Òṣùpá Alẹ́”
Smile on our faces, the play of Bojú Bojú faded into oblivion at the mention of the “Tales of Òṣùpá Alẹ́”
“Mama, tell us the Tales of Òṣùpá Alẹ́” we pleaded.
“Okay, I will tell you only if you promise me that no rough play again. Are you making the promise or not?”
“Yes Mama, I won’t do rough plays again, I promise.” ‘Bísólá said.
We all made our promise that night and Mama started telling us tales about the tradition and culture...
It was a blissful memory then.
Memories bring back, memories bring back tales.
Do you want to hear the stories Mama told us?
Then...
#TALES OF ÒṢÙPÁ ALẸ́ - Series
#the_african_phoenix
