Epitaph to Mother at my 70th Birthday! (Yoruba Translation)

Epitaph to Mother at my 70th Birthday!

(Translated into Yoruba)

Ìyá: Àjà Keje

“Gbogbo ohun tí mo jẹ́, tàbí tí mo ń lérò láti jẹ́, mo jẹ ẹ́ ní gbèsè fún ìyá mi, áńgẹ́lì mi.”

                                            I

Lónìí, àádọ́rin ọdún sẹ́yìn, èmi àti Màmá wà lórí ibùsùn ilé ìwòsàn;
Màmá ní: Kú àbọ̀ ọmọ mi!
Màmá ní, fetí sí àwọn ìlànà mi, kí o sì ṣọ́ ìwà rẹ dáadáa ọmọ mi!
Màmá ní, bí o bá tẹ́tí sílẹ̀, bí o bá tẹ̀lé àwọn òfin Bíbélì, bí o bá ṣe sí àwọn ẹlòmíràn bí o ṣe fẹ́ kí wọ́n ṣe sí ọ, yóò dára fún ọ, Ọmọ mi!
Màmá ní, ka àwọn Sáàmù rẹ, kí o sì fiyè déédé sí Sáàmù 23, 41, 48, 91, àti 116, nítorí wọn yóò fún ọ ní okun nígbà tí ìjì ayé bá ń jà, Ọmọ mi!

                                            II

Háà, Màmá: láti Mainland Hospital ní àdúgbò Surulere, Èkó, títí dé Greenwood Memorial Park, ní Renton, Washington?
Ìrìn-àjò wo ló dà bí èyí, láti ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ dé òpin, àkókò ológo wo la jọ gbádùn kí ẹ tó re ibi àgbà ń rè ní ọjọ́ kẹwàá, oṣù kẹrin, ọdún 2013; Màmá?
Háà, Màmá: Mo ṣì rántí àwọn ìkìlọ̀ yín: ọmọ mi, ṣọ́ ìwà rẹ; ṣọ́ bí o ṣe ń bá ènìyàn sọ̀rọ̀, ṣọ́ra kí o má ṣe ṣẹni, kí o má sì lo àkókò tí ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ yóò bá ọ pín ní ìrìn-àjò tó ń bọ̀ nílòkulò?
Háà Màmá: Mo rántí pé ẹ sọ pé ìrìn-àjò ayé yóò dàbí “Yo-Yo”, òkè àti àfonífojì, kòtò àti pẹ̀tẹ́lẹ̀, gígun àti sísọ̀; ṣùgbọ́n, bí o bá dúró gbọn-in, tí o sì ní ìforítì, gbogbo rẹ̀ yóò dára?

                                            III

Fún àádọ́rin ọdún, Màmá: Àwọn àsọtẹ́lẹ̀ yín ṣì dúró bí òtítọ́ gidi!
Fún àádọ́rin ọdún, Màmá: Mo lọ sí ilé-ìwé alákọ̀ọ́bẹ̀rẹ̀, girama, àti kọ́lẹ́jì!
Fún àádọ́rin ọdún, Màmá: Mo gba ìwé-ẹ̀rí girama, oyè kọ́lẹ́jì, oyè àkọ́kọ́, oyè méjì mìíràn àti oyè Ọ̀mọ̀wé (Doctorate)!
Fún àádọ́rin ọdún, Màmá: Mo kọ́ni ní kọ́lẹ́jì, mo kọ ìwé márùn-ún, mo ran àwọn ọmọ ẹlòmíràn lọ́wọ́ láti mọ "A, B, D" wọn àti láti kọ ìwé tiwọn, nítorí ìgboyà, ìforítì, àti ìfọkànsìn tí ẹ gbin sínú mi!
Fún àádọ́rin ọdún mo sọ pé ẹ ṣeun, nígbà mìíràn, mo sì gbàgbé láti dúpẹ́ fún gbogbo ohun tí ẹ ṣe, ìyá-ara-ẹni tí ẹ jẹ, ìgbàgbọ́ yín tó lágbára tó sì ń ranni, ìfọkànsìn yín àti ní paríparí, ìránnilétí yín: Pé nígbà tí gbogbo wa bá péjọ ní ẹsẹ̀ Olúwa wa Jésù Kírísítì, a ó ni ìrírí ayọ̀ ti mímọ̀ àti sísin-in nípasẹ̀ ìran ènìyàn!

                                            IV

Màmá, mo ní ìbéèrè díẹ̀ nípa ayé?
Màmá: Kí ló dé tí ìjì fi jà líle tó báyìí? Kí ló dé tí ìjì mẹ́ta fi wà, ìjì tí kò dáríjini, nígbà tí ojú ọ̀run ṣú, tí mo sì wà láìlè-dá-nǹkan-ṣe, tí n kò lè yí ipa ìjì náà padà, tàbí yí ipa ọ̀nà ìgbàgbọ́ padà? Tí n kò lè di àwọn olùfẹ́ mi mú: Franka, Funmi àti Biyi?
Màmá: Ikú bẹ̀ mí wò lẹ́ẹ̀mẹ́ta ní àkókò tí mo ṣe aláìlera jùlọ, yàtọ̀ sí tiyín àti ti Bàbá?
Màmá: Gbogbo ìgbà tí àwọn ìjì aláìlaanú wọ̀nyí ń jà; N kò mọ ohun tí mà á ṣe?
Màmá: Ṣé èyí wà lára ìwé ìtàn náà ni?
Màmá: Ṣé èyí wà lára ìránnilétí yín: Níwàláàyè àti ní kíkú, gbogbo rẹ̀ yóò dára?
Màmá: Kí ló dé tí kò fi sí àwòrán ọ̀nà (map) fún ayé, níísinsìnyí àti ní àádọ́rin ọdún sẹ́yìn?
Màmá: Bóyá àwòrán ọ̀nà ìbá ti wúlò?

                                            V

Màmá: Ní ìrònú jinlẹ̀, nígbà tí fèrè ìkẹyìn bá dún?
Màmá: Nígbà tí gbogbo àwọn ènìyàn mímọ́ tí wọ́n ti lọ ṣáájú bá péjọ ní ẹsẹ̀ Olúwa wa, Jésù Kírísítì?
Màmá: Kí a lè bá wa, kí a funfun bí ẹ̀jẹ̀ níwájú ìtẹ́ oore-ọ̀fẹ́.
Kí gbogbo ìlérí Ọlọ́run lè di pípé nínú fífọ àwọn ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ wa tí ó ti wọ̀ wá lára mọ́, kí ó sọ wọ́n di funfun bíi yìnyín láti inú pípọ́n bí òdòdó, nípasẹ̀ oore-ọ̀fẹ́ àti ìdáríjì Rẹ̀!
Mo fẹ́ràn yín títí láé, Màmá!
Màmá: Ẹ sùn re o, kí ẹ sùn fọnfọn, kí Ọlọ́run sì wà pẹ̀lú yín!

---

 

Epitaph to Mother at my 70th Birthday! (1956 – 2026)

 Mother: The Seventh Floor 

 @2026

 

“All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother" 

I

70 years today, Ma and me were in a hospital bed;

Ma, said: welcome son!

Ma said, listen to my instructions and be careful how you behave son!

Ma said, if you listen, if you follow the precepts of the Bible, if you do unto others the way you want done to you, it will be well, Son!

Ma said, read your Psalms, pay strict attention to Psalm 23, 41, 48, 91, and 116, for they will strengthen your path during the most turbulent times, Son!

II

Whoa, Ma: from little neighborhood Mainland Hospital Suru-lere, Lagos, to Greenwood Memorial Park, Renton, Washington?

What a trip we’ve had, from the beginning to an end, what a glorious time we enjoyed before you exited on April 10, 2013; Ma?

Whoa, Ma: I still remember your instructions: son be careful how you behave; be careful how you talk to people, be careful not to offend and abuse the times and moments many will share with you on the journey, ahead?

Whoa Ma: I remember you said the journey of life was going to be like a “Yo-Yo”, mountains and valleys, topsy-turvy, ups and downs; however, if you remain strong and resilient, all will be well?

III

For 70 years, Ma: Your predictions remain the holy grail!

For 70 years, Ma: I went to grade school, high school and then college!

For 70 years, Ma: I acquired high school diploma, college degrees, one bachelor, two masters and a Doctorate!

For 70 years, Ma: I taught college, wrote five books, help other people’s children learn the ABC's and write their own books, because of the courage, resilience and dedications you instilled in me!

For 70 years I said thank you and sometimes, I forgot to thank you for all you did, your sacrifice, your brilliant and infectious faith, your commitment and finally your reminder: When we all get together at the foot of our Lord Jesus Christ, we will experience the joy of knowing and serving him through mankind! 

IV

Ma, I have a few questions about life?

Ma: Why did the storms raged so hard? Why were there three storms, unforgiven storms, when the clouds went dark and I remain completely helpless, unable to change the tides of the storms, nor the direction of faith? Unable to hold on to my loved ones: Franka, Funmi and Biyi?

Ma: Death visited me thrice during very vulnerable times apart from you and dads?

Ma: Every time these unforgiving storms happened; I had no clues what to do?

Ma: Was this part of the scripts?

Ma: Was this part of your reminder: In living and dying, all is well?

Ma: Why was there no road map to life, now and 70 years ago?

Ma: Maybe a road map would have been useful? 

V

Ma: In reflection, when the last trumpet calls?

Ma: When all the saints that have gone before gather at the foot of our Lord, Jesus Christ?

Ma: May we all be found, white as a scarlet before the throne of grace

May all God’s promise be perfected in cleansing our ingrained sins, transforming them from crimson red to pure white like snow through his grace and forgiveness!

I love you forever, Ma!

Ma: Goodnight, sleep tight and God’s Speed!

 

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool (Isiah 1:18).