The story of Oluronbi.

A long time ago, there was a village where

majority of the women were barren; these women
wanted children desperately. In the village, there
was a big Iroko tree with a powerful spirit living
in it. The women gathered together and decided
to ask the Iroko tree spirit for assistance.
One after the other,
they visited the Iroko tree
and asked for help. The Iroko tree said he’d help
out if the women gave something in return for
the child. Each woman promised the Iroko tree
spirit different things like goats, yams, chickens,
cloths and whatever they could afford.
A woman named Oluronbi also asked the Iroko
tree for help. When the Iroko tree spirit asked her
what she would give in return for a child, out of
desperation, she offered her first child.
After nine months, many of the women who
approached the spirit began to bear children so
they returned to the Iroko tree to fulfill their
promises. But when it was time for Oluronbi to
fulfill her promise, she realized she couldn’t give
away her first born. So she went to the Iroko
tree to plead her case. She told the Iroko tree
spirit she was ready to offer anything and
everything but not her child. However, the tree
spirit refused to be implored by her pleas and
took Oluronbi’s child.
This saddened Oluronbi greatly and the villagers
sang a song as a reminder of the event.
The song goes thus:

Oníkálukú jèjé ewúré
Others offered sheep
Oníkálukú jèjé àgùtàn, àgùtàn bòlòjò
Others offered goats
Olúrónbí jèjé omo re
Oluronbi offered her child
Omo re a pón bí epo
Her beautiful child
Olúrónbí ò jo jo
Ìrókò jo jo.

Moral Lesson: Think carefully before you make a
promise to anyone. Make sure you can and will fulfill your promise when the need arises. Do you
have any special folktales unique to your tribe’s
folklore?

Please share with us in the comment
section.

About the Writer: Seyi Oluyole is a freelance
writer and screenwriter. She is an avid reader,
loves to dance and works with children.