Oh, my God! WHEN? US-based scholar and poet, Dr Bayo Omolola, mourns Alabi Ogundepo. Celebrates him with ijala chant

Oh, my God! WHEN?

I feel so sad that Chief Alabi Ogundepo has passed away. Three reasons account for the feeling:

1. He and I were very close. Our relationship dated back to when he lived at Ọba Famọdun Street. I met him in late 1970s. Ọba Famọdun was the king of Igbajọ (?) and a car dealer whose company was adjacent to the rented house in which Chief Alabi Ogundepo and his wife, ìyá Oṣogbo, lived. I was a student and a poet, performing in public events to generate “supplements” (owó) and occasionally via broadcast media to gain media coverage. Before then, I had met a professional chanter of ìjàlá, brother Ọláwuni (Ogudepo’s friend in Èjìgbò, Ọ̀ṣun) and we became friends though brother Ọláwuni was older than me. Through him, I knew Chief Alabi Ogundepo and we started an artist relationship and sustained it even after Brother Ọláwuni of Mọ̀gbá Olúyedú (?) Compound, Ejigbo, Ọ̀ṣun State, passed away. How else would anyone in my position feel now that Chief Ògúndépò is no more alive? What an irreparable loss!

2. Chief Àlàbí Ògúndépò, Ọláwuni Ọlátáyọ̀, and I engaged in two or more collaborative public performances.

3. I was Ògúndépò’s guest on different occasions at his residence at Ọba Famọdun Street, Oṣogbo and we (brother Láwuni) had moved around in his Peugeot car several times.

As l recall the past relationship with respect for Chief Alabi Ogundepo, the descriptive words that l   find to describe him are as follows: unique, cultural, talented, creative, intelligent, pleasant, smart, venturing, sound, eloquent, professional, humorous, friendly, confident, persistent, popular, dynamic, hardworking, productive, marketable, accomplished, and heroic.

Ọdẹ Kú; Ọdẹ Lọ!

    – Báyọ̀ Ọmọlọlá ń rántí

      Àlàbí Ògúndépó

Bọ́dẹ ńlá bá kú,

T’ẹ́gbẹ́ ọdẹ bá  sípa ọdẹ;

Ohun àgbà ọdẹ ṣe láyé yóò máa já tantan nínú ìrèmọ̀jé lẹ́yìn rẹ.

Àlàbí Ògúndépó,

Àṣàròyé-gbé’yàwó-ọ̀ṣìngín-bọ̀-lÓṣogbo!

Ìbàdàn kan!

Ilé Akéde kan!

Àlàbí Ògúndépó kan!

Ìpínlẹ̀ Ọ̀yọ́ kan!

Àlàbí Ògúndépò kan!

Ilẹ̀ Yorùbá kan,

Awo Ọláwuni Èjìgbò kan!

Ilẹ̀ Yorùbá kan;

Ọ̀rẹ́ Ògúndáre Fọ́yánmu kan!

“Onímọ́tò, má gbé e wọ̀ ọ́ ó! “

È é ṣe tó wá à gbé mọ́tò ayé ròde ọ̀run lọ!”

Ẹ̀kú eégún ńlá lọmọdé rí tó fi ń bá wọn dáṣà agọ̀ gbígbé.

Ẹ̀kún ìyàwó lomidan gbọ́

Tó fi ń bá wọn lálàá àtilọ́kọ.

Iyì Àlàbí Ògúndépó tó káyé

Làwọn kan rí,

Tí wọn fi ń dáná ewì kíké.

Tí wọn ń sán báǹtẹ́ èdè,

Tí wọn ń wọ gbérí orin,

Tí wọn dé fìlà Ògúngbéminíì.

Gíwà lÀlàbí Ògúndépò.

Agbédèníyì ní gbàgede

Ni wọn rí,

Tí wọn fi ń dá bírà nígboro.

Àlàbí Ògúndépò,

Irúnmọlẹ̀ tó fìjálá bá Èèbó sọ̀rọ̀ láàfin.

Bó bá pàǹtèté èdè,

Ibi ó bá fẹ́ sọ̀ ọ́ kà,

Òun nìkàn ló mẹ́rẹ́wọ́n ẹ.

Ẹni ó bà kọ́ ló le morin.

Òpópó ọ̀nà orin òhun èdè lẹ̀nu  Àlàbí Ògúndépó;

Ó lè fèdè rán ṣòkòtò,

Bó bá fèdè rán bùbá tán,

Gbogbo ayé ní fẹ́ wọ irú aṣọ bẹ́ẹ̀.

Bóbá wu ọdẹ ńlá,

A tún fi fèdè yọ fìlà gọ̀bí  àrá lọ́tọ̀,

Káráyé ó le máa wà mọ́rí ká.

Ikú mọ̀ ṣe bẹbẹ!

Ikú yìí, nìkan mà ni!

Ǹjẹ́ Àlàbí Ògúndépò.

Ikú lòòyà tí í ya ẹ̀dá,

Ìtàn rẹ ò leè parun.

Ọdẹ ńlá,

Ó di gbéré!

Ó di gbèré!

Ó di gbèré ọ̀nà ko!