Remembering Teju Olaniyan
Ọ̀jọ̀gbọ́n Tẹjúmọ́lá Ọláníyan
(1959 – 2019)
Tẹjúmọ́lá, Àjídé, ọmọ Fàkọ̀ l'Omù
Amọ̀we àgbà àsà àti èdè ilẹ̀ẹ Yorùbá ti re‘lé!
Ọmọ Olómù apẹ̀rán. Ọmọ ọlọ́rọ́ agogo-idẹ
Àsìngbà lọ́nà t' Òmù.
Ọmọ moṣì lóde Ọ̀rẹ̀. Ìrèlé awùsì l'Omù.
Ọmọ òpòpó ya mẹ́ta ọ̀ra. Ìyànà mẹfà tọjà Òjùmọ̀
Ọmọ Ọládẹgàn; ọmọ onímalẹ̀-mẹ́rìndínlógún.
Ọmọ onírínwó ẹbọra.
Àdúróbọ ni tèmi; àbẹ̀rẹ̀bọ ni tèmi.
Ọmọ àkọ̀yìnsí lojúù mi ò tó.
Àsìngbà lọ́nà t' Òmù.
Ọmọ eléégun kegé laré ọ̀jẹ̀
Ẹ̀yin l’ọmọ alukósó níi jọ́bá lójú oorun.
Ọmọ onílù kan ọ̀bábáńtiribá.
Ìlù tí wọn ò gbọdọ̀ fi awọ ẹkùn sè,
Àfi akétépé etí eerin.
One who hails from Omu, the mighty warrior
Owner of a finely-forged brass bell
The one with plenty of servants
The kósó drummer wakes the king with royal tunes
Owner of a mysterious drum
Possessor of an ancient beat
That which is not made from a lion's hide
But from the dense foliage of the elephant's ear
Mojísọ́lá, aya Tẹjúmọ́lá:
Tí ‘kú bá gb’owó, à bá fun l’ówó
Tí ‘kú bá gb’obì, a bá fun lobì
Ikú ò gb’owó, iku ò gbobi, Ikú ti m’ẹni re lọ.
Ìrókò ti wó n’ígbó!
Àmọ́ ìtùnú Elédù’à ni tì’rẹ, àt’ọmọ
Tẹjúmọ́lá, ọkọ Mojisọ́la. . . ó di‘gbéré
Baba Ọmọ́bọ́lájokó, ó d’àrinà kò,
Bàába Ọlábímpé, ò d’ojú àla.
Dídùn n’ìrántí oloododo
Dídùn-dídùn n’ìrántí rẹ títí ayé, Tẹjúmọ́lá
Sùun’re. Sùun’re o!
{Culled from oral oríkì by Ìyá Ìlaròó, Omu-Aran}.
*Transcribed and adapted by Dr. Olúṣẹ́gun Ṣóẹ̀tán for Egbé Yorùbá in Wisconsin Area—EYIWA}
Teju Olaniyan Family Statement
Memory as Inspiration
(Not Forgetting You)
Days gently flow into weeks, into months...
Filled with endlessly memories
Alive and active, funny and guiding…
Still.
Sighs, smiles, tickling laughter
And those quiet tears burst into bubbles
of ideas, of convictions, of hope
Floating, rising.
Gently.
Everywhere, all around
curious thought here
exciting possibility there.
Deep, urging.
Inspiring.
Memories abound
Fondly.
Though absent in the body
But, Teju, your spirit lives on!
Love you forever!
Bolajoko, Olabimpe, Mojisola
Remembering Teju
Dr. Niyi Bankole, Lagos, NIGERIA
TEJUMOLA: A MEMORIAL.
"Tejumola, omo agbepa, omo olomu aperan, my cousin and my friend; your life was so rich as if
you soujourned for a century, and so impactful that it seemed very brief. We attended the same High School and same College, we slept on the same bed for years and shared many common visions.
Although he was a lover of letters, and I of figures, our converging point was excellence.
Teju would give you gentle pressure until your star shines brighter, he was so people-centric
that he seemed to forget about himself. No extravagance in anything, and he did not see a need to flaunt anything, not even his incredible mastery of English Language and African Culture. He was an outstanding epitome of grace enthroned on simplicity..."