Orìsa Bíìyá Kosí (There is no god like Mother): A Reassessment of Motherhood in Contemporary Yorùbá Society as Viewed by Oguunda Mejì in Ifa Corpus

Abstract

Òrìṣà bíìyá kò sí, taní je ṣe bí ẹni bíni lọ́jọ́ tó bá nira? or Ìyániwúrà is often used to describe the sacred roles being played by a woman in the life of her child or children particularly in YorùbáSociety. This includes her role from conception to birth, from birth to maturity and ensuring that the child becomes successful in life. To achieve this, many mothers will rather go hungry than see their children move about or sleep with empty stomach. Many will even prefer to go naked or die just for their children to be successful because, they believe that their children are their pride and their tomorrow whether alive or dead. As a result of these unreserved love and roles, many sayings, poems, songs, drama and sweet quotes have been used to describe women such as the above. Besides, these profound and unique roles have been discussed and evaluated in many scholarly works. The roles played by mothers put them in good stead among their children. This is the reason the Society believes that mothers have great influence and dominion over the lives of their children to the extent that if they pronounce any curse on them, it will come into fulfillment in the child's life.