3. How Tortoise (Ijapa)’s Stomach Became Hollow (Ijapa and Babalawo)

3. How Tortoise (Ijapa)’s Stomach Became Hollow (Ijapa and Babalawo)

A long, long time ago in Teregun, a town in a far away land there was a tortoise, Ijapa, who had a farm where he grew fruits and vegetables. Ijapa lived with his wife, Yannibo, and Yannibo sold these produces at a nearby market every day. The couple had been married for several years but had no children. Ijapa could not understand why not, and time and time again he would say to himself:

“Yannibo and I are very happy together. We get on so well, do things to please each other. We have enough to live on which can’t be said for others that we know”.

This was indeed true. Things could not have been better. There had been great famine in Teregun a long time before which had devastated the land. In the animal kingdom, only a few of the animals had survived it, including Ijapa. Ijapa had gone back to his farming when the famine ended. He had then met and married Yannibo.

“Why can’t we have children? Everyone says that Yannibo would make such a wonderful mother”. Ijapa would look up to heaven and sigh, and sometimes there would be tears in his eyes.

At that time the world was very different from the way it is today. Animals spoke like humans. Humans and animals lived side by side, interacting freely with each other. They behaved similarly for they had a lot in common physically and mentally. Indeed, the physical and mental capabilities of animals such the tortoise, Ijapa, were remarkable, and an example of this phenomenon.

Yannibo was well-known in their neighbourhood for her extreme fondness and care for children, even though she did not have any of her own. She was of good character – very loving and supportive of others, young and old. She was kind-hearted and generous to a fault. Whenever there was a birth in the family or in the neighbourhood, Yannibo was known to take an active part in the care of the child, such as bathing, dressing, feeding the child, and lulling it to sleep on her back. She also took part in the care of any young children she came across, cooking for them and feeding them. What could have been better than having a child of her own?

Just as Yannibo was loving and supportive of others, others were loving and supportive of her – humans and animals alike – looking for ways of helping her.

“Wait until she starts having her own children. We’ll spoil her rotten. She’ll be forced to take a back seat and leave everything to us whether she likes it or not. There’ll be no shortage of who will bath, dress or feed her children or even lull them to sleep and carry them at the back” her family and friends kept on saying among themselves.

“Surely Ijapa should be able to find a solution to your situation, Yannibo?” one of her friends, said to Yannibo one day. “After all isn’t Ijapa known in the neighbourhood for solving problems, including medical ones – as a sort of babalawo (medicinge man)?

“It’s true. He does seem to come up with remedies for some illnesses” Yannibo replied.

“Then why can’t he find a remedy for your own situation?”

Yannibo had wondered about it as well.

Ijapa was known to be wise in his own eyes. He was boastful that there was no problem that he could not solve, including medical ones. He was a cunning, wily creature, full of mischief and pranks – a trickster who obtained things others could not through ruse. However, Ijapa’s mischief and pranks often got him into trouble with others resulting in his being punished or injured (sometimes severely), sentenced to death or driven away by the Ọba (ruler) of a town. Sometimes he would leave a town of his accord, disgraced and ashamed.

Despite his faults Ijapa was very popular in some quarters – among humans and animals – his popularity not unrelated to his being resourceful and resilient which humans and animals alike found admirable. Ijapa was also witty and entertaining, especially when his mischief and pranks got the better of him.

When Ijapa was living in another town called Magunwa, before he was driven away for bad behaviour, he had been very friendly with a Babalawo (medicine man) who was an expert babalawo, well versed in the use of herbs, barks and other things. Ijapa had hung around him for hours on end, asking questions about different herbs and other substances used by this babalawo – different remedies for different illnesses.

“Who knows I may be able to put what I’m learning into good use one day!” he had thought.

True enough he had been able to help some individuals in Teregun to find remedies for their illnesses, charging them of course, pretending that he was a qualified babalawo. Whether they saw through him or not they consulted him because there was a shortage of babalawos in Teregun anyway.

One day Yannibo called her husband and said to him:

“My beloved husband, I want to speak to you about something that’s uppermost in my mind. We’ve been very happy together these past years that we’ve been married and done everything to please each other. You’ve never behaved in anyway I don’t like.” Ijapa nodded encouragingly, so Yannibo continued:

“The only thing that’s making me unhappy is not having any children. I feel unfulfilled. A child enhances the love between a husband and wife, and so will increase the love we have for each other. Please do your best to find a solution to this problem. Not that you’ve folded your arms all this time, I’m sure, but where there is life there is hope. We can’t give up trying!”

“Thank you very much Yannibo, my beloved wife” Ijapa started. “Day and night, I’ve been thinking of ways we can have children. You’re my only wife and I have no other children elsewhere. My beloved, I have to confess that I don’t have the answers to everything after all. I really have to consult others now – babalawos – about how you can get pregnant. There should be a solution”. He scratched his head, deep in thoughts.

“I feel the same way as you feel” he continued after a while. “I’ll not sit back in all this. Cheer up, my wife. I know we’re going to have children”.

From then on, many attempts were made by Ijapa to seek help for his wife. He consulted many babalawos – the few in his town, and elsewhere, spending money and sweat, and he and Yannibo followed painstakingly the treatments recommended and advice given. Unfortunately, Yannibo still did not get pregnant.

The plight of Ijapa and Yannibo was not unknown to others in their community, not only because of Yannibo’s popularity but also because this was a community where having children played a major role. There had been famine in the past which had wiped off a vast number of the inhabitants, including children. The belief was that problems in this area – e.g. finding a spouse, and especially having children – were everyone’s concern, because one could never tell who might come up with a solution. “A problem shared is a problem solved” was the idea.

Thus, it happened that one day as Ijapa was returning from the farm, he came across a friend of his, in whom he had confided his concern about not having children. They stopped to chat for a while then the friend said to Ijapa:

“Aren’t I happy to see you, Ijapa! I was just on my way to your house, you know. I’ve some exciting news for you!”

“Aha!” Ijapa replied, wondering what the excitement was all about.

“I’ve just heard of a babalawo who lives at some kilometres from here, who is reputed to be very experienced in his field – an expert, well versed in native medicine. He has apparently helped many females to get pregnant, and you know what, he only gives them “Ọbẹ asejẹ ”. “Ọbẹ asejẹ ” is this special and potent stew, full of all sorts of beneficial ingredients including barks, herbs and spices, fish, chicken and meat, with delicious flavour and aroma. Why don’t you go and see him? I’m sure he’ll be able to help Yannibo”.

Now Ijapa could not resist food that had a delicious flavour and aroma. He was also very greedy. He instantly liked the sound of this “Ọbẹ asejẹ ”.

“Say no more. I’ll go and see him. The “Ọbẹ asejẹ ” sounds good. Maybe I’ll get to eat out of it.” Ijapa said excitedly.

“I don’t know about that, Ijapa. Why would you want to eat something that’s meant for making women pregnant?”

“Why not? It certainly won’t make me pregnant if that’s what you’re afraid of” Ijapa said, laughing, and his friend laughed as well.

“I should think not!” the latter said.

“Where exactly does his babalawo live?” Ijapa wanted to know.

Ijapa’s friend gave him the information required and went on his way. Ijapa could not wait to get home to tell Yannibo all about this babalawo and his “Ọbẹ asejẹ ”.

v

“Sounds promising. We’ll go and see him tomorrow…Oh no!” Yannibo said and broke off immediately. “Tomorrow is market day. We’ll go the day after tomorrow”.

Market day was every four days in Teregun – the day when all the stalls in the market were expected to be in full operation, and when sales were high.

“I’ll go” Ijapa suggested.

“Surely we can wait one more day” Yannibo pointed out.

“This is too exciting. The earlier we go the better. Don’t forget we may still have to go back after seeing him the first time. This is just a consultation.”

Yannibo did not argue further, so the following morning Ijapa set out for the babalawo’s house. He was dressed in some of his best clothes and had on a cap that he was very fond of wearing – the unusually deep hat (that could hide anything!). It was a beautiful day, and Ijapa was so happy that that he started to smile at everyone he passed on the way.

After walking for about half an hour, Ijapa reached the edge of the town where there were crossroads with signposts pointing in different directions. He took the one indicating a certain town, passing through a forest, and a stream with fast current. The babalawo lived in a village at the outskirts of the town. Ijapa then asked directions from the people of the village (as his friend had told him to do) to the house of the babalawo.

Some of the people he asked directions from had heard about Ijapa – about his claims to treating different illnesses. They were now wondering why he was consulting a babalawo away from home when he claimed to be one himself.

“Obviously he now realizes that he doesn’t have all the answers! He must have been pretending all this time, and he is not really a babalawo”.

Those who knew that his wife had not been able to get pregnant connected his visit to the babalawo with that fact and wondered what the babalawo would be able to do for him. Not all of them had heard about the “Ọbẹ asejẹ ” and those who had suspected that that was what the babalawo would give Ijapa.

“Actually, I’ve heard that the babalawo, is an expert in the area of child birth, about how effective the “Ọbẹ asejẹ ” that he gives women who want to have children is – with his knowledge of barks, herbs, etc” one of them said.

“No matter what happens, I hope he won’t give Ijapa the “Ọbẹ asejẹ ” to take to his wife. You know what’ll happen if he does?”

“It is better she collects it herself. I hear that “Ọbẹ asejẹ ” is mouth-watering and knowing Ijapa’s penchant for food with delicious flavour and aroma, and how greedy he is…God help the two of them!”

“Surely he won’t dare eat out of what’s meant for his wife – to get her pregnant?”

“You bet. He may think it’ll help her along it he ate out of it. After all he is her husband. You know Ijapa. He’d probably find all sorts of reasons to eat out of it.”

In the meantime, Yannibo was having a similar conversation with one of her friends at the market where they both sold their goods. Yannibo had told her about the babalawo and his “Ọbẹ asejẹ ”.

“Apparently it’s only the “Ọbẹ asejẹ ” he gives and it works wonders. Can you imagine getting pregnant from just eating this “Ọbẹ asejẹ ”? I have never heard anything like that before!” Yannibo said, somewhat doubtfully.

“Well there’s always the first time for everything. We can keep an open mind, especially if this babalawo has already helped many other women to get pregnant. Shouldn’t you have gone with Ijapa though – to see the man yourself?” her friend asked.

“Ijapa has gone today just to consult him. I doubt if the babalawo would prepare the stew there and then! I’ll go with him to collect the stew whenever it’s ready.”

“I think you’d better. We don’t want Ijapa to eat it on the way back, do we?” her friend continued jokingly.

“He won’t dare do such a thing!” Yannibo replied, although deep down she could not put it past Ijapa not to do so. He might even decide to finish the whole thing and then order another one. Yannibo and everyone else in Teregun knew about Ijapa’s penchant for food with delicious flavour and aroma.

v

Ijapa got to the babalawo’s house.

“What can I do for you?” asked the babalawo, offering Ijapa a seat, after an exchange of the customary greetings.

“You’re lucky you have children that people will remember you by. I wish it were the same for my wife and me, but God has not granted us children.”

The babalawo listened to Ijapa’s words but said nothing.

“My wife and I have been married for several years, and up till now she’s not pregnant.” Ijapa continued. “I know you babalawos can perform wonders”

“Only by God’s grace” the babalawo put in quickly, reluctant to take credit for such wonders.

“Quite so! Quite so!” Ijapa replied. “You know, nothing beats having children. Money means nothing without them. Yannibo, my wife, does a lot for others’ children. She’s getting old. Won’t it be wonderful for her to do the same for her own children?”

“All right Ijapa. I’m going to help you. I’m going to do everything in my power so that your wife can get pregnant. I’m going to cook “Ọbẹ asejẹ ” for her. This is a special stew I give females who have been trying to conceive for years. “Ọbẹ asejẹ ” is made with highly beneficial, natural ingredients including potent herbs, barks, plants and spices. These ingredients have been widely available to us in the forest for ages and do work wonderfully if you know how to grind them on a stone and mix them correctly. One can then put them in a pot of stew with some other beneficial ingredients, add things like fresh and dried fish, chicken and meat – and of course, palm oil, salt, pepper, onions, tomatoes, and there you are! The balance must be right…” the babalawo was saying, and suddenly broke off when he intercepted the expression on Ijapa’s face.

“The flavour and aroma of these ingredients make “Ọbẹ asejẹ ” mouth-watering. Unfortunately, the stew must be eaten only by your wife. Make sure you don’t eat any of it with her” he continued quickly.

The babalawo had heard about Ijapa’s love for food with delicious flavour and aroma, and of his greed. He had heard how his penchant for roasted groundnuts had landed him in trouble in the past. Ijapa had been living in a town called Magunwa – at the time when the town was being ravaged by great famine. While others were combating the famine by going to a nearby town, Idaha, to live or to buy and sell on a daily basis, Ijapa resorted to tricking a roasted groundnut seller (Iya-Ẹlẹpa) in order to steal from her and others at Idaha Market. Ijapa had been caught finally, had received serious injuries, and been driven away from Idaha and Magunwa.

Ijapa seemed to have forgotten about these serious injuries – the outcome of his greed. Not surprisingly because by a turn of events his escapade with Iya-Ẹlẹpa in Idaha had culminated in a windfall. The Oba of Idaha had been intrigued by the trick Ijapa played on Iya- Ẹlẹpa – using his music to lure her and other market people to dance away from their stalls – and had challenged any being to do the same to him and his courtiers, promising money and valuable goods. Ijapa did bring it about and got the reward. That was how he was able to buy a hard shell to cover his back (which miraculously stuck) – to ward off further injuries – even though the hard shell was now cracked from another escapade. He had also bought a farm and had been working – a change from his usual lazy existence.

“You’d better curb your greed where my ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ is concerned, Ijapa, and not even as much as taste any of the stew. Otherwise the trouble you’ll land yourself in here will be worse than the one you experienced regarding the Iya-Ẹlẹpa” the babalawo was thinking.

“To make the ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ work fully I’ve to remove the obstacles that are in the way of Yannibo conceiving, so that she can get pregnant before the month runs out. For this there are certain items that have to be bought such as cows, goats, ducks, cocks and pigeons for a sacrifice…” he said.

“Whatever is required is all right by me” Ijapa interrupted. “I’m ready to stop at no expense to achieve our aim”.

v

“Just as well I decided to go into farming and I’m making enough money!” Ijapa was thinking, casting his mind back to the time when he was too lazy to do anything.

“I’ll get started on the preparations and the stew will be ready for collection tomorrow” the babalawo continued. He suddenly felt uncomfortable about the whole thing.

“Yannibo will be coming with you to collect it, not so?”

“Yes, of course.” Ijapa replied, wondering why he was asking him.

But the babalawo did not leave it at that.

“Remember what I told you. You must not eat out of the stew. It’s for Yannibo alone. Any woman who eats my ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ gets pregnant. I’d better warn you, the same thing will happen in the case of a man, I’m afraid, although I’ve never come across a male person who has as much as tasted my ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ” before. You mustn’t let it touch your mouth. If you do you’ll get pregnant – not to deliver a baby of course” he said and added quickly when he saw the shocked expression on Ijapa’s face.

“Let me explain it further. When I say ‘pregnant’ I mean that your stomach will undergo similar changes as those of a pregnant woman without a baby growing inside you, and without your giving birth. It won’t be funny. If this happens I can’t guarantee a happy ending because your stomach is likely to burst, and that may mean death!”

Ijapa could not believe his ears.

“Is he having me on?” he was thinking, but quickly shrugged off what the babalawo had just said.

“So, I’m warning you very seriously. There is no remedy for this condition.”

“Don’t worry! I’d be foolish to touch the stew after what Yannibo and I have been through trying to have a child!” Ijapa assured the babalawo.

“I’m happy to hear you promising like this, Ijapa. Come back with Yannibo tomorrow to collect the pot of stew.”

Ijapa thanked the babalawo, paid the necessary fee required for the ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ and the sacrifice, and set off for home. Ijapa recounted the whole incident to Yannibo, including the babalawo’s extraordinary claims about the stew, and his warning to him twice not to taste any of it.

“He wants you to come with me to collect the stew tomorrow! Does he think that I’ll finish the whole thing before I get back home if I were to go by myself?”

“Of course not! I think he just wants to make sure that I eat all the stew so that it works on me properly” Yannibo said.

“Surely Ijapa’s greed would not push him into eating something that’s intended for me – to make me pregnant – after all the years we’ve been waiting for this to happen?” she was thinking, and suddenly stopped in her tracks.

“But then even if Ijapa does not finish the whole stew can I be sure that he won’t taste it, and the babalawo is insisting that he should not even taste any of it, otherwise he’ll get ‘pregnant’…?”

“We’ll go together to collect it tomorrow” Yannibo said quickly.

“At last God has answered our prayers!” Ijapa continued elatedly.

“Yes” Yannibo said, but could not help thinking “Wait until I eat the ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’, and the sacrifice is made”

The following morning Ijapa went back to the babalawo alone to collect the ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’. Yannibo had not even been able to get out of bed, let alone accompany him. She must have had a hard day at the market the day before and was aching all over.

“It’s not as if the babalawo’s town is around the corner, so you’d better stay at home. Don’t worry I’ll bring your ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ to you safe and sound!” Ijapa said to her and they both laughed.

In the meantime, the babalawo had made the sacrifice and cooked the ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ for Yannibo. As soon as Ijapa got to the babalawo’s house the delicious aroma of the’Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ filled his nostrils, and he could not hide his reaction to it. The babalawo noticed this and the first thing he asked Ijapa was:

“Hasn’t your wife come with you?”

“No. I’m afraid she’s not feeling very well…”

“Well, since I’ve already prepared the stew, it has to be eaten today. You’ll have to take it to her yourself. But let me warn you for the last time not to taste the stew – not even accidentally – otherwise you’ll get ‘pregnant’. I’ve already explained to you what that means.”

“You must not touch the ọbẹ – not let it touch your mouth – not even accidentally, so be very careful not to slip or anything like that when carrying it home. The ọbẹ must not find its way into your mouth, not even touch your tongue! The stew is for your wife and her alone!” the babalawo stressed again.

“I swear that I will not touch the stew. Thank you”.

The babalawo gave the pot of ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ to Ijapa. The latter thanked him, paid the money required for the sacrifice and the stew, left the babalawo’s house, carrying the pot on his head.

“Why do I have a feeling that I may have just made a mistake in giving the stew to Ijapa” the babalawo was thinking as soon as Ijapa left. “Yannibo should have been the one to collect it. Anyway, these are circumstances beyond one’s control. Yannibo could not come, and the stew has to be eaten today. I had no choice. But then, isn’t Ijapa a fully-grown man? Surely, he should be responsible for his own actions. He should know what he’s doing. He’ll just have to learn not to be so greedy. I’ve warned him enough about the ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’. He’d be a fool not to heed my warnings!”

As soon as Ijapa left the babalawo’s house the irresistible aroma of the stew filled the air and his nostrils, and he found himself thinking about it, wondering how it would taste. The whole neighbourhood was filled with the delicious aroma. Ijapa noticed that others were reacting to it as well, judging from the look on their faces. Some of them – those who had no idea what Ijapa was carrying on his head – were wondering how he happened to be carrying it, and those who had heard about the babalawo’s ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ were wondering if the stew would ever get to Ijapa’s wife.

“Let’s hope he doesn’t finish it before he gets home!”

Ijapa’s greed – his penchant for food with delicious aroma and taste was well-known far and wide.

As he went on his way the delicious aroma of the obe that filled his nostrils overwhelmed him, and his mouth started to water. He could not think straight anymore, and he decided to sit down by the roadside to enjoy the pleasant smell – at a secluded place under a palm tree, hidden away from sight.

“Surely there is no harm in smelling it even if I can’t taste it”, Ijapa was thinking. “Hum! Hum! How wonderful!” he uttered, eyes closed. “I haven’t smelt any food as delicious as this before, and I’m not the only one who’s drawn by the aroma of this ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’” he convinced himself.

Ijapa got up, put the pot back on his head, and continued on his way, all the time besieged by the irresistible aroma. He started to think all sorts of things – things that might not have occurred to him before – the aroma dulling his senses, his head reeling.

“What on earth has the babalawo put in it that’s so special – that’s causing this extraordinary aroma. He mentioned herbs and spices, barks and so on…All the same… Let me just take a look. I didn’t look properly at it before – when the babalawo opened the pot, being totally carried away by its aroma. It must taste divine if it smells like this!”

Ijapa was curious. He stopped, looked for a secluded area – under another palm-tree, put the pot down, lifted the lid and took a look at the stew. He almost fainted; it looked so inviting – huge chunks of fish as well as some broken pieces stared at him, sizzling in a combination of ingredients such as locust beans, dried fish and shrimps, tomatoes, pepper and onions. There were chunks of meat too. Ijapa could not remove his eyes from it – It looked so delicious and irresistible!

“Wow! No wonder the stew smells so delicious!” he thought to himself. It was the most inviting stew he had ever seen, and the aroma was just too inviting for him. Then he remembered the warning of the herbalist; only Yannibo was to eat the stew. So Ijapa covered the pot of stew and continued on his journey home, but not before noticing the quantity.

“It looks delicious and there is so much of it! So, it’s Yannibo alone who’ll eat all this mouth-watering stew?” he asked himself. Then a thought struck him.

“The babalawo must know about my penchant for good food; perhaps he’s heard about my escapade with Iya-Ẹlẹpa which I don’t seem to be living down anywhere I go! He must be afraid that I may not want to stop at just a taste, and he’s worried that there may not be enough left… That makes sense. No wonder he kept on stressing that not a drop must touch my mouth – not even accidentally. All the same he’s made so much of the stew to be on the safe side in case I do eat out of it! Yannibo alone can’t finish all this? Surely a little out of it will not stop it doing its work?” he reasoned with himself.

“In fact, come to think of it doesn’t it take two to make a baby? Surely if I were to eat a little out of it, it could only help things along – make the stew more effective”

Ijapa stopped again – at another secluded area, put the pot down, and opened the lid. He stretched out his hand to take just one of the broken pieces of fish and withdrew it.

“I’ve been warned seriously and more than once not to even accidentally touch it, although I’m quite sure it’s because the babalawo can’t trust me not to finish it…!”

Ijapa closed the lid, put the pot on his head, and continued on his way yet again. However, he was still engulfed by the aroma, salivating; it was dulling his senses, and turning his head. After walking a short distance, all the time thinking of nothing else but the stew, he finally convinced himself that the only reason that the babalawo had forbidden him to taste the stew was because he wanted to keep temptation out of his way.

“Well, since I know that I’m not going to finish the whole thing, I can just taste it. Surely there’s no harm in tasting a tiny, winy bit?”

So Ijapa stopped again and put the pot down and opened the lid. He quickly dipped the tip of his finger into the ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ and licked it.

“Yum, Yum, Yum!”

Unfortunately, he was tempted further by the way the ingredients looked, especially the fish and the meat sizzling in the sauce…He stretched out his hand to take a piece of broken fish and stopped when he remembered the babalawo’s warning. He closed the obe, put the pot back on his head, and continued on his way. After walking a little while he stopped and asked himself:

“What’s the difference between tasting the ọbẹ and eating a piece of broken fish – a tiny, winy bit – now that I know the reason why I’ve been forbidden not to touch the stew at all, and I know that I’m not going to finish the whole of the ọbẹ?” he wondered. “If I were to take only a small piece of fish from the broken pieces that should not stop the stew from working? Surely, I can’t get ‘pregnant’ just on that alone! How could a man get ‘pregnant’ anyway, even if it’s not in the real sense of the word like the babalawo said? Never heard of that before!” Ijapa reasoned with himself.

So Ijapa stopped again and put the pot down. He was now passing through the forest just on the outskirts of Teregun, and it was deserted. He opened the lid once more, dipped the tip of his finger into the ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’, took a small piece of fish from the broken ones, and ate a little bit out of it. He picked up the stew pot, put it on his head, and continued on his way, eating the fish as he went. It was just as delicious as it smelt. Ijapa just could not believe it, and he started thinking more and more that the whole premise of not eating the stew was faulty, especially the bit about getting “pregnant”. Now, Ijapa believed himself to be very clever, more astute than others.

“The ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ has been prepared for Yannibo to get her pregnant. The babalawo is worried that she may not get to eat it; he’s worried that if I were as much as to taste a little of it I may finish the whole thing. To prevent this happening, he’s cooked up this story about anyone tasting the stew getting pregnant even if it were a man – although not in the real sense of the word in the case of the latter. This is ridiculous! It takes two to get to make a baby and if my input is required there, surely, even if it’s not required in the eating of the stew, it can do harm; if anything, it should help her along. So, I’m going to eat out of it”

By now Ijapa had got to the crossroads at the edge of Teregun. He found, yet again, a secluded area to sit down and enjoy his ‘share’ of the ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ – under a palm-tree. He put the pot down near the tree, opened the lid, put his hand inside it, and started to eat out of the stew. As he did so and enjoying it thoroughly he said to himself:

“So, it’s something as delicious as this that the babalawo wants Yannibo to eat all by herself. He must have made it specially for her for it to taste this way, and there’s so much of it! Why? Maybe he has designs on her because come to think of it what he’s told me does not make sense.

How can a man get ‘pregnant’ even if it’s not in the sense of carrying a baby but in the sense of his stomach resembling that of a pregnant woman, but without delivering a baby. Surely this is not possible? But what would be the worst scenario? Stomach getting bigger and bigger until…Surely, it’ll not burst! The whole thing is ridiculous and not worth even thinking about. This man must take me for a fool. Everyone knows that this kind of thing can never happen! The babalawo knows how greedy I am and doesn’t want me to eat the stew! Why not just say so?”

With thoughts like these Ijapa persuaded himself to eat the whole of the ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ and ordered another one for Yannibo.

“Yum! Yum! Well I’m eating this stew and nobody is going to stop me. I can always get the babalawo to make another one for Yannibo. After all, all I’ve to do is to pay for it, and the babalawo will be happy for the extra money” Ijapa reasoned.

Ijapa started to sample some other things in the stew apart from the fish, such as pieces of meat, chicken, dried fish, and the more he did so, the more he found the stew incredibly tasty. Very soon he was devouring the different things until he found himself finishing the stew. He even licked the palm oil at the bottom of the pot! He wanted to wash the pot, put it back on his head, and continue on his way home to tell Yannibo that the babalawo had not cooked her ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ yet. However, he was lulled to sleep by a gentle breeze from the palm tree under which he was.

It was the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach that woke him up. At first

he put it down to the richness of the ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’.

“There was a lot of it as well” he said to himself.

When he wanted to get up he found it very difficult but managed to drag himself up. Then he noticed that his stomach was swollen, and he was shocked by its size. How was he going to explain this to Yannibo, or anyone else? However, this was only the beginning. As he tried to walk his body felt heavy because his stomach continued to swell rapidly before his own eyes; it even looked bigger than that of a pregnant woman! Ijapa felt very uncomfortable; he could not breathe properly; he was in a bad way; he was in pain. He looked around him afraid that he might have been observed. He tried to hide behind trees, all along wondering what to do. When the pain became worse, and his stomach distended, he could not contain himself anymore, and had no choice but to leave his whereabouts.

“Oh dear, what am I going to do? I shouldn’t have finished the stew” he wailed. “But where do I go? There’s no place to hide. Shall I go and face Yannibo and others in our area like this if I can even make it home, or go back to the babalawo’s and beg him to help me?” Ijapa was wondering agitatedly.

That was when he realized that he had already been observed by a few passers-by, who were talking among themselves, pointing at him, wondering what was going on – some of them were shocked, concerned, some were just laughing at him unconcernedly.

“What’s happened to you, Ijapa? Why is your stomach so huge, distended, swollen?” some of those who had sympathy for him rushed to him when they saw that he was about to collapse. Ijapa who had made up in his head some lies to tell Yannibo and to the babalawo if he chose to go back to the latter, started reeling off the lies to the people who had gathered around, increasing in number.

“He warned me not to taste any of the ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ – not to even as much as let a little of it touch my lips. But I couldn’t help it. There was a root sticking out…”

The people who had never heard about ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ had no clue as to what Ijapa was talking about and were just shaking their heads. Those who had heard about the ọbẹ, and who were not in sympathy with Ijapa’s plight were thinking:

“Sure. You’re too greedy, Ijapa. Look at where your greed has landed you! How could you have done this to yourself?”

“Well you’d better do back quickly to the babalawo and explain to him what happened and beg him to reverse this” one of them advised him.

“He’d warned me that there’s no antidote…” Ijapa struggled to say.

“But you’re a man, you can’t possibly be pregnant!”

“This is what I thought even though he did say that the ‘pregnancy’ would not be in the real sense of the word, but the symptoms would be the same…I don’t know. I’m likely to burst if this goes on…”

“To burst!” someone said, aghast. “Then you’d better hurry…”

“What about Yannibo…”

“Don’t worry about her. One of us will go and tell her what’s happening to you, and bring her to you, so she too could beg the babalawo as well…The babalawo would be more inclined to listen to her than to you. We’ll also tell one or two of your family and friends to come with us…You’ll need all the support you can get in getting this man to reverse your condition!”

“Perhaps the babalawo knew what he was saying when he warned me that my stomach might burst. I’d better rush back to him. He should be able to give me something to make it go down. But I can’t tell him the truth. I must think of a story to tell him.” Ijapa said to himself, and rehearsed what to say to the babalawo:

“I was walking with the pot of stew on my head. It was a root sticking out on the way that made me stumble. I quickly grabbed the pot as it was about to fall and the stew spilt over completely. The ground was wet with the stew. I slipped, and my fingers dipped into it. Without realizing what I was doing I licked one of my fingers, and soon after my stomach began to swell and swell.”

Ijapa, still struggling to contain the pain and discomfort he felt in his stomach, hardly able to move, hastend to the babalawo’s house. When he saw his house in front of him he burst into song. In those days it was quite common for an individual to resort to singing in certain circumstances – to express emotions such as fear, anxiety, unhappiness, or even joy. It was also commonly believed that singing might bring about a reversal of circumstances.

Ijapa was singing, with tears in his eyes, sobbing noisily, heaving and panting as if about to die – a pitiful sight:

Bàbaláwo, mò wá bẹ̀bẹ̀, Bàbaláwo, I’ve come to beg

Alugbinrin.

Bàbaláwo, mò wá bẹ̀bẹ̀,

Alugbinrin.

Òògùn t’ó ṣe fún mi lẹ́rẹ̀kan, The medicine he prepared for me earlier on

Alugbinrin.

T’o ní ng má mà m’ ọ́wọ́ kan’u, Asking me not to let it touch my mouth through my hand

Alugbinrin.

T’o ni ng má mà m’ẹsẹ̀ kan’nu, Asking me not to let it get to my mouth through my leg

Alugbinrin.

Gbòǹgbò ló yọ̀ mi tẹ̀rẹ̀, It was a root sticking out on the way that made me stumble

Alugbinrin.

Mo f’ọwọ́ bà’bẹ, mo mú ba’nu, My hand touched the area, and found its way to my mouth

Alugbinrin.

Mo bo’jú wo kun, ó yó kendu, I glanced at my stomach and noticed how huge and distended it was

Alugbinrin.

Bàbaláwo, mò wá bẹ̀bẹ̀,

Alugbinrin

Bàbaláwo, mò wá bẹ̀bẹ̀,

Alugbinrin

Bàbaláwo, mò wá bẹ̀bẹ̀,

Alugbinrin

Gbòǹgbò ló yọ̀ mi tẹ̀rẹ̀, It was a root sticking out on the way that made me stumble

Alugbinrin.

Gbòǹgbò ló yọ̀ mi tẹ̀rẹ̀,

Alugbinrin.

Gbòǹgbò ló yọ̀ mi tẹ̀rẹ̀,

Alugbinrin.

When the Babalawo saw him and heard his song he was shocked. He hurried out, and by now they were surrounded by passers-by.

“I did warn you – more than once. Oh dear! What have you done, Ijapa? You’re very greedy. You can’t take your eyes away from food. It serves you right! I can’t do anything for you; there’s no remedy, you’d just have to continue as you are. Your stomach may burst and that means death.”

Ijapa wanted to prostrate before the babalawo – to make his pleas more effective – but his huge and distended stomach was in the way; he bent down slightly, turned right and left with this heavy stomach, lifted himself up with difficulty, and finally managed to kneel down.

“Please, please, help me. The “Ọbẹ asejẹ ” you gave me just then…I know you warned me to be careful not to let it touch my tongue. But it wasn’t my fault. I stumbled on a root that was sticking out on the way. I held on quickly to the pot of ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ on my head which was about to fall – no way did I want that to happen – and the stew spilt over completely, some of it splashing on my face. My immediately reaction was to wipe it off with my hand, and before I realized it my hand had found its way to my mouth. My stomach started to feel uncomfortable and when I looked at it I found, to my horror that it had grown so huge and was distended! That’s why I’ve come to beg you. Please, please, help me!”

The babalawo listened to all Ijapa had to say, without interrupting him once – to all the lies he was spinning. There was no known remedy for Ijapa’s condition. The babalawo had never come across a man who had eaten his ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ and got ‘pregnant’ before but was curious as to how far Ijapa would go with his lies.

“I doubt if I can do anything for you, Ijapa. All the same kindly take me to where the stew got spilt. I’d like to see it with my own eyes.”

Ijapa was taken aback by the request, not having expected it.

“Oh! It’s quite far from here…It was near that forest on the way to Teregun…” he said hesitantly.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not busy at the moment”, the babalawo told him, encouragingly. “Just take me there!”

Ijapa led the way followed by the babalawo and the people around who were shocked or dismayed by what was going on, discussing it excitedly among themselves. As they were approaching the forest Ijapa looked here and there going around and around trying to locate the exact spot where the ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ purportedly got split.

“This is where it happened…No! Over there…

Very soon it was obvious to all and sundry that Ijapa was lying, but Ijapa kept on saying

“Everywhere looks the same around here, but we’ll find it…”

The babalawo was angry, not only because of Ijapa’s incredible and appalling behaviour, but also because he hated being lied to.

“This creature needs to be taught a lesson. Imagine lying on top of everything else – on top of being greedy. What does he take me for? A fool? You’re wasting my time. I’m going back home. I’ve heard enough of your lies!”

“Please, please, babalawo. I’m telling you the truth” Ijapa insisted, begging the babalawo. He started singing his song again, hoping it might make the babalawo believe him more:

Bàbaláwo, mò wá bẹ̀bẹ̀, Bàbaláwo, I’ve come to beg

Alugbinrin.

Bàbaláwo, mò wá bẹ̀bẹ̀,

Alugbinrin.

Òògùn t’ó ṣe fún mi lẹ́rẹ̀kan, The medicine he prepared for me earlier on

Alugbinrin.

T’o ní ng má mà m’ ọ́wọ́ kan’u, Asking me not to let it touch my mouth through my hand

Alugbinrin.

T’o ni ng má mà m’ẹsẹ̀ kan’nu, Asking me not to let it get to my mouth through my leg

Alugbinrin.

Gbòǹgbò ló yọ̀ mi tẹ̀rẹ̀, It was a root sticking out on the way that made me stumble

Alugbinrin.

Mo f’ọwọ́ bà’bẹ, mo mú ba’nu, My hand touched the area, and found its way to my mouth

Alugbinrin.

Mo bo’jú wo kun, ó yó kendu, I glanced at my stomach and noticed how huge and distended it was

Alugbinrin.

Bàbaláwo, mò wá bẹ̀bẹ̀,

Alugbinrin

Bàbaláwo, mò wá bẹ̀bẹ̀,

Alugbinrin

Bàbaláwo, mò wá bẹ̀bẹ̀,

Alugbinrin

Gbòǹgbò ló yọ̀ mi tẹ̀rẹ̀, It was a root sticking out on the way that made me stumble

Alugbinrin.

Gbòǹgbò ló yọ̀ mi tẹ̀rẹ̀,

Alugbinrin.

Gbòǹgbò ló yọ̀ mi tẹ̀rẹ̀,

Alugbinrin.

The babalawo listened to the song and shook his head, amazed that Ijapa could continue with his lies.

“I don’t think he realizes how serious his situation is. He may burst any minute and die and he’s still lying! Does he think lying will help him?” the babalawo said to the people around, some of whom were advising Ijapa to pacify the babalawo by admitting the truth.

The onlookers did not know what to do either. Some of them went back with the babalawo, discussing the matter animatedly on the way, and some remained behind to see what would happen to Ijapa. None of them had ever experienced an incident like this before. It was just too incredible and the whole place was bustling with the incident.

“Babalawo, is there really nothing you can do for Ijapa? Is he just going to burst and die?”

“I’ve never experienced this kind of thing. No male person has eaten my ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ before. It is intended for women only – to help them to get pregnant, and there is no known antidote for the stew. The only thing that comes into my mind, if I give the matter some thoughts, is this: ‘What can I give to reduce the size of someone’s stomach? What herbs, barks, spices and so on could work on the stomach to reduce size, pains and swelling?’ Even if I were to come up with such herbs, barks and so on, and make them very potent, will they work in Ijapa’ case? There’s always a first time. We, babalawos, don’t like to give up on anything. There may be adverse effects in this case though…”

“Ijapa has no choice in the matter, babalawo…as long as he’s alive” one of the people said.

The babalawo did not answer. He just went inside his house and shut the door.

“Open the door please babalawo!” It was Ijapa.

The babalawo opened door.

“I’ve come to tell you the truth, babalawo. I’ll tell you what really happened”, Ijapa said to him, panic-stricken. The babalawo listened as Ijapa recounted to him the whole episode.

“I’m very sorry to have disobeyed you, babalawo. I didn’t mean to. I’m very sorry to have been so greedy. To make matters worse, I lied to you and wasted your time, and I’m very sorry for that as well. Please, please forgive me, and help me…I don’t want to die…What’ll happen to Yannibo if I die? Not only would she not be able to have the child she so much wants, she would also not even have a husband anymore!”

The babalawo came out of the door and closed it.

“You should have thought about that before you ate the whole of the ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ the babalawo replied, walking away from him.

“Please, please, babalawo! Please don’t leave me like this!” Ijapa pleaded.

In the meantime, word had reached Yannibo about Ijapa’s plight. Likewise, some of their friends and family, including Ijapa’s friend, who had told Ijapa about the babalawo in the first place, and Yannibo’s friend who had raised the issue of Ijapa’s stand as a kind of babalawo in their town. They all left whatever they were doing and rushed to the babalawo’s house.

They got there in time to hear what the babalawo and Ijapa had just said to each other, and when Ijapa turned around and saw them all, he felt disgraced and was ashamed. It was bad enough to have disgraced himself in front of the people from the babalawo’s town, but to now have to face all these people he knew from Teregun, including Yannibo herself!

Yannibo was shocked and horrified to see Ijapa in this condition, and then, right under her eyes Ijapa collapsed, rolling on the ground, looking as if he were at death’s door.

“Please, please help him, babalawo!” everyone, including Yannibo, started begging the babalawo. “Please help him for his wife’s sake, they added.

“Yannibo is just too nice for this type of thing to happen to her…” They went on to sing Yannibo’s praises – about how popular she was in Teregun, how kind-hearted, and especially about her love and care for others’ children.

“When we heard about your ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’, babalawo, we were all so delighted, and have been looking forward to her having a bouncy baby before the year runs out – to play a big role in the care of the child like she’s been doing in the care of ours…! “

The babalawo looked at Yannibo and liked her instantly. His heart went out to her, and he was touched by all the things being said about her.

“What on earth does she see in Ijapa? She deserves better than this – a lovely creature like her” he was thinking. He decided here and there to help the situation. He had also started to feel sorry for Ijapa for the public disgrace he had brought upon himself.

“If I manage to save him, let’s hope he learns a lesson from this!” he was thinking to himself.

“There’s something I might be able to do for Ijapa…” the babalawo said finally, and everyone around heaved a sigh of relief.

“It should at least stop the pains and the swelling and save Ijapa’s life. However, I don’t know what effect it would have on Ijapa’s stomach afterwards – how Ijapa’s stomach will look afterwards.

“Please, please, anything” Ijapa wailed.

“Come inside, Ijapa” the babalawo said.

The babalawo cooked some white substance on the fire, stirring all the time, until it became thick. He then took some herbs, barks, spices and other ingredients that he had gathered from the forest before and ground finely on a stone and added them in huge quantities to the white substance, still stirring all the time. Finally, he poured some water in the mixture, and gave the concoction to Ijapa.

“Drink this at once!” he ordered.

The concoction was very potent. Ijapa drank it, and after a while his stomach went down a little, and the pain receded. Ijapa was so relieved.

“Thank you! Thank you!” he called out to the babalawo.

“Don’t thank me yet until it’s over” the babalawo said, because he still could not guarantee that the concoction would not have an adverse effect on Ijapa.

True enough, after some time Ijapa’s stomach went down to its normal size, and suddenly right under their gaze it became hollow. It was as if Ijapa never had a stomach before! Although Ijapa was embarrassed by the way his stomach had become hollow, he was happy that he had not died. He thanked the babalawo profusely and went outside to join the others.

Everyone was shocked at the change in Ijapa’s stomach, and of course some people could not help laughing at him, saying:

“I’m not sure which is funnier – Ijapa with his protruded and distended stomach, or Ijapa with no stomach at all!” some of them were saying, whilst other just looked at him in sympathy, thinking how sad it was that Ijapa had brought this upon himself for being greedy.

“What a price to pay!”

In the meantime, the babalawo invited Yannibo in, and promised her another ‘Ọbẹ asejẹ ’ free of charge, which she should collect herself the following day.

“We don’t want the same thing to happen again, do we?” he added winking at her, although they both knew that nothing in the world would induce Ijapa to behave the same way as he had done. However, they were both not sure that Ijapa’s love for good food – food with delicious aroma and flavour would stop nor his being greedy in general.

Everybody thanked the babalawo, not only for saving Ijapa’s life, but also, in advance, for the bouncy baby they were hoping Yannibo would have the following year.

That was how Ijapa’s stomach became hollow.

The following year Ijapa had a baby girl and all the neighbours came to the naming ceremony and rejoiced with him and his wife.