The Blessing of the Breast and Womb: Happy Mother's Day 2025
The Jewish people have a tradition of passing down blessings. Abraham blessed Isaac, Isaac blessed Jacob, and Jacob blessed his 12 children that became the twelve tribes of Israel. There is no doubt that they learned this from God because after God created the earth and man, he blessed it. Moreover, scripture says God sent Jesus to bless us, not to curse us (Acts 3, vs. 26). This scripture delivered me from obsession with generational curses.
Importantly, words are tools or vehicles to transfer blessings, intentions, goodwill, and empowerment. Words spoken have the plausibility to impact our DNA, mood, shape identity, and aspirations.
Waking up after prayer and greeting Dad is the easiest thing in the world. All you get is your Oriki, family panegyric, teasing, and jokes. I have my reasons for doing a second PhD, but recently I thought my oriki as an Igbomina and Omu-aran specifically adds more meaning to it. We “wo sho” (style, fashion, aesthetic, and African dandyism at its best), and then we “wo oye” (we style, crown in achievements, accomplishments, and greatness).
When I lived with my late sister-mum, she followed Dad's pattern by reciting Oriki. She would say, “Adunni, omo awosho ajibi?” (Adunni, the child of those who are stylish and appealing, I hope you wake up well.). When one professor jokingly told me, “I always look flashy,” I wanted to start toning it down, then I remembered my identity.
One of my gripes with colonial Christianity and theological violence is how it perpetuates alienation. Telling you to distance yourself from your lineage because it is the source of your problem, yet our Judeo-Christian ancestry is not without its flaws. Abraham lied, Isaac lied too, Jacob was a schemer, and more like that, but they told you to disassociate with your roots because they pour palm oil on stones. Is okay
Mum was different from Dad, but i am learning both did what served and still serves its purpose. I did not realize the import of it until lately. When you greeted Mum, she would launch into another lengthy prayer. Adding warning and caution from the previous day's misdeed. Sometimes we quarrel that I am not enthusiastic about claiming the prayers, but these days I claim the blessing in arrears.
One day I started to ask myself how I survived many things. It dawned on me it could be the blessing. Judeo-Christian texts talk about the blessing of the breast and the womb, affirming the Yoruba worldview of motherhood, its potency, and its power as transcending time (Genesis 49:25). In another instance, the text posits that the blessing of God is beyond the blessing of our progenitor—that is, if you have a problematic parent who cursed you, there is a greater blessing from God that allows you to transcend the limit they placed on you (Gen 49 vs 26). One text said, as some chaos and annihilation was going on, someone said to another, “Destroy it not; there is a blessing in it" (Isaiah 65 vs 9) - Meaning, dont touch that one there is a blessing on her.
My Yoruba is very weak but let me pray with you like my mother does
Nibi ti leke leke re ti fo Aso omo araye oni mobe (where your cattle egret derives its pristine covering, the world will not know)
Ona ara lomi gba wo inu agbon Ona ara, ona Iyana ni oro yin yo ma jasi (it is wonder/mystery how water get into coconut; your life will be full of wonders)
Gbogbo ibi te ba lo ema ba Alanu pade o (you will never lack help)
Omo araye oni da epo si Aso Ala yin o (the enemy won't soil your pristine dress or name).
Ori leje eni di ru (you are the head and never the tail).
Ire ti mo su fun yin aba yin kale o (My blessings will endure with you)
Lola awon te eti arawon jade, eni ko elenini Lona (Because of those who birth you, you will not run into people skill in evil machinations.)
Ona ki di mo ojo ko yo, Ona ki di mo orun ko ma ran, Ona ki di mo afefe ko ma fe, Ona ko ni di mo yin o (nothing stands in the way of day from breaking, winds from blowing, sun from shining, no hindrance in your way). No roadblocks! This one i claimed recently; the wonders of it will be in my memoir!
Iran ogede kin sun kun ati de, ara oni niyin o (the offspring of banana tree does not cry or suffer discomfort to ripen; you will not experience protracted discomfort)
Lotun lotun lojo yo (there is newness and innovation with the breaking of day; you will always have newness or reinvention)
Ori ni alakan fi we ori, aweye ni o
If you still have mothers i hope you get their blessings!
Blessed are you, Maami Ololade Popoola (née Abimbola)! Blessed are you among women!
Happy Mother's Day to all mothers out there!
Your seeds are blessed, and they will rise up and call you blessed!
