Òşun as a Deity of Productivity, Vitality and Fertility

children. That is why they pray that the housewife will not remember the pain of sexual intercourse- “Èyìn ìyàwó kò ní mẹní. It is even the tradition for ladies who are going to their husbands’ house to receive parental blessings so that they won’t be barren when they get to their husbands’s house. One of the nuptial songs they sing during such marriage ceremony goes thus:

Kórí Iya mi o bùn mi lómọ Esúrú kìí yagàn o

Kórí Ìyá mi o bùn mi lómọ Èsúrú kìí yagàn o

Asọ àrà orùn mi

Ọmọ lèmi yóó fi gbé/2x Kórí Ìyá mi o bùn mi lómọ Èsúrú kìí yagàn o

May my mother’s head give me children Trifoliate yam is never barren

May my mother’s head give me children Trifoliate yam is never barren

This beautiful dress on me I will use it to carry children /2x

May my mother’s head give me children Trifoliate yam is never barren.

The Yorùbá regard barrenness as a reproach, stigma and something awkward. Hence, barrenness is not taken with levity. An adage even says, “ A nursing mother is an enemy to a barren woman-Ìyá ọlómọ òtá àgàn”. This is pointing to the importance, which the Yorùbá people attach to child bearing. Besides, childbearing is regarded as part of productivity and vitality. They even say that:

Iná kú, ó feérú bojú Ògèdè kú, ó fọmọ è rópò Bí aládìí kò bá sí mó Ọmọ rẹ ní o jogún ẹbu

(When fire is dead ashes succeed it

When banana is dead another sucker replaces it If palm kernel oil producer is not alive

Her child will inherit her factory).

A prominent prayer among the Yorùbá is that they have children who will inherit their properties. Procreation is of a great concern to the Yorùbá people to the extent that if it is getting longer for a newly married couple to have a child, they will go to Ifá priest or other sources for inquiry. The major reason why most people who are of Ifá clients do go for divination is of barrenness and infertility (Abimbola 1969:41). Therefore, the fruit of womb is one of the three important wishes/goals/pursuits of human being in the world according to Yorùbá philosophy. Apart from the blessings of children, the other two blessings are, blessing of money (prosperity) and blessing of long life that is the king of prosperity (Abimbola 1969:98). The Yorùbá adage says “ohun tí a bá sọ láìsí owó, ìsọkúsọ ni - Whatever we say in the absence of money is useless”. If somebody lives for a very long time in the world, with plenty children in poverty, he is not better than the person who is dead. If someone have money and children and died prematurely it is not a thing of glory because, such person is not qualified to be an ancestor.

Therefore, those three goodness or blessings are the hearthstones of Yorùbá concept of vitality in life, which they usually pray for.

It has been shown in the verbal art of Òşun that the three blessings that human beings are pursuing in life could be given by Òşun. The devotees of Òşun do show this when they worship Òşun, especially during the weekly annual worship. After the Votary maid had carried the calabash to the main shrine at the riverside, the Ìyá Òşun and Àwòrò Òşun will begin to perform the sacrifice, and they pray to Òşun thus:

Órè Yèyé o! - Gracious mother

35 In Yorùbá cosmology all deformed children such as lame, deaf, dumb and even the albino are regarded as the children of Òrì.,sà. This is because they believe that children are moulded by Òrìsàńlá - who shapes the head of children in the womb before they were born. Secondly, it is believed that, those deformed children are special children to Òrì.,sà who moulds them and they are regarded as special beings.

The above verbal art of Òşun is part of the prayers of Òşun devotees during their worship. It is indicated in this poetry that, the devotees of Òşun believe strongly that Òşun can provide the three types of blessings - money, children and long life for them. Apart from this, the devotees of Òşun believe that, when they pray to Òşun on behalf of other people who need the help of Òşun, she will hearken to their voices. In their petition, they told Òşun not to give disabled children to them but good (perfect) children.

It is also revealing in the verbal art of Òşun that every woman can still procreate by the help of Òşun. To Òşun, there is no closed case for any woman. Age or menopause is not a barrier to fertility for Òşun. One of her oríkì says:

My sneaky mother who kills the fowls of Ìwó people Adétayùn says human beings are more than àbíkú, Every old person can still give birth to child)

Adétayùn is another name for Òşun. The above oríkì Òşun shows that however long somebody is being afflicted by àbíkú; there is hope in Òşun as the goddess who can stop the menaces of àbíkú. Also, however old a woman is, Òşun can still make it possible for such a woman to be pregnant and give birth to a child by the help of Òşun. This then shows that Òşun does not only put an end to àbíkú, she is also a goddess of fertility. To her, there is no closed case in regards to fertility and procreation. One of the major reasons why she has many followers is because of her association with fertility. She is a goddess of fertility who has the potency of removing shame of barrenness and infertility from women. That is why they pray to her thus:

Yèyé gbómọ fún mi jó Ìyá tí kò léegun tí kò léjè Òşun Àyílà gbà mí o N ò lénìkan

Ẹni a ní níí gbani.

(Mother, give me baby which I will dance with The mother without neither bone nor blood, Òşun the saviour, save me.

I have nobody to save me His/her deity saves one)

36 Ìwó is a community in Òşun state of Nigeria where Òşun is also worshipped.

This prayer shows the faith and the fate of Òşun devotees in her as the goddess who can bless them with children.

It is the tradition of Yorùbá woman to dance with their babies as a form of lulling whenever they are crying. Therefore, the faith of the devotee who said the above prayer in Òşun is very high. She has been using eye of faith to claim the child, which Òşun will give her, which she will dance with.

Also, it portrays her absolute and unwavering faith in Òşun, who will remove the reproach and shame of barrenness from her so that she can have a child to dance with. Òşun is described as “the one who digs the sand to bring out money”. This is showing Òşun as a successful businesswoman.

The devotees of Òşun believe that they resemble their mother - Òşun. Not only this, she is the one they believe that has the power to bless them with prosperity in diverse forms - blessings of money, children and long life. At times, in the songs of many devotees and those looking unto her for blessings of the womb, they praise her as they pray to her. One of such songs of prayers goes thus:

Yèyé bá mi şe é ! Yèyé Òşun ò!

Yèyé Ọlómọyọyọ Yèyé wá bá mi şe é!

(Mother, do it for me Mother Òşun,

Mother of plenty children.

Mother, come and do it for me!)

The above song is also showing Òşun as a goddess of fertility, the one who can bless people with children because she has plenty of them. They trust solely in her as the one who can give them children. In conclusion, it is the fate and faith of Òşun devotees and many others who belong to other religions such as Islam and Christianity that Òşun has the power to bless them by giving children to the barren, health to the sick and prosperity to the poor. During the annual worship of Òşun in Òşogbo, the people who appear at the bank of the river praying, drinking Òşun water, pouring it on their heads and those who bring personal ritual or sacrifice to the river are plenty and more than the few people who are the consistent devotees. This act is pointing to their faith in Òşun as a goddess of productivity, vitality and fertility who occupies an important place and space in the community and far beyond.