ỌDẸ-
Ọ: stands for someone,
something and DẸ: is to
trap, therefore in simple English Ọdẹ is 'he who traps'.
Ọdẹ, the
fierce man who travels in the depth of the forest at night while everyone
sleeps. He calls on Òrúnmìlà; òrìsà of
protection to guide him. He makes offering to Ògún; òrìsà of strength agbára, endurance, and perseverance ìfaradà to be with him in the dark of the night.
He also
talks with Oṣossì; òrìṣà of animals so as to bring him ẹran ìgbẹ́; games. The ọdẹ usually go into the bush in group to hunt for ẹranko ìgbẹ́; game to be feast on at the great ceremony. When in group, the they sing ìjálá (song of the ọdẹ) accompanied with the bàtá drums and dance.
The
book ÒGBÓJÚ ỌDẸ NÍNÚ IGBÓ IRÚNMỌLÈ̩ (FOREST OF A THOUSAND DAEMONS) written by D.O Fágúnwà, exposes what the ọdẹ goes through in the wild aginjù.
Ọdẹ is important in the Yoruba set-up as he provides food;
meat which he either feeds-on with his family or sells to the community. He
adds to the growth ìdàgbàsókè of the economy ọrọ̀-ajé through his sales of animals, its hide; awọ,
horns ìwo, tusk eyín-erin etc
The Ògbójú Ọdẹ for
his bravery ìgbójú is sometimes promoted by the Ọba: king
to become one of the warriors of the Yoruba Empire. Most jagunjagun (warriors)
who protects the land were once hunters.
Ọfà àti ọrún: bow, arrows, àdá: cutlass, ọ̀bẹ:
knife, ìfúnpá: amulets
are some of the tools of an ọdẹ used in hunting. The charms
are needed to rescue themselves from the wild beasts and animals when it calls
for it.
In the cold òtútú of the night alẹ́, full of beasts and
demons ànjọ̀nú looking for whom to devour, the ọdẹ is in his hide out
watching out for ẹran ìgbẹ́ to trap. He monitors the animals’
movement so as to trap it.
For memories ìrántí, most of the awọ:
hides, ìwo: horns are kept, hung in the house as decoration
(ohun ọ̀ṣọ́). Hunting in ìgbẹ́: forest,
is a tasking job.
And indeed, the ọdẹ is a great man. Don't you think so?
