Kọ́jọ́dá; Yorùbá New Year

In January, we wished friends, loved-ones a happy prosperous new year after the end of the Gregorian calender. 

GREGORIAN CALENDER

But do you know that Yorùbá has its indigenous calender? Even a Yorùbá new year, have you ever heard that?

That's right, we have our new year; ọdún tuntun,  distinct  from the Gregorian or Christian (onígbàgbó) and the Muslim (ìmàle) Hijra new year.

For your information, the Yorùbá  calender is called Kọ́jọ́dá. Traditionally, every 3rd day in June; Òkúdù is the entrance of a Yorùbá  new year. Approximately, year 2014 on the Yorùbá Kọ́jọ́dá will be ọdún 10056. Kọ́jọ́dá means may the day be foreseen. 

2008 KỌ́JỌ́DÁ BY REMI-NIYI ALARAN

Our ancestors - irúnmọlẹ̀ have used the traditional Kọ́jọ́dá to foresee dates ọjọ́, festivals àjọ̀dún  and ceremonies ayẹyẹ in time past (ayé àti). 

Gradual lost - (ì)pàdánù ní pele ní pele of 'our forefathers' baba ńlá wa heritage stems from the increase, varied European òyìnbó efforts ìyànjú, policies - ètò to make Africa forget gbàgbé our root (àṣà ìbílẹ̀ wa).

We know that the world over - a mọ̀ pé kárí ayé, the moon; òṣùpá serve ni as a means knowing time; aago in the olden days láyé ijọ́hun, and the sun oòrùn was the day time ojú ọjọ́ while the moon is night alẹ́. This was how the days were divided into day-night. 

As the western culture is been imbibed by my people, our Kọ́jọ́dá was replaced, let to die for the Gregorian calender dates - ìṣe òyìnbó tó rinlẹ̀ ló mú kí a máa lo ìlànà ọjọ́ọ Gregorian dípòo tiwa n tiwa.

GREGORIAN CALENDER GOT TO AFRICA; EGYPT IN 1875 (COURTESY TONDERING.DK )

Four days make up a week in the Yorùbá calender (Kọ́jọ́dá) - Ọjọ́ mẹ́rin ni ọ̀sẹ̀ kan nílẹ̀ Yoòbá. Each day (ọjọ́ kànànkan is dedicated to a honour a deity or another (sì jẹ́ ọjọ́ ìbọ̀rìṣà kan), this correlates with modern day days of the week.

Deity (òrìṣà) of each Yorùbá day

• First day of the week - Ọjọ́ kìníníọ̀sẹ̀ 

- Dedicated to honour Ọbàtálá (ọjọ́ ìbọ Ọbàtálá; Sọ̀pànná; Ìyáàmi; Egúngún)

• Second day of the week - Ọjọ́ kejìọ̀sẹ̀

- A day for Ọ̀rúnmìlà: Èṣu; Ifá; Ọ̀ṣun (ọjọ́ fún Ọ̀rúnmìlà: Èṣu; Ifá; Ọ̀ṣun)

• Third day of the week - Ọjọ́ kẹta ọ̀sẹ̀  

- Day reserved for Ògún; Oṣoosì (ọjọ́ òrìṣà  Ògún; Oṣoosì)

• Fouth day of the week - Ọjọ́ kẹrin ọ̀sẹ̀  

- Dedicated to honour Ṣàǹgó; and wife Ọya (ọjọ́ fún òòṣà Ṣàǹgó, Ọya) 

The above shows which òòṣà is worshiped daily. Also, from January to December the 12 months have dedicated òrìṣà  festivals.  Later, the Kọ́jọ́dá had to be adjusted to synchronize with the modern calender with seven days (ọjọ́ méje), five working days - ọjọ́ òwò ṣíṣe márùn ún, two weekends - ọjọ́ ìsinmi méjì.

Sunday ► ọjọ́ Àìkú/ọjọ́-ọ̀sẹ̀/àko-ọjọ́ (day of immortality/first day of the week).

Monday ► ọjọ́ Ajé (day of profit, interest. Day Ajé came to ayé)

Tuesday ► ọjọ́ Ìṣẹ́gun (day of victory)

Wednesday ► ọjọ́ rírú (day of sacrifice)

Thursday ► ọjọ́ rúbọ;ọjọ́bọ (day of new creation, new dawn)

Friday ► ọjọ́ Ẹtì  (day of deadlock)

Saturday ► ọjọ́ Àbámẹ́ta (day of three motions/suggestions)

Having said earlier - bí mo ṣe sọ níṣàájú, we have ọjọ́ méje a week but the Yorùbá Kọ́jọ́dá has four - mẹ́rin. We have 91 weeks (ọ̀sẹ̀ àádọ́run-lé-mẹ́ta) on the Kọ́jọ́dá and 52 weeks (ọ̀sẹ̀ àádọ́taléméjì  on the western calender.

From these analysis - pẹ̀lú àlàyé yìí, the Yorùbá new year ọdún tuntun commences bẹ̀rẹ̀ ní June 3rd to end June 2nd of another year i.e June 3, 2014 to June 2, 2015 (ọjọ́ kẹ́ta oṣù Òkúdù sí ọjọ́ kejì oṣù Òkúdù ọdún tó ń bọ̀).

May i use this moment to wish you a happy Yorùbá new year - mo kíi yín kú ọdún tuntun.

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Check out www.yobamoodua.org for more on Yorùbá education and information.

New Year Resolution; Ta Ló Ń Pa Á Mọ́

Ìpinnu Ọdún Tuntun

Bitter kola grows every year, walnuts are annually, also are kola nuts found yearly. So is the new year resolution this days.

Ọdọọdún là ń rórógbó, ọdọọdún là ń r'áwùsá, bẹ́ẹ̀, ọdọọdún là ń bá ọmọ obì lórí àtẹ. Bẹ́ẹ̀ gẹ́lẹ́ ni ti ìpinnu ọdún tuntun jẹ́ láyé òde òní.

In churches, new year resolution is a requisite as we approach a new year.

Ní ṣọ́ọ̀ṣì, tipá ti túláàsì ni ìpinnu ọdún tuntun bí a bá ti fẹ́ mú ọdún tuntun. 

Kí wá ni ìpinnu ọdún tuntun ní pàtó? Ìpinnu ọdún tuntun ni ìlànà ìṣe, iṣẹ́, ìgbésẹ̀ àti ìwùwàsí tí ènìyàn fẹ́ẹ́ tọ̀ nínú ọdún tuntun. 

What is new year resolution? New year resolution is the procedure, work, steps and behaviour that one intends to follow in the fresh year.


Ìpinnu ọdún tuntun dà bíi ìwé àtọ́sọ́nà a sì lè pè é ni àkọmọ̀nà fún ọdún tuntun. Bóyá láti jáwọ́ nínú ìwà pálapàla kan ni, ṣe àtúnṣe àṣemáṣe tàbí láti bẹ̀ẹ̀rẹ iṣẹ́ tuntun kan ni, èyí ni àtọ́sọ́nà tí a mọ̀ sí ìpinnu ọdún tuntun.

New year resolution could be compared with a master plan, we can also call it watchword for the new year. Whether to halt a bad habit, remedy a mistake, this is the master plan known as new year resolution.

Ọdọọdún sì làkọmọ̀nà ma ń yípadà, tọdún nìí yàtọ̀ sí tèṣì, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni tọdún yìí kò lè jọ tọdún tó ń bọ̀. Tèní ò jọ tàná ni. Àmọ́ ṣá, mélòó ń'nú wa ló ń pa ìpinnu ọdún tuntun ọ̀hún mọ́?

Watchword changes yearly, this year's own is different from the previous year, also this year's revolution  or watchword will not be the same as next year's own. Today's is not same as tomorrow's. But, how many among us keep our resolutions?

Ibi tí a ti sọ ọ́ ló mọ ní ọ̀pọ̀ ìgbà, àwọn mìíràn sì gbìyànjú di bíi oṣù méjì sí mẹ́ta kí wọ́n tó ju ọwọ́ ìpinnu tuntun sílẹ̀ tí wọ́n bá tiwọn lọ. Ìwọ ń tìẹ, ọmọ pupa lo yàn láàyò, ní ti eré oríi bẹ́ẹ̀dì, ọ̀gá lọ̀gáa Múdà ńjẹ́. 

It all ends where it was said, some were dogged, tried it for two to three months before they let go the resolution. You, its fair ladies you like to date, for the bed game, the master of the game you are.

O ní o kò ní gbé obìin mọ́ lọ́dún tuntun, "ó jẹ́ pupa o, ó jẹ́ dúdú o, n ò jẹ́ tún padà sínú ìwà àbùkù." Kò pẹ́ kò jìnà nínú ọdún tuntun, kàkà kó sàn lára ìyáa àjẹ́, ọmọge dúdú àti pupa dáràn lọ́wọ́ ẹ̀gbọ́n jagunlabí agbẹ́nu lé gàná. 

You said you will stop promiscuity in the new year, "if its fair, if its dark, i will not return to immoral attitudes." Still early in the new year, instead of sticking to the gun, all the ladies are in trouble.

Ǹjẹ́ ìwọ pa ìpinnu ọdún tuntun jẹ rí?
Àbí ìwọ tẹ̀lẹ́ ìpinnu ọdún tuntun láti ìbẹ̀ẹ̀rẹ̀ ọdún dé ìparí? Nínú ìṣe, ìwùwàsí àti bẹ́ẹ̀ bẹ́ẹ̀ lọ tí o kó sínú ìpinnu ọdún tuntun rẹ, ó tó mélòó to mú di múmúṣẹ? 

Do you keep your new year resolution?
Or you abide by the new year resolution from the beginning of the year to the end? 
In manners, attitude and many more in your new year resolution, how many did you bring to fruition?

O ní igi cìgá méjì ló fẹ́ máa mu lóòjọ́ lọdún tuntun, o gbìyànjú fún oṣù kan, nígbà tí ó di oṣù kejì, ìpinnu ọdún ti yẹ̀, cìgá fífàa rẹ̀ lóòjọ́ ti kọjáa iye tí ó ń fà tẹ́lẹ̀.

You claimed to smoke a stick of cigarette daily, you tried for a month, in the next month, the new year resolution has been abandoned, your daily cigarette intake have increased than what you consume before.

Ní ìmọ̀ràn kékerée tèmi, ò bá dára ko wẹ̀yìn wò kí o mọ ibi tí bàtà ti ń ta ọ́ lẹ́sẹ̀, tí o ti ṣì ṣe tàbí tasẹ̀ àgẹ̀rẹ̀, kí o sì kọ ọ́ sílẹ̀.

In my little opinion, it will be nice to know where the shoe itches, where you have done wrong, and write it down.

Lẹ́yìn èyí, ṣe ìpinnu ọ̀hún tí o fẹ́ mú ṣẹ lọ́dún tuntun, kọ̀yí náà sílẹ̀ pẹ̀lú. Mú ìgbà tí o lérò wípé ìpinnuù rẹ á di múmúṣẹ, kọ̀yí sílẹ̀ bákan náà. Gbọ́ o, kíkọ àwọn ìgbésẹ̀ rẹ sílẹ̀ nìkan kọ́ o, gbìyànjú láti ṣiṣẹ́ bá ìpinnuù rẹ.

After this, make a resolution on what you want to achieve in the new year, write this down also. Pick a date/time to achieve your plan, write this down as well. Listen, it is not only writing down this plans but ensuring it is brought to fulfillment.

Àyà fi Olúwa nìkan ló lè ràn wá ṣe ní ti ìpinnu ọdún tuntun dé, torípé ṣàṣà ènìyàn ló ń pa á mọ́. Àbí irọ́ ni? Kíni ìpinnu ọdún tuntun ùn rẹ fún ọdún un #2014?

Only God can help us all with new year resolution, because virtually everyone of us fail to keep our resolutions. Or is it a lie? What is your new year resolution for the year #2014) 


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