AMBASSADOR
OLAREWAJU OMIYINKA AKA BABA IJESHA’S CATCH PHRASE AND HIS PLACE IN YORUBA
COMEDY
Famous comedian Mr
Olarenwaju Omiyinka aka Baba Ijesha right from the early 80’s when he made his
grand entry into Yoruba comedy film industry has always carved a niche for
himself has a multi talented artist and comedian.
Although playing the comic
Baba Ijesha every statement he utters in all his films becomes a catch phrase
word among the people apart from evoking laughter.
This outstanding and
versatile comedian burst into our consciousness with his unparallel use of
Yoruba idioms and pity sayings while giving his own interpretation of it. Some
of this include; “Eniyan ki wa kitie ma ba” literally translated to mean: One
cannot be alone without his/her own share of adversity. Equally is the
statement he made popular and which became a trending word when he said “Agba
ni Ere” meaning I am an elderly man in Ariogbosogeri, also his words “Ijesha ni
Ere” meaning I am an Ijesha man. Not left out of this is his admonition to
people who wrong him he says “Ofin Britico ni mo tele” translated to mean: I
follow the British law and ways of life in dealing with people.
Baba Ijesha always invoke
laughter and drop words that are constantly on the lips of lovers of his comedy
like the title of his Yoruba comedy play on BOND FM, Lagos which he calls
“IJESHA PELU TROPHY SAME NAANI” (Meaning Ijesha and trophy are the
same),-(Ijeshaland is where trophy is bred hence it is the same).
Ambassador Lanre Oniyinka
was the first comedian to popularize the lotto business of Chief Kessington
Adebutu in a film where he gave the winning numbers as 46, 01, 09, 64, 14.
He also sang a song now
poplar among his fans……… Fenu Fa epo ki o to le fenu fa epo wase mechno
dada…………………… (meaning - those of you that like using your mouth to draw fuel
(petrol) you’ll first learn the work of mechanic before you draw fuel with your
mouth because you will bath with one keg of it, eat a small amount of carbade
in the process.)
Likewise his word “Ege ko
le ega fie nu tu” (The bird uses its mouth to build a house and at the same
time use it mouth to destroy it, my highly distinguished readers you will not
use your mouth to destroy your house.)
In “mr comedy” he says; “I
don’t want a man with sixteen fingers in my house, a house blessed by Jesus
christ”
To sidi who described his
sleeping like that of somebody sleeping in the grave he responded with this
words “Mo da pada” (Meaning- I send it back to the sender).
In “Iwasu efe” he says
“Odua ni mi tokan tokan” which is the chorus/chant of the members of Odua
People’s Congress. He equally took a shot at corrupt politicians with this
song: Awon to fo ko je resi, E lo sora o, toko ba yan yin le Enu o e ti ro ogo
o. (You that takes delight in using a hoe to eat rice be careful of the hoe
when it pieces your mouth you are in
trouble (metophorically)). On death he says “Everybody has got his/her
own certificate of when he/she is going to die”. “What calamity will befall God
that he will say sango should help him, it can never happen”. “Any fire we use
style to light in order to roast the bald headed vulture it is another bird we
will use it to roast”. Equally in “Iwasu efe” he says “eniba pa inoki lo gbe
ino ki pun” meaning he that kills a chimpanzee will carry it on his neck.
In OBA IJENE he says “Mo withdraw
gbogbo epe to se” (meaning I withdraw all the curses I place on you). In the
same of Obaijene he sings of the fact that God should not to kill mungun so
that alaye will see work to do.
In “Baba Kondisani” Baba
Ijesha comically prayed that what will make a slave to look with scion at
his/her master in a what does he think he is. Manner, may we not experience it.
He equally admonish his
caretaker (Adewale Elesho) by saying “I don’t want all the logistics you are
using for me” meaning he doesn’t accept all his trickish ways. In “Ayodi
tiripple” he replied to the request for his daughter “Mopetola” hand’s in
marriage saying “oyinbo soro ofi thermocool si” meaning the white man speaks
coolly, He also says the white man says Paradexically or dexicallypara.
All his words in his film are trends apart from evoking
laughter which is the hallmark of great comedy plays with over sixty-five plays
centred strictly on comedy which includes “Arugbosogeri”, “Baba soldier”,
“Ifatheology”, “Jogun Jongbon 20/30”, “Mr Jonah”, “Mr Freezer”, “Major Kadara”,
“Alagbe ijo”, “Baba Kondisan”, “Gberu”, “Ayo di tripple”, “Iwasu efe 1-13”,
“Owo Afoju”, “Awada jimoh”, “Abobaku” etc.
You can never watch any of his films without picking
some word that easily becomes catch phrase and abundance of laughter.
Ambassador Olarenwaju James Omiyinka Aka Baba Ijesha
cannot be ignored for his contribution to Yoruba entertainment industry and
society itself.
FOR UNPARREL AND IRRESTIABLE COMEDY LACED WITH LAUGHTER
VISIT HIS YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=BABAIJESHA
