/ETSAKOR PROVERBS
/ETSAKOR PROVERBS
ETSAKOR DIALECT:
Alimhi, aimhi obor ( ogor obor ); lor le rer se orai.
TRANSLATION:
The alimhi deity climbs a tree with the left hand.
MEANING:
This Proverb is a warning against false worship. It warns against the vanity in such an exercise, since they will be disappointed at judgement; which is often a miscarriage of judgement.
LIFE APPLICATION:
This Proverb is rich in allusions. It shows that even in the dark ages, there was always light, through the knowledge about the worship of the True God. Here, in Africa and other parts of the world, paganism manifested in many societies; in the form of atheism, animism, spiritualism and many other types of idolatry practices.
The word alimhi as it is used in this context; refers to the idolatry worship of a deified ancestral spirits. This type of spiritualism is false worship. 'The Tree' referred to, in the Proverb, means Judgement. And 'climbing the tree means adjudication or the dispensation of judgement. That is, to say, vindication of or the rewards for the Just; and the punishment for the Guilty.
Obviously, this Proverb is critical of the hope for judgement from such a false worship. The more reason the tree of judgement is approached from the wrong side - the left hand! In many cases, it amounts to either a miscarriage of Justice or punishes the innocent through transferred aggression. This system of worship brings disappointment to the worshippers in the end.
Now, Osinergba is the Almighty God. The word Ogherna, means God. Osi is the word for Lord. Ersi is used to mean Angel. Ersi Okhui means Heavenly Angel.These are some of the words which distinguish the True worship from false or idolatry religions. Other words which identify false worship include: ershi, erkpa, olitsa, ersinergba, ershinergba etc. In Etsakor , the type of beliefs system of the people, is always reflected in the names they bear or recorded in the Proverbs of the Edo People .
Practical illustration with a common case in many communities. A woman is suspected to have committed adultery. This accusations comes up because the husband is sick; which sickness defies all known cures. Therefore, in this false worship, a priest is summoned to investigate the problem. Certainly, under normal circumstances, the wife is bound to refute such allegations; whether the allegations are true or false. Ironically, the priest hopes to obtain confession of guilt of adultery from the wife through exorcism, which often maybe vicious and cruel!
Funny enough, a child in the family dies accidentally. And the priest comes up once again, alleging that the wife of the sick husband must confess to the crime of adultery. He connects the accidental death of their child to the refusal of the wife to confess her crime! Now, assuming that the priest was right. An innocent child has died for the adultery, he didn't commit. Yet, the sick husband has not recovered from the illness. This Proverb criticizes these types of frustrations or disappointments common in false religions.
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