A week after the Sallah festivities, yours sincerely was roused from afternoon siesta by some commotion on the street. A goat was bleating in distress in the distance with a distraught old woman screaming and raining curses on the poor animal. Lo! It was Mama Igosun dragging the Sallah goat yours sincerely had bought for her through the streets while heaping imprecations and indignities on the fellow.

One would have thought that a ram bought for Sallah would have become victual history a week after the Sallah celebrations, but not so. Mama had actually cajoled one to buying a hefty ram for her by announcing that she was tri-religious, being a worshipper of Orisa Oko, a faithful adherent of Islam religion and a worshipper of Christ all at the same time. “Na Saadatu be my name before I follow my husband go join dem Alakatakiti (Ancient Yoruba name for Cherubim and Seraphim Church members). Even your yeye mother him name be Moriamo!”, she charged at one.

Despite her bellicose tone the fact remains that she observed both religions in the breach, going  neither to the church nor observing Muslim prayer rituals. When questioned she will respond with a sneer. “Bo se wuni laa se imale eni, abi no be so?” (We practise our Islam the way we choose). Upon being asked about the whereabouts of the goat on Sallah day, the old woman retorted that she had forwarded it to Alale for onward distribution among ancestors.

But the mystery cleared last Friday as mama barged into the room, screaming “Akanbi, Akanbi!! You no see this dem yeye goat? Nonsense animal. Common Godogodo goat him no fit fight. He come pretend to reverse but he come vamoose go run under dem butcher’s table. Naim I come drag am out”, the old woman chanted breathlessly.

“Mama, what is going on?” snooper asked in alarm.

“Na goat dey fight goat for market. Godogodo goat, Ibo goat, Yoruba goat, Kukuruku goat, Kanakana goat dem all dey fight. Na Okon be organiser and referee”, Mama cried.

“I see, what a great allegory!”snooper sighed and sank back.

The Nation