18/06/2026
Odo Tó Bá Gbagbé Orísun Ẹ̀, Ò Ṣe Tán Áti Gbẹ
There was once a river called Ayanfẹ. It flowed majestically through villages and farmlands, bringing life to crops, animals, and people. Wherever the river passed, prosperity followed. The people praised Ayanfẹ and spoke of its greatness.
As years passed, the river began to boast.
“Look at me,” it said. “I am powerful. Farmers depend on me. Children play in me. Traders cross me. Without me, this land would suffer.”
One day, an old tortoise sitting by the riverbank smiled and asked, “Do you remember where your journey began?”
The river laughed. “Why should I? I am too great to worry about a tiny spring hidden in the hills.”
The tortoise replied, “A river that forgets its source forgets the secret of its own existence.”
But Ayanfẹ paid no attention.
Seasons changed. Trees around the hills that fed the river were cut down. The little spring that gave birth to Ayanfẹ became weak. Because the river no longer valued its origin, no one protected it. Gradually, the flow of water reduced.
The mighty river began to shrink. The once-deep waters became shallow streams. Farms dried up. Fish disappeared. Villagers looked on in disappointment.
Only then did Ayanfẹ remember the humble spring in the hills.
“If I had cared for my source,” the river lamented, “I would not be drying up today.”
The tortoise returned and said, “Greatness does not come from forgetting where you started. It comes from honoring it.”
From that day, the villagers protected the spring and replanted trees around it. Slowly, the river regained its strength and continued its journey, this time with humility.
Moral: “Odo tó bá gbàgbé orísun ẹ̀, ò ṣe tán áti gbẹ” — A river that forgets its source will eventually dry up. No matter how successful we become, we must never forget our roots, those who helped us, and the values that brought us to where we are.
Mayor©️2026
