By
Obododimma
Oha
So much has
been written by experts in African Traditional Religions on the Yoruba
prankster deity, Esu (Elegba), one key issue being the argument that the
divinity is not the same as the Western or Christian “Satan” or translated as
such, as done by Samuel Ajayi Crowther and others. We have a similar argument
in the research of Damian Opata, a professor at University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Opata argues that “Ekwensu” as translated in Igbo is not the Devil, that
Ekwensu is an Igbo divinity. What appears to give a little credence to
Opata’s argument is the naming of one ancient masquerade from Uri “Ekwensu.”
Why would a masquerade, known for enacting mayhem, want to be called “Ekwensu”? Could it be a Christian influence? Maybe the masquerade wants to instill fear, to make terror its trademark, since it was known for causing mayhem. So, its name signifies its ways! Even Chinua Achebe mentions this Ekwensu in Arrow of God when he narrates a
congregation of dangerous masquerades, following the “killing” (de-robing) of one masquerade by the zealous Enoch in the novel. But the issue here really is not about Esu or Ekwensu being Satan or
not. Just a worthwhile background. What is exciting is the iconicity of some
noteworthy capacities of Esu in Yoruba indigenous narratives. One is interested
in the following four areas, even though Esu has numerous worthwhile representations
that one can explore: the formless form, the perpetual Outsider, the menacing sexuality, and the unique cranial shape of the knower.
The formless
form should interest many, mainly because it is paradoxical. We could just call
it “formlessness,”but is good to recognise this formlessness as form too. So,
our preference is the paradoxical
because it exposes Esu’s major orientation to unpredictability. That is
also why Esu is feared, even by other divinities. He could be male at one
point, and female at another; he could be gigantic at a point, but sit in a
smallish nut and still be comfortable! Relevant sections of Ifa corpus or other traditional narratives that feature Esu do not fail to show that the form of the deity is
formless --- for a frightening reason! This means that we fall victims to
Esu’s craft in our discourses if we identify the divinity as male or female
specifically, or when we are comfortable with the deity’s magnification or
miniaturization! Esu could assume any form, at least, because Esu is Esu!
The
representation of Esu as a perpetual Outsider also intrigues. In fact, it is
also a narrative on Esunetics (thinking of Hermeneutics?) found in many Yoruba cultural practices. Is it
naming ceremony, traditional wedding, etc? The Outsider stays out, but has to
be settled first, has to be bribed not to get to work to enact Esuness. So, Esu
is appeased through a sacrifice first, to agree to remain outside.
The idea of
the outsider comes through in our postcolonial debates, even in our discussion
on where some fit in as far as English speaking is concerned. Was that not why
Braj Kacrhu classified Nigeria in the Outer Circle of English? That was even
the use of a comparative degree. It is possible that some in the “Outer Circle”
have moved into the Inner Circle, while some of the “Outer Circle” have lost
their inclusion, becoming of the Expanding Circle where English is used to
facilitate commerce, education, etc, even losing colonial closeness!
The point,
however, is that, as an outsider, one stays outside and may long for what is
inside. The outsider is alienated and could turn this disadvantage to
aggression. As an outsider, Esu receives his sacrifice outsider the
territory.That is clearly a mapping and a restriction. He may not like it. But
this divinity turns the outsider status to an advantage. Being an outsider, the
divinity has the advantage of being a panopticon, an observatory and monitor
for who and who go inside or come out. In a sense, the divinity is a
gate-keeper, as clearly represented at Foret Sacre, Ouidah, Benin Republic,
where he sits outside, at the entrance to the forest where other divinities
are.
Does he just
sit at the entrance, insulted like any other gate-keeper and sometimes acting
comic? NO; he sports something powerful. He sports a powerful weapon in his
stiffly erect penis! It is as if the sculptor is saying through him. “Pass
through Esu or get seriously fucked up!” Feminists are not wrong in idealizing
the penis of the male rapist as a weapon. Dictators can also rape a republic
with guns as we have known in history. Well, Esu’s erect penis confronts your
gaze as you enter. It is a harassing erectness. Try to complain and you could
really get fucked up the Esu way (Is that slangy and modern? Remember, the deity is both a hip-hop lover and an Ebenezer Obey Old-schoolman!). So, the erect penis at the entrance is also a
visual warning!
Well, other
divinities could even get fucked up, euphemistically humbled by Esu the
prankster divinity. The relevant word here is “menace” and has to be interpreted positively, for our
safety (otherwise we could be specimens). Here again the paradox surfaces: pleasure in pain or pleasurable pain. Does the deployment of an erect pain in rape not signify a painful pleasure? Is that uncertainty, that irony not evident in the personality of Esu?
Generally,
Esu is a special knower, and everyone needs to acknowledge this. And how does
this status feature in the configuration of Esu in traditional Yoruba visual
culture? In ancient societies, as we could even find in the criminology of
Cesare Lombroso, the head structure is viewed as an index to the capacity of the head.
Criminals (doubtfully) are seen as having unique head structures (and clowns,
too). Well, this is not acceptable now, for it is not scientific. Well, the
enormous knowledge that Esu wields, which helps him to play pranks even on
other deities, is generalized or represented in the elongated head structure
sometimes given to the deity. But the reality is that head structure is
dependent on the nature of maternal care and molding at early stage in life
and even those which smallish or well-molded head structures could be very clever, sometimes cleverer that
those with elongated, oblong skulls. Anyway, Esu is special and needs to be
eulogized, even flattered. Let us hope that this flattery would not offend the
unpredictable divinity!
The
iconizations of Esu point towards one thing: they are attempts to manage the
prankster deity’s fearsome nature. But does this not amount to falling in his
trap?
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