Lozikeyi Dlodlo - ọbabìnrin tó ja ogun pẹ̀lú British (the queen who waged war against the British)
Ẹ jẹ ká sọ̀rọ̀ nípa Queen Lozikeyi Dlodlo láti fi hàn pé àwọn obìnrin aláwọ̀ dúdú ti kópa pàtàkì nínú ìlàkàkà òmìnira àdúláwọ̀.
Let's talk about Queen Lozikeyi Dlodlo to show the important role that black women have played in the black struggle for freedom.
Lozikeyi Dlodlo jẹ́ ọbabìnrin Ndebele tó lágbára. Wọn bí i ni nǹkan bí ọdún 1850 ni orílẹ̀-èdè tí a mọ̀ sì Zimbabwe báyìí.
Lozikeyi Dlodlo was a powerful Ndebele queen. She was born around 1850 in modern day Zimbabwe.
Ó wá lati inú ìdílé tó tọjú ojúbọ ogun ti wọ́n pè ní "Red Axe". Wọn sì lè pè òjò.
She came from a family that were caretakers of a military shrine called "Red Axe". They we're also capable of calling the rain (rainmakers).
Lẹ́yìn náà, ó fẹ́ Ọba Lobhengula. Ó sì di ọbabìnrin àwọn Ndebele.
She went on to marry King Lobhengula and became queen of the Ndebele.
Ó ṣe pàtàkì láti mọ̀ pé nínú àṣà Ndebele, àwọn obìnrin wà ní ipò nlá. Èyí sì yàtọ̀ sí àṣà Òyìnbó.
It's important to note that in Ndebele culture, woman held very powerful positions, unlike European culture.
Bí àpẹẹrẹ, wọ́n pè ọbabìnrin tó lágbára jùlọ ní "Unina Womunzi" tí ó túmọ̀ sí "ìyá gbogbo àgbáyé".
For example, they called the most powerful queen "Unina Womunzi" which means "mother of the nation".
Ní ọdún 1983, Ilé iṣẹ British South Africa kọlù àwọn Ndebele láti jí wúrà, màlúù, ati ilẹ̀ wọ́n. BSAC ṣẹ́gun àwọn Ndebele, Ọba Lobhengula sá lọ, Lozikeyi sì di ọba.
In 1983, the British South Africa Company
attacked the Ndebele to steal their gold, cattle, and land. BSAC defeated the Ndebele, Ọba Lobhengula fled, and Lozikeyi became king.
Lẹ́yìn tí BSAC ti ṣẹ́gun Ọba Lobhengula, wọ́n ò lérò pé obìnrin lè di ọba, nítorí náà, Lozikeyi múra ogun míràn sílẹ̀ ní ìkọ̀kọ̀. Ó kó àwọn ọmọ ogun tó ju ẹgbẹ̀rún mẹ́wàá lọ jọ.
After BSAC defeated Ọba Lobhengula, they didn't think that a woman could become king, therefore Lozikeyi was able to prepare for another war in secret. She raised an army of more than 10,000 soldiers.
Ní March 24, 1896, wọ́n tún kọlù BSAC. Wọ́n bẹ̀rẹ̀ ogun l'ọjọ́ tí òṣùpá jáde, nítorí pé àwọn tó ń pè òjò ní agbára tó pọ̀ l'ásìkò yìí. Ogun yìí parí pẹ̀lú àdéhùn àlàáfíà láàárín BSAC àti Ndebele.
On March 24th, 1896, they attacked the BSAC. They started the war on a fullmoon, because the rainmakers had the most power at this time. This war ended with a peace treaty (temporary) between the Ndebele and BSAC.
Ẹ jẹ́ ká rántí ìgboyà Lozikeyi Dlodlo!
Let's remember the courage of Lozikeyi Dlodlo!
Vocabulary words:
fi hàn to show
ìlàkàkà struggle
òmìnira freedom
àdúláwọ̀ black person
kópa to take part in
agbára power
pàtàkì important
ìdílé family/clan
tọjú to take care of
òjò rain
yàtọ̀ sí to be different from
àṣà culture
wúrà gold
màlúù cow
ilẹ̀ land
sá ro run
di to become
nítorí náà therefore
múra sílẹ̀ to prepare
ogun war
míràn another
ẹgbẹ̀rún mẹ́wàá 10,000
jù lọ to be more than
òṣùpá the moon
jáde to come out
àsìkò time
parí to finish
àdéhùn àlàáfíà peace treaty
About the author:
I am a black person from the diaspora who is learning the Yorùbá language to reconnect with my ancestors and decolonize my mind. This is the first of many such writings.