Man Playing Wedding During a Wedding Ceremony in Nigeria
“The constant soldier is never unready, even once/ This was the teaching of Ifa for Igbin, the snail, the courteous one./ Who was going to engage Ekun, the leopard in a sudden fight./ They said that Ekun was always ready for battle, and that Igbin should not engage him. One whom we cannot engage in battle, we leave to the Lord of Heaven” -Owonrin Otura, Sacred Verse of Ifa
This passage from our sacred texts sums up how I feel – or what I've become after being on the journey of this film for so long – a warrior who has become conditioned by time and adversity to stop at nothing. A warrior that has been conditioned by the elders in Africa to zero in on a target – and to remain focused until we hit that target. No matter what obstacles appear along the way – no matter how many times the warrior might be abandoned – or “left for dead.”
There is no vision without fire – the fire of adversity – the fire of doubt, the fire of loss – yet I believe the fire of our vision makes us better people – stronger and more resourceful. All who dare to fulfill the dream they've been entrusted with must befriend fire – and warriorship. What fire are you willing to confront? When?