Yoruba: civilizations built on cultural values.

It has been rightly said that no scientist goes into his/her work laboratory without taking his culture along. Every society is built by guiding principles or values which cover every aspect of human activities within the particular society. Some civilizations are built on deceit and deception, greed, bloodshed, manipulation etc that is who they are, their worldview. It will never change.

For us Yoruba people our civilizations starting from Ife empire 1000 CE to the Oyo Empire of 16th century all the way to Ibadan empire of 1829 to 1893 was fundamentally built not by the power of arms but by cultural values which instills truthful hard work. Our songs, proverbs, folklore etc are social control mechanisms which help to reveal evils in corruption and persuade against such behaviour.

Take for example these proverbs

“Okanjuwa baba arun” (Covetousness the father of sicknesses)

“Okanjuwa baba ole, àwòrònsòsò wo ohun olohun ma sęju” ( a covetous person is the chief of thieves, bug-eye person stares at another's possession without blinking)

“Okanjuwa pelu ole deedee ni won ję” (Covetousness and stealing are peers)

These Yoruba sayings all frown at Covetousness thereby teaching contentment. In our worldview, Covetousness is the worst of all human shortcomings.

“There is no doubt that the concept of Iwa (character) is crucial to the definition of beauty in Yoruba thought”(Abiodun 1983:13).A person who is outwardly beautiful but inwardly ugly or lack good character is called awóbowa (skin covers character).

Our ancestors who built or earliest civilizations were people of excellent characters, Oranmiyan Omoluabi Ódęde the only recognised son of Oduduwa to ever rule Ifę who is also Ifę greatest military ruler might have introduced Omoluabi into Yoruba philosophy. The Omoluabi concept frown at excessive opportunism, stealing of public funds, encourages hard work, good name/reputation and good character. Hence the following sayings

“Oruko ęni ni i jęri ęni lokeere” (one's reputation is one's witness everywhere)

“Oruko rere lęgbon oyè” (a good name is senior to titles)

“ęni ba jale léèkan, bo ba fàrán ogun òké bora, aşo ole ló wò” ( whoever stole once, if draped in velvet cloth, is draped in stolen cloth)

“Omode ji ti oju orun wa, o ni akara meji meji, ka ni won ti mu u bęę ko to ji, ko ni ba ikan” ( a child wakes from sleep and says in code; ‘bean cakes two-by-two’. Had others been taken them thus before he woke , he wouldn't have met any).

Our leaders have always been Omoluabi, epitome of good character and values, brave hearts and innovative, people who don't back down from bullies and oppressors yet maintaining our identity and spirituality because “odo to ba gbagbe orisun, gbigbę lo ma gbę” ( a river that forgets its source will dry up). We are classy, we don't claim other people's space, it's not in our blood, our culture forbids one taking what does not belong to one. We are civilization builders, it runs in our DNA. Even in the modern world we keep building our cities and competing tactically and we are not stopping any time soon even in the face of fierce oppositions we are still building and welcoming strangers.

We are Omoluabi, we are akinkanju.