“Ọmọlúàbí”: Relevance of Selected

Yorùbá Proverbs to Moral

Development

Oladiji, Tolulope O., Adeniyi, Funke I., &

Ayandele, Olusola

The Alexander von Humboldt International Conference (Ibadan

Humboldt Kolleg 2020), held at Balogun Conference Centre,
University of Ibadan, Nigeria. February 11 – 14, 2020
Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4003301
 Introduction
• The Yorùbá people are found in Nigeria, Benin
Republic, Ghana, Togo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and
in the US, Brazil etc
• Ọmọlúàbí: “Ọmọ+ tí + Olúwa + bí”, “a child borne
by God”, has the virtues of God (Muyiwa, 2018).
• “Ọmọ+ tí + Olú + ìwà+ bí”: “the baby begotten by
the chief of character” (Fayemi, 2009)
the children of Iwa, the wife of Orunmila
• an “ideal being” (Akinyemi, 2003)
• a “gentleman” (Fadahunsi and Oladipo, 2004)
• a “person with good character” (Akanbi and
Jekayinfa, 2016)
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 Ọmọlúàbí
• Johnson (1921:101) opined that the concept of
“ọmọlúàbí” is the “standard which determines
the morality and the immorality of an act in
Yorùbá society in Africa”.

• An ọmọlúàbí considers how their planned action

will affect them personally, their family and the
community at large.

• The Yorùbá people believed that without the

principles of ọmọlúàbí, “the world will be a very
difficult place to live in” due to vices of different
sorts and disorderliness (Abimbola, 1975).
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 Fundamental principles of Omoluabi
According to Abimbola (1975):
• expert use of language (ọ̀ rọ̀ sísọ̀);
• humility and respect (ìtẹríba);
• goodwill (inú rere);
• truthfulness and honesty (òtítọ́̀);
• good character (ìwa rere);
• bravery and courage (akínkanjú);
• hard work (isé síse);
• intelligence (ọpọlọ̀ pípé)
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 Indigenous Knowledge
• Indigenous Knowledge Is “the cumulative body of strategies,
practices, techniques, tools, intellectual resources,
explanations, beliefs, and values accumulated over time in a
particular locality, without the interference and impositions of
external hegemonic forces” (Emeagwali, 2014).
• African Indigenous Knowledge (AIK) systems and practices are
embodied in initiations, rites and rituals at the various levels of
humankind’s life (Okyere-Manu, 2015).

• AIK is used in ecology, soil, agriculture, technology,

architecture, governance, social welfare, conflict resolution,
music, arts, etc. (e.g. Emeagwali, 2014; Gwimbe, 2014;
Ogundele, and Ebonine, 2010; Zaruwa and Kwaghe, 2014)
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 Indigenous oral knowledge
systems
• ‘Africa’s non-lettered’ elders are, repositories
of valuable primary knowledge, needed for
the decolonization of the African Academy
(Emeagwali, 2014).
• The education of the African child is not
confined to the experience a child acquires in
formal school settings,
• it is a life-long process that usually begins
from home and the whole society is the
school.
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African (Yorùbá) Indigenous Pedagogy
• The principles of Yorùbá traditional pedagogy has
always been to foster strong character in the
individual and to prepare each person to become
a useful member of the community (Akanbi and
Jekayinfa, 2016; Akinyemi, 2003).
• Parents and the community use indigenous oral
knowledge systems, like the native languages,
taboos, songs, proverbs, and other folkloric
productions to educate their children.
• Erring children learn valuable lessons from these
cultural resources whose ultimate aim is to make
the person an “Ọmọlúàbí”.
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 Proverbs
• Proverbs are an essentially oral tradition that Africans
use in storing and retrieving many aspects of their
cultural worldview (Fayemi, 2009).
• They are a summary of people’s philosophy of life,
• a valuable part of African heritage and
• a major storehouse of African wisdom.

• Achebe (1958): the palm oil with which words are eaten
• Yorùbá: the horse which is used in tracing lost words
(òwe l’ẹṣin òrò, bi ọ̀rọ̀ bá sọ̀ nù òwe la fi ńwa).
o the words of the elders (wisdom) that regardless of how
long, will come to pass”
(Ọ̀ rọ àgbà bí ò ṣẹ lóòwurọ, bó pẹ́ títí á ṣẹ lọ́jọ́ alẹ́).
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 Statement of the problems
• Cybercrime, drug abuse, violence, promiscuity, corruption,
etc. have been blamed on the absence or lack of the virtues
of “ọmọlúàbí” among the majority of the people in the
society (Olanipekun, 2017).
evil or lawlessness (ìwà búburú/àìda); corrupt practices (ìwà ìbàjẹ́);
laziness (ìmélé/ọ̀́lẹ); act of stealing (olè jíjà); lies (irọ́); disrespectful
attitude (àínitèríba); and covetousness (ojúkòkòrò)

• These are unethical behaviors that are morally disapproved

by the Yorùbá people (Olanipekun, 2017).

• The systematic belittling and marginalizing African

Indigenous Knowledge systems since the colonial era has
retarded the development of the continent and its people
(Dei, 2008)
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 Methodology
• The sample of Yorùbá proverbs used in the study was collected at
Iddo L.G.A., Oyo State between 29th November and 10th
December, 2019.
• Three males and two females elderly native speakers of the
Yorùbá language (aged 57 – 74 years) were purposively sampled
• The informants included a retired school principal, a trader, a
president of customary court and two Baálẹ̀ (village heads).
• Thirty (30) Yorùbá proverbs were then randomly selected,
translated into the English language, content analyzed and
grouped under themes that reflected their use in stimulating
moral development (15 proverbs were discussed in this paper).
• The analysis of the selected Yorùbá proverbs involves
– Literal Translation: a word-for-word translation/formal correspondence
– Free Translation: reproduces the general meaning of the original text
Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4003301
 Data discussion and analysis
Intelligent and Expert Use of Language (ọ̀ rọ̀ sísọ̀)
• Ọ̀rọ̀ ní yo obi lápo, ọ̀ rọ̀ ní yọ̀ ọfa lápo
• L.T.:: It is words that draw Kolanut from the pocket or arrow from the
quiver.
• F.T.:: A reasonable use of language can promote peace and fraternity in
society while its reckless use can lead to violence.
Humility and respect (Ìtẹríba)
• Bí ọmọdé ní aṣọ tό bàbá rè, kò ní àkísà tό o
• L.T.:: If a child has clothes like their father, they cannot have rags like him
• F.T.:: A young person should not look down on their elders but have regard
to the elders’ greater experience
Goodwill (Inú Rere)
• Ọ̀̀ tún wẹ ọ̀tun, òsi wẹ òsi l’ọwọ̀ ẹni fi ńmọ́̀.
• L.T.:: If the right-hand washes the left and the left washes the right the
hands will be clean
• F.T.:: Doing good deeds Electronic together
copy available at:promote greater goodness
https://ssrn.com/abstract=4003301
Truthfulness and Honesty (Òtítọ́̀)
• Òtítό òrò korò, ṣùgbọ́n bí a bá gbé itọ́ ọ rẹ mì, a máa ṣe ara lore.
• L.T.:: The words of truth are bitter, but if it can be swallowed, it is
good for the body.
• F.T.:: Truth may be inconvenient, but it is ultimately beneficial, if
embraced.]

Good Character (Ìwa Rere)

• Ìwà l’ọba àwúre
• L.T.:: Good character is the king of good luck charm
• F.T.:: Good character is superior to any good luck charm

Bravery and Courage (Akínkanjú)

• Alagbara ma mero baba ole.
• L.T.:: A thoughtless powerful man is not better than a lazy man
• F.T.:: It is more rewarding to combine bravery with common sense
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Hard work (Isé Síse)
• Iṣé l’oògùn ìṣé
• L.T.:: ‘Hard work is the medicine of poverty
• F.T.:: Hard work is the antidote to poverty, Hard work pays

Intelligence (Opolo Pípé)

• Ọgbόn ju agbára
• L.T.:: Intelligence is greater than strength
• F.T.:: ‘Knowledge is power

Evil or Lawlessness (Ìwa Búburú/Àìda)

• Bí abá so òkò sójà ará ilé eni ní bá;
• L.T.:: He who throws a stone in the market will hit his
relative.
• F.T.:: Be careful what you do unto others it may return
towards you or someone close to you.
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Corrupt Practices (Ìwa Ìbàjẹ́̀)
• Àgùntàn tí ό bá ajá rìn yíό jẹ imí
• L.T.:: A sheep that walks with a dog will eat feces or excreta.
• F.T.:: If you move with the wrong set of people, you will end up
acting like them, evil company corrupts good manners.

Laziness (Ìmélé/Ọ̀ lẹ)

• Mo ṣeé tán lό níyì, a kìí dúpé aláṣekù
• L.T.:: Finishing a task is an honour, we don’t thank a person who
does an incomplete job
• F.T.:: One should finish whatever one embarks on

Act of Stealing (Olè Jíja)

• Eni ta se l‟ore ti ko dupe, bi ole k‟oni l‟eru lo ni.
• L.T.:: He who fails to pay gratitude to those who helped him is like a
thief who robs us of our property.
• F.T.:: An ungrateful person is as worse as a thief

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• Lies (Irọ́̀)
• Bí irọ́ bá lọ lógún ọdún, ọjọ́ kan ṣoṣo ni òótọ́ yóò ba.
• L.T.:: If a lie has gone for twenty years, the truth will catch up with it
in just one day.
• F.T.:: Regardless of how long, truth ultimately prevails.

• Disrespectful Attitude (Àínitèríba)

• Aja ti yoo s’onu kii gbo fere ode.
• L.T.:: A dog that will be lost will never heed the hunter’s whistle
• F.T.:: A person who ignores or refuses the counsel of the elders will
be destroyed

• Covetousness (Ojúkòkòro)
• Ẹni bá lé eku méjì á p'òfo.
• L.T.:: Whoever chases two rats simultaneously, will catch none.
• F.T.:: Be focused; don't spread yourself too thin.

Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4003301

Conclusion and Recommendations
• Proverbs are an integral part of the Yorùbá culture used to
express the “Ọmọlúàbí’s” world-view, values, and attitudes.
• It can be used to instill intelligent and expert use of language,
humility and respect, goodwill, truthfulness and honesty,
good character, bravery and courage, hard work, and
intelligence, and discourage evil or lawlessness, corrupt
practices, laziness, act of stealing, lies, disrespectful attitude,
and covetousness

• The family, educational, religious, governmental and non-

governmental organizations can promote the virtues of
“ọmọlúàbí” with Yorùbá proverbs
• Expressive uses of proverbs can lead to a good level of ethical
behavior across Africa. (Ademowo and Balogun, 2014)
Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4003301
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