By Tai Olaniyi
A deeper and despairingly despondent phenomenon amongst the Yorubas of old usually calls for deeper understanding and the wisdom to solve such a ridiculous problem by the Yoruba elders.
They do claim that “Oro sununkun, oju sununkun la fi ma nwo”. A very difficult situation requires a very ingenious approach to its solution.
Yorubaland from all indications is today bedevilled by TEMBELEKUN, intrigues of all sorts at the immediate, extended family circles, the community and the entire racial stock.
Sanity was in almost everything which was once a pride of place than in today’s geographic space world wide.
The Yoruba enviable culture of old, the norms, customs and traditions including the Yoruba traditional religion remain unbeatable despite all odds whether or not others like it both at home and in the diasporas
The family roots, the oriki and eulogies therein are a means of fostering Unity, heritage solidarity, preservation, restoration and promotion of the glowing pride which average Yoruba must exhibit especially in ethical values.
But to one’s dismay almost every phenomenon amongst the Yorubas now exhibits one intriguing circumstance or the other.
The “Omu Iya Dun” concept that promotes the impression of sucking from the same mother’s breast not minding not from the same biological mother and parents now daily gets sour, cracking with crevices emanating from various discriminatory practices.
The entire family fabrics are getting torn apart by superiority and inferiority complexes attendant to rich and poor amongst family members, of traditional and two foreign religious persuasions and faiths of same family members including fundamentalism and subtle fringes of terrorism now rearing their heads.
In sociocultural content and context, traditional institution and traditional rulers once the towers of respect are today being degraded, denigrated and facing denudation in what is, how is, when is, where is and who actually deserves honor and respect based too on ethical and social values.
Financial aid political powers underlined by religious hypocrisy are taking tolls on the lives of Yoruba rulers, elders and children as such the replicas of TEMBELEKUN as “Bo ba ko pa, bi o ko ba ko bu le se”syndrome, in a nutshell “You either kill or maim” daily messes up once a pride in same and respectable ancestry.
The political classes, their parties and modes of governance rather than build human capital development as Nigeria used to have especially in the Southwest, a sociocultural and socioeconomic geographic space is now a brewery and factory for assorted crime packages and criminals.
Buba Marwa the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the launch of the Northwest war against drug abuse indicated that the South West is at the top of drug addiction and abuse in Nigeria thus quoting about 22% amongst our youths.
Paleoclimatologists must now have scientifically confirm “Drugstrophere” as part of atmosphere environment features in the South West Nigeria.
Many of such users and abusers of drugs as barons, peddlers, sellers and buyers live all around us at our various communities, motor parks, hotels, pub houses and security guards and political thugs of many highly placed rich Nigerians.
Or how do we class “Alright Sirs” of this world, the numerous”Omo Oniles” the Yahoo boys, Oloso girls,the uncontrollable road traffic controllers, the burgeoning numbers of Keke NAPEP including other dregs of the society that politicians and their crude politics greatly manufacture?
In whose tenure(s) and whose hands the shedding of blood of innocent Nigerians in Yorubaland and other parts of the country including what hope remains as relics for the future of Yoruba youths when their today seems lost in transit?
It is obvious that it is difficult to know and slate respect for elders with wisdom as Yoruba ethical values dictate but where there are still few elders with wisdom, the idea that money, fiendish affluence and interests are the order of the day thus make poor wise elders atrophied in Yorubaland of today where only TEMBELEKUN of all sorts reign supreme.
In Yorubaland of today and amongst the Yorubas, the age long saying when things get scattered and “when rats no longer scream like rats nor the birds sing like birds make obvious the scenario
” No wonder rere dey run”, as Fela Anikulapo’ one sang the unfortunate situation in Yorubaland of his days
Should TEMBELEKUN therefore continues to be present continuous in Yorubaland?
I say capital”No”because if our politicians and their political governance remains in the hands of the “Men of shady characters and women of easy virtues” as described by Chief Obafemi Awolowo , there lies the “Dugbe, Dugbe” looming cloud of gloom that awaits the future of Yorubaland.
I say “No” because of the economic vampires, political and religious marauders that may one day make the South West and Yoruba nation the Gaza of Africa extraction.
I say “No” as I wish that the “Money Bags” of Yoruba extraction realize that their kiths and kins are now beggars like the Almajiris of this world and that it remains a truism that “A single rich amidst the family of poor ones is equally a poor person”.
I concur in conclusion with the warning and admonition of our beloved doyen of theatre arts Papa Herbert Ogunde as he once gave a beautiful rendition the lyrics of which I enjoin us all to ponder over.
The excerpt of Yoruba RONU translated in English courtesy Google
English Translation!
I look down upon the Earth and it looks faded and jaded; I look up to the skies and see darkness descending; Oh! What a great pity! What has become of the Yoruba? What has befallen the children Odua? Hey, hey hey hey, hey hey… We appear helpless and the situation ominous; The Yoruba inflict rain on themselves for the sake of wealth; The Yoruba under-mine one another in pursuit of position;
They induce thieves to invade a farm and invite the farmers to apprehend them; The same cleverness that was responsible for their past successes; Has now turned out to be their albatross; Impactful leaders of the past have now been rendered irrelevant;
Yo, yo, yo Yoruba yo, yo, bright as light on a dark night; Yoruba ru, ru, ru as the rumblings of the Sea; Yoruba baba deserves to be baba; Yo, yo, yo. Yoruba reflect.
