A Yorùbá proverb says that “Inákú, ó feérúbójú, ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀ kú, ó fọmọrẹ̀ rọ́pò, bí Aládìíkòsìmọ́, ọmọníjogúnẹbu,” meaning when fire dies, it uses ash to cover itself, when banana plant dies, it replaces itself with its sucker, when the owner of the cottage industry where àdí is produced is no more alive, her child takes up her heritance.
The purpose of pro-creation is to train children in order to take after their parents or for the continuity of life. However, after the mastery of the training, any reasonable children are expected to be independent of their parents, they are expected to be on their own in terms of having their own families, providing for them so that the chain of life continues. The case study in question is the tale of a wealthy and influential deity by name Òòṣà Òwújìn who had two children called Ojú and Àyè.
The two children were smart in all their endeavors, they were pride of their parent and the society as a whole saw them as role models. As they were growing, they were planning towards their independence of their parent, they wanted to be on their own. This did not go well with Òòṣà Òwújìn their parent who noticed that he was advancing in age and his children must take after his profession so that his wealth would remain in the family. Ithappened that the plans and aims of the children were different from their parent’sthoughts and this caused misunderstanding between his children him.
AnotherYorùbá adage says, “Bíọmọdébátólọ́kọ́, ó yẹkólọ́kọ́, bíọmọdébátóládàá, ó yẹkóládàá“meaning that if a child is matured to have working implement, he should be allowed to have them. This proverb Òòṣà did not want it to manifest in the life of his children. He continued to see them as children who should continue to serve him till he would die. He did not want to release them to go and face the challenges and realities of life. The children put into practice the Yorùbáadage that says “Agbójúlógún fi ararẹ̀ fósì ta” meaning whoever depends on the heritance of their parents presents himself or herself for poverty to torture him or her.
Ojúand Àyèhad confidence in themselves, they believed that the knowledge they had acquired from their parent was enough for them to be on their own in their choice of careers, based on this, they took a bold action, defiled their parents order, left him to go and start their own life. By the time they left, their parent was of the view that they would come back soon because he thought they would fail, but the children did not fail and they did not return to their parent for any financial support.
As Òòṣà was advancing in age, he was being troubled in his thoughts of who would inherit his wealth, he took a second thought of reconciliation with his children, he sought for them from near and far, he consulted the oracle with the aim to bring them back to him so that he would have a befitting burial at his death and so that his name would continue to be relevant and his wealth would continue to increase even after his exit. All his efforts to bring his children back became abortive and when he could not achieve that, he resulted to place a huge compensation of the half of his wealth to whoever could locate the whereabouts of children and bring them back to him, but aṣọkòbá Ọmọ́yẹ. It was too late.
The wealth of Òòṣà Òwújìn which is in forms of raw cash, ornaments, jewelry, gold, diamonds, clothes, shelter, movable objects and so on is what everyone has been looking for. Since nobody knew the places the children of Òòṣà relocated to, and up till today, nobody knows the places and their professions or the type of businesses they engaged into. Till today, everybody is still searching for Ojú and Àyè the children of the wealthy Òòṣà with the hope that seeing them would automatically make anyone who finds them to be wealthy.
Yet, seeing them will make one to be rich, wealthy and influential, but it requires working hard in any profession anybody chooses as his career. For students, it requires serious study in order to fly in flying colours, for civil servants it requires diligence, dedication, honesty, loyalty, no compromise, sagacity, prudence, self-discipline, and so on.
When Yoruba people say that ká rójú, ká ráyè ṣeiléayé, It means they are praying that we should have wealth, happiness and peace of mind to live a meaningful and comfortable life. Not every wealthy or successful person is comfortable, not every rich person, politician, lecturer, lawyer, doctor, Engineer, business tycoon and other professionals are comfortable. Before you can be comfortable in a Yorùbá society or worldwide, you have to work for it, your source of wealth must be genuine. You must obey the rules of acquiring good name, good wealth that your people and the community in general will be able to proud of you.
There are many wealthy people who are not comfortable. If you don’t respect the elders, either spiritually or physically, elders will not allow you to enjoy your wealth. Some wealthy people do not have time for their parents, wives, children, friends and communities, they don’t care about their responsibilities, yet they are rich, some children of well-to-dos are wayward, those people kò rójú ráyè ṣe ojúṣe wọn.
Yorùbá people do not respect wealthy people because of their wealth, they respect humanity in them if they possess or have it, a wealthy person who lacks moralsis regarded as a useless person. One who does not demonstrate the minimum standard of morality the society expects from him or her is regarded as one that does not have Ojú and Àyè to live a meaningful life.
Going further, having good or acceptable character also determines the meaning of living a meaningful life. If you are good, cheerful, open, lovely, care for people in all forms, the witches, wizards and wicked ones will not trouble you, they will allow you to live a normal life.
Parents should allow their children to choose what they have flair for, don’t enforce them to follow your paths. Being a successful lawyer or doctor does not mean that your children should be lawyers and doctors. Allow everyone to follow his passion and excel in it.
The late J.F. Ọdúnjọ, author of Yoruba primary school Aláwìíyé textbooks wrote “Iṣẹ́ ni oògùn ìṣẹ́.” He further advised that children of wealthy parents should not depend on the wealth of their parents because what they do not work for will not stand the test of time. Kárójú, káráyè is tó work hard, struggle, but not to take shortcut as Yahoo boys and girls are doing today, not the ritual money that leads to short death and madness or insanity.
Rójú Ráyè is to create a good reputation for yourself and your family, to be independent of your parents and to be a man or woman of virtue. Yoruba people say that “Tá a bálórí ire, ó yẹkálẹ́sẹ̀ ire” if you have luck, you should equally have good legs to take you to places you will manifest your luck. What this means is that our Ojú and Àyè are always with us, but we are spiritually blind to notice them. They are our deeds and actions, it is our morals that determine whether we will be able to enjoy the Ojú and Àyè we have struggled to acquire. A commonsaying is “Kòsí orí tóburú ní Oótù Ifẹ̀, ṣùgbọ́n ìwà lóṣòro. There is no bad or negative destiny, it is the character that matters, it is character that shapes your life.
A verse in Ifá verse states that “Bá a lówó, ṣùgbọ́nbá a níwàrere, owóolówóni, ìwà, là ń wá, ìwà, Ọmọ la bítá ò níwà, ọmọọlọ́mọni, ìwàlà ń wá, ìwà, Ilé la kọ́, tá ò níwà, iléoníléni, ìwà, là ń wá, ìwà. Ipò la nítá ò níwà, tẹniẹlẹ́ni ni, ìwàlà ń wá, ìwà. I know abrilliant man, but he lacked good morals, he talked anyhow to anybody and everybody, he thought he knew better than everyone, he suppressed the subordinates who he thought would outmatch him in projects execution, he prevented the subordinates from having the practical experience in some particular projects, he abuses young and old. As a result of his character, everybody was avoiding him and he was missing a lot of opportunities. À person who has acquired Ojú and Àyè but lacks the following will not be able to enjoy his wealth.
Respect for constituted authority,elders, norms and traditions, siblings, colleagues, contemporaries and even the subordinates, not fulfilling promises, covenants, vows and pledges are the criteria one should have to be able to enjoy is life. You should be respectful, you don’t need to be opulent and gaga in the community, otherwise, you will not be able to enjoy your wealth, you will not be able to enjoy your life fully. RÓJÚ and RÁYÈ is to be able to enjoy your life in fullest, the wealth you have acquired, the children you have, the relationship you have made and personality you have established.
Physically or spiritually, people of the world may disallow you to enjoy your life, have peace of mind and live the type of life you deserve even if you have raw cash, properties and so forth. Your children, parents, spouses and your work may be spiritually affected to prevent you from enjoying your OJÚ and ÀYÈ. The children of wealthy people may indulge in drugs, wealthy children may not be interested in taking good care of their parents, people may turn them to àgbààná to the rich people. A criminal child of a rich man is a bottomless sack the wealthy man will continue to spend money on with sadness. Wife of a rich husband who is always falls sick is regarded as àgbàànáto the man and the woman without good health will not enjoy the wealth of her husband.
In conclusion, wealth or money is not everything, we need to work hard and have good character before we can enjoy our life fully. Our relatives, neighbours, friends and those we have one thing or the other to share with are part of our life, as we are working for our comfort, so likewise we should be working for their comfort too, otherwise they will preventus fromenjoyingour comfort. This they may do directly or indirectly in the form that it will affect the rich person and make him unhappy. What we are seeking for by sojourning to Sokotois available in the pockets of our Ṣòkòtò(trousers). We don’t need to sojourn to far places at times before we can acquire wealth, but wherever is our place of green pastures at home or abroad, think of humanity, nobody is an island on his own, have human considerations and use your wealth to satisfy people around you so that you will enjoy your life fully.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE