Àgbá ti ó kún fún epo-rọ̀bì – Barrel full of Crude oil

Àgbá ti ó kún fún ohun ti ó wúlò bi epo-rọ̀bì, epo-pupa, epo-òróró, epo-oyinbo, ọ̀dà àti bẹ́ẹ̀bẹ́ẹ̀ lọ ki pariwo.  Àgbá òfìfo, kò ni nkan ninú tàbi o ni nkan díẹ̀, irú àgbá yi bi o ti wù ki ó lẹ́wà tó, ni ariwo rẹ máa ńpọ̀ ti wọn ba yi lóri afárá tàbi ori titi ọlọ́dà.

Àgbá òfìfo ti ó lẹ́wà – Colourful empty barrels

Àgbá òfìfo ni àwọn ti ó wà ni òkè-òkun/ilú òyìnbó ti ó jẹ igbèsè tàbi fi èrú kó ọrọ̀ jọ lati wá ṣe àṣehàn ti wọn bá ti àjò bọ, ohun ti wọn kò tó wọn a pariwo pé àwọn jù bẹ́ẹ̀ lọ.  Ni tòótọ́, ìyàtọ̀ òkè-òkun/ilú-òyìnbó si ilẹ̀ Yorùbá ni pé, àti ọlọ́rọ̀ àti aláìní ló ni ohun amáyé-dẹrùn bi omi, iná mọ̀nà-mọ́ná, titi ọlọ́dà, ilé-iwé gidi, igboro ti ó mọ́ àti bẹ́ẹ̀bẹ́ẹ̀ lọ.  Àwọn Òṣèlú kò kọjá òfin, bẹni irònú wọn ki ṣe ki á di Òṣèlú lati kó owó ilú jẹ.

Ni ayé àtijọ́ ni ilẹ̀ Yorùbá, owó kọ́ ni wọn fi ńmọ ẹni gidi, àpọ́nlé/ọ̀wọ̀ wà fún àgbà, ẹni ti ó bá kàwé, olootọ enia, ẹni tó tẹpá mọ́ṣẹ́,  akin-kanjú àti ẹni ti ó ni òye.  Ni ayé òde òni, àgbá òfìfo ti pọ ninú ará ilú, àwọn Òṣèlú àti àwọn òṣiṣẹ́ ijọba.  Bi wọn bá ti ri owó ni ọ̀nà èrú, wọn a lọ si òkè-òkun/ilú-òyìnbó lati ṣe àṣehàn si àwọn ti wọn bá lọhun lati yangàn pẹ̀lú ogún ilé ti wọn kọ́ lai yáwó, ọkọ̀ mẹwa ti wọn ni, ọmọ-ọ̀dọ̀ ti wọn ni àti ayé ijẹkújẹ ti wọn ńjẹ ni ilé.  Wọn á ni àwọn kò lè gbé òkè-òkun/ilú-òyìnbó, ṣùgbọ́n bi àisàn bá dé, wọn á mọ ọ̀nà òkè-òkun/ilú-òyìnbó fún iwòsàn àti lati jẹ ìgbádùn ohun amáyé-derùn miran ti wọn ti fi èrú bàjẹ́ ni ilú tiwọn.

Bi àgbá ti ó ni ohun ti ó wúlò ninú, ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ẹni gidi tó ṣe àṣe yọri ki pariwo. Ọ̀rọ̀ Yorùbá ti ó ni “Àgbá òfìfo ló ńdún woro-woro”, bá ẹni-kẹ́ni ti ó bá ńṣe àṣehàn tàbi gbéraga wi pé ki wọn yé pariwo ẹnu.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Barrel that is full of valuable things such as crude oil, palm oil, vegetable oil, kerosene, tar/paint etc does not make noise.  Empty barrel (no matter how colourful), that has nothing or very little, makes most noise when rolling it on the bridge/jetty or on the tarred road.

Empty barrel can be compared with those living Oversea/Europe that go into debt or fraudulently acquire wealth in order to show off on return home, by boasting about what they are not.  Frankly, the difference between Oversea/Europe and Yoruba land is, both the rich and the poor have Access to the basic infrastructure such as potable water, constant electric power supply, good road network, good Schools, cleaner environment etc.  The Politicians there are not above the Law, and their political ambition is not to embezzle public fund.

In Yoruba land of the olden days, money was not used as the determining factor of identifying a good person, there was respect/regard for the elders, educated ones, upright person, hardworking ones, the people of valour and wisdom.  Nowadays, there are many empty barrels among the people, the Politicians and Government Workers.  Once they are able to acquire fraudulent wealth, they go Oversea/Europe in order to show off to those living abroad, boasting about their twenty houses without mortgage, their ten cars, many house-help and their other unwholesome lifestyle back home.  They boast of not being able to live in Oversea/Europe, but when sickness comes, they go for medical and also to enjoy other infrastructure, that have decayed back home as a result of corruption.

As barrels that contain valuables are noiseless, so also are many important people that are successful.  The Yoruba adage that said “Empty barrel makes most noise” can be used to caution those showing off or boastful that should keep their mouth shut from making noise.

Originally posted 2014-08-08 18:20:28. Republished by Blog Post Promoter