Carnage: The scene of a mass shooting in the college town of Isla Vista, CA

Ìròyìn iṣẹ̀lẹ̀ ọ̀dọ́-kùnrin, ọmọ ọdún meji-le-logun – apàniyàn Rodger Elliot ti ó kàn ni ọjọ́ karun-din-lọ́-gbọ̀n, oṣù karun ọdún Ẹgbẹ̀wá-le-mẹrinla, fi àpẹrẹ ohun ti ó lè ṣẹlẹ̀ bi a ò bá gbàgbé  ọ̀rọ̀ àná.  Gẹ́gẹ́ bi àsọtẹ́lẹ̀ ti apàniyàn yi fi silẹ lori ayélujára ni pé “Ayé òhun dà rú nigbati obinrin àkọ́kọ́ ti òhun fi ìfẹ́ hàn si lọ́mọdé fi òhun ṣe yẹ̀yẹ́, eleyi da ọgbẹ́ fún òhun gidigidi”, nitori èyi ó já si igboro lati pa enia.  Lẹhin ti ó ti pa enia mẹfa, ṣe enia meje miran le-ṣe, Ọlọpa yin ìbọn fún lori lati dá iṣẹ́ ibi yi dúró.

Lai gbe ìbọn, ọ̀bẹ, àdá àti ọ̀kọ̀, ọgbẹ́ ọkàn ti ai gbàgbé ọ̀rọ̀ àná ńdá silẹ̀ lè fa ìrẹ̀wẹ̀sì fún ẹni ti kò gbàgbé ọ̀rọ̀ àná.  Ninú ewu ti ó wà ni ai gbàgbé ọ̀rọ̀ àná ni pé ọmọ iyá meji lè túká; ọkọ àti aya lè túká; orilẹ̀ èdè kan lè gbé ogun ti ekeji; ọrẹ meji lè di ọ̀tá ara; aládũgbò lè di ọ̀tá ara àti bẹ̃bẹ lọ.

Ó ṣòro lati bá ara gbé, lai ṣẹ ara.Yorùbá́ ni “Igi kan ki dá ṣe igbó”, nitori Ọlọrun kò dá enia lati dá nikan gbé.    Ọ̀pọ̀ ẹni ti ó dá ni kan wà ni Èṣù ńlò, nipa ri ro èrò burúkú ti ó lè fa àìsàn tabi iṣẹ́ ibi bi irú èyi ti apànìyàn Rodger Elliot ṣe.

Ó yẹ ki á fi òwe Yorùbá ti ó ni “Bi a ò bá gbàgbé ọ̀rọ̀ àná, a ò ni ri ẹni bá ṣeré” yi gba ẹni ti a bá ṣe àkíyèsí pé ki gbàgbé ọ̀rọ̀ àná ni iyànjú nipa ewu ti ó wà ni irú ìwà bẹ̃.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

The news of the young man, aged twenty-two – killer Rodger Elliot that was released on May 25, 2014, showed the example of what can happen when one does not forget past matters.  According to the recorded message by the killer, released on the internet, that “His live was twisted when his first crush teased him, this wounded him deeply”, as a result of this he sought revenge by going on a killing spree.  He was shot in the head to put an end to the carnage that left six people dead and seven wounded.

Without carrying gun, knife, cutlass and spare, the heart-ache caused by lack of forgetting past misdeed can also lead to depression.  Among the dangers inherent in not forgetting past misdeed, are siblings turning against one another, husband and wife parting ways, nation waging war against nation; two friends becoming enemies; neighbours becoming enemies etc.

It is difficult to live with each other without offending each other.  According to another Yoruba adage meaning “A tree does not make a forest”, because God did not create human being to live alone.  Many of the lonely people are often used by the Devil, by evil thought that can lead to sickness, or the like of evil act committed by killer Rodger Elliot.

It is apt to use Yoruba proverb that said “If one does not forget past misdeed/grudge, one would not get anyone to play with” to advise anyone observed to be nursing past misdeed, the danger of such behaviour.