Category Archives: Yoruba Proverbs

Discussing as many Yoruba proverbs as possible and relating them to day to day life…

“Ẹrú kan ló mú ni bú igba ẹrú”: “One slave causes the abuse of two hundred others”.

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Ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ Yorùbá ló nṣe dáradára ní ilé àti àjò tí a kò gbọ́ ìròyìn wọn.  Óṣeni lãnu wípé àwọn diẹ tó nṣe iṣẹ́ ibi bi: gbígbé oògùn olóró, ẹgbẹ́ òkùnkùn, olè jíjà àti bẹ̃bẹ lọ mba àwọn yoku jẹ.

Yorùbá ni “Ẹni jalè ló bọmọ jẹ”, ìròyìn iṣẹ́ rere ki tàn bi irú ìròyìn iṣẹ ibi ti Michael Adébọ́lájọ àti Michael Adé́bọ̀wálé tó kárí ayé.

Ó yẹ ki Ìjọba àti gbogbo Yorùbá pa ẹnu pọ lati bá oníṣẹ ibi wi nítorí gẹ́gẹ́bí òwe Yorùbá “Ẹrú kan ló́ mú ni bu igba ẹrú”.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Many Yoruba indigenes that are doing well both at home and abroad never made any news.  It is unfortunate that the few that engaged in evil acts like: drug peddling, cultism, stealing etc. are destroying the good work of the others.

Yoruba adage said “He/She who steals destroys the innocence of a child”, news about good deed never spread like the news of the recent evil act committed by the duo: Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale that spread all over the world.

It is apt for the Government and all Yoruba indigenes to join hands to condemn evil because according to the Yoruba proverb, “One slave causes the abuse of two hundred”.

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“Orúkọ rere sàn ju Wúrà ati Fàdákà”: Good name is better than Silver and Gold

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Late Drummer Lee Rigby

Olõgbe Onílù Lee Rigby (ọmọ ọdun marunlélógún): Late Soldier Drummer Lee Rigby – aged 25

Olõgbe Onílù Lee Rigby (ọmọ ọdun marunlélógún) fi orúkọ rere silẹ fun àwọn ẹbí, ọ̀rẹ́ àti ẹgbẹ́ nigbàti àwọn apànìyàn Michael Adébọ́lájọ àti Michael Adébọ̀wálé ba orúkọ ẹbí wọn jẹ́.

Michael Adébọ́lájọ (ọmọ ọdun méjìdínlọ́gbọ̀n) àti Michael Adébọ̀wále (ọmọ ọdun méjìlélógún)  ti o pa Jagunjagun Onílù Lee Rigby ni Woolwich kò jẹ́wọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ Yorùbá tó sọ wípé “Orúkọ ní roni”  nítorí ìwà ìkà tí wọn hù.  “Michael” jẹ́ “Orúkọ Angẹli tó jẹ́ Olùgbèjà” ti àwọn “Onígbàgbọ́” mã nsọ ọmọ ni “ọjọ́ ìsọmọ lórúkọ” tàbi “ọjọ Ìsàmì”.   “Adébọ́lájọ” túmọ̀ si wípé “Adé bá Ọla jọ” nígbàtí a lè túmọ̀ “Adébọ̀wálé” sí wípé “Adé padà wá sílé”.  Orúkọ ìdílé méjèèji yi jẹ́ orúkọ ìdílé Ọba tàbi Ìjòyè tí ó lè dé adé ni ilẹ̀ Yorùbá.

“Orúkọ rere sàn ju Wúrà àti Fàdákà” nígbàtí àwọn ọmọ ìdílé bẹ̃ bá lo orúkọ nã dáradára, ṣùgbọn ìṣẹlẹ ibi yi ti ba orúkọ ìdílé Adébọ́lájọ àti Adébọ̀wálé jẹ́.

Gbogbo ọmọ Yorùbá àti Nigeria lápapọ̀ pàtàkì àwọn tí ó wà ni Ìlú-ọba, ṣe ìdárò Olõgbe Ajagun Onílù Lee Rigby, a sì gba àdúrà pé kí Ọlọrun kí ó tu ìdílé rẹ nínú.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Late Drummer Lee Rigby (aged 25) left a good name and legacy for his family, friends and colleagues while the “Killers Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale” destroyed their family names.

Michael Adebolajo (aged 28) and Michael Adebowale (aged 22) that killed Soldier, Drummer Lee Rigby at Woolwich did not live up to the adage that said “Names do guide action” because of their evil act.  Michael “the name of an Angel that defend” that is often given by Christians to babies at birth during “Naming Ceremony” or “Baptism”.  “Adebolajo” means “Crown blends with wealth” while “Adebowale” means “The Crown returned Home”.  These two Family Names are commonly used by the “Yoruba Monarchs and the Chief’s family that can be crowned”.

According to the Yoruba adage “Good name is better than Silver and Gold” only when such family members use the names in a positive manner but in this case, Adebolajo and Adebowale family names have been destroyed as a result of this evil act.

Yoruba indigenes and all Nigerians particularly those in the United Kingdom mourn the loss of Late Soldier, Drummer Lee Rigby, and pray that God will console his family.

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Ọmọ tóda ni ti Bàbá ṣùgbọ́n burúkú ni ti Ìyá”: A Good Child is the Father’s but a Bad One is the Mother’s #Woolwich #Adebolajo

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Ìṣẹ̀lẹ̀ búburú tó ṣẹ́lẹ̀ ni ọ̀sán gangan, Ọjọ Kẹta Oṣù Karun ọdún Ẹgbẹrunmejilemẹtala ni Woolwich, Olú Ìlúọba jẹ apẹrẹ fún òwe Yorùbá tó wípé “Ọmọ tóda ni ti Bàbá ṣùgbọ́n burúkú ni ti Ìyá”.  Ẹ̀kọ́ ti a le ri lo ninu òwe yi nítorí ìṣẹ̀lẹ̀ yi ni ka kìlọ̀ fún onínú fùfù kó ṣọ́ra, ìbínú burúkú ni ìdí ti àwọn ọ̀dọ́mọ̀kunrin meji fi pa Jagunjagun ni Woolwich.

Gẹ́gẹ́bí ẹniti o ti gbé Peckham fún ọdún melo kan sẹhin, a ṣe àkíyèsí pe àwọn ọ̀dọmọ̀kunrin tó ni ìdíwọ́ ma jáde pẹ̀lú ọ̀be lati ya ẹni tó nlọ ni ìgboro Gũsu, Olú Ìlúọba, lọbẹ laiṣẹ.  Ibã jẹ nípa àwáwí lati digun jalè tàbí gba ẹ̀sìn sódì, kò si àwáwí tó tọ̀nà lati pa ẹnìkejì.  Ohun tó dára lati ṣe ni ki a pa ẹnu pọ̀ lati sọ wípé “ohun ti kó da, ko da’’.

Michael Adebọlajọ ti di ọmọ ìyá̀ rẹ – Nigeria, kò yani lẹ́nu wípé Bàbá rẹ̀ London kọ silẹ̀.  Ó pani lẹrin wípé ọmọkùnrin yi ti ka ara rẹ kun ẹbi Palestine, Iraq ati Afghansistan nigbàti a o le da ẹ̀bi fún Ìjọba Ìlúọba fún ikú obinrin ati ọmọ wẹ́wẹ́ to nṣẹlẹ ni Nigeria.

English Translation: Continue reading →

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LẸ́HÌN ỌDÚN MẸWA, ỌLỌPA TÚ AMANDA BERRY ATI OBINRIN MEJI YOKU SÍLẸ̀: AFTER TEN YEARS, POLICE RELEASED AMANDA BERRY & TWO OTHER WOMEN FROM CAPTIVITY

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http://abcnews.go.com/US/kidnap-victim-amanda-berry-hailed-real-hero-rescue/story?id=19122795

PHOTO: Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus

http://abcnews.go.com/US/kidnap-victim-amanda-berry-hailed-real-hero-rescue/story?id=19122795

LẸ́HÌN ỌDÚN MẸWA, ỌLỌPA TÚ AMANDA BERRY ATI OBINRIN MEJI SÍLẸ̀

Àdúrà Yorùbá́ ni “Ki Oluwa gbani lọ́wọ́ ẹni tó nṣọni, ti a ko ṣọ”, àdúrà yi gbà fún àwọn obinrin mẹta ti gbọmọgbọmọ ti jígbé lati bi ọdún mẹwa sẹhin.  Ìkan nínú àwọn ọmọ obinrin yi bí ọmọ ti o ti pe ọdún mẹfa sínú àtìmọle yi.

Ìbànújẹ́ tí kò lafi we ni ki ọmọ sọnu.  Gẹgẹbi ọrọ Yorùbá “Ọmọ́kú san ju ọmọ sọnu lọ” pàtàkì lára ìyá ọmọ, ìrònú ọmọ sọnu pa ìya ikan nínú àwọn obinrin mẹta yi, o ṣeni laanu wípé kò rí ọjọ́ ayọ̀ ìtúsílẹ̀ nínú ìdè tí Ariel Castro fi àwọn obinrin yi si.  Ìyanu ni wípé wọn jade laaye, nítorí ọpọlọpọ lo nsọnu ti wọn ki ri òkú tàbí aaye wọn.

Ìròyìn pé àwọn Ọlọpa tú àwọn obinrin mẹta yi silẹ lati ilé ẹni tó gbé wọn dè jade ni ọjọ Ajé, oṣù karun, ọjọ́ kẹfa, ọdún ẹgbẹ̀rúnméjìlemẹtala.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

AFTER TEN YEARS, POLICE RELEASEDTHREE WOMEN FROM CAPTIVITY

One of the Yoruba prayers said “God should deliver us from those watching us without our knowledge”, this prayer was answered for the three women that were kidnapped over ten years ago.  One of the captive had a baby of six years in captivity.

It is an incomparable sadness for anyone to miss a child.  Yoruba adage said “A dead child is better than a loss one”, this must have accounted for the death of the mother of one of the women in captivity, it is unfortunate that she did not live to witness the joyous release of her daughter kept captive by Ariel Castro.  It was a miracle that these women came out alive because many missing persons were never found alive or dead.

The news of the three women’s release by the Police from their captor’s house was announced on Monday, May 6, 2013.

 

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ÒKÚ NSUKUN Ò̀KÚ, AKÁṢỌLÉRÍ NSUKUN ARA WỌN: The Dead Weeps for the Dead — Yoruba Obituary for Margret Thatcher

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ÌSÌNKÚ IYÃFIN MARGARET THATCHER

Wọn ṣe ẹ̀sìn ìsìnkú fún Olõgbe Iyãfin Margaret Hilda Thatcher – Obìnrin àkọ́kọ́ Olórí Òṣèlú Ìlúọba ni Ọjọ́rú, oṣù kẹrin ọjọ́ kẹtàdìnlógún ọdún ẹgbẹrunmejiIemẹtala.  Ọmọ ọdún mẹtadinladọrun ni nigbati ó dágbére fún ayé ni oṣù kẹrin ọjọ kẹjọ, ọdún ẹgbẹrunmejilemẹtala.

The coffin is carried on a gun carriage drawn by the King"s Troop Royal Artillery

The coffin is carried on a gun carriage drawn by the King”s Troop Royal Artillery.

Yorùbá ni “Òkú nsukun òkú, akáṣolérí nsukun ara wọn” ìtumọ̀ èyí ni wípé kò sẹ́ni tí kò ní kú, olówó, aláìní, ọmọdé, arúgbó, Òṣèlú, Ọba àti Ìjòyè á kú tí àsìkò bá tó, nitorina, ẹni to sunkun, sunkun fún ara rẹ, ẹni tó mbinu, mbinu ara rẹ nitori, ẹni tó kú ti lọ.

Ojúọjọ́ dára, ètò ìsìnkú nã lọ dédé láìsí ìdíwọ́.

Sunre o, Olõgbe Iyãfin Margaret Hilda Thatcher, ó dìgbà.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

The funeral service for Late Baroness Margaret Hilda Thatcher – the first female Prime Minister in the United Kingdom, was held on Wednesday, April 17, 2013, she bade the world farewell on April 8, 2013.  She passed on at the age of 87.

A Yoruba adage says: “The dead is weeping for the dead, while the mourners are weeping for themselves”, this means that there is no one who will not die: rich, poor, young, old, Politicians, King/Queen and Chiefs will die when it is time, as a result, those weeping are weeping for themselves, those angry are angry at themselves because the dead is gone.

The weather was good, the funeral service went well without any hitch.

Sleep on, Late Baroness Margaret Hilda Thatcher, farewell.

Read the article referred to by this post at at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22151589

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OHUN T’Ó KỌJÚ SÍ ẸNÌKAN LÓ KẸ̀HÌN SI ẸLÒMÍRÀN: That which faces one person has turned its back to another

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“OHUN TÍ Ó KỌJÚ SÍ ẸNÌKAN LÓ KẸ̀HÌN SI ẸLÒMÍRÀN”: That which faces one person has turned its back to another

Olórí Òṣèlú Venezuela Hugo Chavez, pa ipò dà ní ọjọ́ ìṣẹ́gun ọjọ́ karun oṣù kẹta ọdún ẹgbẹ̀rún méjì lémẹ́tàlá.  Nígbà ayé ologbe yi, ó fa àríyànjiyàn, bí ó ti fẹ́ràn àwọn ìlú kan bẹ lo korira àwọn ìlú míràn.  Lati ìgbà tí ìròyìn ikú rẹ̀ ti kan, bí ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ni gbogbo àgbáyé ti nsọfọ bẹni àwọn kan nfi àibìkítà han.  Eleyi fihan wípé ohun tí ó kọju sí ẹnìkan ló kẹ̀hìn sí ẹlòmíran.  Ódìgbóṣe Olõgbé Olórí Òṣèlú Hugo Chavez, orílẹ-èdè Venezuela ṣe ilédè lẹ́hìn rẹ.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Hugo Chavez: Venezuela's late President, loved by some and hated by others. CNN article.

Hugo Chavez: Venezuela’s late President, loved by some and hated by others. CNN article.

The late President of Venezuela Hugo Chavez passed on Tuesday, 5 March 2013.  During his lifetime, he was controversial, while he showed love to some, he was also hated by others. Since the news of his death, while many people all over the world are mourning, others could care less.  Reaction to his death reflects the Yoruba saying: “that which faces one person has turned its back to another”. Farewell Late President Yugo Chavez, the people of Venezuela are holding forth.

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A kì dàgbà jẹ Òjó: Natural birth names not apt at old age — ÌDÁRÚKỌ PADÀ UNILAG – THE UNILAG NAME CHANGE

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Univesity of Lagos Senate

UNILAG Senate Building – photo from http://www.unilag.edu.ng/

“A kì dàgbà jẹ Òjó”: “Natural birth names not appropriate at old age”

Òjó, Dàda, Àìná, Táíwò, Kẹhinde ati bebe lo je orúkọ amu tọrun wa.  Pípa orúkọ Ilé-ìwé gíga ni Akoka, ilu Eko da lẹhin aadọta ọdún dàbí ìgbà ti a sọ arúgbó lorukọ àmú tọrun wa.  Apẹrẹ: ẹni ti ki ṣe ibeji ko le pa orúkọ da si orúkọ àmú tọrun wa.

A dupẹ lọwọ Olórí Ìlú Goodluck Jonathan to gbọ igbe awọn ènìyàn lati da orúkọ Ilé-ìwé Gíga ti o wa ni Akoko ti Ilu Eko pada gẹgẹbi Olukọagba Jerry Gana, ti kọ si ìwé ìròyìn ni ọjọ Ẹti, oṣù keji ẹgbaa le mẹtala.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Òjó, Dàda, Àìná, Táíwò, Kẹhinde etc, all these names in Yoruba are given at birth as a result of natural circumstances observed at birth.  Continue reading →

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Éyin ti ájà bá kọkọ ni: The Sad Case of Oscar Pistorius

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At this point, pigmies living in the forests of central Africa have probably heard about the sad case of Oscar Pistorius. For this blogger, I think there are more important lessons to be learnt from this allegation of premeditated murder — other than just going about the possible downfall of such a prodigy.


Read the full story of Oscar Pistorius on CNN here

The old Yoruba saying goes that:

Éyin ti ájà bá kọkọ ni, ónilè ẹ lò fi n gè jẹ

Roughly translated, the saying means that the first set of teeth grown by the guard dog usually ends up being used to bite members of its owner’s household. This saying seems particularly well suited to the role of guns in society today. As a person who is still considering whether to own a handgun at home or not some time in the future, while living in America during this era of intense gun ownership debate, I am keenly aware of several pros and cons that have been put forward by many regarding gun ownership.

Continue reading →

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