“Iwájú lèrò mbá èrò – Kò si ohun téni kan ṣe, téni kò ṣe ri” – “There is always someone ahead – Nothing is new”

Ọ̀rọ̀ ijinlẹ àti Òwe Yorùbá wà lati fi kọ́ ọgbọ́n àti imò bi èniyàn ti lè gbé igbésí ayé rere. Ọ̀gá àgbà ninú Olórin ilẹ̀ aláwọ̀-dúdú (Olóyè, Olùdarí Ebenezer Obey) kọ ninú orin ni èdè Yorùbá pé “ki lẹni kan ṣe, tẹni kan ò ṣe ri?” Kò si owó, ọlá, ipò, agbára ti èniyàn ni, ti kò si ẹni tó ni ri tàbi ti ẹni ti ó mbọ̀ lẹhin kò lè ni.

Iwájú lèrò mbá èro – Tug of War Game.

Ọ̀rọ̀ Yorùbá ti ó sọ pé “Iwájú lèrò mbá èrò” ṣe gba ẹni ti kò bá ni ìtẹ́lọ́rùn ni ìmọ̀ràn. Ọjọ́ ori nlọ sókè ṣùgbọ́n ki wá lẹ̀. Ai ni ìtẹ́lọ́rùn ló fa ki àgbàlagbà jowú ọmọdé nitori ọmọ àná ti ó rò pé kò lè da nkankan ti da nkan, tàbi ki ọ̀gá ilé-iṣẹ́ ma jowú ọmọ iṣẹ́. Bi a bá ṣe akiyesi eré ije “Fi fa Okun” a o ri pé àwọn kan wà ni iwájú, bẹni àwọn kan wà lẹhin. Èyi fihàn pé, “Ibi ti àgbà bá wà lọmọdé mba”, ṣùgbọ́n àgbà ti ṣe ọmọdé ri.

Ai ni ìtẹ́lọ́rùn lè fà ikú ójiji nitori àìsàn ẹ̀jẹ̀-riru, irònú, ijiyà iṣẹ́ ibi, olè jijà, ija, gbigbé oògùn olóró, èrú ṣi ṣe, àti bẹ́ẹ̀-bẹ́ẹ̀ lọ. Bi èniyàn bá kọ́ ọgbọ́n ninú ọ̀rọ̀ Yorùbá ti ó sọ pé “Iwájú lèrò mbá èro” yi, à ri pé, kò si ipò ti òhún wà ti kò si ẹni ti ó wà nibẹ̀ ṣáájú tàbi lẹhin òhun. Ìmọ̀ yi kò ni jẹ́ ki èniyàn ṣi iwà hù, tàbi binú ẹni keji. Ó ṣe pàtàki gẹ́gẹ́ bi ikan ninú orin (Olóyè Olùdari Ebenezer Obey), pe “Ipò ki pò, ti a lè wà, ká má a dúpẹ́ ló tọ́”.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Yoruba deep thoughts and Proverbs are for wisdom and knowledge required for peaceful living. A prominent African Musician (Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey) in one of his songs, said in Yoruba language meaning “What has anyone done that has never been done?” There is no amount of riches, wealth, or position, power that anyone has, that has never been or would be.

The Yoruba adage that said “There is always someone ahead”, can be used to advise someone who lacks contentment. Age goes up but never comes down. Lack of contentment causes an elder to be envious of the younger ones, as a result of under-rating the young one who has gone beyond expectation or a boss that is envious of the subordinate. Observing the “Tug of War – Game”, one would notice that there are some people ahead and there are some behind in the struggle. This shows in accordance with another Yoruba adage that means “The young shall grow”, but the old ones had once been young”.

Lack of contentment can cause sudden death as a result of hypertension, depression and serious consequence of evil act such as stealing/robbery, fighting, peddling drugs, defrauding etc. If one could learn from the adage, that “There is always someone ahead”, one would realize that no matter the situation one may find himself/herself, there had been people in such situation and there will be people to follow. This knowledge will guide one from misbehaving or being envious of others. It is important, according to one of the songs of (Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey) to note that “In whatever situation/position one is, it is apt to give thanks”.

Originally posted 2015-08-25 20:10:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

1 thought on ““Iwájú lèrò mbá èrò – Kò si ohun téni kan ṣe, téni kò ṣe ri” – “There is always someone ahead – Nothing is new””

omoba usa October 12, 2014 at 1:33 am

There is nothing new under the sky,also there is nothing that happens whicn has not happened before. With current developments in our country Nigeria,it has been erased from memory. Many of our people are psychology splitting . This means were are no more embracing reality but phoniness. Unless something drastic happen to our standard of valuation.well we may just be marking time.

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“Iwájú lèrò mbá èrò – Kò si ohun téni kan ṣe, téni kò ṣe ri” – “There is always someone ahead – Nothing is new”

1 thought on ““Iwájú lèrò mbá èrò – Kò si ohun téni kan ṣe, téni kò ṣe ri” – “There is always someone ahead – Nothing is new””

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