Ilẹ̀ Yorùbá jẹ́ ikan ninu ẹ̀yà nlá lára orílẹ̀ èdè Nigeria.  Orílẹ̀ èdè yi gba ominira lati ọ̀dọ̀ ilú-ọba ni ọdún mẹ́tàléladọta sẹhin.  Lati igba ti Nigeria ti gba ominira, “Kàkà ki ewé àgbọn dẹ̀, koko ló tún nle si”.   Bi ọdún ti ńgorí ọdún ni ó nle koko si fún ará ilú.

Olórí ilú ti a npe ni Ìjọba mba ọrọ̀ ilú jẹ pẹ̀lú iwà ibàjẹ́ bi: gbigba àbẹ̀tẹ́lẹ̀, ojúkòkòrò, rírú òfin ti wọn fúnra wọn fi silẹ̀, fifi èrú gba Ìjọba, kíkó ọrọ̀ ilú lọ si òkè-òkun àti bẹ̃bẹ̃ lọ.  Kò si iyàtọ̀ laarin Ìjọba Ológun àti Òṣèlú.

Èrè iwà burúkú lati ọ̀dọ̀ Òṣèlú ti ran awọn ará ilu.  Oriṣiriṣi iwà burúkú ti kò ṣẹlẹ̀ láyé àtijọ́ ti bẹ̀rẹ̀ si ṣẹlẹ̀.  Fún àpẹrẹ, gbọmọgbọmọ ti gbòde, olè jíjà, jìbìtì, tẹ̀mbẹ̀lẹ̀kun, ọ̀tẹ̀ àti bẹ̃bẹ̃ lọ.  Èrè iwà burúkú yi han ni gbogbo ẹ̀yà orilẹ̀ èdè Nigeria lati Àríwá dé Ìwọ Õrun, Ìlà Õrun àti Gũsu.  Kò si iná, omi, ilé-ìwé fún ọmọ aláìní, ojú ọ̀nà ti bàjẹ́, awọn ará ilú njẹ ìyà, ọpọlọpọ ọdọ jade ilé-ìwé wọn ò ri iṣẹ́, èyi to ri iṣẹ́ ngba owó ti kò tó jẹun àti bẹ̃bẹ̃ lọ.

Bi Nigeria ti nṣe àjọ̀dún kẹtaleladọta ni ọjọ́ kini oṣù kẹwa, ó yẹ ká gbé òwe Yorùbá ti ó ni “Ọmọ to yi ko gbọn, Ìyá ni ko ma ṣa kú, kilo npa ọmọ bi agọ̀”, yẹ̀wò.  Ìlú tó bá gbọ́n ni lati kó ara pọ̀ lati ṣe àpérò fún àtúnṣe nkan ti ó ti bàjẹ́, ki agọ̀ ma bà pa orílẹ̀ èdè.

Bi ó ti wù ki ó ri, ẹni ọdún bá láyé, ó yẹ ki ó dúpẹ́, ki ó ni ireti pé ọ̀la yi o dára, nitori eyi, ẹ̀yin olólùfẹ́ èdè àti àṣà Yorùbá, ẹ kú ọdún ominira o.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Yoruba land is one of the major ethnic group in Nigeria.  The country got her Independence from the British fifty-three years ago.  Since Nigeria became independent, “Instead of the coconut’s leaf getting softer, it has become harder”.

The Nigerian Leaders known as the Government, are squandering the wealth of the nation with their lack of discipline such as: receiving bribe, greed, breaking the law that they set, taking over the government through crooked means, siphoning public funds Oversea etc.  There is no difference between the Military and the Civilian Government.

The result of bad attitude by the Politicians has trickled down to the populace.  Various bad attributes that were not happening in the past are now happening.  For example, kidnapping stealing, fraud, intrigues, rebellious attitude etc. are now common.  The result of the evil is glaring all over the country from the North to the West, East and South.  The country lacks: constant electricity, water, schools for the children of the less privileged, good roads.  The people are suffering, many youths have finished Universities without employment or under-employed earning salary that cannot sustain them etc.

As Nigeria celebrates the fifty three years of Independence on the first of October, it is apt to re-examine the Yoruba proverb that said “A child is as old and yet lacks wisdom, the mother said, so far the child does not die, what kills a child more than foolishness”.  A wise nation must come together in order to deliberate on how to find solution to the numerous problems facing the country, so that they may not be destroyed by foolishness.

Whatever it may be, whoever is alive, should give thanks, and be hopeful for a better future, for this reason, wishing lovers of Yoruba language and culture Happy Independence.