By  Omole Catherine Olajumoke

Department of Psychology, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife, Nigeria

Introduction

One of the major ethnic groups in Nigeria, West Africa, is the Yoruba, who occupy the South-West states of the country (Ogun, Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Osun and Ekiti), mainly, and some parts of Kwara and Kogi states in Northern Nigeria. Apart from Nigeria, the Yoruba are also found in sizeable numbers in the South eastern part of the Republic of Benin, Togo and Dahomey in West Africa, in West India and in South Africa (Balogun 2009, 1).

While the Yoruba can be found in different parts of the globe, a thriving Yoruba culture can be found in South America and the Caribbeans, especially Brazil and Cuba, where the descendants of the unwilling immigrants to the new world have been able to maintain their identity and preserve their cultural heritage (Gbadegesin 1991, 174). The Yoruba, in general (that is, those that have their ancestral home in Nigeria and those in the Diaspora) have a rich cultural heritage rooted in their traditional modes of thought.

The Yoruba people of the Southwest Nigeria have long developed a systematic way of thinking and articulating mannerism. This is a useful evidence of the dynamism of Yoruba culture. Yoruba culture is evident in the beliefs, values, customs, practices, and social behaviours of the people.

The philosophical tradition of the Yoruba had been so anchored on and entrenched in the concept of character development. The concept of character referred to by Yoruba as “IWA” is a set of qualities that make somebody distinctively interesting or attractive, especially somebody’s qualities of mind and feelings, somebody’s reputation. (Wiki,2013)

IWA (Character) is one of or perhaps the most important human endeavour taught within Ifa literary corpus and every Ifa stanza (ancient poetic verse) has one portion dedicated to the issue of teaching the IWA (Character/ Behaviour) that Ifa supports. This IWA, which Ifa teaches transcend religious doctrine, it is central to every human being, and imparts communal, social & civic responsibility that the Creator (Olodumare) supports. Central to this is the theme of righteousness and practicing good moral behaviour, not seeking for it in the community but becoming the Ambassador of IWA (Character).

Character reflects our values, ethics and morals thus, IWA reflects the cultural values, ethics and morals which defines Yoruba as a people.

The wellbeing of a society is grossly dependent on the peace and unity maintained by every individual component of the community while engaging in social interaction. Every individual which constitute a social player must at every point in time display acceptable values, ethics and morals that the society dictates. This is reflected in their character.

The Concept of “OMOLUWABI” (good person)

The concept of “OMOLUWABI” in Yoruba thought probes into the Yoruba understanding of the characteristic features constitutive of a person.

Who is an “OMOLUWABI”?

The concept of Omoluwabi is an adjectival Yoruba phrase, which has the words- “Omo+ ti + Olu- iwa + bi” as its components. Literally translated and separately, omo means ‘child’, ti means ‘that or which’, Olu-iwa means the chief or master of IWA (character), bi means ‘born’. When combined, Omoluwabi translates as “the baby begotten by the chief of IWA”. Such a child is thought of as a paragon of excellence in character.

This is the popular conception of Omoluwabi, but it has some ambivalence. Segun Gbadegesin (2007) identifies one when he interpreted Olu-iwa as ‘God, the creator of every baby’ and as every baby is an Omoluwabi. Though, Gbadegesin’s interpretation is not absolute in Yoruba lingua structure, as Olu-iwa could denote a dignified parent with excellent character. However, Olu-iwa may create an exemplar of character or a baby as a person of dignity; yet, there is no guarantee that the baby would remain an exemplar of character like the creator of the biological father. And the ambivalence can also be seen in possibility that the child may turn out to be an Omoluwabi while not born by someone with good character.

Hence, the conception of Omoluwabi by Sophie Oluwole (2007) is more semantically instructive, thought provoking and reflective of the Yoruba cultural experience which suggests Omo ti o ni iwa bi (a child whose character takes after…) as the full rendition of Omoluabi. According to her, the phrase “Omo- ti- o ni- iwa-bi” definitely does not make a complete sense because it is a phrase that still yearns for a completion because it raises the question: “Omo ti o ni iwa bi tani?” (a child whose character takes after…who?)(Oluwole, 2007).

In completing this interrogative phrase, Oluwole harps Omoluabi as “Omo ti o ni iwa bi eni ti a ko, ti o si gba eko” (A person that behaves like someone who is well nurtured and lives by the precepts of the education s/he has been given). Therefore, the Yoruba word Omoluabi may thus be appropriately rendered as a conflation of three interrelated descriptions. These are:

Omo ti o ni’ wa bi (A person who behaves like…) Eni tia ko (Someone properly nurtured)

Tio si gba eko (And who behaves accordingly) (Oluwole, 2007)

This combination thus gives us a good picture of Omoluabi in Yoruba culture wherein a person is given a deep knowledge, wisdom, and therefore be trained to be self disciplined and to develop a sense of responsibility that shows in private and public actions which earns individuals social integrity, and personality in Yoruba society. And in contrast with eniyan-keyan or eniyan la-san, which means ‘caricature person’, and omokomo (a worthless child), an Omoluabi can also be defined as a ‘good and cultured person’. Hence, it is common among the Yoruba to use the adjectival eniyan-gidi meaning ‘an ideal person’ as a synonym to Omoluwabi, a ‘good person’.

In the Yoruba Aesthetic Concept of IWA”, Rowland Abiodun (1983) describes “an Omoluwabi as someone who has been well brought up or a person who is highly cultured”. Thus, when people are described as cultured or uncultured – as Omoluwabi or Omolasan – as the case may be, a general description is being given of personhood as to whether or not an individual is socially integrated or is a misfit or a cultural deviant within a given social setting or social organization (Oyeneye and Shoremi, 1997). And in the same vain, in an attempt to elucidate the concept of Omoluwabi (good person), Wande Abimbola, (1975) makes it clear that Omoluwabi is a function of exhibiting and demonstrating the inherent virtue and value of iwapele (1975:389). Thus, Iwapele via Abimbola tells us is “good or gentle character” and it is ultimately the basis of moral conduct in Yoruba culture and a core defining attribute of Omoluwabi, set as a conglomeration of principles of moral conduct demonstrated by an Omoluwabi with the most fundamental of these principles include: oro siso, (spoken word), iteriba (respect), inu rere (having good mind to others), otito (truth), iwa (character), akinkanju (bravery), ise (hard work) and opolopipe (intelligence).

In unity with the above, the spoken word is highly respected among the Yoruba hence, to be categorized as an Omoluwabi, one must be capable of intelligent use of language.

Yoruba accord great respect for intelligent and the expert use of language, especially via the appropriate use of proverbs, and as such, an Omoluwabi is expected to exhibit/demonstrate this capacity whereas the Yoruba regards the sagacious usage of the spoken word is an embodiment of good character because they believe it is the harbinger of peace and war; the engine of culture and civility; the hallmark of conversational prudence and the epitome of intellectual maturity that may be the precursor of social, political, religious and cultural responsibility.

More so, in conceptualizing Omoluwabi, we must equally examine at least three other elements, the Iteriba (respect), the Inurere (having a good mind or intention with others), and Iwa (character)

First, Iteriba (respect) is a salient feature for being an Omoluwabi where upon it is expected that a person must be respectful to other beings irrespective of one’s age, class or social stratification (even the elderly are expected to accord due respect to the young, for respect begets respect). Such respect also implies recognizing the rights of others not only on the ground of their age, i.e. old-age, social status, political status, moral uprightness, but on the ground of their being human.

Second, Inurere (having good mind or intention towards others) constitutes a fundamental moral and psychological attribute a person is expected to have, along with being truthful and honest (Abimbola, 1975: 393).

Third, Iwa (character) makes a person more valuable or less valuable; and this is where there is a distinction between good character (iwa rere) and bad character (iwa ibaje or iwa buburu).

It is instructive to note that iwa rere ( good character) adds to the quality of appraisal that an individual garners. Therefore, Iwa character plays an important role in the making and passing of rights, and in the integrity of individuals because a human being without good character, though human, but is no less than an animal. The point here is that the absence of proper culture, moral probity, and integrity devalues the personhood of a person to the level of just ordinary things- eniyan lasan, lasan, or eranko (animal).

Thus, such a being or an individual loses the personhood of being a member of society which being human being demands. In other words, such a person would not be deemed fit, for confidence, trust or responsibility; and would not pass the gamut of being qualified as an Omoluwabi in a Yoruba cultural context. These set of individuals will jeopardise the peaceful co-existence of people and negatively influence the well-being of the society Perhaps, to strengthen this view and belief of the Yoruba on Iwa as the fulcrum of human personality, let us quote an extract from the Ifa literary corpus, thus in Ose Meji, verse ten, it is stated that:

Inu bibi o da nnkan, suuru baba iwa; Agba t’oni suuru, ohun gbogbo l’o ni; Diafun ori, a bu fun iwa.

T’iwa nikan losoro;

Ori kan o buru n’ile Ife; t’iwa nikan losoro.

Meaning

Indignation does not bring forth anything good; Patience is the best of character

A patient elder has everything;

The truth of this thesis is adequately demonstrated In the incidence of destiny that lacks character.

Nurturing as well as exhibiting good character is difficult; No destiny is bad in pristine Ife;

It is only nurturing and exhibiting good character that is difficult.

References

Abimbola, Wande (1969) “The Concept of Human Personality”, in La Nation de Personne en Afrique Aloire Collegues. No. 544, Internation de Centre National de la Reserche Paror: Centre National de la Reserche Scientifique.

Abimbola, Wande (1975) “Iwapele: The Concept of Good Character in Ifa Literary Corpus”, Wande Abimbola (ed.) Yoruba Oral Tradition: Poetry in Music Dance and Drama (Ibadan: University of Ibadan Press).

Abiodun, Rowland (1983) “Identity and the Artistic Process in the Yoruba Aesthetic Concept of Iwa”, Journal of Cultures and Ideas, Vol.

1, No.1.

Ali, A. Samuel, (1997) “Person: A Yoruba Example,” Journal of Yoruba Folklore, Vol. 1.

Balogun, O.A.(2009) “In Defense of the ‘Living –dead’ in traditional African thought: The Yoruba Example”. Philosophia:  International Journal of Philosophy, Vol.38 No.1, pp.10-12.