Different aesthetics with Tope Babayemi
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the article, “Building a National Culture (I)” which I wrote for this column a few weeks ago, I asserted that the world was beginning to become more ethnocentric. I gave as examples the Trump Presidential Election victory in America, Brexit and the immigration fiasco in Europe. I also advised that we as Nigerians needed to begin to look inwards to extract value inherent in us to promote as currency that will give us global relevance. In that article, I suggested ways in which government can harness culture in the process of building strength from our diversity. It is against this background and in advancing my argument that I have titled this week’s article “Building a National Culture – Between Omoluabi and T’ifun Loran”. I am borrowing from the Yoruba worldview to discuss the issue of values that are relevant to our development and our contribution on the global stage.
I remember that in my early days as a young arts businessman in the UK, I often had recourse to the Yoruba worldview in finding solutions to management issues. There was a time I got a grant to produce a project targeted at elderly Afro Caribbean folk. It was titled “Reminiscence Music for Elderly Afro Caribbean people” I christened the project “Reminiscing in Tempo” after a track by Duke Ellington. I rehearsed, recorded and toured two bands around England; one African, led by Ade Basorun, one of the first Nigerian musicians in the UK and the other, led by a once famous Jamaican trumpeter who had worked with Errol Flynn in movies in the 40s. The project was in the final stage, touring, but the tranche of grant payment from the Arts Council had not arrived by the Friday preceding the commencement of the tour which was the next day, Saturday. I had no choice but to turn to my bank for an overdraft. I therefore sent my project manager, Tess Randle, with a letter to my bank manager. Tess did not get beyond the help desk and came back to me completely flustered. I rushed to the bank before they closed, got to the manager and sorted it out. Later, in explaining things to my manager who is half what was then Yugoslavian and half English, I had to resort to the Yoruba saying “Eni ti o ran ni ni ise la nberu, kii se eni ti a o je fun” meaning “it is the person who sends you on errand that you fear, not the person that you will deliver the message to”. She got the message and became more assertive and result oriented when sent on assignments by the chief executive.
Many people of Yoruba stock will tell you the import of the saying, “ranti omo eni ti iwo nse” meaning “remember the child of whom you are”. That saying represented the core of my moral anchor in my 16 years abroad as a student and professional. I am sure many Nigerians from different ethnic backgrounds would like me have had a similar experience growing up.
In advancing a formula for building a national culture, I have always maintained that in the Nigerian context, everyone has something to bring to the table of nation building. As such, and I quote from my last offering in this column on the issue, “The major purpose must be to create a basis for mutual understanding of socio economic and political values, approaches and customs by promoting and celebrating our common humanity. To achieve this, we must begin to approximate and promote the best in and of us; start to actively discourage negative Nigerian stereotypes that promote international perception of corruption as pervasive and endemic in Nigeria”.
According to Wikipedia, “The Omoluabi is a Yoruba philosophical and cultural concept to describe a person of good character. The omoluabi concept signifies courage, hard work, humility and respect. An omoluabi is a person of honour who believes in hard work, respects the rights of others, and gives to the community in deeds and in action. Above all, an omoluabi is a person of integrity”. T’ifun loran in literal translation is one whose stomach is always his primary concern and in the Yoruba worldview can be classified as the opposite of omoluabi. T’ifun loran will sacrifice all the virtues that it takes to be an omoluabi for the satisfaction of what he will eat. Examples of T’ifun loran abound all over the Nigerian landscape.
Again, according to Wikipedia, “An omoluabi demonstrates and exhibits the inherent virtue and value of Iwapele. Iwapele is ultimately the basis of moral conduct in Yoruba culture and a core defining attribute of an Omoluabi”. A reference from the work of the scholar/Ifa priest 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) states that “The most fundamental of these principles demonstrated by an Omoluabi are;
- Oro Siso (Spoken word, the Yoruba accord great respect for intelligent and expert use of language)
- Iteriba (Respect)
- Inu Rere (Good will, Having a good mind towards others)
- Otito (Truth)
- Iwa (Character)
- Akinkanju (Bravery)
- Ise (Hard work)
- Opolo Pipe (Intelligence)
An individual can be termed an Omoluabi irrespective of the religion the person adheres to. Consequently, some of the characteristics and traits of an omoluabi are considered virtues in many religions, for example, humility, truth and honesty are Christian and Muslim virtues”.
In conclusion, I wish to ask the question, ’what moral paradigm underpins the conduct and ethics of our business, political, and religious leaders in Nigeria? What about our and traditional rulers and the professionals such as lawyers, doctors, teachers and artists? I can only reiterate the point that we need to strike the right balance between our traditions and innovation so that our development can be coherent and sustainable.
