Ọ̀rọ̀-orin yi jẹ ikan ninú àwọn àkọ́-sórí ni ilé-ìwé alakọbẹrẹ ni ilẹ̀ Yorùbá ni igbà ti ile-iwe àpapọ̀ yè koro.  Ṣùgbọ́n ni ayé òde òni, ti gbogbo ilé-ìwé ti kọ èdè abínibí silẹ̀, ọ̀rọ̀-orin ti kò ni ìtumọ̀ ni àṣà àti èdè Yorùbá ni àwọn ọmọ ilé-ìwé ńkà.  Tàbi bawo ni “afárá tó wó lulẹ̀ ni ìlú-ọba” ṣe kan ọmọ ti kò ri iná, omi mímọ́ mu, ọ̀nà gidi, ilé-ìwé ti idaji rẹ ti wó, tàbi ti kò ri afárá ri ni abúlé rẹ̀, ti jẹ́?  A dúpẹ́ lọ́wọ́ àwọn aṣòfin àti Gómìnà ìpínlẹ̀ Èkó ti ó ṣe òfin ki wọn bẹ̀rẹ̀ si kọ́ èdè àti àṣà Yorùbá ni gbogbo ilé-ìwé pátápátá.  A lérò wi pé eleyi yi o jẹ́ ki àwọn olùkọ́ àti ọmọ ilé-ìwé bẹ̀rẹ̀ si kọ́ ọ̀rọ̀-orin tàbi àkọ́-sórí ti ó mú ọgbọ́n dáni.  Ẹ ṣe àyẹ̀wò ki kọ àti ki kà  ọ̀rọ̀-orin yi.

Tọ́jú ìwà rẹ, ọ̀rẹ́ mi;
Ọlá a má ṣi lọ n’ilé ẹni’
Ẹwà a si ma ṣi l’ára ènìà

Olówó òní ńd’olòṣì b’ó d’ọ̀la
Òkun l’ọlá; òkun n’igbi ọrọ̀
Gbogbo wọn ló ńṣí lọ n’ilé ẹni;
Ṣùgbọ́n ìwà̀ ni mbá ni dé sare’e
Owó kò jẹ́ nkan fún ni,
Ìwà l’ẹwà ọmọ ènìà.

Bi o lówó bi o kò n’íwà ńkọ́?
Tani jẹ f’inú tán ẹ bá ṣ’ohun rere?
Tàbi ki o jẹ́ obìnrin rọ̀gbọ̀dọ́;
Ti o bá jìnà s’ìwà ti ẹ̀dá ńfẹ́,
Tani jẹ́ fẹ́ ọ s’ílé bi aya?
Tàbi ki o jẹ oníjìbìtì ènìà;
Bi o tilẹ̀ mọ ìwé àmọ̀dájú,
Tani jẹ́ gbé’ṣé ajé fún ọ ṣe?

Tọ́jú ìwà rẹ, ọ̀rẹ́ mi,
Ìwà kò sí, ẹ̀kọ́ dègbé;
Gbogbo ayé ni ‘nfẹ́ ‘ni t’ó jẹ́ rere.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

This is one of the poems memorised by primary school pupils when there was quality public education.  But nowadays, when schools have abandoned mother tongue, children are now taught meaningless foreign poems.  Or how relevant is the poem about “London Bridge falling down” to a child who has no access to electricity/power, clean potable water, good road, dilapidated classrooms, or has never seen a bridge in her little village?  Kudos to the Lagos House of Assembly and the Governor for legislating a law making the teaching and learning of Yoruba language and culture compulsory in all Lagos schools.  It is hoped that this effort by Lagos State will encourage both the teachers and pupils to return to learning poems that are relevant and sensible poems.  See below the words and recital of the poem.

Care about your character, my friend;
Wealth do depart from one’s lineage
Beauty do fade from people

A rich man today could end up in poverty tomorrow,
Riches is like ocean, ocean is like the depth of wealth
All do depart from lineage
But only character follows one to the grave
Money is nothing
Character is the beauty of a person

What if you are rich without any moral principle?
Who will confide in you for a worthy cause?
Or if you are a woman of paragon beauty;
Yet far away from people’s expected moral standard,
Who will marry such as a wife?
Or if you are a con-artist;
Even when you are highly educated,
Who will entrust you with business?

Care about your character, my friend,
In the absence of character, education is futile,
Everyone loves a person with good character.

Originally posted 2018-08-10 02:12:55. Republished by Blog Post Promoter