The Yoruba Value System: Prioritizing Knowledge, Integrity, and Honor over Money
In yorubaland, money has never been foremost in yoruba value system. In our value system, money is number six (6).
What are the first five if you may like to ask?
- The first is làákà’yè: The application of knowledge, wisdom and understanding. (Ogbon, Imo ati Oye)
- The second is Iwa Omoluabi: This is otherwise called INTEGRITY. someone with integrity is a man/woman of their words. If you have all the wealth in the world but lack intergrity, you are not worth a thing. integrity is combined with iwa, (character) which we regard as omoluabi.
- The third is Akinkanju or Akin: (Valour) a man of valour is a man that his future is unpredictable financially. That is why Balogun's is second in command to the leaders in yoruba land. This are people that lead others to war because they are courageous in nature to face danger, especially in battle filed with enemy of thier territory.
- The fourth is Aniselapa ti kiise ole: (meaning: Having a visible means of livelihood) or lets say someone who have what he/she is doing to earn a living. A person must be identified with a visible means of livelihood that guarantees a lawful income or sustenance. His or her profession or job must be open and legally approved by society, and not through cheating or forcefulness.
- The fifth is IYI: (Honour) Yoruba people place a premium on the gait with which individuals carry themselves and public reputation. That is why Yoruba people usually say when you set out to look for money and you meet honour on the way, then you dont need to jorney further anymore, because if you get the money, you will still use it to buy honour.
- The last in the Yoruba value system is OWO tabi ORO: (Money or wealth).
If putting money ahead of the other five, then you are nobody in yoruba land of olden days.
unfortunately, this is being pushed to the front burner nowadays due to the erosion of our value system.
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