Friday, 5 June 2015

THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL: BE GOOD


     There are adages in Yoruba language which says, "Arigi segi segi, ori ara re lo fin gbe". "Owo ti ogede ba gbe, ara re lo fin nna". “Eni da eru ni eru n to". Meaning, "The tree cutter (this is like a huge insect) that saw a tree and cut it, will surely carry it with its own head". "The hand that a banana branch lifted up, will always be the hand that will beat it". And finally, "whosoever splash an ash will surely be covered with it". The Anglophones completed it this way, "the people you meet on your way going up is the same people you will meet on your way down".
     You don't need to always be thinking well of yourself alone and evil of other people. I was in the front of High court one day to sworn my affidavit for declaration of age and what happened really baffles me. As I was swearing, I suddenly looked back to see a guy falling inside the drainage system, and I saw another guy laughing uncontrollably saying,"olorun mu e" meaning, "you deserve it". I then pursed to ask that guy why; only for him to tell me that he too had fallen inside the drainage system and so he was the one who deliberately placed the trap for other people just because he too had fallen inside it. That is the spirit of most people.
     Don't say because you fell down so you must plan other people’s downfall as well. Even when you are down, think of a way of raising other people up. Who knows? It might be one of those people you helped today that God will use for you tomorrow (though you don’t have to always have it at the back of your mind that whoever you help today most help you tomorrow). Help for helping sake.
Remember, if you point a finger on somebody else's, the rest of your fingers will always point back at you. Never live your life on people’s complements or comment, but rather, live a good life and be good to everyone because it’s good to be good.
      I will forever remember the adage one of my colleges told me, “ba fi eyin si owo otun, ta fi eyin si owo osi, ti awa fi eyin ri de ilu Iseyin, eni to ba ma yin ni a yin ni”. Meaning, “If we put egg in the right hand, and also put palm fruit in our left hand, while we work backward to Iseyin town, those who will praise you will still praise you”.
     Think well of other people, don't be selfish but be centrist and think globally but act locally.

#KipSmiln’

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