Arabirin Sola

Esu, the master of the crossroads, selected to provide checks and balances in life.

Records of Captain Clapperton's Last Expedition to Africa: With the Subsequent Adventures of the Author,  Richard Lander (1830) “The Bow and arrow, which, before the introduction of fire-arms into the country, was the chief military weapon, is still retained by the militia; and the facility with which they use it is truly surprising. At a considerable distance they can launch a light arrow with a deadly certainty that is not to be equalled by the musketeers of the same nation.” “The arrows themselves are small, light, and frequently tipped not merely with a barb of iron but with a potent, dark poison derived from local herbs, rendering even a slight wound fatal within a short time. Their bows are simple, yet powerful, often constructed from the wood of the palm, requiring great strength to draw. The warriors carry these weapons in a quiver of leopard-skin or woven grass, holding fifty or more shafts, ready for rapid deployment. This traditional armament, though overshadowed by the ...

You Drink Gari And Use It For Food Purposes But Did You Know In 1944, Selling Gari was illegal in what became Nigeria?  The British colonial Government made it illegal for anyone to sell Gari privately, Gari became "Government treasure” This actually happened during the era of the second World War. As we know the British were suffering at the hand of Germans and they were desperate to win the War, they needed money and resources so they pulled as much as they could get from their colonies, including Nigeria. They built roads, Airfields, hospitals etc, anything to make their exploitation easier. This is because claiming to build infrastructure is an easy way to appropriate funds.  Nigerian Men were recruited by the  British colonial Government into the Army to fight in the war. Even at that, they still needed more. The British imposed some monetary policies and they rationed food so they could have enough to export for their wars. The Colonial government was in charge of f...

“He who does not have shame does not have the oracle of the heart  The oracle of the heart is a person’s conscience  it is the place where  the law of God is written  Good character is synonymous to Obatala, the ancient of days  Quietness and calmness is the habit of Obatala, the Lord of IFON who shares his good character among the devotees  Come and behold the countless children of destiny Destiny carries children on her back  Come and behold the countless children of IWA....”

An ancient Awùjalẹ̀ of Ìjèbú once told his subjects "I'm not an Aláàfin, it's in Ọ̀yọ́ where the leaders live all their lives serving the Followers". We've had our own form of democracy before the Greek discovered theirs. The Ẹ̀gbá ran a Tetrarchy The Ìbàràpá ran a Confederation Ifẹ̀ ran a Theocracy Ìjàyè ran a Military dictatorship The Awori ran a Constitutional monarchy  Ìbàdàn ran a Gerontocracy (The most restless population in Yorùbáland needs to be ruled by sages and elders or there won't be peace anywhere close!) We've got so much of our own to pick from and refine.

In Yorubaland, leadership was never a joke. Our ancestors understood that power must be tied to accountability, truth, and consequences. Before colonialism, Yoruba leaders took oaths with deities that represented justice, balance, and truth! Ogun, Sango, Esu.  These oaths were not for fear, but for discipline, character, and responsibility. Then colonialism came, and we replaced our cultural systems of accountability with foreign ones.  Oaths became symbolic, not binding.  Leadership became performance, not duty. I believe Yoruba leaders need to reconnect with the traditional moral codes that once kept them honest.  Not necessarily by invoking any danger but by returning to the spiritual values that ensured integrity. Our ancestors understood something important,  when you swear before a divinity that represents justice, you remember that betrayal carries consequences both moral and ancestral. Today, we see too much selfishness in leadership because the oath has...