By
Obododimma Oha
There is one Yoruba wise saying that if one stays too long on one's excrement, various kinds of insect would start visiting one. That visit could be infuriating. But one asked for it. In the first place, it was one that defecated. So, the insects are actually after the excrement, maybe as food. Also, the beast that made the "food" available is still there. Why? The insects must be out to fight for a piece, to take the risk, before it is too late.
You would think that the insects want to take what is not theirs. But has the beast that ejected the excrement to ingest it again? The beast should be happy that the insects are "visiting." The beast just has to leave if it doesn't still need the excrement.
There is a sense of blame, of indictment, in the discourse. Obviously, the beast is the one making the excrement attract attention. The insects have a routine activity to help manage the" waste. " They can only be prevented by another beast that is going to handle the management better.
Whenever I hear this Yoruba saying, I remember that we are being asked to manage time well and not think the whole world can wait for us. There is this annoying thinking that, after sixty years of the independence of a country like Nigeria, that the country is still young and can be excused from being economically buoyant, making inventions, being educationally strong, etc. The funny idea is that there is still time or that we should be more patient and give the country more time! There is the likelihood this "man-child" (I borrowed the term from Ayi Kwei Armah) would reach 1,000 years and still be thinking that it is still a baby!
That warning given by the saying, which applies to individuals and groups, could also be viewed as a piece of advice. The advice is for us to wake up in our engagements and not sleep off, thinking that God and the angels on guard will take care of things. The spirits cannot and should not help those who want to turn them to domestic servants.
In other words, one is asking the spirits not to become bakers, even though they have to give us our daily bread. It is also important for this daily bread to be seen in amala, akpụ, ewedu, edikang ikong, pumpkin leaves, water leaf, etc. Further, it would be embarrassing if they have to slice the daily bread, dip the slice into our tea, chew it and swallow it for us. Very embarrassing. Bakers have to leave some tasks for us?
Anyway, staying too long on the excrement means that the beast is enjoying it. It means the beast derives some joy from being on top of it or is keeping guard, not just too lazy to leave. It is also possible that the beast wants to know the kinds of visitors coming. Whatever may be the case, there could be a reason for still being there.
It is all about delay. This delay may be caused by a weak system or just inability. With respect to weak systems, why trap the beast with excrement.I am a part of the educational system in Africa and I should feel some shame to hear that applying for a transcript is like engaging in rocket science or that students can register for PhD and stay there for many years. That is atrocious!
The Yoruba saying is for me, for everybody. If one overstays on an excrement after bringing it out, it is not only strange insects that could visit. It could even be the ghost of the excrement, saying: "Release me, please."
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