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Character as Devotion: Towards A

Transformative Ethos

By Dr. Kayode Fayemi,

The Governor of Ekiti State, Nigeria

[Being a Speech Delivered at the Public Presentation of a book, Omoluabi 2.0: A Code of Transformation in 21st Century Nigeria, Authored by Adewale Ajadi, 24th August,

2012 in Lagos]

Protocols.

Every society has its own fundamental conception of social

organisation, social composition and the world. Such conception is the

bedrock of how every society functions - or is expected to function – in

relation to itself and the world. Also, that conception not only determines the

framework and the totality of social, political and economic life, it

establishes and governs the relationship between the structures of society

and human agency. That conception, first described by the famous German

philosopher, Immanuel Kant, as Weltanschauung, is called worldview, in

English.

Worldview is a “fundamental cognitive orientation” which includes the

totality of knowledge in any society, covering natural philosophy, existential

postulates, ethics and values. It is “a global outlook on life and the world”.

Wilhelm Dilthey identifies it as "a general view of the universe and the place

of human beings in it, especially as this view affects conduct". Worldview

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forms the foundation of the way in which a person, cultural group or society

comprehends and interprets the world.

Leo Apostel, a 20th century Belgian philosopher, argued that a

worldview is a system of ideas about existence or a descriptive model of the

world. In his understanding, as one of the exponents of his ideas states, a

worldview "is a shared, rationalised, approximately coherent, open and

plural, aggregate of knowledge systems, valuative ethical systems, and

concomitant action guiding systems."

Apostel and his collaborator elaborate that any worldview must

consist of six questions:

1. What is? This question is directed at constructing a model of reality

as a whole.

2. Where does it all come from? This is concerned with a model of the

past.

3. Where are we going? This addresses a model of the future.

4. What is good and what is evil? This leads to a theory of values and

ethics.

5. How should we act? This question is about a theory of actions.

6. What is true and what is false? This question addresses a theory of

knowledge.

In many ways, the book which we are here to publicly present today,

Omoluabi 2.0: A Code of Transformation in 21st Century Nigeria, is an

attempt to answer the questions posed by any worldview.

In a sense, we can say that any worldview, given its grounding in a

particular moral and rational understanding of the relationship between the

individual, a group or a society and the rest of the world, is an ethics of the

world. Every religion, every culture, every system, be it social, economic, or

political, is predicated on a particular worldview. Against this backdrop, we

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can argue that every system is based on, and reflects, its own ethics of the

world. What I have called ethics of the world would necessarily involve a

system of values and virtues.

In the African world, specifically in the Yoruba context, our traditional

religious precepts form the foundation of our worldview. Indeed, even

though modernity has reconstructed and repositioned our worldview and

continues to do so, there is no doubt that the fundamental character of that

worldview is based on our religious culture and historical experience. To

give a concrete example, the Yoruba worldview is most evident, and

expressive, in the 256 volumes of Ifa - called Odu Ifa.

Even though many people have the wrong impression that Ifa is

exclusively a religious system, the truth is that Ifa is not merely the

foundation of a religious culture. It is much more than that. Ifa is a science

of ideas; it is literature; it is sublime and practical poetry; Ifa is a system of

thought; it is a conception of the universe and the relationship of human

beings with the elements and the structures and dynamics of society. Ifá

deals with all subjects including history, geography, sociology, religion,

music, philosophy, etc. Indeed, it is a worldview.

Distinguished guests: At the centre of this worldview is what is called

Iwa. In the Yoruba worldview, iwa, which translates in English to character,

is at the centre of human life and social relations. Its centrality is such that,

among the Yoruba - just like among the English and the English-speaking

people - iwa (character) is used essentially positively. The Yoruba regard

iwapele (gentle or good character) “as the most important of all moral

values, and the greatest attribute of any man” or woman. As Professor

Wande Abimbola states, “The essence of religious worship for the Yoruba

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consists therefore in striving to cultivate iwapele.” This is why for the

Yoruba, God is also Olu-Iwa (Lord of Character). This is so despite the fact

that character is also distinguished in specific context by its positive and

negative manifestations. Thus, there is a distinction between iwa rere (good

character) and iwa buburu (bad character). This binary between good and

bad is understandable, because, as the primus scholar and practitioner of

Yoruba religion, Professor Wande Abimbola, reminds us, Ifa is based on

“two binary orders as in the binominal theory of mathematics.” The first is

the binary order of opposition, while the other is the binary of order of

complimentarity. And as the Awise Agbaye of Ile-Ife and scholar and

babalawo points out, this is similar to the binary order from which the

computer originates. Against this backdrop, it is possible to think of the

modernity of Ifa. Indeed, the wisdom of the ancient are still very relevant in

contemporary times.

Iwa is at the centre of the Yoruba universe. It is so central that, in the

aesthetics of life, the Yoruba not only conceive of character as beauty when

they say iwa l’ewa (character is beauty), more profoundly, they link it

directly with, and in fact, pronounce it as, devotion or worship by saying that

iwa l’esin (character is devotion, piety or worship). By this, we can

understand that the Yoruba, like many other cultural groups around the

world, perceive character as something that is at the centre of the structure

and agency of life and living. A Nigerian philosopher argues that:

“As the most important pursuit, embedded in the concept of Iwa

is the idea of a good moral standing in the society. This is

reflected not only in interpersonal relations but also in public and

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communal life. The concept of Iwa is a standard or aspiration in-

built into the framework of societal institutions. In other words,

Iwa must be reflected in the laws of the society, the collective

aspirations of the societal norms and regulations. It appears

very strong a view that in Yoruba land, the basic standard for

which every attempt at and enterprise of communal and

collective [life] is to be evaluated and judged consist in the

approximation and reflection of the concept of Iwa. This is true

in marriage, dressing, in communal service, kingship matters

and legislation, religious worship and family affairs.”

As something that denotes a high system of values and virtues, character

has some important suffixes in Yoruba, such as Iwapele (gentle character)

and Iwatutu (cool character). All these are different expressions of the

qualities of a good character and the ethical necessities of a good life.

What is the relationship of character and our search for a

transformative ethics and ethos in Nigeria?

As a social thinker reflecting on the role of character in contemporary

society, Oluwo Phillip Neimark argues that the Yoruba conception and

practices of iwa is a reflection of our culture’s thoughtful intelligence, rather

than blind obedience to rules. It is based on logic. It is “about working within

the logical matrix of the Universe to improve our lives without damaging

those around us or the Universe we must live in.” This is why good

character invites the best in us and invests the best in society, and

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therefore leads to common or collective good. Consequently, character is

superior to laws and formal rules. In one sense, it is what makes laws or

formal rules of conduct unnecessary, and in another sense, it is what

makes laws and formal rules easy to obey.

Who then best reflects iwa (good character)? Or rather, what is the best

human reflection of iwa? In the Yoruba world, the best human reflection of

iwa is anyone who is qualified to be called an Omoluwabi. The English

gendered approximation of that would be a gentleman or a lady. But it is

better expressed as one who is well-born, or well-bred. An omoluwabi is the

very epitome of iwa; in him or her is reflected all the fundamentals of the

ethics of the world that produced and nourishes him or her, and which he or

she best represents. An omoluwabi is an excellent agent of the worldview

that is prevalent in his or her culture. Therefore, in many ways, an

omoluwabi constantly reflects upon, and engages with, the ethical issues of

contemporary society on the basis of the lessons of the past, the duties of

the present and the challenges of the future.

To return to the philosopher, Apostel, and in the context of the challenges of

transformation, as reflected in Adewale Ajadi’s brilliant book, Omoluabi 2.0,

an omoluwabi is concerned with explaining the world, posing critical

questions about the implications of the social process by asking “Where are

we heading?”; an omoluwabi is immersed in the struggles about social

values and social goals by constantly asking “What should we do?”; and he

or she presses further into action by seeking answers to the question, “How

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should we attain our goals?” An omoluwabi also goes beyond that to seek

and establish what is true and distinguish that from what is false – and

thereby avoiding the false. Above all, an omoluwabi is concerned with

causation or origination and therefore constantly focuses on the processes

that lead to particular social results or social phenomenon, whether of good

or of evil. Against this backdrop, an omoluwabi then establishes links with

other omoluwabis in the social totality to expand and accelerate the good in

society and limit and, if possible, obliterate evil.

In a sense therefore, an omoluwabi as an embodiment of iwa and a

reflection of the Yoruba aesthetics or the philosophy of the beautiful (ewa).

Also in this way, an omoluwabi constitutes the personification of a critical

reflection on art, life, beauty, values, culture, and nature.

Distinguished guests: The book which is being publicly presented today is

not only one that critically reflects on art, life, beauty, values, culture and

nature of life around the world within the worldview grounded in that which

is represented by the omoluwabi concept and practices, it is also one that is

authored by an omoluwabi. Adewale Ajadi is a well-bred Yoruba man and

Nigerian, who has the sophistication, the expansive experience, the

cosmopolitan intellect, as well as the native intelligence to reflect on the

critical issues of transformation in 21st century Nigeria. He is a citizen of the

world as well as a product of a specific dynamic and proud culture.

As I note in the Foreword to this book, the author runs “through the lessons

from this continent’s greatest tragedies through [his] many reflective

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journeys, into nature’s lessons about complexity through the eyes of

ancestral wisdom and finally into the waiting guides of a re-emergent

omoluwabi gospel.” This book, I must re-emphasise, is a genuine

expression of the promise of Nigeria. I also note in the Foreword that this

book “offers an original and fresh spectrum of ideas and ideals that will

organise our better angels into the transformation we seek and for

generations to come.”

Let me conclude by saying with a measure of pride that, in Ekiti State, we

have embraced the spirit and letter of the concept and practices of

omoluwabi in our effort at a comprehensive and cohesive transformation of

the lives of our people. This is why we proclaim our State as: Ile yi, ile eye

(This land, a land of honour).

We have, and we will continue to, construct a future of values and virtues

based on the best ideals of public education and public service. We are

committed to ensuring the creation of a new generation of young people

with the foundational skills that will prepare them for competition not only

nationally, but globally. We are conscious in Ekiti State that the foundations

of our worldview is embedded in one of the most robust and most dynamic

cultures in human history; one that is predicated on the understanding that

character is devotion, worship, or piety (iwa l’ewa).

It is a duty that we owe to the present and future generations to continue to

recognise that, in the modern world, all the virtues of good character such

as excellence, devotion to duty, service to humankind, humane and

egalitarian governance, respect for the rights of others, democracy,

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freedom, justice and equity, must continue to be as much the legacy of our

government and as well as our individual legacies as leaders of our people.

Let me end by chanting, though in English translations, some of the minor

verses from Ifa literary corpus which speak to the centrality of iwa

(character). Orunmila, the father of Ifa, had a beautiful wife, called iwa,

which he had sent away. But not long after she left his house, Orunmila

could no longer live without her. He not only missed her, he had also lost

the respect of his neighbours and clients because of his action. He

therefore went in search of iwa. In every home he visited, he would sing a

song. Some verses of this song from Odu Ifa go thus:

... Where did you see Iwa, tell me.

Iwa, iwa is the one I am looking for.

If you have money,

But if you do not have good character,

The money belongs to someone else.

Iwa, iwa is the one we are searching for....

If one has a house,

But if one lacks good character,

The house belongs to someone else.

Iwa, iwa is what we are searching for....

All the good things of life which a man has,

If he lacks good character,

They belong to someone else.

Iwa, iwa is what we are searching for.

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After a long search, Orunmila eventually found his wife in the house of

Olojo whom he threw several miles away with a charm. Orunmila then took

his wife away in peace.

I urge you all to go in search of your own character and bring her home.

I commend this book to you all. And I thank you for your attention.

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References

Albert M. Wolters (1983). “On The Idea of Worldview and Its Relation to Philosophy.” In

P. Marshall et. al. (ed.) Stained Glass. University Press of America, pp. 14-25.

C. Vidal, C. (2008) Wat is een wereldbeeld? (What is a worldview?), in Van Belle, H. &

Van der Veken, J., Editors, Nieuwheid denken. De wetenschappen en het creatieve

aspect van de werkelijkheid. Acco, Leuven.

Gary B. Palmer (1996). Towards a Theory of Cultural Linguistics. University of Texas

Press.

Jan Broekaert. (1999). "World views: Elements of the Apostelian and General

Approach." Foundations of Science, 3: 235–258.

Oluwo Philip Neimark (n.d.) “The real meaning of Iwa Pele.” Ifa Foundation International.

http://www.ifafoundation.org/the-real-meaning-of-iwa-pele/

Ron Eglash. (1997). ‘Bamana Sand Divination: Recursion in Ethnomathematics’,

American Anthropologist 99(1): 112–22.

Wande Abimbola (1996) “Wapele: The Concept of Good Character in Ifa Literary

Corpus.” In Molefi Asante and Abu S. Abarry, African Intellectual Heritage. Philadelphia:

Temple University Press, pp. 98-106.

William Idowu (2005). “Law, Morality and the African Cultural Heritage: The

Jurisprudential Significance of the Ogboni Institution.” Nordic Journal of African Studies

14(2): 175-192.