"Knowledge is power"------Anonymous.
INTRODUCTION
The above quote capture the primary essence of this write up, which was
further corroborated in the words of Professor Niyi Osundare when he
opines that "a mind that knows, is the mind that is free". This
invariably means that knowledge is the power that sets humanity free
from the chain od ignorance and retrogressive thoughts.
Generally speaking, many Nigerians and Yoruba in particular favours the
usage of one hand to the other, out of shared ignorance that one hand is
good, and the other is bad. This misconception was taken too far by
most parents and teachers that beat their children or students over the
use of a particular hand for eating, writing, and other related things.
The positioning of a hand in the body does not bestowed on it, a
favourable or bad disposition. Its all subjected to cultural colouration
of different tribe, ethic groups and race, which has continue to
degenerate into an issue of public concern. The mystery of left and
right hand is what the writer intend to explore and illuminate the mind
of the potential readers with, since Yoruba words of wisdom says that
"atelewo eni kii ntan eni je- one cannot be deceived by his or her own
hands."
YORUBA AND THE HANDS
Yoruba is not just an ethnic nationality, but a race with superb and
sophisticated culture, norms and value systems, which reflect in all
their doings, in which their spiritual perception about hands is not an
exemption. Though, the yoruba has a very high regard for one hand over
the other based on their spiritual denotation to those hands, and not
that one is bad and the other is good. This is precisely captured in
many of their words of wisdom that says, one cannot be deceived by its
own hands, and also its one's hand that one will use to receive good
tidings without any categorization of the left over the right and vice
versa.
LEFT HAND
This is popularly called "owo osi" in Yoruba Language, which does not
mean hand of misfortune, but left hand, while the spiritualist regard it
as owo alafia-hand of peace. This is because it is not the hand that
Yoruba wariors normally use to collect their staff of office, and its
not a protective hand. This is evident in yoruba words of wisdom that
says, "bi aba fi owo otun ba omo wi, ao fi ti osi faa mora"- meaning, if
we punish a child with the right hand, it is important we show him or
her love, by drawing her close with the left hand. This same hand, is
also used in collecting spiritual work from a spiritual leader, which
can then be transfered to the right hands. Which signifies peaceful hand
over of things from one person to the other. It is pertinent we
appreciate that this same hand of peace is what Ogboni, secret cults,
and other societies with secrets use in greeting one another. Even,
traditional chiefs. It has even been proven that left handed student are
mostly intelligents.
RIGHT HAND
This is the hand that Yoruba regarded as "owo otun". It signfies justice
and retaliation. In the traditional yoruba political settings, the
"Otun Oba" I.e the right hand chief is not even expected to be a cool
headed person. Its usually a position for a frank and just person. This
is the reason the Yoruba warriors receives their staff of with the right
hand. Even, in the modern time, a guy is expected to keep his girl
friend at his left hand side, while the right will be for prorecting
her. However, if one collect a charm or spiritual medicine with the
right hand, it will still work. The spiritual leader might just insist
on the left hand to be sure you are receiving it with peace of mind and
love.
CONCLUSION
Having critically examine the use of left and hand right in the eye of
Yoruba's, it is crystal clear that the use of the left hand is not in
anyway inferior to the right hand, its all a subject of cultural
influence, and spiritual denotations.
Written: Kareem Yusuf Adetola.
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