As Yoruba will say
Aba laa ko danu, aki ko eni labaa danu
“Disregard the message, not the messenger”
Upon all the severe persecutions, misrepresentations, ridicule, criticism
You receive in the process of accomplishing a task
Let the truth be included in your dictionary
When you do not deal on absolute truth
You deal in wickedness
Do not allow your integrity to be put at stake
When you have to take a decision
Be guided only by the truth
Once you carry about falsehood
You cover up with lies
And if you cover up with lies
You will jeopardize your conscience
While you seek to regulate your outward actions
Heaven will supervise your inward thoughts
It may seem slow
You will be acquitted one day
Briefs of the Poem
The poem appreciates truth though it may seem foolish and people may not appreciate it. As integrity is the quality of being honest and strong about what you believe to be taught.
The poem addresses how people in our society disregard good points that others are making. When they notice that the truth is too harsh for them and it can block them from doing their atrocities, they will not accept it.
The poet encourages those receiving persecution, misrepresentations, ridicule, criticism, etc. in the process of accomplishing a task as traces of how people disregard truth in our society.
He then advises people that irrespective of persecutions, misrepresentations, ridicule, or criticism they receive, the truth must be their watchword. They should not relent and be discouraged.
Anyone who is not dealing in truth deals in wickedness. If we cover up with lies, our conscience will be spoilt. When you try to manipulate truth on earth, remember that heaven is looking at us.
The truth may seem slow but one day, it will prevail and put us together as one because integrity is also a state of being united as one.
Integrity is the pillar of achieving in life and it is a virtue that must be presented in our society. Lack of integrity, truth, and honesty brings about moral decadence in our society.
Word List and Meanings
Aba laa ko danu, a kii ko eni labaa danu: A Yoruba proverbial expression in Nigeria which means that if the message of someone is not respected in a society, there will be other successful messages for the person somewhere else.
Misrepresentations: False or untrue or incorrect statements or accounts
Criticism: The art of judging or the disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings
Ridicule: Mock or humiliation
Jeopardize: Endanger
Dictionary: Attitudinal list
Precedence: Precession
Posterity: Future times
Practice Questions
1. Discuss the message of the poem.
2. Explain the tone and mood of the poem.
3. Explicate some themes of the poem.
4. Comment on the vernacular use of the language of the poem.
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