LET US DISCUSS THIS ISSUE OF AGES

The Yoruba people are one of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria. They inhabit the south western part of the country and are the second most populated of the three major Nigerian ethnic groups, followed by the Igbos of eastern Nigeria. The Yoruba people are well known for their strong desire for peace and unity at home and in diaspora. They are also known for their rich cultures and traditions which include: lifestyle, religions, dressings, beliefs and so on. The Yorubas, also called ‘Omo Odua’(offspring of Oduduwa- the progenitor of the Yoruba tribe), cherish every aspect of their cultures and traditions; none is being overlooked or handled with less importance and care because they practice them daily.
Ethics is a vital aspect of the Yoruba culture. The Yoruba attach great importance to ethical significance because they believe that this aspect of their culture is highly essential to every individual’s life. They also believe that it will be easy for someone with good ethics to succeed in life and the other way round for the one who lacks it. Therefore, the Yoruba people use all means to teach their children good manners and morals and how to use them in the society. Some of the means they use are: storytelling, songs, poetry, oral lecturing and so on.
However, the use of left hand falls under this aspect. In Yoruba land, it is considered immoral, disrespectful and unhealthy to do certain things with the left hand, such as, eating, giving directions, greeting, giving and collecting, etc. This has no reason other than the belief attached to the left hand that it is meant for unsanitary purposes like: picking or removing dirt from a place, cleaning of oneself after using the toilet, picking of the nose and so on. Yoruba elders take all chances to correct their younger ones when found using the left hand for what it is not meant for. Older Yoruba people will never with their left hand give or collect from their younger ones because they don’t want them to cultivate or perpetuate the so called uncultured act. The Yoruba people even go to the extent that they dubbed any child who gives directions to his/her father’s house as ‘omo ale’ which means bastard; they will say,“omo ale lo ma fi owo osi juwe ile baba re”; which means“only a bastard will give directions to his or her father’s house with the left hand”. This shows the extent at which the Yoruba people esteems ethics in their culture.
Also, learning institutions (primary schools in particular) in Yoruba communities take part in the quest to kick down the wrong use of left hand, particularly in writing, among their students.Mrs Olufunke Esuruososhare her experience with OldNaija on how her primary school teacher knocked the back of her left fingers for writing with her left hand- “Personally I do not consider being left-handed a stigma. We all have two hands. I don’t know anyone who would choose to be without their left hand. Some cultures and religions frown on the use of the left hand. For me continue reading @ https://oldnaija./2017/01/28/yoruba-culture-and-the-left-hand/

Ok