WHILE GROWING UP IN THE 1960's THIS WAS A POPULAR POEM THAT WE HAD TO LEARN BY HEART . FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE, THE TRANSLATION THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY ONE QANSY SALAKO IS ALSO POSTED. I WONDER: QUITE A NUMBER OF THE FOLK WHO HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY, BUT ENDED UP AS AUTHORITY STEALERS (APOLOGIES, FELA) LEARNT THIS SAME POEM, AND PROBABLY EVEN HEARD THEIR FATHERS TELL THEM: REMEMBER THE SON OF WHOM YOU ARE. NOW, DOES THIS POEM STILL MAKE ANY SENSE IN TODAY'S NIGERIA? SHOULD IT BE A NATIONAL MANTRA?
Isé ni òògùn ìsé
Múra sí isé re òréè mi
Isé ni a fi í di eni giga
Bí a kò bá réni fèyìn tì, Bí òle là á rí;
Bí a ko réni gbékèlé,
À tera mó isé eni
Ìyá re lè lówó lówó
Bàbá sì lè lésin léèkàn
Bí o bá gbójú lé won
O té tán ni mo so fún o
Ohun tí a kò ba jìyà fún,
Kì í lè tójó
Ohun tí a bá fara sisé fún,
Ní í pé lówó eni
Apá lará, ìgùnpá nìyekan
Bí ayé n fé o lónìí,
Bí o bá lówó lówó,
Ni won á máa fé o lóla
Tàbí tí o bá wà ní ipò àtàtà,
Ayé á yé o sí tèrín-tèrín,
Jé kí o di eni n ráágó,
Kí o rí báyé ti í símú sí o
Èkó sì tún n soni í dògá,
Múra kí o kó o dáradára
Bí o sì rí òpò ènìyàn,
Tí wón n fi èkó se èrín rín,
Dákun má se fara wé won
Ìyà n bò fómo tí kò gbón,
Ekún n be fómo tó n sá kiri
Má fòwúrò seré, òréè mi,
Múra sísé, ojó n lo,

Work is the antidote for poverty

Work hard, my friend
Aspiring to higher height is fully dependent on hard work
If we do not have anyone to lean on, we appear indolent
If we do not have anyone we can depend on
we simply work harder
Your mother may be wealthy,
your father may have a ranch full of horses.
If you depend on their riches alone,
you may end up in disgrace, I tell you
Whatever gain one does not work hard to earn,
usually does not last
Whatever gain one works hard to earn
is the one that lasts in one's possession
The arm is a relative, the elbow is a sibling
You may be loved by all today

It is when you have money
that they will love you tomorrow
Or when you are in a high position
all will honour you with cheers and smiles
Wait till you become poor or are struggling to get by,
and you will see how all grimace at you as they pass you by
Education also elevates one in position
Work hard to acquire good education
And if you see a lot of people
Making education a laughing stock
Please do not emulate or keep their company





Suffering is lying in wait for an unserious kid
Sorrow is in reserve for a truant kid
Do not play with your early years, my friend
Work harder, time and tide wait for no one.