CULTURE

As much as we try to disregard the ideality of our culture, we trend the adverse. Turmoil and decadence often observed amongst the young and old will not be overemphasized if said to have emanated from the contempt and disdain put upon our culture, fundamental norms and basic life principles. African culture, if well embraced, purges the excesses of social and moral decadence.

Storytelling, the tool for unveiling history to the new generation, is also used to practically teach the young with morals and ideal way of relating with people and society at large. Africans, especially the Yoruba people of Nigeria in time past, as a tradition, developed a method of telling stories usually termed as "Alo" in the Yoruba language to teach courtesy and ethics.

Just as a Yoruba adage implies that "those who enquire for the way on a strange land, don't get lost", they have also cultured a means to setting a template in order to guide their successors through life.

One of the stories usually told to help young people develop good moral ethics is the popular Yoruba story; "IJAPA TIROKO". Within Ijapa Tiroko are different lessons and sub-topics brought up and coupled together to arrive a standard curriculum. The Yoruba people believe that IJAPA, which is the tortoise, is a wise and cunny animal and therefore prefer to use the name IJAPA as a character to depict certain people and functions known not to be good enough.

The tradition of storytelling was so rich that songs are sung alongside at intervals to spice up the story, and after the whole story had been told, audience would be asked to spot out what lessons they have learnt. It was discovered that many times, anyone who doesn't want to end sadly as the tragic end of Ijapa, would have a rethink and from there retreat from bad attitude.

To curtail the alarming unruly acts amongst people, certain stories are told intentionally. Stories against complacency, disobedient, covetousness, unfaithfulness and theft alongside their ill-end are commonly shared lately at night usually after the evening meal when everyone might have returned from their daily activities.