The Yoruba are one of the three largest ethnic groups in Nigeria. They live in the southwestern part of the country and are the second largest Nigerian ethnic group of the three main Nigerian ethnic groups after the Igbo in eastern Nigeria. The Yoruba people are known for their strong desire for peace and unity in their country and in the diaspora. They are also known for their rich culture and traditions including their way of life, religions, clothing, beliefs, etc. The Yoruba people, also called “Omo Odua” (a descendant of Oduduwa – the progenitor of the Yoruba tribe), values everyone aspects of its culture and traditions; None of them are neglected or treated with less care and attention because they are practiced daily. Ethics is an important aspect of Yoruba culture. The Yoruba people place great importance on ethics because they believe that this aspect of their culture is extremely important in every person’s life. They also believe that those who have good ethics will easily succeed in life and vice versa, those who lack ethics. Therefore, the Yoruba use all means to teach their children good manners and morals and employ them in society. The media they use include stories, songs, poems, oral lectures, etc. . However, the use of the 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. It is intended for unhygienic purposes such as: E.g., picking up or removing dirt from a particular area, washing after using the toilet, picking nose, etc. Yoruba elders take every opportunity to reprimand their younger ones when they catch them using their left hand for purposes, for which it was not intended. Yoruba elders will never give or take back the left hand from the younger ones because they do not want them to cultivate or maintain what is called an uncivilized act.The Yoruba even went so far as to call any child who gave directions to his father’s house “omo ale,” meaning “bastard”; They will say: “omo mais lo ma fi owo axis juwe ile baba re”; meaning that “only a scoundrel with his left hand can enter his father’s house.” This shows how much emphasis the Yoruba place on ethics in their culture.
Additionally, educational institutions (particularly primary schools) in Yoruba communities are engaging in efforts to prevent inappropriate use of the left hand among their students, particularly in writing. Ms. Olufunke Esuruoso tells OldNaija about her experience of her primary school teacher tapping her on the back of her left finger for writing with her left hand: “I personally don’t think there is a stigma about being left-handed. We all have two hands. I don’t know anyone who would choose to remain without their left hand . Some cultures and religions do not agree with the use of the left hand.As for me, I don’t even notice the difference. I understand why the left hand was considered “dirty.” It is said that most of them use their left hand to wash themselves after using the toilet. Hence the mention of impurities. However, if you maintain good hygiene habits, this shouldn’t be a problem.Your final question: My parents allowed me to use my natural left hand. It wasn’t like that at school. In elementary school, my teacher slapped my fingers every time I tried to write with my left hand. That’s why I switched to using my right hand to write. But not at home.This influenced my writing for a long time. However, I had to get used to using my right hand differently. When I was young there were no knives or scissors for left-handers. I peel sweet potatoes with my right hand and sew clothes with my left. However, this unhealthy belief that the Yoruba attribute the left hand does not affect the entire aspect of their indigenous religions.The left hand is not particularly doomed in this regard, as it serves important purposes. For example, the Ifa religion considers the left hand to be sacred because it is mainly used for important purposes and rituals, such as foreseeing a person’s future by looking at the left hand; Holding sacred religious objects, etc. More importantly, what led to this belief? Why was this belief attributed to the left hand in the first place? The answer seems mysterious, as with many other beliefs in Yoruba land.However, after careful examination, it can be scientifically established that it is precisely the natural weakness of the left hand compared to the right that has led to the second being preferred and the first rejected. However, nowadays condemnation of the left hand is decreasing in Yoruba land, although to a much lesser extent, so much so that some Yoruba prefer to call the left hand “owo alaafia” which literally means “hand of peace”. » instead of “Hand of Peace”. “that of the axis”, the original Yoruba word for left hand. It is worth discussing that other ethnic groups in Nigeria and around the world also share this belief in the left hand, albeit in different ways. Dear readers, please share your experiences and/or opinions on the use of the left hand in your society using the comment box below.
