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Stephen Opeyemi Owolabi

Work is the antidote for poverty

A Yoruba Poem

Ise Logun ise

Ise Logun ise [Work is the antidote for poverty]

... Mura si se re, ore mi [Work hard and work smart, my friend]

Ise la fi ndeni giga [Hard and smart work brings success]

Bi a ko ba reni fehin ti [When there is no one to rely on]

Bi ole la ri [Its like we are lazy]

Bi a ko ba reni gbekele, [When there is no one to trust]

A te ra mo se ni. [We focus more on our work]

Iya re le lowo lowoh [Your mother might be rich]

Baba re le lesin lekan [Your father might own a thousand and one horses]

Ti o ba gbojule won [If you rely on them]

O te tan ni mo so fun o [In truth, you might be on sinking ground]


Apa lara igupa ni ye kan [families are like the arm, while extended family are like the elbow]

B'aiye ba fe o loni [If you are loved by the world today]

Ti o ba lowo lowo, won a tun fe o lola [If you are still rich, they will love you tomorrow as well]

Abi ko wa nipo atata [If you have an esteemed position]

Aiye a ye o si terin terin [You will be honored with "fake"laughter]

Je ki o deni ti ra ngo [If you unfortunately loose your money or position]

Ko ri bi won ti nyin mu si o [They'll turn their back on you]


Iya mbe fomo ti ko gbon [There is suffering for the foolish child]

Ekun mbe fomo ti nsare kiri [and there is sorrow for the child that have no plan or vision]

Mafowuro sere ore mi [Don't waste your formative years, my friend]

Mura sise ojo nlo. [work hard and plan well now, because time waits for no one]

The author is J.F. Odunjo of the Alawiye fame

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