How not to be a mascot for Àìlẹ́kọ̀ọ́, By Folabi Ogunleye

Believe it or not: Your conduct – your general comport through life – is often not a reflection of your heritage, be it familial or location.

Neither is such conduct or comport always a reflection of your manner of raising.

More often than we care to admit, our behavior is more or less who we are at our core, far removed from our familial or cultural ties.

In other words, our character, as evidenced by our general comport, is often in spite of the larger influences around us.

Indeed as he who was born and raised to a loathesome standard often rediscovers himself and charts himself to the path of honorable comport, so can the one who was born of, and raised to, the best standard derail towards ignominy.

It is why you see offspring of men and women of the most decent and respectable conduct turn out a far departure from the standard of their most immediate forebears.

It is why you see, in the land of ‘Ilẹ̀ Ku Àárọ̀ Ojí Ire,’ personalities who sharply defy the more common trait of diplomatic respectability even in the face of strong disagreement.

It is what it is. There is nothing unusual about behavioral exceptions. It happens. For good or for bad.

When it is for good, it is to the benefit of the individual and the happiness of those who wish him the best.

When it is bad, it is really is bad. It reflects poorly, primarily on the person, and then on those who make excuses for the person.

Interestingly, among those who defend such persons, are people who themselves will never be found exhibiting such behavior.

Why, you might ask. Again, such is life.

For the one who does not know any better, he will make himself available to be hailed by the world down his road to damnation.

This is why discernment is a critical necessity of life, its standard of necesssity varying in intensity from childhood to adulthood.

Specifically, discernment helps you make good and better choices so you don’t end up being a mascot for what Yorubas call Àìlẹ́kọ̀ọ́.

It helps you avoid being a tool. Or a fool.

A Mascot for the ill-mannered.

May the spirit of discernment and good comport always remain with us, guiding us in thought, in words and indeed through our life journeys.

-Ogunleye, a Public Affairs Analyst is based in New York