Oluyomi Ola-David Insights

Fat may not be healthy Lean may just be instructive Drunk may not be warm Sober may just be learning Foul may not be guilty Lofty may just be cleansed  Feet may not be ugly Vision may just be faint Error may not be right Light may just be true Slave may not be free Knees may just be weak  Snack may not be pasture Mask may just be made Lost may not be bad Home may just be comfortable Tall may not be deep Sea may just be rich  Black may not be dull White may just be clear Red may not be dangerous Green may just be crunchy Goat may not be stubborn Sheep may just be meek  ... Pause and calmly think about that! 

Formed in the womb Born in a home Raised in the stead Seen on the streets First in a flash Next in a thought Then in the word Seen on the stage Waiting by the shore Then in a stream Set in the deep Seen on the sail Formed in the jungle Training in a wild Now in the race Seen on the tracks Once in the fruit Placed in a field Growing in the ground Seen in the forest Lost in the valley Lilies in a garden Blooming in the secret Seen in the palace Formed in the mud Casting in a coin Lifting in the wounded Seen in the clean slate Sorry in the minute Up in a moment Fighting in the box Seen on the victor's lane Once in the story Subject in a matter Trusting in the truth Seen on the shelf Formed in the wind Blowing dust in a pan Soaring in the air Seen on the mountain Tried in the oven Burning in a fan Sifting chaff in the tray Seen on the throne  Living in the day Wailing in a night Sleeping in the storm Seen on the road ... Photo credit: Oluyomi Ola-David 

As I think through this Yoruba proverb 'olówó ĺó lòwò', I am humbled at how three words have sufficient substance to make a thousand speeches and fill a million lines. This proverb literally means "it is the rich that owns the trade", whatever trade that is. Can we cross-examine the verity of this simply stated fact? Which countries dominate global trade? See the figure on world trade statistics, facts speak for themselves. Doesn't the rich control the time of the poor. Every human is endowed with a 24-hour day. Nevertheless, the rich tend to wield adequate economic power required to buy up more hours to their productive advantage. Many poor people can only sell their time to survive.  Isn't it the rich that can create enough time to think, strategise, and flood our bookshelves? Who are those sane enough to want read whatever the poor may have to say, because they know it is instructive? The rich own large estates and living spaces that the working poor dream

When you know The purpose of marriage Is to raise godly offspring You will marry carefully When you know The purpose of your faculty Is to invest in thinking You will deploy it differently  When you know The purpose of eating Is to gain strength and health You will eat carefully When you know The purpose of truth Is to make you free You will listen differently When you know The purpose of life Is to fulfill a divine destiny You will live carefully When you know The purpose of money Is to procure value and pure knowledge You will spend differently When you know The purpose of star talent Is to shine as light-in-darkness You will complain carefully When you know The purpose of youth Is to prepare for a good old age You will work differently When you know The purpose of birthing children Is to be a lifelong coach You will procreate carefully When you know The purpose of leadership Is to fully imitate Christ You will follow differently When you know The purpose of the present Is to create