ALAINITIJU is the most abusive word in Yoruba land because in it all other abuses & crimes reside. Ainitiju (shamelessness) is an all-star badge of dishonor given by society to its miscreants. To every crime and misdeed, there’s an element of ainitiju.
ALAINITIJU can commit any crime or misdeed and be bold and proud of it without scruple. When caught, and reprimanded, he /she commits another misdeed without remorse because he’s hardened and incorrigible. That’s what Yorubas express in disgusting term that: “” Bi a se nge lowo, ni o nbo oruka” (as we are cutting his fingers he continues to put on ring)
There is nothing deplorable ALAINITIJU cannot do to survive or achieve its goal. He moves from one misdeed to another as if nothing happens because to him, societal value counts to nothing, personal integrity is meaningless despite his education, status and kurukere kurukere religionism.
ALAINITIJU strives to create his society in his own unscrupulous ways by disrupting the social order, thought process and behavioral patterns of the people. He can achieve this through massive questionable wealth, power, position of influence, patronage, personality, nuisance street value, deceit, courage to be wrong among many unethical ways. One must be an ALAINITIJU to defend an ALAINITIJU in his ainitiju ways.
To every person, there is a dormant gene of Ainitiju (shamelessness) which good parents, guardians, educational institutions help to remove or “kill” from childhood. But when it becomes dominant and manifests in people, that’s a big problem for the individuals and their environments because it can activate the dormant ainitiju genes in others. This is one of the reasons a good mentoring school expels its character challenged students who are incorrigible moral wrecks in order not to affect other pupils by activating their own ainitiju genes.
Living or working in the midst of ALAINITIJU (shameless people) is very dangerous.
When you are called ALAINITIJU, a shameless person, just cover your head in sorrow because in Yoruba land, that’s the highest badge of dishonor. It means they have concluded that there’s no crime or misdeed you can’t commit. You can be a pathological liar, thief, forger, rapist, killer, looter, etc and be proud or care less about it. That is not a trait of OMOLUABI in Yoruba cultural evaluation till date.
ALAINITIJU, people without scruples or shame are found across social classes, religious groups, & ethnic divides. ALAINITIJU can be street urchins, lawyers, doctors, journalists, teachers, artisans, nurses, traders, drivers, kurukere kurukere, religionists, social activists, civil servants,, unscrupulous citizens, politicians etc.
ALAINITIJU can also be the PRESIDENT of a Nation.
It’s a very valuable prayer when Yoruba parents with integrity pray for their children and wards that: “Ki Olorun ma se yin ni ALAINITIJU” (May God not make you a shameless person). Because being shameless is a motivation for misdeeds and to commit any or all crimes.
May the soul of my grandmother, Iyagbore, from whose mouth of wisdom I first heard that powerful prayer in my childhood , continue to rest in peace..
A society of anything goes is morally doomed.
Adeola Soetan
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