YORUBA PROVERBS AS A MEANS OF COMPREHENDING YORUBA PHILOSOPHY AND EDUCATION.

The Yorùbá value proverbs, philosophy and education very highly because they are deep- rooted in the culture of the people for instance, proverbs often occur informally in everyday discourse and in oratory to garnish, conceal or hint. The cultural affinity between the speaker and the audience makes the proverbial utterance meaningful to the hearer in the society. Like other people in universe, Yorùbá philosophy is ‘life affirming’. That is Yorùbá traditional philosophy has to do with life, perhaps in human beings, animals, rocks, soil and plants. The Yorùbá are very observant and the events in their immediate environment have a considerable impact on their mode of life. In Yorùbá society, the system of education is inherent in Yorùbá oral literature such as proverbs, poems, songs, folktales and riddles. The main function of Yorùbáorature is to influence the behaviour of one another in the society. The concept of ‘O?mo?lúàbí (the well-behaved one,) is very prominent, and it is on it that the principle of Yorùbá education is based. Since proverbs are said to represent people’s philosophy and instructions are given through proverbs, it means then that, proverbs can fulfill their philosophical and educational functions in the society.