Episode Title: A Proverb on Taking Advantage of Others

Proverb (Yorùbá): “Bí yó ṣe èmi, bí yó ṣe ìwọ, kì í jẹ́ ká ṣu sóko a-láì-rójú. ”
Translation: It-might-happen-to-me, it-might-happen-to-you stops one from defecating on the farm of the person who has no time to tend it.
Meaning: One should not take advantage of the weak, for no one knows what the future might hold.

Disclaimer: This episode contains discussions about the act of defaecation (poo or faeces) in the context of an African proverb.

Cultural background:

• In traditional Yoruba communities, without modern toilets, people would go into bushes to relieve themselves. Farmers might prefer to use untended or bushy farms for privacy and to keep their own farms clean.
• The proverb recognises the temptation to take advantage of a neighbour’s untended farm. At first, it may appear to target laziness, but it also highlights the reality of áìrójú (lack of time), which in Yoruba culture is something people pray against—asking God for enough time and space to live well.
• At its heart, the proverb teaches empathy and thoughtfulness: