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F ee will and Ise (Ac ion) in Yo uba Philo-Religio-Cul u al Though : An E hical App aisal
1Emmanuel Remi ADESANWO Ph.D, 2Abel Ola oye IYANDA Ph.D, 3Ismail Kolawole
ODENIYI Ph.D
1, &2Depa men o Ch is ian Religious S udies, Adeyemi Fede al Uni e si y o Educa ion, Ondo,
Ondo S a e, Nige ia 1a[email p o ec ed] +2348038630026,
2iyandaabe[email p o ec ed] +2347066024163
3Depa men o Islamic S udies, Adeyemi Fede al Uni e si y o Educa ion, Ondo, Ondo S a e,
Nige ia Co esponding Au ho : [email p o ec ed]o [email p o ec ed]
+234703034194
Abs ac
This pape ocuses on he adi ional ee will discussion wi h li le a en ion paid o he in luence
o neu oscience on human ee will wi hin he Yo uba Religio-cul u al con ex s. This s udy aims
o logically examine he implica ions o he indings o neu oscience on ee will in he con ex o
he Yo uba eligion, a eligion closely ela ed o he cul u e o he people. Re ela ions om
neu oscience ha e led o claims ha ee will is an illusion, a posi ion ha h ea ens human
esponsibili y. The e a e ob ious eligious implica ions o sus aining his claim. This pape seeks
o econcile he posi ion o neu oscience wi h i s implica ions in he Yo uba eligious con ex s.
The disco e y in he ield o neu oscience indica e ha human decisions o ac ions a e ini ia ed
be o e we a e awa e o hem, he eby sugges ing ha ee will is an illusion and also econs uc ing
he adi ional ee will deba e. This econs uc ion seeks o ea i m belie s cen ed on
esponsibili y which i sel is an impo an elemen in mos wo ld eligions and cul u es. Se ious
implica ions a ise o he sus enance o his belie in ela ion o neu oscience and ee will. I
indeed we a e no ee, hen ou ac ions a e beyond ou con ol. Howe e , we canno disca d he
disco e y o neu oscience because i is based on empi ical p oo s and on he o he hand, we canno
deny he ob ious implica ions i s sus enance would gene a e especially wi hin he Yo uba eligio-
cul u al con ex s. This pape employed he his o ical and analy ical me hod o elucida e he key
insigh s in his wo k.
Keywo ds: Neu oscience, Yo uba Religio-cul u al belie e, Ise (Ac ion), F ee will, E hical
analysis
In oduc ion
Philosophical discussion abou ee will is o g ea impo ance h oughou he his o y o philosophy
and human science. I is o en said ha while philosophe s may be good a asking ques ions, hei
success in answe ing hem is less imp essi e (Dee y, 2013). This no doub may seem pa icula ly
ap in he case o he ee will p oblem, an issue ha has been deba ed in one o m o ano he o
many cen u ies. Recen ly, neu oscien is s ha e joined he ques o an answe o his mos
undamen al ques ion. Wi hin he pas ew decades, ad ances in neu oscience ha e led o claims
ha unconscious p ecu so s o ac ion commence be o e he decision o mo e is consciously
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expe ienced (Mckeinna, 1998). In o he wo d, he ee olun a y ac s a e p eceded by a speci ic
elec ical change in he b ain ( he " eadiness po en ial" RP) ha begins 550ms (milliseconds)
be o e he ac . Human subjec s a e awa e o in en ion o ac 340-400 hs a e RP s a s. The
oli ional p ocess is he e o e ini ia ed unconsciously. The disco e y in neu oscience shows ha ,
decision making is a biological p ocess which occu s less han one second (550 milliseconds)
be o e human beings a e conscious o he u ge, in en ion o will o pe o m such an ac .
This pape deals wi h he posi ion o neu oscience which sugges s ha he p ocesses in ol ed in
decision making a e ini ia ed unconsciously wi hou ou awa eness. Be o e we a e conscious o
he u ge o in en ion o make a decision, he b ain "decides" o us. This disco e y in he ield o
neu oscience he e o e challenges he adi ional belie abou ee will and ou belie ha humans
a e in ull con ol o hei will (Russell, 2013). The cen al p eoccupa ion o philosophe s and
science conce n he di icul ies in ol ed in explaining how human eedom and esponsibili y
could be ende ed cons i uen wi h es ablished assump ions abou di ine o e-knowledge and
p edes ina ions (Enden, 2015). The ee will deba e wi hin he ambi s o he posi ion o
neu oscience in he Yo uba eligio-cul u al con ex s o ms he a ea o his wo k. The e a e h ee
majo eligions among he Yo uba's: Ch is iani y, Islam and T adi ional Religion. Do we ha e ee
will? This is an age-old ques ion which has a ac ed he a en ion o philosophe s, eligious
schola s, lawye s and poli ical heo is s. Now i is a ac ing he a en ion o neu oscien is s
(G eizzaniga, 2011)
Theo e ical F amewo k
The heo e ical amewo k employed o his wo k was he Hylomo phic heo y o Bolaji Idowu.
Acco ding o his heo y, man ( e e ing gene ally o humans) comp ises A a (body) plus Emi
(spi i ) and O i (head). The A a is he conc e e, he angible hing o lesh and bones, which we
know h ough he sense. The symbolic ep esen a ion o O i by he physical head is indeed
indica i e o how i s impo ance is cons ued. As he loca ion o opolo (b ain), he physical O i is
he sea o in elligence. O i ep esen s he inne -head and i is he bea e o des iny. Emi is he
ac i e o ce in a pe son; i is in isible and in angible. Emi gi es li e o he whole A a and i is he
Oloduma e alone ha pu s Emi in o man (Idowu, 1982). Hylomo phism is an app oach o sol ing
he body - soul p oblem which has i s oo s in he wo ks o A is o le and Thomas Aquinas.
Hylomo phic (ma e - o m') – a heo y o he ela ionship be ween he mind and he body (o he
soul and he body), discusses he unique ela ionship o he soul wi h he physical unc ions o he
body.
Fu he , Hylomo phism p o e s a solu ion o he submission o neu oscience on he will o man
by b inging o he o e he insu iciency o empi icism (Cas e an, 2012). Hylomo phism has much
s eng h, no he leas o which is ha i o e s an in insic explana ion o he in e ac ion be ween
mind and b ain and i is en i ely consis en wi h he co ela ion be ween men al s a es and b ain
s a es ha is e iden in neu oscience. Thomas Aquinas could ha e in luenced he hylomo phic
heo y o Bolaji Idowu ha man can be explained in bo h co po eal and inco po eal e ms. Thus,
he analysis o man is beyond he ma e ialis ic heo y sugges ed by neu oscience, especially wi hin
he Yo uba eligio-cul u al con ex s whe e man is explained in pu ely me aphysical e ms.
Hylomo phic heo y as i was applied o his s udy was no o nega e he submission o
neu oscience ha ee will is an illusion bu o illumina e he insu iciency o empi ical
expe imen s o he Yo uba me aphysical unde s anding o man. The eby making an appeal o he
posi ion ha humans a e no ee in o de o econcile he empi ical indings o neu oscience wi h
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he ob ious eligious implica ions i s sus enance would gene a e especially among he Yo uba
people.
Biblio-Philosophical and Neu oscience Concep o F ee will
S Augus ine's an i-Manichaeism pos u e was as a esul o his disag eemen wi h Manichaeism
which had augh ha ee will o eedom o he will is an o iginal cons i uen o na u e. The
heo y also a gued ha he e is no hing God himsel can do abou i . Fo S . Augus ine, eedom
was an ine adicable elemen o unde iled human na u e by he all (Baginni, 2015). Howe e , he
s a e o human na u e had changed in such a way ha now, in spi e o i s eedom, human na u e
is no longe able o libe a e i sel om i s bondage o sin. The p oblem ha S . Augus ine had o
ackle was how o de ine g ace in such a way ha eedom can be igno ed, and on he o he hand,
o de ine he eedom o he will in such a way ha he all-emb acing e ec o g ace was nei he
educed no limi ed. S . Augus ine also e u ed he Neo-Pla onic posi ion which saw e il as, being
pu ely me aphysical in o igin. As ega ds mo al e il, Plo inus' answe was ha e il sp ang om
he indi idual soul's in ol emen wi h he body. Mo al e il is a de iciency o his g aded hie a chy
(A ms ong, 1993). S . Augus ine conside ed Plo inus answe as inadequa e and unsa is ac o y.
E il, as S . Augus ine opines, is s ill a nega i e quan i y, e en hough his no hingness exp esses
i sel as a esul mani es powe in pe e sion and con usion o na u e and he will.
In he Pelagian con o e sy o e he issue o ee will, S . Augus ine a gues ha i good is a man's
ee will, why do no mo e men a ain good? Thus S . Augus ine quo ed wi h app o al S . Paul's
s a emen ha "I do no do wha I wish o do, I do wha I ha e. The will o do good hing is p esen
in me bu I do no ind he powe o achie e i " (Rome 7:15. 18). Acco ding o S . Augus ine, ee
will is he cause o ou doing e il and so God's punishmen is en i ely jus . Thus he w o e, F ee
will is he cause o ou doing e il. The mos p e alen heme in heodicies in gene al is he
emphasis on human ee will. "F ee will is o en de ined as capaci y o sel -de e mina ion. Man
by na u e is a ee being, a a ional being. I ee will could be subs i u ed o eedom, i could
hen be a gued ha i is insepa able om a ionali y. Consequen ly, o lose one's a ionali y is o
lose one's eedom" (Hen y, 1997).
S . Augus ine used he accoun o he c ea ion na a i e in he Book o Genesis as his basis o ee
will a gumen . God chose o c ea e being endowed wi h ee will. I is he iew ha man canno
be uly ee unless man is ee o do e il. Thus, he possibili y o e il is inhe en in man's ee will.
S . Augus ine s essed ha God c ea ed-ou p ogeni o s, Adam and E e, in a s a e o pe ec ion
and also placed hem in an ideal U opian condi ion. They we e endowed wi h ee will. They
ebelled agains God and as a consequence hey ell om hei o iginal idyllic si ua ion in which
e e y com o was p o ided. Adam and E e we e hen no compelled o ea he o bidden ee, bu
hey exe cised hei ee will.
As ega d mo al e il, F ee will is an inna e quali y in man. I is o choose any o he op ions be o e
him. A any gi en ime, he e is always he op ion o doing good o e il. I one is guided by he
basic no ion o good o bad in he socie y, hen man's ee will is exe cised in he choice be ween
good and e il. S . Augus ine saw ee will as he cause o man's doing e il, man eely chooses
e il o good. Wha e e ac ion a man pe o ms, i is pe o med eely. E il should no be asc ibed
o God a all, bu a he o he independen ac ions o human beings supposed o ha e been
endowed by God wi h eedom o he will. Acco ding o S . Augus ine, God canno be held
esponsible o he misuse o ee will o do e il (Be i old, 1981). The decisi e hing o be
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ecognised and which ma e ed a g ea deal o S . Augus ine, is ha we a e helpless when we a e
en i ely dependen upon ou sel es and ha God's g ace mus do no less han e e y hing in o de
o sa e us. This o cou se does no mean ha man does no possess any eedom o will a all, bu
only ha will o i sel is always inclined o sin and is ne e in a posi ion o change i s inclina ion.
God's g ace, he e o e, canno be mo ed by ou good iola ion, bu a he exac ly he opposi e.
Thus, S . Augus ine opines ha he human’s will do no achie e g ace h ough eedom bu a he
eedom h ough g ace" (Von, 1992).
Mo eo e , S . Augus ine claims ha man has ee will in he sense ha he will is no subjec o
coe ci e o ce. To say ha man has ee will is o say ha man has ee will in so a as his ac is
an exp ession o his cha ac e - wha he is. Tha is, man's ee will is de e mined by his cha ac e .
F ee will, o S . Augus ine, is no jus he ques ion o he will one's will (Cas ellan, 2012). I is no
jus a ques ion o simple choice as he Pelagians we e inclined o hink i is. As such, issue be ween
S . Augus ine and he Pelagian is also he ques ion o sel -de e mina ion. Fo S . Augus ine, man
will is s ill his will, e en hough i has become co up ed and dep a ed. Howe e , S . Augus ine
did no each he o al dep a i y o man, he image o God in man hough de aced is no obli e a ed
(Anglica y, 1990).
Howe e , i human eedom can be econciled wi h God's g ace, he ques ion s ill emains as o
whe he God's so e eign y can be econciled wi h Adam's sin. Why did Adam sin i God's g ace
was so e eign? S . Augus ine answe ed his by sugges ing ha God knows ha Adam would sin.
In his sense, Adam was p edes ined o sin and he e o e o condemna ion. In one sense, his seems
absu d unless we emembe a poin made ea lie on ha o S . Augus ine, e il and sin ha e no
on ological eali y. I is a dep i a ion o he good. Adam's sin, he e o e, and his in ec ion o
mankind can ha e no on ological e ec on God's pu pose and His so e eign y. Fo God has
p edes ined some o condemna ion. Acco ding o S . Augus ine, no man has he igh o sal a ion,
all men dese e condemna ion. To S . Augus ine, ha some a e sa ed a will is me ely ano he
aspec o God's g acious lo e. (Dommeye , 2006).
The Concep o Man among he Yo uba
The ee will p oblem p emised on he posi ion o neu oscience e ol es a ound he issue o sel -
awa eness o causes o ac ions'. I is he e o e necessa y o ha e a clea unde s anding o human
pe sonali y among he Yo uba in o de o unde s and he implica ions o a scien i ic inding on
human will. This is impo an because he Yo uba unde s anding o man is qui e di e en om he
wes e n posi ion. This di e ence is necessa y in o de o si ua e he concep o ee will igh ly in
he Yo uba eligious con ex s. The Yo uba aced hei ances y o a common p ogeni o called
Oduduwa. The Yo uba people p edomina e in sou h wes e n Nige ia and a e one o he majo
e hnic g oups in Nige ia (Ade ibigbe, 2009). The Yo uba people a e one o he la ges ibes in
A ica, wi h abou hi y million indi iduals h oughou he egion o A ica. Thei physical
en i onmen , his o y, my hology, language, a is ic adi ions, hough sys ems, social and poli ical
ins i u ions, eligion, mo al and aes he ic alues, economic a id medical sys ems in A ica and he
Diaspo a ha e been and a e s ill o g ea a en ion o schola s and esea che s (Odusanya, 1993).
Meanwhile, se e al my hs c edi he holy ci y, Ile-I e as he c adle o Yo uba. Acco ding o a local
adi ion, Ile-I e was he place - whe e God c ea ed man. Thei his o y is aced o Oduduwa, who
was he son o Lamu udu, some imes desc ibed as an oile om he Eas o a p ince om Mecca
(I eika, 1982). The Yo uba occupy he whole o Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Lagos and Eki i s a es,
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a subs an ial pa o Kwa a s a e and some pa s o Kogi s a es including a local go e nmen in
Edo s a e (Awolalu, 1976). The Yo uba a e no ound in Nige ia alone, hey a e ound in o he
pa s o A ica. Due o he Eu opean colonial policy, he homeland o he Yo uba now spans he
ou Wes A ican coun ies o Nige ia, Republic o Benin, Togo and Ghana. The space occupied
by he Yo uba lies oughly be ween he la i ude 6 deg ees 30 eas and wi h an es ima ed a ea o
abou 181,300 sqKm. The descendan s o he Yo uba a e also ound in some pa s o he Wes
Indies and Sou h Ame ica - B azil and Cuba (A anda, 1980).
Mo eo e , Yo uba people ind hemsel es in a di e si ied physical en i onmen which o e s hei
ace a unique oppo uni y o di e si ied mani es a ions exp essed in di e se occupa ions. The
Yo uba people a e also in ol ed ac i ely in a s and c a s which include wood ca ing, s one
ca ing, me al ca ing, b onze cas ing, i o y cas ing, po e y making and bead making. The
Yo uba ace a home and ab oad has succeeded in p oducing se e al illus ious sons and daugh e s
who ha e excelled in a ious p o essions anging om Spo s, Music o En e ainmen ,
Enginee ing, Economics, De ence, In o ma ion Technology, T ading among se e al o he s
(Odusanya, 1983). Yo uba like many o he aces in he wo ld belie e ha man's na u e is pa ly
ma e ial and pa ly imma e ial. Hence, e e y pa o he human body is impo an o he Yo uba
bo h in he ma e ial and spi i ual sense. To he Yo uba, a man is seen as ha ing bo h physical and
non-physical na u e.
As a esul o he spi i ual unde s anding o man o ha e a non-physical na u e, he Yo uba belie e
ha he exis ence o a human being does no s a on his ea h. I is held ha a man's exis ence
s a s in hea en wi h a se ies o e en s which in ol es a p epa a ion o his sojou n on ea h.
Akin ola (1999) discusses how human beings p epa e hemsel es o hei espec i e ea h-li es.
I is qui e clea ha , o he Yo uba, a pe son's ac i i ies in his wo ld a e de e mined by a lo o
ac o s beyond he ma e ialis ic ac i i ies in his b ain. The Yo uba belie e ha a man ha ing
comple ed he i s phase o his jou ney o he wo ld by se ies o ac i i ies, in which he p epa es
himsel o he i s jou ney, begins he second phase. The second phase is he eal jou ney o he
ea h which is di ec ly p emised on he choice made kneeling be o e Oloduma e as seen in he
wo ks o Idowu and Awolalu.
O i and Human Des iny
O i (head) is an impo an composi e elemen o man which he Yo uba belie e de e mines he
cou se o a man's exis ence in his wo ld. O i li e ally means head, bu o he Yo uba, i is no jus
a physical head. Inciden ally, Opolo (b ain) o a pe son and lye (consciousness) a e di ec ly
associa ed wi h O i. The concep o O i is necessa y o any Yo uba unde s anding o wha
Neu oscience holds as ega ds he ee will deba e. The concep o O i among he Yo uba is closely
ela ed o wha is unde s ood as des iny. The e a e di e en ypes o in e p e a ions used
in e changeably o exp ess des iny. Di e en de ini ions o kada a (des iny) among he Yo uba
we e discussed in he wo ks o schola s such as: Dasyl ia, Awolalu, Ola Ro imi among o he s.
They si ua e he Yo uba iew o des iny e oneously in he wes e n con ex . The wes e n
concep ion o des iny is synonymous wi h a e, which is no so among he Yo uba. Ade unji
explains he clea dis inc ion be ween Ayanmo and O i (Ade unji 2001). Ano he e minology
ela ed o he concep o des iny is he wo d kada a as seen in he wo ks o Olaleye. Ogo (glo y)
and I awo (s a ) a e wo close e minologies ha a e also ela ed o he concep o des iny in
Yo uba belie sys em.
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The Yo uba belie abou des iny is some hing gi en and unal e able and some hing which in ce ain
condi ions and unde ce ain condi ion can be al e ed. This wo sided concep ion o he Yo uba on
human des iny sugges s a p oblem and indica es de e minism o a alism, some my hs showing he
ela ionship be ween O i and a pe son's des iny. The Yo uba see he end o li e he e on ea h as an
elemen o se ious impo ance. Dea h is a ac ha is dis u bing ye ine i able. Awolalu and
Dopamu discussion showed ha he Yo uba belie e ha a man does no die, since wha guides and
con ols a man's pe sonali y is no mo al and he will go back o his c ea o a dea h. The concep
o immo ali y is e y c ucial o he ee will deba e especially om he eligious pe spec i e. And
i s p esence o absence has se ious implica ions. I he e is no ee will, hen o he eligious no ions
es ing on his belie will c umble, especially he ones p emised on ewa d and punishmen in he
a e - li e.
Implica ions o he Disco e y o Neu oscience on he F ee will Discussion wi hin The
Con ex s o he Yo uba Religio-Philosophical View
His o y e eals o us ha eligion o en gi es c edence o scien i ic posi ions e en ually e en in
spi e o he ini ial esis ance o new indings which a e a odds wi h i s posi ions. The submission
o neu oscience which is used as he p emise o sugges ha ee will does no exis has se ious
implica ions in any ci ilised socie y. 'No ha ing ee will' is indeed a se e e h ea o he
es ablished no ion o esponsibili y i mly es ablished in Yo uba eligious and cul u al belie s.
Among con empo a y Yo uba socie ies in Nige ia, h ee main eligions a e p ac iced: Ch is iani y,
Islam and he T adi ional eligion o he people known as hei indigenous eligion. Religion
pe mea es e e y aspec o he li es o he Yo uba people.
The Yo uba belie e clea ly ha Oloduma e (God) exis s and His non-exis ence does no occu o
he Yo uba. Se e al o he belie s in he eligion and cul u e o he people e ol e a ound his belie .
Apa om he belie in God, ano he impo an belie in Yo uba eligion is he belie in Di ini ies.
Yo uba eligion is e y ich in hese di ine beings. Some o hese di ine beings a e wo shipped
widely, while o he s a e wo shipped locally (Awolalu, 1979). The Yo uba belie e s ongly in
o ces ha a e nei he expe ienced no empi ically mos imes. These o ces a e spi i s, al hough
hey canno be seen wi h he physical eyes. In mos cases, hei exis ence is eal among he Yo uba.
The Yo uba like o he A ican socie ies belie e ha dea h does no mean he end o a pe son's
exis ence. In ac , se e al o he belie s o he Yo uba e ol e a ound his concep o immo ali y.
Acco ding o Mbi i, in o de o emphasize he na u e o he exis ence o he ances o s, he calls
hem 'li ing dead'. This belie has an in luence on he ac ions o he Yo uba. Yo uba people belie
in magic and medicine, al hough he exis ence o hese powe s canno be p o en empi ically, hei
mani es a ions a e a eali y o he Yo uba as well as o he A ican socie ies. The e is he belie ha
a pe son's will can be suspended o a pe iod o ime h ough magic and such a pe son will no be
conscious o wha he/she does o ha pe iod o ime, his is called Eedi. James (1983) discussed
hese mys e ious powe s, in o de no o c ea e a w ong imp ession o he p ac ice o magic in
Yo uba eligion; he posi i e oles o hese powe s we e exemp ed.
Yo uba Religious Implica ions o he Disco e y o Neu oscience in he F ee will Deba e
The posi ion o neu oscience sugges s ha he p ocesses in ol ed in decision making a e ini ia ed
unconsciously. This means ha be o e we a e conscious o he u ge o in en ion o make a decision,
he b ain "decides" o us. The disco e y in he ield o neu oscience he e o e challenges he
adi ional belie abou ee will and ou belie s ha humans a e in ull con ol o hei will. How
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will his posi ion o neu oscience a ec he es ablished Yo uba eligious belie s? This session
ocuses on he implica ions o he indings o neu oscience on Yo uba eligious belie sys ems. I
he indings o neu oscience a e accep able as alid since hey a e empi ical, i is necessa y o
examine he a eas o Yo uba eligion ha will be a ec ed. The ollowing a e some o he
implica ions o he posi ions o neu oscience on ee will in he Yo uba eligion
Iwa (Cha ac e )
As opines by Abogun in (1989), when he Yo uba alk abou he Iwa (cha ac e ) o a pe son, hey
a e alking abou his/he essen ial na u e. The Yo uba lay a lo o emphasis on Iwa and i s usage is
e y common in human ela ionships as seen in he wo ks o Labeodan (2006). The concep o Iwa
will be ende ed meaningless, i he indings o neu oscience on ee will a e sus ained. This is
because mos imes when he Yo uba alk abou a pe son's iwa, hey a e e e ing o an e hical
e alua ion o a his/he conduc s. Se e al sayings o he Yo uba emphasize he impo ance o Iwa.
The assessmen o a pe son's Iwa is only possible i he e is ee will. I he e is no ee will, hen
i is alid o asse ha he e is no Iwa. The exis ence o iwais p emised di ec ly on he exis ence
o ee will. F ee will is a necessa y p e equisi e in any con ex o Iwa.
Omoluabi (Good Pe sonali y)
Among he Yo uba, Omoluabi (Good Pe sonali y) is a philosophical quin essen ial desc ip ion o
a pe son wi h a good cha ac e . Omoluabi is no jus a pe son wi h Iwa - e e (good cha ac e ), bu
he/she is a pe son wi h good pe sonali y pa excellence. I e e ybody is an Omoluabi, hen i will
no be necessa y o classi y some as Omoluabi. This is because hei ex emely good cha ac e will
be an e e yday occu ence and i will no be essen ial o iden i y hem and hei ac ions. Acco ding
o Bibi e - Oyedele (2015), Omoluabi is mo e o less a a e i le ese ed only o hose pe cei ed
o be o ally abo e boa d in almos all ami ica ions. Adeoye (2010) discusses he impo ance
a ached o he Omoluabi. Omoluabi is a highly placed name o i le in Yo uba philosophical,
cul u al and eligious con ex s. Omoluabi can only be used logically i all wha he pe son does a e
eely done. I he e is no ee will as posi ed om he indings o neu oscience, hen we canno
call a pe son Omoluabi. In ac , he i le will be ende ed meaningless. Omoluabi is only
meaning ul when humans ha e ee will. I he a gumen o he absence o ee will is sus ained,
i means he demise o he concep o Omoluabi. To say ha ee will is an illusion equally amoun s
o saying Omoluabi is an illusion.
P aise and Blame In ol emen
The belie in Yo uba eligious- cul u al con ex s ha will be a ec ed by sus aining he posi ion o
neu oscience sugges ing ha ee will does no exis is no ion o P aise and Blame. P aise and
blame a e di ec ly p emised on esponsibili y. When a pe son is blamed o some hing, he/she
could be p aised i he/she had ac ed o he wise. The Yo uba ace has a e y ich cul u e and he e
a e cul u al ways o exp essing p aise and blame. O iki can also be desc ibed as a kind o Yo uba
li e a y gen e used o inspi e people. In Yo uba, he b a e - he oes and he wa io s in a communi y
ha e O iki wi h which hey a e iden i ied. The ai o s - he comp omises in he communi y also
ha e hei O iki (Keyinsola 2015). Sa i e is an as onished mechanism o con olling de ian
beha iou s in he Yo uba socie y. Acco ding o Adejumo (2007), he Yo uba socie y condemns
shame and people a e expec ed o a oid doing hings ha will b ing shame o hem. The e a e so
many sayings o he Yo uba ha show hei ways o blaming o p aising people o hei ac ions.
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Rewa d and Punishmen
Closely ela ed o p aise and blame a e ewa d and Punishmen mechanism o con olling social
beha iou in he Yo uba socie y. Awolalu (1979) men ions an i-wickedness di ini ies such as
Ayelala o Sango who can iden i y and single ou wicked pe sons o punishmen which may esul
in "bad" dea h. Ko e - Abimbola (2014) desc ibes Esu as he one who occupies he apex o he
Yo uba pan heon because he se es he policing unc ion. Awolalu (1979) calls him he 'inspec o
- gene al". The e is a s ong belie in e ibu i e judgmen on ea h which is ins an aneous in mos
cases in he Yo ba eligion. This is seen in he ac i i ies o Sango and Ogun whom a e called he
chie gua dians o human mo ali y, and who will deal u hlessly wi h anyone who swea s alsely
in hei names.
The second no ion o ewa d and punishmen is he one ha occu s a e dea h. F ee will is e y
c ucial o ewa d and punishmen because i will be unjus o punish someone o ewa d ano he i
he ac ions we e no ee. Rewa d and punishmen a e p emised on ee will. This is because a
pe son is punished based on he belie ha he/she dese es o be punished. This emphasizes he
ela ionship be ween eedom and punishmen . The whole no ion o he concep o ewa d and
punishmen in he Yo uba belie sys em shows he belie o he people in ee will. Rewa d and
punishmen a e p emised on he exis ence o ee will. I will no be alid o accep ewa d and
punishmen and deny ee will o his will amoun o a con adic ion.
Eewo (Taboo)
The e a e no ms i mly es ablished in he ways o li e o he people. Among he Yo uba, aboos
ep esen social and eligious ules ha con ol and guide he ways o li e o he people. The wo d
Taboo is exp essed as Eewo among he Yo uba. Eewo is an encompassing wo d which co e s
i ually e e y a ea o li e. This anges om pe sonal conduc s wi hin he home, e ique e, ea ing
habi s, how o ela e wi h elde s and among pee s, wo ds ha should no be men ioned in hei
p ope names. Eewo also in ol es he equi emen s o he dei ies and he ances o s. The e a e so
many hings Yo uba will no do. Some o hese may be supe s i ious while o he s may ha e
eligious signi icance. The se iousness o Eewo implies a s ong will no o do such hings which
is wha ee will is all abou . Taboo shows clea ly he Yo uba belie e in ee will (Odejobi, 2013).
E hical Du ies and Obliga ions
E hical Du ies and Obliga ions is ano he impo an concep ha will be a ec ed i ee will is an
illusion. In a emp ing a de ini ion o e hics, schola s iden i y a s ong link be ween e hics and
mo ali y. This de ini ion is e y adequa e as a as he Yo uba a e conce ned; his is because, i is
no easy o emo e mo ali y o m Yo uba eligion because he e a e eligious sanc ions o mo al
b eaches. Acco ding o Oyeshile (2004) eligion plays conside able ole in de e mining he mo al
no ms o he Yo uba, i is de ini ely no he sole o igin as he e a e o he sou ces o Yo uba mo al
no ms such as cus om and habi , human a ionali y and e en human expe ience. The e a e ce ain
beha iou s which a e accep able as a as he Yo uba a e conce ned a leas in mos Yo uba
communi y’s mo al ac s such as: chas i y, hospi ali y, kindness, gene osi y, loyal y, pa ience, and
e ique e among se e al o he s a e accep able. The Yo uba alue e hical obliga ions and du ies and
anyone ound wan ing in his ega d is simply seen as a pe son lacking in upb inging. E hical
obliga ions and du ies a e de i a i e o ee will. Saying he e is no ee will while insis ing ha
he e we a e obliged o abide by ce ain du ies and obliga ions will amoun o a con adic ion. F ee
will is necessa y i he Yo uba unde s anding o e hical du ies and obliga ions would be upheld.
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Imule (Co enan Making)
Co enan plays a signi ican ole in he eligion o he Yo uba people. I is employed in di e en
ela ionships in o de o p o ec he in e es s o he indi idual pa ies in ol ed. Yo uba wo ds o
co enan include: ie i, majemu, ipimi. In an a emp o explain he pu pose o co enan , de o ees
could en e in o co enan ela ionship wi h hei u ela y di ini ies. Ogunleye (2013) also s a es
o he di e en oles o co enan among he Yo uba. The guidelines o Yo uba sel -de elopmen
as handed down om he ances o ’s echoes he se iousness o issues ela ing o co enan .
Co enan es s ul ima ely on ee will. One canno say a pe son has b eached he ag eemen o a
co enan i ee will is an illusion.
O i o (T u h)
Mos cul u es de es alsehood and u h is expec ed om people a all imes. The Yo uba expec
he u h om people, in con e sa ions, in business ansac ions and e en in ma i al ela ionships.
Akin ola (1999) sees O i o as he spi i ual essence o God. T u h is seen as one o he mos
impo an i ues. O i o, oge he wi h lo e and ha mony a e seen as he e y essence o
Oloduma e. T u h is exp essed by hones y and i also shows he quali y o human hea and
exp esses pe ec ion. T u h is a basic i ue and inds i sel exp essed in o he seconda y i ues
like pu i y and wisdom. The Yo uba belie e ha he u h ul will enjoy he blessings o he
di ini ies. Acco ding o Akin ola (1999), Odu Ejiogbe po ays u h as a posi i e di ec i e o
li ing:
S' O i o
Eni o s' o i o
Ni "male gbe
Speak he u h
Be u h ul always
Fo he di ini ies
Fa o Only hose who speak he u h.
Ogunda Meji di ec s women o be u h ul o hei husbands, wa ning ha in o de o be Success ul,
un u h ulness mus be eschewed.
Koda a K'obin in
Pu o oko e
EsoI'a isase-yo i
I is bad o a woman
To be un u h ul o he husband
The e is much ca e i akes o be success ul in li e.
O i o is seen as e y powe ul, a o ce, ha will e en ually ca ch up wi h one. This is he eason
o he saying in Yo uba which goes hus: bi I oba lo logunodun, ijokan 1'o i o yio baa, meaning
i a lie goes unde ec ed o wen y yea s, one day u h will ca ch up wi h i . The signi ican posi ion
o O i o among he Yo uba shows i s impo ance o he people. Fo any idea o be ecognised as
" u h" means he op ion o alsehood exis s. When a pe son says he u h, i means he pe son
could ha e lied bu he chose he u h. The no ion o op ion and choice which a e necessa y
condi ions o u h o be in place is he basis o ee will. I ee will is seen as an illusion, hen
we can as well say u h is an illusion. This is because he p esence o ee will is a necessa y p e-
