••• Ọmọ Àlè Republic through the Lens of Yorùbá Wisdom
When leaders betray their own, they become Ọmọ Àlè — children of shame, not legacy. Is Nigeria ruled by true heirs or impostors? Find out why this matters.
Roving Reporters
In traditional Yorùbá society, the term “Ọmọ Àlè” goes far beyond a simple accusation of illegitimacy.
It is a moral indictment—a declaration that someone has broken the sacred trust of their lineage and community.
It is not merely about who gave birth to you, but whether your character and actions reflect the values of those you claim to come from.
In Nigeria today, this ancient concept speaks directly to a modern tragedy: the failure of leadership. Our so-called leaders have become “Ọmọ Àlè” of the nation—children who have not only forgotten their roots but have willfully betrayed the house that birthed them.
—
Nigeria: A Nation Betrayed by Her Own
Leadership is supposed to be the guardian of national values, just as a true child is expected to protect the honor of their family. But what do we see ?
Leaders who loot public funds meant for hospitals, schools, and roads.
Politicians who incite division, feed off ethnic strife, and forget their oath to serve.
Public officials who privatize the national treasury while citizens languish in darkness, hunger, and despair.
What do we call those who betray their motherland for personal gain? In Yorùbá, the word is clear: Ọmọ Àlè.
—
When Stealing Becomes a Virtue
There is a Yorùbá proverb:
> “Ọmọ Àlè ni í ba ilé jẹ.”
“It is the bastard that destroys the house.”
Who has destroyed Nigeria’s house? Is it the market woman in Agege or the fisherman in Bayelsa?
No—it is the political elite, the so-called “sons of the soil” who plunder national wealth and watch the house burn.
They wear agbada and quote the constitution, but their actions are a direct violation of the ancestral pact between leader and led.
—
Character is the True DNA
In Yorùbá worldview, it is not blood that proves your identity—it is “ìwà” (character).
A child who lacks respect, dignity, and loyalty to family values is branded “Ọmọ Àlè”, regardless of who birthed them.
So, if our leaders:
Lie without shame,
Steal with both hands,
Neglect the people they swore to serve,
…then surely, they are not true children of Nigeria. They are strangers in disguise, Ọmọ Àlè parading as patriots.
—
The Rise of Ọmọ Àlè Politics
In today’s Nigeria, bad leadership has been normalized. Political offices are no longer about service but about personal empire-building.
Elections are bought, justice is sold, and integrity is mocked. The culture of accountability—central to Yorùbá values—has been replaced by impunity and arrogance.
We now live in what can be called the “Era of Ọmọ Àlè Politics”: a political system run by those who have no spiritual, cultural, or moral claim to the house they occupy.
—
Time to Reclaim the Family Name
The Yorùbá believe that even an ọmọ ale can be cast out of the house to protect the legacy of the ancestors.
In the same spirit, Nigerians must reject leaders who have disgraced our national name.
We must:
Vote with conscience, not rice.
Demand transparency and true service.
Remember that silence is consent, and complicity is a form of betrayal.
—
Conclusion: Return to “Ìwà Pẹ̀lẹ”
The future of Nigeria depends on a return to moral leadership rooted in character (ìwà pẹ̀lẹ), accountability, and service.
The Yorùbá understood this long ago: a child may be born in the house, but if he betrays the family, he is no longer of the house.
In the same way, Nigeria must rise and say boldly:
> “Ẹni tó jẹ ọmọ ale kò ní ṣàkóso ilẹ̀ wa mọ́.”
“The bastard will no longer rule our land.”
Roving Reporters
