Akíńi ńjẹ́ akíńi – Yoruba Wisdom on Exposure and Discretion [Ìbàdàn Version]

Last updated: January 7, 2026

Yoruba Wisdom

Akíńi ńjẹ́ akíńi, afinihàn ńjẹ́ afinihàn, èwo ni ti ará Ìjàyè l’ójúde Ògúnmọ́lá?

Literal Translation

A greeter remains a greeter; a revealer remains a revealer — which one is “hey, Ijaye man, passing in front of Ogunmola’s courtyard”?

Interpretation

This proverb is about speech, discretion, and the danger of unnecessary revelation.

By distinguishing between akíńi (one who greets) and afinihàn (one who points out, exposes, or betrays), Yoruba wisdom draws a moral boundary between harmless social interaction and reckless disclosure. Not every utterance is neutral. Not every truth needs announcing. Context gives words their moral weight.

The proverb arises from a moment where identity itself was dangerous knowledge. To loudly identify an Ijaye man in front of Ogunmola’s house, a man known for his hostility toward Ijaye people, was not friendliness; it was exposure. The proverb, therefore, asks: Which act are you performing — greeting, or endangering?

At its core, the saying teaches that wisdom is knowing when silence protects life more than speech serves ego.

Application

This proverb remains relevant wherever power, hostility, or vulnerability exist.

It applies to:

• environments where naming someone can put them at risk

• leadership and workplaces where information is weaponised

• social spaces where “just saying” carries real consequences

• politics, faith communities, and activism, where disclosure can be fatal rather than virtuous

The lesson is not against truth, but against careless revelation. Yoruba wisdom recognises that

• Discernment is a higher virtue than verbosity.
• Knowing something does not grant a licence to announce it.
• Sometimes, restraint is not cowardice; it is protection.

The proverb ultimately asks each speaker to examine intent:
Are you merely greeting, or are you pointing someone out to danger?

Broad Theme

Discernment in Speech

Supporting Themes

Wisdom and restraint, danger of exposure, speech ethics, betrayal through disclosure, social intelligence, power and vulnerability, historical memory, survival wisdom, communal responsibility, knowing when silence is moral.