The Book of Proverbs is especially important for the wealth of knowledge and universal principles of life that it contains. Many, if not all, of the proverbs present readers with core knowledge about life and what it takes to survive and succeed. With the majority of the proverbs written by the king whose only request from God was the wisdom to deal with the subjects he was tasked to govern, it is not a surprise that the proverbs are veritable sources of divine wisdom.
As I thought about the most appropriate tribute to the Yeyeoba of Ife, Chief (Mrs.) H. I. D. Awolowo, the sage’s “jewel of inestimable value”, it occurred to me to turn to the good old source of eternal wisdom. One cannot do better than revisit the sagacious reasoning of the author of the Book of Proverbs.
The writer of Proverbs 31: 10-31 starts the passage with an intriguing question that borders on skepticism: who can find a virtuous woman? There is a suggestion in the manner of the statement that it is going to be a difficult venture. He also provides a reason for the apparent doubt: her price is far above rubies. In other words, assume that one is able to find one; it would take a fortune to have her and keep her.
The reasoning has a connotation of the economic law of supply and demand. The writer has an understanding of human nature that makes virtue a very rare commodity among men and women. Human nature is generally based and depraved. Recall that God, the omniscient being, once regretted the making of human beings; hence His decision to clean the slate with the deluge. Philosopher Hobbes, from a secular perspective, understood human nature as egoistic, acquisitive and covetous.
Virtue is rare; but it is in great demand. Even the most depraved human being would like to have a virtuous associate, not for the best of intentions to be sure, but in a logical pursuit of his or her base motive to exploit the innocent. Many a woman or man has fallen into such hands.
The law of supply and demand makes sure that the virtuous woman, in short supply, must be very expensive to have and keep. This is the meaning of the passage in question. But how is it so? What makes a virtuous woman? What are her character make-up, qualities and credentials?
First, we are told that the heart of her husband does safely trust in her so that he shall have no need of spoil. The testimony here is to the moral rectitude, excellent understanding and ability to serve as a confidant and companion for her husband. In essence, she is the best counsellor to her husband. This is where we can make sense of Chief Awolowo’s description of H.I.D. as “my jewel of inestimable value.” The metaphor is as telling as the ruby analogy in the Proverbs.
This was the woman who chose to stay behind when her husband had to travel abroad to pursue higher education. She did so because she wanted to take care of her children. She took good care of the home front so that her husband had the peace of mind to pursue his goal. In the tumultuous days of political persecution, she was her husband’s lieutenant through thick and thin. Even a Mr. Lynn could not intimidate her!
Of course, she was able to stand her ground because she had no skeleton to hide. She was the ideal of decorum. As she remarked in her memoir, “a wife of the Chief Executive must be level-headed and must understand the feelings of people around and outside her. She can be of good help to her husband if she opens her eyes and ears to what people are saying or doing, especially when her husband is not there. She has to be a good detective and be brilliantly-imaginative. She must be able to warn her husband of impending dangers.” It wasn’t a surprise that her husband found her a dependable and indispensable ally.
Second, the writer of Proverbs tells us that the virtuous woman works willingly with her hands; and like the merchant’s ship, she brings her food from afar. Mama Awolowo recalls how her husband insisted that she must not work after they were married. The sage wanted his wife to enjoy her life and just take care of their children, a most noble and selfless interest in the welfare of the family. But after her husband left for the United Kingdom, she launched her business career.
The decision to engage herself in some business to support the family paid off tremendously as it also helped her husband. But more importantly, when he returned home and got into active politics, Mama demonstrated in action the kind of support a political spouse ought to give to her husband (or wife). Many have ruined the political ambition of their spouses by the kind of ostentatious life that they live while preying on the public wealth.
Even after her husband had returned from England and suggested that she didn’t have to work because he would make good money as a lawyer, she had her business at Gbagi, Ibadan, selling textile materials. Her husband was the Minister of Local Government and Leader of the Regional Government. That was a great lesson in self-discipline. As the author of our passage remarks, “with the fruit of her hands”, the virtuous woman “plants a vineyard.”
Thirdly, the virtuous woman stretches her hands to the poor and the needy. We are told that she rises early, a tribute to hard work and industry. But she also cares for others as she does for her children and husband. Beside the non-public philanthropic activities of the sage and his jewel, which must have been many in a society that is so blessed but so poor, they also initiated the idea of Dideolu Specialist Hospital, an idea which has finally come to fruition. It is a befitting tribute to the caring disposition of the virtuous woman.
Fourthly, with peace at home, the husband of the virtuous woman shines in the city “when he sits among the elders of the land.” This is literally true of the peace that H.I.D. created for Awo in the house. He was able to shine not just in the city but in the country, on the continent and in the world. Among his peers, he was unrivalled. Sure, he had the intellectual endowment and the discipline, but as the elders suggest, if the household was chaotic, the city would just appear like a jungle.
Fifthly, the virtuous woman is clothed with “strength and honour”, wisdom is “housed in her mouth”, and the law of kindness “resides in her tongue.” Receiving many honours and awards, including the traditional titles of Mojibade of Ikenne, Iyalode of Remoland, and Yeyeoba of Ife, as well as the academic award of Doctor of Civil Laws, Honoris Causa (Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife) is evidence of the wisdom and strength of character that a virtuous woman is endowed with. It is no less significant that she combined all with uncommon humility and fear of God.
Finally, her children call her blessed. The virtuous woman brings up her children in the fear of God; she guides them in the path of modesty and moderation; she provides for their needs and counsels them against ostentation. She teaches them the virtue of hard work and self-discipline. Therefore they grow up toeing the path of rectitude and they never depart from it because on that path, they succeed and excel. They know how they get there and the mother who led them there is recognised and acknowledged with grateful hearts. They call her blessed.
In celebrating the life of Mama H. I. D. we must rededicate ourselves to the lessons that her life taught us: trustworthiness, dependability, industry, kindness, honour and integrity, and above all, the fear of the Almighty God to whom we will all return. As she returns home on the centenary of her coming, her good work follows her.
