An Inferential Model Analysis of Yoruba Proverbs with Leadership Lexis

Abstract

This study attempts to illustrate what the traditional lore, otherwise known as proverbs, can achieve in the management and maintenance of leadership position or status in the society. The description of leadership roles, its positions, responsibilities, qualities, hazards and benefits, among other relevant issues, are extracted from the purposively selected Yorùbá proverbs which contain words that reflect leadership roles and status. These morphological encodings and their semantic values are discussed within the semantic framework of Inferential Model Analysis. The study concludes that the causes of most industrial disharmony, political instability and unhealthy co-existence in our contemporary societies are traceable to the lack of proper understanding of the leadership ethics and the paucity of knowledge about followership responsibilities as contained in many African proverbs. In this study, therefore, attention is drawn to the factors of the efficacy of the African native language usage and the relevance of a spectrum of culture in Management and Administration.