Proverbial #9: Having a good name is priceless

In Africa, we place so much importance on names and we believe that names also determine the fortune or misfortune of a child. African names are pregnant with meaning. Names are given based on the circumstances surrounding the birth on the child. Name can also be given based on discretion but most of the names Africans give their children have good meanings.

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If there is a major fortune during the time the baby was conceived, the parent will probably give the child name that will reflect the fortune. Every name has its history and the idea behind it.

In Africa, morality is paramount. You must be morally upright because we live a communal life. It is easy to be praised or condemned in an African setting. This is responsible for the reason people protect their names. To the Africans, it is very hard to build a good name and harder to correct a bad one.

Once you make a good name in an African setting or your family is known for good things, it becomes a burden of the whole family to make sure nothing bad happens that could spoil the name. 

This explains why father and mother can disown their children not because it is easy for them but to protect the name of the family. It is not new for parents to out-rightly deny their children. It is not because they do not love their children but because they have warned these children to remember where they came from.

Africans believe that good name is better than gold and silver. When you have a good name, you are respected by the whole community, when bad things happened in the community, your family name would always be excluded because your family do not have bad record. 

The thing to learn from the proverb is that in all we do, we should always do good things. It is better to live a moral life without money and have peace of heart, be respected in the society than to engage in immoral acts and disgrace your family. 

You can decide to have all the riches of the world and be very famous but remember that you can be famous for two things: positive or negative. While the former will earn you praises and put your family name in the limelight, the latter would bring disgrace to you and your entire family.

When you have a good name and the whole community know you as a good person, it is hard for them to mention your name when bad thing happens. Even if your name is mentioned, those who know you as a good person in your community or street will stand up and defend you. 

Always try to maintain a good name because it pays.

Thanks for reading. Your boy @smyle the philosopher.