Bí orí kàn sán: How My Grandmother’s Proverbial Goat Taught Me Stewardship for Life

The older I get, and the more I reflect on the traits that define who I am and who I’m becoming, the more I recognize that we are all products of influence, some influences we can trace, others we cannot. Some we are deeply conscious of, others have worked quietly, unconsciously shaping us.

As I raise my 3-and-a-half-year-old son in the twilight of my life, I often find myself revisiting the past, asking: “Why am I particular about this value? Where did this conviction come from?” One of the values I hold dearly is stewardship, especially the stewardship of private property, and more broadly, the things within our care.

This value began to take root early. One of the earliest memories that etched this belief in my heart is connected to my maternal grandmother, Alhaja Munirat Fawehinmi. She had a goat named “Bí orí kà sán” (As a head prospers, so should the clan), short for “Bí orí kà sán a ràn ìgbà” (If a head prospers, it blesses the multitude). Loosely translated, it means, “The wealth of one is the wealth of all.” It communicates a deep Yoruba philosophical truth: you are blessed to be a blessing, given so you can give, and called to be a conduit, not a reservoir.

Hearing that name every day left an imprint on me. I would pass by her house every morning on my way to school and return there after school, especially during my secondary school years. It was there I often had my lunch, and being surrounded by the rhythm of that household, the constant repetition of that name, and the intentional values that came with it, shaped me.

That proverb taught me the dignity of sharing. It framed my understanding of ownership as responsibility, not privilege. It aligns with what people like Bill Gates have modeled, recognizing that wealth is for distribution, not hoarding. The mindset isn’t one of ownership but stewardship, and with stewardship comes the spirit of abundance, not scarcity.

As Gandhi wisely said, “God created enough for our needs, not for our greed.” I often reflect that wherever there is lack, it is usually because greed is at work. There is indeed enough to go around in the world.

This is the lesson I now seek to pass on to my son. When I teach him to share his toys, it’s not just about politeness. It’s about training him to become a channel. A pipe, not a tank. A vessel through which goodness flows. We are entrusted with resources, material, emotional, intellectual, not merely to keep them, but to distribute them in service to others.

Christianity also reinforces this idea: that we are caretakers of what we hold. Our knowledge, our possessions, our experiences, they are all held in trust. We are stewards. And to steward well is to teach, to share, to give.

“Bí orí kà sán a ràn ìgbà” (If a head prospers, it blesses the multitude) is more than a name given to a goat. It is a worldview, a legacy, and a way of life. It is a childhood echo that is now a parenting philosophy. And one day, I pray, it becomes my son’s way of seeing the world too.

Have you ever traced a personal value back to its earliest echo?

I’d love to hear your story.

Do have an INSPIRED weekend with the family.