Living in a multicultural society comes with rich exposure, but also with some curious challenges. One of them is my name. I bear a beautiful unisex Yoruba name: ๐๐ฅ๐ฎฬ๐ฐ๐๐ฌฬฃ๐๐ฎฬ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฬ, โGod has done something great.โ A name not just descriptive, but definitive. A name that echoes gratitude, purpose, and divine intervention.
I often introduce myself with a simplified version: โ๐ฬฃ๐๐ฎ๐งโ (๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ โ๐โ๐๐ฆ-๐ข๐โ). I remember someone once asked, โWhatโs the shortened form of that?โ In my mind, I thought, ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ด๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ถ๐ญ๐ฅ ๐ช๐ต ๐จ๐ฆ๐ต? Just โShโ (I couldnโt say that out because it would mean keep quiet)?
Over the years, Iโve met people who genuinely try hard to pronounce my name, stretching syllables theyโve never heard before. Some succeed with effort. Others smile awkwardly and offer a creative version, typically based on what theyโre familiar with;
โSean.โ
โShaun.โ
โSeon.โ
โSuen.โ
โShehuโ.
Itโs all well-intentioned, and Iโve learned to take no offence. But itโs made me reflect deeply:
๐๐ก๐๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฐ๐๐๐ง ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ?
– ๐๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง is how people describe you, often based on how comfortable or knowledgeable they are..
– ๐๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ is who you are at your heart. It was made by God, passed down through generations, and is full of meaning..
Iโve seen people take offence when not addressed by their professional title. You hear responses like โ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐?โ But really, ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐? Do you truly know ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐?
People may stumble over your name, but heaven speaks it fluently. Your name is etched in Godโs palm (Isaiah 49:16).
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐โ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐; ๐๐โ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ โ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
So whether the world calls you Sean, Shaun, or Seon, never forget: You are ๐๐ฅ๐ฎฬ๐ฐ๐๐ฌฬฃ๐๐ฎฬ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฬ. You are evidence that God has done something great. And yes, ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฌ.
๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ
โ๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐ด๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐. ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ด๐๐๐โ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐ผ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ .โ (๐บ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ 17:5)
ยฉ 2025 Seun Oyekola
