“AYORUÌBAì PROVERBS THATDEPICT CRUELTYTO ANIMALS”
The paper highlights the socio-cultural heritage YoruÌbaì proverbs have in stock for listeners and readers. The role proverbs play in tutelary and usage of flowery language in handling social cultural values from one generation to the other cannot be overemphasized. The study aims at examining animal ethics in YoruÌbaì proverbs that depict cruelty to animals. The framework of analysis is ethical theory of Utilitarianism promoted by Jeremy Bentham. Observation method is adopted in gathering the data used in the study as a speaker who has gained experience from older generation. The study further revealed the relationship between YoruÌbaì and animals, the limitation of their interaction, care and love for animals. The study concludes that attitudinal and cultural change towards the abuse of these animals should be enforced, various laws on animals should be reviewed urgently to provide animal rights, and further studies on cruelty to animals should be intensified in order to save the environment
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