Glosbe Google Bing
• YorubaDictionary : Yoruba-English dictionary, by Pamela Smith & Adebusola Onayemi
• Freelang : Yoruba-English dictionary
• Dictionary of the Yoruba language based on the work of Samuel Crowther, enlarged by E. Sowande, E. Fry, T Ogunbiyi (1913)
• Vocabulary of the Yoruba language by Samuel Crowther (1852)
• Vocabulary of the Yoruba language (1843)
• Grammar and dictionary of the Yoruba language by Thomas Bowen (1858)
• The body in Yoruba by Mark Dingemanse (2006)
• The Yoruba animal metaphors by Adesola Olateju, in Nordic journal of African studies (2005)
• Yoruba names and gender marking by Olanikė Ola Orie, in Anthropological linguistics (2002)
• Historical changes in Yoruba names (2016)
→ Yoruba keyboard to type a text with the special characters of the Latin alphabet
ṣ corresponds to sh ; the vowels ẹ and ọ with a dot below are open ( e and o are close)
• University of Georgia : Yoruba course (+ videos)
• Yoruba alphabet (+ audio)
• Yoruba grammar sketch by Oluseye Adesola
• Yoruba basic course , Foreign Service Institute
• Yoruba writing : standards and trends , by Tèmítọ́pẹ́ Olúmúyìwá, in Journal of Arts & Humanities (2013)
• Is Yoruba an endangered language ? by Felix Abidemi Fabunmi & Akeem Segun Salawu, in Nordic Journal of African studies (2005)
• Problems of lexical decomposition, the case of Yoruba complex verbs , by Joshua Abiodun Ogunwale, in Nordic Journal of African studies (2005)
• The high tone syllable in central Yoruba dialects by Temitope Olumuyiwa, in Nordic Journal of African studies (2009)
• De l'oralité à la littérature , métamorphoses de la parole chez les Yorubas , by Affin Laditan, in Semen (2004)
• My Yoruba alphabet : alphabet and pronunciation, by Richard Edward Dennett (1916)
• Language studies in Yoruba published by the Church Mission Society (1914)
• Grammar of the Yoruba language by Samuel Crowther (1852)
• Notes on the construction of the Yoruba language by J. B. Wood (1879)
• Notice sur le pays et le peuple des Yébous en Afrique by Armand d'Avezac, in Mémoires de la Société ethnologique (1845)
• Esquisse grammaticale de la langue yéboue
• books & papers about the Yoruba language: Google books | Academia | Wikipedia
• Samuel Crowther , the slave boy who became bishop of the Niger , by Jesse Page (1888)
• The black bishop, Samuel Adjai Crowther (1909)
• The UCLA Phonetics Lab Archive : Yoruba words (+ audio)
• Yoruba folk songs (~1930)
• Bible.is : Bibeli mimọ (1960) (+ audio)
• Bibeli mimọ (Holy Bible): translation into Yoruba (1900)
• AfricanPortal : translation of the Bible into Yoruba
• Katekismu l'ede yoruba : translation of the Catéchisme de Cambrai (1894)
• Iwé orin mimọ l'ede yoruba ou Manuel de chants religieux de la mission du Benin (1893)
• Iwé adura yoruba : prayer book, psalms & biblical verses (1879)
• Orin mimọ : religious songs (1876)
• Orin ati iyin si Ọlọrun by J. White (1870)
• Iwé orin : religious songs (1865)
• The Quran : translation into Yoruba
Gbogbo ènìyàn ni a bí ní òmìnira; iyì àti ẹ̀tọ́ kọ̀ọ̀kan sì dọ́gba. Wọ́n ní ẹ̀bùn ti làákàyè àti ti ẹ̀rí‐ọkàn, ó sì yẹ kí wọn ó máa hùwà sí ara wọn gẹ́gẹ́ bí ọmọ ìyá.
→ First article in different languages
→ Universal Declaration of Human Rights : bilingual text in Yoruba, English & other languages
• The frontier states of Western Yorubaland : state formation and political growth in an ethnic frontier zone , by Biodun Adediran (1994)
• Human personality and the Yoruba worldview : an ethico-sociological interpretation , by Fayemi Ademola Kazeem, in The Journal of pan African studies (2009)
• The origin and form of the Yoruba masque theatre by Joel Adedeji, in Cahiers d'études africaines (1972)
• Law in traditional Yoruba philosophy : a critical appraisal , by Adeyemi Ademowo (2014)
• Contradictions in Yoruba folk beliefs concerning post-life existence : the Ado example , by Isola Olomola, in Journal des africanistes (1988)
• Yoruba Christian video narrative and indigenous imaginations by Obododimma Oha, in Cahiers d'études africaines (2002)
• Conflict resolution in the traditional Yoruba political system by Anthony Okion Ojigbo, in Cahiers d'études africaines (1973)
• Violence in dialogue : Yorùbá women in actions , by George Olusola Ajibade, in Cahiers d'études africaines (2011)
• The history of the Yorubas , from the earliest times to the beginning of the British Protectorate , by Samuel Johnson (1921)
→ African languages
→ Nigeria
→ Africa
DiscoverYoruba.com is your one-stop for embracing Yoruba culture, entertainment, and history unfolding.
- Culture & History
Mastering Yoruba: 10 Essential Yoruba Phrases for Enthusiastic Beginners
- January 11, 2024
Written by Hakima
Introduction
Learning a new language opens the door to a world of culture, tradition, and connection. If you’ve set your sights on mastering Yoruba , you’re in for a linguistic and cultural treat. In this blog post, we’ll embark on a journey to explore 10 essential Yoruba phrases for beginners mastering Yoruba, providing not only linguistic insights but also a glimpse into the rich cultural tapestry that defines the Yoruba people.
1. Greetings: Ẹ̀ ń lẹ́ o, ẹ kú ÒWÚRỌ̀ ! (Good morning!)
The Yoruba language places great importance on greetings. ‘Ẹ nlẹ ó, ẹ kú ÒWÚRỌ̀’ is the perfect way to start your day, offering a warm and respectful morning salutation.
2. Expressing Gratitude: Ẹ ṣé (Thank you)
Gratitude is a universal language. ‘Ẹ ṣé’ is a heartfelt way to express thanks in Yoruba, creating positive connections with those around you.
3. Politeness: Báwo ni? (How are you?)
Politeness is ingrained in Yoruba culture. ‘Báwo ni?’ is a common way to inquire about someone’s well-being, reflecting the importance of showing care and consideration.
4. Family Ties: Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ìbí (Happy birthday)
Celebrating birthdays is a cherished tradition in Yoruba culture. ‘Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ìbí’ is the perfect phrase to extend birthday wishes and join in the joyous festivities.
5. Making Friends: Ẹ̀ jọ (Please)
Building connections often begins with politeness. ‘Ẹ jọ’ adds a courteous touch to your requests, fostering positive interactions as you navigate the Yoruba-speaking community.
6. Offering Assistance: Ẹ̀ jọ, ẹ má bínú o (Excuse me)
In a crowded space or when seeking attention, ‘Ẹ̀ jọ, ẹ má bínú o’ is a polite way to excuse yourself and make your presence known—a versatile phrase for various situations.
7. Expressing Love: Mo nífẹ̀ rẹ (I love you)
Love knows no language barrier. ‘Mo nífẹ̀ rẹ’ is a beautiful expression of affection, transcending words and resonating with the universal language of the heart.
8. Time Awareness: Máa má rí ẹ / yín lọlá (See you tomorrow)
Being conscious of time is a cultural value. ‘Máa má rí ẹ / yín lọlá’ ensures a graceful farewell, with an anticipation for the next encounter.
9. Expressing Joy: Ó dùn bí ẹlẹ́gàn (It’s fun like a festival)
Yoruba expressions often carry vivid imagery. ‘Ó dùn bí ẹlẹ́gàn’ conveys the sheer joy and excitement akin to a festive celebration.
10. Farewell: Tọju ara rẹ́ o (Take care of yourself)
As we conclude our linguistic journey, ‘Tọju ara rẹ́ o’ serves as a heartfelt farewell, emphasizing the importance of self-care and well-being.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Mastering Yoruba
Q1: how do i pronounce yoruba words correctly.
A1: Pronunciation is key to effective communication. Consider joining language learning platforms, using pronunciation guides, or engaging with native speakers to refine your Yoruba pronunciation. This would make a big difference when you’re mastering Yoruba.
Q2: Are there any online resources for learning Yoruba?
A2: Absolutely! Explore online language courses, Yoruba language apps, and interactive platforms that offer lessons, vocabulary, and cultural insights to enhance your learning experience.
Q3: Can I learn Yoruba without formal classes?
A3: Yes, you can! Supplement formal classes with self-study using online resources, language exchange programs, and immersive experiences to enhance your proficiency. Imagine being with other people on the same journey of mastering Yoruba? You can grow your confidence by practicing with other students.
Q4: What are some cultural nuances I should be aware of when using these phrases?
A4: Yoruba culture values politeness and respect. When using these phrases, consider the context and the relationship with the person you’re interacting with to ensure cultural sensitivity.
Q5: How can I practice these phrases in real-life situations?
A5: Immerse yourself in Yoruba-speaking communities, attend cultural events, and engage in conversations with native speakers. Practical application accelerates language acquisition.
Embark on your Yoruba language journey armed with these essential phrases. Beyond words, immerse yourself in the vibrant culture and traditions that make Yoruba a truly enriching language to explore. As you weave these phrases into your daily interactions, you’ll not only e mastering Yoruba language but also cultivating meaningful connections within the Yoruba-speaking community. Ẹ ṣé (Thank you) for joining us on this linguistic journey!
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An Annotated List of 5 Yoruba learning websites
Here’s an annotated list of 5 language-specific websites that could be useful for Yoruba learners:
- My Languages (https://mylanguages.org/learn_yoruba.php) My Languages is an online website which provides various Yoruba learning resources, including vocabulary, grammar, audio and video lessons.
- Omniglot (https://www.omniglot.com/writing/yoruba.htm): Omniglot offers a comprehensive overview of the Yoruba writing system, including the alphabet, pronunciation guide, and useful phrases.
- Transparent Language (https://www.transparent.com/courses/#/yoruba/yoruba_general_vocabulary?vis=individual): Transparent Language provides interactive lessons, vocabulary exercises, and cultural insights for Yoruba learners. 14 days free trial!
- Yoruba Names (https://yorubaname.com/): Yoruba Names is a database of Yoruba names and their meanings. It’s a helpful resource for learners interested in expanding their vocabulary and understanding Yoruba naming conventions.
- Yoruba Dictionary (https://www.yorubadictionary.com/): It’s an online dictionary specifically designed for Yoruba learners. You can type in English words, and it will provide you with Yoruba translations. However, it does not offer sentences as examples.
Resources for Self-Instructional Learners of Less Commonly Taught Languages Copyright © by University of Wisconsin-Madison Students in African 671 is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
How to Learn Fluent Yoruba On Your Own Fast: Top Strategies & Resources
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A writer and editor at Monito, Jarrod is passionate about helping people apply today’s powerful finance technologies to their lives. He brings his background in international affairs and his experiences living in Japan to provide readers with comprehensive information that also acknowledges the local context.
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Monito's Managing Editor, Byron has spent several years writing extensively about financial- and expat-related topics.
Links on this page, including products and brands featured on ‘Sponsored’ content, may earn us an affiliate commission. This does not affect the opinions and recommendations of our editors.
As a certified TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) instructor working professionally since 2016, I became all too familiar with the robotic and outdated methods used to teach foreign languages. Teachers and other colleagues of mine were often incentivised to teach their students how to pass exams, which did not always lead to the teaching of natural communication skills.
Instead, I'll share proven strategies I've learned that depart from conventional textbook systems. We'll cover actionable steps to get you from beginner to fluency in Yoruba . Best of all, these step-by-step strategies can be done on a self-study basis with excellent online learning resources like Italki .
In this guide, learn how to speak Yoruba like a native in Nigeria on your own schedule at your own pace, without excessive textbooks, school bells, or exams. While the language is completely unrelated to the English language family, you'll still be able to start speaking in no time.
Looking to improve your Yoruba skills and connect with a global community of language learners? Italki provides 1-on-1 lessons trusted by millions of users. Learn from certified teachers that are reviewed, rated, and fit your budget and schedule. Plus, with Italki's discounted trial lessons , you can try out different instructors until you find the right fit.
How to Learn Yoruba: Our 8 Step Guide
- 01. Don't over-rely on teachers at language schools scroll down
- 02. Find classrooms with these 2 criteria scroll down
- 03. Find teachers who don't stick to the textbook scroll down
- 04. Converse online with native speakers using these 6 verbs scroll down
- 05. Get used to the intonation of Yoruba scroll down
- 06. Practice and acquire practical grammar 80% faster scroll down
- 07. Focus on content that challenges your current level scroll down
- 08. Don't be afraid to make mistakes scroll down
- 09. In summary: how to learn Yoruba step-by-step scroll down
8 Actionable Steps to Learn and Master Yoruba
At Monito, we've researched proven strategies used by modern-day polyglots to acquire languages fast. And after achieving conversational and written fluency in Japanese and passing the second-highest level exam for Japanese after 3 years of self-study, I have also identified common mistakes that you can fix to easily cut time to language fluency by fifty to eighty percent .
Together, these 8 steps will get you on the path to Yoruba fluency without an overreliance on textbooks, language schools, and even teachers:
1. Consider materials, not teachers, as your determining factor
When it comes to learning a foreign language, many students focus solely on finding the perfect teacher to guide them on their language-learning journey. However, it's equally important to consider the quality of teaching materials used at the school, if not more so.
While some may advocate for pure language immersion, we caution against this approach as instructors may fail to explain crucial grammatical and linguistic concepts. Materials in Yoruba that are solely explained in Yoruba by monolingual teachers can actually hinder the speed of your language acquisition.
By prioritizing effective materials, you can better equip yourself with the necessary language skills to navigate real-world situations. Just like having an average cook with a great recipe can still result in a delicious meal, having quality materials with clear and practical examples can lead to successful language acquisition. So, instead of solely relying on finding the perfect teacher, carefully scrutinize the teaching materials as your determining factor in choosing how to learn Yoruba.
2. Choose the right environment for fast progress
In a large class with disinterested students, you may not receive the individualized attention you need to progress effectively. In fact, classes often move as slowly as the slowest student. When choosing a language school, look for:
- low student-to-teacher ratios (less than 10 to 1);
- schools with multiple proficiency levels (15 or more);
These factors ensure that you receive the support and guidance you need to succeed. They also allow for much more tailored instruction.
One of the best resources to solve these problems is the online one-on-one language classroom, Italki . When you select from a library of highly-rated tutors, you'll get the best student-teacher ratio possible: 1 to 1 . Language learning is a process unique to each learner. Some pick up grammatical patterns more easily. Others have better ears for quickly-spoken Yoruba. With online tutors from resources like Italki , you'll get one-on-one guidance that is fully customized to your proficiency level.
3. Find teachers that are descriptive rather than prescriptive
Progress will be faster when you find a teacher who practices vocabulary and grammar based on actual frequency of use, not esoteric grammar in a textbook. Teachers should be able and willing to explain, for example, greetings like "Bawo ni?" (How are you?) instead of “Bẹẹ ni?” (Hello), even though the former is technically informal.
If you made a list of the 100 most commonly written English words and a list of the most commonly spoken English words, the difference would be significant. Yoruba has a very similar distribution. If you want to become functionally fluent in listening and speaking, then you should study the most frequently spoken grammar, which might not be in a textbook.
4. Practice realistic conversation one-on-one
Conversation is learned, not taught.
This point is crucial. While grammar and vocabulary can be learned in a class with materials and teacher guidance, it's easy to get caught up in only studying and not actually practicing speaking. To achieve fluency, you need to make mistakes and speak regularly.
Using conversation rooms and partners on platforms like Italki can help you avoid spending too much time on unnecessary grammar. Instead, focus on learning these few essential verb conjugations :
- First-person singular in the past: Mò n ṣe àìmọ̀ (I was).
- First-person singular in the present: Mò ní (I am).
- First-person singular in the future: Mò n bèèrè (I will be).
- Second-person singular in the past: Ṣe òní (You were).
- Second-person singular in the present: Ṣe ní (You are).
- Second-person singular in the future: Ṣe bèèrè (You will be).
Yoruba language has complex grammatical rules, and the verb forms may change depending on tense, aspect, mood, and the presence of subject pronouns. When you start to build up a vocabulary of verbs, you'll be able to start testing these patterns (and the exceptions) in the real world. Take responsibility to leave the classroom and practice your Yoruba in real-life situations.
To speed up your learning process, start speaking as early as possible. Conversational skills can only be developed in a realistic one-on-one environment where your brain is challenged to keep up with normal speed communication.
5. Learn the correct pronunciation with media you enjoy
When you learn how to listen to the sounds of Yoruba, your listening comprehension will get an immediate boost. If you become familiar with how words should sound and how they should be spelled, you will retain them more easily during vocabulary training.
Grammar and vocabulary acquisition generally takes the most work because you can't expect to absorb words passively. However, if you understand how the language flows and where the sentence breaks are, it can be easier to differentiate between verbs, nouns, prepositions, and other parts of speech .
Personally, when I was learning Japanese, I watched a wide range of media to learn the flow of the language. I watched everything from popular talk shows to news to sumo matches. Don't watch Nigerian Nollywood films just because it's common advice for Yoruba learners. Understand the cadence of Yoruba with whichever media source gives you the most enjoyment.
6. Acquire vocabulary and grammar efficiently
Now it is time for vocabulary and grammar, everyone’s nightmare. We have three principles to actually make this step fun: interest, effectiveness, and efficiency.
- Interest : Study Yoruba that you will use in the real world that you actually enjoy. If a textbook is teaching you how to understand a Yoruba weather broadcast, you may lose motivation because it is neither catered to your interests nor is it all-that applicable to daily life.
- Efficiency : If you can master just the 100 or 200 most commonly used words in Yoruba, your comprehension of native audio can increase by fifty to eighty percent. As I mentioned before, focus on just mastering the essential verb conjugations for first-person singular and second-person singular in the past, present, and future tenses. This makes up the vast majority of practical language use. While popular apps like Duolingo can help, self-made flashcards are critical tools for learning this content.
- Effective : While learning through Yoruba immersion can have benefits, it has been found that it is actually more effective to comprehend the meaning of the grammar in your own language. While confronting difficult native Yoruba is a good challenge for your brain, it's important to build a strong grammar foundation. Despite popular opinion, this is often best accomplished by having the patterns and mechanics of things explained to you in your mother tongue.
7: Master one thing instead of consuming media widely
Choose media that is just above your level of comprehension to acquire the language effectively. Don't jump into watching a full movie in Yoruba too soon. Look for material that challenges your current level, also called your "zone of proximal development", at each stage of your learning journey. Even if it means mastering short, simple dialogues, this approach can be very effective.
Focus your reading on specific subjects rather than reading widely. Start with one piece of material and work through it systematically, seeking to understand as much as possible. If you come across something you don't understand, rewind or reread until you do. While it may seem counter-intuitive to limit the variety of media, by doing so, you can gain a deep understanding of the grammar and linguistic patterns present in the material.
This knowledge can then be applied to new materials, allowing for greater understanding and retention. Rushing through content to consume as much media as possible may cause you to miss important foundational patterns — leaving you with little substantial progress.
8: Embrace ambiguity and the willingness to make mistakes
When learning a foreign language, it's crucial to have a high tolerance for ambiguity. This means being okay with only understanding around 70-80% of what you hear. Recognize that the last 20-30% required for native fluency will take time and effort to grasp. Even fluent Yoruba speakers don't understand every word they hear on TV or in the newspaper all the time.
As I mentioned earlier, practicing one-on-one conversation is the key to becoming truly fluent after learning from books or tv shows. This is why Italki is one of the best resources to accelerate your learning exponentially.
For other great options to immerse yourself in the language, consider these organizations:
- World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF);
- TrustedHousesitters.
These platforms provide opportunities to live and volunteer in Nigeria in exchange for free rent , allowing you to fully engage with the language and culture.
8 Steps to Learn Yoruba in Summary
If you want to learn and master Yoruba, there are eight actionable steps that we have found to be very effective. While we understand the value of great educators, it is important not to rely solely on them at traditional language schools. Instead, find one-on-one classrooms with teachers who don't always stick to the textbook.
Practice conversing online with native speakers to get used to the intonation of Yoruba. Speaking the language regularly from the very beginning is a proven method for achieving rapid progress. Italki is a reliable platform for language learners who wish to practice their Yoruba skills effectively.
Practising and acquiring practical grammar and focusing on content that challenges your current level is also essential. Finally, don't be afraid to make mistakes, as they are a natural part of learning.
Italki offers 1-on-1 lessons through video chat with certified Yoruba tutors and conversation partners who can provide personalized guidance and feedback. These tutors can help identify areas of improvement, develop customized learning plans, and monitor progress closely.
With numerous tutors to choose from, you can easily find a tutor that matches your specific goals, schedule, and budget. Investing in a few sessions with an Italki tutor can significantly boost your confidence and reach your Yoruba learning goals more efficiently than with traditional language learning apps.
Other Guides About Travel and Life Abroad in Nigeria
Read Our Other Guides On How To Learn Languages
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Useful phrases in Yoruba
A collection of useful phrases in Yoruba, a Niger-Congo language spoken in Nigeria, Benin, Togo and a number of other countries.
Jump to phrases
See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder . If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me .
Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person).
| English | Yorùbá |
|---|---|
| Káàbọ̀ Ẹ káàbọ̀ | |
| Ẹ n lẹ Báwo ni?/ Kilo n ṣẹlẹ? ( ) | |
| Ṣe daadaa ni o wa? ( ) Ṣe o wa dada? ( ) Bawo ni? ( ) Ṣálàáfíà ni? ( ) | |
| Reply to 'How are you?' | Mo wa daadaa, o ̣se. Iwọ naa n kọ? |
| O to ọjọ mẹta o O pẹ ti a ri ara wa o | |
| Kí ni orúkọ ẹ? (inf) Kí ni orúkọ yín? (frm/pl) Kí lorúkọ ọ̀ ẹ? (inf) Kí lorúkọ yín? (frm/pl) | |
| Orúkọ mi ni … ... ni orúkọ mi | |
| Nibo ni o ti wa? | |
| Mo wa lati ... | |
| Inu mi dun lati mọ ọ | |
| Ẹ káàárọ̀ Káàárọ̀ | |
| Ẹ ká àsán Ká àsán | |
| Ẹ kú rọ̀lẹ́ Ẹ ká alẹ́ | |
| O da aarọ | |
| O da abọ | |
| Yoo dara o Yoo bọ si o | |
| ( ) | Ayọ ni o Kara o le |
| Oni a dara o | |
| Ounjẹ ajẹye o Yoo gba ibi re | |
| O da abọ Ka sọ layọ o | |
| Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni (That's how it is) | |
| Bẹ́ẹ̀ kọ́ ( ) Rárá ( ) Irọ́ ( ) | |
| Boya | |
| N ko mo | |
| Ṣé ó yé ọ? | |
| O ye mi | |
| Ko ye emi | |
| Jọwọ, rọra maa sọrọ | |
| Jọwọ, tun un sọ | |
| Jọwọ, kọ ọ silẹ | |
| Ṣe o le sọ èdè oyinbo? | |
| Yoruba? | Ṣe o n sọ Yorùbá? |
| Yes, a little ( ) | Bẹẹ ni, diẹ |
| Yoruba? | Bawo ni o se le sọ …... ni Yorùbá? |
| Ẹ ̣se fun mi Ẹ jọ̀wọ́ Ẹ gbọ mi | |
| Èló ni? | |
| Ẹ má bínú ( ) Ẹ má bínú sí mi ( ) Ẹ má bínú sí wa ( ) Ẹ pẹ̀lẹ́ ( ) Ẹ pẹ̀lẹ́ o | |
| Ẹ jọ̀wọ́ Ẹ jọ̀ọ́ Ẹ dákun | |
| O ṣé (inf) O ṣéun (inf) Ẹ ṣé (frm/pl) Ẹ ṣéun (frm/pl) Mo dúpẹ́ ( ) A dúpẹ́ ( ) | |
| Reply to thank you | Kò tó ọpẹ́ ( ) Kò tọ́pẹ́ A ò kí n dúpẹ́ ara ẹni ( ) |
| Nibo ni ile igbọnsẹ wa? | |
| Alagba yii yoo sanwo fun gbogbo rẹ | |
| Iyaafin yii yoo sanwo fun gbogbo rẹ | |
| Ṣe iwọ maa ba mi jo? | |
| Aro re so mi | |
| Mo ní ìfẹ́ ẹ ( ) - inf Mo ní ìfẹ́ yín ( ) - frm/pl | |
| Da ara ya o | |
| Fi mi silẹ | |
| Ẹ gba mi o! | |
| Ina o! | |
| Duro nbẹ! | |
| Pe awọn ọlọpaa | |
| Ẹ ku Ayọ Keresimesi ati Ọdun Tuntun | |
| A kúu ọdún tuntun o | |
| Ẹ ku Ayọ Ajinde | |
| Ẹ ku Ayọ Ọjọ Ibi | |
| Oriire! | |
| Ede kan ko to ri rara | |
| Ọkọ afategun-sare mi kun fun ẹja arọ |
Note : according to the Yoruba calendar, the New Year starts on 3rd June.
Yoruba phrases provided by Adedamola Olofa
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A long view sheds fresh light on the history of the Yoruba people in West Africa
Chancellor’s Professor, and Professor of Africana Studies, Anthropology & History, University of North Carolina – Charlotte
Disclosure statement
Akinwumi Ogundiran receives funding from the National Humanities Center, National Endowment for the Humanities, Wenner-Gren Foundation, American Philosophical Society, Dumbarton Oaks, and Yip Fellowship (Magdalene College, University of Cambridge).
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The Yoruba are among the most storied groups in Africa. Their ancestral homeland cuts across present-day southwest Nigeria, Benin Republic and Togo in West Africa. They number between 35 and 40 million. Their dynamic culture, philosophy, arts, language, sociology and history have attracted numerous studies .
What has been missing in this rich literature is a deep history that benefits from a diverse range of disciplines and sources. Scholars have long recognised the value of combining different methods and sources, beyond documentary and oral traditions, to study pre-colonial African history.
I wrote The Yoruba: A New History to fill this gap. The book is a product of the studies I have carried out in different parts of Yoruba region over the past 30 years as an archaeologist, anthropologist, and historian .
By providing insights from different disciplines I have been able to uncover new themes in Yoruba history.
I provide a 2,000 year account of cultural changes and continuities, how local and global processes have affected social transformations, the meanings people made out of their experiences, and how these affected actions, and what the consequences were.
I weave multifaceted stories about ups and downs, successes and failures, coping with risks and opportunities and solving existential crises. These have ranged from climate change to shifting global political economies, and the impact on the ideas of gender, class, and power, among others.
The history
In the first half of the book, I account for how the Yoruba community evolved on the western side of the Niger-Benue Confluence in present-day Nigeria about 4000 years ago and the dramatic changes that stimulated their rapid geographical expansion between 300 BC and AD 300 .
The climate change that commenced in the last quarter of the first millennium BC, known as the Big Dry , sparked this expansion process. Extreme droughts pushed families and social groups to look for new water corridors and resources. The early centuries of this ecological crisis were also a period of new technological innovations, especially the adoption of iron metallurgy .
By the time the Big Dry ended and optimum wet conditions returned in the 3rd AD, the Yoruba had expanded from the Niger-Benue Confluence as far as the Atlantic coast . The second half of the first millennium AD was a period of rapid socio-political innovations . The idea of divine kingship alongside a unique system of urbanism evolved in multiple places and became the basis of social order .
Between the 12th and 14th centuries, Ile-Ife was the centre of the Yoruba world. It was an emporium and holy city. Its economy was based on a novel technology of glass manufacture mainly devoted to making beads, the primary currency of power, authority and wealth in the region.
Ile-Ife remains the only place in sub-Saharan Africa known as an industrial centre for primary glass production .
Ile-Ife used its technological and economic advantages to restructure the ideology of divine kingship. It also used this advantage to standardise the Yoruba religious system (Orisa pantheon) and make itself (literally) the beginning and end of time. It brought vast territories, as far as the River Niger and the Atlantic coast, under its political control and cultural influence. These included even non-Yoruba-speaking peoples .
For these and other reasons, I concluded that Ile-Ife built the first empire in the Yoruba world during the 13th and 14th centuries.
Collapse and rebirth
The Ife Empire came to an end by 1420 due to several colliding factors . These included long spells of drought that kicked off around 1380 across West and East Africa (the equivalent of the Little Ice Age in the northern hemisphere), political disturbances in Western Sudan (for example, the collapse of the Mali Empire), and internal crisis within the Ife Empire.
Conflict, war, disease, famine, and dynastic changes rocked most of the Yoruba world and other parts of West Africa.
It was not until the late 16th century that the region began to recover, thanks to regional cooperation notably championed by Oyo . By then, the political landscape had been permanently changed. Some of the minor kingdoms of the Classical period were now in control (for example, Oyo), and several new states emerged from the rubbles of the old ones.
This was also the beginning of the integration of the Yoruba into a newly emerging global political economy that focused on the Americas and the European maritime might.
The book explores how the commercial revolution of this early modern period, especially the Atlantic slave trade , shaped Yoruba political landscape, culture, and society starting from the early seventeenth century through the mid-nineteenth century.
During this time, the Yoruba economy became far more monetised than before . There was an overall increase in productivity due to economic specialisation. The cowrie currency that powered this economy was imported while the external trade of the region was driven by a dependency on imported addictive commodity – tobacco . Both cowries and tobacco exports were exchanged for human cargo in the Bight of Benin, where almost a million Yoruba entered the Middle Passage, mostly between 1775 and 1840.
The second half of the book focuses on the effects of this new experience on social valuation, the theory of rights, privileges, and power, as well as gender and class relations.
I bring it to a close with the collapse of the Oyo Empire , the second empire in Yoruba history, and its aftermath in the mid-nineteenth century.
In the concluding chapter, I reflected on what this 2000-year history means for the present.
The book tells the story about the unique gifts that the Yoruba people gave to the world in social organisation, resilience, technology, arts, philosophy, religion, and ethics.
From time to time, many scholars, including me , have lamented how African historical experience rarely informs public policies in contemporary Africa, mainly because policymakers have a poor understanding of that history.
An awareness of the challenges faced by ancestral Yoruba and how they solved those problems for more than 2000 years is as important as understanding why they came short in some instances.
In searching for solutions that address contemporary challenges, it would help to pay more attention to African history.
- Anthropology
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- West Africa
- Slave Trade
- Peacebuilding
- Yoruba culture
- Atlantic slave trade
- Sub Saharan Africa
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From Myths of Ife, Yoruba Creation Myth
Yoruba Creation Myth
From Myths of Ife (1921)
by John Wyndham
from Internet Archives.
Arámfé [Olorun]: God of Thunder and Father of the Gods.
Orisha [Obatala]: Creator of men. Son of Arámfé [Olorun].
Odudúwa J King of men. Son of Arámfé [Olorun],
Ógun God of Iron. Son of Oduwa.
Ordányan The warrior son of Ógun.
Ládi Smith of Ógun.
Obálufon A worker in brass.
Morimi Wife of Obálufon
Ifa The Messenger of the Gods, principally known by reason of divination.
Olokun Goddess of the Sea.
Olóssa Goddess of the Lagoons.
Oshun A Goddess who transformed and became the River Oshun.
Édi The Perverter. A God of Evil who led men astray.
Éshu Now regarded as the Devil, but originally as the Undoer of the favours of the Gods.
Peregiin ‘Gbo A Forest God who caused the Forest to bring forth wild animals and watched over the birth of Orunmila.
Orunmila A God who watches over the birth of children.
Offun Kánran A messenger of Ifa.
Orni Odúm’la The ancestor of the Ornis of Ife.
Ojúmu A priest.
Osányi A priest and maker of charms.
The Sun, Moon, Night, Day, Dawn and Evening were also Gods and Goddesses sent by Arámfé [Olorun], who is often spoken of as God, But a higher and very distant Being is mentioned by some of the Priests.
Oibo means White Man.
Okpéllé is a charm used in the divination of Ifa.
The final N is as in bon, and French pronunciation is nearly correct in all the above names.
A white man visits Ife, the sacred city of the Yórubas and asks to hear the history of the place.
The Orni, the religious head of Yórubaland, begins, and directs the Babalawo Araba, the chief-priest of Ifa, to continue.
MYTHS OF IFE
- THE BEGINNING.
The Orni of Ife speaks :
Oibo, you have asked to hear our lore,
The legends of the World’s young hours — and where
Could truth in greater surety have its home
Than in the precincts of the shrines of Those
Who made the World, and in the mouths of priests
To whom their doings have been handed down
From sire to son?
Before this World was made
There reigned Arámfé [Olorun] in the realm of Heaven
Amidst his sons. Old were the hills around him;
The Sun had shone upon his vines and cornfields
Since time past reckoning. Old was Arámfé [Olorun],
The father of the Gods : his youth had been
The youth of Heaven. . . Once when the King reclined
Upon the dais, and his sons lay prostrate
In veneration at his feet, he spoke
Of the great things he purposed :
“My sons, you know
But fair things which I made for you, before
I called your spirits from the Dusk : for always
Your eyes have watched the shadows and the wind
On waving corn, and I have given you
The dances and the chorus of the night —
An age of mirth and sunrise (the wine of Heaven)
Is your existence. You have not even heard
Of the grey hour when my young eyes first opened
To gaze upon a herbless Mass, unshaped
And unadorned. But I knew well the heart
Of Him-Who-Speaks-Not, the far-felt Purpose that gave
Me birth ; I laboured and the grim years passed :
Streams flowed along their sunny beds ; I set
The stars above me, and the hills about ;
I fostered budding trees, and taught the birds
Their song — the unshapely I had formed to beauty,
And as the ages came I loved to make
The beautiful more fair. . . All went not well :
A noble animal my mind conceived
Emerged in loathsome form to prey upon
My gentle creatures ; a river, born to bask
In sunlit channels and mirror the steep hills,
Tore down its banks and ravaged field and plain ;
While cataract and jagged precipice.
Now grand with years, remind me of dread days
When Heaven tottered, and wide rifts sundered my young
Fair hills, and all seemed lost. Yet — I prevailed.
Think, now, if the accomplished whole be Heaven,
How wonderful the anxious years of slow
And hazardous achievement — a destiny
For Gods. But yours it has not been to lead
Creation by the cliff’s-edge way from Mass
To Paradise.’’ He paused on the remembrance.
And Great Orisha [Obatala] cried: Can we do naught?
What use in godhead without deeds to do?
Where yearns a helpless region for a hand
To guide it? ” And Old Arámfé [Olorun] answered him:
“My son, your day approaches. Far-off, the haze
Rests always on the outer waste which skirts
Our realm ; beyond, a nerveless Mass lies cold
‘Neath floods which some malign unreason heaves.
Odiiwa, first-born of my sons, to you I give
The five-clawed Bird, the sand of power. Go now.
Call a despairing land to smiling life
Above the jealous sea, and found sure homesteads
For a new race whose destiny is not
The eternal life of Gods. You are their judge ;
Yours is the kingship, and to you all Gods
And men are subject. Wisest of my sons,
Orisha [Obatala], yours is the grateful task to loose
Vague spirits waiting for the Dawn — to make
The race that shall be ; and to you I give
This bag of Wisdom’s guarded lore and arts
For Man’s well-being and advancement. And you,
My younger sons, the chorus and the dance,
The voice of worship and the crafts are yours
To teach — that the new thankful race may know
The mirth of Heaven and the joys of labour.”
Then Oduwa said: “Happy our life has been,
And I would gladly roam these hills for ever.
Your son and servant. But to your command
I yield ; and in my kingship pride o’ersteps
Sorrow and heaviness. Yet, Lord Arámfé [Olorun],
I am your first-born: wherefore do you give
The arts and wisdom to Orisha [Obatala]? I,
The King, will be obeyed; the hearts of men
Will turn in wonder to the God who spells
Strange benefits.” But Arámfé [Olorun] said Enough;
To each is fitting task is given. Farewell.”
Here the Beginning was: from Arámfé [Olorun]’s vales
Through the desert regions the exiled Gods approached
The edge of Heaven, and into blackness plunged —
A sunless void o’er godless water Ipng-— [Olokun?]
To seize an empire from the Dark, and win
Amidst ungoverned waves a sovereignty.
But by the roadside while Orisha [Obatala] slept
Oduwa came by stealth and bore away
The bag Arámfé [Olorun] gave. Thus was the will
Of God undone : for thus with the charmed sand
Cast wide on the unmastered sea, his sons
Called forth a World of envy and of war.
Of Man’s Creation, and of the restraint
Olokun placed upon the chafing sea.
Of the unconscious years which passed in darkness
Till dazzling sunshine touched the unused eyes
Of men, of War and magic-~my priest shall tell you,
And all the Great Ones did before the day
They vanished to return to the calm hills
Of Old Arámfé [Olorun]’s realm . . . They went away;
But still with us their altars and their priests
Remain, and from their shrines the hidden Gods
Peer forth with joy to watch the dance they taught,
And hear each night their chorus with the drum :
For changeless here the early World endures
In this first stronghold of humanity,
And, constant as the buhets of the waves
Of Queen Olokun on the shore, the song.
The dance of those old Gods abide, the mirth.
The life … I, too, am born of the Beginning :
For, when from the sight of men the Great Gods passed,
They left on Earth Orni Odum’la charged
To be a father to a mourning people.
To tend the shrines and utter solemn words
Inspired by Those invisible. And when
Odum’la’s time had come to yield the crown.
To wait upon the River’s brink, and cross
To Old Arámfé [Olorun] — Ifa in his wisdom,
Proclaimed that son with whom Odiimla’s soul
Abode. Thus has it ever been ; and now
With me that Being is — about, within —
And on our sacred days these lips pronounce
The words of Odudúwa and Orisha [Obatala].
- THE DESCENT
Ardha speaks:
I am the voice of Ifa, messenger
Of all the Gods : to me the histories
Are known, and I will tell you of the days
Of the Descent. How Old Arámfé [Olorun] sent
The Gods from Heaven, and Odudúwa stole
The bag — my king has told you. . . For many a day
Across unwatered plains the Great Ones journeyed.
And sandy deserts — for such is the stern bar
Set by Arámfé [Olorun] ‘twixt his smiling vales
And the stark cliff’s edge which his sons approached
Tremblingly, till from the sandy brink they peered
Down the sheer precipice. Behind them lay
The parched, forbidding leagues ; but yet the Sun
Was there, and breezes soft, and yet the mountains —
A faded line beyond the shimmering waste —
Called back to mind their ancient home. Beneath
Hung chaos — dank blackness and the threatening roar
Of untamed waters. Then Odudúwa spoke:
”Orisha [Obatala], what did we? And what fault was ours?
Outcasts to-day; to-morrow we must seek
Our destiny in dungeons, and beneath
That yawning blackness we must found a city
For unborn men Better a homeless life
In desert places: dare we turn and flee
To some lost valley of the hills? Orisha [Obatala],
What think you? Then spoke Orisha [Obatala] whom men call
The Great: Is this Odiiwa that I hear —
My mother’s son who stole Arámfé [Olorun]’s gift,
And thought to filch away the hearts of men
With blessings which were mine to give? For me.
The arts I know I long to use, and yearn
To see the first of toiling, living men
That I shall make. Forbidding is our task.
You say — but think, ere we return to peace
And Heaven’s calm, how boundless is the fate
You flinch from! Besides, is Godhead blind? You think
Arámfé [Olorun] would not know? Has Might no bodes
With eyes and ears? . . Dumb spirits hungering
For life await us: let us go.” So spoke
Orisha [Obatala] ; and Odúwa hung a chain
Over the cliff to the dark water’s face,
And sent Ojumu, the wise priest, to pour
The magic sand upon the sea and loose
The five-clawed Bird to scatter far and wide
Triumphant land. But, as Earth’s ramparts grew,
Ever in the darkness came the waves and sucked
Away the crumbling shore, while foot by foot
Lagoons crept up, and turned to reedy swamps
The soil of hope. So Odudúwa called
Olokun and Oldssa to the cliff
And thus he spoke: “Beneath, the waters wrestle
With the new-rising World, and would destroy
Our kingdom and undo Arámfé [Olorun]’s will.
Go to the fields of men to be, the homes
That they shall make. Olokun! to the sea!
For there your rule and your dominion shall be:
To curb the hungry waves upon the coastlands
For ever. And thus, in our first queen of cities
And secret sanctuaries on lonely shores
Through every eon as the season comes,
Shall men bring gifts in homage to Olokun.
And you, Olóssa, where your ripple laps
The fruitful bank, shall see continually
The offerings of thankful men.”
Of Heaven passed by, while in the moonless night
Beneath the Bird toiled on until the bounds,
The corners of the World were steadfast. And then
Odúwa called Orisha [Obatala] and the Gods
To the cliff’s edge, and spoke these words of sorrow:
“We go to our sad kingdom. Such is the will
Of Old Arámfé [Olorun]: so let it be. But ere
The hour the wilderness which gapes for us
Engulf us utterly, ere the lingering sight
Of those loved hills can gladden us no more —
May we not dream awhile of smiling days
Gone by? . . Fair was drenched morning in the Sun
When dark the hill-tops rose o’er misty hollows ;
Fair were the leafy trees of night beneath
The silvering Moon, and beautiful the wind
Upon the grasslands. Good-bye, ye plains we roamed.
Good-bye to sunlight and the shifting shadows
Cast on the crags of Heaven’s blue hills. Ah! wine
Of Heaven, farewell ”… So came the Gods to Ife.
Then of an age of passing months untold
By wanings of the Moon our lore repeats
The dirge of wasting hopes and the lament
Of a people in a strange World shuddering
Beneath the thunder of the unseen waves
On crumbling shores around. Always the marsh
Pressed eagerly on Ife ; but ever the Bird
Returned with the unconquerable sand
Ojumu poured from his enchanted shell,
And the marsh yielded. Then young Ógun bade
The Forest grow her whispering trees — but she
Budded the pallid shoots of hopeless night,
And all was sorrow round the sodden town
Where Odudúwa reigned. Yet for live men
Orisha [Obatala], the Creator, yearned, and called
To him the longing shades from other glooms;
He threw their images into the wombs
Of Night, Olokun and Oldssa, and all
The wives of the great Gods bore babes with eyes
Of those born blind — unknowing of their want —
And limbs to feel the heartless wind which blew
From outer nowhere to the murk beyond. . .
But as the unconscious years wore by, Orisha [Obatala],
The Creator, watched the unlit Dawn of Man
Wistfully — as one who follows the set flight
Of a lone sea-bird when the sunset fades
Beyond a marshy wilderness — and spoke
To Odudúwa: Our day is endless night,
And deep, wan woods enclose our weeping children.
The Ocean menaces, chill winds moan through
Our mouldering homes. Our guardian Night, who spoke
To us with her strange sounds in the still hours
Of Heaven is here; yet she can but bewail
Her restless task. And where is Evening? Oh! where
Is Dawn?” He ceased, and Odudúwa sent
Ifa, the Messenger, to his old sire
To crave the Sun and the warm flame that lit
The torch of Heaven’s Evening and the dance. . .
A deep compassion moved thundrous Arámfé [Olorun],
The Father of the Gods, and he sent down
The vulture with red fire upon his head
For men; and, by the Gods’ command, the bird
Still wears no plumage where those embers burned him —
A mark of honour for remembrance. Again
The Father spoke the word, and the pale Moon
Sought out the precincts of cairn Night’s retreat
To share her watch on Darkness; and Day took wings,
And flew to the broad spaces of the sky —
To roam benignant from the floating mists
Which cling to hillsides of the Dawn — to Eve
Who calls the happy toilers home.
Was changed: for when the terror of bright Day
Had lifted from the unused eyes of men,
Sparks flew from Ladi’s anvil, while Ógun taught
The use of iron, and wise Obalufon
Made brazen vessels and showed how wine streams out
From the slim palms. And in the night the Gods
Set torches in their thronging courts to light
The dance, and Heaven’s music touched the drum
Once more as in its ancient home. And mirth
With Odudúwa reigned.
III. THE WAR OF THE GODS.
Afdha continues:
Oibo, I will tell and chronicle
A second chapter from the histories
Bequeathed from other times. . . A tale is told
How God in the Beginning sent three sons
Into the World—Earth, Water and the Forest—
With one and twenty gifts for Earth and men
That are the sons of Earth; and all save one
The Forest and the Rivers stole; and how
God promised to his first-born, Earth, that men
Should win the twenty gifts again by virtue
Of that last one, Good Humour. And this is true:
For in those years when Ógun and the Gods
Made known their handicrafts men learned to seek
Thatch, food and wine in Forest and in River
Patiently. So Man prevailed; but in those days
Came strife and turmoil to the Gods—for still
For jealousy and pride Oduwa held
The bag Arámfé [Olorun] gave to Great Orisha [Obatala].
Often Orisha [Obatala] made entreaty; oft
A suppliant came before his brother—in vain;
Till once when Odudúwa sat with Ógun
In that same palace where the Orni reigns,
The sound of drums was heard and Great Orisha [Obatala]
Approached with skilled Obalufon, and said:
“The time has come to teach Arámfé [Olorun]’s arts
To men. Give back the bag (for it is mine!)
That I may do our Father’s bidding. Else,
Have a care, is it not told how caution slept
In the still woods when the proud leopard fell,
Lured on by silence, ‘neath the monster’s foot?
Then was Oduwa angered exceedingly:
“Am I not king? Did not Arámfé [Olorun] make
Me lord of Gods and men? Begone! Who speaks
Unseemly words before the king has packed
Orisha [Obatala] and Oduwa called
To arms their followings of Gods and men,
And on that day the first of wars began
In Ife and the Forest. Such was the fall
Of the Gods from paths divine, and such for men
The woe that Odudúwa’s theft prepared;
But little the Gods recked of their deep guilt
Till darkness fell and all was quiet — for then
Returned the memory of Calm, their heritage,
Of Heaven born and destined for the World;
Gloom, too, with the still night came down: a sense
Of impious wrong, ungodly sin, weighed down
Warriors aweary, and all was changed. Around,
Dead, dead the Forest seemed, its boughs unstirred;
Dead too, amidst its strangling, knotted growth
The stifled air — while on that hush, the storm’s
Mute herald, came the distant thundrous voice
Of Old Arámfé [Olorun] as he mused: “In vain
Into the Waste beneath I sent my sons —
The children of my happy vales — to make
A World of mirth: for desolation holds
The homes of tik, and women with their babes
Are outcast in the naked woods.” But when
The whirling clouds were wheeling in the sky
And the great trees were smitten by the wind,
Thundrous Arámfé [Olorun] in his ire rebuked
His erring sons: “At my command you came
To darkness, where the Evil of the Void —
Insentient Violence-had made its home,
To shape in the Abyss a World of joy
And lead Creation in the ways of Heaven.
How, then, this brawling? Did the Void’s black soul
Outmatch you, or possess your hearts to come
Again into its own? For Man’s misfortune
I grieve; but you have borne them on the tide
Of your wrong-doing, and your punishment
Is theirs to share. For now my thunderbolts
I hurl, with deluges upon the land —
To fill the marshes and lagoons, and stay
For aye your impious war.”
Dawn came; the storm
Was gone, and Old Arámfé [Olorun] in his grief
Departed on black clouds. But still the wrath.
But still the anger of his sons endured.
And in the dripping forests and the marshes
The rebel Gods fought on — while in the clouds
Afar Arámfé [Olorun] reasoned with himself:
“I spoke in thunders, and my deluge filled
The marshes that Ojumu dried; — but still
They fight. Punish, I may — but what can I
Achieve? In Heaven omnipotent: but here —?
What means it? I cannot tell. . . In the Unknown,
Beyond the sky where I have set the Sun,
Is He-Who-Speaks-Not: He knows all. Can this
Be Truth: Amidst the unnatural strife of brothers
The World was weaned: by strife must it endure—?”
Oibo, how the first of wars began.
And Old Arámfé [Olorun] sought to stay the flow
Of blood— your pen has written; but of the days.
The weary days of all that war, what tongue
Can tell? Tis said the anger of the Gods
Endured two hundred years: we know the priest
Osanyi made strange amulets for all
The mortal soldiers of the Gods— one charm
Could turn a spear aside, a second robbed
The wounding sword of all its sting, another
Made one so terrible that a full score
Must flee— but not one word of the great deeds.
Of hopes and fears, of imminent defeat
Or victory snatched away is handed down:
No legend has defied, no voice called through
The dimness and the baffling years.
An end was come to the ill days foreknown
To Him-Who-Speaks-Not, remembrance of the calm
Of Heaven stole upon the sleepless Gods—
For while the Moon lay soft with all her spell
On tie of the many battles; while
With sorrowful reproach the wise trees stood
And gazed upon the Gods who made the soil —
The voices of the Forest crooned their dreams
Of peace: “Sleep, sleep” all weary Nature craved,
And “Sleep” the slumbrous reed-folk urged, and ‘twixt
The shadow and the silver’d leaf, for sleep
The drowsing breezes yearned. . . . And with the dawn
Ógun, the warrior, with his comrades stood
Before the king, and thus he spoke: ”Oduwa,
We weary of the battle, and its agony
Weighs heavy on our people. Have you forgot
The careless hours of Old Arámfé [Olorun]’s realm?
What means this war, this empty war between
One mother’s sons? Orisha [Obatala] willed it so,
You say. . . ’Twas said of old ‘Who has no house
Will buy no broom’. Why then did Great Orisha [Obatala]
Bring plagues on those he made in love?
Afar Arámfé [Olorun] gave to you the empire,
And to Orisha [Obatala] knowledge of the ways
Of mysteries and hidden things. The bag
You seized; but not its clue—the skill, the wisdom
Of Great Orisha [Obatala] which alone could wake
The sleeping lore. . . The nations of the World
Are yours: give back the bag, and Great Orisha [Obatala]
Will trouble us no more.’ But neither Ógun
Nor the soft voices of the night could loose
Oduwa from the thrall of envy: the rule
Of men and empire were of no account
When the hot thought of Old Arámfé [Olorun]’s lore
Roused his black ire anew. The bag he held;
But all the faithless years had not revealed
Its promised treasures. Bitterly he answered:
“These many years my brother has made war
Upon his king; while for the crown, its power
And greatness, I have wrought unceasing. To-day
My son — hope of my cause, my cause itself —
Wearies of war, and joins my enemies.
Weak son, the sceptre you were born to hold
And hand down strengthened to a line of kings
Could not uphold your will and be your spur
Until the end. Is it not said, Shall one
Priest bury, and anon his mate dig up
The corpse?” No day’s brief work have you undone,
But all my heart has longed for through a life
Of labour. So let it be: God of Soft Iron!
Upon your royal brow descends this day
The crown of a diminished chieftaincy,
With the sweet honours of a king in name —
For I go back to Old Arámfé [Olorun]’s hills
And the calm realm you prate of.” Then Odudúwa
Transformed to stone and sank beneath the soil.
Bearing away the fateful bag.
Beneath, through all the ages of the World
A voiceless lore and arts which found no teacher
Have lain in bondage.
World Mythology, Volume 1: Gods and Creation Copyright © by Jared Aragona is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
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Ìjàmbá ọkọ̀ pa Mùsùlùmí bí 40 lásìkò tí wọ́n ń rìnrìn àjò lọ fún ayẹyẹ ọjọ́ ìbí Anọbi
Oríṣun àwòrán, Auwal Muhammad Umar
Ogunlọgọ awọn ẹlẹsin Musulumi lo jẹ Ọlọrun nipe ninu ijamba ọkọ kan to waye lọjọ Aje.
Awọn olujọsin naa ni iroyin sọ pe o n rinrinajo lọ fun ayẹyẹ ọjọ ibi Anọbi, ninu ọkọ bọọsi J5 kan, niluu Saminaka, nipinlẹ Kaduna.
Iroyin sọ pe ọkọ akẹru nla kan lo gun ọkọ wọn mọlẹ lasiko to n gbiyanju lati ya fun ọlọkada kan to kọluu.
Oṣiṣẹ kan ninu àjọ to n mojuto iṣẹlẹ pajawiri nipinlẹ Kaduna sọ pe eeyan mẹrindinlogoji lo ku ni owurọ ọjọ Aje.
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O ni iwadii awọn fihan pe eeyan mọkanlelaadọrin lo wa ninu ọkọ to ko ijamba - eyi to tumọ si pe ero ti ọkọ ọhun ko ti pọ ju.
Wọn ti sin oku awọn eeyan naa bayii ni ilana ẹsin Isilaamu.
Ijamba yii waye lẹyin bi ọsẹ kan ti èèyàn bi aadọta ati ọpọlọpọ maalu jona ni ipinlẹ Niger.
Ìròyìn tó ṣe kókó
Àwọn àǹfàání tí gbígbàgbé nǹkan le ṣe fún ìgbéayé rẹ, ìṣẹ̀lẹ̀ omiyalé kọlu czech republic, poland àti austria, ọ̀pọ̀ ẹ̀mí ṣòfò, ìwádìí kíkún lóríi kókó ìròyìn.
Èyí ni bí àwọn àgbẹ̀ ṣe di olówó nípasẹ̀ ọtí ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀ ní Malawi
Lẹ́yìn tí ikú Mohbad pé ọdún kan lónìí, nígbà wo gan an ni wọ́n fẹ́ sín òkú rẹ̀?
Wo nǹkan mánigbàgbé márùn ún tó ṣẹlẹ̀ níbi omíyalé Maiduguri ní ìpínlẹ̀ Borno
Ilé ẹjọ́ gba béèlì àwọn tó kópa níbi ìwọ́de ‘Ebi ń pa wá’ pẹ̀lú N10 mílíọ̀nù fún ẹnìkọ̀ọ̀kan
Bàbá ọlọ́pàá tó pa ọmọ mi ti wá bẹ̀ mí, àmọ́ ìdájọ́ òdodo ni mò ń fẹ́ - bàbá akẹ́kọ̀ọ́ Kwara Poly tó d'olóògbé
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Àbọ̀ ìwádìí BBC rèé lórí ìdí tí àwọn agbẹ̀bí ṣe ń pa àwọn ọmọdébìnrin jòjòló ní India
Tinubu tún ti ṣàlàyé ànfàní tó wà fún aráàlú nínú àyọkúrò ‘subsidy’ orí epo bẹntiróòlù
Ilé ẹjọ́ ní kí orí adé l'Osun lọ máa gba atẹ́gùn lọ́gbà ẹ̀wọ̀n Kuje
Èyítí a ń kà jùlọ.
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Ch. 11 African Civilizations
The yoruba states, learning objective.
- Discuss the Yoruba states and their progression towards centralized government
- Yorubaland is the cultural region of the Yoruba people in West Africa. It spans the modern-day countries of Nigeria, Togo, and Benin. Its pre-modern history is based largely on oral traditions and legends. According to Yoruba religion, Oduduwa became the ancestor of the first divine king of the Yoruba.
- By the 8th century, Ile-Ife was already a powerful Yoruba kingdom, one of the earliest in Africa south of the Sahara-Sahel. Almost every Yoruba settlement traces its origin to princes of Ile-Ife. As such, Ife can be regarded as the cultural and spiritual homeland of the Yoruba nation.
- Ile-Ife was a settlement of substantial size between the 12th and 14th centuries, with houses featuring potsherd pavements. It is known worldwide for its ancient and naturalistic bronze as well as stone and terracotta sculptures, which reached their peak of artistic expression between 1200 and 1400.
- The mythical origins of the Oyo Empire lie with Oranyan, who made Oyo his new kingdom and became the first oba with the title of Alaafin of Oyo. The oral tradition holds that he left all his treasures in Ife and allowed another king named Adimu to rule there.
- Oyo had grown into a formidable inland power by the end of the 14th century, but it suffered military defeats at the hands of the Nupe led by Tsoede. During the 17th century, Oyo began a long stretch of growth, becoming a major empire. It never encompassed all Yoruba-speaking people, but it was the most populous kingdom in Yoruba history. The key to Yoruba rebuilding Oyo was a stronger military and a more centralized government.
- In the second half of the 18th century, dynastic intrigues, palace coups, and failed military campaigns began to weaken the Oyo Empire. It became a protectorate of Great Britain in 1888 before further fragmenting into warring factions. The Oyo state ceased to exist as any sort of power in 1896.
The cultural region of the Yoruba people in West Africa. It spans the modern-day countries of Nigeria, Togo, and Benin, and covers a total land area of 142,114 square kilometers. The geocultural space contains an estimated 55 million people, the overwhelming majority of whom are ethnic Yorubas.
A Yoruba king from the kingdom of Ile-Ife; although last born, he was heir to Oduduwa. According to Yoruba history, he founded Oyo as its first Alaafin at around the year 1300 and one of his children, Eweka I, went on to become the first Oba of the Benin Empire.
The King of Ile-Ife, whose name is generally ascribed to the ancestral dynasties of Yorubaland because he is held by the Yoruba to have been the ancestor of their numerous crowned kings. Following his posthumous deification, he was admitted to the Yoruba pantheon as an aspect of a primordial divinity of the same name.
An ancient Yoruba city in southwestern Nigeria (located in the present-day Osun State) that turned into the first powerful Yoruba kingdom, one of the earliest in Africa south of the Sahara-Sahel. It is regarded as the cultural and spiritual homeland of the Yoruba nation.
Yorubaland: Introduction
Yorubaland is the cultural region of the Yoruba people in West Africa. It spans the modern-day countries of Nigeria, Togo, and Benin. Its pre-modern history is based largely on oral traditions and legends. According to Yoruba religion, Olodumare, the Supreme God, ordered Obatala to create the earth, but on Obatala’s way he found palm wine, which he drank and became intoxicated. Therefore, his younger brother, Oduduwa, took the three items of creation from him, climbed down from the heavens on a chain, and threw a handful of earth on the primordial ocean, then put a cockerel on it so that it would scatter the earth, thus creating the land on which Ile-Ife would be built. On account of his creation of the world, Oduduwa became the ancestor of the first divine king of the Yoruba, while Obatala is believed to have created the first Yoruba people out of clay. The meaning of the word “ ife ” in Yoruba is “expansion.” “Ile-Ife” is therefore in reference to the myth of origin, “The Land of Expansion.”
Evidence suggests that as of the 7th century BCE, the African peoples who lived in Yorubaland were not initially known as the Yoruba, though they shared a common ethnicity and language group. By the 8th century CE, Ile-Ife was already a powerful Yoruba kingdom, one of the earliest in Africa south of the Sahara-Sahel. Almost every Yoruba settlement traces its origin to princes of Ile-Ife. As such, Ife can be regarded as the cultural and spiritual homeland of the Yoruba nation. Archaeologically, the settlement at Ife can be dated to the 4th century BC, with urban structures appearing in the 12th century CE. Until today, the Oòni (or king) of Ife claims direct descent from Oduduwa.
The city was a settlement of substantial size between the 12th and 14th centuries, with houses featuring potsherd pavements. Ile-Ife is known worldwide for its ancient and naturalistic bronze as well as stone and terracotta sculptures, which reached their peak of artistic expression between 1200 and 1400. In the period around 1300 the artists at Ife developed a refined and naturalistic sculptural tradition in terracotta, stone, and copper alloy—copper, brass, and bronze—many of which appear to have been created under the patronage of King Obalufon II, the man who today is identified as the Yoruba patron deity of brass casting, weaving, and regalia. After this period, production declined as political and economic power shifted to the nearby kingdom of Benin, which, like the Yoruba kingdom of Oyo, developed into a major empire.
Bronze head from Ife, probably a king, dated around 1300. Ile-Ife is known worldwide for its ancient and naturalistic bronze, stone, and terracotta sculptures, which reached their peak of artistic expression between 1200 and 1400.
The Rise of the Oyo Empire
The mythical origins of the Oyo Empire lie with Oranyan (also known as Oranmiyan), the second prince of Ile-Ife, who made Oyo his new kingdom and became the first oba with the title of Alaafin of Oyo (Alaafin means “owner of the palace” in Yoruba). The oral tradition holds that he left all his treasures in Ife and allowed another king, named Adimu, to rule there.
Oranyan was succeeded by Oba Ajaka, but he was deposed because he allowed his sub-chiefs too much independence. Leadership was then conferred upon Ajaka’s brother, Shango, who was later deified as the deity of thunder and lightning. Ajaka was restored after Shango’s death. His successor, Kori, managed to conquer the rest of what later historians would refer to as metropolitan Oyo. The heart of metropolitan Oyo was its capital at Oyo-Ile.
Oyo had grown into a formidable inland power by the end of the 14th century, but it suffered military defeats at the hands of the Nupe led by Tsoede. Sometime around 1535, the Nupe occupied Oyo and forced its ruling dynasty to take refuge in the kingdom of Borgu. The Yoruba of Oyo went through an interregnum of eighty years as an exiled dynasty. However, they re-established Oyo to be more centralized and expansive than ever. During the 17th century, Oyo began a long stretch of growth, becoming a major empire. It never encompassed all Yoruba-speaking people, but it was the most populous kingdom in Yoruba history.
Oyo Empire and surrounding states c. 1700. The Oyo Empire rose through the outstanding organizational skills of the Yoruba, gaining wealth from trade and its powerful cavalry. It was the most politically important state in the region from the mid-17th century to the late 18th century, holding sway not only over most of the other kingdoms in Yorubaland, but also over nearby African states, notably the Fon Kingdom of Dahomey in the modern Republic of Benin to the west.
The Power Of Oyo
The key to Yoruba rebuilding Oyo was a stronger military and a more centralized government. Oba Ofinran succeeded in regaining Oyo’s original territory from the Nupe. A new capital, Oyo-Igboho, was constructed, and the original became known as Old Oyo. The next oba, Eguguojo, conquered nearly all of Yorubaland. Despite a failed attempt to conquer the Benin Empire sometime between 1578 and 1608, Oyo continued to expand. The Yoruba allowed autonomy to the southeast of metropolitan Oyo, where the non-Yoruba areas could act as a buffer between Oyo and Imperial Benin. By the end of the 16th century, the Ewe and Aja states of modern Benin were paying tribute to Oyo.
The reinvigorated Oyo Empire began raiding southward as early as 1682. By the end of its military expansion, its borders would reach to the coast some 200 miles southwest of its capital. At the beginning, the people were concentrated in metropolitan Oyo. With imperial expansion, Oyo reorganized to better manage its vast holdings within and outside Yorubaland. It was divided into four layers defined by relation to the core of the empire. These layers were Metropolitan Oyo, southern Yorubaland, the Egbado Corridor, and Ajaland.
The Oyo Empire developed a highly sophisticated political structure to govern its territorial domains. Scholars have not determined how much of this structure existed prior to the Nupe invasion. Some of Oyo’s institutions are clearly derivative of early accomplishments in Ife. The Oyo Empire was not a hereditary monarchy, nor an absolute one. While the Alaafin of Oyo was supreme overlord of the people, he was not without checks on his power. The Oyo Mesi (seven councilors of the states) and the Yoruba Earth cult known as Ogboni kept the Oba’s power in check. The Oyo Mesi spoke for the politicians while the Ogboni spoke for the people, backed by the power of religion. The power of the Alaafin of Oyo in relation to the Oyo Mesi and Ogboni depended on his personal character and political shrewdness.
Oyo became the southern emporium of the trans-Saharan trade. Exchanges were made in salt, leather, horses, kola nuts, ivory, cloth, and slaves. The Yoruba of metropolitan Oyo were also highly skilled in craft making and iron work. Aside from taxes on trade products coming in and out of the empire, Oyo also became wealthy off the taxes imposed on its tributaries. Oyo’s imperial success made Yoruba a lingua franca almost to the shores of the Volta. Toward the end of the 18th century, the empire acted as a go-between for both the trans-Saharan and trans-Atlantic slave trade. By 1680, the Oyo Empire spanned over 150,000 square kilometers.
In the second half of the 18th century, dynastic intrigues, palace coups, and failed military campaigns began to weaken the Oyo Empire. Recurrent power struggles and resulting periods of interregnum created a vacuum, in which the power of regional commanders rose. As Oyo tore itself apart via political intrigue, its vassals began taking advantage of the situation to press for independence. Some of them succeeded, and Oyo never regained its prominence in the region. It became a protectorate of Great Britain in 1888 before further fragmenting into warring factions. The Oyo state ceased to exist as any sort of power in 1896.
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Translation of "assignment" into Yoruba. iṣẹ́ is the translation of "assignment" into Yoruba. Sample translated sentence: (1 Samuel 25:41; 2 Kings 3:11) Parents, do you encourage your children and teenagers to work cheerfully at any assignment that they are given to do, whether at the Kingdom Hall, at an assembly, or at a convention site ...
Yoruba words for assignment include yan fun and ojúṣe. Find more Yoruba words at wordhippo.com!
→ Yoruba keyboard to type a text with the special characters of the Latin alphabet. ṣ corresponds to sh; the vowels ẹ and ọ with a dot below are open (e and o are close) • University of Georgia: Yoruba course (+ videos) • Yoruba alphabet (+ audio) • Yoruba grammar sketch by Oluseye Adesola • Yoruba basic course, Foreign Service Institute • Yoruba writing: standards and trends ...
Translations from dictionary Yoruba - English, definitions, grammar. In Glosbe you will find translations from Yoruba into English coming from various sources. The translations are sorted from the most common to the less popular. We make every effort to ensure that each expression has definitions or information about the inflection.
4. Family Ties: Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ìbí (Happy birthday) Celebrating birthdays is a cherished tradition in Yoruba culture. 'Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ìbí' is the perfect phrase to extend birthday wishes and join in the joyous festivities. 5. Making Friends: Ẹ̀ jọ (Please) Building connections often begins with politeness.
Google's service, offered free of charge, instantly translates words, phrases, and web pages between English and over 100 other languages.
An Annotated List of 5 Yoruba learning websites Here's an annotated list of 5 language-specific websites that could be useful for Yoruba learners:
Translation of "assigned task" into Yoruba . iṣẹ́ àfiránni is the translation of "assigned task" into Yoruba. Sample translated sentence: What does 2 Kings 13:18, 19 teach us about accomplishing God-assigned tasks? ↔ Ẹ̀kọ́ wo ni 2 Ọba 13:18, 19 kọ́ wa nípa bó ṣe yẹ ká ṣe àwọn iṣẹ́ tí Ọlọ́run yàn fún wa?
Understand the cadence of Yoruba with whichever media source gives you the most enjoyment. 6. Acquire vocabulary and grammar efficiently. Now it is time for vocabulary and grammar, everyone's nightmare. We have three principles to actually make this step fun: interest, effectiveness, and efficiency.
Useful phrases in Yoruba. A collection of useful phrases in Yoruba, a Niger-Congo language spoken in Nigeria, Benin, Togo and a number of other countries. Jump to phrases. See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.
Memrise was built to help you speak Yoruba in the real world. To replicate that experience as much as possible, our content is taught through native speakers pronouncing the words you're learning. What's more, our Yoruba lessons are created by expert linguists who are up-to-date with modern day language.
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Free Yoruba Lessons Online | FSI At Live Lingua we believe that everybody should be able to learn another language. This is why we have made available these free Foreign Service Institute resources for you to use. Read the Yoruba ebooks online, listen to the Yoruba audios and practice your Yoruba pronunciation with our online recorder or download the files to use whenever you want.
These scenarios relate to your reasons and interests for learning Yoruba, whether it's connecting with your partner's family or simply understanding the lyrics to your favourite songs. Choose your scenarios and learn relevant Yoruba words and phrases that locals will actually use.
Need to translate "assignment statement" to Yoruba? Here's how you say it.
Below are some of the popular Yoruba herbs, their English names, and uses. Basil plant - Nchanwu in Yoruba. Fenugreek - ewedu in yoruba, hulba in Hausa. Hibiscus plant - Zobo. Tamarind - tsamia. Tumeric - ata Ile pupa in Yoruba. Cayenne - Bawa. Chilli - Shombo in Yoruba. Black pepper - iyere in Yoruba, Oziza in igbo.
Most Yoruba men are farmers, growing yams, corn (maize), and millet as staples and plantains, peanuts (groundnuts), beans, and peas as subsidiary crops; cocoa is a major cash crop. Others are traders or craftsmen. Women do little farm work but control much of the complex market system—their status depends more on their own position in the marketplace than on their husbands' status.
Practice your Yoruba by writing emails ( pen pals ). Practice written conversation using text chat . Practice speaking using voice chat . We provide free, helpful guidelines and tips on how to do a language exchange, as well as free lesson plans designed by an expert in language exchange learning. The activities are fun so you can easily "break ...
A Yoruba speaker, recorded in South Africa. Yoruba (US: / ˈ j ɔːr ə b ə /, [2] UK: / ˈ j ɒr ʊ b ə /; [3] Yor. Èdè Yorùbá, IPA:; Ajami: عَٜدَٜی يُواْرُبَا) is a language that is spoken in West Africa, primarily in Southwestern and Central Nigeria. It is spoken by the Yoruba people.Yoruba speakers number roughly 47 million, including about 2 million second-language ...
The Yoruba: A New History. Akinwumi Ogundiran. By the time the Big Dry ended and optimum wet conditions returned in the 3rd AD, the Yoruba had expanded from the Niger-Benue Confluence as far as ...
Key Points. Yorubaland is the cultural region of the Yoruba people in West Africa. It spans the modern-day countries of Nigeria, Togo, and Benin. Its pre-modern history is based largely on oral traditions and legends. According to Yoruba religion, Oduduwa became the ancestor of the first divine king of the Yoruba.
The Sun, Moon, Night, Day, Dawn and Evening were also Gods and Goddesses sent by Arámfé [Olorun], who is often spoken of as God, But a higher and very distant Being is mentioned by some of the Priests. Oibo means White Man. Okpéllé is a charm used in the divination of Ifa.
Ìjàmbá ọkọ̀ pa Mùsùlùmí bí 40 lásìkò tí wọ́n ń rìnrìn àjò lọ fún ayẹyẹ ọjọ́ ìbí Anọbi
Yorubaland is the cultural region of the Yoruba people in West Africa. It spans the modern-day countries of Nigeria, Togo, and Benin. Its pre-modern history is based largely on oral traditions and legends. According to Yoruba religion, Oduduwa became the ancestor of the first divine king of the Yoruba. By the 8th century, Ile-Ife was already a ...