Introduction

Who are the Yoruba? What are the deep historical secrets of one of most dispersed groups of peoples on the planet?

 

In what way is history involved in the definition of one of the most influential, most pioneering groups of peoples from the western coast of Africa?

This simple website will hopefully enlighten the curious and educate those in pursuit of knowledge concerning the Yoruba. It will gradually walk through the historical chapters of these peoples in giant strides. From a sweeping look at the myths of their beginnings to a refreshing look at the current state of the Yoruba peoples.

Hopefully by trying to peer into the past we can catch a glimpse of the Yoruba future. And hopefully the future will look good….

About the Yoruba

The Yoruba constitute one of the major ethnic groups in modern Nigeria. They effectively occupy the whole of Ogun, Ondo, Oyo and Lagos States and a substantial part of Kwara State. A considerable number also inhabit the south-eastern part of the Republic of Benin. All these regions were once known as Yorubaland until the partition of Africa by the Europeans. However, the Yoruba are found almost everywhere. Been one of the most scattered peoples of the African Diaspora, the Yoruba not only inhabit other West African countries in some number but are also found in North America, the West Indies, South America and even Europe. In the homeland alone the Yoruba people number over 35 million.

What is it then to be Yoruba if the peoples are so widely distributed all over the world? No simple definition that holds true to language and location will do. Instead what we have to realize is that to be Yoruba is to subscribe to a certain way of life. A way of life that embodies certain traditional values and certain cultural practices. But some argue that all that's needed to be Yoruba is a tenuous link to the old Kingdom. A Yoruba name or some distant connection to a Yoruba relative. I on the other hand do not agree with such sentiments. To be Yoruba, for me is the conscious drive to connect with the Yoruba way of life. To hear the calamitous sounds of the busy streets, the smell and taste of the foods, the dazzling colours of the traditional clothes and yearn to understand it all, experience it and to one day love it with a passion.

But there are some that disagree with my definition, and in many ways that is why this website exists. Hopefully it will not only function as a means of learning more about the history of the Yoruba peoples, but it can also be a starting point of discussion. Invoking the more spirited to respond and add positively to the constantly evolving definition of ‘what it is to be Yoruba' and in doing so possibly gain an understanding of what it is to be part of the African global community living in the 21st century.

 

Links, Contacts and Information

 

 

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