The Yoruba Culture in view

The Yoruba culture is the second largest cultural group in Nigeria, and one of the largest African ethnic groups in the south of Sahara Desert. The Yoruba culture dominates the western and a little part of the southern(Benin) part of the country.

The Yoruba's are an ethnic group with a population of over 40 million people, covering the south western and north -central region of Nigeria, as well as southern and central Benin.

It has been said from history that the Yoruba people descended from a hero called Oduduwa, He was the first king of Ile - Ife, a town located in OSUN state.

Today there are over fifty people claiming kingship as descendants of Oduduwa.

Below the image of Oduduwa

The Yoruba territory was known as the Slave Coast During the four centuries of the slave trade, the Yoruba's were traded to different part of the world, majority was sent to the Caribbean and South America.

Slave trade existed between the 15th to 19th century, the Yoruba people were said to have migrated and traded to countries like Cuba, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Jamaica, Grenada,Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, and Saint Lucia, amongst others.

Yoruba has many dialects, and the language is said to be originated from Congo, all states in the west of Nigeria speak Yoruba but might differ in pronouncing but they can all understand each other. Examples of Yoruba words are as follows, ile means Home, Pele is "sorry" Bawo ni is "How are you?"; and Dada is "Fine"

FOLKLORE

According to a Yoruba Ancient story the deities originally lived in the sky with water below the heavens, it was said that the Sky God "Olorun" Gave Orishala the God of whiteness a task to go form the earth (a bit of earth in a snail shell, and a five-toed chicken) on getting to the gate of heaven. He saw some deities drinking and having fun and he decided to join them, later he slept off, his younger brother saw him sleeping drunk and took the materials to the gate of heaven, He let down the chain and he climbed it down . Odua threw the piece of earth into the water and placed the five-toed chicken upon it. It was said that was how the earth was formed. From History it was said that Yoruba was the oldest Culture of all times.

RELIGION
It is said that 25% of Yoruba people still practice the traditional religion.

The rest are evenly divided between Christianity and Islam.

This is an introduction to the Yoruba culture, I'll be dropping things about MAJOR HOLIDAYS,RITES OF PASSAGE, RELATIONSHIP, LIVING CONDITIONS,FAMILY LIFE and lots more on my next post about the Yoruba culture.