The fascinating story of Bàbá Alátiṣe

The story that birth this Yorùbá adage,

"Alátiṣe ló ń mọ àtiṣe ara rẹ̀”

Once upon a time,there was once a wealthy man named Alátiṣe who had three wives and children.

A few years after he married his third wife,he became blind And Impotent.

Everyday,his family would lead him to the front of his house, where he would sit and lounge all day, getting up only to relieve himself.

One fateful day,a dove flew straight at him and begged him to go under his dress in order to hide from a massive hawk that

Six Amusing Yoruba Proverbs from a visit to Baba Àgbà!

1. "À ń sọ̀rọ̀ olè jíjà, aboyún náà ń dá sí i; Ṣíọ̀, odindi èèyàn ló gbé pamọ́ o..."

Meaning: We're speaking of stealing and a pregnant woman intervenes; Is she herself not concealing a whole person? (Her condition makes makes her guilty of concealment.)

Moral: Check yourself before you judge people.

2. "A fi ọ́ j'ọba, ò ń ṣe àwúre; dákun, ṣé o fẹ́ jẹ oyè Ọlọ́run ni?"

Meaning: You have been crowned as a king, and yet you're making good-luck charms all about; would

THE BRIEF HISTORY OF YAGBA PEOPLE

The Yagbas are a major group in Okunland in terms of population, land size and in the number of local government areas.

They have three local government areas. These are Yagba East, Yagba West and Mopamuro LGA, formerly northeast Yagba) with headquarter at Makutu Isanlu, ODO Ere and Mopa respectively.

The other local governments where the Yagbas make up a good part of the population are Ikole and Oye LGA,s. Aiyede in Oye, Ipao, Irele, Oke Ako, Itapaji and Iyemero in Ikole LGA of Ekiti State are all

ṢÈNÌYÀN ṢẸRANKO (HARD TO BELIEVE)

In 1989 I had reason to travel with my dad to a very remote village around SẸ̀PẸ̀TẸ̀RÍ in ÒKÈ ÒGÙN area of Ọ̀yọ́ State.

I cannot remember the name of the village precisely for now but I know the village was about fifteen kilometers Far from SẸ̀PẸ̀TẸ̀RÍ town.

I did not know what my dad really wanted and I never cared to ask him.

We had to walk on our legs for miles for more than an hour and I had got tired by the time we got there.

Dad needed to park his car in SẸ̀PẸ̀TẸ̀RÍ because no

ÒGBÓRÍ ELÉMÒSÓ: A HISTORY OF A YORUBA TOWN

Ògúnlolá was the name of the brave hunter and an expert archer, he was said to be of Ibariba descent.

In the mid-17th century, he migrated with his wife, Èsùu to the present site known today as Ọ̀gbómòsó, he first settled under a tree Called Ajagbon (still standing near the king’s palace).

Later on, Ògúnlolá discovered that there were people who have settled in that area before him.

He then went to introduce himself and fortunately, they were also hunters just like him, they were; Aale, Onisile, Orisatolu,

Did you know?

1)The first settlers to set in Lagos were the Àwórì people led by Ọlọ́fin Ògúnfúnminírè from the ancient Ile-Ife. They settled in Ìddó.

2) Àwórì means the plate sank.

3)The first people that colonized Lagos weren’t the Europeans but the ancient Benin Kingdom. The ancient Benin kingdom brought about an icebreaker in the concept, history and customary of Lagos.

4) It’s worthy to note that Arómirẹ́ was one of the children of Ọlọ́fin Ògúnfúnminírè.

According to oral history, he is regarded as the first inhabitant/settler of

Did you know?

'OWANBẸ'

The popular word used mostly to describe lavish parties among the Yorubas was coined from a slang in the 60s.

It has always been a belief that no beautiful Yoruba woman's beauty accessories were complete without the Ilẹkẹ (waist beads). Yoruba men mostly look out to have a feel of these beads around the women's waists whenever they dance with them at the party.

The moment any man felt the beads with his hand placed around the woman's waist while dancing, he would look in the direction of his fellow men and

List of Yorùbá Obas that were dethroned..

In pre-colonial Yoruba society, a deposed king (oba) was expected to die.

From a spiritual perspective, the oba was considered a sacred figure.

A deposed oba was required to die in order to obviate opposition to his successor, and hence make for a peaceful reign.

The idea that a deposed king should be made away with was jettisoned during the colonial period by the British who considered the practice obnox- ious.

ADESOJI ADEREMI, Ọọ̀ni Of Ifẹ̀.

Adesoji Aderemi reigned as the ooni of Ife for about

THE EFON IJESA WAR 1862-1865

This was another devastating war that almost put Efon-Alaaye and district out of shape.

Shortly before the commencement of the sixteen- year Yoruba war.

The Efons and the Ijesas had never been the best of friends.

Hitherto, the relationship Between the two people had always been that of equals.

The Ijesa of Ilesa town had never liked the situation as it were but could not engage the Efon alone in a long drawn battle.

Entrenched in their mountain fastness the Efons appeared safe from the Ijesas and other foes.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF EKITI PEOPLE

The Ekiti people are aboriginal, culturally homogeneous and highly intellectual agriculturalist Yoruba-speaking people.

That forms a sub-group of the larger Yoruba ethnic group of West Africa, particularly in Nigeria and some part of Benin Republic.

Ekiti people who are well-known for their diverse.

And quality of traditional arts, music, poetry and witty sayings are resident predominantly in the Ekiti State in Western Nigeria.

The Ekiti constitutes one of the largest Yoruba sub-group in Nigeria

The Yorùbá and their exemplary etiquette.

Recently I was at a relative’s naming ceremony overseas.

Where there were Yorubas, other Nigerians, and non Nigerians.

Every now and then, an elderly relative, the baby’s grandmother,would walk around greeting and appreciating The guests for their presence.

It became obvious the guests were amazed by such unusual act of courtesy.

My elderly relative, perceiving their curiosity, turned to the guests and remarked.

“You might wonder why I keep greeting you since you’ve been here, , it is the Yorùbá

Gruesome murder case that happened in Ibadan during the colonial era.

On 8 November 1902 Baale Mosaderin and ten Ibadan chiefs passed judgement on three men found guilty of murder.

They considered them 'worthy of death' but recommended that a fine should 'be inflicted' On two of the perpetrators, and the third imprisoned.

Dr Arthur Pickels, an Assistant Colonial Surgeon serving as Acting British Resident in Ibadan.

Thought the sentence too lenient and urged the chiefs to reconsider.

The council responded by raising the fines imposed on each

Who Are The Egbas??

The story of Abeokuta, the abode of the Egbas (and Owus).

Started with their liberation from the sovereignty of the Alaafin of Oyo Empire, to which the Egbas had belonged.

The Liberation took place between 1775 and 1780. Under the leadership of Lisabi, a resident of Igbehin who was born in Itoku.

He organized an insurgent movement disguised under the name of Egbe Aaro Tradition Mutual Aid Society.

Lisabi later used the society to free the Egba by organizing the simultaneous

“OGUN OKUTA”
(THE BATTLE OF THE STONE PELLETS)

THE FIRST INDIGENOUS WAR IN AKURE.

The ‘Ogun Okuta’ of 1931 was the first indigenous revolt in Akure.

Frame 1; Oba Olofinlade Afunbiowo Ojijigogungara Asodeboyede,Adesida I. The 41st Deji of Akure kingdom. It was during his reign Ogun Okuta happened.

Back to the thread 🧵

The war was fought against the obnoxious tax regime of the British officials and their collaborator (Oba Afunbiowo).

British tax system was introduced to Akure like other part of southern Nigeria in 1917.

This right here,worth a read!👇🏼

“What is the matter, Àkànbí Ògún, Ọmọ Baṣọ̀run,” Iya Oyo said, sitting next to me.

“You want to take a walk through the night with me?”

“Yes,” I told Iya Oyo. “I need to discuss something very important with you.”

“Ó yá,” Iya Oyo said. “Let’s take a nocturnal stroll.”

We went out. The night was dark. The new moon was too weak to light the sky.

We strolled for about thirty minutes in silence, as I was looking for a way to frame my question.

Iya Oyo did not talk. She just walked step in step with me.

WHY IJEBUS WERE NEVER CAPTURED AS SLAVES.

It is on historical domain that the Ijebus were never captured as slaves, and had never lost a war;

Except the war they lost to the British Army in 1892. (The great Imagbon or Yemoji war)

At the time when inter-ethnic wars, and Slave trade induced conflicts were ravaging the entire nation, and by extension, the West African region, in the precolonial era.

Ijebus had always remained untouchable, and the few times they had been attacked, their attackers had always met their Waterloo.

Kéjì Akínnúsì is a freelance marketing communications Writer, Yorùbá Linguist and Language Tutor with 4+ years  of experience in Yorùbá teaching, both in-classroom and online.

With a Bachelor's degree in Linguistics Yorùbá and Master's in Yorùbá Literature from the University of Lagos State, Nigeria.

Kéjì is a published researcher in the Journal of Yorùbá Studies Association of Nigeria (Vol. 11, No. 1, 2022).

Kéjì Akínnúsì volunteers as an External Language Instructor (Yorùbá) at GirlUp Unseen, a UN Foundation initiative in Nigeria.

The salaries of the first and second class of the Obas in yoruba land during colonial masters.

This list doesn’t show how superior but their Recognition and landmark and all Yoruba currency is pounds.

First class

1 Alafin of OYO : £4,200 this show that Alafin is the most well recognized king by the white and he top the list and the highest in landmark .

2 Alake of Abeokuta: £ 2,250 Alake was the second in the list.

Alake was the first king to accept Christianity to his race his also well recognize.

Aroko - Yoruba Parabolic Message.

Aroko was a way by which pre-literate Yorubas used to send message over long distance in the olden days.

It is done by sending some symbolic items to the person for whom the message was meant through a third party; And the message would be understood by the receiver.

For an instance in December 1854, the Awujale of Ijebu sent such a parabolic message to Rev. David Hinderer who was then resident in Ibadan.

The Aroko he sent to him was this: ten cowries strung

There is a popular Yoruba proverb which says:

A kìí je míjì l'ábà Àlàdé
We do not eat two things at Àlàdé's compound.

Let me tell you the full story behind this proverb so you will know when to use such proverb.

The story is from sacred Odu Ifa Ogbe Ofun and the verse goes thus:

A s'ore ìsetán níí jé méè l'óríyìn
Adífá fún Àlàdé oníwàtá
Tí ń lo rèé dá'ko èbá ònàn
Ebo wón ní ó se

Half good deeds doesn't makes one to be appreciated

These were Ifa declarations to Àlàdé oníwàtá
When going to farm at the road side

ONOMASTIC OF THE YORÙBÁ NAME, JÁKÀNŃDÈ

Every Yorùbá name have their detailed meaning and origin, no matter how ambiguous they tend to appear.

You must have heard the name, Jákànńdè, but have you ever thought of the detailed meaning? Originally, the name is Jákẹ̀ńdè (Já àkẹ̀ nídè)

Já - cut loose

Àkẹ̀ - A mature goat (that's why you hear Yorùbás call a stubborn child 'Ọmọ àkẹ̀')

Nídè - out-of-bondage.

So literally, the name mean 'cut loose the goat out of bondage'