Category: African Culture

Introduction

To a proper Yoruba individual, Orisa Aje Olokun represents the energy of wealth and market profitability. customers and neighbours in traditional Yoruba market settings, whether in rural, semi-urban, or urban communities would greet traders using Aje based on their belief that it is effective. You’ll hear words like “Aje a wa o or “Ajé á wọgbá o” or Aje a bu igba je o,” which can be translated to you will enjoy better sales has become a normal greeting in commercial places.

It is also a truism that some cognomen, lineage panegyric, such cognomen include: Aje ti so eru d’omo. Meaning Aje,  the goddess of commerce, that turns a slave into an heir. Yet another is a special request and plea to Aje such as “Aje dakun ma na mi ni pasan re ko se nani” Meaning Aje, the goddess of commerce, I implore you not to use your whip on me for it’s it has dire consequences; And many other sayings like that.

Many Yoruba people, as part of their daily routine, recite Aje’s panegyrics while opening up their business with the belief that it will boost sales for the day. You’ll hear some say: “Aje Olokun gbere temi wa leni o,” meaning Aje, the goddess of commerce, bring my goodies or business fortunes today is a common prayer in the Yoruba setting.

Some families in Yorubaland are classified as adherents of the Aje deity. Some of these families named their children in honour of their chosen deity, i.e., Aje. Such names include Ajewole, Ajebandele, Ajewumi, Ajifowobaje, etc. not to mention those who dedicate time to worship the deity.

Orisa Aje Olokun is said to be a woman who mastered the Water Body called Okun (Sea), the source of other water masses. It’s why the deity is referred to as Aje Olokun (Aje, the owner/master of the seawater). There’s a shell used in the symbolism of Aje. It is the bigger version of Cowries. Aje is eulogized as: “Aje ogugunisọ. Aje onisọ iboji” Meaning: “Aje, the one looking for where to reside. Aje, the one who resides with those who create a space for her.” While Aje Olokun is the feminine energy of wealth, water itself is a masculine element.

The Origin of Orisa Aje Olokun

According to Yoruba mythology, Aje is the founder of the world’s oldest market known as Ejigbomekun located in Ile-Ife. He was and still remains the custodian of the market. The significance of Aje to the people of Ile-Ife is that the deity was an ancestor who lived in the town where her shrine is domiciled to date. It is believed that Aje was one of the 401 deities sent to the earth by the Almighty God (Olodumare) to form the world’s first society called Ife Oodaye.

Aje is said to be the daughter of Olokun, the Yoruba deity of seawater. Nevertheless, Olokun himself respects Aje, which is why she is sometimes referred to as Aje Olokun (Goddess of wealth). In fact, in Yoruba traditional religion, some are of the belief that it is essential to praise Orisa Aje Olokun before anyone can get favour from Olokun, this is due to the fact that Aje is the only daughter of Olokun and Olokun loves her dearly. Also, Aje is believed to inhabit waters, this was the source of spending cowries before the advent of present currencies.

Describing Aje, an Ifa Verse says: “Sare sese, ko maba tayo’re, Rin gbere gbere ko ma ba da ire wonyi nu”. This verse is to explain how a man should react to wealth, how to take care of the goddess, and lastly, its benefits. The verse is an illustration of the experience of Orunmila when he went searching for the goddess of wealth at Oja Ejigbomekun.

Orunmila, like others, was in search of the goddess but he did not rush; he took his time and followed the instructions given to him. Others went in search of the goddess of wealth but the goddess hid from them, seeing their desperation.

When they left, Orunmila came as directed by the ifa divination and the goddess of wealth chose to follow him. On getting home, Orunmila offered her bananas and other special foods she liked. The goddess of wealth was so pleased and she became the great source of wealth for Orunmila.

The Ifa verse above describes the nature of wealth and how the acquisition of wealth cannot be achieved forcefully. There are principles to be mastered before one can get rich and not through desperation and forceful behaviour. Just like Orunmila mastered the Orisa Aje Olokun and was able to win her.

Further appreciation and emulation displayed by Yorubas, is being seen, by endearing the name Aje to describe a woman of African ancestry deified as Aje Olokun. A woman who wields a myriad of creative spirituality and cosmic power. It is also being given as names to kids, perhaps to portray the exact virtue of Orisa Aje Olokun.

In Yorubaland, there is also Ojo Aje (Monday) as the name beginning the first working day of the week, a significant day with a significant name. A better comprehension of Aje makes one realize it is important not to just be of lip service alone, but its evident activation tested, sometimes by a first buyer of an item or patronage in the day.

The first buyer upon the starting of a day especially a Monday, Ojo Aje, shouldn’t be a debtor, Aside from the fact that it is not advised in the Yoruba cultural setting, it’s a very bad business practice which affects business growth greatly. If not curbed, such may keep repeating itself, resulting in not making profits.

Yoruba’s Beliefs About Orisa Aje Olokun

Commerce, the cowry (Owoeyo) had been the Yoruba medium of exchange long before the Europeans came. Hence the decoration of Sekere drum with cowries in appreciation and honour of Aje deity is, to say the least, instructively abominable for anybody, no matter how highly placed to put any tribe above the Yoruba race as far as legitimate trading business is concerned. This is because Aje remains one of the early deities of the Yoruba whose imagery creation is the popular Sekere music played everywhere in Yorubaland.

Alaafin Onisile 1738 – 1750: Alaafin Onisile was remarkable for his indomitable courage and lion-hearted spirit. He was moreover very artistic and was said to have made seven silver doors to the entrances of his sleeping apartment. During his reign, the Sekere (Calabash) drum was ornamented, not only with cowries but also with costly beads e.g., Iyun (Corals), Okun (Stone beads, Benin), Erinla (stripped yellow pipe beads), and Segi (blue pipe beads), strung with silk thread dyed red; all of native manufacture. He was a great warrior and for his exploits was nicknamed “Gbagida! Wowo I’ewon ab’esin fo odi (Gbagida, an expression of admiration), a man with clanging chains (for prisoners) whose horse can lead over a town wall).

Download MP3 Song of Aje Olokun

Coming back to modern trade, it is pertinent to say that different past Alaafins (kings) of Old Oyo Empire were very resourceful in opening the Yorubas to Trans-Sahara trade with West African Countries as early as the fifteenth century. Trade routes led from Timbuktu in Mali, Goa, Tuareg, and Tripoli. Still, as far as (Oceanic) Coastal trade was concerned, the Alaafin used the Port of Allada in Wema to control European shippers.

“By the middle of the 18th century, when Oyo had grown into an empire in the full bloom of life, Oyo was bounded to the north by the Niger, to the West by Modern Togoland, to the east by its sister Kingdom of Benin and to the South by the Gulf of Guinea, and Porto Novo and Badagry were its main coastal outlets. Dahomey, it may be recalled, became a tributary state of Oyo in 1730.

One other imperative of Yoruba in the pursuit of commerce is that any such pursuit must be legitimate with the norms of the society. It is on this note that Yorubas believe it’s unavoidable to sweat and labour to make ends meet; The tribe does not encourage cheating and unlaboured wealth. they work very hard to be wealthy, Yorubas are very industrious from the beginning with a strong emphasis on legitimacy. There is a popular Yoruba saying that is an extraction from a verse in the Ifa Corpus that goes thus:

 “Ise ni Oogun ise 
 Eni ti ise nse 
 Ko ma bo orisa 
 Oro kokan torisa 
 Ibaa bo orisa 
 Ibaa bo obatala 
 O di ojo ti o ba sise ko to jeun”

It Translates Thus:

“Work is the medicine for poverty
Whoever is poor
Let him not worship divinities
Nothing concerns the divinities
He may worship the divinities
He may worship Obatala
It is not until he does a profitable job that he would eat”  

Panegyric/Eulogy Of Orisa Aje Olokun

Download MP3 Song of Aje Olokun

Aje Olokun
Ogugu luso,
Aje Oniso Iboji
Asewe dagba
Asagba dewe

Eni ti  Eru ati Omo nfi ojojumo wa Kiri
Iwo ni labomon ti bori aye
Aje Iwo lajiki
Aje iwo lajige
Aje Iwo lajipe
Eni amusokun
Eni amusede

Iwo lani ra opolopo aran 
Aso Oba ti n kona yanranyanran.
Aje Agba Orisha
Jeki ni e lowo,
Maje kin ni e lorun.
Aje fi ile wa se ile,
fi odede wa se ibugbe oo..
Aje ojire loni ooo....  Ase

Download MP3 Song of Aje Olokun

Oriki Aje (Panegyric/Praises/Eulogy of Aje)

Aje is usually praised this way in the morning:

Aje Karo o
Aje olokun
Ogugu luso
Aje oniso booji
Asewe dagba
Asagba dewe
Eni ti eru ati omo n fi ojojumo wa kiri
Iwo ni labomon ti bori aye
Aje Iwo lajiki
Aje Iwo lajige
Aje Iwo lajipe
Eni amusokun
Eni amusede
Iwo lani ra opolo aran aso oba ti kona yanranyanran
Aje agba orisha je ki ni lowo maje ki ni e lorun
Aje fi Ile MI se ibugbe, fi odede MI se ibura, aje o jire loni oo

Translation
Aje good morning
Aje you are the owner of sea
One who has shelter
Aje you are the ones who people seek solace under your shield or umbrella
You are the ones who promote younger person to the position of elders
You make old look younger
You are the force and power that rule the world
Aje is you that every human being around every day they wake up
Aje is you we wake up to greet
Aje is you we wake up to praise
Aje is you we wake up to call upon
Aje it is through you we acquired beaded jewelries and golden jewelries
Aje it is through you we acquired expensive clothes
Aje you are the the elderly of all orisha
Aje let me have you in form of money in my pocket not in form of debt on my name

***

If you look at the translation, it seems that Aje is thought to be the owner of the sea ie Olokun. It seems that what I heard about Aje being Olokun’s daughter is incorrect.

Second Oriki Aje (Panegyric/Praises/Eulogy of Aje)

Aje iwo lobi Ogun ilu
Aje iwo lobi Olufa
Aje iwo lobi onipasan owere
Oyale asin win bear asin win dolowo
Oyale asi were oso asi were di aniyan-pataki
Aje pe le oa kin lOrisas
Agede ni wo Ajenje lotu Ife ti o fi njo koo ti ni
Aje dakun wa jo koo temi ki or ma kuro lodo mi

Translation

Aje gave light to the war of the city
Aje gave the light to the boa
Aje you gave the light to Onipasan owere
He went to the madman’s house and made him rich
He went to the crazy man’s house and made him a character
Aye, I greet you, the last one who arrived among the Orisas
Aje, eat banana fruit in Ifá so that you can come with one
Aje please, come to me, stay with me and do not leave me

IWURE AJE — Prayer for Wealth (From Ejiogbe)

EJIOGBE says:
Aromogege
Aromogege
Oji ni kutukutu mokun ola dani
Olomo siju pee wole Aye loruko IFA
Eni ti o ba siju rere re wo nii lowo
IFA kio siju rere re woo mi ki nlowo…

Translation:
He who robes the child to befit the child
He who robes the child with the utmost of care
The one who wakes early in the morning, holding the robes of prosperity
The one who looks after the Earth is the name of IFA
Whoever you look to with your eye of compassion is blessed with prosperity
IFA, please look at me with compassion and let me be blessed with riches…
IFA, please look at us with your compassion and let us be blessed with riches! Ase Ase Ase O!
Ire O

Annual Aje Festival, Ile-Ife

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi explaining the essence of Aje festival said: “Aje is the spirit of market profitability. That is why this festival is very important to all humanity because nobody can survive without it. We do business, profit is expected, if you work you expect stipends at the end of the month, so that is simply Aje.”

Since his ascension to the throne as the 51st Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi (Ojaja II) has been at the forefront of reawakening the consciousness of the people to the tremendous roles that Yoruba deities and gods play in creating an enabling atmosphere for the sons and daughters of Yorubaland, both in Ile-Ife, Yorubaland, Nigeria and in the Diaspora.

Apart from leading the campaign for peace, unity, building the bridge of cooperation and friendship within the Yoruba race and other ethnic nationalities, including the extension of such agenda beyond the shores of Nigeria, Oba Ogunwusi, regarded as the Arole of Oodua is passionate about celebrating the gods, with the conviction that it would go a long way in preserving African culture and tradition and also help in developing the economy of the people.

Once, a year, Ile-ife, Osun State, the cradle of Yoruba civilization, is always agog for Aje Festival celebration. The celebration usually in honour of Orisa Aje Olokun, the Yoruba deity of wealth and market profitability. The annual event is usually held at the Afewonro Park in front of the Ile Oodua, the Ooni’s Palace, amid fanfare with cultural displays and traditional rites. Indigenes of the ancient city within the country and in the Diaspora habitually pour in to pay homage to Orisa Aje Olokun.

Download MP3 Song of Aje Olokun

On the first day, the festival usually climaxes with a party and entertainment which usually commence by 6.00 pm and dovetailed into the early hours of the next day. It witnessed traditional rites and cultural displays. They sang praises of the deity, the gods of the land as well as the economic and cultural endowments of the town.

On the third day, the grand finale, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the custodian of the Yoruba culture and tradition, usually lead the traditional proceedings in the company of the chief priest known as Oba Isoro. The Ooni-in-Council led the procession of a huge crowd of participants from the Ooni’s Palace to the Aje’s Shrine also known as Ile Aje.

The shrine is about half a kilometer away from the point where the Ooni and his chiefs usually offer prayers to Olodumare to bless Ile-Ife, the entire state and Nigeria. The prayers always centres on economic advancement.

Aje’s relevance goes beyond Ile-Ife and the Yorubas. Records show that it is a deity that influences every aspect of income-generating activities across the globe. The deity is believed to give very strong support to anybody involved in profit-making ventures.

People always come from different parts of the world to join the Ooni who is believed to be the head of all the 401 deities and the representative of Oduduwa to celebrate the festival. Orisa Aje Olokun was one of the 401 deities sent to the earth by the Almighty God (Olodumare) to form the world’s first society called Ife Oodaye.

An Ife indigene, Adekunle Idowu, quoted a palace chief as saying that since Aje Festival came to the limelight, industries had started springing up, small and medium scale businesses had started improving. He enthused that hotels and other hospitality businesses had witnessed huge patronage, thereby boosting the economy of the town and the state:

“The Ife Grand Resorts and Conference Centre built by our monarch, the Ooni, is a major improvement in the hospitality sector in Ife. Petty traders are making more sales motivated by the surging human traffic to the festival. This is due to the cultural tourism revolution and other developmental programs that our Kabiyesi has put in place. He repackaged the Aje festival. What we are witnessing in the reign of Ooni Ogunwusi is a redefinition of the monarchy.”

In a remark, Oba Ogunwusi believed that Africa’s survival rested heavily on the sustainability of the culture and tradition of the people. He called on the people and the government to collectively cherish and develop the culture and tradition for economic advancement.

Download MP3 Song of Aje Olokun

He added that Nigeria was abundantly blessed with a rich culture and tourism potentials capable of turning the country’s economy around. He called on the people to maximize the potentialities:

“As Christians or Muslims, we all need to respect our cultural heritage. In 2017, we prayed during the Aje Festival and we centered our prayers on the economic recession. Within one week, we surprisingly experienced the dollar crash from about N480 to N350. This year, we have prayed again and very soon, the economy will improve tremendously.

“Aje is the spirit of market profitability. That is why its festival is very important to all humanity because nobody can survive without it. If we do business, profit is expected. If you work you expect stipends.” He urged the youths to be industrious to fulfill their destinies and not to take a short-cut route to success that would not last.

Oba Ogunwusi who is the co-chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), also called on youths to be agents of peace and should never engage in brigandage during the forthcoming governorship election in the state. He prayed for the peace and progress of Ile-Ife, the state, Nigeria, Africa, and the world over:

“Don’t let politicians use you for thuggery or election violence as you too can be in their positions if you discover your potentials and remain focused. As we are gathered here today to celebrate Aje Festival of wealth, the Almighty Olodumare (God) will answer our prayers. He would give us abundant peace and economic progress in Ile-Ife, the State of Osun, entire Nigeria, Africa and the world at large:”

Iyalaje of Apapa, Lagos, Princess Toyin Kolade, said that Yoruba culture is too important and rich to be ignored if we must be seen as serious people who care for the future generations because it depicts a significant perspective. She enjoined Nigerians to value their cultural heritage rather than ignoring it in preference for foreign culture and religion.

REFERENCE

1.  Rev, Samuel Johnson, “The History of the Yorubas”, 1921.
2. Adu Boahen, Ph.D., “Topics in West African History” 1966.
3. Ayilara Oluwaseun, “Aje Olokun, the Energy of Wealth”, babayooba.org, Accessed August 2021.
4. Idowu Oyinkansola Genesis, “An Exegesis Of Aje Olokun {Yoruba Goddess Of Wealth}”, ncboaucom.wordpress.com, Accessed August 2021
5. Oyasogo Abiodun, “Facts About Aje Olokun (The Goddess Of Wealth)”, themomentumtv.com, Accessed August 2021.
6. “Oral Discussion with Chief Falola Okunade”, Ifa priest, Akoda Awo of Lanlate, Atunfase Awo Adimula of Oyo state, the Alaga Egbe Orunmila Afopesoro and the Olofin Awo of Ibarapa & Oke-Ogun
7. IKU BABA YEYE – Oba (Dr.) Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, “Aje: An Early Yoruba Deity with no Second Fiddle“, 2019.

Written by Okunade Johnson, an enthusiast of Yoruba Indegineous Culture

COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2021 by My Woven Words: No part of this published blogpost and all of its contents may be reproduced, on another platform or webpage without a prior permission from My Woven Words except in the case of brief quotations cited to reference the source of the blogpost and all its content and certain other uses permitted by copyright law.

For permission requests, contact the admin on admin@johnsonokunadea.com, or WhatsApp/Text him on +2347036065752

Yorubas are considered to be rich in terms of culture and tradition. The name Yoruba was applied to all linguistically and culturally related peoples. The Yoruba People, of whom there are more than thirty-five million according to CIA World Factbook of 2012, occupy the southwestern corner of Nigeria along the Dahomey border and extends into Dahomey itself.

To the east and north, the Yoruba culture reaches its approximate limits in the region of the Niger River. However ancestral cultures directly related to the Yoruba once flourished well north of the Niger. Portuguese explorers “discovered” the Yoruba cities and kingdoms in the fifteenth century, but cities such as Ife and Benin, among others, had been standing at their present sites for at least five hundred years before the European arrival.

Archeological evidence indicates that a technologically and artistically advanced. Yoruba were living somewhat north of the Niger in the first millennium B.C., and they were then already working with iron. Ifa theology states that the creation of humankind arose in the sacred city of Ile Ife where Oduduwa created dry land from water. Much later on an unknown number of Africans migrated from Mecca to Ile Ife.

At this point the Eastern Africans and Western Africans synergized. Ife was the first of all Yoruba cities, Oyo and Benin came later and grew and expanded as a consequence of their strategic locations at a time when trading became prosperous. Ife, unlike Benin and Oyo, never developed onto a true kingdom; but though it remained a city-state it had paramount importance to Yorubas as the original sacred city and the dispenser of basic religious thought.

Until relatively recent times the Yorubas did not consider themselves a single people, but rather as citizens of Oyo, Benin, Yaba, and other cities, regions, or kingdoms. The old Yoruba cities typically were urban centers with surrounding farmlands that extended outward as much as a dozen miles or more. Both Benin and Oyo are said to have been founded by Ife rulers or descendants of Ife rulers.

Benin derived its knowledge of brass casting directly from Ife, and the religious system of divining called Ifa spread from Ile-Ife not only throughout the Yoruba country but to other West African cultures as well. A common Yoruba belief system dominated the region from the Niger, where it flows in an easterly direction, all the way to the Gulf of Guinea in the south.

It is no accident that the Yoruba cultural influence spread across the Atlantic to the Americas. Yoruba slaves were sent to British, French, Spanish, and Portuguese colonies in the New World, and in a number of these places. Yoruba traditions survived strongly in Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, and Trinidad and Tobago. Yoruba religious rites, beliefs, music, and myths are evident even at this late day.

In Haiti, the Yorubas were generally called Anagos. Afro-Haitian religious activities give Yoruba rites and beliefs an honored place, and the pantheon includes numerous deities of Yoruba origin. Also, more than one-third of Afro-Brazilians claim Yoruba ancestry.

Yoruba culture is famously visible in Bahia, Brazil, manifesting in everything from its religion to its music; in Brazil, Yoruba religious activities are called Anago or Shango, and in Cuba, they are designated Lucumi. There are salient structures that constitute the Yoruba plethora of cultures and traditions.

The most prominent are the Yoruba political structure, the social fabric, the sociology of the race, especially in areas relating to love, marriage, food, music, dressing, language, inheritance, in-laws, respect for elders, and unmatched love for neighbours and everybody a Yoruba person has contact with, banking system are some of the cultural tenets that define the Yorubas.

ORIGIN AND LOCATION

The oral history of the Yoruba recounts Odùduwà to be the Progenitor of the Yoruba and the reigning ancestor of their crowned kings. Upon the disappearance of Oduduwa, there was a dispersal of his children from Ife to found other kingdoms. Each making its mark in the subsequent urbanization and consolidation of Yoruba confederacy of kingdoms, with each kingdom tracing its origin to Ile-Ife.

After the dispersal, the aborigines became difficult and constituted a serious threat to the survival of Ife. Thought to be survivors of the old occupants of the land before the arrival of Oduduwa, these people now turned themselves into marauders. They would come to town in costumes made of raffia with terrible and fearsome appearances, and burn down houses and loot the markets.

Then came Moremi on the scene; she was said to have played a significant role in the quelling of the marauder’s advancements. But this was at a great price; having to give up her only son Oluorogbo. The reward for her patriotism and selflessness was not to be reaped in one lifetime as she later passed on and was thereafter immortalised. The Edi festival celebrates this feat to date.

The Yoruba people live mostly in Southwestern Nigeria. Traditionally, the Yorubas organized themselves into networks of related villages, towns, and kingdoms; with most of them headed by an Oba (King) or Baale (a nobleman or mayor).

The chief Yoruba cities/towns are Ilesa, Ibadan, Fiditi, Orile Igbon, Eko (Lagos), Oto-Awori, Ejigbo, Ijẹbu Ode, Abẹokuta, Akurẹ, Ilọrin, Ijẹbu-Igbo, Ijebu-Oru, Ijebu-Awa, Ijebu-ife, Odogbolu, Ogbomọṣọ, Ondo, Ọta, Ado-Ekiti, Ikare, Ayere, Kabba, Omuo, Omu-Aran, Egbe, Isanlu, Mopa, Aiyetoro – Gbedde, Sagamu, Iperu, Ikẹnnẹ, Ogere, Ilisan, Osogbo, Offa, Iwo, Ilesa, Esa-Oke, Ọyọ, Ilé-Ifẹ, Iree, Owo, Ede, Badagry, (Owu, Oyo), (Owu, Egba) (ife-olukotun), Ilaro, Oko, Esie, AgoIwoye, Iragbiji, Aagba, Ororuwo, Aada, Akungba and Akoko.

There are other towns and cities with historical affiliation with the Yoruba people because they share one or more similarities together. Some of these cities and towns are Benin city, Warri, Auchi, and Okene. They have developed a variety of different art forms including pottery, weaving, beadwork, metalwork, and mask making. Most artwork is made to honour the gods and ancestors and since there are more than 401 known gods to the Yoruba there is much sculpture and artwork made.

PRE-COLONIAL GOVERNMENT OF YORUBA SOCIETY

Traditionally kingship and chieftainship were not determined by simple primogeniture, as in most monarchic systems of government. Monarchies were a common form of government in Yorubaland, but they were not the only approach to government and social organisation. The numerous Ijebu city-states to the west of Oyo and the Ẹgba communities, found in the forests below Ọyọ’s savannah region, were notable exceptions.

These independent polities often elected an Ọba, though real political, legislative, and judicial powers resided with the Ogboni, a council of notable elders. The notion of the divine king was so important to the Yoruba, that it has been part of their organisation in its various forms from their antiquity to the contemporary era. During the internecine wars of the 19th century, the Ijebu forced citizens of more than 150 Ẹgba and Owu communities to migrate to the fortified city of Abeokuta.

Each quarter retained its own Ogboni council of civilian leaders, along with an Olorogun, or council of military leaders, and in some cases its own elected Obas or Baales. Opposite the king’s palace is the Ọja-Ọba, or the king’s market. These markets form an inherent part of Yoruba life. Traditionally their traders are well organized, have various guilds, officers, and an elected speaker. They also often have at least one Iyaloja, or Lady of the Market, who is expected to represent their interests in the aristocratic council of oloyes (Paramount Chiefs) at the palace.

YORUBA’S TRADITIONAL RELIGION

The Yoruba faith, variously known as Aborisha, Orisha Ifa, or simply (and erroneously) Ifa, is commonly seen as one of the principal components of the syncretic pool known as the African traditional religions. It largely survived the so-called middle passage and is seen in a variety of forms in the New World as a result. Ife bronze casting of a king dated around the 12th Century, currently in the British Museum.

Orisa’nla (The great divinity) also known as Ọbatala was the arch-divinity chosen by Olodumare, the Supreme God, to create solid land out of the primordial water that constituted the earth and populating the land with human beings. Ọbatala descended from heaven on a chain, carrying a small snail shell full of earth, palm kernels, and a five-toed chicken. He was to empty the content of the snail shell on the water after placing some pieces of iron on it and then to place the chicken on the earth to spread it over the primordial water.

MUSIC AND DANCE

Music and dance have always been an important part of Yoruba culture for those living in Nigeria as well as in the diaspora. Yoruba music and dance are used for many different occasions in life such as religious festivals, royal occasions, and entertainment. Yoruba traditional music focuses on Yoruba deities. Drums and singing are the main elements of Yoruba music.

Instruments such as metal bells and wind instruments are sometimes used. Yoruba is a tonal language. Words must be pronounced in the appropriate tone (pitch) in order to understand speech in its correct meaning. There are three major tones: high, mid, and low. Most Yoruba music is based on these tonal patterns of speech.

Juju music emerged in the 1920s and is the most well-known form of Yoruba popular contemporary music in Nigeria. Juju has its roots in traditional Yoruba drum-based music. Juju is dance music played by large ensembles centred on guitars and drumming. Singing is a major part of Juju music and is inspired by Yoruba poetry, proverbs, praise songs, and the musical character of the language.

YORUBA TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE

For a man or a woman who has reached the age of marriage to remain single is against the mores of the Yorubas. Men get married even when they are sexually impotent in order to save either their faces or the faces of their immediate relatives, as well as to get one to look after their domestic establishment.

There are six important steps leading to the traditional Yoruba marriage:

1. Igba ifojusode: The time for seeking a potential spouse.
2. Ifa f’ore: The approval of the oracle-divinity.
3. Isihun: The release of the voice of the young woman.
4. Itoro: The request for the young woman’s hand in marriage.
5. Idana: The creation of the affinity bond.
6. Igbeyawo: The transfer of the wife to the husband’s lineage.

YORUBA ATTIRE

Yoruba people are well known for their attire. Clothing materials traditionally come from processed cotton by traditional weavers. The Yoruba have a very wide range of clothing. The basic being the Aso-Oke, which comes in different colours and patterns.

SOME COMMON STYLES ARE:

• Alaari – a rich red Asọ-Oke.
• Sanyan – a brown and usual light brown Asọ-Oke.
• Ẹtu – a dark blue Asọ-Oke.

OTHER CLOTHING MATERIALS INCLUDE

• Ofi– pure white yarned cloths, used as cover cloth, it can be sewn and worn.
• Aran– a velvet clothing material sewn into Dansiki and Kẹmbẹ, worn by the rich.
• Adirẹ– cloth with various patterns and designs, dye in indigo ink (Ẹlu).

YORUBA WEARS ARE GENDER-SENSITIVE:

Men wear Kẹmbẹ, Dandogo, Dansiki, Agbada, Buba, Sokoto, and matching caps such as: Abeti-Aja – dog ear-shaped cap, fila-ẹtu, etc.

Women wear Iro (wrapper) and Buba (the top) with a matching head-gear (gele). For important outings, a Yoruba woman will add a Shawl (Ipele/Iborun) on the shoulder and can add different forms of accessories. The Yoruba believe that the development of a nation is akin to the development of a man or woman.

Therefore, the personality of an individual has to be developed in other to fulfill his or her responsibilities. Clothing among the Yoruba people is a crucial factor upon which the personality of an individual is anchored. This philosophy is anchored in Yoruba proverbs. Different occasions also require different outfits among the Yoruba.

YORUBA HAIRSTYLE

The Head occupies a pre-eminent place compare with other parts of the body; so too, the hair that covers the head. The culture and tradition of hair-do is rooted in both the spiritual and biological roles of the individual head. The head is treasured and respected, because, it is the center of body activity; through hair-do and care, Ori (head) is highly esteemed.

In times past, even at present hairdos or styles perform several roles among Yorubas; these functions or roles include the medium of communication, the mark of initiation, state of mind, religious beliefs, marital and social status of women in the society. For instance, a hairstyle from the forehead which ends at the back of the neck shows the carrier is married; besides, married women carry hairstyles from both sides of the head, and finish up at the middle of the head in such a network shape that connects the forehead and back together.

On the other hand, maiden style runs from the right side of the head to the left ear. The smaller, and the more hair strands a young lady carry, the more beautiful such a lady will look. Maidens usually carry hair-style of 8 to 14 strands, in braided or wrapped form. Braiding and binding (the use of thread to make strands) are the two common ways to beautify hair by Yoruba women in the past.

However, braiding (Irun biba; knotting hair) comes in different styles, these include:

• Suku – a braiding hair style either short or long knots, it runs from forehead to the back or crown of the head.
• Kolẹsẹ – as the name suggests (without legs), it is a braiding style, each knot runs from the front and terminates at the back of the head, close to the neck.
• Ipakọ-Ẹlẹdẹ – this braiding style starts from the back of the head, but ends at the front.
• Panumọ (keep quite) – hair style, with two different starting points, the back and the front. The knots meet at the center with a little opening.
• Ojompeti (rain soaked ear) – braiding starts from one side of the head, ends close to the ear. All these have been taken over by perming or applying chemical to the hair to straighten it, the hair is then put in rollers and head put under the standing dryer for about 30 minutes to one hour. Some will braid with attachment (synthetic hair) to make long braids.

YORUBA TRIBAL MARK

The interesting feature of Yoruba’s physical appearance which is fast disappearing because of the extant laws, and international campaign, is the tribal marks. Tribal or facial mark– is a specific mark, which comes in different shapes and sizes, commonly found on the face. There are various tribal marks, by different ethnic groups within the Yoruba nation.

The Ijesa people are known by “Pele.” Pele, is a-four-horizontal-line; a-quarter-of-an-inch-long made on the cheeks on both sides of the mouth.

The Ondo natives of (Ondo State) are identified by half-an-inch-vertical lines on both sides of the nose down to the mouth (marks are thick and long).

Other Yoruba ethnic groups have different types of facial marks;

Ogbomoso natives of (Oyo State) are identified by multiple straight and curved lines (Gombo) on both sides of the face. Other sub-groups within the Yoruba nation have only curved lines on both sides of their face. Even, a particular mark, may have varieties among neighbors; for instance, Pele has about three versions:

1. Pele Ijesa (discussed above)
2. Pele Ekiti (quarter-of-an-inch-horizontal line) and
3. Pele Akoko (about the same length, but comes in either vertical or horizontal format); the style will depend on Akoko by Ekiti, Bini, and Okun neighbors.

The purpose of facial marks in the past was to identify each group within the Yoruba nation, to beautify, and to identify slaves. Because of the health implications and several cases of abuse, it has become an outlaw practice in Nigeria. Yoruba has the following tribal marks: Abaja, Kẹkẹ or Gọmbọ, Ture, Pele, Mande, Jamgbadi.

YORUBA FOOD

Yoruba people have a variety of food items from where common or locally based foods are made. Prominent among these food items are:

• Yam (Isu): Water-Yam, Coco-Yam, Yellow-Yam, Potatoes,
• Grains: Iresi (Rice), Ewa (Beans): (White/ Brown/Black)
• Cereal: Millet, Soya-Beans, Sorghum,
• Plantains: Paranta, Ọgbagba
• Corn: Brown/Red
• Wheat: Oka, Ọpa-Ẹtun, Oka-Baba
• Cassava: Ẹgẹ, Gbaguda
• Vegetable: is a part of balanced diet in every Yoruba homes, it includes leafy and fruit/seed based vegetables.
• Vegetable/Leafy category-such as: Ẹfọ, Tẹtẹ, Ebolo, Gbure, Ewedu
• Vegetable/fruit and seed- such as: Onion, Carrot, Pepper (Rodo, Tatase, Wẹwẹ), Tomatoes.
• Melon: Ẹgusi N’ la/kekere
• Mushroom: (Olu/Oosun)

FRUITS

Fruits- Yoruba has a lot of fruit-bearing trees, which for centuries were part of their dietary composition, and sources of materials for local medicines. Some of these trees include:

• Orange: Ọsan
• Lime: Ọsan-wẹwẹ
• Cherry: Agbalumọ
• Cashew: Kasu
• Pine-Apple: Ọpẹ-Oyinbo
• Paw-paw: Ibẹpẹ
• Palm-Nut/Date: Ẹyìn
• Palm-Kernel: Ekurọ
• Mango: Mangoro
• Locust Bean: Iru-Woro/Pẹtẹ
• Wall-Nut: Awusa
• Sugarcane: Ireke

OIL PRODUCTS AND THEIR SOURCES

• Epo-pupa: Palm-Oil from Palm Tree
• Ororo: Vegetable Oil
• Ẹgusi: Melon oil from melon seeds
• Ẹpa: Ground-Nut oil: from ground-nut seeds
• Ororo: Castor oil
• Adin-Ẹyan: Palm-Kernel oil from processed palm-nuts
• Adin-Agbọn: Coco-nut oil from coco-nut

Meat based foods from domestic and wild animals

• Ewurẹ/Mẹẹ, Obukọ: Goat
• Agutan, Agbo: Sheep
• Malu: Cattle
• Ẹlẹdẹ: Pig
• Chicken based meat: Fowl(Akukọ), Duck(Pẹpẹyẹ), Turkey(Tolotolo), Hen(Adi’ẹ), Guinea Fowl

Wild games of various types- herbivorous, carnivorous, and insectivorous. Meaty foods also include seafood of different types such as fish, shrimps, and crabs and from animals which habitation is very close to the water- like crocodiles and alligators.

SOUP/STEW AND SPICES

Ẹfọ: has variety; ẹfọ stew will also depend on the accompanied meal. This stew can be made quickly for exigency. Time-consuming vegetable stew of different kinds is made for ceremonies.

Gbẹgiri- (Bean stew) a rich Yoruba stew common in Ọyọ, Ogbomọsọ, Ibadan, Oke-Ogun, Ọsun. It is for foods like yam-flour (Amala) and for Ẹba (made from Cassava flour).

Other stews include plain pepper stew, the viscous vegetable (Ewedu), soups to eat foods like Amala, Iyan, Eba, and Fufu.

GREETINGS IN YORUBA

Yoruba attached great importance to greetings, every occasion, season, job, and event has appropriate greetings. Anyone who lacks greeting courtesy is considered uncultured, and uncivilized.

Daily common greetings:

• Ekaaro (Good morning),
• Ekaa san(Good afternoon),
• Ekaale (Good evening)

• Greetings by Jobs: Ẹ ku isẹ o.
• Traders/Sellers: Ẹ o ta o, Aje a wọ igba o, Ẹ ku ọrọ aje (you will sell )
• Blacksmith: Arọye o Response Ogun a gbe Ọ. Arọye ni t’Ogun
• Cloth Weaver: Ojugbooro O. Ọbalufọ a gbe Ọ
• Native Doctor: Ewe a jẹ o

• Hair Dresser: Oju gbooro o
• Response: Oya a ya o

• Carver of Craftman: Ẹ ku ọna
• Response: Ọna a wọ oju o

• Hunter: A re pa ni t’ Ogun. A re pa ni t’ asa
• Response: Oguna gbe yin o. A dupẹ o

• Palm Wine Tapper: Igba a rọooo; Ẹmọ sẹ o
• Response: Ẹmọ sẹ ni t’ Ajao, ni t’ adan

MODERNISATION AND CHALLENGE TO OMOLUABI

Omoluwabi is quintessential Yoruba. Omoluwabi is not lazy. Omoluwabi cherishes industry and he earns respect and accomplishments through hard work. Omoluwabi is ever truthful. An Omoluwabi will NEVER tell lies under any circumstance. He or She is bold and courageous. An Omoluwabi will not steal, because he hates anything that will bring shame to his family or to himself.

With the increasing influx of modernisation, globalization, and technology the sacred and formally cherished Yoruba culture and tradition have been relegated to the background. The present generation particularly the younger ones are not interested in the culture but instead embrace the western culture. The age-long concept of OMOLUWABI is almost no longer in practice.

Monetisation and the quest to get rich quick has pervaded the fabric of society, Omoluabi is now an aberration while corruption is wide. The sum total of Yoruba philosophy is Iwa l’ewa meaning “Character is beauty”. And to the Yoruba, attitude determines your altitude. Take away a man’s culture; his entire being is rendered prostrate.

There is therefore a dying need to restore and transmit the Yoruba culture to the younger generation so that it does not go into extinction through whatever means so as to preserve some dying cultures. Yoruba boys traditionally prostrate and girls kneel down to greet, this is already fading out in most urban families where the sole language of communication is English.

CONCLUSION

Culture is germane regarding the identification of people. It is the major attribute resulting in the behavioural characteristic of different groups. It is consequently exhibited by the different members of the group. The language (particularly the dialect), dressing, food, hairstyle, music, and aspect of culture which is group-specific shows diversity.

The Yoruba cultural values, ethics, and norms have been bastardized in the name of civilization and western education. The believe in the phenomenon of “Omoluwabi” has nose-dived like a meteor in the night sky and the younger ones find it difficult to respect their elders. The neglect of Yoruba cultural value and good attitudes is a thing of concern to the wise in the land of “Olofin Oodua, Onipopo of Popo, Oranmiyan, Orangun ile-ila, Elejelumope, and onitagi olele.

The departed Yoruba legends and titans are weeping in their graves, on account of the stupendously shrinking space available to traditional Yoruba values and ethics. The understanding of Yoruba culture begins with the core interest and understanding of our Language. The richness of our culture, tradition, wisdom, witticism, and varied expressions lies in our language.

The concept of Omoluwabi should be replaced with its esteemed position in Yoruba societies. Modernization is good, but its replacement with our shared culture and tradition is dangerous. The Yoruba Language should not be relegated totally. Young lads should be taught the language right from the stage when they start talking, in primary schools, junior and senior secondary school.

Many of our core values from the culture are already abolished particularly among the elite. Below are a few of these values already relegated include: substitution of Suku for fixing of weave-on, Iyan for poundo, Apala for Hip Hop, Aran for Jeans, etc. hence there a need for change in appreciating Yoruba Culture because the failure of this can be dangerous to the unborn generations.

COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2021 by My Woven Words: No part of this published blogpost and all of its contents may be reproduced, on another platform or webpage without a prior permission from My Woven Words except in the case of brief quotations cited to reference the source of the blogpost and all its content and certain other uses permitted by copyright law.

For permission requests, contact the admin on admin@johnsonokunadea.com, or WhatsApp/Text him on +2347036065752

Woven Culture

Despite being deceased, it is believed that our ancestors are part and parcel to the larger family. They are regarded as the collective spirits of the ancestors who occupy a space in heaven.

It is pertinent for Ifa/Orisa practitioners both at home and in the diaspora to know what and what not is Egungun to broaden and widen their scope on the sacred term.

1. The word Egúngún has no translation in to another language.

2. Egúngún is not a masquerade.

3. Egúngún is a sacred representation of the Yoruba ancestors.

4. Egúngún worship is dedicated to the people who lived on the earth and died “Ara Orun”.

5. Egúngún worship is part of the Yoruba traditional Religion.

6. Egúngún is not an Òrìsà.

7. Egúngún is representing forms of human of deceased.

8. Egúngún is covered from head to foot with cloth similar to the deceased.

9. Egúngún dress consists of cloths of various colours .

10. Egúngún dress can be as well with feathers of different kind of birds.

11. Skins and bones of different animals can be used too for Egúngún dress.

12. Egúngún cloth is called Eku

13. Egúngún shoes are made of Iyamoje cloth

14. Egúngún speaks with an unnatural tone of voice.

15. Egúngún drums Bata, Gangan, Agere, Dundun, Adamo, etc

16. The mysteries of Egúngún are held sacred.

17. Egúngún mysteries are not known by women.

18. Ato is a name given to a female child, who belongs to

Egúngún since birth.

19. Ato born with a veil covering the face of the new born baby girl.

20. Ato has access to the mysteries of Egúngún since a tender age.

21. Iya Gan is a title given to an elderly woman.

22. Iya Gan can have access to the mysteries of Egúngún

23. The high priest of Egúngún is called Alagba.

24. In a big town each quarter has its own Alagba.

25. Next to Alagba in Egúngún is Alaran.

26. Next to Alaran is Esorun.

27. Next to Esorun is Akere.

28. Akere is the one who carries the Atori whips.

29. The highest rank in Egúngún worship is the Alapinni.

30. Alapinni is one of the seven noblemen of Oyo Mesi.

31. Alapinni is a political leader.

32. Egúngún is worship with beans cake and palm oil (olele).

33. Kolanut (obi) is used to consult Egúngún.

34. Egúngún Festival normally is between May and July.

35. Egúngún Festival symbolizes the re-appearance of the ancestors.

36. Egúngún Festival normally takes 17 to 21 days.

37. Every Yoruba community is involved in celebrating Egúngún.

38. Egúngún is divided in 4 categories.

39. Egúngún Babalawo represents the worship of the ancestors.

40. Egúngún Apidon, Orebe, Paka, Eleru, Alagangan have the function of entertaining showing their power.

41. Egúngún Alagbo has the function to protect the community. In the Olden days led the war.

42. Egúngún Layewu belongs to the Ode (hunters) to chant Ijala.

43. Alapinni’s Egúngún is called Jenju .

44. Egúngún Ologbojo is Baba Egúngún.

45. Alaafin’s Egúngún is called Mohuru.

46. Egúngún chanting is called Esa.

47. Egúngún priest is called Oje.

48. Egúngún shrine in the bush is called Igbale.

49. Egúngún shrine in the house is called Ilesanyin.

50. Egúngún initiation is done on the feet.

Thanks for your time, drop your opinion in the comment session below!

COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2020 by My Woven Words: No part of this published blogpost and all of its contents may be reproduced, on another platform or webpage without a prior permission from My Woven Words except in the case of brief quotations cited to reference the source of the blogpost and all its content and certain other uses permitted by copyright law.

For permission requests, contact the admin on admin@johnsonokunadea.com, or WhatsApp/Text him on +2347036065752



Oyotunji African Village is a village located near Sheldon, Beaufort County, South Carolina that was founded by Oba Efuntola Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I in 1970. Oyotunji village is named after the Oyo empire, a pre-colonial Yoruba kingdom lasting from the 1300s until the early 1800s in what is now southwestern Nigeria. The name literally means “O̩yo̩ returns” or “O̩yo̩ rises again” or “O̩yo̩ resurrects” referring to the African Yoruba kingdom of Oyo, now rising in a new form near the South Carolina seashore.

Oyotunji village covers 27 acres (11 ha) and has a Yoruba temple which was moved from Harlem, New York to its present location in 1960. It was originally intended to be located in Savannah, Georgia, but was eventually settled into its current position after disputes with neighbors in Sheldon proper, over drumming and tourists.

Oyotunji was intended to follow the model of Yoruba villages in terms of layout, politics, and social relations while also incorporating some Fon traditions from the kingdom of Dahomey.

Along the road approaching Oyotunji African Village in Sheldon, South Carolina, a sign is posted in both Yoruba and English:

“You are leaving the United States. You are entering Yoruba Kingdom. In the name of His Highness King Efuntola, Peace. Welcome to the Sacred Yoruba Village of Oyo Tunji. The only Village in North America built by Priests of the Orisha Voodoo Cults as a tribute to our Ancestors. These Priests preserve the customs, laws, and religion of the African Race.”

HOW OBA EFUNTOLA ADEFUNMI I FOUNDED OYOTUNJI

During the slave trade era, many Africans were taken as slaves abroad. While going, some left with their culture and tradition which they continued within the foreign land where they found themselves. They continued with the culture and tradition of their fathers so as to maintain their identity.

The Yorubas in slavery are among the Africans that maintained their culture in the strange land and it was handed down to their children from generation to generation.

Many of their children, after the abolition of the slave trade, have married children of their former masters thus having children of mixed blood, that notwithstanding, they still carry on with their African culture in the foreign land since most of them cannot trace their root back to Africa.

The Yoruba culture has been one of the prominent and most celebrated one throughout the world till date. In the faraway United States of America, there is a Yoruba community named O̩yo̩tunji African Village. It is located near Sheldon, Beaufort County, South Carolina.

O̩yo̩tunji is regarded as North America’s oldest authentic African village. It was founded in 1970 and is the first intentional community in North America, based on the culture of the Yoruba and Benin tribes of West Africa.

It has survived 51years of sustaining the Yoruba traditional sociology and values in the diaspora. The village is named after the O̩yo̩ Empire, and the name literally means “O̩yo̩ returns” or “O̩yo̩ rises again” or “O̩yo̩ resurrects”. The village occupies 27 acres of land.

O̩yo̩tunji was founded by His Royal Highness O̩ba (King) Waja, O̩funto̩la Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I.

Born Walter Eugene King on October 5, 1928, Oba O̩funto̩la Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I, a Detroit native, began studying Afro-Haitian and ancient Egyptian traditions as a teenager. He was further influenced by his contact with the Katherine Dunham Dance Troupe in New York City at the age of 20, an African American modern dance troupe that drew from many cultures within the African Diaspora.

August 26, 1959, O̩ba Waja became the first African born in America to become fully initiated into the Oris̩a-Vodoo African priesthood by African Cubans in Matanzas, Cuba, and became known as Efuntola Osejiman Adefunmi. After his return to the United States, he formed the Yoruba Temple in Harlem in 1960. The temple, committed to preserving African traditions within an American context, was the cultural and religious forerunner of Oyotunji Village.

He later traveled to Haiti where he discovered more about the Yoruba culture. Armed with a new understanding of the African culture, he found the order of Damballah Hwedo, Ancestor Priests in Harlem New York.

This marked the beginning of the spread of the Yoruba religion and culture among African-Americans. He later founded the Sàngó Temple in New York and incorporated the African Theological Arch Ministry in 1960. The Sàngó Temple was relocated and renamed the Yoruba Temple.

With the rise of black nationalism in the 1960s, King began to envision the construction of a separate African American nation that would institutionalize and commemorate ancestral traditions. In June of 1970, he fulfilled this vision with the creation of Oyotunji African Village.

It was during this time that he also established a new lineage of the priesthood, Orisha Vodoo, to emphasize the tradition’s African roots. Today, over 300 priests have been initiated into this lineage and the African Theological Archministry, founded by Oba O̩funto̩la Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I in 1966, now serves as the umbrella organization for the Village.

To further his knowledge of Yoruba culture, he traveled to Abeokuta in Nigeria in 1972 where he was initiated into the Ifa priesthood by the Oluwo of Ije̩un at Abeokuta, Ogun state, in August of 1972. He was later proclaimed Alase̩ (Oba-King) of the Yoruba of North America at O̩yo̩tunji Village in 1972.

In its early years, Oyotunji Village was home to as many as two hundred people. Today, its residential community consists of few African American families, governed by an oba (king) and the community’s appointed council.

Each family is committed to the teachings of the Yoruba tradition, which include a religious understanding of the world as comprised primarily of the “energies” of the Supreme Being Olodumare, the orisha deities, and the ancestral spirits. This religious world is maintained spiritually through rituals, chants, music, sacrifice, and annual ceremonies.

Oba Efuntola Osejiman Adefunmi passed away on Thursday, February 10th, 2005 at O̩yo̩tunji African Village in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Since Adefunmi’s death in 2005, the village has been led by his son, the fourteenth of twenty-two children of Oba Efuntola Osejiman Adefunmi, till date.

The O̩ba title is referred to as “O̩lo̩yotunji” of O̩yo̩tunji.

OBA ADEJUYIGBE ADEFUNMI II

After Oba Adefunmi I’s death in 2005, the Village has continued under the leadership of his son, Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II who updated Oyotunji’s structure and goals. Focusing on sustainability projects, the Village serves as a retreat from the pressures of the wider society. Potential residents can buy land in Oyotunji. Short-term visitors can also visit the Village for research, tourism, education, spiritual consultations, festivals, and overnight lodging.

HRM Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II began his destiny on earth on December 21, 1976. Born the 14th child of 22 children to His Royal Highness Oba Efuntola Adefunmi I, and the third child of five born to Iya Esu Ogo Oyewole.

King Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II was raised in the Kingdom of Oyotunji African Village and began drumming at the age of seven. He was rooted in the traditional lifestyle of the Oyotunji African Village settlement in North America and witnessed thousands of Africans in America that came to his father’s Kingdom in search of broadening their cultural awareness.

An extraordinary listener and attentive history student, the young King, under the teachings of H.R.H. Adefunmi I, was entrenched in the traditions and culture of his ancestors; the Yoruba people of Southwestern Nigeria and Benin. He was rooted in the traditional lifestyle of Oyotunji African Village settlement in North America. King Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II witnessed thousands of Africans in America that came to his father’s Kingdom in search of broadening their cultural awareness.

By the time of his graduation from the Yoruba Royal Academy, King Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II was an initiate of several sacred Egbes (African societies) to name a few: Egbe Egungun, Egbe Obatala, Egbe Onilu ayan, Egbe Akinkonju. Not the least of which would be the Prince’s entrance into Igbodu, the society of the Fathers of Mystery in the worship of Orunmila.

Traveling throughout the United States and the Caribbean in the entourage of his Father, King Adejuyigbe reflects:

“It was an amazing opportunity to observe my Baba, the Alase of Oyotunji, in all the commands and demands of being a King. I also observed, through his service to Africans in America and the undertaking of spiritual responsibilities to the tribal family within the village, and the toll it took on him.”

As a young man, King Adejuyigbe followed his first love of drumming and touring nationally and internationally performing Reggae, and African music playing alongside notables artist such as “The Wailers”, “Inner Circle”, “Freddie McGreggor”, “Junior Gong Marley”, “India Arie”, and countless others.

The development of a wide diversity of entrepreneurial skills as well as years of hard work and training in carpentry and administration on Dopkwe, (Oyotunji construction), gave birth to the “Stucco Kings” company In 2001, King Adejuyigbe moved to Key West, Fla. as an artist in residency at the Lofton B. Sands African Bahamian Museum.

King Adejuyigbe Adefunmi ll lead the team in idealizing, planning, and constructing a full-scale African Village. King Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II made many valuable contributions to the education and cultural expansion of the African American population in Key West giving daily lectures and classes to students from the Monroe County, Fla. schools.

King Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II became the King of Oyotunji on July 3, 2005, thus continuing a legacy of Yoruba Kings in America that has been confirmed and supported by the Ooni of Ile-Ife (the King of the holy city of Ife) thousands of Yoruba Americans came to celebrate the Royal Coronation.

Following the Royal Coronation, HRM traveled to The Holy city of Ile-Ife and was crowned by the Ooni of Ife just as his father did on Nov. 16, 1981. HRM was also invited to Ophia Ketou, the Republic of Benin for extensive ceremonies of installation.

When asked what His Majesty looks forward to the most, following in the footsteps of his Father, he says:

“the passion of my heart at this point in my journey is twofold, to fulfill my Baba’s vision for the Kingdom of Oyotunji in its ultimate beauty and to pass to the next generations our customs, traditions, cultural lifestyle, and skills in a way that serves the betterment of our world and its people”.

Our focus is the practical application of ancient African traditions and culture in a modern time utilizing our ancient African worldview to guide us while providing nature based solutions, the earth is our religion, and if you do not care for our mother you are disrespecting the Orisa”.

Oba Adefunmi II further aspires to increase to all peoples and cultures of the world the practical value for ancient traditions today!

In an interview, Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II said:

“The reason my father the late king chose to resurrect the act of polygamy is because naturally, there are more women than men on earth and if every man and woman got together, there would be a country full of women who would be alone. The idea is that our marriages are not sanctioned by the state.

We never looked to the government or the state for approval or money, we have our own kingdom. There is a sign before you step into Oyotunji that says you are now leaving the United States of America and entering the sacred voodoo kingdom of Orisa priest, we have the laws of our people.

Basically, we are letting people know that you are leaving the mindset of America and entering with the mindset of an African. That means you may see things you do not understand and it may be different. At Oyotunji, we issue our own documentation for marriage, so your marriage is based on religion rather than politics.

Even our school in the kingdom is sanctioned by Oyotunji. In 1981, Oyotunji was issued a religious charter to operate under a 501C3 status, a non-profit status and it is called the ATA, the African Theological Arch-ministry. So, we are a product of the ATA. This is the business and “legal” arm of Oyotunji.

So we are a tax-exempt organization, so we do not pay tax to the state because we are basically considered as a church to the American government or a large religious institution. So we never look to the American government for approval.

“My wives are in Canada, Atlanta, Oyotunji, Virginia, and different places. African people always did things upfront as opposed to doing it closed doors. European people would sneak out of the big house, go into the plantation and sleep with all the slave girls, then sneak back into the house like nothing ever happened.

That is not the case with African men. I like to quote the great Fela Kuti who said that African men don’t run around the street chasing women. Instead, he brings the women to his house and surrounds himself with them as he sits in one spot. At Oyotunji everybody does not practice polygamy, it is reserved for only the people that can afford it. It requires a lot of money and land. That scares people away from polygamy and I think I am the only Yoruba in North America that I know who practices polygamy”,

In the same interview, he continued:
“Our education is based on our culture. In Oyotunji, we have our own school, we had to educate ourselves because we could not let the Oyinbos teach our children about Plato, Aristotle, Greek and all these things, we grew up learning about the ancient kingdoms, like Ile Ife, Accra, Ashanti, Ouagadougou, all those great kingdoms of our great extended African ancestors.

For a long time, people were not allowed to get jobs outside Oyotunji. Baba looked down on you if you went to get a job outside the village because he believed that we worked for the Oyinbos for over 200 years, now you should work to build an African nation in North America.

So for the first 30 years, all the income of Oyotunji came from Oyotunji. As time went on and population decreased because people started moving to other cities to take on other things, Baba encouraged his people to get jobs so that they could make their own money.

That was the time I went out and left Oyotunji to explore the outside world. I took up construction and started to learn the major conventional way of building houses and this is something we brought back to Oyotunji. Basically we were taught to go out, acquire something and bring it back to build our nation.

I was about 22 years old when I moved to California from there I went to Atlanta then I took up an artisan residence in Key West Florida. I took my both construction knowledge and my African knowledge to build a small village in Key West where the local people there could come and see the Yoruba culture in that little village.

It was when I was about 25 years old that I was called back to Oyotunji to assume the throne. I had to give up my fabulous life as a musician to become the king. I played with reggae bands and we travelled, stayed in hotels, met girls, drank, ate and made money. I travelled with a few bands in North America.

I performed rap music as well for many years, however, when it was time, they called me home and I had to give up everything in one day. I was living the good life, going to parties one day and the next day I was in Oyotunji dressed in black mourning dress for three months. We used the traditional coronation process as our ancestors did.”

HISTORY THROUGH PICTURES



OYOTUNJI AFRICAN VILLAGE TODAY

Now after 51years, the Kingdom of Oyotunji African Village continues to sustain and promote an appreciation for the “depth of culture, beautiful art, the grandeur of customs and resilient history of the New World Yoruba in the United States.”

In Oyotunji, you have to be married in order to own land. they don’t sell land but they give it to you based on your needs. If you need land, you would have to get a wife and write a petition to the Oba who would grant you some land. If you want to expand, then you can get more wives.

If you have more wives and children, the Oloyotunji would give you more land so that you would continue to build. You have to practice Yoruba etiquette, they do not have a moral system but an etiquette system which are some of the things that they expect you to do.

The ethics of Oyotunji require that you dobale (prostrate) when you see your elder or you ‘tesile’, that is when you touch the ground and kiss your hand. It is a form of respect. At Oyotunji, you have to wear the Yoruba aso (clothes).

Oyinbo (foreign) clothes are not necessarily permitted. They accept jeans and dashiki. Women are not allowed to wear pants. Sometimes if they have visitors that are wearing tight dresses, Oyotunji women would wrap them with a cloth to cover them up because this is the law.

They are cultural people and they have ways of doing things, not like the Oyinbo people. There is no fighting in the village and if there is a fight, the aggressor would have to pay. If you want to continue fighting, the elders would take you into the Igbo (forest) and both of you can continue. Once that is done, it is over.

Each person is required to pay an assessment to the crown. Young boys and girls are not allowed to fraternize and date like you have in the western society where you end up with teenage pregnancy. They have the men and women compounds. You also have to join your gender society at 14.

It is like the right of passage, the boys join the Akinkanju society (society of courage), while the girls join the egbe Moremi because their heroine is Moremi. All the women in Oyotunji strive to be like Moremi. The idea is that they utilize the laws and rules of Yoruba culture.

Many years ago, if they had a dance in Oyotuji men and women could not dance together unless you were married and even if you were married, there must be space between both parties while dancing but things are a bit relaxed now. You also have to report daily for community service.

Oyotunji represents a reshaping of African cultural and religious traditions while reflecting black nationalist trends. Black nationalist ideals ranged from racial consciousness and religious separatism to political independence and date back to the nineteenth century. Village residents enacted these tenets at Oyotunji by combining them with African-derived cultural and historical elements.

Oyotunji African Village is the first intentional community based on the culture of the Yoruba and Dahomey tribes of West Africa; founded (1970) in the Americas. Now in 2018, after over 45 years of sustaining the only Kingdom based on traditional Yoruba sociology and values, OAV brings to the Low-country and greater global community the depth of culture, beautiful art, the grandeur of customs, and resilient history of the New World Yoruba.

Oyotunji African Village is positioned as the pinnacle center for learning, exploring, and celebrating the ancient traditions and culture of the Yoruba people of present-day West Africa. The vision of this unprecedented institution lends itself to flowering into a national and international ethnic, cultural, resource, and service-based community. With goals to cultivate media production (print and audiovisual) facilities, ongoing sustainable agriculture/mariculture initiatives, as well as import/export and entertainment conglomerate business ventures.

The Kingdom of Oyotunji African Village’s core business is to serve in the elevation of humanity’s understanding and appreciation of the genius, highly technical, social, and Royal hierarchy of African people. The institution of OAV serves as a real-time reminder of the sociology and African world view contribution made to society by African ancestors of antiquity.

AFRICAN THEOLOGICAL ARCHMINISTRY (A.T.A.): The mission and vision of the African Theological Archministry (A.T.A) is to organize and create places of worship while preserving and teaching the spiritual technologies, cultures, and heritage of our Yoruba-based African ancestors. We commit to creating an institution that will inspire and empower all people to consider the use of ancient African traditions as a basis to revitalize ourselves, families, communities, oceans, rivers, lakes, animals, and soil.

The calling card of the African Theological Archministry is cultural restoration through innovation and serviceability. African Theological Archministry’s future goal is to cultivate a united inter-generational collection of traditional chiefs, leaders, dignitaries and African Traditional Religious devotees, and Pan-African professionals who share and distribute educational programs and materials dedicated to the spiritual, psychological, social, and economical freedom of people’s of African descent.

The village is also a destination for visitors who are encouraged to enjoy the following:

–The Trader’s Bazaar African Market located within Oyotunji African Village is a 25-year-old authentic African market operated by Village residents. Many hand-carved wooden statues, beaded jewelry, books, cloth, and traditional attire along with spiritual charms, soaps, and other products adorn the shelves of this market.

–On-site lodging for overnight stays: Oyotunji African Village visitors now have the opportunity to stay on-site within its newly renovated, hostel-styled Afrique.

–Festivals – The Kingdom of Oyotunji African Village hosts 14 annual traditional African Festivals and ceremonies that are open to the public from January until December.

–Cultural Education: OAV is positioned as the pinnacle center for learning, exploring, and celebrating the ancient traditions and culture of the Yoruba people of present-day West Africa.

— Eat, sleep and play without leaving the village: Meals are available on-site.

The Kingdom of Oyotunji African Village’s core business is to serve in the elevation of humanity’s understanding and appreciation of the genius, highly technical, social, and Royal hierarchy of African people. The institution of OAV serves as a real-time reminder of the sociology and African world view contribution made to society by African ancestors of antiquity.

REFERENCE/SOURCE

1. Seun Adeye̩mi
2. Oyotunji Website
3. The Sheets
4. Punch Ng
5. Pluralism

Written by Johnson Okunade

COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2021 by My Woven Words: No part of this published blogpost and all of its contents may be reproduced, on another platform or webpage without a prior permission from My Woven Words except in the case of brief quotations cited to reference the source of the blogpost and all its content and certain other uses permitted by copyright law.

For permission requests, contact the admin on admin@johnsonokunadea.com, or WhatsApp/Text him on +2347036065752