MAJOR FESTIVALS

							                    ABOUT THE CCTHN WITH BY-LAWS

The compendium of Cultural/Traditional Histories in Nigeria with By-Laws has a
direct    practical    relevance     in     genuinely     providing     comprehensive
Cultural/Traditional information with Local Government By-Laws and current
affairs of not only a unique people but Nigeria at large, positive projection of the
amiable hardworking traditional rulers, making available required information for
researchers, tourists, historians and the customary courts. The document seeks to
shape the future of Nigeria’s collective identity, strengthen the progressive ideas of
various traditional rulers, traditional institutions and as well invest quality time in
strategizing for positive confidence building. By so doing, every well meaning
Nigerian will put the history and cultural heritage of this great nation at heart
which goes with ‘UPHOLDING HER HONOUR AND GLORY’.

The overall idea behind this publication is to keep the flame of our founding
fathers alive and burning without losing the authority to interpret the meaning of
concepts that essentially constitutes to our unique way of life.

As a first document of its kind, the CCTHN with BY-LAWS looks forward to
confronting grave issues of our battered image and negative impressions that has
emanated from the country in a way of ensuring the comprehensive information
available on the (world wide web) in pictures and text for easy access world over.

Nigeria is a society that is changing more swiftly and fundamentally than ever
before, on that note we have secured a large web space that would feature
photographs of sites, ancient buildings, historic monuments, shrines and other
images relevant to the subject.




      TASK STATEMENT:
Set to provide an article that would serve as an easy reference for research
for historians, students, tourists and for the customary courts. CCTHN
with LOCAL GOVT. BY-LAWS is fashioned to inspire, motivate, and
celebrate the Nigerian rich and diverse cultural heritage in midst of a
multilingual system and traditions by means of positively projecting our
traditional rulers with their various powerful and historic stools,
highlighting their indisputable and selfless contributions in nation
building. CCTHN with LOCAL GOVT. BY-LAWS however promises to go
all-out to unfold an example of hope, hospitality and good leadership in
every Nigerian cultural and traditional system which comes with
passionate rulership.




OWURU ADEVIE ARTHUR
   publisher




              NIGERIA IN BRIEF
The name Nigeria was suggested by British journalist named Flora Shaw in the 1890s. She
referred to the area as Nigeria, after the Niger River, which dominates much of the country's
landscape. The word Niger is Latin for black.

The present Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic tribes. The three largest and most dominant ethnic
groups are the Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo (pronounced ee-bo) some other smaller groups include
the Fulani, Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv, Edo, Engenni and others. Prior to their conquest by
Europeans, these ethnic groups had separate and independent culture/traditional histories. Their
grouping together into a single entity known as Nigeria was a construct of her British colonial
masters.

Location and Geography. Nigeria is in West Africa, along the eastern coast of the Gulf of
Guinea, and north of the equator. She is bordered on the west by Benin republic, on the north by
Niger and Chad, and on the east by Cameroon. Nigeria covers an area of 356,669 square miles
(923,768 square kilometers), or about twice the size of California State in the USA.

Nigeria has three main environmental regions: savanna, tropical forests, and coastal wetlands.
These environmental regions greatly affect the cultures of the people who live there. The dry,
open grasslands of the savanna make cereal farming and herding a way of life for the Hausa and
the Fulani. The wet tropical forests to the south are good for farming fruits and vegetables—main
income producers for the Yoruba, Igbo, and others in this area. The small ethnic groups living
along the coast, such as the Ijaw and the Kalabari, are forced to keep their villages small due to
lack of dry land. Living among creeks, lagoons, and salt marshes makes fishing and the salt trade
part of everyday life in the area.

The Niger and Benue Rivers come together in the center of the country, creating a "Y" that splits
Nigeria into three separate sections. In general, this "Y" marks the boundaries of the three major
ethnic groups, with the Hausa in the north, the Yoruba in the southwest, and the Igbo in the
southeast.

Politically, Nigeria is divided into thirty-six states. The nation's capital was moved from Lagos,
the country's largest city, Abuja on 12 December 1991. Abuja is in a federal territory that is not
part of any state. While Abuja is the official capital, its lack of adequate infrastructure means that
Lagos remains the financial, commercial, and diplomatic center of the country.
Demography. Nigeria has the largest population of any African country. In July 2000, Nigeria's
population was estimated at more than 123 million people. At about 345 people per square mile,
it is also the most densely populated country in Africa. Nearly one in six Africans is a Nigerian.
The Nigerian population is very young. Nearly 45 percent of its people are under age fourteen.

With regard to ethnic breakdown, the Hausa-Fulani make up 29 percent of the population,
followed by the Yoruba with 21 percent, the Igbo with

Major urban centers include Lagos, Ibidan, Kaduna, Kano, and Port Harcourt.

Linguistic Affiliations. English is the official language of Nigeria, used in all government
interactions and in state-run schools. In a country with more than 250 individual tribal languages,
English is the only language common to most people.

The dominant indigenous languages of the south are Yoruba and Igbo. Prior to colonization,
these languages were the unifying languages of the southwest and southeast, respectively,
regardless of ethnicity. However, since the coming of the British and the introduction of mission
schools in southern Nigeria, English has become the language common to most people in the
area. Today those who are not ethnic Yorubas or Igbos rarely speak Yoruba or Igbo.

Pidgin, a mix of African languages and English, also is common throughout southern Nigeria. It
basically uses English words mixed into Yoruban or Igbo grammar structures. Pidgin originally
evolved from the need for British sailors to find a way to communicate with local merchants.
Today it is often used in ethnically mixed urban areas as a common form of communication
among people who have not had formal education in English.

Symbolism. Because there is feeling of national unity among Nigeria's people, What exists was
usually created or unveiled by the government as representative of the nation. The main national
symbol is the (GREEN, WHITE,GREEN) country's flag. The flag is divided vertically into three
equal parts; the center section is white, flanked by two green sections. The green of the flag
represents agriculture, while the white stands for unity and peace. Other national symbols
include the national coat of arms, the national anthem, the National Pledge (similar to the Pledge
of Allegiance in the United States), and Nigeria's national motto: Peace and Unity, Strength and
Progress.
Food and Economy

Food in Daily Life. Western influences, especially in urban centers, have transformed Nigerian
eating habits in many ways. City dwellers are familiar with the canned, frozen, and prepackaged
foods found in most Western-style supermarkets. Foreign restaurants also are common in larger
and fast developing cities. However, supermarkets and restaurants often are too expensive for the
average Nigerian; thus only the wealthy can afford to eat like Westerners. Most urban Nigerians
seem to combine traditional cuisine with a little of Western-style foods and conveniences. Rural
Nigerians tend to stick more with traditional foods and preparation techniques. In this document,
we shall show pictures and names of various dishes in Nigeria and their composition.

Food in Nigeria is traditionally eaten by hand. However, with the growing influence of Western
culture, forks and spoons are becoming more common, even in remote villages. Whether people
eat with their hand or a utensil, it is considered dirty and rude to eat using the left hand.

While the ingredients in traditional plates vary from region to region, most Nigerian cuisine
tends to be based around a few staple foods accompanied by a stew. In the south, crops such as
corn, yams, and sweet potatoes form the base of the diet. These vegetables are often pounded
into a thick, sticky dough or paste. This is often served with a palm oilbased stew made with
chicken, beef, goat, tomatoes, okra, onions, bitter leaves, or whatever meats and vegetables
might be on hand. Fruits such as papaya, pineapples, coconuts, oranges, mangoes, and bananas
also are very common in the tropical south.

Grains such as millet, sorghum, and corn in the north are boiled into a porridge-like dish that
forms the basis of the diet. This is served with an oilbased soup usually flavored with onions,
okra, and tomatoes. Meat is sometimes included, though among the Hausa it is often reserved for
special occasions. The Fulani cattle herders, fresh milk and yogurt are common even though
there may not be refrigeration all the time.

Alcohol is very popular in the south but less so in the north, where there is a heavy Islamic
influence. Perhaps the most popular form of alcohol is palm wine, a tart alcoholic drink that
comes from palm trees. Palm wine is often distilled further to make a strong, ginlike liquor.
Nigerian breweries, Pabod Breweries alongside others also produce several kinds of beer and
liquor.
Food Customs at Ceremonies/ Occasions. Food plays a central role in the rituals of virtually all
ethnic groups in Nigeria. Special ceremonies would not be complete without participants sharing
in a meal. Normally it is considered rude not to invite guests to share in a meal when they visit; it
is even more so if the visitors were invited to attend a special event such as a marriage or a
naming ceremony, chieftaincy conferment and others.

Basic Economy. Until a few decades past, Nigeria had been self-sufficient in producing enough
food to feed the population. However, as crude oil production and industries began to grow in
the country, much of the national resources were concentrated on these industries at the expense
of agriculture.

Since the 1960s, Nigeria's economy has been based on oil production. As a leading member of
the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Nigeria has played a major role in
influencing the price of oil on the world market. The oil-rich economy led to a major economic
boom for Nigeria in the 1970s, transforming the poor African country into the thirtieth richest
country in the world.

Oil production has had some long-lasting ethnic consequences as well. While oil is Nigeria's
largest industry in terms of output and revenue, oil reserves are found only in the Niger Delta
region and along the coast. The government has long taken the oil revenues and dispersed them
throughout the country. In this way, states not involved in oil production still get a share of the
profits. This has led to claims that the minority ethnic groups living in the delta are being cheated
out of revenue that is rightfully theirs because the larger ethnic groups dominate politics.
Sometimes this has led to large-scale violence.

Presently, more than 50 percent of Nigeria's population works in the down stream sector. Most
farmers engage in subsistence farming, producing only what they eat themselves or sell locally.
Very few agricultural products are produced for export.

Land Tenure and Property. While the federal government has the legal right to allocate land as
it sees fit, land tenure remains largely a local issue. Most local governments follow traditional
land tenure customs in their areas. For example, in Hausa society, title to land is not an absolute
right. While communities and officials will
honor long-standing hereditary rights to areas of land traditionally claimed by a given family,
misused or abandoned land may be reapportioned for better use. Land also can be bought, sold,
or rented. In the west, the Yoruba kings historically held all the land in trust, and therefore also
had a say in how it was used for the good of the community. This has given local governments in
modern times a freer hand in settling land disputes.

Traditionally, only men hold land, but as the wealth structure continues to change and develop in
Nigeria, it would not be unheard of for a wealthy woman to purchase land for herself.

Major Industries. Aside from petroleum and petroleum-based products, most of the goods
produced in Nigeria are consumed within Nigeria. For example, though the textile industry is
very strong, nearly all the cloth produced in Nigeria goes to clothing the large Nigerian
population.

Major agricultural products produced in Nigeria include cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, rice, millet,
corn, cassava, yams, rubber, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, timber, and fish. Major commercial
industries in Nigeria include coal, tin, textiles, footwear, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, and steel.

Trade. Oil and petroleum-based products made up 95 percent of Nigeria's exports in 1998.
Cocoa and rubber are also produced for export. Major export partners include the United States,
Spain, India, France, China and Italy.

Nigeria is a large-scale importer, depending on other countries for things such as machinery,
chemicals, transportation equipment, and manufactured goods. The country also must import
large quantities of food and livestock. Major import partners include the United Kingdom, the
United States, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.

Marriage, Family, and Kinship

Marriage. The three types of marriage in Nigeria are as follows: religious marriage, civil
marriage, and traditional marriage. A Nigerian couple may decide to take part in one or all of
these marriages. Religious marriages, usually Christian or Muslim, are conducted according to
the norms of the respective religious teachings and take place in a church or a mosque. Christian
males are allowed only one wife, while Muslim men can take up to four wives. Civil official
weddings take place in a government registry office. Men are allowed only one wife under a civil
wedding, regardless of religion. Traditional marriages usually are held at the wife's house and are
performed according to the customs of the ethnic group involved. Most ethnic groups
traditionally allow more than one wife.

Polygamy in the Nigerian society has both advantages and disadvantages. Some see polygamy as
a divisive force in the family, often pitting one wife against another. Others see polygamy as a
unifying factor, creating a built-in support system that allows wives to work as a team for the
good of the family.

While Western ways of courtship and marriage are not unheard of, the power of traditional
values and the strong influence of the family mean that traditional ways are usually followed,
even in the cities and among the elite. According to old customs, women did not have much
choice of whom they married, though the numbers of arranged marriages are declining. In
instances where there are already one or more wives, it is the first wife's responsibility to look
after the newest wife and help her integrate into the family.

Many Nigerian ethnic groups follow the practice of offering a bride price for an intended wife.
Unlike a dowry, in which the woman would bring something of material value to the marriage, a
bride price is some form of compensation the husband must pay before he can marry a wife. A
bride price can take the form of money, cattle, wine, or other valuable goods paid to the woman's
family, but it also can take a more subtle form. Men might contribute money to the education of
an intended wife or help to establish her in a small-scale business or agricultural endeavor. This
form of bride price is often incorporated as part of the wooing process. While women who leave
their husbands will be welcomed back into their families, they often need a justification for
breaking the marriage. If the husband is seen as having treated his wife well, he can expect to
have the bride price repaid.

Though customs vary from group to group, traditional weddings are often full of dancing and
music to lively up the arena and attendants. There is also lots of excitement and cultural displays.
For example, the Yoruba have a practice in which the bride and two or three other women come
out covered from head to toe in a white shroud. It is the groom's job to identify his wife from
among the shrouded women to show how well he knows his wife.
Divorce is quite common in Nigeria. Marriage is more of a social contract made to ensure the
continuation of family lines rather than a union based on love and emotional connections. It is
not uncommon for a husband and wife to live in separate homes and to be extremely independent
of one another. In most ethnic groups, either the man or the woman can end the marriage. If the
woman leaves her husband, she will often be taken as a second or third wife of another man. If
this is the case, the new husband is responsible for repaying the bride price to the former
husband. Children of a divorced woman are normally accepted into the new family as well,
without any problems.

Domestic Unit. The majority of Nigerian families are very large by Western standards. Many
Nigerian men take more than one wife. In some ethnic groups, the greater the number of
children, the greater a man's standing in the eyes of his peers. Family units of ten or more are not
common.

In a polygamous family, each wife is responsible for feeding and caring for her own children,
though the wives often help each other when needed. The wives also will take turns feeding their
husband so that the cost of his food is spread equally between or among the wives. Husbands are
the authority figures in the household, and many are not used to their ideas or wishes being
challenged.

In most Nigerian cultures, the father has his crops to tend to, while his wives will have their own
jobs, whether they be tending the family garden, processing palm oil, or elling vegetables in the
local market. Children may attend school. When they return home, the older boys will help their
father with his work, while the girls and younger boys will go to their mothers.

Inheritance. For many Nigerian ethnic groups, such as the Hausa and the Igbo, inheritance is
basically a male affair. Though women have a legal right to inheritance in Nigeria, they often
receive nothing. This is a reflection of the forced economic independence many women live
under. While their husbands are alive, wives are often responsible for providing for themselves
and their children. Little changes economically after the death of the husband. Property and
wealth are usually passed on to sons, if they are old enough, or to other male relatives, such as
brothers or uncles.
For the Fulani, if a man dies, his brother inherits his property and his wife. The wife usually
returns to live with her family, but she may move in with her husband's brother and become his
wife.

Kin Groups. While men dominate Igbo society, women play an important role in kinship. All
Igbos, men and women, have close ties to their mother's clan, which usually lives in a different
village. When an Igbo dies, the body is usually sent back to his mother's village to be buried with
his mother's kin. If an Igbo is disgraced or cast out of his community, his mother's kin will often
take him in.

For the Hausa, however, there is not much of a sense of wide-ranging kinship. Hausa society is
based on the nuclear family. There is a sense of a larger extended family, including married
siblings and their families, but there is little kinship beyond that. However, the idea of blood
being thicker than water is very strong in Hausa society. For this reason, many Hausas will try to
stretch familial relationships to the broader idea of clan or tribe to diffuse tensions between or
among neighbors.

Socialization

Infant Care. Newborns in Nigeria, the social order are regarded with pride. They signify a
community's and a family's future and often are the main reason for many marriages.

Throughout Nigeria, the bond between mother and child is very strong. During the first few
years of a child's life, the mother is never far away. Nigerian women place great importance on
breast-feeding and the bond that it creates between mother and child. Children are often not
weaned off their mother's milk until they are toddlers.

Children who are too immature to walk or get around on their own are carried on their mother's
backs, secured by a broad cloth that is tied around the baby and fastened at the mother's breasts.
Women will often carry their children on their backs while they perform their daily chores or
work in the fields.

Child Rearing and Education. When children reach the age of about four or five, they often are
expected to start performing a share of the household duties. As the children get older, their
responsibilities grow. Young men are expected to help their fathers in the fields or tend the
livestock. Young women help with the cooking, fetch water, or do laundry. These tasks help the
children learn how to become productive members of their family and community. As children,
many Nigerians learn that laziness is not acceptable; everyone is expected to contribute.

While children in most Nigerian societies have responsibilities, they also are allowed enough
leeway to be children. Youngsters playing with homemade wooden dolls and trucks, or groups of
boys playing soccer are common sights in any Nigerian village.

In many Nigerian ethnic groups, children’s education is a community responsibility.

      Local governments & their Ethnic groups in the
                            SOUTH-SOUTH Nigeria.
1.AKWA IBOM:

 Abak. Eastern obolo. Eket. Esit eket. Essien udim. Etim ekpo. Etinia. Ibeno.
Ikot-ekpene. Ikot-abasi. Ini. Itu, mbo. Mkpat. Enin. Nsit-atai. Nsit-ibom. Nsit-
ubiom. Urur-offong/oruro. Uyo. Obong akara. Okobo. Onna. Oron. Oruk
anan. Udung uko. Ukana fun. Uruan.

ETHNICITY:

IBIBIO, ANAN, ORON, EKET, MBO.



2.BAYELSA:

Brass. Ekeremor. Kolokuma. Nembe. Ogbia. Sagbama. Southern ijaw.
Yenagoa.

ETHNICITY:

KOLOKUMA, EKPETIAMA, OGBEIN, GBRIRAN,BISENI, NEMBE,
OGBIA.
3.CROSS RIVER:

Abi. Akankpa. Akpabuyo. Bakassi. Bekwara. Biase. Boki. Calabar municipal.
Calabar south. Etung. Ukom. Yala. Obanliku. Odukpani. Ogoja. Yakurr.

ETHNICITY:

EFIK, EJAGHAM, BEKARRA.




4.DALTA:

Anyiocha-North. Anyiocha- south. Bomadi. Burutu. Ethiope east. Ethipoe
west. Ika north east. Ika south. Isoko north. Isoko south. Ndokwa east.
Ndokwa west. Okpe. Oshimili North. Oshimili south. Patani. Sapele. Udu.
Ughelli North. Ughelli South. Ukwani. Uvwie. Warri North. Warri South.
Warri South West.

ETHNICITY:

ASABA (delta igbo), ANYIOCHA, IKA, UKWUANI, NDIOSIMILI,
URHOBO, IJAW, ISOKO, ITSHEKIRI.



5.EDO:

Akoko Edo. Egor. Esan central. Esan north-east. Esan south east. Esan west.
Etsako central. Etsako east. Etsako west. Igueben. Ipkoba oku. Oredo.
Orhionwon. Ovia north east. Ovia north west. Owan east. Owan west.
Uhunmwonde.

ETHNICITY:

EDO, ESAN, ETSAKO, OWAN, AKOKO EDO.



6.RIVERS:
abua.Odual. ahoada-east. Ahoada-west. Akuku-toru. Andoni. Asari-toru.
Bonny. Degema. Emouha. Eleme. Etche. Gokana. Ikwere. Khana.
Obio/Akpor. Ogba/Ebema/ Ndoni. Ogu.Bolo. okrika. Omumma.
Opobo/Nkoro. Oyogbo. Port Harcourt. Tai.

ETHNICITY:

ABUA, ANDONI, EKPEYE, ENGENNI, ETCHE, IBANI, IKWERE,
KALABARI, OGBA/EBEMA/NDONI, OKRIKA, OGONI.




LINE OF SUCCESSION
             Asagba                    Date

Obi Nenmor Umuagu                  1780

Obi Ofordu Umuagu                  1790

Obi Diai Umuonaje                  1820

Obi Monu Umuaji                    1850

Obi Nwani Ugbomanta                1870

Obi Egbola Umuaji                  1890

Obi Onyemenam Umuaji               1910

Obi Nwokolo Umuezei                1925-1932

Obi Ijeh Ugbomanta                 1937-1948

Obi Emenashi Odiaka Umuagu         1950-1958

Obi Okocha Nwokolo Umuaji          1962--1963

Obi Umejei Onyetenu Umuonaje       1964-1988

Obi {Prof.} Chike Edozien Umuezei 1991 till Date


Every Asaba indigene recognizes the roles of the Asagba. This title is supreme in tradition and
administration of Asaba. The title is held for life and any person who assumes the throne must
find himself as the father of all the indigenes and other residents of Asaba. He must also reside
permanently in Asaba.

MAJOR FESTIVALS
The major festivals in Asaba are: Ulor, Aja, Iwaji, Ine or Ekwensu, & Olia Oma

ULOR

This is a biannual festival held in July to mark the cleansing of the town of evil spirits, illnesses
and misfortunes.

AJA

This means - "sacrifice" and is celebrated annually in August to appease the gods and mark the
beginning of harvest period.

IWAJI

This is celebrated in September and marks the harvest period. It celebrates the abundance and
availability of new yams

INE or EKWENSU

This is a five-day celebration with each day for each Asaba Village. It is marked by a military
like parade and war dances reminiscent of the old battles in which Asaba people distinguished
themselves.

OLIA OMA

This is a feast day at the end of the harvest during which families give sacrifices to their dead
mothers. Sought of mothers day for deceased mothers.

ASABA TITLES
Asaba has two main group of titles; one obtained by joining a title association and the other is
conferred on an individual by the Asagba of Asaba and is called OLINZELE. The main titles in
Asaba in their order of superiority are Mkpisi, Alo, and Eze.

MKPISI

This is the first Association into which all males are initiated to confirm their citizenship. It is
done every 20 years and is a perquisite to the ALO and EZE titles. Note: That you did not
participate in this initiation does not mean that you are not a true citizen, or would it prevent you
from gaining other Asaba titles.
ALO

This is a very prestigious title that cannot be taken by one whose father is alive, and is a
necessary prerequisite to the EZE title. The Initiatee among other things must slaughter a cow
that will be shared by other Alo titleholders of his village. The Alo titleholder is greeted as
"Ogbuefi" Meaning: killer of Cow. His regalia comprise a decorated fan from the skin of the cow
and an elephant tusk (Otulaka")

EZE

Eze means 'king". Besides the Asagba of Asaba this is the most expensive, prestigious and
demanding title that an Asaba person can hold. Before some of the restrictions of this title were
loosened, an Eze titleholder cannot spend a night outside the city limits of Asaba, eats at exactly
the same time every day. His initiation lasts 40days and is greeted every morning with the royal
dance "Egwu ota". When an Eze dies, his burial ceremony lasts 4 weeks and he is buried sitting
down with a piece of white cloth. The regalia of an Eze consists of a red cap adorned with palm
Fiber and eagle feathers, a horse tail "Uya" and a cow tail "Nza" and an elephant tusk "Otulaka".
As the highest title holders in town is the Eze. The Ezes sit next to the Asagba in all meetings.
Asaba has other non-age restricting Titles of merit. The Asagba confers some, Others by the
villages.

TITLES OF MERIT
Titles of merit are: Iyase, Odogwu, Omu, Oloto, Onoi & Ogbuu

IYASE

The Iyase chieftancy is perhaps the oldest and most important title in Asaba next to the Asagba
of Asaba. The Iyase of Asaba can only be compared to a General of an Army. The Iyase in the
Past leads the Asaba people to war.

ODOGWU

The ODOGWU works hand in hand with the Iyase of Asaba to protect the town against foreign
invasion in the past. The Iyase and the Odogwu titles rotate among the 5 villages and are held for
life.

OMU
The Omu of Asaba is Essentially the First Lady of Asaba. She is a forthright Native Orator and
the Mother- General to all Asabans. She has the full responsibility over all markets in Asaba.

OLOTO

The Oloto of Asaba is the head of the powerful "OTURAZA" of Asaba, which in turn is the
ruling council. Oloto is responsible for the 3 villages of "Onne"

ONOI

The Onoi is the counterpart of the Oloto in the two Villages of Ummunne (Umuagu and
Ugbomanta)

OGBUU
Ogbuu title is a non-age restricting title and used to be awarded to distinguished warriors.




                                 THE YORUBA HISTORY

The Yoruba people (Yorùbá in Yoruba orthography) are one of the
largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak
the Yoruba language (Yoruba: èdèe Yorùbá; èdè). The Yoruba constitute
between 30 and 50 million individuals throughout West Africa and are
found predominantly in Nigeria and make up around 21% of its
population.

The Yoruba share borders with the Borgu (variously called "Baruba"
and "Borgawa") in the northwest; the Nupe (whom they often call
"Tapa") and Ebira in the north; and the Edo, the Ẹsan, and the Afemai to
the southeast. The Igala and other related groups are found in the
northeast, and the Egun, Fon, and others in the southwest. While the
majority of the Yoruba live in western Nigeria, there are also substantial
indigenous Yoruba communities in the Republic of Benin and Togo,
plus large groups of Yoruba migrants living in the United States and the
United Kingdom.

Yoruba settlements are often described as primarily one or more of the
main social groupings called "generations":
   The "first generation" includes towns and cities known as original
    capitals of founding Yoruba states/kingdoms.
   The "second generation" consists of settlements created by
    conquest.
   The "third generation" consists of villages and municipalities that
    emerged following the Yoruba wars.
   The African peoples who lived in the lower western Niger area, at
    least by the 4th century BC, were not initially known as the
    Yoruba, although they shared a common ethnicity and language
    group. Both archeology and traditional Yoruba oral historians
    confirm the existence of people in this region for several millennia.
   Between 1100 AD and 1700 AD, the Yoruba Kingdom of Ife
    experienced a golden age, the oba or ruler of Ife is referred to as
    the Ooni of Ife. It was then surpassed by the Yoruba Oyo Empire
    as the dominant Yoruba military and political power between 1700
    AD and 1900 AD, the oba or ruler of Oyo is referred to as the
    Alaafin of Oyo. Ife,is considered as the home of yorubas because it
    where the origin of yoruba came from, however, remained and
    continues to be viewed as the spiritual homeland of the Yoruba.
    The nearby Benin Empire with its capital in the city of Benin,
    which is also in modern day Nigeria, was an equally powerful
    force between 1300 and 1850 AD, its ruler being referred to as the
    Oba of Benin.
   Further information: Kingdom of Ife
   Most of the city states were controlled by Obas (or royal
    sovereigns with various individual titles) and councils made up of
    Oloyes, recognised leaders of royal, noble and, often, even
    common descent, who joined them in ruling over the kingdoms
    through a series of guilds and cults. Different states saw differing
    ratios of power between the kingships and the chiefs' councils.
    Some such as Oyo had powerful, autocratic monarchs with almost
    total control, while in others such as the Ijebu city-states, the
    senatorial councils held more influence and the power of the ruler
    or Ọba, referred to as the Awujale of Ijebuland, was more limited.
   Orisa'nla (The great divinity) also known as Ọbatala was the arch-
    divinity chosen by Olodumare, the Supreme, 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.



   Oduduwa
   Oral history of the Oyo-Yoruba recounts Odùduwà to be the
    Progenitor of the Yoruba and the reigning ancestor of their
    crowned kings.
   His coming from the east, sometimes understood by some sources
    as the "vicinity" true East on the Cardinal points, but more likely
    signifying the region of Ekiti and Okun sub-communities in
    northeastern Yorubaland/central Nigeria. Ekiti is near the
    confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers, and is where the Yoruba
    language is presumed to have separated from related ethno-
    linguistic groups like Igala, Igbo, and Edo.
   Criticism
   However, some Yoruba scholars, especially, the Muslim and
    Christian clerics object to this mythology. Among the objecting
    voices to the stories of Oduduwa being the Progenitor of the
    Yoruba was the London-based Yoruba Muslim scholar, Sheikh Dr.
    Abu-Abdullah Adelabu, a PhD graduate from Damascus, who
    dismissed the common myth that all Yorubas are descendants of
    Oduduwa as a false representation by Orisha worshippers to gain
    an unjust advantage over the more recent jihadist Islam and the
    evangelism of Christianity". He argued that the myth that all the
    Yorubas are children of Odua was based only on words of mouth
    and that it does not conform with the science and the reality of
    logics conducted on objective principles which usually consist
    systematized experiment with phenomena, especially when
    examining materials and functions of the physical and spiritual
    worlds of the African people."
   After Oduduwa
   Upon the disappearance of Oduduwa, there was a dispersal of his
    children from Ife to found other kingdoms. Each making their
    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 marauders 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 life time as she later passed on and was thereafter
    immortalized. The Edi festival celebrates this feat till date.
   Monarchies were a common form of government in Yorubaland,
    but they were not the only approach to government and social
    organization. The numerous Ijebu city-states to the west of Oyo
    and the Ẹgba communities, found in the forests below Ọyọ's
    savanna 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, however, that it stayed with them 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, where 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. These independent councils then elected their most
    capable members to join a federal civilian and military council that
    represented the city as a whole.
   Commander Frederick Forbes, a representative of the British
    Crown writing an account of his visit to the city in an 1853 edition
    of the Church Military Intelligencer, described Abẹokuta as having
    "four presidents", and the system of government as having "840
    principal rulers or 'House of Lords,' 2800 secondary chiefs or
    'House of Commons,' 140 principal military ones and 280
    secondary ones." He described Abẹokuta and its system of
    government as "the most extraordinary republic in the world."
   Leadership
   Gerontocratic leadership councils that guarded against the
    monopolization of power by a monarch were a proverbial trait of
    the Ẹgba, according to the eminent Ọyọ historian Reverend Samuel
    Johnson, but such councils were also well-developed among the
    northern Okun groups, the eastern Ekiti, and other groups falling
    under the Yoruba ethnic umbrella. In Ọyọ, the most centralized of
    the precolonial kingdoms, the Alaafin consulted on all political
    decisions with a prime minister (the Basọrun) and the council of
    leading nobles known as the Ọyọ Mesi.
   City states
   The monarchy of any city state was usually limited to a number of
    royal lineages. A family could be excluded from kingship and
    chieftancy if any family member, servant, or slave belonging to the
    family committed a crime such as theft, fraud, murder or rape.
   In other city-states, the monarchy was open to the election of any
    free-born male citizen. There are also, in Ilesa, Ondo, and other
    Yoruba communities, several traditions of female Ọbas, though
    these were comparatively rare.
   The kings were traditionally almost always polygamous and often
    married royal family members from other domains.
   Ibadan, a city-state and proto-empire founded in the 18th century
    by a polyglot group of refugees, soldiers, and itinerant traders from
    Ọyọ and the other Yoruba sub-groups, largely dispensed with the
    concept of monarchism, preferring to elect both military and civil
    councils from a pool of eminent citizens. The city became a
    military republic, with distinguished soldiers wielding political
    powers through their election by popular acclaim and the respect of
    their peers. Similar practices were adopted by the jẹsa and other
    groups, which saw a corresponding rise in the social influence of
    military adventurers and successful entrepreneurs.
   Groups organizations and leagues in Yorubaland
   Occupational guilds, social clubs, secret or initiatory societies, and
    religious units, commonly known as Ẹgbẹ in Yoruba, included the
    Parakoyi (or league of traders) and Ẹgbẹ Ọdẹ (hunter's guild), and
    maintained an important role in commerce, social control, and
    vocational education in Yoruba polities.
   There are also examples of other peer organizations in the region.
    When the Ẹgba resisted the imperial domination of the Ọyọ
    Empire, a figure named Lisabi is credited with either creating or
    reviving a covert traditional organization named Ẹgbẹ Aro. This
    group, originally a farmers' union, was converted to a network of
    secret militias throughout the Ẹgba forests, and each lodge plotted
    to overthrow Ọyọ's Ajeles (appointed administrators) in the late
    18th century.
   Similarly, covert military resistance leagues like the Ekiti Parapọ
    and the Ogidi alliance were organized during the 19th century wars
    by often-decentralized communities of the Ekiti, Ijẹsa, Ìgbómìnà
    and Okun Yoruba in order to resist various imperial expansionist
    plans of Ibadan, Nupe, and the Sokoto Caliphate.
     Traditional Yoruba 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.

     Islam And Christianity
     Traditional Yoruba religious practices such as the Eyo and Osun
      Oshogbo festivals are witnessing a resurgence in popularity in
      contemporary Yorubaland. They are largely seen by the adherents
      of the modern faiths, especially the Muslims and Christians, as
      cultural rather than religious events. They participate in them as a
      means to boost tourist industries in their local economies.
     Culture
     In the city-states and many of their neighbors, a reserved way of
      life remains, with the school of thought of their people serving as a
      major influence in West Africa and elsewhere.
     Diversity
     Today, most contemporary Yoruba are Muslims and Christians.
      Islam found its way into the Yoruba kingdoms long before the
      Christianity of the colonial evangelists, coming as it did with
      itinerant merchants from the medieval empire of Mali. Be that as it
      may, many of the principles of the traditional faith of their
      ancestors are either knowingly or unknowingly upheld by a
      significant proportion of the populations of Nigeria, Benin and

The Yoruba present the highest dizygotic twinning rate in the world
(4.4 % of all maternities). Twins are very important for the Yoruba and
they usually tend to give special names to each twin. The first of the
twins to be born is traditionally named Taiyewo or Tayewo, which
means 'the first to taste the world', this is often shortened to Taiwo, Taiye
or Taye. Kehinde, or Kenny for short, is the name of the last born twin.
Kehinde is sometimes also referred to as Kehindegbegbon which is short
for Omokehindegbegbon and means, 'the child that came last gets the
rights of the eldest'