Who are the Yorubas?

The Yoruba, who populate the Southwestern states of Nigeria, is one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. These states are Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo states, with a sizeable Yoruba population found in adjoining states of Kwara, Kogi, and Delta. The Yoruba constitute about 21% of the total population of the country.

Beyond the shores of Nigeria, some of the indigenous communities of the Yoruba are found in Benin Republic, Brazil, Cuba, Jamaica, and Togo. Yoruba, by nature and natural inclinations, is a very development-oriented people. We have an immensely proud heritage and are also very acutely conscious of personal dignity. We have well-developed mores and norms, subsisting long before the arrival of the Europeans on the scene. The whole Yoruba system is, very obviously, strongly-rooted in a belief in the sovereignty of the people – in the belief and assumption that power belongs to the people, and that the sole duty of rulers is to serve the welfare of their people. Not only did the system’s operation involve conceptually all citizens, but it also strongly emphasized the dignity of the individual, the right and freedom of the individual to speak and to be heard with respect, and fairness and equity in the allocation of opportunities. It fully included and respected women at all levels. It emphasized selection or election by the people as the source of legitimacy of public officers. In fact, the system of election introduced by Europeans into Africa in the 20th century is arguably not superior to the Yoruba indigenous practice in any essence – and elections were, by no means, new or strange to us as people. Our political culture also made us confident and self-assured persons. We honor our rulers and leaders, but we cherish our freedom of expression, choice, and association, and we expect to be decently respected by persons who exercise authority over us. We want to be part of the molding of the direction of the affairs of our society. And with that, we want to see that an average Yoruba man or woman can be quite eloquent in expressing views over the affairs of society, and quite skillful in forming and running societal groups. Even among enslaved Africans in the slavery setting in the Americas, observers remarked of enslaved Yoruba men that they were “proud – even haughty”. Similar remarks were made during British colonial rule by British bureaucrats. One official, who served for many years in Nigeria, remarked that of British African subjects, the Yoruba were one people who never treated the British or any white man as a god. He wrote: “In my experience, the Yoruba regarded themselves as superior to the British. A Yoruba child would look at an important European and shout, “Hello, white man,” – as if the white man were a freak.” This is the Yoruba. The need to restore this high sense of dignity and self-worth remains an urgent and critical imperative. The alternative is to go deeper into the abyss. The Yoruba have vested the authority to lead them out of the developmental quagmire in the hands of the current Yoruba political leadership. It is under their authority that the people expect to see progress and irreversible developmental strides. The political leadership must lead the charge. Indeed, it is extremely easy to lead the Yoruba people and enjoy their support and goodwill. However, good, responsible, responsive, and impactful governance is a sine-qua-non to reap such benefits. We would be doing ourselves and future generations a world of good by championing this cause at this point in our history.