Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Why I am proud being Yoruba in the present day Nigeria.

Why I am proud being Yoruba in the present day Nigeria.

Yoruba is one of the three largest ethnic group in Nigeria, and are concentrated in the southwest of the country. In fact, it is one of the largest African ethnic groups south of the Sahara Desert. Significant number of people of Yoruba extraction can also be found in Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone,

Yoruba is one of the three largest ethnic group in Nigeria, and are concentrated in the southwest of the country. In fact, it is one of the largest African ethnic groups south of the Sahara Desert. Significant number of people of Yoruba extraction can also be found in Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Cuba, Brazil, United Kingdom and the United States.

According to Yoruba mythology, all Yoruba people are descendants of a hero called Oduduwa. Ile-Ife, in present day Osun State in Nigeria is believed to be the cradle of the Yoruba people. The Yoruba language is a Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo family. Though the Yoruba is a homogeneous cultural unit, there are variations in local customs. In this regard, sub-ethnic units with peculiar dialects and customs such as Ife, Oyo, Ijesa, Ondo, Ekiti, Egba, Egbado, Ijebu, Ikale, Awori, Ibarapa, Igbomina, Okun, Ikale amongst others exist. Traditionally, most Yoruba men are farmers, traders or craftsmen. The Yoruba have been among the most skilled and productive craftsmen of Africa. They worked at such trades as weaving, leatherworking, glassmaking, blacksmithing and wood and ivory carving, dyeing, cotton spinning and basketry.

Yoruba civilization is one of the most ancient.

Yoruba civilization is one of the most ancient, advanced, and urbanized in the world. The moral value of “Omoluabi” is evident in the Yoruba culture and everyday lifestyle of the people. The Yoruba are known for such values as truthfulness, reliability, integrity, diplomacy, tact, respectfulness, diligence, accountability, devotion, loyalty, obedience, tolerance and humility. Some of the unwritten cultural code of the Yoruba include: greetings are a must; don’t give elders items with your left hand; don’t call your elder brother/sister by their name; leave when parents have a visitor(s) and always eat your meat last. The Yoruba are highly educated, exposed, cerebral, cosmopolitan, tolerant, accommodating, hospitable, affable, and sociable.

That the Yoruba is the pacesetter tribe in Nigeria is a well-known fact. It is on record that some remarkable feats such as Nigerian first university, Nigeria’s first polytechnic, Nigerian first secondary school, first skyscraper in Africa, Nigeria first newspaper company, first church in Nigeria, first television station in Africa, first constructed expressway in Nigeria, first hospital in Nigeria, first Olympic-sized stadium in Nigeria, first cultural center in Africa.

Yoruba’s have written their names in the golden book of records.

Some Yoruba’s have written their names in the golden book of records. After reading the following list, you will be proud to be Yoruba. It contains the names of Yoruba’s who are pacesetters and record-breakers in different areas of human endeavors. Nigeria’s first professor of psychiatry, first medical surgeon in Nigeria, first medical doctor to practice in Nigeria, first female medical doctor in Nigeria, first lawyer to practice in Nigeria, first female senior advocate of Nigeria, first professor of mathematics in Africa, first African professor of geology, first African to win the Pulitzer prize, first professor of medicine in Nigeria, first female physics professor in Africa, Nigeria’s female helicopter pilot, first professor of anatomy in Nigeria, first African to be president of the International Court of Justice, first Nigerian to be conferred with the title of Member of the British Empire, first female industrialist in Nigeria, first African to qualify as a chartered accountant, first female chartered accountant in Nigeria, the first black to found a university, the first African to own a motor car, first Nigerian to form a political party, first Nigerian woman to drive a car, first Nigerian woman to form a political party amongst others.

The beliefs by some that the Yoruba are cowards, timid, treacherous and that they are not trustworthy is unfounded. That the Yoruba are friendly, open, warm, accommodating and receptive of people from other cultural background should not be taken for cowardice or timidity. They are peace-loving, tolerant and diplomatic by nature. They believe in the use of non-violent methods in resolving conflicts when and if they arise.

If I have another chance, I would love to come back to this world a Yoruba. This is because of the many positive things the Yoruba are known for.

 

Mary Donga
CONTRIBUTOR
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