Yoruba People Research Paper

The Yoruba people occupy the Southwestern part of Nigeria, they account for about 20% of the population of the country. They are believed historically to have migrated from the Middle-Eastern part of the world during the medieval period. They are a religious group of people who are mainly Christians, Muslims or of Traditional beliefs. The Yoruba people are mainly involved in the financial, press and educational sectors of the country.

The Yoruba people have different stories about their origin, but they all relate to the same ancestor “Oduduwa”, one story has it that he migrated from what is known as Mecca because of his belief in deities, which caused him to expelled from his abode, and then came to settle in Ile-Ife and start a dynasty, which was further expanded by his seven sons. Another school of thought has it that he was an ordinary Yoruba man who came to power by overthrowing the existing ruling class.

The other story has it that Oduduwa (the father of the Yoruba) was sent by God from heaven to create the earth and the Human race. He descended from Heaven accompanied by his
While greetings are exchanged, it is important for the people to smile; and when asked about the wellbeing of someone, time is given to respond as this is considered to be polite. The Yorubas greet their elders with a lot of respect, the boys prostrate to greet their elders, while their female counterparts greet by kneeling on one or two knees depending on the tribe.

These people also have a very rich cultural background; there are different forms of dance, arts, music, dressing and philosophy. Proverbs and adages form an important part of everyday language, and are used extensively in all forms of communication. Music is also very important, and can be used as a form of communication. The talking drum is often as a means of communicating in old times and is still used