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History of Yoruba People in Ile-Ife (before Oyo)

The history of the Yoruba People was originated in the oldest town Ile-Ife and was founded by the deities Oduduwa and Obatala who created the world. Oduduwa was the first divine king of the Yoruba people and Obatala fashioned the first humans out of clay. It is said the Yoruba people believe their civilization began at Ile-Ife where the gods descended to earth.

They became popular with their trading with the Portugese, which gave them guns for their trade. The Yoruba people were invaded by the Fulani which pushed the people to the South. In the late 1800's, they formed a treaty with the Fulani people and were colonized with the British in 1901.

The Yoruba's cultural force in Southern Nigeria was very strong that it goes back to the 11th century.

Oyo

The Ile-Ife was surpassed by the Oyo kingdom which is today South-West of Nigeria. The Oyo was developed in the 17th century and become one of the largest Yoruba kingdoms, while Ile-Ife remained as a religious significance at the site of earth creation in the Yoruba mythology. As Oduduwa migrated to Ile-Ife, he had a son and he became the first ruler for the Oyo empire.

The Oyo kingdom has subjugated the kingdom of Dahomey. It traded with European merchants on the coast through Ajase. The wealth of the town increased and as well as political leaders wealth increased. This was not resolved till Abiodun went against his opponets in a bitter civil war and had a rule for economic development based on the trade with European merchants. The downfall of the kingdom came as Abiodun became concerned with little other than the displays of royal wealth.

By the time it was the 19th century, the Kingdom had lost its control of the trade routes. The kingdom of Oyo had fallen in 1837.

Religion

The Yoruba people believe there are 401 deities. The Yoruba deities are called Orisha's while the high God is Olorun. Yoruba's believe when they die, they go to the realm of ancestors where they can still have the influence to earth.

People and Culture

The Yoruba people remains as one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria and as a whole in Africa. The Yoruba houses about 35% of Nigeria's population and around 40 million individuals in around the West region of Africa. Other regions besides west Nigeria They are identified as Muslim or Christian but they still follow their history of practices and beliefs.

Most of the Yoruba people take part in farm work. The men grow foods such as corn, yams, staples, nuts, and cocoa which is a major cash crop. Men were also traders and craftsmen as well. Women did less work on the farms and their status on what they did depending on their husband's status.

The people practice a multiple of cultural skills that are useful in life which are pottery, beadwork, weaving, metalwork, and mask making. The Yoruba were known for their sculptors, beautiful clothing designs and patterns, and their food. Some of these foods included are moin-moin ( steamed bean pudding), ila asepo (okra soup), and amala (yam flour). The ethnic group also holds musical and cultural festivals.

Major Towns, Cities, and spread of religion

Many Yoruba people organize themselves into villages, kingdoms, and towns. Major cities include the Ile-Ife, Oya, Lagos, Ibadan, Akure, and many other towns and cities. Some towns and cities of Yoruba people are their own civilization because people can share many of the same similarities. These cities are Warri, Benin city, Okene, and Auchi.

Since the Yoruba religion started in Ile-Ife, the Yoruba diaspora has two main groupings. The first one is the recent immigrants that moved to the United States and the United Kingdom after the political and economic changes in the 1960's and 1980's. The second group of people are the slaves who migrated to South America countries like Cuba, Trinidad, Brazil, Grenada, and other countries.

Today's society

Many people today who are part of the Yoruba culture are Muslims and Christians.