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RITUALS, SYMBOLISM AND SYMBOLS

IN YORUBA TRADITIONAL
RELIGIOUS THOUGHT
E. Dada Adelowo*
Introduction
This paper' is by ' the need. to ' correct the erroneOUS observatiods,
notions, assertions and pontifications of some foreign armchair investigators about .
religious situations, facts and values in Africa as a whole. Examples of such '
notions and so on can be multiplied in this regard.
Baudin, for example, moved by his pre-conceived notions and possibly moved
by cultural pride and prejudice declares:
The idea they (Africans) have of God is most unworthy of His Divine majesty.
They represent that God, commenced the organisation of the world,
charged Obatala with the completion and government of it, retired and entered
into an eternal rest, occupying himself only with His own happiness; too great
to interest Himself in the affairs of His world. He remains like a negro king, in
a sleep of idleness.
1
This is purely a definite reading in of the Western deistic philosophy into pure
African belief. .
Another foreign investigator, Diedrich Westermann, wrote on African belief
system when he probably had little access to the proper sources of African beliefs
and practices or when he had little more than ' a chance opportunity of a cursory
glimpse of a gagantuancontinent. Thus in connection with the African concept of
God, he declares: J
The high-god is, as a rule, not the object of a'religious cult and is of small or
almost no significance in practical religion. People acknowledge him but neither
fear nor love nor serve him.
2
It is to be noted that a good number of such scholars had, over the years, taken
appearance for reality, symbol for the symbolised, means for the end with regard to
the religious situation in Africa. Reasons for this step are not far-fetched. A lot of
them were staying behind the garden and at the same time trying to pontificate on the
items in the garden. Some had not even touched the African soil. Rather, they relied
on the reports of traders and missionaries in dishing out information on the religious
situation in Africa.
* E. Dada Adelwo is a Professor in the Department of Religious Studies, Ondo State University, Ado-
Ekiti, Nigeria.
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Thus, ,the need is felt to present the topic - rituals, symbolism and symbols
which are sure sources of African beliefs and practices -'-- as a means to intimate the
cursory observers about what, in fact, constitutes the actual religious situations in
Africa and in Yorubaland in particular.
Rituals and Rites: An Issue of Functionality
Rituals and rites are a means of bringing into the limelight the experience .
ofa group of people; Rituals and rites thus constitute some kind of religious
expression. They are a means of concretising one's belief system. They are a means
of expressing one's experience of the supersensible world and the supernatural
beings. In short and simple terms, they are acts of forms of worship or communion
and communication between one and one's objects of worship.
Before begin an analysis of the types of rituals and rites, let us have a look
at following basic items:
Ritual Leaders
Rituals in Yoruba traditional religion are not usually administered by the
uninitiated or the untrained (Yoruba: ogberi) , Rituals are usually administered by the
priests known as aworo or iworo. They are specialists in leading the others in
worship. They are devotees of orisa; that is, there is something of the divinity in them
and it belongs to their position not only that they should offer worship to the orisa,
but also that they shollld absorb the orisa into their being and manifest it. Traditionally,
specialists in ritual administration followed the craft from father to sOIl; through
several or even many generations, handing down their techniques and forms of
training, their quintessential experience and habitual shrines where application collld
be made to the gods and spiritS. . -
It is to be noted that it was an attempt to resolve. the need for an adequate link
between the object of worship arid man that the idea of ritual leaders . emerged in
Yoruba religious thought And since man felt that heha,d to deal not wilh a vague
abstraction but a Reality with the attributes of person, he naturally of
means which would be a person - a person sufficiently "human" to make intimate
contact with man and not harm him. In short, the need for a personal mediator, a
priest, a ritual leader, a specialist in ritual administration, arose.
4
.
In the cultic activities of a town the Oba is usually the head of the ritual leaders.
He is the priest-king. In He-Ife, for example, the Ooni of Ife, Aldse EkejiOrisa is
usually the Pointifex Maximus, He is the 016rf Awon [woro -:- the head' ofall the
priests. He assumes this office in consequence of his sceptre (are) which is derived
from the divinity to whom he is vicegerent. The office still stands even though. the
Ooni does not now officiate directly at any particular shrine and only performs
certain customary rituiils as tradition decrees. .
Ritual Power
. The Ooni of Ife or any head of Yoruba town is mentioned above as the head of
all priests. This is in consequence of the ritual power believed to be possessed by the.
kings or rulers. Yoruba kings are believed to be derivatively divine '-They are held
to be second-in-command to the Divinity - Aldse Ekeji Orisa. That is, Kings in
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Yorubaland are divine. But according to Basil Davidson, 'ritual's would be abetter
adjective. Kings in Yorubaland are frrst and. foremost repositories of ritual power.
Their authority rests mainly and consistently upon its place in their people's beliefs
about themselves and the world. Yoruba kings are ritual specialists who have
accumulated power in societies which have passed beyond the early subsistence
level and had developed whether in isolation or by the stimulus of migrant ---,-
resident accommodation, the need as well as the possibility of centralising institutions ..
Thus the original nature.' of Y oruba kings is to be sought in ritual specialism
associated with the guardianship of ancestral charters.
It is to be noted that Yoruba kings, then, were not 'divine' in the sense of being
regarded as gods. They are political and therefore earthly people as well as ritual and
hence spiritual ones. .
Hence the accent on 'divinity'. For the king's existence as a political figure or
military leader is a secondary thing. Over and beyond these secular functions, a
Y oruba Oba has to maintain harmony and concord between society and its natural
environment by means of ritual action of a regular kind which he alone could take.
His functions in this realm are three-fold: to perform the daily rites
6
for which he is
uniquely qualified by office; to provide for and direct the activities of other cults; and
to sustain and control his own spiritual potency. These words about the kingship of
the Nigerian Jukun have a wide application and are relevant to the picture given
above. Block of medieval Western Europe writes:
The king ... (had) three fundamental duties and scarcely any other to ensure the
spiritual welfare of his people by acts of piety and the protection given by acts
of piety and the protection given by the true faith; to defend his people against
outside enemies ... , and at home, to safeguard justice and peace.
! .
Other priests, Yoruba [woro, Aworo, Abore have ritual power in consequence of
thepCJwet bestowed on the priest - king, 0l6rf [woro. Thus the ritual power of
priests is subsumed in t h p o ~ r of the priest-king, a priest never functions in
connection with the central cult and culture without the knowledge and courtesy of
the priest-king.
Ritual Sanctity
This has to do with the various taboo in connection with the administration of
the various rituals and rites that constitute Yoruba traditional religion. This can also
be called ritual holiness. The taboo are what the Yorubacall eewo, a kU see, ohun.
Each ritllal has its taboo that should be avoided by the priest-king, Ol6rf dwon [woro,
other priests, [woro or Abore, and the worshippers. For examples the priests and
devotees of the god called Esu should avoid having any contact with palmnut oil
(Yoruba: adi) in order not to incur the wrath of Esu. Moreover, the priests and
devotees of the arch-divinity of Y oruba pantheon, ObatdlO,1 should avoid palmwine
completely in order to maintain ritual sanctity with regard to the worship of Obdtdld.
They should also promote anything white and avoid black items in order to keep the
ritUal sanctity in connection with the worship of the divinity. White is a symbol of
purity, holiness and peace. So, priests and devotees of Obdtdld should, during ritual
activities, present themselves as 'pure and holy.
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The point here is that ritual items should be done according to the prescriptions
of the object of worship in order to have the desired result. In this connection the
Yoruba declare:
E je ka see,
m won ti i see,
K' 0 le baa d,
BI se e rl.
Let us do it,
The way it is usually done,
So that we may have the usual result.
Rituals and Rites in Yoruba Religion:
Some Examples
Rituals and rites abound in Yoruba traditional religion. A brid survey would be
attempted here. .
Let us start with the ritual in connection with the worship of God - Olodumare
and gods - Orisa. There is a specific cult of Olodumare in Y orubaland. This may
baffle those foreign arm-chair investigators who hold the thesis that Olodumare is
not an object of worship in Yoruba religion. The point here is . because 016dumare
cannot be confined into space (theYoruba described Him as A-te-rere-K'aye - One
who occupies the whole extent of the world); the ritualistic worship offered to Him
takes place in the open and not in building like temples and mosques. The worshipper
makes a circle of ashes (Yoruba: eeru) or white chalk (Yoruba: efun); within the
circle, which is a symbol of eternity, he pours a libation of cold water, and in the
centre he places his kolanut (Yoruba: obi on cotton wool- Yoruba: owu etUtu). He
then takes the kolanut, splits it and holding the valves within the circle. Often, a.
whitefowl (Yoruba: adiefunfun) is offered in the same way. In lle-Ife, the ancestral
home of the Yoruba, there is a priest-chief whose duty is to offer this ritual every
morning in the name of the Doni and of all the people. However, it is unfortunate to
note that the direct ritualistic worshIp of 0l6dumare, as a regular aspect of cultic
activities in Yorubaland, is dying out. In some places, according to Bolaji Idowu, it
is no longer known; in some, it haS become the cult of women.
8
Next is daily worship of the gods. The daily morning worship is simple and
usually private in that it is usually the activity of one person. For this simple worship,
the worshipper provides himself with water and kolanuts. The worshipper stands
before the shrine (Yoruba: ojubo orisa) and begins the worShip with the invocation
wherein he calls the orisa by his names and appelationsand invites him to give
attention to his "child".9 During the invocation a rattle may be sounded to attract the
attention of the divinity, and the libation (Yoruba: hutu) is poured either on the
ground or on the shrine. The worshipper then gives the reason for invoking the Orisa:
After this, the kolanut
lO
is split, and now comes an anxious moment, for the worshipper
expects by the omen 11 of the kolanut to know whether his worship has been accepted
(Yoruba: ebo fUn, ebo gba) or rejected.
Others, are on sacred days of the orisa and on' annual festivals in honour of the
tutelary divinities. On the sacred day of the orisa, worship is more elaborate and
usually involves a community of worshippers. The actual ritual follows practically
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the' same pattern as the daily one, but there are important details which give it its
distinction. Worshippers are dressed up for the occasion, and there are gifts of food ,
and drink and payment of vows (Yoruba: eje sfsan) taken to the orisa. There must be
as many kolanuts as there are worshippers, and even additional ones for those who
for some reason are not presented. Worshippers are presented severally to On'sa.
Then we have the ritual during the annual festivals. The main difference between
worship on the sacred day and worship during the annual festival. is the more
elaborate programme connected with annual celebrations.
This is usually an occasion for jocundity and thanksgiving; people appear in
their best and give of their best. The offerings are mostly thank-offerings, -and the
meals constitute an opportunity of communion between the divinity and his "children"
on the one hand, and then among the "children themselves on the other. It is a period
for special rene\yal of covenant relationships. On such occasion, the head of the
community, the priest-king, the PontifexMaximus, is usually involved. It is he who
is ultimately responsible for all that happens during the, festival. He also has a special
ritual, which, personally or by proxy, he must perform during each festival.
Next are rituals and rites in connection with the various sacrifices. 12 'Here, only
a few examples would be considered. According to Bolaji Idowu, sacrifice is of the
essence of Y oruba religion as it is of every religion the world has ever knownY In
sacrifice, the , Y oruba' offers almost all kinds of foods and drinks ' and all kinds of
living things. In theory, all sacrifices belong entirely to the divinities. But in practice,
worshippers often partake of them, particularly of things which can be eaten.
The highest type of sacrifice among the Y oruba used to be human sacrifice. The
victim of human sacrifice was usually made to bless the people in some prescribed
way which bore upon the occasion of sacrifice. He was then given a special message
which he was to deliver on arrival in the presence of the Deity or the divinities. In
certain cases, a . humaq who was sacrificed was more than just a victim offered to
appease the divinities. He was believed to be going to represent the people before,
and convey the petitions to, the higher power. The basic point here is that somebody
or. something must be given out so that others may live and be blessed. 14 Others,
given to either God or gods, include meal and ,drink offerings which usually begin
with the customary libations, Gift or Thank-offering, offered to orisa in appreciation
of some success, Votive offering (Yoruba: . ebo eje) given to fulfil the promise made
when one begs for certain favours that are eventually effected. Next is Propitiation
(Yoruba: Ebo Etutu) - sacrifice of appeasement. This is usually prescribed by the
oracle or an orisa in reply to an inquiry as to what can be done to save the situation
during a crisis like epidemic,drought, famine, serious ailment and so on. Then we
have Substitutionary (Y oruba: A -ye-ipfn-ohUn) -'- "That which alters an agreement".
This is usually given to foil an agreement among the emere children (wandering
spirits of children given to the prank of entering into pregnant women on being born
only to die for the sheer relish of mischief). There is the one called Preventive -
(Yoruba: Ogunkoja)- The offering here which may be meal or drinks wards off
evil. At times the oracles or the priests may prescribe, for example, that each person
in the comml\nity should rub his body all over with an article - a Nigerian kobo or
a head of maize for example - and drop it at a given place for which all will be
collected and disposed of according to the Particular ritual for the occasion.
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Then we have rites in connection with the enthronement or coronation of a king.
Here'the coronation of the AlaiUin of Oyo would be discussed. Rituals in connection
with the coronation include the::following:
i) partaking of the dish prepared from the heart of the late king which has been
extracted and preserved. After partaking of this, he is told he has "eaten .the
king". Hence the origin of the phrase je oba, to become a king (lit to eat a
king)
ii) 'At a place called 'Bara', he worships at the tombs of his fathers; a horse, a
cow and a ram are being offered at each tomb.
iil) On the fifth day, he goes to Koso, the shrine of Sang6, the third AlaiUin of
Oyo and the god of thunder and lightning, for actual crowning.
iv) After another interval of five days,he goes to the shrine of Oranyan. Here
the Great Sword (Yoruba: Ida Nltl) or Sword of Justice (Yoruba: Ida Idaj6
Ododo) brought from TIe-Ife is pla:ced in his hands, without which he can
have no authority to order an execution.
After another interval of five days, he goes to the shrine of Ogun, god of iron and
war, and there offers a propitiatory sacrifice for a peaceful tenure. The offerings
consist of a cow, a rilm, and a dog; dog being indispensable in any sacrifice to the god
of war. 16
From the shrine of Ogun, the procession goes straight onto the palace, entering
now for the first time by the main gate opened for him. Thus he enters the palace
proper as the king after the necessarx ritUals had been completed. . .
There are also ritUals which belong to the secret societies such as the Egungun
and Ora, (OsugbO) guilds, and,the Ogboni The members of these groups make
on exclusive claim for the possession of knowledge of the mysteries of their cults and
for the right to perform the ceremonies which are jealously guarded from the view of
the uninitiated. The members are initiated into the cult through certain rituals which
are administered surreptitiously. Thus. the name "secret societies". It is insiders, and
not otherwise, that can know details about the rituals of these groups. One important
point that should be noted here is that the societies are both religious and political in
some cases. In this connection, J.O. Lucas, in connection with Ora guild, remarks:
. rhe guild possesses great political power. In the days of the independence of
Abeokuta, members of the guild formed the majority in the political council
known as the Ogboni council.
17
.
The important point to note here is the synthesis of religion and politics in
traditional Y orubaland;
Lots and lots of death and funeral rites and rituals abound in Yorubaland. Some
of these rites and rituals ordipary, while some are special.
In Yoruba traditional practice, immediately a person dies, the first rite is to slay
a fowl known as adie iranii
18
- ''The fare fowl". This is meant to make the road easy
for the deceased.
Next is food for the deceased. in the Yoruba traditional system, when the corpse
is laid in state, a yam meal is prepared and portion of it is placed at the foot of the
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bier. The following are given special burial rites in Yoruba: king (Yoruba; Oba),19
albino (Yoruba: affn), leper (Yoruba: adete), one with hunched back (Yoruba:
abuke), pregnant mother (Yoruba: aboyun, abara meji), one who hangs himself
(Yomba: eni tf 6 pa okun so), and bom-to-die-children (Yoruba: iLbfku, emere).
There are some funeral rituals that are peculiar only, to Yoruba religion. For
example, in Yoruba funeral practice, when the corpse is lowered to the grave, the
survivors draw near it, each according to the status of his family and each bringing
an animal victim, usually a goat; he offers his gift through the officiating minister,
asking that the deceased should accept it, and praying not to sleep in the world
beyond, but to open his eyes wide and always look after his The point here
has to do with the belief of the Yoruba that .death is not the end of life. It is only a
medium whereby the present earthly existence is changed for another.
Other peculiar items include RIM aku ya hun - "Entering into a covenant with
the deceased"andfifa Eegun aku iuo' le - "Bringing the spirit of the deceased into
the house. By this, it is believed, the surviving children and relations will be able to
have close connection with the deceased. The ritual usually takes place at night when
all lights have peen put out. In this connection, a shrine is made in one corner or at
the bottom of the control wall of the house; this is a specific meeting place between
the deceased and the children. . .
Symbolism and Symbols
Symbolism, symbology and symbols have t{} do with a study in representational
arts in Fine Art and Religion. Symbols'could be regarded as signs, marks or objects
looked upon as representing something or relaying certain message about one thing
or the other.
The Yoruba, to avoid casting their minds on abstract during worship,
resort to using symbols or emblems with a view to concretising their worship.
The Y oruba symbolise a lot of items in their .. expression of their religious
experience. Let us start by examining therepresentations they have given to their
tutelary deities and ancestors.
The Yoruba used wood
2
and metal
21
carvings, plan'ts and animals as symbols of
gods and ancestral spirits. Before we go further, iris important to note that, as said
earlier, these symbols are not ends in themselves but means to certain ends. Thus
those who are out to conduct a genuine research into the religious situation in
Y orubaland should not take appearance for reality, means for an end, symbol for the
symbolised and reality for shadow .
. Divinities and ancestors are sure objects of worship and reverence among the
Yoruba. However, it is to be noted that they are a means to get to Olodumare - God,
the ultimate End of everything. The Yoruba 'have never made the mistake of putting
God, Olodumare, on the same pedestal with the divinities (arisa) and the ancestors.
In their belief, 0l6dillnare is unique, incomparable. The. uniqueness of Olodumare is
one reason why there are no images-graven or in drawing or in painting - of Him
in Yorubaland. Symbols there are copious, but no images of Him. Symbols or images
of deities or divinities abound in Yorubaland. OrisiL'nlti, the arch-divinity ofYoruba
pantheon is usually pictured as an ancient figureiri white and bedecked with white
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ornaments. His temple, especially the inside, is washed white, his emblems are to be
kept in white containers and consists, among other things, of white chalk and white
beads. His priests and priestesses are robed in white and wear white ornaments.
Those who do not understand the religion ofthe Y oruba might think that the items
are the things that matter here. This is patently wrong. The message here is that all
those white items point to Orisa- 'nla as presenting, to the Yoruba, the idea of ritual
and ethical purity, and therefore the demands and sanctions of high moral pattern.
The white items are mere symbols symbolising purity, holiness, cleanliness on the
part of the ritual leaders and the worshippers of Orisa- 'nla.
Ifa, as a system of divination, is a symbol of wisdom in connection with the
oracle divinity called Orunmila.
In this connection Wande Abimbola says:
Ifa, otherwise known as Orunmila is the Y oruba god of wisdom; one of the
praise-names of Orunmila isakere{inusogb6n (the small one with a mind full
of wisdom).22 . .
The concrete items such as apeie (16 beads), ikin (16 nuts), ir6ke (the tapper),
op6n ifa (If a tray or bowl which is used in divining is only a symbol symbolising
Orunmila, the god of divination, the god of wisdom and omniscience, as a wise god.
Lucas is of the opinion that cosmological ideas are associated with the heads
carved on Ifa trays. They represent, according to the traditional beliefs, and confIrmed
by my informants,23 the four divinities presiding over the four corners of the world
and whose domains are the four chief Odii of Ifa viz:
Ogbe, Oyeku, Iwari and Odf
The Odus are generally arranged to form the four points of the compass.
24
The
orientation is as follows:
Odimeji
Eji Ogbe
Iwon Meji
The points of the compass represented and the gods presiding over the respective
corners are as follows:
1. Eji-Ogbi East Esu
2. Oyeku Meji West Sang6
3, Iwon Meji South Obatruci
4. OdiiMeji North Ogun.
Here we see the Odiias symbols of compass direction and particular divinities.
Ogun, god of war, god of iron, is usually represented by iron. Among the Yoruba,
there exists a traditional connection between Sango - the god of thunder and
lightning, and Ogun; the thunder-axe is used in the cult worship of Sang6 as well as
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of Ogun. The point here is that the iron-axe, which is usually a tough instrument,
points to Sango and Ogun as gods of war, gods that should be feared and respected.
Among the Yoruba, wrought-iron staffs are used in a number of cults, with
particular motifs associated with particular cults. For example, the iron staffs for
Osanyin, the god associated with traditional medicine, have sixteen birds in a circle
around a central bird. The sixteen birds represent the sixteen basic signs of the Ifa
oracle
25
which provide a system of classification for all medicinal ingredients.
Edan, a pair of figures, one male and one female, is a symbol of initiation into
the OgbOni fraternity. The pair of figure is usually joined by a chain. They are used
in OgbOni ritual, and every member of the Ogboni society has a pair of these figures,
made for his initiation into the society.
Some symbols are made to identify one divinity or the other. For use in
traditional religion, Yoruba sculptors made human and animals figures, ornamental
bowls, drinks, stools, spears, masks and so on. The god for whom object is made
can be identified by the symbols or emblems and motifs used. Sango, the god of
thunder and lightning, priest of the rainrnakers of Yorubaland and identified as one
of the earliest kings of the Oyo kingdom, has been mentioned in connection with
ritual pottery, but his shrines also contain a good number of wood .carvings. They .are
variable art galleries containing a good variety of wooden dance staffs, ese Sango,
decorated with the double headed axe
26
emblem and human figures, inverted mortars,
odo Sango, decorated with devotees and the emblems of the god and carved figures
holding a bowl, arugM, the last two storing the thunder - bolts; (edun aara -
instruments to effect justice).
The Yoruba holds the global record for twin births. Visits to .a diviner and
special rites are necessary when twins are born. Wooden figures, ere ibeji, are carved
as substitutes for the twins if one or both of them should die, to ensure the continued
fertility of the mother And the health of any surviving twin. The ere ibeji are ritually
washed, dressed, decorated and fed, and the mother would keep the carving at home
on the family twin altar, in her sleeping room where the carving is often wrapped for
sleep, or in a container.
There are certain actions of the Yoruba that are usually religiously symbolic.
Burning of the born-to-die children symbolises displeasure with that type of children.
It is also a way of dissuading such children from repeating their terrible itinerary.
In Yoruba traditional medicine, symbols occupy a very significant place. The
traditional herbalists make use of plants, roots, and animal species in the preparation
of medicine for healing purposes, and such materials, have, by oral tradition, been
studied and believed to be effectual.
Symbolism is taken into serious in the collection, preparation and
application of the prepared medicine. The herbalist is supposed to know the best time
to collect leaves and plants, or bark of stems and may have to recite some incantations
27
before or after collecting them. Mircea Eliade calls such enactrnents' symbolism of
mythical precedents'.28 E.G. Parrinder rightly observes that:
It is not easy to find out why certain remedies are used - they may have some
fancied resemblance to the symptoms of the disease.
29
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Another category of symbols I would like to bring to your notice is in connection
with some deities that point to some of the attributes of God - 0l6dumare. Sdng6
and Sonponnd for example are conceptualisations of the wrath of God while Orisd 'nla
or Obdtdld is described by some of Yoruba elders as the image or symbol of
0l6dumare on earth. Yoruba theology also refers to Orisanl'n as the offspring of
016dumare inthe sense that he derived immediately from Him and that the attributes
of Olodumare are revealed through him.
Concluding Remarks
So far we have been able to give a broad survey of rituals, symbols and their
implications in Yoruba traditional religion. It is seen in the paper that the idea of the
supreme Being, called 0l6dilmare in Y oruba religion, is central in and crucial to
Yoruba belief system. We have seen th;tt rituals, symbolism and symbols have
ultimate reference to Olodumare who is believed to be the Maker,the Creator, the
Owner of Life.
It is also made clear in the paper that the Y oruba are not worshippers of woods,
plants, animals and so on as erroneously conceived by some foreign researchers.
Rather, they employ those items to give some kind of concrete and objective reality
to their religious dreams and aspirations. Thus all items in their religious thought,
apart from the supreme Being, are a means to an end, the end itself being the supreme
Being known as 0l6dumare, Oluwa; Ol6run, 0l6fin drun, EIMaa.
Those who do riot know but are ready to learn and know should realise that in
all things the Yoruba are religious. The focal point of their religious aspiration is
God. It would be proper then for those who want to conduct a genuine research into
the traditional religious thought of the Yoruba to avoid prejudice and preconceived
notion and show extra caution, openness and sympathy by calling the Yoruba what
they actually call themselves. There is no point pontificating on items that are alien
to one. Such would lead one to commit academic fallacy that does not augur well for
true scholarship.
Footnotes
1. See E.B. Idowu, African Traditional Religion: A Definition, .S.C.M., London,
1971, p. 144.
2. See ibid.,
3. See E. Bolaji Idowu, 0l6dumare: God in Yoruba Belief, Longman, London,
1962, p. 130. Interview with the devotees of Sdng6 in Oyo, devotees of Or ins ani a
at Ifon, devotees of Ogun in Ondo, December, 1986.
4. See ibid., pp. 130ff; see aiso 1.0. Awolau, Yoruba Beliefs and Sacrificial Rites,
Longman, London, 1981, passim; 1.0. Lucas, The Religion of the Yoruba,
C.M.S., 1948, pp. 175ff.
5. See Basil Davison, The Africans: An Entry to Cultural History, Longmans,
London, 1969,p. 190.
6. A Yor:uba Oba is supposed to fulfil the three functions regardless of whether he
is a Muslim or a Christian.
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7. Obatdta is known by many names depending on the area of Yoruba and concerned:
Such names include: Orisanta, Orisa OIU/6n, Orisa Ogryan Orisa Ijaye, Orisa
Owu, and Orisa Ol6M.
8. See E.B. Idowu, African Traditional Religion ... op. cit., p. 143
9, See E.B. Idowu, Ol6dumare ... op. cit., p. 108. Interview with the devotees of
Orisa-nta in Obalufon, ne-Ife, April, 1987.
10. The Kolanut here is usually the one with multi-sided lobes. It is called obi gidi
in Yorubaland.
11. This is a reference to Yoruba system of divination called casting the kolanut Obi
d{da. For details about divination generally, see Wande Abimbola, "The Literature
ofIfa Cult", in S.O. Biobakun ed., Sources ofYoruba History, Claiendon r e s s ~
Oxford, 1973, ppAlff, D. Forde, ed., African Worlds, Oxford University Press,
London, 1970, pp. 24, 39-40, 40 passim. ' .
12. See E.B. Idowu, Ol6dumare ... op. cit., pp. 118ff, 1.0. Awolalu, op. cit., passim,
1.0. Lucas, op. cit., pp. 201ff, B. Davidson, op. cit., pp. 119-120
13. See E.B. Idowu, ibid., p.118
14. It is to be noted that in consequence of colonial rule and modernity the practice
of human sacrifice-had stopped in most quarters in yorubaland.
15. See Samuel 10hnson, The History of the Yorubas, Lowe and Brydone, London,
1973, p p ~ 43ff.
16. The Ondo-Yoruba are noted for the worship ofOgun, the god of war, the god of
. iron.
17. See 1.0. Lucas, op.cit., p. 121.
. 18. The popular dictum of the Yoruba is that adie irana kif se ohun ajegbe .:.:...giving
us the idea that all would eventually die, no one can escape the phenomenon of
death.
19. See Samuel lohnson, op. cit., pp. 54ff. A deceased Yoruba Oba for example is
usually buried in a special place called Bara. Rituals in connection with his
burial are usually done in the night. .
20. See S.O. Biobakun, ed., op. cit., pp. 165ff.
21. See ibid., pp. 140ff
22. See ibid., p. 41
23. Interview with Chief Fasogbon, Irepo, ne-Ife and Chief Fabunmi, the Odole
Atobase of Ife, in He-Ife, April, 1987.
24. See 1.0. Lucas; op. cit., p. 333
25. See S.O. Biobaku, ed., p. 41
26. The axe is a symbol of wrath and justice. This is in fact a representation of God's
axe of wrath and justice. See E.B. Idowu, African Traditional Religion, op. cit.,
p. 169
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27. This is a reference to the power of the spoken word. A lot of symbolic items are
usually involved here. Examples are as follows: .
Chun ti a bti wifun ogb6,
Ni ogb6 gb6;
Chun ti a bti wi fun ogbtl,
Ni ogba gba;
Bi ekol6 bti jubtl ite,
/le a lanu fUn un;
Ase ti ok6 bti pa fun obo,
Ni obo gb6;
Ase ekol6 bti pa fun ite ni ite gb6
That which we say to ogb6 (a kind of plant),
Is that it accepts;
That which we say to ogba (a kind of plant),
Is what it accepts;
If the earthworm acknowledges the mother earth,
The earth will open for it;
It is the order that the penis gives the vagina,
That it accepts;
It is the order that the earthworm
gives the mother earth that it takes.
(All the symbolic items here are a pointer to the efficacy of magic and medicine).
This is an issue of symbolism in herbal preparation,
28. See J.O. Kayode and E. Dada Ade10wo, "Religions in Nigeria" in R. Olaniyan\
ed., Nigerian History and Culture. Longman, London, 1985, p. 240.
29. See ibid., p. 240.
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