Ogun or Ogoun is a spirit that appears in several African religions. He was the first Ooni of Ife after the demise of Oduduwa. A warrior and a powerful spirit of metal work, as well as of rum and rum-making. He is also known as the 'god of Iron', and is present in Yoruba religion, Haitian Vodou, and West African Vodun.
Oduduwa was a Yoruba divine king. According to tradition he was the holder of the title of the Ooni of Ile-Ife, the Yoruba holy city. He was not only the first ruler of a unified Ife, but also the progenitor of various independent royal dynasties in Yorubaland and ancestor of their numerous crowned kings. His name, phonetically written by Yoruba language-speakers as Odùduwà and sometimes contracted as Ooduwa, Odudua or Oòdua is today venerated as "the hero, the warrior, the leader and father of the Yoruba race". Through a war lasting many years, Oduduwa was able to defeat opposing forces of the 13 indigenous communities of Ife to become King of Ife and formed these communities into a single Ife unit.
Ifẹ̀ is an ancient Yoruba city in south-western Nigeria. The city is located in present-day Osun State. Ife is about 218 kilometers northeast of Lagos with a population of 509,813, the highest in Osun State according to population census of 2006.
The Bambara are a Mandé ethnic group native to much of West Africa, primarily southern Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Senegal. They have been associated with the historic Bambara Empire. Today they make up the largest Mandé ethnic group in Mali, with 80% of the population speaking the Bambara language, regardless of ethnicity.
Yorubaland ; is the homeland and cultural region of the Yoruba people in West Africa. It spans the modern day countries of Nigeria, Togo and Benin, and covers a total land area of 142,114 km2 or about the same size as the combined land areas of Greece and Montenegro, of which 106,016 km2 (74.6%) lies within Nigeria, 18.9% in Benin, and the remaining 6.5% is in Togo. Prior to today, a portion of this was known as Yoruba country. The geocultural space contains an estimated 55 million people, the overwhelming majority of this population being ethnic Yorubas.
The Oyo Empire was a powerful Yoruba empire of Yorubaland made up of parts of present-day eastern Benin and western Nigeria. It grew to become the largest Yoruba-speaking state and rose through the outstanding organizational and administrative skills of the Yoruba people, wealth gained from trade, and a powerful cavalry. The Oyo Empire was one of the most politically important states in the entirety of Western Africa from the mid-7th to the late 18th century, and held sway not only over most of the other kingdoms in Yorubaland, but also over nearby African states, notably the Fon Kingdom of Dahomey in the modern Republic of Benin on its west.
The Ẹgbado, now Yewa, are a subgroup of the Yoruba people, and inhabit the eastern area of Ogun West Senatorial District, Ogun State, in south-west Nigeria, Africa. In 1995 they changed their name to the Yewa. Yewa clan now comprises 4 local Governments Yewa South, Yewa North, Imeko-Afon and Ipokia, while the Ado-Odo/Ota LGA forms the 5th Awori part of the senatorial district
Oranmiyan Omoluabi Odede, Great Prince of Ife, King of the Yoruba, also known as Ọranyan, was a Yoruba king from the kingdom of Ile-Ife. Although he was the youngest, he became the prime heir of Oduduwa upon his return to claim his grandfather's throne.
Long before 1500, much of modern Nigeria was divided into states identified with contemporary ethnic groups. These early states included the Igbo Kingdom of Nri, the Benin Kingdom, the Yoruba city-states including the Kingdom of Ife, Igala Kingdom, the Hausa States, and Nupe. Numerous small states to the west and south of Lake Chad were absorbed or displaced in the course of the expansion of Kanem, which was centered to the northeast of Lake Chad. Bornu, initially the western province of Kanem, became independent in the late 14th century. Other states probably existed, but the absence of archaeological data prevents accurate dating.
The documented history begins when Oranyan came to rule the Oyo Empire, which became dominant in the early 17th century. The older traditions of the formerly dominant Ile-Ife kingdom are largely oral in nature.
The Yoruba of West Africa are responsible for one of the finest artistic traditions in Africa, a tradition that remains vital and influential today.
Modakeke is a town in Osun State, South West Nigeria, with a population of close to 500,000 people.The Modakekes are also known as the "Akoraye" and have a history of valor at war and are prosperous farmers.
The Yorubapeople are a native West African ethnic group that inhabit western Africa, in mainly the parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo that constitute Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute around 38 million people in Africa, a few hundred thousand outside of its continental borders, and bear some further representation among members of the African diaspora. The vast majority of the Yoruba population is today within the country of Nigeria, where the Yoruba make up 15.5% of the country's population by contemporary estimations, making them one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa, by number. Most Yoruba people speak the Yoruba language, which is, also, the Niger-Congo language with the largest number of native speakers.
An Oba's crown represents the highest level of authority vested in Yoruba rulers. Referred to as an ade, the bead-embroidered crown is the foremost attribute of the ruler. An oba's crown may also be referred to as an adenla, or great crown. Andenlas are elaborate conical headdresses, like the ade, but feature a heavily beaded veil that covers the face. In his article on the topic, Robert F. Thompson writes, "The crown incarnates the intuition of royal ancestral force, the revelation of great moral insight in the person of the king, and the glitter of aesthetic experience."
The Olojo Festival is an ancient festival celebrated annually in Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. This festival is one of the popular festival in the Yoruba land, it was once described by Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi as a festival that celebrate the Black race all over the world. The Yoruba word 'Olojo' means 'The Day Of The First Dawn' that describes the grateful heart of man towards God's creation and the existence of Human. The Olojo Festival is a culture festival in the calendar of the Ile-Ife, Osun State which is located in the Southwestern part of Nigeria. It is the celebration of the remembrance of “Ogun”, god of Iron, who is believed to be the first son of Oduduwa, progenitor of the Yoruba people. The festival is held annually in October.
The Yoruba tribal marks are scarifications which are specific identification and beautification marks designed on the face or body of the Yoruba people. The tribal marks are part of the Yoruba culture and are usually inscribed on the body by burning or cutting of the skin during childhood. The primary function of the tribal marks is for identification of a person's tribe, family or patrilineal heritage. Other secondary functions of the marks are symbols of beauty, Yoruba creativity and keeping mischievous children alive. This practice was popular among Yoruba people of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. During the trans-Atlantic slave trade, tribal identification and facial stripes became important. Some repatriated slaves later reunited with their communities by looking at facial stripes.
The Ọwọrọ ethnic nationality represents a group of people around the Niger-Benue confluence speaking a Yoruba dialect called Oworo. They are generally classified as part of Northeast Yoruba (NEY) of the Yoruba people.
Ogun Festival is an annual festival observed by the Yoruba people of Ondo State, Nigeria in honour of Ogun, a warrior and powerful spirit of metal work believed by the Yoruba to be the first god to arrive on earth.
