The Oyo Empire was a Yoruba empire in West Africa. It was located in present-day southern Benin and western Nigeria. The empire grew to become the largest Yoruba-speaking state through the organizational and administrative efforts of the Yoruba people, trade, as well as the military use of cavalry. The Oyo Empire was one of the most politically important states in Western Africa from the mid-17th 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.
Ikorodu is a city in Lagos State, Nigeria. It is located to the north-east of Lagos, along the Lagos Lagoon and shares boundary with Ogun State. With a population of over 1 million inhabitants, Ikorodu is currently the 12th largest city in Nigeria and growing at a rate of 5.26% annually, it is projected to reach 1.7 million inhabitants by 2035, It is the 2nd largest local government in Lagos State. Indigenous settlers of Ikorodu emigrated from Sagamu in Ogun state.
Ogboni is a fraternal institution indigenous to the Yoruba-speaking polities of Nigeria, Republic of Bénin and Togo, as well as among the Edo people. The society performs a range of political and religious functions, including exercising a profound influence on monarchs and serving as high courts of jurisprudence in capital offenses.
Oba is a pre-nominal honorific for kings in Yorubaland, a region which is in the modern republics of Benin, Nigeria and Togo. Examples of Yoruba bearers include Oba Ogunwusi of Ile-Ife, Oba Aladelusi of Akure, and Oba Akiolu of Lagos. An example of a Bini bearer is Oba Ewuare II of Benin.
The Yoruba of West Africa are responsible for a distinct artistic tradition in Africa, a tradition that remains vital and influential today.
Traditional Chiefs in Ota play a role in maintaining local cultures and traditions in Ota, Nigeria. Many also form the group of Kingmakers who select the traditional ruler, or Oba, of Ota: the Olota of Ota.
Gbedu literally means "big drum" and is a percussion instrument traditionally used in ceremonial Yoruba music in Nigeria and Benin. More recently, the word has come to be used to describe forms of Nigerian Afrobeats music.
The Olowu of Owu is the paramount Yoruba king of Owu kingdom. The first Olowu of Owu is also one of the original kings in Yorubaland.
The Owu sub-ethnicity is a part of the Yoruba people of West Africa. Ago-Owu in Abeokuta is where the Owus are mostly concentrated, however large Owu settlements are found throughout Yorubaland. The Yoruba confederacy of kingdoms extends beyond the boundaries of Nigeria into the Republic of Benin and Togo.
Coronations in Africa are held, or have been held, in or amongst the following countries, regions and peoples:
Ìyál'ọ́jà is a Yoruba word that literally translates to "Mother of the Market". It has commonly been used to refer to a prominent traditional chieftaincy title among the Yoruba people.
The Ìyálóde is a high-ranking female chieftain in most of the Yoruba traditional states. The title is currently within the gift of the obas, although Njoku asserted in 2002 that the process of choosing an Ìyálóde in pre-colonial Nigeria was less of a choice by the monarch, and more of the accomplishment and involvement of the woman to be so honoured in economic and political matters.
The Nigerian Chieftaincy is the chieftaincy system that is native to Nigeria. Consisting of everything from the country's monarchs to its titled family elders, the chieftaincy as a whole is one of the oldest continuously existing institutions in Nigeria and is legally recognized by its government.
The Reformed Ogboni Fraternity, also known as the R.O.F, is an international fraternal organization. It is commonly described by initiates as a syncretic blend of the Ogboni system of Yorubaland and various external elements.
The Ibadan National Museum of Unity is an ethnographic museum in Aleshinloye Ibadan, Nigeria. The museum is dedicated to the culture of the different ethnic groups of Nigeria.
The Ada and Abere are state swords of authority in Yorubaland. State swords have been used for centuries to represent the ancient rights bestowed from Ife to various Yoruba, Yoruboid, and neighbouring groups, including the Fon, Ga, and Benin Kingdom.
Aso Olona is a traditional Yoruba textile known for its intricate geometric patterns and cultural significance, particularly among the Ijebu subgroup. The term "Aso Olona" translates to "cloth with patterns" in the Yoruba language. Aso Olona is an handwoven fabrics that can come with motifs like the chameleon.
The Ayangburen Palace serves as the traditional seat of the monarch of Ikorodu, one of the five divisions of Lagos State, Nigeria. It is the official residence of the Oba Ayangburen of Ikorodu, the paramount ruler of the Ikorodu people. The palace is an important cultural, political, and spiritual center, reflecting the heritage and authority of the Oba.
The Eyibi Festival is an annual cultural celebration held in Oke Eletu, Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Ikorodu Local Government of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria. The festival is sometimes celebrated as Eyibi/Eluku Festival It showcases the community's rich Yoruba heritage, focusing on unity, peace, and spiritual renewal. Rooted in ancestral traditions, the festival serves as a time for communal bonding and cultural preservation. The Eluku and the Agemo festival are sub-festivals of the Eyibi festival which are usually celebrated among the Ijebus.
