One of the dominant features of Yoruba culture and of Yoruba identity is the institution of Punishment and Reward Systems.And because punishment is severe, crime in a pure Yoruba state is almost unknown. Stealing is punished with ostracisation, banishment and even death. And this is in addition to public disgrace and humiliation that will be heaped on the culprit. Adultery is very rare. And a man who tries it stands the risk of death through Magun!Reward systems include a generous chieftaincy title by the Monarch, admission into high sacred institutions, and the person may be made a Counsellor in the community.Thus the Yoruba identity is found in his personal pride and dignity, willingness to work and cooperate with others in the community to advance communal good and general uprightness that is uncommon to many other races.A Yoruba would leave his wares and goods by the road side, and purchasers would pick items and leave whatever is the item of money for the owner of the goods to collect in the evening!It is pertinent to mention here the most cherished world view of the Yoruba. Money which is worshipped by many cultures occupies bottom position in the Yoruba scale of Value system. Wisdom, Knowledge and Intelligence known collectively as Ogbon, Imo Oye top the scale to be followed closely by Valour. Integrity comes third while Industry comes fourth. It is after these four attributes would have taken their seats on the high table would the man with money and material wealth be considered for the last seat. The first four are embraced by the Man of Character!It is this concept of Omoluwabi coupled with the cherished value system of the Yoruba that gave them the prosperity advancement and civilisation in the early period of their evolution, and still make them one of the most studied and engaging races on planet earth.We may now examine the damage which erosion has done to the Yoruba culture and their identity and in doing so examine in what areas this erosion has done the most debilitating damage. Let us look at religion. This is so because religion is the second most vital component of culture apart from language. Religion is actually a way of life. It is difficult to differentiate between an Arab and Islam or between a Jew and Judaism.Please, permit me to quote from my book, Theatre on Wheels (1978) on the subject of Yoruba religion.Religion of the YorubaThe Yoruba believe in one Supreme Being variously called Olorun ('the Owner of Heaven' or the Lord who dwells in Heaven), Odumare or Olodumare (' the Owner of destinies'), Oluwa, ('the Owner of Us') and who is believed to dwell in heaven. Olorun is the Creator of the Universe and all that dwell therein. All prayers are directed at Him or Her. The Yoruba Olorun is not gendered. Olodumare, the Adiitu, the Inscrutable; limitless, timeless, ubiquitous, and genderless.Subordinate to the Supreme Being are a number of deities (some say 401) who are held in an elaborate hierarchical order, and to whom are attached special duties and functions. Each has attendant priests and followers. Except for Olorun, the deities are believed to have lived on earth, but instead of dying they became gods, or after their death were deified by their people, in the same manner founders of some other major religions were deified by their followers.The most important of these Divinities is Orisa Nla, (the great Divinity) or Obatala (the 'Immaculate King' because of his legendary association with white colours) who is believed to be the god who creates the human form and is believed to be a close Assistant to Olorun. He is actually an Archangel in the Yoruba pantheon.Next to him is Orunmila, otherwise known as Agbonniregun, who is the god of Divination. He is the all-wise Counsellor of Obatala and a spiritual link to Olodumare. He is the Ifa Oracle that must be consulted through the Babalawo (Ifa Priest) before a Yoruba man embarks on any venture whatsoever.Next in the pantheon is Esu Elegbara, believed to be youngest and cleverest of the three deities so far mentioned. He is the divine Messenger who delivers sacrifices prescribed by the Ifa priest to other gods. He is a trickster who delights in provoking troubles, but he serves the lesser deities by causing trouble for human beings who offend the code of conduct as given by the Supreme Being and interpreted by His/Her Divinities. Esu is not the equivalent of the Christian Satan or the Muslim Shaetan. The nearest Western equivalent to him is Mercury, messenger of gods in the classical pantheon, or the modern Chief Whip in a parliamentary democracy whose duty is to maintain discipline and curb individual excesses. Let me quickly emphasise here that there is a world of difference between the Yoruba Olorun, the Supreme Being, Who is genderless and does not possess a feminine and the Judaic God and the Arab Allah.Next in the hierarchy is Ogun, the god of iron, metals and war. He is the patron god of hunters, warriors, blacksmiths, barbers, surgeons (one of his praise names is Onikola-the symbolic meaning of which is surgeon).He is today the most widely worshipped among the Yoruba gods, and even given official recognition in the Western-type courts, as non-Muslims and non-Christians are asked to swear by Ogun for affidavits and in court proceedings.Another powerful god is Sango, the god of thunder and lightning. He is the deified third King of Oyo, and historically, the son of Oranmiyan by his wife, Yemoja.Although Oduduwa is the most important Deity in Ile Ife, the recognition accorded him by all the Yoruba as the prime ancestor, spiritual head and imperial Monarch makes his worship of less universal importance. Although, his name may be used in prayer or invoked in times of extreme stress, he is not worshipped as Obatala, or Orunmila, or Ogun, or Sango is.Other important deities, whose shrines are found in most parts of Yorubaland include Sonponno, the god of smallpox, Orisa Oko, the god of agriculture, and Oranyan who has sizeable worshippers in Ife and Oyo.Apart from these universal Deities, there are lesser spirits who are nonetheless important to the individuals and localities that embrace their worship. These are gods and goddesses associated with physical or physiological phenomena, such as hills, rivers, the ocean, seas and lagoons, rocks, and the human head. There are also cults which may have derived their existence from the traditional political structure since in the ancient times spiritual and secular matters were merged in one cult hero- the head of the community. Such cults include the Oro, the Egungun, and the Ogboni. Thus we have Yemoja, the goddess of Ogun River, Oya, the goddess of River Niger, and Osun, the goddess of the river of Osun and of fertility. Kori or Orisa Oko is also known as god of the youths. Olumo rock in Abeokuta and Oke-Ibadan in Ibadan are among several physical structures which provided protection for early settlers in the time of the ferocious intra-ethnic wars, and which till today are worshipped by some indigenes. A person's head is also worshipped in the manner the physical structures that were once crucial [and perhaps are still crucial] to a people's survival are worshipped.Unlike the Middle Eastern religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam which place the human essence - the spirit in the soul, the Yoruba religious orientation regards the Head as being very vital, very potent and possessing its own distinct spirit. Believed to be of crucial factor in determining one's success or bad luck in life, Ori ('the head') is worshipped and revered on daily basis. Hence, the saying 'oogun l'ojo iponju, ori l'ojo gbogbo'[ we summon the use of metaphysical properties on critical days, but we invoke the spirit of the Head every day.) The spirit of the head is distinct from the spirit of the entire body. There is Eda mi, the alter ego, the guardian angel created also by Eleda, the Creator, who is Olorun. The Yoruba distinguish between the two and believe each of the two has its distinct but complimentary powers. 'Ori mi aa gbe mi ni'ja (my head spirit will help me succeed in a fight). Or, 'eda mi aa ja fun mi' (implying almost the same thing but substituting my head Spirit with my Guardian Angel).It should be emphasised that the Yoruba basically believe in one Universe and one Central Authority, Olodumare. Rocks, insects, rivers, the sun, the moon, the earth, air, fire, in fact everything in the universe is considered the handiwork of the Supreme Being and therefore deserving of respect and veneration. It also has to be reiterated that the Yoruba never worshipped idols. I cannot speak for the Catholics! While the Yoruba celebrate their Deities; their patron-saints; the way the Catholics do, all their prayers are directed to Olorun- the Supreme Being. The closest to Yoruba religion is Orthodox Judaism which offers sacrifices and invokes the names of its archangels, prophets and such other eminent historical personages.The word 'worship' as it relates to the Yoruba reverence for their Deities is the old English original 'weorthscipe' which is, ' to show intense love or devotion to' (Collins Compact English Dictionary) Even while sacrifices are being offered at the shrine of Ogun or any other Deity, the Yoruba direct their prayers to Olorun. Hence, the prayer: 'Gbogbo ebo ti a ru l'oni ki Olorun je o gba. Ase.'(May Olorun the Supreme Being accept the prayers offered with these sacrifices: Amen)The Yoruba also believe in reincarnation and in the spirit world the same way the Arab believe in their world of Al-jinn. Incidentally, the Yoruba call spirits Alijonnu. It is strongly held that the spirit of a dead relation could re-incarnate in any shape or form. The idea of death as a permanent end is not known. The physical demise of an old person is celebrated the same way, if not more elaborately than, the birth of a baby is.Each Yoruba town, indeed every household has its own shrine and it is not uncommon to prefix the names of members of a particular compound or clan with the Divinity they worship. And so, adherents of Ogun bear names such as Ogunwale, Ogungbemi ('Ogun has come home', 'Ogun is profitable to me'), and of Orunmila with names such as Ifalana ('Ifa paved the way'). Ifafunmito ('Ifa has given me this (baby) to nurse'), while adherents of Sango could have Sangodare ('Sango vindicated me'), Sangoniyi ('Sango has honour').The institution of Egungun, and the belief in the existence of witches and witchcraft need some elaboration. The Egungun is a masked representation of the dead, and because the Yoruba believe that the dead can still influence the living, these masked figures appear in very town and village of the Yoruba for several weeks annually during which the whole community celebrate in honour of the spirits of their departed ancestors. It is the most widespread annual event in Yorubaland, and it is the Egungun that gave the Yoruba their first professional travelling theatre. I should emphasise here that Egungun is not masquerade. The Yoruba Egungun is the shrouded spirit.Witches are feared and respected though not worshiped. They are regarded in the same light as Esu Elagbara. Oral tradition holds that they were the few women in Oduduwa's party during his migration to Ife. While the Yoruba hold witches in awe, they also believe that they perform some good function in the society. It is the abuse of the purpose of their craft which is heavily condemned. But there is no offering the Yoruba will make without venerating both Esu Elegbara, and Aje ('witches'). Witches are euphemistically called Iya mi Osoronga, afinju eye ti nfo l'oru [ 'My mother, indigene of Osoronga, the sophisticated bird that flies in the night'), or Iya agba '('the elder woman').We should also note that the Yoruba are fatalistic in their view of the events in the world and believe that a man is born into this world with his own destiny (pre-destination) which he obtains from Olodumare on bended knees. Described as akunlegba or akunleyan ('That- which- is- received-kneeling'), this concept sums up the Yoruba attitude to tragedy.Even with the advent of foreign religions, a Yoruba Bishop or Chief Imam will in a period of serious strife often go back to consult Ifa oracle and offer sacrifices to his ancestral gods. If he shies away from doing so, his parents or relations will do it for him regardless. As Bernard Shaw puts it, a nation that forgets its gods cannot survive.It is believed that it is faster to reach Olorun the Supreme being through their own patron saint, Orunmila or Ogun than through the patron saints or deities from other cultures. And consulting their own diviner or medium, the babalawo who uses Odu-Ifa or Opele, is more reassuring than a diviner using the Quran or the Bible as reference tools.Another area where we need to refresh our memory is in the realm of Yoruba political structure, which unfortunately has experienced serious and severe battering.Political StructureThe Yoruba is a Monarchy. But it is a participatory monarchy where democratic norms are practised and vigorously protected. Those who share power in the land include the Kingmakers, the War generals, The Ogboni and Leaders of religious sects, The Judiciary, and the Chamber of Commerce. In all of these institutions, women play active and prominent roles.Oyo kingdom, for example, has the Oyomesi, the Council of State headed by the Prime Minister. This council comprises the traditional kingmakers who represent seven major wards of Oyo. And the Constitution of Ondo City-State shows other democratic features which are known to have been shared by most Yoruba States long before the advent of colonial rule. At its great Council, members of the public were generally present as observers, although they could not take part in the proceedings conducted by their representatives. Individual members of the public were however asked, on occasions, for their opinions on important matters. Oral tradition attests to historical claim that representational democracy was in vogue in Ondo before 900AD.There are a number of secret and sacred societies or institutions which primarily have political and/or judicial functions. Chief amongst these are the Ogboni cult, the twin-cults Oro and Eluku. The Ogboni or Osugbo (as it is called in Egba and Ijebu kingdoms) is a well structured arm of government found in Yorubaland and it is believed to have originated from Ile-Ife. It is the most secret, and most respected of all sacred institutions and membership is through vigorous ritualistic initiation. There is usually a woman member of the executive known as Erelu, the counterpart of Oluwo ('the head of the Mysteries').
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