Yoruba: Gender in their Culture
In Nigeria, there are three major ethnic groups, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo. I will be talking about the Yoruba people and their culture which make up twenty-one percent of the population in Nigeria (Ember 1624). Some quick facts about this ethnic group include that their spoken language is Yoruban, they live in the southeast region of Nigeria called Yorubaland, and they are also located in Togo and Benin (Ember 1624). While all those facts are interesting and good to know, I will be focusing on gender in Yoruba culture. I believe that contact with the Western world influenced the gender roles in Yoruba culture. I will cover Yoruba gender roles compared to other countries, gender roles in marriage, religion’s effect on the construction of gender roles, gender in the government, and the view of children based on sex.
Get Help With Your Essay
If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help!
See Also
The Best VPN Server Countries to Connect Through"Unfair and irresponsible" claim? Pinoy vlogger sa South Korea, inimbestigahan ang "Hermes snub" kay Sharon CunetaEnglish Pronunciation Rules and How to Learn ThemModes of Communication: Types, Meaning and Examples | Leverage Edu
Essay Writing Service
(Video) Yoruba is a gender neutral language.
Oyèrónkẹ́ Oyěwùmí argues that gender is a Western idea that was introduced into the Yoruba people and the Yoruba people had no notion of gender previous to that. One of her reasonings is that there are no specific words in regard to gender. Other scholars such as Olajubu disagree with her statement saying that the Yoruba people have allowed gender to play a massive role in religion and traditions. She says that sex is a natural thing and gender is a constructed concept of classification. I think this goes along with the Nature vs. Nurture argument that one thing may be natural and we are born with it, while human nature is learned through teachings and observations. One argument that throws a new outlook into this two sided debate states that gender does play a role, but not in the way that our society views it, as either male or female. So what is the truth, have the Yoruba people always allowed gender to play a role in their culture or was it taught to them by Westerners?
(Video) Gender: How to Say "Male" and "Female" in Yorùbá Language
To get these answer, I began to read about the differences in gender normality’s across different countries. I found that in over sixteen countries people believe that men have the first right to jobs, that they believe males are more fit for political positions, and that women should have children to be fulfilled (Weziak-Bialowolska). In Yoruba I found that as time has changed and more outside influences were in contact with the Yoruba, the more the gender roles in Yoruba shifted. I don’t think that they shifted negatively for women, I believe it gave women more opportunity to have careers that they wished. According to McIntosh in her book Yoruba Women, Work, and Social Change, she summarizes that independent roles were played by women on agriculture and trade until colonial ideas about “female professions” changed the career paths of women (McIntosh). In a review of McIntosh’s book, another scholar Insa Nolte, concluded that, “Yoruba women adapted their skills to support more widespread cultural notions as well as continuing their domestic roles” (Nolte).
Speaking of domestic roles, one interesting place to study is the Yoruba culture’s marriages and traditions in regards to gender roles. In Yoruba, marriage is expected of each sex at the socially deemed appropriate age, women in their twenties and men in their thirties. A woman’s place in society was once based on her being a daughter of her father and one of the
wives in her husbands lineage (Denzer). A woman was considered to be a possession of the family that she marries into, being passed to a brother if her husband died or the family having rights to the children she bore (Johnson). One thing that does seem to have changed is that divorce was not a common occurrence in precolonial times and now a days a man has the free privilege to divorce a wife (Johnson). Also according to Johnson, the Yoruba people were traditionally monogamous and polygamy was reserved for the wealthy. That is not the case today, one prime example of expressing polygamy is the Ooni of Ife. The leader of the Yoruba people, King Ojaja, has three wives and a recent divorce to his would have been fourth wife (Oonirisa.org). There has been an obvious increase in polygamous marriages and I think that this stems from the encounter of new religions brought during colonialism.
Let’s explore what the effects of religion has been in regards to gender roles. Fifty percent of Nigeria are Muslims, forty percent are Christian, and ten percent practice ingenious religions (Ember). The largest findings of Muslim and Christians followers are in the Yoruba ethnic group. What it interesting is that in Yoruban religion, women are typically the most respected of traditional priests (Ember). In Africa, more specifically, Yoruba, we have to understand that the Yoruba people worship many gods who did not have genders placed upon them (Peel).The influence of other religions started to help differentiate and define gender. Christian pastors and Muslim Babalawo were predominately men. One consequence of this primary gender being the heads of religion is that the Yoruba people began to establish a hierarchy in religion based on gender (Peel). At one point in history, a woman must pray to her husband’s Ifa and find her spiritual fate through her husbands (Peel). Based on this, I would say that religion effected gender roles in Yoruba culture by simply making the people aware of gender and it’s hierarchy in certain religions.
See Also
[Ver Gratis] Hocus Pocus 2 [] Ver Películas Online Gratis Castellano20 mejores campañas en redes socialesStores Like ASOS: 12 Alternatives For Men (Online and IRL)Tutorial: Azure AD SSO integration with Sage Intacct - Microsoft Entra
(Video) WOMEN IN YORUBA TRADITION - CC PORT - FRANÇAIS
Finally, how does the role of gender play into their societies government? To first answer this we need to know what type of government they conduct. “Yoruba history and politics in Nigeria are dynamic rather than static.” Is how author Falola who studies African Affairs described the Yoruba government (Yoruba Identity). How is that possible you might ask? There are three types of courts for legal matters disputes in Yoruba. The first of the court systems were the customary courts at the local level, men were expected to sit on one side and women on the other, everyone voting on public matters (Yoruba Legal Systems). This court handles family and land matters primarily. The second and next level, is the District Court that is based on the British System, where more high level legal matters were handled and connected to the state system of government and hierarchy (Mary M. Johnson). The final and third level of their government system is based on the Islamic law system and not an active office since there is not a predominate Muslim community (Yoruba Legal Systems). So we can see that at least in their government and courts, women are equal in their attendance and vote and the influence of British and Islam legal systems do not change this fact.
Find Out How UKEssays.com Can Help You!
(Video) Obatala Explained - The Gender Fluid Orisha
Our academic experts are ready and waiting to assist with any writing project you may have. From simple essay plans, through to full dissertations, you can guarantee we have a service perfectly matched to your needs.
View our services
Do their views or lack of views on gender have an effect on the way that their children are raised or treated? Men show superiority over their women counterparts, who are usually relegated to the background. Therefore, socially, politically, economically and religiously women are to a very large extent, disadvantaged since decision were taken mostly by women the males. (Ubrurhe). Scholar and Author Olabode, who wrote about birth rights of female children in Africa is quoted saying,
Immediately a child is born, the question that will be posed will centre on sex, not minding of health of the mother. If the baby is a female, the mother will be scolded and treated as a lazy, good for nothing woman. On the other hand if the child is a male, praise will be showered on the mother, not considering the fact that Biology has shown that it is the father who determines the sex of an offspring (Olabode).
(Video) Yoruba Belief about Patriarchy | Does Yoruba culture support gender inequality? #conversations
I think this is a great example of how women are disadvantaged from birth and considered “less than” male children who are celebrated and praised. One mythology story from their culture demonstrates the Yoruba belief that women are inferior to the cunning and overpowering man. “He held a whip. He changed his voice to that of an eegun to disguise himself . When Odu saw the eegun in the new guise she was afraid. This was how men cunningly overpowered women.” (Olajubu). I also, take this to mean that men might have feared the power of women and felt threatened enough to try and control them. I think the balance of power between the sexes is a worldwide issue and this is an example of it in the Yoruba culture.
To conclude, I would like to restate that I believe Western influence changed the gender roles in the Yoruba culture. I cannot determine if there were or were not slight gender constrictions before Western influence and I cannot say if the influence was for worse or for better. However, I do believe that most certainly “gender” has become a concept in Yoruba and roles have shifted based on the research and data I have collected. If anything can be said for certain, it is that gender concept in Yoruba is anything except a singularly defined idea. Gender roles change and have a fluidity to them with each different aspect of their culture from marriage to religion to government.
Bibliography
- Denzer, Laray. “Yoruba Women: A Historiographical Study.”The International Journal of African Historical Studies27.1 (1994): 1-39. Web.
- Ember, Melvin., and Ember, Carol R.Countries and Their Cultures / Melvin Ember and Carol R. Ember, Editors.New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web.
- Falola, Toyin., Genova, Ann, and Perspectives on Yoruba History Culture.The Yoruba in Transition : History, Values, and Modernity / Edited by Toyin Falola and Ann Genova.Durham, N.C.: Carolina Academic, 2006. Print.
- Falola, Toyin., and Genova, Ann.Yorubá Identity and Power Politics / Edited by Toyin Falola and Ann Genova.Rochester, NY: U of Rochester, 2006. Print. Rochester Studies in African History and the Diaspora, [v. 22].
- Familusi, O.O. “African Culture and the Status of Women: The Yoruba Example.”Journal of Pan African Studies5.1 (2012): 299. Web.
- Johnson, Samuel, and Johnson, O.The History of the Yorubas from the Earliest times to the Beginning of the British Protectorate. G. Routledge & Sons, 1921. Web.
- Mary M. Johnson. “Yoruba Legal Systems” Journal of Law and Judicial System, 1(3), pp.1-2
- McIntosh, Marjorie Keniston.Yoruba Women, Work, and Social Change / Marjorie Keniston McIntosh.Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana UP, 2009. Print.
- Mercader, Julio, Raquel Marti, Jayne Wilkins, and Kentd. Fowler. “The Eastern Periphery of the Yoruba Cultural Sphere. Ceramics from the Lowland Rain Forests of Southwestern Cameroon.”Current Anthropology47.1 (2006): 173-84. Web.
- Nolte, Insa. “Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.”Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, vol. 73, no. 3, 2010, pp. 568–570.JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40963348.
- Olabode B.O. “African Gender Myth in Proverbs and Verbal Discourses; A Case Study of the Yoruba of South-Western Nigeria” in Kehinde, A.(ed) Gender and Development: Essential Readings, Ibadan: Hope Publications (2009).
- Olajubu, Oyeronke. “Seeing through a Woman’s Eye: Yoruba Religious Tradition and Gender Relations.”Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion20.1 (2004): 41-60. Web.
- Oyěwùmí, Oyèrónkẹ́.The Invention of Women : Making an African Sense of Western Gender Discourses / Oyèrónkẹ́ Oyěwùmí.Minneapolis, Minn.: U of Minnesota, 1997. Print.
- Peel, J. D. Y. “Gender in Yoruba Religious Change.”Journal of Religion in Africa32.2 (2002): 136-66. Web.
- Ubrurhe, J.O “Culture Religion and Feminism: Hermeneutic Problem” in Ifie, E. (Ed) Coping With Culture, Ibadan: Oputuru Books (1999)
- Weziak-Bialowolska, Dorota. “Differences in Gender Norms Between Countries: Are They Valid? The Issue of Measurement Invariance”European journal of population = Revue europeenne de demographievol. 31 (2014): 51-76.
FAQs
Is there gender in Yoruba culture? ›
In the case of the Yoruba society, the post colonization gave birth to the concept that gender is timeless and universal; it also catalyzed the implementation of this idea. This implies that the gender divider is an essential part of the society, which contradicts with the author's primary argument.
What is the culture of Yoruba people? ›Yoruba culture consists of cultural philosophy, religion and folktales. They are embodied in Ifa divination, and are known as the tripartite Book of Enlightenment in Yorubaland and in its diaspora. Yoruba cultural thought is a witness of two epochs. The first epoch is a history of cosmogony and cosmology.
Learn More Now ›
In Yorubaland, one of the most important traditions observed is 'orúko àmútọ̀runwá' – thenaming of a newly born child. Names are given to children by their parents, grandparents (paternal and maternal) and some other close relatives. A typical Yoruba child can bear as many as 16 different names.
How do we show respect in Yoruba culture? ›Respect is an important aspect of Yoruba tradition and a symbol of both peace and order. The manner of greeting is one of the first things a stranger notices about the Yoruba system of respect. A male is expected to greet an older person with a bow or prostration and a female with a kneel.
Explore More ›
Ajé The orisha of wealth, economic enterprise, business, economic success in the Yoruba religion, believed to be a daughter of Olókun.
The Yoruba group is assumed to have developed out of undifferentiated Volta–Niger populations by the 1st millennium BC. Settlements of early Yoruba speakers are assumed to correspond to those found in the wider Niger area from about the 4th century BC, especially at Ife.
Discover More Details ›
Yoruba men say are one of the most sought after men by women of various ethnic groups in Nigeria; when it comes to dating and marriage. This is probably because the men are trained to be respectful and helpful just like other tribes.
What are Yoruba people called? ›Even in many parts of Ondo State today, people still refer to themselves as Ondo, Idanre, Ilaje or Ikale but refer to their brethren from Oyo, Osun and Kwara as Yoruba while Lagos and the riverine Yoruba refer to other Yoruba people as Ara-Oke, that is, people of the upland.
Know More ›
In the Yoruba traditional setting, the major or official marriage process is the traditional marriage, a covenant stage where the two families come together in the open to seal the love relationship of their children in the presence of friends, families and well-wishers.
View More ›
The Yoruba culture also has a well-defined value system that is very important to them. Some of the values include wisdom, integrity, valour, hard work, honour, and wealth.
How old is Yoruba culture? ›
The historical Yoruba develop in situ, out of earlier (Mesolithic) Volta-Niger populations, by the 1st millennium BC. Archaeologically, the settlement at Ile-Ife can be dated to the 4th century BC, with urban structures appearing in the 8th-10th Centuries.
Tell Me More ›
The Yoruba-speaking peoples share a rich and complex heritage that is at least one thousand years old. Today 18 million Yoruba live primarily in the modern nations of southwestern Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.
The Yoruba region was invaded in the 19th century by another ethnic group, the Fulani, who pushed them south into the regions they occupy today. In the early 20th century, most Yoruba people fell under control of the British Empire, where they remained for about 60 years before Nigeria gained independence.
Tell Me More ›
The Yoruba culture also has a well-defined value system that is very important to them. Some of the values include wisdom, integrity, valour, hard work, honour, and wealth.
What food do Yoruba people eat? ›Hunting, fishing, animal husbandry, and the gathering of wild foods are practised, but the basis of the Yoruba diet consists of starchy tubers, grains, and fruits grown on their farms, supplemented by vegetable oils, wild and cultivated fruits and vegetables, and meat and fish.
Keep Reading ›
1. J Lorand Malory at FIU on gender in Yoruba culture and religion
2. Vul’umlomo: Conversations on Culture | Unpacking Identity | Episode 3
3. Yoruba Culture: Traditional Clothing of the Yoruba People of Africa
4. Major ethnic groups in Togo and their peculiarities
5. Yoruba Sexuality | Eko Ile - Home Training | @TheOrishaCenter
6. characterization of female gender in Nigeria Yoruba popular music: part 1 (introduction)
Author information
Name: Ms. Lucile Johns
Birthday: 1999-11-16
Address: Suite 237 56046 Walsh Coves, West Enid, VT 46557
Phone: +59115435987187
Job: Education Supervisor
Hobby: Genealogy, Stone skipping, Skydiving, Nordic skating, Couponing, Coloring, Gardening
Introduction: My name is Ms. Lucile Johns, I am a successful, friendly, friendly, homely, adventurous, handsome, delightful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
FAQs
What is the gender of the Yoruba culture? ›
Yorùbá culture is gender-neutral and gender-silent; women are seen as complementary and not subordinate to men. Hence, (Oyěwùmí 1997), caution must be raised on the continual adoption of mainstream Western feminist philosophy in Yorùbá culture.
What is Yoruba culture known for? ›The Yoruba have traditionally been among the most skilled and productive craftsmen of Africa. They worked at such trades as blacksmithing, weaving, leatherworking, glassmaking, and ivory and wood carving.
What is the most unique thing about Yoruba culture? ›The Yoruba are a very sociable and expressive people who commemorate major events with colorful festivals and celebrations. Weddings, naming ceremonies, funerals and even housewarming parties are celebrated in a lavish and ceremonial nature.
What is the importance of virginity in Yoruba culture? ›It is believed that virgins have self-discipline and are well-trained by their parents. This custom and virginity has many advantages as it prevent the rate of fornication and helps the married women to be faithful with their husbands. Also, many lives have been lost to the act.
Are all Yoruba names unisex? ›Most Yoruba names are unisex. Not all. You'll walk far before you find a male called Ọmọlará. There's always one, though.
What are the gender pronouns in Yoruba? ›| Yoruba | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Mi | Mee | I/me |
| Mo | Mo | You |
| O/un | Oh/wun | He/she/it |
The Yoruba believe that daily life depends on proper alignment and knowledge of one's ori. Ori is the part of one's soul that influences personal destiny and success. Another important Yoruba concept is called aché (or ashe), the divine energy that runs through all living and nonliving things.
What is one of the most important parts of Yoruba culture? ›Culture and traditions
In Yorubaland, one of the most important traditions observed is 'orúko àmútọ̀runwá' – the naming of a newly born child. Names are given to children by their parents, grandparents (paternal and maternal) and some other close relatives.
The Yoruba religion (Yoruba: Ìṣẹ̀ṣe), or Isese, comprises the traditional religious and spiritual concepts and practice of the Yoruba people.
What makes Yoruba different? ›One of the features that make Yoruba people unique is their tendency to form into large city groups instead of small village groups. The Yorubas are today one of the three main ethnic groups that make up Nigeria. They can also be found in neighbouring countries.
What are the cultural norms of Yoruba culture? ›
Major traditional Yorùbá values, according to Abayomi, are hard work, integrity, diligence, self-reliance, honesty and social responsibility.
What are the traditions of birth in Yoruba culture? ›The Yoruba name the new baby on the eighth day postpartum. At the paternal grandparent's home, the oldest family member performs a ceremony. First, honey, sugar, kola nut, alligator pepper, water, palm oil, sugar, sugarcane, salt, and liquor are used by the elder to bless the baby.
What is the purpose of marriage in Yoruba culture? ›Marriage is one of the oldest institutions among Yoruba, it marks the end and the beginning of a new era between two different individuals, who agreed to live together, and through their union creates everlasting friendship between homes of their birth.
What are the four types of virginity? ›- Moral Virginity - is a state wherein the female is not. physically and sexually matured, and has not. ...
- Physical Virginity - a condition of a female wherein. ...
- Demi - Virginity - is a condition of a woman who. ...
- Virgo Intacta - is a condition of a woman WHO HAD.
A woman's virginity used to be celebrated on the wedding night in many communities and it is a big disgrace if the newly wedded bride is discovered to have lost her virginity. Hence, the fear of losing it is the beginning of wisdom. Maintaining virginity till marriage is also based on religious injunctions.
Do Yoruba men have multiple wives? ›Polygamy is practiced among the Yoruba, men can marry more than one wife. Both the wives and the half brothers/sisters or Obakan in a polygamous family still constitute parts of the nuclear family. It is the duty of the father to fend for the entire family and especially the children. He provides for all their needs.
Is Yoruba a gender-neutral language? ›Unlike English, Yoruba has no gender-specific pronouns.
What is female called in Yoruba? ›obinrin. More Yoruba words for female. obinrin noun. woman. obirin.
What language has no gender pronouns? ›Genderless languages: Chinese, Estonian, Finnish, and other languages don't categorize any nouns as feminine or masculine, and use the same word for he or she in regards to humans.
What pronoun is Transwoman? ›Most trans women will use female pronouns (she / her) and most trans men will use male pronouns (he / him). Most non-binary people use gender neutral pronouns (they / them) in the singular sense.
Which African languages do not have gendered pronouns? ›
Swahili is a Bantu language spoken in many parts of Africa such as Kenya and Tanzania. It is largely gender neutral in specific nouns. Words such as actor/actress (mwigaji wa hadithi) and waiter/waitress (mtumishi mezani) are gender neutral among most others in the language.
Who is god in Yoruba? ›Olorun (Yoruba alphabet: Ọlọrun) is the ruler of (or in) the Heavens in the Yoruba religion. The Supreme God or Supreme Being in the Yoruba pantheon, Olorun is also called Olodumare (Yoruba alphabet: Olódùmarè). In Yoruba culture, Ọlọrun is credited with creating the universe and all living things.
Who do the Yoruba worship? ›In Yoruba cosmology, Olodumare or Olorun is the Supreme Being whose supremacy is absolute. Olodumare is acknowledged by all divinities as unique and pre-eminent. The divinities called orisha (orisa) are offspring of Olodumare and are believed to be ministers and functionaries in the universe.
What is Yoruba based on? ›Standard Yoruba has its origin in the 1850s, when Samuel A. Crowther, the first native African Anglican bishop, published a Yoruba grammar and started his translation of the Bible. Though for a large part based on the Ọyọ and Ibadan dialects, Standard Yoruba incorporates several features from other dialects.
What kind of people are Yoruba? ›The Yoruba people (Yoruba: Ìran Yorùbá, Ọmọ Odùduwà, Ọmọ Káàárọ̀-oòjíire) are a West African ethnic group who mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by the Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland.
Where are Yoruba originally from? ›The Yoruba are among the most storied groups in Africa. Their ancestral homeland cuts across present-day southwest Nigeria, Benin Republic and Togo in West Africa. They number between 35 and 40 million. Their dynamic culture, philosophy, arts, language, sociology and history have attracted numerous studies.
What do Yoruba people believe about death? ›In Yoruba culture, death is socially constructed being interpreted as “Iku” (meaning: end of existence of a specific period of existence). It has spiritual, physical and social significance. Yoruba's do not see death as the end of life. It is believed that there is transformation from one form of existence to another.
Does Yoruba culture still exist? ›The Yoruba are one of the largest cultural groups in Africa. Currently, there are about 40 million Yoruba world-wide. The Yoruba have been living in advanced urban kingdoms for more than 1,500 years.
What are the different types of marriage in Yoruba culture? ›Marriage is an essential institution in the Yoruba history and culture. Yoruba tribe is also one of the tribe recognized in Nigeria. In Nigeria, various types of wedding/marriage are recognized, which include Church wedding, Mosque wedding, Customary/Court wedding and the traditional marriage.
What are the characteristics of a Yoruba woman? ›- Yoruba women are RESPECTFUL. From the moment that we were born, Yoruba women were taught how to treat different types of people with respect. ...
- Yoruba women are very FAMILY-ORIENTED. ...
- Yoruba women AGE GRACEFULLY. ...
- Yoruba women are HARDWORKING! ...
- Yoruba women are WELL-ROUNDED.
Is Yoruba a race or tribe? ›
The Yoruba people are a tribe who live in and around Nigeria and Benin. They are a distinct group from other African tribes. There are more than three thousand tribes throughout Africa, each with a complex history.
What is ethics in Yoruba culture? ›In Yoruba philosophical discourse, ethics relates to the norms that govern human behavior, on the one hand, and the behavior of the supernat- ural beings in their relationship with humans, on the other. As the above suggests, it is not only humans that have to be ethical: the gods too do.
What are Yoruba moral values? ›The Yoruba culture also has a well-defined value system that is very important to them. Some of the values include wisdom, integrity, valour, hard work, honour, and wealth.
Who names the child in Yoruba culture? ›In Yoruba culture, tradition calls for children to receive names from their fathers. However, children often receive names from their mothers, their grandparents, or other close kin as well. Many Yorubas (and indeed many Africans in general) have more than one given name.
What do Yoruba people believe about pregnancy? ›The Yorùbá belief is that two people give birth to a child, but the responsibility of making the child morally sound and fit for the society rests on the entire people of the society.
What is Yoruba ritual? ›Description. Yoruba peoples of southwestern Nigeria conceive of rituals as journeys—sometimes actual, sometimes virtual. Performed as a parade or a procession, a pilgrimage, a masking display, or possession trance, the journey evokes the reflexive, progressive, transformative experience of ritual participation.
What are the taboos in Yoruba culture? ›Yoruba culture forbids a married woman to have sexual relations with a man that isn't her husband. A man that suspects his wife of cheating could be tempted to lace her with magun, which is one of the strangest traditions in Nigeria. Magun could lead to her lover losing his life or getting stuck while in the act.
Who pays for a Yoruba wedding? ›Who will pay for your wedding? In many Nigerian families, the parents of the bride and groom foot the bill for most of the wedding expenses. But some couples and cultures choose to split the cost in different ways. Sometimes the bride's family is responsible for one day, while the groom's family pays for another.
How much is the bride price in Yoruba? ›Bride Price (Amount between N1,000 to N5,000 for most Yoruba families. According to my Yoruba friends, this amount is symbolic and usually returned to the groom after the wedding). Other monetary amounts will be required for the groom to provide.
How do Yoruba people do their marriage? ›Traditional Yoruba weddings are large and lively with anywhere between 200 to 1,000 guests in attendance. These ceremonies are hosted by two MCs, known as alagas, who are usually older women from each side of the family. The alagas are boisterous, charismatic characters that add humor to the day.
What is second virginity? ›
Many people who wish they could return to virginity are choosing to become "second-generation virgins." Second-generation virginity is a choice to abstain from sex again for a period of time. For some, that time is a few months; for others a few years or until marriage.
What is the right age to lose virginity? ›First things first: there is no right or wrong age to lose your virginity. The only factors that matter when it comes to having sex for the first time is that both you and your partner are ready, you both have consented, and you're using protection.
What is the average age to lose your virginity? ›The findings
When asked in more depth, most said they wished they had waited longer to lose their virginity. Few said they should have done it sooner. Most had had sex by the time they were 18 - half had done it by the time they were turning 17. Nearly a third had sex before turning 16.
Like a virgin
Today, most of the western world does not consider virginity an important trait in a partner and having sex before marriage is perfectly acceptable, and often, even expected.
No one, not even a doctor can say for sure that a girl has lost her virginity. The HindustanTimes.com survey indicated that close to 60 per cent women have had sexual relations before marriage.
Is it good to keep virginity for long? ›According to a study by the University of Maryland, when you have less sex or no sex at all, you become slower with your thoughts. Your neuron functioning is affected. Your ideas are not so bright.
What is a Yoruba woman called? ›A young woman or a lady is called Omidan in Yoruba.
Do Yoruba men have more than one wife? ›Polygamy is practiced among the Yoruba, men can marry more than one wife. Both the wives and the half brothers/sisters or Obakan in a polygamous family still constitute parts of the nuclear family. It is the duty of the father to fend for the entire family and especially the children. He provides for all their needs.
Is Yoruba culture patriarchal? ›Gender in Yorùbá Culture and Interaction with Colonialism
Today, the Yorùbá culture is patriarchal, and societal divisions have been created across gender lines (Akanle, Adesina, and Nwaobiala 2018; Aderinto 2001; Pogoson 2012).
Due to the co-existence of a high number of ethnic groups, Nigerian culture is diverse. Common traits are a high degree of masculinity and acceptance of hierarchy and social distance, community orientation and a strong focus on extended family ties.
How many wives can a Yoruba have? ›
They would marry as many as they liked and treat them cruelly and unjustly. Therefore, Allah warned them that they should refrain from doing injustice to their wives as they did in case of the orphans. They were restricted to marry not more than four wives, if only they would do justice to them.
How do Yoruba girls dress? ›Yoruba fashion and garment culture – which is awash with styles such as four-piece female of iro (wrapper), buba (blouse) and ipele (shawl) with the gele accessory (headgear) as well as the male agbada (robe), buba and, dansiki (baggy shirts), sokoto (trouser) and fila (cap accessory) – has been synonymous with Aso-Oke ...
How do Yoruba call their wife? ›It is unknown to many speakers of the Yorùbá language that the original Yorùbá word for wife is 'aya' and not the commonly used 'Ìyàwó'. Back in the early years of the Yorùbá people, the word “ Iyawo “did not have a place in the Yorùbá language not until an incident brought about its coinage and usage.
What to expect when dating a Yoruba man? ›A Yoruba man will not take a girl lacking in character to meet his family as she will definitely not be accepted. He will most likely be called aside and advised to look elsewhere and will do so out of respect to his family.
What are the types of Yoruba marriage? ›Marriage is an essential institution in the Yoruba history and culture. Yoruba tribe is also one of the tribe recognized in Nigeria. In Nigeria, various types of wedding/marriage are recognized, which include Church wedding, Mosque wedding, Customary/Court wedding and the traditional marriage.
Can you marry 2 wives in Nigeria? ›Religion often plays a role in how polygamy is governed and practiced within a single country. In Nigeria, for example, polygamous marriage is not allowed at the federal level, but the prohibition only applies to civil marriages.
What religion dominates Yoruba? ›Today, most contemporary Yoruba are Muslims or Christians.
Does Nigeria have good gender equality? ›Nigeria ranks a lowly 139 out of 156 countries in the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Index and civil society groups have raised concerns that the country may be regressing in female representation in leadership.
Which gender is the highest in Nigeria? ›This statistic shows the total population of Nigeria from 2011 to 2021 by gender. In 2021, Nigeria's female population amounted to approximately 105.57 million, while the male population amounted to approximately 107.83 million inhabitants.
What are the gender issues in Nigeria? ›Gender inequality in Nigeria is influenced by different cultures and beliefs. In most parts of Nigeria, women are considered subordinate to their male counterparts, especially in Northern Nigeria as well as in other sectors including the Nigeria music industry, politics, and education sector.