guys and dolls

I have just finished reading the above book. A friend of mine told me about it and I could not help rushing to the www.iap-publishers.com address to buy it. Luckily it is small book and i spent the weekend learning more about my ancestors.

the gist of the book is that Yoruba people in Nigeria are not a single tribe or ethnic group as i use to think. rather that they share the same cultural and religious believes that different sub-groups egbas, ijebus, oyos, ijeshas, ondos, ekitis, ilajes , aworis, ilas, ofas, etc have in common. it clearly explain that what 100 million Yoruba from Cuba to Brazil; Nigeria to Benin Republic; Togo to Trinidad and Tobago have in common is their cultural and religious believes and that makes them Yoruba.
Fascinating stuff but I am not a reviewer has anyone else read the book?
Femjay

no...Its interesting t know how rich our country is culture wise.

i have just finished reading the book and it was just too good.
iit tells how rich the yoruba culture is, for those who have not read it, i think you better get a copy.

I'd love to get my hands on it--I may have to order it from that site since they don't have it at my library. Prof. Kola Abimbola's father is Dr. Wande Abimbola, who's acknowledged as the world ambassador for Ifa and is an unparalled expert on Yoruba culture. Absolutely agree with him about the issue of regarding "Yoruba" (or "Igbo", "Hausa", "Edo" etc.) as eternal and unchanging ethnic nationalities that has always existed since the beginning of time etc. These categories are as invented and as 'modern' as the concept of a 'Nigeria'. For instance, there were incredible cultural differences between Ijeshas/Ekitis and Ibadans/Oyos in the 19th century that led to Kiriji/the Sixteen Years' War, even though they spoke dialects of the same language and had very similar traditional religions and cultures. Yet today, they all see each other as brothers in the same ethnic category. To me, there's a lesson for the possibilities of Nigeria's future in that.

Great recommendation, Femjay.

One review I have read:

"A unique reassertion of the foundations of one of the most remarkable international cultures on the face of the earth --Barry Hallen, Professor of Philosophy, Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA, USA. "

Barry Hallen also writes about Yoruba philosophy too. He used to be a research fellow at Harvard.

Still looking for Kola Abimbola's book.

TerraCotta:

I'd love to get my hands on it--I may have to order it from that site since they don't have it at my library. Prof. Kola Abimbola's father is Dr. Wande Abimbola, who's acknowledged as the world ambassador for Ifa and is an unparalled expert on Yoruba culture. Absolutely agree with him about the issue of regarding "Yoruba" (or "Igbo", "Hausa", "Edo" etc.) as eternal and unchanging ethnic nationalities that has always existed since the beginning of time etc. These categories are as invented and as 'modern' as the concept of a 'Nigeria'. For instance, there were incredible cultural differences between Ijeshas/Ekitis and Ibadans/Oyos in the 19th century that led to Kiriji/the Sixteen Years' War, even though they spoke dialects of the same language and had very similar traditional religions and cultures. Yet today, they all see each other as brothers in the same ethnic category. To me, there's a lesson for the possibilities of Nigeria's future in that.

Great recommendation, Femjay.

@Terra

are you by any chance a student?  or erhm a krofessor? 

^{pardon my yinglish!}  

I no be teesha o--I just play one on Nairaland . Not currently a student, either. I'm somewhat involved with the field though.

TerraCotta:

I no be teesha o--I just play one on Nairaland . Not currently a student, either. I'm somewhat involved with the field though.

why are you cryin then?

TerraCotta:

I no be teesha o--I just play one on Nairaland . Not currently a student, either. I'm somewhat involved with the field though.

_{*scratching head*} how?

ikamefa:

_{*scratching head*} how?

Research. Any other answers will cost you some shots of paraga.

mukina2:

why are you cryin then?

Shey I need your permission to cry

I'm kidding--it was a goal of mine, but it's less appealing lately.

TerraCotta:

Research. Any other answers will cost you some shots of paraga.



Shey I need your permission to cry

I'm kidding--it was a goal of mine, but it's less appealing lately.

i see! shots of paraga?    them no tell you sey i be her Royal Paraga-ist ( ask debo)

research as in chemistry, Engineering, erhm! CSI- ing 


so have you found the book? 

Please bring this discussion to the new Yorubaland web site at www.yorubaland.org