YorubaPrimer

Ôgbëni Ômôlúwàbí		Mr. Omoluwabi
(Baba Ôlá)		(Ola’s father)

Akíntúndé ni orúkô rê. Ó tún þ jë Àkànbí. Oríkì ni orúkô kejì yìí. Ômô ôdún méjìdínlógójì ni. Bàbá Ôlá ni àwôn çgbë rê þ pè e gëgë bí àÿà ìbílê nítorí pé Ôlá ni àköbí àwôn ômô rê.

Iÿë olùkö ni ó þ ÿe. Ó gbádún ìwé kíkà àti ìwé kíkô.

Oúnjç tí ó gbádùn jù ni êbà àti ôbê ilá. Ó tún fëràn iyán àti ôbê êfö. ßugbön iyán yìí kìí ÿe ti iÿu sísè tí a gún nínú odó. Iyán rírò ni. Yóò jçë bëê-bëê.

Kìí jç bögà rárá

His name is Akintunde. He also bears the name Akanbi. This séond name is a cognomen. He is thirtyeight years old. His mates call him Baba Ola as is the cultural practice because Ola is his first born child.

He is a teacher by profession.

He enjoys reading and writing.

His most favourite food is eba and okra stew. He also likes pounded yam and vegetable stew. But this pounded yam is not the one made from boiled yam that is pounded in a mortar with a pestle. It is just powder stirred in hot water. He eats it grudgingly.

He does not eat burger at all.

êbà -

cassava meal

(Five short of sixty)

Page 55

Ojú Ìwé Karùndínlögöta

Ìyà ààfin Ômôlúwàbí þ gbö oúnjç.

Mrs. Omoluwabi preparing a meal

P

Ibi ìdáná	Kitchen
Omi gbígbóná	Hot water
Omi tutu	Cold water

Àwòrán láti ôwö Abilékô Valerie Dámilölá Onäyçmí Artwork by Mrs Valerie Damilola Onayemi

Ìkòkò Pot		Êrô Kôfí Coffee maker Êrô omi Water tap

Êrô afàwo	Ata
Dish washer	Iyõ

Pepper Êrô Ìdáná Cooker Salt

(Four short of sixty)

Page 56

Ojú Ìwé Kçrìndínlögöta

Ôlá Ola

Ômô ôdún mëwàá ni Ôlá. Àpètán orúkô rê ni Ôláþrewájú. Ó tún þ jë Ômöboöláþlé. Òun ni àköbí àwôn òbí rê.

Ìÿirò ni ó fëràn jú ní iléìwé. Ó tún gbádùn Êkö Ìmö Sáyëýsì. Ó jáfáfá nínú orin kíkô àti dùrù títê. Ó máa þ jó ijó bàléè látijö, ÿùgbön nísisìyìí eré böõlù àgbájùsáwõn ni ó gbádùn láti máa gba pêlú àwôn çlçgbë rê.

Page 57

Ola is ten years old

Her full name is Olanrewaju She is also called Omobolanle. She is the first child of her parents.

Her favorite subject at school is Arithmetic. She also loves Science. She is proficient in music (singing and playing the piano). She did ballet dancing in the past but nowadays she loves playing basketball with her mates.

Ojú ìwé kçsàn-án

(Three short of sixty)

Ojú Ìwé Kçtàdínlögöta

Olú Olu

Ômô ôdún mçjô ni Olú. Obìnrin ni òun náà. Àpètán orúkô rê ni Olúwafúnmiláyõ.

Ótún þ jë Olúwaÿeun.

Ógbádùn dùrù títê àti ìwé kíkà. Êkö Èdè Farañsé ni ó fëràn jù. Ó máa þ bá àwôn çlçgbë rê gbá böõlù orí papa ní sömà. Ó tún gbádùn láti lúwêë.

Oúnjç tí ó gbádùn jù ni dòdò àti möín-möín, ÿùgbön kò fi bögà, àkàrà òyìnbó àti àwôn oúnjç mçdçnmëêndên ÿiré.

Olu is eight years old

She is also a girl. Her full name is

Oluwafunmilayo. She is also called Oluwaseun.

She enjoys playing the piano and reading. French is her favorite subject. She plays soccer with her mates in the summer. She also likes to swim.

Her favorite food is fried plantain and steamed bean cakes, but she does not joke with burger, cookies and other junk food.

(Two short of sixty)

Page 58

Ojú Ìwé Kejìdínlögöta

Adé Ade

Ômô ôdún mëfà ni Adé. Ômôdékùnrin ni. Àpètán orúkô rê ni

Adéôlá. Ó tún þ jç Adéyçmí. Òun ni àbíkëhìn àwôn òbí rê.

Ógbádùn eré böõlù orí pápá ní soma. Ó tún gbádùn eré hökì orí aìsì ní wínþtà. Ó máa þ gbá böõlù àgbájùsáwõn náà.

ßùgbön ju gbogbo rê lô, ó gbádùn ìwé kíkà yálà lórí bébà ni o tàbí lórí êrô kõnýpútà.

Ówù ún láti gba àbúrò ôkùnrin.

Page 59

Ade is six years old. He is a boy. His full name is Adeola. He is also known as Adeyemi. He is the last child of his parents.

He enjoys playing soccer in the summer. He also enjoys playing ice hockey in the winter. He also plays basketball. But above all he loves reading and writing either on paper or on the computer.

He would love to have a junior brother.

(One short of sixty)

Ojú Ìwé Kôkàndínlögöta

ÇBÍ FAMILY

P

Ní àÿà Yorùbá, okùn tí ó so çbí põ lágbára púpõ. Gbogbo çbí ni a kà sí ômô ìyá àti bàbá. Nítorí náà, kò sí ìtumõ pipe fún êgbön tàbí àbúrò ìyá àti bàbá àti ômô wôn. Bàbá àgbà, bàbá kékeré, ìyá àgbà, ìyá kékeré, êgbön àti àbúrò ni gbogbo wôn.

Bàbá	Father
Ìyá	Mother
Êgbön	Older sibling
Àbúrò	Younger sibling
Àköbí	First born child
Àbíkëhìn	Last born child
Bàbá àgbà	Grand father
Ìyá àgbà	Grand mother
Ìyàwó	Wife
Ôkô	Husband

Page 60

In Yoruba culture, the family ties are very strong such that members of the extended family are usually regarded as belonging to the same nuclear family. There is no distinct translation for uncle, aunt, cousin - but they are junior or senior father or mother, brother and sister.

Obìnrin	Female
Ôkùnrin	Male
Ômödébìnrin	Girl
Ômödékùnrin	Boy
Õdömôbìnrin	Adolescent female
Õdömôkùnrin	Adolescent male
Àna	In-law
Àfësönà	Fianceé

(Sixty)

Ojú Ìwé Ôgöta

P

ÀWÔN ÊYÀ ARA

PARTS OF THE BODY

	Orí	Head
Irun	Hair	Ojú	Eye
Ètè	Lip	Etí	Ear
Àgbõn	Chin	Imú	Nose
Èjìká	Shoulder	Çnu	Mouth
Àyà	Chest	Ôrùn	Neck
Ìgúnpá	Elbow	Apá	Arm
Ikùn	Abdomen	Ôwö	Hand
	Stomach
Itan	Thigh	Ìka ôwö	Finger
Orúnkún	Knee cap	Çsê	Leg
		Foot
Èékánná;	Nail	Ìka çsê	Toe

	(One over sixty)
Page 61	Ojú Ìwé Kôkànlélögöta

BÍßÖÕBÙ SÁMÚËLÌ ÀJÀYÍ CROWTHER

BISHOP SAMUEL AJAYI CROWTHER

Sámúëlì Àjàyí Crowther jë akëkõö kìn-ín-ní ní ilé-êkö gíga Fourah Bay ní orílêdè Sàró. A bí i ní ìlú Òÿoògùn tí ó jë bíi ibùsõ mélòó kan sí ìlú Ìsëyìn ní apá guúsù rê. Àwôn akónilërú jí i gbé ní ôdún 1821 ÿùgbön a gbà a sílê lëhìn ôdún kan, ó sì di akëkõö ní ilé-ìwé ajíhìnrere ní 1823. Ó jë õmõwé tí ó mòye púpõ ní ilé-êkögíga (1828) ó sì di àlùfáa ní 1843.

Nípasê iÿë àpilêÿe rê nínú ìrìnàjò rê sí agbègbè odò Ôya (1841) èyí tí ó lànà fún ìdásílê àwôn ilé iÿë ajíhìnrere ní Igbèbè, Ònìÿà, Lököja, Àkàsà, Bõní, Abönémà àti Búgúmà, a yàn án sí ipò Bíÿöõbù ‘Agbedeméjì Ìlà-Oòrùn Áfríkà títí kôjá ilê Ìjôba Ôbabìnrin Orílê-èdè Gêësì’ ní 1864.

Ó tayô nínú iÿë ajíhìnrere, gbígbógun ti òwò çrú kíkó, àti iÿë olùköni (ó túmõ Ìwé Àdúrà sí Yorùbá, ó sì ÿe ìwé gírámà fún èdè Yorùbá, Íbò àti Nupé). Ó ní ìmõ iÿë ìwòsàn àti iÿë ilé kíkö. Ó kó ipá pàtàkì ninu akitiyan bí èdè Yorùbá ÿe di kíkô sílê. Ó di olóògbé ní ôjö kìn-ín-ní, ní oÿù kejìlá, ôdún 1891.

(Ilé-iÿë aláÿç fún Ìkéde Ìròhìn Ìjôba àpapõ, nàìjíríà) (My Translation)

Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first student of Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone, was born at Osogun a few kilometers south of Iseyin. He was kidnapped by slave traders in 1821, rescued a year later and became a mission school boy in 1823. He had a brilliant college career (1828) and became a clergyman (1843).

As a result of his pioneering work in the Niger expedition (1841) which eventually led to the founding of missions in Igbebe, Onitsha, Lokoja, Akassa, Bonny, Abonema and Buguma, he was nominated and ordained Bishop of Western Equitorial Africa beyond the Queen’s Dominion in 1864.

He distinguished himself in such areas as evangelism, crusade against slave trade and education (translation of Prayer Book into Yoruba, authored grammar books for Yoruba, Ibo and Nupe languages ), medicine and architecture. He played a vital role in how the Yoruba language was first reduced to writing. He died on 1st December 1891.

(Federal Ministry of Information, Nigeria)

(Two over sixty)

Page 62

Ojú Ìwé Kejìlélögöta

ÌJÔBA ORÍLÊ-ÈDÈ YORÙBÁ

YORUBA KINGDOM

Àwôn Yorùbá àti orílê-èdè wôn ti wà fún ìgbà pípë ÿíwájú ôdún 1000 A.D.

(Çgbêrún ôdún lëyìn ikù Olúwa wa), èdè wôn sì ti wà fún, ó kéré tán, çgbêrún ôdún méjì. Àwôn êya ènìyàn mìíràn tí ó wá darapõ mö àwôn ômô ìbílê Yorùbá láàárín ôdún 700 sí 1000 A.D. kó oríÿìíríÿìí àÿà tuntun àti ìwà wá.

Bí ó tile jë pé õpõlôpõ ìtàn àdáyébá ni ó wà nípa ìpilêÿê ilê Yorùbá, èyí tí ó tayô tí a sì gbàgbö ni èyí tí ó sô pé Ilé-Ifê ni ilê ìbí wôn. Ilé-Ifê dé góþgó agbára rê ní ôdún 1300 nígbà tí a fi tánþganran ÿe àwôn iÿë ônà. ßùgbön ní àkókò ìparí ôdún 1400, agbára ìjôba rê wale, ó sì fi àyè sílê fún ti ìjôba Õyö tí ó wà ní àríwá ilê Yorùbá.

Jíjç ôba, êsìn àti iÿë ônà ÿíÿe jë pàtàkì ní àÿà ìbílê. Àÿàyìí sì fìdí mule ní àwôn orílê-èdè Karíbíánì àti Bràsíl níbití a kó o lô ní ìgbà òwò çrú ní àkókò ôgörùn-ún ôdún kejìdínlógún. Ôba Adésôjí Adérêmí tí a bí ní ôdún 1889 ni Ôõni kejìdínláàádöta Ilé-Ifê. Ó jôba láàárín ôdún 1930-1981. Ó ÿe akitiyan púpõ fún ìdàgbàsókè àÿà ìbílê Yorùbá.

(My translation)

The Yoruba people and their homeland took shape long before 1000 A.D. and their language is at least 2000 years old. Between 700 and 1000 A.D. an influx of immigrants merged with the Yoruba indigenes, injecting into the area new influences and ideas.

Although several traditions concerning the origins of the Yorubas exist, one of the more commonly held belief is that Ife is their birthplace. Ife’s power reached its zenith around 1300 A.D., culminating in the production of the famous Ife bronzes. However, towards the end of 1400 A.D., its political influence declined making way for the rise of the Oyo kingdom in Northern Yorubaland.

Kingship, religion and craftsmanship have remained the main focus of Yoruba culture. Its cultural influence is remarkably strong in the Caribbean and Brazil where it was exported during the era of the slave trade in the eighteenth century.

Born in 1889, Oba Adesoji Aderemi (1930-1981) was the forty-eighth Oni of Ife, who contributed immensely to Yoruba cultural development

( Federal Ministry of Information, Nigeria)

Ôba Adésôjí Adérêmí

(Three over sixty)

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Ojú Ìwé Kçtàlélógójì

	ORÚKÔ DÍÊ NÍNÚ ÀWÔN ORÍLÊ-ÈDÈ, ÌPÍNLÊ ÀTI ÌLÚ
P	NAMES OF SOME COUNTRIES, STATES/PROVINCES AND CITIES/TOWNS

ORÍLÊ-ÈDÈ

Nàìjíríà

Kánádà

Amëríkà

Kúbà

Bùràsíìlì

Trínídáàdì àti Tòbágò

ÌPÍNLÊ

Jöjíà

Áídáhò

Oháyò

Kalifóníà

Õýtáríò

Mìnêsótà

Míÿígáànì

Kõlõrádò

ÌLÚ

Ötáwà

ßìkágò

Wöÿínþtìn

Bárì

Filadëlfíà

Mìlwökì

Miniápólíìsì

Màyámì

Àtláþtà

COUNTRY

Nigeria

Canada

America

Cuba

Brazil

Trinidad & Tobago

PROVINCE / STATE

Georgia

Idaho

Ohio

California

Ontario

Minessota

Michigan

Colorado

CITY / TOWN

Ottawa

Chicago

Washington

Barrie

Philadelphia

Milwaukee

Mineapolis

Miami

Atlanta

	(Four over of sixty)
Page 64	Ojú Ìwé Kçrìnlélögöta