YORUBA OR ODUDUWA?

YORUBA OR ODUDUWA?

I prefer the name Yoruba Republic.

Oduduwa Republic would be a second choice.

I prefer Yoruba Republic because the word “Yoruba” already has a global circulation and reception.

Yoruba language is taught in many universities in the world, including the University of Texas, Austin, with two full-time professors giving lectures to undergraduate and graduate students.

In addition to the professors teaching Yoruba language, I teach Yoruba art, and there are distinguished professors teaching Yoruba history.

Yoruba written literature (fiction, poetry, scholarly essays and books) is clearly the largest indigenous body of penned creativity in Africa. World-class writers of Yoruba literature include Fagunwa, Odunjo, Faleti, Okediji, Isola, Ogunniran, Abimbola, Ajuwon, and scores of other geniuses whose works are read and translated into several European languages.

Yoruba art is certainly the most distinguished body of work in African aesthetics, because of the incredible naturalistic art of Ife, with a realism that is not found anywhere else on the continent, ranking among the finest achievements of portraiture on the planet since the beginning of human creativity.

In addition to Yoruba realism, Yoruba art also boasts of stylizations and abstractions, with renowned masters such as Areeogun, Olowe, Bamidele, Fakeye and Alaaye, whose works have been the subjects of international conferences, seminars, scholarly essays and volumes of books.

Yoruba culture is not only locally accomplished in Africa, it is the preeminent indigenous culture in Cuba, Brazil, Argentina, the United States and Central America.

Because the word “Yoruba” already has such remarkable name recognition, it will serve the cause of the proposed republic better than the word “Oduduwa,” which many may be unfamiliar with and might create confusion. Why begin to talk of Oduduwa art, when Yoruba art is already well-circulated?

And let no one believe the speculative propaganda that the word “Yoruba” was given to us by foreigners: many of those people are mostly envious of the glory and achievements of the Yoruba culture.