You can also download the Yoruba alphabets by right clicking this link: A conversation in Yoruba – Day 2(mp3)
Originally posted 2013-04-05 20:52:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Oriṣiriṣi wèrè ló wà, nitori pé ki ṣe wèrè ti ó wọ àkísà ni ìgboro tàbi já sita nikan ni wèrè. Ẹnikẹni ti o nhu ìwà burúkú tàbi ṣe ìpinnu burúkú ni Yorùbá npè ni “wèrè”.
Wèrè – Mad person
Ìpinnu ṣi ṣe, ṣe pàtàki ni ayé àtijọ́ àti òde òní. Òwe Yorùbá sọ wi pé “Bi ará ilé ẹni bá njẹ kòkòrò búburú, hẹ̀rẹ̀-huru rẹ̀ kò ni jẹ́ ki a sùn ni òru”. Àbáyọrí ìpinnu tàbi èrò burúkú kò pin si ọ̀dọ̀ ẹbi àwọn ti ó wà ni àyíká elérò burúkú, ó lè kan gbogbo àgbáyé. Fún àpẹrẹ, kò si ìyàtọ̀ laarin wèrè tó já sita nitori wèrè ni Yorùbá npe ọkọ tàbi ìyàwó ti ó ni ìwà burúkú, ẹbi burúkú, ọba ti ó nlo ipò rẹ lati rẹ́ àwọn ènìyàn rẹ̀ jẹ àti òṣèlu ti ó nja ilú ni olè lati kó owó ti wọn ji lọ si òkè òkun nibiti ohun amáyédẹrùn ti ilú wọn kò ni wà.
Gẹ́gẹ́ bi òwe Yoruba ti ó sọ wi pé “A ki sọ pé ki Wèrè ṣe òkú ìyá rẹ̀ bi ó bá ṣe ri, bi ó bá ni òhun fẹ́ sún jẹ nkọ́?” Ìtumọ̀ òwe yi ni wi pé ìpinnu pàtàki bi ìyè àti ikú kò ṣe é gbé lé wèrè lọ́wọ́. Ó yẹ ki àwọn ènìyàn gidi ti ori rẹ pé dásí ọkọ tàbi ìyàwó, ọba tàbi àwọn ti ó wà ni ipò agbára, òṣèlu ti o nfi ipò wọn jalè àti àwọn ti ó nhu ìwà burúkú yi lati din àbáyọrí ìwà burúkú lóri ẹbí, alá-dúgbò àti àgbáyé kù.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION Continue reading
Originally posted 2017-11-03 22:47:56. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Ìjàpá ọkọ Yáníbo – Tortoise the husband of Yanibo
Gbogbo Ẹranko – Group of Animals
Gbogbo Ẹranko (Ajá, Àmọ̀tẹ́kùn, Ẹkùn, Kìnìún, Ọ̀bọ, Akátá, Ológbò, Kẹ́tẹ́kẹ́tẹ́, Ìjàpá/Àjàpá àti bẹ̃bẹ lọ) kó ara jọ lati gbèrò lórí àlébù tí wọ́n rí lára ìyàwó wọn. Ajá ní ìyawó òhun nṣe àgbèrè, Ẹkùn ní ìyàwó òhun nṣe àfojúdi, Ológbò ní ìyàwó òhun njale, Ọ̀bọ ní ìyàwó òhun lèjàjù àti bẹ̃bẹ lọ. Àwọn Ẹranko yókù ṣe àkíyèsí wípé,
Àjàpá/Ìjàpá kàn mi orí ni lai sọ nkankan ju un!
Kìnìún wa bèrè lọ́wọ́ Ìjàpá wípé ṣe Yáníbo (ìyàwó Ìjàpá) kòní àlébù ni? Àjàpá/Ìjàpá dìde ó wá fọhùn wípé gbogbo àlébù ti gbogbo wọn sọ nípa ìyàwó wọn kéré lára ti ìyàwó ohun nítorí “Yáníbo kò ní ìtìjú”. Ẹni ti kó ni ìtìjú a jalè, a purọ́, a ṣe àgbèrè, a ṣe àfojúdi àti bẹ̃bẹ lọ.
Ni Ìlúọba, bi Òṣèlú bá ṣe ohun ìtìjú bi: àgbèrè, jalè, gba àbẹ̀tẹ́lẹ̀, bi wọn bá ka mọ tàbí kó rò wípé aṣírí fẹ́ tú, á gbé ìwé sílẹ̀ pé òhun kò ṣe mọ nítorí ki ipò òhun má ba di ìdájọ́ lọ́wọ́, ṣùgbọ́n apàniyàn, olè, alágbèrè àti bẹ̃bẹ lọ., pọ nínú Òṣèlú Nigeria nítorí wọn kò ni ìtìjú. Ipò Òṣèlú tiwọn fún wọn láyè lati ni àlébù àti lati tẹ ìdájọ́ mọ́lẹ̀.
Ọ̀rọ̀ Yorùbá tó ni “Àìnítìjú lọba gbogbo Àlébù” gba èrò lati ri wípé ará ìlú dìbò fún Afínjú Òṣèlú kí wọ́n lè ṣe àtúnṣe nkan tí aláìnítìjú Òṣèlú ti bàjẹ́.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
All the animals (Dog, Panther, Leopard, Lion, Monkey, Jackal, Cat, Donkey/Ass, Tortoise etc.) gathered together to discuss the vices they noticed in their wives. Dog’s wife was said to be committing adultery, Leopard’s wife was insolent, Cat’s wife was stealing, while Monkey’s wife was quarrelsome etc.
All the animals noticed that there was no comment from the Tortoise other than nodding and sighing. The Lion then asked what Yanibo (Tortoise’s wife) vice was? The Tortoise rose up and said to the other animals that all the vices they have mentioned could not be compared with his wife’s only vice because “Yanibo has no shame”.
In the United Kingdom, when a Politician commits any act of shame like adultery, stealing, taking bribe, on or before he/she is caught would resign in order not to perverse the cause of justice but killers, thieves, adulterers etc. are common among the Nigerian Politicians because they have no shame. They use their position to perverse the cause of justice.
This Yoruba Folklore that depicted that “Shamelessness is the king of all Vices” is worthy of note for the people to be mindful of the kind of Politician by casting their votes to elect “Decent” Politicians to repair what the” Shameless” ones has destroyed.
Originally posted 2014-05-13 10:15:03. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Ọ̀run nyabọ̀ – Nature’s fury
Ìbẹ̀rù tó gbòde ayé òde òni ni pé “Ayé Móoru”, nitori iṣẹ̀lẹ̀ ti o nṣẹlẹ̀ ni àgbáyé bi òjò àrọ̀ irọ̀ dá ni ilú kan, ilẹ̀-riru ni òmìràn, ọ̀gbẹlẹ̀, omíyalé, ijà iná àti bẹ́ ẹ̀ bẹ́ ẹ̀ lọ. Eleyi dá ìbẹ̀rù silẹ̀ ni àgbáyé pàtàki ni àwọn ilú Òkè-Òkun bi Àmẹ́ríkà ti ó ka àwọn iṣẹ̀lẹ̀ wọnyi si àfọwọ́fà ọmọ ẹda. Wọn kilọ̀ pé bi wọn kò bá wá nkan ṣe si Ayé Móoru yi, ayé yio parẹ́.
Àpẹrẹ miran ti a lè fi ṣe àlàyé pé “Ọ̀run nyabọ̀, ki ṣé ọ̀rọ̀ ẹnìkan”, ni ẹni ti ó sọ pé ohun ri amin pé ayé ti fẹ parẹ́, àwọn kan gbàgbọ́, wọn bẹ̀rẹ̀ si ta ohun ìní wọn. Àti ẹni ti ó ta ohun ìní àti ẹni ti ó ra, kò si ninú wọn ti ó ma mú nkankan lọ ti ayé bá parẹ ni tootọ. Elòmíràn, kò ni ṣe iwadi ohun ti àwọn èniyàn fi ńsáré, ki ó tó bẹ̀rẹ̀ si sáré. Ọpọlọpọ ti sa wọ inú ewu ti wọn rò wí pé àwọn sá fún. Fún àpẹrẹ, nigbati iná ajónirun balẹ̀ ni àgọ́ Ológun ni Ikẹja ni ìlú Èkó ni bi ọdún mẹwa sẹhin. Bi àwọn kan ti gbọ́ ìró iná ajónirun yi, wọn sáré titi ọpọ fi parun si inú irà ni Ejigbo ni ọ̀nà jínjìn si ibi ti ìṣẹ̀lẹ̀ ti ṣẹlẹ̀.
Òwe Yorùbá yi ṣe gba àwọn ti o nbẹ̀rù nigba gbogbo níyànjú wí pé ó yẹ ki èniyàn fara balẹ̀ lati ṣe iwadi ohun ti ó fẹ́ ṣẹlẹ̀ ki ó tó “kú sílẹ̀ de ikú”. Bi èniyàn bẹ̀rù á kú, bi kò bẹ̀rù á kú, nitori gẹ́gẹ́ bi itàn àdáyébá, gbogbo ohun ti ó nṣẹlẹ̀ láyé òde òni ló ti ṣẹlẹ̀ ri.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION Continue reading
Originally posted 2016-04-19 08:30:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
These series of posts will center around learning the Yoruba words, phrases and sentences you might come across if you visited a Yoruba speaking city or state (here Lagos). A sample conversation is available for download. We will be posting more conversations. Please leave comments on the blog post, and anything you would like to see or hear covered in this conversation.
You can also download the Yoruba alphabets by right clicking this link: A conversation in Yoruba(mp3)
Use the table below to follow the conversation: Continue reading
Originally posted 2013-03-22 22:06:42. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Bàbá, iyá àti ọmọ ni wọn mọ si Idilé ni Òkè-òkun ṣùgbọ́n ni ilẹ̀ Yorùbá kò ri bẹ́ ẹ̀, nitori ẹbi Eg bàbá, ẹ̀gbọ́n àti àbúrò ẹni, ọmọ, ọkọ àti aya wọn ni a mọ̀ si Idilé. Yorùbá fẹ́ràn lati má a bọ̀wọ̀ fún àgbà nitori eyi, ẹni ti ó bá ju Bàbá àti Ìyá ẹni lọ Bàbá tàbi Ìyá la n pè é, wọn ki pe àgbà ni orúko nitori eyi, wọn lè fi orúkọ ọmọ pe àgbà tàbi ki wọn lo orúkọ apejuwe (bi Bàbá Èkó, Iyá Ìbàdàn). Ẹ ṣe à yẹ̀ wò àlàyé àti pi pè ibáṣepọ̀ idilé ni ojú iwé yi.
The Western family is made up of, father, mother and their children but this is not so, as Yoruba family on the other hand is made up of extended family that includes; father, mother, children, half/full brothers/sisters, step children, cousins, aunties, uncles, maternal and paternal grandparents. Yoruba people love respecting the elders, as a result, uncles and aunties that are older than one’s parents are called ‘Father’ or ‘Mother’ and elders are not called by their names as they are either called by their children’s name or by description (example Lagos Father, Ibadan Mother) Check the explanation and prononciation below.
Originally posted 2015-10-27 22:57:10. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
There was a man who had two wives. The senior wife is Iyale and the junior wife is Iyawo. Iyale made it so that Iyawo never had enough food to feed her children or nice clothes to wear. Iyawo tried to be nice to Iyale but the nicer Iyawo was, the meaner Iyale became.
One day, Iyawo needed to get some firewood. Iyale would not help her watch her baby so she took her baby into the forest with her. She placed her baby under a tall tree while she went to gather some wood. She finished gathering her firewood and returned to get her baby but the baby was gone. “Ye!” she cried. “Tá lo gbọ́ mọ mí ooo!?” <Who took my baby!?> she screamed. She ran back and forth looking for her baby, crying and yelling but couldn’t find her baby anywhere. Then she looked up, and she saw a bird perched high up in the tree, holding her baby in its clutches. “Ìwọ ẹyẹ́ yìí lorí igi! Fún mi lọmọ mí nísísiyí!” <You this bird in tree! Give me my baby right now!> she called to the bird. The bird threw down a bundle and the Iyawo quickly ran to get it. But it was not her baby. It was a bag of coral beads.
She screamed at the bird saying “Ọmọ mí ní mo fẹ! Kíni maá fí ìlẹkẹ iyùn ṣe!? Fún mi lọmọ mí nísísiyí!” <I want my baby, what will I do with coral beads!? Give me my baby right now!>. The bird sang to her saying that corals are worth more than her baby but the Iyawo would not hear of this. She insisted on her baby. The bird threw down another bundle and the Iyawo ran to get it. But again, it was not her baby, it was a bag of gold. She cried to the bird “Ọmọ mí ní mo fẹ! Kíni maá fí wura ṣe!? Fún mi lọmọ mí nísísiyí!” <I want my baby, what will I do with coral beads!? Give me my baby right now! >. This scene was repeated again with the bird throwing down precious stones, but Iyawo refused to take these in place of her baby. Finally, the bird flew down and placed the baby on the ground. “Oya gbà, ọmọ rẹ nì yìí. Nítoripe o ko ṣ’ojukokoro, gbogbo nkán ti mo gbé fún rẹ o le mú wọn lo” <Here’s your baby. And as you have proven not to be a greedy person, you can go with all that I have offered you>. Now Iyawo had not only her baby, but also the bag of corals, the bag of gold and the precious stones.
When Iyale saw her come home with all these items, she demanded to know how Iyawo had got all the expensive goods. Iyawo told her story and the Iyale decided to get her own goods too. The following morning Iyale took her baby into the forest and laid the baby under the same tall tree. Then she went away pretending to gather firewood. When she got back, her baby was gone. She looked up and saw her baby in the clutches of the bird perched high up on the tree. “Mú ìlẹkẹ iyùn, wura t’o dán, okutá níyebíye atí ọmọ mi wa fún mi!” <Give me corals, gold, precious stones and my baby!> she called to the bird?. The bird threw down a bundle. The Iyale eagerly ran towards this bundle, but instead of coral beads or gold or precious stones, she found stones. “Olodo! Mo sope k’o mú ìlẹkẹ iyùn, wura t’o dán, okutá níyebíye atí ọmọ mi wa fún mi!” <Idiot! I said give me corals, gold, precious stones and my baby!> she called to the bird again. This time the bird threw down a bag of trash. The Iyale screamed at the bird demanding corals, gold and precious stones. But this time, the bird threw down a bag containing the bones of the Iyale’s baby.
Yoruba folktale. Adapted from Allfolkales.com By Babajide Oluwadare Author of Yoruba counting book “Onka 123” available on amazon here
Link to original folktale on Allfolkales.com
Originally posted 2022-11-20 05:31:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Ìwà àti ìṣe ọ̀dọ́ ìgbàlódé, kò fi àṣà àti èdè Yorùbá hàn rárá.
Aṣọ àlòkù ti gbòde, dipò aṣọ ìbílẹ̀. Ọpọlọpọ aṣọ àgbàwọ̀ yi kò wà fún ara àti lilò ni ilẹ̀ aláwọ̀-dúdú. Ọ̀dọ́ miran a wọ asọ àti bàtà òtútù ninu ooru. Ọ̀pọ̀ Olùṣọ́-àgùntàn àti Oníhìnrere, ki wọ́ aṣọ ìbílẹ̀, wọn a di bi ìrẹ̀ pẹ̀lú aṣọ òtútù.
Èdè ẹnu wọn kò jọ Oyinbo, kò jọ Yorùbá nitori àti fi ipá sọ èdè Gẹẹsi.
Òwe Yorùbá ti ó ni “Ṣòkòtò àgbàwọ̀, bi kò ṣoni lẹsẹ á fúnni nítan”. Bi a bá wo òwe yi, àti tun ṣòkòtò àgbàwọ̀ ṣe lati báni mu, ni ìnáwó púpọ̀ tàbi ki ó má yẹni. Bi a bá fi òwe yi ṣe akiyesi, aṣọ àlòkù ti wọn kó wọ̀ ìlú npa ọrọ̀ ilẹ̀ wa. Àwọn ti ó rán-aṣọ àti àwọn ti ó hun aṣọ ìbílẹ̀, ko ri iṣẹ́ ṣe tó nitori aṣọ àlòkù/òkèrè ti àwọn ọdọ kó owó lé . A lè fi òwe yi bá àwọn ti ó nwọ aṣọ-alaṣọ àti àwọn ti ó fẹ́ gbàgbé èdè wọn nitori èdè Gẹẹsi wi. Òwe yi tún bá àwọn Òṣèlú ti ó nlo àṣà Òṣè́lú ti òkè-òkun/Ìlú-Oyinbo lai wo bi wọn ti lè tunṣe lati bá ìlú wọn mu. Continue reading
Originally posted 2013-09-13 16:33:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Lẹhin ọdún mẹẹdọgbọn ti Ijoba Ologun Ibrahim Babangida fagilé ìbò ti gbogbo ilú dì lai si ìjà tàbi asọ̀ tó gbé Olóògbé Olóyè Moshood Káṣìmáawòó Ọláwálé Abíọ́lá wọlé, Ìjọba Muhammadu Buhari sọ ọjọ́ kejilá oṣù kẹfà di “Ọjọ́ Ìsimi Ìjọba Alágbádá” fún gbogbo orílẹ̀-èdè Nigeria.
Ìjọba Ológun àti Ìjọba Alágbádá ti o ti ṣèlú́ lati ọdún mẹẹdọgbọn sẹhin rò wi pé ó ti pari, nitori wọn fẹ́ ki ọjọ́ yi di ohun ìgbàgbé, ṣùgbọ́n gẹ́gẹ́ bi ọ̀rọ̀ Yorùbá ti ó ni “Bi irọ́ bá lọ fún ogún ọdún, òtítọ́ á ba lọ́jọ́ kan”. Òtítọ́ ti bá irọ́ ọdún mẹẹdọgbọn ni ọjọ́ òní ọjọ́ kejila oṣù kẹfà, ọdún Ẹgbàáléméjìdínlógún. Olórí Òṣèlú Muhammadu Buhari dójú ti àwọn onírọ́ ti ó gbá gbogbo ẹni ti ó dìbò lójú.
Ki Ọlọrun kó dẹlẹ̀ fún Olóògbé Olóyè MKO Abíọ́lá, gbogbo àwọn ti ó kú lai ri àjọyọ̀ ọjọ́ òní.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Twenty-five years after a peaceful and fair election of late Chief MKO Abiola was annulled by the military Junta Ibrahim Babangida, the government of President Muhammadu Buhari declared “June 12 Democracy Day and National Public Holiday”. Continue reading
Originally posted 2018-06-13 02:32:27. Republished by Blog Post Promoter