The Unarguable Truths About the Name “Yorùbá” and Its Origins

The name “Yorùbá” carries a complex history that is often misunderstood, misrepresented, and, at times, deliberately distorted. Its origin is not just a matter of etymology, it is a mirror reflecting centuries of identity, contact, resistance, and transformation. Too often, what is paraded as Yorùbá culture in the 21st century is reduced to aesthetics, clothing, beads, drumming, and dance. While these are important symbols, they are merely the surface.

True culture lies beneath, rooted in language, worldview, spiritual systems, philosophy, ethics, social structures, and memory. But in seeking the truth about Yorùbá origins, one must also ask; Do the Yorùbá people truly understand their own culture today?