Yorubas’ Ifa System and Human Destiny: An Oral Narrative Account

Mohammed Enaikele, Adeniyi Taofeeq Adeleke

Volume 16, Number 2 (2025) 16 (2): 5-17

PDF (Inglés)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.63428/82wtbz44

Palabras clave Ifa mythology, human destiny, Yoruba, Southwestern Nigeria, oral tradition

Resumen

Ifa mythology is one of the most well-known African divination systems and is unique to the Yoruba people. Ifa provides explanations for why humans have different destinies. This study explores the oral tradition of Ifa mythology and how its emphasis on human destiny has come to enact itself in the Yoruba people’s beliefs and behavioural responses, as expressed in rituals performed by Ifa priests. The study was conducted during the Ifa festival at Osogbo. Six officiating priests at the festival were purposively selected as key informants. Nine worshippers were also interviewed. Using participant observation methods, the study’s findings reveal expository and ostensive views of reality using a narrative approach to present the Ifa mythological account of Yoruba world view of human destiny. Ifa reveals hidden facts about the past, present, and future. It also provides explanations and solutions to calamities, anxieties, uncertainties, health challenges, material well-being, and the fulfilment of destiny. Ifa mythology preserves a way of life of a people that projects Africa in all its dimensions of myth, customs, traditions, history, beliefs, heritage, and rituals.

Autores/as

Mohammed Enaikele

Adeniyi Taofeeq Adeleke

Publicado agosto 14, 2025

Cómo citar

Yorubas’ Ifa System and Human Destiny: An Oral Narrative Account. (2025). Fourth World Journal, 16(2), 5-17. https://doi.org/10.63428/82wtbz44
ACM ACS APA ABNT Chicago Harvard IEEE MLA Turabian Vancouver AMA

Descargar cita

Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS) BibTeX

##plugins.themes.healthSciences.displayStats.downloads##

##plugins.themes.healthSciences.displayStats.noStats##
Creative Commons License

Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivadas 4.0.

Referencias

Awolalu, J. O., & Dopamu, P. A. (1979). West African traditional religion. Ibadan, Nigeria: Onibonoje Press and Book Industries Nigeria Limited.

Blockson, C. L. (1987). No where to lay down head. The Official Journal of the National Geographic Society, 172(2). Washington, D.C.

Elebuibon, I. (2004). Ifa: The custodian of destiny. Ibadan, Nigeria: Penthouse Publications.

Gobo, G. (2008). Doing ethnography. London: Sage Publications.

https://doi.org/10.4135/9780857028976

Idowu, E. B. (1973). African traditional religion: A definition. London: SCM Press, Ltd.

Ikenga-Metuh, E. (1990). African humanism: A cultural factor in the development of the Nigerian personality. In E. Ikenga-Metuh & O. Ojoade (Eds.), Nigerian cultural heritage. Jos, Nigeria: Imico Publishing Company.

Johnson, S. (2009). The history of the Yorubas: From earliest times to the beginning of the British Protectorate. Lagos, Nigeria: CSS Press and Bookshops Ltd.

https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511702617

Oke, E. A. (2004). An introduction to anthropology. Ibadan, Nigeria: Emmi Press.

Ozigboh, I. R. H. (1988). An introduction to the religion and history of Islam. Nigeria: Fourth Dimension Publishing Company.

Taylor, R. (1983). Metaphysics. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc.

UNESCO. (2003). Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage. Paris. Retrieved from http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=17716&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

UNESCO. (2008). Ifa divination system. Retrieved from https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/ifa-divination-system-00146

World Oral Literature Project. (2016). University of Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Retrieved from http://www.oralliterature.org/

Artículos similares

También puede Iniciar una búsqueda de similitud avanzada para este artículo.

Array Envíos