According to oral Yoruba traditions and the history of Opa Oranmiyan, the family of Oranmiyan Omoluabi Odede, the Great Prince of Ife and King of the Yorubas, built the Oranmiyan Staff as a memorial monument at his death site. This was expected to occur around 1300. The Opa Oranmiyan, or “Staff of Oranmiyan,” is a…
The Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria practice egungun, or masquerading, frequently. They see it as a way to get back in touch with their ancestors. In the Yoruba city of Ibadan, Oloolu is a powerful egungun or eegun. Ibadan residents and residents know Oloolu very well. Women in particular tremble in fear when Oloolu is…
Proverbs are well-known sayings that contain pearls of wisdom. They are common phrases or sayings that give advice and effectively embody a commonplace truth based on experience or common sense. They are short, simple, and widely used. The witty phrases that the Igbo people of Eastern Nigeria use on a daily basis have earned them…
Perhaps the most enigmatic head of state in Nigeria is General Sani Abacha. From 1993 until his death in 1998, he ruled. On September 20, 1943, General Abacha was born in Kano state, northern Nigeria. He is from Borno State’s Kanuri. After graduating from the Nigerian Military Training Center in Kaduna, he attended Mons Officer…