Yoruba Culture of Nigeria: Creating Space for an Endangered Specie

Abstract

The history of colonisation dates back to the 19th Century. Africa and indeed Nigeria could not exercise her sovereignty during this period. In fact, the experience of colonisation was a bitter sweet experience for the continent of Africa and indeed Nigeria, this is because the same colonialist and explorers who exploited the African and Nigerian economy; using it to develop theirs, were the same people who brought western education, modern health care, writing and recently technology. The challenge therefore is even though Nigeria gained independence in 1960 and the colonialist physically gone and there is no denying that they left some positive legacies, but Nigerians and indeed the Yoruba ethnicity have become Europeans in black skin. Using existing literature and observation, this paper therefore examines the negative impact of colonial influence on the Yoruba ethnicity, culture, values and language, which posits it as endangered specie, a culture that is fast losing space among elitist homes, public and private and schools. The paper recommends the use of mother tongue, traditional attire, bearing of traditional names and eating of local foods among Yoruba ethnicity and the continued inclusion of mother tongue as compulsory subject.