Yoruba: African Orishas

The Yoruba have a wide range of social and political structures, but they share several common characteristics. Members of the patrilineage live together under a headman's jurisdiction, share certain names and taboos, worship their deity, and access lineage lands based on patrilineal descent. The egbe, a male recreational association; the aro, a farmer's mutual-aid association; and the esusu, whose members pay a fixed sum of money and may obtain loans, are among the Yoruba's voluntary associations. The oba and a council of chiefs have political power; constituent towns each have their ruler subordinate to the oba. The oba is also a ceremonial chief who is revered.

West Africa is home to the Yoruba people. It ranges from the north to the south, from a savanna (grassland) area to tropical rain forests. The majority of Yoruba people live in Nigeria. However, Benin and Togo, both small countries to the west of Nigeria, have a few dispersed communities.