Tani O Nse Omo Yoruba

Tani O Nse Omo Yoruba
Ethnic Mutability and Yoruba Identity

Idi oro 'Yoruba'
Bi emi she mo to, oro 'Yoruba' wa lati siso "Yo ru bo" itunmo ni wi pe eni ti o ma ru ebo'. O le je pe ipap awon elesin Ifa/Orisha ni o fa a ki awon eni to won ngbe ni arin-otun Africa bere si nni lo ede kanna ati oluku kanna (eyi ko iti di ilu ti e). Awon eni Hausa bere si npe ni 'Yariba', oro ti o fi we npe ara won ko bale si eto irubo ti awon oniesin Islam ni na kuro ni ara won.

Origin of the word 'Yoruba'
As far I can research it, the word "Yoruba" was derived from the phrase "Yo ru bo" meaning 'will make sacrifices'. It may have been the commonality of Ifa/Orisha spiritual belief that caused the diverse inhabitants of the mid-west African continent to share the same core language and ethnic nationality (as yet manifest in a controlling country). The Hausa people call this word 'Yariba' which implies that their discomfort with form or content of the sacrificial rituals they had been forced to forgo under the influence of Islam.

Tani Yoruba?
Eni ti abi si oko ofurufu kii ndi aralu ile eni ti oni oko na!
Nkan meji ni o nso eni di Yoruba. Ikini ni esin 'Orisha'. Ikeji ni amulewa lati idile Orisha. Eni Yoruba ni eni ti mu idile ni esin Yoruba, ko le jabo nitori ibi ti a bi si abi esin ti ebi re bo si.

Who is Yoruba?
One who is born on an aeroplane is not a citizen of the airline's nationality!
A Yoruba person is so because of a confluence of spiritual heritage in Ifa/Orisha belief and parental-genetic heritage from a believer. One is born as Yoruba who is descendant from a Yoruba, irrespective of the place of birth or the religion of either parent.

Eniyan le wa ni idile Yoruba. Kakabe, o le farasi idile imi bi Nigeria, Togo abi Jamaica, bbl [be be lo]. Be e ni, o le wani esin Yoruba. Kakabe, o le forisi esin imi bi Hinduism, Rastafarian abi Judaism, bbl. Pelu pe eniyan farasi abi forisi ibomi, awon ati awon omo-omo won a shi je Yoruba ni idile ati idiesin, won a shi le she aralu Yoruba (nigbati ilu ba de)

In time, the person may remain within Yoruba nationality. Alternatively, the parson may register and become a citizen of another nationality such as Nigeria, Togo, or Jamaica etc. Similarly, they may remain Yoruba in spirituality or may convert to another faith such as Hindu, Rastafarian or Judaism etc. Even if they convert their nationality or faith, they and any of their descendants will be Yoruba in spiritual and genetic heritage, and so entitled to Yoruba nationality (if and when manifest).

Iparo idi-omo
Eniti 'Yo Ru Bo' ni eni Yoruba. Igbakamu ni wi pe ori eni le di orisha. Igbagbo ni ati ilahun wi pe enikeni ni o le di ori sha. Igbagbo ti o pe fun ishora ori ati afi ara sho ni. Ni ojotokoja, awon elesin Yoruba nikan ni a le pe ni Yoruba. Sugbon ni ojoisiyin, enikeni oni idile Yoruba ni a npe ni Yoruba, paapa wi pe won ti mu esin abi abule araita. Ayekan Yoruba (nigbati o de) ma pesiwaju eni elesin Yoruba.


Ethnic mutability
To be Yoruba is to 'Yo Ru Bo'. It is an acknowledgement of spiritual potential to be part of Olodumare (or God in pagan belief). A faith and assertion that by their deeds the person - any person - can become "ori sha", meaning 'of chosen spirit'. It is a faith that calls for spiritual vigilance and mortal defence. In the old days, only people of active Yoruba spirituality were deemed Yoruba. In current times, persons of Yoruba genetic heritage are called Yoruba even when they are converts to foreign religions or nationality. The active spiritual adherents are termed aborisha or Yorubo or irunmole etc to designate them separate from non-practising Yoruba. The Yoruba nation (when manifest) will likely extend preferential citizenship to persons of Yoruba spirituality.

Maafa
Nkan pataki ni omo Maafa (oja eru ni eniyan Afrika). Ogede won ni ebi ti ye kuro ni Africa. Pupo ni aimoye ebi won ti po pelu omo aralu imiran. Pupo ni aimoye ebi won ti pelu esin imiran. Won shi le di Yoruba ti won ba she 'Yo Ru Bo'. Ayekan Yoruba (nigbati o de) ma pedandan eni omo Maafa ti onshe esin Yoruba.

The Maafa.
Of importance are the Maafa (African slave trade) descendants, Most are now several generations removed from direct parentage in Africa. Many now have genetic exchange with other ethnic nationalities. Many have been through several generations of indoctrination in other faiths. They can be Yoruba if they are 'Yo Ru Bo'. The Yoruba nation (when manifest) will extend automatic citizenship to Maafa descendants who are of Yoruba spirituality


Ni ojoisiyin, she Yoruba je ki kosheishe ki eni nse esin imi?
Question: today, does being Yoruba mean it is impossible to be Christian/Muslim/agnostic/atheist?

Ijuwon yi she yewo ni ona meta
The contention may arise from distinctions in 3 dimensions:


1) between Yoruba Orisha spirituality vs another religion/non-religion.
Spirituality is primary in determining Yoruba heritage and it is inviolable. However, one can choose whether to be active as Yoruba Orisha or not. To not be "Yo Ru B[U]o[/U]" is to be of suspended spiritual state in which one is not consciously trying to evolve towards Olodumare. Yoruba who are christians/muslims/atheists/agnostics abbl are by definition not "Yo Ru B[U]o[/U]".


2) between Yoruba genetic heritage (ethnicity) vs Arabic/European ethnicity.
a) Any non-genetic Yoruba person including an Ibo, Efik, Chinese, German or Sunni Arab, abbl, may convert to Yoruba Orisha spirituality. If they initiate their children also into Orisha spirituality, then the descendants of the child have established Yoruba spiritual heritage. Even if a Yoruba marries someone of another ethnicity or baptises their child into whatever foreign religion, they, their child, and its children remain Yoruba in spirit.
b) Genetic heritage is one vehicle for transmitting the Yoruba spiritual heritage. It is considered that any person born of a Yoruba is born into Yoruba Orisha by default, even if the parents are many generation practising Christians or Confucians, abbl. The Yoruba child is born to actualise as Orisha.

Of course, it is possible to be of multiple ethnicity. In fact, this seems to be the new path to socio-economic globalisation of European culture and to world peace. Even the NVS board actively encourages it with its Afro introductions banner adverts.


3) between Yoruba/Scottish/African-American (not manifest) vs Egypt/Nigeria/France/UK/ nationality/citizenship.
Nationality or citizenship are matters subject to geo-politics. It is for the countries concerned whether there is "either" or "or" in what nationality / citizenship a person may be subject to.