History of the Yoruba people

The documented history begins when Oranyan came to rule the Oyo Empire, which became dominant in the early 17th century. The older traditions of the formerly dominant Ile-Ife kingdom are largely oral.

The name "Yoruba" is said to be given to the people of the left bank of the Niger River, gotten from the demotic "Yarba" (same as the Hausa term "Yarriba") firstly mentioned in the work of Capt. Clapperton (Travels and Discoveries in Northern and Central Africa, 1822 - 1824) and referenced much later by Rev. Samuel Johnson (The History of The Yorubas). Prior to the generalization, each Yoruba tribes were called by native names, and the denotation was mainly for the Oyo.

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