A lawyer, columnist, historian, poet and former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode has raised dust over the origin and meaning of the name “Yoruba” and why the people of South West must reject it.
In a short memo he made available to ElombahNews on Monday, Mr. Fani-Kayode said that “Yoruba” was a name given the Yorubas by their Fulani masters to denigrate them.
He noted that the Fulanis similarly gave another name “Yamiri” to South Easterners but that the Igbos of the South East promptly rejected it while their Yoruba counterparts bore the “strange name and label”.
He said: “Two names that the Fulani gave to southerners: “Yamiri”, in reference to South East and “Yariba” in reference to South West.
“The South East rejected that name but the South West accepted it.
“The name “Yoruba” derives from “Yariba” and it means “shady and unreliable”.”
Mr. Fani-Kayode said that he rejected the name “Yoruba” and the language, which he said is not “Yoruba” but “Anago”, asked his contemporaries to do same.
He said: I reject that strange name and label…
“I am not a “Yariba” or “Yoruba” but an “Omo Karo Jire” or an “Oduduwan” and my lanuage is not “Yoruba” but “Anago”.”
Stressing more reasons the Yorubas need to reject the name, he continued:
“We are what we call ourselves. We are not “shady and uneliable” (Yariba) and we must not accept names that are given to us by our historical adversaries…
“Any Omo Karo Jire or Oduduwan that continues to call himself a “Yoruba” is lost and does not know the implications of what he is doing to his own people.
“He is simply affirming and confirming an insulting label which has deep sinister, mystical and spiritual connotations…
“The word “Yoruba” did not even exist until the 18th century and even then most of the tribes of the South West, including the Oyo’s, rejected it due to its origin and meaning.
“The word “Yoruba” is alien to our culture and not known in the Anago language.
“Oduduwans please take note,” he advised.
(C) Control TV 2019.
