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By Patrick Dele Cole

Yorubas – Music and Parties

EFFERVESCENT, vivacious, an almost hedonistic Commitment to pleasure, enjoyment. They make no apology for enjoyment and are open about it. At a Yoruba party, there is a sing-along ability – everybody seems to know the words, and the party goers are in full and fine voice, as they belt out song after song.

Women and girls, including our daughters see parties as a time to show off. Musicians will call out or sing out the name of each celebrant and celebrity, when he or she has the floor. Such celebrant or celebrity then sprays a lot of money, preferably, newly minted notes, in a simple and enjoyable way. The non-celebrants thereby indirectly contribute towards cost of the party, and to show affection or closeness to the celebrant. Also the floor is given to other show offs. Even so, a good guest comes with a cheque or cash in an envelope to the party.

Parties are also opportunities to find a marriageable partner, when one’s parents have been unable to secure a spouse.

The Entertainment Industry is quintessentially Yoruba. They were the first to put up canopies, the use of which has now become country wide. Lagos has over 30 Event/Entertainment Centres, some of which are owned by non-Yorubas; whilst the majority are Yoruba owned.

The Yoruba love of entertainment has also stimulated other Industries in the areas of clothing, (like damask, aso oke, Ankara, woudin, and headties, etc.), hair, cosmetics, etc.

The Yoruba Party Catering Philosophy is different from that of other cultures: Thus, among the Yorubas, each member of the family, who can, creates a spending point – brother, sister, etc. These parties encourage the Catering Industry as a whole.

Sometimes with different headgears or even asoebi, so guests know who is their host or hostess.

Each member of the family has different attire. They have separate kitchens and food stalls, different musicians – depending on how big the occasion is. Here I am referring to a really big party, with sibling from a polygamous marriage.

The clothes are of many designs, some of which are unique for the occasion. Matching jewelry, shoes, handbags, and specialist head ties – some of which (like head ties) are so specialized that it is named after a celebrity, e.g., Sagoe head tie.

Style consciousness, including the use of colour in attires; promotion of elegance are all hallmarks of Yorubas culture.

The Yorubas introduced “political “parties. I duff my hats to Yoruba musicians: There is no song, in any language, which is popular that they won’t sing – from Victor Olaiya’s Anyigana, and Bakwodaya, and Rex Lawson’s Berebote, Asewo, etc.

James Brown’s king of soul – it’s a man’s world, P square – Igwe, and Chop my Money, African Beauty Queen by 2 face, Victor Uwaifo’s Jolomi, etc.

If you are throwing a party, one of the secrets of having a successful party is when the revelers sing along with the band or music playing. For a party, you provide catering, wine, beer and other drinks, and music. Over a hundred people do this weekly in Lagos. Yorubas have a mini carnival every weekend – The beauty of the Yoruba Language from the mouth of an expert – the cadences, the lyrics, are legendary.

The Orikis, which to the uninitiated, sound like a different language, depict the historical antecedents, particularly their ancestry, and achievements of the respective families; and the average Yoruba man and woman are keenly aware of their history, and they follow the orikis of their families. These Orikis many times correct facts, and their interpretations do help to clear misunderstandings, as well as erase misrepresentations about people and their families. Sometimes mischievous, praise singers, in reciting the Orikis, would say something less complimentary about a person’s ancestor, especially if the member of the families is parsimonious to the singer.

Yorubas have brought Theatre Arts to the ghettos where the ordinary people live. Many praise singers are careerists – this is all they do. There are professional masters and mistresses of ceremonies, at traditional weddings, wake keeping, receptions after burials. The late M.K.O. Abiola told us that he paid his school fees through being a professional street singer.

The depth of some of the dialects of the Yoruba Language, in some respects, is similar to those of the Ibo Language. Many Igbos from Nsukka, Afikpo, Owerri, Abriba when they speak their dialects. etc are not understood by other Igbos. But the Nsukka, Afikpo, Owerri people are able to step down a gear to union Ibo to be understood.

Among the Yorubas, the Ijebus, the Ekitis, the Ondos speak a brand of Yoruba which is unintelligible to the uninitiated. But they can switch to what can be called, the Union Yoruba, which is spoken by the people of Oyo, Oshogbo, Ogbomosho, and Ibadan, to be understood. (Probably the analogy will be the Queen’s English and the Cockney of East London, or the Scottish Language. I must confess that I do not always understand what they say).

Among the Yorubas, there is an incredible network of information as to where the parties are: musicians like Christmas or other traditional events/occasions, rather than a designated Party as such. Uninvited musicians only come to facilitate with important people only on such ceremonial occasions, area boys, etc., flock to these venues, adding the element of unpredictability to a joyous occasion. Sometimes, the situation gets too boisterous as each singing group tries to occupy and retain his territory.

Of course, there are other ethnic groups who also do what the Yorubas do – but not as lavish or as common as the Yorubas. A good Yoruba socialite has, at least, three or four parties to go to every weekend. Some of these occasions demand three or four Aso Ebis, e.g., a funeral, may demand one Aso Ebi for the Service of Songs, one for the Burial (that is, the Church and the Interment); one for the Reception after the Burial, and another for the Outing Ceremony. It is not unusual for a family to have a party some years after the patriarch’s or matriarch’s demise; the excuse, is that the dead person has been lying in one position for too long, and he or she has to be turned to another side!!

The male Yorubas in this kaleidiscop of colour and cacophony of noise at parties come out in simple white Sokoto (trousers) and jumper or even white Agbada. The only concession they make is a head gear, cap that is the Aso oke. The Italians or French invented the chutch bag.

Dr. Cole, a former ambassador, wrote from Lagos.