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The Traditional Yoruba Community

The family unit is of vital importance in the life of every
Yoruba. As in many African societies, the concept of the
family extends far beyond one’s own parents, siblings, wife
and children. It includes a whole clan often composed of
more than a hundred people among which mutual assis-
tance is compulsory. The head of this extended family is the
clan elder called Bale (Mobolade, 1971). Within the clan,
the senior is always superior to the junior. The former,
however, has the obligation to support the junior. If
needed, he must, for instance, take over the role of the
junior’s father (Stoll & Stoll, 1980).

The next level of Yoruba social organisation is the
village community assembling several clans that are closely
linked to each other in a brotherly way. A number of village
communities combine in the form of a principal Yoruba
tribe occupying a given area (Figure 1). At the head of each
tribe reigns a king called Oba who used to deal with
supraregional matters. Nowadays, the Obas no longer have
a say in official policy making although they are still hon-
oured and respected as traditional rulers. Beaded crowns are
worn by the Oba kings during festivities to emphasise their
spiritual powers and royal lineage (Olaleye-Oruene, 1983).

Yoruba Tribe

Zulu Tribe of Africa