The myths behind the Yoruba people involve many stories about their existence, their culture, and their relationship to the other world around them. The Yoruba people are the people of the coast. They were conquerors of many states, lands, and kingdom like the Dahomey kingdom. They are high densely populated tribes in West Africa and constituted the largest language group in African. Around the 17th to 18th century, the Yoruba kingdom of Oyo conquered the Dahomey kingdom. The Yoruba people formed many cities and had a common practice of “Ifa” divination with the Dahomey kingdom. The region of the coast southwest in Nigeria and in Africa was a ground for trading people as slaves to other parts of the world. Most of the slaves traded into new words brought along the creation of their tradition in does area. One example was the “Fon” people vodun practice in Africa that was common to that of the Caribbean voodoo practice. Therefore, because of slave trade practice that had little impact in those people tradition, most of the Yoruba and Fon believe was shared across the world.
Along the north of the Yoruba kingdoms were the borgu people. They lived independently of the Yoruba people and the Muslims states of the Hausa people. Also along the west of the kingdom of Dahomey, in modern states Ghana and Ivory Coast, the Akan speaking people formed the Ashanti kingdom. Around the 17th and 18th century, the Akan speaking people moved west to become the Baule. There movement was influences because of the open vegetation around the area of West Africa.
The myths of the Yoruba keenly cannot be told unless spoken of areas it had common culture and shared tradition believes. One of those states that had a great influence by the Yoruba was the city of Benin- called Benin city. The city was situated in the Niger-delta region in Nigeria. They were known to have distant trade of their boarders to far regions other than theirs. However, they were able to trade even further to Europe and other regions in the Middle East. They had great remarkable artwork that was known as one of the artistic emblem of West Africa and Africa in general. One of its highly reputable and recognized artwork was the bronze casting artwork. It signified great significant to the people of Benin. The city grew independently from other cities though; it was clearly influenced by the Yoruba people. The kings of Benin were called Oba similar to the Oba of the Yoruba people.
It is said that the people who founded Benin were from Egypt. All came all the way from Egypt, passed the holy land of the Yoruba kingdom- Ife to see if there was a conducive land for development. The city had their first king also called Ogiso. His name was igodo. His rule made the people very prosperous. His son who devoted much effort in dissolving major quarrels succeeded him. His son promoted agriculture and established the groups of Benin. It was during the rule of the first series of kings came great men. One of these great men was a man of courage. He defeated a flying monster that troubled the people of the land with his iron hammer. His name was Evian. His great courage was celebrated by the acrobatic dance of the people, which had remained one of the people most frequent kinds of native dances.
The last Ogiso known as Owodo, was a bad king and his reign, brought bareness to the women of the kingdom. On his conquest, he banished his son as a result to bring back the bareness of the women in the kingdom. His wife, Esagho should have been the one according to the oracle but she lied. When the Ogiso later relies that his wife had lied to him and had made him banished his son, he suddenly got reed of her by killing her. He sent people to his son so that they can bring him back home. However, his son who is now living in another community he found refused to come back. His father insisted by using force but his son killed all men sent to him by his father. After some period, the Owodo was removed from power for killing a pregnant woman. Following the deposition of Owodo, the people sent message to Odudua (King of the holy land, Ife) to ask for one his son who will rule them. Odudua sent one of his sons, Oranyan to rule the people. He married and had a child. Later, Oranyan did not like the people of Benin because how quarrelsome they were and wanted to leave. Oranyan, in his own words said – “Ile Bini” or people vexation. It was from Oranyan words that the city Benin took its name. Although Oranyan did not leave abruptly but instead stayed in another community whereas his son who could not talk stayed in Benin where he grew older.
Oranyan son was dump. He began talking when his father sent him charmed seed for him to use in game. It was on his victory; his son exclaimed delight and said “Owohen” meaning I have succeeded. This was later shortened and was later used as his name. He succeeded his father and became king. King Ohen became crippled and had to be disguised. However, his minister Iyase discovered it and let everyone knew that it was obligatory for the king to preserve his secret. The minister was later killed and the people got to know of his death. They were not happy. Thus, they blamed the king for the death the minister. The ornery people later stoned the king to death. Later King Ohen first son became king and ruled wickedly. He exiled Ogun, third son of Ohen and died. The second son then became king and ruled well but died very young. The fourth son who had followed Ogun into exile came back to rule. His brother came back from exile, having learnt his younger brother had lied he was gone and had taken his throne he killed him. Ogun became a great king and was referred to as king Ewuare by the people.
The story of Ogun in exile was told to people. In his story, he returned to the city at a time when he ran because he was spotted. He took refuge in the city lore master, Ogiefas compound. He hid in the well of Ogiefa home. A slave to Ogiefa helped Ogun by dropping a ladder down into the well for Ogun to climb out and escape at dawn, when people would could looking for him. When Ewuare came to the throne, he named the city Edo (thus, that became the second name for the city of Benin). A market woman also sheltered Ogun where she planted trees for Ogun as a sign of gratitude. Today a statue is found erected up there. Having escaped the city, Ogun spent the whole night in the bush under a tree. In the morning, he woke up, found blood of the kill of a leopard dripping all over him, and by his side lays a poisonous snake. Ogun killed both the leopard and the snake with his weapon and later established a shrine the place.
Ogun lost his son. He sent his to go and foster with the son of a dead general. At first, they both got along well. Later something weird about between them and destroy their strong relationship. One day the general son got angry and insulted the prince (son of King Ogun). They both hated each other and poisoned themselves on the same day. They both died. After the death of his son, king Ewuare (Ogun) decreed three years of mourning with no pleasure or any sort of intercourse. The people were not happy, thus they leaved Benin in great numbers for neighboring king communities. It was to prevent this that Ewuare instituted tribal markings on the people face. Later a man called the “old man chameleon” was able to subdue the king decree. Ewuare reign is remembered for the walls he built and for the number of heroes and magicians who lived at that time.
The greatness of the people of the coast –Yoruba and the City of Benin were greatly magnificent. The names of their king became mostly names of cities built and found it these regions. The Yoruba people had created significant things and civilization that is recognize throughout the world. Their tradition influenced other areas and was really a remarkable impact for the people living along the coast
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