Not many people are aware that there are living and thriving Yoruba cultures in the two West African countries of Sierra Leone and Gambia, that is apart from the well known Nigerian, Beninese and Togolese Yoruba communities.

This is a thread dedicated to The Yoruba and Creole (krio) peoples, majority of which are of Yoruba descent as well as their cultural practices in the West African countries of Sierra Leone and The Gambia.
Language, Music, Literature, E.tc.

There are an estimated 800,000 Krios in Sierra Leone, while in Gambia, the Akus make up another estimated 5% of the population and they are very very influential in both countries, and one thing that is quite known about Yorubas and Yoruba descended people is that the culture always follow them wherever they go regardless of location..

Some notable Sierra Leonean Creoles/Yorubas include:

Oloh Israel Olufemi Cole
Adetokumboh McCormack,
Abel Nathaniel Bankole Stronge
Abioseh Nicol
Ade Renner Thomas
Akiwande Josiah Lasite
Ogunlade Davidson
Rev. Victoria Gladys Abeoseh Wilson-Cole
Walter Balogun Nicol
Winstanley Bankole Johnson
Dr. John Augustus Abayomi-Cole - Medical doctor, politician
Herbert Bankole-Bright - Medical doctor and politician
Abel Nathaniel Bankole Stronge - Current speaker of parliament
David Omoshola Carew - Current Minister of Trade and Industry
Ogunlade Davidson - Current Minister of Energy and Power
Winstanley Bankole Johnson - Mayor of Freetown from 2004 to 2008
Abioseh Davidson Nicol - Author and diplomat
Ade Renner Thomas - Former Chief Justice of Sierra Leone

And countless others.
Ps: I am Creole of Yoruba descent who is a national of Sierra Leone.

One of the most distinctive features of the Yoruba/Creole comunity in SL and Gambia is the division into Guilds and clubs of Hunting (Odeh), Masquerades and Masks (Ojeh and Egun) as well as community helping groups and monetary co-operatives (Esusu).

The Hunting groups (Odehs) for example host elaborate events in both countries and have very large communities.
Here are some pictures.





















These are hunting guilds, and most of their masquerades are based on animal motifs. They are one of the more popular, because they are very lively and is mostly made up of young and vibrant folks.

Many of us here too have a long and unknown decent. like I discovered I'm of Jamaican and Portuguese Origin

kachi19:
Many of us here too have a long and unknown decent. like I discovered I'm of Jamaican and Portuguese Origin

Really? are you a Nigerian national?
What is the history behind your jamaican and Portuguese origin? Also can an African be of Jamaican origin, knowing fully well than Jamaicans themselves are Africans.

Some e - diotic pigs will now say Yoruba is not the most influential black tribe on earth.

We host yearly events both at home and among the Sierra Leonean and Gambian communities abroad.
Everyone is welcome to attend, as they are usually fun and pomp.

some pics.

Apart from Free town the national capital, the groups are also very prominent in Port Loko, Aberdeen, Fulatown, Waterloo among other places in the country.

listen to this track with an assemblage of random pictures of general life in Salone.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqnEyUcKSZA&t=373s
'
Oh and by the way, Nigerian pidgin English originated in Sierra Leone. That is why it sounds like a watered down version of Krio. . Contrary to popular belief, pidgin was not very popular in Nigeria in the colonial period at all, but became popular when krios started settling in coastal Nigerian cities including Port Harcourt, Warri and Calabar.

Some of the most prominent Nigerian families also have sierra leonean origins like the Kutis, Many of Nigeria's first achievers in various fields, Herbert Macaulay, father of Nigerian nationalism Et cetera.

MightySparrow:
Some e - diotic pigs will now say Yoruba is not the most influential black tribe on earth.

Yoruba, the most Superior race on earth!

Osugbo,
God bless you for sharing.

I love it! We would like to see more of you and fellow Yorubas join us here and share knowledge and history of our Common Legacy.

ImperialYoruba:
Osugbo,
God bless you for sharing.

I love it! We would like to see more of you and fellow Yorubas join us here and share knowledge and history of our Common Legacy.

I will invite friends and family. Thanks.
My family origins goes back to the Egba and the Effon, I don't know which group is the latter.

Osugbo:


I will invite friends and family. Thanks.
My family origins goes back to the Egba and the Effon, I don't know which group is the latter.

Efon is an ancient town in Yoruba.

There is a project going on as we speak to return our people to Yoruba as a first language. It started many years ago but before age of internet and new technology so it met some roadblocks politically. In the new age, media and internet is fluid and can get around political barriers, so the project has been renewed.

Our leaders and Kings all across West Africa have pushed for Yoruba as first language among Yorubas in Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Senegal. This is first stage of a long process to break the limitations imposed by Anglo-Franco barriers between a homogeneous race occupying the Sudan zone.

It is really amazing to see how Yoruba influences the West African sub-blocks over and across to South America, N. America and the UK. You need to come and see how Yoruba culture and language is pride of African culture in the UK. Its amazing...Their confidence even in corporate world, surprises even the indigent people.

I was really surprise to see that Yoruba Culture still hold sway in Ghana (Ewe and Ghan also called Osu people) and far away Sierra leone (Krio). One common thing is their love for education, just like the Nigerian Yorubas' and they are very influential in their various countries. The Ghana lady was very happy when she got to know I am Yoruba and she started telling me of Ewe people, and how we are related and the period they moved westward as a result of the fall of the Oyo empire. Its quiet intriguing and interesting. That shows how influential the Yoruba nation is.

Parts of the Yorubas are probably and truly the children of Lamurudu (Nimrod), the Black and first ruler of the world, who started slavery and the slavery later ended up and completed over his people (so sad), bringing to end, the curse of the tower of babel. No wonder the Yorubas has, one of the most varied dialects in the world. The oracle, has truly come full circle - what goes around definitely comes around. Hardly, has any African Language/culture has the influence, like that of the Yorubas across countries and continents- its unfathomable.

Something strange is happening to me now. I think I am beginning to have he urge to learn IFA, - Sometimes, I watch Yoruba movies because of those IFA incantation (Scenes) and knowledge. Anybody with knowledge of IFA to share? I hope its not Diabolical, sha...I just like it, or say i'm curious? I do understand the interpretation, especially when I listened carefully to the incantations, despite my lack of knowledge of it

Amazing...

Osugbo:


Really? are you a Nigerian national?
What is the history behind your jamaican and Portuguese origin? Also can an African be of Jamaican origin, knowing fully well than Jamaicans themselves are Africans.

My Great Great was a repartriated kid from Jamaica during the slave era and adopted by a slave trader. My maternal Great Great is a Portuguese tobacco exporter. That's as far I've uncovered

Osugbo:


I will invite friends and family. Thanks.
My family origins goes back to the Egba and the Effon, I don't know which group is the latter.

Effon is the old colonial era terminology for Ekitis.
So you are Egba and Ekiti. Congrats.

Interesting. Tell us more. What are the stories of the origins of these Yoruba groups? Have you visited S.W Nigeria?

Saw an Ibeyi show in paris, they speak a version of yoruba with spanish coloration. Met a couple of folks of yoruba- liked speaking in Brazil last summer.

Osugbo:
Apart from Free town the national capital, the groups are also very prominent in Port Loko, Aberdeen, Fulatown, Waterloo among other places in the country.

listen to this track with an assemblage of random pictures of general life in Salone.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqnEyUcKSZA&t=373s
'
Oh and by the way, Nigerian pidgin English originated in Sierra Leone. That is why it sounds like a watered down version of Krio. . Contrary to popular belief, pidgin was not very popular in Nigeria in the colonial period at all, but became popular when krios started settling in coastal Nigerian cities including Port Harcourt, Warri and Calabar.

Some of the most prominent Nigerian families also have sierra leonean origins like the Kutis, Many of Nigeria's first achievers in various fields, Herbert Macaulay, father of Nigerian nationalism Et cetera.

@bold....I beg to differ. Pidgin English was introduced to Nigeria by the Portuguese (slave traders) around the 16th or 17th century. It was originally introduced along the coast and it spread inwards with time.

kachi19:
Many of us here too have a long and unknown decent. like I discovered I'm of Jamaican and Portuguese Origin

On the Igbo side, there were quite a few ex slave returnees of Igbo ancestry who returned to Igboland but very little is known of them. Just like their Yoruba counterparts, most of them have English surnames, which was very rare among the general Igbo population during the colonial period. They settled mostly in Onitsha. For example, the Koldsweat family of Onitsha (the popular actor Larry Koldsweat), the Brown family of Onitsha (https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/05/29/the-browns-bonded-by-love-and-business/), etc. My classmate's maternal grandfather was also a returnee who settled in Onitsha. Those who grew up in Onitsha, especially between the 1940s and 1980s will know what I am talking about. Onitsha was to them what Lagos was to the Yoruba returnees. However, majority of Igbo returnees either settled in Sierra Leone or Equatorial Guinea out of fear of being socially stigmatized due to the prevalent oru/osu caste system at that time.

bigfrancis21:


On the Igbo side, there were quite a few ex slave returnees of Igbo ancestry who returned to Igboland but very little is known of them. Just like their Yoruba counterparts, most of them have English surnames, which was very rare among the general Igbo population during the colonial period. They settled mostly in Onitsha. For example, the Koldsweat family of Onitsha (the popular actor Larry Koldsweat), the Brown family of Onitsha (https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/05/29/the-browns-bonded-by-love-and-business/), etc. My classmate's maternal grandfather was also a returnee who settled in Onitsha. Those who grew up in Onitsha, especially between the 1940s and 1980s will know what I am talking about. Onitsha was to them what Lagos was to the Yoruba returnees. However, majority of Igbo returnees either settled in Sierra Leone or Equatorial Guinea out of fear of being socially stigmatized due to the prevalent oru/osu caste system at that time.

My original place is Arochuckwu before my ancestor was sent to the Carribean at the time the younger ancestor returned, originally was headed to Equitorial Guinea. But the kid got to survive and ended up in Onitsha and then Awka. Nice facts you got there actually I was perplexed to find out a massive Igbo population in the Español Guinea. I think our ancestry is even farther then we know

kachi19:


My original place is Arochuckwu before my ancestor was sent to the Carribean at the time the younger ancestor returned, originally was headed to Equitorial Guinea. But the kid got to survive and ended up in Onitsha and then Awka. Nice facts you got there actually I was perplexed to find out a massive Igbo population in the Español Guinea. I think our ancestry is even farther then we know

Thanks for sharing this. I didn't know Awka had returnee settlers also! Where in Igboland are you currently from, Awka or Onitsha?

bigfrancis21:



Thanks for sharing this. I didn't know Awka had returnee settlers also! Where in Igboland are you currently from, Awka or Onitsha?

Awka was more of a trade centre or route idk. we'll, I'm from Ndikelionwu, Whence my ancestor left Awka to go settle somewhere else. Anna how did you know about all these stuffs

This is amazing stuff. Nice post OP. Very educative. I hope you make the time to visit Yorubaland soon. Ode is hunter, ekun is leopard or brave and Egun is masquerade. Quite amazing that you guys did not lose culture or language even though removed for centuries.

Osugbo:


I will invite friends and family. Thanks.
My family origins goes back to the Egba and the Effon, I don't know which group is the latter.

A lot of Egba and Lagos people went to Sierra Leone. Also Ogbomoshos. A lot of Egbas left and found their way back home too. Nice post here.

My brothers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRwVCux2eSg

geosegun:
It is really amazing to see how Yoruba influences the West African sub-blocks over and across to South America, N. America and the UK. You need to come and see how Yoruba culture and language is pride of African culture in the UK. Its amazing...Their confidence even in corporate world, surprises even the indigent people.

I was really surprise to see that Yoruba Culture still hold sway in Ghana (Ewe) and far away Sierra leone (Krio). One common thing is their love for education, just like the Nigerian Yorubas' and they are very influential in their various countries. The Ghana lady was very happy when she got to know I am Yoruba and she started telling me of Ewe people, and how we are related and the period they moved westward as a result of the fall of the Oyo empire. Its quiet intriguing and interesting. That shows how influential the Yoruba nation is.

Parts of the Yorubas are probably and truly the children of Lamurudu (Nimrod), the Black and first ruler of the world, who started slavery and the slavery later ended up and completed over his people (so sad), bringing to end, the curse of the tower of babel. No wonder the Yorubas has, one of the most varied dialects in the world. The oracle, has truly come full circle - what goes around definitely comes around. Hardly, has any African Language/culture has the influence, like that of the Yorubas across countries and continents- its unfathomable.

Something strange is happening to me now. I think I am beginning to have he urge to learn IFA, - Sometimes, I watch Yoruba movies because of those IFA incantation (Scenes) and knowledge. Anybody with knowledge of IFA to share? I hope its not Diabolical, sha...I just like it, or say i'm curious? I do understand the interpretation, especially when I listened carefully to the incantations, despite my lack of knowledge of it

every Yoruba man should learn IFA because that's the only god of divinity that mother nature gave us to tell about our future and past....Yoruba is the first tribe on earth, I'm learning a lot about our culture and supremacy of our people anywhere they go

bigfrancis21:


@bold....I beg to differ. Pidgin English was introduced to Nigeria by the Portuguese (slave traders) around the 16th or 17th century. It was originally introduced along the coast and it spread inwards with time.

Pidgin English was not introduced to Nigeria by the portuguese, otherwise Nigerians would be speaking a Portuguese creole like Guinea Bissau. Pidgin as spoken in Nigeria is an English based creole. Pidgin came in full force via the krios and later took on some Nigerian character by imbibing local words since such is the character of a creole.

Osugbo:


Pidgin English was not introduced to Nigeria by the portuguese, otherwise Nigerians would be speaking a Portuguese creole like Guinea Bissau. Pidgin as spoken in Nigeria is an English based creole. Pidgin came in full force via the krios and later took on some Nigerian character by imbibing local words since such is the character of a creole.

During the European quest for new markets and raw materials in the 17th Century, many Portuguese missionaries and traders arrived on the shores of Jamaica and West and Central African countries like: Sierra Leone, Cameroon and Nigeria were largely visited by the missionaries. For trade and religious purposes with no language in common they created a form of communication with bases from the European language, giving birth to most African languages: such as Creole, Pidgin, and Patois. These languages came to serve the linguistic need there, by giving birth to the Cameroon Camfranglais (mixture of French and English) spoken by the youth today.

Nigerian Pidgin English (NPE), originated as a lingua franca for trade purposes amongst the Nigerians and the Portuguese merchants during the 17th century. It is broken English like Patois and Creole, spoken along the coast of West Africa and it has extended to the diaspora, due to Nigerian migrants. After the departure of the missionaries, this lingua franca did not go with them but remained and is the most widely spoken language in Nigeria today compared to English. There are still Portuguese words present in the NPE such as : “ Sabi (to know) and Pikin (child)” .

NPE is regarded as a bastardization of the English language used by the non-literates, though it is highly spoken in Nigeria by every individual starting from an early age. In the country, both the literates, such as the president, campaigning politicians, lawyers, doctors, and non-literates speak and understand pidgin, though it is mostly used in informal situations and English is used for official purposes and the medium of education. NPE is the most widely spoken language as it is not a native language of any tribe in Nigeria but the only language everyone understands and regards as the easiest form of interaction amongst the population.The Federal Republic of Nigeria has three major languages namely: Igbo in the (East), Yoruba in the (South) and Hausa in the (North ) having English as the official language alongside other 500 different spoken dialects. Indeed, NPE is considered as a bastardized language as it is yet to have a standard written form. University in Nigeria, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria both undergraduate and postgraduate levels , department of English and Drama are now offering it as a course and many struggles are being put up for NPE to be considered Nigeria’s official language as it is highly used by the masses, high school students, postgraduates and undergraduates, politicians and business people.

NPE is not only spoken in Nigeria, it is widely used by the diasporic communities in America, England, and Canada. In addition, a large group of the Nigerian community in Luxembourg use Pidgin as a means of communication, these diasporic communities use pidgin among themselves as a means to feel at home.

http://termcoord.eu/2018/04/nigerian-pidgin-english/

https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/food-travel/pidgin-english-why-these-5-nigerian-cities-speak-the-language/6t6lj0g

One would think the Portuguese would introduce a pidgin Portuguese not pidgin English

Osugbo:


Pidgin English was not introduced to Nigeria by the portuguese, otherwise Nigerians would be speaking a Portuguese creole like Guinea Bissau. Pidgin as spoken in Nigeria is an English based creole. Pidgin came in full force via the krios and later took on some Nigerian character by imbibing local words since such is the character of a creole.

Quite an infornation you've shared. May Olorun continuously bless you with such renewed strength to share more of Yorubas history in the country you live as an indigene.


Stay bless eternally.