Nigeria, the land of plenty

let's go to the river Once a year, in Oyo, there is a procession to honour Oduduwa. It starts at the Oduduwa shrine on the outskirt of the compound, a low structure with white walls. A blessing ceremony with the kola nut is performed.  Then a young virgin girl emerges from the entrance of the shrine all clad in white, bare-foot, her dark skin decorated with white spots to highlight her purity and wearing on her head a large calabash. The talking drums beat and tell what is happening. She sets-off supported by two elderly ladies also clad in white like the priest who is wearing black-pointed leather moccasins and carrying an iron scepter decorated with birds.  keep going Everyone walks very fast behind the priest. The procession is going to the river where a kola nut ceremony will take place to listen to the omen that will be then brought back all across town up the palace of the Alaafin.  which piece of news from the river The girl fainted ...

the Alaafin of Oyo and a few wives From the origin of the Yorubas to the Alaafin Olodumare is the name of the Supreme being in Yoruba language. He created  the Universe and all divinities (Irunmole), to whom he had delegated His powers on the creation of the earth and the humanity. Obatala was the first divinity to be created and had the responsibility to complete the creation of the earth and to mold the humans. Obatala in turn created Oduduwa, who the first human being living on the earth and the progenitor of all Yorubas. Oduduwa had one son called Akanbi, who got several sons, the last of which, called Oranyan is the ancestor of the Alaafin of Oyo. The Alaafin of Oyo is the traditional ruler of all Yorubas as he is blood-related to Oduduwa. In contrast the Ooni of Ife is a priest in charge of serving Oduduwa by taking care of the left spiritual property.  He is therefore a spiritual ruler of the Yorubas and not blood-related to the Yoruba progenitor. the...