MYTHICAL CREATION OF THE YORUBA TRIBE

The Yoruba tribe were
believed to have emerged from Oduduwa (one of the servants of Olodumare- the
Supreme Being) who was sent down to the world to create the earth. It was
believed that he descended with a long chain from heaven and carried a calabash
full of sand and also brought a five- toed fowl along with him. The whole earth
was covered with water, not a single dry place could be found, then he (Oduduwa) poured the sand on the water and
placed the fowl on it, and the fowl started to sprinkle the sand with its
legs. Everywhere the sand touched turned into a solid ground and the chameleon
was sent to judge if it was dry and solid enough. The other places that were
not touched by the sand remained as water till today. Then, Olodumare sent
Obatala (god of divination) to create and mould human beings the way it pleases
him and he (Olodumare) would put life into them and would also design their
various destinies.

According to some accounts, it was Obatala that Olodumare sent to create the
earth, but on his way, he joined a group of gods feasting and he drank wine
till he was drunk then fell asleep. Oduduwa then carried the calabash and the
fowl beside him and carry out the mission that was meant for Obatala. When Obatala
woke up, he discovered Oduduwa had created the earth and he became furious, but
Olodumare calmed him with another mission of creating human beings.
It was also believed that Oduduwa had a son named Okanbi also called
Idekoseroake, and Okanbi also begat seven children who can now be referred to
as the fathers of the seven main Yoruba tribes, as follows ( Owu, Alaketu,
Benin, Orangun, Onisabe, Olupopo and Oranyan).

The Yoruba people, who
can be found in the Southwestern part of Nigeria, believe so much in the
traditional accounts of their creation.