Yorùbá Conception of Peace

Abstract

In this chapter, Ekanola clarifies how the Yorùbá́ people of Southwestern Nigeria conceive of peace. Ekanola argues that, hitherto, there has not been any serious effort to examine how the Yorùbá́ conceive of peace in a systematic manner. The chapter acknowledges the dearth of texts that focus directly on the Yorùbá́ conception of peace. Hence, the chapter relies on the author’s understanding of the Yorùbá́ culture and language, and what may be validly inferred from available texts on the traditional Yorùbá́ culture and religions. The chapter identifies the Yorùbá́ word for peace to be àlàáfíà, which incorporates the idea that all is well in all aspects of life. It also specifies that for the Yorùbá́, the phenomenon of peace, at both the individual and social levels, incorporates the notions of ìrẹ́pọ̀ (harmony) and ìsọ̀kan (unity) among humans in society and also between humans and other supernatural entities. However, because an adequate understanding of the Yorùbá́ conception of peace requires an understanding of the Yorùbá́ cosmology, the latter is briefly outlined in this chapter.