An Overview of Yoruba Oral Literature, Its Viability as a Historical Data Source and its Contribution to Modern Yoruba Historiography

Abstract:

Like most oral literary corpora, Yoruba oral literature has mostly been viewed through skeptical lenses when it comes to being a viable source for the providence of sound historical information. The reason for this skepticism is tied to its capricious aural medium of transmission and its collocation with non-literacy and pre-literate epochs. This study aims to problematise this prevalent perception by underscoring the historicalness of Yoruba oral literature and exploring the different ways its genres have been employed by scholars of modern orientations in the discovery or validation of historical information in and around the Yoruba nation. Ample focus is given to reviewing the tentacular outlooks of scholars on the historical functions of Yoruba oral literature. Within the loci of the divergent stances examined, the hypothesis that Yoruba oral literature has an enduring historical dimension that has contributed to modern Yoruba historiography is presented and tested using various examples.