(**)Note
According to Michael Crowder, _Story of Nigeria_ prior to the nineteenth century there was no one common term for the people now known as Yoruba. The word *Yoruba* he claims is a corruption of Yaboo, the dialect of the Oyo people, by CMS European missionaries .

Prior to the 20th century the Ilaje, Ijebu, Egba, Ijesha, Awori, Egun, Oyo, Ondo, Akoko, Akpe, Akure and Ekiti peoples never referred to themselves Yoruba and neither did they in their folktales ever subscribed to an ancient pre-Ododua Yoruba Empire with a presumed capital at Ile-Ife. The Edo people referred to the Oyo people as _Olukumi_, Akure as _Ekue_ and Ekiti as _Ekhiri_. Akure and Ekiti had been colonies of Benin since about the 16th century and there were a large number of Edo merchants and settlers (_Edo N’ Ekue_) that were concentrated in Ado Ekiti and Ado Akure until 1917.

The Ondo people were known as *Emwan N’Udo*(Udo fugitives) while the Ikale(_Eko Alile_) and Akotogbo(_Ago Otobo_ Otobo's camp) people and other migrant from Benin City that intermarried with the indigenous people were known as *Iyanha*. *Alile and Otobo were Edo war chieftains during the Benin/Udo wars.*


In the _Encyclopedia of the Yoruba_ by Professor Toyin Falola and Professor Akintunde Akinyemi, the Term or Word *Yoruba* is claimed to be a creation of European Missionaries and in the middle of the 19th Century. It was given to the ethnic groups in today South West Nigeria who spoke various dialects of the same language.
Culled from a yet to be published manuscript _Benin and Historians_
©2024 Okpame Oronsaye

Yep concocted by a bini man ...

But I thought you lot say Yoruba was a term formed and used by fulani to insult Yoruba people... Now your article says it's Europeans that gave formed the name .. well

I will say this, what ever the history... The facts on ground is WE! The Yoruba people despite our multitude and diversity, are the most UNITED people arguably in africa and possibly the universe.

And it comes down to our culture and traditions and that is why we say

Yoruba Lagba... A king never needs to be reminded of his position in public ... It just is what it is.

Ok