₦airaland Forum

1. Why do the Yoruba people prostrate for elders and gatekeepers so much ?
2. Didn’t sovereigns in precolonial era slice their constituents heads off for insubordination despite bad governance ?

Answers
1. Cultural Significance:

In Yoruba culture, respect is foundational. One of the most visible expressions of this respect is through physical gestures:

Men prostrate flat on the ground (or at least go down on one or both knees).
Women kneel.
This isn't limited to elders — it's also for people of higher social rank, traditional leaders, in-laws, and sometimes even gatekeepers (if they represent authority or are socially senior).

Why It Matters:

Respect for age and hierarchy: Yoruba society is highly hierarchical. Elders are believed to have wisdom, experience, and ancestral blessings.
Spiritual dimension: Elders and titled people are seen as closer to the spiritual
realm. Honoring them is thought to attract blessings and avoid curses.
Social order: This ritualistic respect maintains peace and order in tight-knit communities.

It’s not blind submission — it’s often reciprocal, with elders expected to offer blessings, advice, or protection in return.

2. Yes — but with a lot of context.

Historical Context:

Precolonial Yoruba kingdoms (e.g., Oyo, Ife, Ijebu) were complex political systems with checks and balances. But they were also autocratic in many ways.

The Alaafin of Oyo had immense power, but he wasn’t unchecked. The Oyo Mesi (a council of chiefs) could force him to
commit ritual suicide if he lost the people’s confidence.
Still, corporal punishment, including decapitation, was used for:
Treason
Conspiracy
Witchcraft
Insulting the king or sacred traditions
Examples:

Executions were often ritualistic and symbolic — not random bloodshed.
Some accounts say the king never killed with his own hands, but gave orders through a specific executioner class (e.g., the Are Ona Kakanfo or palace officials).

In major cases of rebellion or treason, public executions were a show of power and deterrence.
Important Note:

This wasn't unique to Yoruba people. Many societies — European monarchies included — used capital punishment liberally before modern legal systems developed.

Bottom Line:
Prostration in Yoruba culture is about respect, order, and spirituality, not slavery or fear.
Violent punishment by kings in precolonial Yoruba land did happen, but typically within a ritualized and political context — not random tyranny.

I’m no history major
Yours failthfully
ChatGPT lol

If any of these information is new to you it means you probably don't live in Nigeria South West.

This is a photo of the then British Prime Minister, Theresa May, kneeling to greet Prince William on Thursday, August 9, 2018, when the Prince of Wales was still third in line to the throne. With the death of Queen Elizabeth II, He is now second in line. By age she is twenty five years older than Prince William.

The act of kneeling or bowing down to greet the Head of State of a country and worthy elders does not strip you of your dignity. It only shows that you are a cultured person.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is the longest-serving Nigerian leader, yet he prostrates flat to greet the Ooni of Ife and the Olu of Warri. Biodun Oyebanji is the Governor of Ekiti. Nevertheless, he prostrated flat on his stomach to greet Chief Afe Babalola. Wizkid did the same for King Sunny Ade.

Are you better than them? No wonder you are where you are!

Do not let them gaslight you. The Super Falcons acted in a most dignified manner by kneeling to greet President Bola Tinubu. Only uncultured and uncouth people consider such a civilised and virtuous action as undignified.

Reno Omokri

Gospeller. Deep Thinker. #TableShaker. Ruffler of the Feathers of Obidents. #1 Bestselling author of Facts Versus Fiction: The True Story of the Jonathan Years. Hodophile. Hollywood Magazine Humanitarian of the Year, 2019. Business Insider Influencer of the Year 2022. 21st Most Talked About Person in Africa, 2024.

Take into consideration
Slavery was once legal & human rights was once non existent
Reality, societies, certain customs & generations change , modify over time
Laws of Human Nature remain constant
Lol it’s giving politically correct answers
Classism exists heavily in Nigeria
Peller nearly slap one security man recently lol
The spiritual answer of them being closer to ancestors & the afterlife was what shocked or stunned me
It’s so true
Some elders tend to be more spiritually awake/sensitive

Yoruba people I know their respect na eye service dem feet lie down for u make something come out but will back tongue you as soon as you are gone…. Eh no dey move me again if u like use your Agbada clean the main road I no send u.

Arda1000:
Yoruba people I know their respect na eye service dem feet lie down for u make something come out but will back tongue you as soon as you are gone…. Eh no dey move me again if u like use your Agbada clean the main road I no send u.

Yoruba people are respectful not stupid. If someone prostate to greet you and want to use that as a leverage to run roughshod over him then you are setting yourself up for a big surprise.
Respect is reciprocal and I think Yoruba probably understand than a little more than others.

ElSudani:
Yoruba people are respectful not stupid. If someone prostate to greet you and want to use that as a leverage to run roughshod over him then you are setting yourself up for a big surprise.
Respect is reciprocal and I think Yoruba probably understand than a little more than others.

Yoruba and respect shouldn’t be in the same sentence,Yoruba are cunning and crafty folks the worship you at your face and insult and lie at your back

Arda1000:
Yoruba and respect shouldn’t be in the same sentence,Yoruba are cunning and crafty folks the worship you at your face and insult and lie at your back

Now I have to base my opinion of my own people on the views of some colonialists with history of selling black people to slavery?
Who should we lie to if not the folks who forcefully took your lands and made you bow down to their own kings?
I have read where some of them referred to some people as only good laborers.

Arda1000:
Yoruba and respect shouldn’t be in the same sentence,Yoruba are cunning and crafty folks the worship you at your face and insult and lie at your back

You who doesn't do that and saint, how is your region better than theirs in term of peace and development? Is it not your region that don't do that that home grow criminality to 99.99% and are running out on night bushes to same south west? Even God hates pride, he likes humility which is one of the virtues Yorubas showcases through respecting your elders, that is one of their secret of orderliness

Japanese society practice true respect
Not the oppressive form that’s practiced in Nigeria

yinkeys:
Japanese society practice true respect
Not the oppressive form that’s practiced in Nigeria

Inferiority complex as usual.

You Nigerian youths are just hopeless.

In Japan, millions complain about the oppressively hierarchical system in operation there, particularly in the workplace. It's led to countless suicides there.

I don't expect you to know this, because that runs against your sense of inferiority.

Kushites:
Inferiority complex as usual.

You Nigerian youths are just hopeless.

In Japan, millions complain about the oppressively hierarchical system in operation there, particularly in the workplace. It's led to countless suicides there.

I don't expect you to know this, because that runs against your sense of inferiority.

You are a clown, nothing but a political stooge
You know nothing about how societies evolve into progressive states
I didn’t want to reply but I’d just leave this for readers
No point enlightening or interacting with ideologically shallow minded folks like you


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob48Jv6oJHY?si=7H5ZeUAUeQAU3uHZ

Yoruba holds respect in high order, and are humble,we stoop to conquer our enemies who try to override us.
that something some people will never understand!!!

Hez143:
Yoruba holds respect in high order, and are humble,we stoop to conquer our enemies who try to override us.
that something some people will never understand!!!

How conquer the known gun men ravaging your lands, killing your brothers and your monarchs.

Arda1000:
Yoruba people I know their respect na eye service dem feet lie down for u make something come out but will back tongue you as soon as you are gone…. Eh no dey move me again if u like use your Agbada clean the main road I no send u.

Fact

marlow1962:
How conquer the known gun men ravaging your lands, killing your brothers and your monarchs.

Arda1000:
Yoruba and respect shouldn’t be in the same sentence,Yoruba are cunning and crafty folks the worship you at your face and insult and lie at your back

You are definitely jealous of the Yoruba people.

Yoruba agrees that bowing to a midget will not deter your growth but then respect is reciprocal.

I've heard folks like you talk like this but it's not about respect for you, it's about how a Yoruba react to whatever you throw at it him.

A Yoruba man is expected to know how to talk his way into defence when the need arises. Even amongst the Yorubas I can't give the kind of respect I give to a woman whose children gives me plenty of respect to the one whose offspring don't do same. Same would apply to you. You don't understand the culture, you are not trained to understand it, if I bow to you automatically to you I'm inferior, you won't give it back because you aren't trained to do so. To keep a balance I will greet you and respect you as much as you do me because I understand respect is not part of your culture.

Doesn't mean I'm double faced. Regardless of people's tribe respect should be mutual. I will feel cheated if you don't reciprocate respect to me.

If I tell a Yoruba man good morning sir, there's a way he'll respond that will determine whether or not I will greet him tomorrow but you will not understand all these. You don't know nothing about the culture.

marlow1962:
How conquer the known gun men ravaging your lands, killing your brothers and your monarchs.

I would have asked you a question,but that'll be an insult to your intelligence.
our humility is what they take for granted,but watch as we flush and bury them.
Ask the rising sun people how we silent them in the west,no be by chest beating or gragra

Hez143:
I would have asked you a question,but that'll be an insult to your intelligence.
our humility is what they take for granted,but watch as we flush and bury them.
Ask the rising sun people how we silent them in the west,no be by chest beating or gragra

Pls tell me, how the you and your we silent them?
Why can you use that same energy and silent those kidnapping your monarchs

alanto:
You are definitely jealous of the Yoruba people.

Yoruba agrees that bowing to a midget will not deter your growth but then respect is reciprocal.

I've heard folks like you talk like this but it's not about respect for you, it's about how a Yoruba react to whatever you throw at it him.

A Yoruba man is expected to know how to talk his way into defence when the need arises. Even amongst the Yorubas I can't give the kind of respect I give to a woman whose children gives me plenty of respect to the one whose offspring don't do same. Same would apply to you. You don't understand the culture, you are not trained to understand it, if I bow to you automatically to you I'm inferior, you won't give it back because you aren't trained to do so. To keep a balance I will greet you and respect you as much as you do me because I understand respect is not part of your culture.

Doesn't mean I'm double faced. Regardless of people's tribe respect should be mutual. I will feel cheated if you don't reciprocate respect to me.

If I tell a Yoruba man good morning sir, there's a way he'll respond that will determine whether or not I will greet him tomorrow but you will not understand all these. You don't know nothing about the culture.

lol whatever makes you feel good

Here is my answer from all i have studied about this topic
Most Yoruba's are fearful of their gatekeepers because these munarcs, warlawds or what have you have direct or indirect contact with fallen angels, these gatekeepers control resources, politics & crime as well.
When you have agberos causing mayhem in certain polling units, thugs capable of bur..ning houses etc.
Jungle & survival of the fittest turf
I watched a video recently of some man on the street hitting another with magic possibly, the one hit lost his sense of awareness and people began to plead & calm the magic man. Even me sef fear
I'd paste the video link below whenever i find it.
I guess people are always yes sir yes sir, because you dont know who you could offend
Possibly a man with giant deities

In Japan the ruling class have a responsibility to the youth of their nation
Japanese practice true respect and they are the only people in the world whose boomer class politicians can give way for younger fresh thinking ideas and politicians
They are the only ones that would easily give responsibility to younger generations in economic downturns
The only people that could easily step aside for younger politicians
Japanese are the most resilient people on earth
Fake respect and sycop..hancy is whats practised in Nigeria.
The co..wardice is so bad that the likelihood of fulani & tuareg militia (with the help of powerful external countries that want to clear parts of Nigeria for mining : you may know who) taking over peoples lands, adultnapping & deleting people in the south west is so high now
Nigerians are 100 percent on their own, these politicians are out for their pockets alone tbh some are agents of the West
Nigeria can easily contain a co.up in Benin republic but cant protect her citizens from ter..rorists

…

Is this real or scripted because

The moment a guy hit a man with jùjù during verbal altercation in Lagos Island. pic.twitter.com/dBwN4vVpBT

— ÓMÒÉLÉRÍNJÁRÉ (@omoelerinjare) May 26, 2026

/video/1?s=46

Or this

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2173037243169062&id=100013884222384