Referring To Yourself As Yoruba Is A Strange – Femi Fani-Kayode

Nigeria’s ex Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has come out to say that he is not a Yoruba man.

Sharing recently on Twitter, Fani disclosed that the word Yoruba is alien to his culture and was always unknown in the Anago language. He said the name Yoruba was actually gotten from “Yariba” and it stands for “shady and unreliable.”

He added that any Yoruba man or woman referring to his or herself as Yoruba is clearly lost and has no idea the implications of saying such.

His words, “Two names that the Fulani gave to southerners: “Yamiri”, in reference to SE and “Yariba” in reference to SW. The SE rejected that name but the SW accepted it. The name “Yoruba” derives from “Yariba” and it means “shady and unreliable.”

“I reject that strange name and label. I am not a “Yariba” or “Yoruba” but an “Omo Karo Jire” or an “Oduduwan” and my language is not “Yoruba” but “Anago”. We are what we call ourselves. We are not “shady and uneliable”(Yariba) and we must not accept names that are given to us by our historical adversaries.”

“Any Omo Karo Jire or Oduduwan that continues to call himself a “Yoruba” is lost and does not know the implications of what he is doing to his own people. He is simply affirming and confirming an insulting label which has deep sinister, mystical and spiritual connotations.

“The word “Yoruba” did not even exist until the 18th century and even then most of the tribes of the SW, including the Oyo’s, rejected it due to its origin and meaning. The word “Yoruba” is alien to our culture and not known in the Anago language. Oduduwans please take note.”