Nigeria’s former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has said that he is not Yoruba.
Fani disclosed this on Twitter while stressing that the word Yoruba is alien to his culture and not known in the Anago language.
He revealed that the name Yoruba was derived from “Yariba” and that it means “shady and unreliable”
Fani-Kayode in his words said the “Yoruba” is alien to his culture and not known in the Anago language while revealing that the name Yoruba was derived from “Yariba” and that it means “shady and unreliable”.
“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 are 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,” he tweeted on his official Twitter handle.
