Àkójọpọ̀ Ìtándòwe Yorùbá

Àkójọpọ̀ Ìtándòwe Yorùbá: A must read book for every Yorùbá reader

Àkójọpọ̀ Ìtándòwe Yorùbá by Témì Odùrìndé

Relative to other cultures around the world, the Yorùbá people did not transfer their cultural gems, such as their poetry, folktales and other inheritance handed over through their oral tradition, from memory onto paper until recently. The transfer of these cultural gems from memory to written form is still ongoing. A recent example is a book titled Àkójọpọ̀ Ìtándòwe , a compilation of Yoruba folktales, from an obscure genre called Ìtándòwe into a book recently. The book Àkójọpọ̀ Ìtándòwe contains dozens of folktales, which includes mythical and legendary stories. The book is due to go on sale from the 1st of June, 2025.

Oral Tradition: The Yorùbá Method of Record-keeping

There are various ways we preserve records orally. Some are embedded in their historical narratives, many are found in Ifá corpus, and others are preserved through songs. What many fail to realize is that the Yorùbá proverbs also serve as an important medium for recording past events. Unfortunately, despite the existence of numerous books on Yorùbá proverbs, only few delve deeply into the stories behind them and didn’t really dig deep into the events that bring these proverbs to life. This, precisely and many others are what makes Àkójọpọ̀ Ìtándòwé, authored by Témì Odùrìndé, stand out.

1. Provides Yorùbá Historical Narratives

This book is a groundbreaking collection of Yorùbá historical proverbs, along with their authentic backstories. It is the first Yorùbá proverb book that carefully unravels the hidden narratives behind the proverbs. It offers its readers the opportunity to understand how Yorùbá society was in the past and the various events that shaped it.

2. Bilingual and Accessible

Another remarkable aspect of this book is that, in addition to being available in Yorùbá, the native language, it is also available in English. This ensures that non-Yorùbá speakers or those who cannot read Yorùbá can also benefit from the wisdom embedded in Yorùbá proverbs. This is the first research work on Yorùbá historical proverbs to be written in two distinct languages.

3. Engaging Interesting and Insightful

What is even more exciting about this work is that it is enjoyable to read. Although it presents factual historical accounts of the Yorùbá society as preserved in its proverbs, it is also engaging. The storytelling is rich, the language is vibrant, and the literary techniques employed make the book both enlightening and entertaining.

In conclusion, Àkójọpọ̀ Ìtándòwé Yorùbá, a book by Témì Odùrìndé is a book that every Yorùbá person should have in their home because of its unique qualities. It will be out on the 1st of June, 2025. You can ask us more about the book.

Get your copy of Àkókọpọ̀ Ìtándòwe FREE

Because this book is our own publication, we have 5 copies of the book to give away, FREE of charge! To be considered for a copy, just comment in this post with the hashtag #Akojopoitandowe or #Àkójọpọ̀ìtándòwe.

← The Beauty of Diacritics in Yorùbá and the Implications of Omitting Them Who are the Ìyá mi Òṣòròǹgà in Yorùbá Belief? →