Yoruba, a language homed in the Southwestern part of Nigeria, is one of the most widely spoken languages heard in other part of Africa, North America, United Kingdom and Europe.
Due to the effect of the Trans – Atlantic Slave Trade that occurred in the 18 century, sons and daughters of the Yoruba kingdom has spread around the world and have impacted in one way or the other to uplift the tribes culture and tradition.
Recently, the Representative of the Oduduwa Kingdom and Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja(ii) has been on mission to trend the the practice of the Yoruba culture and tradition globally.
In this article, we’re going to list out 5 Foreign Countries that speaks this language, of which one of them has granted it as an official language.
1. El – Salvador
El Salvador is a North America country, that cherish Yoruba language a lot.
This country home a lot of Yoruba culture since the Yoruba slaved were concentrated in the country.
This particular country do exactly what is done in Yoruba land. They worship Sango, God of Thunder (Xango), Iyemoja, God of Water (Lemanja) and other Yoruba Traditional practice.
2. Cuba
Cuba which happens to be the second smallest country in the whole world also home Yoruba indigene in the country.
It is mostly spoken in the black side of the country.
3. Brazil
Brazil happen to be one of the countries that homes predecessor of the victim of the then slave trade.
Many Yoruba indigene has marooned around in the south and north America and most of them that have love for their source have trace it back to Nigeria to continue its practices.
Ooni Ogunwusi in 2018 find his way to the authority of the Brazil republic and has made the country assigned Yoruba Language as an Official language of the country.
Brazil has the largest number of Yoruba indigenes abroad.
4. United Kingdom
Since the British Empire are the ones that colonize Nigeria, it is worthy of note that Yoruba indigene are of high population in this country.
We gathered that it is of additional advantage for anybody that can speak Yoruba to get recruited to the British Police.
5. Bahia
Bahia is a state in Brazil, Yoruba is one of the most widely spoken languages in this state.
It is historic because it home the pelourinho, the building where the Yorubas and other slaves from other western countries were kept before they are been dispersed to there merchants in the 17th century.
Other countries that speaks Yoruba are Togo, Benin Republic, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Gambia, North America, Europe, and the Caribbean Islands.
According to Wikipedia, Yoruba is the most widely spoken language outside Nigeria and Africa. It’s been estimated that there are over 40 million Yoruba primary and secondary language speakers across the globe.
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Tony Agu says Point of correction, there is no place in North America that speaks Yoruba except the few migrant that left Nigeria for Canada. The writer failed to list Cote d’ Ivoire where Yoruba is spoken among the Ejigbo and Ede people. It is only in Benin Republic, where it is spoken by Ajase, Pobee and down to Porto Novo. In Togo, it is spoken in Atakpame and in Brazil it is spoken in Bahia. That of Cuba they share same culture with the Yorubas, but the language is rough mixed with spanish and they are based in Santiago de Havana.
There is no Yoruba language as a tribe in Ghana, but the early migrant who came from Nigeria left a footprint in Ghana. Lagos town in Takoradi and Accra were mainly domiciled by Yorubas before Dr. Busia’s aliens compliance order and down to the Dagomba land of Northern Ghana. It is on record that the yorubas were dominating among the personnel of Ghana Armed Forces and the Police. Eg. Brigadier Adisa, Brigadier Akintunde, Brigadier Saka these are friends and are yorubas served in Ghana. Shittu Alao, head of MTTU of Ghana Police is same as others.
The writer failed to mentioned Haiti, instead listed their neighbour El Salvador, who has no business with Yoruba language. It is Haiti that shares similarities because of Egun people taken from Badagry and Porto Novo. In the Caribbean it is a mixed race from calabar, Arochukwu and other West African Coast.