Yoruba Tradition
Oduduwa
Also known as Odudua, Oduwa
- creation
- earth
- kingship
- ancestry
The progenitor deity of the Yoruba people and legendary first king of Ife. Oduduwa descended from heaven to create the earth and establish human civilization.
About Oduduwa
The Father of the Yoruba
Oduduwa holds a unique position as both a primordial deity and a deified ancestor. According to tradition, he was sent by Olodumare to complete the creation of the earth after Obatala failed in his mission.
The Creation Account
Descending on a golden chain with a rooster, palm nuts, and a calabash of soil, Oduduwa poured the earth onto the primordial waters. The rooster scratched and spread the soil, creating dry land. This first place became Ile-Ife, the sacred city.
Divine Kingship
From Oduduwa descended all the ruling dynasties of Yorubaland. His sons and grandsons founded the great Yoruba kingdoms, and every Yoruba oba (king) traces lineage to him.
Origin story
When Obatala became intoxicated with palm wine and failed to create the earth, Olodumare sent Oduduwa to complete the task. He descended from heaven on a chain and poured soil on the waters, creating land.
Worship and cult
Temples, festivals, and practices recorded for Oduduwa
Progenitor of Yoruba crowns. The cult is dynasty and the sacred city, argued over with Obatala in different houses. Kingship is the liturgy.
Sacred sites
- Ile-Ife kingship; the palace as the shrine
Festivals
- Ife royal rites
Family
In the atlas
Where Oduduwa appears
Sources and further reading
Source notes
These references are recorded in the catalog. Their passage wording and translation have not been checked, so quotations are not displayed here.
- Yoruba oriki and Ifa verses of Oduduwa (oral)
About this entry
By Elizabeth Stein for Mythos Atlas. About the author. Editorial notes are grounded in the site's cited sources and can be challenged through the contact page.
Parallels are editorial comparisons across traditions: a shared role does not, by itself, establish a shared origin.
Family relationships come from the atlas's kinship records. Ancient sources often disagree on divine genealogy.
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Genealogy
Family tree
Oduduwa's parents, consorts, children and rivals, as recorded in the atlas.