Residence and Community

What are the various types of houses that we have?

What are the various types of communities and their structures?

What are the various types of social communities that we have?

What are the various types of houses that we have?

The types of houses constructed in Yoruba speaking areas are very peculiar and unique. There are no single structure houses (Except, of course, those in cities and towns where we have individual structures). Because of the communal nature of their lives, they live in compounds called Agbo-ile. Agbo–ile is a collection of rooms or apartments occupied by ebi who are related in one way or the other. The ebi include everyone who can be traced to be related by blood, no matter how far removed in time or space. What binds them together is blood relationship which is regarded as stronger than any connection hence the proverb, bintin ni mo ba a tan ko se e fi obe bu.  "no matter how remote your blood relationship is with someone, you cannot slice it with knife”. The compound is circular in nature, with each entrance of the apartment leading to an open verandah that joins every one of them together. At the center of the compound, the rectangular space there is used for rearing domestic animals like sheep, goats, and chickens. The space, however, diminishes as more people moves into the compound to build houses. Each apartment consists of two or more rooms depending on the number of members of each family. Where the husband has more than one wife, each of them takes a room, the husband takes one and the children take another room. The question of paying rent is very limited to the towns and cities. The families extended open welcome to strangers who might want to stay in the town for one reason or the other. They allow them to take up residence in their compound. They even offer them farmlands to farm when the need arises.  Bathrooms and toilets are however constructed outside the compound. Since every family within the compound are related in one way or the other, whatever any family has can be legitimately used by another family within the same compound without any acrimony or malice, if the owner does not need it. Although someone’s business is everybody’s business, there’s still a level of semi-autonomy within the same compound. There’s the feeling of solidarity amongst every member of the compound. There’s also mutual assistance within them whenever the need arises. It must however be noted that the structure of Oba’s palace is, in most cases, bigger than most compounds. Most of the palaces have so many rooms that may not be known to an outsider. However, there is usually a courtyard where the Oba sits in judgment whenever there’s any dispute to be settled. The Oba might have another room or rooms for receiving different categories of guests.

What are the various types of communities and their structures?

The first type of community that we have is the agbo-ile. Because they are related by blood in one way or the other, the feeling of solidarity and intimacy develops amongst members of the compound. Mutual assistance, in one form or another, goes on between them. It is headed by the Baale, who is regarded as the father of the house. He settles quarrels and both intra- and inter-family disputes within the community. He possesses both judicial and legal autonomy in matters concerning members of his compound. In Yoruba land, the compound is the most important primary group. It can also be said to be the smallest political unit. The Baale represent the entire compound in the comity of Baale within the adugbo and/or ilu in matters concerning them. The next layer is the ward or adugbo. It is a conglomeration of compounds and it is headed by a very important chief who is called High Chief in most cases. He can be selected from any of the compounds based on his past records of proven integrity, honesty, hard work and dedication to the course of not only the various compounds but also the town in general. He is the head of Baale-in-Council. He settles any inter compound dispute and conflicts. He equally represents the entire compounds within his domains in the town’s meetings. Most of the High Chiefs form advisory committees of the king of the town. It must however, be noted that some of these High Chiefs have the propensity of seceding if they feel aggrieved on certain issues and with the full support and backing of their people. They might even be lucky if there are any physical demarcations that separate them from other wards. They now become distinct towns or villages.The next layer is the town or village, as the case may be. (A town is bigger and populous, with more facilities than a village.) If it is a town, it is headed by the king or Oba, if it is a village; it is headed by the Baale.The political system is monarchical and the system of succession is hereditary and matrilineal. The office of the Oba is restricted to particular lineages that are regarded as the ruling houses. They are mostly the founders of the town or village. The Oba is the head of state and government. He is seen as the divine ruler who has full power and control over the entire people in his domain, hence the saying, oba lo nile, “the king owns the land”. Anything he says in the land is incontrovertible, hence the saying, alase, ekeji orisa, “the controller and second only to the gods”. The Oba is assisted, in his day to day running of the affairs of the town, by the Council of Chiefs. Their names range from Balogun, Iyalaje, Apena, Parakoyi, Agbaakin, Asipa, etc.  Added to their functions, the Council of Chiefs, from time to time, checks the powers of the Oba.

What are the various types of social communities?

The social organization form an integral part of Yoruba and it is very much cherished and well respected. We have the age grade social groups. These groups have various functions depending on their ages. In most cases, people in age bracket of between 5-10 years are grouped together. They perform such functions as clearing the roads within the town/village and on the way to the farms or stream. They equally assist each member of the group by going to the farm to help in clearing, planting or harvesting. In the age group where we have able bodied men, they assist the town whenever there’s any external aggression. They form the large chunk of the army. Various trades also have their own associations. They moderate the activities of their members and check their excesses in whatever forms. The leader of the association is usually called Baba egbe or Iya egbe depending on whether is a man or woman.