Access the full text.
Sign up today, get DeepDyve free for 14 days.
D. Aronson, N. Fadipẹ, Okediji Olu, Ọladẹjọ Okediji (1972)
The sociology of the YorubaContemporary Sociology, 1
P. Olusanya
Religion
H. Robb (2005)
Religious Beliefs and Practices
O. Adigun
Equity, Trusts and Administration of Estates
S. Johnson
The History of the Yoruba
J. Giblin
Diffusion and other problems in the history of African states
Purpose – To provide a background examination of the role of work and self‐employment, and their relationship with religious beliefs for the Yoruba people of Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach – An in‐depth discussion regarding the Yoruba world view and the key components of the Yoruba peoples' religion is provided. In particular, these elements are discussed within the context of the Yoruba's historical attitudes regarding work, self‐employment, markets, investment, and social support. Findings – For the Yoruba people, work always has a supernatural dimension to it, and the chosen profession is rarely left to chance. Hard work is valued and encouraged, from childhood to death. In order to obtain tangible rewards, an individual must match his ori with his chosen field of work. The Yoruba believe in a gentle rise to wealth, and that success is based upon consultation with deities, ancestors, and religious intermediaries. Under Yoruba tradition, successful individuals should sponsor, hard‐working, but less fortunate people, but reciprocity is highly valued. For the Yoruba, the highest form of employment is self‐employment. A combination of these factors has resulted in a well established and historically successful market‐based system. Research limitations/implications – Yoruba traditions have been important in framing modern culture in Nigeria, and parts of many other African nations. Yoruba immigrants are also well established in other countries through out the world, including Brazil, Cuba, and the USA. Although many modern Yoruba are now Christian or Moslem, the Yoruba culture and historical attitudes about work, markets, and self‐employment are still critically important in framing our understanding of the economic structure of these communities. Originality/value – This paper is one of the few efforts that specifically examines economic forces within the broader context of religion for the Yoruba people.
Journal of Enterprising Communities People and Places in the Global Economy – Emerald Publishing
Published: Jun 5, 2007
Keywords: Religion; Nigeria; Employment
Read and print from thousands of top scholarly journals.
Already have an account? Log in
Bookmark this article. You can see your Bookmarks on your DeepDyve Library.
To save an article, log in first, or sign up for a DeepDyve account if you don’t already have one.
Copy and paste the desired citation format or use the link below to download a file formatted for EndNote
Access the full text.
Sign up today, get DeepDyve free for 14 days.
All DeepDyve websites use cookies to improve your online experience. They were placed on your computer when you launched this website. You can change your cookie settings through your browser.