Oduduwa and the Founding of the Yoruba Kingdoms (Yoruba)
Oduduwa was the legendary progenitor of the Yoruba people and the first ruler of Ile-Ife. According to tradition, Oduduwa descended from heaven on a chain with a rooster, some soil, and a palm nut, completing the creation Obatala had begun. He became the first king and his sixteen sons became the founders of the sixteen principal Yoruba kingdoms, including Oyo, Benin, Ila, Ketu, and others. Each son carried a sacred staff as a symbol of authority. The story of Oduduwa establishes the divine right of Yoruba kings (Obas) and their connection to the spiritual realm. To this day, every crowned Oba