Adéọ̀yè Lambo and the Aro village system, Olúyínká Olútóyè and fetal surgery, Adébáyọ̀ Ògúnlẹ́ṣì, Mike Adénúgà, Fọlọ́runṣọ́ Alákíjà, Fẹ́mi Òtédọlá and the tech founders of the current generation, with the ethnicity of each verified.
The Yorùbá wey dem quote, the proverbs, oríkì, ẹsẹ Ifá, word list headwords, Odù names and citations dey exactly as the corpus record dem, for every language.
Two things dey important to separate for inside this matter. The first one na genuine scientific and medical achievement by Yoruba people, where the Aro village system for psychiatry na the single contribution wey get pass international impact. The second one na Nigerian wealth, wey people dey often report with ethnic angle and dey often give to wrong people. This file do the two, and e verify the ethnicity of every person wey dey inside instead of to just guess am from person name, because to assign prominent Nigerians to the wrong ethnic group dey common for popular writing and e go spoil the reputation of reference work.
Lambo na the first Western-trained psychiatrist for Africa and na him create one psychiatric care model wey change how dem dey treat mental health across the world.
Dem born am for Abẹ́òkúta for 1923, e study medicine for University of Birmingham and psychiatry for Maudsley through King's College London, and e come back to Nigeria for 1954 to lead the new psychiatric hospital wey dem just build for Aro, near Abẹ́òkúta [S1].
The Aro village system na him own contribution. The problem wey e face na say Nigerians no go like use European-style psychiatric hospital, both because of stigma and because families no go gree leave their sick relative give institution. Him own answer na to put patients make dem dey stay for the Yoruba villages around the hospital inside normal houses, no be inside hospital ward, with one family member wey go follow each patient as carer. Patients dey come hospital during the day for treatment and dem go go back to the village for evening. Dem dey work, dem dey live with normal people wey no be patients, and dem treat dem with combination of modern psychiatry and, deliberately, the traditional healers for the villages, wey Lambo bring enter the system instead of to push dem comot [S1].
Three main point come out from this system, and the three of dem no be wetin people dey accept easily for the 1950s. First, say na the whole family, no be only the individual person, be the correct unit of psychiatric care. Second, say to treat people outside hospital ward dey make treatment better and e dey reduce stigma. And third, say traditional healing systems get useful practice inside and dem suppose join am together instead of to throw am away. All three points don become mainstream now for global mental health policy, and dem dey cite the Aro model as one of the foundation of community psychiatry across the world.
Him and the epidemiologist Alexander Leighton still do the Cornell-Aro study, wey be the first big psychiatric epidemiology research wey dem do for Africa, wey find out say the rate of mental disorder for Yoruba villages roughly balance with wetin dey happen for rural North American population. This result scatter the European belief of that time wey claim say Africans no dey suffer from neurosis because say dem lack the psychological complexity for am. That finding scatter that colonial-era psychiatric belief with real evidence.
E serve as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ìbàdàn from 1967 to 1971, and after dat e join the World Health Organization, where e work as Deputy Director-General from 1973 reach 1988 [S1]. E die on 13 March 2004.
Olútóyè na one of the top fetal surgeons for the whole world and na co-lead for one surgery wey make world headlines for 2016.
E get him medical degree from Ọbáfẹ́mi Awólọ́wọ̀ University, Ilé-Ifẹ̀, and e do doctorate for anatomy for Virginia Commonwealth University [S2]. E serve as co-director of the Fetal Center and president of medical staff for Texas Children's Hospital for Houston, and na Surgeon-in-Chief for Nationwide Children's Hospital for Columbus, Ohio [S2].
The surgery wey make am popular well well na the one wey him and Darrell Cass do for Texas Children's. One fetus wey dey around twenty-three weeks get sacrococcygeal teratoma, one tumour for the tailbone wey dey suck the fetus blood and wey for fit kill the baby. The team bring out part of the fetus from the uterus, cut comot the tumour, put the fetus back, and close the uterus. The pregnancy continue and dem later deliver the baby through caesarean section [S2]. This case na major milestone for open fetal surgery.
Ògúnlẹ́ṣì na the most significant Nigerian for global finance and dey among the very few Africans wey build institution for the top level of Western capital markets instead of just to build career inside one.
Dem born am on 20 December 1953 for Ṣágámù, pikin of Theophilus Ògúnlẹ́ṣì, wey be the first Nigerian professor of medicine for University of Ìbàdàn [S3]. E finish with first-class degree for philosophy, politics and economics for Oxford and joint degree for law and business for Harvard for 1979, work as law clerk for Justice Thurgood Marshall for United States Supreme Court from 1980 to 1981, and practise law for Cravath, Swaine and Moore before e move go First Boston for 1983 [S3]. E rise reach executive vice-chairman and chief client officer of Credit Suisse First Boston from 2004 to 2006 [S3].
For July 2006 e comot go start Global Infrastructure Partners, wey Credit Suisse and General Electric support for beginning [S3]. GIP buy London Gatwick Airport for 2009 for 1.455 billion pounds, plus Edinburgh and London City airports and plenty other energy and transport assets, and e become the largest independent infrastructure fund for the whole world [S3]. For January 2024 BlackRock agree to buy GIP for about 12.5 billion dollars, and Ògúnlẹ́ṣì become chairman and chief executive of GIP inside BlackRock and member of BlackRock board [S3]. E join the board of OpenAI for January 2025 [S3]. Forbes estimate him net worth at 2.5 billion dollars for 2025 [S3].
Adénúgà na the second richest Nigerian and e build two businesses for the two sectors wey Nigerian regulation dey make hardest to enter.
Dem bon am on 29 April 1953 for Ìbàdàn, na Yoruba person, im papa na school teacher and im mama na businesswoman wey come from Ìjẹ̀bú royal line [S4]. Im attend Ìbàdàn Grammar School, work as taxi driver for New York take pay for im studies, and get business degrees from Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Pace University [S4]. Im make im first wealth wen im dey twenty-six for 1979 from lace and soft drink distribution [S4].
Im get oil drilling licence for 1990, and im company Consolidated Oil discover oil in commercial quantity for 1991, wey make am di first indigenous Nigerian company to do dat kain tin [S4]. Di company na Conoil now. Globacom, wey collect GSM licence for 2003, na Nigeria second-largest telecommunications operator wey get operations across West Africa [S4]. Forbes calculate im net worth to be 6.7 billion dollars for May 2024 [S4]. Im na Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger and President Macron of France give am honour for 2018 [S4]. Im almost no dey give interviews at all, wey be somtin wey no common for dat level of Nigerian business.
For many years, Alákíjà na di richest woman for Africa and im wealth stand on top one legal victory against di Nigerian government.
Dem bon am on 15 July 1951 for Ìkọ̀rọ̀dú for Lagos State and na Yoruba [S5]. Im work for secretarial and banking roles, before im establish di fashion label Supreme Stitches, wey dem rename as the Rose of Sharon House of Fashion for 1996, and im serve as president of Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria [S5].
For 1993 dem give am oil prospecting licence for di block wey contain wetin come turn Agbami field, one of di largest deepwater discoveries for offshore Nigeria, and im develop am through joint venture with Star Deep Water Petroleum, wey be Chevron subsidiary [S5]. After dat, di Nigerian government try to reduce im company Famfa Oil share for di block. Im go court and Supreme Court judge di case for im favor for 2012 [S5]. Dem estimate im net worth to be around one billion dollars as of 2021 [S5]. Forbes rank am as di ninety-sixth most powerful woman for di world for 2014 [S5]. Through di Rose of Sharon Foundation, im dey fund scholarships and support for widows and orphans, and for 2025 im donate teaching hospital give Osun State University [S5].
Dem bon Òtédọlá on 4 November 1962 for Ìbàdàn, na Yoruba, and im na di son of Sir Michael Òtédọlá, wey be Governor of Lagos State from 1992 to 1993 [S6]. Im start Zenon Petroleum and Gas for 2003, buy African Petroleum and change di name to Forte Oil for 2010, sell Forte Oil for 2019 and enter power generation through Geregu Power [S6]. Im become chairman of First HoldCo, wey be di holding company of First Bank of Nigeria, for September 2024 [S6]. Forbes estimate im net worth to be 1.4 billion dollars as of 2026 [S6]. Im daughters na di musician and producer Florence Ifeoluwa Òtédọlá, wey people know as DJ Cuppy, and di actress Temi Òtédọlá [S6].
Tunde Fọláwiyọ̀ dey lead di Yinka Folawiyo Group, one Lagos conglomerate wey im papa Chief Yinka Fọláwiyọ̀ establish, wey be Lagos Yoruba Muslim businessman, with business interests for shipping, agriculture, energy and property. Im subsidiary Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum dey operate di Aje field offshore Lagos, wey be one of di few offshore fields wey Nigerians dey operate.
Dem bon Bọ́lá Muinat Shagaya on 10 October 1959 for Ìlọrin, wey dey Kwara State now, and im na di founder and chief executive of Bolmus Group International, wey get investments for real estate, oil and gas, banking and photography, and managing director of Practoil, one of di largest importers of base oil for Nigeria [S7]. Note about Ìlọrin dey necessary. Ìlọrin na city wey dey speak Yoruba and plenty of di people na Yoruba, but dem conquer am for di early nineteenth century and na Fulani emirate dey rule am since dat time, and Ìlọrin identity really mix together: Yoruba for language and plenty of di people, Islamic and emirate for political system, and part of di North for administrative side. Shagaya na Ìlọrin person and Muslim; weda dat one make am Yoruba depend on di standard wey person use check am, and dis corpus just state di position instead of to resolve am.
Di Nigerian technology sector for di last fifteen years mostly dey based for Lagos, and because of dat, plenty of di founders na Yoruba people, although no be only dem, and na Igbo plus other Nigerians establish several of di largest companies.
| Name | Dem bon am | Company and role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ìyìnóluwa Samuel Abóyèjì | 28 March 1991, Lagos | Co-founder of Andela (2014) and Flutterwave (2016), pioneer managing director of Flutterwave; founder of Future Africa, one seed-stage fund, 2019 | Yoruba. Na di single person wey get pass influence for di current Nigerian founder ecosystem, more as person wey dey build institutions and capital pass to be operator [S8] |
| Olúgbénga Agboọlá | 1985, Lagos | Co-founder and chief executive of Flutterwave; join as chief technology officer and become chief executive for 2018 | Yoruba. Im bin work as engineer for PayPal and for product for Google before; get MBA from MIT Sloan [S9] |
| Ṣọlá Akinlàdé | Co-founder and chief executive of Paystack, wey dem establish for 2015 with Ezra Olubi; Y Combinator 2016; Stripe buy am for 2020 for wetin dem report say na 200 million dollars | Yoruba. Di Stripe acquisition na di largest startup exit for Nigerian history and di event wey make global venture capital begin take African fintech serious [S10] | |
| Ezra Olubi | Co-founder and chief technology officer of Paystack | Yoruba [S10] | |
| Odunayọ̀ Eweniyi | Co-founder and chief operating officer of PiggyVest, di largest Nigerian consumer savings platform; co-founder of pushcv.com; co-founder of Feminist Coalition | Yoruba. Study computer engineering for Covenant University, graduate as di best for im class for 2013; TIME100 Next honouree and Forbes Africa 30 Under 30. Di role wey Feminist Coalition play to fund and organise during di 2020 End SARS protests na significant part of wetin people know about am [S11] |
Dis section dey here because e dey common make people mix ethnicity up for Nigerian business writing.
Aliko Dangote, wey be di richest person for Africa, na Hausa-Fulani from Kano and no be Yoruba.
Tony Elumelu, chairman of Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa, na Igbo person from Delta State, and no be Yoruba.
Philip Emeagwali, wey people dey call computing pioneer plenty times for Nigerian popular writing, dem born am on 23 August 1954 for Àkúrẹ́, wey be Yoruba town, but im parents na Igbo people from Onitsha for Anambra State, and na Igbo man im be [S13]. Im be clear example why di place wey dem born person no mean im ethnicity for Nigeria. Apart from dat point, di claims wey Nigerian sources dey make about am, including di description wey dem dey repeat say na im be father of di internet, na wetin computing community dey contest and wetin record no support; wetin record show na say im receive di 1989 Gordon Bell Prize for price-performance category, no be for primary research category, for work wey im do on Connection Machine [S13]. Dem mention am here only because im name dey show for Nigerian lists of achievers, and reference work suppose make di two facts clear.
Sim Shagaya, founder of Konga, uLesson and Miva Open University, wey dem born on 2 April 1975, public record link am to Plateau State instead of Yoruba origin, and na why dem no include am as Yoruba figure [S12]. Im na important Nigerian technology founder, and dis correction na about where im from only.
Bamidele Osamor, name wey dey show for some lists of Nigerian scientists, dem no fit connect am to any verifiable record for accessible sources as dem dey prepare dis file, and dem no make any claim about di name. Dem mention am here instead of to repeat am as fact.
Yoruba tradition of healing, technical craft, and business enterprise develop over many centuries inside structured guilds and apprenticeships before European contact [S14]. Di earliest practices wey dey documented get root inside native botanical medicine, metallurgical guilds wey dey produce iron and bronze, and regional trade networks wey center around ancient Ilé-Ifẹ̀ and later di Ọ̀yọ́ Empire [S14]. Under Ọ̀yọ́ control from seventeenth reach eighteenth century, specialized artisan guilds and royal trade agents expand long-distance business across West Africa, while medical specialists refine pharmacopeia and join divination together with herbal practice [S14].
Di nineteenth-century Yoruba wars disrupt old guild systems and push populations enter militarized urban centers like Ìbàdàn and Abẹ́òkúta, wey make dem quickly adapt for practical ways for battlefield surgery, bone-setting, and making of weapons [S14]. Around dat same time, contact with Christian missionaries bring Western biomedical clinics and literacy, wey create two-way system where native knowledge dey exist alongside mission-trained dressers and clerks [S14].
Under British colonial rule wey dem establish for late nineteenth and early twentieth century, colonial authorities push native medical practitioners and traditional technical guilds go one side through regulatory laws, while dem favor Western certificates and colonial trade monopolies [S14]. As response, Yoruba practitioners organize professional herbalist associations, while Western-educated intellectuals fight make dem get equal level inside colonial medical and civil infrastructure [S14].
After Nigeria get independence for 1960, Yoruba scholars, clinicians, and entrepreneurs lead di way to build institutions wey join native social structures together with modern global standards, just like how Thomas Adéọ̀yè Lambo take join village carers enter clinical psychiatry [S14]. For di decades wey follow, economic deregulation and government reduction of control open way for native industrial conglomerates inside oil, manufacturing, and telecommunications [S14]. Today, Yoruba enterprise and scientific expertise dey work globally, from advanced fetal surgery and multinational infrastructure finance reach di Lagos startup ecosystem and traditional botanical knowledge wey dem preserve across transatlantic diaspora for Brazil, Cuba, and North America [S14].
Mọ́ṣọ́ọ̀d Abíọ́lá and the annulled election of 12 June 1993, Ernest Ṣónẹ́kan, Bọ́lá Ìgè, Olúṣẹ́gun Ọbásanjọ́, Bọ́lá Tinúbú and the Afẹ́nifẹ́re tradition.
The òrìṣà priesthoods of Brazil, Cuba and the United States, the Ọ̀yọ́túnjí experiment, and the Yoruba-descended public figures of Britain and America from Kemi Badenoch to David Oyelowo.
A method note explaining what kind of evidence exists for Yoruba figures from the earliest traditions to 1900, why the oldest names cannot be treated as documented biography, and how this section marks the difference.
The figure at the root of Yoruba dynastic claims, the several incompatible traditions about who or what Òdùduwà was, the conflict with Ọbàtálá at Ilé-Ifẹ̀, and what archaeology and historians can and cannot establish.
The figure credited in tradition with founding both Ọ̀yọ́ and the second Benin dynasty, what the traditions say, where they conflict, and why the stone monolith bearing his name cannot date him.
Ṣàngó is worshipped as the òrìṣà of thunder and named in Ọ̀yọ́ king lists as the fourth Aláàfin, and this file sets out what each tradition says, why the two cannot simply be merged, and what scholars have argued.