A Feminine Deconstruction of the Concept and Tenets of ArÌ olì e ì in Oyo Empire and its Place in Yoruba Philosophy Oluwatoyin Adebola Gbadamosi Department of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan. Abstract The concept of AÌroìle ì occupied and still has a significant position in Oyo Empire. AÌroìle ì among the Yoruba is the first male child in a family. Such child has sociological, economic and religious advantages over his siblings. In fact, a family without an AÌroìle,ì regardless of the number of female children, is somewhat incomplete. Thus, a wife goes all out to ensure she “produces” one for her family in order to make her motherhood complete and her place as a wife secured. This paper seeks to deconstruct this concept embedded in the beliefs of the Yoruba by offering a rational reflection on the tenets of AÌroìleaì nd the significant power it wields among children, in the Oyo Empire, the family and the Yoruba society at large. This is done from a feminine perspective in order to analyze, critically, AÌroìle ì from a mother's or sister's viewpoint. This study seeks to answer the following questions: what is AÌroìletì o a Yoruba and the intent of identifying a child as one? What are the advantages and disadvantages (if any) of being an AÌroìle?ì What are the tenets of AÌroìle?ì Is ArÌ olì e ì still relevant in a contemporary Yoruba society? These questions are answered in this study with a view to offering a female holistic view of AÌroìle,ì presenting the logical flaws in the concept, and unraveling the tenets of AÌroìle ì and its place among the Yoruba in the 21st century. Recommendations were also suggested. Keywords: ArÌ olì e,ì Female deconstruction, Yoruba Culture and Philosophy, Oyo Empire Background to the Study her motherhood, making her vulnerable to The struggle for the gender equality has replacement as the aÌaÌyo-Ì beloved or cherished wife of generated a lot of reactions from scholars over the her husband. This study seeks to contribute to the years. This has culminated into several discourses on course on gender inequality by deconstructing the the emancipation of women and their freedom from concept and tenets of AÌroìle ì among the Yoruba, from a the unnecessary burden of gender inequality which feminine perspective, that is, AÌroìleì is critiqued from a mothers, sisters and daughters have borne over time. mother's, sister's or daughter's point of view. The concept of AÌroìle ì is a classic summation of gender inequality within the family. It is easy to expect that What is AÌroìle?ì children born into the same family would be equal AÌroìle ì is the first male child in a family. Even with none having certain advantages over her/his when several sisters have been given birth to before siblings. It is also easy to expect that parents or the him, the birth of the first male child is usually society would not display signs of the superiority of a anticipated and welcomed with a lot of fun-fare and child over her/his siblings. It is also very easy to think celebration. that children in a family have equal access to the Immediately a child is born, the question privileges or wealth in a family. The concept AÌroìleì is a that will be posed will centre on sex, not clear departure from these beliefs. This is because minding ofhealth of the mother. If the baby right from birth, an AÌroìleì sits on a pedestal among his is a female, the mother will be scolded and siblings. He exists in a class of his own and he enjoys treated as a lazy, good for nothing woman. what his siblings may only see but cannot enjoy. An On the other hand if the child is a male, AÌroìleì is aware of this difference between him and his praise will be showered on the mother, not siblings from childhood and he lives in this considering the fact that Biology has shown consciousness even to adulthood. The presence of that it is the father who determines the sex of AÌroìleì wields a lot of power in a family that a man an offspring. (Familusi, 2012: 300) covets him earnestly and that the earlier he is able to have one,the earlier his mind is at rest, since this vital Thus, children are definitely not born equal, need of his as a father or a man is taken care of. AÌroìleì's since a male child, especially one that has been hoped power in a family is so great that it drives a woman to for over time, calls for jubilation, while a female any lengths to “produce” one at all costs, regardless of child, especially another female child, calls for blame the number of female children that she already has, and ridicule of the mother. the economy of the family, or eventhe risk to her own According to Olaleye, AÌroìleaì mong the life. A wife that has not produced an AÌroìle ì is believed Yorubais the first child that is born that will continue to be somewhat incomplete and not yet successful in to bear one's name after death. (Olaleye, 102 Oluwatoyin Adebola Gbadamosi 2018)Olajubu (2003) corroborates this belief while the perpetuity of one's name. He says further that no elucidating on the presence of gender construct one wants his name to disappear. The first son will among the Yoruba. She holds that the Yoruba have continue the lineage of that particular family line, expectations of males to succeed their fathers and that since a female child is expected to marry and drop the the importance of this is seen as it warrants an name of her father. Interestingly, the choice of not explanation when this is not possible. She says that marrying is even clearly beyond the female child the heir in a family is known as AÌroìleì, and that when because she is aware of her temporary sojourn in her there are exceptions to this norm, an explanation is father's house right from a tender age. It is only the offered thus, 'Biì oÌniìdiìiì, obiÌrin oÌkiìn jeìòkuìmoìluì'- A male children, especially the first, that are expected to woman is not named Kuìmoìluì if there is no reason. remain in the home. Although it is held that in pre- Olajubu expatiates on the meaning and significance colonial Yoruba society, children only have their first of Kuìmoìluì among the Yoruba. She says, “In Yoruba names, they do not have surnames. The idea of having cultural idiom and practice, this (Kuìmoìlu)ì is a name a surname, which a female child drops after signifying that the family of the female so named has marriage,is as a result of colonial influence. no male heir apparent because all their male children YisaKehinde Yusuf elaborates this as he discusses have died.” (Olajubu, 2003: p. 9) Olajubu on another sexism in English and Yoruba languages. He states note offers a linguistic analysis of the nameKuìmoìlu,ì thus: stating that: “Kuìmoìluì is the shortened form of the Another evidence of the imposition of the phrase ikuì muìolu-ì death has taken the heir. Hence for sexist structure of English on Yoruba is a woman to be so named assumes the absence of a found in the surnaming of the children of male child.”(Olajubu, 2003: p. 131) Naming any Westernised parents and the adoption of female child Kuìmoìluì is too great a burden for any husbands' names by Westernised wives child to bear. This is regardless of the gender of the …However, with the imposition of British child, because for the child to have such a name colonial rule on the country and the shows the lack of regard for her/him as a child. It also acquisition of Western education by the shows that the child is definitely not a 'first choice', Yoruba, children started to be given since the one preferred has been taken by death. surnames and women began to adopt their Unfortunately, since the logic for having a Kuìmoìluì in husbands' names as was the case in the the first place is because the male heir is no more, this cultures of the colonisers…The desires to makes it anunhappy name for a female child. This is a perpetuate the male line have given rise to constant reminder of her status in the family and each the widespread preference for male time she is called by that name, she is reminded of this children, since female children obscure or sad, sober fact.Another meaning of AÌroìle ì derivative obliterate father's identities on marrying. of the nameKuìmoìluì is the concept of olu ì which in this (p.12) context means chief, head, main, great or important. This is why it is not strange to hear a Yoruba pray as On a similar note, to further buttress this follows: EÌduÌmaÌreÌ se miì loìluì oòòmoò- God, make me a point, Familusi (2012) holds that among the Yoruba, great child. A great child stands out and s/he is distinct “a male child who will bring a woman or women in, is among her/his peers. Kuìmoìluìindicates that the AÌroìleì preferred to the one (female child who will leave her of the family is no more. Thus, it is a grave thing for a parental home after marriage)… male children are daughter's name to be a perpetual reminder of the loss metaphorically referred to as the pillars of the family of the 'important child' of the family.