ties. Ọbàtálá took all these images, including the ones with deformities, to Olódùmarè to breathe life into them so that they could become living beings and comfort him in his lone- liness. Olódùmarè did as Ọbàtálá asked, and human beings came to be, with persons with disabilities forming part of hu- man diversity. Education with a long tradition The Yorùbá are of African descent, and form a major tribal group in South Western Nigeria. A considerable number of them can also be found in the Republic of Benin and Togo, while pockets of them live in some West African countries such as Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire and Gambia. Descendants of the Yorùbá are also found as a Diaspora group in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean. The latter are either descendants of people who were sold into slavery or economic migrants. Yorùbá education was practiced before the white man arrived on the scene. It was lifelong and continuing. Yorùbá education inducted members of society into its mores, cus- toms, principles and practices. It respected individuality and diversity, and so there were no failures or dropouts. The subject matter was vast, with an all-encompassing curricu- lum. It was complex and based on the Ọmọlúwàbí ethos, which is education geared towards producing a complete person; a person with a good character, gainfully employed and productively engaged in society. Ọmọlúwàbí is derived from “Ọmọ tí olú ìwà á bí” (a child born with a good character or a child with a solid moral background). Yorùbá education involved everyone in the community, and was dictated by community institutions. Educational agents included the family, peer groups, traditional societies and the entire community. Festivals promoted the teaching of moral, cultural and age-old practices. People were initi- ated into adulthood as appropriate by their peer groups, whilst traditional societies initiated them into the secrets, logic and philosophy of the community. What was taught was relevant to community life and affirmed by society’s needs, traditions and history. This was all communicated in the mother tongue, which was indigenous and understood by everyone. The subjects and skills that were imparted were vast, relevant, diverse and comprehensive. The teachers and resources deployed in teaching were diverse, but local. Hence they were familiar and easy to use. Learning was for everyone. It was needs-tested and inclusive. The teaching methods were rich, embracing observation, participation, practicing, storytelling, recitals, repetition, singing, playing, listening, riddles, proverbs, apprenticeship and work, etc. Family first The Yorùbá family is extended, and values seniority and age. The primary unit is the ẹbí (family). The oldest man is the head of the whole family, and is generally a man of wisdom and discernment when it comes to family traditions. He takes coun- sel from other senior members of the family, including them in the family administration. The elders are the treasure trove of knowledge and wisdom, and act as custodians of culture and tradition. Seniority factors in the ẹbí are also practised in the lineage, peer groups, traditional societies and chieftaincy matters. Yoruba education starts at home with children being in- troduced to language by their mothers and supported in their learning by various agents such as the family and the entire community. Children are integrated into their communities through plays, songs, lullabies, proverbs, myths and stories, etc., all telling the community’s history and celebrating the community’s values. They learn the rules of the community by participating in community activities. Moonlight stories and riddles are shared by all, and everyone is included and participates irrespective of their abilities. The children in the family eat together from the same bowl. They bond well, learn to be fair-minded, support one another and develop caring skills. The children are inspired and exposed to a diverse tu- telage of dedication and good behaviour in their communal lives through everyday experience and examples of honesty, hard work, piety, discipline, generosity and receiving support from others in the community. Everyone is included in the duty of care. The elderly, children, young widows, persons with disabilities and the vulnerable are valued and cared for. Religion in everyday life The Yorùbá are religious. The family, community, peer groups, guilds and religious institutions provide religious instruction to reinforce religious teachings. The tenets of the Yorùbá reli- gion include that they live a chaste and morally-upright life. Everything the Yorùbá say includes God and mirrors the di- verse deities in their lives. Their language usage is full of reli- gious allusions and references, manifesting their belief in God. The day starts with greetings. A Yorùbá asks “A à jí i ‘re bí?” or “Ṣé à jí daadaa bí?” (“Have we woken up well”)? To which a Yorùbá responds “A dúpẹ” meaning thank you, whilst the thank you is not only to thank you for asking after their well- being, but also includes thanks to God for His protection and involvement in their lives. Thus, “A dúpẹ” in Yorùbá is a short form of “A dúpẹ lọwọ Ọlọrun” (“We thank God”), merged with thank you. It is not unusual to hear the Yorùbá swear “Ọlọrun ń gbọ” (“God is listening” or “God is my witness”) or swear the same oath on a family deity such as Ifa, Ọṣun, Ọya, etc., as evidence of honesty or truth. Libations are poured as a mark of respect for the spirits of the ancestors and forebears, and to include them in the day-to-day lives of Yorùbás. Shrines can be found scattered all around the villages and compounds as reminders of the divine presence and of the need for piety, humility, reverence and responsibility to the community and its protectors. Yorùbá education respects gender. Traditionally, women were permanent and strong members of their husbands’ fam- ilies. They exhibited an authority there which they may not express in their biological homes. Indeed “ti obinrin ba pe nile oko tan a daje sibe” (“When a woman spends a long time in her husband’s home, she becomes a witch.”). Thus, she be- 84 2017 Inclusion and Diversity | Identity 23