A Character in a Mysterious Story: Human Being and Cosmos in Classical Yoruba Thought: Selections from the Fundamental Ideas of Toyin Falola's Yoruba Metaphysics: Spirituality and Supernaturality
Oluwatoyin Adepoju
A Character in a Mysterious Story
Human Being and Cosmos in Classical Yoruba Thought
Selections from the Fundamental Ideas of
Toyin Falola's Yoruba Metaphysics: Spirituality and Supernaturality
Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju
Comparative Cognitive Processes and Systems
" Exploring Every Corner of the Cosmos in Search of Knowledge"
Bruce Onobrakpeya's Akporode
An Evocation of Cosmic Unity Drawn from Nigeria's Cultural Diversity
This image, by Israel Ophori in the installation's location at the Onobrak Art Centre in Agbarha-Otor, in the Niger Delta, depicts Bruce Onobrakpeya’s monumental installation Akporode, a meditation on "the vast and mysterious universe," embodying the rich cosmological implications of its Urhobo name—evoking infinity, depth, and the unknowable, suggesting the vast, complex, and unpredictable nature of existence—the sum of human life, destiny, social interaction, and the natural world—as a mystery that can never be totally understood by mortals.
The work is an artistic and philosophical meditation on cosmic immensity, a visual hymn and a philosophical proposition, expressed through a constellation of sculptural pillars that together form a symbolic architectural cosmos, a work functioning as a profound convergence of spirituality, Nigerian cultural iconography, and the artist's six-decade-long creative journey.
I use the term ''classical Yoruba thought'' to refer to the oldest ideas developed in Yorubaland and which remain paradigmatic in studies of the enduring contributions of that civilisation. I also employ ''endogenous Yoruba thought'' in indicating the ancient origin of those ideas in Yorubaland. I do not use the more familiar use of ''traditional'' to refer to the same ideas because I want to emphasize in precision and the enduring significance of those cultural contributions even as they may undergo change.
Abstract
What follows are selections from Toyin Falola's Yoruba Metaphysics: Spirituality and Supernaturality ( Ohio University Press, 2025), highlighting summations of its foundational ideas, in order to expose readers to the clarity and ideational force of that distillation. The selections are from the ''Author's Notes'', which opens the book, and chapter 14, titled ''Discursive Metaphysics''.
Great thanks to Sally Welch of Ohio University Press for permitting this compilation and open access sharing, to Laura M. André, of the same press, for providing me with a digital copy of the publication, and Toyin Falola, for giving me a print copy and for supporting this project in my dialogues with the publishers.
The subheadings are provided by me.
Selections from Toyin Falola's Yoruba Metaphysics: Spirituality and Supernaturality
Metaphysics
Metaphysics asks, “What is the primordial substance of which everything else consists?” or “What is the ultimate nature of reality?”. It is an intellectual vocation that seeks to answer life’s greatest mysteries, usually concerning the human perception of reality.
Within any answer to the question of the “stuff” that reality consists of is a grand system of explanation that covers the nature of free will and determinism, change and permanence, and the dichotomy between immaterial and material, among others.
Metaphysics also includes the series of explanations that make up a coherent system of understanding of…human consciousness and [such] exalted concepts…as destiny, spiritual power, and the soul’s purpose. It studies Being and being as materials to formulate an understanding of the universe.
Metaphysics has been overshadowed by recent achievements in astrophysics, biology, physics, and geology; however, the true power of metaphysical explanations lies in providing the framework and initial assumptions for future scientific research.
The ability to ask fundamental questions that shape our understanding of the problem at hand is thus the true purpose of any philosophical debate. In Yorùbá metaphysics, our answers provide an alternative yet equally stimulating perspective on reality, humans’ place in the world, and the forces that drive the universe. Because Yorùbá metaphysics is characterized by a blend of spiritualism and rationalization, proponents of this worldview approach the subject of Being as a multifaceted concept.
Unifying Duality in Endogenous Yoruba Thought
A metaphysical framework based on duality does not presuppose the existence of a single approach, state, dimension, or substance to reality. Dualism draws a distinction between mind and body, the physical and the immaterial, what ought to be and what is.
However, as shall soon be shown, the Yorùbá philosophical heritage bridges this gap by showing that reality does not necessarily have to be reconciled into one substance or dimension. It can and should be the acknowledgment of opposites that is the ideal expression of reality.
The conception of Being in Yorùbá metaphysics is the ultimate expression of reality from which different aspects of Being originate as beings. Being is Olódùmarè, the cosmic force that created the universe, and he is the objective metaphysical phenomena that express it[self] in beings, which can be immaterial or material.
Classical Yoruba Epistemology
Epistemology asks such questions as “What do people know?” and “How do people know what they know?”. The dualistic nature of Yorùbá metaphysics also provided the foundation on which Yorùbá epistemology is built.
Yorùbá epistemology takes from its metaphysics by acknowledging the dualistic nature of expertise. Since reality is manifested on two planes of existence, the material and the immaterial, what needs to be known and the means through which such knowledge is acquired also conform to the dualistic nature of existence.
All epistemic truths prevalent in Yorùbá belief systems are thus the result of two opposite sides of realities and two different modes of knowing.
Three Foundational Ideas
The following three ideas are crucial for understanding the big picture [constituting classical Yoruba metaphysics]:
1. We exist in a universe that is not fully comprehensible to us. Some forces and beings possess significant spiritual power over humans.
2. Humans can engage with these spiritual forces and exert some influence over them. However, we are ultimately responsible for shaping the course of our own lives.
3. These forces exist in an unseen or invisible realm, known as Ọ̀run, distinct from our physical world. This unseen realm is often described as fantastical, magical, and challenging to grasp. Yet it is closely intertwined with the physical world, with its inhabitants, including the Supreme Being, playing a vital role in it. Conversely, while primarily residing in the physical world, humans possess certain unique qualities that make them semispiritual and capable of interacting with the invisible realm under specific circumstances. Ọ̀run is also the dwelling place of deceased ancestors and the origin of human existence before birth.
Humans in Relation to Ayé, the Physical World, and Ọ̀run, the Spiritual Universe
The physical world, Ayé, encompasses tangible and physical locations; various supernatural beings exert influence and presence. It was created by the Supreme Being, which governs the actions and motivations of certain beings as they descend to Ayé and determine how they behave.
Humans are brought into existence by the Supreme Being for specific purposes that only it knows. They are set apart from other beings in that they exist in both realms. They are ultimately responsible for fulfilling a partially predetermined destiny, with the details known only by the Supreme Being, which has the power to determine the circumstances and conditions of human birth, shaping their lives in alignment with its ultimate goals.
Numerous other divine and supernatural entities influence individuals, their actions, development, and various aspects of their lives. These lesser gods, along with their ancestors, are highly revered and worshipped by humans and are connected to the concept of Ẹ̀sìn (religion).
Ènìyàn: Ìwà and Orí, the Human Person and their Constituents
Ìwà
Furthermore, humans are constrained by a distinct set of sociological and cultural principles and frameworks that set them apart. A person’s unique identity is referred to as Ìwà. The background behind each individual’s Ìwà, or character, defines who they are and is established through various societal and supernatural influences and essences.
Ènìyàn
Ènìyàn pertains to the physical and spiritual nature of individuals: their personhood and the concept of an ideal person, whom one strives to become by embodying good Ìwà.
Orí
Orí serves as a metaphysical infrastructure, personalized and unique to each person, that connects humans to the spiritual and physical world, acting as a bridge to the supernatural forces, which humans cannot fully comprehend. The boundaries between Ènìyàn, Ìwà, Àṣà, and Orí are somewhat blurred.
Orí, akin to the voice in one’s subconscious or a personalized spirit guide, influences individuals positively or negatively based on their Ìwà. Orí is somewhat separate from the individual but also an integral part of them.
Unification
Ènìyàn, on the other hand, is a more immediate component of an individual, describing how various physical and spiritual attributes interact and function within the human body. Ènìyàn serves as a convergence point for all the external, spiritual, and physical forces that shape and blend into a person.
It encompasses all the contexts that contribute to the nature of one’s Ìwà. These contexts then interact through the infrastructure provided by Orí. Individuals acquire their agency and existence by manifesting these elements in their own choices, ultimately forming their Ìwà.
Life as a Mysterious Story
In Yorùbá mythology, humans are portrayed as characters in a masterfully constructed story. The authors, superior beings, create these characters as having no awareness of their true purpose. When the storytelling is skillfully executed, the characters influence the plot, and the plot, in turn, shapes the characters. Although the characters’ paths are predetermined, their decisions and behaviors bring the narrative to life. If they fail to follow the plot, they are unable to justify their existence and consequently cease to be.
Ifá
The final concept is Ifá, which serves as both a method of divination and a vast repository of knowledge that the Yorùbá people utilize to comprehend their reality. Through Ifá, humans can engage with these intangible and ethereal forces, adding a layer of complexity. To draw an analogy to storytelling, Ifá is akin to certain characters who can interact with one another through spiritual connections in a way that only they themselves can understand through esoteric codes.
Ideational Network
Most chapters in this book are dedicated to unpacking individual key concepts or ideas. These interconnected concepts contribute to exploring the three fundamental aspects mentioned earlier. Each concept is a tool used to construct a broader framework of understanding, and readers will need to invest considerable effort in acquiring these tools.
Ifá and Orí, for instance, must be integrated concepts in the readers’ minds. They are interdependent, interconnected, and operate cyclically, with none being complete without the unquestionable complementarity of the others. This unique epistemology, as presented here, is authentically Yorùbá in nature!
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