skip to content
The University of Texas at Austin

Yoruba

Several people at a fruit market in colorful garb, overlaid with Yoruba text

Edit Headline Text

Edit Subhead Text

Yoruba is spoken along the West African coast in countries such as Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, Togo, Sierra Leone, and the Ivory Coast. It is used for religious purposes in Cuba and Brazil. It is one of three major languages in Nigeria, spoken by more than 20 million people, particularly in southwestern Nigeria. Isekiri and Igala are known to be closely related to the Yoruba language.

Noted Nigerian Yoruba scholars include D.O. Fagunwa, J. F. Odunjo, Wole Soyinka, Adebayo Faleti, Akinwunmi Isola, and Femi Osofisan.

First and second year Yoruba language courses are offered each year. Yoruba fulfils the language requirement at UT Austin. However, students cannot major or minor in Yoruba.

African & African Diaspora Studies
Course Catalog