# I. Introduction and Theoretical Background n the Yorùbá genres, the poets play the roles of historians wherein our past and present histories are preserved for future generation. This study established the fact that Yorùbá genres can be used to trace the history of a set of people and one occurrence or the other. There are different types of orature among the Yorùbás and all these genres are embodiment of their history. Yorùbá poets are seen as historians or repository of knowledge whereby many of the Yorùbá histories are kept. All these stories are seen in form of allusions. Blacking (1977: 22) says: Orature is committed to preserving the history and culture of individual people through performance; and through it vital cultural information is passed down from generation to generation. Here, Blacking reveals it that Yorùbá orature is based on preserving history and culture, and vital information are known through it. Without orature, many of the cultural information and history might have been forgotten. But through it, they were able to pass it to other generation. That is why it is rightly said that histories are known through poetry. Ajibade (2009: 101) also agreed to this why discussing Yorùbá Nuptial poetry. He said that, Epitherlamiums, like other Yorùbá poetry illuminates the culture of the Yorùbá people especially the formation of social groups, kinship, solidarity, sexuality, and childbearing among others. Olatunji (1984: 115) supported this fact in his work titled Features of Yorùbá Oral Poetry. He says: E? se? Ifá can be treated as verbal and a storehouse of information about Yorùbá mythology and cosmology. Olatunji says this because he knows that a lot of information are embedded in e? se? Ifá. Abimbola (1975: 32) supports the fact that e? se? Ifá constitutes a compendium of information on Yorùbá world view. He says: "Ifa literary corpus is the storehouse of Yorùbá culture inside which the Yorùbá comprehension of their own historical experiences and understanding of their environment can always be found. It is recognized as a repository for Yorùbá traditional body of knowledge embracing history, philosophy, medicine and folklore." This also gives another revelation that Yorùbá poets are historian since e? se? Ifá is one of the oratures of Yorùbá, full of history, philosophy, medicine and folklore. Also Olabimtan (1980: 153) says: Poetry, like religion, is essential to the life of the traditional Yorùbá. It is the vehicle of all that is sublimed in the culture of the people, and that is why there are many genres of traditional Yorùbá poetry to convey the various aspects of the people's cultures. Barber (1990: 315) says: Each oríkì gestures away from its location within the performed text to an interland of meaning outside the text. Not only that some are specific historical references and some are generalized comments referring to a timeless or ideal state of affairs. Awe (1974: 331) also buttresses it that the role of orature in the construction and reconstruction of history is tremendous. Going by the Yorùbá Alamo, ijala, esa and orin, it is clearly evident that many of these histories are embedded in them. In the above extract, the chanter makes allusion to the history of Onikoyi's lineage. Here the chanter makes it known that the Ikoyi people are brave people and great herbalists. Besides, the chanter depicts the Onikoyi's lineage to be womanizers that is, they flirt with women. This attitude could be seen in their ways of life wherever they may be either at festive mood or war front. Also, the chanter depicts that the Onikoyi's lineage are warlike people, that is, they have flair for war. They are not tired of going to the battle field at any point in time because of the love they have for their fathers' land. In the foregoing extract, the chanter establishes that Arólú Owó, È? sà Ògbín's lineage are masqueraders. Here, the chanter traces the history of the lienage to Kó? ndú Oníwo? . It is made known that the È? sà Ògbín's lineage are great entertainers. Even, the È? sà Ògbín's lineage uses their masquerades to perform for the audience during their children's marriages. That is to say, the È? sà Ògbín's lineage were known from the time immemorial as great socio-cultural entertainers in the society. # Keywords Kêyìn sókun song is the next example to be consideration c) Keyin From the above song, the singer alludes to the history of the notorious gang led by Oyenusi in 1970s. The notorious gang caused panic everywhere in the country. The Police Force could not curb them because they usually escape arrest in miraculous way. At last, the Military Force overpowered them when the force discovered the gang's hideout. The notorious gang faced the military tribunal and members were found guilty of armed robbery. All the members of the gang were executed by firing squad. Thus, the above singer brought the events into limelight for the consumption of the present generation. Perhaps, the singer intends to tell the on-coming generation to desist from such irritating social vices in the future. In the above Alámò? the chanter alludes to the history of the inter-tribal war between the Qyqs and Ekiti-parapq (i.e the Kírìjì war). The war was fought in the 18th century. It lasted nine good years. It was the greatest war ever fought by the Yorùbá people in which many lives and properties were lost. It was through the intervention of the colonial masters that the war came to an end. The above Alámò? chanter brought the event into limelight for the memory of the present generation. # III. # Conclusion It is established in this paper that Yorùbá orature is the compendium of information and storehouse of Yorùbá culture inside which the Yorùbá comprehension of their own historical experiences and understanding of their environment can always be found. Orature is committed to preserving the history and culture of individual people and the community through performance; and through it vital cultural information is passed down from generation to generation. Yorùbá poets are seen as historians or repository of knowledge whereby many of the Yorùbá histories are kept. All these stories are seen in form of allusions. Finally, this paper concludes that in the Yoruba Ìjálá, È? sà, Alámò? , and Orin (song) like other Yorùbá genres, poets play the roles of historians and that our past and present histories are preserved for future generation. a) Ìjálá chantIkòyíÌkòyí O? mo? Arógun dádéOlúkòyí, son of Akúdagbò? diàkàlàOlúkòyí o? mo? akú dá gbè? dú àkàlàThe son of war meets me at forestO? mo? ogun bámi nígbó mo dolú igbó,I become the master of forestOgun bámi ló? dàn mo dèrò ò? dàn,War meet me at grass-fieldOgun bámi ní pàlàpáláI become the master of grass-fieldÌjè? nì mowé? ju ò? pá ìbo? n lo?War meet me at a tight cornerOgun àjàwè? yin lomuu ilé Olúkòyí wùmí gbé,War fought without retreating is why I love to live inOlúkoyi's houseOgun joojúmó? ló mú ilé baba wo? n súmi í lo? ,War at everyday makes me be tired of their father'shouseO? ba kò? , O? ba ò sígunThe king refuses to declare warE? sè? òsì O? ba ò pe? sè? dà,The left leg of the king doesn't change his legsO? ba ní káfi o? dún yìí kàgbò o? fe? ,The king said we should use this year to prepare àgbòo? fe?È? mí ìsoògùn làyà,: poets, orature, history, allusion, culture.That I got war to put on like cloth Ìkòyí o? mo? ojú oróoró Ìkòyí the child of Ojú oró oró Ìkòyí o? mo? o? rà o? rà Ìkòyí the child of O? rà o? rà Kín àbá mú rel'e re? ? What would we have taken along to your house Gbabí wá Branch here Olúkòyí o? mo? ogun ló? sàn-án olè lóru Olúkòyí the off-spring of war in the daylight but stealing in the night Bí ewúré? re? bá so? nù If your goat is lost Mábi è? só? Ìkòyí Don't ask è? só? ìkòyí S? ùgbó? n tóbìnrin rò? gbò? dò? re? bá so? nù But if your beautiful wife is lost, Wábi è? só? Ìkòyí Ask è? só? Ìkòyí Olúkòyí lo? ogun s? ùgbó? n kò wálé mó? Olúkoyí went to war but didn't come back home again Wo? n gbé orí Olúkòyí ge? nge? Then, they carried Olúkòyí's head majestically Lo? sí ààfin o? ba To the king's palace Olúkòyí so? pé òun ò t'iidé oórì bàbá òun Olúkòyí said he had not reached the burial ground of his father Agbede gbédé Agbede gbédé A Literary Appraisal of Poets as Historiansb) È? s? à Chant OlógbojòArólú owó,II. Analysis Arólú owóÈ? sà ògbínÈ? sà ògbínQmq lé? è? gi ò? wó? so?The child of Lé? è? gì did not wear clothQmq ò? wó? so?The child of those who wear clothWó? yè nígbàlè?To belittle chieftaincy in secretQmq ò? wó? so? ké? ké? rè? gbe?The child of those who wear ké? ké? 's clothRèé gbégún waleTo the bush to bring a masquerade home.Ológbojò qmq kó? ndú oní wo?Ológbojò, son of Kó? ndú Oniwo?Àìná ni Ìyá Ògbín je? ,Àìná was Ògbín's motherBáágídé ni baba Ológbojò ní gbahunBaagide was Ológbojò's father thenYear 2016Mo? lé mò? le ará òde Ò gbólúké? , Oológbojò Oólógbojò OólógbojòA builder, a family of those outside One who cares for Olú Ológbojó Ológbojó Ológbojó22Mo mo? lé yín o E? sà ògbínI know your house È? sà ÒgbínVolume XVI Issue VII Version IBó yo? o? la O? ló? un afòní bùn ni E? sà ògbín moríké Mo yáa súnké sí Arólú owó Awon lo? mo? arágò? gbálè? Nígbàlè? Awon lo? mo? oní sékété N wére Arólú owó È? yin lo? mo? pálasà Ológbojò má gun igi ilá Ìwo? ni o? mo? Arégunsinmo? délé o? ko? Lónìí àti lánàa àm úyagàn ní ìyá jé? fó? mo?If God wishes, He grant us this day È? sà Ògbín I'm cared for I quickly Arólú owó They are the children of Àrágò? gbálè? In secret They are the children of the owner of sékété In a hurry Arólú owó You are the children of Pálasà Don't back okro to limb Ológbojò You are the children of Arégúnsinmodele o? ko? Today and yesterday, everyone is proud of his/her mother.( A )Global Journal of Human Social Science -© 2016 Global Journals Inc. (US) s Lead:If we are begging for childrenLílé:Bí a bá n? to? ro? o? mo? ló? wó? O? ló? runExplain it to GodE? sàlàyé e? fÃ?"? ló? runA child who puts hand in people's pocketQmq tí n? to? wó? bò? pòTo steal people's moneyTí n? jáwó olówóIs not a child.O? mo? kó?But a child who will uplift his/her father's houseS? ùgbó? n, o? mo? tí yóò gbélée bàbáWho shall favour his/her mother's house God hear me out It doesn't just start at our time Ever since, thieves have been dying ruthlessly Ever since, thieves have been dying shamely During the time of Olúgbó? n During the time of Arè? sà During the time of Òrànmíyàn, father of the Ifè? landga Tí yí o s? e ilé ìyá lóore Èdùmàre gbóhùn mi Kò s? è? sè? bè? rè? nígbà tiwa Láéláé lolè ti n? kúkú oró Láéláé lolè tí n? kúkú ìyà Láyé Olúgbó? n Láyé Arè? sà Láyé Ò? rànmíyàn baba nílè? Ifè?Theives turned their backs to the seaOlè á kè? yin sókunMay I not turn my back to the seaKí n? ma s? e kè? yìn sókunChorus:A child who wakes up in the morningÈgbè:O? mo? tó jí lówùúrò?Who doesn't have a jobTí ò nís? é? lápáWho wants to buy an expensive velvetTó fé? ra àrán olówóWho wants to buy laceTó fé? ra LéèsìWho wants to buy DamaskTó fé ra DamaskPool of blood on the thieves who turned theirÈ? je? yòròyòrò lára olè tó kè? yìnbacks to the seasókunMay I not turn my back to the sea.Kí n má s? e kè? yìn sókunLead:See them on the treeLílé:E? wò wó? n lórí igiSee a thick rope on the thiefE? wò ìjárá okùn lára ìgáráA big barrel is the trap of deathGorodóòmù ni pàkúté ikúA big barrel is the trap of sufferingGorodóòmù ni pàkúté ìyàPool of blood on the thieves who turned theirÈ? jè? yòròyòrò lára olè tó kè? yìnback to the seasókunThe head of a thief shall sleep at ÌbòkunÌbòkun lorí olè ó sùnChorus:Parent warn your childÈgbè:O? ló? mo? kìlò? fó? mo?Warn themE? kìlò? fún wo? nA child who wakes up in the morningO? mo? tó jí lówùúrò?Who doesn't have a jobTí ò nísé? ló? wó?Who wants to buy an expensive velvetTó fé? ra àrán olówóWho wants to buy laceTó fé? ra LéèsìWho wants to buy DamaskTo fé? ra DamaskWho wants to buy vehicleTó fé? ra mó? tòPool of blood on he thief whose back is turnedÈ? jè? yòròyòrò lára olè tó kè? yìnto the seasókunThe head of a thief shall sleep at IbokunÌbòkun lorí olè ó sùn. © 2016 Global Journals Inc. (US) s * Sixteen Great Poems of Ifá WAbimbola UNESCO 1975 * Finding Female Voice. A Socio-cultural Appraisal of Yoruba Nuptial Poetry GOAjibade RUDIGER Koppe VERLAG. KON: Germany 2009 * Yoruba Oral Tradition. Ife African Languages and Literatures series II BAwe Abimbola W. 1974 Praise Poems as Historical Data. The example of the Yorùbá Oríkì * Oríkì, Women and the Proliferation and Merging of Òrìs? à KarinJBarber Africa: International African Institute 60 3 1990 * JBlackings The Anthropology of the Body London Academic Press 1977