International records / OpenAlex research

Ifa, the deity of wisdom, and importance of work among the Yoruba people

Purpose To provide a background examination of the role of work and self‐employment, and their relationship with religious beliefs for the Yoruba people of Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach An in‐depth discussion regarding the Yoruba world view and the key components of the Yoruba peoples' religion is provided. In particular, these elements are discussed within the context of the Yoruba's historical attitudes regarding work, self‐employment, markets, investment, and social support. Findings For the Yoruba people, work always has a supernatural dimension to it, and the chosen profession is r…