Our prayers are with you...

On behalf 

of the entire

 membership of Yodaai, 

We express our condolences to the family of Mr and Mrs Emmanuel Ayanwale

on the loss of Mrs Betty Ayanwale's father

Mr. Clarence S. Banks, Sr.

at the ripe old age of 97.

Funeral arrangements are as follows.

Home going service for Mr. Clarence S. Banks, Sr. will be on Wednesday March 19th @ 11:am @ Eastside Funeral Home, 5523 1st Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35212

(205) 592-2233.

After the Service, please meet the family at the Iris Deli at 2024 Green Springs Highway, Birmingham Al 35205

(Across form George Ward Park).

 Parking is also in the back.

F. A

Highest achieving cultural groups in America? - Nigerians rise to the list!

February is here again, and with it comes black History month; Or as I like to call it, 

"celebrate being Yoruba and proud of it" month. 

To kick us of this month, here are excerpts from an article posted on the Huffington Post about Nigerians to make you proud, this made news a few weeks ago & I kept a link of it : 

Controversial author and Yale Law professor Amy Chua gained notoriety for her tough parenting memoir "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother," and now she's back to let the world know which eight cultural groups "do better than others" when it comes to achieving success in America.

"The Triple Package: How Three Unlikely Traits Explain the Rise and Fall of Cultural Groups in America" is her latest work, co-written with her husband and fellow Yale Law professor Jed Rubenfeld. They claim that some groups in America are simply inherently more likely to succeed than others.

The pair specifically names the eight social groups that they deem superior,( in terms of achieving success, my words,) which include two religious groups

• Jewish
• Indian
• Chinese
• Iranian
• Lebanese-Americans
• Nigerians
• Cuban exiles
• Mormons

The description for their book on Amazon.com states:

It may be taboo to say, but some groups in America do better than others. Mormons have recently risen to astonishing business success. Cubans in Miami climbed from poverty to prosperity in a generation. Nigerians earn doctorates at stunningly high rates. Indian and Chinese Americans have much higher incomes than other Americans; Jews may have the highest of all.

Why do some groups rise? Drawing on groundbreaking original research and startling statistics, The Triple Package uncovers the secret to their success. A superiority complex, insecurity, impulse control—these are the elements of the Triple Package, the rare and potent cultural constellation that drives disproportionate group success.

Hmmm!

Who knew?

  1.Superiority complex

2.Insecurity and

3. Impulse control 

Nigerians on top!

Another fine Yodaai meeting in Auburn!

Were you there yesterday at the 1st Yodaai meeting of 2014? 

Red was the color of the day, both for love and for heart health month.

The Auburnites pulled out all the stops

 to make for another fantastic fun filled gathering of like minded people.

The food was great, the company even better 

and the constructive conversation will move us forward and onwards progressively!

We celebrated Valentine's day with a Yoruba poem

 adapted from the songs of Solomon, read and presented hilariously

 by our  general secretary 

and the web master herself...

Our husbands claimed color blindness (see below)

 and were appropriately fined by madam the social herself! 

...our children were rewarded for their performance at the Ajodun

Birthdays were combined with valentine's day

We are all thinking the same thing - When can we cut this cake and eat it?

 and our husbands that forgot valentines this year promised to do better next year -

 I feel a serenade coming my way...

Our youngest member in training...

Yodaai women wore Red also as a reminder of heart health month this February

Part of the Montgomery consortium, above picture and below...

Part of the Birmingham group below...

It was a busy and packed schedule,

 but a lot of fun!

RICE, SOUP WERE VERY PLENTY INDEED!

We thank you for coming.

See you out here in the city of Montgomery, 

 the cradle of civil rights 

in Alabama at the next meeting,

F. A

Happy Valentine's day!

This is a re-post from last year's valentine's day. Maybe we can get the whole thing translated to English this time so I can post it side by side for our non Yoruba speakers? We got only the 1st 5 lines translated last year. If fully translated to english, I volunteer to read the poem at our meeting this Saturday, in Yoruba, and some one else can read the English translation side by side. So how about it?

A Serenade in Yoruba 

Wi fun mi, Olufe mi,
Iwo eni ti okan mi fe,
Fi ona ife re han mi,
Ki emi ma d'abi alaare,
 Ti o n s'ina kaa kiri,
Bi agbo ti o so nu,

Ereke re wu mi,
Orun re si dun wo pelu ileke,
Fi akara didun da mi duro,
Fi eso igi tu mi ninu,
Nitori aisan ife n'se mi.

Dide olufe mi,
Arewa mi kan na a,
Ki o si ja de, ka lo,
Adaba mi, je ki emi o ri oju re,
Nitori oju re si lewa,
Je ki emi gbo ohun re,
Ni tori didun ni ohun re.
Aisan ife nse mi, olufe mi,
Iwo eni ti okan mi fe.

Adapted from & inspired by the Songs of Solomon...

Happy upcoming Valentine's day,
to all great Yodaaites!

Translate single lines to English if you dare, below in the comments section...

F. A.

And the winner ...

...of the Proverb of the month is 

This fine lady from the Montgomery area. with the submission

"A i gbo'fa l'a n' woke, ifa kan o si ni'para:

I have no idea what it means or how to apply it but it sure sounds good, Like something you would say "Akiika:" to.

Anyhow. Eyin agba, e ba wa da si for the literal and practical translation.

F. A

The Children take over at the Ajodun...

Were you there at the Ajodun this year? 

If not, you're in luck to see the photos of our children 

under the tutelage of the Education Committee...

as they posed on the Red Carpet,

 co - hosted the beginning of the program, 

frolicked around enjoying themselves, 

Above, as they performed a traditional dance,

Below, as they performed a traditional fashion show...

Dressed as a "sisi ilewe", student in college

As a bride groom in traditional aso oke.

as a young man at an event...

Dressed as a very traditional yoruba queen with Iyun (coral) headdress and necklace...

Very sharp looking sir!

Dressed as bride and groom, this brother and sister pair...

Omo dara o d'ejo...

Ori mi si n'wu just looking at them all...

The young adults...

Our youngest member below...

The young shall inherit the earth, below...

Awon young boys below...

Our children are truly our heritage, they will carry the culture and traditions forward...

Thank you to the Education Committee for a job well done!

F. A

...And the winner

...of the Proverb of the Month is...

the good doctor in the center of the picture below with the proverb

"Isokan ni agbara" and the literal translation? 

There is strength in unity! 

Thank you for that submission.

 And a happy new year to all!

F. A

Happy new year to all our members...

Odun ayo ni o!

Ati owo, ati omo ati emi gigun, pelu Alafia!

This is the year Yodaai 2013 in review that we wanted to show at the Ajodun

 but technical difficulties prevented us...

Better late than never! 

Click this link below...

A Year In The Life Of Yodaai...

Enjoy!

F. A

E yo, e bere, e f'ijo si!

The dancing this year was different!

 O le ku o.

The Social Secretary really upped the action this year by surprising us with a live band!

Timi D and his band were in the house, and he had everyone on the dance floor,

young and gracefully aged...

digging it to the strains of good yoruba drums and singing.

Awon oga mi mejeeji...

Even the kids got dancing and asked what the money exchanging hands was about...

nle awon oko mi..., Tomi and daddy digging it

Ko ma da bi pe a o si 'n be...

digging it to the strains of good yoruba drums and singing.

The ladies led on the dance floor...

The traditional spraying...

Our husbands joined to ye wa si...

Looking good...

The Education committee chair and her assistant and member 

leading the children's cultural performance

Go son! Rock on...

Birmingham la wa yi o...

The Most Valuable Coach 'MVC' from Auburn showing us how it's done...

Talk about goodwill towards all mankind...

F. A