Hospitality – Yorùbá laws and customs…
“The native custom in its purity is that no visitor or stranger on friendly terms must go unentertained with kola nuts and drinkables or food and lodging free. The kola nuts and the drinkables are taken together by the host and the guest.
A man must make his visitor or stranger comfortable by all means in his power. He should raise a loan or obtain goods on credit to do so, if he is not financially strong enough. It is repugnant to native customs to allow a visitor to go unentertained with (at least) kola and water, or to allow a stranger visitor and traveller to prepare or pay for his food. Even a stranger trader or workman should be fed free by the landlord host for at least nine days.
To lodge a stranger for payment under a hiring system is a foreign custom [now adopted by the native]. A man who will not entertain his visitors or stranger in the above manner is believed to be mischievous, is shunned and treated with disrespect by the community.
For a visitor or stranger to refuse or refrain from taking any victuals placed before him (unless a satisfactory reason is given as an excuse) is repugnant in law. Such a visitor or stranger is considered to be a secret enemy and is treated as such. It is also repugnant to native custom for the visitor or the stranger to empty the dishes placed before him. He is taken for a gormandizer or a pauper.
Anything drinkable or eatable set before a visitor or a stranger must first of all be tasted by the host or his representative; or the host is open to prosecution should the visitor or stranger complain of any trouble within 24 hours of taking such food or drink.
Should a stranger who is a lodger or under one’s control is sick, the landlord (the host) shall report at once to the authorities as well as to the relatives or any one who is well-known to or who is a native of the stranger’s country or tribe; he may also ask the stranger to quit. Should he fail to take any of these courses he is liable for prosecution if the stranger dies. He may be held up for murder or manslaughter.
On the death of a stranger lodger all his personal effects shall be delivered to the authorities, who deliver them to the deceased’s relatives. Or in case of doubt or dispute as regards the eligibility of the claimant the authorities have the right to hold over such goods till the identity of the relative is proved.
In no circumstances whatever shall the landlord hide of keep back any portion of the property of the deceased strange. Should he do so and should he be detected he is liable to a heavy fine with the immediate refund of the portion misappropriated. He may be kept under restraint pending the recovery of the goods.
It is repugnant to native customs to give presents in odd quantity. Only even numbers are appreciated. For instance: A present of two kola nuts is more appreciated than that of three. To give one quantity as a present is a mark of dishonour to the person to whom the present is made. It is only in the worship of Ẹlẹgbara that an odd quantity is permissible.”
Reference:
E. A. Ajisafe Moore: “Laws and Customs of the Yoruba people” (1906) pg 84 – 86
