ABSTRACT
Yoruba belongs to the Yoruboid group of languages, a group belonging to the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo language family. Other Yoruboid languages include the group of dialects referred to collectively as the Akoko cluster and Igala. Yoruba has about twenty distinct dialects (for example, Ọyọ, Ekiti, ẹgba, Ijẹbu, Ijeṣa, Ifẹ, Igbomina, Ondo, Ọwọ, Yagba). The vast majority of the speakers of Yoruba are found in Nigeria (upwards of 20 million), located particularly in Lagos, Ọyọ. Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Ọṣun, Kogi and Kwara states – states that essentially make up the southwestern corner of the country. Speakers are also found in southeastern sections of the Republic of Benin, as well as central and northern Togo.
