ABSTRACT
We were sitting on a bench at the Akesan market in Oyo town,1 one evening, waiting our turn at the yam-fl our mill, when I observed a tall young man passing by. He was probably about fi fteen years old. Tall and stately in his appearance, something about him compelled me to take a second look. On each of his cheeks were some distinct tribal marks. Noticing my gaze, my colleague sitting beside me, a native of Oyo smiled and said, “He is a prince.” “So you know him?” I asked. “No,” she replied. “But how can you tell?” I countered. “His marks,” she replied. That was the incidence that started me thinking, investigating, and observing. I started asking questions about the myths, the realities, and the relevance of the tribal marks phenomenon, which seemingly was on its way out, but in reality is still very popular among the Oyo Yoruba of southwestern Nigeria. The fi ndings are intriguing, and they pose a number of questions for the modern-day student of history.
