This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Badex05 (talk | contribs) at 11:07, 18 June 2024 (→History). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 11:07, 18 June 2024 by Badex05 (talk | contribs) (→History)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) Traditional robe worn by Yoruba men.png)
Agbada is the flowing robe traditionally worn by the Yoruba people across West Africa. It comes with an inner cloth of varying lengths and it also comes with a pair of bottom wear in form of native trousers called Shokoto. It also is worn most times with different caps like fila or abeti aja. Traditional Yoruba beads are often worn with it. The agbada a male attire worn for special events and everyday life, depending on the extravagance of the garment. It is a distinct robe that comes in different styles and designs
Many Agbada are made with aso oke or aso ofi fabric, but they can be made in other different fabrics including adire. Agbada is somewhat similar to the boubou/ babanriga, but is different in looks, style, shape, fabrics and materials used and are quite distinguishable. Agbada usually features native Yoruba embroidery as many times alongside the Grand knot native to the Yoruba culture. Agbada is one of the attires of Yoruba men, alongside others like Gbariye, Sulia, Oyala, Kembe. Gbariye is close in looks to Agbada and many times considered a type of Agbada.
History
Agbada Agbada is a four-piece male attire found among the Yoruba of southwestern Nigeria and the Republic of Benin, West Africa.
It consists of a large, free-flowing outer robe (awosoke), an undervest (awotele), a pair of long trousers (sokoto), and a hat (fìla).
The outer robe—from which the entire outfit derives the name Agbada, meaning "voluminous attire"—is a big, loose-fitting, ankle-length garment. In which the centerpiece is usually covered front and back with an elaborated embroidery.Sango is referred to as “Alagbada Ina” that is, (A fire woven Agbada), Sango existed at a time when Fulanis, Hausas, Huutus, Lubas and other west African tribes were still in the “age of disorder”.that is, as at that time, no other tribe in Sub-Saharan africa had a trademark for any design or invention.
The other tribes in West Africa copied Agbada from the Yorubas, because they traded with us., Berber and Arab merchants made their way across the desert to trade salt, cloth, and other manufactured goods in exchange for gold, slaves and other commodities in West Africa during the Trans Saharan trade, this brought the Kaftan or Boubou into West Africa.
The Journal of Manchester Geographical Society 1885 believes the Agbada was brought to Yorubas by Peuls or Fulani's as a type of "Mohammedan" clothing, the quote below.
high road of Mohammedanism from North and East Africa. Its active pioneers and advance guard on Yoruba have been the Peuls or Fulanis, who have in the past overrun and subjected most of the country on the middle stream, and have so far suc- ceeded in considerably contracting the area of Yorubaland, which, though divided tribally and dialectically, has a common national tongue and a recognised feudal head in the person of the Alafin of Oyo, who is on the best of terms with the govern- ment of Lagos-as are, indeed, all the Yoruba native states
— The Journal of the Manchester Geographical Society: 1885, The Journal of the Manchester Geographical Society, Volumes 5-6,
References
- Anokam, Stella (2016-07-15). "Latest Agbada Styles with Embroidery Designs for Men (2022)". NaijaGlamWedding. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
- Lawal, Babatunde. "Agbada Clothing". LoveToKnow. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
- Hanan Hassani. "The Journey of the Moroccan Caftan" (PDF).
- "Kaftan". The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
- ^ The Journal of the Manchester Geographical Society. The Manchester Geographical Society. 1889. p. 266.