List of Yoruba deities

Short description: none

The Yoruba people are a major ethnic group indigenous to West Africa, whose religion—often called Isese—recognizes a number of deities and other divine forces. Yoruba deities include the Oriṣa and Ajogun ("personified evils").^[1]^: 729 In addition, the Yoruba acknowledge a supreme being, often called Olorun, who is not typically classed as an Orisa.^[2]^: 22

Many deities recognized by the Yoruba are shared with peoples such as the Fon,^[3]^: 38 as well as with diasporic African populations who were enslaved and/or otherwise moved to the Americas^[3]^: 38–40^[4]^{: 258–265}^[5]^: 113 during the years of the Atlantic slave trade and afterwards during the 19th century.

The Oriṣa

Name	Description	Gender
Agemo	The chameleon servant of the supreme being Ọlọrun. He carries messages between the Oriṣa and Ọlọrun.	Male
Aganjú	Deity of volcanoes, the wilderness, deserts and fire. He is the son of Ajaka and the nephew of Shango.	Male
Ajaka	a stern male deity of the Yorùbá people. In certain contexts, he is a deified king. Associated in some areas with fire, other areas as a thief catcher. He was an Alaafin of Oyo. He is the elder brother of his near polar opposite Ṣango.	Male
Ààjà	- forest spirit of the whirlwindand wife of Àrọ̀nì (spirit being of herbs, plants and leaves)	Female
Ajé	Deity of wealth, property, prosperity, fortune and success. She is strongly associated with Olokun.	Female
Àyàn Àgalú	Patron deity of all drummers.	Male
Ara (Aramfẹ/Ara-gbona)	Deity of the weather, storms and thunder.	Genderless
Ayelala	Deity of justice, oaths and retribution.	Female
Ayé	Deity of the Earth, passion, environmentalism and nature.	Female
Biri	Deity of darkness, night, and midnight.	Male
Babalu Aye	Deity of smallpox, epidemic disease and healing.	Male
Bayanni (Dada)	Deity of justice, children, vegetables, abundance, peace, intelligence and wisdom. He is described as having locked hair and said to protect children born with locked hair (also called Dada).^[6]	Male
Ela	Deity of manifestation, pure light and passion for charity and giving. He is closely associated with Ọrunmila and Ifá.	Male
Erinlẹ	Deity of hunting and abundance. He is described as the "great elephant of the Earth".	Male
Eṣu	Deity of crossroads, trickery, misfortune, chaos, death and travelers. He is described as an unpredictable force that acts as an intermediary between humans and the Oriṣa.	Male or Androgynous
Ibeji (Taiwo and Kehinde)	Twin deities of duality, playfulness, mischief, abundance and twins. They are the children of Shango.	Male and/or Female
Iroko	Tree deity seen as the King of forest spirits (iwin).	Genderless
Iya Nla	Primordial Spirit	Female
Logun Edé	Deity of forests and rivers, war and hunting, youth, grace and balance. He is the son of Oṣosi and Oṣun and possesses qualities of both of them.	Male or Androgynous
Moremi	Legendary Queen who saved Ile-Ife from raiders and was deified after her death.	Female
Oba	River deity of homemaking, domesticity and marriage. She is the first wife of Shango.	Female
Ọbalufọn	Legendary king of the Ife Empire who became deified as an Oriṣa associated with weaving, art, bronze and brass casting, royalty and wealth.	Male
Obatala	Deity of creation, purity, creativity, wisdom and of the disabled. He is credited for being the creator of the Earth and humans. He is the King of the Oriṣa.	Male (commonly) or Female
Oduduwa	Warrior deity said to be the progenitor of the Yoruba. Some versions of the creation story describe him as being the brother of Obatala who created humans and the Earth when Obatala failed due to him being intoxicated on palm wine.	Male (commonly) or Female
Ogun	Deity of war, soldiers, dogs, blacksmiths, iron, craftsmen and metalworkers. He is described as one of the most powerful and respected Oriṣa. He is often seen as a rival of Shango.	Male
Oke	Deity of mountains, hills and heights.	Male
Oko	Deity of agriculture, farming and fertility.	Male
Olokun	Deity of oceans, water, health and wealth. They are the head of all water deities and one of the most powerful Oriṣa. They are strongly associated with Aje.	Male, Female or Androgynous.
Olumo	Mountain deity linked with the Olumo Rock.	Genderless
Ọranyan	Legendary King of Ifẹ who founded the Oyo Empire. He was the husband of Queen Moremi, the father of Shango and Ajaka and the grandson of Oduduwa.	Male
Orò	Deity of bullroarers and communal justice.	Male
Oronsen	Deity who was the wife of Olowo Rerengejen.	Female
Ọrunmila	Deity of wisdom, knowledge, Ifá divination, philosophy, fate, destiny, prophecy and babalawos. He is described as all-seeing and credited with the revelation of the Odu Ifa (sacred corpus).	Male
Ori	Deity of the beforelife, the afterlife, destiny and personal identity.	Genderless
Ọsanyin (Aroni)	Deity of herbs, healing, plants, nature, herbalists and wizardry.	Male
Oṣosi	Warrior deity of the hunt, forests and justice. He is the father of Logun Edé.	Male
Oṣun	Deity of rivers, water, beauty, purity, love, fertility, and sensuality. She is described as being extremely beautiful, kindhearted and a great cook. She is the second and the youngest wife of Shango.	Female
Oṣunmare	Deity of the rainbow, regeneration and rebirth. They are described as being a serpent spirit who created the rainbow.	Male or Female
Otin	River deity of protection. She is said to be a hunter and the wife of Erinlẹ̀.	Female
Ọya	Warrior deity of storms, wind, thunder, lightning and the dead. She is the third wife of Ṣango. She is described as being an unstoppable force in battle and having a temper comparable to that of Ṣango. She is also compassionate and loves children.	Female
Shango (or Ṣàngó)	Deity of thunder, lightning, fire, justice, dance, virility and drumming. He is one of the most powerful and most feared Oriṣa. He is the younger brother of Ajaka, father of the Ibeji and the husband of Ọba, Ọṣun and Ọya.	Male
Yemoja	Deity of rivers, fish, water, the moon, motherhood and protection. She is one of the most venerated Oriṣa.	Female
Yemowo (or Yemòó)	Water deity. She is the consort of Obatala.	Female
Yewa	River deity of the Yewa River.	Female

The Ajogun

Name	Description
Iku	The spirit of death. It is considered the head of the Ajogun.
Arun	The spirit of disease and illness.
Ẹgba	The spirit of paralysis and infirmity.
Epe	The spirit of curses.
Eṣe	The spirit of wounds and affliction.
Ẹwọn	The spirit of imprisonment/captivity.
Ofo	The spirit of loss and destruction of property.
Oran	The spirit of conflict and trouble.

Supreme Deity

The Supreme Being in Yorùbá culture is known as Ọlọrun, Olódùmarè or Elédùa amongst other names.

Major male Oriṣa

Aganjú - oriṣa that was a warrior king, walked with a sword as a staff, and is associated with fire. He is not associated with volcanoes in Yorùbáland in West Africa, contrary to what is believed in Cuban-style practice of Oriṣa.
Agẹmọ - the chameleon servant of the Supreme God Ọlọrun.
Ọbalúayé - oriṣa of the Earth, strongly associated with infectious disease and healing.
Èṣù - the orisha of crossroads, trickery, duality, beginnings and balance.
Ọbàtálá - creator of human bodies; oriṣa of light, spiritual purity, and moral uprightness.
Odùduwà - progenitor oriṣa of the Yoruba.
Ògún - oriṣa who presides over iron, fire, hunting, smithery and war.
Oko - a hunter and farmer oriṣa.
Osanyin - oriṣa of the forest, herbs and medicine.
Ọ̀ṣọ́ọ̀sì - oriṣa of the hunt, forest, strategy and of the knowledge.
Ṣàngó - oriṣa of thunder and lightning.^[7]^[8]

Major female Oriṣa

Ọbà - first wife of Ṣàngó and òrìṣà of domesticity and marriage.
Ọ̀ṣun - òrìṣà who presides over love, intimacy, beauty, wealth, diplomacy and of the Osun river.
Ọya - òrìṣà of the Niger River; associated with wind, lightning, fertility, fire, and magic.^[9]
Yemọja - an òrìṣà of water, women, and of the Ogun river.
Yemowo (Yemòwó / Yemòó) - wife of Ọbàtálá and fertility

Metaphysical personifications or spirits

Ori - personification of one's spiritual intuition and destiny.

References

↑ Barber, Karin (1981). "How Man Makes God in West Africa: Yoruba Attitudes Towards the "Orisa"". Africa: Journal of the International African Institute (Cambridge University Press) 51 (3): 724–745. doi:10.2307/1159606. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1159606. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
↑ Ikenga-Metuh, Emefie (1982). "Religious Concepts in West African Cosmogonies: A Problem of Interpretation". Journal of Religion in Africa (Brill) 13 (1): 11–24. doi:10.2307/1581115. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1581115. Retrieved 30 Sep 2026.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Obafemi Jegede, Charles (2016). "Ifa Mythology on Human Variations and Global African Identity and Global Contact". Canadian Social Science 12 (10): 34–41. doi:10.3968/8801. ISSN 19236697. https://cscanada.net/index.php/css/article/view/8801/9804. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
↑ Olupọna, Jacob K. (September 1993). "The Study of Yoruba Religious Tradition in Historical Perspective". Numen (Brill) 40 (3): 240–273. doi:10.2307/3270151. https://tuto.pt/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/the-study-of-yoruba-religious-tradition-in-historical-perspective.pdf. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
↑ Warner-Lewis, Maureen (2000). "Ethnic and Religious Plurality among Yoruba Immigrants in Trinidad in the Nineteenth Century". in Lovejoy, Paul E.. Identity in the Shadow of Slavery. Wellington House, 125 Strand, London: Continuum. pp. 113–128. ISBN 0826447244.
↑ "The Lukumí Pantheon: Orishas Worshiped by the Lukumí—English » Eleda.org". http://eleda.org/blog/2008/11/11/the-lukumi-pantheon-orishas-worshiped-by-the-lukumi-english/.
↑ "The 5 Most Influential Orishas" (in en-US). The Guardian (Lagos, Nigeria). 2019-08-11. https://guardian.ng/life/the-5-most-influential-orishas/.
↑ Thabit, Khadijah (2022-09-21). "Yoruba gods and goddesses: their history explained in detail" (in en). Legit.ng. https://www.legit.ng/1175618-yoruba-gods-goddesses.html.
↑ "Deities of the Yoruba and Fon Religions | Encyclopedia.com". https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/deities-yoruba-and-fon-religions#A.

Template:List of mythological figures by region

0.00

(0 votes)

Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List of Yoruba deities. Read more

[Barber1981-1] Barber, Karin (1981). "How Man Makes God in West Africa: Yoruba Attitudes Towards the "Orisa"". Africa: Journal of the International African Institute (Cambridge University Press) 51 (3): 724–745. doi:10.2307/1159606. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1159606. Retrieved 30 September 2026.

[IkengaMetuh1982-2] Ikenga-Metuh, Emefie (1982). "Religious Concepts in West African Cosmogonies: A Problem of Interpretation". Journal of Religion in Africa (Brill) 13 (1): 11–24. doi:10.2307/1581115. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1581115. Retrieved 30 Sep 2026.

[Jegede2016-3] 3.0 ^3.1 Obafemi Jegede, Charles (2016). "Ifa Mythology on Human Variations and Global African Identity and Global Contact". Canadian Social Science 12 (10): 34–41. doi:10.3968/8801. ISSN 19236697. https://cscanada.net/index.php/css/article/view/8801/9804. Retrieved 30 September 2026.

[Olupona1993-4] Olupọna, Jacob K. (September 1993). "The Study of Yoruba Religious Tradition in Historical Perspective". Numen (Brill) 40 (3): 240–273. doi:10.2307/3270151. https://tuto.pt/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/the-study-of-yoruba-religious-tradition-in-historical-perspective.pdf. Retrieved 30 September 2026.

[Werner-Lewis2000-5] Warner-Lewis, Maureen (2000). "Ethnic and Religious Plurality among Yoruba Immigrants in Trinidad in the Nineteenth Century". in Lovejoy, Paul E.. Identity in the Shadow of Slavery. Wellington House, 125 Strand, London: Continuum. pp. 113–128. ISBN 0826447244.

[6] "The Lukumí Pantheon: Orishas Worshiped by the Lukumí—English » Eleda.org". http://eleda.org/blog/2008/11/11/the-lukumi-pantheon-orishas-worshiped-by-the-lukumi-english/.

[7] "The 5 Most Influential Orishas" (in en-US). The Guardian (Lagos, Nigeria). 2019-08-11. https://guardian.ng/life/the-5-most-influential-orishas/.

[8] Thabit, Khadijah (2022-09-21). "Yoruba gods and goddesses: their history explained in detail" (in en). Legit.ng. https://www.legit.ng/1175618-yoruba-gods-goddesses.html.

[9] "Deities of the Yoruba and Fon Religions | Encyclopedia.com". https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/deities-yoruba-and-fon-religions#A.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]