The Yorùbá people of Nigeria and West Africa have a rich and sophisticated musical heritage that features a wide variety of traditional instruments, each tied to ceremony, storytelling, and spiritual practice. Here are some of the most significant ones:

(The instruments in bold face type are ones we have in our collection.)

Percussion Instruments

Percussion dominates Yorùbá music, often driving complex polyrhythms and call-and-response singing.

• Dùndún (Talking Drum) – A tension drum shaped like an hourglass, capable of mimicking the tones and inflections of spoken Yorùbá language. Played with a curved stick under the arm, it is the signature instrument of Yorùbá music.
• Bàtá Drums – A family of double-headed drums (ìyá-ìlù, omelè, kònkòn, etc.) traditionally used in worship of Ṣàngó (the thunder deity). Their rhythms carry deep spiritual and communicative meaning.
• Gángan – Another variety of talking drum, smaller and sharper-toned than the dùndún, used in praise-singing and dance music.
• Agbá / Sakara – Frame drums made of goatskin and clay, used in social gatherings and Islamic-influenced music such as Wákà or Sakara styles.
• Agogô – Iron bell or double bell used to mark time and accent beats.
• Shekere – A large gourd covered with a beaded net, shaken or struck for percussive texture.

Melodic Instruments

Although percussion predominates, several Yorùbá instruments carry melodic or harmonic lines:

• Sekere flute (òfà or òpà) – Simple bamboo or wooden flutes used in praise songs.
• Goje – A one-string bowed fiddle used by griots and in folk ensembles.
• Agidigbo – A large box lamellophone (thumb piano), often made of wood and metal tongues, that “talks” rhythmically in dance bands.
• Ekwe – A slit drum carved from wood, used to send messages or mark important community events.

Context and Use

Yorùbá instruments are rarely played in isolation — they function as ensembles accompanying:

• Òrìṣà worship (e.g., drums for Ṣàngó, Ògún, Òṣun)
• Egúngún masquerade ceremonies
• Royal and court music
• Festivals, weddings, and storytelling sessions

Influence on Modern Music

These instruments profoundly shaped modern West African and Afro-diasporic genres:

• Highlife, Afrobeat, and Fuji in Nigeria
• Cuban batá and Brazilian candomblé drumming (via enslaved Yorùbá descendants)
• Jazz and world fusion rhythms worldwide